One of the things I love most about the culture here in India, is the ornate ceremony that happens daily, if not multiple times a day. The Hindus have a specific God for just about everything... health, prosperity, family, enlightenment, learning... the list goes on. Alongside these many gods, there are specific rituals meant to … Continue reading Ceremony, Ritual and Shrouded Sheaths – Rishikesh, India 2018
February 5, 2017 Old Town One of the best ways to see any city is to walk it, and my favorite way to go about that is to just set off on my own and wander, exploring off the beaten track and discovering hidden gems. Varanasi, however, is not the place for such initiative. Even … Continue reading Old Towns and Fire Rituals – Varanasi, India -Part 2
February 3, 2017 Varanasi will incite you. Coming here throws you into another universe and it seems an impossibility to visit this place and not be provoked on some level, which if you are paying attention is an excellent opportunity to expand your current perspective and look at the world with greater objectivity. Varanasi is … Continue reading Enticed by the Flames – Varanasi, India – Part 1
February 1, 2017 The Ladies The big excursion for the day, and something I had been looking forward to for quite some time, was a visit to an elephant sanctuary. But before I describe my time with the elephants I must talk about an unplanned experience that in retrospect almost supersedes my excitement about the … Continue reading Ladies and Elephants – Jaipur, India
Just over a year ago, I spent a month by myself in India, traveling to different cities, meditating, and seeking as much cultural, historical and spiritual experience as possible. It was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult things I have ever done... being alone in a place of such diverse intensity. And yet, … Continue reading Revisiting India, the Land of Beautiful Intensity
In the last couple weeks since my return from the Peruvian Amazon, people have asked me with understandable curiosity what drinking ayahuasca was like, and it has been very difficult for me to explain. The simple answer is, there is no simple answer. My experience was complicated and obtuse and it left me with more … Continue reading Into the Fire
October 26 & 27, 2015 Early morning, before all the street vendors have set up, I walk through the quiet village on my way to breakfast, pausing to sit on one of the stairwells leading down to the river, smelling the subtle incense that permeates the air. At this hour, the river is a surprising … Continue reading Namaste, My Friend – Rishikesh Part 2 – India
October 24 & 25, 2015 Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and built along either side of the sacred Ganges river near its source, Rishikesh has a beautiful intensity that is entirely unlike every other place I've been so far. While still densely populated, the chaos is severely dialed down, letting the natural beauty … Continue reading Om Namaha Shiva – Rishikesh Part 1 – India
The Wanderlusting Files 