The Difference Between Being Right and Being Correct

My posts have been getting less frequent these past few weeks, I realize. I have been going to the orphanage most days. Last weekend I took the advanced Pranic Healing course and a one-day course on psychotherapy, which was very interesting. The advanced class dealt with healing with colors and the energy which colors supply. Psychotherapy was all about the emotions and what they can do to the physical body. I particularly enjoy going to these classes because the teachers are all very knowledgeable, confident women. I have been noticing more and more just how annoying a patriarchal society is and these teachers are a nice break from that. It was quite funny when a man had a question, though. Usually he would ask the man sitting next to him instead of asking the female teacher. The first time this happened, the teacher stopped the class and asked him if he had a question. He replied, "no" like she had just hit him and left the question unsaid. Now it is this kind of thing that really gets to me. Yes, I am all for equal rights, obviously (I do live in the 21st century), but I realize India is simply more conservative than I am used to regarding gender status. At times it makes me plain angry that wives don't stand up to their husbands, but women accept their role as the submissive one, so I can't actually be mad. My teacher of the psychotherapy class did mention that many Indian women have a depleted solarplexus chakra due to pent-up emotions. I wonder if these emotions are underlying negative feelings about the strict gender roles. Secretly, I hope they are and I hope there is an uprising against the dominant male figure. But, what women who hears about fifties housewives and cringes doesn't hope for this? In the basic class, we were learning how to clean the enrage aura and it involves a gentle sweeping motion of the hand. One male student just couldn't get it and kept pushing the diseased energy every which way. The teacher went right over to him and said, "well, we can see you've never done any sweeping in your house." The women in the room chuckled as he, and the other men, turned red. It's true: boys and men are treated like royalty. They never have to do any cleaning or cooking even if the wife works. So, the teacher was right, that 35-year-old business man hadn't actually ever touched a broom.
This leads into the first of many funny stories about the owner of the orphanage, Ranjith. He is a typical Indian man with even more of an inflated ego than is common, but who thinks everything he says and does is correct. Here is an example of why that isn't a good mindset to have: There was another volunteer named Lane who lives at the O for a few days. Ranjith asked him to teach the kids some English. Lane was writing the names of fruits and one kid went to ask Ranjith about Lane's spelling of the word "banana." Mind you, Lane is from Canada where English is his native language. Ranjith is from India, has never left India, and speaks broken English. Back to the story. The child comes back with the "correct" spelling of the word according to Ranjith which was "panana." Yes, you read that write. My spell check keeps wanting to change the first letter. Anyway, the kids are afraid of Ranjith because he uses corporal punishment if they step out of line even the slightest bit, so they wouldn't believe Lane, who was showing them in a book the correct spelling of the long yellow fruit. Father had said it was spelled with a "p,"
so it was spelled with a "p." Lane thought this was humorous and asked Ranjith about it later. Ranjith laughed in Lane's face for thinking it started with a "b." This is a prime example of an overworked Indian male ego. There are other stories of this degree about Ranjith. Particularly ones about his intensity when he plays badminton. Lane had the bad luck of being on his team in a game of doubles against Ranjith's wife and a friend. Every time Lane would miss, his doubles partner would actually scold him. Many times, the birdie went under the rope (makeshift net), but Ranjith would say it went over and no one would argue. The same would go for out-of-bounds. If the opposing team would hit it in-bounds and Ranjith would miss it, he would kick it over the boundary line and call it out. Again, this was in clear view of all the players, but his rath was enough to make even the best badminton player keep quiet. I had the poor luck of being challenged to a game last week. He tricked me into it by asking if I could teach him how to play. The hour and a half game/rally turned into a clash of his hyper-competitiveness and my lack thereof. I enjoy playing a casual game, but he wanted to make it a world war. Each time he would smash it into my face, he would burst out laughing in front of all the kids! Needless to say, I did not have a good time.

Another one of his specialties if herbal remedies. He has a cure for everything growing in his garden. I don't think he expected me to take him up on his information about a leaf paste that kills lice, but I asked him to make it for me yesterday. I am sick of having an itchy scalp even after I cut off my hair. Well, the kids had a great time rubbing the bright green stuff all over my head. I smelled like freshly-cut grass and I am still picking out leaf pieces, but I liked using an all-natural remedy to get rid of the lice instead of that pungent, chemical-ridden shampoo. I will be able to see in the next few days if it did anything and I am hoping for the best. I am headed to the O tomorrow and to the Pranic home on Sunday to practice my new skills. Next week I am going to Mahabilapuram and Pondicherry for some sight-seeing and tourist activity. Hope all is well in the States!