I am going to Nepal?

Question

My friend and i are going to fundraise for a charity and travel to Nepal next march. I am Buddhist and she is Agnostic and we are both irish and 25. any suggestions regarding this journey. Further, i'm not sure i'll want to return to the emotionally harmful compassionately empty West. How does one go about staying as a "spiritual/cultural refugee"?

Answer 1

I recently read a book by the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima entitled 'The Man Who Fell From Grace With The Sea'.  Its about a man who feels alienated by regular life on shore and genuinely loves the ocean but somehow is drawn inexorably towards the land and social contact.

Here's a passage that I think is relevant to your question:

"But as the years passed, he grew indifferent to the lure of exotic lands.  He found himself in the strange predicament all sailors share: essentially he belonged neither to the land nor to the sea.  Possibly a man who hates the land should dwell on shore forever.  Alienation and the long voyages at sea will compel him once again to dream of it, torment him with the absurdity of longing for something he loathes."



"Ryuji hated the immobility of the land, the eternally unchanging surfaces.  But a ship was another kind of prison."

I too hate living in a modern industrialized Western city and I have very strong urges to go and live in the wilderness.   And I have.  And I have loved it.  Being alone in nature is indeed my spiritual comfort zone but the longer I stay, this feeling slowly wells up in me over the months and months to return to the city that I hate and the people that I am trying to avoid.  I was never sure why until I read this twisted bit of logic.

Answer 2

Wow, i am excited to come back to Nepal...best of luck guys and hope you get what you are going for .....

Answer 3

Good luck.  However let me remind you that it's not only west that seems empty.  Every society has two sides just like the sword that swings both way.  spiritual and cultural refugee is where your very most inner core is. Stay safe and I hope you and your friend will find what you're seeking.