If Mum could see me now....

Sometimes on my trip I find myself in situations and I have a reality check and think to myself  ”if only my Mum could see me now....”. Often they are slightly unusual, maybe spiritual, and it is not uncommon for them to involve singing, chanting or some for m of ceremony. I think the first time was in India when Stella and I spent  some time at the Sivananda Ashram in Kerala. Each morning and evening we would meditate, not too out of the ordinary one could say, and then for about 45 minutes we would chant. Usually Sanskrit mantra’s, sometimes English ones, always from a well thumbed song book. Now it is not so strange I guess, but when you are surrounded by about 500 people, most of them dressed in yellow swaying to the rhythm of the chant and some more dedicated ones clapping and rocking out on the tambourine, you kinda wonder if you have been transported to another world. Well one vastly removed from my usual world anyways. Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion is alive and well in India, no suprises there, but it is the other places I have found this same format of devotional spiritual practice that I find intriguing. I pictured the look on my Mum’s face as I too got swept up in the chanting and devotional practice, although I must admit 3 days was enough. So on to other weird and wonderful spiritual experiences.

The spiritual shores of Lake Aitlan in Guatemala

I remember reading somewhere that there is a smorgasbord of spiritual experiences in life and you can cherry pick the ones that resonate. Up until now I had been perhaps more of purist in that I felt you should find one type of teaching be it yoga, Buddhism, Christianity, mysticism and stick to it. But I have changed my tune and am using my trip to indulge in local experiences that are opening my eyes to many new and wonderful worlds.  In India of course the chanting was a new one and of course the Hindu ceremony of the aarti, in Nepal simply being so close to the Himalya’s was an incredibly spiritual experience and then of course I found myself in a Christian camp in France. Similar to my ashram experience, in Taize I  was singing prayers in latin 3 times per day. Again something new for me, but also incredibly spiritual and beautiful. It was so moving and I have to say peaceful to be in such a large church surrounded by 3000 voices. 

In the last few weeks I have been sampling the Central American practices and again, find myself having these moments where I think to myself “if  only Mum could see me now...”.  In Mexico we participated in a Temzcal – a traditional Mayan ceremony which involves a sweat lodge that you spend about 90minutes in. The Mayan master passes around a rolled up leaf to puff on (apparently nothing illegal) whilst you state your intention, whatever you want to release or bring in, and then a little man brings in to the small lodge the hot volcanic rocks. The door is firmly shut (not an occasion to be claustrophobic) and the chanting begins. It seems a common theme between all of these ceremonies is the use of the voice and song. Water is poured onto the hot rocks to create steam and the intensity rises along with the heat. After 4 rounds, you are glad to be released into the cool of the night breeze, feeling somewhat exhilarated by the experience. Unique and moving, but for entirely different reasons.  I have to say, my intentions that I made that night are coming to fruition, so whether it is placebo or the mystically Mayan master took them away I will never know, but for me something did shift. 

The  Mayan "sweat lodge"

 And now I find myself looking for aura’s and talking about astral traveling. A new experience that is again very different but interesting all of the same. As my dear friend Tash calls it, I think I am in spooky school.  Each day we study meta physics from a Shaman women who has been in the area teaching this stuff for 30 years. Some of it resonates – working with chakra’s, a daily yoga and meditation practice, and then some of it is perhaps not something I will take with me. But as I brushed a medicinal plant over my fellow student in an attempt to cleanse her aura, I thought, at least I am giving it a go. 

And Mum, I am still of sound mind and body, and have not, nor will I run off to join a cult of any description. All of it is interesting and whilst some of the things I have found slightly weird and wonderful, I can honestly say I have taken something from each and every experience. Strangely enough, what I have found, all of the experiences I have had, whether it be chanting in an ashram, making a friend with my mind in meditation, singing to God in France or cleaning aura’s in Guatemala, all of them can provide you with meaning, a sense of calm and inner peace and not one of them promotes violence, war but rather compassion, unity and giving thanks to this amazing world we live in. So whatever your poison, each to their own, if it makes you sleep better at night, good for you. And take a sample from the smorgasbord and who knows, maybe you might find something you like.