04 Oct 2009 Vrindavan, India
Category: Personal statement
Yesterday I wrote about some rather small changes in the Ashram. I also decided to do some change. And the result you can see in the picture. For me it was also a new face that looked at me out of the mirror after shaving my head.
The last time that I had my head shaved was on the 10th September 1997, two or three hours before I entered the cave. But in that time I did not look into a mirror. In the cave there was also no mirror and when I came out after three years I had long dreadlocks and a beard again. So I actually only saw myself with a shaved head after I came out of the cave when I saw the videos of before.
Nearly all my life I had a beard and long hair. It is funny and strange to see myself in this way and often my hands reach for my beard to stroke it or to my hair to put the dreadlocks aside. When I decided to cut off the dreadlocks, Ramona made a joke. She said we should sell them on ebay and then we can get some money for the children from this. I said why not? This is a part of my body and I have devoted myself and my whole time and life to these children, so if a part of my body, even if it is my hair, can help in this, why not?
I even read on the internet that in South India some temples get hair as donation and they get millions of dollar by selling it. And of course they are doing many charity projects with this. And we have more children now than every before, our projects are growing and of course also our expenses. So I think it is a good idea and maybe people would like to have one of the dreadlocks with the intention of supporting our charity projects. There is only a limited number and they are really very long, so they are special.
Of course the long beard and the dreadlocks were a point of attraction, no matter if I am walking in the streets of Manhattan, in a city in Europe or at the airport. It catches people’s eyes and even sometimes people have enough courage to approach me to touch my dreadlocks. And many times people asked me ‘Did you ever cut your hair?’, ‘For how long has it been growing?’ or ‘Is it not allowed in your religion or tradition to cut your hair?’ In some religions or traditions it is really not allowed.
I have also written in my diary that people said to me after a lecture ‘When people see you and your appearance they immediately get the impression that a Guru is standing in front of them.’ The first thing is this: I am not bound to any religion or tradition. I am fully free to do what I want. I can change. But you can be sure: you will not see me in jeans! I love my open and loose clothes :) And this I know, my friends all over the world don’t love only my hair, I am sure I will be loved always, with dreadlocks and without.
Click here to see more pictures
Tags:: Charity, Guru, Religion, Personal statement, Tradition, Cave, Change
22 Comments
Posted By Swami Balendu
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Cool photo! It is amazing how much identity we can feel from our hair. Changing our hair makes us change the way we feel and see ourselves. But it is a great practice in embracing change and opening ourselves up to new ideas. I like it!
Reply By Emily on October 20, 2011 11:19
Thank you my dear friends for all your Love. Its great to have lovely friends in life. Sending you my Love.
Reply By Swami Balendu on July 21, 2010 11:55
Today was the last day of the school year 11/12. The children got their report cards, the olde...
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