11/08/07 Bangalore Ashram

So, here we are. Day one after the course and the blessings are falling into
grace. Today was just simply, magic. I woke up at 5:30 am and did my morning
yoga and practices and felt great. So I went back to the room and collected
myself and went off to the ayuvedic center to ensure my meals for the day. It
is so incredible. I have been able to eat a simple, fulfilling and life energizing
meal twice a day for about a dollar and fifty cents. It is incredible. The food
in the kitchen at the Ashram has been killing me. Sending me into a downward
spiral of comatose with all the spices and sweets. The only problem, the food
in the kitchen is some of the best tasting food I have ever had in my life.
Enough about that.

So, after the secure of the meal I took a walk down to my favorite little center
and got myself set up for a 3-day package of Pachkarma treatments. I will be
doing one in the morning and one in the mid-afternoon for the next three days.
This will align my system for the upcoming travels that I will be venturing
on in the next few days. More on that as it comes. Then I came back, had a little
fruit and juice and did some Internet along with a purchase of 3 books and 8
CD’s for guess. 34 Dollars. In the US I would have spent over 300 dollars
for this knowledge. What a blessing it is here.

Then I randomly met up with a friend Claire and then we met up with another
great friend Neema and we found me a sim card and phone. Looks like it is time
for me to have a phone. I have been trying for the last month and today it came
together in 10 minutes. Thank you universe for protecting me from the constant
craziness of cell phone usage.

Next I had my wonderful ayruvedic lunch and then went back to the room, cleaning
day. The roommates were leaving and something sparked me to turn this 5-bedroom
room into a 1-bed cottage for yours truly. So, I cleaned and cleaned and moved
beds around and you can see what it turned out like at the bottom of the page
in the movie clip.

Now, lets just pray that I do not get another roommate. I have easy access for
two to come in, but any more and…OH well, come what may. This day in this
room is one to remember and was worth the couple of hours that it took to make
look like that. I read, meditated, played guitar, worked on some videos, listened
to music, and looked in the mirror. Honestly, my schedule with these courses
has been so crazy that I have not even been able to look at myself. Good thing,
I have been seeing the beauty inside and I am much more content with that.

Anyways, by 7pm I was at dinner again and then walked up to the Mantap right
as Guruji was walking in. So, with a 7-year-old girl strapped to my leg, literally,
I walked inside and around the back to place my guitar away from her as she
was trying to stomp on it. Then, all the sudden I saw my great friend Alejandro,
right in front and he invited me down. I was then sitting 3 feet from Guruji.
I tell you, sitting physically close to a master and watching his every movement
is quite a treat. I love to watch the humility in this enlightened man. He is
human consciousness personified. He moves through his questions and comments
with varying personalities and humor beyond your imagination. He is COMPLETE.
WOW. I caught eyes with him many times and we smiled. There is such a familiarity
in his gaze. Like I have spent lifetimes with him.

After Satsang, I was treated with all of my favorite teachers, one by one,
BAWA, ANAND, DINESH, RISHEEGI, TANUJA, all standing outside within 10 feet of
each other. MY god, what a gift.

The greatest thing about the Art of Living Teachers is that each and every
one is completely different and has so much to offer dynamically. TO be in the
presence of all of them is such an incredible gift. WOW. So Alajandro and me
broke out the instruments and began to play in a fit of joy. It was hard not
to be in a complete state of bliss with all that grace. So we played and walked
up to the Cantina and had some sweets, laughs and LOVE. Then all the sudden
out of the corner of the eye, Guruji was on the footpath coming toward us. So
we immediately started to sing, he looked at us and then was bombarded by hundreds
of people. SO happy he came up to greet us. He gives us so much of his time.
What a gift. Then, walks in Krishanji and all the teachers from the course.
My god, I have been surrounded by so much grace tonight I can’t help but
be in a state of complete stillness. Oh, and one last thing, Krishanji told
me that I sing incredibly well and from the heart. If there is anyone that can
gauge the sincerity of anything in this world, it is a YOGI. I silently accepted
the blessings of his words and thanked him with a subtle bow and prayer. Inside,
my mind was yearning to come up with something to say. There are no words. And,
I have nothing to do with any of it.Goodnight!

11/09/07 Bangalore Ashram

Today is Diwali, the celebration of abundance and to the lord Lacshmi, lord
of wealth. Today we honor and spend time thankful to all that we have in our
lives. We also eat a ton of sweets on this day to recognize the sweetness inside
each and every one of us. For myself, today was a day of deep inner interpretation.
I was able to watch myself go through feverishness with a sense of silence behind
the matter.

I woke up for my first Pachkarma treatment and was there at 815 am. From the
moment I arrived at the center my mind was in a state of judgment and worry.
So I watched it for a while. Coming back to the truth, I continually went to
the space of surrender to what is. I am so amused by our minds thinking that
things will not work out, or wanting a situation to go exactly as it was said
or exactly the way you think it was said. Humorous indeed. I enjoyed the mind
for a while and then got a massage from two men, had a steam in a box, and a
colon cleanse. Great start to a morning huh. Then I walked 8 km to get a recharge
on my mobile and that is where I met this beloved creature.

Then I read, did yoga, read, listened to music, slept, taught someone how to
play guitar, and then went to another Panchkarma session in which hot oil was
dripped on my head for a half hour. Shirodara I believe it was called. It was
great. Left me feeling inspired and hungry. Then there was Diwali Puja, dinner,
a talk with some friends and just a lot of love to be shared. I have felt extremely
still in my anxiety today. Feel so blessed to have reached a point that when
I am feeling like going crazy, I will just sit as still as I can and allow my
body to feel the sensations it needs to feel. Yoga Chitta Vitri Nirodaha. Restraint
of the thought. Beautiful. Nothing much more to say. Need some more sleep.

11/10/07 Bangalore Ashram

I think it is the sweetest thing how Indian Culture, especially in the men,
loves to hold hands with other men. I was just walking up the footpath and was
gently greeted by a beautiful young man whom asked my name and where I came
from. While speaking, we held hands as if one on this path, and we were, are.
Definitely a unique way of interacting. Would take some people a bit of getting
used to. I know it did for myself.

11/11/07 Last Full Day In Ashram

Today was the day of the mind. I spent the entire day worrying about if I was
going to make the right choice with leaving the ashram or not. I went through
one of those times where I was asking everyone but myself about whether or not
I should leave. It is a classic ritual on my part. I do it all the time. I do
intend to grow from this one though. It is a hilarious process because it really
doesn’t matter how much I try to make the decision, the right option will
come. If I am supposed to travel, I will, with ease. If not, something will
come to block that path. We will just have to see. I know the bus leaves at
4pm tomorrow, so until then, I will live in a state of surrender

.
After my final PanchKarma treatment today,

I had a long talk with a friend and we decided that I we decided very many
things about this incredible organization and all the facets of it. The thing
about the Art of Living is that it is a dynamic organization, so you can find
anything you want to find. If you want someone to tell you that this is the
only path, there is someone there, if you want someone to tell you that they
are just stopping in for a few days and checking it out, this is there as well.
There is also everything in between. So, being that there is an enlightened
master behind the organization the choice is yours whether or not you want to
stay or go, and there is no attachment or guilt connected to any of it. That
is unless you want that, you can find someone to give you that as well. I looked
for it all, and I always find it all and now I can look at it as pure, devotion.
I have a deep understanding about what it is to be devoted to something and
want everyone to share that same joy and blessing that you experience through
your path. And, being that this is a service-oriented path, you better be ready
to work, on yourself, and in the world. Mmmmmm

So, after a lovely aryuvedic dinner I went to Satsang early so that I could
share the song I wrote before I would depart. I have not played in one Satsang
during the whole stay at the Ashram. There has been some subtle intimidation
that has kept me from sharing the light from within, but tonight I wished to
overcome this barrier. So I got there and all the Satsang singers formed around
and then, it just so happened that I was the only guitarist there. Fun times.
I have a bit of trouble picking up on the songs that are played as I still cannot
play by ear. This is one intention I set for the journey is to learn that skill.
I want to be able to play with anyone, anywhere. So I was put in the spotlight
a little bit, and there were about 2000 people around. So, somehow I found a
few chords on a couple of the songs and it ended up working out for everyone.
But the sweat and tears I experienced on the inside were worth mentioning. Anywho,
as for the song, Guruji ended the Satsang in about 10 minutes, so I really did
not have a chance. Also, on Sundays, the only language spoken in the Ashram
is the local language of Bangalore, and.,.yeah…I don’t think I have
learned that one yet. Blessings.

On the later night, I played some songs for some people before my departure
and hung with my great friends that I will be traveling with. They have the
most dynamic room. Check it out the video below.

After, I went and took care of some computer stuff, got semi-organized and started
the preparation for my journey. Everything was falling into place exactly that
way that it was supposed to so the trip was feeling just right. The mind was
extremely busy over the last couple days and it felt so nice to surrender into
that clarity of being and accept that now was the time to leave. There can be
many things that come to those on the path, many worries, so much guilt and
doubt, but our process of recognition and appreciation for the awareness is
what keeps us in the ever-flowing movement of life.

Last Days Video Compilation

Trouble Veiwing? Click Here

Last Days Photo Montage

Trouble Viewing? Click Here