I
have just came back from India for the fourth time. India is always a
great place for people to learn to be grateful and content. It is a
great yoga training ground for realizing the great compassion and wisdom
in us, not in the classroom in the yoga school or doing lots of Asana,
Pranayama and meditation practice, but it is in the daily lives of the
Indian people that we are actually developing all the great qualities
that a yogi should have.
If we want to learn what is non-attachment, then just by being in India for a few months will definitely train us up to develop non-attachment. Because if we have strong attachment, we will be so disappointed and unhappy. But the great thing is, the less attachment we have and allow ourselves to follow the flow of whatever comes up, then everything will turn out very nicely for us. This is the great experience of surrendering. Everything happens for a reason. Any obstacles, changes, delays, cancellation or disturbance will turn out to be a great adventure for us if we are not attached to our pre-fixed plans. Allow changes to happen. Life is fantastic being free not attaching to any plans!
If anyone is not satisfied with the present condition, may spend some time in India to experience gratefulness, simplicity and contentment... It will open up our minds and help to develop patience, compassion, gratitude, acceptance, adaptation, tolerance, accommodation, adjustment, forgive, courage, letting go, trust, fearlessness, worrilessness and selflessness. Above all, we have to be in the present moment, not worrying for the past or the future. In India, we can't really attach to any fixed ideas or plans. At any moment there can be changes happening. Everything doesn't really turn out the way as what you have planned. If we have great expectation towards anything, there will be some disappointment for sure. And thus we learn to let go of expectation and go with the flow. Anything is possible in India.
And this is a little note of why I always salute to the Indian people and their way of life.
Well, if we can have the courage to drive a vehicle on the roads in the big cities of India, for sure we can achieve whatever we want to do in life...
If we can survive crossing the extreme busy roads in India, for sure we can be fearless and worriless being in anywhere...
If we can survive the noise pollution, air pollution, human congestion and rubbish congestion in India, we can survive being anywhere in the world and be grateful of our present condition...
About the Indian traffic...
In most countries, we need to follow the traffic rules to avoid and minimize road accidents or traffic congestions.
But, in India, this doesn't work at all. If we drive the way that we usually drive in our own country, we will become an obstacle for other drivers just because we are driving according to the traffic rules. (Just like there is a "queue" sign everywhere in India, but no one is going to queue up. We can never get to buy a train ticket, or getting information from the information counter, or to buy a meal at the fast food restaurant if we are being polite and not trying to squeeze in into the crowds, because everyone will cut infront of everybody continuously.)
But this is India. Not following any rules works very well here... Life still goes on no matter how. Food is on the table (it doesn't matter if it is just a chapati, plain rice and dhal or a luxury meal), a place to sleep (it doesn't matter if it is on a bed or on the floor or on the street), a place to pee and shit (it doesn't matter if it is in the toilet or on the street), anything is possible...
In fact, although they do have traffic rules, I believe... But it won't work on the roads in India's big cities because there are too many people and too many vehicles on the road during anytime in the day, unless it is in the middle of the night when there are less people and less vehicles using the road.
Indian's traffic rules = No rules at all or Whatever rules as the drivers like it to be.
One common "rule" is, "HORN" as much as you can and as loud as possible all the way and use the break as less as possible...
Just horn and go...go...go...
And, just go and horn...horn...horn...
It doesn't matter if it is red light ahead, most of them will just keep going, or driving on the opposite lane overtaking the vehicles infront even though there are cars coming straight towards them, or there are at least 6 to 8 vehicles moving side by side about 4-5 inches away from each other on a four lane road with many pedestrains trying to cross the road at the same time, or when vehicles are coming out from a side street, or coming to a roundabout, or turning to a side street, or especially at the cross road, Indian drivers never need to have "rules". They just can't. If they try to abide to the rules, the traffic will be congested or might stop completely.
It is because there are no rules, and thus miraculously the traffic can continue to flow freely like the leaves floating on a river and reach the ocean sooner or later. Accidents seldom happen here as compared to some other countries' traffic. The Indians are excellent skillful drivers. Their vehicles won't touch each other even though they drive very near to each other and are going left and right, and turn as they like, and never "stop and look" at the junctions. Their successful technique is "PLEASE HORN!".
All the drivers on the road are trying to overtake each other. Imagine it is like a F1 race that involves thousands of vehicles at one time. Everyone is automatically being push into this "race". You have to move and keep moving at the speed that everyone has. If you are not interested in the race, please get out of the road, so that you won't cause any "problems" on the "race track".
This actually works very well in India although it might not work in many other countries, because everyone on the road in India (pedestrians or drivers) abides to this unique Indian traffic rule which is "no rules". If anyone try to carry out the "stop, look, wait and go" rule in India, no one would ever get the chance to cross over to the other side of the road at the cross road or this politeness may cause some obstacles to other drivers.
But of course, if an Indian driver tries to drive the Indian's way in other countries that actually have traffic rules and where most drivers are following the rules, then this is not the same situation anymore. This Indian driver might cause accidents on every junction, traffic light and roundabout for other road users.
Any mishaps could happen easily, when all the other drivers are expecting everyone else is also following the same rules on the road but unfortunately one of the drivers doesn't think so.
It's the same situation in India. Everyone is expecting everybody is not following any rules. It will cause havoc if someone is actually following the rules when everyone else doesn't think so. The one great rule that everyone follows which is, "no rules"...
And so, there is actually no right or wrong anyhow on how we should drive on the road, depending on each different culture and mentality.
India is a great country.
Indians are incredibly hardworking, humble, adaptable and adjustable people.
In India, anything also is possible.
I salute to most of the Indians who are so hard working and yet being contented by earning very little income just to survive. (The Olympic councils should go to the streets of India, especially at the building sides, and surely will find so many great potential weightlifters, runners and bodybuilders etc..., while they can find lots of sprinters and excellent F1 race car drivers on the road... If you know how an ants nest is built, then you can imagine how fast can a building be built by Indians just with their manpower and not by machines. They really work like an ants colony, cooperating and very efficiently) - We witnessed a restaurant in Kovalam, Kerala was being rebuilt within just a few days, where else in many other countries it might take at least a few weeks or a few months. These Indian construction workers are just using their manpower to perform all the work that need to be done, such like carrying extreme heavy loads on their heads and walking a great distance to deliver it to the construction sites where there is no road for any vehicles to drive into the construction sites. They were going back and forward repeatedly from early morning til late night until all the goods were delivered within that day.
Incredible Indian's manpower!!! They don't need to pay to workout at the gym but they all are so fit naturally. There were many old men and women as well who were above sixty years of age and are still strong and fit to carry out their work.
About the beggars in India... They are incredible as well. Their perseverance and technique to get money from the people are incredible. Usually they will come in a group of young children, teenagers, and women with babies. They won't stop following you or harrasing you until you give them what they want. Or else if you are a woman and you don't want to give them any money, the girls might touch you anywhere and grab your arms with their dirty hands and the boys might give you a slap on the bum or a squeeze on the breast and then run off into the crowds. What could you do? Be angry and upset about it, run after them and shout at them (you won't be able to catch them and nobody cares to help you), or we can be compassionate, forgive and let go. The best thing we can do is, try to avoid them if possible.
It is not advisable to give money to them no matter how "pitiful" they may look because this will encourage more beggars. And most beggars are working for some syndicates. To help people by teaching them how to catch fish is more efficient than to give them a fish. Sometimes if we give them a few rupees, they will demand more from us. They are not happy with just a few rupees. They want big "business", not small "business".
There are many great qualities that we can develop from being in India and observing Indian's way of life, such like how they surrender fear and worry, and allowing mother nature to take care of everything.
Life can be not so easy but it doesn't mean that it is not good.
May all beings be happy.
If we want to learn what is non-attachment, then just by being in India for a few months will definitely train us up to develop non-attachment. Because if we have strong attachment, we will be so disappointed and unhappy. But the great thing is, the less attachment we have and allow ourselves to follow the flow of whatever comes up, then everything will turn out very nicely for us. This is the great experience of surrendering. Everything happens for a reason. Any obstacles, changes, delays, cancellation or disturbance will turn out to be a great adventure for us if we are not attached to our pre-fixed plans. Allow changes to happen. Life is fantastic being free not attaching to any plans!
If anyone is not satisfied with the present condition, may spend some time in India to experience gratefulness, simplicity and contentment... It will open up our minds and help to develop patience, compassion, gratitude, acceptance, adaptation, tolerance, accommodation, adjustment, forgive, courage, letting go, trust, fearlessness, worrilessness and selflessness. Above all, we have to be in the present moment, not worrying for the past or the future. In India, we can't really attach to any fixed ideas or plans. At any moment there can be changes happening. Everything doesn't really turn out the way as what you have planned. If we have great expectation towards anything, there will be some disappointment for sure. And thus we learn to let go of expectation and go with the flow. Anything is possible in India.
And this is a little note of why I always salute to the Indian people and their way of life.
Well, if we can have the courage to drive a vehicle on the roads in the big cities of India, for sure we can achieve whatever we want to do in life...
If we can survive crossing the extreme busy roads in India, for sure we can be fearless and worriless being in anywhere...
If we can survive the noise pollution, air pollution, human congestion and rubbish congestion in India, we can survive being anywhere in the world and be grateful of our present condition...
About the Indian traffic...
In most countries, we need to follow the traffic rules to avoid and minimize road accidents or traffic congestions.
But, in India, this doesn't work at all. If we drive the way that we usually drive in our own country, we will become an obstacle for other drivers just because we are driving according to the traffic rules. (Just like there is a "queue" sign everywhere in India, but no one is going to queue up. We can never get to buy a train ticket, or getting information from the information counter, or to buy a meal at the fast food restaurant if we are being polite and not trying to squeeze in into the crowds, because everyone will cut infront of everybody continuously.)
But this is India. Not following any rules works very well here... Life still goes on no matter how. Food is on the table (it doesn't matter if it is just a chapati, plain rice and dhal or a luxury meal), a place to sleep (it doesn't matter if it is on a bed or on the floor or on the street), a place to pee and shit (it doesn't matter if it is in the toilet or on the street), anything is possible...
In fact, although they do have traffic rules, I believe... But it won't work on the roads in India's big cities because there are too many people and too many vehicles on the road during anytime in the day, unless it is in the middle of the night when there are less people and less vehicles using the road.
Indian's traffic rules = No rules at all or Whatever rules as the drivers like it to be.
One common "rule" is, "HORN" as much as you can and as loud as possible all the way and use the break as less as possible...
Just horn and go...go...go...
And, just go and horn...horn...horn...
It doesn't matter if it is red light ahead, most of them will just keep going, or driving on the opposite lane overtaking the vehicles infront even though there are cars coming straight towards them, or there are at least 6 to 8 vehicles moving side by side about 4-5 inches away from each other on a four lane road with many pedestrains trying to cross the road at the same time, or when vehicles are coming out from a side street, or coming to a roundabout, or turning to a side street, or especially at the cross road, Indian drivers never need to have "rules". They just can't. If they try to abide to the rules, the traffic will be congested or might stop completely.
It is because there are no rules, and thus miraculously the traffic can continue to flow freely like the leaves floating on a river and reach the ocean sooner or later. Accidents seldom happen here as compared to some other countries' traffic. The Indians are excellent skillful drivers. Their vehicles won't touch each other even though they drive very near to each other and are going left and right, and turn as they like, and never "stop and look" at the junctions. Their successful technique is "PLEASE HORN!".
All the drivers on the road are trying to overtake each other. Imagine it is like a F1 race that involves thousands of vehicles at one time. Everyone is automatically being push into this "race". You have to move and keep moving at the speed that everyone has. If you are not interested in the race, please get out of the road, so that you won't cause any "problems" on the "race track".
This actually works very well in India although it might not work in many other countries, because everyone on the road in India (pedestrians or drivers) abides to this unique Indian traffic rule which is "no rules". If anyone try to carry out the "stop, look, wait and go" rule in India, no one would ever get the chance to cross over to the other side of the road at the cross road or this politeness may cause some obstacles to other drivers.
But of course, if an Indian driver tries to drive the Indian's way in other countries that actually have traffic rules and where most drivers are following the rules, then this is not the same situation anymore. This Indian driver might cause accidents on every junction, traffic light and roundabout for other road users.
Any mishaps could happen easily, when all the other drivers are expecting everyone else is also following the same rules on the road but unfortunately one of the drivers doesn't think so.
It's the same situation in India. Everyone is expecting everybody is not following any rules. It will cause havoc if someone is actually following the rules when everyone else doesn't think so. The one great rule that everyone follows which is, "no rules"...
And so, there is actually no right or wrong anyhow on how we should drive on the road, depending on each different culture and mentality.
India is a great country.
Indians are incredibly hardworking, humble, adaptable and adjustable people.
In India, anything also is possible.
I salute to most of the Indians who are so hard working and yet being contented by earning very little income just to survive. (The Olympic councils should go to the streets of India, especially at the building sides, and surely will find so many great potential weightlifters, runners and bodybuilders etc..., while they can find lots of sprinters and excellent F1 race car drivers on the road... If you know how an ants nest is built, then you can imagine how fast can a building be built by Indians just with their manpower and not by machines. They really work like an ants colony, cooperating and very efficiently) - We witnessed a restaurant in Kovalam, Kerala was being rebuilt within just a few days, where else in many other countries it might take at least a few weeks or a few months. These Indian construction workers are just using their manpower to perform all the work that need to be done, such like carrying extreme heavy loads on their heads and walking a great distance to deliver it to the construction sites where there is no road for any vehicles to drive into the construction sites. They were going back and forward repeatedly from early morning til late night until all the goods were delivered within that day.
Incredible Indian's manpower!!! They don't need to pay to workout at the gym but they all are so fit naturally. There were many old men and women as well who were above sixty years of age and are still strong and fit to carry out their work.
About the beggars in India... They are incredible as well. Their perseverance and technique to get money from the people are incredible. Usually they will come in a group of young children, teenagers, and women with babies. They won't stop following you or harrasing you until you give them what they want. Or else if you are a woman and you don't want to give them any money, the girls might touch you anywhere and grab your arms with their dirty hands and the boys might give you a slap on the bum or a squeeze on the breast and then run off into the crowds. What could you do? Be angry and upset about it, run after them and shout at them (you won't be able to catch them and nobody cares to help you), or we can be compassionate, forgive and let go. The best thing we can do is, try to avoid them if possible.
It is not advisable to give money to them no matter how "pitiful" they may look because this will encourage more beggars. And most beggars are working for some syndicates. To help people by teaching them how to catch fish is more efficient than to give them a fish. Sometimes if we give them a few rupees, they will demand more from us. They are not happy with just a few rupees. They want big "business", not small "business".
There are many great qualities that we can develop from being in India and observing Indian's way of life, such like how they surrender fear and worry, and allowing mother nature to take care of everything.
Life can be not so easy but it doesn't mean that it is not good.
May all beings be happy.
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