NOT in Rishikesh Today!

I should have been writing this post from my room in Rishikesh

and wishing you shabbat shalom from there.

But as things have a way of happening in life, things don’t always happen as we plan them.  And this is usually a blessing, sometimes in disguise, very often immediately understood (as is the case today).  But that doesn’t make it any easier sitting in one place when you expected to be someplace else.  So to ease the situation, I’ve decided to at least enjoy the blessings of my memories and here are just of few of them from Rishikesh, Dharamsala, Varanassi, Haridwar….there are of course endless memories, and perhaps over the next couple of months this is what I will be posting here….

So, from Israel, I wish you all a Shabbat Shalom…much love light and JOY

Disappointed and Very Sad

One of my favorite views towards Ram Jhula from one of my favorite restaurants.. 60’s Beatles Restaurant

Today I cancelled my ticket for this years trip to India.  It was something I knew I had to do for some time but kept putting it off.  I am truly heartsick at the thought of not “coming home” to Ma Ganga for another full year, but at the same time, realize that this too is a blessing in disguise.

Although truly sad and disappointed at the moment, I’m sure this is a blessing in disguise and I remain grateful to God and joyful and accepting of all things! !

another favorite view at Ram Jhula

Just to clarify, I had scheduled long overdue cataract surgery for April, upon my return from India.  But the condition has worsened to the point where I can barely see out of my right eye, and the left is getting worse by the day.  So no choice.  Must be taken care of.

I know that something wonderful is waiting for me and will simply continue to enjoy each and every day to the fullest, in full acceptance joy, gratitude, Faith and Freedom from Fear. Despite the momentary disappointment and sadness, Life is definitely beautiful and full of wonderful surprises!

much love light and JOY

Namaste

Jane

Observations from India

This was originally a part of a longer post published years ago and came across it recently.  So I’ve decided to share it once again.
Observations:

Just a quick note: I’ve been watching in many places as roads and even houses are built and can’t help be amazed at the processes. Rocks are brought up from the river bed by donkey …dumped in one place near the closet existing road, and then sari dressed women, some  with babies tied to their banks or toddlers following them, carry them on their heads and dump them closer to the actual work site

…and then they are hit with sledgehammers in such a way as to create one side which is completely flat. These are then place one next to the other with the flat side facing out to build retaining walls…or the foundation for a road – the spaces between them are then filled with cement and layer upon layer is built in this way. The cement is mixed by hand, with no seeming consistent way of doing it…water is added (and sometimes gravel – which is also made by hand by men, or women, sitting all day and pounding stones into gravel) until the cement “feels” right – like you might mix bread dough.

Mixing Cement

I’ve seen branches cut from trees and trimmed of bark with sickles being used with string as surveying instruments, and I’ve even seen a place where optic cables are being laid, but the labor is still done with pickaxes, shovels, hand ploughs etc., and the debris carried away in trays on the heads of sari dressed women.

Foundation Wall of New House-Note Rocks used as Raw Material

This is all part of what India is, and although I really haven’t written much this trip, I’ve been reading over some of my older journals, and realize that much of what I found worth writing about in the past, I simply take for granted now

Retaining Wall

….Nothing seems as strange as it once did, or even noteworthy…it is just the way things are here and accepted as normal.

Namaste

Jane

HOMESICK-June 13, 2014

Just in this kind of mood this morning. One of those days when I wish Rishikesh was closer, or I had more money and could just “pop over” for a week to visit, or both!

It’s been six months since I left, and it seems like forever.  But in just over six months I will be back, and hopefully that time will fly by.

Namaste
Jane

Qutab Minar – Delhi

An oasis of serenity, tranquility and beauty in the midst of the eternal hassle, noise and chaos that is Delhi.

The impressive architecture, the intricate designs and carved works on the structure walls and pillars….all are quite amazing

I visited here last October with my friends, and this is also a great time of year to tour Delhi as the weather is quite pleasant.

No matter where you stand in the compound, you can feel the power and energy radiating from this impressive architectural feat.

Qutab Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India.

An inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing ’27 Hindu temples’. A 7 m-high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque. It is said that if you can encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.

note the jet….quite amazing to see this structure still standing after all these years

All in all it was an lovely day with my good friends, Preeti and Sudeep Lal (they can be seen in the photos below…waiting on line, and in the shadow of the impressive arch

If you are in Delhi, this is definitely a must see!

Namaste

Jane

 

Life is a Twisting Road

Message from My Morning Meditation

The photos in this post are all roads which I have walked in India. There were of course many more.

My life is a twisted turning road and I never know what awaits me around the next bend.  But I travel this road in complete Freedom from Fear for I know without a doubt, with complete Faith in God and His loving Universe, that another wonderful exciting and beautiful surprise is waiting for me once I get around the curve.

It may be a sharp and unexpected turn and I will have to navigate it carefully and slowly,  but once I get past it, a whole new and wonderful vista appears before me once again.

I am truly blessed to have found this road of liberation and joy and love.  God is the engineer and Master builder and administrator of this road, and He has graciously given me, and everyone, free access to it. We just have to be willing to take the first step into the unknown with  Freedom from Fear, and complete acceptance and Faith in what lies ahead.

Namaste

Jane

Delhi Oct. 2013 #2

Masjid Fatehpuri at Dusk

Just some photos.  It was so beautiful….no words are necessary here I think!

Namaste

Jane

Delhi-October 2013 – #1

Chandni Chowk and Spice Market

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As promised, I will begin posting stories and photos (mainly) from my recent sojourn in India.  I found blogging to be a true intrusion this trip and did very little posting while actually there.  So I will now begin trying to catch up, for myself as well as for my followers.

Spice Market

I blessed this year with an amazing first time adventure of experiencing, and exploring Delhi with local friends, rather than as a tourist, and it was a whole new experience for me.  I will begin this post with my first days in Delhi.

I explored places I’ve never beendto before, travelled on the Metro for the first time, saw some of the new wonderfully modern areas of Delhi as well as the traditional markets and local antiquity sites.  I hope you will enjoy the next few posts which will hopefully tell this story, mainly in photos.

Spice Market

Here are photos from a day spent roaming Chandni Chowk Shuk and the Spice Market, mostly on foot, but with the help of bicycle rickshaw as well. It was a very long but very beautiful day.

Spice Market

Spice Market

Lunchtime in Chandni Chowk

Signs of a Splendid Past

Red Fort on a Very Hazy Day

view from Jama Masjid

Namaste

Jane

Chole Bhatura from Start to Finish

Chole Bhatura from Start to Finish

chole bhatura

Chole bhautra is an amazingly delicious treat prepared from chickpeas in a wonderfully spicey sauce and served together with Bhatura, a fried, puffed, light bread.

It is a sinfully delicious Indian snack/meal and I was privileged to eat it during my stay this past year in Delhi with my dear friend Preeti and her lovely husband Sudeep.

deep frying and starting to puff up

Golden brown and puffed to perfection

It is a popular Punjabi dish but is now enjoyed all over India. I’ve posted a series of  photos of the entire process in case it interests you…watching the preparation and all the effort involved made me even more grateful for this wonderful meal!

Namaste

much love light and JOY

Jane

A Cow Story in Photos

This will be a story in photos of one particular cow, on one particular day, in one particular place, ….

But first, just a few words in general about cows and India.

Cows are everywhere in India.  It would not be India without cows. Cows roam the streets, walk on main highways, pop in to have lunch in restaurants, stroll through open shops, take naps in the middle of the street…there is no place where you will not find the cows.  The amount of photos of cows I have is exceeded only by the amount of photos of monkeys that I have!  🙂

Some cows seem mean

Some are regal

Some are motherly and loving

Some are just an integral part of the scenery

But this cow seemed to enjoy the energies along the Ganga, and to enjoy interacting with those who had come for prayer and devotion, or just for fun, along the ghats of Ram Jhula.

At first, she came straight up to me to say “Hi”….

Hi There… Namaste

She seemed to be most curious, and quite intelligent.

…and then headed down the steps to check out the other people and see what they were doing.

What’s This Guy Doing?

At one point she seemed to be posing for photos along with the tourists

Take My Picture Too Please

Or asking to be included in someone’s devotional prayers.

Say a Prayer for Me Too Please

In short….an interesting cow day….

There always seems to be something happening wherever you happen to find yourself.  The trick is to be mindful, to be grateful and to appreciate and enjoy everything to the fullest.

Namaste

Jane