I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
Dalai Lama XIV
Almost a year has gone by since my last trip to the mountains. That trip to Spiti, in biting cold temperatures of around -25ºC, had warmed my heart like no other. The love and compassion that I received from the simple, honest, and hard-working people of Spiti will be etched in my memory for the rest of my mortal existence … and maybe even beyond—as qualia (the qualities of the five senses through which we experience our lives) imprinted on the unified field of consciousness.
Apart from the love and compassion of the people of Spiti, what remains with me are the bone-chilling gusts of wind that pierced through my skin, every night I went out to look up at the sky filled with a billion stars. Our connection to the stars are irrefutable as we too are made of starstuff—the nitrogen in our DNA, the iron in our blood, the calcium in our bones have all been formed out of stars collapsing into each other. If not for the deep love of the stars, I would have never ventured out in such harsh conditions. Even with the most modern and expensive winter wear I struggled at times and wondered how incredibly challenging it must be, to survive in the extreme cold year after year, especially for the people who are not so well off and cannot afford the right gear to stay warm. Their pain pains my heart.
We the people … the more fortunate ones … can help. Some warm clothing, sun protection, medicines etc. can go a long way in bringing some comfort and warmth to the hearts of the people of Spiti who are literally and figuratively the heart of Spiti. Spiti lives and breathes because of them.
My heartfelt gratitude to Incredible Spiti for organizing a donation drive for the people of Spiti.