Monday, March 6th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

I Like My Pilgrimages

I like my pilgrimages to India, but I’m happy to be home.  It’s more quiet here—less chaotic traffic.  Somehow India can likely boast more inner peace within people; it's a paradox of sorts.

Where is real peace to be found?  In the Bhagavad-gita, we are informed that from the highest planet down to the lowest—all pose misery.  That, of course, is the design of a world to accommodate our consciousness.

Desire is powerful.  Whatever you dream of and fantasize about, will most likely manifest in some shape or form within your life.  Concept becomes construct—is what I see.

If that is the case, isn’t there someone out there, some super-brain who engineers things to happen?

In Sanskrit, we call such a person Jagannath, the universal Lord.

Today I was asked to send a message of goodwill to participants of this year’s Chariot Fest in Vancouver.  My few words of greeting will be covered in an opening page of what’s called ‘The Souvenir’.  I will inform through my words, that we will be celebrating this engineer of the universe, whom some call God.

I will include in the message that it was fifty years ago, in 1967—the summer of Love—when the first Chariot Fest in the West was staged at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  This anniversary all happened on the Pacific Coast.

I also hope to walk in that Park, this summer, after completing my U.S. trek, which started in New York City initially.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Sunday, March 5th, 2017

Toronto, Ontario

Ramesvara

Ravi Sharma is an angel.  He is mild, soft, gentle, helpful, and strong physically.  Everything is there; just the wings are missing.  Oh, and he doesn’t get angry.  I checked with his wife, Geeta.

“I’m the one who gets angry,” she said on this beautiful Sunday a.m., and at the time of Ravi’s diksha initiation.  It was during my delivery of words, in the course of the ceremony, while explaining the significance of diksha, that I asked her the question before all.  Her answer caused a buzz.

One additional aspect of Ravi is that he is an avid member of the sankirtan team.  Locally, an active team of weekend warriors go out to public venues (excuse me, monthly for now) and meet the people of the world, give a smile, a word of greeting, show a book on transcendence and try to make the most valuable “connection” in a person’s life.  One that could be transformational.

Ravi is also a companion walker.  He and I have covered some neighbourhood streets together while doing japa meditation.  It’s always a pleasure to be with him.  We don’t need to get into a huge conversation.  Our fixation at these times involves watching where you’re stepping and listening as best as can be to the mantras we chose as our subtle companions.

Our pujaris (priests) from Scarborough, presided over the yajna (sacrifice) using earth, twigs, seeds, herbs, ghee, fruit, veggies, flowers and fire.

Ravi’s diksha name is Ramesvara.

May the Source be with you!

0 km (Gout is out and about)

Saturday, March 4th, 2017

Delhi/Amsterdam/Toronto

On the Way

I went through the terrors of traffic in Delhi.  A sweet devotee of Krishna, Satya Narayan, who lives, works and prays, all within one block of the temple, was my driver to the airport.  I’m going back home.  He told me something a friend said, “In India the people are very loving but they are not human.  In many countries they are human but not necessarily loving.”

When I heard this statement regarding life in India and particularly how traffic and space is handled, I was quite inclined to agree with words of such profundity.  As we fought traffic, dodging and charging in mayhem, I looked out my window, peering at some of the drivers.  There’s a sweetness, an air of optimism on the faces that I could detect.  And I felt confused and ambivalent seeing cheerfulness in chaos.

“Ignorance is bliss,” I moaned out to Satya as we continued on in the rat race.  Satya, himself, smiled.  Maybe I’m too much of a grump, but no, scripture tells the truth of Kali-yuga, the present age of darkness.  Should I pretend all is well?  I just feel right “calling a spade a spade.”  The honking, the aggression, the sudden shift of lanes, the regular bottle-necking of vehicles, and all in the areas of road construction brought to a halt during the night.

“Visions of hell,” I thought.  I chanted, but the madness did not go away.  I said to Satya, “This is now, but what about ten years from now?  Do you think auto-salespeople will stop selling their cars?  No!”

Satya kept smiling and truly shared with me the woes of what we were witnessing, only I was more depressed about it.

Eco-villages, let’s get going!

May the Source be with you!

0 km