Thailand attracts an interesting mix of travelers and expats. You have the gap year backpacker/partiers, the middle-aged Western men looking for Thai girlfriends “companionship”, the retirees, the long-term travelers who need an affordable base to jump off from, the young English teachers who want to try “something different” for a while and the spiritual/new age-y/yoga-y/natural-y/hippie-y type. I’m not quite sure which I fall under. It’s interesting being exposed to the different groups though, particularly the spiritual/new age-y/yoga-y/natural-y/hippie-y one.
As I’ve talked about before, a good part of my traveling and living abroad is figuring out how I ultimately want to live my life. What type of environment do I feel best in? What type of work do I enjoy doing? What do I want my lifestyle to be like? What is important to me and what can I do without? What do I really, really care about or enjoy doing? I have a lot of interests, but I’m still trying to figure out what I fully believe in, want to do want to be like.
Is this part of it?
I’m always interested in hearing about other people’s beliefs in religion, spirituality and general way of living. Chiang Mai is a good place to get a wide range of opinions and opportunities to experience different practices, from Buddhism to alcoholism, as it’s a destination for a number of yoga, detox, meditation and massage retreats, courses and bars. I’m pretty liberal, normally eat a fairly vegetarian diet and have practiced yoga for several years, but never real seriously. I guess you could say I have some ‘hippie’ tendencies – I hate using that term, it’s 2012, the hippies were in the ’60s – but I know nothing about meditation, Buddhism, astrology, ‘cleansings’, etc. and always take everything with a grain of salt to the point where I can often be very cynical.
Regardless, I’m living in a place that overall has a very different mindset than Christian America and I’m intrigued by what I can learn and how it can/will shape my life.
The past couple of months have been…indulgent. I went home for several weeks during which I drank as much wine, ate as much cheese and watched as much television as I could. (All well worth it.) I then came back here where I tried to catch up after missing three weeks worth of Thai food, sugary coffees and big bottles of Leo. I also had visitors (which meant four days of incredible food, laying around and going out), started hanging out with a few different people who work in bars (which should be self-explanatory) and had a crazy work schedule (which meant more sugary coffee and a lot of sitting on my bum lesson planning). I also, since I have no self control, have managed to work my way through the peanut butter/chocolate/wine stash I brought back from the States, and have decided not to do anything requiring physical activity because it’s been so disgustingly hot and muggy.
Too much of this…
…and this…
So. It’s time for a reset. Mentally, physically, nutritionally, spiritually. And there’s no better place to do it (aside from all the tempting coffee shops…and bars…ugh).
During the next few weeks I will be exploring more in depth what Chiang Mai has to offer in natural or holistic nutrition, living and treatments. First up: juice fast with fresh, ripe, CHEAP mangoes, lychees, passion fruit and more. I plan on then taking advantage of the many veg restaurants and stalls CNX has to offer.
Next: Meditation study and practice at various wats around town (unfortunately I do not have enough time right now to go on a 10-day Vipassana retreat which are very popular here, but have it on my to do list!), Thai massages and Ayuverdic treatments, all the while getting back into my yoga practice at some of the different studios within walking distance of me.
Basically, it will be another month of indulgence…but this time of the healthy kind.
For now, I’ll leave you with two videos that accurately portray people, and the things they say, that I see here everyday to help give you a better idea of what I’m dealing with. Enjoy: Shit New Age Girls Say and Shit Yogis Say