a poem from the past

You come
Just as I think of you
With flowers
That cheer the room
As you
Cheer my cells,
My dna, my synaptic gaps
that shoot out these
Sparks of thoughts
That sing in my brain
And make you turn around
To look at the power
Of my quiet songs
For you.

(god i felt like this once!!)

our vipassana journey in pics

enroute chakrata

shiv bhakta in chakrata

Vipassana

this is just a fun pic...
You have to be serious about meditation and enlightenment to do vipassana: ten days of total silence, 10 hours of meditation everyday and after the 3rd day you are expected not to move in your sitting position as you work away chipping at mind and body. there is no dinner just tea at 5pm and then till 6.30 am the next day its goodbye to food.... i think i had great anxiety about that but i can tell you its doable. Infact the structured practice is an antidote and the group dynamics come into play- everybody moves in this rhythm from 4 am till 9.30 pm....

We are totally away from our books, cameras, internet so the pics were really taken on the last day- this is the dehradun centre- to the images you can add a lot of bird sounds and howling foxes and jackals...

Chakrata

this was a great destination to choose for a day trip from dehradun- it was quite stunning to get this view within 3 hours of driving. and seeing the snow peaks did a jig in my heart as i was a trekker in the himalayas in my youth and the whole box of memories just came riding in... the place is known for its rajma(red beans)

this special time of year

its the view of the year- there are mustard fields all over and they bring such a nice grace to the town of bhiwadi and surrounding areas. the apptts in the backdrop is where i live.

thoughts as the year ends

How we are caught in the measured time that makes today special. If i were in mumbai I would be part of some celebration involving good friends, food and alcohol and feel blown for a day or two... and here i am instead happily cleaning my cupboard as i listen to drupad music of Uday Bhawalkar. Its chilly and windy and i finally put on my woollen socks- that declares the height of winter.

When i left Sony in 2000, I stopped wearing a watch. that ended my days of being dictated by clock time. Now i see the clock twice a day- once to check time for my gym and then in the afternoon to see if i will miss my sabzi wallah. Elsewise i am happy watching sunlight for timing my life. I feel free and floating in a natural rhythm.

It was a good year - kerala, winding up my teaching at WWI- making the big move to bhiwadi- the hot dusty summer- struggles with the maid and keeping house clean. Starting training assignments- time with nandini in GG- watching her house come up- and this wonderful winter. Full of sunshine and fresh vegetables. I cant remember when i was this happy.

And so to 2009. i am sure it will be a continuation in this simpler living. Vipassana in january will bring some changes i hope. I wish all of you who read this a happier life in the coming year.