Well, I feel like I’ve left you in Nepal on hold.
So sorry for the delay. The last month has just flown by!
We did a lot in Pokhara in just a few short days before Justin headed back to the States. Some of the days even started hours before sunrise, even if I didn’t feel up to it.
Getting in the taxi with one eye open, Sarangkot bound, not knowing much other than it’s well known for its sunrise and view of the Himalayas.
Well, for someone who was already under the weather, it was an interesting ride! Steep and winding roads were an understatement.
The taxi driver stops and points up to a narrow set of steep stairs. I gathered myself as much as I could, and up we went.
When we reached the base, we were greeted by an 18 meter tall, breathtaking Ganesh statue looking out over the valley! Wait for it… WOW! If you don’t get the WOW reference, go back and read a few posts back.
Pitch dark slowly turned to dawn. Twilight brought the day in, but it also brought in a huge freaking cloud cover…
There wasn’t the spectacular sunrise we’d hoped for, but the view was breathtaking!
With the crowds dispersing, it was time to explore. To set the mood, Mother Nature brought a fog and fine mist to us. At nearly 5,000 feet above sea level, for the first time in months, I had a chill. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the cold, so I looked up the weather. It was 67°F!!!
I rounded a corner to the beautiful sound of running water. An entire line of water taps inlaid in granite. I paused for a moment and closed my eyes. Took a deep breath and let the sounds pass through my body. 108 taps, to be precise.
I had to do some research on this. Sahasradhara means “a thousand streams” in Sanskrit, referring to water flowing in many small streams. And why 108, you ask? Well, me too.
108 is a sacred number in Hindu tradition. 108 taps to match the 108 lingas. A linga is a smooth, rounded stone pillar that represents the Hindu god Shiva. (We will talk more about Shiva later.)
After finding Justin, we set out to find the cable care to take us to the bottom of the mountain. Not super excited about this as i dont particularly care for highs, but hey im in nepal yolo. Now I’m not going hang gliding …
To my joyous surprise the gate was closed and locked! Not be able to speek english the security guard called over a neighbor who told us “slow season, first 9 am not 5”
I was so happy i could jump for joy!
Not wanting to wait two hours, or to be brutally honest, not wanting to go at all, we asked if he could assist in getting a taxi.
He invited us into his family’s small restaurant, mind you, it was not open, and served us coffee as we waited for our taxi.
After a much-needed nap, I enjoyed the rest of the day lakeside. Over the next few weeks, this would become my go-to place. Surrounded by beautiful, lush green hills and colored with little boats. Many cafes and bars buttoned right up.
The servers knew me before long, always greeting me with a smile and a warm, “Hello Jay, a peach iced tea to start…”
Lake Phewa was like the town’s center, bustling with people of all ages and nationalities. I could sit for hours and watch time go by.
You know I’m always drawn to the water. It felt like home.
From the beautiful World Peace Pagoda (also called Shanti Stupa) to Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, both lovely, the site that stuck with me most in Pokhara was the Pumdikot Lord Shiva Statue.
Before reaching the statue, we stopped at a little cafe for a coconut, and I noticed this counter with beautifully filled baskets. When I asked, I was told they were offering collections, or Puja Thali. The offering basket was filled with traditional items used to honor Lord Shiva, including flowers symbolizing love and devotion, milk for purity and cleansing, red and yellow sacred threads for protection and blessings, green grass representing prosperity and long life, incense for prayer, and colored powders used for blessings and sacred markings. Together, these offerings are part of a Hindu ritual called Puja, a way of showing gratitude, seeking blessings, and honoring the divine. Of course, I had to get one to offer!
Standing 108 feet tall, Lord Shiva is seated in meditation with his trident beside him. Lord Shiva’s trident is called Trishula. Its three points represent creation, preservation, and destruction, as well as the past, present, and future. It’s a symbol of balance and a reminder that sometimes things must end for something new to begin. In Hindu tradition, Shiva is associated with meditation, destruction, and renewal, making way for new creation.
The act of placing the offerings, or Puja Thali, and being blessed by the Hindu priest, or Pujari, was a beautiful experience, one of those moments where you may not fully understand every tradition, but you can still appreciate the meaning behind it.
Justin and I, being the social butterflies we are, got to know some locals, which was so cool. We were able to talk with them and truly get to know Pokhara. Some even became people we could ask questions or turn to when we needed an insider’s point of view.
The time had come for Justin and me to go our separate ways. Him to depart and fly back to Kathmandu, then the US and me to stay in Pokhara before continuing on west.
I found myself a cozy cabin on the mountainside overlooking the town and lake. “Into the Wild,” and that it was! For three days, I stayed nestled up, finally sleeping off this lingering cold. No air conditioning, no TV, no boutique hotel. Just a clean bed, a fan, and a view that would never get old.
Eating lovely food, swimming in a natural waterfall swimming hole between rainstorms, meditating, and finally coming back to myself.
I had booked a bus to leave on Monday for Chitwan Forest, excited to go on a safari! But the rain would not let up, and I was told that parts of the road had been washed out and the journey would take triple the amount of time. So, with a heavy heart, I decided not to go. But what to do next?
Through the recommendation of one of the locals, after I mentioned that I was a massage therapist and interested in maybe learning about singing bowls, I was introduced to Atma Jyoti Yoga Retreat and Sound Healing Center.
I’m very grateful for this recommendation, but seven days was simply not enough time to sit and learn with Mahindra, the owner and lead teacher. A Nepal native, his father was a shamanic healer, and his mother came from a Brahmin family, traditionally associated with Hindu priesthood. With such a rich spiritual and cultural background, he brought a depth of knowledge and understanding to the experience that made it even more meaningful.
Due to the floods, many people had canceled their trips. While unfortunate for those who couldn’t attend, it gave me the unexpected opportunity to have a much more personal learning experience. I practically had a private class, as one gentleman finished his training just two days into mine, leaving me as the only student for the remainder of my training.
This class was unlike any other sound healing experience I’ve ever had. It was so much more than simply playing singing bowls. There were many different instruments, the chanting of mantras, and a deeper understanding of the purpose and intention behind each sound. It wasn’t just about creating beautiful sounds, but understanding their meaning, the traditions behind them, and how they can be used with intention for healing and well-being.
We would have class during the day, followed by real hands-on practice in the afternoons, conducting group healing sessions and sound baths that were open to the public.
My very first afternoon, leading my very first group sound bath, I was so nervous! I knew everything was going to be fine with Mahindra and my fellow student by my side, not to mention the power of sound itself, but still, those first-day nerves were very real.
As folks began filing in, we greeted them, showed them to their mats, and prepared to conduct the session.
When we finished, one of the participants approached me and asked, “Jay, how long have you been teaching?”
A little shocked by the question, I replied, “Well, today is actually my very first day as a student!”
To their surprise, they responded with a simple, “Wow!”
Funny enough, we would cross paths again later at a local thrift store, where we had the chance to reconnect. As it turned out, it was also their very first time thrifting!
My days were filled with so much knowledge, and who knew I’d become a musician of sorts! From Himalayan singing bowls, tingsha cymbals, gongs, rain sticks, harmoniums, and drums, I was learning to play instruments I never imagined I would. Each had its own unique sound, purpose, and place in the healing experience.
We also learned about mantras, sacred words or sounds repeated to help focus the mind. One was the Manjushri Buddha mantra:
Om Ah Ra Pa Tsa Na Dhih,
which is about wisdom and clearing the mind.
As much as I enjoyed learning and hanging out with the school’s dog, you can probably guess my favorite time of day. Mealtime, of course! We were provided with three very square meals a day, each filled with Ayurveda-inspired cooking and a little Nepalese flair. The food was delicious, plentiful, and definitely something I looked forward to!
The meals were vegetarian, with plenty of options, and of course, I had my favorites! Ankurit Geda Gudi Tarkari, to be exact! A delicious Nepali-style dry curry of sprouted beans, chickpeas, onions, and warm spices. Simple, hearty, and full of flavor.
Lunch and dinner usually consisted of soup (and yes, I was in heaven! I’ll eat soup in the middle of summer and as many times a day as I possibly can because I LOVE soup!), rice, and fresh vegetables grown right there on the property.
Besar Bhat, a simple rice dish cooked with turmeric, and steamed pumpkin were also top-notch!
On one of my daily walkabouts, after my afternoon lakeside peach tea, I came across the Movie Garden. A cozy little outdoor cinema tucked into the hillside, surrounded by greenery and nature.
Later that week, they were showing The Lion King, so of course I had to go! What an amazing time it was!
I mean, who doesn’t love popcorn and a good sing-along under the stars!
The movie started at 6:30, and I had already calculated that if I stayed for just half the movie, I’d only be about 45 minutes late for dinner. And trust me, dinner was not something I wanted to miss! You never knew what they were going to serve, and what if it happened to be one of my favorite dishes?
With my seven days completed, my time in Pokhara had to come to an end. Due to the flooding, bus service to Kathmandu had been suspended, so I booked a flight instead.
I got to the airport early for my flight, a little too early, actually! I figured I’d take my chances and walked up to the ticket counter to ask the attendant if there was any way I could get on an earlier flight. To my surprise, that flight had been delayed, and she was able to get me on it!
Just like that, I was on my way to Kathmandu, arriving four hours earlier than originally planned!
With plans to meet up with a colleague from my Ayurveda course in India for his birthday, along with some volunteering, I was eager to get back to Kathmandu!
It was great to reconnect and talk about the program after being apart for a month. We shared some great meals and got to spend some good quality time together!
I also had the chance to meet some of his friends who were visiting Kathmandu. We all went out for his birthday dinner, and they brought along their four-year-old daughter.
I bring this up because something really special happened. Their daughter, who was from Russia and didn’t speak English, ended up connecting with some kids from China at another table. None of them spoke the same language, yet they played together and had the greatest time!
Just goes to show that you don’t always need to speak the same language to connect with someone.
Not one of the dozen or so inquiries I made about volunteering panned out. So, what was I going to do in Kathmandu for the next week? I had already seen all the major tourist sites, so I did what anyone would do. I hit Google!
While searching for something to do, I came across Brewliners Barista School. When I inquired, I was invited to attend a class, and after being there for just a few minutes, I decided to sign up for their basic barista course!
Typically completed in 20 days, they were able to stack the classes for me so I could finish in just one week. Normally, students attend one of three daily shifts, but not me! I attended all three, squeezing in everything from theory, latte art, cold and hot beverages, and manual brewing, just to name a few things.
The students and staff were equally hospitable, welcoming me into their fold and making me feel right at home. What started as a way to fill an unexpected week turned into another wonderful learning experience in Nepal!
I even mistook some of the students for teachers because they were so good at helping me understand latte art, which I was definitely struggling with! Getting the milk steamed just right, holding the cup at the perfect 40-degree angle, starting with a big pour, then lifting the pitcher and somehow creating a heart. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, somehow my hearts always ended up crooked or lopsided! But everyone was so patient and willing to help me get it right.
I would definitely like to return to Nepal someday! Next step Thailand, stay tuned!
Well when I stopped typing of thought of a few more things I wanted to write about…
Mini entry 1
Keeping Your Heart
One day, I was leaving my hotel to head to barista school when a young man tried to get my attention. My immediate thought was, “Oh gosh, what is he going to try to sell me, or what does he want from me?”
After a few moments of deliberately ignoring him, something inside me told me to turn around.
He hurried over and asked my name and where I was from. As we spoke, I got the impression he might have an intellectual or developmental disability, though I didn’t know his story. He became visibly excited when I stopped to talk. He just wanted to connect.
We chatted for a minute or so, and when he asked my age, he excitedly shared, “I’m 34! My birthday is in two days!”
I wished him a happy early birthday, and he eagerly thanked me with a big hug.
When I saw him the next day, he asked the same questions, but now his birthday was tomorrow!
That night after class, I went to the toy store and bought a bag full of bubble wands. I planned to hand them out when I returned to the hotel, but nobody was outside.
The following morning, I didn’t see him on my way to school either. But when I returned, all the neighborhood kids were outside playing. He ran up to me and said, “It’s my birthday!” Then he reached into his pocket and gave me some candy.
I thanked him and said, “Wait here. I have something for your birthday!”
I went upstairs, grabbed the bubbles, and brought them down, giving him a wand and handing the rest out to the kids.
You would’ve thought I had handed them the world’s best toy!
A conversation I almost walked away from became a moment of shared joy. A little reminder to stay open, soften those first assumptions, and keep my heart clean.
Mini Entry 2
Right place right time
After breakfast at the hotel, I decided to head back up to my room for a rest. As I walked through the lobby, I overheard a woman say, “Just do it. You’ve got this!”
Without having any idea what they were talking about, I chimed in, “Yeah, you’ve got this!”
I looked over and saw two women, one with a shaved head and the other with a full head of hair. They laughed and said, “Wow, I guess this is affirmation!”
It turned out that one woman was encouraging the other to shave her head, reassuring her that she could absolutely rock it. As a bald individual myself, I had unknowingly become the person to offer a little extra encouragement!
Leave a Reply