Wednesday, September 14, 2011

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

4 comments:

  1. beautifully written and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your journey

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  2. I hear you and totally relate to what you feel--I have the same feelings about Bali traffic (gotten worse and more frenetic since you were here).but I'm sure New Delhi tops it. Just keep saying the prayers for protection!!

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  3. brilliant writing and great insight.. i always believed our thought systems are aligned, probably because we're both Ariens... I was thinking this morning about life and all the troubles I'm going through, and I came to only one very simple conclusion: I can't afford to worry and feel angry about things, it'll cost a lot in healthcare and will shave some years off my life.. instead I promised myself to accept things, go with the flow of the world around me and with the flow of my own emotions, and always be positive...
    thanks for sharing Alta, keep them coming.. regards to Param

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  4. Kerris, thank you, thank you! :-)
    Depolah, some strange human evolution - i've always believed that deep down traffic reflects us as a human system
    Micky, you rock!! And well done on your realizations. Big hug to you! Stay positive:)

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