Monday 15 October 2018

Friday, October 5th, 2018

Moundsville, West Virginia

Birthday in a Rustic Setting

“Let’s not make it too formal, even weird,” I suggested to Vraj, one of the organizers. Sometimes I find we do things in an over-kill fashion when it comes to glorifying someone on their birthday. Today it’s mine, so after a walk toward an old farm, a tiny celebration was held in the Yoga Shala with the highlight being a grainless, lotus-shaped cake, prepared by a local master at the task—Laksman.  The program of mixed formality and casualness went on, and then the main purpose of our coming to remoteness in the hills of West Virginia—the men’s retreat, designed for Krishna Conscious guys.

The turn out?  Not bad for a first within a Krishna Conscious framework.  Anuttama is the principle coordinator and he’s doing a fabulous job.  The program thus far included kirtan, some presentations to do with men’s concerns, and how our performance in the world can make a difference.  I led a walk/kirtanto the Palace of Gold, which culminated in more of the same inside the beautiful structure, followed by a bonfire and tales of the early days in the rustic setting. https://www.instagram.com/p/BooQfTMlTVf/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=sj4aj1lgksltIn fact, it’s been fifty years since the inception of this place, New Vrndavan, the first rural project, begun by our guru, Prabhupada.  The first cow arrived in ’69, and the cow culture here continues to this day at the Go-Shala.

Numbers of people keep streaming in; even our team of monks, brahmacharis,from Canada are here.

It’s been one of my best birthdays and that sentiment is shared by Michael of Cleveland.

May the Source be with you!
6 km


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