Tuesday, February 5th, 2019

Longdenville, Trinidad

Across the Street

Across the street from our temple is a neighbourhood called Cashew Gardens.  Well, on such an early trek as five of us took today, scouting each little side street in this hood, it was hard to find cashew trees.  Dogs, we got to know—practically every last one.  Most are chained or behind a fence, thank God.

The special treat, concerning today, was a visit to the beach.  It's where my friend, Agnidev, and I went.  There were caves to explore—or perhaps not to explore.  You don't know when sedimentary rock will cave-in from above.  The water was simply a pool for pleasure, and a place to bond and chill.  The turn-out for the swim, the food, and the Bhagavatam class on the sand was phenomenal.

The evening brought additional joy at the home of Radhe Shyam and Kamalaksha.  Their house-event drew two-hundred people whom we engaged in song, dance, and listening to the lila of the Lord, or what I call, LOL. ;o)

Going to these two locations involved traveling quite some distance, unlike the walk across the street to Cashew Gardens.  You know, most people are unaware of the treasures that lie nearby.  From your very own home, apartment or room, there may be a street or pathway relatively close, beckoning to be walked on.  If some places are more dubious than others, and Trinidad is known for crime, then have some companions with you or, like I said recently to a group in Round Rock, Texas, "Start a japa walking club.  You'll get both physical and spiritual enrichment."

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Monday, February 4th, 2019

Freeport, Trinidad

Another Country

My stay in Guyana is over.  Prabhupadev, the manager of the Nimai Pandit Study Centre, arranged for a group of young men plus himself to accompany me to the airport. From there the group would go for fun at "Splash," some water event. These men, after all, deserved it. Basically they did all the work in organizing the Padayatra over the last weekend. It was intense. They were happily engaged, which is the formula to combat the over-stimulating and yet wearisome world that is now recognized as a chronic problem for the i generation (iGen).

God bless them!

Now, I'm in Trinidad, and was greeted by Umapati from our centre in Longdenville. On our drive to there, Umapati told of when my dear god-brother and colleague from Canada, Sridhara Swami (now  passed away) walked to the temple, came face-to-face with a dog and challenged him. He took a firm stand and shouted, "HUT!" something our guru did with aggressive dogs in India. Well this didn't work for Sridhara when on his visit to Guyana. The dog lunged forward and left him with a deep bite.

I know from walking in Trinidad that there's a plentiful supply of three things: oil, cars and dogs. All are some of my pet peeves; nevertheless, the people are sweet.

We experienced this with their response to Trinidad's version of Padayatra. A member of Parliament, Mr.  Singh, came for the opening ceremony. The  people at their homes responded favourably, and so did the many dogs.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Sunday, February 3rd, 2019

Plaisance, Guyana

Sunday Chant-Walk

Today was the last of a four-day Padayatra,and this morning's final time period took us to Plaisance, through residential areas and a marketplace.  It was a mere three-kilometre stretch, but then we moved rather slowly, with a vehicle—a flatbed truck—in front to carry water, and a speaker to amplify the sound of our kirtan.  Next in line was the kirtan itself, comprised mostly of young men and women.  Then finally in the procession was a smartly built, rope-pulled cart which sheltered the murtis,or images, of Chaitanya and Nityananda. That was it.  Rather modest, but powerful, because our presence in Guyana is known through this walking festival.

Acknowledgement of Krishna monks is also known in Guyana for the annual Rathayatra, also a walking festival of sorts.  And finally, we are quite visible to the public through television broadcasts.

As we paraded along, while singing together, we passed at least a half-dozen churches, in addition to a mosque.  Some Christian services were in session—a marked difference from gatherings at pubs with Saturday-night-thumping music a few hours earlier.

Our walking party culminated at the ISKCON Centre near the University of Guyana.  There we engaged in more chanting.  I gave a class on twenty-six qualities of a virtuous human, followed by a diksha, initiation ceremony, for a farming couple.  Their names are Damodar-lila and Radha-lila.  They specialize in growing those long exotic beans which are delicious when cooked nicely.

I had a room full of young teens to twenty-year olds. We chatted about their issues. They were a great bunch.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Saturday, February 2nd, 2019

Foulis, Guyana

Pleasure But Plastic

We began our walking festival at a big yellow house.  The procession was colourful.  I could pretty much guarantee that this padayatra was the only outdoor spiritual event in the country on this day.  People responded quite favourably with the wave of a hand or just an address: "Haribol!"  Yes there is a real worth to the island and its people, but there's one thing I find intolerable—the garbage.

Devotees here inform me that there is no recycling program in the whole country except for transmigration of the soul. Seriously, it is a real agitator to see the neglect.  The plastic and glass is in abundance.  "It was worse five years ago," said one of the members of padayatra. "When drains got so clogged and flooding began because of it, the government finally stepped up."

Another tragic element that's coming around on the horizon is the drilling of oil.  Guyana apparently is now known to be sitting on top of, or near, one of the largest oil deposits in the world.  Usually wherever mining takes place, there is prosperity for a time, and then often the economy goes for a nose-dive.

Despite all negativity, our program went well.  I had helped their local drama group, from Berbice, to tweak areas of their production, "Ajamila."  More time was needed.  They performed well.  At the end of what was called the pandal program, the whole assembly of people were dancing up a storm, especially the younger set.  They did much of the work, regarding set-up and take-down.

Except for the trash, I really like it here. Oh, and the number of cars is increasing, which is not good news for a walker, or anyone for that matter.  https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-to-open-first-ever-temple-in-guyanese-capital,5568/

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Friday, February 1st, 2019

Mahaica, Guyana

Food and Bliss

One of the senior bhakti-yogis in Guyana is Paramatma, and he took me generously to his farm which he personally tends to.  It's a paradise.  Kerela (aka bittermelon), avocado, soursap, lauki (bottlegourd), grapefruit, oranges, string and long beans, pigeon peas, cassava, corn, papaya—you name it—he's got it all in the tropical line.  He then treated me to a meal prepared by his good wife.  OMG!

"This country is rich.  You can grow anything, almost anything, here," he said proudly.

After landing, I had been in the country for only a few short hour and participated in the padayatra festival on foot through the village of Mahaica, before indulging in Paramatma's harvest of organic foodstuffs.  All was good.

For the final segment of the fest today, the stage was complete with our young men and women chanting, and the more seasoned pastors and pandits speaking or preaching up a storm.  I was called on by the master of ceremonies, Saci Suta, a sishya or student of mine.  After three preachers said their bit on the theme of "Spiritual Solutions to Physical Problems," I opted for doing something different which included some yoga stretches and voice exercises, before mantras and jokes. The whole idea was to be interactive, expressive and inclusive.  The biggest challenge was to get folks from the back and corner of the seating areas to fill up the space.  Well, it worked.  The seats got fully occupied and before you knew it, the audience participated in a more complete way.  This was the mercy of God, of course.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZAIsWgJpt/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1rz8df0rsu4su

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Thursday, January 31st, 2019

Toronto / Port of Spain

Getting Up There

I'm off to Guyana, with a stop-over in Trinidad. Unfortunately, I'm not on foot, walking, rather my feet are placed under Seat 24E on Caribbean Airlines.  Next to me, occupying the window seat, is forty-two-year-old Naveen Deodat, an actual employee of the Toronto Airport.  He has a few days off.  It's holiday time for him.  He was surprised to see me.

"Have I seen you before? On YouTube?  Maybe giving a talk?" he asked.

"It's possible.  I'm—"

"The Walking Monk.  I knew I'd seen you.  This is a pleasure.  It was meant to be.  It's not an accident...."

Naveen and I hit it off quite well.  He mentioned that years ago Sri Chinmoy visited his home.  He has a copy of Bhagavad-gita:As It Is, and has gone through it.  Talking about spirituality with Naveen was no problem.  He's single, and at one point asked what is the prerequisite for becoming a sannyasi—a monk.

My answer:  "A certain amount of dedication.  Study of the sastra (scripture) is required, in addition to doing japa meditation for two hours each day.  Some principles are to be abided by: no meat, no substance abuse, sex only with one partner, no gambling...and share what you know.... There are also first and second initiations. A third one means you are taking sannyasa after being on a waiting list for some time...."

He assumed sannyasa was a high position, and as we were talking, we were soaring high—10,000 feet in altitude, 15,000 and at least to 25,000 in the jet stream. I thought, Wow!  Of course humans are supposed to reach zenith levels—in consciousness.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Wednesday, January 30th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

A Re-Opening Coming

In two days, Govinda's Dining Room, the eatery within our temple/ashram, will be open again.  "Closed for renovations" reads the sign at the entrance.  Actually, it's been rather quiet as of late because of the insulation work, repainting, and cleaning of drapes.  It was all quite necessary to improve the comfort and safety of the regulars coming to enjoy the food which we call prasadam(blessed food).  We had a mould problem and it was time for some refurnishing.  We're seeing a new look.

Currently, there is dust in the air and on all surfaces including the curtains and floor.  It will take a lot of love to get everything ready for Friday.  I was walking in the midst of the white plaster powder all about, doing my rounds—that is chanting on my beads—and indoors, due to the frigidness of the outside.  The temperature is -20 C; feels like -35 C.

I sat down, looked around, and imagined the fresh new look about to be manifest.  There is already a new facelift.  It feels like a reincarnation of sorts—a breath of renewed air.  After doing some pacing in the room, I sat down on a chair and on a second one placed my phone.  I got the urge to play George Harrison's song, "Here Comes The Sun," the lyrics of which tell of a new beginning—the coming of Krishna to the world (as the avatar Chaitanya), however it was Nina Simone's rendition, which is also beautiful, that I ended up playing.  https://youtu.be/CTnDttx8PPU

It was midnight by then, and definitely time for bed in order to prepare for the new beginning that I'm feeling in the air, especially as it relates to Govinda's.

One last item which took place, before I did my Govinda's pacing, was having this gathering with our outreach leaders.  All I can say is, "We've got talent!"

May the Source be with you!

1 km

Tuesday, January 29th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Horses, a Hero and a Princess

So Krishna receives this love letter from Rukmini, the princess of Vidarbha, and she is head over heels to have Him come to spare her from the arranged marriage to Sisupal, a man not to her liking—at all. The letter was sent via a brahman, and it was in a tone of urgency that Krishna come as soon as possible.

Krishna dropped all business (which was not easy to get disentangled from).  Why? He was combating an ambitious warrior, Jarasandha. He had to save Rukmini before it was too late and this meant leaving the battle.  He traveled at high speed with horses and charioteer, Daruka, to the scene of the grand wedding.

In the meantime, Krishna's elder brother, Balarama, heard of Krishna's journey and His heroic task.  Balarama decided to give all support and arranged for an army to follow His brother just in case there would be resistance.

Time was ticking away.  Rukmini was getting anxious.  The elaborate ceremony with brahmans doing their rituals were about to begin and there was no sign of the messenger brahman or her love.

This is where our story left us hanging—a story from the Bhagavatam.  It was a cliff-hanger for those of us sitting there as we followed an epic tale.  Stay tuned for tomorrow as a few of us temple monks hear, for one hour, more of the compelling fast and furious story.

Now, for the evening, we conducted a private showing of a twenty-two-minute documentary, "The Walking Monk," by film maker Michael Oesch.  Viewers liked it.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Monday, January 28th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Fun Through Storms

I actually had a blast in the ‘blast’. Yes, indeed, the wind picked up today and tossed twenty-plus centimetres of snow into the air.  I see it as a dance–a romance perhaps–snow and wind in a waltz.

I felt pity for motorists in either ‘stand-still’ traffic, or a ‘crowd’ of cars.  "Suckers," I could say, but I will refrain.  I felt joy by passing them all along Yonge Street. There was music in the air with tires creating that grinding effect as they turn in attempted traction.  In the distance, sirens sounded, and although descending snow tends to buffer noise, human gab and laughter wasn't necessarily silenced.  Some pedestrians were liking the trudge as much as I.  https://www.instagram.com/p/BtN7WxMAI_K/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=12btwmwkgbrjj

It was something different.  A dynamic more intense than usual.  You might resolve, within, that it could be worse.  The best consolation I ever heard was, "Yah gotta live with it.  Yah might as well love it."

Meanwhile on the West Coast in the Lower Mainland, I'm hearing, "We haven't had a snowflake this year.  The mountains around here (Vancouver) have few snow caps. It means a dry summer and forest fires."

"Well," I said to the BC resident over the phone, "I'd be happy to send some of the white stuff over your way if I could, but I don't have the power."

That is the major point of deliberation.  A snow-blizzard like this humbles us and allows us to realize there's a greater controller up in the clouds.  Probably people think less about divorce during a storm. Yes, we must team up together.  At least at the pedestrian level, people try to help each other when the opportunity arises: "Here let me help you get over the snow bank," or, "I've got a shovel.  I'll clear your driveway for you."  That's being neighbourly.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Sunday, January 27th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

I Walked by the Old Home

The Canadian Health Food Guide was recently re-released and it's been a cause of controversy over the fact that it weighs heavily on plant-based food and goes lean on the meat.  Yes, the meat and dairy industries aren't too pleased over it, yet it's a great victory for those who live by the more veg lifestyle——sattvic,as we say, or, in the mode of goodness. https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/food-guide-snapshot/

I know that some of my colleagues won't be too thrilled about the challenge to cow's milk.  Frankly, milk has in recent years been of poor quality.  Consumers of dairy are charged with supporting the merciless slaughter industry.  It is an ugly business.  Thoughtful are we when we give some consideration to supporting ahimsa (non-violent) products, that is milk from cows and bulls not raised for slaughter.

Discussions will go on, on the topic of the rights and wrongs of dairy consumption.  http://www.dandavats.com/?p=26636 Followers of bhakti-yoga will have to give much attention to this debate and hopefully vie for the cow/bull protection culture.

Regarding the abstinence of meat, I can proudly say I haven't put animal flesh to my tongue for forty-seven years.  I was reminded of my radical change in life when I walked by the old home on 187 Gerrard Street this evening.  It was the location of our temple back in the seventies. That's where I joined in early '73. I never turned back to civilian life, so to speak.  I believe I made a good decision.  It was perfect for me.  http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/PhotoAlbum38.html

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Saturday, January 26th, 2019

Oakville, Ontario

The Car and the Body

You would think that I would be fond of automobiles, since I have my best naps when I'm a passenger and they’re in motion. It doesn't seem to fail; the vibration lulls me to sleep.  For that I am grateful, however, I still view them, cars or trucks, as easy death machines.

On both to and from Kasyapa and Pachami's home in Oakville, I did doze—happily.  Nevertheless, the word is out that pedestrians are at a disadvantage. Apparently, there are record high accident fatalities in the Greater Toronto Area.  It seems like drivers are not careful enough, nor pedestrians, in some cases.

The case in point is that while we live in a world which glamorizes the auto, rarely do we speak of their dark side.  I think the car is a drug.

While on the topic of vehicles, our bodies are such. They do transport us at speed levels that are reasonable.  They also need care.  I was fortunate to have a person from the area do a massage from neck to toe.  Ugresh, fifty-two, came by the ashram to lay on the mustard seed oil and massage it in.  Mustard oil heats up the body which absorbs it quite well.  Massage is something that was thoroughly executed on the body of our guru, Prabhupada, daily.  It enhances relaxation, improves the movement of the bodily airs, makes muscles happy, and gives some addition to your life.

Walking and massage are two great ways of putting joy into life.  When walking, watch those cars.  They will give you a real hard massage if you’re not prudent.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Friday, January 25, 2019

Brampton, Ontario 

From Alice to Hanuman

Long before I became a monk, I ventured off to a rock concert like many of us teens in those days.  A group of friends and I crossed the border to Detroit, to the venue Cobo Hall, to see music sensation and band, "Alice Cooper," do their theatrics on stage, in addition to hearing their music.  "I'm eighteen and I know what I want..." went the lyrics. It was interesting, although I didn't really care for the music.  His electric chair routine was unique.

Well, I was reminded of those words when I went to the Salwan residence in Brampton.  It was a party to honour Hiten who just turned eighteen.  He played mrdunga drum to a chanting session.  The capacity of the house was full.  We all got on our feet to dance.  Hiten had fun, and I believe he is more together than Alice Cooper was who declared he knew what he wanted at eighteen.  Alice went on to become a heavy drinker, eventually pulled away, got sober, and landed with Christian spirituality.

I'm happy for both.

Just prior to leaving for Brampton, which entailed walking through a brutal Arctic blast before reaching the subway, I chatted with Raymond who passed his eighteenth, six years ago.  Raymond just completed reading the epic, "The Ramayan."

"Man, oh man!" he remarked.  "This story is sooo good.  I just love it."

"What's your favourite part?"

"Hanuman!  Hands down!"

Today's the day for heroes.  There's Ram, Hanuman, Hiten, Raymond, and finally Alice.

May the Source be with you!

4 km