Monday, March 27^th, 2017

Miami, Florida

Stick to Walking

I’ll stick to walking, I thought, when I saw this one devotee climb his way up the coconut tree.

Prabhupada Krpa is a Cuban-born bachelor who is quite the committed follower of Krishna.  He’s lanky, thin and agile.  It’s a cinch for him to get up a tree, grab a coconut, toss it down and then, with grace, shimmy his way down the tree trunk; all that, while in a dhoti—and with a smile.  He’s got the body for it.

He can climb any tree.  I’ve seen it.  He will tackle the tall, erect ones, or even a very bent over one.  Coconut water is one of the best ways of quenching a thirst.  It’s a super hydration food.  It’s nutritious but low in purine content.  They are the best of the nuts.

Whenever I come to Miami, Prabhupada Krpa, who knows my liking for these organic pieces of circular wonder, offers to fetch one for me.  I prefer the younger green ones.

The coconut tree is not plentiful on the ISKCON plot of land off Virginia Street in Coconut Grove, but they do cast a certain amount of shade.  There’s at least one large mango tree on the property, but I’m not usually here during mango season in the summer to enjoy it.  I usually stay clear of visits to Florida at that time.  It’s too hot and humid.

I know that a monk should be ready to take to any form of austerity, but I find I’m less productive under such circumstances.  It’s great to be in Canada at that time of year.  You’re not sluggish.  One thing about being a monastic is that you are also obliged to use your good sense.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Sunday, March 26^th, 2017

Miami, Florida

Cool in Miami

Both last night and tonight’s sangas were held, one at the Sraddha Centre and one at the home of Kavi, a godbrother.  The kirtans and dance were so uplifting.  I thank Puneet, who’s visiting from Pennsylvania, for the funky drum beats, and I must not fail to mention the usual pervading Latino rhythm and drive that made for the ultimate good fun feeling.

Wallace Teng—a student from China, residing in Denver—found out about the Hare Krishnas and made his destiny Miami, where he could find out more.  He asked about our core beliefs.  My answer:  Each and every one of us is a tiny spark of life, struggling, and in this struggle we are obliged to find our peace which rests in bhakti, devotion to God.  It’s the real love we are after.

Diana and her friend whose name I forget—let’s call her ‘Princess’—came for their first Krishna gathering ever.  Our dance circle engaged them, along with everything else.  It was a great workout and an equally great bonding.

Smack in the middle of our two evening programs was the Sunday feast program at the temple in Coconut Grove.  I’m seeing for the first time Russians in good number and young Indian folks, also in good attendance.  The verse to which I elaborated upon was Chapter 16 Verse 22 from The Gita.

“The person who has escaped these three gates of hell (lust, anger and greed), O son of Kunti, performs acts conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the supreme destination.”

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Saturday, March 25^th, 2017

Miami, Florida

Troubled

I covered 3 km, pacing in Toronto’s temple room, before embarking on the flight to Miami on American Airlines.  That was a greater distance to go.  I was in the plane for three and a half hours.  I was quite alert—but troubled.  Most other passengers had their naps, or partial naps.

I had received the sad news that a family of four were found dead in their home in a remote village that I visit.  Saranagati is a quaint little settlement of a Krishna community, nestled in a mountain valley situated a day’s walk (30km) from Ashcroft, British Columbia.  It is tragic.

Father, Mother, and two small sons, who were not active members of the social events of the community, were nevertheless members of the community.  The dad, Harvey, I had known since the early ’80s when he lived in Ontario.  He was quite the artist.  At this time, it is not known the cause of death.

A member of the community went with his son to check on the family. They found them dead and called my dear godbrother, Krpanidhi, who went over to the home and, as a trained first aid responder, realized there was no hope of reviving them, as it was too late.  He called the police. Whatever is the cause, it is a very impactful loss to the local residents, and to humanity.  Authorities are investigating.

The great Queen Kunti, whom we read about in the scriptures, said that calamities are all around us.  When they come, they hasten us to search for answers and to come to submission to the Source of all.  When the overwhelming powers of this world come to haunt us, we ask for help.

Our condolences go out to the family and friends who survive this tragedy.  Our blessings go to the souls who departed.  Have a safe journey.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Editor’s Note: It has been determined that the cause of death was due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning from a plugged water heater vent which had filled with snow. 

Friday, March 24^th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

From the Phone

I did a bit of telephone reception today.  People call in for darshan times.  “What time is the temple open?” is a rather standard question.  They wish to know when they can see God.

The callers are mostly members of the East Indian community.  Engrained in the culture of India is the desire to have a viewing of the icons of Krishna, Shiva, Ganesh and so on.  These images serve as focal points for people.  Let’s call them deities.  Those deities are tangible images in which to channel thoughts desires and wishes.  They have a power invested within that emanates from their very presence when approached in the proper mood and spirit.

The mood we are talking about is the mood of humility.  Humility is often the most difficult emotion to invoke in ourselves.  To feel humble is to feel moments of truth.  In reality, we are small in comparison to the universe and the entire creation itself.

I explained to some students the other day that I like walking because whether its trees, mountains, the vast prairie or even buildings, I am, in their midst, relatively tiny.  I sometimes view these creations, whether compiled by man or nature, as deities.  I feel comfortable in either environments and that, of course, includes being before the deities of Krishna.

It is an important and compelling part of the day when I stand or dance and sing before the deity.  I am moved to be humble and free.

May the Source be with you!

Thursday, March 23^rd, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

Mitch’s Class

Mitch is a high school teacher from Etobicoke, and he brings his Grade 12 class every year to our ashram.  They came with their curiosity while visiting various spiritual institutions on a field trip for the day.

I sensed they liked their hour or so in the temple portion of our facility.  Mitch told me that one of the girls in the group could walk on her hands.  She, born of Delaware-Cree parents, succeeded in doing just that, at my request, during our exercise in kirtan.  Tony, and two other male students—I didn’t catch everyone’s names—got into their own freelance dance inside our formed circle.  Mitch also took a turn, dancing in that circle.

The class had lots of questions on a philosophical note.  I try to keep everything rather interactive during these sessions.  The students were handed flower petals, and, after chanting mantras together, strew them at the feet of Srila Prabhupada’s murti (statue), a daily traditional practice found in Vaishnava temples around the world.

I noticed the group was diverse in ethnic background, and intelligent and attractive, physically.  They looked like models, a good percentage of them.  Ultimately what’s in the heart is important and to that end, we need to reorganize its beauty.

One chap asked about dealing with the sex urge and briefly I expressed that we have to learn to resist, and that every time there’s some excitement, we must consider time, place and circumstance.  A word of advice was, “Before you are intimate with someone be good and ready—psychologically, economically, etc.  Be ready to take care of the person for a lifetime.”

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Wednesday, March 22^nd, 2017

Ottawa/Mississauga

Encourage / Recommend

Winter was on the rebound.  It came back, hard and cold, overnight.  But it’s temporary, like all things in this world.  The people of Ottawa seem transcendent to it all.  On Somerset Street, which is the location of a long running Govinda’s restaurant, managed by ISKCON’s Shankar, a native of Trinidad, the students of Ottawa U are bundled up as they walk on the way to their classes.

The location is very unique, a bungalow, comfortably situated in the mid-point of the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal.  Shankar and I were just reflecting on the idealness of the spot.  Always you find a trickle of persons on this street—24/7.  It can’t be better for location.

Because of the slope you tread on this street, you automatically warm up for the slight climb. I unfortunately did not make room in the day for such brisk walking.  I was occupied in people talk.  My visits are short.  Time is of the essence.  I’m making my visits to those who are on the front line of the mission.  It’s all about encouragement and, during certain moments, mentioning something that may stand as correction, or seeing and doing things in an alternative way.  They take the form of recommendations.

I flew to Mississauga for another gathering to do with fundraising for a glorious temple in India.  Handed to me was a 3D card sent to donors of the project.  It’s an image of the Divine as protector.  The reverse reads, “I bow down to Narasimha who is ferocious and heroic like Vishnu.  He is burning from every side.  He is terrific, auspicious and the death of death personified.”

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Tuesday, March 21^st, 2017

Russell, Ontario

Spring

Signs of spring.  It may have been the last blast of real winter which came in a few days ago, leaving remnants of snow piles in this area, but clearly the thaw is on.  Rivulets of water flow as the result of a major melt.  Snow, ice and water are three stages of one element and that’s what you see.

In Barrhaven, a suburb of Ottawa, where our sanga program was to be held, I witnessed nature’s power of the water-flow running under those piles—piles ready to collapse.  Every day, nature seems to take on a new form of it’s own.

In Barrhaven, at the home of Surrender and family, I had a captive audience of adults.  It was in the morning that I had a less captive audience of pre-schoolers.  Basically, they are Krishna kids at school in Russell.  I should say for these young whipper-snappers, I had to work very hard to gain their attention while reading about Krishna and the cowherd boys, His boys.  It required animation and implementing songs.  The teachers gave me informal words of praise.  Had I not become a swami, perhaps my vocation would have been that of a school teacher.

Now, for walking, today I took to somewhat of a frisky pacing in the new community centre, the old Registration Building with its 2500 square feet of expanse.  Nice structure.  In 1915 a major fire ripped through this town and practically flattened everything except this building.  It’s solid, for sure, and it’s now being used for devotion.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Monday, March 20^th, 2017

Russell, Ontario

Pedestrian Horse

Daivata and I drove along Boundary Road and entered the precincts of Russell, a bedroom community to Ottawa, the nation’s capital.  By the way, Canada is 150 years old this year.  We passed by a fair-sized sign reading, “Russell Trails.”

Okay, this is a town that takes pride in walkways that take you through the ‘backwoods’, so to speak.  Daivata and I were fixed on the objective—let’s explore.

And so we did.  Relieved of our vehicle, we checked it out, the snow laden trail of tranquility that is edged by family homes on one side and farmer’s fields on the other.  At a juncture of a gravel road, we ventured to the right on country dirt.  There came a woman with her twenty-five year old stallion.  He was being walked and I must say, I rarely meet pedestrian horses.

We gave him a good stroke of affection.  I was realizing how very important it is for man to reach out to animal.  History tells that they are inseparable in their service to each other.  I could elaborate, but later.

Service is a common theme for today.  It is Krishna Dulal who champions this.  Within one year he opened a pre-school here, a restaurant (only vegetarian preps and prasadam served) and purchased a community centre—the old Registry Building, now in function.  I was there to inaugurate the event with kirtan chanting and some words of appreciation to their community that’s taking bold steps.

We then feasted.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Saturday, March 18^th, 2017

Montreal, Quebec

Train Ride

It was a really pleasant train ride.  I got caught up on sleep.  At the Cornwall stop, heading for Montreal, Joe Karwat came to sit next to me.  Bearded, polite (he referred to me as “sir” each time he would say something) and a good conversationalist, he mentioned he met Krishna monks on the street about ten years ago.

“They gave me a cookie.”

“How was it?”

“I haven’t eaten it yet.”

“Really?  All this time you’ve been keeping the cookie?” I asked.  At this point I knew he couldn’t be put in the Cookie Monster category.  Oh well.  He was nice.

Shortly after arriving at the central train station, myself and a group of members from the Krishna community made it to the underground subway station at Concordia for kirtan.  The kirtan was lively.  Thousands upon thousands of passersby—commuters—heard our sound, and many nodded in approval.

After two hours of this sweetness, I sat with the ISKCON council members who are revered as the elders, along with the next generation of twenty or so highly devotional and qualified younger folks, some who are still in school and some who are well established in the professional world.

Our topic was “Succession Planning.”  The natural theme I posed, being the facilitator, was, “Can you all work co-operatively to succeed the current group with your innovation, sincerity and devotion, and work within a time-line?”

It was an overwhelming positive response.  All were happy.  I have expectations for their ongoing positive plans.

May the Source be with you!

1 km

Friday, March 17^th, 2017

Timmins, Ontario

Pastor Objecting

A local pastor responded to the CTV broadcast of my coming to town.  He seemed to have an issue with it.  Jenny, the yoga instructor who hosted me for the past three days, responded to his objection after he remarked that I represented the group from the ’70s that was driven out of town.

“No,” she texted back, stating there was nothing to fear and that he (me) is here to teach wholesomeness, wellness and a better quality of life.

Riken and I took his objection as a sign that we shook things up a bit in town.  The attendance and enthusiasm revealed people were excited about something different.  One person remarked that motivational material is plentiful but it’s rare to meet someone who follows and lives it.  At least three people told me they sang the maha mantra in their home (or the shower) this morning, after our kirtan session.

When Riken and I took our walk this afternoon, we reflected on the presentation of two days earlier.  Snow-mobiles whizzed by when we were bathed in the sweetness of thought, the sunshine and the bright snow’s presence.  Along with Jenny, we took the time to get close to the wilderness abounding.  We fed elk, a moose and even a bison, while onboard a wagon pulled by tractor-power.

In Timmins we got close to people, wildlife and nature.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Thursday, March 16^th, 2017

Timmins, Ontario

Broke the Ice

I feel like I broke the ice today.  Not literally.  I was actually skidding on the stuff and sinking into snow.  I bypassed some snowmobiles and met up with a guide, an older bearded guy with most likely his two grandkids, fairly deep in the woods.  That was awesome.

By ‘breaking the ice’ I mean I broke the back of my routine.  Avoiding the out-of-doors is where I’ve been going because any footwear wrapped around the gout foot is painful.  But that was not the case today.  Swelling has gone down and so a walk in the woods was doable.  Thank God.

With a bright sun above and bright snow over the ground, it became as an irresistible temptation.  There were trails for snowmobiles and trails for snowshoeing.  I took full advantage.  I even lost my sense of direction and got happily lost.

Great!

I now had the excuse to find someone and ask them to put me back on track.  It is a fringe benefit of walking—getting to do some talking and make an endorsement toward neighbourliness.

“Just go down the road and hang a left at the curve.  That’s Cedar Meadows,” said the fellow whom I approached in his driveway.

With five kilometres under my snow-driven feet, I was whisked off by Riken to the yoga studio for part two of a presentation.

I promised everyone that we would take up some yoga dancing tonight.  That, then, is more glorious work for the feet.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Wednesday, March 15^th, 2017

Timmins, Ontario

I Did Fly

I would have loved to have walked, but it would have taken three weeks to go from Toronto to Timmins.  Flying was practical.  Somehow, Toronto avoided a major snow storm that engulfed the north-east directions, including New York City.  Blackouts and shut downs occurred everywhere, except where I departed from, so it seemed.  The plane did need to be de-iced though.

Soaring in the sky over this northern region, seven hundred kilometres north of Toronto, I saw revealed below, beautiful patterns of wiggly rivers and creeks, and a hilly terrain smoothed-out and softened by a moderate snow-spread.  Boreal and deciduous trees stood erect, pointing to the sun.  No city boxes inhabited this zone until we were getting close to Timmins itself, a mining town.

I was greeted byDr. Riken Patel, a pediatrician.  He brought me to the chalet at Cedar Meadows.  I met Jenny, the owner and proprietor of the Bodhi Tree Hot Yoga studio.  She arranged for Natalie Van Rooy of CTV to come for an interview with The Walking Monk.  Promotions for tonight’s event “Tales from Trails” included Natalie’s six o’clock news. http://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?clipId=1078824&binId=1.1142313&playlistPageNum=1

As a result of the word getting out, Jenny’s studio did reach a full capacity of people, enthusiasts who didn’t mind taking to the lotus position, and sitting on the floor.  My stories from as far back as 1996, when I did my first marathon walk, were as fresh in my mind as yesterday.  All were listening and then all were engaged in kirtan, chanting.

Boy, it was fun!

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Tuesday, March 14^th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

Newness

“Whatever is dead must go!” was my morning mood.  A good soak of the feet in some good Epsom salts in water did a great job of separating the old from the new—skin.

I believe you know what I’m talking about.  Old skin starts to peel off, and in some places, in an elastic-type of dynamic.  It is nice to reveal new skin and start afresh until it’s time for that covering to also go.  “A new lease on life,” is an expression that denotes a new start, much like being energized, repaired or rejuvenated.

I remember roaming the streets during my college days (brief as they were) on that quest, checking out different spiritual groups and churches.  I was truly looking for ‘something new’.  I didn’t just want to follow a dry routine of life where I ‘wake up in the morning, slug down a cup of coffee and go to the office for eight hours’.  I was pining for something different.  Lo and behold I met these bald-headed creatures who were dressed in what appeared to be orange bedsheets, and they gave me a ‘new’ optional way of life.

In the ’70s,  it was hard to find a vegetarian.  Well, these monks were purely into the non-violence.  I took a fancy to that mode of life and their way of mindfulness. “Let me try this out,” said my excited mind.  “Let me shed my moderate hippy-ism and see what the ancients from India used to do.”

I gave it a shot and I got sold on it.  Forty-four years later and I’m still at it.  I’m still shedding skin and feeling a newness every day.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Monday, March 13^th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

The Break

Students are content with their break from school.  I’ve answered the phone a few times from callers—parents—who were inquiring about the kid’s daycamp at the ashram where I live.

“Oh!  Yes, well, I’ll turn you over to someone who knows more about it than me.”  Eventually the caller would hear from either Geeta or Shyama Mohini, co-ordinators for a five-consecutive-day fun time, doing games, singing songs, eating together and stuff….  This is all done in a Krishna-centric environment, of course.

I popped my head in to peek at the younglings, anywhere from toddler to ten, in the temple room where most things were going on.  There was some noise.  That’s a sign of life.  It was safe sounding noise.

“Lots of energy,” Rukmini confirmed—a facilitator.

And I thought, “When properly channeled you get a great result.”  I also thought of the young children we read about in sastric texts and how they excelled because there was some good direction for them, the likes of Prahlad, Dhruva, Hanuman (who wasn’t totally human) and, naturally, Krishna and Rama.

I had to smile at the fun.  I believe I was a fairly happy kid.  I didn’t know Krishna at the time, but someone with a personality known as God, an overseeing well-wisher, protector.  Every child deserves that type of exposure and understanding.  Considering the crazy world in which we live, walls of security and fun are so essential.

I wish the best to them (all thirty of them) and all the children of the universe.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Sunday, March 12^th, 2017

Scarborough, Ontario

The Birth of Sankirtan

For the occasion, Gaura Purnima, the birth anniversary of Chaitanya, two venues were our destination points for our cultural presentation.  Come to think of it, we haven’t given a name to our piece, which was a narration, danced to in Odissi-style, and sung in Bengali with musical accompaniment.

Now none of us are Bengalis, but we did sing a song in that language—the language of our guru, Prabhupada—as well as the native tongue of the author of the song “Udilo Aruna.”  Bhaktivinode was a song-writer from Orissa who used the Bengali medium.

Here’s the song that I narrated in English for the Scarborough and Toronto crowds:

The Birth of Sankirtan

1.      When a tinge of red on the eastern horizon heralded the sunrise, the jewel of the brahmanas, Gaura, immediately awakened. Taking His followers with Him, He went all over the countryside, visiting the towns and villages of Nadia.

2.      The Khol drums resounded, “tathai tathai.”  The five cymbals chimed in time, and Gaura’s foot bells jingled as His golden form trembled slightly in ecstatic love for the Divine.

3.      Gaura called out to the townsfolk, “Perhaps we are wasting time—sleeping?  Then much time spent on decorating the body?  Try this vibration, with its sweet names, ‘Mukunda?  Madhava?  Yadhava!  Hari!’ engaging our full voices.”

4.      This human body, among all collective species, is a rare gift.  We must ask ourselves, “Just what are you doing?”  Have you given sufficient thought to this question?  If you do not see to the love of the darling of Yashoda, Krishna, it would be a great loss—a shame.

5.      Each time the sun rises and sets, a day passes and is lost.  Why then remain idle, and not honour the Lord of the heart?

6.      Understand this essential fact: life is temporary and full of all kinds of challenges.  So make it a priority by being under the protection of the sweet names and remain engaged in divine service.

7.      Desiring to bless all entities, the sweet name has descended to this world as a response to the need of ending the darkness of ignorance, as this sound shines like the sun in the sky of the heart.

8.      Drinking the pure nectar of the name satisfies the author of the song, Bhaktivinode.  There is nothing but the sacred name within all the 14 worlds.

(End of song)

Additional narration:

People listened to Gaura, the Golden Avatar.  Why wouldn’t they?  He was beautifully imposing at a stature of seven feet tall, broad shouldered, with a chest of a lion, eyes captivating, hair a-flow, as He danced with a swing and a sway.

The villagers were taken by the sight and sound.  With their hearts now embraced, they were motivated to move themselves and to surrender their voices in a splendorous volume, their bodies in rhythmic back-and-forth motion.

Gaura journeyed from one village to the next, offering a new engagement, a new way of being.  He made His plea.  His sharing had been done and all in good fun.  A mission had taken hold, one that would be rather bold in its projection throughout the globe.

To those who participate in Sankirtan, a warmth, a fullness and a love are achieved.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Saturday, March 11^th, 2017

Milton, Ontario

Get Ready for Gaura

My walking is strictly indoors right now, and that is very embarrassingly limited.  The gout can’t, at this point, handle the squeeze of the shoes.  I was driven by Nakula, the young son of Umesh, to his home.  Umesh was with me in Cuba.  We swam off the bay in Cienfuegos, where boldly he would grab palm-sized jellyfish and toss them out of his way.  Brave!

Umesh had deities installed in his home in Milton today—deities of Gaura and Nitai.  The entire world of Vaishnavas in the line of Gaura (the golden avatar) is gearing up for his birth anniversary tomorrow.  In lieu of this, we are also basically preparing for the celebrations tomorrow with a bhajan/dance presentation in His honour.

Gaura, also known as Chaitanya, was quite the chanter, and quite the walker.  He roamed throughout the countryside, going from village to village, encouraging the culture of song and dance.  His mission was unofficially inaugurated in the first decade of the 16^th century in Bengal and then beyond.  It spread throughout the sub-continent of India.  Kirtan is the word affiliated with Chaitanya.

Not everyone is fully aware of kirtan just yet.  For instance, Greg, a good friend of mine, who arrived during our practice time for bhajan, recently met a girl with an OM tattoo on her arm.  He asked her if she knew what OM meant.

“Something to do with yoga?” she guessed.

“Yes, but you’re not familiar with kirtan?”

“What’s that?”

It looks like Chaitanya’s influence still needs expanding; a little extra push from adherents like us perhaps?

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Friday, March 10th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

The View

In our ashram, in what are called Prabhupada’s quarters, I sat and admired the view of the outside.  The window facing south is a cathedral-arched frame exposing the sky.  Cloudy and hazy with sunshine trying to pierce through is how I see the space above.  On one level slightly below, spring-budding branches dance on the chest of Vayu, the master of the wind.  Victorian house rooftops are also within my vision.

A leisurely park, recently renovated, is just south of the homes, adding green space to the neighbourhood.  May (I pray) it stay that way.

“We don’t need any more highrises around here,” I mentioned to Gaurachandra of Hungary. He had come to join and bring that view of optimism, a view which leads the eyes to contemplate the lake five kilometres further south—one of the Great Lakes.

People living in the city forget about this massive body of water, a body of beauty.  We need to revere such bodies and not lust in greed over how much profit can be made from building and blocking a God-given waterfront view.

Developers—I sometimes brood over their exploits, unless, of course, they are allowing trees and foliage to do their thing.

In 2015, I walked across the city of Detroit on a one-day pilgrimage.  Some of the neighbourhoods had been devastated by neglect.  Some homes had been broken into years before.  Some had been burned down, leaving empty lots.  These dynamics have somehow allowed nature to take its course.  That’s glorious!

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Thursday, March 9th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

What I Ask!

One mantra that I use when greeting someone in the ashram is actually a question. “Did you get a good rest?” implying “was it deep, was it full and more-or-less uninterrupted?”

I don’t go so far as to probe into their dreams. “Did you dream of Krishna? About guru?” That is very personal and let’s keep it that way—not that it’s wrong to ask.

The answers will be diverse, depending on who you ask and on which day, because it is never an definite yes or no.  It’s usually within the range of ‘anywhere in-between’.

As the day wears on, so do passions.  Speed and depth of involvement grow in intensity.  Do I then dare to ask, “How’s your day?” Those who immerse themselves in devotion have a soul-gratifying day, or should.  Physically, there will always be a challenge so that answer will have its range as well. In any event people feel good that you care.

This afternoon I did a trial-run walking in the park outside our ashram.  I couldn’t go too far with the gout-infected foot. I had to turn around after ten minutes and resume a gentler stroll inside the temple.

Woe is me! I’m anticipating this walk in May, beginning in Nebraska, with two good feet at the base of my legs. God, please help! The gout bulge is sizeable and any shoe placed around it puts on an uneasy squeeze.

“Patience!” reminds my doctor, Dr. Pandit.  “Just try to get a good rest.”

May the Source be with you!

2 km