Watch Your Step Please
Brampton, Ontario
How important it is to have traction when feet are in motion and to see to it that you have a good grip on the ground.
That truth analogous to, gripping on to the reigns of dharma, values and principles couldn’t be more applicable in life. It just so happened that I was unprepared for the slippery asphalt under my feet. I could have easily made a fall. The footwear lacked the traction necessary to address the near freezing rain which covered the ground. And so, with an evening attempt at walking, it became more of a cautious stroll, a baby step trek at times.
I reflected on the talk I gave at ISKCON Brampton this morning asking the group of listeners whether they thought that Bollywood film viewing enhances their spirituality or not. I asked point blank, “Do you believe that Bollywood is good for your spiritual life?”
I saw smiles of confession, the consensus was clear. The heads started nodding, “No”. Admittedly, motion picture material generally goes in the direction of sensuality, maybe it’s even erotic, I don’t know. I’m a monk and I didn’t peruse through these things. It might have been noted that I asked the question in the first place because I know the people are more than peeking at the stuff.
Coming from the spiritual point of view, the Bollywood subject matter lacks morality for the most part. It’s a slippery route. If you read or watch the Mahabharat, you’ll get your dose of violence, but the romance is rather tame.
In general, exposure to mundane activities is always a slippery slope to take. You get your traction and grip in life through nitih, morality.
We just need to watch our step.
5 KM
B L O G S P O T
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Saturday, December 8th, 2012
Fox and Fiddle
Toronto, Ontario
I don’t believe that any mosque, church or temple could boast the amount of attendance that bars and nightclubs receive. It was a rare Saturday night that I found myself rendering my legs the service they need on Bloor street when I happened to look through the window of a packed house pub. It was the Fox and Fiddle Bar. Naturally it is that time of the week that people chill, and those are the kind of places they go to. I generally don’t peep into windows of religious places, partially because they are less welcoming. They usually have intimidating walls, no large windows in which to catch a glance throught. The overall message seems to be that we are exclusive, not inclusive. Places of worship are also located often where there is no foot traffic and where you require a car. Someone might argue downtowners show little interest in the spirit. Religion draws people who live in the burbs. That’s arguable, our cozy litte Bhakti Lounge at a downtown location is on a second floor over a restaurant and you’ll see something happening there every night, whether it be a kirtan, Gita siscussion, a yoga exersice or a veggie cooking demo. It’s a happening place.
As I trekked more this eveing on the same street, I walked the pace of the younger browsers and chcristmas shoppers, window shoppers included. It was so clear to me that Christ was not really on people’s minds. In fact, the reality of aggrandized smells hit my nostrils. There was the occasional whiff of alchohol and the invisible cloud of marijuana sometimes in the air. You know, this is all gratification stuff that monks dare not engage in.
It put a neat closure to my day. After the promenade, I looked to the Gita for real comfort and in curiousity looked up the subject that often people ask me about. In verse 17.16 Sri Krishna addresses the topic of the mind and what would help tame it. Here is how it is translated by our guru, Srila Prabhupada:
“Satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self control and purification of one’s existence are the eausterieties of the mind.” That’s the clear simple statements, that’s profound. It’s really the purport for the verse that provides more insightful material of the subject of the mind. I love it. It’s given me food for thought on what to sermonize on the next day when a crowd will come to one of our centres in the burbs.
7 KM
Toronto, Ontario
I don’t believe that any mosque, church or temple could boast the amount of attendance that bars and nightclubs receive. It was a rare Saturday night that I found myself rendering my legs the service they need on Bloor street when I happened to look through the window of a packed house pub. It was the Fox and Fiddle Bar. Naturally it is that time of the week that people chill, and those are the kind of places they go to. I generally don’t peep into windows of religious places, partially because they are less welcoming. They usually have intimidating walls, no large windows in which to catch a glance throught. The overall message seems to be that we are exclusive, not inclusive. Places of worship are also located often where there is no foot traffic and where you require a car. Someone might argue downtowners show little interest in the spirit. Religion draws people who live in the burbs. That’s arguable, our cozy litte Bhakti Lounge at a downtown location is on a second floor over a restaurant and you’ll see something happening there every night, whether it be a kirtan, Gita siscussion, a yoga exersice or a veggie cooking demo. It’s a happening place.
As I trekked more this eveing on the same street, I walked the pace of the younger browsers and chcristmas shoppers, window shoppers included. It was so clear to me that Christ was not really on people’s minds. In fact, the reality of aggrandized smells hit my nostrils. There was the occasional whiff of alchohol and the invisible cloud of marijuana sometimes in the air. You know, this is all gratification stuff that monks dare not engage in.
It put a neat closure to my day. After the promenade, I looked to the Gita for real comfort and in curiousity looked up the subject that often people ask me about. In verse 17.16 Sri Krishna addresses the topic of the mind and what would help tame it. Here is how it is translated by our guru, Srila Prabhupada:
“Satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self control and purification of one’s existence are the eausterieties of the mind.” That’s the clear simple statements, that’s profound. It’s really the purport for the verse that provides more insightful material of the subject of the mind. I love it. It’s given me food for thought on what to sermonize on the next day when a crowd will come to one of our centres in the burbs.
7 KM
Monday, 10 December 2012
Friday, December 7th, 2012
Then and Now
Toronto, Ontario
It becomes so obvious how the culture’s shifted when I look at the attention given to dogs.
While I was walking the Rosedale residential area, I overheard a man who was walking his 2 dogs on his one leash in conversation with a young teenage girl about her dog on a leash. They were stationary at a point where I was passing by, I could clearly catch a piece of the conversation. He was inquiring what breed hers was and then praises of each other’s dogs began. As usual (I’ve seen it time and time again, the dog is the conversation piece, the point of reference, the initiation to communication. I had a flashback to the 50’s when I was young, to seeing families together in a yard. To seeing baby buggies and mothers talking and even sharing the breastfeeding to each other’s babies. That was baby boom time and the shift now is dog boom time. I may be repeating this story from a past entry but I can’t help noticed the changes for better or worse.
As I continued walking, I at one street juncture, I almost bumped into a Philippino nanny who was pushing a baby buggy. I concluded within that infants are still being produced. The difference between the Rosedale of the past and the Rosedale of the present is that the biological moms are working now and can’t give the time that parents used to give their offspring.
For better or worse?
7 KM
Thursday, December 6th, 2012
Some Word – A Gift
Toronto, Ontario
Mayy eva mana adhatsva are the words I wanted to share today. Being December, the time where many places in the world there is a giving notion, here is my giving.
From the Gita (which was spoken in December, we have these words, mayy – upon me, eva – certainly, mana – mind, adhatsva – fix. Put this together and it reads like so:
“Just fix your mind on me” God is speaking here in the verse 12.8.
This is a tall order or suggestion – surrender your mind to me. The return is good though. Check this out – the next line , mayi buddhim nivesaya. This means, be intelligent about it. Spirituality doesn’t require blind following. How is surrender of one’s mind intelligent? Well, ultimately putting all our eggs in one basket – into secularism, does not work, it’s dumb. It’s smart to invest into the soul. We are all going to die one day. It’s as blunt as that. It’s the naked truth, the soul is what’s left.
Let’s get back to the return or the benefit. Here we go – one more Sanskrit word, nivasisyasi means,“You will live with Me.” You will get to live with that divine person. Birth and death will be at cycle’s end. So the deal is to “go spiritual” and move to safety and satisfaction. You can take this “sharing of words” as just words if you want, but apply it that at least you’ll feel lighter and more free.
Legs are for walking and words are for contemplating and hopefully for applying. Some years ago in 1995 I contemplated an 8,000 km walk. I applied, it was done. I have no regrets.
Apply yourself, try something, go spiritual. There’s nothing to lose. Live happily. This December, share the gift of the Gita.
10 KM
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
Last Day in Cuba
We were remarking to each other how the creatures at the sea work so hard for their food. Bird's in flight scan the water's surface and search. Crabs lightly prance over wet sand, very hungry. Then we saw this dog, or rather his derriere, as he was shooting out sand from between his legs. He was working feverishly for a moving morsel. I guess it was his scent that detected the crab buried in the sand. He could hear something moving, He was digging with those two front paws and was so concentrated on his work. We were impressed with his determination and his obliviousness towards us who were practically standing on top of him looking at him with amazement.
Eventually he gave up the hole he enlarged and then darted for the next crab hole, going at the same pace of earnestness. "Life is tough in the search for food" was the realization Hayagriva and I came to as we took our last day's trek along the beach at Varadero. It had become a daily affair: being observers or an audience of such little wonders.
When we made it to the resort's buffet it wasn't much different, not so much the hard work for aspiring food and picking at the choices but the enthusiasm that goes behind the satisfaction of tongue and stomach. While there and being part of it all I tend to feel a little gluttonous, guilty at least knowing that outside the resort area the local people have so little.
Our last hour at the resort was spent sitting and reading at the pool where practically everone looked like a monk, being covered or wrapped by the same pinky-orange towel. I was just catching a final nap before the flight home. A woman from Chili walked by and then stopped when I was reading the Gita and asked, "Hare Krishna?".
"You are here as well?"
"Yes, that's the idea: to spread a higher consciousness to as many places as possible." After all we can't just give all attention to tongue and stomach. We've also got a soul to look after.
9 KM
Varadero, Cuba
We were remarking to each other how the creatures at the sea work so hard for their food. Bird's in flight scan the water's surface and search. Crabs lightly prance over wet sand, very hungry. Then we saw this dog, or rather his derriere, as he was shooting out sand from between his legs. He was working feverishly for a moving morsel. I guess it was his scent that detected the crab buried in the sand. He could hear something moving, He was digging with those two front paws and was so concentrated on his work. We were impressed with his determination and his obliviousness towards us who were practically standing on top of him looking at him with amazement.
Eventually he gave up the hole he enlarged and then darted for the next crab hole, going at the same pace of earnestness. "Life is tough in the search for food" was the realization Hayagriva and I came to as we took our last day's trek along the beach at Varadero. It had become a daily affair: being observers or an audience of such little wonders.
When we made it to the resort's buffet it wasn't much different, not so much the hard work for aspiring food and picking at the choices but the enthusiasm that goes behind the satisfaction of tongue and stomach. While there and being part of it all I tend to feel a little gluttonous, guilty at least knowing that outside the resort area the local people have so little.
Sweet people they are:
the Cubans. Because of their more meagre situation, you don't see the obesity
as in some of our tourists. They look pretty fit. Some spiritual injection to
check out such imbalance will help out. I guess that goes for both tourists and
non-tourists.
Our last hour at the resort was spent sitting and reading at the pool where practically everone looked like a monk, being covered or wrapped by the same pinky-orange towel. I was just catching a final nap before the flight home. A woman from Chili walked by and then stopped when I was reading the Gita and asked, "Hare Krishna?".
"Yes that's
right!"
"You are here as well?"
"Yes, that's the idea: to spread a higher consciousness to as many places as possible." After all we can't just give all attention to tongue and stomach. We've also got a soul to look after.
The final, final hour
at the Varadero Airport was spent with our thirteen person group waiting for
our metal bird and getting a small entertaining session from young Dhruva (6)
who was doing his Michael Jackson dance interpretation.
9 KM
Tuesday, December 4th 2012
Ego
Blown Away
Hayagriva and I walked that beach once again and there we found a blow fish washed ashore. Surely his little atma (soul) left that body for another. He lies there lifeless. Since the beginning of the trip Hayagriva has been the one to step into trouble. Dung, thorns, shells and just missed squids, jellyfish and now a camouflaged fish. The blow fish expands himself into the resemblance of a balloon looking more menacing than he thinks he is and he has these spikes all over his body as perhaps a third defense mechanism.
Yet proud as nature has made him he must resort to eat humble pie like everyone else. He must perish.
You have to ask yourself, "Where is physical comfort anyway?".
The time arrived when the sun went to sleep and the moon woke up. Our group from Canada spent our last evening at the resort for a special treat at the italian cafe. A veggie pasta meal was anticipated and while waiting at the finely done upstable the mariachi group playing music started the night's entertainment by our table side singing "Jare Krishna Jare Krishna Krishna Krishna Jare Jare/Jare Rama Jare Rama Rama Rama Jare Jare."
Varadero, Cuba
Don't
we all know how detrimental the ego can be in taking us through darkness? You
don't have to be a spiritualist to spot the enemy #1. In the Gita the ego,
known as ahankara in Sanskrit, is described as that entity that misconceives
everything. The ego says "I'm in charge of things (nature)." when in
fact, it's the reverse. Nature is controlling us.
Our
guru, Srila Prabhupada, used to use the word "puffed up" to make the
point about inflated pride.
Hayagriva and I walked that beach once again and there we found a blow fish washed ashore. Surely his little atma (soul) left that body for another. He lies there lifeless. Since the beginning of the trip Hayagriva has been the one to step into trouble. Dung, thorns, shells and just missed squids, jellyfish and now a camouflaged fish. The blow fish expands himself into the resemblance of a balloon looking more menacing than he thinks he is and he has these spikes all over his body as perhaps a third defense mechanism.
Yet proud as nature has made him he must resort to eat humble pie like everyone else. He must perish.
A
group of people, other beach walkers, noticed our fish friend after we left him
and circled around flashing their cameras. I guess they gave him some honour by
doing so.
One
thing that checked our pride in also a most natural way, was when six members
of our devotee community of Matanzas came to meet with our Canadian group just
outside of our resort. We converged to have a little devotional gathering. It
was high noon and yet the tree we chose to shelter under provided ample shade.
As we took delight in sitting under the tree's shadow and reflecting on verse
9.2 of the Gita the sun checked our pride. He moves quite consistently, as you
know. He had us circling around shifting our behinds in order to avoid his
scorching power.
You have to ask yourself, "Where is physical comfort anyway?".
Thank
you, Sun, for reminding us of the inconveniences of life and putting us into
the lovely spot of humbleness.
The time arrived when the sun went to sleep and the moon woke up. Our group from Canada spent our last evening at the resort for a special treat at the italian cafe. A veggie pasta meal was anticipated and while waiting at the finely done upstable the mariachi group playing music started the night's entertainment by our table side singing "Jare Krishna Jare Krishna Krishna Krishna Jare Jare/Jare Rama Jare Rama Rama Rama Jare Jare."
Besides
us, all the other folks begin their meal while being serenaded to this
ancient enchanting mantra.
7 KM
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Monday, December 3rd, 2012
Sea Wall to School
Hall
"To answer the
question in a nutshell:
Habana, Cuba
My old friend, the Malecon, the sea wall on Cuba's north coast in Habana,
allowed me to walk by its side. I introduced Hayagriva to this
fourth-time-around visit to the wall where couples hang out in the evening.
Both of us looked suspicious as we carried our meditation beads in their
pouches. As we walked along the seaside across from an embassy, security took
notice and radio waved some message to each other as we passed by them.
Suspicion is still a reality especially in Cuba's capital where very strong political
statements are made that span municipal billboards. When we left the Malecon to
adventure into a residential street a squatting man raised his eyebrows and
asked about the pouches, or what we called bead bags. He admitted that he
thought they were a gun with bullets. Three years ago a young lad mistook the
bag for a money holder, yanked the bag off my neck and ran off with it; never
to be seen again. He must have been disappointed at its contents: a strand of
35 year worn down meditation beads.
I relayed my story
about suspicions to a group of 40-or-so theology students under Professor Hans
guidance at a university hall. The pouch I demonstrated with beads was a new
image for some of them. The presentation was geared around the philosophy of
the Bhagavad-gita and it took a clean one hour to explain the text which
outlines a soul's great moment of doubt. An equal amount of time was taken for
answering questions.
To recall a few of
them:
1) "You mentioned that the Bhagavad-gita lists some of the traits of
the soul. What are they? Can a soul's material dharma and spiritual dharma be
combined? Are Christ and Krishna the same?"
1) The soul possesses the attributes of sat: eternity, cit: cognizance, and
ananda: pleasure
2) The Gita's message largely encourages to use your material talents in
the service of God.
3) Christ and Krishna are one and different. Their purpose is the same:
they are different individuals. in the Gita Krishna declares Himself as father
to all and Christian theologians, at least some, declare Christ as the son of
the father.
7 KM
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012
Beginning
With Roosters
Inquisitive too was our host, Merci, the doctor. Her friends, who happened to come by after our trek, came out with classic questions. How to address the mind which is helter skelter? What caused the soul to arrive here in this mundane world? How to achieve a sense of peace, safety, and sanity in this wild world?
En route we went to Habana by car and we did indeed admire a major method of transport by the locals: horseback and sometimes buggy as well. As we entered the precinct of Habana we could feel another universe. Smells of oil, diesel and such, permeated the air. Old models of dodges, chevys and fords charmed us. Our destination in Habana was the home of a community member at one of these beautiful in town estates, a stately-looking house which had seen better days. It reminds me of those well-built mansions from the British period in Kolkota.
Once again they were impressed with the warmth of the Cuban people being less tainted by the greediness of much of the rest of the world. Viva Cuba!
8 KM
Habana, Cuba
The rooster population must be greater than the
humans. They sang in concert resounding
much like the consistent howling of jackals which I hear in the Bengal
countryside early in the morning. It was
a symphony.
Hayagriva, Sahil and I, preparing ourselves for a
long drive to Habana, took to trekking on a modest paved road which is a major
artery into Rodas. Here, we were definitely in the countryside and not in India
(although we spotted these white humped Indian cows grozing). There, we were in
central Cuba where sugarcane is plentiful yet does not reign supreme to boost
the economy. Tourism has taken over. Rodas, however, being kind of a tucked away
town, sees few foreigners. Hayagriva and I are in saffron and Sahil is a tall
big-boned Punjabi boy raised in Canada. We are a curiosity.
Inquisitive too was our host, Merci, the doctor. Her friends, who happened to come by after our trek, came out with classic questions. How to address the mind which is helter skelter? What caused the soul to arrive here in this mundane world? How to achieve a sense of peace, safety, and sanity in this wild world?
All questions were patiently addressed and we compare
the nature of the mind as being like a rascal monkey, a ridiculous clown or to
money, never staying in one place very long, then it seemed to resonate beyond
every nationality. To put things in light perspective this explanation charged
a laugh, at least a smile, as much as it did when Hayagriva on our trek,
accidentally stepped in some horse dung to which I remarked “El Grosso!”.
En route we went to Habana by car and we did indeed admire a major method of transport by the locals: horseback and sometimes buggy as well. As we entered the precinct of Habana we could feel another universe. Smells of oil, diesel and such, permeated the air. Old models of dodges, chevys and fords charmed us. Our destination in Habana was the home of a community member at one of these beautiful in town estates, a stately-looking house which had seen better days. It reminds me of those well-built mansions from the British period in Kolkota.
There we conducted a kirtan in a lush green courtyard
followed by a fire ceremony and an initiation into our spiritual community.
Raphael accepted the sanskrit name of
Raja-vidya (king of knowledge) and Regis accepted the name Raja-guhyam (the
king of secrets). Our Canadian contingent was also there and was the force
behind the feast and other areas of co-ordination.
Once again they were impressed with the warmth of the Cuban people being less tainted by the greediness of much of the rest of the world. Viva Cuba!
8 KM
Saturday, December 1st, 2012
In Our
Element
Santa Clara is said to be the cutural centre of Cuba after Habana. A three hour cab drive took Hayagriva, Sahil, our super mrdanga drummer, and I to a culture house in the heart of the city. There are actually an indoor and outdoor theatre in this facility that is frequented by liberal and free-thinkers.
A second program was scheduled at a doctor's home in town Rodas, population 11 000. This place is the village of Laksminath, who pronounces himself as a lifelong brahmachari or monk. Here also a fabulous response came from the host's guests. The food was sattvic (in the mode of goodness) and that gave us enough fuel for a third program, un-planned, unrehearsed and spontaneous. In the heart of Rodas was a gazebo which we took full advantage of for a kirtan that had churchgoers across the street wondering.
Santa Clara, Cuba
Santa Clara is said to be the cutural centre of Cuba after Habana. A three hour cab drive took Hayagriva, Sahil, our super mrdanga drummer, and I to a culture house in the heart of the city. There are actually an indoor and outdoor theatre in this facility that is frequented by liberal and free-thinkers.
Our scheduled program of mantra meditation drew 60
people to the indoor space as monsoon wetness restricted us from using the
breezy outdoor area. As in the previous night questions about spiritual life
came pouring like the rain and the response to what we demonstrated, said and
sang was received so very well. Cuban born and now a U.S. citizen, Iksvaku, was
my translator and he mentioned to me after the program that the country is the
poorest country in the western hemisphere, yet somehow there is a richness in
the hearts of people. If I were to compare audiences I would say that a
capitalist group is inclined to be more callous. I'd go so far as to say that
the so called developed world is down-right spoiled. To clarify I would
classify myself as a supporter of a spiritual regime, something which currently
is non-existent on planet earth.
A second program was scheduled at a doctor's home in town Rodas, population 11 000. This place is the village of Laksminath, who pronounces himself as a lifelong brahmachari or monk. Here also a fabulous response came from the host's guests. The food was sattvic (in the mode of goodness) and that gave us enough fuel for a third program, un-planned, unrehearsed and spontaneous. In the heart of Rodas was a gazebo which we took full advantage of for a kirtan that had churchgoers across the street wondering.
We were in our element, completely content as a
pioneer troup, that had come to plant some seeds of bhakti, devotion to the
extraordinaire: the maha-mantra.
7 KM
Friday, November 30th, 2012
Cool Place
Matanzas, Cuba
Hayagriva and I did our beach walk and made it to
the beach's end before turning around. In some way it is a pleasant experience
even though a brizzle sprayed us wet and clean before entering the Atlantic
waters. There we conducted, while fighting waves, our sadhana, singing in
honour of guru, sadhu and God. Beach walking isn't always a treat. If you go
long enough walking its acute angle, it definitely disturbs the skeleton
somehow. That's why the turn around. It's necessary to balance yourself by
reversing directions in order that the leg that stretched itself extra on the
angle now gets the chance to shorten itself on the return journey.
The Cuban beach is not unique to this dynamic. It
appears to be a reality at every seashore.
What we do find unique about Cubans is their
generous nature. Alex was our cab driver from Varadero to Matanzas, a mere 50
minutes, and he really opened up to us. He is a part-time engineer professor at
the university. Driving tourists to and fro between resorts and the airport
consumes the rest of his time. He has his share of passengers ranging from what
you might say are decent folks to drunks and prostitutes. He really got a
charge from hauling a monk and his friends around. It doesn't happen every day.
He has familiarized himself with the Bhagavad-Gita and has explored
self-realization. He mentioned that he has his mother-in-law, a difficult
person at times, but because "she is the mother of my wife I see her as my
own mother."
Alex did not charge us for the lengthy ride. He
has a heart. He also came to our opening of the first Krishna centre in Cuba.
Our female crew from Canada got behind the cooking showing the local females
how to use Indian spices while the male counterpart assisted the organization
of this milestone event.
Here's what we did: Kirtan, a talk, more kirtan
and then a feast. We got the okay from authorities to conduct the event which
filled the room of warm and lovely people.
Cuba is a cool place!
7 KM
Thursday, November 29th, 2012
Treasures
Varadero, Cuba
The ocean offers so much. Each day it delivers
sea treasures that are washed ashore. Hayagriva, my brahmachari assistant, was
just shy of stepping onto a jelly-fish and a squid shared the same beach with
his spineless companion. Shells, clams and ocean plants also seemed to end
their water journey when the high tide swept them on drier sand. Some of these
items are precious to beach comers who walk away with one of these prizes.
Our group from Canada all took that visit to
the sands of enjoyment, a 21 mile stretch of a magnificent beach. One of our
group remarked “When the local tour guide mentioned that there's a cold front
that just hit the shores we Canadians just had a good laugh. Cold front? You
don't know the meaning of the word.”
Just to clarify, our group is not just here to
be sense gratifiers. We are here to mix pleasure and work together. The beach
stuff with its therapeutic benevolence fuels the body and mind. As for the
soul...? Well, our crew qualified the trip as a pilgrimage by way of kirtan. We
chanted the Gaura Arati in the hotel room and then I gave an explanation on the
song which highlights Sri Chaitanya as the great mantra master.
What is really honourable about this group is
that they stuffed their suitcases full of sarees, kurtas and spices like hing
to have with the Cuban bhakti-yogis, newcomers to Krishna Consciousness. What
big hearts they have? That's the spirit. An average salary in Cuba is 35$
monthly. The residents of Cuba could use some help both in a practical and
spiritual way. Everyone could use little treasures that come in different
chests.
7 KM
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