Monday, November 25th, 2013

Cool Cuba!

 

Matanzas, Cuba

 

It´s winter so water can be rough, like it is today. Hayagriva, my assistant monk and I, consider that the waves on the Atlantic were doable for a swim, but we stayed at the edge. After a fight with the waves and a good attempt at singing mantras simultaneously, we went to dry as the local lifeguard came around only out of curiosity.

 

“Where are you from?”  he asked.

 

“Canada,” said Hayagriva who manages in Spanish. We let people know we are part of a spiritual mission: Krishna Consciousness.

 

This is my fourth trip to Cuba and I can see the family is slowly growing. In Matanzas, the home of Hari Keli has become a regular meeting place for enthusiasts in bhakti yoga. Little has been done to the building repairs and needs. Foreign finance seems to be the way to resolve that problem. Devotees who joined the Salwan family and I, came from Alberta and are offering to help.

 

The greeting of local people, who mostly have converted to vegetarianism and bhakti, was a resounding welcome. Such zeal! They are so genuine in their devotional expression. My dear friend, Iksvaku, is here to do the translation for a class I gave on the lesson number one from the Bhagavad-gita; that is the soul’s persistent journey through various lives.  “If death comes tomorrow, don’t lament. A new body awaits you.”  Several times I used the phrase, “Why Cry?” and the group repeated the message. It was as if they were learning a Sanskrit mantra and some English at the same time. In any event, the message, well, they got it, at least in rational perimeters.

 

Nitai from Edmonton, Canada, has a reputation for bhajan singing and he led a killer kirtan, although his voice could have used some amplification. Folks here just can’t afford to buy or to rent. You’re lucky to earn $15 US or Canadian in a month.

 

To highlight the evening apart from chanting, the youth enacted a drama written by Alberto, a playwright. That sure pulled my heartstrings.

 

May the Source be with you!

 

5 KM

Sunday, November 24th, 2013

From the Heart

 

Varadero, Cuba

 

You see Brits, Germans, Russians but mostly Canadians in Cuba, 87% of tourists. I met a Belgian couple who spoke Flemish. I was surprised I could pick up on some words.

 

My first language was Dutch, akin to Flemish. This couple and others wanted to know, “What group are you with?” Even a smiley Cuban guy, a waiter, wanted to know. I was the only monk in the entire buffet at Memories Resort. I stood out.

 

I like standing out but only for the sake of being a representative for my guru, Srila Prabhupada. Whatever I do, it is on his behalf. At the entrance of the buffet you are greeted by pressed-dressed people who offer a “Hola”. I return a pranams (palms together). They then give a quick spontaneous bow.

 

You fill out a form voluntarily at the dinner table after a meal. They want feedback. Okay! Here it is. Under the section  ”Comments on the beer” I wrote "I don’t drink poison.”  On the resorts entertainment I wrote “I meditate.”  On the buffet food I wrote “please separate meat from the vegetarian items.”

 

I am waiting for my monk assistant, Hayagriva, and his companion, Sahil, an excellent drummer, but while I wait I hit the Atlantic beach and swam its waters. There I caught up sadhana songs, praises to the guru and Krishna. It’s a usual morning session. It’s what I miss when I’m not in the temple ashram. I also walked on the beach, as others were doing. Here I don’t stand out due to swim wear but an obvious white string, a brahmin’s thread, keeps me apart. It’s no fashion statement. It’s my mark as a devotee of the Divine.

 

The family I flew here with is the Salwan’s, a kindly clan from the Punjab, now residents of Canada. We all enjoy a great temperature (in the 20’s) after leaving our first snowfall for the year, in southern Ontario; a fresh white powder blanketing the upper part of Mother Earth. We are fine. We have fun.

 

And manana (tomorrow) we will start our spiritual program together: a reading of sastra (truth teachings), discussion and singing “Hare Krishna”. It might take on a salsa flavour though. As long as it’s from the heart, right?

 

May the Source be with you!

 

7 KM

Saturday, November 23rd, 2013

A Verse That Tells It All

Richmond HIll, Ontario

It’s an honour to be asked to speak from the book, ‘Bhagavatam’.

Today’s verse, 7.15.57, was particularly appealing and addresses the nature of the Absolute:

“He who exists internally and externally at the beginning and end of everything and of all living beings, is that which is enjoyable and as the enjoyer of everything, superior and inferior, is the Supreme Truth.  He exists as knowledge and the object of knowledge.  As expression and the object of understanding.  As darkness and as light.  Thus, the Supreme is everything.”

The reason why this verse so much resonates with me is because of the confirmation of the presence of Divine presence being everywhere.  So that’s it, you can’t escape it, Spirit is all about.  Better still, Supreme Consciousness is everywhere, you can’t hide from it.  It’s always there to protect you.

Most people can’t see it.  We view objects as mere products of matter, as energy.  This verse underscores that ultimate reality is present in matter.  In expression.  In light.  In darkness.  In knowledge.

I like the description, ‘enjoyable’.  God is playful, not vindictive, not one to instill fear, but joy.  Fear does exist in this world.  We don’t need to be naïve about that, but we can overcome it by reflecting on the ananda (blissful) feature of the Absolute.  Absoluteness can be found anywhere in beauty and in ugliness, and hence, nothing moves without the will of the Supreme, not even a blade of grass.  In fact, within the most simple object you will find subtle complexities as it’s make up.  This is confirmation of a sophistication that could leave one in awe.  The world as it is is one of mystery and could leave Alice in Wonderland puzzled.

I’m travelling again, this time to a hospital to see a patient getting some Divine insertion.  May I become a decent conduit for the task.  Then I’m off to Cuba, not on foot though.

May the Source be with you!

0 KM

Friday, November 22nd, 2013

With The Gods

Toronto, Ontario

Temperatures at night were going to go below the freezing point.  As I was preparing for that nighttime stroll that’s been habit this week, several people became my mothers.  It had drizzled, winds were picking up in addition to there being a plummeting of degrees.  So I donned my hoodie over a saffron coloured sweatshirt.  That wasn’t good enough though for my well intentioned friends as I was about to go out the door.

“You’ll need your coat, Maharaja.”  “Are you sure you’ll be warm enough?”  I simply had to remind those concerned well wishers that I’m not going to be standing at a bus stop freezing to death.

“I’m walking. Walking, in and of itself, is the most powerful mechanism for the emission of heat.”  We have this furnace within that stokes up as soon as you move those feet.  It’s the legs and feet that fire up the whole body.  As you put feet in motion, it’s like striking the flint; initially sparks will fly and then a combustible flame ignites.

Agni, the god of fire, which is the origin or root word for ‘ignite’ or ‘ignition’, will visit you.  He’s with you, even in the presence of Vayu, the wind god, who definitely tagged along for the stretch along College Street (I have yet to explore who the god of cold is, but he’s out there).  Generally the demigods all work either in concert or in competition.  You are never alone.

A young student, Durjoy, was next to me on the trek on College.  He was all bundled up and at one point brought up the topic once again, “Aren’t you cold?”

“No, I’m not cold, I am a spirit,” I wanted to say.  I assured him that Agni was with us, so I’m warm.  In all honesty, I didn’t mind the company of the elements at all.  They are the reason for keeping silent at times.  They are communicating with you and it’s always a good thing to acknowledge their presence without too much intimidation.  They are personalities and are devotees of the Great Spirit.

So all that is needed is to chill out so to speak.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Thursday, November 21st, 2013

Get Clean

Toronto, Ontario

After a long day at a desk and a phone (for one hour with students) I took an evening trek west on Bloor Street.  I unwound, I reflected.

There’s a neighbourliness to this segment of the street right up to include Little Korea and the Christie Pitts Park where a magnificent large image of a tiger is lit up in the dark.  On my return I popped into a place of shop owners, one of those east Indian trinket and clothing shops.  I’ve known the family for years.  I stepped in.  They looked a little morose, I wondered why.

“Lots of merchandise, no customers,” complained Mrs. Agarwal.  I could not verbally be critical of their place, only in the mind, I am their priest after all.  They demonstrated their natural reverential side, however.  I couldn’t help noticing that if there was a little more effort towards a smart displaying of the goods, there might be some customers.  It’s Christmas time, presentation is practically everything if you want to sell something.

Again, I didn’t feel it was my place to say anything.  I wanted to help in some way.  Even though they seemed to be struggling with their sales, their natural piety came through.   Mrs. Agarwal handed me an envelope which had a donation as the content inside.  It came from the heart.  It’s in the Indian culture to give to a sahdu (monk) when they see one.  The mentality is, “A holy man came into my shop, how auspicious.”  Of course, I don’t feel that way about myself, I have a lot of karma that I’m carrying.  I’m not particularly clean, but I can say that I’m strict with principles, no intoxications touch my lips or enter my blood stream.  No meat meets my belly.  No gambling engages my hands, and no sex.  These principals keep me protected.  In that way, there’s less contamination in my being, I guess you could say.  Thank Krishna.

I thank the Agarwals for their time, their kind words and gift.  I was left to trek back and in that time of contemplation, remembered what one personal friend from the States today said on the phone, “When my wife and I did our marriage vows 30 years ago, we promised we would never raise our voice at each other.”

Well, they’ve been doing it.  Sounds like a pretty clean program they’ve got going on.  That’s exactly what I told the students that came from Kingston today.  Our purpose in this world is to get clean.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Wednesday, November 20th, 2013

Good Letter

Toronto, Ontario

I was reluctant to read stacks of personal letters (you know, messages on paper) that were left on my desk, or rather, given to me by the person whom they were addressed to. His name is Steve Mann, otherwise known as Satyavrata. He had left these letters which were written over a period by a well wisher, Kirtanananda, who was the son of a minister and later took to the practice of bhakti yoga. He had become controversial and had written these letters when in prison. But, to his credit, he wrote some insightful literature much to do with the comparative thought between Christianity and spirituality from the east.

In an effort to reach out to one in need, Kirtanananda wrote the following letter to his friend. I thought it worth sharing and after reading it and after a walk through Rosedale:

“Thank you for your recent letter, 15th March, 1998.

So far as Lord Jesus is concerned, His mission is the same as all the other representatives of Godhead; namely, to remind us that we are all children of the one Almighty Father, and that He wants us to come Home, Back to Godhead! Again, don’t worry about some ‘final dissolution’ of the material world’. Material nature is also eternal, although any particular manifestation is temporary. The sacrifice Christ made is the same sacrifice demanded of all of us, ‘die before you die’, ‘die to live’. Unless we die to the ‘old man’, the false ego self, we cannot live to the ‘new man’, the real self that is part and parcel of the One, Krishna.

My instruction to you is the same instruction Prabhupada gave, ‘Chant and be happy’. Surrendering to Krishna means to stop worrying about your future and leave everything in His hands. Trust Him completely, He is your Father. He loves you perfectly and completely. He knows what is BEST for you. He is able to accomplish it and has the will to do it. Just trust Him!

Perhaps you should pray the serenity prayer, Lord, grant me the serenity (intelligence) to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Also, the second part of Saint Francis’s prayer gives the secret of that sacrifice I mentioned, ‘Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we born to Eternal Life.’

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

I Love It When Students…

Toronto, Ontario

I love it when students come to our ashram.

Today we had a small number of them, a dozen, including David Paris, the teacher.  They came uniformed and with bright open minds from York School, Secondary School level.  With some assistance on music, namely a mrdanga drum and kartal cymbals, I led the students in a chant and dance.  They even happily recited word by word the two mantras in honour of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, followed by the offering of flower petals at the base of his murti (icon).  After engaging them in this simple ritual, we sat for a chat, and I answered questions.  I had also taken them around the room, showed the group the excellent paintings and the stories behind them.  Mr. Paris was drawn to the picture of demoness Putana.  Initially he looked startled; when he read the adjoining caption he seemed to be relieved.  “Do you take your scripture literally?” was a question of his.  Answer, “Our main book, the Bhagavad Gita, is taken as historical, but, in a more relevant way the follower of Krishna looks at the evil forces within and tries to ‘kill the demon within’.”

“What’s the goal?”  asked one of the girls.

“To ultimately love God.  We are practitioners of bhakti yoga,  the yoga of love.”

Mr. Paris also asked, “What’s your opinion of other faiths?”

“We are glad that so many people have found diverse approaches to the Absolute because there are so many diverse types of people that need to be accommodated.  There just needs to be a maturity of attitude towards each other.  Acceptance, tolerance, and not ignorance, are traits of respect and saintliness.”

The students also got treated to a great meal, a vegan prasadam fare, and it looked like that got swallowed real well.  We hope to see the students again.

Tuesday nights are called Tuesday Sanga, when reflections of the Gita are shared.  I was given the freedom to do whatever I chose, so the group that came, took to a memorization session on 7.6:

“All created beings have their source in these two natures.  Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution.”

The only thing is that I had the group concentrate more on the Sanskrit, which was really fun.  For part 2 of the sanga¸ I got to talk about pilgrimage, walking the country, and all the amazing people I meet along the way.  The day was really fulfilling.

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Monday, November 18th, 2013

Don’t See But Know

Toronto, Ontario

Flight 1485 American Airlines was somewhat rough in its landing at Toronto Airport.  Coming underneath the clouds gave passengers a surprise with the strong air current.  The wind, you can’t see, but you could feel it.  Ask the survivors in the Philippines.

The same can be said of the soul’s presence.  It can’t be seen, but felt through various symptoms.

I did, after landing, take advantage of a walk downtown.  I have forgotten that Christmas fever starts early in recent times.  It means the city is lit up more than usual in the night.  On occasion I had looked up at the glorious moon when a high-rise would allow it.  It made me wonder once again about the powerful presence of the elements and of matter, of energy, and where it all comes from.

Before resting, I took a few moments to relax my mind with some reading material before my eyes.  In the publication “Easy Journey to Other Planets” by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I revisited the following passage:

“Matter itself has no creative power.  When it is manipulated by the living energy, material things are produced.  Matter in its crude form, is therefore, the latent energy of the Supreme Being.  Whenever we think of energy, it is natural that we think of the source of energy.  For example when we think of electrical energy, we simultaneously think of the powerhouse where it is generated.  Energy is not self sufficient, it is under the control of a superior living being.  For example, fire is a source of two other energies, namely light and heat.  Light and heat have no independent existence outside of fire.  Similarly, the inferior and superior energies are derived from a source which one may call by any name.  That source of energy must be a living being with a full sense of everything. “

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Sunday, November 17th, 2013

Out With The Down And Out

Miami, Florida

For a change I decided to walk down the poor route.  Right near Coconut Grove you have this enclave of low rental low real estate properties.  There are even empty lots.  Who in their right mind would invest in an area like this?

It was after the Sunday program at ISKCON Miami that I opted for a less comfortable, perhaps, less safe space.  A place which doesn’t reek of money like the affluent shops and posh drinking joints of the Grove.  Perhaps I was taking a risk in the dark like this passing by people on drugs, drink, or just being down and out.  Somehow the test of this moment had me feeling more God dependant, and for this reason I was actually feeling not so bad off.

One woman who was quite high on something, followed me for some distance and began talking to me after having a loud conversation with herself.  She was coherent enough and just asked which group I belonged to, so I said, “Hare Krishna.”  That rather ignited her further on as she couldn’t stop saying the name over and over again.  For others it was easy to get some little remark from them, “Hello”.  I guess they see me as a minority figure as they are – a person of common ground.  One young chap, however, just looked so ashamed as he looked the other way.

My stay at Virginia and Day Juncture at the ISKCON centre nearby, had been interesting.  Louis Lumis, recently met one of our members.  He had been homeless.  Now, he takes his mantra beads everywhere he goes, feels clear headed, and feels joyful over the new turn in his life.  Sergio also had a serious drug issue just a year ago.  He came to our open house vegetarian feast and felt so good about his life slowly coming together.

At the feast where there was chanting and an initiation ceremony, I met briefly a broad spectrum of people, many of whom are professionals.  Quite the opposite end of the social status that I had met later.

People are people, rich or poor, healthy or ill; they all have the same spiritual need.  After all, we really are all very much the same, we are spirits.  Thank God!

I would like to congratulate the initiates, Steve, has a new name, it’s now Sri Dhama, Anna is now Ananda Rupa, and last but not least, Tony is now Tirtha. 

May the Source be with you!

4 KM

Thursday, November 14th, 2013

ATROCIOUS SCAMS ARE REVEALED TO THE WALKING MONK!!!

 

Gainesville/Orlando, Florida

 

Scams Galore!

 

Bare feet.  Sand.  Temperatures in the 30’s Fahrenheit.  The conditions are so alright.  Spurts of walking make the day perfect and complete.

 

Just before I delivered a class from the Bhagavatam at Krishna House, I had that great pleasure to trek some streets in Gainesville with a group of fresh air enthusiasts.  In Alachua, I had a brief jaunt to the future location of the Krishna.com distribution center which allowed my limbs to loosen after a rare massage session.  Then, after a fantastic meal at the home of Sesha and Madhumati, another short but sweet trek permitted an aid towards digestion.

 

Over the course of the last few days I have spent time with people of varying professions – legal and medical field as well as those in the pharmaceutical and including youth leaders.  I heard from them some spell bounding, if not hair raising, tales and remarks of self and public deception.  The remarks from the medical people were something like, “Clients in their 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s, some ready to pass on, are desperate for what they consider their saving grace, Viagra.”

 

Here’s another one.  Hing (asafetida) has animal byproducts in it.  Most of my friends love this spice.  They might tune out or turn off when they hear what this plant resin is cut with.  Tapioca is another food tainted with material you won’t want to hear about.  And ahimsa (non-violent) mrdanga drums that come from India, well, don’t trust the flyers, they are lying through their teeth.  The best hide for such a drum is sourced from young, defenseless calves who are not allowed to die naturally.  The reality is old cows don’t provide good drum heads.

 

“Scams galore!” might be a good way to describe some of what is going on.

 

It took a drive, and not a walk, to Orlando to contemplate the cheating that occurs.  In any event, the wrap up program for the day was held at the ISKCON Orlando Center where I was asked to speak on the benefits of seeing divine energy as personal versus impersonal.  “God is a person, someone to communicate with, and you can never label Him as a cheat as you could the people of this Earth.”

 

May the Source be with you!

 

6 KM

Wednesday, November 13th, 2013

Touch The Trail!  Touch The Earth!

Alachua, Florida

A trail reveals much about life where there is life and death.  Maha Mantra and I took the one hour trek to the local temple from the residence of Ananta and Vaishnavi, a South Indian couple with two boys.  They are our hosts.

Along the sandy road we came upon the signs of passing, for instance, deer gets struck by truck (or a car).  You see remains of bones and dried hide.  We also spotted to the side of the road an Armadillo who just didn’t make it in his migration across the humble two lane width thoroughfare.  Smaller creatures stand little chance against the speedy giant, the automobile.

The class that I delivered today before a sizeable group of local devotees was based on the episode of Krishna rescuing his father, Nanda, from the waters of Varuna.  During the course of the delivery of my message, I could not help but say something about the hazardous nature of the car.  I can’t remember how it came about, something to do with the premise of fear.

Not only did I mention something there in the class about the car, but I perpetuated the topic when speaking to two groups of students at Bhaktivedanta Academy.  I believe that in this modern world, especially in America, the message of the precious conveyance, the automobile, needs to be spelled out.  The automobile is not necessarily our best friend.

Vaishnavi, not the other one I just mentioned, who orchestrated my going to the school, offered to say this, “There’s this whole movement going on called ‘grounding’, and it’s been found that when you touch the earth, it’s soil (she was also implying barefoot travel) that it has anti-inflammatory effects on the body.

Finally, in the evening, with a facilitation at a bhakti session at the home of our hosts, we touched on the topic of the use of footwear.  I strongly recommended to the group that the best shoes to wear are what allow you to feel the trail.  Get close to the earth as possible.  Even when you look at the shape of your soles, they seem to want a hug from the sand

So, my dear friend, trek a trail, feel the earth, and out of respect, be careful not to respect on a living entity’s bones.

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

Wendy and I Talking

Gainesville, Florida

Wendy is a Lutheran, Christian based person, who is open enough to adapt to the policy of Darwin’s evolution.  It’s not usually a Christian option.  She also is open enough that the current Vatican Pope is a pleasant guy who walks his talk.

When I first began speaking to Wendy, she was obviously friendly.  She stated her name and said she looks after horses.  I asked her, “Now, where do horses originate from, from Arab countries?”

“Yes, I believe that’s where they first came from.”

“And zebras, being horse-like, how do they fit into the picture?”  I asked.

“I’m not quite sure, but the speculation is that they once were the size of dogs that evolved.”

I didn’t really let Wendy know that I personally don’t prescribe to Darwin’s doctrine.  I did, however, speak on the Vedic perspective on evolution.

“The individual self takes on a body beginning from a one-celled creature.  And each successive life thereafter is a slightly more progressed form of existence.  Finally, one reaches the stage of having a human form, and from there, demonstrates his/her uniqueness through inquiry beyond food tasting, sexual pursuits, defense and sleep.”

Wendy and I also talked about the three forces of nature as outlined in the text spoken by Krishna in the Gita.  You have these three powers called gunas, referred to as sattva, raja and tama.  They impact us all positively and negatively and through self discipline, one can overcome them.

Wendy and I were on American Airlines en route to Gainesville.  No, I didn’t meet her on the road.  Foot travel was to happen later on in the day at the sandy soils of Alachua.  Just before pre-boarding, all passengers waiting heard a very annoyed woman speaking to someone on the other side of the phone.  She exuded a wrath that could raise hell.  The volume of voice and intensity of emotions were such that she had everyone’s eyebrow upraised, including Wendy’s.

“I could feel the woman’s negative energy,” Wendy remarked.

I invited Wendy to our Alachua community nearby and I said, “If you see me walking in the area, if you’re in a car, please honk.  If you’re galloping on a horse, please let the horse neigh.”  She expressed that she would definitely do that.  I was glad to have made a friend and I left her with the great mantra that makes a person shine more, “Hare Krishna”, and I did offer my salutations to her with the remark, “May the Source be with you!”

5 KM