Obligation to Sustain
Port Royal, Pennsylvania
The excessive rains of the entire night and morning kept me somewhat handicapped from walking to the local temple for morning sadhana (devotional mantra workshop). While Europe is being clobbered with snow, Pennsylvania is getting water. The Juniata River which borders a portion of the Gita Nagari farm rose to an overwhelming level, burying the bases of trees. Once the rains let up. I could explore a new country road.
This is a predominant agricultural land with the Amish community at the helm. Gita Nagari has the potential to be that model community that our guru, Srila Prabhupada had desired. Some members had just returned from a CSA meeting. CSA stands for Community (or Co-operative) Sustainable Agriculture. The meeting left members rather impressed with the various co-operative implementations going on to prepare for a better world based on people, land, and animals.
At the present pace of consumerism leaving environmental challenges it becomes encouraging to know that there are groups marching progressively forward with the rain towards sustainability. It is common knowledge that the current way of existence cannot be sustained; and that measures must be taken to befriend the environment. I wish like anything that the devotee community of Gita Nagari succeed in this regard.
My last presentation at the farm temple (as it has been a pleasurable consecutive classes I've delivered) was leading an enlivening kirtan (chanting session). One attendee said it was “highly creative”. We sang. We danced. We came together to remind ourselves of obligations to our Creator and Sustainer, Krishna.
“This kirtan,” I announced, “is dedicated to two people- Satsvarupa Goswami, guru and excellent writer of devotional sciences and secondly, Dadhi Harta, our dear Godbrother from Canada, tender of cows at the Saranagati farm in B.C. And who passed away from cancer.”
7KM
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