All kinds of neat-o keen kindof things goin' on.

Just a ho-hum arbitrary update on the ups, downs and dangers of Dharamsala. What's new, you ask?

CRAP, i'm only here for 2 more weeks, and there's so much to finish up. On the plus side, when projects come to fruition one finally feels that sense of "Oh boy, this really worked!" Or, "Oh man, that was a huge waste of time!" Fortunately I'm feeling much more of the former (former=first one. I specify because I always get "former" and "latter" confused). More updates on the outcomes of those projects to come soon!

What else what else... WELL, remember how I said "for the birds" to the ten day meditation retreat? Well it seems I've since attained enlightenment via the furry path of Doggism. Last night I spend some evening hours chanting a bit (Om Mani Padme Hum = May all Sentient Beings be Happy) and circumnambulating (fancy name for walking clockwise around) the Temple. Lo and behold, a tiny brown furball shuffles up to me while I'm meditating and plops on my lap (my lap is warm, I guess). I'm like, "Dang, I can't get up, this is a good opportunity to practice still meditation for a long while." So this thing sleeps in my lap for like an hour, having little puppy dreams, growling, yipping and kicking every so subtly. Sad part is I eventually had to leave (my feet fell asleep, quite uncomfortable), but when I walked away the pup came crying after me and sat on my feet. Still I'm sure he or she had a mom somewheres so I gently shoo-ed it and went my way.

What else what else... Lots of neat stuff but no time to write at the moment. So much to do, so much to figure out in so little time! More soon!

Peas

Nurse Amy

Amy Sears is thriving here in ways I never imagined possible. While most volunteers are leering from culture shock and gastric woes during their first month here, in a few short weeks my dear friend from Boston has already treated scores of patients, from Tibetan nuns and newly arrived refugees (often suffering from a month-long walk across the frozen Himalayas) to Rajastani and Maharastran families in the slum village of Charan.

Debilitating wounds, infections and illnesses among children are, for most, difficult to witness. Even more so when the children are neglected (sometimes left alone for weeks at a time), even more so when nothing is done to heal a gaping wound on a young beggar because it generates more income. It's easy, initially, to feel anger towards parents, but under such harsh impoverished conditions drastic measures are necessary for survival.

It's common to feel dragged down by the horror of scenarios like this one, but Amy has a very uncommon approach to the world. Even the most seemingly grotesque injuries are, in her eyes, simply matters to be dealt with; through disfiguring burns, scars, pus, protruding bone and smarming parasite, she connects with the human beneath the ailment. This, I think, is the key to her successful work, especially with children. Her care heals most patients, but in her presence even an incurable child cannot help but smile (often with a face that has long since forgotten how). She accomplishes all this with such positive energy, vigor, and her characteristically bright (and loud) laughter... One cannot help but feel inspired and uplifted by her work, and by her friendship.

amysears.blogspot.com/

A Tale of Yore, of Stormy Mountains, Good Friends and Dog Vomit

In honor of friends Colin and Sanhueza, gather 'round for a tale of yore, from a time many full moons past.

Coin, Sanhueza and Kimu set off towards the heights of Mt. Triund. The journey was long, but the friends' good company kept their spirits high, even when they lost their way deep in the Rododendron trees.

At the top of the first peak they encountered a white beast that at first appeared menacing. This long tailed creature gnawed on the hands of any who approached her, but with time they tamed the creature, and soon "Woofer" became their faithful companion.


Farther up the rocky traverse, where the prayer flags whipped in the winds, a storm began to circle in from all sides. Lighting struck in sweeping arcs that began in the West and shot across the sky to the East. Clouds whipped through the air, gathering quickly like crows over carrion.

The four companions retreated to the safety of a rickety wood cabin. The room smelled of smoke and dog, even more so after the Woofer vomited in the middle of the night, but it provided some shelter against the storm. The winds blew open the doors and battered the fragile walls.

Come morn', peace once again returned to the mountain, the chilly crisp air opened weary eyes as the sun's lazy glow barely illuminated a hazy horizon. The wanderers bidded their furry friend good-bye before descending the slopes back to their homes.

Blogspot censored in India

After the Mumbai train blasts, some bloggers posted some anti-Islamic commentary, described by the Indian government as "extremely derogatory references to Islam and the holy prophet, which had the potential to inflame religious sensitivities in India and create serious law and order problems." The government responded by banning internet access to a number of popular blog sites, including blogspot. I can still write entries in my blog, but I'm unable to read any blogs.

Journalists and bloggers around the world are protesting the ban, claiming it "impeded the flow of information, news and opinions during a time of national crisis." India has a long history of free press, the ban comes an a surprise to many.

Personally, I find derogatory references to any religion particularly distasteful and counterproductive, but when any government impedes freedom of speech I feel a great deal of concern. The Chinese government and the lack of freedom among the Chinese and Tibetan people stand out as a prime example of why government controlled media/press squelches human rights.

Philosophical ramblings

(Comments welcome, as always)

So... Meditation retreat... Did I say it was ten days? I meant to say four... Yup. Turns out ten hours of meditation is about nine and a half more than I can tolerate.

Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for anyone who can finish all ten days. As for me - attaining Englightenment sounds nice and all, but if it requires long periods of sitting on my arse reflecting on the intracacies of my nostrils, I'm out of luck.

Seriously, Vipassana (based on Gautama Bhudda's approach) seemed pretty amazing. My mind surely benefitted from those four days, and if I wasn't such a wuss I probably would be levatating and shooting lightning bolts if I could have finished all ten. One of the goals is to train your mind to overcome craving and aversion, by experiencing the temporary nature of all things. For example, the pain in my knees, the itch on my ear, the numbness in my back, all of it would have passed with time; Nothing is permanent.

So that got me thinking, about aversion and craving, and whether or not I really need or want to rise above them. This much is true: I have an aversion to large hairy spiders, and when they visit my room I say "I don't like this!" and I feel misery. I have a craving for video games and the beach, and since I don't have those things I say "Waah, I want these things!" and I feel misery. But you know, honestly, I don't mind so much, I feel like occasional cravings and aversions make me human.

Another example: A husband loves his wife. When she is absent, he craves her presence, he feels misery if she is gone for a long time. Is this kind of craving something we should try to overcome?

On the other hand, perhaps aversions and cravings don't bother me so much, because I can attain most of the things I crave and I can avoid most of the things I have an aversion to.

Another example: A hungry child living in an impoverished community craves nourishing food, but her family only has enough money to buy rice and bread a few times a week. She has an aversion to lice and scabies (microscopic itchy skin cooties), but she has no means of avoiding these living in an environment without proper santitation facilities.

In this case, aversion and craving are indeed the cause of great misery. But certainly it would be absurd to expect this girl to meditate so she can overcome aversion and craving.

Well... I have to go and I forgot my point.

Charan Episode VII: Graduation!!!

Held a graduation ceremony for the kiddos in Charan, with cookies, dancing, storytelling, final exams and all that good stuff you do on the last day of school. They get a three week holiday so the monsoons can roll on through.

Me, I'm off to the hills for a ten day Vipassana meditation retreat. No talking, no moving, a bit of eating and not too much sleeping. Woopie!!! It feels weird looking forward to my vacation when I'm already in India. See you in ten days!

"Keep it quiet back there, Kirna is thinking."

Charan Epiode VI: I'm a father!

...Not really.

A woman from Charan handed me her baby girl yesterday. Her mother spoke to me, Viru translated: "She's asking if you will keep her baby." I laughed. The tiny girl in my arms let out a sleepy giggle.

"This is her third baby," Viru continued, "She has too many children. You can take her back to the U.S."

For the record, I handed her back to her mother. But for a single moment, I did consider her offer. How weird is that? I must be getting old. Or crazy.

Charan Episode V: Flood

Ugh... Cancelled class early today when a river of mud poured into the tent. The monsoons have really kicked in, it's awful, just awful, in Charan. I don't usually get all melodramatic about stuff but seriously - when you see class 5 shitwater rapids rising up within a foot of someone's flimsy tent, fierce enough to drown a grown man, you can't help but wonder how anyone can handle such difficult living conditions.

I was interviewed today by someone making a film about education in developing countries. He asked me if I didn't mind standing in the rain, "for dramatic effect." I said "Sure." It was interesting.

Action monk, goat rescue

Jamyang, Tong-Len's founder and Tibetan monk extrordinaire, held a special thanks day event for some of the volunteer staff. We arrived to the warm greetings of Charan children, orange flowers, delicious food, and a goat named Gita.

Apparently Jamyang was passing by a butcher when he saw the axe about to descend upon old Gita's hairy goat neck. He shouted "wait!!" and promptly purchased her, saving her from becoming someone's mutton soup. Gita will be donated to one of the families near Charan, where she will live out her long goat years in peaceful pastures, eating rubbish and shrubs until the end of her days.

The act of rescuing an animal typically results in good karma for the savior. Monks and nuns usually dedicate this karma towards the happiness of all sentient beings, but on this occassion Jamyang dedicated the good karma towards the success of Tong-Len's work with the communities in Charan.

He's quite an amazing man, Jamyang is. Lean and wiry as a beanpole, quiet, humble, softspoken. But no ordinairy monk! "Meditation and prayers do have a purpose," he explains, "but for the people in Charan, they need action." He has long since given up his monastic duties (though he still wears his robes, and he is still a monk, by all means!) in exchange for long hours of research, fundraising, planning and building relationships with the community in Charan.

"When I first went to Charan to see how the people lived, they threw rocks and rotten vegetables at me. They wanted money, they wanted food, they wanted quick solutions today but I told them change comes slowly, we first have to give their children an education." Two years later, with an established health clinic, education program, hostel, and many more programs on the way, instead of produce this action monk is showered with respect.