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India and Nepal 2022
This is an amazing experience,living and working in Myanmar as it takes the first steps in its transition to democracy.
I am witnessing things which are so encouraging and bring hope and at the same time, things which are disturbing and bring despair. It is a case of constantly living in a state of yin and yang - and having to navigate myself emotionally through this set of contradictions.
Whilst I am here, I have decided to learn more about eastern philosophy and Buddhism in particular. My weekly meditation classes are run by an American and Frenchman and they are very positive experiences.
I am learning to live in the present moment, to be kind and compassionate to myself and others; to be mindful and find meaning in how I live my life. Meditation is not something you do but something you are.
My very dear friend Margita often speaks about how the universe will guide her and my lovely VSO colleague Cora from the Philippines expresses a similar sentiment about the cosmos guiding each of us to a time and a place.
I instinctively used to be sceptical about such a way of thinking and being but I am now even more curious and letting myself totally go with the flow and to embrace such a way of 'being'.
An example presented itself this week - on Sunday I had planned to visit an hotel where I will be staying over the Christmas period to check a few details. In the end I did not go because another spontaneous event presented itself. Then on the following day, I asked to visit a women's organisation and with the whole of the big city of Yangon to be located, it was three minutes walk away from the hotel I had planned to visit.
My first reaction and no doubt yours, reading this is 'it's just a coincidence'. There is some logical statistical probability of this happening.
But living in acompletely different way here has brought me to a point of questioning rationality and being more open to forces which are beyong our brain's current capacity and ability to explain.
After all, what do we humans know how a small creature like a salmon can swim the mighty oceans and still find the exact place to return to and give new life?
I feel alive and open to new spiritual learning and and by the way, I haven't gone all weird! I am still the same person but learning, developing, growing.......
I am witnessing things which are so encouraging and bring hope and at the same time, things which are disturbing and bring despair. It is a case of constantly living in a state of yin and yang - and having to navigate myself emotionally through this set of contradictions.
Whilst I am here, I have decided to learn more about eastern philosophy and Buddhism in particular. My weekly meditation classes are run by an American and Frenchman and they are very positive experiences.
I am learning to live in the present moment, to be kind and compassionate to myself and others; to be mindful and find meaning in how I live my life. Meditation is not something you do but something you are.
My very dear friend Margita often speaks about how the universe will guide her and my lovely VSO colleague Cora from the Philippines expresses a similar sentiment about the cosmos guiding each of us to a time and a place.
I instinctively used to be sceptical about such a way of thinking and being but I am now even more curious and letting myself totally go with the flow and to embrace such a way of 'being'.
An example presented itself this week - on Sunday I had planned to visit an hotel where I will be staying over the Christmas period to check a few details. In the end I did not go because another spontaneous event presented itself. Then on the following day, I asked to visit a women's organisation and with the whole of the big city of Yangon to be located, it was three minutes walk away from the hotel I had planned to visit.
My first reaction and no doubt yours, reading this is 'it's just a coincidence'. There is some logical statistical probability of this happening.
But living in acompletely different way here has brought me to a point of questioning rationality and being more open to forces which are beyong our brain's current capacity and ability to explain.
After all, what do we humans know how a small creature like a salmon can swim the mighty oceans and still find the exact place to return to and give new life?
I feel alive and open to new spiritual learning and and by the way, I haven't gone all weird! I am still the same person but learning, developing, growing.......
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