Tomorrow, 10 days retreat... infos on my last few days... pics!!!

I was reading Osho today, he talks about non-violence and non-possessiveness, and how it is perceived in the western culture versus the eastern culture.  Religion teaches us non-violence and non-possessiveness as a “commandment”, yet the old vedic texts teaches it a bit differently.  Not being violent toward others is actually a selfish thing to do, which in this case is a good thing.  Hurting anything or anyone else has a direct impact on ourselves, thus we shouldn’t do it for our own good.  What goes around comes around, thus we will attract violence if we are violent.  Furthermore, it affects our vibrations, our energetic state, thus our health and our physical self on the long run.  So it should be all about not hurting ourselves, not about the others.  I like it.  It makes us more responsible for our own actions and thoughts; furthermore it is about taking care of ourselves, not about fear of God.

I have spent the last three days in Bangkok, it is a big city but I just love it!  Walked a lot, visited a few new areas, did a hug shopping mall, went to the movies, eat soup like crazy, read and took a few pictures.  It was a beautiful three days, the weather was nice, I loved it but now I am ready for a small town for the last night before my retreat.  So I am now on my way to Chiaya, a little town, near the temple where I will go for my meditation retreat.  It shouldn’t be to “touristy” since they guide says it is mostly visited by the tourists that goes to the meditation retreat, one or two days before the retreat, which is only  once a month.  I can’t wait to see this little town, but right now I am enjoying the train ride from Bangkok to Chiaya, 8 hours.

The train ride was beautiful, so different that the trains in India.  Comfortable seats, coffee and snack in the morning and lunch were served, plus there actually was someone taking care of informing us of the coming station.  For those of you who have traveled by train in India you will know that you have to start looking at each station names, unless you have the list of the coming stations, as of the time you should arrive.  But the train is never on time, so you end up waiting for your station for a few hours sometimes.  Today, on a 8 hour ride the train was only 20 minutes late, and someone took care of telling me I needed to get off.  So in the comfort of my seat I could read, sleep, look at the scenery.

I am now in Chaiya, beautiful little town, I love it.  Very traditional, unchanged by the tourist, most people don’t speak English, only one hotel, I love it.  It is quiet and nice.  I bought a watch, lost mine, and for something very similar that I shopped in Bangkok at prices around $60 I paid $5.  They are all copies anyways, no warranty, and not sure if the waterproof really works.  So I am happy I waited to get one!

This will be my last post until I come out of my 10 day meditation retreat.  I actually can’t wait to be there, to feel it, to learn about meditation, Buddhism and about myself even more.  After that, I will start to think about coming back, I will do the last few things I feel I need to do to complete this journey before heading back home.  Home, it has become an interesting concept after such a long time gone, and no real “home” to return too.  I have come to call home wherever my backpack is, and did feel like home in many cities that I have visited, even when all my references from home were missing.  I am somewhat hopping to have a bit more clarity about what to do next, where to go, etc… during or after my retreat.  Up to now I have a few options, so I am lucky that I have so many possibilities, and such good friends that are offering there help on my return.  Again, life is good to me, I am thankful, I feel blessed with such loving people around me!

Enjoy the video of my last few pictures, singing off until the 11^th or 12^th of March, you can send me good vibes during that time, I am sure not all moments will be easy.  Can’t wait to write about it, and share my … insights.

I wish you all an amazing 10 coming days,

Metta,

Charles

 Vian Vieng, Lao, I could have spent years in this town; it is so beautiful, filled with tourists, yet quiet, small and in the middle of a paradise.  It is surrounded by mountains, and a river flows next to it.  One of the activity in this place is to go “tubing” along the river, in a big tractor tube, going down 3 kilometers of river.  It was beautiful, especially the scenery along the river.  It is such a tourist attraction at this point; there are bars all along the riverside everywhere with big sounds systems, water slides, jumping platforms, and swings at many of these bars.  It takes a bit of the magic of the scenery away, but it adds another dimension to the experience.  I was with a few people that I have met on the minivan coming from Luang Prabang, it was a fun day!

I didn’t get to do the elephant ride, it was all around $70 for the day but one place that was $35, for whatever reason the two days I was there, not enough people registered to make it happen, I decided not to go for the expensive places, to keep my money for something else.  Plus I was talking to people that told me the elephant are chained up and all, which I didn’t like the idea.  Apparently some places the elephant are really well taken care of and they have “fun” with the tourists, but some places are more like a zoo.  Hard to know what you are contributing too.  Maybe I should have done it in Chiang Mai, two people told me about one place that was great and caring for the elephants.  I have mixed feelings about activities like these, like going swimming with dolphins in captivity, elephant riding, or going to the zoo.  Sometimes the animals are well taken care of and the money contributes to taking care of them and all, but sometimes it is simply a tourist attraction, a business and the animals don’t really have a good life.  Anyway, I have loved Lao, its simplicity, the quietness, the amazing beauty of nature, and its people. 

I was reading Osho today, he talks about non-violence and non-possessiveness, and how it is perceived in the western culture versus the eastern culture.  Religion teaches us non-violence and non-possessiveness as a “commandment”, yet the old vedic texts teaches it a bit differently.  Not being violent toward others is actually a selfish thing to do, which in this case is a good thing.  Hurting anything or anyone else has a direct impact on ourselves, thus we shouldn’t do it for our own good.  What goes around comes around, thus we will attract violence if we are violent.  Furthermore, it affects our vibrations, our energetic state, thus our health and our physical self on the long run.  So it should be all about not hurting ourselves, not about the others.  I like it.  It makes us more responsible for our own actions and thoughts; furthermore it is about taking care of ourselves, not about fear of God.

I have spent the last three days in Bangkok, it is a big city but I just love it!  Walked a lot, visited a few new areas, did a hug shopping mall, went to the movies, eat soup like crazy, read and took a few pictures.  It was a beautiful three days, the weather was nice, I loved it but now I am ready for a small town for the last night before my retreat.  So I am now on my way to Chiaya, a little town, near the temple where I will go for my meditation retreat.  It shouldn’t be to “touristy” since they guide says it is mostly visited by the tourists that goes to the meditation retreat, one or two days before the retreat, which is only  once a month.  I can’t wait to see this little town, but right now I am enjoying the train ride from Bangkok to Chiaya, 8 hours.

The train ride was beautiful, so different that the trains in India.  Comfortable seats, coffee and snack in the morning and lunch were served, plus there actually was someone taking care of informing us of the coming station.  For those of you who have traveled by train in India you will know that you have to start looking at each station names, unless you have the list of the coming stations, as of the time you should arrive.  But the train is never on time, so you end up waiting for your station for a few hours sometimes.  Today, on a 8 hour ride the train was only 20 minutes late, and someone took care of telling me I needed to get off.  So in the comfort of my seat I could read, sleep, look at the scenery.

I am now in Chaiya, beautiful little town, I love it.  Very traditional, unchanged by the tourist, most people don’t speak English, only one hotel, I love it.  It is quiet and nice.  I bought a watch, lost mine, and for something very similar that I shopped in Bangkok at prices around $60 I paid $5.  They are all copies anyways, no warranty, and not sure if the waterproof really works.  So I am happy I waited to get one!

This will be my last post until I come out of my 10 day meditation retreat.  I actually can’t wait to be there, to feel it, to learn about meditation, Buddhism and about myself even more.  After that, I will start to think about coming back, I will do the last few things I feel I need to do to complete this journey before heading back home.  Home, it has become an interesting concept after such a long time gone, and no real “home” to return too.  I have come to call home wherever my backpack is, and did feel like home in many cities that I have visited, even when all my references from home were missing.  I am somewhat hopping to have a bit more clarity about what to do next, where to go, etc… during or after my retreat.  Up to now I have a few options, so I am lucky that I have so many possibilities, and such good friends that are offering there help on my return.  Again, life is good to me, I am thankful, I feel blessed with such loving people around me!

Enjoy the video of my last few pictures, singing off until the 11^th or 12^th of March, you can send me good vibes during that time, I am sure not all moments will be easy.  Can’t wait to write about it, and share my … insights.

This second series of pics are from Nong Khai, the town accross Lao, I just never taken the time to post it!

Enjoy!

I wish you all an amazing 10 coming days,

Metta,

Charles