27 Sept 2012: Clowning in India Reflections

For me, clowning in India was the greatest trip I’ve been on and I made some deep friendships, which I will never forget.  I came away with a deeper sense of the love frequency and how this is what changes our beautiful world.

To love continuously for one month is an experience that cannot be put into words, but I can assure you it is our true nature.  To learn to emotionally connect or at the very least add to the sense of community is invaluable.  To love strangers, to be there to serve without it being about you is central.  You do have to feel the joy to give it and see through the hardship and poor conditions people are in.  You cannot dwell on the injustice or pain they carry.  You can be the sunlight in their darkness but curse it not as they say.  That doesn’t mean condoning it, it means holding the frequency of love.  Love is what they need not sympathy, I am very clear on that.  I feel the connection to people all over the world, and yes I see them as my family.  Racism for me is something I do not relate to at all as I cannot see the differences, I only see that we are one.    My only joy is to see a smile, even if it is random.  One doctor that was met on this trip couldn’t understand the point of clowns coming in as the people would return to sadness.  This doctor was quite rude apparently to Tim and just couldn’t connect.  Yet what the doctor didn’t understand that even one moment out of the misery is something.  It is a memory, it is an experience where strangers have actually cared when some people may feel no-one cares.  It is the colour in the black and white.  I recall clowning in a slum in Cambodia and two boys chasing the car as we left.  I was told through a translator it was like a movie, they were blown away.  The boys were so moved they chased us.  I knew when I reached out the window to touch this boys hand that he was deeply affected by the moment.  We touched and I saw it was all about connection not sympathy.  In that moment he changed me and I changed him.  So yes, one moment makes a difference, it is never a waste of time.  This doctor referred to above was clearly not a happy person and perhaps no-one had cared for her, who knows her story.  There will be many who don’t feel the love.

I found the clowns on this trip very inspirational. They were mostly women who deeply wanted to give to others. We had the most lovely men join us who also were open to love others. I saw such diverse talents, such energy, so much laughter and fun in each person. I just marvelled at the incredibly diversity of the group and support offered by each person to others. I really gained the sense of family. Clowning brings out the best in us, the focus is simply to love and bring happiness to others. It is not about money or personal gratification. When you come into a space with that intention it changes everything. I’ve been with peace groups who are not at peace, who still harbour anger about the world. I found clowning to be the best expression of peace given the highest intentions are lived. You cannot helped be changed by such an experience. We were all profoundly impacted and will take away something special from this trip. I send love to all the clowns and thank them for their part in such a wonderful trip. I will never forget you and you will be in my heart always.

This trip was peace in action, it was without agenda and it was unifying.  I have changed and become even more loving and I come back to my own society and I can see the isolation of our technological world.  I can see that people are indoors not outdoors.  In India they are living outside and you can see and feel community humming around you.  In the West it has a staleness of routine and living for the weekends.  In India there is a wildness there and aliveness.  I really felt it.  I love Indian people.  I know there is corruption there and there is a breakdown of traditions in favour of the capitalist juggernaut.  This is a phenomenon worldwide.  There is much upheaval and change.  However within all this turmoil you can simply love others, so others can simply live.

We live in a truly beautiful world.  Our conflicts are based on misunderstanding and fear.  When we learn to love unconditionally and stand in the shoes of others, understanding emerges like a sun illuminating our own darkness.  We are here to celebrate life not to judge it or compete with it.  We are learning to live in harmony with diversity and to bring something of our own light to others.  You do not need to be a great performer or have special talents, people respond to love that is genuine.  When you see the humour in another’s eyes who has no legs or perhaps suffering from leprosy or social isolation through HIV, you just smile.  You see the human being, you do not see the illness.  You find yourself relating on a human level.  If I ever find myself in a difficult place I hope someone will come to me and offer love and acceptance of who I am where I am.  That is the gift of clowning we are unconditional and there to bring love and share our humanity.  As it often turns out we receive far more than we give as every human being is exceptional.  I see no enemies in this world only opportunity to make new friends.  Where people are very different I accept the great diversity of life and consider them my greatest teachers.  It is all about how you choose to look at others.  To step out of conditioned roles and see the divinity within each shining heart.  All divinity is, is the love spark, it is not about religion, it is about our true nature which at its highest expression is breathtaking.  Imagine a world where everyone dedicates their lives to living to the highest potential, I can assure you there will be no corruption, poverty or crime.  The notion of the mythical Eden or Utopia can be a reality when we choose to be the change we wish to see in the world.  Just keep choosing love and the new world emerges.

For me, clowning in India was the greatest trip I’ve been on and I made some deep friendships, which I will never forget.  I came away with a deeper sense of the love frequency and how this is what changes our beautiful world.

To love continuously for one month is an experience that cannot be put into words, but I can assure you it is our true nature.  To learn to emotionally connect or at the very least add to the sense of community is invaluable.  To love strangers, to be there to serve without it being about you is central.  You do have to feel the joy to give it and see through the hardship and poor conditions people are in.  You cannot dwell on the injustice or pain they carry.  You can be the sunlight in their darkness but curse it not as they say.  That doesn’t mean condoning it, it means holding the frequency of love.  Love is what they need not sympathy, I am very clear on that.  I feel the connection to people all over the world, and yes I see them as my family.  Racism for me is something I do not relate to at all as I cannot see the differences, I only see that we are one.    My only joy is to see a smile, even if it is random.  One doctor that was met on this trip couldn’t understand the point of clowns coming in as the people would return to sadness.  This doctor was quite rude apparently to Tim and just couldn’t connect.  Yet what the doctor didn’t understand that even one moment out of the misery is something.  It is a memory, it is an experience where strangers have actually cared when some people may feel no-one cares.  It is the colour in the black and white.  I recall clowning in a slum in Cambodia and two boys chasing the car as we left.  I was told through a translator it was like a movie, they were blown away.  The boys were so moved they chased us.  I knew when I reached out the window to touch this boys hand that he was deeply affected by the moment.  We touched and I saw it was all about connection not sympathy.  In that moment he changed me and I changed him.  So yes, one moment makes a difference, it is never a waste of time.  This doctor referred to above was clearly not a happy person and perhaps no-one had cared for her, who knows her story.  There will be many who don’t feel the love.

I found the clowns on this trip very inspirational. They were mostly women who deeply wanted to give to others. We had the most lovely men join us who also were open to love others. I saw such diverse talents, such energy, so much laughter and fun in each person. I just marvelled at the incredibly diversity of the group and support offered by each person to others. I really gained the sense of family. Clowning brings out the best in us, the focus is simply to love and bring happiness to others. It is not about money or personal gratification. When you come into a space with that intention it changes everything. I’ve been with peace groups who are not at peace, who still harbour anger about the world. I found clowning to be the best expression of peace given the highest intentions are lived. You cannot helped be changed by such an experience. We were all profoundly impacted and will take away something special from this trip. I send love to all the clowns and thank them for their part in such a wonderful trip. I will never forget you and you will be in my heart allways.

This trip was peace in action, it was without agenda and it was unifying.  I have changed and become even more loving and I come back to my own society and I can see the isolation of our technological world.  I can see that people are indoors not outdoors.  In India they are living outside and you can see and feel community humming around you.  In the West it has a staleness of routine and living for the weekends.  In India there is a wildness there and aliveness.  I really felt it.  I love Indian people.  I know there is corruption there and there is a breakdown of traditions in favour of the capitalist juggernaught.  This is a phenomenon worldwide.  There is much upheaval and change.  However within all this turmoil you can simply love others, so others can simply live.

We live in a truly beautiful world.  Our conflicts are based on misunderstanding and fear.  When we learn to love unconditionally and stand in the shoes of others, understanding emerges like a sun illuminating our own darkness.  We are here to celebrate life not to judge it or compete with it.  We are learning to live in harmony with diversity and to bring something of our own light to others.  You do not need to be a great performer or have special talents, people respond to love that is genuine.  When you see the humour in another’s eyes who has no legs or perhaps suffering from leprosy or social isolation through HIV, you just smile.  You see the human being, you do not see the illness.  You find yourself relating on a human level.  If I ever find myself in a difficult place I hope soemeone will come to me and offer love and acceptance of who I am where I am.  That is the gift of clowning we are unconditional and there to bring love and share our humanity.  As it often turns out we receive far more than we give as every human being is exceptional.  I see no enemies in this world only opportunity to make new friends.  Where people are very different I accept the great diversity of life and consider them my greatest teachers.  It is all about how you choose to look at others.  To step out of conditioned roles and see the divinity within each shining heart.  All divinity is, is the love spark, it is not about religion, it is about our true nature which at its highest expression is breathtaking.  Imagine a world where everyone dedicates their lives to living to the highest potential, I can assure you there will be no corruption, poverty or crime.  The notion of the mythical Eden or Utopia can be a reality when we choose to be the change we wish to see in the world.  Just keep choosing love and the new world emerges. 

On that note I send you love and light.  There is more than hope, we can create a beautiful world but first as Gandhi said ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’.  I am doing that and I will never go back to my old life.  Love is indeed the answer and illuminates you to see the world as it truly is, magnificent.