Friday 14 October 2016

Wednesday, October 12th, 2016

Wednesday, October 12th, 2016
Vrindavan, India

Big Brother and the Clapping Co.

After two lengthy plane rides and a three hour drive via taxi to Vrindavan, I arrived at the Krishna Balarama Guest House.  It was 3 a.m. and I was tired.  I tucked myself into bed and had a decent slumber.

My main reason for the visit was to see one of my older brothers—not biological—but a spiritual brother whom I looked up to when I first became a monk.  He donned robes and practices of renunciation before I did.  He’s dying from cancer and having his last months, weeks and days here in Vrindavan, one of the most sacred places in the world.

It was good to see him, and he looks better than I thought he would.  He seemed in good spirits and to raise those spirits even more, he had arranged a kirtan group to come to his quarters for chanting.  Most of those participants were faithful Krishna devotees from China.

It was my intent to get some walking in for some of the evening, seeing that two days in air and car had restricted me.  Now, the melodious chants compelled me to stay, and my big brother wouldn’t let me go.  The session started in late afternoon and continued for three hours.  Redeemingly, foot-work was used in the form of dance, and for a good portion of the time aggressive clapping in-time became an optimum work-out for the hands.

When hands are activated, organs of the body do well, just like when feet are mobilized, so many human body parts reap the benefit and get stronger.  Perhaps hand clapping could be considered a kind of walking?

May the Source be with you!

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