Diary of a Pilgrim for Peace, episode 34: Link to Main Page Link to Main Pilgrimage Page Link to Pilgrim DiaryAustin – Texas
May 22, 2006:
Well, here we are again, dear reader, hammering the keys on a kind friend’s computer. The last episode left me at the Unity church of Austin, not that far from downtown, Austin.
I stayed in a separate house called the Youth Education building, used for religious education of the children of the church on Sundays and a few other evening activities, such as Yoga classes during the week. It had been purchased by the church many years before at a bargain price and as an investment. Although the shower wasn’t working, half an hour of fixing got me my first shower in almost a week. Who said happiness is expensive? (:-)
Here I stayed through an uneventful Christmas and New Years. This year, in this place, I didn’t know anyone to do any celebrating with.
After Christmas, I moved into a new house, helping its new owner to move in. I didn’t know until I moved in, that both she and her daughter would live there and after a week there, I realized that it was too difficult for me there. The daughter was too difficult for me to get on with, so you can imagine my relief when I was asked to house sit for a couple in the church for a week, while they took a cruise in the Caribbean! I had their house to myself and peace.
The church members operate a men’s group on Tuesday evenings and two of the guys offered to put me up for a while at their places. I chose to go with Bill, who also runs the “Real Love” group, which meets in the “YEB” building on Sundays after the morning service. They are a very nice group of people, who are trying to deal with a lifetime of “fake” love, you know, love given by others because we try to please them. Their inspiration comes from a psychologist and his books, named Greg Baer. Worth looking into for all of us. Several months went by staying with Bill. He lives right next to the Colorado river, which flows right through the center of the city. During this time, I started up a meditation group in the YEB building on a Wednesday evening, but the numbers dwindled and after I left the church and Bill took over, it folded. Oh well, that’s what happens I guess, when one has people who are used to “meditating” for 5 to 10 minutes maximum. During my time at Unity, I offered free workshops with all proceeds/donations going to the church, but the minister, an ex-Baptist, simply refused, saying “We don’t do that sort of thing here”! She had announced to the congregation weeks before that she wants change, but I see little evidence of change. So the church is in a strange condition for a Unity church, sort of frozen, without even the comfort of the traditional service format to comfort the congregation. I have tried to mix in and be of service with little or no success.
So I started going to the Austin Spiritualist Church, which is smaller congregation-wise, but much more open and, it seemed, in need of some assistance. Here, for the last two months or so, I have performed Psychic Healings, given readings, taught a psychic development class and given workshops like “Past Life Regressions” and “How to see the Human Aura” and so on. My new host, Edna, a member of the congregation for many years, has been very kind and I have made myself useful, fixing her computer, doing plumbing in the kitchen and bathroom, painting the second bedroom and electronic stereo repairs and so on. We had a lot of fun going out recently to a famous Country and Western dance bar called the “Broken Spoke”. The people who were there are a study in individualism. There were several famous country singers there in attendance, so I am told (I know little about this subject).
I never did get to see the inside of the Capitol building. There is a relatively new skyscraper called the Frost Bank Building, which is lit-up at night and is really pretty. I did see the famous bats swarming out from under the bridges at dusk and visited a zoo, which cares for injured wild life.
Even so, the time has come for me to move on again, despite a last minute attempt to keep me in Austin longer by some of my students. The plan seemed on for 2 days and then it all fell through. Forget the details. Clearly I am supposed to be somewhere else and soon. Inshallah! As the Arabs say, God’s will!
So tomorrow, 23 May, 2006, I head out onto route 290 towards Houston and points east, on the road again, about 165 miles or 8 days walking, following God’s plan, I hope (:-) As you can see, when I stay in the same place for several months at a time, there seems to be less to write in the diary. I have left out detailed reports of the wonderful people I met here and those outings for dinner to check out the local cuisine. Even in the heart of cattle country, it is no longer hard to find a vegetarian restaurant. Suffice it to say that it was enjoyable and Austin is a great city. Since I am now 65 years old, I was able to ride the transit system free of charge. This was particularly helpful when it came to going to the hardware store to get plumbing parts (:-) As the commonly seen sign says,” Keep Austin weird”! A town full of Democrats and highly educated people, in an ocean of Republicans, so it seems. I‘ll miss y’all! Maybe someday we can visit again.
God bless.
Your friend, Swamiji
At master Swami Sivananda’s lotus feet.