Chaukhandi stupa 75371529_3167310906674178_7887123117393313792_n
Dhamek stupa 74601239_3167311076674161_686427454272700416_n
A sweet Sarnath street dog! 74269899_3167311313340804_4634364201664512_n
Monks from all over the world visit Sarnath! 75614172_3167311396674129_2572097674094313472_n
The Lion Capital of Ashoka at the Sarnath museum 74158535_3167311516674117_5869954210287583232_n
Dhamek stupa 74214406_3167311610007441_340580628716060672_n
🥰 73390790_3167311790007423_8520350615656726528_n
Photobomb! 73504777_3167311830007419_8832422703160885248_n
😍 73358306_3167312046674064_1245084291528916992_n
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The remains of an Ashoka pillar 74235592_3167312263340709_829424743965786112_n
😳 74396933_3167312333340702_8847077453697384448_n
A large Buddha at the Thai monastery in Sarnath 75580496_3167312460007356_4057497647966060544_n
The Lion Capital of Ashoka is the National emblem of India! 72486782_3167312503340685_68373220767563776_n
Maitreya, the future Buddha 73528600_3167312596674009_1845406821271994368_n
A gorgeous 5th-century Buddha 75362461_3167312670007335_202730251736842240_n
Reclining Buddha at the museum in Sarnath 73089273_3167312906673978_8964856271681355776_n
A stone umbrella at the museum 74419221_3167313030007299_7250315403111432192_n
Traffic of all sorts insert off: buses, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, bicycles, cars, cows! 74718044_3167313216673947_3581699869540089856_n
A visit to a silk shop! 76232160_3167313306673938_8322833724072787968_n
What a wonderful model! 73459015_3167313450007257_4226093848981405696_n
😍😂 Kong really likes the silk! 74238134_3167313506673918_4202606038639181824_n
A scene from the bus as we entered Varanasi. 75246776_3167313760007226_3079313314384183296_n
The RetreaTours-mobile! 75576416_3167313790007223_6216225752275222528_n
Today we spent the day on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, including a sunrise boat ride and a meditation on the opposite bank of the river 🙏 Scenes of Hindu rituals and cremation on the banks of the Ganges River aren’t terribly far off from what Siddhartha Gautama would have witnessed on his path to enlightenment. 74532291_3170812802990655_975211735176708096_n
Sunrise ritual, Ganga Aarti 74475156_3170812789657323_5226063691207671808_n
Today we spent the day on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, including a sunrise boat ride and a meditation on the opposite bank of the river 🙏 Scenes of Hindu rituals and cremation on the banks of the Ganges River aren’t terribly far off from what Siddhartha Gautama would have witnessed on his path to enlightenment. 76710848_3170812909657311_9000894672247193600_n
Today we spent the day on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, including a sunrise boat ride and a meditation on the opposite bank of the river 🙏 Scenes of Hindu rituals and cremation on the banks of the Ganges River aren’t terribly far off from what Siddhartha Gautama would have witnessed on his path to enlightenment. 74216664_3170812992990636_3467340674452422656_n
Releasing candles 74598809_3170813189657283_8638810121532604416_n
Today we spent the day on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, including a sunrise boat ride and a meditation on the opposite bank of the river 🙏 Scenes of Hindu rituals and cremation on the banks of the Ganges River aren’t terribly far off from what Siddhartha Gautama would have witnessed on his path to enlightenment. 75521830_3170813209657281_5677520060311142400_n
We even had a table and sitar player on the boat! 73271711_3170813319657270_2002276176726327296_n
Today we spent the day on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, including a sunrise boat ride and a meditation on the opposite bank of the river 🙏 Scenes of Hindu rituals and cremation on the banks of the Ganges River aren’t terribly far off from what Siddhartha Gautama would have witnessed on his path to enlightenment. 72636146_3170813366323932_3160220920463753216_n
Whatcha doin’?? 😂 71514121_3170791272992808_6697551209445720064_n
Ramee, our magical oil man! 74601210_3170791416326127_2078588558641201152_n
Michele and some ghat dogs! 75513563_3170791596326109_9154088776941699072_n
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🥰 75497657_3170791912992744_1619567841596407808_n
We rented the entire rooftop for breakfast on the river! 72619805_3170793056325963_6980702404517822464_n
From dogs to cows! 75371595_3170793139659288_1197876991718588416_n
Sassiest little chai wallah! 75424692_3170793279659274_2872780255653789696_n
Hanuman temple 75258577_3170793382992597_5672065748197965824_n
Mediation on the banks of the Ganges 75291703_3170793522992583_1394106565639798784_n
Our meditation tent 75407745_3170793509659251_7571739897866747904_n
🐐 73475240_3170793756325893_4070022670249361408_n
Sunil, our dear friend and amazing third generation boatman and tour organizer! 73172478_3170793829659219_8825928927357698048_n
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Janie 😍 76609872_3170794276325841_6506600382259527680_n
Ramee and his potions 74410382_3170794406325828_1367642012248965120_n
Testing the essential oils 75224886_3170794479659154_2904518470538362880_n
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Ganga aarti ritual 73227936_3172409936164275_8494944561250959360_n
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Tere meditating on the banks of the Ganga ❤️ 75210341_3172410022830933_2515690219328503808_n
75580448_3172410139497588_7752893080017043456_n
Making offerings to the river 74455866_3172410169497585_6701791188275429376_n
Creating our own candle offerings 75380051_3172410382830897_7227628715839062016_n
Part of the sunrise rituals at Assi Ghat 74607588_3172410319497570_5211002529390788608_n
Me in my usual stance, separating two street dogs (river dogs?! 😂) to give them treats 75289851_3172410489497553_5462916577642938368_n
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Pilgrims walk clockwise around the temple, as well as sitting in meditation 73515587_3173880279350574_2768306730956750848_n
Just past a quarter moon tonight! 75264936_3173881629350439_1348066118249480192_n
Security lines for Monks & Nuns, a catchall for gentlemen and ladies 74449994_3173882119350390_2352197629166747648_n
Inside the cave where the Buddha meditated 75210803_3176913282380607_3262707352771493888_n
This is the classy way to get to the top of the hill! 70180869_3176913525713916_9079489472797605888_n
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Inside the meditation cave 75392818_3176913745713894_3317438288528146432_n
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The Buddha was near death from self-inflicted starvation before he discovered the Middle Path. 77199572_3176914249047177_8127765913035341824_n
Buddhist flags against the gold-leafed cave exterior 75264853_3176914315713837_1569845361692901376_n
Just a touch up 75282182_3176914515713817_497216075956486144_n
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The Giant Buddha at BodhGaya 74662395_3176914829047119_1215224665274843136_n
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Sweet baby at a Sujata stupa 74458486_3176915155713753_5205389574070599680_n
🥰🥰🥰🥰 73252552_3176932692378666_1585400376029347840_n
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75419041_3179342085471060_1074207686217695232_n
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Michele’s new pals 71255934_3179342308804371_865842076611248128_n
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75223765_3179342562137679_819577449107947520_n
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There’s a spot for everyone ❤️ 75594451_3179342835470985_9079540488419147776_n
71831139_3179342935470975_7445488694250700800_n
74876757_3179343015470967_2777300061762093056_n
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73357413_3179343252137610_7552635896219041792_n
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Sharing breakfast leftovers 72965158_3179343438804258_1587537474446426112_n
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Nacecafe, huh? 75237434_3179343628804239_4692287032561500160_n
Nacecafe inception. 73322621_3179343715470897_8179213200265314304_n
71964232_3179343895470879_7552302585282035712_n
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74447390_3179344082137527_7419841344287277056_n
🥰 75369253_3179344132137522_7957503681320976384_n
75398168_3179344235470845_6726765534043439104_n
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Walking into the temple under a sea of Buddhist flags 76618291_3179344738804128_3710507171402743808_n
Vaishali and a new friend 76710757_3185209124884356_338399090272370688_n
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Cindi at the Bamboo Grove 75196268_3185209421550993_501548001446068224_n
Helen sharing some words at Vulture’s Peak 73495091_3185209531550982_4544248301666435072_n
Beth lighting a candle at Vulture’s Peak 76608801_3185209978217604_5601561089780219904_n
Norma sharing the Heart Sutra at Vulture’s Peak 74532862_3185209944884274_3077261904859627520_n
74906676_3185210454884223_2975424854427172864_n
🥰 74515957_3185210468217555_3620939012878893056_n
Our mascot Toby enjoyed Bamboo Grove and Squirrel Forest! 74224162_3185210701550865_8442255302622969856_n
Squirrel decor 75328561_3185210994884169_4558301889925480448_n
🥰 sisterly travel ❤️ 75204606_3185210978217504_7096393786791559168_n
Some of the many ruins at Nalanda, an ancient Buddhist university 75096919_3185211148217487_4611449412974018560_n
Buddha’s Relics stupa 74649844_3185211188217483_5063826597295947776_n
Pod people! Or, rather, very snazzy mediation tents! 73472606_3185211418217460_2345153341635428352_n
@vaishali 73372206_3185211401550795_8421413814905339904_n
😲🤣 75348999_3185211598217442_2345234701200916480_n
Dogs of the Buddhist Circuit 😍 74374093_3189418971130038_5958687242485497856_n
Parinirvana stupa 75543504_3189419054463363_4179324343777492992_n
At the Parinirvana stupa 74693217_3189419171130018_3248541644391186432_n
Buddha’s cremation stupa 73399821_3189419251130010_5517079482499858432_n
Parinirvana stupa 75614209_3189419427796659_9208639603244793856_n
Cremation stupa 74487084_3189419564463312_4196081064193556480_n
Around the Parinirvana stupa 74480263_3189419727796629_7517593962425614336_n
Cremation stupa 72539693_3189419974463271_2233353925581340672_n
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Parinirvana stupa 74687678_3189420237796578_1081599204675026944_n
The reclining Buddha inside the Parinirvana stupa 75336305_3189420361129899_2919935118208401408_n
The reclining Buddha inside the Parinirvana stupa 74491330_3189420554463213_7152233811953057792_n
The reclining Buddha inside the Parinirvana stupa 74709192_3189420704463198_3110752281717374976_n
Legend has it that Baby Buddha took 7 steps after his birth and declared that this was his last life, his last time being reincarnated. Regardless of the mythology, it’s a pretty vivid image! 74905579_3192420640829871_2645418014287069184_n
Maya Devi temple in the morning mist 74789935_3192420804163188_2220434462091509760_n
Misty meditation 76706662_3192420934163175_8738909475441737728_n
Sweeping the path first thing in the morning 75534832_3192421054163163_6887401618766036992_n
Giving alms to monks 73381162_3192421240829811_7819617110652354560_n
An Ashoka Pillar at the Maya Devi temple 70133527_3192421477496454_2298813865737060352_n
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Ashoka Pillar 76964381_3192422170829718_7529766204685156352_n
The littlest tour guides at Nepal’s Kapilavastu 75164434_3192422410829694_6005701096968814592_n
Perhaps the very wall where the Buddha escaped his domestic life 76194945_3192422767496325_4238076837802016768_n
Looking out the palace wall ruins at Nepal’s Kapilavastu 72125223_3192423034162965_9130885710046298112_n
Most of our amazing crew (plus a very photogenic dog!) at Sravasti 75429494_3198149070257028_8446249420344786944_n
At Srvavasti, a place where the Buddha spent 25 rainy seasons in retreat 73495077_3198149123590356_1981641672072626176_n
Today we wrap up our Walking with the Buddha journey, but we’ll still be sharing photos (BJ’s photos!) in the coming days, along with announcing the dates for our 2020 trip! 76782749_3198149076923694_3791545743920070656_n
Sravasti 76783713_3198149150257020_6611819676487909376_n
Sravasti 74588255_3198149330257002_5850055437826654208_n
Sravasti 74375187_3198149393590329_5620914332675080192_n
The Bodhi tree at Sravasti 74601229_3198149433590325_4876039168142082048_n
Scenes from the bus 75513510_3198149466923655_2732750504894398464_n
Scenes from the bus 75580360_3198149546923647_7910064277183004672_n
Today we wrap up our Walking with the Buddha journey, but we’ll still be sharing photos (BJ’s photos!) in the coming days, along with announcing the dates for our 2020 trip! 76608780_3198149573590311_6012140803428712448_n
Today we wrap up our Walking with the Buddha journey, but we’ll still be sharing photos (BJ’s photos!) in the coming days, along with announcing the dates for our 2020 trip! 75486046_3198149723590296_4057172471697113088_n
Earl displaying some scarves in a true [bus] window shopping experience 74437268_3198149773590291_7128384172090982400_n