My investigations took me to a home-made dark chocolate stand inside the store. Now let me emphasize DARK chocolate because over the course of many a year (i wont say how many in case my fanaticism about chocolates happens to be older than you :) I have come to be a HUGE fan of dark chocolate. (apart from the many health benefits, i have found that the serotonin and endorphin high is also a nice pick me up on those gloomy days. Can i get a witness?? :) After 10 minutes of tasting i walked away with three selections (out of about 15) a) fig and honey (b) brandy and cherry (c) butterscotch and a BIG smile on my face.
Today though, i took a run down into the valley and up a few hills into my favorite place in ashram. People here affectionately know it as Saraswathi tank. A special friend here introduced me to the place and since then it has become my favorite retreat. (i know its kinda weird - a retreat within a retreat (ashram) - its kinda like the chocolate shop in the supermarket.) lol. We closed work at 5pm today and I ran from panchakarma as fast as my legs could carry, i wanted to be there before the sun would set. A friend stopped to give me a lift on his bike for a few meters and then i was off again by foot. After about 5 kilometers of running and the final stretch up the long hill, I made it to the highest point in Udayapura: Saraswathi Tank.
To be geographically correct, Saraswathi tank is not within the ashram premises itself, (okay so i take back most of what i said about a retreat within a retreat, an oasis within an oasis etc. i still like the imagery though :P ) Its outside and is a reservoir that supplies water to the school, college and householders nearby. Above the water tank are 3 stories: A meditation hall, a room where Sri Sri Ravishankar resides at times and a yoga space. It is circular in structure and is adorned with a wonderful driveway and garden filled with seasonal and perennial flowers. A nice thing about Saraswathi Tank is that its so far away from ashram that nobody goes there. And the nicer thing is that i went there today with a few left over chocolates in my shoulder bag. And the best thing is that i made it there before the sun could set. :) :) :)
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| View from Saraswathie Tank |
How awesome it is when you meet me here in these moments, these moments of in between.
Neither day nor night, you are my lover undefined.
As free as the wind that blows past me in these silent hours.
As dark and mysterious as the night to come.
But in these moments of in between, everything is changing.
And who knows what you or i will be in the hereafter.
So i am here and i will sit by you my cryptic conqueror
And together we will discover the depths of the silence within.
I surrender to you. I wait for you. I long for you.
You are the end of all my journeys. The spirit that broods over the waters.
The silent space within.
