Jet Lag in India as Divine Blessing:
Secret Teachings on The Goddess Mahalag Devi: Is She Friend or Foe?

Going to India is a Pilgrimage, not a vacation…think of the pilgrims who went to Jerusalem on their knees, or Tibetans who do prostrations all the way to a holy site. It is a transformative fire in which we change.

It begins with flying as a rite of passage, like the ritual enactment of entering the grave before re-birth; we allow ourselves the hardship of the journey. Embracing the truth of being totally out of control and subject to the abuses and whims of international travel, which prepares us well for the rest of the pilgrimage…

Mahalag is more than mere "jet lag". She is our bodily limit acting as an initiator, a constant companion on our pilgrimage. She only really leaves us a week or two after we’ve returned home, if then. She is actually part of the journey itself, someone to be embraced, an ally. A rawness that has the potential to be heart softening. She is not gentle; She is the goddess using the friction of restrictions.

She loves forgiveness, laughter and apologies. She strips us down and opens us up; she delivers humility and humble nectar. She is a fire and the bringer of "tapas", we fight her at your own peril. Go with her and give her room and she blesses you with her gifts of heart transformation and a sense of humor.

Mahalag’s 4-fold blessing: 1) preflight 2) in flight 3) after flight 4) pervasive.

1. Preflight blessing:
The effects of the anticipation and all the crazy planning and getting ready before travel as well as any sleepless nights associated with the trip.

2. Flight blessing:
The effects of "hurry-up-and-wait" for over 30 hours. The rushing, followed by waiting, followed by rushing, followed by waiting that world travel often is.

The effects on the body of being in an enclosed, not comfortable, cramped place for long periods.

The effect of being in a metal tube that is dryer than the desert and slowly quietly dehydrates you.

The effects of being in a small place with lots of people with all their different germs and all their different minds in such close proximity.

The effects of in-flight sleep deprivation, airline food and bad movies.

3. After Flight blessing:
For a couple of weeks after flight your bodily rhythms are catching up. This is perhaps the least appreciated and strongest Maha-factor of them all.

Not just sleep, but body temperature, digestive acids, hormonal release, all these cycles (and more) are exactly opposite to usual rhythms. It takes 1 to 2 weeks.

There also seems to be a genuine energetic-field effect, needing extra attention.

4. And the pervasive blessing:
The more than mere "culture shock" of being in a totally foreign culture with entirely different cues and information entering your body-mind and emotions. Different, sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations than you're used to. Even having different thoughts and emotions than usual. India always wins.

"Wellbeing Alertness Puja": Krishna’s offerings of thanks to Mahalag Devi

I don’t ever do all of these all the time, but when realistic and possible.

Days before departure

• Not always possible… I set my watch to my destination's time and sleep and eat
• accordingly: calculating local time, or keeping a second watch with local time.
• Get plenty of sleep, exercise and water

Before boarding the Plane

• Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
• Drink a lot of water, less alcohol and caffeine
• If I eat, I eat light.

On the Plane

• Set my watch to my destination's time: sleep and wake accordingly
• "No Jet –Lag" homeopathic pills and supplements easing into destination time
• I drink more water for good hydration and less alcohol and caffeine
• Exercise and stretch while sitting and get up out of my seat and walk
• Get as much sleep as I can. I use an inflatable neck pillow, eye-mask & earplugs
• If I use a blanket, I buckle my seat belt over the top so flight attendants won't
• wake me. If I don’t want to be woken up for meals, I put a note on myself:
• "Please don’t wake me up". If I find I don’t sleep in flight, at least I rest.
• Listen to relaxing music on my ipod or good vibe hypnosis and meditation stuff

After Arriving

• Follow the new time schedule. Don't sleep until the evening.
• I get out in the sunlight to reset my body's clock, avoid sunglasses for a week
• Long walks, swimming ( if possible) and stretching
• Take baths (submerge) for a few days( if possible), or pour water over my body
• Drink a lot of water everyday throughout the trip but especially the first week
• For re-strengthening the energetic-body-field: massage, Sufi-whirling or
• "twirling" right to left for westbound travel, shaking all over, brushing the body,
• using polarity screens, deep slow even breathing through the day.
• Meditate, "tune in" and use earplugs as needed, give myself permission to relax

And Pervasive Mindset

• Pilgrimage is on the schedule of The Goddess in the form of India Herself so I take the events of the entire journey as a relationship with the Divine and what-ever appears is the plan of the Divine so savor small blessings that happen
• Tune in to feelings, rest in Calmness, feel good and let go of expectations and thoughts about how you believed things should happen, enjoy what is.
• At the least, be entertaining while complaining and do it with purpose and laughs
• A Generous Heart forgetful of fault: I cut myself and everybody else lots of slack.
• A good sense of humor is delighting in (and thus honoring) the Goddess.
• Love, Relax, Have Fun, forget difficulties, Appreciate the Moment and Smile.