Sitting Eagle
Dominion City, Manitoba
"Sitting Eagle" is the name of the first person to talk to me today. He was driving his daughter to school and waited extra long at the juncture of the road before turning. Obviously he was curious about what I'm doing.
"You don't see too many people walking on the highway these days," he said, "what to speak of seeing..."
"I'm a monk," I said, "a Krishna monk, and I'm doing this walk across Canada to promote spiritual awareness..."
Sitting Eagle and his daughter are of aboriginal descent. And they were fascinated to listen. Then I met Ken, also a first nations person who is a self employed plummer. He offered a ride and I told him how I couldn't take a ride. The rest of the dialogue was easy as I segued into inviting him to a kind of powwow, actually a kirtan that we conduct every Wednesday and Sunday nights in Winnipeg.
An elderly couple also stopped to offer a lift. They were blown away by the walking mission. When I said it was a pilgrimage, that resonated with them. When he said he was of French origin, while she was English, I remarked sarcastically, "Those are two groups that historically always got along." They chuckled. And that would be a great day when we can - all get along.
There were a number of other interactions along this very flat terrain in prairie land. The people are not flat in the least personality wise, they were really nice and sweet.
To seal the day, I spent the time in kirtan, our brand of powwow, and then rested in Doug's living room, who leaves his TV on. It remained like that all night. I couldn't find the remote to turn it off and Doug was fast asleep. Nevertheless, I slept like a baby in the company of newscasters. One of them fortunately woke me up at the precise time desired. Thank you for the service.
27 KM
B L O G S P O T
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Monday, June 10th, 2013
Top Notch Schools
Rainy River, Ontario
Daruka and I had signed in at the local elementary school. It was 10 O'clock on the dot. We were escorted by staff to the gymnasium. There, a hundred students (Daruka's guess) sat in anticipation to see us. The teachers were eager to expose their students to an expanded cultural experience.
I began to speak. Daruka partnered on this, especially with Billy perched on his shoulder. Many questions were geared to Daruka about the bird.
In the beginning I felt a slight apprehension. Younger children take a special training to keep them enthused. I wasn't sure I had that. Teenagers, yes. Les enfants? I'm not so certain. We went ahead anyway. Obediently they followed our every instruction about chanting. First, OM, then Hare Krishna, then clapping in a synchronized way, and then dancing. By and by we came to our closure keeping things simple and not too philosophical. Imagine a gym full of kids singing something in Sanskrit.
The next group, or the bigger leagues, also located next door was at secondary school level. In between presentations we were hosted by Jackie and Martin; she, who runs the West End Weekly, and he who accommodates her newspaper printing in his insurance office, for lunch at their home. What a fantastic couple. Ashley, their daughter, had booked us in the two schools in the first place in this last town in Ontario. Crossing the river here means you are in the States.
Our high school group, although smaller in number, were a bunch of bright young people as were the elementary students. I expressed to the students our true identity, that we are not these bodies, but spirits. I then asked, "What does a spirit then do?" One chap answered, "He does spirit things."
And right he was.
Both Daruka and I were really impressed with the calibre of the students in this town. There was a huge line up for our autographs, Billy's included, as he took the opportunity to sign by leaving an imprint on the paper with his beak.
When I walk through this town, the size 1,000 people, in both 2003 and last year, along Highway 11, I was a bit disappointed. It looked somewhat run down. As some say, 'you can't judge a book by its cover'. Similarly, you can't judge a place by one selected street. You have to mill around in the town and browse through the whole thing to get a more clear picture. Ashley told us that colour, by paint, was going to be added to the town in addition to new fancy lamp posts and park benches.
Because the to and fro trip to Rainy River took us 8 hours, where was there time to walk in any serious way? In the course of our journey though, we spotted pelicans, swans, turkey vultures and geese. We also couldn't resist a peek at Rushing River, the white water is sensational.
4 KM
Rainy River, Ontario
Daruka and I had signed in at the local elementary school. It was 10 O'clock on the dot. We were escorted by staff to the gymnasium. There, a hundred students (Daruka's guess) sat in anticipation to see us. The teachers were eager to expose their students to an expanded cultural experience.
I began to speak. Daruka partnered on this, especially with Billy perched on his shoulder. Many questions were geared to Daruka about the bird.
In the beginning I felt a slight apprehension. Younger children take a special training to keep them enthused. I wasn't sure I had that. Teenagers, yes. Les enfants? I'm not so certain. We went ahead anyway. Obediently they followed our every instruction about chanting. First, OM, then Hare Krishna, then clapping in a synchronized way, and then dancing. By and by we came to our closure keeping things simple and not too philosophical. Imagine a gym full of kids singing something in Sanskrit.
The next group, or the bigger leagues, also located next door was at secondary school level. In between presentations we were hosted by Jackie and Martin; she, who runs the West End Weekly, and he who accommodates her newspaper printing in his insurance office, for lunch at their home. What a fantastic couple. Ashley, their daughter, had booked us in the two schools in the first place in this last town in Ontario. Crossing the river here means you are in the States.
Our high school group, although smaller in number, were a bunch of bright young people as were the elementary students. I expressed to the students our true identity, that we are not these bodies, but spirits. I then asked, "What does a spirit then do?" One chap answered, "He does spirit things."
And right he was.
Both Daruka and I were really impressed with the calibre of the students in this town. There was a huge line up for our autographs, Billy's included, as he took the opportunity to sign by leaving an imprint on the paper with his beak.
When I walk through this town, the size 1,000 people, in both 2003 and last year, along Highway 11, I was a bit disappointed. It looked somewhat run down. As some say, 'you can't judge a book by its cover'. Similarly, you can't judge a place by one selected street. You have to mill around in the town and browse through the whole thing to get a more clear picture. Ashley told us that colour, by paint, was going to be added to the town in addition to new fancy lamp posts and park benches.
Because the to and fro trip to Rainy River took us 8 hours, where was there time to walk in any serious way? In the course of our journey though, we spotted pelicans, swans, turkey vultures and geese. We also couldn't resist a peek at Rushing River, the white water is sensational.
4 KM
Sunday, June 9th, 2013
Gandhi and the Name
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I set out when I thought all were in slumber. I checked out the Assinaboine River in the downtown residential area of Winnipeg. I wasn't very surprised to see its level very high, due to excessive rain this year. The foot path is flooded.
It's early morning for me, but late for party goers.
"Holy ______ Gandhi!" shouted one of them as they saw me on the other side of the bridge while I was doing my rounds, chanting on my beads. They, the partygoers, were at their last liquor stumbling steps for the day.
But sober were the folks at the Durga temple, my first speaking venue for the day. Daruka and I sang "Guruvastakam" in praise of the guru in traditional morning melody. I then spoke from the Gita and its conclusive verse, 18.66 in regards to surrendering to the source. I received questions galore. And so it rendered a rich morning of deeper than normal depths. The goddess Durga was overlooking me with a smiling glance.
A final talk was at the ISKCON Centre on Chestnut Street. From chapter 7 we were discussing the perspective of God's presence in water, in sunshine and moonshine, in sacred sound and in the skills and talent that we are all endowed with.
Our small place was packed with people. The prasadam (blessed food) was from another world - totally divine. To match was our collective kirtan. We were drunk on the sounds of Krishna's name.
A final note about Gandhi; he chanted the name of Ram when he was assassinated. He received bullets from a man who was out of control, but he, Gandhi, knew enough to say a sacred thing at death.
5 KM
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I set out when I thought all were in slumber. I checked out the Assinaboine River in the downtown residential area of Winnipeg. I wasn't very surprised to see its level very high, due to excessive rain this year. The foot path is flooded.
It's early morning for me, but late for party goers.
"Holy ______ Gandhi!" shouted one of them as they saw me on the other side of the bridge while I was doing my rounds, chanting on my beads. They, the partygoers, were at their last liquor stumbling steps for the day.
But sober were the folks at the Durga temple, my first speaking venue for the day. Daruka and I sang "Guruvastakam" in praise of the guru in traditional morning melody. I then spoke from the Gita and its conclusive verse, 18.66 in regards to surrendering to the source. I received questions galore. And so it rendered a rich morning of deeper than normal depths. The goddess Durga was overlooking me with a smiling glance.
A final talk was at the ISKCON Centre on Chestnut Street. From chapter 7 we were discussing the perspective of God's presence in water, in sunshine and moonshine, in sacred sound and in the skills and talent that we are all endowed with.
Our small place was packed with people. The prasadam (blessed food) was from another world - totally divine. To match was our collective kirtan. We were drunk on the sounds of Krishna's name.
A final note about Gandhi; he chanted the name of Ram when he was assassinated. He received bullets from a man who was out of control, but he, Gandhi, knew enough to say a sacred thing at death.
5 KM
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Saturday, June 8th, 2013
Perfect Day
Piney, Manitoba
This was perhaps one of the best days of my life. As a way of prepping myself for the actual reconvening of the 4th cross-Canada trek, I resorted today to a quiet Prairie dirt road, where virtually few folks are seen. The road runs parallel to Highway 201 in southern Manitoba close to the American border.
I have been reading part 2 of the book Radha Damodara Vilas, by Vaiyasaki, and I picked up the term, “a walk with God”. This is in reference to a very popular monk’s talk at San Francisco’s Chariot Festival. Vishnujan Swami spoke of the event in the 70’s, the presence of Jaganatha, the large image of Krishna, who goes for a chariot ride, replicating an ancient festival held in India where people promenade in procession, pulling God on wheels.
I like to think that the trek I am taking is “a walk with God”, that is, God in the form of the mantra:
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Rama Rama
Hare Hare
The thought of a walk with God gave me joy.
And so did the weather… give me joy. It’s been just perfect with a breeze at a temperature in the mid 20’s.
Today I also worked other leg and body muscles that don’t always get addressed. In order to facilitate my support man, Daruka, I helped him move carrying collectables up and down stairs into a Uhaul. It’s a good sign that he’s selling and giving away a lot of his cherished belongings which seemed less like treasure these days. That shows he’s learning detachment. Helping Daruka move his paraphernalia didn’t necessarily steal away the day’s upbeatness.
Finally, at the afternoon, up ‘til evening, I had a great but simple meal of baked potatoes and avocadoes at the residence of Rachitambara and family. This lady is such a saint, and being with her and her friends put a groovy close to a perfect day.
20 KM
Friday, June 7th, 2013
To the Crows Especially
Fort Francis/Steinbach, Canada
Cranes, eagles, magpies, ravens, owls, and crows. That’s what you see. And there’s deer, they are like ants, just everywhere, and in great numbers, especially at dusk.
To all of the above I salute you. This is your space. Can you share some of that please? Though some of you look at each other as a meal, I can understand where you are coming from, after all, each one of you has to survive. It is said in the Vedas, ‘jivo jivasya jivanam’, one creature is food for another creature. This is a law of nature. But, let it be known, you will survive, your spirit will persist while your gorgeous bodies will eventually dissolve.
I noticed some members of the crow family who were feasting on – well, I couldn’t quite make out what it was that I was looking at, the remains of some animal was what was left of your feast when you flew off due to my intrusion. I am very sorry to have spoiled the fun, but I did move on, so all four of you could just go back to your feasting; I won’t step in the way. As I said earlier on, this is very much your domain. I happened to be passing by doing what I have to do, that is, travelling on foot, moving about, meeting my own species (humans) and attempting to convince them that life is sacred.
I very much believe in the signs that I’ve been reading along the way – the ones that read ‘no hunting’, or ‘no trespassing – private property’. The property, however, is under the proprietorship of the Creator, that is the truth of the matter.
My dear Crow Clan, I hope you can have some empathy for me, to do my work I mobilize myself very slowly with every step on the ground while all of you have these remarkable wings that engineer a great flight into space. I can’t do that. In many ways, you are far superior to me.
A final appeal is that we all try to act as harmoniously as possible in what’s rather and simultaneously a beautiful but crazy world.
20 KM
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Thursday, June 6th, 2013
Thanks Gen and Dan
Fort Frances, Ontario
Wood ticks are plentiful, you just brush yourself against a tree, or feet through the grass, and you’re likely to take one or more or two ticks for a free ride. Some of this piggy backing they have done when I take a brief break from the road.
“Never mind,” said one of the participants at Little Beaver Cultural Centre, “they are not the dreaded deer ticks, not to worry.”
Daruka, Billy the bird, and I had completed a presentation at an elementary school at a village of Mine Centre. It had to be simple, after all, the attention span of the kids is what it is. They took marvelously to chanting, and of course, our blue front Amazon, Billy, stole the show.
Our evening was spent with adults. So today, we went from ticks to kids to biggies in an evolutionary take on association. There, at the cultural centre, we introduced more chanting for the day, until the sun started tucking itself away (and here in the north it goes quite late). How sweetly this group chanted.
Daruka and I were determined to visit spots like this one where we had been on our past excursion here in September of 2012. People even remember me from 10 years ago. Bobby Ryder was one of them, “I recall seeing you on the highway then. You were on the road in the middle of wilderness.” For Bobby, a statistic taker by profession, it took a decade for her to meet up with me. And because I insisted on walking to the cultural centre instead of being driven, that meeting materialized.
“You stood out,” said Bobby, referring to the devotional apparel.
Our hosts, Gen and Dan, Lindsay and others at a group session requested firmly another visit by ourselves, for a workshop and a retreat.
The nice thing about these smaller places is that people have more time. There is something more satvic about these folks. Satvic means mode of goodness.
7 KM
Fort Frances, Ontario
Wood ticks are plentiful, you just brush yourself against a tree, or feet through the grass, and you’re likely to take one or more or two ticks for a free ride. Some of this piggy backing they have done when I take a brief break from the road.
“Never mind,” said one of the participants at Little Beaver Cultural Centre, “they are not the dreaded deer ticks, not to worry.”
Daruka, Billy the bird, and I had completed a presentation at an elementary school at a village of Mine Centre. It had to be simple, after all, the attention span of the kids is what it is. They took marvelously to chanting, and of course, our blue front Amazon, Billy, stole the show.
Our evening was spent with adults. So today, we went from ticks to kids to biggies in an evolutionary take on association. There, at the cultural centre, we introduced more chanting for the day, until the sun started tucking itself away (and here in the north it goes quite late). How sweetly this group chanted.
Daruka and I were determined to visit spots like this one where we had been on our past excursion here in September of 2012. People even remember me from 10 years ago. Bobby Ryder was one of them, “I recall seeing you on the highway then. You were on the road in the middle of wilderness.” For Bobby, a statistic taker by profession, it took a decade for her to meet up with me. And because I insisted on walking to the cultural centre instead of being driven, that meeting materialized.
“You stood out,” said Bobby, referring to the devotional apparel.
Our hosts, Gen and Dan, Lindsay and others at a group session requested firmly another visit by ourselves, for a workshop and a retreat.
The nice thing about these smaller places is that people have more time. There is something more satvic about these folks. Satvic means mode of goodness.
7 KM
Wednesday, June 5th, 2013
I Met A Backpacker…
Thunder Bay, Ontario
I met a backpacker from Scotland. I met Shona, an acquaintance who helped me on a drama at Lakehead University in the past. And there was Derek, an artist, who took to a kirtan with me five years ago. It was all these stumbled upon folks that I met, and all because of being accessible, being on foot, in the robes, and on the street. They were touch-heart encounters.
In the evening at the Vedic Cultural Centre, I delivered more selected sutras, codes, and aphorisms for the attendees to take home with them. I selected these codes which were no more than four words to make it easier, and here they are:
Athato brahma-jijnasa
One should inquire into the Absolute.
Ananda-mayo’ bhyasat
I am seeking inner pleasure. (Vedanta Sutra 1.1.12)
Ceto-darpana-marjanam
Clean the heart of all impurities. (Siksastakam 1)
Tam eva viditva
Freedom is possible only by knowledge of the Absolute. (Svetasvatar Upanishad 3.8)
Ma himsyat sarva bhutani
I commit no violence to others.
Ishavasyam idam sarvam
Everything is controlled by the creator. (Sri Isopanishad 1)
Nityo Nityanam Cetanas Cetananam
The Supreme is the prime eternal amongst all eternals, the life of all that lives. (Katha Upanishad 2.13)
Suhrdam Sarva Bhutanam
The Absolute is the friend to all living beings. (Krishna to Arjuna; Bhagavad Gita 5.29)
10 KM
Thunder Bay, Ontario
I met a backpacker from Scotland. I met Shona, an acquaintance who helped me on a drama at Lakehead University in the past. And there was Derek, an artist, who took to a kirtan with me five years ago. It was all these stumbled upon folks that I met, and all because of being accessible, being on foot, in the robes, and on the street. They were touch-heart encounters.
In the evening at the Vedic Cultural Centre, I delivered more selected sutras, codes, and aphorisms for the attendees to take home with them. I selected these codes which were no more than four words to make it easier, and here they are:
Athato brahma-jijnasa
One should inquire into the Absolute.
Ananda-mayo’ bhyasat
I am seeking inner pleasure. (Vedanta Sutra 1.1.12)
Ceto-darpana-marjanam
Clean the heart of all impurities. (Siksastakam 1)
Tam eva viditva
Freedom is possible only by knowledge of the Absolute. (Svetasvatar Upanishad 3.8)
Ma himsyat sarva bhutani
I commit no violence to others.
Ishavasyam idam sarvam
Everything is controlled by the creator. (Sri Isopanishad 1)
Nityo Nityanam Cetanas Cetananam
The Supreme is the prime eternal amongst all eternals, the life of all that lives. (Katha Upanishad 2.13)
Suhrdam Sarva Bhutanam
The Absolute is the friend to all living beings. (Krishna to Arjuna; Bhagavad Gita 5.29)
10 KM
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
Great Day in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay, Ontario
I hadn’t been here since the opening of the Vedic Cultural Centre, it’s inauguration in November of last year. It has a living space for two, a temple and a store that sells goods from India. It appears that each of these three departments are interdependent upon each other, financially, socially and spiritually.
Thanks to the inventors of this great dream come true – Suniti and Prem, two doctors by profession.
Thunder Bay is a very isolated city in Canada, yet if you traverse the nation by engine, wheels (as in cycling), or on foot, all travelers funnel through this place. If it’s not someone’s nesting place, then at least it’s a stopover.
For me, this is where I will reunite with Daruka, my marathon support person of the past, and his cheerleading companion, Billy, a blue Amazon parrot. Billy and Daruka appear inseparable, with her always perched on his shoulder, except at night time when it’s time to go to bed.
After the flight from Montreal, I eventually landed at this northern town and found an opportunity to walk to the VCC to the home of Prem and Suniti. Midway through I came upon a road construction site. Now, these guys (men at work) are busy with heavy machinery. It is quite naturally a no motorist/pedestrian zone, yet I was not willing to detour and figure out directions in this new place, so I more or less torpedoed my way through and practically ignored all the workers but for a momentary glance. Some were head scratching and making remarks over the noise (nothing vulgar that I could detect). Maybe some were a little startled that I went right through the chaos and could get away with it. I picked up on the phrase, “Hare Krishna” from one hard-hatted worker who sounded respectful. To others I guess I looked like a moving traffic cone.
“Nice to have met you, boss.”
By evening I had a 2nd visit to the VCC to lead a chanting session. Helen a yoga teacher came. There was also Mrs. Rita Agarwal who has been in Thunder Bay forever. Dhip, a student, played the djembe while I was on the mrdanga. Luke is new, he’s great. Other students came. I also led the group in learning two Sanskrit phrases and also came up with a body movement to accompany them. “Aham brahmasimi “(I am spirit), and “Para dukha dukhi “(I am saddened to see you saddened. The last one is a message of empathy or a feeling of compassion.
We partook in prasadam (some consecrated food), in this place, fruit. Then I met three young dudes, one of which remembered me as the travelling monk while I walked through the area last September.
“I’m the one who gave you directions, remember?”
“Yes”, with a smile. I vaguely remembered but acknowledged.
A great day in Thunder Bay, eh?
9 KM
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Monday, June 3rd, 2013
No Birds But Bees
Amherst, Quebec
The bees were busy buzzing at the beehive. Last year, Surya, the owner of these prized hives, produced three tonnes of the golden gel known as honey that his drones got together. It seems pretty labour intensive.
I was given a jar of the stuff by Bhakti Raghava Swami, who was occupying Surya’s absolutely gorgeous and rustic home atop a hill in the Laurentian Mountains. Bhakti Raghava is a big promoter of rural sustainable village development in India. He’s a born Canadian and adopted the lifestyle, as I have, the lifestyle of a monk.
Keeping bees is one way to demonstrate sustainability, and there’s no reason why there cannot be self sufficiency as a reality in rural Canadian regions. Pioneers did so, mind you, a good chunk of their diet depended on the slaughter of animals and also on fishing.
Bhakti Raghava spent so many years in India and then abroad in places like Cambodia, more particularly, Ankhorwat, the ancient Vishnu city. Once while in Maypura, India, in the 70’s, some dakoits came to our rural settlement, released one of those hand made bombs, which was aimed at him. He lost his leg because of it. It was suggested by a peer, and all in good cheer, that it is Bhakti Raghava Swami who should be the one walking cross-Canada, and hence, gain Terry Fox status.
Bhakti Raghava did tell us that the other day, not intending any marathon, that he did venture off with his two crutches in the bush by some trails. Eventually he got lost. This was a reminder of Krishna as a youth losing His bearings in the forest and was missing for hours along with his friend, Sudama.
Those of us visiting from the city did have the opportunity to divert, but not deeply in the bush. On our return to Montreal we stopped to wade dans le Riviere de Rouge. Soothing!
And another super highlight of the day was chanting at one of those old fashioned picnic tables at a park in Montreal. When you sit and face each other, there is an automatic encouragement that comes from doing so. It’s sort of a transcendental buddy system.
Try chanting using the picnic table method someday with a group of friends.
10 KM
Amherst, Quebec
The bees were busy buzzing at the beehive. Last year, Surya, the owner of these prized hives, produced three tonnes of the golden gel known as honey that his drones got together. It seems pretty labour intensive.
I was given a jar of the stuff by Bhakti Raghava Swami, who was occupying Surya’s absolutely gorgeous and rustic home atop a hill in the Laurentian Mountains. Bhakti Raghava is a big promoter of rural sustainable village development in India. He’s a born Canadian and adopted the lifestyle, as I have, the lifestyle of a monk.
Keeping bees is one way to demonstrate sustainability, and there’s no reason why there cannot be self sufficiency as a reality in rural Canadian regions. Pioneers did so, mind you, a good chunk of their diet depended on the slaughter of animals and also on fishing.
Bhakti Raghava spent so many years in India and then abroad in places like Cambodia, more particularly, Ankhorwat, the ancient Vishnu city. Once while in Maypura, India, in the 70’s, some dakoits came to our rural settlement, released one of those hand made bombs, which was aimed at him. He lost his leg because of it. It was suggested by a peer, and all in good cheer, that it is Bhakti Raghava Swami who should be the one walking cross-Canada, and hence, gain Terry Fox status.
Bhakti Raghava did tell us that the other day, not intending any marathon, that he did venture off with his two crutches in the bush by some trails. Eventually he got lost. This was a reminder of Krishna as a youth losing His bearings in the forest and was missing for hours along with his friend, Sudama.
Those of us visiting from the city did have the opportunity to divert, but not deeply in the bush. On our return to Montreal we stopped to wade dans le Riviere de Rouge. Soothing!
And another super highlight of the day was chanting at one of those old fashioned picnic tables at a park in Montreal. When you sit and face each other, there is an automatic encouragement that comes from doing so. It’s sort of a transcendental buddy system.
Try chanting using the picnic table method someday with a group of friends.
10 KM
Monday, 3 June 2013
Sunday, June 2nd, 2013
Dump the Fat
Montreal, Quebec
Bonjour, and hello to Montreal.
My dear friend, Gokulananda, picked me up at the Megabus Station. This place can’t be more than 3 or 4 kms from my destination, the ISKCON Centre on Pie Neuf Blvd, yet it seemed to take forever to get there. The reason? Streets were barricaded in many directions for motorists to make way for thousands of cyclists.
It’s an annual event here in Montreal. The spirit is more or less ‘Go Green’ when over 10,000 cyclists scoured the streets for hours. You ask my opinion? It’s good! Anything to challenge the shiny coffins (automobiles) and I’m a happy chappy.
In this regard, auto versus bike, a student of mine, Hari Lila, recently sent on Facebook a picture of a person in a car and a person on a bike, the caption for the two read something like this:
This burns money and makes you fat.
This burns fat and saves money.
Point well taken.
There is another method which helps in the process of reducing fat. Kirtan. I was blessed to deliver the Gita message today from verse 2.40 which encourages a little by little devotional efforts to God. And then I was blessed to honour the great feast, and then finally to lead one of those sweaty kirtans.
Initially when I entered the kirtan hall, I saw a group of people sitting down and chanting, but butts will go off the floor as soon as the mic is lead to me. It was agreed upon beforehand that I would lead when ready. So, legs started swaying, all started dancing, yes indeed the sweet sweat began. We all dumped some fat.
3 KM
Montreal, Quebec
Bonjour, and hello to Montreal.
My dear friend, Gokulananda, picked me up at the Megabus Station. This place can’t be more than 3 or 4 kms from my destination, the ISKCON Centre on Pie Neuf Blvd, yet it seemed to take forever to get there. The reason? Streets were barricaded in many directions for motorists to make way for thousands of cyclists.
It’s an annual event here in Montreal. The spirit is more or less ‘Go Green’ when over 10,000 cyclists scoured the streets for hours. You ask my opinion? It’s good! Anything to challenge the shiny coffins (automobiles) and I’m a happy chappy.
In this regard, auto versus bike, a student of mine, Hari Lila, recently sent on Facebook a picture of a person in a car and a person on a bike, the caption for the two read something like this:
This burns money and makes you fat.
This burns fat and saves money.
Point well taken.
There is another method which helps in the process of reducing fat. Kirtan. I was blessed to deliver the Gita message today from verse 2.40 which encourages a little by little devotional efforts to God. And then I was blessed to honour the great feast, and then finally to lead one of those sweaty kirtans.
Initially when I entered the kirtan hall, I saw a group of people sitting down and chanting, but butts will go off the floor as soon as the mic is lead to me. It was agreed upon beforehand that I would lead when ready. So, legs started swaying, all started dancing, yes indeed the sweet sweat began. We all dumped some fat.
3 KM
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Saturday, June 1st, 2013
Gifted
Mississauga/Burlington/Hamilton
Lately the Bruce Trail has captured my interest. Among the visitations made today, one was the stop over to see a spiritual brother of mine, Visvakarma, who resides in Hamilton. Over the phone with the visit in-planning, I suggested, “Can we walk and talk somewhere?”
“Yeah, the Bruce Trail is a two minute walk from my place,” said Visvakarma.
“Oh! Great!”
It just so happened that Visvakarma had guests over and also had a meal prepared. The meal part is always an austerity. Before coming I just had a full on rich and tasty Punjabi lunch at a Mississauga household. And now, another indulgence? Where’s the room in the stomach? And there’s another meal to follow at the home of a Kashmiri family. It doesn’t sound like the simple life of a monk, does it?
But burn off some calories we did in Hamilton, on the country’s oldest footpath, the Bruce Trail. The trail takes you along an escarpment. To access it we crossed railroad tracks, which you could get fined for. Visvakarma, Gaura, Ralph a scientist/botanist, and Gary an accomplished guitarist, and I went on that trail, identifying the wild plant life we know.
A cave on the side of the cliff really caught Ralph’s attention. Ralph, who’s got to be in his 60’s really got close. A climb was okay, but the descent was danger/hilarious. He slid down something mean, and eventually plopped with his back cheeks in the mud. What a landing that was. And all for the sake of checking out what could be his future home.
The cave actually reminded me of the cave I sat in in the Himalayan foot hills in Daradun, India – a cavity in the mountain side where the warrior Dhronacharya meditated so many thousands of years ago.
Ralph’s fall didn’t faze him in the least. He kept going and teaching us about the plant life and also the birds. Without seeing them and merely hearing them, he had the species pegged down. His wisdom was enviable.
When you meet someone who’s gifted, you automatically consider that there is divinity there.
5 KM
Friday, May 31st, 2013
You Are A Diamond Forever
Toronto, Ontario
Yura really liked the walking trail we took. He’s a York University Student who decided to reside in our temple ashram like 6 other people. Getting the best of both worlds, material and spiritual, is what his program’s all about. Part of that balance (school by day and temple life by night to early morning) is walking and chanting.
“I saw everything from a different perspective,” he told me. I guess he could appreciate the mystical aspect to chanting while meandering from street to street and capturing some beauty. At one point, we went over this walking bridge that suspended above a railroad track when the sun was lying exactly at the far east of the tracks inviting one to explore its far reaching edge.
For Yura, sunrise was a real thrill, and at sundown when I took a second stroll, a chap who caught up to walk abreast with me, showed his excitement, not for any scenery, but merely to meet.
“Hey, you’re a monk?”
And I said, “Yes, my name is Bhaktimarga Swami. And you?”
“I’m Dale.” And then he told me that he was a miner from up north; that he extracts diamonds from the earth.
“Yes, diamonds are forever,” and we both chuckled over the remark from the James Bond flick. Then we went deeper into dialogue, identifying the precious gem like the nature of the soul and how it is buried in the body and needs to be extracted in order to perform to its full potential. I then left Dale with a final parting as he was going in his different direction, not necessarily in ‘aim in life’, but in terms of trekking east, as I was headed north.
12 KM
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