7 April 2025
My final morning at Sai Veda began with the last touches of paint: a few of their beloved marigolds, a meditating figure, and a big Ohm sign to top it all of. I finished around 11am. The owner and his family came to see the final art work and absolutely loved it. We took a few photos and selfies, and I was thanked with deep appreciation and kind words. They truly meant it.
I left feeling full of love. Full of gratitude. Full of memories and growth and healing.
Before catching my taxi, I sat taking in the beautiful view from the rooftop dining area one last time, drinking coffee and chatting with the volunteers and staff. My former manager, now a young friend, came to greet me warmly and gave me a big hug. He told me how happy he was to have met me and said that if I ever needed a place to stay in the future, I was welcome in his home. There was no more power struggle between us—just peace. He had learned a lot and understood the ‘grown-up’ world a bit better now. I felt a twinge of sadness for this young man who clearly still needed guidance from a loving mother. But I also know that he will find his own way through life, as all of us have. I left smiling, heart full, and proud of how I’d handled things, of all that I’d learned.
The drive to Rishikesh was beautiful. Misty mountains rolled in the distance, forest-lined roads taking me back to where my love for India began. As we entered the town, something inside me stirred. I recognized this place. My body, however, had one mission: coffee. Food. And then the Ganga.
After checking in to my hostel I was eager to take a walk. Coffee and food were first on the list, and I found a café to relax at. This area really has changed a lot during the last three years, but it is also still very much the same. Sipping my coffee and observing those walking past, but also my own state of being, I felt at rest. I know I am here for a reason and that this is just another page being written in this journal of learning.
Sunset called me to the Ganga beach. Shoes off, feet in the water once more, I was mesmerized by the colors of the reflecting lights. As darkness appeared, ancient chants were echoing, prayers sang, and bells were ringing. A stray dog appeared by my feet and sat down for a moment, before lying down asking for belly rubs. Since I am not always too fond of dogs and never really encourage them, this behaviour is quite interesting to me, and I quietly rubbed her belly, lost in thought. All around me people were sitting, meditating, doing breathwork, or playing with their children. The serenity and beauty of moments like this never cease to take my breathe away and fill my soul with peace; a knowing that amidst all the chaos and craziness, humanity is on the path to something beautiful.
This place. This river. This moment.
A homecoming.
A closing.
A beginning.
