My last leg on this visa mission back to India was Hong Kong. Here, I was to meet my beautiful and talented friend Amy who was revolutionizing the art scene in South East Asia. I was also here to meet, my dear friend Marc, who grew up here and was seeking to return to his roots, it had been a long time since I had seen either one of them. I had promised both I would come for a visit over a decade ago, and being one that never lets up on a promise, I found myself booking 30 days in Hong Kong.
As soon as I arrived, I forgot I was in East Asia. This cosmopolitan city, was full of bankers and frustrated hand bag designers all ready to sell their souls for a dime. There was of course, the yoga enthusiastists and the designers and cateres of the town. I was instantly drawn, to the sheer beauty of this concrete jungle, where the windy roads lead you up and down levels of living you have never known you wanted. All of it, an illusion of course, maya , a type of pure luxury …
I found myself sipping champagne way too often, engaging in semi intellectual conversations, meeting countless great contacts but in my heart I was missing India. I quickly recovered from my attachment to this comfortable illusion full of , high heels, expensive cars and sexy French men ready to dance the night away with me. I had to channel the divine again. I felt I was getting lost in this city and it had only been one week!
To my pleasure, I found the beautiful banyan trees that were outgrowing their concrete walls in my walks of meditation. I kissed them every time I passed by them on these very narrow and steep streets. I think they were a metaphor for my existence. Pure light and spirituality intermixed with the concrete wants of illusion and luxury. But there were signs given to me by the universe, that I had arrived at my destination. Hong Kong was here to teach me lessons I could sense it . There was the beautiful turquoise butterfly that greeted me, on my very first walk down Breezy Path. There was the strength of the stream I passed by everyday to the metro. There was the strong rocks and tender cold ocean that greeted me everytime I sought it out. I was surely to be blessed in that land of illusion.
Despite the greed of this city, I could see everyone was seeking some spiritual comfort, even if they seldomly admitted it. I could feel it... I saw it at the temples, which always had patrons praying with their expensive handbags in tow. Most of the time, I was the hippie in HK, but I didn’t mind it. I felt in my own way I was inspiring a small spiritual revolution among these lost expats, eager to make loads of money and drink every night. .
I had to remind myself that I could easily fall into the same illusion, but that I was also the lover, the artist that all Hong Kongnese crave to be. I like to hope that my time here inspired those I met to follow their dreams, despite what it would equal to their bank accounts. But I knew in order to do this, I had to stay on track. I had to remember to follow my path, by practicing meditation everyday and staying in tune with the universe, following the moon, the ocean and the animals that came before. Me… om shanti..
My final days here leave me thinking: What will become of me and Hk? Let me learn these lessons kindly and let me not forget the beauty of this delicate balance of luxury and nature named appropriately Hong Kong…
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