In just about every lawn and meadow you are bound to find some sort of Rumex species.
There are several sources of food in this family of plants. This article deals predominantly with Rumex crispus; Curly Dock, and R. obtusifolius; Bitter Dock. Not including burdock, (Articum spp) which is not in the Rumex family, Or Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) although sheep sorrel is indeed edible and delicious. Several Rumex species are high in vitamin c, vitamin a, protein, and iron, according to the USDA.
How to Identify and Discern Docks
Bitter Dock – Papery Sheath in Center
Plants in the Rumex family all have a distinct characteristic of a papery sheath (ocrea) connecting the stem and each area of the leaf stem beginning a leaf, it starts out moist when young and becomes papery and less noticeable when dried, sometimes disappearing completely. Docks can be found commonly along roadsides, disturbed soil, meadows, lawns, and other inauspicious places. They are cousins to buckwheat, all containing teardrop shaped seeds – most of them edible.
Broad leaf dock top, curly dock bottom.
Notice that on the edge of the leaf of Curly Dock there is a wavy “crisped” margin and also its relative thinness and “lancelike” shape. This aspect distinguishes it from Bitter Dock aka broadleaf dock (R. obtusifolius) which has a slightly less wavy edge and much wider leaves, with often a red tinge in the leaf stalk and midrib that increases with age. Curly dock does not seem to get this reddish color in my observation.
However, both species can be eaten and they are actually quite a substantial green. Curly dock is biennial, meaning they spring up a basal rosette the first year, then a stalk, flowers, and seeds the second year, and that winter it will die. Broad leaf dock is perennial, meaning that it continues to build a tap root year after year, creates a stalk to flower seasonally, and continues to grow in the same spot indefinitely.
Identifying and Collecting the Greens:
A Mess of Bitter Dock, Growing in the Compost
Bitter dock is well, bitter, to the equivalency of dandelion and other bitters. Bitter is medicinal, flat out. When cooked, spiced correctly, and added in the right food combinations it tastes just fine. The greens of curly dock are an excellent sour vegetable, picked young, until they grow a stalk and go to flower in mid-summer which gives way to a tannic taste which is potentially higher as well in oxalic acid. You will find increasing degrees of bitterness in the leaves as the stalk is growing, and after flowering they will especially become texturally tough and bitter. Nothing that cooking in a change of water won’t solve. It all depends on how hungry you are. Also in early winter, after the first freeze they again create new tender leaves that are good for eating but will turn progressively bitter as the winter progresses.
Curly dock in a tender second year stage
For the second year plant the stalk of both species, when young and tender, can be peeled and eaten. When harvested at the correct time it has the potential to be tart, juicy, and delicious. The degree that you find the stalk hard, woody, or tough to chew, is the degree that it is past its prime. It takes a little getting used to being able to tell when it is in its prime. The photo shown here shows a good plant for leaves and stalk, yet the sheath between the stem and leaf is not present.
The nutritional value of these 2 plants are quite high. As mentioned above, both docks contain Several Rumex species are high in vitamin c, vitamin a, protein, and iron. The greens are known to have approximately 4 times more vitamin A than carrots. The human body converts carotene into vitamin A, this actually increases night vision.
A Word of Caution. Eating too much of these greens can cause problems!
There is some caution, which is possibly unwarranted about these plants due to a chemical called calcium oxalate. This chemical which is in several plants, such as spinach, is the chemical compound that a certain type of kidney stone is made of. In excessive consumption, or if you are prone to kidney stones you should limit your intake of calcium oxalate containing foods. So how much is too much? Special concern should be taken to anyone prone to kidney stones, as excessive amounts of eating plants with oxalic acid in them; spinach, sorrels, curly dock, can increase chance of kidney stones. A common way to identify this substance is that all of these plants have a sour taste. Otherwise if you don’t have that history in your life consider curly dock as you would spinach, eat it on occasion, and most importantly listen to your body, it will most likely tell you when you’ve had enough.
Identifying and Collecting Curly Dock Roots:
You can dig curly dock roots in the spring and fall, identified only by their basal rosette which can be tricky to the beginner. I recommend getting to know a plant for at least one year and observe its growth cycles and habitats continually. Once you have properly identified curly dock in its basal form you can dig the roots with a trowel, shovel, or digging stick, being careful to not break them on your way into the Earth. They can go on average 1-2 ft deep. Once you have successfully dug them out you can eat the leaves and use the root fresh. Or dry it for later use with minimal washing if you can bare it. That dirt has probiotics. As a woody root it makes a good decoction, tincture, or powder. Especially healthful is an infused root wine (see below).
Medicinal Aspects of Curly Dock Root:
Curly Dock root is used to tonify the gall bladder and liver. It is a bitter tonic, astringent, gentle laxative, and alterative. Also called yellow dock, the yellow root helps to increase bile production which is also yellow in color. Increasing bile production helps the body in the detoxification of the entire system, the blood, and is also important for processing, and not storing fat and other wastes. In TCM (traditional chinese medicine yellow is associated with the stomach and spleen and this shows connection to yellow dock being indicated for strengthening digestive power.
A common way of working with the medicinal aspects of curly dock root is to make a simple infused wine. You can take the fresh root and put it inside one of your favorite bottles of wine. Re-cork it and allow it to stay for a few days, then you have a curly dock root infused wine which increases the medicinal capacity of your wine. If you want a stronger medicine you can use your favorite organic alcohol and let it steep for a month.
Harvesting and Collecting the Seeds:
Curly Dock Seeds – Just starting to ripen. to harvest, let them get brown.
Once the leaves hit your relative point of “inedible” then it’s best to wait to harvest the edible seeds related to buckwheat. How do you tell when the seeds are ready to harvest? With any grain just wait for the plant to brown and become dry then the seeds become easier to collect. Think of wheat fields which start green. From there you will have to winnow them the best you can, which is an art in itself. Often if we don’t try to be obsessive with every seed. We get less chaff and extra bits that we have to pick out later. There is still a shell to the seed that is more difficult to manage.
A great thing about these docks is that the seeds can be collected in decent numbers in late summer or fall. Often foragers complain about the chaff and shell, which are very difficult to remove. Two solutions are posed. First is, grind it fine enough where you don’t mind eating the chaff and shell with the seed, which is mostly insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is basically what commercial laxatives are made of. Seed chaff or plant fiber helps us have fiber to make healthy bowel movements and is good in medium doses. It helps to scrape the intestinal walls of mucosal plaque which happens to be a very good medium for bacteria and virus such as Candida Albicans to proliferate.
If you want the extra nutritional boost and added value of enzymes you can avoid cooking the crackers and the chaff by sprouting the dock seeds first and running them in a food dehydrator under 108 degrees. Either way you choose for preparation, this can become blended in a food processor to make dock crackers, or good old ground by hand with a mortar and pestle if you really want to get into it. I am in a process of perfecting my dock cracker recipe that will come out in my book =)
Indian Village Woman - carrying harvested fodder for her cow
It has taken some time to get fully updated and integrated with the self I temporarily left behind in New Jersey. As I become settled into the patterns here that I still wish to keep I have gifts to give back to the community. I am also currently working on my 2 promised workshops – and also working on being able to webcast them and make it accessible on the net. Is this something you know how to do? Please be in touch!
Wild Indian Sorrel - Growing in the Himalaya, It was delicious!
I learned so much herbal knowledge while there that I havent even begun to write about and blog with any decency. Still getting pictures, notes, and everything else organized. I have alot of pictures from the journey uploaded on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ShaktiBhakta
Fig Tree - Guptakashi, India
If you donated 100$ (or otherwise) for the India journey and didnt yet receive your herbal elixir please contact me, drop an email etc. I have everything on record but its much easier to hear from you. Im now feeling settled and ready to complete getting all of the free gifts out! I tried to complete it all before going to india but attention was pulled other places. Plus the market place is back up and running here: http://returntonature.us/?page_id=607 with all of my home made offerings.
I also am now offering health consultations by donation, and also free to those who offered donations for the India journey. (see below)
Micah Stone Shelter - Himalayan survival shelter
And Please ask me how it was and ask questions about it. It was a journey I took to share with community. As well as it helps me to recall and remember all of the magical things that were witnessed.
Here is a list of the return giftings that were presented:
As a thank you to all who donate – upon my return from this journey I have 2 online classes/presentations planned. The first is based on my 5 favorite Ayurvedic herbs that I will have furthered my relationship with so much deeper while inIndia. The other will be a slideshow of all of the pictures I have taken and explanations of all of the wonderful things and people I have experienced and seen.
-If you donate from $10-50 dollars you will be invited to see the slide show of all of the pictures and description of the journey. You will also be invited to the “5 favorite Ayurvedic herbs” online workshop.
-From $51-150 I will offer you both online workshops as well as your choice of one of my hand crafted and delicious 2 oz Elderberry Elixir, or Golden Allergy Elixir syrups (more about them on my website).
-From $150-200 – Both webinars plus your choice of 4 oz elixir and a free half hour health consultation
-$201 and beyond – the 2 webinars, an 8 oz elixir of your choice and a half hour health consultation
I really cant believe all the inredibly beautiful, and absolutely chaotic array of beauty that India has chosen to share with me. I have witnessed incredible highs and lows both of society, and personally throughout my travels in India. As I return and process it all I feel blessed, thankful, and so inspired by how green and fresh it is here in America. I am witnessing how my life has changed and shifted, and will never be the same. Throughout all of the ups and downs of the experience it has helped enable me to embody a deeper level of my higher self- to trust that deeply in my capacity to find my way, figure it out, and accept whatever it is that comes my way.
All of the teachings of the sages say one thing; which had become a theme for my journey.
Learn how to be at peace no matter what happens in your life, release your attachment to things being one way, and your aversion to things being another. And learn how to accept that Nature is offering this present experience as a gift for your liberation, growth, and freedom.
This realization (however partial) is the full embodiment and sentiment of what traveling in India was for me. Complete surrender and release and yet actively engaging as the doors would fling open unexpectedly. When I loved the experience and situation I found myself in and became settled, or somewhat familiar, it soon ended. When I was growing tired of the experience, it dragged on just long enough for me to realize my own attachment for whatever particular “it” to be different and release it.
I want to say Thank You!!
Thanks to all that is; Thanks to all of the people in my life who have supported and guided me, especially to my Mom Dad and Christie who totally performed magic healing kungfu to my space here and helped me to have this space to be optimal, clean, and further be a place of service to my inner self and humanity. Id like to thank all of the friends, family, and probably a few complete strangers (if there actually was such a thing-WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS) for donating and believing in the dream I put fourth through the proposal I wrote. It was so touching and life changing to realize that we as a community are able to help each other overcome any obstacle and support great work here on earth as well as hold space for each other to fulfill our visions that we receive from our intuitive sources.
Receiving gifts from others has been a great teaching for me to learn to accept… Through accepting these donations, and accepting the gift of my closest family spending hours to organize and transform my room it enables me to go to a deeper place of recognizing the power of service to open humanities one heart. When I feel all of the generosity that has flowed my way I can only stand astonished and allow my heart to open and say thank you as it becomes a guide of inspiration to live in service in my own life. Through truly accepting gifts we can only see the selfish ones inside.
The universe is providing me/us with an opportunity of service to the Plants, Nature, God, our Soul, and Humanity and help to work these together as one same fabric., i dont yet see the full capacity of how it will fully manifest but i do see a glimpse of the vision and goal, and am seeking through this website and my life to make it manifest. It is the Return to Nature, in all of its power. We can see the deep calling nature has for it, and we can also see the huge disconnection in our society and the craving each person has for this return. With the help of the magic power of meditation, music, and herbalism I know I will be guided to my highest goals and aspirations and thanks to all of you for being instrumental in that experience and the collective awakening of humanity in whichever way it is occurring.
I see the waves forming, the momentum occuring, and the potentials as we realize our creative power and get glimpses of how it will manifest to its full capacity, and I am learning each day to jump (just another step) and that I will be carried by a mysterious force. Touching this source is something that I hope to support within you in whatever way i can, please let me know how! So when I hand you a snake, or put a plant in your hand, or try to feed you kombucha or whatever kind of crazyness gets mustered; remember that it is a potential opening to a doorway, a doorway into the magic of Nature where we are one.
About Writing, Blogging, and Posting Content in India-
I tried my best to write and respond to emails. Internet was a huge lesson in patience; getting to a place, finding an internet source, dealing with the internet speed, sitting down and concentrating and writing articles. It had its good deal of spiritual lessons and teaching tools. If I am going to commit to the idea of travel blog teaching I would definitely bring the smalll laptop I have here and get usb prepaid internet there – that’s basically what everyone uses there but has their own system to use it. The reason I didn’t want to bring one is because I want to maintain a balance of intimate experience with the people I meet and not have burdensome technology get in the way of the intimate experiences I could have. Its like we are learning to wear electronic clothing, and we are putting electronic things in between us. With some help of not having these objects this time I was able to make profound connections which I can now explore. We obviously will have many classes in the future for internet fasts, and technology cleanses =) ALL Living Live and Learning Life Lessons in Love and Liberation and Alchemization.
It was extremely fulfilling and exciting to hear your responses as I wrote. This feedback is my fuel and made it all worth the effort. I want the teaching and sharing to be based on what you are also seeking to know. So please know that any feedback of the articles, suggestions on what to explore, connections, emails with health questions, etc.. all helps me to reside in the symbiosis and depth of our connections.
I have also posted many pictures of the journey on my facebook account
The Connections Made Throughout India-
As no mystical tradition gives its secrets readily, this journey became like mining for gold. I knew before leaving that I cannot expect that these secrets be handed to me without effort. I have seen so many documentaries where people go around with an arrogant sense of privelege and disturb the people they are observing. I want to learn to observe culture close to AS IT IS, not as I manipulate it to be.
Through all of the hard work and dedication of the exploration of the 2.5 months I now have connections with certain spiritual masters, shaman, ayurvedic vaidyas, magical people, and tribal people and these connections will be the fundamental jumping off points for my return to India, hopefully in 2015
I seek to have a developing interactive and documentary type of experience through this website. As I explore these connections I will share footage, audio, question and answer sessions, skillshares, as a teaching and learning system. We will explore Traditional Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom, based on Plants, Nature, and spiritual resources. And soon do group journeys to meet and learn from these sacred resources together. This is the vision I forsee with patience and hopefulness, and I believe that as one puts it out there that collective intention grows seeds.
Some About the Connections I Made and Will Continue to Explore:
L to R – Himalayan Yogi, Praful, Ron, Me, Gangaram
In Rishikesh – Himalayan Foothills I spent 2 weeks in Dayananda ashram studying Vedanta with Swami Dayananda. This gave me a profoundly deep and radical shift in perspective that I carried with me through the rest of the journey. Knowing that I am perfectly fine throughout all changes that happen around me, and be faced with healthy challenges to establish that in my daily life. The schedule there I had was amazing with about 4 classes a day. I was bathing in the Ganga, meditating on the banks, studying and learning from many plants, and praying to the mountains, which both sides I was able to climb and go on pilgrimage to and wrote about in Neelkanth Mountain Arduous Hike – and Kunjapuri Journey
Swamiji will be coming to his Pennsylvania Ashram in Sailorsburg, PA during august and september for Vedanta camps. Its a great experience to immerse yourself in a meditative atmosphere, unplug from your game, observe your true nature, and receive deep philosophical and practical wisdom that feeds you. If the article i wrote inspires you it would be really worth going and getting your mind totally blown =) And I will definitely be there to discuss the concepts and transform together.
Top L to R – Bael, Amla, Rudraksha, Pine Resin, unknown, Center-Ayurvedic unknown
I was led by the plants as first I met a man named Praful by going up to the plants and observing; touching, smelling, photographing them. That becomes a universal symbol for HEY IM A PLANT PERSON. He began to take me all over to tell me about all of the trees and just poured out everything in his inner catalog once he learned of my intent. He went out to the market and bought every new fruit and thing to show me. With him I ate raw amla and identified the tree, ate guavas, and many other exotic and medicinal fruits. things I would have never tried due to my unsureness of what it was. He showed me who the sacred Bael tree was, showed me rudraksha, Banyan, Pipal, and many other heroic trees I had been reading about for years. He had many different levels into these plants from spiritual uses, and pharmacological aspects. My notebook is flooded. (More to come)
He brought me to meet a friend he had known in the area named Gangaram. He must have explained to him that I was seeking sacred plant connections so they both wanted to show me a powerful being that had recently come to the friends house. They showed me a huge recently harvested sheet of the sacred Bhoj Patra (Betula utilis) – A Birch tree that is seen as deeply sacred in India. It is a species which most cultures have used this or another birch for papermaking, basket making, canoes, and it is also the source of salicilic acid, the originator source chemical of anti inflammitory drugs. In India they harvest this sacred paper and collect it to write sacred mantras on and make amulets for protection, known as kavach or kavacham. The kavach is a group of verses dedicated to establishing a Devata (protective energy in the form of a deity) as a protector for that area within the body. Basically focusing attention to connect with aspects of the universe for protection and healing. You can chant it and the meaning of the Sanskrit also explains how to write and produce one to wear physically.
Bhoj Patra (Betula utilis)
It just so happened that Gangaram had gotten this paper from a yogi that had climbed down from his cave high in the mountains in Gangotri, on that day, to bring it. And through the flow of the universe I ended up there with this beautiful sheet of birch paper in front of me to honor and love it, harvested by someone who walked a huge distance through places that were closed even by car due to its torrential snow season. Truly a blessing!
After some time Gangaram and I developed a good connection, which of course began through plant guidance. In between classes at Dayanada Asrham I was going to see and learn from him for a few hours every day. He is an Acharya, Sanskrit scholar, yogi, and is actually taking care of 2 orphans and is an incredibly giving person. He was kind enough to painstakingly sit with me and help correct my sanskrit chanting for no other reason other than he felt inspired to do so and was going with the vision of service. It was yet another gift that was for me hard to understand and hard to accept, yet inspired me to practice with more vigour. He was definitely a profound teacher and guide during my journey and answered so many questions I had in accordance with many of the nature based spiritual practices I was learning about in India.
After some time I had learned that he is good friends with an Ayurvedic Alchemist who used to stay there. This alchemist would painstakingly make medicinal bhasma (ayurvedic medicinal ash powders) and administer them to everyone for free, and eventually more and more people would come to him. He eventually wanted peace and quiet and moved to South India – he has his own farm there and is processing out medicines as well as doing his own personal study, meditation, and inner alchemy. Gangaram also showed me a huge chest of books that were left there by this Ayurvedic acharya once he left the Rishikesh house.
Making Bhasma is a time consuming and ancient practice in which even potentially toxic metals can be rendered as harmless medicines. Mercury bhasma brings up the most instant controversy and fear, for myself included – especially due to the poor quality products that can potentially come from India (but truly every market, eg. hydrogenized oil) . But alchemy has powers and can do things which we cannot do, and these processes scope is so wide that all of the chemical processes we know (such as distillation, fermentation, extractions, tinctures) and are familiar with in the west are but side effects to the entire body of work of Alchemy. I will be exploring this connection further as well as learning more from Gangaram upon my return.
In Guptakashi – Northern Himalayas – I was informed that there are 2 shaman deep in the mountains, One of them being one who my informant and plant guide, Mr Bhagat Singh Negi, had gone to and seen in action. He said its several days drive, and you have to wait there a few days until he comes back from house calls. As I was already feeling twisted and turned from the hours and hours of high altitude mountain driving and pressed for time it definitely became a means for exploration when there is a clear set intention to do specifically this. I will be planning to make that happen for next time. This shaman is also the last of his generation and whatever he knows may be gone for good from that area once he passes.
Mr Negi had been learning traditional plant medicine and foraging his whole life, learning bits and pieces allover, it was just natural to him. Together we enjoyed making a broad range of exploration and connections to the plants in new ways for each other. We walked all over the himalayas pointing out plants and discussing uses. He brought me to several farms where they were growing and cultivating medicinal plants, to certain forests, and to meet certain plants in different areas. He is also connected with an NGO (non government organization) called Dev Bhoomi, there they are established and funded by a man named Jack Croucher, They started the NGO to create a link for local village products to become established in the market. They are cultivating organic honey, making shawls from silks they harvest, and packaging spices that they grow locally.
Hopefully I have gathered enough photographs and notes to make a wild food and medicine manual for the upcoming Garhwali generations that right now think that ipods and potato chips are the goldest of gold around. And as a testament to the older generations that the knowledge they are preserving is important.
2 different people told me of 2 different occasions where people, one being a shaman, the other being someones grandfather who was well versed in the Atharva Veda , who once had the vedic mantras (sacred uttering) to take jaundice from the body and transfer it to a sheet, people had claimed that it was possible to observe the yellow moving out of their body and once the ritual was complete the yellow would be completely transferred to the sheet.
The Atharva Veda is loaded with magical spells, amulet mantras for protection, earth and nature praise and prayers for working with the elements, calling down rain, healing, and warfare. Even a fair level of what we would deem “Black magic” and sympathetic magic. The atharva is also the foundation and basis of the traditions of Tantra (very different than what we see in the west) and Ayurveda. This whole book is a carefully guarded aspect of the Vedas, and often shunned due to the magical aspect and the fact that its matters are also very nature (physical) oriented and not just spiritually oriented – Since we are in a culture that is very much working WITH the worldly elements I believe it could be of incredible value to learn to work and harmonize with the force or energy of each physical being, or element we are working with. To create symbiotic harmony with the resources of this planet so that we can generate a karmic reprocussion of positive nature verses trying to pretend this isnt necessary as we watch our estrangement from Nature increase and sicken us. It is my believe that people are performing intentional magic whether they want to be or not, and its better to become conscious of it, then to do it unconsciously.
It is also very common in the Atharva Veda lineage to have people in villages that you go see for poisonous snake bites. They utter mantras and there are so many stories of people not needing any further medical attention for bites with very poisonous snakes. It would be a blessing to catch any of this on video and see for myself what is possible with the human mind and spritual mind linked as one.
In Orissa – Western Jungle – The Adivasi Mela takes place in Bhuvaneswar, Orissa in January. This is where all of the thriving tribes in Orissa come to share their traditions, dances, and rituals. Upon returning I will film and document the story that stands out to me exploring the significance of the primitive rites and customs in relation to ours . 30% of the population in Orissa is Tribal and still living off of the jungle for food, shelter, water, and bush medicine. As i had come to learn, the Government had banned hunting, and has been establishing agricultural means for them; such as wheat and rice production. In which then gets bought from them for extremely cheap, and subsidized in the world market. I seek to discover and document how this paradigm is effecting the tribal culture itself, means have been taken by the Indian government to honor them much more than our government had chosen to do with our native people. Yet i do feel that in my education of the situation here between the government and tribal population i see that i am in the future. Perhaps it wont be too long until these tribal people will also be converted; either by the glitter of progress, the cristian missionaries who are telling them that they are going to hell unless they take only jesus as their savior, or they just get shunted aside for the natural resources they may be living in harmony with (The Culturally Repeated Avatar Story). One of the things that inspired me to come to Orissa was seeing this you tube video after seeing avatar the movie. As i sat there in the theater feeling that finally this voice was expressed in a clear way, yet through the action of the movie, and the unripeness of the modern mind, i felt clearly the messages would be overlooked.
This video helped me to realize that the tribes in Orissa actually had some political influence and won this time, but wont win every time. The tribes are the holders of the ancient wisdom of humanity, they are our elders – we need their guidance and presence to live in harmony. They understand the balance of the forest and how to caretake it.
While in Orissa, I was unable to go to the tribal lands due to the fact that right as I was there there was a negotiation of a hostage situation between the Indian government and the Maoist guerrillas living in the forests which kidnapped an Italian tourist (Click to see the article) that apparently went into restricted areas where he shouldn’t have been. Granted we must remember we aren’t talking about some park, were talking about millions of hectares of sparse jungle. They took him for ransom as “Mr Panda’s message contained a demand for an end to the “repression” of tribes people, who he said were being “exhibited like monkeys and chimpanzees”. Some see the guerrillas as freedom fighters, the governments see them as a menace. It is definitely not a black and white situation but it does seem that the maoists are fighting for the tribal people, and those on their way from tribal to basic villager. All of those who are struggling for a place in the age of western progress. Its hard for any of us to say what the complex nature of the relationship is – and understanding the dynamic is a huge study on its own. It is completely fine and safe for you as long as you don’t go to restricted areas.
This all had its cosmic lesson and I was able to first get a good grasp of so many aspects of the role and honor of tribals by those living in the “civilized” world. Are they being honored and recognized? seen as a burden or embarassment? What was that Italian man doing? How will I be able to walk the front line safety and effectively? A blessed brother and guide to me that I stayed with in Orissa, Khanu will be able to take me safely to the parts I should be in. He has stayed there with them and will be a perfect medium of interaction; And he is a wonderful magician; I am definitely looking forward to spend more time with him.
I was able to go to the Adivasi museum and there see everything documented in a nice neat package for study as well as the adivasi market where they sell several products that the adivasi hand make, along with several that they don’t make. (advertisement and marketing). It was really the time to gain a solid foundation and introduction to the tribes, feel which doors open up, and get my act and equipment together to create some multimedia efficiently when the chance does come.
While in Bhubaneswar I also learned of the mindblowingly mystical ritual of Danda Nata, ending on Orissa new year known as Pana Sankranti. Pana is a sweet and refreshing drink they make to celebrate this occasion made from ripe bael fruit, cashews, banana and other sweet things. Danda Nata is one of those tribal rituals that you know early explorers saw, were so dumbfounded that their only reaction was to try to stop it and call them heathens and make the ritual illegal as was similarly done with the Ghost Dance ceremonies here. In this festival people from the villages get together and they invoke Kali and Shiva into their bodies, what occurs after is the most profound thing. They go into trance, lay in fire, pierce through their skin and no bleeding occurs, This ritual being dedicated to mother Kali, and Shiva. 2 deities which span all of life, include touching the mystery that goes beyond birth and death – archetypally and symbolically represented by the dark;the unknown. But it is the darkness of pushing past the unknown into that which is beyond ordinary knowledge. This is the bridge that all mystics and shaman cross to enter into what is called the great mystery by Native Americans, Brahman by the Hindus, or Sunyata (void) by the Buddhists. With awareness and with a knowledge of how to carefully unlock the symbols involved we must view the cultural rituals that are before us.
As cosmic coincidences go, I was told of this festival by the owner of the internet cafe that i was using. And told on the last day of the festival. In a subtle way, the universe had said I needed more preparation to witness this. To expand my capacity, awareness, ability to see intuitively, and observe with clarity. To witness the cultural biases that people hold, and to learn how to break them down in the pursuit of unity and freedom.
I am seeking to perceive these rituals as they are, not as someone with bias of thinking that they should change to become more comfortable to my paradigm of reality. Something i seek to observe and teach is that perhaps our “westernized” paradigm of reality has left out a magical and mystical part of reality that we can no longer see. This is due, in part, to the collective conditioning we have been given to wear certain glasses. This I believe is not encompassing much of that which makes us feel alive, deathless, inspired, and free.
May the Gates Open.
The Himalayan view from my front door in Guptakashi
While in Rishikesh I had heard of a place up in the mountains that was a Shakti Peeth called Kunjapuri – Kunja is stomach or torso, and puri means abode. Kunjapuri is where this part of the goddesses body is said to have fallen to Earth in a very famous story (more on this later). There is alot of esoteric symbology to be discussed and understood. From the perspective of tantra or kundalini yoga the kunja is associated with the manipurachakra which is associated with the power of will. This is a sacred place to increase the Shakti of will. this power is raw and must be decided by our own selves what our goal is with this will. When i think of manipura i always see that the beginning half is manipulate. This is no accident considering that exerting human will without discretion and values becomes manipulation. It is an art to convert the egoistic will that always craves power over its surroundings (including people) into the will of the divine; being for the good of all. This process represents the purification of this chakra. From my will, to thy will, as it is said. This shakti peeth is the external representation of this process, and a place to access the blessings of this inner journey. turning our will over others to our will over our self, having the ability to align with our highest ideals of ourselves. Having the strength to never act against our voice of intuition and regretting it later. If we have this experience then it is a blessing to see the path ahead of us and the potential of our awakening.
A shakti peeth is a place of recognized harnessed power that has the ability to plug us into the greater source. Consider that electricity is everywhere, yet you don’t hold your phone charger in the air, you have to plug it into a socket. These sockets are the Shakti Peeths.
Today is the festival known as Holi. This day marks the beginning of Spring. Everyone is wiping colors all over each other. I will be hiding out at the ashram and watching from afar as the colors used are very toxic and dont come out of the clothes and stain the skin. They used to be all nature based dyes, using vermilion and other plants.
The purpose of the ritual is as a way of making peace with our enemies, If there was some angst they would channel that into wiping vibrant colors on each other. What a great ritual for transmuting animosity in a positive and harmless way. Then together they all burn Ravana – Ravana is the demon of 10 heads, these 10 heads represent the 10 great enemies within; lust, anger, greed, delusional attachment, pride, and envy. Each community comes together to create a pillar in which they make offerings to and project their negativities into, then they burn them as a releasing ceremony to start fresh – This simple act would be a profound communal transformation in the west.
As this culture is being forced to “westernize” in the name of progress, the meaning and method behind this, and the enriching energetic and spiritual transformation that occurs are being forgotten and viewed as “primitive and meaningless” and giving way to an act of forgotten reason. The value in community energy work is priceless and we cannot survive as a species without it. Find your own ways of performing these forgiveness rites today!Happy Holi friends.Love,Dan
Notice the pink hue to the left. Not good for the river or the fish.
So far i have been seeking to connect with the plant world through the common town plants, and trees. Connecting with wild exotic fruits and weeds, some familiar friends and some never seen. I have listed several spiritual, medicinal, and edible uses for many of the plants I have been photographing and learning from. These are Mother Earths beautiful creations. I am enjoying tasting, meeting, and connecting with them. Hopefully through this you can get a good sense of some new friends and some new sacred plant wisdom=)
As I travel to Deradhun on Feb 14th I will be diving much deeper into working with them and we will be learning from Ayurvedic masters up in the Himalayan mountains. A huge thank you to all those who have taken me around town and introduced me to many sacred plant beings. Especially Praful-Ji who has connected me to many plants, fed me many exotic things, and connected me with some great teachers. In-Joy! Much more on its way!
When I showed up to Rishikesh I had no idea where I was going to stay or what I would do, but this is what it is like travelling, especially in India. I had trust in divine guidance and knew of one place called Dayananda Ashram. I had known of this ashram because back in NJ I have been learning from Swami Tadatmananda in Somerset, NJ at the Arsha Bodha Center, down the street from the house I grew up in. Here he has taught Vedanta in the same manner as his guru Swami Dayananda has taught and I have been attending his classes for many years.
The first thing I did when I got dropped off in Rishikesh was take in all of the incredible sights and sounds, send a prayer to the healing spirits, and got an auto-rickshaw and was dropped off at the gate of the ashram. I had no idea what to expect since one is supposed to preregister for a room and I didn’t even know I would be coming. Upon entering the ashram there was a beautiful stillness and sense of peace, juxtaposed with the chaos of the towns. The first thing I did was go into the temple and offer my thankfulness and prayers for guidance and protection. They were very kind and offered me a place to stay despite the fact that the rooms were all booked up. They had programs, pujas, free meals, so much chai, and a beautiful view of the Ganga and the mountains. Soon I learned that Swami Dayananda was coming to the ashram a few days after I arrived so naturally I felt I was in the right place. After his arrival I learned that there would be 4 intensive week classes on Vedanta in which Swamiji would be teaching. With this I was definitely feeling blessed and in the right time and place. The gods/spirits/universe etc. had answered my humble prayers. And now I share some of the teachings and realizations that have been shared with me over the years.
Swami Dayananda – Great teacher of Vedanta
Vedanta consists of 2 words, “Veda-anta” which refers to the end portion of each Veda, which are called Upanishads, or”upa-nishad”, literally “sitting near”. The Upanishads are many in number and contain stories of a guru and their disciples sitting together in which the guru is giving the highest knowledge of the universal reality and systematically unfolding this realization within the student, helping them work through doubts and confusions.
A common metaphor to form the basis of Vedantic teaching is “clay and pot”. When the clay is made into a pot, it takes a name and form, yet the inherent nature of the pot is still clay. The pot soon forgets this reality and lives as if it is bound to its own “potness” or limitations. The pot is real and its limitations serve a function, yet the realization that it is fully clay is the freedom from suffering for the pot. It now has the inherent choice to become free despite its limitations. The pot has trouble accepting its reality as clay which would break it through all of the duality and anxieties within itself. The pot goes around thinking it is a pot, “poor me, just a tiny little pot, so many problems, I am just a crack pot”. But the pot is fully already clay, it needs nothing but this knowledge and understanding to be free. There are many pots, but just one clay. Each form and name is made of the very sum and substance of the universe. This is what we are and it is the same truth for our individuality.
In this way, the truth of what we are, or Maha-Vakya (divine speech) can be exclaimed as Tat-Twam-Asi – That thou are! Expounding the universal truth that the cause of all reality (clay) is inherent as the effect (pot). In other words, the one Divine is all that exists, the only separation being names and ideas that we have acquired and learned to superimpose upon this reality. This then separates and divides our mind into constantly perceiving categories of likes and dislikes, pains and pleasures. We must recognize these separations as functionally and apparently real, yet tracing that the inherent cause of all (Brahman) is manifest throughout it. The apparent reality is changing, yet the inherent reality is always one.
Wedged between our self and our inner sense of God (in whatever form, or formless) we superimpose self-alienation, self-deprecation, feeling insignificant, and separation. In Sanskrit this is called ahamkara, lit. I-doer. The sense that I am the do-er, and this is mine. When we have this sense we continually try to manipulate the world to be more conforming to our ideas about how it should be. In all of this striving to find happiness we actually suffer more, because the reality of the world can never be pinned into mental concepts and ideas we carry; which are transient, fleeting, and always changing. In Sanskrit these are called Nama and rupa, name and form, word and meaning. These 2 Sanskrit terms represent all of the duality and separation we create within our daily experience. I like this, I don’t like that, I want this, I don’t want that, this makes me happy, this makes me suffer, this is good this is bad, he is beautiful, she is ugly, I am fat, he is smarter than me…etc. These external individual names and forms are not the problem. The mindset we carry is the problem, and true knowledge can break this problem of conditioning. This is the teaching of Vedanta. Once the pot knows it is clay it can never again deny its true nature even if it takes lifetimes to come up to “owning” this reality. Once the child gets a better toy it automatically discards the old one that it was previously very attached to.
The goal of Vedanta is to become aware of and destroy this fundamental problem of self-non-acceptance and alienation. It states that right now we already are what we want. We already possess all that we need to be happy, and no possession will ever make us happy. The constant wanting and neediness are based on the idea that once I have “this” I will really be happy…the great Self-Lie. The knowledge of our true self, which leads to finding inner wholeness can fulfill us in a holistic way that looking externally for fulfillment cannot provide.
As all great masters have said, all external things are bound to cause suffering due to the fact that they are always changing; but change it will, and change it must! This is the nature of Nature. Our minds are continually demanding static, comfortable experience in order to be happy and in this way the reality that we experience will cause suffering and disappoint due to the degree of attachment we have towards things staying as we want them. We go around with expectations that can never be fulfilled and are disappointed when they are not. To be free we must accept the truth that everything is fully allowed to be free and change however it wants, and we have no right to possess or own it, mentally or physically. In order to feel free we must change our orientation of “I” from the mind, to that of our internal Soul which is already full, complete, and whole.
All this world is indeed Brahman (the source of the universe) exclaims the Upanishads. Or as Swami Dayananda put it; “There is neither one God, nor many Gods, there is only God”. Each teacher develops an art in Vedanta to systematically lead you to this realization, beyond an intellectual understanding into the direct realization. This truth cannot be “experienced” because it is always already being experienced and is indeed the cause for all experience. It can be realized through proper understanding. It’s like looking at your own eyes. In order to see our own eyes we need a clear mirror, not a distorted mirror to perceive the reality of our eyes (our I’s) correctly. This mirror is Vedanta; a deep and profound Return to Nature through inquiry and meditation upon the most important question,” Who am I really beyond all of this?”
If we seek to change our nature instead of Nature then we can get at the root of the problem, the false conditioning of our own minds. When we surrender to the flow and feel our unity with the universe it is like flowing with the direction of the stream. If we live in the half conscious paradigm that “I am the doer and it has to be this way” then we are swimming against the current and may flap our arms tirelessly but stay in the same place.
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is an option”. This quote sums up one of the greatest truths…we may not be able to change the experience that the universe is providing us, as a teaching tool, but we can carve our minds to be able to change our reaction and biased beliefs about it; this is defined as spiritual growth. We suffer when our mind is superimposing desires onto our experience. We become free to the degree that we can accept what is in front of us and make calm, informed, and careful responses, instead of unconscious reactions that cause a huge mess that we will have to clean up some day. This is a spiritual art and the teachings of Vedanta are one such method and system for practicing this art.
What can we do? Half consciously we try to change the experience, which we can’t. But we have the free will to change our mindset and perspective. This is very difficult but we must try. And with these truths we must do our best and be our best, this is best. We always have a deep voice of inner guidance within us. Walk towards the light.
In India there are many special pilgrimage places. Neelkanth is one such place where a special Shivalingam (image of Shiva) is. In the story it is said that during the creation of the universe where the forces of light and dark churned the ocean, the first thing that came out was poison. Everyone was afraid of it and no one knew what to do with it except for Shiva, The God of Destruction. Shiva drank the poison to save humanity and held it in his throat, it is said that he had a blue throat. This is the name neel-kanth or blue throated. Neelkanth is said to be the place where this happened. This whole story is full of deep esoteric metaphors and basically represents our own inner quest to keep whatever poison we want to pour out into the world held, whether it be word, action, or thought. In Kundalini yoga the system of the chakras are associated with different inner states of awareness. The throat chakra is associated with speech, expression, sense of self confidence, and ability to form words from our feelings. We have all had the experience of being afraid to sing in public, this would be a point where you really feel the edges and lines of how open your throat chakra is.
The hike to Neelkanth is 17 km (10 miles) yet when you are going up hill it feels like a lot more. I had decided it was a good idea to wake up at 4:30 am and get an auto-rickshaw to the town of Ram Jhula. From there I would begin my journey on foot, crossing the bridge and walking from there. The first thing I had to do was get the rickshaw. Unfortunately as I walked around looking, at that time there was only one man around and his rickshaw was packed. Not in the clearest state I allowed him to try to put me in the front between him and another passenger. There was no room and he struggled to fit me, I decided it was ridiculous and said I was leaving, and when I jumped out my foot slipped right into the open sewer. It was potentially a very disturbing mental experience as now my shoe, sock, and foot were full of an infinite variety of things I still am not thinking about. Yet this was the beginning of the test. How was I to react? This was where Shiva started working me. Would I complain, get angry, sad, feel defeated? Luckily I just tried to accept this as fact and remedy the situation quickly. I went to the Ganga and put my whole foot, shoe and all inside. The Ganga is known as the all purifying mother so it was a good beginning. From there I realized that I had begun my first pilgrimage without invoking the blessings of the spirits of the mountains, the devas, and the devis. It was an opportunity to slow down and do my meditative practice. A better way to look at the experience than to stress about it I suppose. From there I sat for about an hour praying to the spirits and the healing forces of the mountains, the river, and Shiva to protect and guide this journey.
After my practice I got a rickshaw and got dropped off at about 7:30 am, and then I was on my way. I was walking at a confident and quick pace, holding my mala, chanting “Om Namah Shivaya” The meaning of which is OM I bow to Shiva. Shiva meaning all that is auspicious and good in the world. Not just some “god” out there, but the divine source of peace and joy within us. Surely this would be a good rock to hold onto as I climbed this mountain. I psyched myself into the journey by not paying much rational mind to how far the walk would be. Although I severely underestimated it, this is the power of the mountain. It is not a pilgrimage site because it is an easy joy ride. As I got about 1/10th of the way up I became very tired, and my legs started feeling sore, and my breathing became shallow. Looking up I saw hundreds of people looking like tiny ants scattered at different parts up the mountain. It was then that it dawned on me that I was not in for a joy ride. Using this obstacle as an opportunity to hold strong to the mantra I tried to take only one step at a time , not focusing on getting there but focusing on the healing vibration of the mountains, the plants, and the beauty of the natural and serene area. It was the internal battle of the forces of light and darkness with in me. The “I can” vs. “there is no way in hell”. Luckily, the only restriction of time I had was that darkness would fall. On top of this, I foolishly thought that I would fast for the day and just brought a few handfuls of almonds. Burning this much energy I became quickly hungry and winded and stopped to eat the few handfuls of nuts. As I stopped there was a sadhu walking who came to sit by me. He blessed me with the most delicious tangerine I have ever eaten…so sweet and juicy! I also gave him a handful of nuts. It was then that I realized I had forgotten to stop at a market to get some fruit for the journey but I felt, no worries, there will be some kind of fruit stand up the mountain.
Right before meeting him I had discovered stinging nettles growing wild in the mountain side. I took my handkerchief and began plucking raw leaves and crushed them well, folded them into a ball, and chewed them up carefully. Careful not to let them on my tongue until they were well chewed. This sadhu spoke no English and I spoke no Hindi. I mentioned the word “subji”, which is a Hindi word for vegetables, and used sign language to show him what I was eating. He seemed interested to try so I crushed one up and gave it to him. Then what followed was him probably thinking I had poisoned him as he felt the sting all over his tongue! Could you imagine?! I tried to explain to him that I did not crush it enough and was very sorry but he was very kind and it seemed to dissipate quickly. I had really hoped that he knew something of them but it seemed new to him as well. These sadhus are holy beings (some of them) who dedicate their life to spiritual pursuit by wandering, meditating, and living off of alms. I am really hoping to learn that many of them forage wild foods and medicines.
After a cup of chai to calm the stings we began walking together and he mentioned that his knee was paining. Here I was already crazy stinging this man but I could have easily taken care of it with some taps of the stinging nettle. Getting stung by nettles are intense yet extremely medicinal. Stinging increases blood flow, serotonin, endorphins, and a whole list of biochemicals. It is very great for arthritic pain or stagnation, yet takes a bit of conversation to explain why you would do it. Something I didn’t have, so unfortunately I kept my mouth shut knowing that explaining this to him would be a daunting task bound for failure and only probably making me seem even more nuts.
We walked for a while but I couldn’t keep up with even this man, who was probably 70 and had a hurting knee. The entire mountain is 1675 m tall and oxygen was getting thin. There was absolutely no room to think about my condition as there were loads of elders, crippled people, and people making pranams up the whole mountain. This is where they fully bow laying on the floor and someone places a stone where their hands were, then they get up, take a few steps to the stone, and bow again. Clearly, I was a spoiled boy who was used to getting in my car and driving wherever I needed to go. This journey was taxing me and I probably stopped to rest 20 times. It is a good idea in survival to not rest for more than 5 minutes at a time. This enables you to still stay active and any more will bring on lethargy. It was about this time when my shoe started to fall apart, but I was so exhausted that a little inconvenience was so small in comparison to the huge task I was undertaking. My mind had transcended to a place beyond the petty, these tiny inconveniences that we get so caught in. Walking 10 miles up a mountain face, now that is inconvenient!! Not having the right marshmallows at the store and throwing a hissy fit is just due to being spoiled and soft. We must learn to have greater self-control and overcome all of the petty suffering we cause ourselves, our family, and society, for this is our goal in life and this is true freedom.
The views and the vistas were spectacular and kept re-energizing me. By this time I was long past adrenaline, and truly felt only the grace of the divine. I have never walked 10 miles on a flat road yet climbed up a mountain face this far, I was tapping higher and higher reserves and now I knew that one step at a time was all that it took. By this time I was so high up the mountain that the town of Rishikesh was a tiny ant colony, and every step was exhausting. I needed more energy for the journey and was out of food, the nettles I had harvested were helping but it wasn’t enough. As I stopped to rest I found some grass growing wild. If you know the grass family each plant is edible and medicinal. So much of our food comes from the grass family, corn, rice, wheat. And if you are familiar with wheatgrass, the juice of any grass is loaded with vitamins and chlorophyll. I picked some of this and chewed it, sucking the fresh juice from it. This gave me a good boost. By now I was about 75% up the mountain but it kept getting more and more steep. There was no fruit to be found and I had to settle with some tea biscuits. They were disgusting and made me feel rather ill!
After a long and grueling journey which probably took about 3 hours, you get to a town. In the town there are many shops and it is much like Disney Land except with many people harassing and begging. One woman put a mark on my forehead and instantly said “50 roopies” she walked up to me! Haha! It’s all a commercial game and you have to just sometimes ignore people and walk away. Once you get there you get in queue to go into the special mandir (temple) and then things get really frantic. In special places people get very crowded, close, pushy, and intense. You move forward in line and then have about 6 seconds at the shivalingam before the priest pushes you past…and that’s it…this is why you came.
So the great thing is that I got to touch and see this very special object, in which millions of people have prayed to, and see as sacred. The collective intent of that alone is a very powerful socket to plug into. Luckily I was forewarned and knew how the mood is at temples during holy times. So I wasn’t expecting much more. The real blessing is that I made it, I didn’t give up, and I overcame my mind and body. I truly feel like only by the power of the invocation of the sacred I made it. I was not fit for the journey, nor mentally prepared. Yet I just took one step at a time and made it. This reminded me of one of the greatest lessons of life. Life is about the journey, not the destination. I feel that anyone who really becomes enlightened lets go of the idea that enlightenment is even possible, that it is something you attain some time once x y or z. Enlightenment is not ours to have. It is not another possession. For this I know, and our life is the mountain. If we enjoy the journey and don’t only focus on the destination, perhaps we will be able to overcome greater obstacles than we think were ever possible.
As this culture is being forced to “westernize” in the name of progress, the meaning and method behind this, and the enriching energetic and spiritual transformation that occurs are being forgotten and viewed as “primitive and meaningless” and giving way to an act of forgotten reason. The value in community energy work is priceless and we cannot survive as a species without it. Find your own ways of performing these forgiveness rites today!Happy Holi friends.Love,Dan
