Roughly 2 weeks till the 20+ hr. flight to New Delhi. Thoughts?
Other than worrying about communication logistics from India to America (and of course the whole flying thing), I am just really anxious.
Gandhi was cool. So flawed just like the rest of us for a good portion of his life. He was not artistically talented, had trouble in school, and had his fair share of social problems throughout his childhood. He went to law school in London and became consumed by fashion and appearance. Yeah, I'm still talking about Mahatma Gandhi. He later allowed himself to not only repress material and sensual desires but completely subliminate them from his mind. Gandhi put all energy into the soul, and by denying himself from self-indulgence, went on the path to deliver the soul (or self) from its bondage to the body.
The Gita, as sacred to Hinduism as the Koran is to Islam, defines detachment as
Freedom from pride and pretentiousness,
nonviolence, forgiveness, purity, self-restraint.
Aversion from sense-objects, absence of conceit,
Refusal to be wrapped up in one's children, wife, home and family.
Even-mindedness whether good or evil befall.
By practicing these virtues, a soul is united with the Brahman (or Supreme) and released from pain.
Seeing Atman in all beings and all beings in Atman. I am fairly certain this is similar to or the same meaning as Namaste. "The creator in me sees the creator in you." Atman, being the individual soul or the essence that is eternal and indistinguishable from the universe is what I have become to understand as the same thing as Brahman.
So how cool is that? The body and soul are two separate things, and by focusing on the soul rather than the desires our senses are too often overcome with, we start to feel the divinity, the sense of completeness in the universe within ourselves. I get that. Meditating in Alaska and experimenting with beliefs parallel to this make me eager to explore the spiritual essence of Dharamsala, India. In a city of Sikhs, Tibetan exiles, and Hindus, I wouldn't be surprised if the universe unfolds before my eyes. ;)
A goal I've realized tonight when reading Louis Fischer's biography of Gandhi is that in many ways I need to detach myself from nonsense. Focus on what's important. Set a goal and achieve it.
Maybe Gandhi would even tell me to detach myself like he had in London for nearly 3 years, while away from his wife and child when he was just a lil tyke at 18 yrs. old. I care too much, however, about preserving relationships with the beautiful people that have blessedly walked into my life.
So maybe I'll just cut myself dry of pride, violence, greed, and conceit instead. :)
Namaste. Because truly, the Atman in me sees Atman in so many.
