REGISTRATION IS
NOW CLOSED
Flexibility
Dear Loving Pilgrims,
Humble pranams and many blessings.
As you continue your preparations for our sacred pilgrimage together, consider what your answer might be to the following quick quiz.
Imagine that you are going to the wedding of a dear friend but encounter a traffic jam and miss the wedding. How would you react?
a.) Would you be angry at the traffic jam and resentful of the other drivers?
b.) Would you be sad and regretful that you missed your friend's wedding?
c.) Would you try not to react to the situation and instead continue to focus your mind on God?
This may seem a rather simplistic test of your flexibility, yet there may be some validity and considerable value in it, as it could reveal whether an obstacle and significant disappointment might cause you to become emotional and interrupt your focus on God. And if you are wondering what this psycho-philosophical quiz regarding your flexibility has to do with our pilgrimage, consider the following. Traveling cross-country in India may demand more flexibility then you have ever imagined.
Indian traffic jams may take many hours to clear. Trains sometimes run late, making travelers miss their connections. Rural roads can be blocked by fallen rocks from a nearby hillside -- with no formal maintenance crews, drivers often resort to removing the blockage themselves. And a common way for workers to voice their opinion is to go on strike, completely closing down shops, post offices, trains, etc. nationwide on any day they decide.
We mention this because even though our travels are being well-planned and coordinated, there is the possibility that due to unforeseen circumstances our itinerary may be effected, resulting in us not being able to get to all the sacred sites that we hope to. If this happens, it is but an opportunity to choose how we will react. Will we allow emotions to rise, or will we choose to remain focused on God? Can we choose to keep a sense of humor in the face of obstacles and delays? If we are tested with disappointment, will we discipline our minds to watch the breath, notice the ever-presence of the Divine, and stay in gratitude?
It may be well worth your time to practice conscious flexibility before the pilgrimage begins, if you are given the precious gift of a disappointment. How flexible are you? And how can you be moreso?
Focus on the fontanel. Breathe. Love God.
In loving service,
The pilgrimage team