184 - Budapest, thoughts after six months
May 4, 2011
Numbers first
4000 km
6 months
60km average per day cycled
56 days cycled
128 days to visit, feel the place, meet people, learn new skills
"Vande Gurunam Chanaranavinde..."
Now Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is without a doubt my established self-practice. After all, it started it all, out of an astanga yoga I started dropping the dream world to turn it into a reality. Do instead of dreaming about doing. I found the strength of determination rooted in self-confidence and positive thinking. To be fair these changes were equally due to creative Vinyasa flow and strong Iyengar alignments than to the steady Astanga rhythm. But the latest remains only as the trip goes on, as the sponge gets pressed. It is a companion, a grounding routine, wherever lay my mat: it's home. And when I see a picture of Pattabhi Jois, I am grateful for his teachings that came to me through various teachers. After Rishikesh, Mysore, certainly.
"I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride my bike"
Some friends asked how he was doing, well: the bicycle is doing a great job, keeping steady and in one piece. It confirms the stereotype of the strong and sturdy German-made quality. Notice that the only element of comfort is British (it is a great seddle, isn't it?). I am very happy of my "Panzer Fahrrad" as I like to refer to it. It got me over mountains, by cold, under and on snow, needless to mention rain, and against the wind, on all kind of roads, paths and even off them, in fields or forests.
"Let me stand next to your fire"
Hospitality website such as couchsurfing and warmshowers created encounters with many wonderful persons. On the downside, it requires arranging everything in advance, which impedes me from being totally spontaneous. Despite the great lessons of hospitality I had by asking people face to face, and by some who even came to me, I am not ready yet to be so free. And with the good days I like to camp on my own.
"Stupid car"
On the road the most dangerous drivers for cyclists are bus drivers, they are passing me with a very short distance and quickly getting back. To the opposite, truck drivers have been the most caring ones, often slowing down to patiently ride at my speed until they can safely pass me. I find no trouble in the traffic in general. Certainly it is more tense and dense in cities, adding to the concentration of people, driving a car is not renowned for developing peace. Worth to mention is the limited way of communication of people inside metal boxes on wheels: honking. It leaves me puzzled about their meaning. I usually answer by waving at them with a smile, it will hopefully calm their mind.
Of course all engine-powered vehicles riding around are dangerous, for humanity in general: it kills, stinks and pollutes.
"Raise the sky, we got to fly, over the land, over the sea"
I have noticed something
that I am getting happier day by day
that the beauties of nature is so overwhelming that they bring tears in my heart
that time is my capital, a limited capital that I have been wasting in converting it into money through work, education and such
that my previous career is ended, definitely
that one who dedicates his/her energy to follow one's soul finds happiness naturally, thus reduces its need for external and artifical excitement
that I am stepping forward to that which is my reason of being in this body on this planet