Packed school bus to Alchi
As I embarked on my journey to the secluded village of Alchi, nestled on the banks of the Indus River at a dizzying 10,500 feet above sea level, I found myself crammed into a packed school bus filled with chattering children, all armed with pencils and textbooks. As we trundled along, I found myself learning a new word – “hutch” – from a young student’s English lesson.
Nearly sliding off a cliff’s edge
But the real adventure began as we began to climb a steep cliff face, nearly sliding off the edge as we passed a hidden cave and emerged into a sea of vibrant yellow mustard flowers.
Passing out in Alchi
I was so awestruck by the beauty of the scene that I momentarily lost consciousness, my knees buckling beneath me as I collapsed into the soft dirt beside the blooming flowers. But I quickly regained my composure and pushed forward, chanting the sacred mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum” as I explored a cave deep in the mountains.
Chanting Om Mani Padme Hum in a cave
The echo of my baritone voice seemed to reverberate off the walls of the cave, my entire body vibrating with the power of the chant. Above me, prayer flags fluttered in the wind, casting shadows that danced across the ground.
Monk cycling through prayer beads
I sat beside a monk, watching as he methodically worked his way through his prayer beads, repeating the mantra “Om Man Padme Hum” in my mind as he moved from one bead to the next with a steady rhythm. But occasionally, he would pause and gaze out the window, taking in the breathtaking Himalayan landscapes that passed by outside.
Strong attachment and admiration for nature’s beauty, perhaps internalizing a recognition of the possibility that in some form or another, this body and mind existed in some form alongside these towering mountains billions of years in the past, and while memory may cease, this body, this mind’s reflection, will continue to exist in a future influenced by an ambition to reach for the edge.
