Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

Stepping Home

 

Toronto/Ontario

 

I've got a happy story about someone coming home. It's about an all American boy (young man really) who joined the order of the Hare Krishnas. He was like most people at the time in the 60's and 70's, a product of the counter culture. He settled down as a monk and accepted a guru as his guide. He was hit hard in the heart when his guru passed away and saw power struggles happening within the spiritual organization. He got disenchanted and even dis-chanted for a long time, years in fact.

 

Life went on for him, not as a monk, but as a married man. The relationship didn't hold together'. Eventually he made his way to  central Canada to collage country where the canoeing is good. By now, being outside the company of spiritualists, he fell away from vows he made long ago. One day an event occurred that traumatized  him. He took up chanting again after a thirty year break. This was a life break through for him.

 

He recently showed up at our doorstep at the ashram, after some correspondence and came to test the waters after not being wet (so to speak) for so long. I had the pleasure to meet and spend some time with this former monk who now eagerly wanted to be there again. He purchased a kurta (devotional shirt) and we acquired a dhoti for him, the lower body robe. He sported beads around his neck and applied tilak (earth based substance) to his forehead. It was all coming back to him.  The chants, the incense, the prasadam food. The special kind of people. The wisdom. " Why did I even leave"?  he asked himself. "We all learn in different ways," he reasoned.

 

"You're home now," I indicated to him. He ends up having been quite successful in the business world but it just wasn't enough. He wants to get in the thick of spirituality again. It's been a pleasure being with him. We click well together and what's more? He likes exercise and likes walking. That's my kind of person. He's a good brother, a spiritual bro. We went to a sanga home gathering, had a feast and chanting. The host was gracious and all the people there treated him nice.

 

It's like he never left, in a way. We're glad He's home.

 

May the Source be with you!

 

0 KM