This world schooling abroad trip was initiated by an intense need expressed by my daughter to get away from PDX and get closer to Amma. My daughter's struggles were affecting my health too. Our family's health needed us to make this change. Initially, we were going to go directly to Amritapuri for the school year, but then Amma's Europe tour was announced...so instead we decided to spend in 6 weeks in Europe awaiting the beginning of tour. Beginning 10/17, we will be on tour staff with Amma for 7 weeks, after which point we will make our way to India.

I originally had saved enough for the India portion of this time abroad, and when the European portion of this journey surfaced, I opened up a home equity line of credit to create a channel of credit with the least amount of APR. I wasn't going to let finances prevent us from taking this leap of faith.

I know many are struggling in so many ways and there are others who could use your support more greatly. However if you feel called to support me in supporting this pilgrimage we have embarked on, I am open to receive.

Why?

By Jñānadā - Alex Uma Mullock, AUM Baby, aka Zuma.

Me and my mom are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. An adventure full of rich experiences that will change the way I see the world. We will travel around Europe with Amma, then settle in her ashram in India for a few months.

But why? Why are we doing this?

Well, that’s not a simple question, but I will try and give a simple answer.

For one reason, world schooling is one of the most effective ways to learn about the world. I will learn all about different countries and their cultures, not by reading it from a book in a stuffy classroom, but from experiencing things through my own five senses. I will also gain skills in street smarts for every setting, helping me to expand my awareness and keep track of all my surroundings. In Amritapuri, India, I will work on studying the ancient Sanskrit scriptures, as well as classical Indian dance, music lessons, and meditations. The ancient scriptures provide wise information on how to lead a good and righteous life, how to stay in tune with the self while fulfilling that life, and how to gain the ultimate truth of self. Taking dance and music classes from a place with such a rich culture is extremely beneficial to the mind and will help me gain a larger and more well-rounded understanding of different types of music and dance. Meditation (if you need an explanation on why this is beneficial you probably need to do some meditation yourself).

But the reason I’m doing it now, not after I graduate high school or college is because I needed a break from our messed-up country. I found myself being pulled into many things that didn’t align with my values, and I even got to the point where my values felt lost. Like when I went to make a decision the inner judge I usually rely on felt unsure, like she wasn’t quite certain where she stood anymore. And that’s when I knew I needed to take some space from all the mainstream influence and help make my inner self stronger and less easily swayed by others.