New Development

The phone call came Monday morning during the 3-day break we had for the Muslim holiday, Bairiam. Not quite fully awake yet, I answer.

The voice says, "Vassi, do you want to come to India for the Silver Jubilee celebration of Art of Living? We're going as a group so it will be really inexpensive. There might even be another Peace Corps volunteer going. It'll be the experience of a lifetime, but you have to let me know by today."

Not quite sure if I'm dreaming or not, I answer intelligently..."Huh?"

The voice repeats the aforementioned message. Finally, I put 3 and 5 together and realize that I'm talking to Konstantin, the Art of Living teacher from Stara Zagora. I took a workshop with his group during our pre-service training. There had been talk of going to India for the celebration, but I hadn't actually seriously considered going. Well, now the possibility was being thrown in my lap. Consider this, says the universe. Aghhh, what do I do?

"I'll think about it. I'll let you know by today."

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The Voice of Blind Ecstasy: Yes, yes, yes, holy crap...how can you possibly not go? Going to India has been your dream of dreams for eons and you'll be able to take part 3 of the Art of Living Course...your next step to becoming an Art of Living teacher...you've wanted to do that and it's included in the package. Plus, everything is already done for you...the excursions are organized, the tickets will be bought, the visas will be made...it'll be straightforward and it'll be amazing. You'd be crazy not to go! India is calling you...yoohoo...the colors, the music, the holiness of the land, doing yogic breathing with millions of people from all over the world. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, are you seriously still thinking about it? You're going!

The Voice of Fear and Guilt: You'd be crazy to go...it's in a month, that can't possibly be enough time to get everything together. Your boss in the chitalishte won't let you go. Peace Corps won't approve. You'll have to miss two weeks of teaching English. That will make you a bad Peace Corps Volunteer, and that means, you're gonna get a whoopin'! What are you thinking? It's completely unreasonable...and plus, the universe will *spit* on you, if you go, if you follow your dreams for the sake of following your dreams and doing something good for humanity. That's right...*spit* on you, it might even *crap* on you if you don't watch your step. And then you'll die. See how you like that?

The Voice of "Lighten Up" : *Spit* on me? I don't believe you, honkey...you talkin' crap...that's the only crap coming out of this universe...the crap coming out of your mouth. Well, I ain't gonna take it, you keep your crap for yourself and don't be projecting it all over the universe. I'm gonna spit on *you* if you keep trying to tell me what to do! See how you like that? I fear you not, fear-fig-neugen!

The Voice of Reason: Alright, this conversation is going nowhere. Gut says yes. Mind says no. What do we do? Well, if we say no, we're gonna be churning tapes of regret for months to come. That's no good. Plus, the overwhelming feeling of the gut is gonna make this body explode if we say no, so we're gonna say yes. Then, we have to check it out with the boss, with the Peace Corps, and with the rest of the universe. We can always change direction in the process, if need be.
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In the process of checking it out with the universe, responses I've gotten,

Friends and colleagues, Nedka and Ani: "You have to go...this chance might not come around again. You'll make up for the missed English classes...it's not a big deal. We support you. Plus, you can bring back some sexy Indian guys for us :)"

Kamber, painter boss: "You have to take lots and lots of pictures. If I didn't have a very sick relative to take care of, I would go too. I've always wanted to go to India and to Egypt. Can you imagine the inspiration coming out of a trip like that? I could make a whole gallery of pictures after a trip like that..."

Nezhda, friend and yoga partner: "I would go in a second if I didn't have a school seminar right at that time. What an opportunity!"

Ergin was the one friend who wanted to go and didn't have a sick relative, a seminar, or anything else keeping him from going. When he gets the finances together, he'll come too...it would be life-changing for him! Soul-sister Sunai from Krichim will hopefully be coming too, once she gets over the voices doing battle in her own mind. Please send prayers/intentions for this trip to happen for both of them.

Here's the website for Art of Living... www.artofliving.org . They do focused community/world service all over the world. I feel honored to be taking part in this big celebration. The Bulgarian group is at www.artofliving-bg.org

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt