A dialogue blog between Peter and Rachael using Martin Buber’s first, second, and third movements of dialogue :)
Rachael – a first movement (initiating a dialogue)
We arrived in gorgeous Nepal 2.5 weeks ago, yet life has immersed and enveloped us, and it already feels like home. The rainy hills of Maleny are a distant memory.
We quickly remember that the only way to be here is to surrender to life, be in flow, and let go.
It's been a while since I've been in Nepal, and I love how alive I feel in this part of the world again. The rhythms, food, yoga, clothes, chai [tea], people, and the whole way of being here makes some deeper part of me feel alive. A surrendered way that is aligned with life. I feel more myself, more expressive, more in love with life, more in my essence. I feel at home. This art of surrender, being in flow, and letting things emerge, somehow works for me.
We arrived in Nepal quite frazzled after a difficult January (where we both got sick, alongside a family crisis), so we needed to rest, reset, and renew before starting two months of research, writing and fieldwork accompanying the Nepalese NGO Sahakarmi Samaj.
After a few days in Kathmandu adjusting to the new [appealing cool] climate, increased [unappealing] pollution, the usual noise and chaos of South Asia and a different time zone, our first test in the art of surrender came when we headed to the nearby hills for a five-day Ayurvedic and Yoga retreat. It was an interesting experience that required a lot of surrender to their version of detox and a whole other practice of yoga (which certainly wasn’t what I imagined or expected). Who would have known that Ayurvedic detox isn't exactly restful - although the food, massages, forest walks and dancing were welcomed! Despite the mismatch in expectations and preferences, we somehow needed it.
And so, we surrendered.
And now, here we are, a week and a half into the research fieldwork and witnessing this work has been powerful, inspiring and heart-opening. I also surrender and am open to these beautiful participatory practices.
But of course, there is another side too, Peter, my love, how are you travelling?
Peter – a second movement (the response)
Yes, reflecting on that retreat, I assumed detox meant giving up tea and coffee. But no, it involved about 12 glasses of salt water and some significant movements (up and down). A truly memorable experience. My first major act of surrender since being here. Let go, let be, and trust what is unfolding.
This idea of the act of surrender, accompanied by the internal mantra, “Peter, surrender” has really been very helpful in these early weeks here. It requires endlessly letting go of my preferences, my desires, and my perceived needs – trying to get myself, my mind, out of the way of what is actually happening. And what is actually happening is life. I’ve just got to keep remembering…
I also noticed you referred to yoga a few times in that opening to our dialogue. For many years you and I have laughed about my mantra 'football is life' (thanks, Dani from Ted Lasso) and your mantra 'yoga is life'. Well, you’ll be happy to know that I am gradually embracing yoga – ‘finally surrendering’ you might say. I've fallen in love with toe yoga and also the idea of 'relationship yoga'. Hardly your kind of yoga, but I find my own path.
As for the ‘work’ here, we're right at the beginning of a two-year journey as volunteers to co-author a book about this work of Sahakarmi Samaj (SS) – which aims to share their story of the Facilitating Empowerment and Social Transformation (FEST) approach and revitalising a Freirean approach to community development.
It's a joy, a privilege and a profound responsibility to research and write this book together. I'm feeling the weight of it love. But very grateful. I’m just trying to ‘get myself out of the way’ and surrendering to life’s invitation to be here.
Rachael – a final third movement (response to the response)
Yes indeed, that detox was memorable hey...sheesh, the body is one crazy, miraculous wild ride!
I'm glad you are 'loving' yoga a little more now my dear. I've been banging on about it for years - trying (and failing) to convince you to embrace it. Another lesson (for me), is that convincing never really works. Mostly people must have their own experiences, come to their own conclusions and solutions. I endeavour to surrender and let you go on your path. Enjoy your toe yoga love.
But back to my yoga (it is indeed life) - for me this yoga-in-Nepal experience has been interesting and fun (once I let go of my picture of yoga and surrendered). I'm really enjoying the occasional 2-hour morning session - 4.30am-6.30am, which starts with jogging on the spot and ends in roaring, laughing and dancing! What joy! (And thanks for [mostly] surrendering to me disturbing you to get up early to participate a few times a week. You're the best babe).
Aside from yoga and hearing amazing stories of practice (and all the learning and reflection that comes with it), I love doing this work with you, our daily dialogue poems and supermarket dates 😉. Very grateful.
We look forward to writing another update after we host 11 Australian community development practitioners to witness and learn from this fabulous work.
With love until then, Rachael and Peter
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