Mom worried about me. Granted she had reasons for her concerns – I was often ill as a child. Coughs, colds, sore throats. Hospitalizations. Pneumonia. Mother explained these maladies by crediting my weak constitution. In retrospect, it’s clear that dairy, gluten, and environmental allergies were the culprits. In addition to physical sensitivities, my internal wiring was not compatible with the central Iowa need for the practical.
When I was around eight years old, a neighbor boy got lost in the cornfield. The sheriff called his name over the bullhorn and he was convinced it was God calling him. I wanted to get lost and have God call my name.
Despite Mom’s worries about my health, I succeeded in high school and relished one year of college before getting married in 1964. During the next ten years, my body gave birth to three healthy sons.
Meanwhile, my soul continued drifting toward the spiritual arena.
In 1994, thirty years into my marriage, I answered these yearnings and enrolled in a yearlong program to earn a certificate in transpersonal psychology. I wanted to learn how to legitimately incorporate spirituality into my professional therapy practice. When I learned a portion of my credits could be earned by participating in a tour of India, I jumped on it.
Back on the farm, Mom continued to worry about my health. This time, she sent me clippings with headlines, “U.S. issues plague alert for travelers” and “Plague kills first people in New Delhi.”
I applied for a passport, ingested four doses of typhoid vaccine, boarded KLM, and was on my way.
A highlight of my trip to India was a visit to Dharamshala for a private audience with the Dalai Lama. This was before I knew very much about Buddhism and I was unaware of what an honor it was. It’s embarrassing to admit, but in 1994, I wasn’t overly impressed with the Dalai Lama. He was so giggly. He appeared giddy.
Maybe my reluctance to embrace him fully was related to my unwillingness to embrace the healthy body I had nurtured that housed the person I had become. Here I was, traveling in India despite my mother’s warning. It would take years to fully integrate the transformation that began on that trip.
IMAGE: It’s embarrassing and frustrating that I can’t find the photo of me with Jo and the Dalai Lama to share with you. I remember seeing it just the other day but where? Instead, here’s an image I found when searching that said, Nicky, settle down.
