Saturday, 7 October 2017

Wednesday, October 4th, 2017

North York, Ontario

Clean and Shine

My mind is most peaceful when things are clean, and so, gradually, I’m going about the ashram and mandir (temple) where I live, and addressing the accumulated dust, dirt, crumbs and misplacements.  There is so little help these days.  Few young men reside in the ashram.  They’re better off travelling anyways, which is what they are doing.  The few able ones who do reside with us are, for the most part, off at work or school.

I see it as a glorious service to pick up a broom, dust pan, then mop and water bucket and work away.  Naturally when visitors come by and they see a swami at labour, they may volunteer.  That’s also a good feeling for me—engaging others.  It’s about as sweet as seeing all the dirt wash away.  Therapeutic–it is.

I also had the good blessings to see siblings.  My sister Pauline is a hair dresser for the rich and she invited me to her home where Connie, another sister, and bro Jerry also happened to drop by.  Connie teaches.  Jerry’s a photographer.  The gathering was actually a pre-birthday party for me.  At this full moon, I’ll be 65.

Pauline checked out, online, Hare Krishna cake recipes and came out with something rather successful.

To get to her home, I took the subway to Sheppard and Yonge.  Then, not knowing which way and being greeted by an ominous dark cloud above, I asked for directions because the western sun was not visible.  It’s funny that people don’t have their directions quite right in their own city.  I was misled and went the wrong way through some rain, but that’s okay, I got some walking in.

May the Source be with you!

6 km


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