Ahhh happiness! I welcome a chance to remember a time when I was most happy in my life, and recall what made it special! I do have a few of those special times to choose from, ranging from my younger days of none stop fun with amazing friends to my more enlightening and inner experiences. Since this question of the week is about happiness and not bliss I am going to choose one Very special time that lasted for a few months when I can say hand on heart that it was one of the most special and happy times of my life. It was so special in fact that to make sure I never forgot that I was so happy, and indeed WHy I was so happy that I pierced my own nose and wear this nose stud until today!
When I first visited India in 1996 I had No idea what I was in store for me. I was 22 years old and had just finally left the education system completely after graduating from a 5 year stint in University studying Biology. Being a scientist in a lab for the rest of my life was not something that interested me, and as soon as I had launched my graduation hat into the air I found myself relishing my new found freedom and beginning of my real adult life. I had been a devotee of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for several years, although I had never met him, and so I decided that I would go on a world voyage starting in Puttaparthy, India at the Abode of Supreme Peace, Prashanti Nilayam.. the home and Ashram of Sai Baba. My two best friends had just gotten married, and were also going to India for two weeks on their honeymoon, and we were Such close friends that we all decided to go together. After they left I would continue solo on my grand world voyage. All i knew was that I wanted to see all of India, and then visit so many other countries in South America and maybe even China! When looking on a map the world looks quite small!
So as I touched down in the Motherland I was transported to another world entirely, where there really was a whole new set of rules and values to witness. As a westerner I would say that you haven’t really travelled unless you've been out of the west. Many people have no idea how most of the world actually lives, and how totally and completely different it can be.. or better put, how very interesting and eye opening it can be to really see how other cultures work. These things will not be learned from even the best TV programming! Experience, experience, is the spice of life!
I was young, I was free and I was totally open minded about what happened and what I did. I was in the mood to try anything and try everything.. and over the course of the next 5 months I certainly did that! India threw more experiences and feelings, colours, smells, people, drugs, and who knows what else at me then I could really handle. It took me about 15 years to integrate much of what I experienced there, and even now I have quite a few unanswered questions!
Here is what is Interesting about this journey. In the end I never actually travelled very much! In fact not only did I not even leave India but I didn’t even make it to the North of India to see the Himalayas or many other amazing places like Varanasi. I stayed around 6 months in Total and returned home at the end in state of true divine bliss ... on home-made crutches padded with a Calvin Klein jumper that I tore up to make them. So what happened, and where did I spend most of my time in that 5 months? What could have taken me off my wild adventurous plans to conquer the world and see everything?
Shanti. Om Shanti. You may have heard those words before. Shanti means peace. The word shanti is something that I learned the real meaning of during that 6 months. There were times when I would just sing a Shanti Song as I went about my day. Shanti is about being in this very moment. It is about enjoying the most subtle things, the movement of your arms and hands, every little thing can be enjoyed and performed with mindfulness and not thinking. I would carry a small drum that I called my Shanti Drum with me, and play it as I walked around. It was always fun because Indians were So receptive to it and would always at least dance and enjoy it as they walked past. India is the land of Shanti! Even though it is total madness, and chaos.. that is all external! Internally they are SO peaceful and in the moment it is quite staggering! In the west we have the opposite situation. Everything internally is chaos and madness, but externally it seems peaceful and calm. I much prefer the India way, and found it Very easy to enjoy the chaos and embrace it.. because it was real anarchy and you could literally do Anything you could dream up.. You could just have any wild idea and tell an India and he would help you manifest it in ways that would just blow your mind.
"Even though it is total madness, and chaos.. that is all external! Internally they are SO peaceful and in the moment it is quite staggering! In the west we have the opposite situation. Everything internally is chaos and madness, but externally it seems peaceful and calm."
I spent about 4 out of six months on a beach called Om Beach, In a small Holy town of Gokarna. This beach was, and still is, the most beautiful beach I have ever been to. It has it all, and more.. and in those days was also Very simple with the most basic accommodation made from banana leaves that would get rebuilt each year. The beach was Busy with travellers, not tourists, and most people lived and ate on the beach in one of about 10 small shacks. In those days there was only the most basic Indian food available, Thali, and we all loved it. The sweetest Indian young men would work tirelessly all day long cooking food on the floor in a tiny dark kitchen, with wood and big pots. There was a big rainbow scene also happening at that time, and I can remember several epic parties that brought together people from all over the world, and including some Indian holy men and babas who would join us and help us raise the vibrations even further. Most people were taking drugs, LSD, and many things besides, and these parties were totally full power and went on until the morning where a stunning sunrise would await you.
I lived very simply on this beach for 3 months, and spent every day, all day socialising and meeting people in our little chai chop. There was nothing to it, just some mud benches and a few tables with people scattered about talking, smoking, playing games, eating etc. I had gotten to know a few of the very well, and we were very good friends. There were no plans, no schedule, and there was nothing to accomplish. I had enough money in my pockets to last me years in this place if I wanted, and with perfect weather and amazing experiences every day I was not in any rush to leave. I used to sing a song to myself, because I was just SO happy and I really wanted to know and understand why!
The words of this song went something like:
"Ive got nothing to do, and no where to go, no one to talk to and no one to meet."
I had almost no possessions. just a few skimpy clothes that I would wash in the sea.. Often whilst still wearing them. I had my shrine which was important to me, and some money and wallet My shanti drum was my best friend and went with me everywhere i went, and I usually didn't wear shoes. I was so able to be in the moment because I had discovered simplicity and community! Had i been sat on that beach with no one around, Im sure i would have not been so happy! So i discovered some very important things.. that I had never been happier then when i was with good people and a sense of community and love. We all spent every night around a fire, and talked and shared and met new people every day. I had no plans, no problems, and no stress. It cost me almost nothing to live like that, and I was Much happier sleeping on a hammock wafting in the breeze all night than in some expensive hotel! It was all just absolute perfection.. everything was.. and yes even in the end when i cut my foot badly in the sea I embraced it all.. and took that as a sign that it was time to come back..
There are of course SO many stories and experiences i could share.. but they are irrelevant. The most important thing is that the destination is not important. We MUST enjoy the ride, of our lives, because that is the only way we can find happiness and inner peace, Shanti. I wear my nose stud today to remember that the most important thing in life is not what we own, but who we spend time with. The most important thing in life is where we are, and what we are doing in that moment. If we can be happy in each moment, we can be happy in every moment.. because more often than not right here, right now.. everything is just fine! A cow taught me this in a highly amusing way.. i had written a diary of my experiences and thoughts that was also very important to me, as I journaled so many things over the months. One day a cow came and ate my entire diary except for the front and back cover. There was not a word or page left in the book! Because, the story didn't matter ... just be here, where everything is is .. Om Shanti! My friend had a different lesson to learn as the cow ate ALL his money!!!
Heres one of my favourite songs, it says it all!
Don't do what you enjoy .. Enjoy what you do!
OM SHANTI
I woke up to the light of the earth, there was people dancing, people singing,
Om Shanti, Om
Om Shanti, Om
I put on my fisherman pants and I left the city, left it for some
Om Shanti, Om, Om Shanti, Om
made it to the riverside, there was freedom waving, holding out some,
Om Shanti, Om
Om Shanti, Om
And in the times of silence in my head I open to the emptiness that only sees everything that's grace
Let's open to the emptiness
Let's open to togetherness of Om Shanti, Om
Om Shanti, Om
The seasons charge but we are here
The stars spin but we'll remain
The earth will shake and the seas will soar
The world will end, but we'll remain in
Om Shanti, Om, Om Shanti,
Om Shanti, Om, Om Shanti, Om