STAY ALERT!
What is the secret to the art of life? The secret is this: Live in full awareness. Don’t grope in the darkness. Don’t walk in sleep. Walk in awareness. Whatsoever you do, no matter what it is – even if it is as insignificant as opening and closing your eyes – do it thoughtfully, do it with awareness. Who knows? Everything may depend on that tiny action, on opening and closing your eyes! You may be walking along the road and see a woman, and you may spend your whole life with her. Even opening and closing your eyes, stay alert.
My last day in Rishikesh. It was a nice week but enough. Rishikesh is like a big spiritual marketplace, mainly for Yoga and Ayurvedic treatments. There is a never ending stream of people, bikes and cars in the main road and all the smaller roads and paths. At least my hotel was in a more quiet area, a little in the back of all traffic.
I paid my balance in the hotel, I could pay with debit-card here. I had my last breakfast in Bodhi Cafe, some omelettes on toast with fried veggies. Then I walked down to a small mini market, getting some snacks. Back to my hotel I worked a bit on my laptop before I fell asleep.
When I woke up Ambara was writing. There would be an option to visit the room from ShantiMayi. So I met Ambara at 14:15 in front of the Shri Sachcha Dham Ashram. We entered the Ashram and asked where her room is. It was in a separate building at the edge of the Ashram. When we entered her room some people were sitting there. People were coming and going. We sat around 15 minutes there. A Photo of ShantiMayi was exposed on a small shrine. She lived for many years in this room.
Ambara wanted to buy a Mala. A mala is a string of beads traditionally used in spiritual practices, particularly in Hinduism, Buddhism, and other meditation traditions. It is often used for counting mantras, prayers, or breaths during meditation or for keeping focus during spiritual practices. It consists of 108 beads. There are many shops around, selling Malas, statues, bags and other things. We spent a while in one shop and had a drink in a Restaurant with a beautiful view on the Ganga.
Ambara had an appointment with a friend and other schedules. I walked up to the organic shop to buy one of these amazing coconut energy balls. Then I was back to my hotel for a while.
My laundry should be ready by 22:00, but I thought I could check earlier. I left for some dinner and asked the laundry if it is ready. He said it would just take 10 minutes to iron them. I was in the main road and went into a standard Restaurant. Here are many Restaurants somehow specially designed to attract foreigners and then there are the Indian standards. Just sitting down I got a call from Ambara. She was free in time and we could meet a last time on this journey. I picked up my laundry and crossed the road to the organic store, where we would meet. After some minutes Ambara appeared.
We had then our last dinner in the Chakra House Cafe. Ambara would leave as well the next day, back to Belgium.
No responses yet