Pow-wow and the dance of the first nations

I am deeply influenced by the environmental wisdom and spirituality of Native Americans. I have wished to witness a Sun dance or a Pow-pow for a long time. This summer, I got a wonderful opportunity to attend the pow-wow and traditional gathering of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation about 25 miles south of Hamilton, Ontario. We spent the day immersed in the colorful sights and sounds of drums, songs and dances of the first people.

My daughter and I made native Indian bracelets from beads, bones and tanned leather.

Oh! Canada

Why I love this country? For the single reason that it provides every mother her basic right of exclusively caring for her child for the crucial first year of life.

Any other nation, however powerful and presumably developed, that doesn't allow for this basic right is committing a grave crime against humanity. To think of the millions of babies and mothers deprived makes me sad and angry.

Khushi, the face of happiness

Khushi is a young Nepali woman who helps us occasionally with household chores. Khushi means happiness in Hindi. What an apt name for this girl! Her presence is like a whiff of fresh air straight from the valleys at the foothills of the Himalayas. Like a wildflower, she carries with her the purity, beauty and majesty of the mountains wherever she goes.

Earning a living in a far away land, so far from her husband, family and friends, what is it that lights her spirit? If she can be so lighthearted, happy and vibrant despite the daily hard physical work and without the solace of loved ones, what is stopping us?

Khushi let me post a picture of her on her wedding day. Beautiful isn't she? :)

Its Raining Apples

If all the raindrops were apples and more apples

Oh what a rain that would be

Standing outside with my mouth open wide.

Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh 

If all the raindrops were apples and more apples

Oh what a rain that would be  

Cooking Downunder

A business trip lead me to a week long trip to the Australian National University in Canberra. I chose to stay with my cousin in her graduate housing room instead of a hotel. Her room was just a few minutes walk from the conference location.

My cousin and a dozen of her friends shared the chores of grocery shopping, cooking dinner and washing dishes. The camaraderie that they shared was heart warming.

One evening I volunteered to cook for them and the day before I left Canberra, I treated them all to a nice takeout dinner from a local Indian restaurant. Here is a picture of everyone digging in. Adios! Canberra

Love makes the world go around.

Love is food for the soul. Have you seen how love spurs us into action? Love is that invisible fuel that makes the world go around. 

Have you noticed how a few loving words can make people forget their physical ailments and get them up and moving. The love for a beloved or a friend will get you to tap into your creativity and make something beautiful for them. When you love, you want to make this world a better place.

Love is an unlimited, renewable resource. Tap into it. Take a lot of it, give a lot of it! :) 

To Dwell in another Realm

We live in a world governed by politics, economics, turmoil, excitement, vulgarity, violence and constant noise. We plough through life in a desensitized state lost in a maze of man-made laws and mess.

To understand oneself we need to turn off all the noise. In this silence we become sensitive and everything starts making sense. We see the subtle, unchanging laws of nature which governs all existence. We  will see the amazing perfection, symmetry, beauty, equality, purpose and meaning of all of creation and ultimately our own.

In this silence, we will tune in to our body. We will feel the body through the different stages in a month. We will notice the heightened sense of sexual desire during certain times. We will see the effect of certain foods, why we feel lethargic or tired. We will understand our moods and feelings and why people around us react or behave the way they do.

This understanding is essential for our happiness and well being. A quote from Albert Camus that aptly summarizes this. In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.