Puna, November 17, 2008

What a difference a day makes.
This morning I was planning to wake-up early and participate in the dynamics meditation which starts at 6:00 AM. Unfortunately I had a bad sleeping night and things did not work out. I woke up at 7:00 instead and felt a little cold. The weather here has been pretty mild, and in the Main Auditorium where most of the meditations happen, it is quite cool due to the AC.
Today actually there was some rain in Puna.

So I missed my 1st meditation and the interesting stuff started at 10:30. I was not in the mood for Tai-Chi at 7:30. At about 9:30 i was in the main plaza and decided to inquiry about a sign I had seen asking for translators. Guess what, after inquiring and saying that I could translate Portuguese, Spanish and Hebrew, I was immediately recruited and now I'm participating in a class called Family Constellation translating to Spanish for a Basce Spaniard called Pedro Jesus. The class goes from 9:00 to 4:00 for 3 days an deals with issues in your life which are a consequences of the family. Not only parents but the extended family.
I'm not sure I'd have picked such a class, but considering the destiny, the opportunity and getting into a organic group, seems interesting.
The teacher is German and we have 3 Swedish women, Pedro my "customer", Ena from Russia/Israel currently living in Europe. A nice woman from Hungry currently living in Gibraltar and a Ahmed from the Emirates. We also have a Russian girl which is also having a translator with her. Nice, interesting and small group.
Everything the teacher says, I have to simultaneously translate to Pedro. Pedro is about 45 coming from a difficult divorce, after being on drugs rehab for 3 years. He is a truck driver.
Very interesting, warm and emotional guy. He lost his father at the age of 13, and has 10 brothers, all from a mother which came from Mexico and was not well accepted by his father's bascian family. He quit drugs and smoking, also drinking of wine which he says he loves.
He came with his 21 year old son to the Ashram. His hobby is gardening in special growing Marijuana which he consumes once in a while by sniffing through vapor.
Quite interesting guy. The exercises do bring you back to your parents and family issues and Pedro gets quickly very emotional and easily cries.

I'm enjoying my role, as during the translation I coach him a little bit. I cannot fully participate and work my own issues, because of the translation. But this is giving me a perspective of what Osho classes are all about. So for now I'm committed for the next 3 days here. There is a class about Tantra which I'd like to participate, but it starts on the 23 for 3 days. Not clear I'll stay here until then. But everyday is a new day.

Tonight I decided to try a different restaurant near-by. I got to a place which some dishes which I had no idea what they are. I ordered Paneer Palak. I remembered that Paneer is Cheese. I did not know what Palak is. Ultimately I got a kind of spinach soup filled with cubes of white cheese. This is eaten with Naan (pita like). It was terrific. Need to continue trying new stuff.

I met Sandra from Bento Goncalves (Brazil) which is participating in work internship program of 90 days. She is Brazilian and speaks little English. She is a nurse recently widowed and decided to leave everything in Brazil and come to India. A huge change for someone that never came over and does not even know English to communicate. Amazingly she is the happiest woman on earth. The internship program is quite interesting. You pay about $1400 for 90 days and have to work about 8 hours a day. You get lodging and participation in all meditations for free.

In the Ashram they have tons of books which Osho has written and CDs, etc. Most can be also bought from Osho.com. Today I bought one about more in depth of the meditations.

So the day was a better one. I'm still not into the night sessions where Osho talks on video. I'm still not very excited, despite the fact that he says interesting stuff.

Curious story of the day: I get to read the local English newspapers daily. Either in the cafes or the one I get in my room. It is amazing how the Indian press looks like propaganda for the government. For instance they are all excited about a small probe they managed to land on the moon. They claim very proudly about the India tri-colors in the moon. They put themselves as being close to the US, Russia and Europe being the only countries to have their flag on the moon.
They also talk about a manned spacecraft to the moon as the next step (maybe in another 20-30 years). This country is so poor, that is seems a waste of money dealing with moon explorations.
In another article they claim that due to GMs financial problems and potential bankrupcy, that GM India is worth more than GM USA. Clearly if GM USA is close to bankrupcy they won't be of much value. But you see all over Indian nationalism in the paper articles. Not much about poverty !!!!!!!!!!!!!