the sound seems to carry them

Four inches of snow on the ground. Feet are frozen—can't feel anything except a dull ache near my toes. I'd like to crawl into bed for a while, but it’s even colder inside than outside. I'm relieved to see the Eghara wearing mittens and bulky sweaters—perhaps the ani-haru are human after all! Then I come upon Hira washing her legs in the stream, while chunks of ice float by. “Dirty,” she explains matter-of-factly.

Later:

In the kitchen, Hira all of a sudden crouches down, clutches her belly, cries out, “Ayo! Ayo!” Now she’s lying down outside, covered only by a thin blanket.

Uppal: “Now, I go Jhargot, tomorrow, Jomsom.” Very casual about it. She was carrying hardly anything at all, just a tiny bag, and wearing nothing warm.

I felt a bit abandoned. Not sure if I want to stay for another two weeks. If it gets any colder, I don’t know if I can take it. My extremities never seem to get warm. The sameness of the food is starting to make me sick when I taste it.

After dinner:

A fantastic evening sitting puja with ani-haru. All their voices together create this undertone, this one perfect note—doesn’t matter how many nuns are out of sync, or maybe one’s a little louder—always this thread of sound running under their individual voices, binding them all together.

Started to match the thread with my voice (just toning, of course I don’t know the words)—like being in bowl of sound—the undertone and the inside of my head coming together—very rhythmic—when they play drums and horns, the sound going through my whole body—resonating—I remember when I first heard them play, how discordant and peculiar it was—now somehow the discord always creates harmony, accord—if you listen for it—the music creates the score—

—and also I noticed this—when toning—my awareness went out of my head and into my belly, at the very base of the column of vibrations—and I was warm at last—well, I was still cold—my extremities still numb—but I didn’t feel it, didn’t mind it—felt it only with my reptile brain—the rest of me relaxed and alert—

often the ani-haru, when they are doing some task or walking, are chanting or toning under their breath—and if anyone speaks to them, they answer and then continue—it’s seems almost subconscious—like breathing—the sound seems to carry them