Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

Cooling Off in Miami

Miami, Florida

Being in a Canadian body, I hanker for coolness to contend with Florida’s heat. This is happily accomplished by catching the ocean breeze in the early morning and at night. That’s also when to walk.

In the day the natural regime is “stay indoors”. Keep cool with a fan (or two) and sip fresh papaya juice with powdered cardamom seeds sprinkled inside.

I had my “rounds done”, meaning that I had completed my prescribed chanting with the aid of meditation beads on a 108 beaded strand. I had done sixteen revolutions or “rounds”. This brings about a mental coolness, a necessary preparedness for discussing some hot topics for the day.

Malati, a God-sister, dressed in her usual saffron sari, and elders of the Krishna community here had ample dialogue in the guest room in which I’m accommodated. It was a healthy mental and intellectual exercise. I felt like my brains were working. Only once during the course of our discussions did I ponder tomorrows drive to the ocean.

In the evening Cuban born, Iksvaku, officiated as priest to a fire sacrifice. He stoked the fire in the small brick structured Kund or fire pit of sand. In the usual style and procedure of feeding the fire with ghee and the utterance of mantras the ceremony of diksha (initiation) was firmed up. A member of the community, a strong-bodied, soft-hearted Jose received a new name, Jaya Dharma.

He has become the recent hero in the community by giving an extraordinary face-lift to the Temple’s exterior. The interior will soon begin. Devotional service can be executed in multiple ways. Adding welcoming colours to the building was his way of serving. Anyone endeavoring on the spiritual path should ask, “What is my service?”