Pumpkin House

Today we took a rickshaw to a Meher orphanage nearby called Pumpkin House. What a delightful place it was and I loved seeing the local efforts. It is right on the road, quite noisy and with loads of deisel smells like all of India. We waited for the house couple, lovely Fiona and her husband, Vianni, to open the metal gate to let us in. They are presently around 67 children, ages 2 - 14 years of age, but are adding on to a maximum of 100 children eventually. Very well behaved and attentive with emerging English, they greeted us respectfully and with a dance in their step (which of course I returned in kind!). Fiona showed us the childrens' art work and later Vianni played 2 songs that the children performed for us. They had precious dance and arm movements paired with the words: think kid Bollywood meets the 4 Tops. So adorable! I notice that one thing that works in Indian schools is that they do not expect the children to be still, but allow movement and exuberance. Hello! Children are meant to move and squirm and wiggle. So all of that was going on during our meeting, as they were also very much looking into our faces and singing loudly!

Please look at their website: http://pumpkinhouse.org/index.htm

a surprising image of the Divine Feminine here at the Pumpkin House!

No pictures were allowed since these children are in a protected environment and have all come from difficult circumstances. But I think your mind's eye gets the idea. Think glowing faces, a bit dirty and smudgy, with curious eyes and some shyness here and there.

In my sweet little bunk at the Pilgrim's Center, Meherabad

When you step up to the plate...

When you step up to the plate you may not feel all that comfortable or skilled, but go by simply your own inner compass and continuing faith in something greater than yourself. I was asked by Dr. Anne here at Meherabad Clinic to go with her to provide post-trauma relief to a man who recently lost both legs in a terrible accident at the railway. He had been volunteering for Amirtiti here at the end of January and was on his way home. He was standing near the edge of the platform waiting and the crowd surged just as the train arrived. He was thrown onto the tracks and both legs were severed. He is a small man from No' India, no bigger than myself but a husband, father of three and from a very good family of devoted Baba lovers.
Dr. Anne was reached within 3 minutes of the terrible accident and was able to travel with him to hospital. He was initally refused treatment because his state was so critical, but she faced off the medical staff - as the only woman there, quite a sizable feat here in India- and demanded he get blood transfusions (7 or 8 pints eventually). He had no blood pressure that they could find, but she persisted. He survived but has been in such pain and shock.
His last surgery was 10 days ago and he was now stable and taking food, so an appropriate time to see him, re. some SE therapy exploration. This occured really through a blessed introduction with Meherwan only the day before at Meherazad. He is the most gentle of spirits and I felt so comfortable in his presence and drawn to him. He is now an elderly man whose brother had been a mandali and closest to Meher Baba. He apparently called Dr. Anne after our meeting and suggested I see the patient, having been introduced to him as a 'trauma therapist'.
I can say this: the journey to the hospital was another long drive through difficult traffic into Amhendangar (I realize I am butchering the spelling there) with Dr. Anne who only recently decided to try to drive so she could visit him. We found him in stronger spirits than she'd seen him, he smiled and was able to do some basic hand lifts and simple rotations. After she completed her initial assessment, I sat near him and held his hand. There was no discomfort or shyness; only an opening where we could both meet in the land of the heart without words. Indians do not usually accept touch, especially from a person of the opposite sex. But it was seamless and we did our work together to help his body begin to shed some of the shock from the tissue. His arms were rigid, held out to his sides, in the eternal bracing/freeze of a defensive response unable to be made. But he and I worked well together, and it lessened tremendously. He cried in a gentle way, and I kept my hand on his heart and encouraged him to softly open and close his hands as he did so.
But I believe the biggest shift was with his wife who had sat on the cold tile floor with her shawl covering her face for weeks. She had been unable to make eye contact over the month with Dr. Anne, and refused to sit on the bed or chair nearby. She clearly was in her own state of shock, and in a deep dorsal shut-down. Through touch to the back of her heart and repeating Baba's name slowly and resonately together, she came through that phase and back into relational being. Much shock came out of her heart, until finally I began to feel a deeper and more calm pulse in her tissue. It was very moving and touching to work so closely with this couple who allowed me into their world. Eventually I did a bit of SE eye work with her as well, knowing I might not get another chance to work with her. Her response was very good, and she began to make eye contact and pull her shawl back. Toward the end of the time, she moved toward her husband and held his hand. It was such a good shift toward healing.

I had two words that I had translated into Hindi: "Easy" and "That's right, that's good." They were enough, and if you ever think words really matter this was a testiment that they don't. It's truly in the realm of non-verbal communications that we affect one another. Meher Baba spent 44 years in silence, communicating the one thing that matters: love. And that, as we all know, is communicated in presence alone. I have been so deeply affected by this trip, and by Meher.
Thank you for taking the journey with me, via these posts.

My Journey Takes a New Direction

We have finally wrapped up the ISP journey and Raja's wedding yesterday after spending 3 nights near his childhood home in Southern India. The day after the wedding we gathered and visited his home and where he was raised. Very pastoral with rice fields, cows, an irrigation system and lots of village children who were delighted by this gang of mostly white bodied visitors. The children sang out "Hallo!" over and over, and their English was very good. I met mostly 9, 10 and 11 year olds who I have photographed (for your viewing pleasure later). All bright eyed and smiles and jostling each other to be center in the photos. 





The next day I spent mostly traveling but this time alone, via taxi, car and plane. A bit daunting, being a sole woman on mainly a male inhabited domestic flight. I was in more conventional, conservative land so kept tugging at my shawl to make sure it covered all parts it was supposed to cover (hey, that gets trying, y'all) and my knees weren't somehow irreverently poking out. But all without a glitch. I finally arrived at sunset to my spiritual retreat, Meherabad. It is the home and teaching area of my Beloved, Meher Baba. Dry, much like the American Southwest desert, it feels comfortable and like coming home. I visited the Samadhi this morning, which was intensely powerful for me. I am grateful for this in my life, and feel will be a life changing experience. My heart opens further.... if at all this is possible.

Goa Seaside and then The Wedding

Our trip eventually to Goa was a much needed respite after working long days with so much travel in dense traffic at the start and end of the days. We stayed in south Goa, which is a sleepy part far from the excitement and glitter of North Goa's highrise hotels. Imagine eagles and other water fowl dipping in the waters at early morning and various fishing boats of all colours and shapes.
































 







The Wedding~ Raja and Cecile had their traditional Tamil wedding this morning at the auspicous hour of 7:30 am, which means the sari dresser came to my door at 4:30. We had stayed up at a party last evening after just traveling by air all day long, celebrating in style with Beatles music played by classmates of Raja's from years ago. Noone got much sleep, especially the bride and groom but they were radiant, gracious and beautiful to behold as hundreds of people came to pay their respects. In traditional custom, there was a NOISY band clanging mystery instruments throughout (calling in good spirits, dispelling evil perhaps?)  A young hindu priest lead the ceremony and several other men chanted throughout as he poured holy water, oils, lit wood sticks, gave flower petals of rose and jasmine to Raja and Cecile to hold in prayer and then throw on the alter of all sorts of symbols. It was extraordinary and beautiful and overwhelming, all at the same time. Much like most of India.
Meals were served on large banana leaves, with small piles of curries and sauces and chutney and little fried pies of lentil flour. We ate with our hands and enjoyed all the smiles from across the hall as we were witnessed trying not to use both hands, but only the right one.

Our time has been very scheduled throughout the past weeks, but finally I can post the photos which I think are remarkable. Love to all.

Completion of the 6 day training

Father Godfrey and Patti

One of my small groups- such meaningful work and healing

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Feb 8, 2011- Yesterday we completed Raja's 6 day Integral Somatic Psychotherapy Training with 45 participants. It was a new way of working and we all took in the great gifts that came with it. Instead of asking participants to practice on their own, each Assistant Trainer provided the sessions that Raja had just lectured on, in small groups of 5. It was very deep work, and the first opportunity many Indian therapists had had to do personal work in a very long time. i.e. much gratitude and willingness to dig in deeply and stay with the process. Because it is so somatically based, it was new for many. The question again and again on the first several days of "what are you experiencing in your body, as you say that or recall that event?" was lost to many. Those beautiful eyes looking questioningly at you.... such a shift and a new way of working. But over the days we saw a deep awakening in the felt sense, and ability to move out of the thoughts and into the emotional body.

I myself found it to be very gratifying because I was able to see and hear through their stories and life's events what it is like to be born and raised here. I cannot imagine a more meaningful way to work, to travel in India. Yes, I heard the suffering but also witnessed the abiding spiritual nature of their lives, their love and committment to family and to wholeness. The participants came from all walks of life and are mostly highly trained, master's level therapists and above. Many are part of the Don Bosco order, who's mission is to provide support, education, therapeutic services, housing etc to impoverished women, children and youth.



More than 40% of Mumbai's population consists of children below the age of 18. Many of these children, because they come from families still struggling to settle down or subsist, they are in dire need of care and protection. This may include the 'railway children' who are the runaways that left impossible situations and live on the platforms of the railways and children of prostitutes. I will attempt in another post to describe more clearly all that we learned that this order does in India. While the government may not offer social programs for the care of the marginalized, Catholic Services and Don Bosco order do: they have the highest quality of individuals who are committed to lending that hand, emotionally, physically, spiritually and intellectually, to those youth in need.

Thanks to all who have sent a comment to me. It is of great support and warms my heart to know you are following. We have had little time for internet, but are now heading to Goa today for 4 days on the beach together! Pictures below are of street scenes, Mumbai view from my room window, incense & dyes sold outside of a temple, etc. Love to all~

ISP Training Begins

Raja and his wife and SE practitioner Cecile arrived along with our final team member, Patricia, making us a total of 11. We spent much of the day yesterday going to temples, the largest being the temple of Maha Lakshmi or the deity of prosperity. We bought and offered lotus blossoms, and I was gifted by the attending holy man with a lovely string of white chrysanthemums which I took to mean that good financial fortune is on the way! If I must, then I graciously accept. Raja then took us to eat at the now famous Leopold Cafe, which was where a local terrorist attack (of an open machine gun on the crowd) took place several years ago. He says that it was at the time a western hangout, and that the cafe's owners (Baba Lovers!) stubbornly opened it's doors the next day, refusing to agree to be terrorized. I like that.

Day 1 of Raja's Integral Somatic Psychotherapy training of India.

Our first day of training went well. 45 participants, all with a minimum of master's degree and with some form of practice or work. They are incredibly sophisticated and align with deep process. We broke into small groups after the morning lecture and demo, where each of the Assistant Trainers did personal sessions with members of the group. I was deeply touched by this process and the stories I heard. One of the women works with young female prostitutes and their children in Calcutta, the red light district. Another with individuals and family members with schizophrenia. These therapists are strong, open and capable- and I am absolutely honored to be able to offer them support and a sense of safety in the body through this ISP.

An aside for SE therapists reading this blog: Raja has asked us to focus right away on primary emotions vs  tracking sensations or defensive orienting responses. By expanding tolerance for emotional states and increasing the container for the emotional body, quick changes can be made. We assistants found the day to be somewhat challenging like riding a bike that has no handle bars or a different balancing system. I am glad for the challenge and trust his intuition and wisdom, so am game for it. I can see the wisdom in it, although it is a new form of process.

I thank you for holding this work in your hearts, for reading along on the blog and sending encouraging words. Love to all.