Bal Ashram, Varanasi, India: Each morning, I join teenagers at 6 am for yoga. They have been and meditate, but I need those few extra minutes to get my place in the shower and waking. I join them just as I start to sing 3 aunts.

I have sung in America before, ah, but in the 2nd floor of an ashram in Varanasi Ganges blessed with watching the orange sun climbing through the haze of pollution is not a scene I’ve ever played anywhere before, nor even close.

One boy was late and missed the song. At the end of yoga sat in silence as they all left. After a long deep breath aum sang – and the world stopped.

Those who stay in the room either walked or sat quietly and waited to finish their practice. I had never heard such a person aum. At first I thought it was a trick of acoustics, an echo. So I thought it was some kind of special training such as those noted multi-voice singing Tibetan monk gargle.

No.

It was just a child immersed in the idea of God of Aum, and he got this note that there were other sounds in it. It was high and low simultaneously. Hum and resonance without problems at once and it filled all the time and space and the room filled with holiness, and the world stopped.

And when the world stopped aum stood. There was none of that "oh you sing very well" or "I love how Aum" or "your aum really moved me.". Only an agreement and silence. And although some of the world stood activities and sounds of his blood and life went on and slid into the walls, windows, floors. Life. Strong, fast, busy, hard, large.

As hours of testing last night consciousness: A wedding reception next door. Hindi disco until 3am. Boof, Boof, Boof, drums extended until forever. And on the other side a temple by his service in the evening which includes practice in which rang bells and gongs, drums beating and closed on all types of heavy fighting and hasty. I do not know why. I can not keep asking why, how and why all the time! Take in

So I’m between two worlds colliding. Assaulted by a strange taste of disco music in the west and the east a clink of metal so loud and irregular that it can not be excluded as an ambient noise insignificant at a party can. So strong that all this is that the guru should note at dinner, my ear has finally opened. He had been suffering from an infection.

We laugh with relief at the time ironic that congested ear opening. And then we as usual, to sit with him and listen to requests and problems of people coming to see this holy man and receive his blessing, advice and instruction.

The thing is this: to do exactly what it says. His unwavering faith in his love for the works that pass through their actions on confidence in the world, give hope and a sense of place in the universe that is beautiful to see.

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