Thursday, November 26th, 2020

Yorkville, Toronto

 

An Interview

 

Ambika Di Maria interviewed me last week and came back with a transcription of the talk. Here is a short excerpt:

 

How did you become known as the “Walking Monk?”

Bhaktimarga Swami: First of all, let’s start with how I came to be a monk in the first place, and secondly a “walking monk.”

 

I was born and raised on a farm in Southwestern Ontario and my parents used to take me to church. Of my own volition I would go to mass before I went to school during the week, on school days. So, I had that spiritual inclination and that kind of carried on through the years.

 

When I entered my high school period, I started to doubt a little bit about if the spiritual practices that I was involved in were a very genuine thing. I was questioning some of the values and practices. During that time of contemplation and deliberation I met some members of the Hare Krishna movement as they definitely represented something more from the East, with roots from India. I liked the philosophy. It didn’t change my mind about the nature of the Supreme. I gained much. Let’s say, for instance, one’s identity, to understand one’s identity, that you’re not a body but you’re a spiritual being.

 

I spent a number of years at the centre here in Toronto, doing various services… During one period, when I needed a break, back in 1995, I decided I would go for a walk across Canada. I just thought I wanted to do that as a gift and an offering to my guru. I wanted to get out there and see the world close up and do what swamis, or monks, traditionally do, which is to travel, meet people and connect with the elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether)…

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km