Tampa, Florida
Engagement of Sorts on November 5
I did my trek on Lake Burnett’s Boulevard,
but it became a struggle to figure out where there’s a lake or a
boulevard. It’s basically a sandy soil,
country road—at least in the stretch I know near Alachua. It’s awesome, really. Quiet.
There are pine, oak and more trees which attract the mystical look of
Spanish moss that sways in the wind.
I feel I have the road (boulevard) all to
myself. The thing about America is you
have roadways everywhere and in every direction. It’s not always a clean grid to follow.
In any event, I have my routine route and
this road factors into it.
I arrived in time for Alachua’s Guru Puja,
a morning ceremony for expressing gratitude to the guru, and we then conducted
a class, or more like a discussion, on the life of Sri Chaitanya. That was followed by Ananta’s orchestration
of visitations by individuals, persons who seek encouragement and/or give it.
Evening time opened up to a Bhakti Vrksha gathering in Tampa, my
first visit to the city. Quite the mixed
crowd of enthusiasts! We have south,
north, east and west natives of India.
Then there was outgoing personality-type Todd, from Minnesota, Erwin
from South America, a chap from Russia and an Afro-American woman who had her
rhythms down when it came to playing kartals
(hand cymbals). Ramiya, my good friend
with origins from Detroit, organized the event and is the usual facilitator.
Questions poured out from the people with
regard to the subject of “three modes,” as characterized from the constant
companion, the book Bhagavad-gita.
May the Source be with you!
6 km
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