“Your mistake lies in your belief that you are born. You were never born nor will you ever die, but you believe that you were born at a certain date and place and that a particular body is your own” Nisargadatta Maharaj
As we take birth into this world – at the beginning there is no identity at all just a sense of presence.. this pure presence is radiated by every child before they begin to learn how to communicate. Through language the mind comes in to interpret everything absorbed by the 5 senses and gives it some form of meaning. Over time – we are all conditioned to believe that we are a body with a sense of sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. We begin to develop a memory with a record of everything that we have picked up from the exposure to our environment being upbringing, schooling, university, work, media, internet etc and over time a whole identity is created with a collection of memories.
This identity belongs to the body which is time bound – it only exists until the body lives. Actually it doesn’t really exist at all – it’s merely an illusion – a mirage. Just like how a rope can be mistaken to be a snake – this body too is mistaken to be real. Imagine yourself playing a game like Grand Theft Auto – where you have forgotten that you are not the character in the game and believe it to be real. Same way we have forgotten that everything we experience in this life is merely a hallucination projected by our senses. In Hinduism they refer to this as “Maya”.
It is important to acknowledge the fact that this identity that is being played out with eons of conditioning and patterns is basically rubbish. The belief that one is a body – that is anything other than God – Source – the One Infinite Creator is not true. Even the very quest of self realisation establishes the existence of a seeker which is really just another identity. It is important to disassociate with all these identities playing out and stop entertaining all the mind games which come with that.
By acknowledging all this rubbish (the identity) that one believes to be true as bullshit; one is free from having to bear all the burdens of personhood. One can drop all the luggage which one is holding on to for no reason and just be free.
The fool who knows he’s a fool is that much wiser. The fool who thinks he’s wise is a fool indeed ~ Buddha
The Kingdom of Thailand is an exotic country in Southeast Asia amidst the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.It is renowned for its tropical weather, lipsmacking food and mesmerizing culture. A destination attracting people all over the world for its beaches, mountains, spas, wildlife and full moon parties.
After Goa and Gokarna – we had to rush back to Melbourne to make it to our friends Jess & Rudy’s wedding which allowed us to tie all loose ends that that tied us to Melbourne. My friend Jimmy he told me about this amazing spot in Thailand where once you enter the beach, you can never leave. He told me that he only reason why you want to drag yourself out of there is when your pockets are empty and you need to cash up. As soon as I heard about this – I knew that that’s where I am heading next.
A few flights later we landed in Krabi and after spending a few days there we made our way to Koh Samui to catch up with our friends Jason, Lindsey and little Aswell. This is us having celebration drinks at Ark Bar.
The best way to get around at the islands in Thailand is renting a scooter. The roads are really scenic and easy to get your head around.
Koh Samui has many waterfalls which you can visit. We vistited one called Numuang Water-fall.
After Koh Samui – we caught another ferry to get to Coh Pan Gan. Had Rin beach is where your ferry normally drops you off and from there you can take a taxi, scooter taxi or a boat to get to other places. The famous full moon parties happen every full moon at Haad Rin beach – and this is really what attracts most tourists to come to Coh Pan Gan.
Photo Credit – Per Meistrup
Unlike most tourists we were given instructions to take a boat to Haad Yuan from Haad Rin and meet Jimmy at Eden. Getting into another small boat we find ourselves sailing around amazing crystal blue water towards a beautiful mini island. Once we arrived we were completely taken aback by how amazing this spot really is.
A mission to get here but the effort was worth it when we sat down at Eden’s lounge to enjoy this spectacular view with the most amazing Thai food.
What I loved about Eden was how its rooms were like tree-houses scattered amidst tall trees and rocks which give you a real jungle feel to it. Its VIP rooms have the most amazing view of the sea which is an added bonus as you have the best of both worlds – the jungle and the ocean.
The rain is amazing to witness from the VIP room.
Amazing View from the balcony.
This island is full of amazing treats and is the perfect place in indulge in the ocean, the jungle, amazing food, local fruits, yoga, massage, dance and music. I highly recommend the following must dos:
Mangosteen Fruit
Fresh Coconut Water
Massage at Bamboo Huts
Orange Malibu at Guys Bar
Massaman Curry at Eden
Trek to Wai Nam Beach – with the food and snorkeling.
As you walk up the hill past the VIP rooms at Eden you eventually arrive at a beach called Haad Thian which is more quiet than Had Yuan.
`
I highly recommend going to the parties which happen at Eden and Guy’s Bar on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The concept of Rainbow Serpent is based on an Aboriginal Dreamtime folklore. The Australian aboriginal notion of dreamtime(acheringa) is symbolic of timelessness and Godliness – a divine space where heroes and creators come from. When the aboriginals observed the multicoloured rainbow in the sky; they believed it to be a snake emerging from dreamtime whose movement around earth enabled the foundation of mountains and valleys; which allowed waterbodies like rivers, creeks and lagoons to come into being. They also observed that the multicoloured snake only appeared after a big storm or heavy rainfalls and hence assumed that it resided in the waterholes. They believed that once the storm dissipates it comes out of its waterhole to travel to another waterhole and find a new home. Rainbow Serpent is thus a representation of the water element and is regarded to be one of the most powerful dreamtime creatures – a protector portrayed as one of the greatest forces of nature and spirit.
Aboriginal Art of Rainbow Serpent – Photo Credits Ladymaggic
Rainbow Serpent Festival is Autralia’s largest electronic music festival which is held at the start of every year during Australia Day long weekend. A weekend full of festivities, camping, workshops, shopping, fun with close friends, lots of dancing to all your favorite artists for people who enjoy electronic music and massages and healings from awesome healers in the lifestyle area.
The year is 2011 and Rainbow Serpent – here we come!!! I am in the car filled with camping gear, blankets and pillows, yummy food – booze – mixers and and everything flashy we can possibly fill the car up. With me are some awesome people: Brett, Jason, Harry and John. Brett is my boyfriend and Jason is a really close friend whose son is Harry and John is a friend of a friend (who became a really close friend too) that messaged Brett a few weeks before Rainbow Serpent asking if he could join us for the festival.
Jason with Harry on his shoulder, Brett with the cap and John
We arrive at the site to be welcomed by the very colourful expressions and vibrancy of the festival with a buzz of excitement from all the people; only to look at the sky to witness a rainbow initiating the magic in the festival.
We set off on a walk to find our other friends who have set up camp somewhere around one of the stages and we take a pause to look at the schedule for the upcoming 5 days at the chill space.
Seems like John’s excited about something
As you can see above – the chalkboard is full of really exciting activities and a chance to meet really talented often renowned artisans giving free workshops on art, yoga, dance, capoeira, meditations etc etc etc. One that stands out to me is Alex Grey who is a mystic artist who’s art work is to die for!!! His live art performances added extra sparkles to the festival .. below are a few images:
Live art installation by Alex Grey!
During the four/five days – the space which was empty before very soon becomes a temporary village with main roads and bylanes filled with campsites, dance floors, lounges, wicked artwork and colourful awesome crazy people. The space is alive with the heartbeat of the synchronised dance floors; specially at night with mind-blowing lasers beams and visuals lighting the whole space up. In my experience I felt like everyone present there came together to create a space of timelessness – what the aboriginals believed to be dreamtime – another dimension of psychedelic madness.
We are a tribe celebrating life and joy via music – we are one on the dance floor altogether resonating a frequency which everyone absorbs to travel through space and time experiencing a transcendental journey to the present moment. Here our woes and sorrows disappear – our identity disappears – only presence remains.
The Self
O Master, Tell me how to find Detachment, wisdom and freedom!
Child, If you wish to be free, Shun the poison of the senses.
Seek the nectar of truth. Of love and forgiveness. Simplicity and Happiness.
Earth, fire and water – the wind – the sky – You are none of these.
If you wish to be free, know you are the Self. The witness of all these, The Heart of Awareness.
Set your body aside. Sit in your own awareness.
You will at once be happy. Forever still, Forever free.
You have no caste. No Duties to bind you.
Formess and free. Beyond the reach of the senses. The witness of all things.
So be happy!
The Ashtavakra Gita
More artwork..
Rainbows favorite hangout spot – the Chai Tent!
Taxi anyone?
One of my highlights from this Rainbow is watching this guy bend spoons.. I have heard that people can do things like that but watching it live literally blew me away. Please excuse me for not having the best video to show you from my iPhone 4 camera I had on me back then..
`
Turiya Tatyana 