or a place where i don’t have to introduce myself and just be.
I found myself reminiscing, and talking about it when a new friend asked me a few days back, where have I been and how I was experiencing life back then.
I was there in 2017 and since then it seems the city’s social sets of behaviors and noise made me comfortably forget how beautiful and natural it was, not to introduce myself every time I met a human being, as if I’m going through a short but very intense mini interview, where everyone is a possible interviewer – will she be good enough to hang out with me, or should I just pass her?
No! that was not the case in the ashram. Since you are here, you are accepted. You are here for a good reason and you are trusted, and it means you are here for your spiritual advancement, which is rather human really.
We move in silence.
Or noble silence. Meaning the silence of the mind. You are allowed to talk for practical issues or things that are really burning inside, in order to clear the field to be able to absorb yourself more in the meditation.
Hundreds of people eating at the same dining room and there was not noise beyond the natural sounds of the ambient.
Seva – Selfless service as an offering to God or Nature -Creation or Being.
Offering 4 hours of “work” to purify yourself from any expectation and simply be with others in the same spirit, that this is something sacred, not to earn anything, even grace, but be filled with the vibrations of being. Work as a meditation, and I stop here because there are many already writing about that but the best is to experience it.
The Essence
What I really miss and would like to have more in my life, and what the reason and inspiration for this post is the feeling of being in the ashram, which it’s hard to put in words but I will try.
You are, in this space, surrounded by beauty, and the space is made in such a way, that its made for contemplation and self realization. Everything says, go inwards. There are contemplation spots beautifully weaved with nature, so that all becomes one, under the shades of trees or beautiful streams passing and taking care of your worries.
The social part is not what you would experience in the “regular” way of life. When you meet a human being, it is no different than meeting nature, and it is not needed to introduce yourself and all your achievements, education, place of origin, age , profession and all that. You can simply be.
It may be difficult though to hold back your own habits in the beginning to introduce yourself and ask questions but soon this will go away, and you start enjoying the silence.
Then a new space is discovered, the space of being.
Then you are able to truly meet the being, beyond all this social constructions, and enjoy.
I am missing this part a lot.
Moving in Silence. Not having to attend to information that feed on attention and simply be with nature and sound, and light and beauty.
Then everything flows in a wonderful way, and everything works. Effortlessly.
Then you only need to face your self and the game begins. And everyone knows because we are on the same boat. And they understand and they laugh about it, because they have went and still going through, and then there is always someone to talk and help you out, but not senseless meaningless small talk. Only the essential.
And then?
Who knows. Hopefully you find the joy in embarking this journey of letting the social self behind and meeting the authentic self.
With Love and Gratitude.
M.
No pictures were allowed in order to fully absorbed and avoid distractions, so here is an extraordinary sunset from a beach near by.
One Step At A Time 