10 Sept 2012: India, Clowning for Rescued Bonded Labour at IJM

Last night we had a meditation to work on inner peace and send light and love to the people we visited today.

We went to Thiruttani near Chennai. We took 4 cars with aircon which was lovely. First thing I noticed was no pollution as the auto rickshaws you smell the exhaust. So it was pleasant to be going for a drive to andhra pradesh in the neighbouring state. I was struck by the incredible mountains which appear to have been former volcanoes. I was astounded by the huge size of the boulders on top of mountains and the cascade of smaller rocks (quite large) that peppered the mountains. One mountain looked like a crocodile the way the rocks were angled. Another was a node that jutted like a head above the mountain, another seemed like easter island rocks with one looking like a person looking away and two tall pillar rocks like two people kissing. You can make rocks look like anything.

I marvel at the drivers and how they don’t crash. They have to be hyper vigilant to make sure they get passed. We discussed the difference between Australian drivers and Indian drivers. You would be booked for dangerous driving for sure yet amazingly they seem to have few crashes, I don’t know how they do it. It is fascinating you pass a car and a bus is head on slip passed the car and then there is a motor bike, overtake again and there are cows on the road and a bus and a bike. You just smile at how the vehicle weaves its way through.

Our Indian friend Sanoosh also was teaching me pressure points (acupuncture). He pressed on my arm and yes it was sore. I am aware of the pressure points from massage yet he was to explain our emotions are stored in our body. My yoga friend has told me after her treatments in Australia people can become emotional as blocks are released. Yet speaking with Sanoosh reinforced how our body blocks our potential. He also showed me a special technique of how to hold my hands to gain higher energy. He was taught by a wise man who didn’t speak much and lived on little food but was healthy. Sanoosh said he wanted to smooch this man his love was so great. So he found many sore points on my arm and he encouraged me not to resist the pain but to go beyond it. To go into the pain and know that it is transitory. To think about pleasure and pain the same, when we want fresh air we say that is good, if it is cold we say bad but to greet every moment with peace. I loved this teaching it is learning to accept the moment and to experience the changes rather than resist them. I dide feel my energy lift as I was not yawning. I do tend to drink coffee as tiredness has been an issue for me but I realised I have to release these blocks. We also had a session on breathing. To slowly breathe in and slowly breath out. To master breathing as it re energises the body. So I brought my awareness to the breath and the moments of pain as we travelled through this magical land. I knew he was a teacher and I loved what I was taught.

We got lost on the way as they don’t have GPS here or maps. So the drivers use the bush telegraph, the locals. We stopped as it happened in front of a hospital in a small town. Some of the towns people came around us. One offered tea, tea sounded great. He showed us to the toilet in the hospital. I saw people in waiting rooms and lining the corridors. Some standing, some sitting on floors. I didn’t have my bag with me but did have balloons so I pulled out my balloon and bounced it around the corridor. I so love it when I see there smiles, the magic of just a simple balloon to connect strangers. One woman was hitting it hard, I mock it as a challenge, and it bounces on its merry way around others. I observe how atheletic some of the women are. I find the people kind and welcoming to such unusual strangers.

We go back to our cars and off we go again. We go under a bridge and there is much water. The driver turns around and the other car arrives, we realise that we are going the wrong way. We drive on further and there is a four wheel drive and Mike is there (our other Indian friend). We are waved ahead to International Justice Mission. As we arrive we see the people sitting under a tree. I wondered how long they waited.

We then went to the area and Tim introduced us. We then had the larger group break up into smaller groups and then the clowns mingled around. It is hard for me to observe the other clowns as when I am on I become intensely in the moment. I pick out of my bag whatever I see first. I had my balls so I did some juggling for them. I play with the boys in the crowd and use my eyes to make connection with people with a face pulled. I had one of the girls sing with my microphone and I tried to sing with her and she got me to go quiet. I just bopped alongside her in harmony. I la la’d her when she finished. I love to see her confidence grow. I danced with her and my friend Santoosh reminded me of the dog poo. So I dropped it on the ground and pulled out my clubs to distract. Then I made out I just found it and tried to find the poo’s owner. People were pulling faces and saying no. I had it translated by Lennon to find the owner of the poo, if anyone recognised it. Then I pretended to smell it and go ‘poo’. I then pretended to eat it. I used my twirly ribbon to make nice rainbow patterns then tied up Lennon. I saw myself hog tying him like a pig. It was funny as I pushed him over. I made my way through the crowd and sat on them making out I was having difficult getting passed. I tried the balloon and had that make noises and blow air on people then circulate the balloon around. I brough out my rings and made out they were nose rings, ear rings and bracelets suggesting a swap. I then used them to throw onto people like a stick and ring concept. I then juggled them. Ip ulled out my clubs and made them out to be cricked bats and tried to hit a plastic fuzzy ball. Pretended it was a baseball bat, a telephone and microphone. I brought out my massager and gave people a massage to relax them.

These are people who have been worked as bonded labour. I was told they work up to 18 hours a day. They would have been treated as chattels. I saw one man with no fingers on his right hand. I can only wonder at how he lost his fingers. Some are bonded for years others for lifetimes. The people we met had an influx of newly released people, so freedom is not something they understand. They are serving others, not being served. What I love about the clowning is that we are serving them and bringing smiles.

I remember one lady I tried to massage her and she started laughing as she was ticklish, I ended up chasing her and others laughed. We had fun playing chaseys. Another man had a twirling wand with ribbons and a red nose and he was twirling it and I bowed before him and shook his hand in a funny way. Some of the kids were a bit scared so you have to go easy there. As we can look big and colourful and they have never seen a clown. I did notice them calm and get used to us.

Our group is so diverse. It is so lovely that each individual contribution makes a difference to people. It is so wonderful as clowns to see people laughing and smiling. The children get very close to you. I had two boys in particular that I played with, they had so much fun. I really loved connecting.

There was a talk whereby the people were told that we clowns had come for free. Some of our group had tragic backgrounds. One had been in hospital with cancer, another had a near fatal car accident and life changing experience another had been mugged in another country. We all have our stories for sure which we have shared. So the point being made was to help people see that you can overcome difficulties. You can find happiness inside. One man got up and said he dreamed of being a child. Today he had that experience. It was so lovely to hear him feel the dream came true. I wondered at his childhood, had he worked all his childhood. Play is so powerful and freeing and it is so important for people to experience relating in a fun playful way. Clowns give that excuse and help people to forget their trauma. I thought of the great work of Miss Praisey Glory. They are very dedicated and felt very happy that we had visited.

The people were asked to go and say thank you to the clowns. So they milled around and shook our hands. I hugged, as that is my thing and gave them a good rocking hug. A little girl kissed me on the cheek which chuffed me. Some women came to me and I felt I had made an impact. It is so beautiful to see their eyes shining and the love that was generated between all of us. It is so world peace, I just love it. This is why I am here to send love to people and through the medium of a clown make sure that energy reaches them. I felt the light move through the crowd as I saw in my meditation the night before. So beautiful to see such smiles.

We have an amazing group of clowns, each unique and different. I love the diversity and I feel they may not realise by just turning up they make a significant difference. We have a fairy godmother, a bee, even a penguin today, clowns, characters and colourful souls, as a group I feel they are very effective and individually contribute their way. I really love the tatoos that were done by our angel, apparently they last 7 days. I could see people would be happy to not have it washing off straight away. To keep the memory alive. We have a wonderful mime giving balloons which I feel really makes a difference. I didn’t get to see everyone but I feel their colours and just love their presence. It is rewarding work.

We had a group picture and I saw the excitement in the two boys I really connected with. One of them I gave my little toy Bilby and had it translated to him that there are only 100 in Australia, they are rare. I told him he is rare. To be happy and remember the clowns. The other boy was with me and I stood between them as we did the group photo. Everyone had someone special. The organisers from International Justice Mission had wigs on and looked great. They gave out books as a thank you to us. Then it was time to say goodbye.

We drove back through this sensational country for 3 hours and arrived in Vellore around 5pm. Every moment is magical. I so love being a clown.

Sanoosh came to me later and thanked me for pushing him as a clown. I made him go into the crowd and feather dust them. I told him to think of it has dusting off the negative energy and placing good intention around them. As he is a healer that is his language. He told me he felt barriers/blockages to clowning but felt some of it clear. I noticed his face much lighter. So we learned from each other. I saw clowning as another means of removing obstacles and healing through his eyes. To be able to love people unconditionally is an amazing experience where our hearts are open or as the wise yogi’s would say the heart chakra is wide open. You allow people in, there is no agenda but to play. It feels light and I sense this is enlightenment.

Great day.

Tonight will do some yoga and start to spiritually align myself more deeply.