The Walking Monk: June 2015

Saturday, 20 June 2015

Tuesday, June 17th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

Walk The Line

The Gooderham Building, St Lawrence Market and St James Church are some historic landmarks for the city. People are attracted to these edifices. And apart from my own softness for viewing great architecture, we are doubly drawn to the people that go to these structures.

We were chanting in those areas near Front St and I was astounded how many people offer us pranams (folded hands) and how many folks greet us with a smile and a "namaste" or "Hare Krishna." This tells me that people are adjusting, looking east and coming to the point of acceptance.

If we were to trace back history, surely we would capture a link between the east and west and how, for millennia, the west has gained profound influence from the east. Fortunately there exists no Great Wall of China and so there is exchange. India has always kept the door open. It always was inviting to the world, giving of itself. And now we are out here delivering to the hands of the public our brochures promoting spiritual India through the Festival of India. I believe we leave people with the impression that we are a cultural movement and are not a religion.

From our perspective the whole district is very dry until sacred sound comes through even as people are having drinks. At one point in our procession Johnny Cash's words came to my thoughts. "Walk The Line":

"I keep a close watch on this heart of mine

I keep my eyes wide open all the time

I keep the ends out for the tie that binds

Because you're mine (Krishna) I walk the line."

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Monday, June 16th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

After Lunch

It was just after lunch that a small kirtan party led by your humble servant made our way to the waterfront. By water I'm referring to Lake Ontario and like other major cities in North America, Toronto is trying to follow on a spruced up water-edged world. Along Queen's Quay where we did roam and chant, we also picked up on the fact that the city is working at a frenzy to get ready for the PAN-AM games. Finishing touches are being done to road and pathways.

You see a combination of water, sand, concrete, green space with umbrellas and what someone would describe as Muskoka chairs under those shades. It truly is a hot spot, well, supposed to be a 'cool' spot, as in temperature and as in a tourist draw.

Our timing was a little off though. After lunch everyone's back in the office. Night-time would be more desirable for foot-traffic but we were there to explore and to survey the area. Prospects look good.

Anyway all was said and done. People were perked up to see and hear us. Flyers were distributed to inform all about July's Festival of Chariots/India in the midst of the Pan Am Games. I got my exercise in, but not to a full satisfactory level. I went to phase 2, down the ravine, at dusk.

Solitude is what I needed, after all - some down-time. Recent rains I was unaware of, created a slide effect. Nothing like the scene from 'Woodstock.' Just a lone monk moving down a trail adds to a long list of trekking.

May the Source be with you!

11 km

Monday, June 15th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

The Link

Hitesh frequents our temple ashram and this evening just before a small group of us headed for Bloor West for a chanting party, he handed me a piece of the Guru Granth Sahib. He had visited a Gurudwar over the weekend, was happy to note a translation on the wall and wanted to share it with me.

From Ang: 693 - 694

First of all, the lotuses bloomed in the woods; from them, all the swan-souls came into being. Know that, through Krishna, the Lord, Har, Har, the dance of creation dances.

1) First of all, there was only the Primal Being. From that Primal Being, Maya was produced. All that is, is His. In this Garden of the Lord, we all dance, like water in the pots of the Persian wheel.

2) Pause/Women and men both dance. There is no other then the Lord. Don't dispute this, and don't doubt this. The Lord says, "This creation and I are one and the same."

3) Like the pots on the Persian wheel, sometimes the world is high, and sometimes it is low. Wandering and roaming around I have come at last to Your Door. "Who are you?" "I am Naam Daya, Sir." Oh Lord, please save me from Maya, the cause of death.

The words above are inspiring and like others found in the Sikh traditional text, it confirms the link between the Vedas of India and the teachings of the Sikh's founder, Guru Nanak.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Sunday, June 14th, 2015

Miami, Florida

Walking, Swimming - No!

Nothing to report about walking. Heat and humidity is very uninviting for the outdoors. Yes, even at night I thought, "Just for exercise-sake and then having a good sleep why not go to Key Biscayne Beach and swim until we tire out?" The brahmacari monks whom I suggested this to for a venture after our Sunday program, were very game to the idea.

But then Garga Muni, the local astrologer, mentioned that sharks appear in shallow water at dusk. We changed our minds on the concept. Then lo and behold we hear in the news that a 12 year old girl lost her arm, a result of a shark attack in a North Carolina beach. Within the hour, a teenage boy was mauled by a shark in the same area. May these young people be protected from further harm.

Although a different beach, it is still the same coastline. The two brahmacaris and I could have been victims. Fortunately for us, at that time, we were in the safe domain of a temple immersed in chatting and then chanting. Yes, the kirtan was bursting with energy and participants were soaked in salt water (their own), being engrossed in passionate dance.

Tamohara and I shared our devotional message to the community after the chant. Our thrust was one of gratitude to the stalwart followers. We announced our new steward to the temple. Our temple president now is a Venezuelan-born, 66 years old, sannyasi monk. He had gone through the process of marriage, raised three daughters and now as traditional procedure would have it, has taken steps to the renounced life. We wish him well with his new assignment.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Saturday, June 13th, 2015

Miami, Florida

Had Our Share

We had our share of stepping on sea urchins. I probably did more walking through water today than moving on the ground surface. Sea urchins were everywhere and once again, crocs came in most handy. For those of us who ventured barefoot the prickly entities became a bit of a nuisance.

At Key-Biscayne, where the Atlantic waters are indeed fine in temperature, our group of Krishna devotees from Miami (monks and lay members), enjoyed the cooling effect of a swim. We were boating and then anchored near a sandbar by Craig who runs it like a friendly business. His captain and two young staff members really got a charge out of our kirtan on the way to the destination and on its return. They not only enjoyed but sang and attempted a jig.

Just so that readers of the blog know that, as a monk, I'm not totally in maya, or illusion, and steering away from devotional functions, the swim was a way of approaching devotee care. Seeing to bonding and attention to some healthy but clean physical activities is essential for spiritual upkeep. Secondly, the mere joy of it all, set everyone ready and prepared for our evening kirtan in the public at Miami Beach's streets.

That event and experience became memorable. The last time I came here was at Halloween night when a group of us Krishna monks came to do what we are known for - kirtan. I think it was the time of day, when dark, that it just became too "risqué” for our innocent eyes. I made a commitment then, "Never again!" Yes, indeed for favourable devotional service you must always pick and choose.

May the Source be with you!

? km (hard to say in the water)

Friday, June 12th, 2015

Friday, June 12^th, 2015
Miami, Florida

And/Or

At meetings held in a downtown Miami office, we did discuss that which is relevant to any institution, organization, business, or even a relationship. Authors James Collins, and Jerry Porras, wrote about the coined expression, “The tyranny of OR, and the genius of AND”. For opportunity, for inclusiveness, for success, one should embrace the latter concept.

This type of thinking of considering many possibilities and keeping various doors open was something utilized by our guru, Srila Prabhupada. This same concept of the novel writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, can also be considered when he said, “The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”

When I talked to Tamohara, my good friend who was in the room during the time of this discussion, it brought to mind the principal of Sri Chaitanya who highlighted unity in diversity, which in Sanskrit terms, reads as follows:

Achintya bheda bheda tattva

As a westerner, I was brought up firmly believing in black and white vision, or the all or nothing viewpoint. It was a breath of fresh air to run into a culture with roots from the east, Krishna Consciousness, that has embedded into it the concept of holding varying ideas in place and not running into confusion.

There’s also the sun and sunshine analogy. Two different components exist, and yet the energy is basically the same. We can also draw the example of the constitution of water, and how it applies to the ocean and a mere drop of water. They are one, but different.

By the way, regarding the sun, when I strolled a stretch of the edge of Coconut Grove, I really did feel like I was becoming one with the sun. I was roasting.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Thursday, June 11th, 2015

Thursday, June 11^th, 2015
Orlando, Florida

Fill Life With Stories

The story of Dvidvida gorilla is a charmer for young and old and everyone else in between. After that regular trek that I take from Ananta’s house to the Alachua temple, I lead my last kirtan and class in the area before departing for Orlando. When time came for class, the episode of the infamous gorilla came, as in sequence to our morning Bhagavatam discussion.

Dvidvida is both a nuisance and troublemaker. As light as the story sometimes sounds, it can also remind us of the more serious nature of the inner demon that is said to distract us from the path of devotional service. He is horrendous in his habits. He pollutes sacrificial structures with his urine and feces. He carries off with his powerful arms, men and women, concealing them in hidden away caves, and also makes gross approaches towards simple village women. The hairy ape is obnoxious. Finally, he challenges the brother of Krishna, Balaram, when he meets his match and is swiftly done away with.

We may ask for strength and call on Balaram with the hope to subdue the monster within. When we chant, “Rama”, it refers to Balaram in anticipation that agitation within will be replaced by the desire to serve.

Part two of today had us end up at Abhimanyu Arjuna’s home for a sangha. Here, families came with children and certainly, they remained focused on a less culprit story. They became enchanted (and so did their accompanying parents) by the tale of Krishna and Sudhama. As boyhood schoolmates, they shared some good times together. With the passage of time, and years of separation, they reunited in a cordial and endearing recollection of childhood pastimes. It is not a bad idea for all of us to recall our days of innocence, especially after we dwell on some of our own selfish follies. It can be very humbling and therapeutic.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Wednesday June 10th, 2015

Alachua, Florida

No Blues Today

Yesterday we enjoyed the fresh water of one of the many springs in Florida. Today, we had a good look and a good bite at blueberries.

At the outskirt of a town, Worthington Springs, I found myself at an organic farm for blue-berries, a pick-your-own farming enterprise. They were not like the low-lying wild blue-berries I’m accustomed to in the Canadian shield, but like small trees and bearing a slight tart taste.

A torrential rainstorm terminated our picking, but I felt, while it lasted, that a community spirit was well in shape. Everyone in the orchard was a devotee of Krishna by some circumstance. yes, this is a popular place for devotees who are known to pick, freeze and pull batches out of the freezer for periodical pie-making or the cooking of semolina halava garnished with the beauts. For one, the experience brought me back to the days of adolescence when picking feverishly at cherries in the month of June in Canada.

Morning also involved a trip to Gainesville, the Krishna House where I conducted a class in the Bhagavatam. Evening was an intriguing challenge. I was asked to conduct a session with kids. What age was coming? I wasn’t sure what age group? Somehow someone had trust in me. So, I walked into the temple in Alachua and there were no less than thirty kids sat, waiting for my entrance and ready for some stimulation.

I did my best. The kirtan at the end somehow came of as less zoo-like considering the incredible age-range from 3 to 12. My dear Lord, thanks for the challenge.

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Tuesday, June 9th, 2015

Alachua, Florida

The Treasure of Florida

Florida boasts to having over a thousand springs, rivers of cooling clear waters, through the state. Ichetucknee Springs State Park was the destination of a few of us who enjoy tubing, snorkeling or just plain swimming on one of such springs. This particular spring with its limestone bottom, reeds growing from its bed and the home of the turtles, snakes and in some seasons manatees, flows at a comfortable speed. One of the boys has spot wild boars on a previous visit.

It was Aravind that I renounced my orange tube to for the joy of swimming most of the distance. What a treat this was! It was rather a great obstacle course at times dodging fallen trees or holding onto a log that appeared to lost and now gained a purpose. It becomes a perfect anchor for catching a few moments of breath.

My day in its completion felt like a flowing stream with delivering a class from Canto 10 of the Bhagavatam on the subject of the company that shapes you. In the evening I was slotted to facilitate a “Nine Devotions Workshop”. All went well, this workshop included. My analysis on this one, though, is that the participation was on the high side. Beyond the figure 30, it becomes a trite unmanageable.

Its purpose is to bring the members of the group closer to each other, hence creating a more cohesive community overall. There is a tendency amongst us to become a bit too formalized when we step in a spiritual domain such as the temple. The mood can often be one of an institutional mode.

It is always good to remember what are the natural traits of a stripped-down spirit soul. We are eternal. We are cognitive. We are joyful.

May the Source be with you!

7 km walking, 5 km swimming

Monday, June 8th, 2015

Alachua, Florida

God Knows!

God knows that I want to put in a little time on a pedometer every day. Frankly I’m not using one but perhaps I should start. If walking long corridors like I did today in Atlanta’s Airport (a stopover) then a device would show some distance on foot. At this point I’m reluctant to count such steps as adding to collective walking for the day. Generally I like to count what I do outside because it is more the full experience.

Since that is the case I can register no kilometres or miles for that matter. I can only think, or dream, of having put on the distance. Being up in the air twice today in order to to reach Gainesville Airport lends itself to dreaming. You are above the the clouds.

Ananta Sesa and Vaishnavi, my hosts in their home, gave only the best meal starting with a salad of greens and sprouts. It would have been great to have walked it off but in truth I’m not a fan for walking through afternoon blazes, the heat of summer Florida.

Nighttime was a preoccupation of in the home of my stay when godbrothers/sisters, and perhaps two generations below came to chant, eat and talk. We talked of our spiritual brother Brahmananda, who passed away yesterday in India. In the 60’s he was the heart of Iskcon, the Hare Krishna Movement. He was one of the first takers to the mission of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, in New York where it all started fifty years ago. One person in the room described him as a transcendental teddy bear. He was large in his build and was soft in the heart. He will be missed.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Sunday June 7th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

Not a True Square Place

Dundas Square in Toronto’s answer to Times Square. At that very spot, the juncture of Yonge and Dundas, a promo festival to the upcoming Chariot Festival, was held today. I went from stall to stall schmoozing before joining the beautiful kirtan that task place. there was also a mock exotic temple erected for the public to experience. Face-painting, henna, food (prasadam), clothes and other wares were on for sale. There were a lot of curious browsers and eager participants.

One artist there who had this fantastic work in progress, oil on canvas, was a rendering of the face of Krishna collaged with the elements. He rather liked the location for the event. A fairly newcomer to Canada and who hails from Cuba, he was surprised to know about Dundas Square. “Twenty years ago this did not exist,” I explained. “It was a block of buildings for retail. i have a brother-in-law who owned a jewelry store on this block. The city decided some time ago that a public space was needed to break the monotonous feature of the highrises.”

That was a smart decision although in my opinion there could have been some green at the scene. A huge stage is a permanent fixture. There is seating and water-fountains geyser up in the air from time to time. It is a far way from the descriptions you read about regarding the gorgeous city in Dwarka during Krishna’s time but it was an honest effort on the part of the conscientious city council.

I want to congratulate the team of Keshav, Rukmini and others who worked hard to assemble this little Krishna Conscious market-place on behalf of the Ratha Yatra. Job well done!

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Saturday, June 6th, 2015

Saturday, June 6th, 2015
Toronto, Ontario

A Minor Conquest

Whenever I have an issue with my knee or ankle, not terribly serious though, but with some pain, I've found it helpful to walk myself through the problem. Today was that day for that to happen.

Beginning from our ashram, Karuna, Dan, and I set on foot for the bike/pedestrian trail along the Don River. Soaking in sun, sheltering under shade and dodging hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts that shared the path was the initial phase of our sojourn. That then changed. At Taylor Creek Park the trail thins out and even becomes practically impossible for a cyclist. You enter mean forest with a narrow strip of walkway. The ground is soft but uneven in spots. That's what helps an ailing knee or ankle. The mechanics I don't quite understand. What I do know is that certain muscles that are usually lazy from a straight and flat sidewalk now get activated.

We are basically following a trail by the Don. And it was lovely. Here you are in the city but totally aloof - in the green. The Don continued to meander. It was a new discovery - this place and unfortunately our journey was to terminate, not because the river ended. It continues for some distance, yet to be explored for a future date. We actually had a lunch engagement much further up the Don. It was time to come out of the river's ravine and catch a ride to meet our appointment. Otherwise we would anticipate a four hour journey through the up-and-down gorgeousness of the wilderness.
End result of all the exploration was that my agitated knee felt repaired. I like this kind of conquest which was backed-up by the Supreme, the Maker of rivers and the Blesser of trails.

May the Source be with you!

10 km

Friday, June 5th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

Dan Came

Dan is willing enough to admit to struggling with drugs. He wants to put the nasty things behind him. He has come to Krishna to get help and support. He's been chanting, meditating on his japa beads. Reading the Bhagavad-gita and being in the company of devotees is making a difference.

Dan has just arrived from Alberta and is taking to a monk-for-a-weekend retreat at the ashram with us. The rain had come down hard just before he arrived by bus. The air was clean and not long after quite the ride from Ontario's southern tip, Windsor, Dan was quite ready for a trek that Karuna and I had planned.

So through Rosedale neighbourhood we threesome went picking up the fresh smells after a thorough shower from the gods in many ways the walk through this region with its mature growth of well-placed trees was the introduction to Dan's monk-for-a-weekend experience. It was the perfect therapeutic venture for the three of us. After all, who in this world is not sick with some addiction/attachment?

We all are!

What comes to mind is a verse of hope from the Bhagavad-gita 6.45:

"And when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavour in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal."

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Thursday, June 4th, 2015

Mayapur, India

A New Book

From Winnipeg I boarded a plane where a brief encounter with Swami Narayana monks involved saying, "Namaste!" and "Hare Krishna." After a lay-over in Toronto and then boarding Air Canada destined for Thunder Bay I sat next to Shawn Campbell. We were next to each other on the flight to Thunder Bay.

What a great conversation! Time was flying as was our plane. So Shawn used to be employed with the pulp and paper industry. We talked about that and I became enlightened as to what wood makes the best pulp and what makes the best newsprint. The dominant trees of the area, nestled in the Boreal forest was spruce, jack pine, some poplar, cedar. "What about the white birch so common around Thunder Bay? What's happening to them? They seem to be deteriorating. On my walks I see them losing their leaves and lustre.

Shawn had the answer. "When the loggers come in for the paper industry they take all the trees out around them and leave them...

I butt in and said, "Alone?!"

"Yes." He went on to explain that like most trees they are inter-dependent. They need the other species to survive. Whether its gases they emit or the breaking of the wind, the birches require that the other species be around them.

"Hmmmmm!" That's like people. We, being social animals, hanker for human interaction, an interdependency," I suggested. Who wants to be alone?

We covered more territory in our chat. We touched on war. Shawn felt that religion was the cause of major wars. I begged to differ. Many wars were fought over land and commodities such as gold, oil, salt, etc. although greed may have been part of the mix.

Shawn is now a Floridian and visits his northern home country. I hope to meet him again.

It was by Boulevard Lake that Lian, her 7 year son, Noah, Milan, Luke, and host Dr Jani - circled the waters' perimeter. There we were in the world of birches (healthy ones), poplar, pine, and spruce. We were on Cloud Nine with the smells and colours. I felt I was in the air once again.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Wednesday, June 3th, 2015

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Meeting His Words Again

Doug, Daruka, and I took cautious steps on unofficial trails along the Assiniboine River within the city limits of Winnipeg. The river had taken its natural course of the spring season. Water levels are fairly high but not too high for us to traverse. I would imagine there are some of the oldest trees in the province where we roamed - chunky and tall, often bent a bit.

Here we were with water (the river); with silt, hard and soft (earth) under our feet; with our giants, the trees representing fire; with the river breeze blowing over (air) and with a space for comfort (ether).

Nice setup, Nature!

By evening a sanga took place at 108 Chestnut Street. Vrinda, our facilitator, and Malini were early. Others came like Visvambhara and wife Daniel. Farida too. She gave me a card quoting St Francis of Assisi - a well-known piece worth sharing:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master

Grant that I may not so much

Seek to be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015

Calgary, Alberta

Observing Nature Gave Substance To My Talk

Craig Ginn brought his students from Mount Royal College. A great walk on Calgary's Greenway, then brunch at Yogendra's over fiddle-heads on buns - these two engagements got me pumped up for meeting students who wanted to know everything from the soul's transmigration to destiny at death.

If it wasn't for the walk through nature in the morning my philosophical presentation to these students would appear theoretical, even shallow. Because I took that stroll and with two good souls, Gaurachandra and Vani, I witnessed life in the form of magpies in flight, ravens perched and other fowl in anticipation of conquest, of death of food, of sex, I could speak with a greater conviction, fullness, and support behind me.

I detected some shyness in the group of students and some reluctance to sing, dance, and even ask questions in the beginning. It took time for the students to get comfortable but they got there and to the point where they really appreciated the interactiveness. They were great! They were served veggie burgers. Irresistible!

Now, my host in Calgary, had his birthday today. Radha Madhava turned forty-seven, looks like thirty-one. I think its all that vegetarianism in the form of prasadam that keeps him young.

Every time I visit Calgary Radha Madhava calls everyone to his home for a sanga. He manages to pack his place. The formula to success on his sanga programs is feed everyone at 6:30 pm. Satisfy the palate. Then roll on the kirtan and then the discussion. Program finished by 9:30 pm at the latest.

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Monday, June 1st, 2015

Calgary, Alberta

Calm Through Conflict

Most people enter a period of conflict in their life when governed by dark influence, even dark planets. The Vedas of India identify two such planets - Rahu and Ketu. It is a time when self-reflection is of optimum importance and comes in handy when entering a storm in consciousness. We get emotional and defensive.

It reminds me of Arjuna going through his emotional intensity. And then Krishna offers him a sense of balance.

I've found that during internal storms I would be compelled to self-reflect. In a recent article in "The Globe and Mail" newspaper article by Harvey Schachter, a quoted Cinnie Noble says, "reflection moves our brains from the emotional part, the amygdala, to the thinking part, the prefrontal cortex."

This technique of shifting from emotion to logic and reasoning is the technique used by Sri Krishna in steering Arjuna to a more grounded position. Arjuna had been puzzled upon seeing to the difficult task of fighting kinsmen and friends. Arjuna found himself confused, grieving, trembling, crying - being emotional.

Krishna put some loving pressure on Arjuna and addressed him saying that his reaction was one of "petty weakness of heart." Arjuna's head and heart were at war.

Somehow - because the relationship between Krishna and Arjuna was valued between the two persons - Krishna's pressure and Arjuna's letting up was able to transpire, and Arjuna was able to come to some resolve. He weathered the storm and became peaceful within. He listened then to Krishna's logic and was able to transcend.

May the Source be with you!

9 km

Sunday, May 31st, 2015

Sunday, May 31^st, 2015
Toronto, Ontario

Ford Connection

“Small world,” is what we concluded.
Alfred Brush Ford, the great grandson of motor vehicle inventor, Henry Ford, came to town on a fundraiser for a huge temple construction in Mayapura, India. I had crossed paths with him a few times in spiritual circles, mostly in India. Also known as Ambarisa (his Sanskrit name), he graced us with his presence, and the divine company of his wife, Svaha.

This time around upon meeting him I had to ask him a question which would confirm some karmic connection between him and I in this life.

“So, you were raised in Detroit?”
“Yes,” he said.
“You’re a Motown boy?”
“You could say that.”
“Did you ever come up to Canada when you were young, particularly in Ontario?”
“Yes, I used to go to see Shakespeare plays in Stratford, Ontario.”
“Okay, but did your family have property about an hour’s drive from Detroit in Ontario?”
“Yes, the family had a lodge in the marshy areas.” “Near Tilbury?”
“I believe that was it, but it was a lodge where guys used to go and hunt ducks. My dad tried to show me how to use a gun, and I accidentally almost blew his head off.” (Laughter)

“Were there pictures of scantily clad ladies on the walls of the lodge? And did the place always have a cigarette smell?”
“Yes.”
“That’s it!” I said, “My dad did the maintenance there. He used to put out the duck decoys, spread corn out in the marsh in hip boots in order to attract ducks, and he used to clean the lodge. On my last walk I trekked through that area, and my sister, Roseanne, who accompanied me for a bit, mentioned that the Ford family owned the lodge.”

Ambarisa found it thoroughly interesting that I used to hang out there as he did, but we never met then. He told me of the time when he was a hippy, and with a friend got on board a motor boat and then got caught in an electric storm when they were tripping, and how a duck in flight lead the motor boat to the lodge after being lost in the marsh and canals.

“Isn’t that something, Ambarisa? My brother and I had gone fishing there, and we used to help our dad. We caught fish but we couldn’t stand eating them. What a small world it is.”

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Saturday, May 30th, 2015

Edmonton, Alberta

Bear and Embrace

The community was excited. New deities were installed. The murtis, or deities of Chaitanya and Nityananda graced the shrine. For the instalment of the deities, there was the use of ghee, milk, flowers, grain, yogurt, juices, and other substances. This is called snan, a bathing process. It is a procedure that is common in the bhakti tradition, and it was enjoyed by all.

Part of the procedure required my standing. I've come to some realization that I'm not a stander. I like to sit (not always in the lotus position, but by chair). And, of course, walking is just fine. Standing is not my forte. I took today's ordeal of standing while pouring substances as a sacrifice, which is not bad for a monk to execute. The ceremony was beautiful, it extended for what seemed like hours.

The Evening

All of White Mud Drive was an exit the group took via vehicle. We parked, then entered along a trail by Fort Edmonton along that vibrant river way, the North Saskatchewan.

I would say most emphatically, that it is highly necessary for every human being to make nature connections every day of your life. Whether you are a corporate person locked in a concrete jungle, or a man of the cloth, meaning a priest orpujari, do connect with nature because it is the spirit of God that you contact. It offers a balance. Make the day complete with some work, some ritual, and some recreation. It is what I consider holistic, or, whole-istic, living. It is there for all of us to take advantage of. Drop the phobia for rain, cold, heat, and wind. Bear it and embrace it.

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Friday, May 29th, 2015

Edmonton, Alberta

Out There

William Hawrelak Park was our chosen walking spot which included trails trekking along the North Saskatchewan River. Bala Krishna, our temple coordinator said of the walk, "The wild rose, Alberta's official provincial flower, is such pretty plant, a perennial that survives hard winters. It teaches us how to persevere obstacles.

Raja Gopal said this, "I was in awe to see the expanse of the river from the viewpoint of the middle of the walking bridge. Nature was giving us a wide welcome."

Madhavi, Raja's wife, who runs our Sunday School, really liked when we sat on the grass and when we took some moment to chant japa together. She expressed to me that after the sit that I was a botany professor as much as I was a chanter because I had educated them in some of the local plants, and also suggested to her that we make a lilac tea from the bush in bloom near by.

Raju expressed that the breeze was perfect, "I'm always in an office and it was such a relief being out in the elements."

Sandiya said, "I got a charge out of harvesting dandelion flowers for tomorrow's pakoras. You see, today is an optional full day fast, including water. I can't wait to try them out as a snack, but I'll have to wait til tomorrow."

Sudeep came from the office and joined us for the trek, but couldn't get away from talking on his cell phone. But, like myself, I'm sure he just couldn't ignore the powerful scent of wildflowers.

It's good to hear from others for a change. Congratulations to Ria who took diksa (initiation). Her new name is Saranagati. And Rajesh happily accepted the name Raja Gopal.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Thursday, May 28th, 2015

Thursday, May 28^th, 2015
Toronto, Ontario

It Can Be Great To Wait

Praveen and I were rather proud of ourselves after we made the commitment to a one hour of walking during our japa meditation period. Our arrival at the ashram was right on the button, smack on the second of a 60 minute trek. It couldn’t have been more accurate, more exacting to the second. Personally, I feel great when things are done timely like this. Praveen was beaming as was I.

I felt a bit less elated, though, in the afternoon, when our slotted time, 2 PM, for a dash to our communal van was delayed. The clock ticked from 2 to 2:10, to 2:20, and finally, 2:30, and we were still not loaded up with all monks possible, and drums. It was mainly Nick, whom I often address as ‘Slick Nick’, who was the culprit and the cause of challenging time. The rest of us, four residential monks, were growing impatient. I decided to avoid storming him (impatience externally in check), and to leave the van for the ashram to explore and ask, “Why the hold up, Nick?” No, I wasn’t going to use my kick, or a stick on Nick. My affection for Nick is too strong. Nevertheless, I was curious as hell to know what happened to the last of the chanters as we anticipated our journey for Kensington Market, an enclave of shops and people of an open kind.

Alas, there was Nick, inside the boutique, making a $400 sale of BBT books. Someone had taken interest in the complete volume set of our guru’s books. The purchase would surely nurture the soul for the one reading page after page of revelations by Srila Prabhupada to do with the Absolute Truth.

Those of us waiting were now relieved. The extra wait bore marvelous fruit. With our spirits up and Nick now ready to go, we ventured off to Kensington and then Chinatown. We started drumming and chanting, all was auspicious. We even stumbled upon various acquaintances, and also made new friends along the way.

All’s well that ends well.

May the Source be with you!

8 km