Fascinating Reiki

Well, although I can't say I love Varanasi, I am really falling for reiki. Went for my second class today, and have decided to go on to level 2.

First, a bit about yesterday. Forgot to mention that I woke up at 5am and couldn't fall back asleep, so I took advantage of the situation and went out onto the guesthouse balcony to watch the sunrise over the Ganga. Beautiful, of course. Went back to my room and managed to fall back asleep till 9, then moved into room #2. After my first reiki class that afternoon, which ended, as I said, with a cleanse and balance of my energies and chakras, I felt every emotion very strongly. At my core, I felt a deep sense of calmness, but at the surface, was acutely aware of the emotions that arose. They were mostly negative, which sometimes felt a little overwhelming. This is normal, my guru told me today, as after a cleansing, the negative emotions we are holding onto must be released. Guess it was working! Today's class wasn't really a class, it was my level 1 initiation (or attunement). It's more or less the channeling of energies and healing powers from guru to student. It lasted over an hour, in a dim room with candles and incense lit. At the the end of the session, I was given the reiki level 1 booklet to read. I was fascinated and hooked. Reiki healing makes so much sense to me, and I had felt exactly the way the book said one might after a cleansing and initiation. My guru had said very little about what was going on during the class, and I was initially a little confused and skeptic. But reading these notes, everything is coming together. Level 1 and 2 are done in 4 days, so I have 2 left, finishing on Friday.

Ventured a little further along the ghats today than I had before, discovering new sights and spots. And getting lost in the narrow lanes many times. Didn't think I'd find my way back. But I did.

The intro to Varanasi in my guidebook describes it perfectly, so I'll end with that today.

"Brace yourself. You're about to enter one of the most blindingly colourful, unrelentingly chaotic and unapologetically indiscreet places on earth. Pilgrims come to the ghats lining the River Ganges here to wash away a lifetime of sins in the sacred waters or to cremate their loved ones. Most visitors agree it's a magical place, but it's not for the faint-hearted. Here the most intimate rituals of life and death take place in public and the sights, sounds and smells in and around the ghats - not to mention the almost constant attention from touts - can be overwhelming. Persevere. Varanasi is unique, and a walk along the ghats or a boat ride on the river will live long in the memory."

Like I said, I don't love this place. Its narrow lanes and crowds make me feel a little claustrophobic. The stink, the flies and the dung everywhere are a little irritating. But it does feel a little magic, and it's most definitely unique.