Saturday, August 13th, 2011

Good In Vancouver

Vancouver, BC

I have hope for the world when I hear about, nay, take part in a 60th wedding anniversary. Talk about success! Congratulations to Paul and Annie, my uncle and aunt from my mother’s side. The Persoon family, that’s a Dutch name, had come from far and wide to take part in this family reunion at Inn on the Quay, off the Fraser River. I hadn’t seen this section of family for 40 years.

I believe the world should celebrate the success of such commitment. I think the king should summon the sounding of royal trumpets and announce this joyful news to the citizens. Yes, let it be known to the world that two humans went through it with relative ease by following the old course and raising, I forgot to ask, but I think it’s nine kids.

It was interesting trying to brush up on some eager known Dutch, but more important was having a happy stare at commitment, which is a powerful thing.

A trip on the Skytrain, and then feet brought me from the Fraser River to English Bay.

Jeffery Armstrong is a teacher and author of Vedic Sciences at Stanley Park, off the bay, he was host to the 2nd annual Kirtan Vancouver. He was telling me about his work in the early Krishna Consciousness with the Travelling Road Show, also known as Jnamadagneya. He had co-authored with Michael Cassidy, Mangal Ananda, a rock opera in the style of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Telling of a young disillusioned man who had stumbled upon the life of bhakti, devotional practices. It was a story about transformation. It was performed in various venues and apparently our guru, Srila Prabhupada, enjoyed it a lot. So, bhajan singer Karnamrita came to the stage to lead her kirtan followed by DJ A Slam, a renowned artist who put a perky spin on mantra music. I was called on the stage to join him for vocals but my needed mrdanga drum players, the boys on our bus, were apprehensive to do anything but more traditional kirtan.

In any event, kirtan lovers had a great evening at the bay, and hopefully commitment to mantra sound will persist for them.

6 KM