Recap ' 2016

Continuing with the recaps... this is recap of peak experiences of the year.

Last year, 2015 was crazy high on travel, I'd done twelve big trips between personal and work and it created a proper Travelogue 2015.......this year I'd say is more of an internal journey, equally.... if not more, significant.

I share my peaks here ( I might be leaving out the troughs..... saying, just so you don't think they weren't there.... I had pretty major ones )

Earlier this exercise used to happen through my diary, a longish process, and maybe more intense too.... but like with so many other facets of life, today it's much simpler. I just need to browse through the archives here, and....ting...... they're all there :)

1) Visit to Mastani Mahal:

I so fell in love with Mastani after watching Bajirao Mastani, that on a trip to visit Dhruva, I added it into agenda. And it was adventure for sure...actually needed to trace it out, and I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said it was pretty close to a rendezvous. Thanks Sagari, for being company on this.

What stays with me is not just the poignancy and profundity of the visit, but the deep satisfaction today, that the post on Mastani Mahal is by far my most read one.

2) Road trip to Coonoor:



This was a special trip for more reasons than one. A road trip with Diksha is an as is cherished experience.......it was also a true pushing the boundaries for me.

I'd never driven the ghats, and I used to believe I couldn't.  Figured that the 'couldn'ts' are mostly in the mind.

We were toying with the idea of a road trip, but were thinking closer home...then sudden inspiration from a movie, and we decided on Coonoor. And it had so many experiences built in......the drive itself, Coonoor, Sans Souci, Isha Yoga Center.

Deech....just saying again...a trip that'll stay close to my heart forever and forever more.

3) An Intensive Course on Hypnotherapy:

This was one of the whackiest, yet most fascinating courses that I've done. Deep learnings that so stretched my belief systems....and have left me surely richer for it.

In fact last week Monica, a friend from Parivarthan asked me how I'd rate that course as against Parivarthan's, and I had to really think  to say:

The hypnotherapy course was an external experience, it altered my world view, even if a lot of it was about the subconscious mind, (it's also about the collective consciousness and so almost breaks barriers between the external and internal), while Parivarthan is an entirely inner journey. I know myself like never before.

4) A One Year Program On Counselling At Parivarthan:  

This is yet ongoing, but eight months into it, and I just want to send up a prayer for having found this space in life. I think it found me. It was such a chance happening, and now I know it's not just my present but my future too. I'm shifting career to Counselling, so life changing in more ways than one.

The other day my personal counsellor was asking me about it as well, and I told her that on my death bed if asked for the significant events of life, the course at Parivarthan would in all likelihood be somewhere on top of that list

5) Closing of the SELCO chapter

While this is not peak experience in terms of joyful, it was still end of a truly cherished chapter in life. The spectrum of experience through SELCO, in terms of emotional connect to rural India, implementing the Entreprenuer Fund Project, and the travel it enabled across rural Karnataka and Bihar, and Orissa...over the top experiences.

6) An Interview With Dad



Why this became way more significant than just a regular chat between father and daughter. Once we did it in the form of an interview, I found that it enabled a connect and acceptance of a situation at an altogether different level.

Also realized it's a great way to enable a connect into experiences and memories which are by far our most cherished possessions. 

6) The Kittens Story



While this can't technically be said to be my doing, for the extent to which it impacted life and for the experiences it forced and enabled, including Goldy's rescue or giving me a new name, it's getting a place here.

7) Shaam-e-Mehfil in Hyd



An evening devoted to singing old old hindi songs, with farmaish from mom and dad, singing by mom (and me too)...such a beautiful evening, that it just stays through its musical.... and I guess, emotional feel (add in the wine and it feel out of Omar Khayyam)

Hoping to do more of those on trips to Hyd

8) Trip to Mahabalipuram

 

While Diksha was at the beaches of Mahabs for a month,  I visited for three days. Was an altogether different kind of holiday....never stayed at a shack before....it was fun, different kind of fun, as the camaraderie shared is like nothing I've seen before.

And it couldn't have been more secular........we covered the Velankanni church, a dargha at Nagore, and temples at Kanchipuram

9) A Trek at Channanarayanadarga



This was a sure once-in-a-lifetime experience....for the simple reason that I'll never do one again. It was so horribly scary. I'm game to walk any distance, but mountaineering is just not my thing.

Again just for that reason, the sense of achievement it gave us was massive. All in hindsight. Sujata, thanks for the experience ( I was looking for another word in place of thanks :)

10) A Rainbow Bonanza



A rainbow is just one of my favoritest things in the world. And that evening we had a spectacular rainbow...a full arch on the horizon, quickly followed by a double rainbow, an absolute first for me in Hyd, and my parents balcony offers this amazing view of the horizon.

Also tells that you can have brilliant experiences right in your backyard !!

And to all those who've shared in the joy, been there to lend a shoulder, been part of life, put up with me, trusted in me......a deep thanks.....you matter.