One Ruppie? One Ladoo? School Pen?

What does it mean to give? Gift others? Honor the sacred? How do we do this? What does it look like? These are all questions that go through my head everyday as I walk the different places of India. There are kids always asking for rupees(Indian money), Laddoo(Indian treat made of milk and sugar), and School pens. Beggars in a line before any temple. A women or young child with a cring baby waving an empty bottle. The worst is the beggars that have amputated limbs, and some that have no fingers and toes. There is a great book that tels about the begging culture it is called "A Fine Balance"

Being in the South of India is completely different than the North. In our travels through Kerala I started to notice the difference in how much the begging lessened, and I almost forgot about it. In Kerala they are a Communist state, mostly christian, and the overall need to overcome the caste system. What i found is there is not the culture of beggars. People are more educated, and tend to have some creative way to sell things. With this state they say that 99% of the people are literate, I could talk to my Rickshaw driver about Bush. He knew current events, and as a women there was less of him throwing sexual energy at me.



The beach in Goa was beautiful, and the Portuguese influence was great! There instead of girls on the beach begging they were painting peoples toe nails, and selling jewelry. They are inventive and able to promote themselves well. They use the just wanting to be friend tactic. Which for me I got to talk to them about there life's, family, and who knows what stories that they created that would make business. With them and this Yogi on the Andaman Islands i learned about why Indian people tend to exaggerate or out right tell stories. He told me the story of how he met someone in his travels as a healer and teacher were they told him that they were very rich, and was apart of the Rajs (kings that were honored)which he knew this guy was poor and worked at a restaurant. He told him that he was a poor cook that just was given a ticket to America. I have been upset with people who tell me stories that are untrue. The beggar on the train who is sweeping the floor, and then I see them get off the train and she is walking with the chai guy that is employed by the train and she is giving him the money. Someone telling me of this person down the street that has exactly what I am looking for, even though they do not. The rickshaw driver that is supposed to take us to the guest house that we are wanting to go to, but to make baksheesh(extra money or bribe to get out of trouble) he drives us to another place. But what if we all were able to create our own reality, or for a moment take ourselves into another realm. I find myself caught up in the identity of Healer, Women, Friend that I do not let myself explore Queen, Player, Mermaid, Dancer, Artist or Storyteller! The other part of Indian culture is not to disappoint the person who is asking the question. They want to please everyone, and make sure they have an answer if they don't.

So for me what takes the cake is when priests that I view as spiritual leaders are chasing me around Ohmkereshvar asking me if I want special vip pujjaa(spiritual blessing) for $500 rupees. Then they start to negotiate at $100 rupees. This has happened at many spiritual places where they are known for the energy and history there. We arrived at Shivaratri in Ohmkereshvar which is a holy time to celebrate Shiva. This place has one of the 12 Shiva linga, which is where energy from the earth radiates through a stone that to me looks like a penis! Other Shiva lingas radiate energy through prayer. To go into a temple that men are chanting around this huge rock penis formation is amazing to feel the masculine yang energy that radiates to everyone. There I hear from spirit that I am to drop 50 rupees, and then I touch this structure that makes me feel electrified. I realize that I am feeling blissed. I am given a red string that has been rapped around the linga, and am given candy or what they call a ...which has been blessed on the alter that someone else has given to them as a gift before. Sometimes Spencer and I are called to bring fruit, candy, or any treat that catches our eye. So as we leave the priests start to want to do the vip puja...which we deny...I felt totally connected, and didn't feel the need to have a priest do any more with me.

I remember many teachers telling me that they could not imagine going to India because they would give all there money away the first day. I feel that way every day that I am here but that doesn't help me or them if it doesn't come from my heart. I realize that I have to be called to give them kind words, fruit, money. Which is the same anywhere in my life. People touch my heart daily in my life, wether I am called to give or not I can only do when I am called by my heart that is guided by spirit connected to the earth!