Trekking the Annapurna Circuit clockwise. 45, Gathering, 5th line changing to 16, Enthusiasm.

[soshin]

The Himalayas are my second home, and again I will do a trek (around 28 days) in the Annapurna Region. I did it twice before. What is special about this time is, that, while around 98% of the trekkers are doing the trek anticlockwise (so did I the first two times, too), I will try and do it clockwise. The main reason for that is, that in the beliefs of the Nepali people living there, there is a religious "rule" to circle holy and precious places, buildings or mountains (in this case Mt. Annapurna, an 8000er) clockwise, with the revered entity to the right.

The backside to this is, in the case of the Annapurna Circuit, that the mountain pass one has to cross as the apex of the trek (Thorong La, 5420 m or 17.800 ft) is quite a bit harder to approach from the west, because you start from a lower altitude, it is steeper and acclimatisation to the altitude is not as much of a given as when coming from the east. This is the main reason practically everyone does it the other way around. So I'd have to stay on the western side of the pass for two or three days and do some acclimatisation hikes as recommended.

I asked the Yi about what to be aware of on this trek, and the answer was 45, 5th, to 16.

I see this one as really reassuring (a question to the Yi about what to be aware of on an alternative hike in a different region got a very, very problematic answer, so I don't even consider it anymore).

The region is full of temples, buddhist monasteries, unbelieveable landscape and you may meet really special people on the way. So 45 pretty much describes perfectly the potential. Hilary's translation of the fifth line shows the insecurities and uncertainties I feel about this challenge, but gives an affirmation that, if if I go willfully with the flow, it is doable.

16 I understand a a warning of "too much" of pleasures, like, as the indian and nepali "holy men", the so-called babus or sadhus, do as part of their religious hinduistic practice, i.e., to smoke too much of that easily available Ganja or as we call it, Cannabis. While it may be fitting for them, it could be distracting or - being a just borrowed happiness - giving pseudospiritual highs which are not so much a result of inhaling the landscape and the natural vibes, but a result of - well, smoking Ganja.

May I ask the good people here if you can think of anything I missed?

Thank you and Namaste,

Soshin

 

[marybluesky]

I asked the Yi about what to be aware of on this trek, and the answer was 45, 5th, to 16.

You mentioned Hilary's translation and I'd add Bradford's:

"Convening presumes a position
This is not wrong
But an absence of trust
Means extremely prolonged persistence
Regrets pass"

You said that not many people chose this path, they somehow don't believe in it. So your journey is likely to be harder than usual, and maybe longer because of difficulties. In the end there will be no regrets.

I've received this line asking if a certain thing would happen in a given time, and the result was no, not at this time, but finally yes.

 

[soshin]

Thank you marybluesky. Your take on it and the subtle reference to Jim de Kornes book is helpful.

I re-visited the reading. This added a layer of understanding. The "non-trust" may very well be my friend and porterguide Bhim who will escort me not really trusting that we (I in particular) can do it as this trek is harder and more demanding than treks we did before. Also the many interpretations on Jim's invaluable website proved adding to shed light on the miracle.

I see you liked some ancient posts of mine, and when I looked into them for the first time in many years, it was like a trip into past. Very interesting.

 

[soshin]

How it worked out:

I changed my plans (not because of the answer the Yi gave me, but for more practical reasons), but the answer still was spot on.

The trek (to another, even less traveled by region) was very demanding indeed. In fact it took place in a once in a lifetime belated monsoon with all sorts of landslides, mudslides, mountainslides and broken bridges and paths. It took the help of a helicopter to even reach the place we wanted to explore and the help of another one to leave it. At the same time dozens of trekkers had to be rescued from up there because of the conditions.

But all the persistence paid off. We were able to made the best possible experience out of the given condition and I am very grateful to the Yi (again) to help me to "go willfully with the flow" and showing me that something which may not look doable at all can be doable, given the right inner arrow.