A journey to a foreign land can be a powerful factor in an individual's growth and transformation. For an American woman, a trip to India turned out to be a life-changing experience that challenged her Western worldview and broadened her perspective. The Harvard-trained psychologist shared the profound impact of her time in India on X.
Lorwen C Nagle wrote, "I'm American. After my PhD, I went to India. What I experienced dismantled my Western worldview. Here are 8 lessons that permanently rewired how I see life."
I'm American.
— Lorwen C Nagle, PhD (@LORWEN108) January 17, 2026
After my PhD, I went to India.
What I experienced dismantled my Western worldview.
Here are 8 lessons that permanently rewired how I see life: pic.twitter.com/1HCNTtiY1d
Lorwen Nagle shared 8 lessons she learned on her trip to India
1. Control Is An Illusion
"Arriving in India, I was shoved into a bus heading for Hardiwar and the Ganges. My backpack was buried under a herd of goats and a pile of dead fish. Nothing was “mine” anymore. My Lesson: Let go or suffer," she wrote.
2. Time Isn't Money
According to Lorwen, the Western approach to time was about management and optimisation, but her experience in India taught her a different perspective. "In India, 24-hour train rides felt eternal. My lesson: When time stops being a resource, it becomes a relationship," she added.
3. Happiness Isn't Circumstantial
A memory that stayed with her for over 30 years is the unforgettable smile of a young man with no arms or legs. "My lesson: Joy comes from inside, not outcomes," she mentioned.
3. Happiness isn't circumstantial.
— Lorwen C Nagle, PhD (@LORWEN108) January 17, 2026
What stayed with me for 30+ years is the radiant smile from a young man with no arms or legs.
My lesson:
Joy comes from inside, not outcomes. pic.twitter.com/x3jMLUhpGQ
4. Pain Can Be Sacred
Lorwen witnessed a remarkable sight in Varanasi's bustling Vishwanath Gali market. She saw a cow sitting with its two front legs bent in a way that made it impossible for it to walk. Despite its helpless state, the cow was cared for with kindness and compassion. "He's fed, bathed, and adorned with flowers daily. My lesson: We are divinely held, whether we know it or not," she penned.
5. Sacred Spaces Change You
As she stood in the Ganges, Lorwen experienced a sense of connection to something deeper. This experience was a stark contrast to her fast-paced life in America. "My lesson: Environments shape our consciousness," she shared.
6. Boundaries Dissolve
Lorwen further mentioned that she attended a Palkhi festival in the jungles of Maharashtra, amidst 50,000 Indians. "The wild monkeys and the jungle created a powerful image of dissolved boundaries between the human and natural worlds, the individual and the collective... My lesson: We are not separate," she wrote.
7. “Normal” Is Relative
Lorwen had brought two cans of tuna from America to the Palkhi festival. After finishing one, she discarded the empty can behind a wall. The next day, it caused a commotion in the area as a crowd gathered to examine the unfamiliar object. "In the US, it was trash. In India, it was a mystery. My lesson: Your reality isn't universal," she added.
8. Death Isn't Hidden
Lorwen shared that she spent countless evenings with her boyfriend at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi. They witnessed the true reality of death as they watched skulls being broken and limbs falling from the fire. "Death wasn't something to avoid. It was something to witness. My lesson: When impermanence is visible, life becomes sacred," she concluded.
8. Death isn't hidden.
— Lorwen C Nagle, PhD (@LORWEN108) January 17, 2026
My boyfriend and I sat every evening for over a month at Manikarnika Ghat (Hindi: मणिकर्णिका घाट) in Varanasi.
Night after night, we watched skulls being broken and limbs fall from the fire.
Nothing was concealed.
Nothing was softened.
Death wasn't… pic.twitter.com/RCMjcrjoEy
Lorwen's transformative journey to India taught her some of the most valuable lessons of her life. They continue to resonate deeply within her till now.
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