August 3

Beyond the familiar state of exhaustion, heat, and confusion, I can see the universe arranging itself for my comfort. Though the day started in the usual okay, not happy not sad, kind of way, I made friends in class by passing notes, overcame the lunch time exhaustion, negotiated some minor errands around campus, sang for two hours with the Western Music Society, and spent another hour and a half or so exploring the overgrown edges of the campus lawns.

How was I able to grow happier throughout the course of the day when yesterday I couldn't? For those of you who aren't familiar, welcome to this side of me: near constant meditation. In the morning, I meditated for ten minutes, and then slacked off while I was in class, and by lunch was exhausted, but since napping didn't work, and outside in the shade was a few degrees cooler than in my room, I went out again, meditated and felt better. It got to the point that I was reading a book and each paragraph took one meditative breath. By 7 I'd actually sat down to meditate four times, rather than the usual one, and kept my attention on meditative remembrances and breathing during the time in between. Now its nine o'clock, I am happy, and have energy to do things, which is a first since I've been here. 

Tomorrow morning, I'll wake up at 7:30 to do a short run and meet a marathoner who organizes several running clubs around Delhi. The sports coordinator here wants me to run a marathon for Lady Shri Ram College while I'm here. I'd love to, but not in this heat. But there is promise, as these running clubs would give me both the impetus and the safety in Delhi to go and run, which I find relaxing and rewarding. 

My friend and I are going on Sunday to Noida (an hour outside of Delhi) to visit an ashram of the Yogoda Satsanga Society (to those who know, the Indian name for the Self Realization Fellowship). Then we are going to the house of a relative of hers and are going to eat home cooked food and several large bowls of ice cream. 

All this is there, its the downtime that is hard, but if I fill it with meditation it ought to help me quickly. I really think I will love it here by October, because it will be a reasonable temperature, and the campus (while buildings are dingy on the inside) is so beautiful. By then too I'll know my way around and how to do things and have my routine.