Monday, January 4th, 2016

Monday, January 4^th, 2016
Fredericton, New Brunswick

Getting Warm

We had worked up a sweat at the upstairs art gallery next to the shop, ‘Radical Edge’. Wade and a group of Krishna guys from Montreal backed me in a presentation on the power of chanting. The greatest partner to chanting, of course, is dancing, and that’s what warmed up the group, consisting of us and some local people.

I would liken our style of dance to something that is quite folk-ish. It involves swaying to the left, and swaying to the right, then moving forward and back, and then turning around. When everyone keeps synchronized, then oneness is achieved. All the while that our bodies were in motion, the mantra is as well.

Hridaya Chaitanya did great at rhythms on the mridanga, and Etienne was on karatalas, hand cymbals. The rest of us only had to worry about the mouth moving along only with the body.

What a great warm up it was to start a year’s beginning.

But that was not all, Verinder, my host in Fredericton and I, braved the cold Arctic air that set in. We decided to trek home despite the 26 degree below Celsius with wind-chill factor after getting our warm up session. When I suggested to do the walk, he came on with a spontaneous, “Yes!” He told me he goes to the gym twice a week. I was trying to convince him that to trek every day, as a program, is far superior. To his delight, the trek built up heat inside his parka. I guess it was a revelation to him to know that you can be warm in the cold. Just dress warm, be warm, and think warm.

May the Source be with you!

10 km