Beasts and burdens or animals and anima

For a minute there I was thinking I took the wrong worm hole, entered the wrong reality, was on the wrong path.  A fever and some amoeba will do that to you, that’s for sure.  I’m sure I’m back, I got it sorted and I’m well on my way again.  Let me tell you a story about animals and anima.

Upon visiting the tigers something was awakened in me, I felt really alive with bravery and courage.  I felt at ease around them and I loved tussling their fur and pulling their tails and scratching thier bellies.  It was like a familiar language of mutual respect and power balance. I was refreshed and aware and very much in love with the big cats.  It was the manifestation of harmony, even if for one fleeting moment in time where we were both on our best behavior.

Elephants are another realm altogether.  I was immediately filled with respect for them and calmed by their presence.  It’s as if something ancient and healing was called upon.  An old language of creaks and groans and trumpeting with delight.  I wanted to morph into one on the spot and lumber about in the cool, early morning mist and break my fast on the hill side in the northern Thai jungle forest.  They are magic, plain and simple.

Many Thai stories include elephants.  It is a widely accepted fact that the elephants and the Thai peoples have a respect and understanding of one another.  Many songs, poems and parables include elephants.  There are countless images of the gentle  giants everywhere.  Even the Thai letters look a bit like elephants, to me anyway.  One of the most predominent figures is Ganesh, the Thais believe elephants to be an embodiment of Buddha and give offerings at little spirit houses all over the park and anywhere else they enjoy.  There is even an annual elephant holiday, one day every year when the elephant does no work whatever and enjoys its time however it pleases.

I booked the tour out of my guest house after looking at the posters for over a week.  I wanted to just go and meet some elephants and feel their presence.  I looked for the most humane of places, not ones that make them work too hard or have large carrying devices on their backs.  So, The Thai Elephant Conservation Park it was, a wonderful choice, indeed.  What made great was being guided by Mr. Phu, aka Mr. Elephant.  I felt like I had an exclusive tour of the Park.

We drove over an hour to get there, it was a pleasant drive, much like the drive from Portland to the coast only stopping midway in the mountains.  The cityscape thinned out into rolling hills with farms and rice patties.  The pollution lifted and I felt like I could breathe again for the first time in 10 days.  As we ascended into the mountains I noticed a temperature drop along with a mist along the tree tops.  The jungle forest is a cross between a jungle and a forest, it has large leafed viney plants and palms and trees that look like giant bonsai.  The air is thick and sweet with many flowers blooming and together it is all very pleasant.

Once we got there I noticed how well kept the park is.  There were people sweeping around the paths, the scene was idyllic with their angled straw hats and straw brooms wearing their Thai pants and jackets, it looked rather like an oil painting I may have seen before.

Since it was a cool morning just above 50 degrees Fahrenheit the elephants had skipped their morning bath and opted for some grazing instead.  What a sight indeed to see so many elephants all lumbering around grazing and talking with one another.  Their trumpeting and groaning was so charming!  They would munch and sway then huddle and pet each other, linking trunks and rubbing faces.  It was all so darn cute!

I got so excited I rushed over to them and once I got close I felt so small and immeadiately backed up.  They move where they please, for the most part, their Mahout guides them only if they are endangering or being destructive. Really, you pretty much want to get out of the way.  For a moment, I understood how my cat must feel.

When petting their skin it was like nothing I expected!  It was tough, wrinkly and prikly with very coarse hair.  Their trunks were amazing and so strong, there really is nothing like it!  The first time I put my arm out it got slobbered on and smeared with grass and mud, i didn’t mind one bit!  One of the younger ones, about nine years, took my hand and licked it and I giggled with surprise and a bit of fear because I wasn’t sure about their teeth!  Her tongue was the size of throw pillow, bright pink and slimy.  She kind of worked my arm with her tongue until she realized it didn’t taste good at all, they are complete vegetarians after all.

Then it was time for their elephant school.  The little one started to bang a drum and the big ones came over and carried each side of the drum and one by one they all lined up trunk to tail and headed toward the school.  This was amazing to me!  You can tell a happy elephant by the flapping of the ears and the swishing of the tail. These elephants are happy, to be sure!

School was neat, they all bowed or curtsied when their name was called and then they did demonstrations of strength, agility and coordination.  Carrying large logs, stacking logs, opening and shutting the tap for a drink, walking along a log like a balance beam and doubling back and then my favorite of all; elephants painting!  I loved watching them paint and all the while the baby played a large xylaphone with a bamboo hammer.  It was all so well done.

Afterward my guide took me around the park.  I saw where the elephants go when in musthe/estruse and where the mahouts live.  We went to the paper factory where they recycle dung and turn it into beautiful paper to be sold for monies that go right back into paying for the elephants.  It was all very neat.

My favorite part was the nursery.  I got to play one on one with the babies.  It was through a fence for my safety but it was as close as I have ever imagined I could get to a baby elephant.  See, they aren’t trained yet so they swing their trunks and stomp about and it’s all very dangerous to a human.  You can see from my pictures that the babies wanted the camera because they were curious about it but mostly because they thought it may be sweets.  One time she swung her trunk and knocked my camera and glasses right off me!  I was briefly stunned but went right back to playing. I used my animal noises to charm them, I can do this noise that sounds like their groaning and also I can make a trumpet sound, they liked this very much.  When they put their trunks up, I blew my breath at them so they could smell me, they would take a second and blow back at me only it was like 100 times more forceful!

It was amazing and I may have to go back again like I did with the tigers.  They offer a 3 day 2 night homestay wherein you can do everything with them.  It costs a bit of money, and I know it’s going to a good cause but, I’m not sure I want to go about it like that.  There are other elephant parks and camps and treks and tours that I will have to check into.

After I got back into town something clicked and I knew what I had to do.  I was given a recommendation for this fantastic class in Pai, small town north of Chiang Mai city, where I could stay at a hot springs resort and learn osteopathy/Thai fusion.  I was very excited about that until I spoke with the headmaster who was concerned that I may get lost in the flow because, asof yet, I have no background in Thai.  I took that to heart, not to mention the cost (B39,000 = $1117), I was feeling apprehensive about it.

Solution; I took a santeaw over to the school campus here in town.  I spoke with Max for an hour.  The whole thing unfolded like a map.  The book I was lead to buy yesterday, called The Art Of Traditional Thai Massage,  was written by Asokananda whose good friend runs the Sunshine School of Massage here in Chiang Mai and his step son runs a sister school in the hill tribe as well.  After speaking with him, it all made sense.  I decided to take the starter course, while in the starter course I could be invited by the school as a long term student wherein I could get an extended visa with multiple entries.

I will complete the two week beginners course and then fly to Bali where I will renew all my papers.  Upon returning I will go on to learn more from these fine teachers. Once I complete a comfortable amount of Thai, for me, my practice and learning curve, I can take the same fusion course in the hill tribe village!  Which is even cooler since I came here to study the indigenous roots of the healing methods.  It is all working out so amazingly.

Something I knew may be weird but didn’t give much thought to is the dreams I may have here.  I have had some doozies!  Last night, though, was so heavy and so dark I cried.  I dreamed about the tsunami and all the people who perished. I dreamed of the sadness the people felt as they were dying and the sadness of the people who survived and the confusion of the souls swept away so quickly.  I dreamed of water and pain and struggling to survive and letting go.  I felt as if I could never cry enough.  My chest was heavy and my throat was aching and I wanted to wail out in mourning.  Upon waking I was happy to forget, which I did for most of the day because I’m not sure anyone wants to talk to me about it but, forget I cannot.  I wonder what it will be like if I visit the islands.

I have noticed something.  There are all these “zombie dolls” being sold everywhere.  They are a pop cultural phenomena. I bought a bunch of them from all different artists at the walking market on Sunday night.  I have a sneaking suspicion that these are a recent addition to the culture since the tsunami.  I may be wrong but I don’t recall learning anything about scary characters before this catastrophe.  If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know, again I’m not too sure anyone here wants to talk about this.

Well, folks, I am sleepy sleepy and I think I have written enough for now.  Again, thanks for reading!  Please comment if you like or even if you don’t!  Correct me if I am wrong and feel free to discuss!  Please understand my internet time is spotty at best right now so I may not reply in a timely fashion.

Much love and many well wishes from around the globe!

Sawatdee ka

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