Blogs from Boudhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia - page 4

Looking for some sort of meditation retreat, I booked myself on the Vipassana course in Kathmandu. It was for 10 days and with over 10 hours of meditation a day, it was quite a challenge. 4am starts, complete silence, no reading or writing, segregation of men and women etc. After a little more of adjustment to the 'real world', I will see how it affected me! The technique of Vipassana Meditation is taught at ten-day residential courses during which participants learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results. Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना, Sanskrit) in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the nature of reality. It is one of Asia's most ancient techniques of meditation, attributed to Gautama Buddha. It is a way of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection. In ... read more

This was a place of great tranquility. After experiencing the rustic lifestyle of Goljung this place was a palace of comfort where I taught English to kids from the ages of 5 to 20. The Monastery is run on donations from around the world supporting kids who come as orphans, from poverty, and from far off remote regions. Here they're giving food, shelter, clothing, an education, medical coverage and with that, they are given hope and a chance for something better, something different. The genuine courtesy, selfless generosity, and honest kindness of both the children and the teachers was a soulful experience of curious astonishment and wonder. I was slowly packing on my last day while a bunch of students were hanging out in my doorway looking in and talking amongst themselves and pointing, I asked ... read more

It was time for me to put to good use the money that my friends had given me for the orphanage kids here at Sunrise. They have very few books so it was decided that we would visit a great book store in Patan. We went through central Kathmandu and there was once again a protest of some sort. That seems to be a daily occurrence here. Every morning I read the local paper and there has been a demonstration, a Banndh (shut down of everything) or a protest of some kind. It’s a very new government (the Maoists are out) and things certainly are in a state of flux. Don’t worry, I feel quite safe but it is an inconvenience when I can’t get to places because the road has been closed - again! Patan, ... read more

Kalimati Slums. This is another project of Emma’s at Sunrise, and Emma and I visited the slums with a few children from the orphanage yesterday. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have driven past many slums in various countries and it’s always horrifying to imagine people actually living in conditions like that and I always thought that the people would be hostile, angry that we are the have’s and they are the have not’s, but it was different. Partly due to Emma being there and what she is trying to do for them of course, but what really surprised me was that a lot of them still seem to have a degree of dignity. There is also very much a hierarchy. There are the elite even in a slum area! The poorest of the poor ... read more

During my shopping expeditions around Thamel I have become friendly with a lovely young man, Raju, in one of the local shops. I have bought a few gifts for friends and family and a couple of silk rugs there and now whenever I pass the shop I am invited in for a cup of chia (Nepali version of chai! ) During one chat over chia I mentioned that I would love to buy a traditional mandala Thangkas and Raju said that a friend of his paints them. So we went and visited Sonam Lama, a very good looking and talented young artist, and there I succumbed to buying one and commissioning another. The one that I have ordered will take two or three weeks but I intend to be here that long anyway. After we had ... read more