Bunch of us just returned from a thoroughly energizing trip to white desserts of Kutch, and below are the six key themes that kept coming up ...

Sangam:  where in the world do we get to take organic trips like this with noble friends, without any agenda except to grow, learn, share, give, have fun and just be. Buddha emphasized the importance of noble friends. And when you get a chance to go on pilgrimages like this with noble friends, the blessings are quite large.

Invisible Acts: as we made our way through each day, there were quite literally invisible hands serving us in various ways. The most visible invisible acts of love, were the women of the Kutch families in the villages that would be cooking us these amazing meals, but would not really spend to much time with us or in the case of the Muslim families (really even show their faces in public)…Just pure love for their guests.

Alignment of Compassion and Passion:  Mia Hussein Ji, the Sarpanch (village mayor) of Dhordo town, near the Great Rann of Kuchchh. Now this was an amazing soul. So dedicated to his village with roots of his father and grandparents having been so dedicated to their community and country. He has truly taken it upon himself to uplift his community from water and tourism, to education and agriculture. From solar-powered ATM’s to allowing his Muslim  daughter attend college (which is unheard of the village areas where he’s from), to a dedicated ambulance for the village to hob-knobbing with dignitaries when they visit his village. He’s really creating a model village, but probably better described as being a model leader for his people. We were floored by his hospitality and passion.

Love Without Much Stuff:  every family we interacted with was just full of love and giving, even though materially they did not have much.

Art and Concsiousness: It was amazing to see how much art influences the lives of our brothers and sisters in Kuchchh. It felt almost as if every lady was weaving and knitting some decorative piece, either tied to our NGO Gramshree or the local one Shrujan.  From all the Bungas (local Kuchchee homes), to the clothing that all the females wear, from toddlers to grandmas, everything has such a vibrant color or intricate design sensibility. Amazing! And to see how such a progressive community has flourished in Kuchchh through various NGO’s, and great souls, to help sustain these forms of art and empower the Kuchchee people to stay connected and grow in their art form is inspiring. Here's a beautiful video of boy named Savo, that you may have met before in Ludiya. He's blind, but was a great spirit! I hope to connect with him again in the future.

In Tune with Nature: sleeping outside in the Summer/Monsoon Kuchchh breaze was priceless. And taking baths from the water well in front of a beautiful lake, was so wonderful and fun!!​