The other day I was informed that there is a Hindu temple next to the bodega I visit to get soda and ice cream every day. Today I went there when it was open and there was music coming through the doors.
I have been curious about the religion since learning that my guitar hero J.Mascis is a devoted Hindu, and taking on one of his songs for his guru Amma and the track that calms me down when I most need it. This started in 2017, when I first discovered the obscure recordings on Spotify.
I didn’t really know what was going on in the hot, full temple today but I could seriously get with the music that was being played the whole time and I was moved to tears.
It’s all connected, because everything is connected. The persistent tabla beat from the song I’ve used to get centered for 7 years was mirrored in the temple by those playing the instrument today.
When I triggered a psychedelic experience via ketamine on wed. in an attempt to get out of an existential funk, of course I listened to “AMMA What Now?” to ground myself, it was only logical.
By some strange coincidence it was actually, one of the members of the temple whom I met last Tuesday who recommended I go there if I ever needed something to eat, as he figured out how to sign me up for free internet service at his kiosk in front of Rite Aid, as I was trying to get free phones for my less digitally fortunate roommates.
“Bob” told me how he had come from India, and once lived on the streets of New York, i told him about how I had also lived on the street, but was now living indoors, while still quite poor. He got me free internet, knocking 55$ off of my monthly expenses, and informing me about the temple that was hiding in my plain sight the whole time i’ve been getting my ice cream fix.
I didn’t need something to eat today , physically… but i think my soul has been hungry for a very long time. Does that make sense?
I’m not going to tell you that I went somewhere today, and now i’m a different person or something. i’m just saying that it feels like a surface has been scratched from the seemingly coincidental events of the last week, which are seemingly connected with events of literally my entire time on earth and the ways that I perceive them. Psychedelics have a funny way of digging very deeply, scratching all kinds of surfaces and illustrating the connectedness of everything.
”Psychedelics are not a substitute for spiritual development. They’re an adjunct. They’re like a door opener. But once you’ve opened the door, you have to do the work to maintain that awareness.” -Ram Dass
I’ve peaked into the door since I was just 14, when i was treating powerful psychedelic chemicals as party favors. I’d like to figure out how to walk through the doors and hang out inside wherever they lead…
