Mississauga, Ontario
Like Minded People
Jason is the latest friend I
made. The strategy to making friends is simple: sit at the park bench along the
trail where pedestrians stroll. What stops some people is the monk’s attire.
It’s different.
Jason stopped and we started
talking. I believe the conversation began with chatting about the weather. From
there the dialogue included walking on a marathon level. I told him it was a
half a century since I took up monastic life. He was impressed. Later on in the
evening he sent a text message saying how he enjoyed the encounter. It was on
the basis of a mantra card with my contact on it that he was encouraged
to follow up.
The evening had me meet with old
friends in the household of Gunam, from South India. The people he invited were
family and friends, and, through a Zoom call with other groups from Hamilton,
Welland, Barrie and Philly, we discussed verse 18.72 from the Gita.
In this verse, Krishna
demonstrates His kind and caring nature. Said one of the attendees, Dharma,
“Krishna offers independence and doesn’t force love.” He went on saying that in
this portion of the Gita, Krishna more or less rounds up the dialogue
with questions. “Have you heard me? Are your illusions dispelled? Now that
you’ve heard, you can do as you like, Arjuna.”
We also spoke about what real
wealth is. It has little to do with having a Swiss bank account, and more to do
with spiritual cultivation and making spiritual buddies; cherishing that kind
of sangha, circle of bhakti, in the form of like-minded people.
May the Source be with you!
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