Wedesday, August 18th, 2010

Nighttime City Trail

Toronto, Ontario

The overnight red-eye flight from Vancouver brought Gaura and Nitai, my devotee actor protégés, and myself back to Toronto. The day allowed no space for walking, the night did.

As I took to the steps descending the exterior stairs of the temple ashram for a night time trek a vehicle pulled up. Out emerged a monk from India, Nava Yogendra Swami. As he was coming in I was making my way out.

We offered dandavats (full obeisance) to each other on the sidewalk and then I explained by reason for the trek despite the late hour (9:45pm). “I didn’t have a chance today yet, now I have to go.” The Swami concurred, “ It is so important to walk everyday”. In a punctuating Punjabi – like passion. “I do it everyday “, he went on, endorsing man’s most simple and natural activity.

I took to Bloor St. only to witness that I’m not the only one savoring the summer night’s coolness. Cafes and pubs were busy enough. I don’t feel the least bit out of place. My robes always protect me from the night-type of life because I am different and the clothes define that so well. They always, always grab the public’s attention.

From the veranda of a tenant’s apartment a woman hollered out, “Hare Krishna”, but I couldn’t detect the source. I was just happy that she uttered those mantric words as the sound vibration has this potency about it.

A week ago in Kelowna, B.C. a young man questioned me on the efficacy of that chant. “It doesn’t do anything for me”, he remarked. In response I suggested that he consider that when medicine is taken the patient usually is not aware of all the good properties found in the content. The healing properties do act whether we are enlightened about them or not. The healing power works nevertheless.

The man broke out with a big smile on his face as if he swallowed a big dose of good medicine.

6 KM