Monday September 20th, 2010

The Essence Beyond Time

New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

This morning my legs brought me to Samson Trail. It was here that Canada's first iron rail was laid in the year 1836. Eventually the railway beginning from here was extended to reach the Pacific coast. The first freight was coal. Since that time so many transitions have taken place which is what time does to all things.

For instance, what was a railway line has now been removed to become an excellent walking trail. A short strolls' distance away is a spank new building, the head office, of Sobey's food enterprise, a rather large family business that has a progressive chain of grocery stores across the country. It wasn't there before. Indeed time changes the names, the shapes, the colours of all places.

Formerly this east coast territory was the inherent land of the indigenous Mic Mac tribe. In time the region fell into the hands of the British and Scottsmen. In fact Nova Scotia means New Scotland. People of Scottish origin and then Irishmen had come to settle here for over two hundred years.

As the day passed on evening came upon us and our venue for a bhakti (devotion) presentation was at a home in the Pictou area. People of British Isles descent were present. They were keen to know what is our position on destiny and Jesus. Is there a God? What is a mantra? Do you monks get married? Are you vegetarian? These were questions asked. They were sincere questions of course. We shouldn't fail to mention one more - "why all the walking?"

Our group of listeners were in the average age between 55 and 65. They were people who had seen several phases of time from post-war and on. 'Experience' might be the best word that capsulizes a description of them. All has been seen and done by them. One gentleman had even been to India and had witnessed a Bengal tiger in the wilderness. "They have been there and done that" - all except for chanting which to them was like a breath of fresh air. Our monks and possibly a new laity were relishing the sacred sound.

We were transcending time.

14 KM