4 November 2008 - Election day in the US.

(Written before the polls opened in the US. Posted way out of order, I tend to write them and then lose them on my hard drive for a while. Sorry about that.)

I hope and pray for a fair process and legitimate outcome that is in the highest and best good of all.

Met a woman from the US at lunch today. She has just come from Kerala, where I’m heading in December. I showed her around a bit today. She’s a Sivananda disciple and is staying in the same place I am. She has put all of her things in storage and is here for eight months. She’s letting God guide the itinerary of her trip. It was nice to connect with her, being on a similar journey.

I’ve been listening to my guides today and have been very well served. After chanting the sun up with the Gayatri mantra, I went back to sleep. My body was quite a bit sore after the adventures of my first two days in town. I woke up periodically and went into deep meditation and sleep over and over. I was concerned about sleeping the day away, but my guides told me I was exactly where I was supposed to be, doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. There really is nowhere to go and nothing to do, they assured me. I melted into that and let my experiences integrate into my consciousness and my body restore itself.

Around 2pm, I got a clear message to get up and go to lunch. I contemplated several choices, but the message was Go To Madras. OK, that’s one of my faves, so I’ll go. I even knew what I’d order when I got there. I got dressed, thankful that my body felt lighter and more agile. I walked the short distance to Madras and entered just behind a Western woman. The waiter tried to seat us together, but I said we weren’t together and took the last available table. Immediately, I got the message to go sit with her. I told the waiter that took my order that I was moving to her table and he thanked me. I approached her table and before I could even ask, she said Yes, of course, please share the table with me. We both agreed it seemed wasteful to take up two tables.

She had just reached town after a 25 hour plane/train trip and this was her first meal here. She was grateful to have companionship that spoke fluent English. We talked incessantly for over an hour, then I showed her the Sivananda Ashram and a couple of Internet cafes. When I was paying my check at Madras, a male voice said “It’s a small world, yes?” I looked up to see Daniel, a gorgeous Frenchman I last saw in Varanasi at the cellular phone stall where we were both trying to sort out our non-functioning cell phones and he was a helpful translator for me with the proprietor. I love how the Universe reminds me that I’m not alone.

On the way up the stairs at the Sivananda Ashram, my crystal mala broke. I knew it was coming, I saw fraying a few days ago. I didn’t use it this morning, I used the rudraksha mala that my Kundalini Guruji gave me in Varanasi. I used it daily until today, hoping it would break mid chant, so I could immediately set it free in the Ganga, but it had it’s own ideas.

It is said that when a mala breaks, it signifies the end of a cycle. A completion. When I was meditating this morning, I was in one of my ebb modes where I was wondering if I was serving any purpose. Getting the message that I was in the perfect place, then meeting Narayani at lunch and showing her around, it felt like I was on Purpose. The timing of the mala breaking, right there on the steps of Sivananda with a disciple that was looking to me for guidance, felt perfect. The cycle of doubt is complete. Bring on the new cycle.

After Narayani and I parted ways, my guides sent me down to Aarti at Parmath. It’s a huge Aarti that’s held nightly on the opposite side of the river from where I’m staying. I hadn’t been since the tour. The Aarti is a fire ceremony celebrating the Ganga as Goddess. After Aarti, the ISKCon people had a celebration. They are better known as the Hari Krishnas. It was amazing. I chanted and danced and felt such hope for our future. There were hundreds of people, Western and Indian, chanting and dancing in bliss. Mostly I see Indians here. When I do see Westerners and Israelis, they are usually clumped together in groups. There hasn’t been much mixing, until tonight. Tonight, there was no noticeable clumping into similar groups, it was a total mishmash of people of all ages in bliss. It was so nice to see. It was so nice to experience.

I used to resist the down times. Today was a good lesson in why it’s good to allow them. Allowing them creates the opportunity and space for something magical to show up.