The few key characters I met and bonded with at the Kapas Boutique resort and Alang, the Local Malay Chef from Marang was one of them who was there as my Zen Teacher, My Instructor, my Guru and most of all my good friend. He may not know it but i truly appreciate his role in teaching this ignorant soul a thing about the real and unreality of life. He shared himself with me like he has most probably not done with too many in his past; we spoke soul to soul, exposing our strength and ignorance. We shared our feelings and deep concern for having no idea why we are who we are and that the God equation is something we both are grappling with in our own ways at our own pace. A man of inner strength and strong commitment to what he does as a Chef, Alang was my Kitchen chef in this monastery on Kapas.
Mio or is it Meo, with a look like that it can be anything and he was a delight to be with. He is Hans the Resort owner's nephew who stayed for a few months to learn the ropes from his uncle on how to run the ship. Everyone loves the kid and they all respect his dedication and commitment to the rigorous work practice he was put through by his uncle. I am proud to have met such a well rounded, disciplined yet easy going and charming kid.
Our conversation runs like this often," So Mio, you like it here very much and you want to come back as soon as you can. My advice to you is to find a Malay girl and get married like all the rest of these people on the Island. Solve your visas problem and you can have many kids running around Kapas!"
His reply, a big silly grin on his face like the MAD Character, Alfred Newman from Mad magazine.
One of the persons I had the one on one, heart to heart chat with till three in the morning was Emanuel who came from Austria. The Malays has a saying,"Telan mati Emak, ludah mati Bapa." meaning, if you swallow your mother dies, and you spit it out your father dies. IN other words you are stuck between shit loads of devils and deep. Tis was what Emanuel was going through in his life and it has to do with his relationship with his girlfriend in Austria. He was one of the most sensitive and caring person i am fortunate to have met and shared our hopes and fears in the dark of the night over a bottle of Whiskey. Often we need a key good or bad to unlock our consciousness and expose ourselves to the light and that night it was three quarter of a bottle of whiskey between us that helped tore our defense down and shared our true feelings.
Emanuel told me that he had once visited Mooji at one of his Satsangs in Spain's Monte Sahaja Retreat, although he was totally impressed by the experience. Emanuel is on the spiritual healing path just like the rest of us
There's so much natural beauty on Kapas and for an artist one does not know where to begin except to add on to what is already there, like adding finishing touches to a canvas already prepared. This hanging plant growing oout of a large clam shell hanging from a tree is as unique as it gets and the one created it should be proud. I only added the white flower with the pink tips to the arrangement. The flower was from the tree itself and drops to the sand every morning and when I pass by on the way to the dining area I would pick up one and replace the already rotted piece I had added the day before with a new on and this became my 'altar arrangement practice like they do in Zen schools.
For those looking for a place to practice whatever it is, albeit Yoga, or Zen, Tai Chi or simple meditation, the island is still a splendid place in general and the Boutique Resort in particular. I have the opportunity to visit many spiritual retreats and and monasteries in my days and I know the feel of a place with 'Power' where a strong and deep practice can be carried out if the is true and committed to the practice and not get swept away by the monsoon rains, Howe3ver things will change and mostly not for the better as all dreams tends to turn to nightmares when pursued with too much sense of attachment.
We said our farewell on the beach one day and he was gone on his way to meet his father in Thailand and they would latter travel to Hungary if i am not mistaken. See you when I see you, my young Grasshoppa! Thank you for sharing yourself with me despite our age and our cultural and spiritual differences; may you shine like the crazy diamond!
I spent most of my time in the kitchen with my friend Alang who taught me how to cut veggies and boil rice. They say you create your own illusion in life but sometimes the illusion can materialize as what is and what is is often not what it seems. While it all last I made the best of doing the dishes and reflecting my mind in the of what i was going through while on the Island of Kapas...things are never what they seem.
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