Monday 23 March 2009

Friday, March 20th, 2009

Straight Walking

Mississauga, Ontario

This is my first limpless walking day. Hurray! I trekked through sunshine in Eglinton Avenue West, the Jewish quarter, the Jamaican quarter and then the Italian and Portuguese neighbourhoods. It was 10 km of pure joy walking and chanting.

The host to the evening satsang, devotional gathering, was Acharya, a Russian born Krishna man. He picked me up midway to his Mississauga house managed by himself and wife, Sabrina. Once guests arrived I sat to speak from a verse of the Bhagavad-gita, 18:47. An interesting look at this statement compels us to understand a person’s prescribed duty or life’s obligations more clearly. The Gita analyses four different classifications of people – the thinkers/visionaries, the administrators/law enforcers, producers and labourers.

A question came.

“How do you know your prescribed duty or which of the four groups do you belong to?”

Abbreviated answer: “1) Analyze what you like to do; 2) Observe the nature of your parents and see that in most cases their inclinations reflect in you; 3) Consult with caring peers; 4) Consult with guru; 5) Study the qualities of each group as found in chapter 18; 6) Make an astrological check; 7) Take direction from God in the heart.”

Another question.

“Why are there so many religions, so many Gods?”

Abbreviated answer: “God is one, but known by different names. There is one sun and it is also known by different names.

“Chapter 17 of the Gita explains the cause and effect behind different spiritual paths. There are various paths to accommodate the various natures of people according to three modes. Obviously some faiths are more tolerant of others while some are less. That also depends on the influence of the three modes of nature, which are satvic (in goodness), rajasic (in passion) or tamasic (in darkness).”

10 Km

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