Friday, July 2, 2021

Yorkville, Ontario

 

Looking at People

 

All went fairly smooth, for the day, with indoor services involving services to our resident monks, classes and meetings on the phone as periodical sun rays shafted through windows, broken up by intermittent cloud casting and serious rain. It’s hard to believe that our west coast is so dry and, in Canada, of all places, hearing that there are record breaking hot spells, when in central zones, like here, there are regular downpours.

 

One village, Lytton, in British Columbia, that I walked through, hit a temperature the other day of 46° C/over 120° F. Two days ago, a train came through and its wheels sparked a fire that took down 90% of the place (population 250). It’s devastated. I recall how normally it is rather barren with sparse coniferous trees growing along mountain-side country while the mighty Thompson River makes its way. Evacuation was inevitable. Much of the now displaced population is indigenous. It is sad. It is the material world with its sukha dukha, glad and sad reality.

 

Now with Toronto’s wetness behind me and rain drained, I could get out, so I made my way five blocks to trendy Yorkville, for fun, to catch a glimpse of sleek-dressed night strollers and slow-moving motorist in the fanciest sports cars. It was with a trite entertainment that I somewhat enjoyed while I sat on a bench. Faces weren’t sad. They also were not happy, but pleasure-seeking they were. “You’re looking in the wrong place,” I wanted to shout out, while I fingered through my mantra beads. “Touch your spirit.”

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Etobicoke/Scarborough

 

West End, East End

 

Nothing major but I was feeling a bit woozy from the vaccine I received yesterday, nevertheless I wanted to keep busy. In that regard priestly duties were put to motion. It started with a visitation to Nimai Nitai’s home. Among his family friends was someone’s birthday; Jyoti is her name. She’s a young mother. We celebrated with a cheese cake.

Now you may ask what is it with my involvement in a birthday and what does it have to do with priestly duties? Well, my role in a spiritual community may not just be centered on activities of faith and devotion. It is necessary, I find, to stay connected with the community and to address human/social needs. Birthdays are important to people. 

A second obligation came in the form of another visit to a family in the east end. Nitai Gaura, from Guyana, passed away at 80 yesterday morning. He was a peaceful and good soul. Since I can’t make it to the cremation on Sunday (I’ll be at a wedding in Montreal) I felt a deep compulsion to go and give support to the family. Karuna Sindhu kindly drove me to this household, as he did for our morning visit, so that we could chant mantras in his honour. It was sweet being with the family and friends.

Although today was Canada Day, I had fun reconnecting with people. Oh, incidentally, we have restarted our “stairway kirtans” and in our evening sessions passersby get abuzz. Tonight I got specific about how I greeted them. “Happy Canada Day!” They responded with a smile, each one of them.

May the Source be with you!

 

 

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Ramsden Park, Toronto

 

Through the Tranquility

 

I’ve known Devananda for many years. He grew up in London, Canada, area. I know little about his Jewish descent, but he adopted to eastern ways like I did. Pursuing life in India; living like a yogi/sadhu of sorts was his calling. He’s been active in China and India and teaches shiatsu and massage therapy.

 

It’s great when he comes around, being about the same age we have something to share about experience in the yoga field, although my chosen approach has been more in the bhakti line. There is, however, more in common than different, despite being taught by different gurus.

 

We had prasad together and our lunch was something he really liked. Devananda has this genuine interest to see a better world (and again we share, in this one, the same attitude); that the forces of materialism are very strong in this part of the world.

 

He actually took a chance on his bike to dodge the wet oncoming storm. The coast was clear for his arrival to meet at a safe place near the temple. Well, rains came, and we had to shelter ourselves from what seemed like a monsoon. Once the rain and wind calmed, he headed for his apartment in the nick of time before a new installment of thunder and rain.

 

Once that cleared, I snuck over to the park. It was great. The storm chased people away, or at least deterred them from coming. I had the green all to myself for minutes – minutes that moved me closer to Krishna, in some way. I saw Him through the tranquility.

 

May the Source be with you!

1 km