The monsoon has officially come to Bhagsu. For the past three day, I have awoken to thick foggy skies rather than my usual view of the lush green valley below. The first rain usually begins as I do my asanas on my small blue yoga mat in the upstairs room, and if I'm lucky, the sun will come out momentarily in an hour or two, giving people the opportunity to emerge from their various mountain hideouts (guesthouses/cafes).
Actually, that's a lie. There is no regularity to the rain. It just comes. But for the past few days, it has stayed for longer, a pattern which is not likely to change for a while.
Ridiculously, I have no raincoat or umbrella. Usually this is not a problem as I am loaded up with books to read when the rain comes and I'm still in my room, or if I'm outside I can duck into one of the many warm Bhagsu cafes with similarly unprepared travellers... Toady was the first day I got caught out, having braved the rain enough to run a few minutes to Roza cafe for breakfast. Luckily Sahil lent me his only-slightly-broken unmbrella to whip down the hill to my singing class, and I have been down here ever since, as today this water is just not ceasing. It's okay. I love it, and the fact that it makes us slow down and relllaaaax even more.
For I have realised something. I've been here three weeks or even more now, and have only a few days left until I need to take my Delhi night bus and my plane to Amsterdam. What a change this will be... but anyway, back to my realisation. After three weeks here, and after four months on the road, I finally feel like I'm learning to truly leeeeet gooooo.... a deeper level of relaxation is coming in. Looking back, I've always had some kind of objective for my day, and certain 'things to achieve' so to speak. How liberating, then, to fnially let go and just BE. You'd think I would have realise this already, after four months away. How interesting then, how long it's taken me to transofrm my Western view.
In 'the West' (generic term for countries not like India), we live our lives with such expectation - with goals, onjectives, attachments. Even our personal development is often laden with ideas of where we want to 'get to' or how we can make ourselves more of a person we want to be. A friend of mine told me yesterday "Why are you always 'on your way' somewhere? You need to calm down , girl. Everything is inside of you". How right he was. For me anyway, it's been highly liberating to just STOP and let life happen. I know I have the luxury of doing this at the moment - no kids, no responsibilities... so I'vwe decided to mike it, baby, for all it's worth, and ENJOOOOOYYYYY (Indian saying) even more.
Right, enough lyrical waxing. Here's some of the cool stuff that's been going on in the Valley of late.
Two beautiful jams, one two nights before in Roza cafe, and last night in 'Sky High' where a small circle of flute, singing, sitar, guitar and tabla turned into an even bigger circle of harmonies, spoons tapping on glasses and a rather hyperactive puppy wagging its tail and trying to chew everything (tabla and flute case, beer glass, everyone's feet) in sight.
My amazing yoga / meditation practise. I've taken some classes, but mostly I just love practising in my room, holding my asanas long, long, long, and watching my mind get quieter and calmer. It's amazing. Pretty much impossible to put into words, so I'll leave it at that.
Sometimes I wish I could stay longere her, but my visa is up, and Europe is calling. Soon it will be time to take to the streets with my guitar in hand and let my voice fund me for a while. I have much to take away with me. A lot has 'sunk in' for me here in this valley. Now it will be up to me to integrate it into a diferent enviornment and away from the nurturing land of India - my home, always...
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