Trust in the goodness of life

Also on the way through Wayanad are some wayside shrines with sculptures of Mary, the mother of Jesus. They look beautiful and well cared for. But, it is no longer so important to me to adore or worship a holy person. I also find Mary in her theological role as the mother of God far too theoretical today. Suddenly, the understanding of Mary deepens: not to adore or venerate, but to internalize the sacred qualities of this person. Thank you Maria for your unique example! But - no more please-please-prayers. I have to try myself to give birth to the divine in me. Even if it's difficult as a Christian to be like Jesus and Mary, I still don't want to be falsely humble: We have to work on becoming like God, otherwise we'll remain captives, sheep, spiritually superficial people. I thank Hinduism for manifold inspirations and support. Even the seemingly terrible goddesses of destruction like Kali - they must be. Also in my life I have to constantly destroy something - ev...

"God's own country!" - this is how Kerala advertises itself. In the coastal strip, people say that I have to go through Wayanad on my way to Mysore - it is an even more beautiful landscape than the rest of Kerala. The days that I wander through this really beautiful landscape are characterized by beautiful surroundings. Kerala means "land of palm trees"; in the Wayanad, on the other hand, the vegetation looks richer and more varied. However, it is repeatedly advised against walking further to Mysore. There are elephants and tigers on the way. I try to calm people down and joke: "No problem, I'm vegetarian!". But their brief smile is replaced by concern - the tigers have already attacked local livestock. Of course I have a lot of respect for free-roaming elephants and tigers - but ... it seems much more realistic in the land of coconut palms that a big coconut falls on my head and makes the search for a shelter to sleep superfluous. After al...

Kappad-Beach The Kappad Beach at the Vasco da Gama Monument is the best maintained beach I have seen in India so far. Swimming in the sea is a good way to compensate for the one-sidedness of walking and carrying a backpack.   The next major stop on the pilgrimage route is said to be historic Mysore in the next state of Karnataka. 200 kilometers - on the direct route.   There are still three days to go through the warm coastal strip. It's nice to lie outside at night, despite the morning dew on luggage. Then it goes northeast through the Western Ghat. The mountains to be hiked through are about 700-800 meters high. Still works. But on the most difficult stage of the day, it gets very hot and the hairpin bends don't want to stop. Hairpin bends towards the beautiful Wayanad district   Shortly before sunset I reach the top of the pass. Much haze has risen on the west side. Everything looks beautifully green on the east side. But it's suddenly cold here. Very cold. I...

I'm amazed. Vasco da Gama was only 28 years old when he left Portugal to do what Columbus, who was ten years his senior, failed to do: discover the sea route to India. so young But as a childhood friend of the Portuguese king, his fleet was equipped with the best seamen in the country. - 20 kilometers north of Calicut (now Kozhikode) he landed on the Malabar Coast.     Vasco da Gama Memorial     The monument to him is modest. Maybe good. Because, like the discovery of South and North America, this discovery meant, above all, exploitation and suffering for the native populations. The fascination with India that has brought so many westerners to India is being lost more and more - again through the influence of the western lifestyle which is permeating every remote village through the media. But I can't complain too much. I'm here myself. And bring in western "stuff". And often react negatively because of Indian habits. The art of life, according to the Vi...

The narrow asphalted road runs for miles along the beach under palm trees. Not a tourist area, Not even tea stalls for the locals. A temple at sunset. The young priest instructs to remove my robe before entering the interior of the temple. I know next to nothing how a Hindu behaves traditionally in a temple - what rituals are performed. So I bow to some deities and notice the objects placed in their hands or feet. But that's enough for meditation: imagining the properties of these gods and objects inwardly - letting them become reality in oneself. However, the priest cannot offer me a place to camp for the night. Next door in a small hall that belongs to the temple, it is possible to stay without any problems. - Since it is very windy from the beach, it takes some tinkering to protect my little camp against the cool gusts. There is still a lot going on along the narrow street. Some youth begin military exercises. The youngest is maybe twelve; the leader himself may not be...

There are more Christian institutions in this area again. At a higher secondary school run by Catholic nuns, I am sent back a little way to a priest convent to find a shelter. Once there, I notice a lot of padlocks on doors and gates. But it looks cozy. And since no one is there yet, I decide to wait a bit.   A few minutes later someone comes. The pastor. He makes a very warm and open impression. Yes, he could offer me a place to sleep. Inside the parsonage, he takes good care of me. He is here alone; his parish doesn't have that many families. A nice, trusting relationship quickly develops.   While I can take a hot shower, he takes care of ordering dinner. He even gives some wine - I feel great! Well - it becomes a glass of holy mass wine  that we enjoy in his bedroom. He says we can sleep in bed together later. The already strong wine tastes even more fiery - I have a suspicion. The familiar atmosphere continues to develop as we eat. There's a lot to...

  It is no exaggeration to say that on busy roads on some days someone will stop or wave or shout something every 10 minutes - and want to get in touch with the foreigner. That afternoon a motorbike drives by with two cool Muslim guys who look around, laugh, even turn around and start talking to me. One looks boastful with his long hair - at first, because he turns out to be a very committed, dear person. He invites me to take a break at the nearest tea stand at his expense. We'll meet there a few minutes later. Talking to him is profound.  Young businessman Navas Others will soon follow. It's interesting: as soon as a local has a positive contact with me, the others are also very benevolent. But if someone has a problem with me, then everyone is against me. But here I almost get dizzy because so many people have nice inquiries. Somehow young Navas gets his way - he seems to own the tea stand. His English is good and he quickly puts together a program for the rest of t...

  It's the geography teacher who had passed me in his car before and got the idea to introduce me to his colleagues. When he waits for me at the curb and politely asks if I have a few minutes, my first thought was an opportunity to do magic. On the way to the headmaster, he then explains that it should be an informal interview. There is a relaxed, collegial atmosphere in the principal's office. His office is quickly full and we move the meeting in front of his door in the corridor. A very pleasant, interested teaching staff comes together. But I'm uncomfortable. I had already noticed that many people in Kerala wear a mask in a very disciplined manner. I raise mine too, just to be polite. But as the conversation gets going, I ask permission to take the mask off again. The conversation quickly turns to the topic of masks etc. And that with this pilgrimage I want to set an example against people's fears in the pandemic. That's why I try to avoid wearing a mask...