Miami, Florida
Living With the High King
No walking today. Being a passenger in a car—yes. From Tampa area, a group of us drove south to Miami. Temperatures are in the high 90s and it's humid. Upon arriving at a rented space on a floor in Coconut Grove, every AC unit and every fan was on, full-blast, to address this northern swami's needs.
The apartment filled up with guests, very quickly, for an evening sangha. My choice excerpt of reading was a passage from Shyamasundar's book, Chasing Rhinos with the Swami. Here is a quote from scholar, Plotinus, which our guru, Prabhupada, really approved.
"If the (individual) souls remain in the intelligible realm with the Soul, they are beyond harm, and share in the Soul's governance. They are like kings who live with the High King. But there comes a point at which they come down from this state, to one of individuality. They wish to become independent. When a soul remains for long in this withdrawal in estrangement from the whole, it becomes a thing fragmented, isolated, and weak."
This passage stirred up some interest, especially for one thoughtful eighteen year old. We discussed it in greater detail. Other questions came forward from the other youths, not challenging. Just clarity is what they were going for.
The meal was scrumptious, the chanting—so lively. I'm grateful to the organizers and also for my Gainesville hosts, Ananta Sesa and Vaishnavi.
May the Source be with you!
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