I wish a wonderful Christmas morning and celebration to all!
I also wish everyone a happy Hannukah!
I also wish everyone a happy Hannukah!
| Album: 20111225 India |
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Tiffin tour, impromptu wedding invitation, Anganwadis, Blind school, etc.
I don't feel yet like I have settled in a routine yet, I can't really answer questions about 'what I do'. Looking back at a sample of activities from last week, you might get a sense of the reason why. :)
1. Raghubhai took me on his now famous 'Tiffin Tour' one morning. Pretty much from the start, he grabed my camera, so you can follow our steps in the album below as we distribute the tiffin boxes to old people who direly need it and peek in their simple homes.
2. Adrien, a French friend I met last year in Ahmedabad, came back for a few days, to attend Pryank's wedding. As Pryank knows I'm here, I also get invited. I argue that I don't have an appropriate outfit and one day is too short to chose a saari and have it ready. A fairy godmother offers to lend me one and there I am, trying on the most beautiful fabrics, to find a suitable one. On the day of the wedding, leaving behind a stained washed out kurta, I certainly feel like Cinderella, as my friend ties the Saari around me. :)
3. Neetaben, Anganwadi project coordinator, takes me on a small tour to pre-schools (anganwadis), which is an amazing way to get some first hand experience of what they are. Bolo 8 was the preschool being finished when I was there last year: I can boast that I painted the toilet door! It is great to see that kids are receiving nutritious snacks, that their weight is being followed to try and address malnutrition, that they are being taken care off during a large part of the day. The Anganwadi teachers visit a couple of homes everyday as part of their job: for instance, they inform parents when their children have a weight below norm and try to work some solution together. They also discuss absenteism and the importance of bringing the children to the preschools. Anganwadis are also a medium to access pregnant and nursing mothers, to ensure they get the medical support they need and the appropriate nutrition. Access to free delivery at the hospital, and support to actually use that service, has helped dramatically reduce the percentage of still born babies, and women dying in childbirth. Anganwadis are a national programme, and 78 of such pre-schools are run by Manav Sadhna, here in Ahmedabad.
4. Anjali takes us on a tour of Utthan, a local NGO doing amazing work with mentally challenged young people. They are supported with dignity in developping skills, which will possibly help them earn a living. The founder gives us a beautiful lesson in humanity.
5. We get the chance to visit Aura, a herbal dyeing company. We have a long discussion with the founders who share their vision for chemical dyeing usage to be reduced and replaced by their process on a large scale, minimizing soil and water pollution.
6. Fanny, Meenal and I spend 2 days at the Blind School in Gandhinagar, to help prepare and run a sports day event: discs and weight throwing, running, etc. We have a wonderful time connecting with those children and getting explanations from the teachers on their daily lives. This is the same school I spent a bit of time with last year :) For most children it is great fun to run as fast as they can, holding somebody's hand, and discover long jumping. It might now become a regular activity! (some of those kids are already playing cricket, entering competitions with other blind schools!).
phew, now I'm up to date on my blog (the sports day was yesterday). I'll keep you posted on what's next!
Much love,
Caroline
PS: so weird being in a warm country for such a long time, I can't really believe Christmas is in only 2 weeks...
1. Raghubhai took me on his now famous 'Tiffin Tour' one morning. Pretty much from the start, he grabed my camera, so you can follow our steps in the album below as we distribute the tiffin boxes to old people who direly need it and peek in their simple homes.
2. Adrien, a French friend I met last year in Ahmedabad, came back for a few days, to attend Pryank's wedding. As Pryank knows I'm here, I also get invited. I argue that I don't have an appropriate outfit and one day is too short to chose a saari and have it ready. A fairy godmother offers to lend me one and there I am, trying on the most beautiful fabrics, to find a suitable one. On the day of the wedding, leaving behind a stained washed out kurta, I certainly feel like Cinderella, as my friend ties the Saari around me. :)
3. Neetaben, Anganwadi project coordinator, takes me on a small tour to pre-schools (anganwadis), which is an amazing way to get some first hand experience of what they are. Bolo 8 was the preschool being finished when I was there last year: I can boast that I painted the toilet door! It is great to see that kids are receiving nutritious snacks, that their weight is being followed to try and address malnutrition, that they are being taken care off during a large part of the day. The Anganwadi teachers visit a couple of homes everyday as part of their job: for instance, they inform parents when their children have a weight below norm and try to work some solution together. They also discuss absenteism and the importance of bringing the children to the preschools. Anganwadis are also a medium to access pregnant and nursing mothers, to ensure they get the medical support they need and the appropriate nutrition. Access to free delivery at the hospital, and support to actually use that service, has helped dramatically reduce the percentage of still born babies, and women dying in childbirth. Anganwadis are a national programme, and 78 of such pre-schools are run by Manav Sadhna, here in Ahmedabad.
4. Anjali takes us on a tour of Utthan, a local NGO doing amazing work with mentally challenged young people. They are supported with dignity in developping skills, which will possibly help them earn a living. The founder gives us a beautiful lesson in humanity.
5. We get the chance to visit Aura, a herbal dyeing company. We have a long discussion with the founders who share their vision for chemical dyeing usage to be reduced and replaced by their process on a large scale, minimizing soil and water pollution.
6. Fanny, Meenal and I spend 2 days at the Blind School in Gandhinagar, to help prepare and run a sports day event: discs and weight throwing, running, etc. We have a wonderful time connecting with those children and getting explanations from the teachers on their daily lives. This is the same school I spent a bit of time with last year :) For most children it is great fun to run as fast as they can, holding somebody's hand, and discover long jumping. It might now become a regular activity! (some of those kids are already playing cricket, entering competitions with other blind schools!).
| Album: some activities at Manav Sadhna |
phew, now I'm up to date on my blog (the sports day was yesterday). I'll keep you posted on what's next!
Much love,
Caroline
PS: so weird being in a warm country for such a long time, I can't really believe Christmas is in only 2 weeks...
Friday, December 2, 2011
and just like that...
vieille dame cerisier
fleuri - souvenirs
de la vieillesse
old lady cherry tree
blossoms - memories
of old age
10/11/2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
November: getting around in Tamil Nadu; settling back in Gujarat
On October 30th, I left the Bodhizendo to explore other aspects of Tamil Nadu.
After a 9h bus journey, Nisha and Raghu picked me up in Coimbatoire and we drove to their farm, 30min from there. Nisha and Raghu are part of the Charity Focus and Manav Sadhna family (Pariwar) and they welcome me so warmly! I spend a couple of days there, enough time for Raghu to give me a tour of the plantation, for Om to beat me at chess, for me to enjoy incredibly tasty vegetables from the garden. The monsoon is at its full and we also spend countless hours in the quiet house discussing life, the state of the world, farming etc. Somehow, in the middle of this nature, seeing the whole chain of processing (from the vegetable garden to my plate, from the well to my cup) makes me feel quite whole.
On the bus I am again, off to Thiruvanamalai. I stay near the Ramana Maharsi Ashram, which everyone and their sister has recommended to me. I visit the ashram, go respecfully around Sri Ramana Maharsi shrine, take a peak of the room where he 'left his body', and meditate in his meditation room. I had read the short Q&A about self inquiry while I was at Bodhizendo - I had enjoyed its simplicity, so I buy a book about his story and his teachings (ok, I have yet to read it...). But somehow I don't feel connected to the place, and even less to the crowds that hang out there. Nothing helps me to go within, especially in comparison to Bodhizendo (!), and while the people I end up meeting are in general really nice, I don't feel a sense of purpose and community that was there at Bodhizendo and that I know I will find in Ahmedabad. On my last day there, during medidation, I realise how the judgement I carry within colors my interpretation of the place and am able to release some of it. I am nonetheless ready to fly "home"!
In Ahmedabad, I reconnect with expected activities, like silent wednesdays at Meghna and Madhu's. I finally get a chance to serve at Seva Cafe. I meet the whole new crazy gang of volunteers, whith whom I go out and about in Ahmedbabad. Of course, lots more to come on A'bad and Manav Sadhna.
Illustrations of the above are in the album:
I also updated a previous post, so you can access previous pictures.
After a 9h bus journey, Nisha and Raghu picked me up in Coimbatoire and we drove to their farm, 30min from there. Nisha and Raghu are part of the Charity Focus and Manav Sadhna family (Pariwar) and they welcome me so warmly! I spend a couple of days there, enough time for Raghu to give me a tour of the plantation, for Om to beat me at chess, for me to enjoy incredibly tasty vegetables from the garden. The monsoon is at its full and we also spend countless hours in the quiet house discussing life, the state of the world, farming etc. Somehow, in the middle of this nature, seeing the whole chain of processing (from the vegetable garden to my plate, from the well to my cup) makes me feel quite whole.
On the bus I am again, off to Thiruvanamalai. I stay near the Ramana Maharsi Ashram, which everyone and their sister has recommended to me. I visit the ashram, go respecfully around Sri Ramana Maharsi shrine, take a peak of the room where he 'left his body', and meditate in his meditation room. I had read the short Q&A about self inquiry while I was at Bodhizendo - I had enjoyed its simplicity, so I buy a book about his story and his teachings (ok, I have yet to read it...). But somehow I don't feel connected to the place, and even less to the crowds that hang out there. Nothing helps me to go within, especially in comparison to Bodhizendo (!), and while the people I end up meeting are in general really nice, I don't feel a sense of purpose and community that was there at Bodhizendo and that I know I will find in Ahmedabad. On my last day there, during medidation, I realise how the judgement I carry within colors my interpretation of the place and am able to release some of it. I am nonetheless ready to fly "home"!
In Ahmedabad, I reconnect with expected activities, like silent wednesdays at Meghna and Madhu's. I finally get a chance to serve at Seva Cafe. I meet the whole new crazy gang of volunteers, whith whom I go out and about in Ahmedbabad. Of course, lots more to come on A'bad and Manav Sadhna.
Illustrations of the above are in the album:
| India 2011 10 Tamil Nadu and Gujarat Album |
I also updated a previous post, so you can access previous pictures.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Back to Gujarat!
After a few days in Tiruvanamalai, I'm ready to travel back 'home' to Ahmedabad and to get ahead with volunteering at Manav Sadhna - so I'm flying back on the 9th (tomorrow)!
I'll share a few pictures and details of these past 2 weeks shortly.
Love,
Caroline
PS: it seems that I've missed some text messages, especially coming from overseas, so if I don't respond, please double up with email :) sorry about that
I'll share a few pictures and details of these past 2 weeks shortly.
Love,
Caroline
PS: it seems that I've missed some text messages, especially coming from overseas, so if I don't respond, please double up with email :) sorry about that
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Bodhizendo :)
With a Zen Master at the crossroad of Christian, Hindu and Japanese Buddhism influences, this place allows me to enter gently into Zen practice, without having to absorb a whole cultural shock. The essence of Zen (as much as I can tell, which is not much) guides us, but the rigorous discipline of zen monasteries is not enforced here: we have a lot of freedom to go at our own pace, the service is only 90 mins a day, there is even a washing machine for clothes! We get lovely Western bread morning and night, and simple South Indian food for lunch. And the zen wooden 'stick' is only used as a decoration...
Unlike last year staying at Sivananda Ashram , quite likely thanks to the bread, I don't have too many meditations filled with Western food thoughts... Letting go?
It takes me a couple of days to settle in a sitting position that suits me, but once this is done, my body is rather well behaved, “just” my mind to deal with...
We sit for 3 hours throughout the day. The “breathing space” that we have during the rest of the day, as well as the opportunity to discuss my practice with the master during Dokusan in the morning, allow me not to get stuck for too long in one mindset and to re-focus on the purpose of sitting in zazen – which is having no purpose, letting our thoughts come and go and being there here and now...
Do not try, just be...
[zen is more complex and more deep but has also that simplicity]
Of course, most of the time, everything is a lot more blurry in my mind and I don't feel I went anywhere deep during these four weeks, staying at the surface, and yet something shifted within.
The interaction with friendly fellow meditators is part of the process to grow and heal: non-judging ears to share key thoughts with, avoiding the full loops my mind was getting into during Vipassana last year; interaction between real, imperfect people, at a slower pace than normal life to practice tolerance of our own faults and others' – which are the same since we are all one (!). Another zen practice connect with void/empty myself to give space for others to just be others, instead of clinging to my opinions. tricky one for me!
Oh well, now back to the Market Place (aka the world) and real India, we will see if I've learned anything! :)
First stop is at Nisha and Raghu's Organic Farm near Coimbatore, where I just stayed a couple of days. I've now just arrived in Tiruvanamalai, and I'm staying near Sri Ramana Maharsi ashram.
Love,
Caroline
Unlike last year staying at Sivananda Ashram , quite likely thanks to the bread, I don't have too many meditations filled with Western food thoughts... Letting go?
It takes me a couple of days to settle in a sitting position that suits me, but once this is done, my body is rather well behaved, “just” my mind to deal with...
We sit for 3 hours throughout the day. The “breathing space” that we have during the rest of the day, as well as the opportunity to discuss my practice with the master during Dokusan in the morning, allow me not to get stuck for too long in one mindset and to re-focus on the purpose of sitting in zazen – which is having no purpose, letting our thoughts come and go and being there here and now...
Do not try, just be...
[zen is more complex and more deep but has also that simplicity]
Of course, most of the time, everything is a lot more blurry in my mind and I don't feel I went anywhere deep during these four weeks, staying at the surface, and yet something shifted within.
The interaction with friendly fellow meditators is part of the process to grow and heal: non-judging ears to share key thoughts with, avoiding the full loops my mind was getting into during Vipassana last year; interaction between real, imperfect people, at a slower pace than normal life to practice tolerance of our own faults and others' – which are the same since we are all one (!). Another zen practice connect with void/empty myself to give space for others to just be others, instead of clinging to my opinions. tricky one for me!
Oh well, now back to the Market Place (aka the world) and real India, we will see if I've learned anything! :)
First stop is at Nisha and Raghu's Organic Farm near Coimbatore, where I just stayed a couple of days. I've now just arrived in Tiruvanamalai, and I'm staying near Sri Ramana Maharsi ashram.
Love,
Caroline
Monday, October 31, 2011
Travelling on...
A quick post to let you know that after a wonderful month at Bodhizendo, I'm packing today, and leaving tomorrow morning.
I'm headed to Coimbatore, which is a short 6-ish bus ride away, to meet friends of friends who have started an organic farm. I will probably be more reachable by phone and less by internet, but who knows! :)
I hope to write more about Bodhizendo and my next stop shortly!
Thanks to many of you for sending me updates and news! I really enjoy reading them, and do apologize for not really answering as I would like to!
Much love,
Caroline
I'm headed to Coimbatore, which is a short 6-ish bus ride away, to meet friends of friends who have started an organic farm. I will probably be more reachable by phone and less by internet, but who knows! :)
I hope to write more about Bodhizendo and my next stop shortly!
Thanks to many of you for sending me updates and news! I really enjoy reading them, and do apologize for not really answering as I would like to!
Much love,
Caroline
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
in a zen world...
The Bodhizendo is beautiful like a Haiku.
You step into a courtyard embracing a soft Japanese garden and you get lost in the contemplation of its hills and valleys, its pond, its lotuses, its central tree whose leaves fall silently leaving a golden circle on the grass; the garden itself is taking your hand and leading you on an inner journey.
The place is quiet and smooth, it seems that everything is beautiful so that you don't need to wish to be somewhere else than here and now.
My Samu (service) is to take care of the courtyard garden every morning: sweep the fallen leaves and flowers, water the plants and then if there is time left, weed the flower bed around the garden, weed and pick up the leaves off the beautiful even grass of the garden. Leaves fall every day, plants absorb water everyday, so some tasks take time and have to be performed again and again even though they leave little time for the deeper, longer term work of taking weeds out. But still, I see progress every day, and some times, someone lends a hand and I can focus purely on clearing the flower beds and forget about the more superficial tasks.
Mountains echo
To the sound of temple bells
In the moonlight.
////
I have decided to stay longer in this haven and plan to be on my way towards the end of October.
The website of the Center gives information on what Zen is and Fr Ama Samy, our Zen Master, wrote several books about the zen way, including Zen Heart, Zen Mind, [also available in French], which I'm reading and thoroughly enjoying.
You step into a courtyard embracing a soft Japanese garden and you get lost in the contemplation of its hills and valleys, its pond, its lotuses, its central tree whose leaves fall silently leaving a golden circle on the grass; the garden itself is taking your hand and leading you on an inner journey.
The place is quiet and smooth, it seems that everything is beautiful so that you don't need to wish to be somewhere else than here and now.
My Samu (service) is to take care of the courtyard garden every morning: sweep the fallen leaves and flowers, water the plants and then if there is time left, weed the flower bed around the garden, weed and pick up the leaves off the beautiful even grass of the garden. Leaves fall every day, plants absorb water everyday, so some tasks take time and have to be performed again and again even though they leave little time for the deeper, longer term work of taking weeds out. But still, I see progress every day, and some times, someone lends a hand and I can focus purely on clearing the flower beds and forget about the more superficial tasks.
Mountains echo
To the sound of temple bells
In the moonlight.
////
I have decided to stay longer in this haven and plan to be on my way towards the end of October.
The website of the Center gives information on what Zen is and Fr Ama Samy, our Zen Master, wrote several books about the zen way, including Zen Heart, Zen Mind, [also available in French], which I'm reading and thoroughly enjoying.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
10 days in Gujarat, Headed down South tomorrow
So from Delhi I went straight to Ahmedabad, Gujarat. There, I "checked-in" with Manav Sadhna the NGO I will volunteer for during this year in India (and the one I volunteered for last year during 5 weeks).
It was wonderful to reconnect with everyone, recognise the children and see how much they have grown, meet new joiners, settle down in the volunteer house, discover the new Moved By Love space next to Gandhiji's ashram, go for wednesday meditation... We are sharing the house with a couple of mice which are really partying whether we are here or not (les souris dansent...). We of course had the traditional Cadbury pizza at Manek Chowk in the old town. In short, everything is fine and as it should be :)
Tomorrow, I'm flying out to Chennai, to catch a train, to hop on a bus, to take a taxi to stay at Bodhizendo, a zen center in Tamil Nadu, most likely for two weeks. Some may ask why I need to travel all this way to sit in silence in a room - maybe I will have an answer after those two weeks, maybe there doesn't need to be an answer :) the drop in temperature will most likely help, in any case!
If I get a bit more organized, the next post might have some pictures...
Much love,
Caroline
It was wonderful to reconnect with everyone, recognise the children and see how much they have grown, meet new joiners, settle down in the volunteer house, discover the new Moved By Love space next to Gandhiji's ashram, go for wednesday meditation... We are sharing the house with a couple of mice which are really partying whether we are here or not (les souris dansent...). We of course had the traditional Cadbury pizza at Manek Chowk in the old town. In short, everything is fine and as it should be :)
Tomorrow, I'm flying out to Chennai, to catch a train, to hop on a bus, to take a taxi to stay at Bodhizendo, a zen center in Tamil Nadu, most likely for two weeks. Some may ask why I need to travel all this way to sit in silence in a room - maybe I will have an answer after those two weeks, maybe there doesn't need to be an answer :) the drop in temperature will most likely help, in any case!
If I get a bit more organized, the next post might have some pictures...
Much love,
Caroline
Friday, September 16, 2011
Letting Go - Embracing Life...
In transit at Delhi airport, I feel as if those two activities ways of being - letting go and embracing life - are the same, not contradictory or just complementary...
letting go of family and friends in Europe for a time, letting go of a comfortable and known environment, letting go of detailed planning for the future, embracing that I'm leaving, that I'm leaping into a new experience that seems so exciting, that will unfold day by day.
Back in June, I already took a leap into a different lifestyle, that would allow me to explore aspects of life and of myself that I found harder to reach when involved full time in a corporate job.
I volunteered for two months for the organisation Kids Company, being placed in a primary school in London. It was a wonderful and challenging experience: to be faced with imperfections of the system yet the profound humanity teachers and educators can bring to the classrom. Also to feel that I'm not sure what I'm doing there and suddenly a connection happens and I've brought a child back into a learning mode for a little while... But the best part was to see Basiledada or Sam (both supply teaching the class at different times) captivate the whole class, who held their breath when the wolf would huff and puff and blow the house down. Basiledada is 75 and his family comes from Gujarat - certainly a strong connection with where I'm headed now :)
I was also mentoring a young person through that same organisation, over the course of 6 months and that was very fun and rewarding.
If you are in London, I highly recommend checking out what KidsCo does: it's amazing and there are so many ways to contribute while having fun! :)
Without an income, I also started a nomadic life staying at different places in London, Paris, Bretagne, Bourgogne. A huge huge thank you to everyone who hosted me and my many bags for making this possible! When you carry all your bags from home to home regularly, you evaluation of how many handbags/ shoes/ clothes you need changes dramatically: I now feel much lighter with only 25 kg luggage for a one year journey! :)
Namaste India, here I come!
Much love to all
letting go of family and friends in Europe for a time, letting go of a comfortable and known environment, letting go of detailed planning for the future, embracing that I'm leaving, that I'm leaping into a new experience that seems so exciting, that will unfold day by day.
Back in June, I already took a leap into a different lifestyle, that would allow me to explore aspects of life and of myself that I found harder to reach when involved full time in a corporate job.
I volunteered for two months for the organisation Kids Company, being placed in a primary school in London. It was a wonderful and challenging experience: to be faced with imperfections of the system yet the profound humanity teachers and educators can bring to the classrom. Also to feel that I'm not sure what I'm doing there and suddenly a connection happens and I've brought a child back into a learning mode for a little while... But the best part was to see Basiledada or Sam (both supply teaching the class at different times) captivate the whole class, who held their breath when the wolf would huff and puff and blow the house down. Basiledada is 75 and his family comes from Gujarat - certainly a strong connection with where I'm headed now :)
I was also mentoring a young person through that same organisation, over the course of 6 months and that was very fun and rewarding.
If you are in London, I highly recommend checking out what KidsCo does: it's amazing and there are so many ways to contribute while having fun! :)
Without an income, I also started a nomadic life staying at different places in London, Paris, Bretagne, Bourgogne. A huge huge thank you to everyone who hosted me and my many bags for making this possible! When you carry all your bags from home to home regularly, you evaluation of how many handbags/ shoes/ clothes you need changes dramatically: I now feel much lighter with only 25 kg luggage for a one year journey! :)
Namaste India, here I come!
Much love to all
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