Steppps – Friedenspilgern

Walking troubles

I ended up this day with 27km. I really did not want it. Just to far.
After Samera I took my new flipflops on. Some km later I switched again to the old ones.
At the end of the day I had again some blisters, but at some more ‚comfortable place‘, I could just puncture it and let the water out.
And.. .. a had a sirous sun burn at my lower legs. In the morning I had rolled up my trousers, because of muddy street in Barbigha. Ever though the sun did not come out really, somehow she came through.

All my little injuries and the much to long walk took me to another rest day.

Half way staying in Mokama I realized that it was so super close to Mother Ganga. Less than 2km and I could see the calm muddy looking holy river. A shepard with his buffaloes took a bath. Not to much rubbish at the river bed. I sat down for a while. Hmmm

Next morning I am fit.
Maybe I need to change my rhythm in this hot humid monsoon climate.
Today I got up at 5am for meditation (a little earlier is even better)
7.30 am leaving the hotel.
2 pm I reached the next hotel ( this hotel is really nice. Its 700 Rupies/9€ and almost clean)
After organising myself – to the market to by fruits and nuts – shower – washing the sweaty clothes – writing the blog – eating a bit – not finished with all at 5.30pm – rest – evening meditation at 8pm – sleep at 9pm….. maybe that could be the structure…?!

I crossed today the Ganga last time in this journey. I will walk northeast from here. The Ganga flows east towards Bangladesh (later south towards the Ganga Delta)
There is now joy in my heart and body to do this walk. Only with my feet I have to take some more patience. And…. it will come to a good result….

Pure joy

I started walking barefoot when I left Aloks house. I met such nice people in the way to Samera. Several invited me for food.  But I just had breakfast at Aloks house.

One young man, I think, that he said he was just 17, still student, he really impressed me. First he invited me for breakfast…. But as I said,  I was full…. He really understood,  why I was walking there…. He came back after some time with his bicycle and a friend and asked me, if he is allowed to donate something. ‚I don’t ask, but if your heart tells you to do so, I will except‘ He gave me 20 Rupies (~30 €cent, later I bought a bottle of water from it). Then he just wanted to ensure, that I really have enough, he wanted the evidence, because he did not believe me. He asked my to show me my money… to prove it…. And he said ‚If you need more I can give you more….‘
What a noble person!!!

Little later, taking a rest, a group of young men, teens, came to me. They where busy climing up the palm trees to harvest some kind of special nuts (not coconuts, smaller). 4 of them posed for a photo. When the goto was done, one of them jumped 5 times into the air, so happy, so full of pure joy, that i had taken a goto of him. Just beautiful.

Then finally, the third invitation, I accepted. Chapati, flat Indian bread with Sabse (cooked vegetables). This house, full of live, 25 people. 5 brother families with lots of kids and the grandparents.

Police

During my stay in Aloks house, Alok had some trouble with his neighbor. The neighbor is constucting a house just at the property border line. On the first floor he planed to extend the roof further out, ignoring the fact, that this is not his property. Everything was on the way to get cemented very soon. Alok asked him, to please respect the property line and to rebuild the structure to cement the roof. It was only a few inches (cm) at one area,  but up to 10 inches (20 cm) at one corner. But the neighbor ignored Aloks wish and right. So. Alok called the police. They came. As an end result the neighbor still cemented the area with only some inches over to Aloks property and at the corner area he went half the way back, but still ignoring legal regulations. During the arguing at that specific cementing day, the neighbor called Alok in the presence of his mother ‚mother fucker‘.
Two days later, I hear from Alok, that the neighbor gave the police some thousands Rupies. I was so sad hearing that. Most sad for the policeman himself. So sad, that this ‚I thought honest‘ policeman is actually a corrupt person. So sad, that in the state of India, and especially Bihar, where it is so important, to come out of brutallity, crime and so on, to move towards order, this policeman underneath the law. I strongly believe, that this turns bad towards the policeman, and that’s the main reason, that I was so sad.
Also I heard from Alok,  at the cementing day, when the police was there, the neighbor run behind a woman to punish her, with a hammer!!!! The police saw it and did nothing…. brrr
And… finally. Alok told me, that the police complained to him earlier, that they can’t beat the people anymore in the police station with a bamboo stick ‚to bring them to order‘ because the government had installed in every single room in the police station a CCTV camera.
…… OMG

Still in Barbigha

I understand that I should continue walking barefoot.
Nevertheless I got other slippers, a bit softer, only a relativ small size…. but let’s hope this pair is better.

Alok gave me a great – again – relaxing time in his home.

My next ‚exit Visa‘ is approved until 31.7. (only). With a lot of online trouble….. Anyway. Some weeks of empty mind with this.

Tomorrow I plan to continue walking….. if universe is inline ….

I took the chance on my pause day in Bihar Sharif to buy some new flipflops. And the rest took some fruits. My body felt so much better when I woke up next morning.

With my new flipflops and a stronger body I walk east out of town. During the way, at midday, I feel, I can really make it to the 26km distance town of Barbigha. 5km before the day goal I sit down at the side of the street in the shade. People are resting under big trees. 3 teenagers playing cricket in the nice relaxing scenery. I just walked until here. Have I been somehow in trance? I did not feel the heat to hot, but I realize that my arms got really red. Quite satisfied, that I can walk good with the new flipflops I realize some little abrasions at my feet. Ok. Let’s have the old flipflops for the rest of the way.
Shortly before Barbigha I feel super exhausted, have to rest at the street, water bottles are empty, observing my breathe I feel the effort of the day.
The first hotel is a little bit to expensiv for my budget, next hotel even more money. The first hotel also did not want to take me, they did send me to the police station for a ’stamp’….?? Anyway, I ended up by the police station, because no other place to find. Maybe they have an idea…. Entering the police everyone took a sidestep (foreign man with backpack and face mask)…. soon I learned that they had no Corona incidents in the town yet.
Here I got to know Alok, a Yoga teacher, who came accidentally here, visiting some police friends. He invites my to his home. Always when you go to a police station… it takes time… reports have to be written, passport and visa papers has to be controlled, story of the peace walker have to be told, translations have to be made, the chief officer has to be informed by phone….. There was also a reporter from a newspaper (next day we read, he described me as a Japanese :). After everything was done the police brought us by car to Aloks home.

Already at the police station I got to know, that my feet where a bit swollen, the little injuries where watering, I had some blisters which I did not realize before,  and on top, the sun has made it really red.
At Aloks house I firstly had to patch up my feet, water out of the blister and Alok had bought a special creme for me.
Next morning my arms where fine, the colour changed into light brown. But my feet. The looked aweful. Still swollen, some little places open and watering. Already decided yesterday, to take Aloks invitation for two nights. Really nice food and Alok gave me a private yoga session.
I further extent my stay. It’s raining and the feet…. still not ok. Anyway, just know I remind myself, …. when needed, there is always help…. so on that level, everything is best.

From the newspaper today I learn, that only yesterday 83 people in the state of Bihar where killed by lightening. In all of last year they where ‚only‘ 39!!! So many in one day.

By the way: The state of Bihar has around 100 million people. Around 8300 people got infected by CROVID-19, most of them are recovered, all together 57 died.

Further notice: my next Visa, because of lockdown and Corona, the Foreign office FRRO has to issue it, in process. But parts of there web side is not working. Emails, other notices and phonecalls let me be in time-consuming circles….. brrr. … there maid be another usefull reason on another lever behind it… at least I have to further learn to be equanimous with every situation.

Smile

I managed the only 12 km the second day.
But…. After 3 1/2 month meditating and resting the walk is another story.
My mussles and all my walking system is hurting. To carry the backpack… it feels also very heavy. … as I said,  just another story.
I even got some blisters at my toes.
They are care taken. Step by step I will continue.

For the moment I will mostly stay at night in hotels. Today I have again a low budget one. Including some cleaning. Means, if the place is not so as I with,  I do what I can to make it a bit better.
Only if I get invited somewhere, I maid go with the people. For now it’s for myself and the people maybe better not to ask – because of Corona.

Step by step to continue the big hug (do you remember?)

First way walking after 3 1/2 month was quite fun. But I walked only 12km to adjust myself to the situations. (So today I walked 0,5% of the rest of the way to Myanmar/Yangoon-2.500km)
Some people on the road quite friendly. Some a bit afraid.

I reached Nalanda. Today I stay in a OYO hotel. Some month ago I saw a video on Facebook about the owner. It’s a just 25 year old man, who had, when he started nearly no money in the pocket. In his village he saw that the local hotel was not booked at all. So he made a deal with the owner, a kind of bet. He promised to make the hotel busy. He changed some sheets and blankets, pillows. Arranged everything in a need way, took care for some more cleanliness, took photos and published them in the internet.
After a little while the hotel was really good booked. He somehow became the co-owner.
Now he owns 1000s of hotels in all of India and became a billionaire.

Nalanda is known for a old Buddhist university, which tought Mahayana Buddhism, which spread all over Asia, specially Southeast Asia. Ruins and excavations are to witness here. I myself don’t go, because mostly these days it’s anyway closed -lockdown- but also because tourist have mostly to pay 12 times more entrance fee than Indians……

Bihar is actually a very beautiful state, when it comes to nature and climate. I don’t know, if the Monsoon this year is a bit early? Anyway, here and there it rained a bit and a bit more.

Hugs

Thomas

5 days ago I left the ‚protective bubble‘ of the Vipassana center, where I stayed for the last 3 1/2 month. On the way back to Bihar/Rajgir to continue the peace walk.

First everything went somehow normal to Indian standards. From a tuktuk to a bus, another bus and a bus to Gorakpur. Already a 16.30 there. Earlier than I expected. I thought I maid get her a train from Gorakpur to Hijipur – a ticket at the ticket counter. But arriving at the train station I realized, not everything is in a normal mood yet. Only extra CROVID-19 trains where running. Ticket counters not open. Hmmm. Surprise.  Don’t make sense to me, that all the busses are running again, but not the trains. This was also the info I got in the center, that everyone can go now, whereever they want.
Ok. What to do. I decided to get to Kushinagar. All the government busses don’t cross the state borders I had learned in between. Kushinagar was still in Uttar Pradesh.
In Kushinagar I found a helper, T-Roy. He has a little cafe there, also Vipassana practitioner, and he loves to help people. The monestaries have not opened yet there guest rooms. So we try at a hotel. I got sprayed with with some bleaching fluid which hurts on the skin and I protest. Desinfection ok, but not bleaching. And no soab at the public sink…..
Just in front of the police station, the people jump away, when arriving……
Finally I arrived at a hotel,  little bit more expensive. … they accepted me.
In the public only fifty percent of the people wear masks.
The Vipassana manager, Mukesh, of the Kushinagar center calls me a bit later. I had contacted him already in Gorakpur. I can come to the center, stay there, also for longer, but I have to get in quarantine for 4 days there – I came with a bus and not by private transport. But I dont want to stay. In this case it does not make sence To travel from one Vipassana center to another.
To diguest all of it, I take a day break to mentally ajust with the outside world and what happened to me here…..

After that day break I continue my bus journey and I arrive in the evening in Patna. Quickly I get away from the bus station and find a hotel bed again.
Next morning the people at the bus station send me from here to there.  The bus starts at area 3. Arriving there, the bus to Rajgir leaves at gate 1. But I just come from there. This went on for some rounds. Patna bus station is a total chaos. Busses drive through mud and passengers have to reach there busses by getting through the mud. No costumer service. Finally my bus is to find at area 2. I ask every bus driver in that area and suddenly ‚yes, this bus goes to Rajgir‘.
Luckyly no bleaching spray anymore.

After a night of sleep I walk towards the peace stupa, 6 km outside of the town. A police officer stops me. You can’t get there. ??? Still lockdown. After a while I understand. Sights are still closed in this time, while most of the public life goes on normal. I did not know that.
In the net it’s also not easy to find this information. And I trusted what I heard in the Shravasti Vipassana center.

Maybe around 10 days ago I read a message on the German foreign ministry ‚Auswaertiges Amt‘ that the lockdown in India continues until the 30th of June. That was opposite of what I experienced. All the members who where stuck in the center since about 2 month, left for home. Getting advise from the Vipassana center teacher, by letting him know, that I feel a impulse to continue the peace walk, he just said, I should wait until the 8th or so of June, because at that time all the hotel will open again. So I was surprised,  that the German foreign ministry had a wrong information in there travel advises. And thats very unusual.
But now I understand. Somehow the lockdown is still active, but practically only the sights and other official institutions are closed…..

All together, the authorities did not take the chance to establish more hygiene in the country, except of hand sanitizer here and there. In Bihar maybe 50 % of the people wear a face mask, maybe 50%.

I still feel, being here is right. My heart gave the impulse to continue walking. And on a practical level, yes I agree, but this can be only done with my heart. My head, my mind/interlect can’t contribute to much. So the challenge is, to give everything up, except the guidance of the heart.

I am not a big fan of adventure. There is always already enough adventure happening inside, I often say. This becomes now another level….

Tomorrow. 21.6., summer solstice, the peace walk continues….

Dear Friends.
Slowly and now continuously, finally more strongly there is coming a clear energy towards starting to walk again.
Lockdown in India has passed. Since 12 days travelling without permission is allowed again. But not all trains are running again. And people partly follow the social distancing rules, but another part does not care enough.
I am not sure, if that will result in a castrastrophic rising of Corona cases…. or will the nature help, at least in the summer, with his high summer temperatures?…. or people maid have a different immun system….?
I was locked with 60 other Vipassana meditators in the Vipassana center Shravasti after my intended 30 day course. The course started 29th of February and strict lockdown was until 31.5.2020. Some very few Indians where allowed earlier to travel home with special permits. Since beginning of this month now nearly everyone left the center. Foreigners were the last…. and now, today, 4 more foreigners left.
My plan is to leave at the 15th of June. A friend of mine, Tabish came visiting me, and I want to spent some time with him.

Where to go?
There is a strong impulse to continue walking from Rajgir. Here I stopped walking end of February. It’s tricky to get a train ticket, but if not, I have to travel all the way by uncomfortable busses, I guess two or 2 1/2 days. It’s about 600-650 km.
As always I have to trust my inner impuls, what means my heart, even though from outside there are lots of other opinions, which reached me. But, if you read my blog, you also know: There was a inner clear voice, back in September 2018, when I was stuck in the snow in the higher Himalayas, which said ‚When you visit your mother in summer 2019 you will walk all the rest of the journey in one row‘ And I totally trust this voice. We could argument, that situation changed with Corona now, but this trust in the voice, and the impulse energy I have now, and the feeling in my heart to finally continue the walk now and finish the peace walk officially in April 2021 has not changed. I have balance all the options and risks and voices around me got calmer and I am myself also calm.
Still moving , the whole walk,  at least through Bihar (Indian state) will be not easy. First of all, it’s hot season now, monsoon on the way to come around end of June. Second Bihar people are poor and a bit afraid anyway, especially when the night comes closer.
Third with the Corona topic people have maybe even more fear when it comes to over night stay….
So the route will be from Rajgir towards northeast, walking around Bangladesh, around 400 km. From there east – southeast towards the Myanmar border. All together 1.250-1.300km.
(After that I plan another meditation period and some time to organize the Visa for Myanmar. Latest at 1st of January I want to start walking in the last country on this walk, 1.200 km in Myanmar)

I will tell you something interesting from last year. You maid remember, from April on I was stuck in Lumbini. I was unexpected with the arrival there, superexhausted and could not walk at all. Within some days my hornskin at my feet removed so quick, within days… I could not understand. I had some options how to continue, but energy changed every day. Finally at the 12th of June I understood that I will leave. Next morning it crystallized that I will fly to Germany. At the 15th I left Lumbini towards Kathmandu, 4 day later I could hug my mother.
Somehow a lot of synchronicity this year. After the retreat stuck from April on in Shravasti. At the 12th of June (today) I know I will leave at the 15th. Some days later I will continue walking – on the road again.
And, when I arrived here, the very first few days the horn skin under my feet removed itself so quick…. then not knowing what it ment.
Was the last year an exercise for this? Is this a blue print? Was something like Corona already last year ‚in the air‘?
At least impressive. Dont you think?

Vipassana
Since I learned Vipassana I meditated every day mostly at least 2 hours.
With Equanimity and Awareness.
Equanimity means a balanced mind. No thoughts about future and past/Not generating any kind of Aversion or Craving.
Awareness means just observing on the experience/feeling level without reacting.
This allows the mind and matter to bring old structures /Sankaras up. Again, they also get just observed, without judging, on he experience and feeling level. Old Sankaras disappear with the law of arising and passing and liberation starts and continues.
This I have done here in Shravasti since 29.2.. in the courses up to twelve hours meditation,  beside the courses mostly 4-6 hours a day. I was very fortunate to stay here during this time and I am very greatful, that I was allowed to be a guest here on all levels. Thanks thanks thanks.

In the moment everything in this Corona times takes time and is a bit complicated.
Visa need to be asked for every month online.
Trains are now overbooked and you need an extra App to go on the train.
The border to Nepal is close, so how to get out of the country, if you have just an Exit Visa…..????
Yesterday I finally needed to get money from a bank machine.  It took me a whole day and travel to 3 different towns to finally find a bank machine, which had money. All other money machines where our of work or out of money. What a chaos and a damage of economy, when people can’t get to buy because getting cash is not well organized.

For the walk in Corona times I just need to be aware about social distancing, hygiene and boosting my immune system.
Sleeping at privat places is often anyway half outside. Under a shelter in front of the house. So this is perfect not to get infected. People bring a bed outside, blanket and mosquito net often included.
I have 4 face masks now. So every half day latest I can change the mask. And disinfection of hand and face is needed all the time. Sanitiser has to be bought still, in case there is no water. Otherwise full body washing 2 times a day should be hopefully somehow in the summer temperatures possible. Hand washing anyway with soap all the time especially before eating.
My immune system I boost with fresh fruits, dry fruits and nuts, dates, honey, ginger, propolis.
From time to time eating garlic to have some antibiotic protection.
First I thought I can’t walk barefoot anymore, but looking back, it is very mostly happen, that a injury is not coming from now to then. And, it is so super rarely that blood is involved then. Almost every injury at the feet is just a cut in the horn skin without having any blood involved. I will observe all of that wisely and protect myself as needed.
Here and there are some officials walking around with a body temperature scan pistol.

One more thought.
Does the world need to be infested by Crovid-19 after a period of time? Lot of people are carrying the virus without having any symptoms…..???

Life has to somehow continue.
May I be wise and open enough to sence any danger coming my way.

Help
I heard from a third person, that a Vipassana teacher from Mumbay thinks of helping me in any way needed. The contact needs still to be maid.
After waiting for a while I just see it as a sign, that help will come from somewhere, if needed.
This is anyway my experience since at least 8 years. There is always help coming if needed.

Stay safe my friends
Love Peace and Happiness to you all
Thomas

Happy to walk the last 2.500 km

8 YEARS!!!!!! Today
Steppps Peace Walk ???❤?

I walked until now to Bodhgaya, Buddha’s place of Enlightenment – and 70 km further northeast to Rajgir, where Buddha meditated in different caves. Now there is a beautiful Peace stupa build.

Around 21.500km are walked. 2.500km are still to come until Yangoon in Myanmar.

Now I face another obstacle. The lockdown!!! The Visa was running out and the prolonging ended up in an ‚Exit Visa‘. For around mid May. Solutions and alternates are happy to receive me. Where to go? Nepal is also in lockdown. Otherwise a flight back to Germany and a summer stay there…????. until the situation normalises. Let’s still hope for a good solution. I would love to stay in India.
If the Visa problem can be solved, I have already a nice place to stay. The Vipassana center in Shravasti. Here Buddha thaught 25 monsoon retreats.

In case of coming back to Germany I love to continue my peace work, in the moment by lots of meditations and….???….. Univers knows… There is a heart wish to continue living from donations…..

In one year the Peace walk shall be officially be finished. After that I wish to the stay in the area where I walked to – one, two years…

Love peace and happiness around this beautiful world ?❤??? and all of you.
Thomas