Sacred Journeys: India - Caroline's Letter
Hi Everyone,
Welcome to CMED's spectacular, enchanting, and mystical sojourn to India. We intend to make this one of the most memorable experiences of your life. I cannot begin to tell you how much it means to me that you are committing weeks of your life to traveling with me (and David) so far in advance and I promise you that we are working on this end to prepare a journey that you will enjoy by the hour. David is in charge of all events on the earth, as you know, and I am in charge of the cosmic domain.....taking your spirits off the earth and into the internal domain of your mystical life.
A sojourn into your soul is made all the more profound when conducted through India because of the rare spiritual quality of that nation. India has an aura, an atmosphere, an energy, a culture, a history - that is filled with spiritual tradition. No matter where you look, or walk, or what you read, you encounter some connection to the Divine - from their rich Hindu spirituality to the Dalai Llama to Mother Teresa's influence, to Sai Baba - India has a quality of consciousness where the veil between worlds is particularly delicate. When an individual leaves his or her ordinary life and enters into a culture that is so very different from what is familiar, being in the "here and now" or "present moment" becomes much less complicated a task. You are not distracted by ordinary concerns. And in that atmosphere, after a few days of getting adjusted, you automatically begin to think about the whole of your life - effortlessly. Part of the instruction that I will lead you on is to examine: what IS important to you?
What do you want to carry with you in your body, mind and spirit for the rest of your life? What concerns are really worth your energy and which are not? My intention is that you return from India with a spirit on fire.
The spiritual journey, and in particular the nature of the mystical experience and the emergence of mysticism within one's life, has become one of the central focuses of my life. I am so very eager to discuss subjects that I have never before had the setting for, such as the nature of grace and prayer and personal healing - these are also the subjects that will fill our classroom time together. My intention is to make the weave between what you experience in the physical world of India and what you experience in its spiritual atmosphere a rich and nurturing blend.
Some of you have been asking about what to read in preparation for the trip. Depending on your particular spiritual practice and interest, the work of any of the following authors are excellent: Karen Armstrong, Elaine Pagel, Steve Fanning, the Dalai Llama, and other spiritual masters. But first, let me suggest that you take the time to do some introspective work. Ask yourself what is important to you from a spiritual perspective at this stage in your life; what DO you want from life? Describe what you feel is missing and list your blessings. And what I would appreciate is an email from each of you telling me what motivated you to take this trip.....in addition to the fact that it is simply going to be one great time - which it is.
So - in addition to my note on India, on behalf of David and myself, we wish you the loveliest holiday season.
Blessings to you all,
Caroline