Leh :: In the Himalayas in Kashmir

Thuesday, 20th of july in Leh

We took the mini bus (11 people plus "super skilled driver") at 3am. (supposed to go at 2am). In the end it took us 20,5hours. In the morning after we succeded the Rothang Pass (3978m) we had to wait ca 3hours because the next mountain(the street) was bloqued due to massive watermasses ("river") crossing the street.

--> check
a)the webpage to learn more :) "Leh-Manali road"
b) route visualised through satilitte "Road"
c)THE BEST is to observe this road/track via GOOGLE EARTH,because u can watch,move the perspective to really gain an idea how massive this mountains are...



It was an breathtaking experiance.The NATURE was gorgeous, dignity, no words... meters of snow, glaciers, massive rocks, DESSERT on a high "platoue", valleys on highelvations with no human being there...
serpentine-"street"...sitting next to the cliff,looking donwn to nowhere...-thinking a small drive failure could cause the inenvitateable...
it was shocking, scarry, awesome, impressive views, ambiente,environment....

One highlight of this trip!! ans yes, i think due to vipassana expceriance I stive to see, enjoy, being aware, percept India differnet, more concousness...more relaxed...more "i accept itas it is" and hence almoust no trace of culture shock anymore...



Crossing the pass in middstof snow covered high mountains...


already on the valley situated on "high plateau" before dessert


Breathtaking enviroenment/landscape...


Malte and me


Becoming night in themountains...inthe dessert...a huge valley
with nothing...awesome :)


Leh, view form the "Shanti Stupa" Hill
I love this landscape...snow covered 6 to 7000m mountains, dessert, green, sandstonemassives....


Leh is also called "little tibet"... there are mosques, hindi tamples and buddist gompas etc... i was told that muslim and buddist are the biggest confessions in the population...

Manali

from Thuesday, 13.o7/2o1o on, Manali, Vashisht

Malte already got some friends...we went to dinner on a terrace, beautiful night...talking, laughing...hammock...


our guesthouse is situated on a hill..hence we have a beautiful view over Vashisht, manali, the whole valley...

The comments in the album are self speaking....



i will write more soon....also coming up pics from hiking and paragliding...

Paragliding

Fr.16.o7 Paragliding

Some people from UK which are staying in the same guesthouse told us about their paragliding session...so we also asked for a appointment...friday morning we were told to be spontaneous...so we did...

by taxi we went to this place (30 minutes) a bit more far in the valley and a bit up into the mountains...

Mountain hike tour

14.o7 Vashisht, Mountain hike tour

After a relaxing morning we both decided to explore the mountain, "on which foot" we are staying since days...



half the way we went together, then malte took a longer rest I explored/headed to the peak...it was like walking in the dark with a torch...step by step something "new" appears...it was time to go to mountains again...i like the scenery/how i feel there...

From Hiking beyond Manali

Click into the field to open the web album and to read the descriptions:

Window to rhythm of India :: Busride

Tuesday, 13.07 BUS from McLeod Ganj to Manali

A day after Vipassana I finally take the bus away from here. Its time to go.
For an instance i was considering to participate in an intensive course "introduction to Buddhism" (with Basics, Tradition, Knowledge, Meditation...) But one was already going on and i did not wanted to wait 11 days for the next one...thus good bye Mcleod...



I woke up early (5.20am) to get the first bus. Well, after conditioning of 10 days I easily woke up (Vipassana the GONG yelled at 4.00am!!!)



I had 3 Chais and a bread before leaving...
This bus trip was so colorful, so exciting, so inside view of Indian daily life...look at the streets and around them...and u pretty much are contemplateing the stage/theater of Indian life...



Sitting next to the window... a firework of cognitive senses...
fresh air on dancing on my skin...
landscape
colorful dressed people
strong body language
mimic and gesticulation
young in scholl dress...
old hard working....sitting and drinking chai...reading newspaper....chatting...

From busdrive

incidences which made this trip even more SPECIAL:
BEGGING
a break in a town... kids come into the bus...hand me
(-surprise one out of 4 western travelers)
a -obviously often used - piece of paper...
written in hindi and english....about a women who became tragically widow...
in my opinion, compassion is good in life in balance, considered...NOT BLIND...
it seemed to me this is organized begging...(obviously)
thus i bought 2 instead one piece of coconut...and gave one to the girl..she looked irritated but took it...
//did u know if u really donate money u give ever time 1 Rupie additional to the amount..e.g.: 51, 101Rs...."1 Rs is for the gods"

DRUGS
I was adoring the scenario outside the bus...a man, first sitting on the other side of the last raw..suddenly next to me...he started to "biuld a joint" next to me...
the more he tried to let it seem like without any intention the more it was obvious...- well, in bollywood he would not even be allowed to clean the set - that bad actor he was - anyway...so i did not pay attention...he was patience... but after while he gave up...tried one again shaking his head in original Indian style :) :) :) and talked something in hindi to the money collector of the bus (-2 guys are the staff of the bus, conductor and money collector)...and went away...

Cheating
at 6.30 i gave the guy from the bus 500 rupie note to pay the 290Rs...he excused him to do not have any change.. at the break at 10.00 i asked him with a smile, "didn't you forget something, maybe you ll have change now" :) //after more than 40 clients//
he talked something in hindi to the other bus drivers...and asked me again, "miiister u gave me pifehuntred (500), yes.. he handed me the money in...

communication

another break about 11am, i was sitting on a step of the bus station observing/contemplateing the moment...by eating my sweet mango...
i took pics form a man repairing with big effort a broken wheel...
the people around started to comment this scenery in hindi, the man started to smile...i went to him...started to chat...he showed him the pics...i smiled even more...
he told me he is 57, and all his life he is conducting buses...it was a gathering of few minutes...but a impression of sympathies kept in my mind...this i as important aspect for me by traveling DISCOVERING

broken wheel
1p.m suddenly a "bum" and a surrounding "pfffffffff"....jup...the wheel, tube is broken...we went 10 more minutes further to the next town... i was assuming, well, it will take some time to fix it...enough to order food...well, i was writing in my book when i thought, maybe i ll have a look of the progress of the work...wow, the other wheel was already fixed and prepared to continue the ride...i excused the guy in the street "restaurant" but anyway, he did not started to cook anyway...

on the market
short break, 4pm, i ordered typical street food (smossa, allu, chai) we where chatting... they liked to watch me eating like an indian...

hello my friiiiend, can i take piiiicture?
I young guy dared after hours of sitting in front of me...to start to chat...
after he agreed that austria and australia quiet different and not the same country he started to record our conversation with his cam...like an interview... :)
he is form manali, but studies in the south of india in Bangalore, - guess- jep, software engineering...i asked him for some hints to visit in this region...
he wrote in my book...a place...and beneath that: - (amit) " you are a nice guy"... i was kinda irritated but kept smiling and putting the attention to the recommended place to visit...


breathtaking street located high up a valley, river calmed by a dam...every curve was a adventure...pushing the horn to claim it for us...suddenly a cow!!! appeared middle of the street...no problem...hard breaking, by-pass the its holiness and accelerate again...

after 12 days...malte welcomed me warmly...i was happy to see him again...he had a lot to tell...

After Vipassana

Friday, 16.07, in Manali

VIPASSANA course...
...

I imprisoned my body to free my mind

...

Since I left Vipassana on Monday morning some days left, enough time to gain distance/to organize thoughts/impressions/ to solidify/become clearer/to manifest/adopt that experience (to daily life).

Vipassana is a technique, AN ART OF LIFE... to live aware, equanimous, inner peace, in harmony in the moment!!!

Before all, I only can roughly describe all the experience I witnessed-
hence you cant describe it you have to do it!!

Over all it was a very important and deep experience in my life!!!

I will say, some knots in my mind become less settle/beginning to loosen/ease...life is being aware from moment to moment... i will keep walking the path of truth...DHAMMA



It was not easy. It was hard work! Often i was thinking to run away. But I worked hard, i stayed, i strive to look forward. Struggle to overcome my Ego. I got soo much reward.

First time in my life I really look inside myself. I dedicated 10 days to work HARD on myself. To observe myself. To sharpen my mind, my awareness. Everybody who knows me at least a bit, knows that I normally cant even sit 5 minutes calm on a chair without running around. Well I DEVELOPED among other skills/qualities to sit more than a hour without changing position; Patience-10 days long ca 10,5h a day observing breath, observing bio chemical reactions on the body -- to concentrate on myself... to develop discipline, awareness, sharpen mind and patience.

Its about to become Master of your own Mind instead of continuing as SLAVE, following blind the own EGO...like stick and the carrot.

To develop an balanced, calm, aware, equanimous Mind full of HARMONY, inner peace, compassion!



This video is from a speech of the most influential teacher of vipassana Mr GOENKA at UN General Assembly in 2000. He is appreciated as one of India's SPIRITUAL LEADERS



IN a way this 10 days were long.... i depended you I focused on. e.g. the end of day 3. I was thinking wow already 3 days of hard working and I fulfilled. On the other hand 7 left...bit disappointed... BUT sometimes I gained to FORGET the number of days... ONLY TO FOCUS ON THAT CERTAIN, PARTICULAR MOMENT

The whole Vipassana center is located on a small hill in midst of daramkot (Upper Mcleod Ganj). The guesthouse i stayed all the 10m nights before is few hundreds meter in distance to here. Thanks to the trees the are seems as a BUBBLE for me... one way bubble...u could here sound from outside... As a metaphor, it was like a "bug in the matrix" dis linked from outside world although so close by; timeless...after the course when i talked to malte- he told me about his 11 days... for me it felt like i would have returned from a outer space trip - in where u spend some time (12days) and u come back and here only 2 minutes had passed... :)


I had some songs in mind...which reflected kind of feelings at some certain parts/epochs of vipassana course.

Breathe by Prodigy -->
At the beginning it was hard. My mind was wandering to the past, to the future...all except focusing to observe my breath...this song with all its "aggression", power, restlessness reflects pretty well my wandering mind...


body is a cage by arcade fire --> I am a bad, miserable, egocentric person; i was thinking-, it became clear for me...I saw myself as i am; not as I like to see/precept me that I am but as I want be to be...



when the man comes around by johnny cash --> world is full of misery


Like a rolling stone by Bob Dylan (how does it feel to be on your OWN) --> SILENCE


Wishlist by Peral Jam --> "I am bad person, I will change"



Teardrop by Massive Attack everything is in a constant flux. Nothing is permanent. Impermanence. The body, the environment everything is "made" out of neutrons, electrons, protons (and even smaller parts) which are in super high speed vibrations - billions of times in 1 second..HENCE it doesn't make any sense to attach so much sorrow, aversion, craving on tangible as well intangible things, status, creed, or to only categorize into pleasant and unpleasant...


Intervention by arcade fire Its in my own hands to live a happy, inner-peaceful, harmonic LIFE


Half Asleep by School of Seven Bells --> I no longer want to be a sleeping slave of my mind i want to become master of it! Time to wake up!


All in my head by Kosheen --> Its up to me to develop my mind to follow the Dhamma (path) to a balanced mind!


Where does the good go by Tegan and sarah --> well, where all the good goes? who knows? Up in the air like warm air? The question is from where (all) the good comes... FROM INSIDE...


Given to fly by Pearl Jam --> I spread my wings and fly...above the peaceful landscape...hate, misery seems so small from this perspective


Silence is golden by The Tremeloes -->I was surprised how much i like totally silent/silence. Normally silence sometimes means emptiness to me, this 10 day it sharpened as well my mind. It filled the space, my day. I had so much attention and energy left cause of not speaking. E.g. the taste of food was more intensive, i took more time to eat; generally my perception was more aware...i felt a bit irritated to start again to speak...first chats were so loud in my ear, i don't felt comfortable with...


All is full of love by Bjoerk --> Be aware of the truth, of the reality as it is from monet to moment not as I like it to be...


Lucky man by The Verve --> I feel happy when i look inside me, to be satisfied of what is ALREADY there, no selfmade conventions to follow blind (EGO), with this peaceful harmony i look outside... I like to share to feel harmony!!

Vipassana 10 days meditation course

Thursday, 01. July 2010

The day has come. My thoughts are ambiguous. I am happy and looking forward to finally "do" this "personal challenge, of course, i have doubts, worries, bit of anger... i think its a good sign to have several mixed feeling... i had the same before i went to Nicaragua etc...at 2.30pm local time i "check in" and leave everything which disturbs me from purifying my own consciousness, struggling my own ego...like book, music, mobile, camera...everything...

From Kangrafort &-temple, relaxing time

From Kangrafort &-temple, relaxing time

On Thursday, 01 July I start after long considering and sweating attacks :)

VIPASSANA for ten days here in Dharamkot. I think the best place to do so. enjoyable and convenient climate, awesome nature, calm place...

http://www.sikhara.dhamma.org/

Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation

Summary, 10days, no talk,no touching other or myself, rigid food, 12h of mediation every day, no contact to the outside world, no music, no books, not even own diary...
only myself....to overcome own ego...to purify my mind....

Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind. It is this observation-based, self-exploratory journey to the common root of mind and body that dissolves mental impurity, resulting in a balanced mind full of love and compassion.

The Courses

The technique is taught at ten-day residential courses during which participants follow a prescribed Code of Discipline, learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results.

The course requires hard, serious work. There are three steps to the training. The first step is, for the period of the course, to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual activity, speaking falsely, and intoxicants. This simple code of moral conduct serves to calm the mind, which otherwise would be too agitated to perform the task of self-observation.

The next step is to develop some mastery over the mind by learning to fix one's attention on the natural reality of the ever changing flow of breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils.

By the fourth day the mind is calmer and more focused, better able to undertake the practice of Vipassana itself: observing sensations throughout the body, understanding their nature, and developing equanimity by learning not to react to them.

Finally, on the last full day participants learn the meditation of loving kindness or goodwill towards all, in which the purity developed during the course is shared with all beings.

What Vipassana is not:

* It is not a rite or ritual based on blind faith.
* It is neither an intellectual nor a philosophical entertainment.
* It is not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing.
* It is not an escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.

What Vipassana is:

* It is a technique that will eradicate suffering.
* It is a method of mental purification which allows one to face life's tensions and problems in a calm, balanced way.
* It is an art of living that one can use to make positive contributions to society.

THE COURSE TIMETABLE

The following timetable for the course has been designed to maintain the continuity of practice. For best results students are advised to follow it as closely as possible.
4:00 am Morning wake-up bell
4:30-6:30 am Meditate in the hall or in your room
6:30-8:00 am Breakfast break
8:00-9:00 am Group meditation in the hall
9:00-11:00 am Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
11:00-12:00 noon Lunch break
12noon-1:00 pm Rest and interviews with the teacher
1:00-2:30 pm Meditate in the hall or in your room
2:30-3:30 pm Group meditation in the hall
3:30-5:00 pm Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions
5:00-6:00 pm Tea break
6:00-7:00 pm Group meditation in the hall
7:00-8:15 pm Teacher's Discourse in the hall
8:15-9:00 pm Group meditation in the hall
9:00-9:30 pm Question time in the hall
9:30 pm Retire to your own room--Lights out

http://www.dhamma.org/en/vipassana.shtml

Relaxing days before Vipassana

the pics and my comments are self-speaking...please give some colors to this with your thoughts.....kiitos




and the link to the album

Kangrafort &-temple, relaxing time