Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

To See the Spirit Behind It

Broadway, Nova Scotia

When you see the name of a place on the map, you imagine what it might look like if you haven't yet been there. To quote Thomas A. Clark, "There are things we will never see unless we walk to them." Such read the plaque at a trail's entrance in Newfoundland. His statement might sound like practical truth but surely he means to go beyond simplicity with these words.

I had to see for myself what Broadway is like in Nova Scotia. Is it a hole in the ground? Because it certainly can't be what the Big Apple has to offer. The word "Broadway" was on my route. Well I walked there. My curiosity needed to become satisfied this morning.

To be wholly satisfied I would have hoped to see some quantity of people. Not to my surprise it has too few buildings to count, perhaps five at the most; population perhaps 20 and that might include the dogs. Anyways it is quality and not quantity that counts right? There are not the bright lights, the flash and the night life of New York. Broadway in Nova Scotia, by the way, does have many holes, as well as trees, brooks, hills, fox and deer. It's not a bad destination place for a pilgrim.

When Clark spoke of "seeing" I believe he was speaking of "feeling". Had I not been chanting while trekking through the place I might not have perceived the spiritual connection, in other words, the Krishna element behind it. I would just determine it to be a mundane place.

Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, perceived an ordinary place to have God's presence. For instance he said of Holland's countryside as being like Vrindavana (Krishna's childhood playground) because of the cows, pastures and quaint buildings.

In that sense the Broadway I just walked through is more like the spiritual world. Perhaps someday I'll perceive that busy place of skyscrapers and entertainment to be some kind of reflection of the spiritual world.

35 Km