Ancient Wisdom Blog

French India & New-Age wonders

2012-03-16T01:26:00.001-07:00

This is a timely repost of a newsletter, a while back..

It's almost Mother's Day... so I thought you'd like to meet... The Mother..

Since the last newsletter from Delhi we have been to Goa and Chennai. Then we drove down the right-hand side of India along the Coromandel coast though beautiful peaceful country almost biblical, with palms and stretches of lakes replete with net casting fisher folk. Most un-Indian.

Finally we reached Pondicherry … forget everything you know about India. This is a town is place like no other. We arrived late in the afternoon, though the usual Indian city honks and hustle and bustle. Managed to find our little hotel on the edge of the French quarter of town. Basically a grand old Tamil house, central courtyard, rooms with high ceilings and monastic stained glass windows. It has been converted gracefully into a colonial haven of peace.

As dusk fell I took myself off for a walk around the tiny closed in streets. Almost immediately I came upon a fire ritual been performed by two priests on a slowly moving stage brightly lit and thronged by a fire-carrying crowd. I turned another corner and came upon an almost naked sadu blessing a mans new motorbike. Another corner and outside a street temple a huge pained elephant blocked the way, he was been fed by a queue of supplicants and seemed to be hugely enjoying the attention stamping his feet and waving his trunk.

I got a little lost in the grid of streets, but made my way back to the hotel to get my wife and Carlos.. they were both glued to the laptops catching up with work. Forget that guys.. you gotta get out here and see what’s kicking off.

By the time we set off (about 9pm) the place had reverted to an attractive, former French colonial town exuding a calm Mediterranean aura. What we saw were chic streets, elegant houses and ornamental gardens. All the street names are in French, policemen dress like gendarmes, and elegant French ladies cycle past on the way to evening rendezvous. Honestly I told them.. really there was an Elephant and… but I could see they didn’t believe.

Apart from the charming atmosphere what attracts many people to Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its strange new-age offshoot: Auroville about 15 km outside town. Auroville is a township founded by a French lady called Mirra Alfassa in the 1960’s with high ideals about no religion and no ownership.

It’s about all nationalities working toward a new world in peace and prosperity. About 2000 people from 40 nationalities live here. Mirra Alfassa died in 1973 but her work and plans have continued, for the last 40 years they have been building a huge golden golf ball like building in the centre of town, it had finally been completed.

In Auroville.
So the next day we took a taxi to see this legendary place, you had be impressed. They have a trendy little shopping complex full of giftware and clothing produced in Auroville, a slick brain-washing, sorry information centre complete with a moving video show explaining the ideals and history of the place. After the show you take a peaceful gardened walk to view a symbolic Banyan tree and to the view point to see the what they call the: Matrimandir – what we called the golf ball. You can only look from a distance, your not allowed in to view the crystal ball that the building contains at it’s centre.. that is unless you want to go further..

The place is calm and reflective. It’s well ordered and not the least bit pushy neither were we charged anything to be there. But high ideals about no religion had obviously failed as the French lady had now become “The Mother” and seemed to be revered and her attributes and images adorned the place. While we wished them well, there was just a slightly creepy feeling to the place.

This is Mirra Alfassa... also known as "The Mother"
Since it's almost Mother's Day.. it seems apropriate to give her a mention..

Incredible Indian Banking

2012-03-15T22:50:00.002-07:00

They have a tourist advertising slogan in India, you will have seen it: "Incredible India" as much as I love India a more apt slogan would be "Incredible (but oft infuriating) India"

The other day I visited a bank - where we have a old dormant bank account (long story), but there was a small balance that was worth withdrawing. In fact it's a tiny branch in a village in rural south Goa. There were only two cashiers and a line of waiting customers sat on chairs along a wall like a doctors waiting room. An ancient framed sepia picture of a bearded Jesus decorated with a marigold wreath watched over us from one side and a wall mounted Ganpati elephant god statue from the other presumably to keep transactions honest. A cranky roof fan wafted warm air around, and piles of dusty journals lay piled randomly on a second line of desks behind the cashiers. It's 2012, but I felt like I just walked in to a 1950s Graham Greene novel.

Everyone turned to look at the Englishman. "Come come.." cried an amiable clerk from the second line and gestured to me to come round to the back office and sit on a little chair squeezed between desks. Everyone nodded to me and smiled, the cashiers swiveled round in their chairs to chat to me ignoring customers, who also smiled at me.

I find all this faintly embarrassing, why should a white face drop in to top slot on the cast system so easily? It's not even as if I had a heap of money deposited, and what was there was soon to go. "I'd like to withdraw money from this account" I said waving my cheque book (remember those). "No problem sir, I'll check the balance" - which he did on an ancient cathode ray screen - and helped me write the check the correct way, which was handed to cashier number one. Then what happened?

Pretty much nothing.. I watched my check being passed from one cashier to the other, each struggling to call up the account, then a patient customer would push a passbook in front of them and they got distracted, my cheque got shuffled around the place. I really didn't want to cause a fuss - especially since I'd just jumped the queue, so I waited. After half an hour the amiable clerk turned to me like I'd just materialized and said "can I help you?"

This is what I mean about India, so charming but often so infuriating.

"I'm waiting for my money" I pointed out trying not to sound grumpy. He said something to number two in local language, who swiveled and promptly gave me a large well rubbed brass coin, cira 1900, with bank insignia on it. "What's this for?" I asked, "it's in lieu of your money sir,"

By now I am getting grumpy, "I'd rather have the money" I snapped. I sat rubbing my brass coin like a worry stone, and waited a while longer.. until the money finally arrived - which was ceremoniousness exchanged for the coin.

Over an hour to get my cash. As I left the bank, I realized for all the antiquated bureaucratic systems in place, no-one had actually checked my identity, I could have been anyone with a stolen cheque book. But of course that would never have happened, not with Jesus and Ganpati watching.

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Please visit our wholesale gift-ware pages www.ancientwisdom.biz

More travels next week..

Sound of bells on the holy mountain.

2012-03-15T22:48:00.002-07:00

Just wanted to add some old posts from my newsletters, that were popular..

Anyway Bali, was pretty disappointing at first glance, my appointed agent, called Ringo met me at the airport and took me to a business hotel close by. I have seen the film "Eat, pray, love" and this place looked nothing like the idyllic place that Julia Roberts seemed to float around. Some dodgy bars, a few very drunken Australian youngsters and scruffy shops selling magic mushrooms. Worse, when I stepped outside to explore, big well fed rats seemed to run free in the drains by the road.

It was still early evening so Ringo took me to the local wholesale market area, a cramped street lined with open fronted stores claiming to be exporters. I checked a few out and was not particularly impressed, although some beach jewellery looked pretty cool. Ringo explained to me that the real production area for handicrafts was about an hour and half away. I went to bed not feeling particularly enthusiastic.

Next morning, as we headed out of the city, Ringo explained to me that Bali has a huge craft industry, which has been shaped in part by collaborations with Australian importers. Australia is only a short flight from here, and from the tourist industry has sprung a cool and designer lead gift industry. We started to climb to higher ground, past beautiful rice terraces, and Ringo told me about Ubud.

Ubud is the craft zone, beyond the town of Ubud is Ubud mountain. The mountain is the market.

As you climb up the mountain, on each side of the road are craft showrooms, each are specializing in different items, we passed a village of stone carvings, then wood carvings, then a row of outlets selling colorful kites, next a glass blowing area, then wooden recycled furniture, then bamboo items.. my eyes are like saucers.

Beyond the showrooms are workshops, with products being made to order, beyond the workshops is some of the most beautiful countryside you have ever seen.

We stopped to take in a vista.. two ladies approached selling tourist nic-nacs, Julia Roberts stopped here to take pictures they told me, in good English.

That was quite interesting, but what was more interesting was the quality of the goods they were selling, and the prices.

There is so much I could tell you, it would take all day. But to cut a long story short, the main event on Bali is Silver. One of the mountain villages is home to the silver market, buyers come here from all over the world, and it was the main reason I was here. The silver village is quite different, opulent mansions, stunning compounds, one even has Gothic creatures carved in stone rising like a giant angelic host from the roof of a palace like showroom. The silver-smiths of Bali are renown for their craftsmanship, and beautiful intricate designs. There are big companies here, employing hundreds of artisans producing silver jewellery for the worlds biggest jewellery retailers.

But I'm looking for something quite special. Ubud mountain, the holy mountain, is the home of Angel Calling Bells.. Artisans have been making and blessing small silver clasps containing a sweet sounding brass bell for generations. Wear one and, with a good heart, the chances are you will attract the attentions of good spirits, angels even. On this sacred, stunningly beautiful mountain.. I want to believe.

Outside a modest but elegant house an old lady is placing small bamboo baskets containing incense and small piles of rice as offerings to the Balinese gods. Two or three baskets on the footpath, one in the branches of a tree, several at the foot of an empty stone chair. Each basket is prayed over, an incense stick lit and bell gently chimes to call the spirits and maybe bring good business.

The stone chairs are everywhere in Bali, often dressed in silk, and protected from the hot sun with ornate umbrellas or palm leafs. The hope is spirits will come and sit on the chair. Sound of silver bells are in the air..

These bells have been huge sellers in Spain for the past year or so, and a contact tipped me off to the possible source. In an upper room in the modest house, I meet a family of silversmiths who tell me they produce many designs and yes they sell to a number of Spanish companies. A young couple also customers, Spanish speaking, tell me they sold over nine thousand in one year. interestingly they also told me that the market in UK, France and Germany was just starting.

They have names, names of angels, and each is craft-made in 925 sterling silver and lovingly detailed. You can wear them like pendents, or just carry them in your purse. Very special, made and blessed on Ubud mountain. A delightful family, only the young son spoke English, but his father and grand-father came to shake my hand.

A few days later I came back to do the QC checks and found the whole family sat on the floor in a shady courtyard carefully packing and preparing the order. The old lady I had seen making offerings smiles at me warmly like an old friend and offers me a glass of sweet tea.
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Please visit our wholesale gift-ware pages www.ancientwisdom.biz

The Art of Energy Flow at Ancient Wisdom

2011-02-09T22:12:00.000-08:00

In the last blog I was getting all philosophical and pondering the roll of Yin & Yang in business.

Sue sent this happy thought..

Hi David,

Yin and Yang, very deep philosophy true, but we all need balance in this life, if there were no 'Bad' in this world, how would you know what was 'Good'? We need comparisons, balance....

Happy thought!

Sue

So having another happy thought, I was thinking how so many things in the gift trade originate from ancient traditions and hold mystical values. Since last week it was Yin & Yang - I thought this week I'd investigate Feng Shui. Or the art of Energy Flow...

Like me you probably think it all a load of superstitious rubbish.. we'll actually that's what I used to think. But it's worth considering that just how things are arranged in our life's affects the way our life's pan out. For example I learned years ago in retailing you can ruin a shops sales by the way it is laid out. A sales counter directly facing and overbearing the entrance can cause a kind of blockage to customers. Just they way a shop "feels" makes all the difference. Somethings you just do things because they work, but you can't explain why.. energy flows like water and like water you can cause stagnant blockages if your not careful.
Out of this comes the eastern Feng Shui traditions with experts charging for their skills, for example most building in China are built along Feng Shui lines.
The compasses, elephants, toads, turtle-dragons and Buddahs have all been absorbed into a colourful Feng Shui tradition. They make an exotic retail display and are natural gift lines.. especially if you or your staff can explain little things about them..

Such as.. The elephant: symbol of strength, wisdom, energy and wisdom, it also helps fertility.
Three leg toad: A figure that can attract prosperity should be placed in the lobby.
Turtle dragon: symbolizes longevity. According to Chinese tradition is able to live 300 years.
The laughing Buddha is the symbol of happiness, good fortune and abundance.

Sorry for rambling on a bit.
Have a well re-arranged week. and if you feel inclined go see the wholesale Feng Shui stuff in the Collectable Dept at AW.

David

Duplicity at Ancient Wisdom

2011-02-07T04:36:00.000-08:00

What does it mean?

Thanks for the all the suggestions and interest in our forthcoming Lavender project in last weeks newsletter.
As Valentines day approaches (or as they call it in India V-Day) of course things are pretty busy at AW, but it's not too late to grab some stock and (honestly) we have some pretty good deals that will really your boost sales. See below..

Meanwhile I have been getting a little philosophical recently.
I was thinking about business and Yin & Yang. I used to think of Yin & Yang as a kind of opposites mentality.. light & dark, good & evil. But the Chinese understanding is more complex, it's actually about being two opposing things at the same time. A state of conflict and balance. It seems to me that in business you have to be often two things at once. Here are some examples:

Be very generous and jolly mean simultaneously.
You have to blindly trust yet keep a wary eye.
You must always think big but pay attention to details.
Take huge gambles and yet minimise risk.

Is it this ability to apparently do two conflicting things that is a key secret of success? After all the human brain is really two brains left and right each capable of different processes.
Left is logical, detailed reality based and cautious. The Right side is where the imagination and mystical things reside, it also risk taking. We humans are actually constructed in a Yin & Yang way.

Well a glance at ancient wisdom (not us, the real thing) will find lots of such sage advice. For one all the Yin & Yang philosophy is built around these ideas. In the bible Paul talks about been as innocent as a dove but crafty as a snake.
In Confucianism the Earth is the ultimate yin object. Heaven is the ultimate yang object. They have to be mixed to work... all philosophy and religions have to deal with duality it's a common theme in any culture.

So all those nice arty gift items using the Yin & Yang symbol as inspiration have more to them than meets the eye.
Is it any wonder that the Yin & Yang makes such a popular gift theme.. and like the idea for a Lavender themed shop or department in a shop maybe it would also work for Yin & Yang..

So that's my rambling for today..

Hope you have chance to use both your brains..

David
www.AncientWisdom.biz

First Post CNY

2011-02-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Hello.. I'm writing this early in the morning with fireworks rattling the windows of my hotel. I'm in Thailand and today is CNY.. or "Chinese New Year".. it's seems a great time to start. New Year.. a New Blog.
Yesterday in a place called Chon Burri visiting Incense Factory. Interesting! Ordered new range of incense for our Incense Dept
Seen our current order being actually packed.