Friday 24 June 2022

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Assiniboine Park Zoo

With the Animals

Out of the courtesy of the ISKCON youth, I had the pleasure to spend time with them at the zoo. Now what can anyone learn from gawking at creatures that you can get fairly close to and admire like anything? Well, one perspective is you can see yourself in the various species that are exhibited. Yes, we were all there before; karmically engrossed in the eating-sleeping-mating-defending engagements. What unique experiences or stages we have gone through before reaching this human platform!

I asked the group about their highlights after viewing all that the facility had to offer. At the top of the list were the bison grazing (one of which was an albino) and the polar bears swimming in their preferred frigid water.

This visit gave the opportunity to be with our younger Vaishnavas. We picnicked and also engaged in meditative kirtan. One fairly eccentric lady, also a zoo visitor, heard and saw us drumming and shouted, “When does the belly dancing begin?”

While we are on the topic of music, Vrnda had arranged a gluten-free dinner for Emily, who has a family of musicians. Also, Greg, a music teacher, and Daniel, who conducts a choir at the Lutheran church, came for company and feasting, after which we all got to singing in front of Vrnda’s deities of Krishna at her address, 108 Chestnut Street. We delved into some melodies, some which are practically becoming extinct. There’s a concern there. What to do about the dying tunes?

May the Source be with you!

5 km


 

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