Happy Diwali!! by Tina Romenesko

HAPPY DIWALI! November 3, 2013

Our personal celebration of Diwali began with a driver picking us up for a trip to the Vasishta Cave - about an hour from Rishikesh.  Anup had made arrangements - we weren’t exactly sure where we were going, but felt safe with his recommendations.  The trip was gorgeous - winding up through the Himalayas, along the Ganga River.  We see numerous rafting companies and immediately decide that Anup’s suggestion to go rafting tomorrow is a wonderful idea.  Sand beaches line the river and there is quite a drastic drop off down the slope of the mountains.  The Ganges is a greenish turquoise this time of year, and quite low, so our hope is that the rapids won’t be too crazy.  Susan has assured me that we do NOT want to be dumped out of the raft into the river due to various nasty parasites.  Good to know!  

Our driver pulls off along the side of the road and motions toward a staircase.  “Cave,” he says in broken English.  “Down there.”  So down we go - to a small Ashram.  A man is praying outside of the arrow that points to the cave.  There is a sign that explains that Vasishta is one of the 7 immortal sages.  He and his wife Arundhati spent several years here in seclusion and deep meditation..  It is believed that because of their dedication and Enlightenment, most people feel a profound sense of peace once in the cave.  Sounds good to me.

We walk over to the door and it is pitch black, except for a small altar up ahead, that is at the end of the cave.  I pull out my handy iPhone flashlight app and light our way through the short hallway with a very low ceiling.  To my surprise, a monk is meditating to the side of the altar, so I douse the light and we both sit down.  Our plan was to stay for 12 minutes of meditation, and I would set my handy iPhone world clock timer.  My Teacher Trainees know that I am a big fan of using timers for meditation, to alleviate the need to worry about the time allotted.  Well, it certainly seems like bad manners to set a timer in this cave, so I promise myself to simply enjoy the meditation and check the time when it “feels” like about 12 minutes.  As I find Sukhasana, my seated meditation posture, I immediately drop into a deep state of meditation.  Deeper in meditation than I have been in a long time.  It’s amazing.  My heart feels completely open and my energy body feels like it is humming in synchronicity with the entire Universe.  I begin with Kubera mudra - the god of wealth who must be the counterpart to Lakshmi, wealth’s goddess, but soon find my hands in Pushpunjali - the gesture of Apraigraha or Abundance (non-grasping).  My hands feel full, and then I gently pull them apart and feel myself letting go of that which I do not need to hold any longer.  Then they fill again, and I release again.  After a while, they feel like they are over flowing without end and I am filled with gratitude.  I am reminded of a line by Lalla, the 14th century female poet  from Northern India.

Meditate within eternity.

Don’t stay in the mind.

At some point two men come in and offer puja to the image of Shiva.  They kneel in front of the altar, bow, anoint the lingum on the altar with water, and back out.  We continue to sit for a few more minutes - the meditation is so intense that I can hardly be distracted.  It is stronger than any distraction my mind can create…... except for the distraction of wondering if Susan is okay and remembering that I am in charge of the time!  I pull myself away and look.  It’s been over 25 minutes.  Twice the time we agreed upon!  I feel the energy one more time, and smile at Susan.  We both get up and find our way easily back to the entrance, as the tunnel now seems much more bright.  She smiles at me and says that she too had an amazing meditation experience.  She was sending Metta (Kindness) to her family and her meditation also felt full and abundant. Neither could she believe that it had been 25 minutes!  Our first gift of Diwali!

Arundati’s cave is down closer to the Ganga, so we put on our shoes and follow the footprints in the sand toward the opening.  Her cave looks out over the river, and is much more shallow.  A monk in orange is meditating and looks like he has been there a very long time.  We take off our shoes and enter, looking outward toward the river.  Immediately we both feel that same energy of oneness.  This time I choose Vajrapradama Mudra - Vajra means diamond and Pradama is unshakable confidence.  It is the mudra that reminds me to have faith in the soul’s authentic journey.  As I sit again in effortless meditation, I feel Arundhati’s sacrifice of sitting for such a long time, holding sacred space for all who now enter this special place.  I thank her, and Vasishta, as we finish our meditaion.  The view is exquisite.  Vasishta’s cave looked into the depths, the silence, the stillness.  Arundhati’s cave looks out into the beauty of the world:  Mother Ganga, the sun, the wind, the rafters in their rubber boats, and the children playing in the sand.  We are both very grateful as we climb back up to the taxi - surrounded by a colorful cacophony of butterflies.  

We have lunch at the elegant Glass Hotel - and enjoy the best Indian food of my life.  Exquisite Eggplant Dal, Chicken Curry, Pakar Panner, and some yummy salad with the spicy radish I’m sure is either daikon or it’s Indian cousin, plus strawberry ice cream and some lovely sweet pastry.

When we get back to RIshikesh, we have the driver drop us at Rum Jhula.  We find an ATM and a small restaurant with WI- FI and I am finally able to post to my blog.  Success!  (I think!)

Back at the Ashram it is nightfall, and the entire grounds are lit by small clay bowls filled with oil in which they drape a heavy wick.  In the center of the yard, three mandalas made of marigolds and these special candles greet us.  The first,  is a Star of David, the second,  a Swastika, and the third, the symbol for Om.  All of the pathways throughout the Ashram are also lit as are the stairs, temple perimeters, and roof lines.  At the Meditation Hall, two special  mandalas have been created with a combination of colored sand, marigolds, and light.  

The Puja begins after dinner and the first hour is chanting, while the priests decorate images of Swami Rama and Lakshmi with malas, marigold garlands, candies, and money, and anointing them with water.  We are just beginning to tire from our day, and consider going back to the room, when everyone stands up and we begin to take turns waving metal trays filled with lit candles, in front of the two decorated images.  To our surprise,  Swami Veda arrives about then - in his wheelchair - and he also gets up and waves the trays in a circle, honoring both Swami Rama and our Goddess of Abundance and Wealth.  When he sits down, people go up to his wheelchair, one by one, kneel, and kiss his feet, as he places his hand on their head.  He especially loves it when the children come up.  He hugs and kisses them and smiles brightly.  His warmth is palpable - his kindness, magnetic.  You want to be close, in a way I really can’t describe.  Each participant is given a small bowl with offerings of food:  something that looks like coconut (and tastes like Styrofoam), a small cookie, and a piece of fruit.  Abundance is everywhere, for everyone during.  We are clapping and chanting and I can tell that the ceremony is soon coming to a close.  Some people continue to go up to Swami Veda and receive his blessing, and at the last minute, I hand Susan my small bowl of food and go to kneel at his feet.  I kiss them and look up.  Swami Veda looks me right in the eye and places his right hand on his heart.  I do the same and we both smile into each other’s eyes.  

I can’t explain how it felt.  Like a blessing - or maybe a cleansing.  A cleansing of my hurt and a remembering of wholeness.  But it was more than that.  Susan agreed that he had not given anyone else that same gesture.  I’ll never forget it.  It felt like God smiling at me, through him.  

Susan and I both remark, when we return to the room, how different India is from anywhere else we have traveled.  The Spiritual is everywhere, in everything - even in the beggars, and the traffic.  From the Diwali lights, to the sari-clad little girls at the Lakshmi Puja, everything here is a blessing to the Divine.  I have felt safe since the moment I arrived.  I don’t know at this point if it is Rishikesh, or all of India, but this place is really special.  

As we prepare for tomorrow’s sunrise in the Himalayas, we can’t imagine how this magic energy can continue for another 3 weeks!  And, we hope it does.  

Happy Diwali, and Shubhrati (Good Night).