Monday, July 29th, 2013

Some Kilometres

Montreal, Quebec

I managed to cover some kilometres on the streets in Montreal's east end. I love Montreal. It's just that the east-end is what it is, for instance at some of the street corners a woman will stand there with tight clothes on, or with clothes almost on, and when you walk by, as Ivan and I did, they tend to give you a strange look. It's a look of disapproval. They just can't relate to the devotional attire, it seems.

Our temple is located in this part of town and that's what lands me in this neighbourhood when it comes to walking. St. Catherine's Street has recently received a face-lift, yet the character of the people stays the same. It is an interesting phenomena to find this Crumpy Joe syndrome in all major cities I trek through.

The weather can be great. The sun can be shining and at the same time somethings eating away inside humans. The sun doesn't shine inside. It appears that the mind can become so agitated with hankerings and lamentations that no peace can wedge its way in.

What are we to think and feel for others?

One time a personal assistant to our guru, Srila Prabhupada made a remark, "Sometimes I feel bad for others."
His response was, "Only sometimes?"

Regarding the disturbed mind, here's an informative passage from the book Bhagavatam, 'The brahmana said, "These people are not the cause of my happiness and distress. Neither are the demigods, my own body, the planets, my past work, or time. Rather, it is the mind alone that causes happiness and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life. Failing to conquer this irrepressible enemy, the mind, whose urges are intolerable and who torments the heart, many people are completely bewildered and create useless quarrel with others. Thus they conclude that other people are either their friends, their enemies or parties indifferent to them."' (Bhag 11.23.48)

10 KM