On beauty

Beauty is the fragrance of life blossoming,
the divine unfolding itself
awakening to the present

It is in the meeting of souls
in patterns and movements
in chaos organizing itself into a stream of perfection

It is in a sweet word
in an act of kindness or a gentle touch
in moments without thoughts of everlasting permanence

Celebrate this dance of mystery
make the details matter to make your being here a true celebration of the divine
a continuous prayer of deep gratitude

Small adventures

As you may know I am quite a reluctant traveler nowadays – I go to one place and refuse to move until intuition tells me to. With a little energetic help from the people around me though, I DO like going on adventures and discovery trips.

Up the hilltop at the northern end of the beach is a majestic frangipani tree where the view of the ocean and vast sky encircling it all leaves you in awe. If you instead walk around the cliffs by the seaside there is a forest-jungle route that leads to an amazing banyan tree that seems to endlessly expand itself with new branches. It draws a lot of people there, but in the cool morning hours it is still peaceful to visit. Then you hear only the shlokas and mantras sung by the yogi staying there, and the many-coloured birds moving about the tree with squeaky sounds and little tunes, and the swift movement of a curious squirrel heading upwards.

During dog-time on the beach (the dogs rule the beaches during the night) I have felt the tickling of butterflies inside while oh-so-quietly sneaking out past the sleeping restaurant crew to stare in enchantment at the very early morning sky, displaying a horizon-fading Southern Cross (how I have been longing to see it!) and a grand Scorpio with bright Antares. A red Mars twinkling in the West and a silent Saturn watching it all..

I have been to a few concerts allowing me to travel in new soundscapes. One set off my longing for the Middle East big time and the next was an unusual fusion of guitar, African beats and singning, mantras and a floating violin above it all. Last night I immersed myself in the otherworldly sound of the hang drum.

As the days grow warmer and more humid, it is gorgeous to feel the body embraced by the cooling ocean. To feel her movements and let them remain inside for the rest of the day. To let her perpetual sound rock my senses to sleep at night.

Home away

While away I have promised myself to always create a sense of home. Be it decorating the room with a garland of fresh jasmine flowers or just to have my own cup to drink from. I feel now very comfortable in my little hut near the beach, it is good to rest here for a while. I am re-creating healthy routines to balance work, play and relaxation. I try to live with the elements, here and now. My initial restlessness being in India has vanished, and I have settled quite well into this Aram-bubble! Shanti, shanti.

I have happily reconnected with the ‘Norwegian tribe’ who also are staying in and around Arambol. It has been long time since I saw most of them, which only makes the reunion sweeter!



The hangout-place is Magic Park, which is not only a fancy name, it is a Magical Park indeed! Especially when the coloured lights come out at night. Here I have had the privilege to look after Alva’s sweet daughter, Ayana, a true little ‘Espírito da Floresta’. I am so astonished and inspired by the intuitive communication you have with a 1 1/2-year-old. Spending time with a child gives true insight about just how precious the present moment is.

A good home requires good neighbours, and I have been blessed with that. People are of course coming and leaving, but Urs from Switzerland and Orlando from Colorado have both made my days brighter for some time now.



Most things are indeed very shanti, but I have had to face my immense annoyance with the constant contest for attention from people who want to sell me this or that or men who just want to chat any western woman up. I have been working hard to find a non-reactive response for these situations, and think I have reached at least a fair distance down that road.

In early March elections are coming up in Goa so there are restrictions in how much alcohol the restaurants are allowed to store and how late they may be open as a precaution that votes are not bought by free drinks. So everything closes about ten in the evening, but the parties often end with a fanfare of fireworks before the quiet of the night, which is much to my delight! But then suits me quite well that it gets quiet early. Have definitely chosen a perfect time to come here!

Not so much more to report this time, that’s how it is when emphasis is on being rather than doing...

Sand-wishes

Wishes of warm sand underneath my feet brought me back to Goa and her golden beaches and unending greenish blue ocean. Now I have sun on my skin and sea-breeze in my hair! What a wonderful place for a restful vacation.

Still it is somewhat strange to be back, I did not believe I would return to India. Also it was not an easy decision to go here since my heart longs to Israel. Then it is soothing to hear Hebrew spoken at times, and to hear the sound of matkot played on the beach. Or to run into a friend from Israel mere coincidence. I know I have to do this journey though, and I am grateful for each day.

I’m staying in a hut with roof-terrace and a sea-view at Cheeky Monkey at Arambol beach (not that I have seen the monkey yet). Discovering nice spots around where I can treat myself to my India favourites: lassi, ginger lemon tea, kofta, korma, idlis and butter chaklis... Or where I can sit and read and write in the cool shadow of a mango tree.

I keep my morning meditation and shanti yoga practice, do some reading and sunbathing in the afternoons, take sunset walks and skygaze at night. The Shiva moon and bright shining evening stars Jupiter and Venus are watching.

The first few days I made friends with two ‘white Nigerians’ who came here with the same flight: Lutz from Germany and Richard from Switzerland. They had grown up together in Africa and shared many lively stories from that time. They were great to hang out with and they gratefully kept a kind eye on me when I got a first round of welcome-to-India-Delhi-belly (now fully recovered). Now they are off to follow ’the hippie trail’ southward in Goa.

Yesterday I took a daytrip to Candolim beach where my friend Julie from Norway just arrived. We had a lovely day sharing life stories and experiences in the shadow by the beach. On a walk I fed an elephant a snack for the first time in my life, which made me pleased like a child! Much looking forward to Julie’s visit to my beach next week!