in THE HIMALAYAS


The following article is an extraction from the book - 'Women of Spirit : A Sourcebook of Saints, Teachers, Goddesses and Sisterhoods East and West.'

After working tirelessly in many ashrams, Her truly remarkable search had its final chapter in the highest and most enigmatic mountain range in the world, the Himalayas, the place that for centuries Indians have believed is the abode of the gods. For this reason, millions of devout pilgrims venture into the Himalayas each year to visit the numerous sacred sites and perhaps meet with one of the rare enlightened beings that are said to live in seclusion in remote, secret caves. Sadly, many pilgrims die along the way due to severe weather conditions, landslides or the dangerous icy terrain. There are few conveniences, so some are even consumed by starvation. Fear prevents most pilgrims from venturing too far. Only an extremely rare being with unshakable faith in the Universal Power and tremendous courage would ignore the obvious dangers.

When speaking about Her numerous Himalayan treks that took Her increasingly higher and deeper into the snow swept region, Supreme Master Ching Hai said, "When I was in the Himalayas, I couldn't afford to hire a horse or a coolie. I had nothing, so I could only walk. Perhaps my continuous walking kept me warm. Otherwise, I would have frozen, as I was wearing wet clothes and shoes amid the rain and snow in the mountains. Some peaks were high and lofty, and looked awesome. I must have been as crazy then as couples who are madly in love, and oblivious to everything else. Lovers are blind to the risks and burden of marriage and family life, nor do they think about the future. They are enthralled by their amour for each other, and live only for that moment in time."

"However, God blesses idiots like me. When I was looking for an enlightened Master, I had only two sets of clothes, but I never caught a cold traversing the Himalayan trails. Sometimes, I couldn't even afford to buy firewood to dry my wet clothes, so I went near other people's campfires, holding them in my hands. The heat made my clothes dry faster and I could also warm myself. I must have been blind and "God-crazed" I probably wouldn't have dared to do it now."

"All I had on my mind then was God; and all I could see was God. There was no room for family or money. I was stupid enough, but nothing else could penetrate my mind because I had only God in my heart. It is like when we are in love, we are completely blind to the faults of our lover, and we refuse to listen to any unfavorable remarks against him. Probably that was why God gave me protection, or I would have died long ago."

Supreme Master Ching Hai's devotion to God enabled Her to overcome the many hardships associated with traveling alone and the inhospitable mountainous environment that She experienced. " In some parts of the Himalayas, the low atmospheric pressure made it difficult to cook food well. I could only wash the food in the Ganges and eat it raw. It was delicious, though. The Himalayas is the most wonderful place. I could do without hot water. It was fun taking a cold dip. It was so cold that it felt as though my body had shrunk. I would count to 5, and then jump out from the ice-cold river. My body seemed to bloom then as thousands flowers and I felt so exalted."

On what would be Her final trek into the abode of the gods, Supreme Master Ching Hai began like She had often done before with only two sets of clothes, a pair of sports shoes, a sleeping bag, a water bottle, a couple of books and a walking stick. She was almost constantly wet and cold as She ascended ever higher. The further she went the more belongings She discarded to conserve energy. Having discarded virtually everything, She put Her life entirely into God's hands.