Skyward I went to learn

Amongst the central hills of Karnataka state, India’s majestic Hindu past lingers about as massive stone structures like a network of ant hills. Fifty meter Gopurams, deistic monoliths, and hilltop temples remain to remind us that social cohesion and civilization-wide efforts were vital to the success of the Maharajas.

As a traveler, I bask in the idea of these mega-structures, and their ability to stand more than 600 years. I am also in a position to absorb much history and culture from the locals, and yet as a skeptic, I choose to play along, open my mind, just to the point where I can gain an experience from a different perspective, regardless of the naiveté required. 

In this spirit, I have wonderful opportunities all the time, like today. While walking through some ruins in the area, I spotted a path leading up a nearby hill. Assuming a decent vantage point, I hiked skywards.

Nearing the top, voiced could be heard and caught sight of an ancient building at the peak. Recognizing the sound as chanting, I cautiously peeked through the window, when I heard a rumbling voice, croaking in an Indian accent. “Ah, a young man, come come!”

Rounding into the ‘courtyard’, I saw smoke billowing out of the door to the man’s room. Gleefully entering, I was greeted by four aged Yogis sitting around a small fire, wearing longyis, shawls, and covered in paint.

The elder Yogi spoke English well, the others seemingly not, and I was invited to sit down for tea and a round on the “enlightenment” pipe.  Such opportunities should never be passed up. 

As I took a seat on the floor next to them, I decided to not speak out of turn, not discuss, but simply to ask questions pertaining to the lifestyle, the ideals, and the philosophy of the Gurus of India. Now, most of the responses I got reminded me of similar philosophies or teachings elsewhere. 

“If you want to meditate, you should best do it at either sunrise, or sunset. The sun represents good, and the night, darkness. Meditating at this time allows you the balance to see all things.” So basically Taoism, in it’s dualistic nature. 

“By emptying the mind, you are able to become one with the universe and look upon all things.”  I expected this, but it reminded me of the study by Andrew Newberg about loss of blood flow in the parietal lobes, causing a lack of time and spacial awareness. 

For the rest of the talk, I heard regurgitated Deepak Chopra, mismatched stories in philosophy, and a constant belittlement because I have not aligned my higher chakras. I even heard a bit of Gnosticism in there, when he discussed how we desire to remove our evil physical bodies, and become entirely good metaphysical bodies. 

This went on and on, and finally he realized he had me hooked.  I was told if I made a small contribution, he would demonstrate meditation for me, and allow me to ask any questions I had about the cosmos or life. The contribution? A bag of grass! Best of all, he suggested I could record it and put it on the internet so to confirm his findings!

This seemed too good to be true. Of course I was enthused.  I asked for tips on how to be a better person. I was told to remove all desires and needs. To stop requiring my mobile phone, my fancy clothes, my material possessions.  Five minutes later, a phone rang, and the material-less Yogi reached under his cloths and pulled out a phone, and started to chatter away. 

Biting my tongue, I decided it better not to make snide comments. About twenty minutes later, security showed up and asked for what I presume to be written permission to be on a World Heritage site, making fires and smoking.  Evicted and disappointed, the Yogis started to pack.

Understandably, it seems the Yogis of yesteryear have little place in today’s society. Upon asking other locals, it seems there are not enough large temples to sustain the number of people who practice the lifestyle. They wander from town to town, taking food and supplies from locals, then moving on. It also seems Yogis are not universally respected. It was made to seem like a huge burden, a sacrifice for the rest of society to live away from family, to spend your days traveling and teaching.  

To become a Yogi, you should lead a normal life, then after getting married and having children you can leave and take care of only yourself.  Astonishing.  If I lived in a society that forced early marriage within one’s own caste, forced child bearing and hard labor, I would find the courage to leave my family as well, to live my life on hilltops smoking weed all day and hanging out with my friends. 

Needless to say, I will not have the opportunity to get the Yogi stoned off his ass, ask him questions and post it for the internet. Perhaps next time. 

On a related note, I can say that in cities of India, atheism is on the rise, and I would put the figure higher than the recent US figure of 5% confirmed atheist. I met a host of people in Bangalore who described themselves as “near-militant” atheists, who participate in daily life to dispel delusions. 

Incredible India, I have high hopes for you.