Omaha, Nebraska
At
Om-Maha!
“Do you speak English?” asked the young
father of two kids active at the playground.
“Yes, I do!” I said.
“Are they smudging?” he asked, referring to
the two monks, my helpers, Hayagriva and Marshall. They were sitting on the grass.
I simply replied, “They are actually
chanting. It’s like sharing a peace
pipe. They are purifying the atmosphere
with ancient Sanskrit mantras. It
benefits both the persons singing and those who are listening.”
“It’s very peaceful, soothing,” remarked
the man, who identified himself as Andrew.
He’s been struggling with life, has been to rehab but has been straight
and sober for two years and three months.
When he told me of this victory, I congratulated him.
“The chanting is something that grounds an
individual. Here is my card with the
mantra on the back. I just finished a
cross-country U.S.A. walk and have been chanting a lot of it.” I also gave him the book, On Chanting,
and a second one, How to Make a Deal With
the Universe, which I had an extra copy of and is authored by Rami Bleckt,
a friend and bhakti yogi. https://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Deal-Universe-English/dp/5990198752
Andrew was most appreciative and I was
pleased to have met him. “Please keep in
touch.”
I had also been keeping in contact with
another young father, Josh, who came over to the park—Westwood Heights—to see
me. He also partook of the apparent
“smudge.”
More chanting took place in Omaha, in the
company of Bhaskar, where we had gathered last summer as I was making my way on
foot to the west. It was a great day on
wheels and in the park. I managed,
however, to squeeze in two miles on foot.
May the Source be with you!
2 miles
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