Friday, July 24th, 2015

Friday, July 24^th, 2015

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

A Chat With The Mayor

As a service, devotional service, intuition told me to keep the mayor in friendly conversation.  Initially I was told that Saskatoon’s mayor, Donald J. Atchison, would only be present for the opening ceremony of our mini Chariot Fest.  Well, he was present for that but then he decided to walk with us in the procession as well. 

Now, some colleagues might say that I was in maya (another phrase for sin) or offensive for not chanting along the way but I thought it was my duty to build relations with the gentleman before suggesting he do more than he’s already done. 

Our conversation was pertinent though.  I was telling him how I’ve been on the road, crammed on a bus so that opened the doors for him to talk about the hockey tournaments he was involved in and how he and the league would travel by bus.  Behind the driver, there were 8 seats in the front.  The balance of the coach line were bunks for sleeping, three tiered, and finally there was a toilet and a sink.

That sounded familiar.

I then asked him about the sport, hockey, itself and where it has gone in recent years.  Like many who love the game, he expressed that it has become very commercial and has lost some integrity.

“How can you justify to a normal person a player in the league earning 6 to 7 million dollars a year?”

Like hockey, which had its humble beginnings, everything starts with a sincere intent but it can become corrupted in due course.  I mentioned that even a spiritual community can have its beginnings with pure motives but somehow the integrity can become lost.  “That is so for every endeavour.”  The mayor smiled.  “So it becomes necessary to refocus,” I continued. 

Mayor Atchison walked with us for the length of the procession culminating at a park, South Saskatchewan River – a lovely spot.  He offered kind words on the stage wishing all well.  We appreciate his attendance.

Kasyapa Muni and his wife, Panchami, are the two real heroes of the event.  Running in its second year, the Chariot Fest attracted over 1,000 happy folks.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

Thursday, July 23rd, 2015

Thursday, July 23^rd, 2015
Regina, Saskatchewan

Under Attack

The naan bread, that was assembled like a sandwich, went flying in the air. It was half-eaten when the bee stung. He bit right on my nose. Another one got Jay Radhe on the lip.

There was a whole colony of these guys. After the stinging session, we relocated from the grass where we enjoyed (half enjoyed) the naan. I spotted some plantain growing there, grabbed for its leaves and rubbed the juices on to the nose. I’m not sure how Jay Radhe addressed her problem. Somehow we ended up inflammation free.

When do we not get under attack by something? News came to me that a student of mine here in Regina had a case of food poisoning and ended up in the hospital. And then an email message informed me that another student from the States was diagnosed with breast cancer. Interesting world. It is full of siege, conflict, and conquest.

While on a trek through Regina, I came upon a juncture where Regina General Hospital is located. Could this be the hospital of the food poisoned patient? I’m sure he would appreciate a visit by his guru. Unfortunately, I could not remember his legal name and so how was I to find him? I did go inside the hospital, sat by the entrance and waited. Perhaps I would see him come out of his room for a break.

Well, that didn’t happen but one patient did come forward after having her smoke outside. “Oh, what are you doing?” she asked.

“Travelling with a group of youth. I’m a monk, a Hare Krishna monk.”

“I’ve only seen monks on TV. The robes give you away. Are they comfortable?” she asked. Since she was in a patient’s gown, I offered her a ‘get better soon’.

One thing is for sure, we are always under attack.

 

May the Source be with you!

8 km

 

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015

Wednesday, July 22^nd, 2015

Winnipeg, Manitoba

What a Venue!

There are 3,600 pipes to the glorious pipe organ set against the viewing wall of the Westminster United Church in Winnipeg.  The city’s orchestra plays here in the worship area of this fine acoustic wonder.  Dan, the maintenance man, said of the organ that $250,000 was recently and decently sunk into its refurbishing.  Dan is indeed proud of the space.  He should be.  The building is a beaut, with all the pews still intact as well as stained glass depictions for windows.  A heavenly high ceiling contributes to the ambiance. 

And get this, this is the venue where we performed.  Hallelujah!  Hare Krishna!  Thanks to Vrinda Devi for arranging this place. 

The show went on - bharat natyam dance, a skit called ‘Under the Influence’, a drama ‘Krishna Is’, and a kirtan of ecstasy.  Thumbs up to Radha Vinod and Krishna Nanda of the UK for an excellent MC'ing job.  All went smooth.  And the true sign of success lay in the response. Yes, the audience got up to dance to the kirtan. 

I felt I had touched several worlds today.  When our buses pulled up to the YMCA for our morning showers, I perched on a park bench for a conference call regarding our mission in Cuba.  I felt I was in Havana.  I did meagre distance walking in Winnipeg today but I was definitely there in its streets.  The kirtan took me to another world.  I was not in this world.  I may be able to vouch for others who may have felt the same way.

Let’s say we received some ruchi, some taste of the spiritual world.

Oh yes, back in the boys’ bus again.  After the show and after munching on samosas, we came back to the crammed quarters of a muggy bus.  It’s a relief when our conveyance becomes mobile.  It allows air to circulate inside while the windows are open.  And that’s the way the world is, you hop from inconvenience to convenience and back again.  There’s nothing you can do about it so you have to live with it and you might as well love it. 

 

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Tuesday, July 21st 2015

Tuesday, July 21^st 2015

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Everyone’s Heard About It

I decided to walk from our small temple on Victoria Avenue to the Marina Park where the Krishna Culture Festival of India was being staged.  I thought I might meet people along the way and share information on the event.  It would be like an invite. 

Was I surprised to see and hear the reaction, “Yeah!  I heard about it.”  “I’m gonna be there!”  “Wouldn’t miss it.”  “I come every year.”  “I came last year, but you ran out of food.”  “Yeah, I’m going over there to volunteer some help.”

Once arriving at the location, I saw Maduha, the coordinator for the exhibits, set up the marquees and displays.

My bus companions were absent.  I was told that all fifty of them were off for an Ultimate Frisbee game.  The manager of the festival, Dr. Jani (Prem Kishor), was busy like anything preparing for the mini Ratha Yatra that would start the whole festival. 

Three young boys, less than six years of age each, were playing on the grass.  They had been chatting about me I could see.  One of them came forward and asked an innocent question, “Are you God?” 

“No!  I’m a monk, I’m the servant of God.”

“Oh, okay,” answered the young boy who got distracted and then ran off with his friends to explore and see what the park and the day had in store for them.

The festival went well.  My guess is that 8,000 people came.  The mayor came.  Bruce, who heads up the Green Party in the area, also made his appearance.  There were others.

As usual, a good number of people who came with their fold out lawn chairs sat for hours to watch the show until the time to line up for the free food.  A formula for warming up people to Krishna Consciousness is effectively working, food, cultural shows, and kirtan. All have a magical effect on people.

 

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Monday, July 20th, 2015

Monday, July 20^th, 2015

Serpent River, Ontario

In The Serpent

 “Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendour.”   Bhagavad Gita 10.41 

It was from the above Gita verse that I lead a discussion with the 50 or so youths and bus drivers on the youth bus tour.  They were seated next to our annually visited Serpent River under towering pine trees.  It was an appropriate verse that invokes appreciation for all that’s natural.  Chapter 10, in fact, is saturated with imagery of the unindustrialized world.   Entitled “Opulence of the Absolute”, a string of 42 verses inspire the out-of-doors experience. 

After the discussion, Manorama, our youth bus coordinator, showed himself to be quite the herbalist.  For one of the three walks that I undertook today, he lead the group down the trail helping everyone to identify hazelnuts, St. John’s Wort, Saskatoon berries, Blueberries, Yarrow, jewel weed, raspberries, ferns and horsetail – a whole community of plants.  It was quite astounding what contribution each plant makes with each of their various properties.  I could see that the group really enjoyed the physical and brain-stretching exercise. 

The termination point on the trail was an old iron train bridge spanning over the river.  My independent nature pulled me in a different direction.  Instead of taking the return trail I decided to take the river itself.  I decided I’ll swim it and against the current which was rather slow.  I decided at certain periods that I would also walk it as the water is shallow in places and that I would even crawl it by clutching on to the rocks underneath me when swimming and walking became tedious.  After some time the mission was accomplished.  To put a little Vedic touch to the endeavour, I plucked out one of those long stemmed water lilies and turned it around my neck as a garland.  My estimation of distance was just under two kilometres.  It is believed by local Ojibwe people that a serpent actually resides at the end of this winding and twisting river. 

On a yearly basis our buses stop here at the park, which has cascaded waters flowing at both ends of its perimeter, to give a chance for everyone to chill and then to prepare for a week of intense programs. 

On one other adventure, Pariksit, a 20 year old from India, and I ambled along near a quarry and as we were about to embark on a trail a local Ojibwe machine operator cautioned us, “Not a good idea.  Too many fast trucks going by here.”  He implied that it’s dangerous.  Indeed, the industrialized world, which you could say he represented, IS dangerous.  In the long run, so is the world of nature.  Therefore, our business as humans is to work our way to get out of this dangerous world all together.

 

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Sunday, July 19th, 2015

Sunday, July 19^th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

Spirituality and Fun

I don’t think it would be an error to say that Centre Island, situated in Toronto Harbour, is probably the picnic capital of the country.  People pack lunches or ingredients for assembling food, as in a traditional sandwich, or perhaps they get behind some kind of barbecue preparation.  There’s the iconic type of Canadian family that’s present on the island but there are many more newer immigrants that come prepared with perhaps halaled, koshered, prasadamed or blessed food dishes.  All kinds of races and ages of people come to the island. They gravitate to what is like a heavenly planet. 

For day two of our festival on the island there was no shortage of fun.  At the same time, the spiritual content presented at the festival held its own as well.  The question that arises in the mind of some people in regards to spirituality and joy being separate universes was something I momentarily pondered.  Should spirituality be merely a rigid practice?  

In the evening at wrap up time, myself, along with Bhaktivinode Swami, Agnideva (a soon to be swami) and three local monks, took the journey from the ferry dock on the mainland to the ashram via a van cab.  The driver hailed from Pakistan.  I took the front seat and after a handshake with the gentleman I began a conversation.  He definitely wanted to go ‘spiritual’ with the talk.

“Why did God create human beings?” he probed.  I offered him my answer from a Vedic perspective.  In short I expressed, 

“For enjoyment,” and also went on to explain that it is an opportunity towards enlightenment.  

“There are multiple ways to answer the question,” I said.  The cab driver, however, only wanted to accept one answer. 

“God created man to worship Him.”  From his response and attitude I detected some exclusivity.  I went on to stretch my point, 

“You may say ‘worship’ but I would give it another word, ‘love’ or ‘bhakti’.  1) God can’t demand, but suggest.   2) God demonstrates love in reciprocation.”

We arrived at our destination.  We shook hands once again.  My lingering thought on the matter was that when spirituality is too rigid, is not a joyful output and is not a two-way situation then I’m out. 

Further on, I reflected on the kirtans that I enjoyed on the island and also the swim with Agnideva.  I reflected on the inseparable, beautiful and spiritual human exchanges I had with people on the island today.  I felt complete. 

 

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Saturday, July 18th, 2015

Saturday, July 18^th, 2015

Toronto, Ontario

The Gracious Mayor

So, yes, John Tory stopped by.  We spoke a bit before his entrance on to the stage.  Of course, I slipped into our conversation the multiple walks I’ve done across various countries along with Canada, four times.  He was curious to know how and when I got into monkism. 

I told him of the natural proclivity I had towards spirituality and that my becoming a monk had something to do with the Beatles’ music after they spent time in India.  The mayor was then called to the stage, then myself.  Keshava, the overall captain of the festival on Centre Island, suggested I say something first, so I spoke. 

“We are happy to have a mayor we like in our grand city.”  There was a big round of applause.  “I realized that although I am a world traveller I do indeed have a home and that’s Toronto.  I’ve been a Torontonian for 42 years.  Great city!”  And then I expressed to the audience, “Toronto is such a great place of acceptance. “ 

Then John Tory spoke.  He picked up on the theme. “A place where people care,” he said.  He gave his word to visit our temple on Avenue Road.  We will graciously take him up on that. 

The Ratha Yatra, Festival of Chariots, draws all kinds of digs (dignitaries) and our guru would not be shy to say that cosmic gods are present at every big sacred event. 

It was a great day but it ended up slightly weird with the sun’s leaving to honour the night.  I met a fellow who I bumped into years ago while walking through a neighbourhood in Rosedale.  He claims that he’s liberated and he spoke very possessively along these lines. “You don’t need a middle man.  You already know everything.”  Now, I was not in a position to argue with him.  I was with a family and their children.  But my argument with him would be, “If no middle man is necessary then there’s no need for you to say anything at all if liberation comes naturally.”

May the Source be with you!

 

9 km

Friday, July 17th, 2015

Friday, July 17th, 2015 

Toronto, Ontario

Seeing a Thief

Walking today entailed shopping around. It was a drenched day. There were a handful of us dodging the rain. It was just a few trimmings we needed for our drama performance this weekend. The most prominent item needed was some fabric for Draupadi's sari.

In our drama, "Krishna Is...", there is a captivating scene where Queen Draupadi becomes insulted through an attempted public disrobing. It was Krishna, in His heroism, who spared her from the dishonour by supplying her, mystically, with unlimited cloth.

Our interest was to purchase a roll of lengthy material that would suffice for Draupadi's part. Anyways, business was done. On Queen St. West where we acquired what we wanted, we then proceeded to a costume shop on Yonge Street. Not but 2 minutes after we arrived, a transvestite dashed out of the store with goods in his/her hands. It was a theft! 

"Wigs!" said the angry store proprietor, "I could have talked about giving a discount but I don't need anyone to steal the merchandise."

One of the employees made a run after the culprit but to no avail - no catch. Police were called and all was done that was possible to set things right. What to do. At least we got a discount on the goods we needed - some masks. We saw this gesture, after the agitation, as a good one. Perhaps the act could be perceived as a form of devotional service. Because the proprietor knew our festival was on for tomorrow and he just wanted to help. I hope the thief will one day have the heart of the proprietor.

May the Source be with you! 

4 km

Thursday, July 16th, 2015

Thursday, July 16th, 2015

Moundsville, West Virginia

Relief!

Night time travel since Monday on interstate highways leads one to believe that America is a culture of trucks and cars, expansive roads, roaring engines and high-speed movement. Would this be the life of a trucker?  You might be wondering, “Is this life?”  It almost seemed that way to Kalyapani, a friend and one of our bus drivers, and I when looking at the distance we covered and seeing and hearing what is out there.  It wasn’t until we reached the quiet and green of New Vrindavan Village just outside Moundsville that the flip side of the U.S. was revealed to us.

Of course, we’ve been here before.  You have the tendency to forget though that there are zones where deer and raccoons reign, where plants graciously crawl and explode in a silence that is sweet.

Everyone felt it.  The whole bus crew felt it.  It was a change to charm. A transition from transmission. What a relief!

I personally had a moment with Vrindavan Das, one of the managers, and it appears to me that he’s quite serious about setting up a large dinner banquet in Butler, Pennsylvania, the place where or guru, Srila Prabhupda , first started his mission in humble circumstances.  Set for October of this year, it will co-ordinate with my arrival, on foot, into the town.  For those not aware, it will be fifty years since the swami, our guru, came to Boston, Massachusetts.  All are welcome to join the walk.

 

May the Source be with you.

3 km

 

 

Wednesday, July 15th, 2015

Wednesday, July 15th, 2015

St. Louis, Missouri

First Time

It’s my first time to St. Louis. We rolled in with our buses after a tough sixteen hours drive. At the first opportunity, I took to checking out the town on foot. I had other options. The youth were driven to the Arch, a high elevation point for viewing the surroundings of the city, farmland and planes flying low spraying the crops for bugs.

I went for walking the university grounds. The buildings are impressive. I love the sculptures. I ventured off to The Old Fox Theatre which I had been told about. The facade is adorable. Art Deco style? And people are friendly, like the guy in the Wal-mart who looked at me, looked again and said, “Hey man, you look like the Dalai Lama."

Like anywhere in the world, every place is a scenario of mixed karma. Manoram, our youth minister for the Hare Krishna movement and who heads up this travelling tour, mentioned to me that the infamous Trail of Tears began here. In my mind’s eye I visualize a row of rejected natives who were forced to that trail during winter circumstances. Out of the 40,000 that were forced to head west for unfamiliar territory only 4,000 survived. I get angry thinking about it. I walked passed Monsanto Hall with inner rage enhanced. To resolve this emotion I must let go, knowing that this is the world as we know it. At least I can take pride in executing a happier walk then those poor folks took.

I had the pleasure to present ‘Tales from Trails’ to the community. I finished with a “When you walk, you rock!”.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Texas

 

Some Steps Inside

Somewhere off the interstate between Houston and St. Louis our two bus-loads of youth from the US, Canada and Europe had a driving break. Let’s call this somewhere "Blue-collar Town". In "Blue-collar Town" the main feature of the place was none other than the Wal-mart.

For shopping we went. I sponsored ice cream for the fifty-plus teens. Grocery supplies were purchased for the journey ahead.

One of the UK boys asked, "What is Wal-mart?" as we spun into parking position. I summarized it like this, "A big box that you enter. It has everything in it that is cheap and smells like plastic."

The one big attraction for both boys and girls, their drivers and one monk was the air conditioning inside. The boy’s bus is one of the older school bus types which has open windows for its AC, which are minimally effective when the vehicle is in motion. The generator on the girl’s bus is malfunctioning. So we were totally happy to be in a cool unit; the Wal-mart. For me it was the only opportunity for a walk. So I began doing cycles along the building’s interior. I met a Wal-mart greeter several times over – a woman. I stopped for a second to explain my intent and her response was, "Oh, people do it all the time. They walk to feel chilled." That was great because I was slightly uncertain about my intent.

In any event, embarrassment of any kind was now removed. I felt justified in my actions, put on three kilometres and became rather proud of the accomplishment.

While going for that walk it dawned on me that perhaps I’m executing a kind of Karma Yoga, the path where you offer your action’s fruits to God. Here I was, using my body, which belongs to Krishna, and offering it in His service.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Monday, July 13th, 2015

Monday, July 13th, 2015

Houston, Texas

 

Back In Texas

I have come to this city to connect with the 20^th Anniversary celebration of the Krishna Youth Bus Tour. The celebration will be events and touring itself throughout North America. It is my 10^th year hooking up with the crew. And what a joyous reception it was. Not for me but for the Lord! Minutes after I arrived at the mega ISKCON temple on 34^th St. I entered the room where the deities of Radha Nila Madhava adorned at Raj Boga (or high noon).While entering, I was approached by organizers of a much larger retreat, a youth sangha. “Can you show us some dance steps?” asked an eager three guys.

“Sure!”  

So we went at it. 

The main chunk of the day, however, had me engaged in preparations for the main drama for our tour, beginning in Toronto. The piece is called ‘Krishna is... !’ Consisting of seven scenes, they are entitled: 

1. Krishna Is... The most humble being.
2. Krishna Is... the Ultimate Protector.
3. Krishna Is... the Giver of Free Will.
4. Krishna Is... the Deliverer of Divine Wisdom.
5. Krishna Is... the Subduer of Evil Forces.
6. Krishna Is... the Performer of Divine Dance.
7. Krishna Is... a Child

Practice went on. I had no time for walking, only limping through two airports. A challenged right knee is somewhat taxing me. I forge ahead.

 

May the Source be with you!

0 KM