Paradise Lost? No. Paradise Found!

DAY THREE

I do NOT want to leave the Karuna Yoga and Meditation Center! (commence pouting)

I can't express the feeling one has after a non-stop two hour yoga season with Julie. She somehow makes pain fun. It is impossible to be stressed or unhappy during and after her classes. Also, here is a little known fact. If you are ever mad, upset, or stressed, get onto halasana, or plow pose. (see pic below) I have tested this theory, and it is impossible to think about anything while in this asana (pose). It immediately calms you down. (If only I could do it on an airplane...)

In just a few days, I learned so much, and feel very happy and peaceful. I will be returning soon for a longer stay (perhaps August), so if anyone would like to join, please let me know. And don't stress about the vegetarian food and no alcohol. You won't miss it. Plus, they know each person is an adult, so a person can does his or her own thing, Going into town for dinner/drinks at night or doing local sight seeing is very common. No one keeps tabs on you or your participation. It is a very non-competitive environment, and everyone decides what daily schedule is best for him or her. So PLEASE, if you are interested in yoga, meditation, and exploring Thailand, come with me!

I am also very interested in staying a few days as a volunteer at the elephant conservatory in Chiangmai! Again, who's with me???

But let's focus on the present, for now. Today's morning consisted of hard-core yoga and relaxing at the pool. It was very refreshing, indeed. There was some confusion with Art (taxi driver) and the elephant trek, however. He was supposed to pick me up at 4pm, but he never showed I was heartbroken to be stood up on New Year's Day... sniffle:)

But it turns out that someone else called him for a pick-up around the same time. He was very apologetic and even gave me a discount on my ride to the airport. And he promised me next time he would make sure I get to do an elephant trek in the jungle. Oh how great thou Art!

(These signs were EVERYWHERE!)

So instead of the elephant trek, I hailed a tuk tuk (again, see pic below) and headed down to Kamala beach for relaxation and authentic pad thai, I won't lie, the food was incredible, but I have felt sick ever since. But I guess that is the price you sometimes pay for eating from a hut on the beach in Thailand. It's a culinary gamble. Maybe I got a tape worm! I've been wanting one for years!!!

Then I headed back to the Center and spent some time chatting with the non-vow of silence ladies. They were a fun bunch of women of all ages from Switzerland, England, The States, and various other places.

We watched at film called The Lion's Roar, a documentary about the life, teachings, and death of the 16th Karmapa. The Karmapa is the head of the largest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It was informative, but not the best documentary I've seen.

Many people keep asking if I have converted to Buddhism. No, I have not because I do not think that Buddhism should be viewed as a religion. It is a philosophical way of life.

"Originally, Buddhism was not a religion, but now it has become one. We can no longer deny that there is a 'Buddhist religion' because everywhere we look, Buddhism is displayed as a religion. Unlike the monasteries in the past which held eight-hour classes per day and provided another eight hours for self-cultivation, today's Buddhist 'temples' no longer uphold such a perseverance of the Buddha's Teachings. Today we mainly see people offering to the Buddha statues and praying for blessings and fortune. In this way, Buddhism has been wrongly changed into a religion." -Chin Kung

I no longer belong to a religion. I want to live a life free of religion and full of enlightenment and compassion. It has taken many years to come to terms with the power of mythology in our lives. I respect everyone, but I do not expect the same in return because life is not about worrying about how others view us. It is how we view ourselves. I say that like it is easy, but, I think we all know, it is not. That is why meditation is important for me. It clears my mind of any unnecessary insecurities about how others view me. I tend to over-analyze interactions with others and convince myself that I know what they think about me. The truth is I don't REALLY know you, and you don't REALLY know me. So let's not try to achieve the impossible. Instead, let's get to know ourselves. And we cannot do that if our brain is full of perceived thoughts of others and daily dramas. (I highly recommend studying Joseph Campbell's teachings, or watching The Power of Myth.)

OK, so I got way off topic....After watching the film, I tried to meditate as much as possible before leaving for the airport, but it was NOT happening. My mind was all over the place. And I did the exact opposite of what I had been taught. I ran away (not literally) from my meditation session. Ah, the joys of flying. Now, please pass the xanax. It's almost time to leave paradise:(

See you in the good ol' ROK!