My journey back from India took two and a half days for my body, and about another week for my mind. In a way it seems my spirit remains at Arunachala where I instantly felt I’d come home. The Hindu scriptures tell us that the “hill” in southern India called Arunachala is the earthly manifestation of Shiva, the original Shivalinga and site of an ancient – and still active - Shiva temple.

Legend says that anyone living within 30 miles of Arunachala is certain to attain Union with the Divine. The scientists say it’s some of the oldest land on the planet. Ganesha, the nephew of Sri Ramana Maharshi, who spent most of his life at Arunachala, says simply that “the top of Arunachala is not of this world.”

My own experience is that Arunachala acts like a giant magnetic that can align human energies and literally pulls one into the core. I could indeed sense its field from a distance of many miles.

Many months later the chant to Arunachala, which is another name for Lord Shiva, which was composed by Ramana and is still sung weekly at his Ashram at the foot of the hill still echos in my mind at the full moon.

This temple town attracts tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims and orange robed Shaivite sadhus along with Ramana Maharshi devotees from all over the world, many of whom are teachers and satsang leaders in their own right, creating a richly diverse spiritual tapestry, which peaks at the December Full Moon festival called Deepam. I’m so grateful to have taken part in this festival and also to have visited many other sacred sites throughout India.

Apart from Arunachala, my favorite place was the Tantric temples of Khajuraho, which are awesome works of art and still hold a powerful energy although they are no longer in use.  More on Khajuraho next time!