pics #942 - #1059

I witnessed four full moons during my time in Budapest, being temporarily sedentary in the center of Europe. Tomorrow I will ride again, going East, on a loaded Panzer Fahrrad

           How many locks?

Free space
I had very few hosts and did not pay a single Forint for accommodation. During two months, I was even living in my own place, an empty flat that was going to be sold. I moved in with all my belongings, 20 kgs of luggage or so. First thing, it is interesting to live in an empty space, free of furniture. We have this tendency to fill space up with whatever: chairs, tables, lamps, sofas, desk, posters ... The same way we have the tendency to fill up our agendas and then we find fake excuses such as "I have no space" or I have no time". So for me free space, free mind, free time, that is cool. My bed was the same than on the road: sleeping bag and mat, that is then used as a yoga mat, and when half rolled, as a cushion. I was not lacking any furniture, a low table would have been nice, but the lack of some items revealed how convenient they are:
- a fridge, I ate few time spoiled food, covering the taste with hot spices or salt.
- a washing machine is useful too, but with a sink and soap, I could wash my limited garde-robe.

To compensate, there was an oven that I made good use of. It has been successfully threatening my resolutions for eating lighter. I found myself frequently wondering what would the next meal be like, the next cake. This does not happen when I am on the road, only having one type of vegetable, legume and grain at a time. Well still I enjoyed cooking, really, and baking one cake per week, at least. Great!

           Ancient volcanos North from Balaton, where tiques inoculate me with Lyme disease

Cravings or dependence?
This is a good way to a partial conclusion for the smart ones who are still reading. My craving for cooking elaborate dishes was no more than a quest for pleasure. It firmly grasped me. Good lesson. I found what I need and also that when I can have more, I take it but it doesn't improve my situation, it just makes it more complicated because of the many choices.
Food was not the only aspect. Most of the time that I have unlimited internet access, I get sucked into it for hours, a waste of time for 90% of my time spent connected. When it was not available, I would spend one or two hours in a cyber-cafe every couple of days, sticking to the essential, pay, go out. Unlimited access is not beneficial for several reasons. It gets us used to the facility, if not dependent on it. Besides we do not see anymore the underlying efforts to have this facility delivered. Next to internet, electricity, running water, gas, are all such facilities we just need to push a button to use, easy! Same pattern than with food, can do without, becomes dependent with. And now comes another interesting part for those who did not scroll down to check for pictures.

volunteer simplicity and conscious living

That is what I advocate, you just have to ask yourself to questions, the first one, instead of "What do I want?" is

"What do I need?
Consumerism is about feeding you with answer to "What do I want" that will fill up your time, your space and yourself with the last fad, the new high tech appliance and fancy holiday destination. But it does not bring but a temporary satisfaction, thus it only promote long-term non-satisfaction, frankly. Instead, ask yourself :"what do I need?": what is necessary? to be alive, to be healthy, to be happy, to be who you are. The second question to ask yourself is:

"What is the impact of buying that"
The impact when you WILL have or use it, as well as the impact of PRODUCING it. Each time you buy something you give power to the company producing it, you agree with its values, or its lack of values. Do you vote for child labor? for environmental pollution? for expropriation of native tribes? Each time you buy something, you are voting. This is a good news, for you consume several times every week. It is much more important AND efficient than going to vote for "representatives" every couple of year. Corporation talk to state leaders with superiority, holding politicians through money, in a word bypassing democracy. Why are there poisons in foods or radioactive clouds running around the planet? Because some people make profit with it. Who do you want to make profit? Consumer decides who will. So give your money wisely NOW. You got it? You have such a great power. This is revolution, without strike, without blood, with your shopping cart only. Thanks for reading, that was about conscious living and volunteer simplicity. You can click the next tab of your browser, the rest of this page comes back to I, me and mine.

I answered myself those questions and changed my behavior accordingly. My food consumption has slightly changed through Sustainable Massi's advices: favor 1-seasonal 2- local 3-organic food for lowest impact on the environment. Along with making efforts to eat more fully vegan. (yes vegan are tasty and healthier to eat than meat eaters).

           Local market

           The interior court of a big flat

Yoga
Advantage of being sedentary, at my own space, connecting with the local astanga studio, was to develop my yoga practice, on that part, Budapest was extremely positive. There I spent my first week ever as a serious ashtangi, practicing full Primary Series 6 days a week, this lasted over 5 weeks. There was great improvement in asanas, some practices added, meanwhile the ego played its game. As a consequence I have to drop full and half lotuses. I followed an inspiring workshop by Eyal Cheanowski during which he introduced to Intermediates Series. The sangha there kept me motivated. There were great books to read, a commentary of the Yoga Sutras by Gregor Maehle, and Lino Miele.'s Ashtanga Yoga with vinyasa count.

Near personal practice I have also been teaching: more yoga classes in Budapest than ever before. I am thankful to Sara for opening her house twice a week to my donation free classes, thankful for Kati for allowing me to teach a Mysore class, and happy to receive my first salary as a yoga teacher from a second studio. Above that, through the smile of students after class, through the ones who attend most classes, I am confirmed that something good is transmitted to them. I contribute in making a change in the world, a change that is about well-being and happiness. The world needs it.

           last yoga class in MargitSziget

People
Of course I met great people, friends came to visit the city, I was happy to see Massi, Marianne and Michiel, over a drink. Met new people such as Flóra the dedicated ashtangini, inspiring my practice in a borad way. Adam who became a brother, exchanging on many topics, from food to personal development, and a truly helpful person who hosted me for the last month...
My parents could not resist the invitation to discover central Europe. During a week I delightfully devoured Mom's kitchen, getting live news from family, homeland. Before they left I handled them a bag of useless stuff, more than one kilogram of gear carried all the way "just in case" and that that may never be useful. If it does, better buy it on the spot rather than carry it any longer.

           Philosophers' garden: Siddhartha Gautama and Mahatma Gandhi

Flow
All good for me, life goes well. In his Vinyasa Yoga book, Gérard Arnaud, an accomplished yogi, explains that during his travel to India he was following a movement, being in a Vinyasa already
I feel it's happening to me now. When arriving in Budapest, the circumstances made it clear that I had to stay in Budapest, for it was easy to establish yoga classes. And at the hinge of the two last moons of the year - according to maya calendar-, this happened:
- Sara went on holidays, so I did not have a host to my donation free yoga classes, it eventually went on outdoors.
- The next day the apartment was sold and I had to move out, giving the keys back to David who kindly let me live there for free.
- One week later the AmalaSattvaYoga studio closed its door, communicating very poorly about it.
The message is clear isn't it? So I prepared to leave, finding spare parts, repairing and maintaining the panzer farrhad and wandering my eyes on a map of Transilvania.

           The Danube turning south, flowing on each side of Szentendrei Island