For 10 years or more I have had this feeling that I will live to be 103 and then see how I feel about "leaving". So I was quite amused to hear this true story about a 104 year old French lady. When asked what she liked about being this age she thought a moment and then replied, "Well there's very little peer pressure!"
And will I live to be 103?  You'll just have to wait and see.

I'm doing a bit of waiting myself as I write this. I left my Rishikesh flat at 5am this morning (Monday) and arrived at Haridwar station at 6am to catch the 6.22 train to Delhi; only to find it's expected time of departure (ETD) was 9am.  By 9am the ETD had changed to 11am.  Then with bewildering inaccuracy the predicted ETD became 12.37. Then 13:07. A rumour began (actually I started it) that it was only a virtual train.

I'm en route to Phuket, Thailand, to take a 4 week intensive TESOL course (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).  So, in between trips to the 5-minutes'-walk-away chai shop for tea and a samosa or three I have been sitting in the waiting room reading "How to Teach English" and discovering the joys and intricacies of phrasal verbs that are"transitive and separable" as distinct from phrasal verbs that are "transitive and inseparable". (Email me if you really want to know!).  And whilst walking back from the tea shop, a photo-opportunity at every step, I was wondering why I have been taking so few photographs.  Maybe it's because there are just too many photos around; India is one great overwhelming photo-opportunity. And maybe it's because I feel that India cannot be described in pictures.  As I've said before, India is an experience; an experience of colours and characters, of poverty and smiles, of spiritual ritual and of corruption, and of deeelaaayys. And for me, and for many others, India is an immense learning process.  As the days and weeks go by I experience more and more beauty around me - in nature, in people's kindnesses, and even in our struggles and challenges. It feels like everything is orchestrated and organised - down to the smallest detail - and all for my benefit, my joy or my learning.  Almost daily are revealed new insights, spiritual and philosophical, about myself, about human behaviour, about the relationship of body mind and soul, or about the world of energy and spirit.

Of course the physical body is important too. I have just spent the best part of a week on my back on my bed. I had pulled a  muscle in my lower back and because of muscle spasm could not move without intense pain.  Well,after a week of pain killers and muscle relaxants and massage I can walk again.  Initially, even sitting for a short while would trigger spasm.  Then I could walk with my trunk tilted 20 degrees sideways and 10 degrees forward and my back in spasm.  And of course, just in time I am well enough to make the rather tortuous trip from Rishikesh to Phuket (Rishikesh -Haridwar -Delhi - Kuala Lumpur -Phuket).

Yogic spiritual teachings say that we should not be attached to our physical body. Our body is not important compared to our higher functions of thought and consciousness, nor compared to our relationship with Spirit/Soul/God.  Our consciousness is obviously different - and I would suggest it is a higher function  - than our thoughts.   After all we can "watch" ourselves thinking. We are aware of our state of being -  of how we feel.  We are even aware of our awareness. We have a "Higher Self" through whose eyes we are the silent witnesses  to our own lives. Severe pain tends to bring our attention very acutely into the body.  Pain is very attention-seeking. So it was an interesting experience trying to be the Silent Witness to my Being, while my body was shouting "See me! Feel me! Here I am!"

Well now that acute pain is just a memory, just like the dislocated thumb back in May.  And, as always with our challenges, there were several gains to be made from the experience. Being house-bound and limited physically I discovered YouTube on the internet.  I watched Joni Mitchell in concert (1970) singing Cactus Tree with the immortal lines "And she was so busy being free". How many people in the world today are too busy getting on with their lives, seeking freedom in different ways, and failing to find the ultimate freedom which they already have - their own inner joy, peace and love.  Then there was YouTube "How to teach kids English"; guitar fingering for Paul Simon's The Dangling Conversation, the very title being such a perfect metaphor, and with such illuminating poetic imagery as "Couched in our indifference/Like shells upon the shore".  Also, YouTube footage of Paramhansan Yogananda.  And then, of course, there was time to read  the "How to Teach English" textbook.

Which brings me back to the waiting room at Haridwar where I was reading the book. I offered to change seats with a middle-aged man so that he could sit with his friends.  He refused kindly, saying philosophically and quite seriously I am sure, "We are all one".
The joke? 
We are sitting in the UPPER CLASS  waiting room!!!  (I only had a 2nd class ticket but thought a 7 hour+ delay entitled me.....)

School news: Rebuilding and remodelling of the new school is nearly complete - a beautiful walled garden of trees, bushes and flowers, with 6 classrooms, a computer room with 20 computers, a yoga space, a music room, an office and a kitchen.  We now have more than 230 children and about 100 of the younger ones will be getting a daily meal at the school. For photos go to
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/stangiles/20081025Sept2008NewSchool

Other news: I will be teaching yoga in Peru from July to September next year (visit www.samanachakra.com ).  I  guess I'll just have to try the local enthusiasm of kite-surfing while I'm there.

Finally, another amusing story.
A man fell over the edge of a high cliff but managed to grab hold of a bush as he fell.  Dangling there with a 200 foot drop below he prayed earnestly, "Oh God, help me, help me." He heard a heavenly voice saying "It's OK, just let go, just let go." After a few moments of reflection the man said "Is there anyone else up there?!"

And finally, finally - I knew you'd want to know - the train left at 2.10pm.  I arrived at the Gurgaon Ashram at 10.30pm, a total of nearly 18 hours "travelling" to cover 166 miles.  The delays were caused by a minor derailment (no injuries). Today, Tuesday,  a colleague was taking me to Delhi to purchase a harmonium.  We ran out of petrol after about 3 miles.  I really must talk to my travel angel !!

Love and best wishes
Stan