Saturday, June 9th, 2012

I knew you were coming

Quebec City, Quebec

Bonjour!  We drove to Quebec City in the province by the same name.  The only thing is, being confined to an automobile makes my legs very antsy.  It’s an austerity for me while being in a moving vehicle at 110 km/hour, while it is natural for Daruka.  But as usual, I find ways and means to find a trail and time to trek.  Before embarking on the journey, I put time in by taking on foot the route that we were going to drive.  While Daruka loaded up and turned the key into the ignition, I walked and eventually he found me. 

On the Trans Canada Highway, Daruka and I spotted a hitchhiker; we agreed to be the good Samaritan and to give him a lift.  In comes Michael, who is an Inuit, formerly referred to as Eskimos.  He was born in Nunavut, Canada’s supreme north. 

“I knew you were coming,” said the handsome young 23 year old.  “A crow told me.  He came near me on the road and cawed and then you showed up.”  By talking to him Daruka and I learned that he dropped out of school very young and that he learned more from being in the forest than anywhere else.  I asked him if he’s a nomad and the answer was yes.  He takes a knife and a rope with him and that’s all he needs to keep up survival for a two week stretch in the wilderness.  I got to Michael more since we got to walking together for a 5 Km jaunt along the highway as Daruka took a break and gassed up.  Michael struck me as being very promising for the future.  He’s given up hard drugs, but “still smokes pot,” he said.  Gradually, I thought, he could come out of these dependencies, but it all depends on the company you keep.  We talked about the wild things of vegetation that he could live on when he’s not in the city but in the wild.  It turns out I will be able to tell him a few things he wasn’t aware of about nature’s edibles.  I also learned a few things from him about the ways of his ancestors.  A friendship started.  I offered to be his big brother and he accepted.  “When in need, contact me,” I said.  Then on Daurka and I drove.  Michael was left to the road, heading west.  He stuck out his thumb, trying to get a lift.  What adventures await him, we are not sure.  We left him with the maha mantra for his exploration.  Daruka and I drove off searching for a campsite, roughing it up, it being our first night for tenting since starting the trip to PEI, New Brunswick, and now Quebec.

16 Km

More Pics of New Brunswick

Florenceville covered bridge

Woodstock Wellness Centre gathering

 Florenceville welcomes Bhaktimarga Swami

Talking to June in Perth-Andover, NB

BMS and old brick church

Swami crossing bridge

BMS and new friends outside St. John, NB library

Fredericton: O'Dell Lodge gathering

Karuna Sindhu, Daruka & Billie the parrot

Interview with Alison from Woodstock, NB newspaper

BMS and new friends outside St. John

St. Andrews, NB Mural 

Roadkill near Woodstock, NB

Carole's farmhands and devotees near Moncton

Daruka & Billie at Hartland covered bridge

Chatting with ambulance drivers

BMS walks by typical country house

Florenceville covered bridge

Porcupine roadkill 

Chatting with Peter, whose family has run the Bath grocery store since 1959

Old train bridge converted to walking bridge near Florenceville, NB

Walking with the Nova Scotia Brahmacaris on trail in New Brunswick

A typical farmer's field in New Brunswick

Walking with Karuna Sindhu under highway tunnel

Nepalese devotee gives Maharaj chadar after program in Fredericton

 Chatting with Peter, whose family has run the Bath grocery store since 1959;

Friday, June 8th, 2012

Water and People

Perth - Andover, NB

By the time I reached this town situated along the Saint John River, the devastating aftermath of a flood in late March was nearing its end.  People are getting their lives together again.  One man that Daruka and I met was moving back into his house after the waters that came in and destroyed all his appliances.  The Scotia Bank that I passed by had water levels up to four feet in its interior, and a doctor friend of ours, Henri Houshman, from Iran, has been on house calls since that time when the hospital closed and moved its patients to facilities in nearby Woodstock.  Such are the forces of nature.  Nature is a people mover.  Had I been here at the time of the flood, I might have been dubbed, ‘The Swimming Monk’.

The Bugle Observer Paper that serves the area reached the newsstands this morning with a cover story entitled, “The Walking Monk Visits Woodstock’.  The response from motorists was phenomenal as they saw the same person strolling along the road as was found on the front page.  One man pulled over, offered his pranamas, folded palms, and said “Thank you for spreading peace.”  The article by Allison Adire, also included mention of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, and lays out each word of the maha mantra.  Jane, a woman with luminescent green laces on her shoes, came out of her car to greet Daruka, Billy the parrot, and I, and expressed that we had come to brighten up the town.  You can imagine how the morale of the town had been because of the flood.

Next to this which had additional colour photos on page two, was shared on the front page an article by Brian Tate, about a local man receiving sentence, only 90 days, for making child porn available to others.  That’s a slap on the wrist, isn’t it?  I think in addition to his meager prison term, a good long walk across the country, eating on a vegetarian diet, and chanting mantras all day on 30 KMs could help the dude.  That would be a good rehab program, and knock some reality into him.  I don’t mind if he travels with me for a bit.  We will have healing things to talk about.  Anyways, you have to question the justice system. 

This is the last day trekking in NB, the state of Maine is right next to us in Pert - Andover.  Daruka and I had planned that this beautiful province with its great people had been traversed sufficiently with a span of east west and also quite a trek going north.  We will then move on to or drive up to la belle province, in Quebec. 

17 Km

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Needles and Friends

Kilburn, New Brunswick

The great thing about yesterday’s presentation at the Wellness Centre in Woodstock was the attendance by local folks including a farmer who does his daily hour walk before getting to a tractor. There was also a member of a butcher family, who came forward to purchase A Higher Taste. On our display table we featured this publication on vegetarian dishes. I was also thrilled to have some First Nations people present. Prior to our arrival, they did some smudging to purify the space.

In the past two weeks attendees were just so responsive. Venues, although not too large, but adequate, became full. Woodstock was no exception. The people were great.

Now I’m back on the NB Trail, a segment of the Trans Canada Trail System. I still have the Saint John river to my left side as I head North. I came upon one Wendell Philmore in the village of Juniper. He was toiling in the soil, planting tomatoes, beans, peppers and such in his garden. I met with him. You see, sometimes I have to come out of my comfort zone now and then. The trail I’m on sends a natural message to keep going, but the reason I’m out here in the first place, is to connect with souls, humans included.

After my conversation with Wendell, I met Pointy. That’s not his actual name, it’s the name I gave him. On the trail (and here the path appears less travelled) was a porcupine. Very docile he was. I squatted down to make eye contact. He didn’t move except for the head. “Hi Pointy, Hare Krishna.” At the Wellness Centre on the previous day, someone had asked, “What do you do for animals who may be injured, hurt or damaged?” I then relay the story of Mrgari, the hunter who delighted in seeing other living entities in pain. A wandering sadhu, holy man, by the name of Narada, spotted the tortured animals. He was moved with compassion on seeing an arrow stuck to the bodies of a hare, a deer and a boar. It would have been better that they were dead than alive and in agony. Eventually Mrgari, the hunter, corrected his ways by the influence of the holy man.

Now, Pointy was not injured, but he seems traumatized. I’ve met his kind before in the wilderness, they move away from an intruder, climb a tree, or just defend by sitting there, ready to release a stinger needle. This guy, Pointy, had few defense weapons only close to his head. The rest was hair. It’s ironic then that I gave him that name.

To answer the question about animals who are challenged, I said, “Expose them to the mantra we just went through, Hare Krishna. Leave them with a powerful healing sound.” That explanation seemed to satisfy the person. I let Pointy be. It was good to know him.

In the evening I did a presentation about pilgrimage at the Canada Best Value Inn conference room. It was a more meager turn out than usual (last minute arrangement). However, those who came, focused and benefited from learning a verse from the Gita, 5.24. “One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within and whose aim is inward, is actually the perfect mystic.”

27 Km

Pics from New Brunswick

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Bridge of Love

Hartland, New Brunswick

I actually walked from just North of Woodstock to Florenceville, via the town of Hartland. Hartland boasts having the longest old time covered bridge in the world with a length of 292 feet spanning over the Saint John River. Tourists are told it's a wishing bridge.

"When you enter the bridge, you make a wish, close your eyes, cross your fingers and hold your breath. Make certain you are not the driver. If you can do this for the entire length of the bridge, your wish is likely to come true." More information tells of how this is also a kissing bridge. The legend goes something like this - there was a great concern and opposition when there were talks about covering the bridge. Sermons were even preached about how a covered bridge would destroy the morals of the young people. In any event, the bridge was covered. The young men trained their horses to stop about half way across the bridge. The horse would wait until the couple shared a couple of kisses, and then it would continue to the other side of the bridge. Today (locals say) couples still go to share a kiss.

I went under the same bridge, not to receive a kiss. I'm a monk. Yet one attractive woman who saw my orange robes came searching for me on that bridge. Actually, she heard about the talk I was giving tonight at the Woodstock River Valley Wellness Center, and she wanted to confirm. I was chanting on my japa meditation beads when she arrived, and interestingly at midway. Of course, it was just a hand shake, and we walked to the bridge's entrance/exit.

At the Wellness Center, Lori, the coordinator said the turnout was phenomenal. To the group I spoke about my walking experiences, and then about Vedic philosophy. It was the reputation I have as a marathon pilgrim walker that allowed me a footing into the place. Had I not done this power walking I may not have had the chance to present some philosophy. The trekking becomes a bridge for me.

At question time I was asked, "Were you ever in love?" I guess people question whether a renunciant is even human. "Yes," I said,"before I was a monk. And I believe I fathered (or mothered) children in previous lives. Now as a monk I perceive everyone as family."

Once the talk and questions were completed, our group chanted. I had no real traditional musical accompaniment, but that was fine. Everyone's beautiful voices, men and women, resounded in the room. All was good. Everyone there was getting closer to love, love for God.

30 Km

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

Here Is Krishna

Woodstock, New Brunswick

It was that perfect silhouetted moving image. I heard rustling next to me and there he was, gorgeous and huge. Gracefully decfending a steep hill just a few feet from me was this moose. Set against the sky were tall coniferouses that he passed by. The moose projected these clean contours of himself. ON seeing this I could not but help to say to myself, "Here is Krishna in the form of this wonderous animal." For all that artistic awe that it invoked in me, I had to say, "Here is Krishna."

I also got to see humans. The McGuires from Millville are a couple who offered me a ride. I had to decline and to explain my feat (or feet) of walking the nation. Mr. McGuire asked that I look him up the next time I'm in Millville. Another Millville resident pulled over wishing well the feet feat.

And what of Allison? She is a journalist from the paper, the Bugle Observer, and had great questions. Among them was "How many pairs of shoes does it take to walk the whole of Canada?" "Four," I said.

Daruka and I and of course Billy, his parrot, are now without the company of the brahmacharis from Nova Scotia. Out of the 8 monks, half of them split for the ashram in New Glasgow, the garden needs tending to, and the other half left for Toronto to hear Prabhupada's teachings from visiting swamis.

My walking area today had been in the Woodstock area near Hwy 105 along the Trans Canada Trail. For the first time in many days, I had a break from holding any formal or even casual speaking programs. Daruka and I drove a 2 hour stretch southbound to Saint Andrews for an overnight stay at a couple's trailer home. Rob and Joanne are a bhakti yoga couple who run a whale watching business. It is now early June that they prepare themselves for the summer wave of tourists. Prepping their boat, adjusting their mind set for an intense three month sensation over water. I have been on that sail before and seeing those huge mammals, whales, that rival the size of the moose. You are left to wonder, "Here is Krishna." Anything of size and majesty can lead us to this vision.

29 Km

Monday, June 4th, 2012

What We Did and Did Not See!

Millville, New Brunswick

Karuna and I saw not one human on the trail. Amazing! A 30 kilometre stretch and not one human soul to be seen. That doesn't mean that other souls were not about. There were clear streams, the Keswick, to our right and then by way of a modest bridge, it came to our left. A bear raced away from our sight. The trees and vegetation of various sorts and kind were by our sides. They did us a great favour. They cut us off from the wind. It was a path of paradise. No billboards. No cars. No factories. No homes. That's what I call paradise.

Yes, the experience was so invigorating. Karuna and I were so Krishna charged. We went the whole way without a break, only for a water discharge and stop to chew on clover. By the time we reached Millville (population 300) we expected Daruka to meet us at the streets junction, but no. We were compelled to connect with our first human contact at the Estey General Store. Perhaps by inquiring, the proprietor may have seen our support man, Daruka. Before entering the charming little place I warned Karuna, "you don't know these places. People in these small towns look at us like we came from the moon."

We entered the building and were so warmly greeted. It was Daruka who had been there already, asking about us. He had warned and warmed everyone up for our coming. I'm sure we were two monks that this town may never see again. It was nice because one of the last two of the war veterans in town shot the breeze with us. To be honest though, this walking program is meant to connect people of every town and village to the tune of the spirit. So finally, to see to our evening assignment, once Daruka did find us, we headed for the lodge at Odell Park in Fredericton. There, in the cozy venue, some local folks (the crystal bearing and the open-minded) did attend our presentation. They sang like angels to the maha-mantra. That was preceded by the message of "More walking - less squawking" and "walkers are rockers!"

30 Km

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Today
Upper Stoneridge, New Brunswick

For starters this morning a young married couple, out of fascination, took to walking with me. One hour passed. I felt blessed that they were there for me.

From there, I was alone, but not really alone. The knower in the heart is always with me. I stuck by the Trans Canada Trail. It took me through the back entrance of villages such as Douglas, Keswick, and finally Upper Stoneridge. I'm getting to know more birds just by their sounds - the throated sparrow, the blue jay, the red-winged black bird. And visually there are fierce aerial battles between crows and minor-sized birds.

I passed by a pasture and sang to the holsteins. I passed by a pile of manure and in a deja-vous moment spun back in time to life on the farm as a youth pitching the wild and stenchy stuff onto a manure spreader. I passed by a park with a base-ball diamond. That vision melted the heart for a passion again as a youth.

Ron from Fredericton came to join me. He and wife Tiffany are becoming serious practitioners of Krishna Consciousness. Ron was to accompany me on the last leg of today's trek. He handed me a card with a quote from Kabir, "the flute of the infinite is played without ceasing and its sound is love." It was Ron and my introduction to each other. We did chat those last two hours and stayed on our chosen topic - to do with the fun of spiritual life. As our trek came to a close, young men on their ATV units began to dominate our trail which was otherwise quiet.

Ron and Tiffany invited the monks and I to their home for a family and friend get-together. Ron's mom and brother came to partake in the sweetness of the maha-mantra. It was a first for them and if I can predict, it may not be their last. To put a closure to our gathering I humbly requested Ron and Tiffany to please share this sweetness and to impact some lives.

With Fredericton as their home, their base, they agreed.

30 Km

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

As Mist Rose
Fredricton, New Brunswick

As mist rose Karuna and I moved forward. The weather became a predicted 19 degrees celsius. From a walkers point of view, that's just about right. As usual the first hour translates as 5 kilometres (or 3 miles), two hours is 10, three is 15 and so on. Such is the standard pace.

What was once a straight-as-could-be trail, since railway times, was now interrupted. Our path was detoured for an airfield. Indeed a plane did make an angular ascent as Karuna and I trekked around that launching space. Soon our loyal trail straightened out again to parallel a rather north/south river, the Saint John, as we approached the precincts of Fredericton.

It was phenomenal how nature took to my command. Upon spotting a beaver smoothly making his way across a swamp, I yelled out "Slap you tail!" At that instance he smacked his tennis-racket shaped tail against the water's surface. Then perched high on a white pine was a proud eagle. He sat motionless. "Turn your head!" I volumed. Queued to perfection, he did turn his awesome head. "This is getting good, " said my ego. "At my beck and call all things revolve." "Careful now you (meaning me)," said my intelligence. "Don't get carried away! Settle down!"

Our trek on the Trans Canada Trail continued then through a residential and woodsy district and for a real treat, onto an ancient iron bridge that is elevated above the wide St. John River. Everyone was out there - the young, the old - people with strollers, on shoes, skateboards. There were runners, walkers, and hang-arounders. We saw them. They saw us - a couple of monks edging themselves along and being different and being one.

At one break-time and on an urban bench, Joey Haley, came to sit next to me. He knew what I was about after meeting Andrew, another one of our brahmacaris. Joey is like me. He detests automobiles. "They're disgusting! Walking is reality!" Joey admitted not being a Hare Krishna but admitted that the material energy is a conduit for reaching the Divine, so there is no dispute or reason to be at odds. I invited him to our next Monday's gathering. He said he'll try.

At night the monks of Nova Scotia and I made our way to the local Hindu temple. I spoke from the chapter Karma Yoga and how we try to see life and work as an offering and not just as a means to survive. The group listened and responded so well to kirtan chanting. Professor Tom Parkhill was there. Our acquaintance goes way back. The potluck prasad (offered food) was great. A fine day for a different Saturday Night Fever was our experience.

28 Km

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Trials on Trails
Oromocto, New Brunswick

We imagined these sacred water routes in India, like the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, to be before us. On this one trail (an old railway bed) I with four other monks, traversed or bypassed them. In reality we were in Canada. The trail between Gagetown and Oromocto was literally 'the pits.' To transcendentalize the situation we mentally invited not only the aforementioned holy rivers but also Radha Kund and Shyama Kund, two most sacred bathing ponds in Vrindavan, Krishna's place as a child.

Taking the lead, I announced as we approached a new water hurdle, the name of the holy duplicate. It made light of a somewhat challenging circumstance on our obstruction course. As the trail opened up with less dew-destined branches of healthy trees to contend with and the ground beneath us became tame, we plodded along quickly. Three out of the four brahmacaris left the trail for Fredricton, the province's capital, to distribute the books of our guru on the main street.

With the path (the NB Trail) having become very clear I pondered on the huge sacrifice undertaken sometime in the 19th century by unsung heroes who laboriously made the trail, for at first the iron horse, and which we now enjoy as a walking thoroughfare of natural beauty. Likely the labourers received meagre salaries for their sweat and pain in these wetlands and dense trees. It left me a little choked-up inside, just reflecting on the achievement. On the other hand, those who built the original trail likely felt a strong sense of accomplishment. I wonder if the average man and woman feels the same sense of accomplishment in a world of devices and where we are rather pampered.

Off the beaten path and into Daruka's 97 Mercury we left for a satsang gathering with the Bhutanese community. From there we proceeded to Saint John's downtown library for a presentation on the Bhagavad-gita and finally a visit to the parents of our ashram co-ordinator in Nova Scotia, Nitai Ram, completed the day. His parents are indeed supportive of his chosen life as a monk. This is not always the case.

I must complete my report by delivering the Gita verse of today (5.10): "One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water."

26 Km

Thursday, May 31th, 2012

Companionship

Jemseg, New Brunswick

This splendid dog, part German sheppard, followed me for atleast 3 kilometres. Frankly I really needed his company. I had no brahmacaris with me today. The area, on Hwy 715 was so scenic, by an endless lake (it seemed). The air smelled sweet, perfumed by the trees after the freak rainfall. The road was quiet. It's paradise here. Still I hankered for some companionship having been spoiled the last few days with saffron-clad association.

God sent a dog - a new amigo. As time ensued and metres were gained on foot this company, although fine, triggered some anxiety. When will the owners come in a huff and puff and blame me for luring away their pet? This anguish is very real. It's happened before. It so happened that a friendly neighbour who showed some interest in our pilgrimage agreed to hold our young canine friend until I was out of sight.

It goes to show that no matter what path, career or otherwise you take in life, there is always a dose of anxiety. Worry is part and parcel of this world.

There was interaction with others as well. Two ambulance workers on their lunch break got curious about our travels on the road. And a response to the media coverage of the walk demonstrated itself in many ways. Finally a woman decided to walk with me, along with her dog, to show me the stone church near by. It's open 24 / 7. She was intrigued when I told her I was trekking to encourage people to get to the spiritual side of life. It resonated with her when I said that there's much directionless youth that need some pointers. According to her all the homes in the area are occupied by single mothers and that that was not good. She also said when church attendance declined many social ills set in.

An evening program at a Saint John library drew some locals to hear about our spiritual walks. The day was divine!

33 Km