where others come for vacation ...
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After what seemed like an unending grey, wet, cold, snowy Spring, the Sun God has decided to pay us a visit.... Blue Skies, Sunshine, Not a wisp of a Cloud in the Sky...
A Youngster Wrestling (Jungschwingen) contest catches our eye.. What was till yesterday a big grass playground has been transformed overnight into 6 sawdust arenas. The kids grapple each other, trying to get the opponent to bite the dust.... Per regulation, the winner is required to wipe the dust off the loser's shoulder 
From Cows, Mules, Sheeps, Goats, Ducks to Tin Birds, Ceramic Dolls to Mermaids, Silent Canoes to Loud Tractors.. .. Creatures of all shapes and Sizes are coming out of their dens to bask in the Glorious Sunshine..
And amidst all this.. Tibetan Prayer Flags fluttering gently on a Swiss Gardener's fence take me down memory lane on a trip to Ladakh.. (a magical buddhist ex-kingdom in the state of Jammu & Kashmir -- once known as the Switzerland of India)..
It sure is a Small World, nicht wahr / gäu (isn't it)??
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5 days, 4 nights --
Experiencing Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy and Snowy weather;
Walking barefoot on Green Meadows dotted with Flowers;
Meditating under Waterfalls;
Petting "Joshi" the cat;
Devouring Yummy Vegan Food and Listening to Cookies crunching under my teeth - wondering if my Silent companions at the table can hear it too?;
Coming to peace with the daily Karma-Yoga-Cleaning: realising it's not about completing the job, but more about work as a form of meditation;
Walking with the Goats casually brushing their bodies against mine;
Finding Balance and Patience in Stacking Stones;
Read more: Zen and the Art of Japanese Ink Painting: April 20-24
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Tonight, Maharishi's Gandharva Veda Concert features Amitav Majumdar on Sarod accompanied by Indranil Malik on Tabla. It's my first time at Maharishi's retreat. As we enter the building, it feels like stepping into the 80s..
We make our way to the Concert Hall .. Flags from around the globe adorn the wall and pictures of Maharishi gaze peacefully from the stage. We sink into the large comfortable chairs, more like thrones.. hmmmm.. i sit cross-legged, tuck my feet under and curl up under my coat...
The melodious Evening Ragas flowing from Sarod and Tabla fill the hall.. I close my eyes and sink into the music.. and Time Stands STILL...
Masala Chai & cookies lure me out of my comfy chair during the break. I also get to exchange a few words in Hindi with the two musicians.. First time I've spoken Hindi since my return from India last November, and it actually feels good. The cookies of course make it all the more better. Shamelessly, I try every cookie..
Music for calming the Mind and Cookies for the Soul... Uhmm.. Uhmmmmmm.. mhmmmmm..
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Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam. It has its roots in the Qu’ran and the Islamic tradition, but at the same time encompasses the universal mysticism that is seen in other spiritual traditions. The essence of Sufism is the simple path of loving God. The Sufi Masters sing of the all pervading love which inundates their being when they become one with their ‘beloved’.
Often the great Sufi poets (Attar, Sanai, Rumi, Saadi, Hafiz, Magribi, Rabi'a, Lalla,..) lived during times of religious fundamentalism. The authorities censored them, because they openly taught that man could have a direct contact with God. I started my journey into the mystic world of Sufi poetry through the works of Coleman Barks.
Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry, and dance as a path for reaching God. He encouraged samāʿ, listening to music and turning or doing the sacred dance. It was from these ideas that the practice of “whirling” dervishes developed into a ritual form.
It has been quite a few years now that I have yearned to witness the spellbinding mystical dance of the Whirling Dervishes. So when i saw that "Stans Music Days" included "Nourredine Khourchid & the Whirling Dervishes of Damascus" i jumped out of myself and started waiting rather impatiently for April 7th.
Read more: Sufi Whirling Dervishes - A meeting of art and faith: April 7th