Sat, Jun. 7, 2008 - Atlanta, Georgia, USA
There were emotional moments for me. The location for the weekend's Chariot festival was Piedmont Park, the very place visited by our guru, Srila Prabhupada, in February of 1975. I happened to be here when he took that walk in the cold. He wore a tailor made saffron coat. His Hands and face were exposed while holding his cane. It was biting cold outside yet he expressed an aloofness while our small travelling party of monks from Canada were feeling the chill.
During his trip to Atlanta Prabhupada had displayed some transcendental ecstacies. He had sat down before us in the temple's main room to teach us a devotional Bengali song, "Parama Karuna" in reference to the grace or mercy that flows from guru and God.
Seeing this park in the city where memorable moments creeped up on me during the Ratha Yatra, Festival of Cahriots, through Piedmont Park left me in awe. The temperature during the chariot procession reached 102 degrees fahrenheit. With the other extreme in climate we were still not able to transcend the extremity.
7 Km
B L O G S P O T
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Monday, 7 July 2008
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Monday, June 16th, 2008
Monday, June 16th, 2008 - Cloverdale, British Columbia, Canada
I had been interviewed at a television studio for a live-to-tape session on a program called "Search" to do with exploring faiths. Raif Mair, the host, fired off questions in reference to many gods for instance. Response: "God is omnipotent and therefore has the power to manifest many forms although essentially is one."
He also asked about our view on women and their role, about Arjuna, Krishna's warrior friend in the Bhagavad-gita, which I referred to as our Bible. He really wanted to know why a Caucasian person would take to this eastern philosophy and how one may get involved. I mentioned that for many people, spiritual life starts with what they see, hear or read. Of course, an all attractive feature of life in Krishna Consciousness is the chanting. Like many faiths, people come together to sing hymns or recite incantations. Overall, the interview went alright.
The late afternoon left me with crammed personal sessions with people. My remark on people today is that the Creator made humans so complex.
While walking earlier this morning on a trail and under the sky train, a skunk passed in front of me and I broke into a grin. I thought, "Somehow you are lucky. You have been made to be simple. When you evolve to become a human, complexities will overtake you."
7 km
I had been interviewed at a television studio for a live-to-tape session on a program called "Search" to do with exploring faiths. Raif Mair, the host, fired off questions in reference to many gods for instance. Response: "God is omnipotent and therefore has the power to manifest many forms although essentially is one."
He also asked about our view on women and their role, about Arjuna, Krishna's warrior friend in the Bhagavad-gita, which I referred to as our Bible. He really wanted to know why a Caucasian person would take to this eastern philosophy and how one may get involved. I mentioned that for many people, spiritual life starts with what they see, hear or read. Of course, an all attractive feature of life in Krishna Consciousness is the chanting. Like many faiths, people come together to sing hymns or recite incantations. Overall, the interview went alright.
The late afternoon left me with crammed personal sessions with people. My remark on people today is that the Creator made humans so complex.
While walking earlier this morning on a trail and under the sky train, a skunk passed in front of me and I broke into a grin. I thought, "Somehow you are lucky. You have been made to be simple. When you evolve to become a human, complexities will overtake you."
7 km
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
Sunday, June 15th, 2008 - Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Over the weekend I met a host of interesting folks. Sebastian is a Spanish man who discovered Krishna. He informed me that he was formerly a Catholic priest but wanted marriage so he left the order to explore other avenues. He came upon devotees and fell in love with chanting.
Another young chap is a close relative to our dear god-brother know well to many of us monks world-wide as 'The Jolly Swami'. Sridhar Swami was a Canadian born soul-searching fellow who became captivated by the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. The unique thing about him was his great wealth of jokes and good humour. We were sorry to see him leave his body just five years ago in India. Sridhar's young cousin is now in the phase of his life searching for a deeper meaning and I saw in him what his Jolly Swami cousin must have been like four decades ago - young and full of wonder.
I saw a young woman of 23 for the first time since her being a toddler. Her mother had her living in our temple but left to feel out what the world had to offer. She came back full circle more recently with the daughter bright and intelligent.
I mean the encounter with people was all positive. While on a chanting session on the grass at Central Park, a Chinese fellow was drawn to ask questions. The best spot to be in the world is not necessarily the grass and fine sun above, but where you are asked to be a teacher even just for a few minutes.
7km
Over the weekend I met a host of interesting folks. Sebastian is a Spanish man who discovered Krishna. He informed me that he was formerly a Catholic priest but wanted marriage so he left the order to explore other avenues. He came upon devotees and fell in love with chanting.
Another young chap is a close relative to our dear god-brother know well to many of us monks world-wide as 'The Jolly Swami'. Sridhar Swami was a Canadian born soul-searching fellow who became captivated by the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. The unique thing about him was his great wealth of jokes and good humour. We were sorry to see him leave his body just five years ago in India. Sridhar's young cousin is now in the phase of his life searching for a deeper meaning and I saw in him what his Jolly Swami cousin must have been like four decades ago - young and full of wonder.
I saw a young woman of 23 for the first time since her being a toddler. Her mother had her living in our temple but left to feel out what the world had to offer. She came back full circle more recently with the daughter bright and intelligent.
I mean the encounter with people was all positive. While on a chanting session on the grass at Central Park, a Chinese fellow was drawn to ask questions. The best spot to be in the world is not necessarily the grass and fine sun above, but where you are asked to be a teacher even just for a few minutes.
7km
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