Terima Kasih (Thank You)
Isn't It?
On Tuesday night with my heart in my throat I got into a cab and headed for the airport. Waiting to board the plane to Bali a rainbow blossomed in the sky. Still I felt lost without the person (my daughter) I have spent the last 2 years with 7 days a week.
Landed, after 2 hour flight, in Bali at 940pm. The streets were filled with motorcycles and it had rained. The cab window was open and one motorcyclist rode through a puddle next to the cab and the water came in and splashed my face. I wiped off my glasses and decided not to be indignant.
The retreat/AMC (advanced Meditation Course) was held at the Inna Grand Bali Beach Resort
and my room overlooked the beach and sea.
First night of the AMC (Amateur Meditation Course) we all boarded a cruise ship and had dinner and satsang with Guruji. The speakers were abusively loud but I was a smart cookie and brought earplugs which were in place the entire evening. Too bad I couldn't really enjoy the Bajhan singer, Siddharth Mohan who's voice is very wonderful. Luckily, Guruji winked at me and that makes up for anything bad that happened. (I realize he may have winked at someone else but the feeling at the time was that we connected so who cares?)
Morning practice at 545 is on the beach with the ants and spiders. :)
And lead by Kumlesh who is a Sri Sri Yoga teacher based in the Bangalore ashram and without a doubt one of the most accomplished teachers I have had in Art of Living. Warm, silly, competent, gifted and gorgeous- her form is very balanced. We practiced long Kreeya, Padma Sadana, Sun Salutation and Silliness 101.
Throughout the course the sound system feedback and unexpected stops and starts, added to the constant cell phone ringing, sneezing, coughing, belching, snoring and unearthly noises from people in a deep state of nothingness, all brought me to a state of giddiness unrivaled in my life. It was so beyond the beyond it was hilarious. I began instead of meditating, to entertain myself with What if... At one point I started laughing out of control and the beautiful Swami (Jotimaya) gave me a penetrating look.
The first afternoon we were instructed to change halls and when we arrived Swamiji was giving his blessing. I sat in disbelief for an hour watching the line of people receiving his hand on their heads. My thoughts went from,
"What a waste of time! I don't even know this swami. Why should I get up and stand in line. Don't we have real work to do?"
to
"Look at the way everone's face softens as they approach the swami. Look at how humble people are as they stand before this man, who looks like he is watching a beautiful sunset and who's arm seems untiring."
Just before the last person was blessed I got up and when his hand went to my head I thought of the energy of 100 hugs directed to him. When I looked up he was smiling at me- in understanding. He got my hugs!
In the evening I took the Sahaj Samadhi course and was given a mantra. At first I didn't like my mantra. I had a hard time saying it in my head, (the mantra is a secret that shouldn't be uttered aloud). Eventually it became natural and started to do its "magic".
Most of the Russian group did not engage with anyone outside of their group, that is, no smiling, eye contact, seva, or waiting in line. Perhaps they didn't understand the instructions. But surely they didn't comprehend that it is the Indians' job to cut in line. I thought, "When we are out of silence someone ought to set them straight on this matter."
There were translators for some of the many countries participating.
1 Argentina 2 Australia
3 Austria 4 Bahrain
5 Belgium 6 Brazil
7 Bulgaria 8 Cambodia
9 Canada 10 China
11 Cyprus 12 Denmark
13 Egypt 14 Estonia
15 Finland 16 France
17 Germany 18 Greece
19 Hungary 20 Iceland
21 India 22 Iran
23 Ireland 24 Italy
25 Japan 26 Kuwait
27 Laos 28 Liechtenstein
29 Luxembourg 30 Maldives
31 Malta 32 Mexico
33 Monaco 34 Netherlands
35 New Zealand 36 Norway
37 Oman 38 Poland
39 Portugal 40 Qatar
41 Russia 42 Saudi Arabia
43 South Africa 44 South Korea
45 Spain 46 Surinam
47 Sweden 48 Switzerland
49 Taiwan Territory 50 United Arab Emirates
51 United Kingdom 52 USA
The feedback from the earpieces being worn by those using the translators sounded quite painful at times. No swearing was heard during the entire course. However, during an especially physically difficult practice there were several Chinese men who cried out in Mandarin what sounded like profanities. My friend Joo Hymn let me know they were actually saying stuff like, "I love my entire family!!!!" A good lesson huh?
One of the reasons I was able to sit for most of the day was the twice daily hike to and from the first to tenth floor of the resort. Whenever there was cleaning in one hall the organizers would switch the location of the course to the other hall. The elevators only held 8-10 people at a time and were extremely slow so moving 500 people via 3 elevators didn't seem like a good option for me ( 18 elevator trips) and when I took into consideration that my a** was taking such a beating from all the crossed-leg sitting we were doing I had to take the stairs.
I didn't figure out how to get hot water or AC until the third day. Who would have thought that this button would be the answer to these problems?
Got very hungry at one point in the middle of the course and bought a milk (!!!) chocolate bar with almonds. I don't usually enjoy milk chocolate, but I felt like Charlie eating his first Wonka chocolate. Delicious. Later, my stomach was a little disappointed with my choice as I had until then been eating fruit and salad with rice and dal.
Being in silence when the world around you is cacophonous is a practice fit for our times and well worth the effort. Being in silence when given a seva activity can be a little tricky. I was told to clean the beach of all garbage and leaves. After an hour of cleaning the shore and removing with my bare hands all the trash from the cement garbage catches I was then told to put all the trash back into the same catches I had removed it from, (instead of putting it in a dumpster as I had thought).
Want Nothing
Do Nothing
Be Nothing
This is Something!
As it is hard for the Go! person inside me.
Advice to people like me:
Get lots of excersize and at the very least do 30 minutes of yoga before you do your sitting practice.
After coming out of silence most of my friends wept in gratitude. I did not. I think I was still laughing inside.
On the last day we were arranged in country groups (I with the Singapore group-my friends) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar my guru made the rounds.
"Are you happy?"
The next morning I went for a swim with JH and then to the spa for a massage which was Heaven! Nothing like my appointments with pain. But then again I was in pretty good shape when I lay down for treatment. A beautiful spa! Ginger tea after in this beautiful garden. KISS!
