KOCHI: When Russian native Nadine Janson arrived in Kochi towards the end of February, her only intention was to get established in the Vipassana meditation technique at Dhamma Ketana in Chengannur. However, fate had other plans. The pandemic-induced lockdown forced her to remain in her hostel - Kochill in Fort Kochi. However, Nadine wasn’t one to fret; instead, she transformed the hostel to a Vipassana meditation centre for herself.
How did the events tally up? “The course, which was to start on March 15, was cancelled two days before it, owing to Covid-19. I was too late to make arrangements to leave India, and as a result, I found myself locked down with 11 other foreigners in Kochill,” says Nadine, who then strove to shift gears and change the atmosphere. “I decided to use the wonderful facilities available at Kochill to give myself what I would acquire at Vipassana course in Chengannur,” she says.
This is Nadine’s second time in India and the first time in Kerala. “Last November, I visited Mumbai and Pune and attended a three-day Vipassana meditation course at the Vipassana Research Institute in Igatpuri, with my husband and daughter. We are all Vipassana meditators,” she says.
A professional linguist, translator and interpreter, Nadine has been aligned to Vipassana since 2017. “I have been attending 10 and three-day courses. After my second 10-day course in Thailand, meditation became a routine for me. It is the most authentic and result-oriented technique that brings about purification of the mind. It has already allowed me to eradicate many impurities within me, which I could have never seen from behind the veil of ego and self-delusion,” Nadine explains.
Naturally, the duration of her self-made course ended up being longer than the usual 10 days, it went up to 60. To Nadine, things couldn’t have been better. “Getting up daily at 4am to meditate on a wonderful, covered terrace, to see the first rays of the tender sun rising from the ocean side, to observe the physical sensations on the body as per the Vipassana meditation technique, and to remain equanimous to them -- I am glad to have undergone this amazing, intense experience here,” she says.
Did her co-inmates join her? “I did not personally introduce the technique to any of them. Some of them, in private discussions shared what they heard about the technique and its diverse impact on people’s lives. Among those who were genuinely interested was my friend, a certified yoga teacher and vegan from Ukraine, living in the guest house nearby. She has taken a strong decision to follow the course after seeing and hearing from me about its benefits. Another guest from Kochill guesthouse, Yoshnee from South Africa, expressed her admiration at my perseverance in doing meditation, yoga and preparing tempting vegan meals which I occasionally shared with her,” says Nadine.
Staying in another country during the lockdown can be daunting. Other than Vipassana, how else did she spend her time in Fort Kochi? “I used this time for personal growth and empowerment. I listened to audiobooks, read Kindle editions and followed YouTube channels on veganism,” she quips. Nadine is neither disappointed nor excited that she stayed back in Kerala. “I remain equanimous towards it. The ups and downs of life are bound to come. As Lord Buddha said, pain is inevitable, however, suffering is a choice. But overall, I have enjoyed this experience and Kerala,” she adds.