Page 92 - CelebrationsSpring2020

On the contrary, you might miss the flags completely until you are rounding one of the final bends and your attention is diverted to the sky. (Beware though, if your attention wanders too much, you’ll likely forget to dodge the spray from the stately elephants on either side of you!)
Tibetan prayer flags are a Buddhist tradition. Though the nation of Anandapur in the Animal Kingdom doesn’t overtly promote any one religious order, the setting alludes to the tenets of both Buddhism and Hinduism, faith systems steeped in the conviction that humans and nature are intimately linked. A fundamental belief of Hinduism is that an individual shares his soul with the universe’s soul, and that all things in the universe are unified. As “Disney souls” who enjoy unsurpassed serenity when visiting the “universe” of the parks, we can relate to this school of thought! In Buddhism, suffering results directly from placing too much value on fleeting pleasures. We can certainly see this in the money-hungry loggers who are ruining the integrity of Anandapur’s land through deforestation. Tibetan prayer flags, often found in the villages at the base of the Himalayan Mountains in Asia, are hung high to harness the wind and send blessings into the atmosphere. Messages printed on the flags spread hope for human compassion and wisdom. Wishes of good will – including prayers for peace, lucrative harvests, sound health, and happiness – soar to all beings who are receptive to them. The Tibetan prayer flags that flutter over the land of Anandapur, and over the Kali River Rapids route, not only send these blessings, but also emblemize The Five Elements. The flags fly in five colors, and each color represents one of the elements. Blue symbolizes the sky, or the star-studded “aether”; white signifies air; red conjures the idea of fire; yellow embodies the earth; and green honors water.
If we use the Tibetan prayer flags and The Five Elements as lenses through which to interpret our journey on Kali River Rapids, we might deepen our understanding of Manisha Gurung’s message...and our connection and responsibility to the universe that we all call home. So let’s take a deeper look at each of these Elements and see what we can learn!
Sky and “Aether”
We all live under one sky, no matter our position on the globe. The sky protects and guides us, offering an unlimited canvas on which to throw our questions and musings. The blue prayer flags’ allusion to the sky implies that no matter who our spiritual mentor may be, a higher order exists. Perhaps that higher order manifests as a spirit that flows
through each one of us, binding our souls to one another and to the universe, as Hinduism teaches us. Maybe we confide in a singular god that we have known for a long time. Or, we might turn “to Infinity, and beyond!” to ensure that our individual challenges feel – well, infinitesimal in comparison. The first stage of the Kali River Rapids Expedition finds our raft ascending a tree-lined lift hill of 90 feet, and this ascent encourages us to turn our vision upward. We cannot see over the crest of that hill until we are teetering upon it, suggesting that we cannot predict what waits for us over every rise, and must trust the path that nature has set out before us. Accompanied by the trees that seem to march upward on either side of us, however, we are not afraid. This initial climb of our expedition signals an act of transcendence, of surpassing material experiences and transporting ourselves to another sphere, one in which the air is more pure and more divine. According to Greek mythology, the god Aether embodied the “upper air” inhaled and exhaled only by deities and not by mortals, who breathed “Chaos” or “Aer” on earth. Kali River Rapids implies that the only way that we can access this cleaner celestial realm is through a “lift” from nature.
Air
As our raft pulls us toward the sky, the mist in the air graces us with scents of jasmine, mint, and ginger. Jasmine emits a sweet, sultry fragrance. Southeast Asia boast the widest variety of this flower, and its blooms are used for everything from decorative hairpieces and tea to essential oils with restorative properties. According to The Farmer’s Almanac, jasmine symbolizes “sweet love” and “amiability.” We sense hospitality in the air and feel safe. Mint, a plant that stands for “virtue,” contributes to our comfort with its fresh, piquant aroma and taste, especially when served atop spicy Southeast Asian cuisine. We know that mint contains medicinal magic – we might use it to calm an upset stomach or to ease anxiety. Ginger is yet another healing plant whose roots originate in Southeast Asia. Ginger stands for “strength,” and can improve our circulation and subdue the pains in our muscles and bones. Clearly, we begin our expedition on the Chakranadi River with the impression that all elements of Anandapur are in their rightful place. The associations with jasmine, mint, and ginger lend this environment an aura of friendliness, truthfulness, and sturdiness; the features of this forest feel and smell authentic to Asian culture. In addition, the fragrances in the air tell the story of the gifts that Asia has
92 · Celebrations
Photo © Tim Foster