Cobras, the Coach and Kali

The last time I was in India, I never saw one cobra. Not one. No snake charmers ever appeared to me even though I was informed they were everywhere I went. Never did I see one. Seepu, my guide in Khajuraho once said to me, "You want too much, therefore you will not see." It was a not-so-subtle lesson in non-attachment.

This trip, there have been cobras everywhere. We literally stood watching the side-by-side charmers as they played their flutes to charm their snakes while in the market in Pushkar. And I was thrilled beyond compare just to see real cobras.

During the first leg of the trip, we were transported in a huge AC coach (a bus to us). Because there were a total of 15 of us, it allowed for plenty of leg and rest room as well as an opportunity for me to teach while we traveled. I remember the weekends at Landmark Education during the IFLP when we would travel to NYC from DC. One by one we would take the mic at the front of the bus and share our hearts out. So, I decided to make the same kind of use of this bus.

While watching our driver navigate the incredibly crowded highways of India from Delhi to Pushkar we set our intentions for the trip and then some. They ranged from "I want to learn to honor and deal with my anger," to "I want to truly let go and experience surrender in India," and everything in between.

On the way to Jaipur, we did Emotional Release Osho Gibberish style right on that big ol' bus! What fun!

So, I guess we were ready for Kali when we met her. Can you ever be truly ready?

We rode our big lovely elephants up to the Amber Fort of Jaipur in pairs Amit and I leading the way. It was fairly early in the morning when we arrived at the entrance of the fort right where the Kali temple is. And as we took off our shoes, belts, socks, the bells began to clang and drums began to boom. We scurried in to see real priests performing a puja to Kali opening the temple for the day. Standing there letting the bells and drums take us over, many of the group went into spontaneous release. It was difficult not to. Marie began to cry buckets. She was joined to an extent by Sharon and Dana. Delwood, too, was totally effected by this ceremony. Very very powerful. Hey, but what else would you expect?

In the ten minutes that it took for the puja to reach completion, each and every one of us had been transformed without "doing" a thing. All we had to "do" was show up.

What an amazing way to start our exploration in the Pink City.

Jaipur is the capital of India's most colorful state - Rajasthan. The entire city of jaipur is painted a dusty rose by law. It started in 1876 when the Prince of Wales (who later was crowned Edward the VII) was visiting Maharaja Ram Singh, the color was used to welcome him and then it stuck.

There are hilltop forts and stately palaces wherever you turn. The streets are jam-packed with camel carts, cars, cows, rickshaws, pigs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Bright turbans sit atop every man's head while the most colorful saris in India catch the eye as if the women wearing them were butterflies.

When we left the Kali temple, we explored the Amber Fort, the royal City Palace and an observatory named Jantar Mantar built to view models of the heavens for astronomy and astrology purposes and to ascertain the correct Jaipur time.

In the evening, we had a wonderful Indian Thanksgiving Dinner. each of us shared what we are thankful for. I was very moved by a lot of what people shared, but in particular Ryan. He is just the most amazing teenager. I cannot remember all of what he shared at this point, but I know it set me to crying. I'll see if I can get him to write it so I ccan add it in at some point.

See you again soon,
Laurie