Walk to the Ashram

Temple/Historical Building  Jaipur, India

There is a representation of the global condition just walking down the street from my room to the ashram.   The religious faction is represented as I start the walk by a large, historical temple.  I pass shops/restaurants representing the working faction on the planet. Ruts in the road, drainage issues, garbage representing various states of infrastructure.  There are dogs, cats, cows, pigs, monkeys, birds, and more standing in for the animal community.  Buildings are small, tall, and under varying stages of construction reminding us of the encroachment of humans through construction and population.  Pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, cars, trucks, and buses pass along the road delivering supplies to the businesses or humans to their desired destinations.

A quiet moment on the street

The experience of the walk involves encounters with friendly/unfriendly people, people trying to sell something, children, adult, men, women, locals, visitors, and animals.  Between the living faction and the awareness for dodging cow patties, human excrement, water ditches, potholes, and debris could all be a thumbnail sketch of what shows up in life anywhere in the world:  traffic, environmental issues, waste management, housing, livestock/pet management, employment, business, and the list goes on.  Sound familiar?  It just looks different on the 2-3 minute walk. The walk ends at the ashram--teachings of acceptance, love, being, and peace.

Entry to the Ashram
photo by Mataji