Etobicoke/Toronto
Park Hopping
My day of thrills began at the front door in the morning. I was poised to go for a stroll with visitor/monk, Bhakti Prabhava Swami, when an exploring raccoon shimmered his way up the cedar out front. I got close, stroked his back, and then he posed for that perfect picture. He didn’t snarl at me. Thanks young fella!
At 9:00 a.m., Ananda and I started a rehearsal with some of our female dancers using dandiya, decorated sticks that make a click-clack when the dancer makes a twirl. The sticks meet to the beat, and it is Ananda who provides the rhythm with her djembe. It went well.
I was then whisked away to attend a funeral at the Lotus Cremation Centre. A pious Hindu and devotee, Ramlagum, lived a full life and left this world at a ripe mature age. Ananda and Kishor accompanied me for the singing of bhajans. I gave several messages from the Gita. “We are spirits—not these bodies.” “We advance through service to others.” I believe the family was content to hear our mantras as a voice-over to the last rites. Bless Ram’s soul!
Evening came, as it always does, and Jai, Connor and I walked down some streets in a city whose team won the game in basketball playoffs. The Toronto Raptors were winning so far. We also went park-hopping, sitting on benches, chanting a round of Japa in each of those green spaces, from Taddle Creek Park to St. Alban’s Square, to Jean Sibelius Square, Toronto Archives, Sergeant Ryan Russell, to Jay McPherson Green.
May the Source be with you!
5 km
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