Ralph and I are on the plane now from Delhi back to Bangalore. We will be catching a flight to Beirut. Yes this brings our Indian adventure to an end.
Ill try to remember what we did after Pathiala. I think we headed back to Chandigarh and stopped in Rajpur on the way. The last Satsang in Chandigarh was mind blowing. We had arrived late because we wanted to shop for gifts for our amazing volunteer Sanjeev and our driver. Bill also got something from the jewelry store.
So as we arrived to Satsang, Sri Sri was answering a question: “How can I be like you?” A: “You already are! Just do not hate anyone, walk the path of truth, and if you make a mistake just admit it.”
He ended the Satsang in his sweet blissful self, blessing everyone, throwing flower petals everywhere! We all got to go later on to the house where he was staying. Had super amazing food and desert and got to speak with him. He said he would see us in Delhi tomorrow.
Lost and found
After Satsang just before heading out to our rooms I realized that my phone was missing. I looked everywhere and asked the organizers if they had seen it. No luck. So I decided to wait till morning and look in the bus in case it had fallen out of my pocket there. I was afraid it might have fallen from my pocket at the big Satsang event. If that was the case... Well I would have to re write this blog since I was using my phone for that purpose.
Next morning we proceeded with our usual routine: Shower, Sadhana, load the bus with our luggage, breakfast, wait for Guruji to leave, and then follow. So we load the bus with luggage but I could not find my phone there! I started loosing hope. I mean I had tons of stuff on that phone, and it’s a new iPhone 5. I can’t afford to lose it just yet! At the same time I was still calm and somehow knew it was going to be ok. Just a few minutes before Guruji was about to leave I was called inside the house. Swamiji had found my phone!. He asked me what was the color of my phone and if it was on airplane mode. I said it was in a black color case and yes it was in airplane mode. He said "'I opened it". Apparently he discovered my password and opened it and turned off airplane mode just in case I would call to find it. Smart! But how did he manage to unlock my password?? Just as I got my phone back, in perfect synchronicity, Guruji came out, I saw him, ran to the van and off we go again!
Faith and grace are running themes around this trip. Being in the Guru bubble I realized how easy it is to trust happenings, move with the rhythm of life carefree, without any kind of worry, plan or doubt. Totally in the moment enjoying every bit and bathing in the grace!
The next morning we all did long Kriya at the house we stayed at then headed to the airport on our way to Delhi on the same flight with Sri Sri. As we arrived in Delhi, volunteers rushed to give us rides to the house where he was staying. A beautiful 3 story building with a gorgeous terrace on top.
Later on Gurudev made sure that we ate and had a place to stay. He made us sit right in front of him in a short guided meditation. we went to our host’s house, freshened up then came back to the house.
At night we went up to the terrace where just a handful of us were simply sitting with him while Chitra Roy was singing so beautifully and intimately. The setting was magical only one candle and us under the moonlight. Ralph and I had our chance to speak with him after which he sent us to sleep and planned for us a visit at the Aksharsam Swami Narayana temple the next morning.
The temple was so beautiful we were all in amazement walking around enjoying thousands of hand carved statues, and the history of india portrayed in a beautiful boat ride. Apparently India invented chess, astrology, mathematics, discovered gravity and pi, created rust proof metal pillars that are still around today, and even designed aircrafts and space ships, all of this at the golden Vedic age, thousands of years ago.
We came back to the house later only to pack our luggage again in someone's car ready to follow Sri Sri to Noida, an hour away from Delhi at the new Ashram called Temple of knowledge (TOK). It was going to be very tight because we had a flight to catch to bangalore that night but Guruji said yes come along spend a few minutes there then head back to the airport, despite all the volunteers telling us and Guruji that we should not go, and that it wasn't going to be worth it. Well it was!! And I wasn't going to let anything or anyone prevent me from going. I was ready to take an hour trip then 1.5h trip back to the airport just for the sake of the "Guru car chase" :)
Kamakshi was our driver, a self proclaimed experienced “Guru Chaser””, and she was perfect at it. We actually arrived at TOK with Guruji despite all the crazy Delhi rush hour traffic, and got to drive along with him side by side! We rushed up to see him where he was meeting people, said good bye, got tons of sweets as Prasad and headed back to the airport. The ashram is beautiful. A curvy 4 story building going around the perimeter with lots of outdoor space and big halls and accommodation for people wanting to stay. That was our glimpse of Noida TOK and a last glimpse of Gurudev before heading out of India.
We bathed in grace for 20 days, from the peaceful AMC, the energizing Navaratri, deep cleansing and restful Sri Sri Yoga 2 course, to a dynamic tour in Punjab going through 10 cities eating tons of delicious food and spending time with fun loving company.
Ralph and I were calculating all the numbers for this trip: between lebanon and India:
4 countries, 20 cities, 12 flights, all in 6 weeks!!
We arrived in Beirut in a few hours straight off to a house party with family organized by mom! Then off to a 54 km bike ride along the coastline the next day and a sunset meditation at the beach! The fun continues… we had a perfect Sunday with the whole family in downtown Beirut with amazing lunch, great company in a beautiful outdoor space for pedestrians where the kids could run around and play.
Yes pics coming up soooon!! lots of 'em! :)
