Start walk after lockdown

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