My last amazing one and a half month

Many things happened since my last post. It’s one of those moments when you have so much to share that you even can’t find the proper words to do it.
My life during the last 1.5 months was amazing, so peaceful and intense in the same time.
Will try to be short, and describe everything that happened with me in Bir (and not only) during the last one and a half month. All these experiences I am about to briefly mention bellow are described in numerous pages in my personal diary, but I won’t describe them in details on my blog, as no one would mentally resist in reading such long posts. Maybe a book, later …

- Tibetan classes got more and more complicated with each lesson, but I am facing the challenge.

- A group of Burmese monks and nuns came for some teachings to Deer Park.
For two nights I thought I was having divine dreams. That is because I could clearly hear mantras in my dream, but later I found out that the Burmese monks would wake up and 4 am and sing mantras just outside my room.

- The Prim-minister of Tibet visited Deer Park and I had the chance to see him.

- I walk during the night to Sherab Ling Monastry through the wheat field.
I walk during the night up in the mountain to the water fall.

- I felt in a mountain river during the night with all my clothes on (winter coat, warm pullover, jeans, and trekking shoes).

- I dried my clothes near the fire on a huge stone near the waterfall.
Took me about two hours to dry at least my underwear and shoes, I borrowed some clothes for my way back. I listen to harmonica sounds while cooking (drying) my panties near the fire.

- I visited Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery and had an audition with Tenzin Palmo.

- Attended the teachings of Dzongsar Khyentse Rimpoche on “Bodhisatva avvatara” (or the way of a Boddhicitta mind).
Boddhicitta mind is the one which has a strong desire and dedication to bring enlightenment to all sentient beings.

- Tried to get during the night to the Billing (2200m), paragliding starting point, which is 14 km from Bir.
I noticed that most of the trees on the way too Billing, have the form of a “bad rabbit” during the night.

- Had a color fight for HOLI with the kids from the Bir village.

- I felt that I am flying while listening to Raji Ramanan singing live different Vedic chants and mantras.
I sang together with Raji, the Prayer for a long life in Sanskrit.

- Attended the Art Retreat from Deer Park.
The art retreat was concentrated on 5 elements of the nature (earth, air, water, fire and metal).

- I took chines calligraphy lessons.
I know how to write with a beautiful script “The path of the Spirit is the Love”. My calligraphy teacher said I am gifted, and have a really beautiful way of writing the symbols. I also participated in a common work where we had to represent all elements in any form we like.

- I watched the movie “The Sacrifice” by Andrew Tarkovski.
It was part of the Art retreat program.

- I translated “Four measurable attitudes”, “Aspiration prayer”, “Blessings for the Lama”, “praises of Tara”, “Long life pray for Dalai Lama” and “Heart Sutra” from Tibetan into English.
Here is a small article on blog, written by my room mate Dana (i am "the orange one"in the picture). I really started to understand Tibetan language, and enjoy translating.

- I had a slight spring depression for several days and listened to sad songs.
I mostly listened to Ben Harper. I really put on repeat the songs „Susie Blue”, „Another lonely day”, „One road to freedom”.

- I listened to poetry and guitar near the fire.
Chris (from UK) sang some funny songs for us on his ukulele. Also, Karma (from Netherlands, which is in the intermediate Tibetan class) sang some of her personal songs too. The atmosphere was unique. We were a group of people united by the 5 elements of the art retreat (as it was the last evening of the retreat). We sat in a circle around the fire, and I had the sensation that I am sitting in a circle of some old friends (like used to happen during old times in my kitchen with Viorel playing the guitar). I experienced amazing feelings of friendship and interconnection. I enjoyed every moment at maximum.

- I attended the workshop “Exploring the body and mind embodiment through theatre improvisation”.
We were 9 people in the class: 3 Indians, 3 US citizens, 1 lady from Belgium (which likes opera, and somehow has a really strong Russian accent), 1 man from El Salvador (diplomat, working in El Salvador Embassy in New Delhi) and me. We did lots of exercises and explored our inner world better.

- We gave a concert for the Tibetan monks and owners of the Himalaya Café from Bir.
First we would try to talk to the monks in Tibetan. I was trying to impress them with my knowledge by reciting various old prayers, but I ended up dancing the flamingo dance in front of them while Chris (friend from UK) and Kay ( friend from Germany) would play ukulele and respectively - harmonica. Felt like we are a good team, just perfect for giving concerts in Bir. The Owner lady of the Café recorded everything on her mobile and looked like in the 7th heaven while watching and listening to us. It was such a great atmosphere of jam, music, chaos, laughs, smiles, peace, and awesome energy.
- Tried to go to Billing (again during the night) by scooter and killed the scooter.
Left the scooter in mountains, cover it with leaves and walk back about 8 km, around 3 am I was in Deer Park.

- I talk for about 4 hours in row with slights break about Moldova (about everything: from political situation to wine and women status in the society) with Sandeep (an Indian from Chandigar, a lawyer and paraglider in his early 5o s ) .

- Celebrated JamYang (a friend from Bhutan) and Genevive (a friend from US) birthdays.
They are one day and 3 years difference. She is older.

- I went with Deer Park administration to Dehradun.

- I spend 2 nights in the house of the Head of Police from Dehradun.

- I listen to too much trance and electronic music in that house and police car.

- I did rafting for Ana’s birthday.

The same root we did with Ana in Risikesh back in January. The difference was that for this time we were 10 people in the boat, the weather was better and the water was warmer.

- I visited a flower farm owned by a friend in Dehradun.

- We were escorted for the 3rd bath of KUMBH MELA which was on 15th of March in Hardwar.

- I took a dip in the Holy Ganga River for Kumbh Mela.
Now according to Hindu tradition all my bad karma and sins are washed away.

- I got stonned by Sadhus.
I head extraordinary sound hallucinations.

- I attended a private trance party near the Holy Ganges River.

- I tried to control my mind.
Sometimes the procedure would end up unsuccessfully, too many crazy horses.

- I read 5 inspirational books full of precious knowledge.

- I was happy of the time and I always loved India for the experiences it kindly offered me.

Soon moving from Bir, but it will always have special place in my heart :)

Bir gang

In my previous post, I was saying that I am the youngest one here in Deer Park, but now I can see more and more “of my peers” coming.

There is Maggie, a girl from US which studied Musicology (can play violin and piano). We are both in the same classes: Tibetan language and Thai Chi. Before coming here she stayed 2 months in Kopan Monastery in Nepal, so we mainly talk about her experience there and of course – Moldova (as it’s a mystery for everyone around here) With Maggie i talked about wine festival we have each year.

There is Aaron, and I don’t know what he actually is. He looks Indian has a completely American accent (was always asking me” How’s it going?” with the purest American accent possible) and has a Portuguese passport. Well, later I found out that he actually has 3 passports: Indian, Canadian and Portuguese. His mother is half Jewish Portuguese half Indian from Goa, so the whole story about passports started to make sense. What a lucky person, can travel most of the world without visa, and he travels a lot.
Last year he did a land trip from Great Britain to Syria, so we mainly talk about our travels and of course about my small country Moldova, about soviet cartoons, school uniforms and my experience in a post-soviet country.

There is Kay. He is from Germany, but has a French accent (at least I hear it). We first saw each other at internet cafe, and i thought he is French, and he thought i am French too. (How good was too hear that "French" sounds better than "Russian"). For 2 years he is in Indian studying Tibetan language. Kay always wears a cap and says that I am a “Russian spy”. We mostly talk about Second World War, Hitler, Stalin, vodka and of course - KGB.

There is Marta. She is from US, and volunteering here at Deer Park. She coordinates a landscape project of designing the garden from Deer park. You can always see her carrying or arranging some stones around the trees. We mostly talk about clothes and what we have been doing todays. And I have to mention this – we never talked about Moldova.

There is Robyn. She is a middle age women, and I mentioned about her in my Tibetan class. Well, she does not come to the beginner class anymore and goes to the intermediate class, which is after lunch. We mostly talk about her stay in Bir. She and her partner plan to open a Homeopathic clinic in Bir, but of course we talked about Moldova too.

Everything started after Jyoti (a business lady from Mumbai) taught me the Mrittiun Jaya Mantra, and then I went to take dinner with: Maggie, Aaron, Kay, Marta and Robyn.
As eating Tibetan food and drinking Indian apple non-alcoholic beer (which tastes like sparkling apple juice) we watched the TV news about Dalai Lama visit to United States.

And because, while talking about my soviet union experience, i mentioned that “Chip and Dale” where one of the foreign cartoons that we got in the post-soviet countries, Aaron invited the all of us to watch “The Rescuers” cartoon, which apparently was the inspiration for Chip and Dale.

So far, the most adventurous experience during this trip i assume I experienced on this weekend. As usually it happened unplanned.

I fely down in a mountain river from 2 meters high stone, and reached to a monastry in the middle of the night. About this adventure - will write in my next post.