Amazing Grace

Hi all and thanks for all of the birthday wishes. Well, not content with being mauled by the ashram dog this body-mind entity went on to contract a nasty dose of Hep A. That is a food/water carried virus which attacks the liver. Supposedly I was innoculated against it in late 2005 but to no avail.

So last Sunday night was safely one of the longest and most seriously unpleasant of my life. It started off with the squits and moved on to fever and chills. At this point the mind was quite serene but later on I was doing it tough. There was vomiting, cramps, joint ache, headache, incredible abdominal pain and many visits to the loo. To make it worse I was out of water and so became very dehydrated. Mind also became feverish and it felt like I had no sleep at all and spent the entire night in suffering; mentally ranting about the injustice and futillity of it all.

Well thankfully all things come and they go. After 5 days of house arrest on doctors orders, a no salt/oil/spice diet, and a smorgasborg of liver supporting nutrients I'm feeling much better. I was very weak for some days and still wracked by frequent abdominal pain, never daring to stray too far from a toilet, but today have been granted going out privelages and after assessing my blood and urine tests tommorrow, the doctor will prescribe me a new more liberal regieme. Luckily for me I'm in a good place and the the ashram staff are looking after me very well.

So that's that. My involuntary imprisonment wasn't too bad and I got in plenty of rest, reading, contemplating and got to know some of the ashram inmates somewhat better. Funnily enough, one morning I went to the dining hall and there sitting beside me was Sarah, a friend from Ashram Yoga in New Zealand. I knew it was only a matter of time before something like that happened.

I think that one of the benefits of this episode, aside from copious amounts of physical purification, was just being happy to be by myself whereas before I had still been struggling a little with feelings of isolation.

Monday night is Mahasivaratri which is a major Hindu event. The Great Night of Shiva at the mountain which is his embodiment. There will be much walking around the hill and staying up all night meditating/chanting going on with all of the tens of thoasands of pilgrims who will come.

On another note, I have figured an easy way to generate email notifications for anyone who wants it when I have posted a new blog entry. This will save you having to randomly check in for new reports. So if you would like to avail yourself of that service then just drop me a quick note and it shall be done.

I plan to definitely stay put until at least the middle of March, after my final rabies injection and the full-moon. After that I don't know.................

Hari Aum Tat Sat