INDIA
“This country is as reviving as it is draining. It gives energy and it takes energy. But it is an exchange which has to be managed.” -PX
“If the world is the body, India is it’s soul” I romanticized the idea of coming to India for six years. If you’ve seen Eat Pray Love or read the India part of Elisabeth Gilbert’s EPL I’m sure you understand my sentiments. I daydreamed about spending time in an ashram and coming back to the States as “Yogi Gold”. I also hoped I would meet a Richard from Texas who would tell me about myself but instead I met a Paul from London, and an Akshay from Udaipur.
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I didn’t find an ashram but a worship session at the Krishna temple was just as cathartic as I imagined my time at an ashram would be. My time here has been nothing short of nourishment to my soul. The unadulterated connection to earth and life is so palpable that it cannot go unnoticed. It’s evident in every aspect of the culture. From the way they dress, to their ridiculous attention to detail, the vibrance, the food, their commitment to their religious belief. The opulence of the Indian culture is definitely something to be experienced. I always wondered why Nigerians were obsessed with Bollywood growing up....it makes sense now. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
There were many random moments in between, things I wanted to experience but didn’t plan for that ended up happening. Gucci said “the power of the mind is not a joke” and he ain’t never lied. What you see you conceive. What you seek you will find.
I’m learning to
consciously and subconsciously
seek better things in my life. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Mr. Himat Singh set the tone for our time in Jaipur. He welcomed us with an open heart and a very warm smile. “Namaste!” he says with his evenly spaced out teeth that gave him a playful childlike aura that made it pleasant to be around. On one of the days, we chilled like the people who travel across the world just to tan at the pool. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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On our way out the next morning, Mr. Himat Singh probed, “where you? All day yesterday no see”. We laughed and told him we took a day off to relax. I woke up every morning at the Samode looking forward to hearing him laugh on my way out to the city. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We exchanged simple pleasantries. “Namaste, sleep well?” “What did you eat today?” “Dhanywaad (thank you), see you tomorrow” all accompanied with lots of laughter in between from the painful acknowledgment that neither of us understood each other’s language.
Despite our inability to carry on a coherent conversation, he made our time here very special.
This year has been far more fulfilling than the previous years....but I have felt like a machine of some sort and really needed to just do something good for my soul.
As life continues to exceed my wildest imaginations, it’s morally imperative that I stay grounded and go after experiences that allow me to preserve the momentum and vigor I had when I started this journey. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Thus far my time in India has fostered my zest for life. I have been overwhelmed by the vibrancy and the allure of this country. Besides my aching back and fragile knees from walking up and down the bazaars and vegetable market life has been quite pleasant.
#welive
SOME MOMENTS FROM MY TIME IN INDIA…
