As we are starting, let me rewrite what spirituality stands for in my perspective. When I say spirituality I don’t mean religion. Spirituality is a way of living a conscious life. It is the art of entering into one’s silence by the practice of deep inner listening. When we begin spirituality things go into question, putting us in the edge of discovery in the unknown. Spirituality doesn’t truely begin until we start to relinquish grasping onto the known so tightly (what we know, what we think, all the self definitions and the narrative of the mind). Spirituality needs an inward willingness to enter into the mystery of being. Without this, it is just a bunch of words and ideas.
And when we give our attention and ourselves to the depths of this listening, the quality and the meaning of our lives change dramatically. ‘Every being, myself and life matters’ is one of the core expressions of spirituality. It’s about what we care and value in life. When we give our attention to what we truely value in life then we are on the path to reach our fullest potential.
I had a deep impulse and great motivation on seeking the truth. Therefore in my story while traveling I found myself wandering here and there, visiting wisdom schools, monasteries, ashrams, dergahs, opening myself to the teachings of many different traditions to absorb what I needed to know.
As it is for many people, suffering was the initial cause that stimulated me for a deeper search. As a consequence of an unexpected staggering experience occured in my life suddenly, I was in great pain. So this inevitably drived me into an even more intensive inquiry and quest that would be life changing eventually. My path began with seeing the surface layers of the ego, recognising what this so-called I, the little self is. Then I started purging the burdens of the identity. In this phase the core teachings of Buddha and my teachers on Buddhist tradition helped me greatly to show me how the mind functions. Without knowing the mind and the nature of our perceptions, it is not quite possible to be free from that, it is not so easy to open to that silent space within and go beyond the mind. In this process, I used different meditation forms like focused attention, open monitoring or analytical meditation and started developing concentration which would be helping me significantly in further times.
Then all these experiments went even much deeper after I started investigating through the practice of ‘self inquiry’ and the great teachings of Ramana Maharshi. I also benefited significantly from non-dualistic existence (Advaita Vedanta) perspective. This is nothing other than the teaching of Emptiness in Buddhism. It indicates the path of the realization of non-seperate self. Here I need to mention the great guidance of my dear teacher Adyashanti that helped and is still helping me significantly in my explorations.
Anyone can start directly from the deeper teachings but frankly speaking if I had come across with ‘non-duality’ perspective before my former practices and investigations, I guess I wouldn’t be able to grasp what it is guiding us to. We all have different lines of growth or learning. There may be many paths that enable us to recognize the light, the real Self in and out. In my story, it was as if my spiritual path took me step by step from primary levels to the higher ones in the most beneficial sequence for me to realize. My gratitude is beyond words for this process.
All these were so revolutionary that I stopped seeking, my search was over as I recognised I am home, I am the Self already. Spirituality first feels like a wonderful adventure but at one point on the way, you get the sense that your spiritual interest is no longer straightly speaking from your own. You start to see that your spiritual instinct rises from somewhere deeper than the ego which is not as limited as the ego. Since then I am opening myself deeper and deeper to the experiences not from illusory-self (ego) point of view but from the deeper inner source, the essence.
I highly regard the transmission of enlightened energies through the masters and through sacred places like temples, shrines, rivers, mountains. So in my travels I take my chances to visit and rest by their presence. I am more and more drawn into the concept of Love in Sufi Tradition. Poetry is explicitly mesmerising me as well as the great texts of enlightened masters. Compared to former times I am reading less and practicing more as I know the real knowledge reveals itself only through direct experience.
Apart from momentary practices and inquiries, meditation is my main practice which is enabling me to engage consciousness in the discovery of Being. After extended explorations by the great guidances of my teachers and my soulful commitment, my practice became simplified and refined. When I say meditation I mean the ritualised way of deep inner listening that is the core of the discovery of Being. Having pleasant experiences for ourselves like peace, love or well-being can be the aim for meditation but actually true meditation can offer an immense wisdom that is way more than all these. This investigation I am pointing out is deeper than all the common mindfulness practices which are useful but at the same time just the beginning or the surface of our discoveries. And when they are not grasped truely they can unfortunately reinforce our conditionings mostly on ourselves. Then our meditation doesn’t have a chance to help us break through the self-centered perspective.
Regardless of the differentiated names given to meditation, here I am refering to the fundamental foundation of meditation in which we flip the whole perspective around and look at it from the standpoint of our true nature, not from the meditator. In this way, deeper practice of meditation becomes the art of returning consciousness back to its source. Then we become to be conscious of the touchpoints of our true nature which I believe is the beginning of true meditation.
With each breath, the journey is ongoing. Even it is demanding at times, I am devotedly loving to live in the state of discovery of Being. It is an everlasting, nonlinear learning and awakening process.
This analogy is inspired from a quote of the great mystic Rumi. Here Rumi discusses the non-duality of everything that exists. In other words, fundamentally everything in the universe functions from the same conscious energy. The drop stands for the individual mind. The ocean symbolizes the reality, the nameless formless conscious existence that is one and the same in all forms. When we perceive ourselves as a seperate entity, we experience ourselves as the drop. But through meditation, self-inquiry or any number of experiences in which one’s identity (ego) collapses, we are left with the overwhelming sense that there is one consciousness to all that exists (the ocean). The individual becomes conscious of her/himself as the reality. And also the reality becomes conscious of itself through the individual.
This is a realization that can only come from direct experience. Without tasting it, one cannot grasp how it tastes like. One has to forget about understanding it and forget about trying to make all things one. The root of all existence is already a harmonious consciousness. One just has to realize this. First we need to be interested and have a yearning to recognize our true and mysterious Self. It is the spiritual instinct that moves us in this direction. It can not be taught but it is revealed through the intuitive openness to all experience. In spirituality this is fundamental. If this is vibrant enough through the spiritual instinct moving in you, then you will be interested in this most profound teaching.
My heart has always been the primary guide. The Guru is within, to guide me to look through the eyes of the reality and let the reality become conscious through me. I am in a dance inbetween the relative (the drop) and the absolute (the ocean) that are in fact one and the same. This is an endless learning. And I am a dedicated student, a devoted wanderer on this path.
My story is a journey of dissolving into the boundless ocean as a drop. If this resonates with you, you are more than welcome into my story in these pages.
“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. Between the two my life flows.”
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Who am I? I realized that there is no answer to this most profound existential question when we look from the absolute point of view. Words wouldn’t be sufficient enough to contain the totality of the answer due to our limited minds and language. But from the relative point of view, all I can say is that, in this life I come to be a wanderer through to the ground of Being. I am a dedicated student of my true nature that opens up only in the direct experience of the moments. I am devoted to intuitively abiding in ‘I am’ consciousness. And I investigate how to embody my insights out in the world by surrendering to the relative life and living as much as possible for the benefit of all beings that is to me one of the highest soulful value in life.
I love and I am loved back. Sometimes I fail. Sometimes I can not be kind to myself and cannot be fully loving to those who sometimes live with the difficult task of loving me or the other. I sometimes fear, fear to death. And I am learning. I am learning through Being. I am knowing through Being as the Being itself.
I’ve proceeded at the body of the earth, seen huge mountains, walked in glorious valleys, swam in the strong waves of the ocean, slept in forests, bathed in the most healing rivers. Surrounded by many living beings, trees, plants and animals I enjoyed my each breath in the purity of nature. I’ve witnessed many diversed cultures, traditions, opened myself fully to colors, tastes, smells, sounds, met lots and lots of people, listened to many inspirational stories, sang with the people, laughed with them, cried with them. I’ve met with the wisdom in different traditions, come across profound teachings at monasteries, ashrams or mystical schools, be guided by gurus, teachers, saints and sages and be embraced and blessed by the light of enlightened ones. I’ve marched on in the path of love, day and night, from one place to another, seeking for the reality. Every step took me closer to my root, to my real being. My life and my outlook on life has totally changed in every aspect. Eventually I stopped seeking because I realized that I’m home already. What a relief this is, what a revolution, what a freedom.
Everything is impermenant in this life. Yet, this life is the only gateway to the silent and concrete backdrop of all experience that is always and already innate in every moment of being. Everything comes and goes but what is it that always remains? When we intuitively sense into this background, what is it there that is quite extraordinary? Who am I?
“Let come what comes, let go what goes. See what remains.”
My gratitude and love is immense and beyond words for;
My Root Guru Ramana Maharshi, Mount Arunachala, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Buddha, Farid ud-Din Attar, Hafiz, Adyashanti, Cesar Teruel, Venerable Namgyel, Lama Yeshe, all the saints, sages and pirs, visible and invisible enlightened beings that came into my path so far,
All my loved ones who passed away from this life, all my ancestors including my parents,
All the dedicated people who walk the path of love, who take compassion and wisdom as their life orienting principle,
And the graceful mother nature.
I am embraced and blessed by their light. Without them I couldn’t be able to know who I really am.
In general traveling makes many people dream of perfect images of a holiday with pleasurable experiences, delightful treats, comforting leisures. It is broadly romanticised and regarded as a heavenly escape from existing life that would inevitably bring happiness. But strictly speaking, it is beyond this common idea. Just as significant as that, if time or money is seen as an obstacle, one need to learn this important thing about traveling: it’s not only possible for the privileged. It’s a choice! We need to reflect on our intentions of traveling which can be an immense field for us to learn new things about ourselves and life. Traveling offers a broad range of experiences that we haven’t ever imagined before. Then traveling is no longer just about satisfaction but we are acquainted with endless possibilities that it can bring about deeper meanings into our lives.
If spirituality is one of the major motivations, traveling can be an ideal setting within which you seek and mostly find what you are longing to meet. Here spirituality represents the openness to the unknown experiences with courage and willingness. Whatever traveling brings, whether pleasant or unpleasant, we know that it is a learning ground of the subtleties and miracles of life and existence. So this way travel becomes a spiritual quest grounded in nature. Nature is powerful enough to remove the supremacy of human beings. It invites us to think about binaries like home&destination, the familiar&the unfamiliar. The concept of being home starts to change and gain new perspective. The reflective power of the nature serve as a mirror to one’s own true being. Then the so-called ‘I’ gradually fades away into the nature. As the frontier between the ‘I’ and the ‘other’ starts to dissolve, this brings about a deep sense of wholeness, of interconnectedness. We experience ourselves as part of something greater and we become more conscious of the totality of who we really are. This is an immense relief.
Under the magical energy of nature one can confront his/her mind with clarity. In silence we see everything as it is. We join our body, mind and spirit with nature until our breath becomes part of the breathing of the nature. The sense of interconnectedness rushes into, leaving us with a deep sense of peace. This transcendantal inspiration puts us in blissful tears or laughters. This is a blessing.
When we are open to ourselves and to everything around us, the universe communicates with us through many beings, many happenings. This can also be experienced in a limited space when we are a settler. But by the nature of traveling, the taste or the tone differs due to the variation of the grounds of experiences. Traveling diversifies, enriches these interfaces, extending the range of wonders. In some way it expands the feeling of being home, it expands the heart.
Each transit in the travel provides a great data stream of geographies, landscapes, flora, fauna, villages, towns, cities, ethnicities, culture which we witness for the first time in our lives. Sometimes in a desert, in a forest or a mountain, sometimes in the warmth of a house of someone we have just met, sometimes in the eyes of a wild animal or in the touch of a tree, the mutual flow of experience becomes a playground of exploration.
When we make the most of our experiences through our observations and interactions, this brings about an enormous excitement, aliveness and vital energy. The courage, the curiosity and the admiration we have for exploring the world enriches our spirit greatly. Through our engagement with our surroundings and with our inner source and instincts we become totally mesmerised, purified and almost reborned. And at the end travel does not only shape us or open us to the interconnected reality but also accordingly it contributes for the benefit of the world through us.
And with each conscious breath, traveling always stays alive, ongoing, continuous.
Traveling has a considerably different tone when you are solo. The traveler that ventures into the world alone is faced with immense and powerful opportunities to learn and grow. If you ask a person what it would be like to travel solo, commonly the very first thing that spring to mind is the fear, simply the fear of the unknown that is beyond the comfort zone. It is created by our thoughts and self-limiting beliefs that have been constructed in our minds for many years and have a huge influence on how we live our lives. Overcoming this fear requires us to find the courage to actually step into the unknown. All those deep-seated limiting beliefs will be resisting and fighting back because our actions will be challenging them. However, once we accept the fear over time, relate to it mindfully and replace it with a childlike curiosity, the discomfort subsides and riding that wave of fear becomes a lot easier. Yet, for whoever faces the fear, it’s no longer the unknown and we can open ourselves to an infinite stream of possibilities.
Besides to overcome our fear of the unknown is a personal journey that never really ends. “What gives value to travel is fear. It is the fact that, at a certain moment, when we are so far from our home we are seized by a vague fear and an instinctive desire to go back to the protection of old habits. This is the most obvious benefit of travel. At that moment we are anxious but also permeable, so that the slightest touch makes us vibrate to the depths of our being.” Albert Camus
Traveling solo is a practice of hightened awareness. It naturally awakens mindfulness in the here and now as we tend to pay attention more. It opens our hearts to what is around us and within us. With this hightened awareness we learn to decide mindfully between stillness (resting) and motion (going forth). We start to know our limitations so we decide between being resilient during the challenges or receiving help from others. By the acceptance of the unknown we maintain our flexibility, lower our expectations and enhance our tolerance of others or of anything that happens. Navigating the world on our own, broadening our abilities, pushing our boundaries gift us self reliance.
Quite the contrary to what is believed, traveling solo is not about alienation. But rather it is the more engaged experience with the ‘other’. It is the ground in which we learn the dance between ourselves and the environment in a mindful way. We start to realize the impermenant nature of all things so we relate in a more flexible way compared to the great attachments we tend to build upon in our relationships. We learn to relate with a freer love.
Traveling solo teaches us to let go and trust in the unknown. With each venture we take the leap, not knowing what the outcome will be. Just like falling in love! Most of the time the events and experiences that take place are completely different from what we have planned and often even better than what we expected. Without the need of control and by surrendering to what is with acceptance and trust we let everything unfold in its natural flow. This is freedom.
Solo travelers stylize their life with the willingness to see the meaning underneath every unfamiliar thing. Walking the uncommon roads in aloneness, the thoughts or habitual patterns become more visible, then we realize how our thoughts shape our identity. When we are into living our full potential, we direct the ego to go into a transformation process that comes with the removal of any mental constructions we had built upon ourselves and the world.
In our aloneness there are remarkably less things that we can hold on to so this starts to break down the ego. For centuries, Native Americans journeyed into the wilderness or many saints and sages in India went into solo pilgrimages in order to discover their place within it. This type of solo journey has been a necessary part of letting go of the old self in order to awaken the new self. We need to remind ourselves that the most uncomfortable moments are the times that we are learning the most. Then we attain a greater perspective on discovering a new way of being in the world.
As a solitary wanderer, I let myself into the great unknown potentiality of life. Breathing in, breathing out I open myself fully to my source. And I leave all the rest to the universe. Then the miracles start to unfold like as if the universe is whispering me that I’m on the right path. The reward is contentment, immense love, immeasurable peace and wisdom. I trust and continue on surrendering to what is with devotion and great love.
Here we goooo! This is the very beginning of my journey that is subject to this blog. It began in October 2017 and still continuing since then. When I was starting, yes I was sensing but nevertheless I didn’t imagine how immense gifts it would bring to my life. My first solo journey was in 2008 when I traveled through 11 countries in Europe and United Kingdom. I really had amazing experiences and returned home with a great energy and enthusiasm that was showing me that this is my thing; to travel. But this time it was different. Arriving at the end of my 30s, I was now having more mature reasons and more meaningful motivations to hit the road. My beloved cat, my life companion, my girl Iizi whom I’ve lived together for 12 years passed away almost five months ago. Soon after her death it was so clear in my heart that I should go on a long journey that I had been dreaming of since my childhood. I was sensing that it would be a spiritual journey to the unknown. And the call was obviously from the East. Nepal and India would be my first destinations and I would see what would come afterwards. In couple of months I did all my preparations, plannings, sold or gave away my belongings, closed my house and I was ready. Finally I was at that airplane on the way to Nepal.
Namaste! My first stop in Nepal was Kathmandu, the capital. It is located in the east part of the country that has an elevation around 1.400m above sea level. Even a couple of minutes walk shows you what a colourful city it is. It has a multi-ethnic population within a Hindu and Buddhist majority. Its culture is enormously diversed and mostly influenced by Indian and Tibetan culture; in music, dance, art and crafts, languages, religions, festivals and food.
If it is your first time in the east, in the countries like Nepal and India, it may be little surprising for you to see this chaotic appearence of the cities. You may get puzzled inbetween the disordered traffic, garbages here and there and dust in the air. In a relatively poor country Nepal, infrastructure is not well constructed, many roads are unpaved and unimproved so sometimes you have to close your mouth, nose and eyes because of the dust. Air pollution is a major issue in Kathmandu. Nevertheless soon you start to see the harmony in this chaos. One other important reason for this dust is the reconstructions that started after the massive earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015 with a magnitude of 7.8. Sadly it killed nearly 9000 people and destroyed many cities including the old cultural heritage. Nepal is still trying to recover from this disaster. There are many NGOs and volunteers who still try to heal the wounds.
Thamel is the touristic center of the city that hosts many guesthouses, cafes, restaurants and gift shops. To me real story begins when I get out from the touristical areas. I find myself in the center of daily Nepali life. I always prefer to walk inbetween different neighbourhoods even if it is a long distance.
Wandering around freely gives you the chance to witness many little humble markets, extremely beautiful women in their colourful dresses, children playing outside in the alleys, many poor dogs here and there, pigeons up in the sky, the smell of incense and spice in the air.
Kathmandu valley is the home of Newars that are the indigenous inhabitants. They see themselves as the caretaker of Nepali culture so that they have been preserving their culture and traditions through many centuries. By the influence of religious ethics, kindness and harmony is refined in their attitudes. I find them extremely sincere and kind. I don’t feel like a stranger as I am always welcomed warm-heartedly. The greeting ‘Namaste’ opens every door between the people. It means ‘I greet the Divine in you.’ When you smile to them, they know that the whole universe is smiling to you. So they smile back with their open heart. Rather than just witnessing, I choose to connect with them through glances and little talks.
I am so much enjoying to wander around the colourful little farmers markets. Due to the suitable climate and fertile soil of Kathmandu valley, the diversity of vegetables and fruits is amazing. It is pleasing me not to see industrialised products but the products of small scale farmers.
The diversity of vegetables and fruits influences the cuisine. The food is so delicious here. The staple food of most people all around Nepal is Dal Bhat. It consists of rice and lentil soup, generally served with vegetable curries and chutney. Momo, a type of a dumpling is one of the most popular fast food. Pakora (fried vegetables), thukpa or thentuk (noodle soup), pickles, lassi (yoghurt based drink) are the other delicious foods. Street food is common, you can find many delicious and cheap options in the stalls.
Kathmandu is known as the ‘City of Temples’. In 2006 UNESCO declared the seven groups of monuments of Kathmandu as a World Heritage Site. These are; Durbar Square, Patan, Bhaktapur, Hindu temples Pashupatinath and Changunarayan, the Buddhist stupas Swayambhnath and Boudhanatth. Bhaktapur is one these places. Taumadhi square (above) is the old city center with temples around. In the picture above the one in the middle is the Nyatapola Temple which is a 5 storeyed pagoda style temple that dates back to 18th century. It is the temple of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity. And the one on the right is Bhairab Nath temple that is 3 storeyed temple of Lord Bhariab, the dreadful aspect of Lord Shiva. I had very special moments here in Bhaktapur that is known as the ‘City of Devotees’. That makes sense as I was on my journey in the willingness to devote myself into the wisdom. As I arrived at this square, seeing Bhairab Nath temple in front of me, I became petrified with astonishment. It had a very special and strong aura that attracted my whole energy.
Then I realized it was the perfect place to greet my whole upcoming journey with my spirit. I approached and first rang the huge bell. Suddenly its high sound reverberated in the whole square. It felt like as if my spirit was allowed to enter through a blissful gate. As I came by the altar my heart started to beat so fast. Senses of love, compassion, great respect and gratitude started to arise in me. I prayed for the blessing of my intentions, of my heart’s call to my journey. A deep connection with the whole union made itself visible with a great power that burst me into tears. It was like every energy that accumulated in me became boundlessly free. I cried for the beauty, union, light, trust and love. I was so grateful to these moments that enabled me to let myself to the immense order of the universe. I entered through that gate. I would learn later with countless experiences that I was now in the field of the great unknown that would teach me who I really am. Months later I realized the link. This was a temple of Shiva and Shiva would be one of my greatest guide and companion in my path especially in India.
In Kathmandu in each old city there is a Durbar Square that is the place of palaces (above). The monuments of Kathmandu have been influenced over the centuries by both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Therefore these squares are highly impressive with many Hindu and Buddhist temples. You sometimes feel like you are on a movie set.
We see the squares of Basanthapur and Bhaktapur above. These squares are also used as souvenir markets from time to time. What impressed me as well is that Hindus and Buddhists mutually live in harmony. They pray at the same temples, they celebrate the same festivals together peacefully.
Squares host festivals and celebrations as well. I came across with a one week long festival on the traditional Kartik dance. I had chance to watch the performances that also gave me idea about the traditional Newari music.
Patan (Lalitpur) is one of the oldest Buddhist cities. (above) It is a huge open air museum with 55 major temples and 136 courtyards that dates back to 1600s. It is a marvel of Newar architecture where the walls and floors are tiled with red bricks. Patan is also known as the ‘city of fine arts’. Its museum has a broad collection of religious objects, bronze statues and carvings of wood and stone.
Above we see the Keshab Narayan Chowk in Patan.
There are so many more things I would like to show you about Kathmandu valley. So now I invite you to join me for the second part of this exploration.
Let’s continue our exploration in Kathmandu Valley.
Swayambunath temple (monkey temple) is a Buddhist stupa at the top of a lush green hill at the northwestern part of the city (above). It has a great view of all Kathmandu valley. A long staircase leads you directly to the main platform of the temple. The stupa consists of a dome at the base; above the dome, there is a cubic structure with the eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions.
Swayambunath temple (above) is amongst the oldest religious sites in Nepal and it is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
Behind the temple you can have a walk in the beautiful forest and enjoy your times peacefully with the company of hundreds of monkeys. It is a nice escape place away from the chaotic city.
In the old times the ancient trade route between India and Tibet was passing through Kathmandu. This enabled a fusion between the cultures in art and architecture. Kathmandu is an important place regarding craftsmanship. Artisans have been working with different materials like stone, wood and metal for many centuries and wood carving is one of the most important handicrafts. The art of Kathmandu in particular consists of an iconic symbolism of the Mother Goddesses.
One other handicraft is pottery. You can see many ateliers producing different cups and bowls.
Kathmandu is an important center of traditional Thanka painting that is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton or silk. It usually depicts a Buddhist deity or mandala. Most thangkas were intended for personal meditation or instruction of monastic students. They often have elaborate compositions including so many small figures. On the left, above we see ‘Khalachakra’ mandala. Khalachakra is one of the tantric teachings and esoteric practices in Tibetan Buddhism. And on the right, above we see ‘Wheel of Life’ that respresents the cycle of birth and death.
Kathmandu is a heaven of souvenirs. You see many shops everywhere that sell different types of handicrafts and traditional clothes. If you want to buy some gifts for yourself or for the loved ones, you will find a wide variety of options.
Having Kathmandu as a base you can go on some day journeys to the surrounding. If you like the country side you can visit close by villages Bungamati and Khokana which are an hour drive from the city. Visiting here gave me the first chance in Nepal to see the rural areas. There were many terraces in the landscape used as rice fields. It looked like the harvesting season was almost over and many village women were sifting the rices. This place is one of the areas that got so big damage from the recent big earthquake.
After a 2 hour drive from Kathmandu you can reach Nagarkot (above) that is at the altitude of 2100m. This is a spot where you can see many peaks of great Himalayas in clear weather. In time you start to learn that you can see these peaks from many places in Nepal. It was a cloudy day, I couldn’t see the mountains but I catched the sunrise in a beautiful morning accompanied with the chantings of some monks that came like me for the sunrise.
The Pashupatinath Temple (above) is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It dates back to 5th century and is located on the banks of the Bagmati River which ultimately joins the holy river Ganga. Hindu cremation ceremony takes place by the river at the long stairs of the temple. First the body is carried to the ceremony place by the family members. After the body is washed in the river it is put on to the woods to be burnt. After couple of hours the remains are scattered into the river. Ceremation ceremony scenes were like a reminder that this life eventually comes to an end. The state of the families impressed me so much. They were in their grief but in a silent way as Hindus view death as rebirth, not the end.
I came here with a former Buddhist monk and a South African friend Nadia with whom I met couple of days ago. She was telling me about the teachings of Buddhism which I was so willing to learn. She had been in the Buddhist path for a while and she was here to learn a particular Tibetan Buddhist practice Chöd from this monk. Chöd (above) is type of a ritual that aims to block the power of fear. Rituals include song, music and prayer and may take place in graveyards as well. By this way Chöd practitioners put their understanding of emptiness to the ultimate test. The monk chose a spot for himself facing the dead body that was in fire at that moment. He prepared an altar with unusual objects and started the ritual. He was dancing and singing some prayers in Tibetan and playing a strange instrument made from human tibia. The ritual lasted for couple of hours. Then he told us that he aimed for the purification of the soul and enable it to be free from fear and attachment when leaving the body. He believes when the families grief with voiceful cries, they make it difficult for the spirit to leave its body. It was a dramatic and memorable experience.
I saved the best places for last that gifted me the most impressive experiences and explorations in Kathmandu. Boudhanath (above) is one of the largest Buddhist stupa in the world. It is a very important pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Apart from the stupa the whole area has a strong influence of Buddhists and consists of almost 50 Buddhist gompas (monasteries). Seeing the people around Boudhanath you can easily have an idea about the influx of many Tibetan refugees that had been coming to Nepal for many years. The stupa is surrounded by a circular line of shops and restaurants and looks touristy. But when you get out from the circle to the outer neighbourhood you go into the humble daily life of Buddhists.
Every year the stupa attracts thousands of Buddhist pilgrims who perform full body prostrations, walk around the stupa with prayer wheels, chant, and pray all day long. Prayer flags and bells enrich this holy atmosphere.
If you are into being around holy places and discover more about Tibetans and their culture I strongly recommend you to come and stay at this area in Kathmandu. I found great peace being here. It was such a special experience to come by the stupa before the dawn and sit somewhere for meditation. . . . . It is still dark, the sun hasn’t rised up yet but Buddhists are already here, circumambulating the stupa. I close my eyes. The sounds of the bells coming from the temple are resonating in the big walls of stupa. Buddhist monk is starting for the morning ceremony and letting magical frequencies of his powerful chantings out into the air. I hear prayer beads in the hands, prayers on the lips, the footsteps that go on and on in circles around the stupa. In the much deeper layers I hear the mantra ‘Om Mane Padme Hum’ again repeating on and on. I hear prayer wheels turning ceaselessly. All are joining my perceptions. Knowing the cycle of all dualities –primarily life and death- I am just observing my senses in the moment without reacting to any of them. Knowing the impermenance nature of everything, my mind is calm and still. I am in peace. . . .
Buddhism, Buddha’s way is one of my interest that I want to learn about. Monasteries appeal me as they are the places that you can visit to start to learn about the wisdom and compassion teachings of Buddha. It is so pleasing that you can find monasteries that have programmes, courses, retreats or talks in English. Like International Buddhist Academy, White Monastery and Kopan Monastery. At some of them you can stay independent from the courses. They also have impressive libraries. One of them is Kopan Monastery (above), located on a hill top, watching Kathmandu from above. It is a center of Buddhism’s Mahayana tradition. The courses here are quite well-known and you should register in advance. If you are interested to learn about your mind and further teachings on wisdom, I highly recommend you to stay and attend a course here. (www.kopanmonastery.com)
I visited as much monastery as I could during my stay around Boudhanath. Walking in the gardens of some of them, attending feasts in tribute to their Lama (high priest) or participating in teachings or Pujas (ceremonies with prayers and meditation) were like introduction experiences into monastic life and Buddha’s way. Once I had a memorable morning at Bairoling monastery (above). It was around 5.30 in the morning when I arrived there to attend the morning Puja. I got so amazed by the fascinating interior. Some pigeons were freely flying around the high ceiling. Then all the monks (from the age of 7 to 50) one by one entered and took their places in the gompa. For an hour they did their ceremony with prayers and with sounds of highly interesting instruments. High volume polyphonic sounds were creating a unique symphony. Frequency of the vibrations took me to a deeper level of energy. I felt the pure sense of compassion that was embracing me.
Through all these unfamiliar experiences, I was more and more getting the feeling of being in an unknown journey. With pure intentions, I was willing to learn what I need to know to embrace what may come along in my path.
I left Kathmandu behind and hit the road to Pokhara, to the second largest city of Nepal. Distance in between these two cities is just 200km. But due to the unpaved and unimproved narrow roads of the country this bus journey takes around 8 hours! If you choose not the tourist but the public bus which is cheaper, get prepared for an adventurous journey. These buses are quite old, so crowded and at the same time you need to close your ears because of the extremely high sounds of the Bollywood movies shown on tv screen. Good news, the road goes along a magnificent lush valley with a strong river flowing next to you in most parts of the road. Anxiety may arise as proceeding just next to deep cliffs. But you can put all these aside and enjoy the view (above).
Pokhara is a beautiful city located by Phewa lake (above). From the north part of the city great Himalayas start to rise up. After my days in chaotic Kathmandu I was so pleased to come to this laid-back charm.
Pokhara is the major tourism hub in Nepal therefore it has many accommodation and food options. Yes it is touristy but it also has a unique quality that offers calm niches as well. I spent almost all my time at the peaceful lakeside.
This place is a heaven if you want to just stop and rest for a while. It has such a charm that makes you stay more than you predict. I spent many days taking long walks near the lake, climbing up and down in the surrounding hills. Lakeside is the perfect place to recharge your batteries. Watching the amazing sceneries of the lake and mountains enhance the peace within.
In Pokhara when you want to be in solitude that’s easy. Or when you want to socialize, there are many options of nice and cosy cafes around the lake. If you are here for trekking, you can meet many like-minded people. Because Pokhara is the gateway to the world-famous treks in and around the Annapurna range of Himalayas. You can swap information with these trekkers about the details of the routes. There are also many trekking agencies that provide maps and information for the trekkers. And Pokhara has many shops that sell cheap but quality outfits and equipments for your trek.
One of the must see places in Pokhara is World Peace Pagoda that is located on top of a hill on the southern part of the lake. In order to reach there you take a boat and cross the river. Then you start climbing up the hill.
You climb up through a dense forest (above) seeing the magnificent sceneries of Pokhara and the lake behind you. The area has a humid subtropical climate that is home to lush green vegetation.
When you eventually reach the top you come across with the World Peace Pagoda (above). This Buddhist pagoda was built as a symbol of peace.
This hilltop provides a beautiful panoramic view of the Annapurna range, Pokhara and Phewa lake (above). At the base Pokhara has the altitude around 800m above sea level. In this region the mountains rise very quickly and within 30 kilometres the elevation rises from 1,000 to 7,500m!
Another magnificent spot is Sarangkot hill that is on the north part of the lake. As I was about to start a trek in Himalayas I used this hill as a training area. With a quite tough climb of 800m you can reach Sarangkot. On your way you pass by some little villages that give you an idea about the simple rural life of Nepalese people (above).
Sarangkot has a spectacular panoramic view of Himalayas and Pokhara city. The Annapurna Range with three out of the ten highest mountains in the world; Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I and Manaslu can be seen from this point. These are around 8000m peaks. The Machhapuchhre, also known as Fishtail (6,993m) is the closest peak to the city. In the picture above it is the one in the middle with a remarkable sharp edge. Sarangkot is also one of the best paragliding venue on the globe.
Pokhara hosts many places that offer yoga, meditation and massage sessions. I really enjoyed a sound therapy session that I had taken from a Nepalese musician. He used many singing bowls in different sizes and interesting instruments in order to create different frequencies to heal the body and mind. At the end of the session I was totally with a light and warm energy in and around my physical and energetic body. The musician told me how to choose the best singing (Tibetan) bowl for myself.
After China invaded Tibet in 1950, many Tibetans took shelter in Nepal. Pokhara is home to thousands of Tibetan refugees and four main refugee camps; Tashi Palkel, Tashi Ling, Paljorling and Jampaling. These camps were originally meant to provide temporary shelter to Tibetan refugees but have turned into permanent settlements. If you are interested in learning more about the history of Tibetan refugees in Nepal, you can visit one of these camps. Refugees are not allowed to legally work or own a land where they can cultivate food. Therefore you see many refugees who sell souvenirs in the lakeside to make their living.
I enjoyed each and every day in Pokhara peacefully. More I explore through travelling more I learn to surrender and trust to what comes along. I start to hear more clearly what my heart is tellling me, I start to sense my intuitions more clearly. I am getting prepared physically and mentally to the trek I am about to begin in Himalayas. And after finishing the trek it will be awesome to come back near this beautiful lake to chill out and rest.
One of the primary reason that brought me to Nepal is the Himalayas. I remember the times when the idea of this journey sprouted in my heart some months ago. I remember the scene I saw in a documentary where a giant zebra herd was running through a vast grassland. At that moment I thought how would that be like to be exactly there, to feel the great vibration on the ground, to feel their wind on my face. How would that make me feel when I have to open my eyes as wide as possible to capture this gigantic view? I thought I need this, this would entirely shake me then put my spirit at a perfect place to be. Have I told you before that whatever I ask for, dream of or intend is coming into being? Here you are! I have experienced that impact as the way I dreamt of, here in the embrace of the mountains. At the end of 13 days in Himalayas my spirit is so light, in peace and at the same time deeply grounded. I am going to tell about my whole trekking experience day by day. Each day brought me many gifts from the mountains and nourished me physically and spiritually.
I want to start with some practical information that would help the ones who intend to do trekking in Himalayas. First you need to decide which trek would be the best for you as there are many options. Some of the major trekking regions are Annapurna, Everest, Langtang, Manaslu, Rara/Jumla and Kanchanjunga/ Makalu. As you see in the map above, the most popular treks Annapurna and Everest are in different regions. For Annapurna you start from Pokhara, for Everest you start from Kathmandu. First check what is appealing to you. I chose Annapurna Base Camp trek as it was passing through a diversed region regarding fauna, flora and many little villages on the way where I could observe the culture of Nepalese people living up in the mountains. This trek would be gifting me many clear views of great peaks of Himalayas as well. During the trek, at one point I decided and unite some parts of Mardi Himal trek into my route.
I had some concerns at the beginning as I was planning to walk alone. I had questions like; what if I lose my way and get lost, what if I fall down from a cliff and no one would see me, what if I come across with some wild animals and so on. But I put all these aside and decided to face my fears and venture forth. From my experiences there is no need to abstain from being alone. There is no way that you get lost if you use a proper offline map (example: maps.me application) and many parts are well marked. Before starting it is mandatory to take a trekking permit. You show these cards at some check points during the trek. So the officers take these information to control if anyone is missing. You can also do like I did; with my friend Antonin with whom I met in Pokhara we decided to be our invisible partners. We were informing eachother through messages at the end of each day about our condition. So by this way we had someone who was knowing where and how we are. Being alone was not an issue, besides it gave me immense strength.
It is an option to hire a local porter to carry your stuff. But it was quite sad to see the porters carrying huge bags up and down the hills. You can put most of your stuff at your guesthouse in Pokhara or Kathmandu and have a small backpack. Mine was around 8kg and containing everything I need. Be as light as possible. What primarily upset me the most was that the porters were carrying many packaged junk food like, coke, beer, chips all the way to the upper points. Do we really need to consume this much? The amount of waste is unbeliveable at the end!
Water consumption is also so important. You don’t need to buy water in plastic bottles. Below 2500m you can fill up your bottles from the taps in the little villages and you can use iodine tablets to purify your water. Above 2500m, after you pass all the settlements you can trust every spring you come across in your way. People can make you worry about it but don’t listen and trust all the clean clear water at this piece of heaven. It looks like humans tend to forget to trust mother nature.
It is the best to start your day early. By this way after trekking around 5-7 hours you arrive at your destination when the sun is still high up. You can take a shower and dry yourself and your sweaty clothes (above 2500m forget about having a shower). By this way you store the sun in your body as you will need it during the cold nights. Choose proper clothes for the cold. As you ascend the conditions will change. Above some altitudes there will be no stove because there is no tree at all to burn. You will need to wear whatever you have and cover yourself with any blanket that you can find. In most of the treks in Himalayas you will find little local guesthouses to stay in every 5-10 km. If you are on budget like me, you can make a deal with some guesthouses and offer to pay just for the food but not the accommodation. They accept. But above upper altitudes the guesthouses and the food starts to become more expensive. They even start to ask money for charging your phone or using wifi. That is understandable. You can access internet at some points but it will be way to weak.
One of the most important thing is to take precaution against high altitude sickness. Especially after the altitude of 3000m, if you don’t act consciously this can make you sick with a very bad headache, dizziness, nauseation and anorexia. An emergency helicopter can come to help you but this will be extremely expensive. So ascend slowly above 3000m. Always walk slowly. Do not cover big altitude differences rapidly. Stay over night and by this way adjust your body. If you feel any sickness descend right away.
ROUTE OF 13 DAYS : DAY 1: NAYAPUL(1070m) – ULLERI (2020m) / 10km DAY 2: ULLERI (2020m) – GHOREPANI (2860m) / 7.5km DAY 3: GHOREPANI (2860m) – POONHILL (3190m) – TADAPANI (2630m) / 10.5km DAY 4: TADAPANI (2630m) – CHHOMRONG (2170m) / 8.5km DAY 5: CHHOMRONG (2170m) – SINUWA (2360m) – BAMBOO (2310m) – DOBHAN (2520m) / 9.2km DAY 6: DOBHAN (2520m) – HIMALAYA (2920m) – DEURALI (3200m) / 4.6km DAY 7: DEURALI (3200m) – MACHHAPUCHHRE BASE CAMP (3700m) – ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP (4130m) / 7km DAY 8: ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP (4130m) – MACHHAPUCHHRE BASE CAMP (3700m) – DEURALI (3200m) – HIMALAYA (2920m) – DOBHAN (2520m) – BAMBOO (2310m) / 14km DAY 9: BAMBOO (2310m) – SINUWA (2360m) – CHHOMRONG (2170m) – JHINU (1780m) / 9km DAY 10: JHINU (1780m) / day off DAY 11: JHINU (1780m) – NEW BRIDGE (1340m) – LANDRUK (1565m) – TOLKA (1800m) / 9km DAY 12: TOLKA (1800m) – / POTHANA (1950m) – AUSTRALIAN CAMP (2060m) / 7km DAY 13: AUSTRALIAN CAMP (2060m) – DHAMPUS (1660m) – PHEDI (1430m) / 7km
DAY 1: NAYAPUL (1070m) – ULLERI (2020m) From Pokhara I took a bus and a shared jeep and arrived at Nayapul in 3 hours. Yes finally my trek was starting from this point (above) by a strong river that would accompany me all along the way till the evening. This very first day is quite a tough day as it proceeds on steep slopes. I had the advantage of the training trek I did the day before at Sarangkot in Pokhara. It awakened my body.
I passed by 5 little villages on the way. I liked the humble way of the simple architecture and clean outlook of these little settlements. There is a large agricultural production in the area. But it is pleasing to see that none of them is industrial but small scale. You see many leveled terraces on the hillsides used as rice fields.
Rivers and creeks are everywhere on the path, flowing parallel to you or crossing your way. There is always the sound of water in the air accompanying you. You use many wooden or metal suspended bridges to cross the strong water flowing below you.
The last ascend of 700m is only stairs. With a basic calculation today I climbed almost 4000 steps up! I climbed slowly but steadily, always being aware of my breaths. At the end just before the sunset I have reached today’s destination Ulleri. Starting from the depths of the valley above, all day long I climbed and climbed and reached at this top point. I have already opened myself fully to whatever the mountains would like to show me.
DAY 2: ULLERI (2020m) – GHOREPANI (2860m) With excitement I started the day early at dawn and walked to a field that has a magnificent view. I sat for meditation. Soon after that I heard some sweet melodies of a guitar and children vocals coming from the village. Oh my God, where was I? Was this a heaven or not? Then I learned the hymns were coming from a Christian orphanage school. Today’s trek is a little lighter than yesterday with an ascend of 850m. Of course there is no car road anymore. So you see many mules on the way. People primarily use them for carrying stuff.
Along the way there are many little creeks and cascades as well as little bridges you use to cross the water. Ferns are decorating the landscape.
As I climbed up, I saw the agricultural fields started to give their place to the forest. At the end I reached Gorapani which is a Gurung village. Gurung is the ethnic group that compose 2.0% of the population of Nepal. It is known that shamanistic elements among the Gurungs remain strong and most Gurungs often embrace Buddhist rituals. I had long and friendly conversations with the owner of the guesthouse I chose to stay. He is also from this ethnicity. He told me many things about their traditions, about their life up on the mountains. This little cute baby above is his daughter. He was happy to have a daughter as he believed that sons don’t work but daughters help the family in anything.
DAY 3: GHOREPANI (2860m) – POONHILL (3190m) – TADAPANI (2630m) I woke up at 4.30 to start the first climb in order to catch the sunrise at Poonhill. Poonhill is a hill station to see the massive Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. It is essential to start your day early to see the big peaks clearly because in the day time they are mostly blocked by clouds somehow. Many trekkers were here for this ritual to greet the day.
As the sun started to light the earth, the whole view in front of me was breathtaking. On the picture above on top we see the peaks of Annapurna range between 7500-8100m. And on the bottom we see Dhaulagiri mountain (8167m). I was getting more and more excited as I knew I was approaching Annapurna range more and more everyday.
I wouldn’t imagine at the beginning that today’s walk would be really magical. I first climbed up to 3200m again and reached a pass. From the same point, on one side I was seeing the mountains I left behind and on the other side I was seeing the new forestlands I was about to enter. I was more and more coming closer to the sharp edged peak of Machhapuchhre (6993m) (above, left) It already started to greet me from here.
After the pass I entered into a magnificent dense forest. I passed valleys and walked on meandering paths at the edge of the slopes. I got so mesmerized to be surrounded by this colourful beauty. This is the forest of rhododendrons that are the national trees of Nepal. When they blossom all the hills become garnished in red, pink and white colours. We see autumn colours now. Although it is the dominant species, still the forest has a rich biodiversity. There is a healthy succession between lichens, ferns, ivys, bushes and trees. It is forbidden to cut rhododendrons or even to collect the dried ones. That’s why the villagers have to bring other wood to burn which is quite difficult. So they use so little amount of wood. For cooking they use bottled gas that has to be always carried by the poor mules.
Walking through this forest I passed a little village on the way that was located by a beautiful river. (above, left) After a tough climb I arrived at Tadapani. (above, right) It was such a cute little village with humble guesthouses and a market. Besides it had a spectacular view of Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South peaks. I decided to stay here for the night. Feeling the vitality the forest gifted me today, I fell asleep.
DAY 4: TADAPANI (2630m) – CHHOMRONG (2170m) After I woke up to the new day and went out from my room, this was the first view I came across. It was amazing to see the mountains one after another. I greeted the day with a peaceful meditation.
This day’s walk passes through some villages, many abundant vegetable gardens and terraced fields. Millets were harvested and already dried. This father with his children above, was seperating the seeds of millet in front of their house. Nepalese people use millet as their stable food like rice. With millet they make a kind of a porridge and also the famous traditional alcoholic beverage called Rakshi.
Then I arrived at Chhomrong. I could walk more but somehow decided to stay here for the night maybe because of the warm talk of this Gurung uncle who welcomed me with a kind open heart. We had fun together and laughed a lot despite that we didn’t know more than ten words in common. He makes his living by selling his handicrafts at the stall in the entrance of the village. Tomorrow I was going to enter into the valley above and approach a little bit more to the base camp where I would meet with the great peaks.
DAY 5: CHHOMRONG (2170m) – SINUWA (2360m) – BAMBOO (2310m) – DOBHAN (2520m) The day started with a 300m descend. Then I crossed the suspended metal bridge (above) to Sinuwa. After this bridge crossing, all the rest will be just climbing up until the final destination, base camp. (from 2000m to 4130m) Yes sometimes my legs did hurt, my muscles burned but I understood; the more I walk the more I got charged interestingly. I started to feel much much stronger. The special area that begins from the point above, right and ends at the base camp is sacred to Buddhists. It is the home of sacred temples and mysterious mountains. Therefore no one consumes meat here and everyone pay attention to take good care of the mother earth.
Entering into the new valley a different type of a forest welcomes us. Rhododendrons start to give their place to bamboos.
Finally I am at that valley that will take me directly to the base camp. I am walking parallel to the river that is flowing at the bottom of the valley. There are many springs and waterfalls popping up on both sides of the river. I am putting my hands into the water to unite with the wisdom of it, to have its healing powers. I am touching the plants, hugging trees to open another gate between us so that they can transfer me the knowledge of the forest. I am breathing in the clear and pure air of Himalayas. I am in deep gratitude for this mutual connection.
DAY 6: DOBHAN (2520m) – HIMALAYA (2920m) – DEURALI (3200m) Today’s trek has a 700m ascend that starts to take you to a more rocky area. You see some springs surprisingly popping up and falling down from so high points. I am so fascinated to see many water resources here and there and everywhere. And today for the first time in my life I saw a Nepal Grey langur. Langurs belong to the genus of old world monkeys and they are endemic to Himalayas. We stared at eachother for about 4-5 seconds then he turned his back and walked away.
At one point I am having a rest at Hinku cave. Same thing happens again as it happened many times during the whole trek. A moment comes I burst into tears out of a mixture of great joy, love, respect and gratitude. What mountains gift me is beyond words. As I proceed, the clouds start to come down the valley. The porters keep on passing by me, carrying many stuff up to the base camp. Despite their heavy loads, I like to see them singing in a joyous way. Every time I see them, I step out of the way and greet them (namaste) with respect. Since this is a sacred area for Buddhists you can see some altars on the way that has been built to approach and pray.
The clouds eventually came all the way down to the bottom of the valley. Mother nature -with all her elements, mountain, forest and the river- was looking so mysterious.
After arriving at Deurali clouds dissolved slowly and opened the view. What I saw was magnificent. So high and huge rocky mountains were standing up right in front of me. I took my time and peacefully enjoyed the view till the sunset. The weather started to get really cold. I am now at 3200m. Tomorrow I have to start walking early to cross the avalanche area as early as possible. By the impact of the rising sun the snow starts to melt and this may form avalanches.
DAY 7: DEURALI (3200m) – MACHHAPUCHHRE BASE CAMP (3700m) – ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP (4130m) I’m so excited. Today is the big day that I’ve been waiting for. It will take me to the Annapurna base camp.
From now on I see a dramatic change on the landscape and flora. There are no more trees and big rocky surfaces rise up high on both sides of the valley. I am getting closer to the source of Modi river that was accompanying me for days. The mountains that show themselves in the far view keeps me on my path. I am proceeding with excitement but still be aware to be slow. It is so important not to rush at these altitudes.
Then Machhapuchhre Base Camp at 3700m becomes visible. It is the blue coloured little settlement in the center of the picture above. Up until this point I have always proceeded to the north and from there I will turn to west (left) for the last part of the ascend.
After that turn I leave Machhapuchhre Base Camp behind. As I proceed to the west I start to see the majestic Machhapuchhre. (6993m) (above, top) It is a holy mountain. Because of the impossibility it is forbidden to climb to its summit. And when I look at the direction I am heading to I already start to see some peaks of Annapurna. (above, bottom) My heart beats faster with excitement. With each step I feel the pull into the center of a great mystic beauty.
Eventually when I reach at Annapurna Base Camp I feel like drunk with an ecstatic joy. Whoever see this gigantic strength and breathtaking beauty in front of their eyes would feel the same way. The peak on the left is Annapurna South (7219m). The one next to it is Annapurna I (8091m) which is the 10th highest mountain of the planet. The sharp one on the right is Machhapuchhre (6993m). And below that –again on the right- we see the base camp in blue colour. Generally the clouds cover the view in the afternoons but I was so lucky as the weather was clean clear that day. I enjoyed this supreme view all day long.
This is the end of Part 1. Now I welcome you to Part 2 which tells more about the base camp and all the upcoming days of my trek.
