5. September 2023 – Ladakh district in India, day two

Last day of our amazing adventure – we went to the East this time, and we have planned to visit many Monasteries, caves and even Chang-La pass was on the list – but we ended up going only to 2 Monasteries. For the morning Puja during sunrise we visited Thiksey Monastery- seemed to be a bit touristic, but anyhow – interesting to be part of it and be able to see the Sun rising between the peaks. Our second place was the Hemis Monastery – situated at the hight of 3700m and dated for before 10th century, the Monastery is one of the most important places for the Tantric Buddhism in the tradition of Padmasambhava, and it is said to be actually much older than the books are stating. The Monastery has its own meditation cave at 4010m and you need to climb 300hm on a quite steep trail from the Monastery square to reach it. Normally 300hm are not a problem for me nor is the hight, but we were both sick, each breath was a fight and it took us almost 2 hours to make it. The Gotsang Gompa is a complex of a few buildings carved directly into the rocky slopes. The main temple was actually build AROUND the meditation cave – the cave is very old, older than the Monastery, and it is apparently also very long, it cuts deep into the rock behind the temple wall. The sadhan that we did there topped everything i have experienced during our India trip. The energy of the cave was gentle and subtle but incredibly deep – meditation put me in the state of ecstasy in a split of a second – this is the true power of the Kundalini Yoga… We didn’t want to ever leave this cave! It was also the highest place i have ever meditated in – just WOW all together

4. September 2023 – Ladakh district in India, day one

Our trip to Ladakh got changed a bit, due to the fact that we both got really sick during the Gaumukh trek. The plan was ambitious – see most of the monasteries and do all the meditation caves that i have researched. First day we went to the west, and we saw the oldest monastery in the region – Lamayuru cloister, situated at the 3510m and dated to around 8th century. On the way we saw another few points: the confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers, the Magnetic Hill, and Likir Gompa (10th century origin, 3700m elevation), another amazing monastery, where the Lama even allowed us to take some pictures. But the most incredible experience of this day was the sadhan that we did in the Saspol meditation caves. The caves are dated for ca 1000 years, with frescos dated for the 14th century. The paintings are all from the Tantric-Buddhism tradition, which was introduced to the Himalayan region in the 8th century by the Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava. The caves are emanating with an extreme raw and primodial-type of energy, meditating inside just blew my mind yet again. Pure yogic magic Ladakh is a Himalayan-desert, high altitude terrain with amazing geological formations and skies that are always clear – the highest met in nature complementary contrast of blue and yellow makes this landscape simply unforgettable.

29. September – 1. October 2023 Gaumukh Trek in the Himalaya

Gaumukh-Tapovan trek in the Himalaya – 1329hm and 38km all together, the highest point was at 4360hm – the mouth of the Gangotri glacier, source of the river Ganga.

The trek is technically not difficult, what made it a bit hazardous was actually going in the big group, where everyone has a different fitness level, know-how and level of experience. For me the third day – going back 16km to Gangotri village – was extremely difficult, as i got sick a day before, and i had very high fever and pains in my whole body, and i was still carrying my whole luggage on my back. I honestly thought i will not make it to the hotel, i was pushing forward only with my own will. The views blew my mind from the first second – massive rocks and vertical walls, dramatic landscape with huge boulders, mesmerizing rock formations, peaks that are highlighted by the rays of the setting sun. Baghirathi Parbat 6856m, with its three summits, and Shivling 6543m were reigning in the glacier valley. I will be back here definitely, and the next time will be going for one of the summits

26. September 2023, Chhindwara Durga Mandir Shaktipat Ashram

On Maya – the Cosmic Illusion

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