Tuesday 10 November 2009

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Car and Leg

Windsor, Ontario

Devadatta and I lay our bodies down to rest at the home of his father, Dennis Ford, the previous night. Father and son had a reunion, a late night chat. Out of regimen I rose early as usual to explore outdoor air and the eye of God, the sun. My trail for pedestrian pleasure (pleasure because the mantra is with me) is Tecumseh road named after the reputed warrior chief who fought in the war of 1812, the struggle between the British and the Americans. A light frost hit window shields overnight. A walker to work asked, “Aren’t you cold in that?” Referring to the robes I mentioned proudly, “Absolutely not, this is thick hemp.” The fiber I’m wearing may be the answer to brutal winters for Canadian and Russian monks. It’s an experiment. So far so good.

From the Chrylser plant at Tecumseh and Droullaird it was a mediocre walk along the Ford City section of Windsor. The history of auto proliferation is extremely obvious here with Droullaird St. ornamented in the way of monuments, plaques and murals.

Then I hung a left at Riverside drive at the Hiram Walker Distillery. All the while I’m chanting and then it struck me about the dichotomy of the world of hike and mantra set against the world of the greased wheel and liquor.

To take me across the border to the U.S. by way of tunnel under the Detroit River were Kapil and Bharat, devotees from Detroit. From here the Motown portion of the day folded in for a talk about the walk, meaning all the pilgrimages taken thus far. From time to time I take the opportunity to recall glorious and liberating moments from the adventures. It is always a story about the life of simplicity and devotional service.

Fortunately we spoke to a packed house of Bhakti enthusiasts in a place called Novi just outside of Detroit.

14 Km

No comments: