Many people are drawn to Dharamsala to immerse themselves in Buddhism and other forms of spiritual practise. It is the home of the exhiled Tibetan government, its people, and arguably one of the most influential spiritual leaders the Dalai Lama. I found the Tibetan people to be very hospitable, friendly, and soothingly mellow. Getting to eat their regional food was a treat since it's a lot closer to mom's home cooking than Indian food. For about $0.25, you can get 4 freshly steamed 'momos' which are bit sized rice buns stuffed with asian green leaf vegetables, onions, and sometimes mutton or chicken.
With the zen aura of the Buddhist monks, the misty surrounding mountains, and my hope that the Dalai Lama was in town (in this case, it was his aura since physically he was out west) and snippets of philosophical discussions about 'ego' at the cafes, it seemed a very fitting place for me to conclude my first read of 'A New Earth' by Eckhart Tolle. My buddy Jo and I have been using his simple teachings to break down our life issues in the past 8 months. Referring to pieces of different religions including Buddhism and Christianity, he advocates the need to be present in our everyday actions to live more fulfilling and creative lives. A simple example from his book is when you walk, your focus should only be on that rather than the destination. This is not an easy thing for my wee little overactive mind! In so many ways, it has started to rewire me. I've probably already recommended the book to you but if not, think about getting a copy or download one of his podcasts.
Shifting gears, we went from Buddhism to Sikhism with a visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It is the holiest temple in the Sikh religion. The religion was founded by Guru Nanak Devi who could not find fulfillment in Hinduism, particularly the caste system. The religion welcomes all castes to worship together and it emphasizes rebirth and karma. The temple is guilded with let's say lots of gold and a constant live chant echoes throughout the temple from 8 to 8. The whole experience was really pleasant and uplifting.
I'm on the train to Delhi now. I'm quite unsure of where this journey will take me next. 'Today is what matters now with tomorrow being the next today' as told to me by a very random encounter with a body reader in Shimla.
Shallow side notes:
-There were some extreme new age hippies in Dharamsala, one who was dressed like a hobbit with the haircut of Gollum.
-We stayed in our worstguest house in Amritsar. It smelled and tasted like fart.
-I've been wearing the same hammer pants for the 4th day in a row because I've been too lazy to get my other pants from the bottom of my pack. Cleanliness has disappeared from my vocabulary. At a public toilet, my feet feel dirty even though I am wearing shoes!
With the zen aura of the Buddhist monks, the misty surrounding mountains, and my hope that the Dalai Lama was in town (in this case, it was his aura since physically he was out west) and snippets of philosophical discussions about 'ego' at the cafes, it seemed a very fitting place for me to conclude my first read of 'A New Earth' by Eckhart Tolle. My buddy Jo and I have been using his simple teachings to break down our life issues in the past 8 months. Referring to pieces of different religions including Buddhism and Christianity, he advocates the need to be present in our everyday actions to live more fulfilling and creative lives. A simple example from his book is when you walk, your focus should only be on that rather than the destination. This is not an easy thing for my wee little overactive mind! In so many ways, it has started to rewire me. I've probably already recommended the book to you but if not, think about getting a copy or download one of his podcasts.
Shifting gears, we went from Buddhism to Sikhism with a visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It is the holiest temple in the Sikh religion. The religion was founded by Guru Nanak Devi who could not find fulfillment in Hinduism, particularly the caste system. The religion welcomes all castes to worship together and it emphasizes rebirth and karma. The temple is guilded with let's say lots of gold and a constant live chant echoes throughout the temple from 8 to 8. The whole experience was really pleasant and uplifting.
I'm on the train to Delhi now. I'm quite unsure of where this journey will take me next. 'Today is what matters now with tomorrow being the next today' as told to me by a very random encounter with a body reader in Shimla.
Shallow side notes:
-There were some extreme new age hippies in Dharamsala, one who was dressed like a hobbit with the haircut of Gollum.
-We stayed in our worstguest house in Amritsar. It smelled and tasted like fart.
-I've been wearing the same hammer pants for the 4th day in a row because I've been too lazy to get my other pants from the bottom of my pack. Cleanliness has disappeared from my vocabulary. At a public toilet, my feet feel dirty even though I am wearing shoes!
No comments:
Post a Comment