4 July, New Delhi, Clowning in a shopping centre

Today my leg is next to normal. There are a few punctures from the dogs toothy pegs, but I am good. I want to take Naveet out clowning at a shopping centre as he expressed a desire to feel his emotions. I feel it is important to give him an experience. I feel very tired but I will go through it and just pull some extra energy as it is such a wonderful experience and he is showing the courage to try.

I put my new orange Indian clown suit on. This is a great clown suit and a new wig, so time to give it a test run. I start to do the make up and my clown emerges from my heart yet again. I sprinkle the glitter which represents the magic of my own life. Navreet comes to my room with my colour pants and top I gave him to wear. He sits in front of me and my inspiration creates his new look which just features stars, circles, triangles, I see the sunshine of his warm personality shining through as I find colours to reflect his clown. I help him with his multi-coloured wig and jesters hat. He is very brave but keen to have a try. I give him tips on clowning not to scare people step number 1, just laugh at life as it is highly amusing, we are not there to entertain but to be entertained. Yes it is true, modern life is very funny. I also show him some clown hand shakes, a bit of juggling and how to make eye contact. I give him some props – love glasses, balloons, juggling balls, banana, pumping heart etc. He seems to take to it like a fish to water. We walk into this shopping centre full of families and they are stunned looking at us, at first they don’t know what to make of us, we just juggle, blow bubbles and shake hands, play a bit of football with my balls and laugh.

After a while a security guy comes up to us and says this is against the rules, I said ‘what rules? I told him I clown all around the world, people never mind. He said we can’t, so I got him to take us to his leader, the big huncho. I just told him we do it for love and fun. We get to the manager and I am being cooperative, happy to fit in with the rules. Then my friend’s brother in law declares he is a lawyer, I am sure that puts the wind of god into him, so he said it is against the rules to promote business. I said we are promoting joy, not anything, we don’t take money. So he just let us continue… woo hoo win/win for the clowns of the world. Slipping between the rules, the rule is don’t have any rules, and don’t ask for money, step outside the corporate system and somehow we don’t fit the box which is good.

Anyway, we continue on and play with kids, had a few Iraqi guys chat with us, one had superman on his t-shirt, he is asking me to do magic. Turns out later he is a magician and very good. I juggled my big juggling clubs and that was liked, I also pulled out my ribbon and did some circles and spirals, they seemed to love it.

I have to say for me the funniest moment was when Navreet just blew up a white balloon an let it go, I couldn’t believe the way it hovered around his male bit, it just floated there in the exact shape, I am laughing now, I just can’t stop laughing, it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen, you couldn’t plan it. I really lost it and still do. So nice to laugh at life’s inconsequentialities. Life is enormously humorous for me.

We put love glasses on passers by, bumped each other, held babies, played up/down the escalator. We then went for a coffee break and I put pretend dog poo on the floor, then I say to people ‘oooh watch out….’ They get startled and see the poo. It was so funny watching them jump over it, walk around it and of course those oblivious just simply walked on my precious poo, stretching it. Navreet kindly put it back into shape, that was an act of kindness. I advised it is good to use in a restaurant. I had some people ‘pull the finger’ it farts as you do it, yes I know it is naughty, but it is to not take ourselves seriously. I had my eye ball flashing and placed it on a childs head and said ‘I have my eye on you’. I also enjoyed sliding on the floor as my shoes just didn’t grip, which was fun actually.

My friend Navreet was really enjoying the experience and his family was with us watching as well. They have such solidarity as a family. They spend a lot of time together and enjoy each other’s joys. That wouldn’t happen in Australian families, they would never think to come and watch. So we all sat down, supported and smiling patiently. We kept on playing whilst waiting for coffee and all the donut guys were laughing and smiling and I was playing away. I had fun as children came up, more photo opportunities and smiling security people keeping a watch on us. People just hugged us and smiled, it was really a very welcoming experience, not unlike Bangkok.

It seems clowns are accepted in New Delhi as well.

When we got home the father-in-Law Chandra had a gathering for a meditation to celebrate the 4th of July. It was a karma clearing meditation. I certainly felt I need to remove karma as I have some sadness around my family and a man who I loved. I dearly want to cut the ties with the past and just fully step into my work which is world peace for children. As I was sitting meditating I found myself going deeply into floating upward and seeing all the people I know around me and the karma being extinguished. I definitely believe we come into life with past connections, as I have experienced it and some experiences feel like unfinished business. I do wonder what I am here to learn but at the same time I feel it is time to get off the treadmill and go home as I call it. As they started singing about Krishna from the Gita, I found myself closing my eyes and connecting with myself being cleared, it was beautiful to feel the spiritual help. I saw the earth and sent light to the planet for healing and love. I felt it traveling around the planet. I then saw children holding hands and the tears started to fall down my cheeks. I knew this is my work, to connect with the children. What other role could you think up for a peace clown…. I know I am on the right path. Namaste is commonly used here ‘the god in me greets the god in you’, I feel that is deeply true when we are loving.

I met the spiritual teacher and asked her to clown with me, she did not hesitate, I liked that as it showed fearlessness. I told her what I do without feeling any awe of her, just as a friend I spoke. I am not here to worship anyone, as I feel we are all equal. She seemed to be a kind person. So I gave her my card and would like to do some teaching and work with some kids whose parents have leprosy, often the kids get excluded from society. I found a young woman shaking hands with the children in a funny way and felt she would be my assistant. I will teach her the games I know and she can continue with the work with the children, I felt the connection as an inspiration. Chandra was very helpful in welcoming me and introducing me. I really love that he was interested in spiritual awakening and we really saw the world in the same light. We do see major changes in the near future and spiritually the feeling is to continue being a loving channel to others. it doesn’t mean sitting there like a guru but to be yourself and to actually see other people, step aside from the ego and allow your own talents and beauty to shine through. This is allowing yourself to be a extension of love. This is what the planet needs right now. I personally don’t mind how this manifests as long as it is harmless and honest, love and joy will bring a change of heart in humanity and as Gandhi said ‘be the change you wish to see’. I wish to see love, and that is where I am going. It seems I am not alone in this venture. Others are seeing a new world as well.

I feel blessed to have been with this beautiful, kind and hospitable family and know that I have a home, as I was told this was my home too. True to the India of the Vedas, Upanishads as many of the ancient wisdoms of the world emanated from the wise Indian’s who understood poverty, community and traditions linking them to the gods. A wonderful people whom I am privileged to meet and to share food and conversation with.

I feel truly blessed after a beautiful day of love, friendship and reflection. Nothing better than that. Peace lives in our attitudes and intentions. It takes time and work to cultivate a peaceful nature and accept differences with a love of diversity.