A Quick Guide to Life

A QUICK GUIDE TO LIFE AND HAPPINESS
According to Raju, our tuk tuk driver. Varanasi, India. 2015.

Steph: My God. Varanasi is crazy Raju. This is chaos.
Raju: It's ok. No hurry, no worry. Keep cool in your inside. Slowly, slowly.
S: It's crazy, but everyone looks so happy. Why are Indians so happy?
R: Life and happiness comes in waves. You must go with the waves. You must stay calm and quiet in your mind. This is what Indians do. You must be simple in what you want and you must serve your purpose. We all have a role.
S: Do you have Facebook Raju?
R: I am a simple man Stephanie. I don't like technology like that. It makes me feel like a robot when I look at my phone so much. I like books. Books are my friend. They take me on new adventures and I meet new people. If you have a book you are never alone.
S: Do you do yoga? Everyone here seems to do yoga.
R: Of course. My dad taught me when I was little. I do it every morning with meditation. Calm, cool mind is important. You must focus on your Third Eye.
S: What do you wear?
R: What do you mean?
S: What clothes do you wear for yoga?
R: Anything. But not tight jeans. That is silly.
S: What do you eat? Are you vegetarian?
R: I eat what my body tells me to. I don't like to eat a lot. Too many people eat McDonalds and Dominos and they blow themselves up at the gym like a balloon. Not me. I listen to my body. If there is meat in front of me, I may eat it because one day I will be old and have no teeth, and I will think why didn't I eat that meat.
S: What about women Raju?
R: Women are good. It is good that God created beautiful women. I see that. But beauty is on the inside. The most beautiful women in the world are the ones who are so big and bright on the inside.