B L O G S P O T
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Sunday, January 1st, 2012
Tenor Voice Has a Place
Toronto, Ontario
Darren is a tenor opera singer who's fairly young and at 23 has already run for a political position in a recent campaign. Good for him! Better still, he's getting his spiritual life together.
"It's been 10 months that I've been chanting and been with Krishna devotees," he told me. "And it's been wonderful."
Darren and I were strutting along in the Rosedale residential area after the annual "Prabhupada Festival" at night when he was reflecting on his good fortune. Of course, I couldn't contain myself, I just had to tell him how great walking is for a singer's set of lungs in addition to the spiritual benefits. Also, being of political mind, Darren was curious about the social and administrative structure of ISKCON. So I responded. In brief, our founder, Srila Prabhupada took a strong stand for autonomy and not centralization while at the same time all projects were accountable to a Governing Body Commission.
This was but a tiny portion of our dialogue. Before you know it, we had 8 kilometres under our feet, something he admitted to not being used to. And to a momentary chagrin I had not chanted one full mantra on this stroll, something that I'm not used to.
It just so happens that Darren is enthused now to take a pilgrimage to India with me in February. There I will engage him in using his tenor voice at a very special place in Mayapura, West Bengal at the site of the Puspa Samadhi building which receives vocals so well and less so, musical instruments due to the structure's acoustical dynamic.
I'm really looking forward to the pilgrimage and being in a position to answer his questions plus hear him chant in operatic style, the maha mantra.
8 Km
Toronto, Ontario
Darren is a tenor opera singer who's fairly young and at 23 has already run for a political position in a recent campaign. Good for him! Better still, he's getting his spiritual life together.
"It's been 10 months that I've been chanting and been with Krishna devotees," he told me. "And it's been wonderful."
Darren and I were strutting along in the Rosedale residential area after the annual "Prabhupada Festival" at night when he was reflecting on his good fortune. Of course, I couldn't contain myself, I just had to tell him how great walking is for a singer's set of lungs in addition to the spiritual benefits. Also, being of political mind, Darren was curious about the social and administrative structure of ISKCON. So I responded. In brief, our founder, Srila Prabhupada took a strong stand for autonomy and not centralization while at the same time all projects were accountable to a Governing Body Commission.
This was but a tiny portion of our dialogue. Before you know it, we had 8 kilometres under our feet, something he admitted to not being used to. And to a momentary chagrin I had not chanted one full mantra on this stroll, something that I'm not used to.
It just so happens that Darren is enthused now to take a pilgrimage to India with me in February. There I will engage him in using his tenor voice at a very special place in Mayapura, West Bengal at the site of the Puspa Samadhi building which receives vocals so well and less so, musical instruments due to the structure's acoustical dynamic.
I'm really looking forward to the pilgrimage and being in a position to answer his questions plus hear him chant in operatic style, the maha mantra.
8 Km
Saturday, December 31st, 2011
Year Finishing
Vaughan, Ontario
The real trekking for today was the round trip (on foot) from the ashram to Toronto's old city hall and back. Purpose? I went to take part in what proves to be one of the most exciting chanting sessions of the year - the New Year's countdown. Unique about this kirtan is that dozens of people take the 3.5 km trek back to the ashram after chanting with the rest of us. We arrived after a 3 hour chanting, in other words, 3 AM in the morning. An unforgettable party!
Three outreach New Year's Eve programs preceded the countdown and all were sweet.
I can't resist taking an exerpt from the book, "Surprises Around the Bend" and sharing it. On Mother Theresa: "In 1948 she arrived in the slums of Calcutta, but she was still not sure she had made the right decision. Could she really identify with these people? After praying for God's ugidance, she formulated a plan to walk through the slums and see what would happen. She quoted: 'I walked and walked all the time, until I couldn't walk anymore. Then I understood better the exhaustion of the really poor, always in search of a little food, of medicines, of everything.'
"That specific walk proved to be pivotal in resolving whether or not to accept the promptings of her heart. Yes, she could live like the people she sought to help. Though she had no shelter, no money, no employment, no security, somehow she believed God would provide."
8 Km
Vaughan, Ontario
The real trekking for today was the round trip (on foot) from the ashram to Toronto's old city hall and back. Purpose? I went to take part in what proves to be one of the most exciting chanting sessions of the year - the New Year's countdown. Unique about this kirtan is that dozens of people take the 3.5 km trek back to the ashram after chanting with the rest of us. We arrived after a 3 hour chanting, in other words, 3 AM in the morning. An unforgettable party!
Three outreach New Year's Eve programs preceded the countdown and all were sweet.
I can't resist taking an exerpt from the book, "Surprises Around the Bend" and sharing it. On Mother Theresa: "In 1948 she arrived in the slums of Calcutta, but she was still not sure she had made the right decision. Could she really identify with these people? After praying for God's ugidance, she formulated a plan to walk through the slums and see what would happen. She quoted: 'I walked and walked all the time, until I couldn't walk anymore. Then I understood better the exhaustion of the really poor, always in search of a little food, of medicines, of everything.'
"That specific walk proved to be pivotal in resolving whether or not to accept the promptings of her heart. Yes, she could live like the people she sought to help. Though she had no shelter, no money, no employment, no security, somehow she believed God would provide."
8 Km
Friday, December 30th, 2011
Surprises!
Toronto, Ontario
What a grand day of surprises - mostly good! Firstly, another accident destined vehicle going down the Dupont/Avenue Road area, spun out of control and this time it hit our temple/ashram building. It totalled our north barriered fence while the driver did survive. Thank God!
Next surprise! I received a call from Dr. Vikram Jal in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. He told me of the good news that the deal is done; that a property not far from his home has been purchased, a building on one acre for monk-training purposes.
Our head brahmachari (monk) in Canada, Nitai Ram, originating by this purchase of a space that will provide facility for men who want to have that monk experience. Students will come there to have the full on Krishna Conscious training for taking to a time of learning, discipline and fun all wrapped up in one. We are ever so grateful to Vikram for being so progressive and so generous, I can't thank him enough.
Shortly after Vikram's call I received a notice slip from the local Post Office. Post Office? Who uses those places these days in the time of electronic dispatches? My good friend Akilananda from Ohio had sent me a cast mold of the footprints of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the historic world leader of mantra disemination. Chaitanya was a great walker and a great guru of bhakti. This imprint will adorn a space on our second floor where we have a pictorial display of Chaitanya. Thanks, Akilananda! You are a good friend.
Finally, without expectation, I received a gift in the form of a book, "Surprises Around the Bend" by Richard A. Hasler. Talk about surprises! Here's a great publication about 50 adventurous walks among them Francis of Assisi, John Bunyan, Mother Theresa and the Peace Pilgrim. I am indebted to Ananda Vrindavan for the thoughtful gift. I recall walking through her town in Ireland in 2008. How thougtful of her. My obeisance! This is one of the best days of my life.
5 Km
Toronto, Ontario
What a grand day of surprises - mostly good! Firstly, another accident destined vehicle going down the Dupont/Avenue Road area, spun out of control and this time it hit our temple/ashram building. It totalled our north barriered fence while the driver did survive. Thank God!
Next surprise! I received a call from Dr. Vikram Jal in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. He told me of the good news that the deal is done; that a property not far from his home has been purchased, a building on one acre for monk-training purposes.
Our head brahmachari (monk) in Canada, Nitai Ram, originating by this purchase of a space that will provide facility for men who want to have that monk experience. Students will come there to have the full on Krishna Conscious training for taking to a time of learning, discipline and fun all wrapped up in one. We are ever so grateful to Vikram for being so progressive and so generous, I can't thank him enough.
Shortly after Vikram's call I received a notice slip from the local Post Office. Post Office? Who uses those places these days in the time of electronic dispatches? My good friend Akilananda from Ohio had sent me a cast mold of the footprints of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the historic world leader of mantra disemination. Chaitanya was a great walker and a great guru of bhakti. This imprint will adorn a space on our second floor where we have a pictorial display of Chaitanya. Thanks, Akilananda! You are a good friend.
Finally, without expectation, I received a gift in the form of a book, "Surprises Around the Bend" by Richard A. Hasler. Talk about surprises! Here's a great publication about 50 adventurous walks among them Francis of Assisi, John Bunyan, Mother Theresa and the Peace Pilgrim. I am indebted to Ananda Vrindavan for the thoughtful gift. I recall walking through her town in Ireland in 2008. How thougtful of her. My obeisance! This is one of the best days of my life.
5 Km
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