Halifax, Nova Scotia
May the Fourth
After a leg journey’s venture along the North West Arm of Halifax Harbour, I decided to sit a few minutes out at the Saint Mary’s Boat Club dock. I was there in meditative pose on a bench, and without him noticing me, I observed a Mariner coming in to the shore. I guess that’s what you could call a guy in a kayak. He came to dock and took meticulously to the care of his boat. He hosed it down and set it upright after propping it on some stilt stands, and then slipped it over to wash the salt water. Then he wiped it dry very lovingly and did so twice by flipping it again. He executed the same for his oars, and all this was done before he set it in place stacked up with hundreds of other kayaks. Such devotion.
I wish I had that much bhakti, devotion, for my paraphernalia. God knows, as a monk, I own little, but whatever I have, I should treat it like gold, like this guy treats his sporting goods.
Not but two hours later, I saw Nitai Ram, who is such a real brahmin (priest) treat his paraphernalia with similar prudence and care. Nitai Ram, along with Fernanda and Nina, set up this beautiful havan kund (small fire arena) for a fire ceremony on Nina’s initiation. Nitai’s execution of the ritual was just fantastic. It was impressive, like the kayaker’s handling of his equipment.
I’d like to congratulate Nina on her new spiritual name which is, Nirmala. It sounds like Nirvana. It means one without pride. Her parents drove all the way from Saint John, New Brunswick.
My second major destination was to a kirtan kattha session (chant and talk) located on Hollis Street across from the Wired Monk Café. I avoided cars as much as possible on this gorgeous, fresh and sunny day. While on foot at Robie Street, two young guys across the road were sitting on their lawn chairs in the front yard sipping pop. They beckoned me to come to see them, so I crossed the street. We started to chat. They were interested in my monkism, and finally invited me into their home to go through their whole house and in to their back yard, and to “bring in good energy” as they put it.
They told me they are musicians and I told them I do Sanskrit mantras. Spontaneously they took to recording my recitation of the mangala charana mantras, while Michael hit the keyboard for a sitar twang. And the other fellow (forgot his name), made percussion sounds. It was a jamming on the spot session for sure.
On this day I saw devotion coming from different directions; a little bit like, if I could use the term, “angles from angels”.
May the Fourth be with you!
10 KM
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