Recently I began to get emails from people wondering where I had disappeared to; just at this moment my computer collapsed. I was compelled to go to Chennai, the fourth largest Indian city, for repairs. One day went on to the next as they tend to here and I suddenly noticed I had been shaken out of my idyllic six months retreat. Now a couple of weeks later I am on my way to Australia to share Satsang! See you soon. Here are some musings from one day of that retreat.

Now early morning I awaken to bright sunlight filtering inside my splendid room. I become aware in these first moments that I feel very, very good. In fact I feel so good that I consider sitting in meditation. 'No, this cannot be better', I realize. Is there any 'I' in this moment? No, the awareness simply 'is'. Suspended in the sun-drenched room, no thoughts arise.

I turn in this quiet to my poems printed out only yesterday but written some twenty years ago. Later in Lucknow, from a new place of understanding, I extracted from these poems their essence. Reading them again I was taken by their imagery and wished to add my paintings and photographs alongside each. Why not place them on the new website An attempt to share 'Truth' through my poems, writings, photography, and paintings.

I became aware of three kittens playing outside. I went out onto the balcony and said 'hello'. They were much happier to have the milk than to say hello. The cool fresh brightness of the sun drenching the garden. The peacocks squawked, birds dripped from the huge mature trees, singing their song. Down in the pond a new mauve lotus reached out to this perfect day.

It has been a time of stupendous creativity, some 200 paintings, on beautiful handmade paper, using brushes collected over a lifetime with colours mixed from natural pigments and brought from a precious art shop in Sydney.

Just in the last month a new art form 'painted photographs' has emerged. Computer software allowing me to paint my photographs with wonderful colour effects. An exhibition set of 50 images resulted after one month of intense creativity.

Ram, one of several teachers invited to contribute to the Retreat, became john david's deep friend. For two months we had a love affair with the Self. We met daily and dialogued for hours, a deeply shared love of Truth being the glue that kept us together. Swamaji a 90 year old close friend of Papaji became a dear friend and we celebrated Satsang in the shadow of Arunachala. From these dialogues recorded on MD, an incredible book manifested. A book of interviews with great saints on the Ancient Wisdom, "A Blueprint to Enlightenment".

While finishing "Tales of Enlightenment," stories recorded in Lucknow of Awakenings to Truth, a new book happened spontaneously, "Essential Ramana". An introduction to Ramana Maharshi from David Godman, a man who has spent twenty five years at the feet of Arunachala.

Perhaps this really is the Holiest place on Earth. Living here for the last year and totally letting go, it has certainly seemed to be that. It has been a magical time filled with peace and love….love like this morning, creeping up in unexpected moments.

Now john david finds himself on his way to share the beauty and wisdom of this place with all who have a longing to awaken to Truth. See you soon.