If you build it, they will come

I've been meaning to make a go of this new career I had planned for myself - or at least part of a new career (the other part was to spend time doing random things - things different than what I normally did for a living, some of which would make me money, and some non-profit work). The new career was in energy healing - and specifically Reiki. I thought I'd set up a studio in Hyderabad - if not a separate thing, at least have a room in my apartment that I could work out of...

But no apartment yet. And no real plans. And some random writing thing sort of working out, but haven't started on it yet - and no real income can be realized from it for a while. And realized that I really have to make a commitment to set up this studio thing. But not sure if I want to take the plunge yet - I thought I was - but am reconsidering. And people telling me that no one's going to come to me or pay me here for this sort of thing unless I establish a reputation first. Vicious cycle.

But still. I thought I could at least try something that didn't really need an investment. Craigslist!!!! - they actually already have a listing for Hyderabad - so why not - put in an ad for Reiki under the therapeutic services category. Aunt and cousin offered me the use of a shed they have in their compound - nicely enough appointed. It's really a cute little den/office masquerading as a shed. We moved a bench (more than 60 years old) from their sit-out into that room - to function as the treatment table. And I added my healing books and certificates to the other books on the bookshelf. And I watched a request come in for the Reiki. But when the person called me, he asked me what sort of massage it was. I was slightly disappointed, but I explained what it was to him and he said he'd see if he needed that sort of a treatment. Then one more. And this person seemed much more interested after my explanation - and he showed up. We talked for a bit. My first real paying client! Though I have had a few relatives pay me a dollar or two in the past, as a token - this was different. And he was from Princeton, NJ - what irony. Six thousand miles from there and my first customer used to practically be my neighbor all that distance away.

I treated him for a while and he went to sleep soon after we began. Then he suddenly started coughing and needed to get up to slip some Halls into his mouth - he aplogized - then he went "you're really good" and promptly went back to laying down again and I went back to working on him. We talked a while after we got done. He felt my hands to see if they were still hot as they had been during the treatment - not really. He told me about other people he knew who did this sort of thing - and about some other random stuff. Then he paid me - and tipped me as much as the session had cost. I have to admit it was weird - to charge for this sort of thing and then to be tipped; but I think it really should be charged for to be valued, and that if I want to spend large chunks of my time doing this, then I really need to accept money for it. I told him it wasn't necessary. But he insisted - so I told him I'd donate the tip. Gave it to aunt and asked her to give it to the charity of her choice. It's nice of family here to facilitate all this - they're all rooting for me, even though they thought this didn't have a chance. I'm sure that energy alone is plenty - and more, for me to make a start.

And then another email, and another. I'm not sure if it will go anywhere by itself. But I know now that if I get serious and commit myself, come they will.

Are you fit?

"Representative Assessee must sign the application if the applicant is minor/ deceased/ idiot/ lunatic/ mentally retarded"

That was in the instructions for how to fill in the application for a PAN (the equivalent of an SSN) in India. I read it with my mouth open. This instruction probably also applies to the people who drew up these instructions, or if that was very long ago, then to the people who haven't changed them yet.

Seeing the sights

Went to see the Chowmahalla palace in (downtown) Hyderabad recently - a set of 4 palaces in the same compound. This was the official residence of the Nizams (a dynasty of rulers whose founder worked for the Emperor Aurengzeb) of Hyderabad.

The taxi took us to the unimposing gates of the palace through the crowded area of Charminar (another famous landmark). Considering the area we had just driven through, with crowds thronging the streets, the strangest goods for sale, all sorts of pollution clouding the atmosphere and the roads, and various unpleasant smells assailing our nostrils, I didn't expect much. But once we entered the gates and paid the entrance fee for ourselves (and our cameras) I felt like I was Lucy and had just walked through the wardrobe. It was a different world. The gardens on the grounds and the various palaces and other buildings that form this complex are just gorgeous. No crowds, no garbage, just wonderful architecture, fabulous flowering trees and shrubs, a reflecting pool and quiet all around.

Some pictures from the trip:





It took up a lot of our time and energy walking around and wandering through the various palaces, leaving me little of both to take pictures of the even more interesting things outside on our way back. But some of the interesting things we saw:
-A little shop where they were making those sheets of ultra-fine silver foil that commonly go on top of Indian sweets. There were 2 or 3 men in there. One of them had a hammer in one hand and his other hand on what looked like a square leather bound book on the floor. He was pounding the hammer on that book very rhythmically, using the free hand to rotate the 'book' a little every time the hand with the hammer went up. He seemed to look everywhere else but down at that thing. I'm not sure that I would ever trust myself enough to do that, regardless of how many years I may spend pounding away with a hammer. He, however, had never made any mistakes, or at least no serious ones, it seemed. He even looked at me and smiled at me looking at him. Too bad I didn't ask if I could take his picture. But I guess there's been an end put to my eating any sweets covered with this stuff anymore. That leather bound book was pretty much that, cow hide (or buffalo hide, or something's hide) - I guess it makes sense to use that, but now my vegetarian brain will conjure up images of this little scene every time I bite into one of those things. I guess ignorance really is bliss, especially in these matters.
- A man with just 2 things for sale - again very deserving of a picture (but unfortunately there isn't one) - the hide of a sheep or goat laid out on the street to resemble the animal and the wolly hair from whatever it had been (probably a sheep) also laid out the same way. It was the day after Id, a Muslim festival during which people traditionally slaughter one of these animals in honor of Ibrahim's willingness to undertake the sacrifical slaughter of his son.
-A naked woman lying on the area that served as a divider for the street we were on. She was probably very poor and possibly mentally unstable. Such sights are not uncommon here. I didn't personally see this, but heard my aunt describing what she was seeing out of her window. It's sad that there are hundreds of thousands of people all around (ourselves included), just walking/driving/riding by and not doing anything to help. There are tons of organizations and many people trying to help, but it seems like the there's no end to the misery here. And for this particular one, I'm glad I don't have a picture.

Keeping the faith

It's kind of late

to start again

but then, what's the option?
Things look rosy in the rearview mirror
but in your heart of hearts you know
that they looked different when they were up ahead
and that it would be the same if you turned around
So you ride on
hoping the scenery changes
or that something inside does
as it did once before
so that what lies ahead
or behind
doesn't really matter anymore