An Air of Tolerance

Eid Mumbarak!  India celebrated Eid one day after the US based on the schedule of the moon.  The staff was great enough to make me mutton curry and sev khumu.  One thing I think no one can ever say that India does not have that America does is religious tolerance.  Sure it is a deeply religious land of ardent followers, but the tolerance here is outstanding to me especially coming from the US. 

The amount of people I have met in my life alone that have ridiculed my faith or tried to convert me is quite substantial.  Most of the people I surround myself even would not even be able to tell you whether I am a Shi’a Muslim or a Sunni Muslim let alone any of my beliefs.  We come from a land that is Christian and if you are not that you get put in that other category where your beliefs and customs do not take any precedence.  India has been so welcoming and wanting to learn about you and what you believe.  Though I am the only Muslim amongst the volunteers and staff, my voice, heritage, and customs were just as much heard.  I see the same regardless of if you are Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Catholic, or Baha’i. 

I know there are lots of religious differences here and squabbles but that is the same in any place or country.  The difference here is that this land is accepting of all in that it does not try and push religion down anyone’s throat.  Religion is there for anyone to take part, but it is at your choosing.  It is a way of life rather than a commitment or a duty.  Those that wish to partake in that way can, and those that choose not to, can opt out.  Those that say that the individual does not thrive here does not truly understand the complexity of India.  It is a land of contradictions because that is what life is.  The western world tries to make things black and white.  Maybe they should realize all the colors they are missing in between. 

Richard Parker

And then he walked into the jungle, without so much as a glance back.  All our time and memories together at his back; and then he disappeared into the jungle, never destined to meet again.

Today has been quite the day.  Himatee Didi, Henry, and the two Emilys all left today.  In just three weeks, the relationships I have made are stronger than so many that I have cultivated for years.    Being in the most spiritual of places and sharing that moment with someone is something incomparable.  I fought my tears back today as they were leaving.  It felt as if my Richard Parker was leaving me.  We shed parts of our soul like footprints in the sand.  I suppose it would be remiss not to honor that sand with the placement on our brow for those footprints have laid the way.  Himatee Didi told me before she left that she wanted to tie a rakhi for me which is a symbol of brother and sister.  My eyes welled with emotion.  She is such an amazing example of compassion and generosity in this world.  Henry left me a note on my dresser that again brought tears to my eyes.  He called me his big brother and calling him my little brother would be the very minimum title I could give.

The people here have been parts of my sense of self and soul they I have been searching for all my life.  I hope that these beacons of light continue to shine clarity on my life.  Though if they become but footprints of a self that is no more, then their memory will always be a shrine in my heart.

Ordered Chaos

“Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” 

I'm currently writing from my hotel room in Amritsar.  I just got my next round of Rabies Vaccine...oh yeah forgot to mention I got bit by a monkey last weekend...hence my long absence from here!  I guess I should do some catching up.

Things have been amazing here.  I feel like every moment I'm learning more about Tibetan and Indian culture, medicine, people around me, and myself.  We finally have gotten into the real swing of things seeing patients.  We go to the different anganwadis and travel to various places in the mountains of the area.  While our tasks are primarily for the children, the small rooms soon become cluttered with moms, dads, village elders, and whomever else may be passing by.  Many from curiosity, but mostly they also want check ups and advice.  We are totally consumed by people every which way, but we seek to do what we can.  It reminded me like the streets of Delhi.  A two lane road would be filled with bumps and sometimes 4 cars in a row (not to mention the rickshaws, bicycles, motorbikes, and a random cow trying to tranverse between them).  Despite all this - everyone got around - everyone made it to their destination.  I don't know if its their faith and trust in the system or what, but its amazing how chaos can be turned into such order and work.  That is how I feel when we work.  Problems, people, resources and circumstances are scattered in all directions but we just fill ourselves with love and compassion and throw ourselves into the mix.  Whether it is with faith and trust - I guess it is all of that mixed with a bit of hope :-).

There was ten of us that ended up going to Shimla last weekend.  Accommodations were amazing with rain showers and balconies and much more.  Himatee and Sophie have been on this program in different locations before and they are very resourceful, so they took charge of planning.  I ended up rooming on my own which was unfortunate since I was the only male.  It ended up being very nice to get some alone time after being with people nonstop.  Especially after I got bit by the monkey.  The bite hurt obviously, but the vaccine mixed in with the high altitude and insane driving and roads to get to Shimla made me very sick for a days.  

Laura, Nupur, Sophie, Catie, Ginae, Lori, and Joleen all left on Thursday which was sad.  Feels kind of empty in the house.  I get along well with everyone, so it's not too bad.  Actually makes me sad that Henry will be leaving next week.  He has been an amazing roommate.  I will miss our conservations and late night talks till three in the morning.  I have learned so much from him.  His take on life and his desire just to give out so much love to all is awe-inspiring to me.  It is as if I am reminded of God every time I talk to him.  Only a pure soul I think can elicit that type of reaction.  People that can remind you of the Connectedness that is life and remove the illusion of materialism is a great gift to this world.  

Lost in the Moment

I keep staring at this blank blog page.  I wish I could really extol to you all the catharsis of being here.  I arrived to our cottage, and I was just dumbstruck with how much at home I feel.  The cooks, the drivers, all the staff that is helping us with our volunteer experience are like my brothers.  For the most part all the people on this trip just push me up and up, and they make me want to just embrace it all.  Attaining enlightenment and is not about letting go.  Discipline and religion and spiritual awakening is not about punishing yourself for all materialism, for all wants, for everything.  Life is about embracing all around you, about feeling connected, about feeling one with all.

I stayed up really late last night sitting watching the stars and the stillness in the mountains with two new friends Chris and Henry.  Chris is from Pittsburg and Henry is from Chicago.   He actually works at Yolk, which is my favorite brunch spot!  We talked for hours about life, religion, spirituality, and just feeling so connected.  I have searched for all my life for people with a similar mindset as me, a similar thirst for something beyond.  Somehow God led me to a place with virtually every person connecting to me on such an ethereal, esoteric level.

We went on a hike up to see the Kangra Valley this morning for sunrise.  I woke up a good hour before we had to leave.  People who truly know me, know that I can thrive very well outside of comfort and luxury.  These pretenses are but implications and niceties that we all fall subject to.  My spiritual connection though is with the simplicity and casting off of those connections and things that I think I need.  I just feel so energetic and infused.  Despite being away from everyone, bucket baths, squatting to use the restroom, bugs - this feels the most right of anytime, anyplace in my life.  I feel so detached from everything, yet so connected to it all.

I am working closely with a girl named Rebecca who actually went to IUPUI too!  We are going to be doing a lot of the medical work together, and I think we are a perfect fit.  We are just open and filled with love and compassion to want to just be a part of it all.  I truly am blessed yet again.  I know it seems so redundant, but I wish that I could be just as Rumi said - that one drop longing to be part of the ocean and finally joining it; losing oneself forever. 

Misconceptions of the East

Dharamsala during Monsoon Season

To speak of the beauty that is in Dharamsala is really what they mean when they say sheer poetry.  This land has functioned as one between man and nature as it should be for 10,000 years.  There is a presence here that I will talk about in later posts as I get to explore my new home for the month.

Being with several Americans, Canadians, and British, I noticed that there are several misconceptions people have about India and South Asia in general.  I think ignorance is great when it is tempered with curiosity and the will to transcend beyond that.  Ignorance is bad when a person is complacent with their viewpoints i.e. New Jersey family who is driving me insane.  On a side note - they are converted Buddhists from a very affluent area.  They have caught on a wave on Neo-India that is sweeping the West, but, in my estimation, largely is devoid of the real substance of this land.  That is why I wished to talk about some common things that people may not know or understand about the people in this area of the World.  

1.  Family is not nuclear in this area of the world.  Family extends beyond Mom, Dad, and siblings but includes uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, etc.  This type of family organization functions as a tight nit community of its own where the family supports, encourages, and gives strength to each individual.  Hence while many view this type of family structure as archaic in this individual world - it merely sounds on a different chord.  Each person has their role, their dharma, their contribution to give and the family supports and gives its all to make sure that is fulfilled.  They are dharma based or duty based and believe in fulfilling the purpose in life.  Truly taking hold of the moment to reach beyond this realm of existence.  So it is not appropriate to say that a person is lost in this society, but rather they view it is a mechanism to help them thrive. 

2.  India does not pray to a Cow God.  It is sheer ignorance to say that Indians are a pagan or polytheistic society.  It is the misconception that the West has created or the uneducated in these lands have propagated because they have lost vision of what the culture and religion really says.  They believe in the Oneness of all and that God and the Divine takes form in everything.  They believe in respect and the harmony of all creation.  This beautiful notion is enough to instill peace in your mind right away, but it has been adulterated and altered to say that Hinduism is a religion of 100,000,000 Gods.  They believe that religion is a way of life not a faith or a practice.  It is their life, and there is no one right way then to practice one's life.  That is according to the circumstances and the dharma and the karma of each individual being.

3.  This area of the world has long been known for the oppression and objectification of women.  This is entirely untrue in that for 9,600 years women in this area of the world were held on the same level as men.  They could own property, vote, marry whom they wished, etc.  Of course there was still female infanticide, sati, and other terrible things that happened due to environmental and religious notions, but it was not on the level of oppression that people deemed it to be.  With the arrival of the European, women in this area took ten steps back as the West imposed their gender bias upon this culture.  When this area finally gained its independence in the 1940s and 1950s, women were instantaneously given the right to vote, marry, freedom of religion and marriage, etc from the get go.  Women suffrage was not something that thankfully had to be fought for here.  Urban areas see women as equals in education and in all aspects of life.  Rural areas, however, lag behind as the indelible gender biases that the West imposed still courses through though significant strides are being made.  While there is still work to be done, it is incorrect to call this land a land of male chauvinists and oppressors.  

I could go on with more, but I am probably reaching the breaking point for most readers to continue.  I guess all I want to say is that whenever you seek to look at a new culture, immerse yourself to understand it from its point of reference, not your own.  All the people (Except Jersies) on this trip are so well-rounded, holistic, and culturally sensitive.  Most of my friends from home when they travel only go to Europe and view that as cultural immersion.  I absolutely love Europe, but I know that most people go and chase monuments from place to place.  I encourage people to go and fully experience how they perceive and view the world around them, for that is real traveling, that is real understanding of what it means to be a citizen of this world.  I encourage beyond that to see something outside of your comfort zone outside of Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever you might be from, because that will help you not only like I said understand the world better, but help you understand yourself better as well.  

The Refreshing Sweltering Heat of Delhi

From the moment I stepped out of the airport, whether I was ready or not, I knew I was in heat.  New Delhi is a balmy city with temperatures scorching and rising well above 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mixed in with the heat, however, was the aromatic scent of India.  You could instantly taste the indelible aromas of cinnamon, cardamon, and peppers.  The air was fragrant with jasmine and incense as the the city of 22 million people bustled around me.  All felt right.

After arriving in Delhi at 12 AM, we did not get back to the flat we are staying in till almost 2 after waiting for luggage and another volunteer.  Suffice to say we were exhausted from not sleeping for two days, but the excitement of beginning this adventure kept us awake the whole night again.  Our bodies were slowing down, but our minds raced.  The next morning we awoke to our program cook making us fresh omelettes with hara mirchi (spicy green peppers) and onions.  Followed by an even more delectable lunch of Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower) and Daal (Lentils) which are Indian staples.

After some orientation and paperwork, we set off to do some exploring of Delhi.  We began with the Lotus Temple.  

Lotus Temple - New Delhi

This testimony to the Bah'ai Faith was built in the shape of a blooming lotus flower.  This symbol is used often times in South Asian culture as a representation of attaining Enlightenment.  The sheer serenity and peace that this place conjures was enough to leave you speechless.  In fact while praying inside of this temple, I was awestruck by the complete silence and connectedness that this place possessed.  I could hear and focus on nothing but my own heartbeat.  Feeling it thud again and again against my chest reminding me of mortality and yet showing me that I am but mortal but charged with divine spirit, something that courses through all of us.  One of the most outstanding things about this place is that it respects, welcomes, and even encourages prayers and meditation from all faiths, religions, and peoples.  Such an openness and true understanding of what it means to practice faith was truly refreshing.  

On a side note, I am already annoyed with two people.  They are both from New Jersey, and they swaggered in with a high sense of entitlement.  What really made me upset was that the girl of the two wore short shorts out in the city and even inside of the temple.  Such blatant disregard for a conservative culture is inexcusable, but to disrespect  a place of worship goes beyond any realm of tolerance.  We are here for empowerment, culture immersion, and to leave our ethnocentric ideas at home while we try and make a difference in the culture here.  

Humayan's Tomb

This great Mughal emperor was laid to rest in a tomb worthy of his life.  The entire geometrically intricate and symmetrical building is positioned so that his tomb can face Mecca while he sleeps.  Along side the entire monument is actually what we know now as the Star of David.  Fun Fact - it's only about the last two hundred years that the Star of David has become known as a Jewish symbol.  Before that it was seen as the symbol of the unification of Man and God, the combination of man and woman, etc.  

Tomorrow more orientation begins before we head up north on Monday.  So tired and going to bed though it is only 8 PM.  Talk to you soon folks!

Hazaro Pal Ka Jeena

As I begin my volunteer venture to my Motherland, I decided it would be nice to track down some of my thoughts and musings as I continue to grow and shape into the person whom I want to be.  When I first started this blog, I named it Ek Pal Ka Jeena, meaning 'Only one moment to life'.  It was during a time that I was craving something far beyond what existed in my life, something I once knew but had lost. Throughout the years since my time on the island, I have learned a lot about myself.  I have also grown accustomed to being fully secure in my own skin.  It is amazing to have come so far down the path of self-realization.  I feel like once again I matter; once again I feel like I matter in the sense that I am functioning and working toward what I was meant to do. 

I am going to be working at an Anganwadi for Tibetan children for the next 5 weeks.  An Anganwadi is a government created shelter that was originally created to combat childhood hunger and malnutrition.  It has since expanded to be included into the public health system.  I will be in charge of all medical check ups for the children in my Anganwadi.  I will also be responsible for heading up proper nutrition education, breastfeeding tips, giving basic medications and contraceptions, immunizations, and health referrals. 

With my focal point of interest being Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - I take this responsibility very seriously and think it will be a great learning opportunity to see how to help a community with very limited resources and insight into their own health.  I used to think of life as my one moment, but over the years I have some to realize that there are thousands or hazaro moments that are intricately woven among the billions of soul on this planet.  We are all from One and to One we shall return, so that Oneness is but the pattern that has been sewed by the interlinkings of humanity.  I am so honored to help stitch in my mark on this quilted pattern of life.  For what use is a single piece of yarn, no matter the beauty, until it has been woven into substance.