#56 Catching up again – Biorhythms, Vedic Astrology ring, and Journeys

Hello again! You haven’t heard from me in over 2 weeks. Sorry about that but I have a good reason and will share it with you. Some of you may know about Biorhythms, but I am finding lots of people who have never heard of it before. Kind of like Astrology, from the moment you are born a clock is set for you and you are affected by the ebb and flow of these rhythms. Check it out for yourself at: http://www.facade.com/biorhythm/ (It’s for free, don’t worry. You don’t have to put in your name or anything) Have you ever felt like something was wrong and you couldn’t put your finger on what it was? It could have been your biorhythms. Mine were absolutely terrible for around 2 weeks. All of the lines were down and they stayed down. There’s really nothing you can do but be aware of what it is. Be gentle with yourself. But I know when I am down like that, I can be negative which is very unlike me, I think. So rather than be this little cloud of gloom, I rather cut off contact with people. But I’m back! In this meantime I have been keeping notes on things I wanted to share with you. First I thought my mood could have been something unconscious and realized it was the time of my Mom’s birthday. That happens sometimes. We think we’re adults, we can handle the death of our Mommies and Daddies but WHAM, it hits us. But that wasn’t it. I thought about her and wished her a Happy Birthday wherever she is. This feeling was deeper than that and that’s why I went looking at my Biorhythm. I also had my Vedic Astrology Chart done shortly before I went to Australia and they recommended an Astrological ring for me. I am in a phase that will last 17 years, ruled by the planet Mercury. So he recommended an Emerald Ring that is between 4.5 and 5 carets, worn on the middle finger of my left hand. Here’s a little info on Gemstones for Vedic Astrology – if you aren’t interested, just skip over it. It’s kind of like blah, blah, blah… I have added comments (in bold) to this info I found on the internet. Gemstones and jewelry created using the Vedic astrology system can help balance the influences of Mercury in a chart. Because of the importance Mercury plays in our modern world, almost anyone can benefit from an upaya to improve his influence or better his effects. Almost anyone working with computers or involved with a great deal of communication finds themselves influenced by Mercury for better or worse much of the time. Because Mercury moves quickly from our vantage point he has little influence on transits. However, a dasha of Mercury can last for a long period of time (17 years in my case) and it is in this situation that one should consider upayas to improve his effects. MERCURY Mercury is considered to be the most intelligent of all the planets. Mercury is associated with the dispensation of information and his worship may result in the devotee gaining needed information or being able to give his own information to others. (I have just finished a report on Medical Services for the Aged here in India. I worked with my boss who is a medical doctor and has advanced degrees in Public Health. Just yesterday we went to this isolated village for a second visit. If you want to see “Where’s Wally?,” Google Maps for “Nayarambalam, Kerala” and then zoom wayyyy out to get a picture of where this village is compared to the next big town. I drove there from Kochi which you will see is south of Vypin Island. Anyway, I got the Emerald ring and am wearing it and it is supposed to bring me clarity of mind. Don’t know if it was the change in my Biorhythms or the ring, but I am feeling great now.) Mercury is lord of the skin and the rational mind and his disciplines are science, mathematics and business. The influence of Mercury usually presents itself in a sharp wit and a way with words. (don’t know if you all think I do!) Those with a strong Mercury usually come across as highly intelligent but at the same time unfocused. (Yeah, that’s me alright! Ha ha) Mercury is fond of fun and games and gets bored very easily. Its natives usually hold their age well and can appear much younger than their biological age. Mercury often excels at a superficial type of knowledge which absorbs the generals easily but can miss details. (Sometimes this stuff is right on!) The proper stone for Mercury in Indian Astrology is the Emerald with Chrome/Green Tourmaline being a secondary choice considered acceptable. Whatever gem is chosen it should be without flaws and defects and is best when set in brass which is the metal associated with Mercury. (My astrologer wanted me to have a gold ring, and no, he had nothing to do with my ring so he didn’t make any money off it.) A gemstone and jewelry remedy based on Vedic Indian astrology for Mercury can influence mental/nervous disorders, being unable to stand up for oneself, finding ones voice, easing communication, education/study problems, aloofness, amorality, intellect and over analysis, thought and communication. Mercury is associated with communication in general and is considered talkative. (Not me) Trade and all things associated with commerce come under his domain as well as the written word and publishing of all types. Mercury is also the patron saint of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Journeys of all types fall under the domain of Mercury. Did you know the Internet has a Patron Saint? I sure didn’t. And speaking of Journeys, let me change to my next topic. Once again I must leave India because of my visa. I don’t need to be out of the country for 2 months, like last time. The government has eliminated that qualification so I am only going for a month, from May 17th to June 18th, to be exact. This time I thought “I’m retired and should have fun!” not that I didn’t have fun in Australia, but it was a family visit. I went looking on the internet at some travel sites I know and checked out Last Minute Deals, the tours that didn’t fill up and they practically give them away to people. So I am going to ….. The drum roll please! Africa. I have been to Africa before in the Peace Corps but it was only 2 countries in West Africa. This tour is called Victoria Falls to Kenya and it takes in everything that can fit into 24 days. I have to be out of India for longer than that so I will be spending 5 extra days at Victoria Falls to relax after the long flight, and then 3 days in Nairobi after the high point of visiting the Serengeti. By the way, I am NOT going to fly by way of Qatar, even though that was a good price, but am going to change planes in Dubai, in United Arab Emirates. And then I fly into Johannesburg, South Africa, before flying to Victoria Falls. Can you feel the excitement? I have a lot to do: get a yellow fever vaccination, get US Dollars (I don’t’ have any left and it appears that Africa uses American currency), find a sleeping bag (I gave mine away when I left Spain), etc. I also am doing this Africa trip in lieu of walking the Camino again which I was thinking about. But I have to leave India again in August for my visa so we’ll see what happens then? I’ll keep you posted on my plans. Love you all. Marie

#55 Time is passing

Namaskarum (That's Malayalam for "Namaste" which most people recognize as the Salutation or Greeting in India) I heard from some people that you are actually reading this. Some have asked for more photos. Just an FYI, India is very Anti-photography. I remember the very first time I came here over 20 years ago seeing signs in the most odd places "No Photography". The Medical Center I am at has those same signs. That's why the photos I took and posted were taken from my balcony so no one could object to me taking photos. I really am not sure why they don't allow photos except maybe they know how filthy it is and don't want evidence of it. I'm sure they would say it's to prevent terrorism, but at a medical center? Or maybe it is for anonymity, privacy for the patients. That I could somewhat agree with but no matter what, this is why I don't get a lot of photos for you. I have lots of thoughts that I mean to share with you so this is going to be a hodge-podge of items. India likes to put bars everywhere. No, not the drinking bars for those of you who had that conjure up in your brain. HA HA I mean IRON Bars, like on windows. I guess when you have so little, it's important to them to keep what they have. So here is a photo of the bars on my room's window, FOURTEEN Floors up (like someone is going to try and climb in) and - there's the bars on the Balcony window, and then even bars on the window from my room TO the balcony. I'm going through my photos and you must remember when I did MAYBE the stupidest thing ever and missed my flight in Qatar. Well I did get something out of that... here's a photo of QATAR!!! It's just a Big City. This is a view from across the lake where people live on house boats. I got a kick out of people living on boats in the middle of a desert. And of course it has the Bazaar to sell you something. And I liked the license plates so I took a photo of one. And I had to take a photo of where I hung out for over 24 hours at the Qatar Airport. And while I was there, I noticed this white stuff out on the landing strip. I know some of you have seen this stuff recently so you will recognize it as snow, but no, it's white sand. Looked very convincingly like snow. I'm going to publish what I have and do another posting so this doesn't get too long. More to come. Love Marie