Sanandra's Travels

Incred!ble India! Since I returned home last Friday I continue to awake at 2-4 in the morning and cannot sleep any longer. My body-mind is still in India. What an amazing adventure! It was filled with so many great moments and deep, and sometimes painful learnings. Starting with the Taj Mahal which is a monument of love built by a Raja (king) for his deceased wife. It put such a spotlight on the potential of love that I lost sight of the beauty I have in my life already. As my teacher always said "comparison is the first step to unhappiness". Fortunately I found my way back to Love in the end.

We went to Mathura (birth place of Krishna), Bodhgaya, and sat under the Bodhi Tree where Buddha meditated. We went into the caves where he sat. But for me, the most touching experiences were connecting with the beautiful people of India. It was on my way back down from the caves that I had a very profound experience. There sat a young man, blind and deformed in his body with his pan held out for donations. As I approached him I could hear him say "NAMASTE, NAMASTE, NAMASTE" over and over and over again. I will never forget him. I gave him 50 rupees and one of my fellow travelers reached down and touched the side of his face. I could see that he was so moved by this. (I bet it has been a long time since anyone has touched him in that way) as she moved on I stood there watching him as he moved his hand to the other side of his face requesting another touch and continuing to chant Namaste.

Namaste means "The Divine in me recognizes the Divine in you" What a Beautiful word.
There is no such word in the English language that creates the connection that I felt when I spoke it and received it from the hundreds of people I met after this incident. What a teacher he was. I have known this word Namaste for many years but it had a whole new personalized meaning to it now. This one word went on to pave the way for the deepest experience of connection I have ever known with people whom I could not speak any other word of their language.

We made our way to Varanasi and participated in a special meditation on the sacred Ganga (called the Ganges River by the British). It was here in Varanasi where the streets were filled with such chaos that I learned about "being in the flow" with ALL Beings. There were cars, buses, tractors, cows, goats, rickshaws, dogs, bicycles, and people galore moving in every direction you can imagine and somehow it all worked. There were no accidents no red, yellow, and green lights. It all flowed and moved with such presence and purpose. My favorite image is of a donkey with a pack on its back running down the street amidst all of this. He had no human with him yet he knew exactly where he was going as if he was off to work in morning rush hour traffic. I giggle when I remember this but it was a great learning for me to accept the movement of life and to flow with it.

Next we moved on to Allahabad and joined in with the other 35 million, (yes that is right, 35 million!) other people who attended the Kumbh Mela festival. It is the largest festival of the human race which commemorates the most important episodes of Hindu mythology, including the battle between the Gods and demons for the possession of the Kumbh (pitcher) filled with Nectar. The legend immortalizes the victory of virtue over vice, good over bad, morality over immorality and life over death. We arrived on the most important bathing day when the Naga Sadhus (highest Holy Men, naked because they have denounced everything including their clothing) come down from the Himalaya Mountains and bathe in the Sangam, the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati rivers. After they were finished, we were given the Blessing of bathing as well.

That night I joined several others in our group and were led to the Naga Sadhu's tent area where we were treated as their guests. We spent the entire night moving from camp to camp where we were offered and shared their Chai tea and smoked their pipes with them. We were also fed a very delicious meal. There were a few Babas who spoke broken English that translated for us, and one Beautiful man, Raj, who escorted us to the prime spots. The presence of these Beautiful Beings was astonishing. I guess I had imagined that they might be kind of spacey or out in another zone, but no way, Raj even knew that I had to pee and asked me if I needed to go now or do I want to wait until the next opportunity. I was so touched by his gentle care for me in such a simple but deeply connected and present way. This is how it was the entire time. Everyone I looked at SAW me and acknowledged me. Wow, how wonderful it would be to live this way all of the time. They do.

We met the leader of all of the Sadhus a Wonderful man, Sampat Puri Ji Maharaj who is 113 years old (he looks 70) He gave us a mantra and shared his wisdom. He said "When you have seen the lowest you are the highest. One is everything when you are zero". He also gave us this message as did several other Sadhus: "Where the Lady is worshiped, there is Wealth". In India the ladies are the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi, Ram. I LOVE this! I know personally when I feel honored and adored I will will do anything for you, give you all I have. I believe most women are this way.

We also visited a very Joyful Sahdu called Kal Yugi TEA Baba. He was great. He owns nothing yet has everything. As we approached he ran quickly to his neighbors to borrow mats for us to sit on, he had torn a sarong in half to include us all. For the last 6 years he has only consumed his amazing Chai Tea (which he made for us) and smoked Hashish. He said he cries very much when he eats so he only drinks tea and smokes hash. He said "Remember the name of God in all you do, Purify your actions, behind the desire is the Divine". Sit at the right hand of God.

What a gift. I am so Blessed and so Grateful.