10/12/08

We have just spent 3 days at Swami Rama ashram in the Himilayas. Swami Veda is the spiritual director and leads us in several meditations. Each day I was awakened at 5:30Am for morning meditation and Hatha Yoga. The ashram is locatated near Rishikish on the Ganges River. It is still very hot here. I was surprised to find a friend from California, Marian Maass who is living at the ashram...it's a small world.

I was delighted to get a private meeting with Swami Veda. He is 76 years old and a very special person. He invites everyone to participate in a world peace meditation on the full moon. Oct 13th at 7PM calif. time. Please take 5 minutes or as long as you like and know that people all over the world will also be meditating at this time. Pass it on.

Our trip has been packed with wonderful experiences. 2 days in Hardwar, a small town near Rishikish. We experienced a Pooja (ritual) on the Ganges River. The Hindus believe that if you wash at the river at sunset and sun rise that all your past wrong doings will be washed away. They chant and pray and burn insense and splash water over themselves. I was lead by a guide to pray for my friends and family. For health and good fortune and love. Please let me know if you have any special new situations. It was a beautiful experience. Many people go to the river each day at sun rise and sunset.

I also experienced my first auyvertic treatment with a massage and a hot oil treatment were they therapist pours oil on your forehead and scalp. Very relaxing and healing.

We are traveling in a big white bus. It is unbelievable what I see from the window. Braham bulls and cows walking freely everywhere, monkeys, elephants, camels, goats, donkeys and horses, sugar cane, muslim women all in black, hindu women in colorful saris, lotus flowers blooming in irrigation ditches, beautiful intiricate temples, trucks full of young workers, roses, lantana, giant iris, motorcycles with mom, dad and 2 kids, huge billboards with sexy men adverising god knows what, bamboo, small stalls selling everything from tea to new cars, beggers, hockers, bicycles rickshaws, shrines, traffic like I have never seen, everyone honking, honking honking.

We are back in Delhi and the Dali Lami is staying at our hotel. Security is tight. We have another early day... If you know me, you know that computer stuff is not my best suit. I really want to stay in touch but the days are long and the computers are few and far between. Please let me know that someone is reading what I write. I have got to go to bed but will fill in with more details soon. You can email me at randiryan54@gmail.com or blog me!

XXRR