What to say about Goa...
Hippie.
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Chill.
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Inspired.
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Bliss.
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With perfect climate in the high season.
We ended up staying longer than we planned and we already miss our little straw beach hut.
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Hard to say what is so special about Goa and especially Arambol beach. It might be that it is the largest concentration of hippies in one place. People are sitting around everywhere and breaking into a dance, a song, a drum-beat or flute melody, some swirling to an Osho meditation dance, some to a Sufi dance. What a great place to feel that life is a dance and we can all dance! And dance we did. :) Everywhere individual and interesting souls that were a pleasure to connect with. Nobody talked about their jobs, how much money they earn or need. Besides the sea and the sand it seems that it is the people who are the long-time supporters of Arambol who are its greatest treasure. Safe haven for hippies, perhaps one of the last?
There were of course the beach-vendors and beggars but I think by now we are quite used to those and simply share a laugh or a smile. This older gentelman kindly gave us two flute sessions.
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And this little trickster said to Lii after the cap of the head-torch she had just bought fell off and wouldn't go back on- ah, small problem only. Discovered the big problem much later- the whole thing would not work at all.
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We also loved the beach dogs.(Hille wanted to adopt a few of them already last time she was in Arambol, this time a few puppies barely escaped from her bag :)).
There was always one (or usually two) under our chair or table.
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They lazed around the beach in the sun, went from one table to the next to get their feed, chased around every strange dog they saw and also the cows who strolled to the beach during sun-set. Of course the Indian cows have no inferiority complex at all, sometimes it seemed as if there was a 100 meter olympics run going on between a dog and a cow, definitely a sight to remember.
The Goan cows are something else. They always come out to the beach to watch the sunset, usually just staring at the sea, seemingly doing some kind of cow-meditation, for they are perfectly still. But there are always a few hungry ones. Obviously being on the beach in the evenings leaves them in lack of proper greenery to eat and therefore they have seemed to adopt a diet of newspapers and paper napkins for dinner. (Getting us in turn into a habit of hiding all our napkins when we saw a cow approaching. And even then they sometimes just come at you for some reason only known to themselves, stopping only inches away. Perhaps some cow-game? :))
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And we loved the light of thousands of candles that spread through the beach when the beach turned into one long string of restaurants.
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All in all- a near perfect place, a great dream-place to live even, well of course during the season that is. Twice was not enough in Arambol and I suspect that unless some drastic changes happen- we will always keep on coming back there.
We spent a few days in Mumbai (will write about that next time) and now after an ardous 30 hour train journey to the N-E, we are in the Buddhist holy city Bodhgaya and only a few hours away from our 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat. See ya all after!
Cows on the beach! That is funny. :^)
ReplyDeleteI hope your vipassana training goes splendidly. I'd love to know the kinds of things you learn, but I imagine it's difficult to explain. Whether it's specific exercises or rather much more important is the overall atmosphere of the meditation retreat. I've not yet even been to a one-day one.
Oh, and someone I know is also in India now it turns out. He said he's at some hippie place in the South, so I think I know where, lol.
Best wishes & Blessings!
Thanks okei! The type of course I did is not possible to start any other way than a 10 day retreat and it is tough, the toughest regime possible! Yet the reasons for that are there and they are good ones. Vipassana is a technique of observing ones own inner body sensations and energy fluctuations to ultimately fully understand the impermanence (and emptiness) of all matter and get full liberation. But it is also a way of life. More in the blog but it is well worth it! Very powerful!
ReplyDeleteHahaa on your friend, good for him!
Best wishes to you too! Much Metta!
Just saw this and also your latest blog. Spectacular photos as ever!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing more about the retreat and the regime they put you through. I'm vaguely familiar with the Atapanasati, contemplating first the breath, and then feelings, mind and thought forms as things progress. The last of these is a bit like vipassana, insight meditation, as I understand.
I remember you recommending it earlier to me, but I don't think I'm ready yet. ;^)
I just heard back from my friend today! He's studying advaita vedanta for a couple of months in the town of Maharishi. He was telling me about him almost a year ago, so I should have known. Apparently, there are many fakes, but he's met a couple of really good teachers. And also he has family connections, so he knows what he's doing.
And you and Lii know what you're doing because you have that sixth sense!
Much Metta to you, and dare I say even much love for Valentine's day, lol. :^)
And a happy Lunar New Year... the year of the Tiger! May it bring all good things to you.
Blessings! okei
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