Road Trip Emptiness Confessions

“In all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable is each other.” ( Carl Sagan)

What have you missed most as a result of the prolonged uncertainty of the Corona pandemic? As a traveling fool enjoying his freedom of retirement, the answer for me this spring might seem obvious to those who know me. For it’s road trip time of the year and he and his wife are not traveling. This beautiful butterfly must remain stuck as an ugly moth in its cocoon until further notice.

As April proceeds slowly now, logic then dictates that we have very little choice on this matter. For unselfish sacrifices to wear a mask, social distance and stay home must be made now for the sake of health and the better welfare of my country.

Yet the most serious side effect of this current period of social isolation seems to be our deep sense of loss now in being unable to spend “quality time” with our circle of friends now across the country. Clearly, connecting to each of them by “Zoom” is not a suitable answer to this dilemma. For we both deeply crave for a welcoming hug, unmasked smile, or intimate dinner conversation with each of them right now. Perhaps you can get an idea of the depth of our emotional connection to our travel friends in the following photographic memories from past road trip visits.

Weather conditions during the early portions of our road trips can often become extremely wet or cold. So we look forward to warming up during the late spring time thaw with a relaxing walk along a rock strewn creek with my wife’s former high school girlfriend and her hard working husband in Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains.

Whenever we make our way steeply uphill to visit a like-minded soul mate at his apartment in San Francisco, I’m rewarded with stunning views from his patio of the downtown below and beyond. As an “avant-garde” art collector, his latest wall paintings in his living room also arouse my visual interest.

We first shared the company of two endearing athletic enthusiasts when we actively explored the Alaskan coast with them in the 1980s. We thus strive to revive such youthful energy now as they lead us on long, invigorating walks amidst wild, Pacific coast nature near their home in coastal California. Sadly I cannot locate a picture of them below. You will have to settle for us.

Road tripping for three months each year can create homesickness at times with few opportunities for authentic companionship. So why not adopt a treasured pet or two for awhile? Thus a former neighbor family who now resides in Idaho always offer us the warm hospitality of their family cat, dog , and maybe even a few chickens when we visit.

No “Generation Gap” exists in our close connection with two ambitious millennials we annually visit on our road trips in Nebraska. So we will quickly accept their invitation to spend a rewarding day with them at their family cattle farm when invited.

Whenever we traverse Southern California on our road trips, we always appreciate a quiet escape above the pervasive smog and freeway madness below. Fortunately, an old neighbor buddy from Florida and his entire family warmly encourage us to stay at their exclusive mountainside home when desired

My wife’s best friend from grade school, who now resides in Oregon could best be described by me as an energetic risk taker bursting with intellectual energy. So it would be expected that in passing north through this region, our typically intense visits with her and her similarly “brainy” husband will center around deep seated issue discussions/engaging literature readings to indulge our minds.

It’s indeed a rarity in my life when a long-standing personal connection with a family member in my life results from a choice rather than an obligation. Yet our typically enjoyable visits in spring or summer with my wife’s youngest cousin and her outgoing “hubby” in Northeast Ohio inspires my passion to continue supporting legendary sports teams in this region marking my birthplace and childhood home.

A common interest in MLB baseball sparked a longtime friendship with a caring physician and his supportive wife in South Florida. Whenever we visit them in Nevada these days on our road trips, they always take time away from their busy medical routine to share with us fresh words of wisdom, engaging baseball stories, and love of family.

At the end of our road trips, we often lose patience for ambitious sightseeing in our preoccupation to get home. Under these circumstances then, what’s wrong with “gearing down” to share a beer or two with a life loving friend in Virginia ?

*Please note that I now post a daily travel thought concerning the Corona issue from a photographic travel perspective on my Facebook page. Just click on the Facebook button that I recently added to my Word Press home page if desired.

 

 

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Finding My Inner Shrine

“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” (Hermann Hesse)

Sanctuary – anywhere a person feels especially safe and serene.

I have no doubts that I have often been motivated in travel situations to find places that directly uplift my spiritual soul. Yet amidst theses current fear mongering times of the Corona pandemic, it seems imperative for me to redirect my wandering spirit to find new sanctuaries of inner peace within the confines of my home. No doubt, the glitzy features of modern electronics might engage my attention as I navigate Zoom, You Tube, and Facebook more. For I definitely value the multi-sensory appeal of these platforms as they add new entertainment options of live virtual concerts, digital learning experiences, and enhanced social media communications. Yet I yearn in this time of interpersonal sacrifice for something more real that I can interact with loving touch at will.

It seems then the best solution to my own current dilemma would be for me to design my own spiritual sanctuary(ies) in the imaginative manner of my childhood. For I was indeed a very curious only-child who frolicked in the enjoyment of free play manner. So I recall my youthful passion for collecting marbles, baseball cards, and seashells and how I arranged them in a visually pleasing way. I reminisce now as well what “turned me on” most when designing those intricate sandcastles along Florida beaches. In addition, when rushing home from school each afternoon to my Northern Ohio basement, how did I usually rearrange the mini-town setting surrounding my Lionel Train rail track. Or on those lonely kid times with only a babysitter present, what designs did I often create when spreading “Lego” and “Lincoln Log” pieces along the living room floor?

No doubt, the magically sensory experience of our recent tour of South India will also play a major role in my latest sanctuary thinking here. For so many sights I photographed there ( eg. see below) appear amazingly sublime. Perhaps then you will join me now to create your own shrine(s) of inner bliss in the face of your current lockdown predicament. Namaste.

While walking from our resort hotel to the serene beach along the Bay of Bengal, I discovered this romantic wedding backdrop of crimson glory.

Beautiful floral designs provided a warm greeting as we entered hotel lobbies throughout our tour.

While along city streets, flower power also resonated as a major symbol of civic pride for promoting a welcoming spirit in tourism

At the Mahatma Gandhi Museum in Madurai, I acquired deep reverence for Gandhi’s resolve to make his simple loincloth clothes from a spinning wheel. Such humility pleads strongly for disdain of materialistic excess and finding inner beauty of the human soul.

Alongside a temple in In Mahabalipuran, an open air” field of sacred sculptures seduced my spiritual attention. I then took a mesmerizing look at local craftsman constructing sandstone Buddhas/ sacred elephant sculptures there.

Along one town street near Kochi, this imaginative setting of garbage composed artwork provided a positive emotional diversion from the surrounding blight of poverty and homelessness despair.

While a colorful object shrine hanging from an aging tree provided a relaxing oasis for me from surrounding urban chaos in front of a local storefront in Madurai.

Graffiti clutter was noticeably absent on this Madurai city wall at the beginning of our tour. Instead, I admired these visually uplifting paintings as a welcoming spirit of the Hindu way

Intricate tower designs of ancient Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu provided spectacular “backdrops” to remind me of the depth of spiritual knowledge we would be gaining on our sixteen day tour.

You might notice that my wife has taken the lead for our home sanctuary effort now full of South India travel inspirations. Certainly this inner shrine will grow in the coming days as I add my own artifacts to this much needed antidote in this uncertain time of Corona confinement.

 

 

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Matrimandir: A Spiritual Meeting Point

“The Matrimandir is there for those who want to learn to concentrate. No fixed meditations, none of all that, but they should stay there in silence and concentration. A place for trying to find one’s consciousness.”(Sri Aurobindo)

Searching for a spiritual uplift on our second visit to India in late February had become an exhausting task as our “Gate One”tour on day six moved briskly along the urban coast of southeastern Tamil Nadu. Clearly feeling then emotionally unsettled by the noticeable sight of homeless desperation and poverty’s wrath in overcrowded cities, our bus now turned southwest from Pondichierry in mid morning through dense tropical undergrowth toward our next destination, the small town of Auroville. At first glance at this seemingly unremarkable setting of human despair, I thus began to wonder what could possibly interest us here. Yet an early afternoon walk along the peaceful grounds of “Matrimandir” near the center of town would soon dramatically reawaken our spiritual curiosities.

How then could Matrimandi’s futuristic golden orb integrated with a series of soul-filled, nature walks change our world for the better? Why might this unique “Mecca”of spiritual Growth entice you to visit there? I invite you to search for your own answers to these important life questions in observing the following photographic collection.

As our tour entered Matrimandir’s spacious grounds, a colorful line of posters revealed a historic timeline of this spiritual place.

Pausing for a video orientation at the Matrimandir Visitor Center, we learned about the spiritual vision of this place named “Temple of the Mother” inspired by the teachings of India philosopher, Sri Aurobindo.

                                                                                                                        

We began a thirty minute walk through a lush garden area called “peace”, from where a  future planned township of world unity integrated with nature’s harmony would some day radiate  outwards. 

A prominent circular marker at the beginning of the trail enlightened us to twelve qualities of spiritual significance we would be viewing along the way.

Surrounding floral inspirations would enhance our understanding about these twelve self growth attributes in strictly enforced silence.

Beyond a bamboo wall, striking rock formations also focused our attention on the meditative solitude of this special place.

Entering an open green field, we spotted a large golden sphere which seemed to be naturally emerging out of the red earth around.

We would soon learn that the spiritual energy of the orb spacious interior projects from a ray of electronically guided sunlight that falls on pure crystal-glass through an opening at the top of the sphere. Click on the following videos for an interactive view of the orb and surrounding gardens.

At the end of our walk, we opted to “cool off, take some photos, and enjoy a satisfying viewpoint of the orb.

Heading back to the tour bus for our mid afternoon departure, I envisioned with renewed optimism a new world where Matrimandi’s vision matters.

 

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Hindu Spirit Ascension

“A spirtually illumined soul lives in the world, yet is never contaminated by it.” (Swami Bhaskarananda, The Essentials Of Hinduism)

I’ve never been particularly enamored by faith-based tenets requiring me to submit myself to organized religion. For I have always embraced the power of finding my own path to right and wrong behavior in each passing moment. So as I explored my spiritual journey of “now” on our recent South India adventure, the fanatical devotion of followers to the Hindu faith seemed at first oddly strange and out of place. Yet as I continued my walks through the stunningly beautiful mazes of temple corridors, each subtle head nod, pleasing eye glance or gentle Buddhistic smile made me surprisingly realize that I had taken the rare step to reach outward of myself to obtain fresh spiritual guidance. I indeed seem mesmerized to this day by the sacred teachings of “Dharma” and “Karma”, the righteous path to Hindu ways.

Thus our recent South India journey has given me good reason to reconsider what best drives me spiritually these days. For Hinduism has shown me the critical need for practicing daily goodness to nourish my “inner soul. In this “trying” time of the Corona pandemic where so many struggle now to stay healthy and survive, I could certainly use such moral guidance. What places that you have visited in your life similarly evoke new ideas of spirituality in your life.”

At many temples I visited, curious Hindu followers crowded near me to humbly rejoice that I would be sharing my photographs for them to see soon.

Despite all the distractions of crowd noise and loud music from a Sunday service, this pious man seated outside the temple, remained determined to study his Hindu Scriptures.

I stared intently at God-like statues in every temple feeling a strong reverence toward Hinduism’s spiritual beliefs.

As I entered this great temple , I observed the welcoming presence of a Shiva- like figure overhead.

Daily offerings inside each temple provided evidence that Hinduism contains a strong spirit of giving.

Dance and music played a powerful role in entertaining holy gatherings in all of the temples I visited on weekends.

Why do these elephants sculpted along temple walls seem so friendly to others? Maybe only a Hindu would know!

Temple life provided a safe, quiet and clean haven for families/friends to bond away from the congested chaos existing in the nearby city. Contrast these two scenes.

Observe the exalted presence of this Hindu spiritual leader at the daily call to temple service .

When a call to Hindu temple prayer began, all eyes paid dutiful attention to the spiritual leader’s daily teachings.

Note: If you are interested in knowing the names of each of the temples described above, please let me know. Namaste

 

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Western Ghat Scramble

“The rain on some days whispers to me. Sing it loud. Dance to the core. Fly high with the wind. Forget your sorrows a bit more.“(Selin S.R. impression of Western Ghats)

Crossing into the state of Kerala on day 11 of our South India adventure, our tour bus rose steeply from central lowland plains into the rugged mountains of the Western Ghats. This slow moving road into wild nature’s isolation would hopefully provide us a timely “break” from the urban chaos of our Chennai, Madurai, and Pondicherry visits earlier in Tamil Nadu. The photographic display below documents several Ghats highlights from our , nature-filled days at Periyar National Park.

Ruth and I settled into Elephant Court, a Tiki Hut- like Lodge, in late afternoon and looked forward to quiet time on our patio overlooking this upland sanctuary of tropical bliss for the remaining of the day.

We seemed unprepared, however, that this 1st evening would be filled with jungle uproar of aggressive monkeys, squawking birds, and religious chanting.

So we would decide to join our tour group in booking an optional excursion that night to witness the dazzling theatrics of a local martial arts practice called Kalaripayattu.

When I first heard the word Jeep by our tour guide, I knew it was going to be a very bumpy mountain ride we would join in on the next morning.

Fortunately, the air seemed cooler as our sturdy vehicle dodged potholes on the way up to 4300 feet elevation along the steep mountain called “Ottakathalamedu”.

In spite of the hazy atmosphere beyond, I envisioned a distinct resemblance to the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. This scenic apex also inspiring pleasing group photos of the men and women separately posing on our tour.

It seemed Ruth got “carried” away raising a Communist flag from an Indian “local” then.

Our very busy 2nd day would continue with a thrilling boat ride through the wildlife sanctuary of Periyar Tiger Reserve.There we observed close up views of elephants, water buffalo, monkeys, and deer but no tigers.

After completing another full day schedule of this action packed, Gate 1 tour, we would finally settle into a night of quiet rest. Oh no! Here came the monkeys again.

8

India Spirit Of Change

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

“Our greatest ability as humans is not to change the world; but to change ourselves.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

In many places we visited on our Southern India tour, I noticed a deep reverence for the enduring legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. At the city of Madurai’s Gandhi Memorial Museum, I particularly observed how he successfully united the diverse masses of India’s people to non- violently resist British colonial rule in India. Ultimately his humble leadership ideals to promote universal non- violence and self-sufficiency of human action positively impacted India’s road to independence as a country. If our government agencies do not adequately deal with our current concerns about the Corona Virus, how might we similarly use Gandhi’s example as exemplified in the following video to foster togetherness to do it ourselves?

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India’s Ritualistic Radiance

“Passionate grave thought, belief enhanced, ritual returned and magic.” (Hilda Doolittle)

As many blog readers know from my past writings, I express a great fondness for living in the present. So in this upcoming blog series, I’ve turned to my 1000+ photos/daily travel logs from our recent South Indian tour to reconstruct honestly some key moments of both “inner” struggle and nourishment along the way of this sixteen day journey. In my first entry below, you might notice that sometimes you might need to “shake up” your customary routines at home to gain the full benefits of International travel. Enter the world of the “Dancing Shiva.”

I’d been relatively at ease folding hands in Namaste greeting, accepting a red dot on my forehead, and eating with my hands, heavily spiced cuisine in the first few days of our South Indian tour. But a daylong tour of Thanjavur and nearby areas of south central Tamil Nadu clearly overloaded my cultural “comfort zone.” For those religious rituals that I observed then indeed proved shocking to my Western culture way of life. But to Hindu followers who we observed at our designated stops at Lord Brihadeeswarar Temple along the the Kaveri River, such seemingly odd behavior observed that day were considered perfectly normal expressions of Hindu spiritual beliefs. In fact, I found that many locals encouraged me to join in with their sacred rituals although I had little understanding about why I was actually doing them. I am curious then how you might react to such South Indian cultural practices as presented in the following photographs?

Consider the sacred cow who must be fed bananas and other fruits by Hindu followers to obtain God’s protection.

Ponder how Hindus use a flip of a cow’s tail to one’s forehead to offer hope of achieving reincarnation in one’s next life?

Visualize being blessed by a 50 year old elephant as he lowers his heavy trunk to meet the shoulders of those on our tour.

Imagine a celebration of eternal life for a past loved one involving a flower filled picnic and aromatic spices along a dirt filled, public path.

Picture an elderly man wading into the polluted river to scatter the cremated remains of a deceased family member as others enter the water nearby to swim, bathe, or wash clothes.

Notice how piles of Indian rupees are counted and shared for all in open gatherings on the floor of the temple.

Observe a homeless child innocently searching for a new home by himself amidst a crowded sea of strangers.

8

My India Spiritual Evolution

“The search for wisdom is a great challenge; to act on wisdom is an even greater challenge.” (Siddhaswarupananda)

Ruth and I have completed an arduous yet exhilarating tour of Kerala and Tamil Nadu regions in South India. During the 20+ hour flights home to Miami, I read an article stating that it’s best for tourists these days to travel conservatively. Following such reasoning, one should be wary of traveling to new places on their own and also limit their visits to well established tourist sites home and abroad. In this era of virus pandemics,religious extremism, and nationalistic fervor, such an argument to minimize travel risk today certainly seems very enticing.

Yet we have no regrets for following our free wandering instincts in South India. For by embracing those “off the “beaten track” moments of unfamiliar culture, food, and religion during the past sixteen days in this strangely sublime country, ten spiritual essentials described below seem clearer to me now.

1. Try meditation for myself not to please others.

2. Embrace the temporary moment of everything that surrounds me. For all must pass.

3.Displaying greater compassion for others will inspire me to find authentic spiritual moments.

4. I cannot seek spirituality. It will find me!

5. Spirituality cannot be bought or sold with my money or physical possessions.

6. Say it, sing it, dance it, or be silent with a spiritual idea. It’s all good.

7. An iPhone or WiFi connection can be a serious impediment to my sustained inner reflection.

8. Divide or unite. I must make that spiritual choice.

9. Be kind to animals to enhance my own soul.

10.Be creative in setting up my own spiritual shrine. I don’t always need a church, mosque, or temple to feed my inner soul.

I want to give special thanks to our Gate 1 tour guide Raj, who encouraged us to be free and daring on our 16 day, South India tour. I invite you to check into more blogging snippets of our South India adventure in the coming days.

How might the following photographs from our South India tour inspire you spiritually?

16

Blog Talk- USFMAN

Hi Readers:

You can now communicate with me by email in response to my blogs as I’ve added a contact button on my Word Press website for private conversations. You can find the location of this icon along the top right side of my home page when you open a blog. After you click on the word CONTACT, you just fill out the form as shown in the photo above. That would include your name, email address, and a brief message.

On another note, Snippets of the Traveling Mind will be on hiatus for approximately three weeks during our current adventure to India. I’ll get back to your posted comments in early March. I’m truly humbled by your continued support for my blog as Ruth and I continue our traveling ways. Namaste.

4

Will The Marlin Soar?

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” (Rogers Hornsby)

Whenever I enter a Major League Baseball Stadium, my immediate attention usually focuses on the sheer thrill of winning baseball for the hometown team. Before each game begins, I so often “tune in” to the contagious enthusiasm of the crowd resonating throughout the ballpark waiting for the game to begin. At this year’s Miami Marlins “Fan Fest”, however, I got my baseball juices flowing” in a much different way. For while no game outcome would be decided on this bright sunny afternoon in mid February at Marlins Ball Park, a “behind the scenes” aura of winning Marlins Fever seemed to resonate strongly during my visit.

How liberating it seemed at this inaugural spring training event, that all fan attendees today were granted free roam of the playing field, dugout, seating areas, and team locker facilities for more than three hours. For me, such a personalized tour of Marlins Park stimulated a “deep-seated“ mind probe into the human matter of team culture to win for those who actually play this game so competitively. For how intensely does each hitter practice at batting cages to improve their swing before each game? How efficiently does a rookie sensation pitcher use his modest locker space to help him prepare positively to face competent, major league hitters? What strategies does a valuable bench player have to stay focused in the crowded dugout as he awaits the pressure induced call to pinch-hit later in the contest? To what extent do the established stars of the team selfishly prefer to promote themselves as popular celebrities rather than improve on fundamental baseball skills needed for winning team play?

With these performance issues in mind, I present the following slideshow from “Fan Fest” 2020. Can you spot any signs leading to the sweetness of victory as the Miami’s Marlins strive to soar this year to heights of winning baseball?

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