News from Vietnam tour #3 – 19th July, 2014
Dear Yogis,
Following the Puja the next day, we boarded the buses and left for the Can Tho, a city by the Mekong River four hours from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). We arrived settled into our accommodation and left for the evening’s program at the iSchool at the nearby city of Soc Trang.
School Program in Soc Trang, Ho Chi Minh City
The program commenced with a number of performance from the children of the school. There was a performance by two talented young singers, a modern take by a group of boys dancing to the beat style from the US who were very good and ending with a traditional song from Vietnam. The school has a performance capacity and the students had a desire to perform for us before the concert.
Following the official welcome by the School’s Area Managing Director and other dignitaries the program commenced. The audience being mainly high school aged students there is a level of inherent innocent spontaneity and energy one can feel amongst the youth of this country. The young men have a natural collective enjoyment in each other’s company and a preservation of their innocence that we do not see so much in Western youth of the same age. The young ladies a sweetness and innocence, a shyness which is charming, sweet and reflects their inner joy. All these qualities and more were reflected in the light of their faces as they all rushed forward with the first Bhajan to join hands and dance together to the music.
‘All sat down on the ground before the stage and opened their hands’
This was the pattern of the program as the vibrations built throughout the program. Their chairs were hardly used as they were parked before the stage enjoying the music together. Surprisingly they all sat down on the ground before the stage and opened their hands when we asked them to pause for their Self Realisation. The awakening of the Kundalini was effortless as their attention settled and they all received their realisation. What had been just a few moments before a room full of excited young people dancing and full of energy. The mood transformed as they all meditated and enjoying the flow of vibrations. It was a beautiful sight, a room of still silent young people, their faces reflecting the peace coming from within and at peace with themselves and the world.
Mekong River and Ha Long Program
Soon the music started again and the program ended as it had begun with the vibrations flowing, joy abounding, and everyone present in the flow of joy. The program ended with bouquets of flowers, gifts to the performers, and the photo call for the musicians and newly found fans.
‘the heavens opened and the rain poured onto the Mekong’
The next morning we rose to depart at 6am to visit the famous floating markets at Can Tho. The Yogis boarded a long boat for the 40 minute journey from the wharf to the floating Markets. Half way through our journey the heavens opened and the rain poured onto the Mekong and our little boat. We were all crowded into the centre of the boat trying to stay dry and warm. We then arrived at what is best described as a floating city. A place inhabited by boats of all sizes, shapes and purposes. A long boat pulls up next to ours and a lady in traditional Vietnamese cane hat leans over to sell us steaming cups of Vietnamese black coffee, sweetened with condensed milk, a beverage we all had become quite fond of.
Another boat pulls alongside with a gas fire and large pot of boiling water providing cups of hot noodle soup. A young boy selling tropical fruit from cane basket reaches up offering us his fruit. An old couple pass in a boat laden with pineapples, stripping their skins and serving up sticks of fresh fruit. An old men standing on prow of the bow of his boat pulling of his oars as he pushes his boats laden with every type of goods and wares. All must somehow navigate through the narrow channels in this floating city on the Mekong.
Voices raised either in the barter between buyer and seller or simply navigating their way through this city made up of hundreds of boats. Huge barges pass by carrying river stand and wood for building, or provide the fuel necessary to keep the boats of this city moving. Nets hauled in full of fish ready for the day’s sale. Young boys paling out water from the bottom of the boats. It is a world unlike anything we had seen before fascinating in how it somehow all works. People can live all their lives in the confines of one small space carved out from this world in the hull of a wooden boat.
We then left the floating markets returned to pack and return to our villa at HCMC.
‘where the deep meditative mood moves the soul and opens the heart to joy’
The next morning, we departed HCMC flying to Hanoi. Once we arrived we left the airport at Hanoi and departed for the four hour bus journey to Ha Long Bay. We arrived later that night settled into our Hotel and visited the beach for a late night foot soak across the road from where we were staying. The next morning we could appreciate the beauty of Ha Long Bay from our balconies. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A place of exceptional beauty, beaches, sand and hundreds of islands of rock outcrops rising vertically from the deep blue waters of the sea. We spent the day relaxing and preparing for the evenings program.
The program was held at the Grand Ha Long Hotel within a beautiful ballroom. The venue was very large which we were not able to fill, but the quality of the seekers who attended was exceptional. There was what had come to be seen as normal in Vietnam. The seekers rushing forward and dancing collectively in appreciation of the music. What felt different was the depth achieved during Self Realisation and the meditation achieved afterwards. It just felt like we had all been lifted to that place where the deep meditative mood moves the soul and opens the heart to joy.
Later it was reported a Yogini had a dream where they were at the venue with all the Yogis and seated at the last row of the Hall, there was Our Mother enjoying the program with us all,
Jai Shri Mataji!
With love, the touring yogis in Vietnam