20. Report - 26/11/21 - Village attraction

-

Babu takes me back to where we drove to his house yesterday. He gives me two big bank notes. His face is calm and benevolent. Something special connects us. I will keep in touch with him.

The street out of town is loud and monotonous. Finally the junction comes to a smaller road to the southwest. Today I don't feel so present in myself and I unwind monotonously from kilometer after kilometer.

A small village in the evening. I don't care where and how I stay today - the main thing is a shelter because of rain.

The bus stop on the next corner is suitable. - With my hands and plain English, I speak to one of the men crouching around the bus stop. "Yes", I could spend the night there. Another has a relatively good command of English and asks questions. Others join in too. After a quarter of an hour someone appears who wants to offer me food and a better place to sleep.

Later I lie on a covered ramp. It appears to be a village meeting place. In the next three hours dozens of people come by to see me on the ramp. Always the same questions. Those who have already heard the answers from someone else intelligently explain to the newcomers what they have learned about me. Those who can speak a little English dare to take the ramp and ask directly. Several times women bring a small meal by. When I was almost asleep, another visit comes. Somebody wanted to show me to his friend.

The next morning I can choose in which house I have breakfast served.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

66. Report - My most beautiful temple

-
Image
At a junction is a tea stand. The owner asks me about my route and then definitely recommends a detour. There is said to be a famous, beautiful, important temple in Galne. I have to turn off the main road right behind his shop.   I like to turn onto the quieter street, even if it means a few kilometers of detour. The landscape is still calm with some rolling hills. Somehow it's nice here. Sri Gurudatta Parampara Sripad Vallabh Devasthan, Tingri Another strange temple appears halfway to Galne. I like beautiful architecture. The building here is oddly multi-storey. Curious, I go in - and after half a week I leave happy: It is the most beautiful temple building on my pilgrimage so far.   The family is also welcoming and the rituals and spiritual atmosphere are beneficial. What is missing is a spiritual authority. The founder and careful planner of this beautiful temple passed away suddenly. It crosses my mind two or three times whether I shouldn't stay here ...
Read more »

1. Report - 5/11/21 - Departure in Bodhi Zendo

-
Image
It hurts inside to walk away from the Bodhi Zendo. The 6 months of Zen practice have helped me advance internally. There is some risk in leaving the regular daily business of meditation. I dare to compare it with a child in the womb: Why leave this wonderful, warm, filling, sheltered place after nine months to risk an unknown existence ?! It is also an inconvenient time to leave because of the rainy season. I postpone my departure twice because the laundry won't dry on the line. And enriching conversations with other meditators arise every day. But now the next step has to take place. A Sesshin begins on Thursday evening for three days. I no longer take part in the meetings, try to be inconspicuous and feel "wrong" in my place. On Friday morning there were still two damp clothes hanging on the line. I break the rule and ask Peter, who is attending the Shessin, whether he can bring the dry laundry to the office in the afternoon. Sasikumar, the caretaker, will later bring t...
Read more »

28. Report - 2 - 7/12/21 - First days in Kerala - HERE & NOW

-
Image
The landscape of Kerala is very beautiful. I walk on picturesque streets. Many wind their way through small palm forests and through beautifully landscaped rice fields. Diverse views are offered to the eye. The monsoon is coming to an end - it hardly rains any more. At a great rock lake, I risk spending a night without a canopy. After a few hours it promptly begins to rain. The bags are protected under the large umbrella; I wrap myself and the mats in a large plastic sheet. The next morning the sun is shining. Occasionally men come to the lake, jump into the water, soap themselves on the bank, jump back into the water. There are many ponds here. Every day you see people washing clothes or soaping themselves up there. I also refresh then myself for a few minutes. It rains again briefly in one night - again I have to take refuge under a temple roof with my things. The remaining nights stay dry. It is now easier to find somewhere to sleep. The disadvantage of this independence is ...
Read more »