Truth: a poem

Truth

"Truth is one, paths are many" Sivanada

Truth exists in my non-secratain, humanitarian yoga teacher in Boulder, teaching around the world with humor and metaphor

Truth exists in practice with on the cushion in evening hours of boulder in front of shrine, tea light illumination, with western nyc born, Buddhist, we both practice pure mind, pure mind meditation, beyond any ism, religion, or even technique

Truth exists in my father, Catholic, karate teacher, retired NYC cop, and Italian, who helped see me off for my 4^th trip to Momma India in the late night hours of Newark, NJ, Allen Ginsberg’s birthplace, and another inspiration for my sadhanda of writing, my father gives so much to countless karate students all over the world

Truth exists in Muslim shopkeeper in Benares burning the silk shawls like the corpses on the funeral pyres to show the difference between real silk and fake silk and presenting me chai after my purchase

Truth exists in Hindu passenger on the midnight train from Bhuj to Ahmedabad as we sing Hanuman Chalisa together, talk about yatra/pilgrimage in Hardwar and he invites me to stay at his home to take shiva and ram pilgrimage next year in Gujarat with him

Truth exists in my atheist step father, with heart of gold, like hanuman, even though he doesn’t believe in hunuman he embodies his essence, and lets me store my books and clothes at his home in FL while I am ghost in India for months on end

Truth exists in Ahmedabad where I have fallen sick and hotel worker took me by the hand through crowded, noisy, polluted streets, to the doctor to save my life, fire burning in his eyes, like shiva opening his third eye to destroy Eros, he is warrior, embodying fierce Shiva energy with compassion

Truth exists in my brother as a Christian in S. Florida, recovered junkie, serving the homeless and recovering addicts every week with free meals and service

Truth exists within the human heart, we all have the capacity to love or kill deep with in the core of being as yogini Milan, London gypsy would say, in these times of 9/11, Isarali/Palestine conflict, and killings in Mumbai, we need to choose love over hate, it’s the Kali Yuga, and we must shift the energy, and wake up to what matters….

Shane Scaglione

Ahemedabad, Gujarat, India

8^th Jan. 2009