Rishikesh is one of the most spiritual places in India.  It is a holy city for Hindus and many Indians take pilgrimages here to bathe in the Ganges and to visit the many temples and ashrams. It is also famous for yoga and has countless Ashrams here to meditate, take a yoga class, speak to a Swami or just spend the night.  I am instead staying at a Catholic Seminary The kind Father’s at Asha Deep arranged for me to stay at the seminary here so that I would be well looked after while I spend some time traveling on my own.  The setting is beautiful, the room is very comfortable and the Brothers are incredibly kind.  I’ve been attending morning mass and evening prayers with them and it is just beautiful.  I don’t understand the words of course, but the singing and chanting make a great place for me to meditate, contemplate and reflect on the past 3 months I’ve spent in India.  It’s just starting to sink in that I will leave here in 2 weeks and I have no plan upon my return other than to go visit my family.

Since being in Rishikesh I’ve seen the evening arti performed on the Ganges, watched countless people bathe in the Ganges and cleanse themselves of their sins (a few even drank from the Ganges…yikes!), walked and walked and walked to temples and ashrams, spoken with two Swamis at an ashram, attended Sunday mass with Catholic priests and brothers and this afternoon spent some time with two sisters who have taken solace here from their long work of service as nuns.  Three days ago I didn’t know where I would stay when I got here (or even how I was getting here) and by this evening this is everything I’ve done. Amazing!  I relinquished control, didn’t worry, put it out in the universe what I wanted to do, I trusted people and they have carried me along and introduced me to things I never would have discovered on my own.  What a great lesson I’ve learned. When you open yourself up, India opens itself up to you.