Birthday- Revisited

pic: Himalayan mountains from Haridwar

I bought a book in Gokarna by Om beach the day of my birthday. As Sarah, my fellow traveler from England and I left the shop, I stopped and wrote this in the back of my book, Moola Bandha: The Master Key by Swami Buddhananda:

Purchased Feb. 10th, 2006 in Gokarn, India. As Sarah and I sit on the stoop of the bookstore to put on our shoes, I notice a state of bliss has come over me, an energy tingling in my heart and belly. Sarah says she feels it too. Gokarn is an old beach-front city filled with ancient temples, Hindi style. The air was vibrating as bells rang at a distant temple when we first arrived this morning. So we covered our heads with shawls and approached the temple. A closed gate and guard prevented entry so we stood outside gazing inward. We watched a Puja being performed, fire circling, smoke rising, flowers and rice being tossed. The sound penetrated my soul, eyes closed, God present.

A couple of hours later, as we are leaving town, we notice several holy men and woman walking briskly back towards the temple carrying pots of flowers and other offerings for the Gods. They walk single file down the narrow street to offer thanks and appreciation and to pray for guidance and protection. I close my eyes for just a moment and do the same.
Lynne