Podcasts about muktinath

 To be alone is to be in a weird company...?Here start the problem, that we feel uneasy to be alone, that we afraid to go alone to a place, to ask strangers, instead to enjoy it.... Sometimes we feel minor because we are alone or we think nobody loves us. The problem is, that we think that other people think bad about us, when we are alone.... In reality nobody is caring for us, when we are alone under strangers. Everybody is focused on himself, even when we are together with somebody, we are not that important .... Everybody lives in his/her world.... so that we even remain alone, if we are exchanging our opinion....Now comes the point, it might be provoking: Franz Kafka said: If I would tell you everything from me, all the suffering I went through... you still can't understand me... Oscar Wild: I am my greatest mysterious, - this means we even can't understand ourselves, how we can understand other people. Hans Fallada wrote the book: Every man dies alone.... and so he lives.... With other words: WE ARE ALWAYS ALL ONE.This so called harmony between humans had almost not exist, because of our ego... The ego separates us, without our ego we would be ALL ONE.How would it be, if we would build up enough self-esteem, to love ourselves? Or if we start to define ourselves, instead to create an image from our self in order to get approval? For instance, now I am sitting behind a table, together with 10 Nepalis who are eating, in a mountain hut on 3700m altitude (in Muktinath), and writing on my Galaxy. This means I am alone under strangers, I exclude them total.... still I am together with them.... And if I like to meditate, I could do the same.... Before I had spoken with the Nepalis over God.... What is the difference to sit alone and writing? There is an old saying for relationships: Who cannot live alone, can't  live together, because how he/she can love, if he/she depend on his/her spouse. Love is only possible when both are independent and not be enslaved. And this is also true for every relationship. If we can't make our yoga, meditation, music, exercise alone, then we need somebody to do it together... and not always we find somebody. I make my things, because I am convinced of it, regardless my spouse joins me or not...because I want for me the results or the pleasure....In my family we had two twins, 1 year distance and my oldest sister 3 years older, I was in the last twin. For me it was not possible to be alone and my twin brother (two eggs twin) was my complementary partner, like a couple... How should I develop myself, and find out what is fitting to me, if I would not get the space to be alone?My Video: How is it to be alone? To be alone is to be in a weird company...?Here start the problem, that we feel uneasy to be alone, that we afraid to go alone to a place, to ask strangers, instead to enjoy it.... Sometimes we feel minor because we are alone or we think nobody loves us. The problem is, that we think that other people think bad about us, when we are alone.... In reality nobody is caring for us, when we are alone under strangers. Everybody is focused on himself, even when we are together with somebody, we are not that important .... Everybody lives in his/her world.... so that we even remain alone, if we are exchanging our opinion....Now comes the point, it might be provoking: Franz Kafka said: If I would tell you everything from me, all the suffering I went through... you still can't understand me... Oscar Wild: I am my greatest mysterious, - this means we even can't understand ourselves, how we can understand other people. Hans Fallada wrote the book: Every man dies alone.... and so he lives.... With other words: WE ARE ALWAYS ALL ONE.This so called harmony between humans had almost not exist, because of our ego... The ego separates us, without our ego we would be ALL ONE.How would it be, if we would build up enough self-esteem, to love ourselves? Or if we start to define ourselves, instead to create an image from our self in order to get approval? For instance, now I am sitting behind a table, together with 10 Nepalis who are eating, in a mountain hut on 3700m altitude (in Muktinath), and writing on my Galaxy. This means I am alone under strangers, I exclude them total.... still I am together with them.... And if I like to meditate, I could do the same.... Before I had spoken with the Nepalis over God.... What is the difference to sit alone and writing? There is an old saying for relationships: Who cannot live alone, can't  live together, because how he/she can love, if he/she depend on his/her spouse. Love is only possible when both are independent and not be enslaved. And this is also true for every relationship. If we can't make our yoga, meditation, music, exercise alone, then we need somebody to do it together... and not always we find somebody. I make my things, because I am convinced of it, regardless my spouse joins me or not...because I want for me the results or the pleasure....In my family we had two twins, 1 year distance and my oldest sister 3 years older, I was in the last twin. For me it was not possible to be alone and my twin brother (two eggs twin) was my complementary partner, like a couple... How should I develop myself, and find out what is fitting to me, if I would not get the space to be alone?My Video: How is it to be alone? https://youtu.be/R4oh8gY2lTgMy Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast.A/How-is-it-to-be-alone.mp3

 I want to give you ample proof that body strain exhaust can be used to reset your life, get rid of your traumas, and connect with the Lord.It is well proven that body-oriented therapy like Bio Energetic brings up the negative suppressed feelings and releases the negative feelings and thoughts.Our negative emotions are creating all of our negative thoughts.Without pain, no gainWith special body exercises like Bioenergetic, and encounter under strain we can free ourselves from our negativity….We have to undergo some pain…Has sport or body strain through work the same effect?In London, they have science proven on thousands of depressive patients that through sport, the depression will go…Every body exercise with strain will release a part of our negativity and give us some calmness in our minds….What is the most effective technique to do so?After my experiences so more strain so better…Some examples: I have done and still doing trekking. I have found out that so heavier the back-sack, so more difficult the trek and so more days we are trekking, so more we gain clarity, and calmness in our minds….1.) Near Pueblo, Mexico, we climbed a Volcano from an altitude of 2900m to 4500m in 3 hours, and in 1.5 hours back…For sure that was fast.I repeated the name of God with every step I took!Why?Try it out, after some time you have much more energy and you can connect more easily with the Lord.I had to go through my inside barriers to keep up the speed… My legs had been so exhausted that it was difficult to hike.And I had big breathing problems when we reached a higher altitude. Nevertheless, I still kept walking and repeating the name of God …After this strain all my negativity was gone and I got confidence and could start a new life.Our Ego wants to keep up the negativity and so it will hinder us from releasing our negativity through exhausting our body…And is telling us always to stop such activity where our body can be exhausted…. Don't trust your Ego!In the past, 1000 years ago, it was normal for the majority to exhaust the body and so release daily their negativity…And for sure life was happier than our life….2.) I wanted to trek from Manang to the holy Muktinath temple via the Thorong La pass, an altitude of 5410m.Life is not easy, we had landslides on the road to Manang.We needed 2 days to Manang…Normally you have to stay 1 to 2 days in Manang for acclimatisation at the high altitude…I skipped that because we need 2 days to Manang.Every morning and evening I meditated, and did my Qigong, to make sure to do everything for a true pilgrimage.This 3-day trek, from Manang to Muktinath is very exhausting, on the last day we had to climb 1000m altitude to cross the Thorong La pass, and then 2000m down to Muktinath.I coughed already a cold…I asked a porter what to do, and he said simply go slowly, then you can do it…In the end, I could go only very slowly 5 steps, and then pause to grasp the air…At this altitude is only 1/6 of the oxygen than at sea level.Even I could enjoy it, I could see so much more without chasing a goal …Just to be in the here and now, surrounded by snow…Finally, I crossed the Thorong La Pass and could run down… fast…I wanted air…Again, I repeated my mantra and that gave me so much more power than usual and made me relaxed.My psychological pain/traumas from my previous relationship were gone, I could reset my life… And start a new positive life and attract the things that I needed…My Video:  Episode 37 Pilgrimage with body strain to exhaust our negativity! https://youtu.be/hFS_ZBypKCsMy Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast4/Episode-37-Pilgrimage-with-body-strain-to-exhaust-our-negativity.mp3

 I had the idea to make the Kailash Kora pilgrimage…I booked a flight to Nepal to go to Tibet…But then the US made a big offense against China and visited official Taiwan..The Chinese closed the border… So I decided to make my pilgrimage in Nepal…But the Monsoon time continued until mid of October. Still, I did it… First, I decided to trek to Langtang and then to the holy Gosainkunda Lake.I went up at 4:30Am every morning, did my Mediation, Qigong, body exercises, and 2 apples as breakfast (I lost 5 Kg on this trek)… At 7 Am, we started to trek and I continuously repeated my Mantra. In the afternoon it always rained or we had snowfall. We arrived normally before the rain started. Then again meditation and Qigong in the afternoon… We can make out of every journey, a pilgrimage, we don't need to pay so much money for a famous pilgrimage. After 9 days of trekking, I trekked to the Gosainkunda lake early in the morning. The Gosainkunda lake is so beautiful when the sun is shining… In the afternoon the Gosainkunda lake was always in a big cloud…Then I wanted to trek from Manang to the holy Muktinath temple via the Thorong La pass (5410m altitude…). - The Kailash Kora is at the same altitude…  I waited 10 days until the Thorong La pass was open, because of too much snow and ice…Life is not easy we had landslides on the road, and the same was true for the previous trek… We needed 2 days to Manang… The Thorong La pass was open again, - good timing… The Tulce lakes were still closed, so I omitted them.This trek to Muktinath is very exhausting, on the last day we had to climb 1000m altitude to cross the Thorong La pass, and then 2000m down to Muktinath. I coughed already a cold… I asked a porter what to do, and he said simply go slowly, then you can do it…  In the end, I could go only very slowly 5 steps, and then pause to grasp the air… (at this altitude is only 1/6 of the oxygen than at sea level) Even I could enjoy it, I could see so much more without chasing a goal …Just to be in the here and now, surrounded by snow… Finally, I crossed the Thorong La Pass and could run down… fast… I wanted air…Again, I repeated my mantra and that gave me so much more power than usual and made me relaxed. In the end, I asked many porters and mountain guides about Kailash Kora and the mount Everest Basic camp trek…They all replied about these treks with the same answers, very expensive, very crowded… Don't do that, there exist so many more beautiful treks, for what reason should they be better than other treks? For so many people it is a must to do a Kailash Kora or to go to the Mount Everest basic camp, so they can overcharge, and now you need a mountain guide ($50$/day + $20 meals/day, for 12-14 days, + flights $400) for Mount Everest, and Kailash is too expensive, >$3000…. Only possible with groups. For that money, I would go for 10 days to Iceland or 2 months in Turkey or trek in Indonesia...  My Video: The Pilgrimage https://youtu.be/Smn6fbftFPwMy Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast3/The-Pilgrimage.mp3 

Celebrations and Festivities 00:00 Introduction 05:25 Celebration of festivals and their meaning 19:20 Social and spiritual elements 28:32 History of festivals 41:50 Traditional festival celebration and Muktinath  56:05 Christian participation in Indian festivals 01:03:28 Concluding Remarks

Raghu's spiritual morning makes no material sense / Kaustubha's special day / the story of Gajendra the elephant / we need to be situated in our element to fight / the value of memorizing verses / the story of Vibhishana & Rama's forgiveness / the story of Jatayu - even failure is success / give your life & trust

Raghu’s spiritual morning makes no material sense / Kaustubha’s special day / the story of Gajendra the elephant / we need to be situated in our element to fight / the value of memorizing verses / the story of Vibhishana & Rama’s forgiveness / the story of Jatayu - even failure is success / give your life & trust

Ein Beitrag zum Sanskritwort: Muktinath Mukti Natha Hier findest du: Sanskrit Wörterbuch Seminare zum Thema Sanskrit Seminare mit Sukadev Seminarübersicht Yoga Vidya YouTube Live Kanal Online Seminare Video Seminare Yoga Vidya kostenlose App Yoga Vidya Newsletter Yoga Vidya Online Shop Schon ein kleiner Beitrag kann viel bewegen... Spende an Yoga Vidya e.V.!

Relive the love and laughter through audio clips from the others that came on this trip. Really stoked about how this episode turned out. Hope you are too. Make sure you follow @motorcyclesherpa on IG and get ready for the next episode with Bear Haughton himself. Happy fuckin HOLIDAYS!!! Riders featured… Cool Beans Chris, Tim Statt(GigaCycle), Patrick(Biltwell wharehouse guy), Chris galley(Devil Chicken Design), Pat Patterson(LedSled), Bear Haughton(Motorcycle Sherpa, Old Bike Barn), Danita!, Geoff Kowalchuk(Biltwell Photog), and Micheal Lichter Photography. Music by Napolese locals.Recently took a trip around the planet by the guidance of Bear Haughton and his Motorcycle Sherpa Team and chronicled my experience with voice recordings. This is the part where we get on bikes and ride from Muktinath back to Pokhara. Follow @MotorcycleSherpa on IG and listen up so you can learn how to win a trip of your own on a MotorcycleSherpa DangerDan Dangerous Adventure in Nepal. Even if you don’t win I hope you will still join me. I give away a Lowbrow package and a KnifeMadeByNick. Check him out on IG @knivesmadebynick and buy a knife for the special someone for Christmas. DangerEver wonder how I hammer out some many miles on such an old bike??? Boston Billy B&B Racing out of Meterie Louisiana (504)-330-6728Sportster GiveAway Details: For every month you are a Patron at 5$ a month you will get a number for every 5$. I will bring in a third party to help me draw the winner next Thanksgiving or around then so you can get your bike before Christmas. FREE delivery in the 48 and FREE delivery to the port in Houston for people out of the country.https://www.patreon.com/DangerDansTalkShop^^^^^^^^^^^^ Patreon! Giveaways from Knives By Nick, JP Rodman, and No School Choppers!!!https://www.patreon.com/DangerDansTalkShopDangerDansTalkShop.comMCshopTs.comKnivesMadeByNick.comMCshopTs.com Your T-shirt of the month club. OLD SHOPS, NEW ART, and FRESH T's EVERY MONTH!!!! Only 25$ a month, sign up at MCshopTs.com Don't miss another month!!!SUPPORT EVERY LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOPGo to DangerDansTalkShop.com and become a Patreon Supporter for your chance to win!!! DangerDansTalkShop.comMCshopTs.comChemicalCandyCustoms.com Permalink

Religious experiences at monasteries to religious experiences at bars! This episode is loaded!!!Recently took a trip around the planet by the guidance of Bear Haughton and his Motorcycle Sherpa Team and chronicled my experience with voice recordings. This is the part where we get on bikes and ride from Muktinath back to Pokhara. Follow @MotorcycleSherpa on IG and listen up so you can learn how to win a trip of your own on a MotorcycleSherpa DangerDan Dangerous Adventure in Nepal. Even if you don’t win I hope you will still join me. I give away a Lowbrow package and a KnifeMadeByNick. Check him out on IG @knivesmadebynick and buy a knife for the special someone for Christmas. Check out Lowbrow.com for all your winter build needs, and pay attention for BLACK Friday Specials. Sign up for MCshopTs.com before Friday and recieve a link in your email to purchase passed T’s. And THANK YOU!!!!DangerEver wonder how I hammer out some many miles on such an old bike??? Boston Billy B&B Racing out of Meterie Louisiana (504)-330-6728Sportster GiveAway Details: For every month you are a Patron at 5$ a month you will get a number for every 5$. I will bring in a third party to help me draw the winner next Thanksgiving or around then so you can get your bike before Christmas. FREE delivery in the 48 and FREE delivery to the port in Houston for people out of the country.https://www.patreon.com/DangerDansTalkShop^^^^^^^^^^^^ Patreon! Giveaways from Knives By Nick, JP Rodman, and No School Choppers!!!https://www.patreon.com/DangerDansTalkShopDangerDansTalkShop.comMCshopTs.comKnivesMadeByNick.comMCshopTs.com Your T-shirt of the month club. OLD SHOPS, NEW ART, and FRESH T's EVERY MONTH!!!! Only 25$ a month, sign up at MCshopTs.com Don't miss another month!!!SUPPORT EVERY LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOPGo to DangerDansTalkShop.com and become a Patreon Supporter for your chance to win!!! DangerDansTalkShop.comMCshopTs.comChemicalCandyCustoms.com Permalink

Recently took a trip around the planet by the guidance of Bear Haughton and his Motorcycle Sherpa Team and chronicled my experience with voice recordings. This is the part where we get on bikes and ride from Nukawot up to Muktinath. Follow @MotorcycleSherpa on IG and listen up so you can learn how to win a trip of your own on a MotorcycleSherpa DangerDan Dangerous Adventure in Nepal. Even if you don’t win I hope you will still join me. I give away a Lowbrow package and a KnifeMadeByNick. Check him out on IG @knivesmadebynick and buy a knife for the special someone for Christmas. Check out Lowbrow.com for all your winter build needs, and pay attention for BLACK Friday Specials. Sign up for MCshopTs.com before Friday and recieve a link in your email to purchase passed T’s. And THANK YOU!!!!DangerEver wonder how I hammer out some many miles on such an old bike??? Boston Billy B&B Racing out of Meterie Louisiana (504)-330-6728Sportster GiveAway Details: For every month you are a Patron at 5$ a month you will get a number for every 5$. I will bring in a third party to help me draw the winner next Thanksgiving or around then so you can get your bike before Christmas. FREE delivery in the 48 and FREE delivery to the port in Houston for people out of the country.https://www.patreon.com/DangerDansTalkShop^^^^^^^^^^^^ Patreon! Giveaways from Knives By Nick, JP Rodman, and No School Choppers!!!https://www.patreon.com/DangerDansTalkShopDangerDansTalkShop.comMCshopTs.comKnivesMadeByNick.comMCshopTs.com Your T-shirt of the month club. OLD SHOPS, NEW ART, and FRESH T's EVERY MONTH!!!! Only 25$ a month, sign up at MCshopTs.com Don't miss another month!!!SUPPORT EVERY LOCAL MOTORCYCLE SHOPGo to DangerDansTalkShop.com and become a Patreon Supporter for your chance to win!!! DangerDansTalkShop.comMCshopTs.comChemicalCandyCustoms.com Permalink

Kagbeni is one of the most interesting villages in all of Nepal with it’s  ancient Bon Animist beliefs, statues and a picturesque location in the Kala Gandaki gorge. The Kag in Kagbeni was once Ghag, meaning center and it is, with the important Buddhist/Hindu pilgrimmage site Muktinath to the east and the town of Jomson to the south. The beni in Kagbeni means confluence of two rivers where the Kala Gandaki and Jhong Rivers meet is where the village sits.Before Tibetan Buddhism became the fabric of the culture of this region people followed Bon, another Tibetan religion.  Bon is an ancient shamanist religion with rituals, exorcisms, and talismans.Kagbeni still integrates the beliefs of Bon in village life with these ghost eaters or Kennis that protect the town. I asked my friend Dara, the proprietor of YakDonald’s Hotel and Restaurant to explain what the statues do to protect Kagbeni and some of the other beliefs that Bon followers hold.I asked Dara who runs the famous restaurant and hotel of Kagbeni, why the name YakDonald’s?It was time to leave Kagbeni and head for Jomsom, the final stop for my Annapurna Circuit Trek. At roughly 3 hours it will be a light trekking day. The impressive Kali Ghandaki Gorge, some believe the deepest in the world has been an ancient trade route between Tibet and India for centuries. Kagbeni is one of my favorite villages in Nepal but we needed to get out of the gate by 8:30 so we can beat most of the winds that pick up by late morning. With a clear start to the day we were able to enjoy magnificent views of Nilgiri North at 7061 meters, the highest of the 3 peaks of the Nilgiri Himal. Excerpts from "World-Class Trekking Adventure On Nepal's Annapurna Circuit Part V-Final Episode."

Kagbeni is one of the most interesting villages in all of Nepal with it’s ancient Bonn Animist beliefs, statues and a picturesque location in the Kala Gandaki gorge. The Kag in Kagbeni was once Ghag, meaning center and it is, with the important Buddhist/Hindu pilgrimmage site Muktinath to the east and the town of Jomson to the south. The beni in Kagbeni means confluence of two rivers where the Kala Gandaki and Jhong Rivers meet is where the village sits. Before Tibetan Buddhism became the fabric of the culture of this region people followed Bon, another Tibetan religion. Bon is an ancient shamanist religion with rituals, exorcisms, and talismans. Kagbeni still integrates the beliefs of Bon in village life with these ghost eaters or Kennis that protect the town. I asked my friend Dara, the proprietor of YakDonald’s Hotel and Restaurant to explain what the statues do to protect Kagbeni and some of the other beliefs that Bon followers hold. I asked Dara who runs the famous restaurant and hotel of Kagbeni, why the name YakDonald’s? It was time to leave Kagbeni and head for Jomsom, the final stop for my Annapurna Circuit Trek. At roughly 3 hours it will be a light trekking day. The impressive Kali Ghandaki Gorge, some believe the deepest in the world has been an ancient trade route between Tibet and India for centuries. Kagbeni is one of my favorite villages in Nepal but we needed to get out of the gate by 8:30 so we can beat most of the winds that pick up by late morning. With a clear start to the day we were able to enjoy magnificent views of Nilgiri North at 7061 meters, the highest of the 3 peaks of the Nilgiri Himal. Horses are used for carrying loads as well as for tourist groups wanting to enjoy the Upper Mustang on horseback rather than by walking. Mountain biking has also become a popular way to see the region. Upper Mustang is considered one of the easier treks of Nepal. As we approached Jomsom the winds had started picking up. Flights from and to Jomsom airport are only scheduled in the early morning as the winds are too dangerous for air travel later in the day. The original Annapurna Circuit would take trekkers all the way back to Pokhara. Like most visitors these days, I’m ending my Annapurna trek at Jomsom, with a flight back to Pokhara. Jomsom is the gateway to Mustang and the Upper Mustang as well as Muktinath. Most people just pass through the village. There’s monasteries to visit and some wonderful views of Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri to enjoy and little shops and markets. But for most people stopping here for the night, it’s a place to chill and rest after or before a trek. I was quiet happy having lunch, settling into my lodge, then going for a walk around the village later in the afternoon and enjoying the sunset over Nilgiri. The next morning a little traffic jam on the way to the airport. Then it’s time for checking in and ending my Annapurna Circuit Trek. There are more adventurous and challenging regions for trekking, but for an overall experience of walking through brilliant landscapes, appreciating the diverse culture and people of Nepal, and comfortable friendly lodges, the Annapurna Circuit won’t dissapoint . Even as the region develops with more roads and infrastructure I still believe it lives up to it’s reputation as one of the world’s greatest treks.

We arrived at Thorung Phedi just before dark. An 8 hour day with an elevation gain of over 1000 meters. Long, tiring, and risky before a summit of the Thorung La Pass. But I was fine other then feeling the long day on the trail. I’m not a huge fan of trekking in the dark. I feel more tired, frustrated, and generally uncomfortable, so sometimes these summit days don’t start out pleasant, but when the first light comes up in the sky my spirits are all of sudden lifted. I feel light, full of energy, and excited to reach our goal, in most cases, the hardest day of the journey. Yes there is a horse on the trek, some choose a horseback ride up to the top of the pass. For most it’s usually a 4-5 hour walk from Thorung Phedi. Some stay at Thorung high camp, just over 300 meters higher, which will slice an hour off your morning summit. Whenever you reach the summit of a pass, which inevitably is part of many treks in Nepal, the feeling of accomplishment, relief, elation, is mutual with all of your fellow trekkers. The Thorung La Pass at 5416 meters, is the widest mountain pass in the world. It’s always a place with dangerously high winds that start as early as 8am, so our time on the pass was limited to less than an hour before we started to descend. Just over a year ago this was the sight of one of the most tragic trekking accidents in the history of the Annapurna Circuit Trail. On October 14 2014, a snowstorm struck the Annapurna, Manang, and Mustang Districts of Nepal causing severe avalanches. In the end over 400 people were rescued from the area with at least 43 deaths, which included 21 trekkers. Because the previous few days brought fresh snowfall to the region, descending down to Muktinath and Ranipauwa, our next stop would be treacherous and tiring. Roughly 4 to 5 hours of carefully trying to keep from sliding on my butt was challenging and on more than a couple of occasions I was defeated by the conditions. Arriving at Muktinath, the religious site that is both sacred to Buddhists and Hindus and the neighboring Ranipauwa village where we would lodge, felt like Shangri La. We passed by Muktinath and headed straight for Ranipauwa, sometimes also referred to as Muktinath, to settle into our lodge and get acquainted with the village. After the long trek of summiting the Thorung La pass and the rough and tumble descent, gazing at Dauligiri, the 7th highest mountain in the world seemed like the perfect way to end the day. The next morning I had more time to walk through the village and enjoy the views of the Mustang region. This is one of the most wonderful settings in Nepal. The dry region filled with captivating views of Himalayan peaks, Buddhist monasteries, and pilgrims that have journeyed from all over South Asia to visit Muktinath. For some Hindus, the central shrine of Muktinath is considered one of the 8th most sacred shrines in Asia. This is a Vishnu temple, one of the oldest and most revered in South Asia. The prakaram or outer courtyard of the temple has 108 bull faces through which sacred water is poured. Many devotees will take baths, even in freezing temperatures in the pools at the complex. Buddhists revere Muktinath for the fact that the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, Guru Rinpoche, meditated here on his way to Tibet. Their name for the temple complex is Chumig Gyatsa-Tibetan for a hundred waters. We all took a turn catching some of the holy water. Hari, being a Buddhist, was all in with his hat off and splashing the sacred water on his face. I took the conservative approach while running my hand through all 108 taps. Some will run under the spouts with nothing more than shorts or a bathing suit on in a total devotional effort to bring good kharma and luck to their life. I just wanted to stay warm while participating in my spiritual quest. You don’t need to be Hindu to have one of the priests on duty perform a puja or prayer for yo either. Just a donation which can be whatever you think is fair. Further away from the main temple complex is another holy site, The Goddess of Fire temple, where 3 eternal flames are located. The natural gas spouts are called the holy flame from rock, holy flame from soil, and holy flame from water. The close proximity of the flames, holy flowing water, and the earth which surrounds it, are the reasons for Muktinath’s prominence as an important pilgrimage site. As with many holy sites throughout Nepal and India, photography of the flames is not permitted. Hindus in particular will travel from as far away as South India to visit the site. Some even fly in from Kathmandu by helicopter, but due to the rapid rise in elevation can only stay for a short time. After crossing the Thorung La Pass many will travel through Muktinath and Ranipauwa only stopping for a short few hours before making their way to Kagbeni. I highly recommend at least staying one night in Ranipauwa. The village is simple, charming and friendly. You will receive attention from the local trinket sellers, but it’s usually just good-hearted. The views of the surrounding Mustang region are breathtaking and there is an heir of peace here that probably hasn’t changed much since Guru Rinpoche’s meditative stop. Mustang was once an independent kingdom, only fully coming into the fold of Nepal in 2008. Up until 1992 the Upper Mustang was completely closed off to the rest of the world. Having visited their myself to view this still preserved Tibetan culture and relatively untouched region I appreciated the similarities the lower Mustang offers. And there is no need for a special permit to trek here, other than a regular Annapurna Circuit trekking permit. Along with tourism animal husbandry is still one of the main sources of income, along with farming. Sea buckthorn grows in abundance here. The nutritious pulp from the berries is used to make syrups, tea, other drinks and is also used in cosmetic products. The most atmospheric of all of the villages is probably Jhong. With it’s ancient crumbling fortress and hilltop temple it feels like the setting of a fairy tale, or a Star Wars or Lord of The Rings shooting locale. We climbed up to the very top of the hill where the temple was located to enjoy some of the sweeping views of this side of the Himalaya. What seemed like an apple tree growing out of the roof was really rooted in the little courtyard below, where we met one of the young novices of the monastery. This region could be it’s own little trekking trip, with wonderful walks through these villages and comfortable stays in Jomsom, Kagbeni, and Ranipauwa Muktinath. One our way to Kagbeni we stopped to marvel at the peaks in the distance including The Thorung La. As wonderful a trekking day this can be it’s important for comfort to be done the majority of the walking for the day by the early afternoon, as the winds are quite strong through the Kali Gandaki Gorge. By the noon hour we reached the wonderful crossroads of the Annapurna Circuit and Upper Mustang regions Kagbeni. A town loaded with layers of Bon and Buddhist culture, Kennies, guardians or protector statues and an old fortressed village. Next time on Far East Adventure Travel, the ancient village of Kagbeni and the conclusion to Trekking The Great Annapurna Circuit.

Kagbeni is one of the most interesting villages in all of Nepal with it’s take on Western shopping and food culture. But it’s much more than that. Ancient Bonn Animist beliefs, statues and a picturesque location in the Kala Gandaki, the world’s deepest gorge, .  Join me John Saboe for a special edition of Far East Adventure Travel Podcast on the Buddhist trail to the Upper Mustang-The Medieval village of Kagbeni, Nepal The Kag in Kagbeni was once Ghag, meaning center and it is,  with the important Buddhist/Hindu pilgrimmage site Muktinath to the east and the town of Jomson to the south. The beni in Kagbeni means confluence of two rivers where the Kala Gandaki and Jhong Rivers meet is where the village sits.It’s also the furthest north you can trek without a permit to the former Kingdom of Lo, the restricted Upper Mustang region. It’s an enriching experience just walking through the village admiring its’ almost 600 year old Buddhist monastery and observing everyday life. I wanted to get a deeper understanding of Kagbeni’s history and it’s ancient beliefs that still sculpt the life of the town today.  So I asked Dara Tsepten, the managing director of the YakDonald’s Hotel and restaurant and a native of Kagbeni to give me some background and context to the town’s most significant sites. It certainly explained this God’s appearance of being in a perpetual state of bliss and a village hungry for making babies.Dara showed me the archway which contains two prayer wheels. We then visited Dara’s grandparents home. This mask  was once used by his grandfather for an almost forgotten village dance. Excerpts from "Ancient Gods, Ghosts, And Grains-Kagbeni, Nepal".