Paulina's Vashi Diary

22/3

I've been getting more insect bites after coming to Belapur health centre. Dr. Rai prescribed some medicine for me and assigned Dr. Mehra as my doctor. I was told that it was because of my left-side problem. I was given a matka treatment.

23/3

I was w aken up at around 1:30 in the morning by a loud whistle and metal-banging sound. Without any idea what time it was, I went out for meditation but found no one there so I went back to bed. Later I found out that it was the security staff who made the noise to scare away the burglars (which they do every night). Pretty soon I suffered from stomach ache and started to have diarrhea until morning, and I even wanted to throw up. Luckily I was okay for treatment, and only needed to go to the toilet once in awhile.

25/3

Holi Day. People would put coloured powder onto everyone they saw. They believed the colour would bring auspiciousness. Later that evening, after programme, we went to the backyard to have a camp fire as it was a tradition on Holi Day. We made it as a havan.

26/3

Holi celebrations continued. Some yuva shaktis came. We had fun by colouring everyone. Dr. Rai came out to join us as well. A kid even splashed water to us. I had colours all over my face and body. After taking a shower, I had an urge to foot-soak outside my room. A yogi came up to me and told me he just took a picture of me while I was meditating. We talked and he promised to send some photos of Vashi health centre to me. I was so happy as I had no camera with me and I would really like to bring some photos back to Hong Kong collective.

27/3

It's pretty quiet since it was Sunday. I re-started the matka treatment after 2 nights and luckily have no more suffering. I did some washing as the cleaning lady messed up my laundry and I had to do it again.

28/3

I'm not suffering from stomach ache anymore. I'm trying to take every meal as I was told that it・s a liver-cleansing diet. I didn・t even take any snacks the Hong Kong collective left me. It's so amazing that I have already taken Indian food for over two weeks. I bought some souvenirs from two yoginis.

29/3

Business as usual. I had treatments twice a day. It's getting hotter as Indian summer is approaching.

30/3

I met Catherine from Hong Kong by surprise when I went for my morning treatment. She went there as an o.p.d. patient. I was so excited to find her there as I felt like I hadn・t spoken Cantonese for ages.

31/3

I was invited to go to a swayambhu this Sunday.

1/4

I went to see Dr. Rai as I told her in the beginning that I would stay for two weeks and see how it goes. I was not sure if I would have accommodation until the 21st. Luckily Florence had already booked and arranged for me.

2/4

The ice-pack I brought from Hong Kong got stuck in the fridge. I had to get a shower gel bottle as a replacement. Ice ran out so quickly as it was the peak season for foreign yogis to visit the health centre.I'm missing Chinese food. Most of the time here they serve vegetarian. As I put on the Pumjabi, I knew I had lost some weight. We had a party after programme as it's the birthday of one of the yogis. We danced happily.

3/4

I went to Elephanta. The vibration was strong as I was told that Shri Mataji went there a couple of times. We ended up giving realization to many locals. They were very friendly and I had a very special experience.

4/4

Florence called to check on me. She got a little worried about me. Later Dr. Rai came into my room asking me to move to the stage room. There was no water supply in the afternoon until 6:00 in the evening. I had to take a shower before treatment as I didn't want to be smelly after sweating from the heat and it・s getting hotter and hotter these days. I can't imagine how hot it'll be in May as I was told it・s summer for them.

5/4

I was so touched as many yoginis kept offering me food because they thought I was too skinny. I knew I was lighter but my spirit was getting higher these days. And I was getting detached from food now. I was kind of okay with Indian food. I later moved to the new room, which was pretty good. It even had an air-coolant, but was close to the street.

6/4

A b anker came andI had my money exchanged to pay for the final settlement. I met a yogini who had a Sahaj marriage last Christmas and we promised to meet in December puja this year. We exchanged our contact details. Surprisingly I started to make friends easily. Another yogi mentioned he thought he had seen us perform on stage. He could tell?

7/4

I was waken up by the summer heat early in the morning and couldn・t go back to sleep. I made some more friends and said goodbye to a Malaysian yogini. Anyway, I・ll see her again in three weeks time as I was going to Malaysia after Vashi. Later in the evening we had a party after programme as it was Shri Mataji and Sir CP's 58th wedding anniversary.

8/4

I wanted to move away from the stage room as some people left but was unsuccessful.Later we were told not to open the matka as it・s new moon today. And also today is Indian new year. They put up a flag with a kum-bai hanging upside down on top of it. We were told that it・s a symbol of kundalini rising up to the Sahasrara.

9/4

I spent time with the Indian yogini Mahati. She taught me something about the Indian customs and how to feel the vibrations. We promised to meet again this Christmas.

10/4

I went shopping with some yogis. A woman beggar touched a yogi after he refused to give her money. He said he would need to foot-soak after picking up her negativities. I teased him and said that he would need body-soaking and that our doctors would be busy tomorrow working on him. I also bought some small gifts for the boys as they were all very nice.

11/4

I learnt more about Indian tradition as I made friends with some local yoginis. There were more Indians checking in and more foreign yogis leaving.

12/4

My doctor will be taking a holiday tomorrow. I・ll have a new doctor who will be my third one ever since I came here.

13/4

Dr. Alok gave us the morning treatment before he left. But we didn・t know which would be our doctor for the evening treatment. The electricity went off in the evening. Luckily they had back-up battery.

14/4

I bid farewell to Mahati. It seems like more and more family members are leaving me. I had matka treatment that evening. And I played badmington with the children.

15/5

I slept quite well until I was waken up by an itch on the soles of my feet. The doctor said it・s clearing and told me to do more foot-soaking. 0ne of the kids Deepali invited me to her room. I helped a Turkish yogini to move her luggage which weighed 100 kgs. She kept saying that it・s ok to check in to the airport counter.

16/4

The Turkish yogini returned from the airport as the airline charged her 63,000 rupees for extra baggages. Someone joked that many people came back from the airport, and that I might be next. I said I・d kill her if it really happens because I've already changed doctors three times and I've almost been treated by all the doctors in the health centre.

17/4

I couldn・t sleep from the annoying music played all through the night outside in a temple. They even put the loudspeaker on, day and night until two in the morning and started again at 6 in the morning. I was told they・d have this kind of celebration for three days. 0h, my god! I went out for a while to do a little shopping as there・s no way for me to take a nap.

18/4

I changed doctor for the fourth time - only for a day as my doctor just took a day off. I was so surprised to see Swing from Taiwan. She・s here for a week. She gave me some instant noodles, worrying that maybe I was starving to death. Funny I was quite adapted to the Indian life style these days.

19/4

I went out to buy something for the head of the boys after I found outthat he・s getting married and leaving tomorrow. I got him a pair of silver cups. There was no water supply that evening and when I looked for help, I found that they were having a dinner party. They invited me to join them. This was the first time I've ever eaten with my fingers. All of a sudden, I felt like part of this great big family when I saw doctors, gardeners, cook, boys, girls, cleaning staff, etc, all sitting on the floor, chatting and eating, and enjoying the food such as the curry chicken prepared by Dr. Rai. I felt like home.

20/4

There was still no water in the morning. I cleaned myself from the dripping water of the tap. But I didn・t feel upset. After last night, my spirit was so high, it seems like nothing could upset me, I even made fun with the doctors and played with the children and boys.

21/4

It's time to go. We took some photos. The feeling was quite strange. I had been away from home for over a month, and a little home sick. But somehow I also quite miss this place. I've already made a reservation for Eugena and I to come back in December. Hope we will be able to make it.

Jai Shri Mataji.

Paulina

October 24, 2008