Happy New Year

A very happy 2009 to each of you. It has been a year of so many ups and downs. The human spirit seems to triumph somehow. So I wish you the very best of your spirit but make sure you have a designated driver to take you home safely as you party. I write from America and send all my love.I am going to see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in a little while. And then I shall keep warm at home and bring in the New Year assisted by television!

Nirvana-just may be!

So here I am in the North West of America, far away from any Nirvana, as people shop for Christmas presents-in the final journey, the presents mostly end up in the junk yard. No Nirvana out here.

I am breaking away from all routine to write in. I have attended the Vippasana twice-the third one in Cutch was cut short as my friend's husband had a stroke in Austria. I felt more ready for my 3rd Vippasana and intend returning to it.

That PV chose to go into a 10 day long self relflecting mode in a very puritanical setting moved me into reappearing on the blog.

Some how in our race against time, we seem to have forgotten that a whole universe exists within us.

A merry Christmas to all of you. May I assume that post Vippasana PV will be partying ?

I end with every good wish and cheer.

Nirvana...not.

Every single one of the 250 women attending the Vipassana course along with me had a variety different reasons for being there. Some were repeating the experience for the 13th time, some for the 2nd or 3rd, and these were the women that had obviously benefited from it in the past . Or just suckers for punishment.
But a lot of the women were newbies like me. They were looking for 'the ultimate truth', healing of past hurt and misery, grieving a loss or just looking for some good old peace and quiet.

I am still not entirely sure why I went. But whatever I went looking for - I did not find it. Except for the peace and quiet of course, which I enjoyed immensely! In fact, I think more people should take to shutting up for long periods of time. The world would be a far happier place.
Instead, what I felt was like a ton of weight was lifted off me (in actuality, I only lost a few pounds). I was grinning and happy for no apparent reason. And truth be told, I have still not understood exactly how the technique works. But I know that it does, and for now, that's enough.

I'm not sure if the regular practice of meditation will happen, and I'm certain that the elation and initial euphoria will die down eventually, but for now - this is the most peaceful I have felt in a long, LONG time. I never dreamed I would find that in Igatpuri.

My suggestion - everyone give it one shot, if it's not for you, so be it. But it just might be the best thing you every did for ten days of your life.

Peace and Quiet

In this time of noise and constant news, terror and instablity - I am going to a Vipassana Centre for a ten day course.

I cannot talk or communicate with anyone else in any way - I'm really looking forward to it. No intoxicants, segregation of the sexes - the whole nine yards. Should be interesting to say the least...

So see you in 10 days!

Our friend Gerry

Gerry is going to write in our blog. He had difficulty finding our blog. We hope to hear from Gerry sooon.