Saturday, July 6th, 2013

Transitions

Montreal, Quebec

As I understand it, Montreal has the largest jazz festival in the world. I walked through it accidentally stumbling upon it on my trekking return from our Festival of Chariots. There are two different worlds here. The jazz festival is mega and at present we are mini.

I'm not knocking jazz as a genre of music, but if I could put a mild judgement on it I would put it in the rajas category from the Vedic context. I believe many fans would put it in the happy category of music. Rajas means passion by the way.

Now I left the site at Jeanne Mence Park where the more holy event, The Chariot Festival culminated after an exuberant procession down Saint Laurent Street. Rock music was playing, I was touched by a song dedicated to the walking monk, performed by the band Rajasi. I haven't as of yet captured the name of the piece. Rajasi's style represents everything 60ish 70ish through the decades, but their message goes towards elevation. It's what people need, if I could speak frankly. It's what we, the human race don't get enough of.

One of the entertainers, Mahajan, sang "I don't need a love in... " You know, one of George's songs whose chorus is "chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free."

I had walked from a world of hope at the park then to the world of music, fluff and not a whole lot of stuff on Saint Catherine to the world of sleep, only to wake up to the world of purity at the sound of chanting in the temple. These were real pleasant transitions.

11 KM