The Journey Home-Beginning the Final Countdown- Dec 15 2013

“…your outer life soon reflects your inner peacefulness…”

THE JOURNEY HOME

Every sojourn in India has its own personality. Its own distinct way of effecting my life. And always seems to address the most pressing issues of the moment in the most direct and efficient way. With messages, AHA moments during meditations, insights, even books “sent my way”., has

And of course this journey is no different.

I’ve come as close to a silent, solitary retreat as I feel comfortable with but its impact has been powerful as well as empowering.

I have done little blog posting, have had little interaction with others here (almost 100% less than on a usual sojourn), find the company of others extremely intrusive, have done no Reiki workshops or sessions, and despite the varied and ease of communication these days, have had little contact with friends and loves ones as well. Posting photos easily and on several different networks, has been my biggest form of communication this trip, and that requires very little true interaction. It is definitely a silent form of communication, very rarely requiring words.

But I have been talking to me, to God, to my guides, to the Angels, to the Universe incessantly and many profoundly deep insights about “how” I have been up until now in my life have surfaced. The myths I had been programmed to believe, and DID believe about myself, my perceptions about my abilities and limitations and my interpretations of these ideas…they all seem to finally be collapsing and opening the way for new, better and healthier ways of moving forward in my life.

I have been guided to question, and then understand so much of my previous self-sabotaging behavior and habits-things I accepted totally as “who I am”, without question. This process began slowly before I even left for India, but would have taken much longer to reach the stage it has (if at all) if I had not had these past two months to myself.

The insights are deep, end intimidating. I continue to pray daily for Freedom from Fear and complete Faith as I move forward, determined to make essential changes on both the conscious and subsonscious levels (easier said than done…our subconscious programming from childhood runs so deep). And I pray as well that my sincere intentions, efforts and focus will bring about much needed change in several critical areas of my life.

As I wind down my time here and get ready to joyfully return to my “other” reality, I am determined to succeedin having things “work” differently, and better, than ever before in my life.

….notes from the card chosen in preparation for my return home:

SHANTI:….through breath and intention you can stay centered no matter what’s happening in your life. This inner foundation of peace has a powerful healing effect. Your outer life soon reflects your inner peacefulness…

Namaste

with love light and JOY

END OF PANCHAKARMA DEC 9 2013

END OF PANCHAKARMA DEC 9 2013

Today is the first day of the beginning of the rest of my trip…and time seems too short. Just three weeks to go before I head home. But I know deep down that this is also right as wonderful new adventures and surprises await me at home.
(By the way…the photos in this post have nothing to do with panchakarma finishing…just posting them, some of my favorites, to keep the post more interesting!!)

As for panchakarma ending…well, it’s not just that I was not free to do whatever I wanted the past few weeks. And it’s not just having to eat the same food each and every day…I can deal with that.
It is now having the freedom to WEAR anything I want for one thing. Can you imagine having to wear the same thing every day? Why you may ask? Because I have a couple changes of clothing here just for panchakarma. The oil from the daily massages just about ruins everything, so I am limited to those two changes of special junky clothing set aside for panchakarma. That’s even worse than having to EAT the same thing every day!
And my hair!! For the first time in 3 weeks I can actually wash it and then fix it up to look nice and not worry that in 1/2 hour’s time it will be all oily and yucky again!

So I am now dressed in a beautiful suit, Indian style, my hair coiffed to perfection, matching jewelry accessories, makeup put on and just feeling sooooooooooo good.
No plans to go anywwhere until this afternoon when I meet Devi at one for a visit to her home.
But for now, just relishing in all the new freedom I am feeling, and had to share the good feeling.
So many blessings….so much to be grateful for!

Namaste
with love light and JOY
Jane

CARDS: Message from the Universe….or Coincidence?

“Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous” Irene Hannon

During my morning meditation today I asked for guidance and direction as I start getting ready to “head home” in a few weeks. I was guided to “consult” with the cards

VIEW AS I SIT WRITING


Finishing up my panchakarma treatments and starting my last three weeks away-of being “being with” just me – of recharging and refueling – and having time to find clarity, direction and wisdom for what lies ahead.
From two different decks of cards, each deck containing 44 cards, I was advised to draw one card each. Below are the cards I chose.
It is not difficult to see that they are two sides of the same coin and make perfect sense when seen together. Each from a different deck. Each one complimenting the other and giving further insight.
YOU may believe in coincidence – so be it, that’s fine. I personally KNOW these are messages to me about what always turns out to be my biggest problem- giving at the expense of my own wellbeing. Thus , the card directing me to “receptivity” as well. Not enough to be careful about how and when and why I give of myself….it is something which I do as a default setting…but I must also be careful to allow, even encourage others, to do for me as well and then receive graciously and joyfully and with gratitude.
And to top this off….just 10 days ago, following a sirohdhara treatment, I once again had an extremely vivid dream whose messages were completely clear and straightforward.
I don’t feel comfortable sharing the details of the dream here, but it’s final message deals with the exact same issue as the cards of today.
Even if it IS all coincidence, as some of you may choose to believe, it STILL remains a powerful and important message for me.





RECEPTIVITY:
“Allow yourself to receive. This will increase your intuition, energy, and ability to give to others”


SECOND CARD: TERESA
“Time-out! You’ve been busy taking care of everyone else’s needs, but now it’s time to stop and take care of yourself”
This second card is of course what I am doing here and now…with no problem. The trick is to continue to be aware and receptive to my own needs and ALLOW myself to take care of those needs, once I get home as well.
Namaste
with love light and JOY
Jane

The Hazards of Rickshaw Travel and Tips to Avoid Them

…or Rickshaw Know-how from the Rickshaw Mavin

after just witnessing the near decapitation of a Western lady who was riding with her head sticking out of a rickshaw in order to get a “better view”…. I’ve decided it ideas time to repost this….the original was posted in 2009 but the only difference is the price of a shared rickshaw is now 7 rupees instead of 5!!

Rickshaw travel can be a highly risky, expensive business as well as a serious health hazard. I will do my best to help you past all the pitfalls if you ever chance to ride a rickshaw in India or similar form of transportation in other parts of Southeast Asia where it is also known as a tuk-tuk.

First of all, rickshaw drivers have a form of telescopic vision and can spot the uninitiated coming from a mile away. You can literally be “taken for a ride” – a very short ride – which can cost the unawares traveler anywhere from 50-150 rupees. The true price for the same ride in a shared rickshaw, which all of these actually are, is 5 rupees. So, when you need a rickshaw to anywhere, first find out from a local person how much it should cost from point A to point B, in a private rickshaw, and also if there are shared rickshaws available for the same ride. There is no difference whatsoever between the private and shared ones, except for the price and the fact that the shared one stops every so often to let someone on or off.

Secondly, you can easily sustain serious neck (whiplash), shoulder (banging against the metal bars on the sides of the rickshaw), head (hitting the ceiling), or lower back injuries if you haven’t learned how to properly “ride” a rickshaw.

To avoid the above, first of all, pay attention to the road (and you might be able to anticipate sudden jerking stops), try not to sit close to the side, but rather in the middle of the seat (where the other passengers act as safety padding), even though it may seem more comfortable to be sitting with at least one side not snuggled close to a complete stranger. Sitting between two other passengers makes it less likely for you to hit your head on the ceiling going over ruts, potholes, and traffic bumps at high speed, but if you ARE sitting near the outer side, hold onto the metal bars . This will keep you in your seat and also keep you from accidentally banging your shoulder into one of the bars. As far as lower back goes, the best option is again to sit between two people who again act as buffers in case of sharp bumps along the way. (Below, there is one further important hint which I discovered by accident, but helps with ALL of the above problems).

Finally, NEVER stick your head outside the rickshaw to see where you are – the risk of decapitation is not to be dismissed as unlikely.

The thing I discovered by accident, just a few weeks ago, not only helps with all the health hazards, but has an additional fringe benefit I never even contemplated. Riding in a rickshaw will completely undo any hairdo you may have had when you left home. There are no windows in a rickshaw, summer or winter, and you are exposed to the elements, and even if it is a mild spring day, once that vehicle gets moving, there is a continuous wind, almost like riding a motorbike. This is obviously the main reason that Indian women oil, and then gather their long hair , rather than leave it loose, and for extra added protection, cover it with dupatta or sari head wrap.

I had always tried to ride a rickshaw facing front. I never feel comfortable riding any vehicle facing backwards. A few weeks ago, to my initial despair, there was only room facing the “wrong” direction, and I was in too much of a hurry to wait for another rickshaw, so I got in. To my great surprise, riding with my back facing the front had many advantages I had never thought of. First of all, the wind was from the back of my head, so my hair stayed fairly normal looking! In addition, when you face frontwards, you are sitting at the back of the rickshaw over the back wheels. I never thought of this before. When you are riding with your back to the front, you are right in the middle of the rickshaw, BETWEEN the back wheels and the front wheel. Like any moving vehicle, the ride in the center away from the wheels, is always smoother! So to my great surprise, there was less bumpy, banging, and whiplashing than in any other ride I had ever experienced. While going over bumps or stopping short, I saw the people facing me on the other seat suffering various levels of discomfort, neck whipping, head bashing, etc., and I was having a completely smooth (as much as can be expected at least in a rickshaw) ride. So, my final advice is, for many reasons, RIDE BACKWARDS IN A RICKSHAW.

Hope this will be of service to you one day, as I would love to think that all of you will one day find yourselves enjoying India by making a trip here.

Namaste

Jane

DAWN OF A NEW DAY-DAWN OF A NEW MONTH 01-12-13

NEW MOON- NEW DAWN – NEW DAY- NEW MONTH

Dawn of a New Month

NEW MOON SETTING OVER THE MOUNTAIN

Woke up this morning to the first chill and sign of approaching winter. It’s as if the weather realized today is the 1st of December!

But also woke up to this beautiful view of the new moon setting over the mountains and the dawn of a beautiful new day and new week and new month.

How appropriate that it also began with a NEW MOON

Namaste

Jane