Rishikesh

Tomorrow is our last day here, and I will miss it dearly when we leave. This city is so different from Varanasi. The river splits the city and we are just south of two bridges, two kilometers apart. The closest one is Ram Joola and the farther one is Lakshman Joola. They are barely wide enough for four people to walk abreast and there are cows, monkeys, motorcycles, push carts and people all crossing them in both directions at the same time. Oh, and they are suspension bridges high above the river and I have no fear. India is truly a miraculous place.

The first morning, we woke before sunrise and Amy and I went down to the ghat in front of our ashram. We chanted Gayatri mantra for about 45 minutes waiting for the sun to crest the mountains across the river. First I felt that I merged with Amy and was a bit tense and sore. Then I became the light I was waiting for and felt my body melt. Later, I became the river Herself and felt my essence feeding and nourishing all.

All at once the sun came up in a V between two peaks. My voice broke with emotion and the light shattered into millions of brilliant multicoulored shimmering facets with no form or shape. Dazzling barely begins to describe it. It consumed my entire field of vision and then my entire being.

Aside: At this point as I was writing this in my paper journal, a brass band and many women paraded past, apparently for the first day of the 9 day Goddess festival. Gina grabbed me and and we went to get a closer look and took some pictures. Have I mentioned it's very surreal here?

Back to the first morning: Once the sun was fully up, I started singing (To the tune of Oh Shenandoah) Oh Ganga Ma, I want to feel you, Away you rolling river, Oh Ganga Ma, I want to hold you. Away, I'm bound away, across the wide Ma Ganga.

I walked over to the water, gave pranams (deep bows), cupped water in my hands and poured it over my head, forehead, and heart. I then strode into the water a bit over waist deep (it's cold!), turned to the North facing against the current with my hands in the Namast&eaccute; position (palms together, like in prayer, over my heart). I rested in the connection with the Goddess for a while and then turned to the South and fell backwards into the water. I sank and then floated to the surface and floated downstream in the strong current.

I stood up and turned North into the current again and splashed and laughed with unbridled joy. The energy rushing through my body was like nothing I've ever felt before. I turned South again and fell backwards into the water a 2nd time and stood up and laughed and splashed again. Then I walked to the edge and touched my head to the bottom and knelt and sang Ma Ganga for a while.

Finally, I blessed myself again with the water and climbed out. I then stood facing the East in the Namast&eaccute; position and meditated and basked in the sun. After a while, a surreal conversation about matches between our intuitive groupmate, Amy and a 5 year old child had me giggling. It was perfect.