Thursday 24 April 2014

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014

Dubai, UAE

Clothes Vs. None

I’m not the only one in free flowing loose attire.  At the international airport at Dubai, you see plenty of Orthodox wear that isn’t necessarily square.  There’s the Islamic clothes, for men it’s head gear in white, with long gown to match.  Some men sport the lungi, a draped from the waist down comfortable cloth, and then a white chaddar wrapped around the upper torso, folded over on the left shoulder.  Some women wear the traditional black, some with the burqa over the entire head.

As a Hare Krishna monk, I don’t stand out as unique any more, unless I’m walking in the prairie country or the mountains which I’m quite excited about for the coming May.   Common place in these areas are coveralls and denims, and where you hardly see a lady’s dress, that seems to be something of the past. 

Back in the airport you see the signs for the passengers’ washrooms where you see the symbols of the human figurines, one with a dress and one with pants.  The male’s room shows the form with the pants, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to an airport like Dubai’s where the genders seem to cross borders when it comes to dress style. 

Look!  There’s another guy in robes, a solid dark brown material worn by a Southeast Asian who happens to be a Buddhist monk. 

Whatever the duds, it’s mostly needed to cover up embarrassing figures and conceal bad body odour from being stuck on a plane for hours.  Thank God for clothes, whether it be a dress or pants.  Thank God that Adam and Eve came up with something practical after realizing the naked truth.  Thank Providence that the naga babas (naked sages) of the Himalayas have their caves to wear as their clothes.  We might, however, learn something from their being beyond the bodily concept.  I am not this body, I have a body, and I will shed it like I do my clothes. 

I am spirit. 

May the Source be with you!

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