Friday,
July 22nd, 2016
Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan
“Walking
Monk” Heads Across Iowa
A
late-night flight brought me to Saskatoon to attend yet another Chariot
Fest. Forwarded to me was an article by
Dann Hayes for “The Des Moines Register.”
Bhaktimarga Swami,
known as “The Walking Monk,” says “the walk before” encourages him to keep
walking, which got him started on his most recent walk, a walk across America.
Bhaktimarga Swami
(formerly John Peter Vis) is a Hare Krishna monk who is walking across America
to promote a healthier global lifestyle, a strong spiritual foundation and a
simple meditative life.
“I’m also out here to
integrate with people,” the 63-year-old Canadian said. “It’s kind of like a workout and a work-in…to
take time to process life.”
He is also walking to
commemorate the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Hare Krishna
movement.
On this particular
day (Wednesday, July 20) he started just outside of Brooklyn on Highway 6 and
was stopped just east of Grinnell.
Born in 1952 in
Chatham, Ontario, Canada, Bhaktimarga Swami adopted the monastic lifestyle of
the Hare Krishna order in 1973.
Traveling on foot is
a common practice in various traditions, he said, and it’s an effective way to
reach out and communicate the importance of morality and ethical priorities.
“You learn to take it
all in,” Bhaktimarga Swami said. “The
heat, the wind, the rain, the traffic, the cold, the black flies, the
mosquitos, the public attention or none. With all of that you learn detachment from the
externals and how to go within to be happy.”
Bhaktimarga Swami
said that during his travels he has had a number of different experiences. He usually starts a walk very early each day –
recently to beat the heat in Iowa he has started around 4 a.m. And with wearing an orange robe he has been
mistaken for a number of different things in the dark, including an escaped
convict.
That normally brings
the police, but after a brief discussion, he continues on his way.
In Iowa, Bhaktimarga
Swami had only good to say for the law enforcement community.
“The police have been
terrific,” he said. “The cops are nice
here in Iowa.”
This tour is made of
three parts – he started last fall in Boston, went to Butler, Penn., then into
New York. The second leg started in Butler
and brought him to Grinnell. He plans on
stopping near Grand Island, Neb., before continuing on the third leg next
summer.
This isn’t new to
him, he has trekked across Canada four times, Ireland, Israel, Guyana,
Trinidad, the Fiji Islands, Mauritius and other countries. He was featured in a National Film Board of
Canada’s documentary titled “The Longest Road.”
He averages about 20
miles a day, he said.
“While I walk I also
meditate,” Bhaktimarga said. “As a monk
you have that obligation to yourself – take to the elements and toughen up
inside.”
Thank you Dann Hayes.
May the Source be
with you!
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