Return of the Outdoorsman

Rugged and rough... beard like a grizzly... I'm getting wild out here with some California living.

Photos are now posted from my backpacking trip to Big Sur online here.

I haven't written in a while, but for the last few weeks I've been enjoying the perks of living on planet Earth. I went surfing twice now, as well as a backpacking trip down the coast.

It's hard to live in Santa Cruz county and not be tempted to jump in the salty cold ocean once in a while. Getting on a board again after probably 9 years of no surfing brought back some good memories. There is something magical about dunking my head underwater, hearing the rush of water fill my ears, and feeling the blast of cold on my face. Then, lifting my head, shaking the water off and breathing deeply as I gaze out at the rock cliffs surrounding me. Sitting atop a board as the slow unbroken waves pass underneath, the rhythm of rising and falling, I don't have to think about much of anything. I just smile like a child, floating, floating, floating.

The first surf session was mellow. Kids half my height were learning on the close shore breaks. My long time friend, Lori, was really trying to get me stoked on the thrill of surfing again, but still I think the best part was just the water. Being wet is really fun - wet salty hair, wet splashes on my faces, wet eyebrows even. The surfing was fun too, and standing on top of a surge of water while traveling in to shore almost makes me giggle.

I bought a wetsuit a couple days later, and then was back out - this time at Manresa state beach. The waves were head-high, and the air was cold. The crisp sounds of pounding waves on sand were a constant background for adventure. I got pummeled by a few waves, tossed around much less elegantly than the first trip out. After catching a couple waves, I stumbled back to shore out of breath and with a frigid headache. Even being beaten by the onslaught of a vast ocean brings such a fullness to being alive. The senses of the body become alert to the pressures and pushes across every inch of skin. I returned to the parking lot for the post-surf ritual of squeezing out of the wetsuit and into a fresh, dry towel. The salt dried into my hair leaving a sticky residue. The car had a noticeable stillness to it when compared with the tumbles of the ocean.

Alexandra, who joined me for the second surf session, was also my companion for a trip into the wilderness of Big Sur. We chose the remote Fresno Camp, way off the beaten path - literally! In fact, the path is so overgrown, that our hike took twice as long just to plow through the bushes. Just enough trail existed for us to keep following down into a quiet valley by the San Antonio creek. The campsite was smack in a riverbed which floods over in the rainy season. We couldn't have picked a better time, since it was right before the first fall rains hit a couple weeks ago. The solitude was refreshing, the mountains were towering above, and the weather was sunny and bright. The cold creek offered yet another chance to get my hair wet and take a dip. The water flowed down over shimmering rocks and opened into pools one to two feet deep. A biodegradable soap allowed for a sudsy scrub down after a tiring (and poison oak filled) hike in. The camp food tasted delicious as always in the small metal pot that had been heated over the fire. There was no one in sight from start to finish during our two nights of camping and hiking. But even if we'd been lonely, the gnats still swarmed and cuddled with us.

After emerging from the dirty wilderness, we drove to the icon of luxury - The Hearst Castle. I'm not sure if I ever went there as a kid, but it was great to finally see it as an adult.

We also saw the elephant seals of San Simeon. The female elephant seals were sleeping in piles on the beach, while young males were sparring and testing their strength in the low water where the waves came in.

Daylight savings ends bringing the real darkness of winter. The rains have hit hard, and work has been wet and cold a couple times now. Fall potatoes, squash, and greens have arrived too, and I'll be roasting the veggies away at home in Felton.

What a planet, eh?

Feeling the Groove, Taking a Break

So, I feel like I'm finally finding my groove here in Felton. I've got my new car. I've seen a lot of old friends. And, the Farmer's Markets are in full summer swing.

To really make best use of my time here in Felton, I think I'm going to take a break from my blog for a couple weeks. I've had a lot of fun writing about a bunch of things which have been on my mind over the last year or so. I'm going to consider it like another little "retreat" for August - a blogging retreat. I hope to report back again in the future with some more highlights from this wild ride of life. (And hopefully some good photos from the Farmer's Markets!)

Be well,

Daniel

First Batch of Pesto

All settled in and back to work, I'm finding my pace here in Felton, CA. I made my first batch of summer pesto, and it's delicious! (Maybe a little too much Parmesan, as it's got bite.)

I've also got my stuff from storage and having an emotional ride going through all those memories and working on my discard pile.

I had planned to take time while here in this peaceful forest setting to do as much meditation as possible (yes... I'm still blabbing on about meditation, but that is the point of this blog). I just took the last two days on retreat here, just for meditation. It was a bit of a struggle, but a fruitful use of time. After a nightmare on Wednesday night about a cobra, I decided to make an offering of incense to the forest creatures the next day. I think if I'm taking refuge in their forest home as a bit of an uninvited guest, then I ought to do my best to win them over. May it be a sanctuary of peace for all those who wish to pass their days in these woods.

Work seems to be going well, and if anyone wants to visit me: I'll be at the Downtown Berkeley Farmer's Market on Saturdays, and the Montclair (Oakland hills) Farmer's Market on Sundays. See you there!

Time to go now and cook up some beets. 'Til next time.

Back from the East Coast

I'm back from spending Memorial Day weekend in Massachusetts. It was great to see my family, and perhaps I'll say a bit more about that at some point. Now, I'm in Felton (near Santa Cruz) and working out my next plans. It's beautiful here in the Redwoods, and there's a good chance I'll be staying a while to do some meditation at my mom's house here.

Cabin in the woods - it's a dream come true.

I hope to post more soon to keep the blog going.

Spirit Rock, Abhayagiri, and California Living

I've been back in the US for a few days now, but it seems like I've already done a lot! I visited with family and friends, and saw a lot of the ol' hometown sights around the Bay Area. I took a nice hike out to the ocean with my dad too. The beard has been quite a centerpiece of conversation, but it's days are numbered (my friend Whit has some clippers here in SF)

So, as the wheels of time turn, opportunities are opening up in front of me once again. I'm still leaving my plans very open-ended, with an eye toward what will continue to deepen this process of unfolding that's going on within me. But, I also would like to check out some of the great practice spots here in California - since I'm here. Someone asked if I had "wanderlust," as I seem to be moving around a lot. Actually, I'd prefer to stay settled for maybe 6 months or a year or two. At the risk of sounding overly practical, what I'm really looking for is a place where I can get the most meditation for the longest amount of time at the lowest cost - simple economics. I thought that having good instruction and teachings would be important, but after the last few months, I realize that it's not totally essential for me, though definitely welcome. Quiet solitude is pretty essential though.

Well, I went by Spirit Rock this morning and saw the grounds, and even said "Hi" to Jack Kornfield (he said "Hi" back, and then went on his way). They have a stipend residential work position open that looks tempting, and I'll probably put in my resume just to see if I get a nibble. Spirit Rock is absolutely stunning! It's probably about as big as the Sattal Ashram, with excellent quiet nature, but less Indian tourists and chaos. Plus, it's actually used solely for Dharma practice (as the Sattal ashram was not). Definitely a 5 star retreat center, and it would be a beautiful place to live! Almost too beautiful!

Also, I ran into a Dharma friend who I've been corresponding with who is heading up to Abhayagiri monastery in Northern California in a couple weeks. I've been wanting to get up there as I've had a number of friends tell me about it now. But, I didn't know how I'd find a ride. F-A-T-E... wouldn't you know it? I get offered for a ride as soon as I ask. It's like magic. Since it's a monastery, I suppose there's always the off chance that I'll shave my head and won't come out. But, at any rate, it will be a wonderful opportunity.

I also would like to get down to Wat Metta in Southern California, and the new Goenka center near Sebastapol, and of course back to the North Fork Center to see the pagoda that's being built there too! There's a lot of Dharma in this region of the world, too much to even list it all here. Karma is good to me!

In addition, I'll be emptying my storage unit soon, so this all should keep me busy for a little while.

People are telling me that I seem pretty much like the same Daniel. I don't really feel the same (and as a wonderful monk in Korea once told me: "not a moment goes by that the mountain doesn't change.") But, I think I get the sentiment.

- Still Daniel

Bangkok, Babaji, and Bob Dylan

Well, I wasn't going to write anymore before I left, but I'm back in the internet cafe listening to Bob Dylan on youtube.

I guess my beard must be getting LONG because random people around town are calling me Babaji. It's so funny how the tourist crowd of Khao San Road, Thailand is so different from Rishikesh, India. In Rishikesh, I think I was a little bit clean cut for the hippie crowd there. And, now I feel like a weird hippie surrounded with all these college kids and their 75 cent beers.

The Red Shirt protests have apparently settled a little bit after 38 people have died. But, it should be safe to get out of here tomorrow. One thing seems sure (from talking with the locals) no one seems to like fighting. Yet, we humans seem to do it anyway! Oh, what silly monkeys we are.

Here are some Bob Dylan lyrics:

And what'll you do now, my blue-eyed son ?
And what'll you do now my darling young one ?
I'm a-goin' back out 'fore the rain starts a-fallin'
I'll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest
Where the people are a many and their hands are all empty
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
Where the executioner's face is always well hidden
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten
Where black is the color, where none is the number
And I'll tell and think it and speak it and breathe it
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it
Then I'll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin'
But I'll know my songs well before I start singin'

- Bob Dylan, Hard Rain

Travel Update: Bangkok Burning!

I'm in Bangkok for two days, and wouldn't you know it, but there is civil unrest in the city! I didn't even know until I saw many of the Thai people glued to the TV watching the most recent developments. Luckily, flights are still coming in and out of the town, although schools and government offices have been closed down today.

Doing a little research, apparently the "Red Shirts" are a political group claiming that the Thai democracy is not a democracy at all, but suffers from interference from the military and the royalty. So, they have shut down the city.

Also, on the Thai news front, I've spoken with a couple of shopkeepers here who say that business has not been good lately - not many tourists! Perhaps it's the global economy, or I suspect perhaps they may have also overdeveloped their Bangkok tourist area. In the seven years since I was last here, they have built up a lot of the Khao San Rd. area.

The guy next to me in the internet cafe is speaking on Skype in Italian - now that's a beautiful language!

So, this is life in Thailand... and so so chill! What a nice relaxing break from India. I've already eaten a young coconut, jackfruit, Pad Thai, and Khao San Banana Pancakes! Yum!

I do want to take a second to share my love of India before I close that chapter. What an insane and adventurous ride that was - sometimes literally - My trip ended with a race to the airport in an auto rickshaw going 50 mph down the highway with no seat-belt, and not even a door between me and the asphalt! India definitely didn't fail to challenge me, and kept me on my toes. I learned new lessons about what is really necessary in terms of comfort in life, and what can be done without. And, I got great joy really appreciating that all of us... Americans, Hindus, Sikhs, Tibetans, Nepali, etc. - we're all cut from the same cloth so to speak. It's one human impulse moving through us all. Be well, India.

Soon, I'll be back in California. If you are a Californian reading this and you want to meet up before my next adventure, let me know, as I really don't know how long I'll be around.

May these people here in Bangkok come to some peace and some progress in service of the Thai people.

Travel Update: Getting Out of Here!

"Drink it! Just drink it!" the young American with dreadlocks exclaims with great enthusiasm. He is sharing his wisdom with a young European woman over breakfast at the Ganga View Cafe, Rishikesh. What's he talking about? Urine, of course!

"Shiva gave a discourse to OUR BODIES," he continues. "Shiva... GOD... is talking to OUR BODIES... telling us that this is very secret knowledge... it's like a magical elixir... our bodies make a MAGICAL ELIXIR!" The discussion continues for a good ten minutes as he expounds on all the wonderful benefits of drinking your own urine and how secret and magical this knowledge is, until finally the honest question is posed to him: "Do you do it?"
"No... 'cause I smoke."
"Why is that?" the innocent European woman responds...
"Smoking's got all sorts of poisons. Otherwise, I'd drink it everyday!" He answers.

Welcome to Rishikesh. I won't even try to argue the logical insanity of his discourse, but I'll leave it for you all to muse over.

I leave the cafe, and while passing by the numerous cows who graze in the streets and alleyways, I come to the jeep station. Here, jeeps cram full of Hindu families to take them up into the mountains to visit some holy Hindu sight (forgive me for not knowing which one.) As the jeeps speed off, there is often one or two older women in the back vomiting or preparing to vomit from motion sickness - the price paid for a trip for God. No one seems to care.

I keep walking, and I see a woman in tears, blood running from her nose, holding a baby in her left arm. The blood is gushing too, not just a couple drops. Her husband holds the other baby in his arm and makes weak attempts to cheer her up - so weak that I suspect perhaps he has played some role in causing this bloody nose. But, that's just speculation. Whatever is going on... again, no one seems to care.

Welcome, again, to Rishikesh. And, this is one of the nicer towns in India! It's actually quite pretty to look out over the Ganges, through the swarms of flies, or walk across the pedestrian bridges. It's probably about 100 degrees in the daytime here, which adds to the pungent rotting fumes in the alleyways.

The good news - I'm getting out of here! Not to say that Rishikesh doesn't have some charm. The Beatles Ashram is pretty cool, and there are some nice tourist conveniences like Italian restaurants and German bakeries. And, it's not to say that the challenge of India really confronts one's concepts of the way things "should" be. But, I'm gladly accepting that it's time to move on.

I was planning to stay in India until the end of my visa in June, but given the circumstances with my grandfather, I will be heading back to the US in a few days.

Ghandi has this to say:

I have found by experience that man makes his plans to be often upset by God, but, at the same time, where the ultimate goal is the search of truth, no matter how a man's plans are frustrated, the issue is never injurious and often better than expected.
- M.K. Ghandi

So, here are my tentative travel plans:
- Rishikesh to Delhi May 16th
- Delhi to Bangkok overnight May 16-17
- Bangkok for two days (oh, curry and mangoes!)
- Bangkok to San Francisco May 19
- San Francisco to Berlin, Massachusetts (And return to SF) May 28 - May 31

After that, the door is open for God to frustrate me further, though of course, my plan is to continue to pursue my meditation practice as priority number one.

For My Grandfather

As I stood in the bookstore, holding "The Devotional Poems of Mirabai," I flipped through another couple pages when my eyes landed on this poem:

Whatever thou seest twixt earth and sky
Will perish.
...
Take no pride in the body,
It will soon be mingling with the dust.
This life is like the sporting of sparrows,
It will end with the onset of night.

- Mirabai

It seems that Mirabai was singing to me again. Earlier that day, I had discovered that on May 5th, my grandfather Russell Hawkins passed away. He reached the impressive age of 95, and was well loved. I feel grateful for having him in my life.

So, Grandfather, I chose another Mirabai verse to share with you now. Please enjoy...

Go to that impenetrable realm

That Death himself trembles to look upon.

There plays the fountain of love

With swans sporting on its waters.

- Mirabai

My family has organized a gathering in memorial of my grandfather and also in honor of the passing of his generation on my mom's side of the family. Many friends and family will attend, and yes... so will I. In 9 days, I will be on an airplane back to the US!

More on my travel plans soon, but for now:

"Annica!" (things change)

With Love,

Daniel

The Beard is Back!

After fifty days of silence, I'm sitting here now and I find myself... speechless.

I'm back in Rishikesh where I plan to relax back into the "real world" for a few days, with no plans yet after that.

Being in Rishikesh and looking at the funny photo of my beard, I'm suspecting that this must be the "White Album" phase of my life (ala the hefty beard John Lennon wore after his time in Rishikesh) No album yet, though. In fact, just thinking of what to write here now seems like a lot. I will probably have more to say soon.

I did the 40-day retreat in Sattal, and went straight into a 10-day Goenka retreat that started the next day in Dehra Dun; To say that my retreat time was "wonderful" would be an understatement. mmm....

More soon.

All is well. Be Happy!

Last Words from Rishikesh...

Prudence, focused on meditation, stayed in her room for the majority of their stay. Lennon, who was worried that she was depressed, wrote this song for her, inviting her to "come out to play". Prudence explained years later that she was just trying to take Transcendental Meditation seriously. She said in Mojo magazine: "They were trying to be cheerful, but I wished they'd go away. I don't think they realized what the training was all about." - History of the song "Dear Prudence", (Wikipedia)

I'm in Rishikesh, and to be honest, going to see the Beatles ashram was about equally moving for me as seeing where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

Bodh Gaya was a little detached because there is a huge temple and thousands of pilgrims - not at all like the forest solitude which must have appealed to the Buddha 2500 years ago. The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, however, looks much today as I imagine it looked 42 years ago when the Beatles made their pilgrimage there. It's very easy to imagine them walking down to the water and bathing in the Ganges after writing one of the 48 songs they wrote while staying there.

John Lennon is definitely one of my heroes. Maybe that's why I feel so inspired here.

But, right now, I'm feeling a little bit more like Prudence. The crowds are flowing in to Rishikesh (and Haridwar) for the big bathing day tomorrow as part of the Kumbh Mela celebration. It's packed, and I'm going right into the heart of it this evening to get to the train station. Rumors are that vehicles can only get within 3-7 kilometers of the train station, and we'll end up having to walk the rest of the way through swarms of pilgrims. I've got a couple travel buddies with me, though, to keep the spirits light.

Here's my own version of the song:

"Dr. Prudence,
Won't you stay inside and meditate... hey heyyy....

Dr. Prudence,
I like to meditate too... hoo hoo hoooooo....

Dr. Prudence,
I'm going to go meditate now.
For about 40 days... day hay hay hayyyy....."

John, please don't be mad at me.

Travel Update: Leaving Town Again

One last hike while up in the mountains took me to St. John's Church of the Wilderness. What a way to say goodbye to this beautiful mountain town. It's hard moving on sometimes, and this is one place where I will always have a little piece of my heart.

The Church of the Wilderness brought up a lot of metta (love) for Christianity, despite it's flaws. And also I was feeling a lot of love for the contribution that religion has made to architecture. I think, maybe, spiritual architecture may be one of the coolest achievements of mankind!

So, I'm getting on a bus tonight - third class, government bus. I think it's hit or miss whether I will regret this or not. It's a 12 hour overnight ride - just hope I have a friendly seat-mate.

I will end up in Rishikesh at some point tomorrow morning, where I'll be staying for one night. I'm excited about Rishikesh, as it's where the Beatles went to study with the great Maharishi. There's a bunch of yoga, ashrams and hippies there now.

I'll spend one night there, and then I'm going through Hardiwar on my way out of town the next day - on an overnight train to Sattal for my retreat.

Haridwar is currently hosting the 2010 Kumbh Mella, which is said to be the largest spiritual gathering on the planet (sometimes up to 10 million pilgrims). I wanted to see it, but not really be in it. Too many crowds for my taste. So, I'm happy that I get to simply pass through for the day.

Let's hit the road!

40 Days and 40 Nights

Say what you will, but I've always liked the phrase: "What would Jesus do?"

Well, what Jesus DID do was go into the desert and fast for forty days. So, maybe that's a good place to start.

I won't be fasting for forty days, but on March 15th I'm going on retreat again. I think it's forty one days, however, as I'll be released on April 25th. I also looked and saw that a nearby Goenka center is starting a course on the 26th of April, so I might go and sit that course too, which would be about 52 days. Or, I might serve the Goenka course, or maybe not go at all, depending on how I feel after the first 40. But, the chances are that you won't hear anything from me for about 50 days after I go into silence.

The course is led by OpenDharma.org, who have been highly recommended to me, and I've already met Jaya (one of the leaders of the retreat.) It will be at a beautiful Christian Ashram (another sign?) called Sattall Ashram. It's said to be in the woods, far away from the busy cities. Smile!

I'm quite grateful for this opportunity for extended practice. What incredible fortune to have the luxury of time and support for my meditation practice. One of my meditation mentors recently told me that I must have good karma, to see the Dalai Lama, and the Bodh Gaya retreat, and now this. It's wonderful. Jesus had to go to a desert and didn't have anyone serving him food! Oh, man!

I actually just finished a little informal six day self-retreat here in Dharamsala and it went very well. I'll write more about it later. I managed to subsist on about $7 per day, so that makes for a pretty economical retreat! I may have to come back here.

I topped off my self-retreat with a hike to Triund (2900m). I'll write more about that later too (and upload some of the several hundred photos I took).

For the record though, Jesus didn't really plan to go to the desert, he was led by the Spirit.

(Mat 4:1) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert...

It seems most things he did were led by the Spirit. So, I think that closes the case on "what would Jesus do?"... he would follow the Spirit. End of story.

Follow your Spirit.

Travel Update: Resting in the Clouds

After three days of strenuous travel and more debilitating illness, I've finally arived in the beautiful mile-high village of Mcleod Ganj. Just up the hill from Dharamsala, Mcleod is set at the entrance to the Dalai Lama's residence.

It is beautiful here, and exactly what I was looking for. There are cool mountain breezes, many fun shops, and quite unbenownst to me, the Dalai Lama will be coming in just two days! And, he's giving a teaching on the Jataka Tales on Feb 28th.

I found a room for 100 ruppees (about $2.50) per day, and already found my favorite momo lady. (Momo's are the Tibetan and Nepalese version of the potsticker). Four Momos for 10 rupees cooked fresh on the street. I think I'm dreaming!

I'll share a quick note on the health front. The trip from Varanasi to Dharamsala took about three days altogether. I ended up getting very sick in Pathankot (I think from the train food). I didn't think I'd have the energy to get on a bus and make the six hour treck to Mcleod Ganj, but I sure didn't want to stay in Pathankot. So, I pushed on. I thought I would be paying for my impatience, but actually, I woke up this morning feeling tons better. I'm still healing, and adjusting to the altitude, but I'm planning to stay for at least a couple weeks without going anywhere or stressing about anything.

As always, I will write more soon when I have the time, but I wanted to keep you all posted on my whereabouts.

Mother India, Please Take A Bath

I'd like a moment to just be frank with you, India. You're dirty and you stink.

I remember people telling me all this before I left the US. One friend told me how he had to throw out his girlfriend's clothes after her return from India, because they couldn't get the smell out.

I heard the stories, but found it hard to imagine the smell. So, let me give a brief description for your nostrils.

The first thing to hit your nose as you step off the airplane might be a warm dusty staleness with a hint of various fossil fuels. As the taxi pulls away, the exhaust fumes of traffic will ripen on the palate with more heat, sweat, and perhaps something burning nearby. Driving past a creek or river (which is really more of a garbage swamp) you'll get your first taste of rotting funk. The pungent swampy pile will reek of urine and feces (both human and animal), and possibly a dead carcass, along with rotting food and trash.

And then the real pièce de résistance, the completion of the fine bouquet: Burning Plastic! Especially in the mornings and evenings when small rubbish fires light up on nearly every street corner to burn whatever will burn. And what burns easier than plastic?! However, you can rest assured that whatever plastic doesn't get burned might be swallowed by the cow who provided your fresh yogurt lassi.

By the time the small beggar child with runny nose walks up and sneezes on you or coughs on you, you may be ready to sew your mouth and nose closed and never take another breath.

This really only leaves the occasional scent of fresh spices steaming out of an Indian kitchen. This will either be a small blessing from the Divine, or a torture when the next waft of burning plastic hits your lungs.

I haven't stopped coughing since I arrived, so I'm now going for refuge in the holy dust mask.

Maybe this paints a more vivid picture to bring a little bit of India to you.

There are some people doing something about it. I met one dedicated woman from Sacred Earth Trust (sacredearthtrust.org) She is working hard to clean up Bodh Gaya. And, I've also been inspired by the story of Veer Bhadra Mishra who has made it his life's work to clean up the Ganges river.

Travel Update: Sleeping Safely In Sarnath

I'm alive!!! It's a happy day here on the Tibetan New Year in Sarnath (the birthplace of Buddhism.)

I got sick again with a short fever, followed by a painful stomach bug and then a wicked cough. I went to the doctor and got 4 kinds of medicine. Wow. And, the entire visit to the doctor (with medicine) cost 135 rupees or about US$3. I spent two whole days in bed, mostly sleeping.

Today I'm feeling great, with a little cough still. And, I found out that while I was sleeping, a bomb went off in Pune, India! Terror alerts went into effect in parts of India after the attack. Don't worry, I'm no where near any of it, and unless the Chinese decide to attack the Tibetan 17th Karmapa, I don't foresee any terrorist attacks in sleepy little Sarnath any time soon. It's nice knowing that Buddhism seems to do a great job keeping it's hands clean of holy wars.

The attack, however, was at a favorite German Bakery of many backpacking budget travelers. I'm told they served great cappuccinos (which are hard to find in India). So, I guess there is some cause for concern. But still, I think I'd have a greater chance of getting hit by a speeding bus in the insane road traffic here than being victim of a terrorist attack.

Feeling the great joy of being alive this morning, I was fortunate enough to go see the 17th Karmapa! They had a wonderful little new year's celebration on the lawn to entertain him (or bore him, as was sometimes the case.) I got some incredible photos and had such a fun time enjoying the celebration. It felt incredibly intimate with probably about 100 people there at most, especially considering that this guy is a sort of celebrity in Tibetan Buddhism. Everyone was smiling.

The internet in Sarnath is very slow, and there are only a few computers that seem to be quite busy with travelers, so unfortunately I won't have any photo uploads for a while.

Also, I wrote a bunch in my journal on the bus ride from Bodh Gaya, so I've got a backlog of Blog material to type up. Blogging will just be a wonderful practice in patience.

My plans have changed again (which makes me wonder why I use the word "plans" anyway?) Actually, there is no plan right now. But, I was planning to continue my Buddhist pilgrimage to Kushinigar (where the Buddha died) and then to Lumbini, Nepal (where the Buddha was born.) These four sites in all make up the traditional Buddhist pilgrimage. Then, I was going to do some more meditation in Lumbini at a center there called Panditarama-Lumbini.

Two things have made me reconsider. One, my health. Two, there is a new regulation that just went into effect with Indian visas. Now, the law states that a person must leave India for at least 2 months before returning. Since there were more things that I wanted to do in India, I might just stay here for a few months before heading into Nepal, or wherever the next destination may be.

Three (ok, three things made me reconsider)... I found out about a retreat that I might be interested in for more meditation. It's a long retreat in the foothills of the Himilayas. Plus, visiting the Himilayas has been a dream of mine for a long long long time.

I'm also considering taking a break at a yoga ashram just to take care of my health. But, still meditation is my first priority, and trekking and yoga will fit in if the "plans" make it fit.

Anyway, that's my update for now. Mostly, I wanted to let you all know that I'm safe and sound, and I'll be in Sarnath for at least 5 more days or so.

Happy Losar! Happy Tibetan New Year!
Oh, woops, I just looked online and saw this article: "Dalai Lama urges Tibetans not to celebrate New Year" apparently in solidarity with those in Tibet who won't be celebrating.
So... send your blessings, instead, to all the people around the world who don't have the luxury of celebrating holidays (there are a lot!)

Travel Update: The Deathless Drum

On the way not far from Gayâ the Buddha was met by Upaka, an ascetic who, struck by the serene appearance of the Master, inquired: "Who is your teacher? Whose teaching do you profess?"

The Buddha replied: "I have no teacher, one like me does not exist in all the world, for I am the Peerless Teacher, the Arahat. I alone am Supremely Enlightened. Quenching all defilements, Nibbâna’s calm have I attained. I go to the city of Kâsi (Benares) to set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma. In a world where blindness reigns, I shall beat the Deathless Drum."

"Friend, you then claim you are a universal victor," said Upaka. The Buddha replied: "Those who have attained the cessation of defilements, they are, indeed, victors like me. All evil have I vanquished. Hence I am a victor."

Upaka shook his head, remarking sarcastically, "It may be so, friend," and took a bypath. The Buddha continued his journey, and in gradual stages reached the Deer Park at Isipatana.

Tomorrow morning at 10:00am, I will be heading to Kasi to beat the Deathless Drum! I had planned to spend a few more days in Bodh Gaya, but destiny had other plans. A number of people on the retreat organized a private bus from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath - the modern day home of "Deer Park," where the Buddha gave his first official sermon. Sarnath is the second great stop on any Buddhist pilgrimage.

The same people who put together the Bodh Gaya retreat are hosting a Dharma Gathering in Sarnath for the next ten days, and they will also be making arrangements with the Thai monastery there for some accommodations. So, everything aligned perfectly for me to go with the flow and move on.

I'll be moving back into monastic living conditions, but won't be living in strict silence. I'll also have some time to see the town. I plan to spend about 9 or 10 days in Sarnath, just relaxing a little, meditating and taking my sweet time with life.

So, from Bodh Gaya, I'm signing off.

Travel Report: Vishnu Cyber Cafe

(Despite a pretty cool name, the Vishnu Cyber Cafe does not want me to upload any photos or use their usb port at all. So, no photo sharing yet.)
(Edit: Photos added now - enjoy)

After a very long and exciting journey, I've arrived in Bodh Gaya, India!

My plane landed in Kolkata around sunset. The weather was warm and misty. I changed some money and got in a taxi to the train station. Within a few minutes, I was racing down the streets of Kolkata in traffic insanity. My first glimpse of India - dark with a hazy, dusty, polluted mist that glowed in the lights of busy street stalls and headlights of oncoming traffic. And, I mean on-coming! Not an inch of cement was going unused with feet, bikes, animals, rickshaws, cars, buses, and more.

I didn't take any photos. I just wanted to bask in the experience. I was going to write: "let the experience soak in." But, then I thought: "actually I don't want anything to soak in to me here - it's kinda dirty!" Ok, more than kinda. Kolkata (and most of India that I've seen so far) is very dirty. I went back and looked at the guide book and noticed how skillful they were at editing out the litter, pollution, and filth ridden animals. Kudos to the photographers. I'm hoping my photos can be a bit more true to life.

I arrived at the Kolkata Howrah train station about four hours early for my train. I didn't feel hungry or tired, but I was a little delirious. I was tempted to do some sightseeing in Kolkata before departing, but given the insanity of the streets, my delirium, and the overwhelming experience of my first Indian train station, I had enough to keep me busy.

The train depot looked a bit like how I imagine a post-disaster emergency housing center to look. People were jammed in the large ornate building taking up spots on the floor where they would lie down, take naps, enjoy a little train station picnic, or just generally huddle together. There were some clumps that carried with them an obvious religious bond as indicated by their specific uniform (headwear, or robe, etc.)

There was a main entrance from the subway transfer that appeared to be a constant moment-to-moment flow of people flooding in. I attempted to walk against the flow just to see where they were coming from, all with a big smile on my face.

Every window that looked like official business (ticketing, schedules, etc) was swarmed with a large crowd (no line) of people pushing toward the window. I found a sign that said my train was on time, and was content to simply wait it out and assume my e-ticket was going to work. I did enjoy the small signs that say "please queue." It was only written in English, so I had to wonder what the point was.

After a little while of just wandering aimlessly through the station, quite amused by the non-ordinariness of my situation, I eventually met my first friends. In the sea of thousands, I probably saw less than a dozen westerners during the entire four hours. But, as I retreated to a little stairwell for a cozy place to sit, I met with a couple of students from a university in Delhi. One was Indian (though he spoke perfect English) and the other was French. They seemed quite pleased to come talk with me, and they'd taken bets on where I was from. The French guy guessed Holland, and the Indian guy guessed Germany. When, I revealed that I was from the US, they were surprised, and the Indian guy was really hoping I was from Texas. He liked Texas.

It was nice to have a little conversation at this point. They set my mind at ease, and confirmed that my train was indeed on time and on it's way. They're train, however had been delayed twice for a total of 14 hours. They had been taking it in stride and made the best of their extra time in Kolkata.

When I finally jumped on the train, I found a quaint little bunk bed waiting for me. It was quite modest, and separated by curtains from a number of Indians who would occasionally yell out from their curtains throughout the night. I imagine they were saying things like: "Are we there yet? How much longer? Where are we?" or maybe it was, "I've got to pee." "Why are you telling me that?"

The train was about an hour late getting to Gaya, but that gave me some time to make another friend, an older army man from India. His English wasn't great, but we were able to chat enough so that he could give me some fatherly advice about being careful in India.

I finally pulled my camera out and took some photos of him, and the bumpy auto-rickshaw ride that I later took to Bodh Gaya. Hopefully, I can find a way to share these photos soon.

Dawn at Bodh Gaya. Home at last.

I'll have to write more about Bodh Gaya later on. Monks were out; People were smiling; Horns were honking.

I'm off now to do a little more exploring before heading back to my room for some evening meditation (unless I find a little temple spot to meditate).

My retreat starts tomorrow afternoon at the Thai Monastery (no address, just "The Thai Monastery").

I think I like it here.

Travel Report: Almost There...

I'm in Bangkok, sending a quick message with some time to kill before my flight to Kolkata, India.

I spent about 5 hours laid over in Tokyo airport, and just spent the night here in Thailand. It's fun seeing some long-time-no-see surroundings. I didn't really want to leave Japan.

I was excited to watch some sumo wrestling on TV in Japan.

Once in Thailand, I've enjoyed watching infomercials on thai television for women's slimming cream, and breast enhancement cream. Very informative programs (sarcasm). It kind of makes me wonder what would happen if you used both together? Counterproductive? or do you get some weird slimming-enhancing inversion type scientific breakthrough? It's either that or the 24 hour soccer channel here.

By the way, it's hot here.

How to Change Your Life with a Backpack and an Airplane Ticket

Only a few hours left before I head to the airport, slug through security, find my little seat on a crowded plane, and then take to the air for a long journey across the globe.

If you read the title of this post and were hoping for some kind of how-to guide, well here it is in three simple, easy, marketable, friendly steps:

Buy a plane ticket.
Pack everything you have into a backpack.
Go.

Change your life - it's that simple.