Traffic Tetris

Namaste

If you don't already know, this 'casual' word actually means "the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you". Isn't that beautiful? And in India, when you add "ji" after addressing someone, you add respect.

A few points:
-Delhi was cleaned up for the CommonWealthGames in 2010, and looks a lot cleaner. I noticed less cows in the streets.
-I found an excellent nail spa and my hands are groomed again!
-Summer pool parties in Delhi, wow!! - Free entry, drinks, food, dj, at awesome farmhouse locations. The host, a person with too much money.
-The demand for white people in this city, unlike my own country, is astonishing. Indians will pay you just to be at their wedding, function, etc.
-I've been warned about getting spoiled in India, thought it wouldn't happen, but I find myself having a maid, a cook and a driver. It's just so cheap and easy.

And then, my main topic, is the traffic and my experience thereof, the personal journey I'm going through; anger:
At first, when you go through the traffic in Delhi, you think it's just ridiculous. And this feeling remains. And this is, as Carl Jung says: "What you resist, persist". It's chaos. And you cannot change their ways in this country, therefore the change is to come within yourself. For me it's a question of: am I going to accept this? Accept that they put my life in danger every time I embark on an auto? (picture

of an auto attached, with the best driver ever) Accept that they jump red traffic lights, or not bother to look left or right for oncoming traffic? Accept that they don't have rearview mirrors and rely on hooters instead? Accept that if they scratch your car a little, because they weren't paying attention and driving too close, that you just carry on with your day - no stopping, calling police or insurance companies? If anyone has to do this in my country, we will shout and get mad! So, I got mad. I got angry, and furious! And that feeling comes from judgement, resistance (non-acceptance) and difference. If I continue in my old ways, I will lead an angry life. Sure, I like it better driving in a country where you follow lanes, obey traffic rules and have courtesy to other drivers. I'm not in such a country at present. So, slowly, every day, I do my best to relax, accept, pray for safety and trust that it will get better. I'm in Delhi for a reason. A journey to challenge me even more. As taught by Cris Baker from Life Strategies, the next step after accept, would be to appreciate and approve. I'm still far from that, maybe months, maybe years, but I'm aiming towards that. I once said on my facebook status: "If you think Delhi is a glorious city to be living in, you are either enlightened or ignorant. Either way, the result is positive." :) Apart from traffic, there's the constant spitting, pissing on the side of the road publicly, and terrorist bombs.

One day I will look back at my time living in Delhi, and I will be grateful. It feels right to be here now. There's a lesson to be learned. And one day when I 'get' it, I will move on. Delhi IS my guru. (Unless Cris, you want to come here for holiday one day so that I can live alongside you:-) and learn more from you)

Furthermore, I've been teaching yoga students privately and loving it! My company's name is KenneK. It means Connect. Ken (in Afrikaans) is to know - know a person, including yourself. It's written in mirrored text - your outside world is a reflection/mirror of your inner world (goodness Delhi for me!) The 'K's create a < >, meaning smaller than, bigger than. You are so much more than what you think you are. It's about re-connecting to yourself, and to others. Becoming aware of your body and your thoughts -> the body-mind connection, through yoga, NLP, meditation etc. Please go check out the facebook page if you wish: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KenneK/151684521576888. The website is under construction. I'll be doing workshops and classes at a studio also, met a great guy to work with.

So, today do yourself a favour and appreciate what you have and where you live. Focus on the good things and discard the things you are tempted to complain about. Param and I play a game every day to only say positive things and catch the other person if they say anything negative with a "eeeh, say that again?" :-)
And find the beauty in yourselves. You are such amazing people. Thank you for being in my life.
Hope to hear from you soon

Shukria,
Namaste:)
A


--
"Did you ever think there's more to life than being really, really, really ridiculously good-looking?" - Derek Zoolander

Namaste

www.altainwonderland.blogspot.com
This is my second blog. My news from now on will be of this nature, no more travel news.

Life in India


Sasrikaal


Even though I’ve been to India so many times, it was still a shock to my
system after quitting my job and packing up my material life, spending a
glorious time in Cape Town with my beloved mom and friends and then island
styling it in Bali…and then; BOOM!! Delhi spits in my face and says: “Honey,
holiday’s over!” Haha. But I came equipped with an optimistic spirit and a
promise to see the positive in every moment. So I’m loving it!

Specifically: walking down to the market around the corner with my bags and
filling them with fresh veggies and fruits (and they would toss in
coriander and chillies complimentary!) all of this while always dodging
cars, scooters, cyclists and pedestrians from every angle. I enjoy my
mornings cutting up different fruits (chickoo being my ultimate favourite –
gosh, every country should have these), accompanied with sweet lassie (a
yoghurt drink – enjoying them while I do, coz I’ll go vegan one day). It’s
mango season, it’s summer also, but having mangoes is looking at the
positive side of things:)

Part of the journey I want for myself, is to learn to be still, in one
place, one person and commit and learn to face challenges more effectively
and constructively. I am proving to myself (and therefore others) that
contentment and happiness, as I already know, come from within and that even
though Delhi wants to spit, that I’ll just close my eyes and smile back,
wipe the dirt off my face and look ahead. In fact, I wish people in Delhi
would stop complaining about the traffic if they themselves are not willing
to drive differently and instead follow Ghandi’s advice and ‘be the change’.
It’s an adventure. Everyday! Do something every day that scares you? Well, I
just need to cross the road for that, haha.

So basically, I have everything I need – except for a good nail salon, but
I’m still searching.

Smile.

Furthermore, I've been getting paid as a hostess at events - which gives me a good insight of the rich life in India and how they mingle amongst each other.

Basically, there is not a dull moment in Delhi. It's impossible. Everyday is packed with unplanned, unorganized and chaotic episodes.The expression: "HOLY COW!!!" was definitely born here:) I love it!

I’d like to share part of a quote with you, one I’ve been living by from
the beginning of the year and made my mission statement, my daily ‘prayer’.

“I promise myself: to look at the sunny side of things and make my optimism
come true, to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for
fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. To live in the faith
that the whole world is on my side so long I’m true to the best that is in
me…”

Smile
In love and light,
Alta

--
Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes - Walt Whitman