Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Trails on Sunday

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Eryn is my kind of person. She conducts these walks called 'Wander in the Yonder' each Sunday at a designated spot. The starting place is specific. The route to follow is just let your whim carry you. She refers to herself as a pilgrim and makes reflections walking with volunteer foot enthusiasts a weekly event.

Through Nitai Ram, our head brahmacari in the Halifax ashram, Eryn had come to know of my passion for pilgrimage and so I became her guest for the afternoon. Along with us were local hikers who all bonded together practically at the snap of a finger. Anthony, a young computer consultant, also blazed a trail with us in Point Pleasant Park, a confined area of naturalness where you hit multiple trails through this sea-coast brush. "Take your pick," was the mood. On Wednesday Anthony will be the Olympic torch bearer for a meaningful but meager 300 meter run through Halifax. The lucky guy made it on the national poster for promoting the world winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Eryn spoke about her nomadic life for the summer in Prince Edward Island and her anticipated future walks. We both agreed that the way of the pedestrian is a cleansing and a shedding of bad karma program. We also both have the same experience that very few people have, even the closest friends, understand the extent of healing that walking entails. You have to do it to know it.

It was a walking/talking afternoon. The evening, however, consumed our boys, four monks, and their growing community in the fire of chanting. Their home, apartment up above a Greek restaurant on Quinpool, became almost claustrophobic during kirtan sessions. It was an experience of high energy at its best.

9 Km