Jai Ho!
Toronto, Ontario
Meeting dear friend, Devamrita Swami, was a pleasure once again. Just what did he and I mill over? Well, we discussed the need for outreach to local people and not to remain content to please people indigenous to the culture of Krishna. The fact of the matter is that the teachings of Krishna are presentations of universal truths. They are a message for all people regardless of background. We now live in a multi-cultural society. Toronto, being like a mini-New York, has the whole world operating in some type of synergy. Montreal too, is cross-cultural, and draws immigrants from all over the world. We have at our disposal a global climate for spirituality.
Our packaging of the Krishna culture doesn’t need to appeal to one particular ethnic group. Krishna, the name means all attractive. What attractive aspect of Him are we speaking of here-His form, His activities? Or is it His words that shine through with greater strength breaking the barriers of prejudice and the walls of bodily identity?
I have thought that in regards to improving the packaging of the Krishna culture artists could portray Him as less-feminine. After all he is male. That’s something I would like to throw out there for artists to consider. I get tired of people asking me,” is Krishna a she?”
Devamrtia Swami is to be commended for his very realistic approach to the public. He does not compromise the philosophy of Krishna but tells as is with carefully chosen words. His presentation is thoughtful. While in the city he is slotted to speak about mantra meditation, the relevance of spirituality to the environment and identity crisis.
I managed to catch the tail end of this evening’s presentation at the Multi-faith Centre at the UofT campus. People were in good spirits after hearing the Swami speak from a spiritual perspective.
In the afternoon I had lunch with him and then trekked back to the temple meditating on his slick presentation. As we sometimes say in our tradition, “Jai Maharaja…..Jai ho!”
7 Km
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