Author: pinkbuddha.org
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The Holy Hill: Arunachala
Photo essay from Tiruvannamalai For years, I had heard about Arunachala, the spiritual heart (some say of the world) at Ramana Ashram. I had heard about the spiritual communities that had sprouted amidst the local village, necessitating more markets, stores, restaurants, chai stalls, dwellings and yoga shalas. I saw photos of foreign spiritual seekers dressed
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Bracelets and Hunger
My wrist is adorned with bright ribbons and bracelets from Mu and Shu. Those girls like little sprites in their dark linen costumes, their hair swept up in black headpieces, bangles stacked practically to the elbow. They acted as my guardian angels, magically appearing on my path or coming up behind me, wrapping their tiny
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How to Ensure Getting Checked by Customs
An Acupuncture Volunteer in Guatemala I had been instructed to mark “Tourist” on my customs form, and to say that everything in my suitcase was for “personal use.” “Don’t worry,” I was told, “we’ve never had problems getting our supplies through customs.” Another friend’s mother echoed that by saying she never had her bags checked
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Mangia Sarcola, part 4
Panel 3 of José, “mamma” (mommy). Watercolor and pen, by Ayoung Kim This day is soft in my memory —as if soft clouds frame every moment in a benevolent cushion. José had spent the previous twenty-four hours unloading his bowels and guts. It smelled foul, like poison coming out of him. In the weak, early
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Mangia Sarcola, part 3
“Dreaming of the dog,” ink on paper, by Ayoung Kim I don’t cry as much anymore. You get used to it. Death. We thought we had to euthanize José three times already. We’ve made the decision to forego chemo. We’ve had the discussion of If He Goes During the Night. If he goes during the
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Mangia Sarcola, part 2
Panel 2 of Pablo, “m’ama, non m’ama, m’ama (she loves me, she loves me not, she loves me). Watercolor and pen, by Ayoung Kim José collapsed again last night. One minute he’s whining with joy as I come up the stairs, holding the stuffed octopus in his mouth. The next, I’m taking a steaming hot
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Mangia Sarcola, part I
We found out that José has cancer. It’s hemangiosarcoma, our veterinarian said. I don’t know if it’s the spread-really-aggressively kind or the spread-more-slowly kind.C (my fiancé at the time) asked, How long does he have?Anywhere from three months to one year, she replied.C turned to our little altar on the mantle. Crying openly, he lit
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Mae Sot Thailand
Photo essay Ban Thai Guesthouse is gorgeous, with traditional style architecture that suits my aesthetics perfectly. Elegant rooms with shutter windows and silky mosquito nets created a luxurious sanctuary—and my home for the duration of my volunteer service at Mae Tao clinic. Bird of paradise arrangements mirror the natural beauty that surround the guesthouse. Elegant
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Acupuncture with Dirt on my Face
Volunteering on the Burmese Border Mae Sot, Thailand The other day I nearly made the head of parliament faint while giving him acupuncture. He had arrived—with his entourage in tow—at the urging of a patient I had treated earlier in the week who had been suffering for years with a disc problem at L4, mild
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I’m Stoney, but not Stoned
An Acupuncture Externship in China I spent a month at Guangzhou TCM University Hospital observing four doctors, each with different specialties. I met my translator at the entrance to the TCM department—he was holding a sign with my name on it. He introduced himself by saying, “Hello, I’m Stoney, but not stoned.” Sporting thick black