Catching up, and surrender

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Heya everyone,

B & I are in a holding pattern here in Chicago- we have managed to re-apply for the correct visas now and are awaiting/dreading an email of either confirmation or aggravation, respectively. Here's more or less how it went down:

Last update had us at the east coast, waiting to find out what happened to the letters I had sent in to the D.C. office of the Indian consulate. As of now, I still have had no reply. We have moved on to other means. We did some research on line and through phone, resulting in us deciding to just reboot the whole process. We had complications, but fortunately, most people seem to understand that this is a messed-up process and it is going to result in delay, frustration and confusion.

Beryl was having trouble even knowing what kind of visa to get: Auroville had said one thing and the consulate said another. Compounding this was the fact that the Indian procedures to get any kind of visa had changed at the end of August. B arranged a talk on Skype with our Auroville contact, D. During this talk B learned about the change in procedures and D simply admitted that they had no idea what to do to get B her visa. This was while we were still at J's house in MA. We discovered that the process was going to take us back to the midwest, so we saddled up and camped at the home of a different B, whom we will simply admit is Benji. While thre we got our sh*t together and began the process anew.
We filled out the visa form for me (a research visa), a visa form for B (more on this in a bit), and we collected various forms and proofs of identity for us both. It turns out that some of the paperwork had to be done in person, and our address is officially still in IN... So, papers in hand, forms filled out in septuplicate (sp?), we bravely made an appointment to do this in person at the Chicago consulate. Oh, yeah- because our addy is in IN we could only do this in Chicago. No where else. Period.
Well, we got to the outsource building (all of India's visas are now outsourced, interestingly enough, to an american company) and ended up having to rearrange our paperwork- we hadn't done that for fear of doing it wrong... and we would have done it wrong too, so we got that right. Then we where helped by Chandra, a wonderfully patient and human person who explained everything and even managed to get our paperwork to get processed together. This was especially relevant since the visa we thought B was going to need- an entry visa- was no longer appropriate. We determined that B needed to also do a research visa, otherwise she would not be able to volunteer at Auroville and help with my research.
This would have required another visit to the office, except C took care of that by simply amending B's visa paperwork. We were told to do the extra papers and send them in. This was something of a life saver- we now had contacts and humans to relate to. The process was still complicated and weird, uncertain even, but now we could ask for help from people, rather than websites and automated voice systems. The visit to the office in Chicago only took an hour, but by the time we had left we felt like it was 5 or 6pm. We ate at a little deli sandwich place, bought ourselves a new book each, and then went back 'home' to A & D's to rest and prepare for the next day.
Doing the research paperwork is intensive, and took the morning and part of the early afternoon. We then spent over $100.00 and two hours at Kinko's before all the copying, filling out and mailing was done.
Now, we wait. While waiting my MacBook developed a few quirks- it began to spontaneously reboot, and the start up time was greatly extended. I had been nervous about the frailty of an older (3+ years old) laptop in India with no support (applecare has run out too) so after much debate we bought a MacBook Pro for me. Same size, so all my equipment fits, and we'll keep the older one as back-up.
So, poorer, a step further along, we wait. While waiting, we have the opportunity to help A with her Samhain event, and to do stuff for her & D around the house, so we can feel useful while we mooch. I may get more writing done, and B & I will continue to study up on India and such. As of yet, we may journey back up to WI to get in a bonus visit with B's mom, maybe maybe maybe down to IN to get a bonus visit with some others, and then probably back out east to make some mead, spend some time and connect with dearly beloved friends and family.

I want to break from my usual ramblings to reflect on a few things that I have discovered or just dealt with.
On is the idea of surrender. This is a key aspect to some of the teachings of the Mother, and also Sri Aurobindo (the founder of Auroville, and her guru, respectively and over-simply). Surrender is a difficult concept, and although I have considered myself to be rather good at "going with the flow" there is a difference... or so I have learned. I often liken my philosophy- especially regarding things like Chaos, change and so on- as being like a surfer: one must not try to control the waves and the terrain, but just keep your balance and ride it where it goes or, as much as one can, where you want to go.
Thus, one at least has a little control, or the passible illusion of control. Especially for Americans, this is important for our sense of self and our ability to function.
This, I have learned, doesn't fly. Surrender involves a bit more of the giving up, and less of the keeping your balance. I have been thoroughly unbalanced by this process, and stressed more than I needed to be. I have been controlling the facets I can control, and thinking I can influence others. And straining to control everything I can to get this process to work.
Sometimes you can't.
Surrender is sometimes accepting that- with a mouthful of mud- and then accepting that the ride isn't done yet.
Surrender, as the Mother and Sri Aurobindo talk of it is something more.
I'm still working on that, but I think it'd go better for me if I learned this before too many more mud pies.

Maybe after just this next one....
Peace,
^o^

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Comments

[Virginia Anderson]

help from the moon
It seems apropos that you were helped by the moon. (Chandra means moon)