We have registered for the Summer Solstice 2013, today was registration and settling in…For the past few days we have been living in luxury, a very comfortable bed, a fantastic powerful shower with hot water. I was very sad to leave phenji's house. Phenji did say we can stay and commute to the Solstice site, which is about 20 minutes away. As we had already paid for the cabin we decided to head up the hill and stay there.
We said our long goodbyes to phenji…..
We decided to grab our last lunch before going onto the solstice diet, so we headed over to Annapurna's in Santa Fe. WHilst having lunch I gor a text from Harijot Singh asking where we were. I replied saying n Santa Fe. He asked if we could pick up his friend and we agreed. We picked up Jasdeep Singh who is from Richmond, Canada and together we set off to Espanola. On a Thursday there is a community lungar, as it suggests, it is open to everybody. It was great to see many friends who were there. Everbody was looking forward to solstice and there was a fantastic buzz in the air.
The site of The Summer Solstice Sadhana Celebration is called Guru Ram Das Puri. It is 8 miles from Española up a dirt road. The Solstice website directions say “PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY on this portion of your trip” As you pass other cars, especially SUV's who were speeding the other way, the cars sprayed us with pebbles. Clouds of dust rolled up all around the car. Viewed through the milky white filament of the slowly dissipating dust the surrounding landscape of dry yellow soil, scrubby green brush, and the dimming blue sky was so beautiful.
Guru Ram Das Puri is a 160-acre preserve of land in the Jemez mountains. On the land is a very large tent called the Tantric Shelter. It has a concrete floor and a high roof and stays cool and breezy under the worst conditions. The three-day long meditation called White Tantric Yoga will take place here, as will Sadhana. Meals are eaten in the Tantric Shelter sometimes, and the bigger teachers—Harijiwan, Guru Singh, Gurmukh—hold enormous classes here as well.
There are three main camping areas. Tantric Hill is known for being windy and crowded. The Water Tower area is known for being popular with families and also, for its proximity to a loud generator. The Valley is known for being more protected, quieter, and a bit mellower, but further away
There is also a tent, on one side of which food is served, and on the other side of which is a bazaar, where the kind of items one would think would be sold at a Solstice gathering are sold: yoga wear, yoga music, crystals, books, and spiritually profound jewelry, like malas, which are beaded necklaces used as meditation aids—rosaries for hippies.
At the edge of the property, up above a few acres of parking lot, are a few cabins.
Once you get to the site, one has to register so we headed over to registration. We had registered and paid online a month before, but the process of the staff finding our registeration forms and badges took 45 minutes!! Sangeet could see I was getting very annoyed and wound up, she said we know plenty of sangat members the last thing you want to do is cause a scene….I stayed calm, which was a miracle!
After a long winded registration process we headed over to the cabin.
Cabin
Outside view from the cabin
I am tempted to go back to Shanti phenji's house or even book into a motel, especially as we had paid more money for the cabin then a motel room! Ah well let's see how it goes.
In the evening there was a welcome speach, Sangeet and I also helped with setting up the Gurdwara.
Afterwards, Nirvair Singh did the gong meditation. Then off to bed…………..early start tomorrow…….
Today Sardhana was a must. Snatam Kaur was playing first, followed by Chardi Kala Jatha, who recited the Assa Di Vaar. It was sung in three stages today was the first.
Afterwards, we popped to Wholefoods in Santa Fe to pick up some groceries, Sangeet is making Aloo pronthe for dinner.
Back at Shanti phenji's house, Sangeet made aloo pronthe. Everybody enjoyed them and apparently the 'aloo pronthe party' is still being talked about!!
It was great fun for us all to share a meal together, chat and have much laughter!
Early start and off to Sardhana, still amazes me how the sangat here start at 3:40am everyday.
For lunch we met our dear friend phenji Satsundri Kaur. When we first came across the 3HO community in 2005, Satsundri Kaur introduced herself to us, she then introduced us to the other sangat. She is an amazing Singhni, always very friendly and so kind.
I had the grilled tofu, Sangeet and Satsundri had kichri. My dish was very tasty. Sangeet and Satsundri also enjoyed their dishes. It is always a great pleasure meeting Satsundri. Her love for Sikhi is second to none.
The salad had dressing which affected my stomach and gave me massive stomach pains. I just had to go back home and relax.
As we were intending on going to Sardhana we hit the bed early.
Yesterday as soon as I tasted the lungar, I just knew this would lead me to having stomach issues. I really need to be more strict now and still realise that the stomach issue has not been resolved.
So this morning was a lazy morning, just recovering and taking pity on myself!!
For lunch we met up with good friends Ben and Carey, I met Carey last year on the Kundalini teacher training. They were invited to the Gold House (where we were staying last year) and had fun mixing with everybody.
We reached their beautiful house. I drove into their drive and heard a dog barking. It smelt brown meat and I am sure it wanted some!! Carey said come on up, it is a friendly dog, I refused! We had arrived about 45 minutes late, Carey asked us, “what time are you working on?” That was funny.
We drove to
Annapurna(St. Michaels Village West Shopping Center,near CinemaCafe, formerly Celebrations Restaurant)1620 St. Michaels DriveSanta Fe, New MexicoNM 87505USA
I was tempted to go for the dhosa which comes with a spicy lentil dish (seems like I just do not learn my lesson!) I decided to go for the shepherds pie and am glad I did. It was a very tasty and filling meal.
A great hot chocolate
The four of us just had great conversation, and the time flew by. We got to the restaurant around 2pm and left at 4:30pm!
Carey, me and Ben
We dropped of Ben and Carey, they kindly went in first and moved the dog away from biting distance!! We went in and chatted a bit more on leaving they gave us some amazing chocolate from Peru and a book called 'Be Here Now'. Bit like a hippy guide!
Be Here Now (or Remember, Be Here Now) is a seminal1971 book on spirituality,yoga and meditation by the Western born yogi and spiritual teacher Ram Dass. The title comes from a statement his guide, Bhagavan Das, made during Ram Dass's journeys in India. The cover features a Mandala incorporating the title, a chair, radial lines, and the word “remember”
Back at the house we got to spend some time with paji and phenji, it is fantastic being in their company.
Afterwards, we went to the Gurdwara to meet Harijot Singh and recite Rehraas, we decided to go for a coffee, I thought to myself where will we go for coffee….Santa Fe?!? which is twenty minutes away…..it later turned out Harijot was thinking the same. Outside the Gurdwara we saw Prabhu Singh and got chatting to him. Whilst in conversation Sat Purkh Kaur and Abhai Raj Singh were on security duty and checking on people loitering, naturally they came to us! They invited us to their house as Sat Purkh Kaur had made rhubarb pie (I have been pestering her for a while to make pie!), this was very tasty and their house is amazing.
Early start, here in Espanola Sardhana starts at 3:40 am, at 4am there is a Kundalini yoga set, followed at 4:45 with chanting, the Gurdwara programme starts at 6am.
Afterwards we went back to the house where Shanti phenji had made a very tasty breakfast, it was great to see the whole family taking time out of their busy schedule to eat together. Something we should all take on board.
We then got ready and off to the Gurdwara, it so feels like we have been away on holiday and now come back home to Espanola. The sangat are amazing, so warm and friendly. After the programme where we were fortunate to hear kirtan by Chardi Kala Jatha, we had lungar. It was very nice talking to the sangat, they all came over said Fateh and gave us big hugs.
The children always participate in the programmes
For the evening we had planned to go to the cinema with Harijot Singh, to watch superman. Others were mentioning about a drum party. Which also sounded like fun.
As we had a few hours spare we drove to Tesuque village, an upmarket area outside Santa Fe. The houses are all adobe and looked huge.
Sangeet had been finding the desert heat during the day very intense so decided to take it easy at Shanti phenji's house. I met Harijot Singh at the Gurdwara. They were celebrating the birthday of Pritpal Singh. Harijot also mentioned the drum party, we agreed that we can go to the cinema any day. At the drum party we met Gurjot Singh and his wife, it was great to see them.
Later that night I dropped Gurjot and his wife home and Harijot at the Gurdwara. It was great catching up with everybody.
Hi, thanks for visiting my blog, feel free and have a look around.Here is a bit about me, as you may or may not have guessed my name is Mandeep,I work to travel as opposed to work to pay bills and die!Every trip for me is an adventure, I have been very fortunate to stumble across amazing places and meet awesome people along the way.
Why gaygoat? When I first started this blog I was a vegetarian, so gaygoat – happy goat! Also you have to admit it is catchy and a URL you will not forget!
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