Monday, January 7th, 2019

Burnaby, British Columbia

Walking Around In History

Mathura Lila, who is from the Philippines but has rooted herself in Burnaby for a long time, remarked, "You brought the sunshine," but I countered it with, "I believe it's the reverse.". In truth the Greater Vancouver area has encountered rain, rain and more rain. 

Taking advantage of the clearness of the day, I headed for what was once the Japanese Encampment.  Yes, the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan, even had Canada looking suspiciously at its Japanese citizens.  Because Britain declared war on Japan, English Canadians supported the same action.  But these encampments where people were practically held prisoner are no more. The place where one was established is now a community garden zone—a great walking place.

I came upon an empty lot where a school stood only ten years ago. It serviced the local rural area.  The area, however, is not rural as of late.  Burnaby, like many places in Canada, is bursting with condos. I'm lucky to have the freedom to be amidst gardens, fields and some empty lots.

At Meadow and 12th Avenue is where the school was located.  There I met Radhika, who recently moved from Alberta.  I led her to a nearby mini-park and a playground which has serviced the local families for decades.  We talked briefly.  I'm a swami. I hope I encouraged her somewhat in her spiritual life.  She had actually driven around looking for me.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Sunday, January 6th, 2019

Toronto / Milton

Wedding Card

I had received their wedding card, an invitation, quite some time back.  "Sweta Weds Ashvin," is what it read on the cover.  Ashvin, the bridegroom, whom I'll refer to as Anuttama, his initiated name, set the day's date for when I'd be around.

Oh, the ceremony went fine.  He's from Calgary.  Sweta is local.  Their family and friends came for support, and the thrill of two people coming together to make a team effort in life.  Out of such a union comes strength in satisfying the two basic needs of the physical and the spiritual.

Now, externally, Anuttama is terribly serious looking.  At one point, when there was a pause in the priest's mantras, I blurted out, "Smile!" which brought out laughter, especially from the cameramen.  But I must say that Anuttama is truly a good and happy man.  Inside he is truly a lucky and ‘happy chappy’.  My contribution to the ceremony was to keep a focus on the spiritual.

Excellent arrangements were made by Raj, the co-ordinator.

I then had the pleasure of making a trip to Milton where a group of bhakti yogiscome together weekly in an Anglican Church basement.  I sat down to say that we are all warriors battling the vices within.  One person recently mentioned he was a warrior, and I tried to steer him in the direction of being a spiritual one. He really liked that concept.

Now, a married couple cannot or should not become warriors on each other.  As far as possible, they should try to work things out.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Saturday, January 5th, 2019

Brampton, Ontario

Standards

New music students, forty or so, came to our seminar on kirtan standards at ISKCON Brampton.  It was a full six hours of learning, with an enthusiastic group hearing about traditions in the matter of the mood and technical approach to chanting. A portion of the seminar engaged students in the playing of harmonium, mrdunga and kartals.

Why are these lessons so important?

They provide guidance and engagement.  People feel the social need to project, interact and make their hearts happy.  It is through chanting, stream-lined through devotion (bhakti), that the human's needs can be met.

I believe the populous is looking for a deeper fulfillment in life, and that is sometimes hard to come by in the world in which we live.  We have become very secular, mundane and materialistic.  You can ‘talk dirty’ in practically any venue, but don't dare talk spiritually.  If something is indeed sacred and beneficial in so many ways, shouldn't it be shared?

Later in the evening, I attended a sangha in Brampton.  The couple, Sanatana and Kamala, stocked up their home for the night with people.  We indulged in the Gita9.6.  "Understand that as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, rests always in the sky, all created beings rest in Me."  We had an amazing time there in dance, chants, sweat and sweets.  

I had little to no energy when I entered their door but in due course, energy came to me.  It's like I tell people when they ask, "Don't you get tired from walking?"  The answer is, "No I get energy from walking."  Output is input.  However, for today, no walking but lots of driving.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Friday, January 4th, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Stretch A Bit

I told Billy, "I'll be north on Yonge. Just pick me up whenever you're ready. I'll be walking on the east side of the street."

"But is there a particular place where I can meet you?"

"No, I'll just continue going north."

Billy is not aware that the street known as Yonge just keeps going until it reaches the U.S. border in Rainy River at just under two thousand kilometres.  Anybody can check it out.  It's official.  The longest street in the world.  I won't accomplish that in one night.  That'd be stretching it.

Incidentally, speaking of stretching or reaching great lengths, the intention for Billy and I was to eventually meet somewhere along Yonge, then pick up his good wife, Amala, and then proceed to a meeting of young leaders who are identified as the ‘outreach’ group, the group which encourages and leads various persons or audiences in spiritual life.  The target audiences are the yoga/kirtan crowd, the young unmarried east Indian males (the women's group is yet to come), the young western crowd, the Russian community and the group of individuals who have been involved in the past but who have waned somewhat in their spiritual endeavours.

Billy spotted me at Yonge and York Mills, a mere eight kilometres up the road from my starting point.  Our venue was the home of Parama and Rukmini, who treated us to a sublime vegan prasadam meal.  They certainly stretched their kindness for tongue and belly.  Our discussion went well.  The vision I shared with the group was to shift directions of our current location downtown from less of a temple to more of a cultural centre.

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Thursday, January 3rd, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

To Another Friend Gone

I just got the news at 10:52 p.m.  A phone call from Gainesville.  A female voice, Eastern European, was on the phone—Nistaranga by name. “ Your friend, Kalyapani died over an hour ago.  An eighteen wheeler hit him.  He was on his motorbike.”   http://mycbs4.com/news/local/alachua-fire-rescue-responding-to-fatal-motorcycle-wreck

Of course, I was in shock.  We did the travelling monk thing together in Northern Ontario, in what we call sankirtan. He was a serious follower of Prabhupada.  We bore the bites of those mosquitos in the summer nights.  We also travelled on the youth bus tour.  He was the driver.  I was the drama director for the boys on the tour.  Kalya also acted.  He was the stuntman and with his pulleys he could do almost anything.  For his age, he was very good, agile and slim.

At the Alachua Krishna community, he tended to the gardening and maintenance.  He was respected for his tasks and readings at the temple.

God, I don’t like machines that move faster than the human being can handle.  Here comes another statistic; another Vaisnava knocked out of life.  Hard lessons are to be learned while being in this world.

We will miss you, Kalya, your friendship, your sharpness, your regular task-mastering, your English accent, your love for guru demonstrated by your complete involvement.  There isn’t anything outside of devotion that you were made of.  You had a lot of fire in you, physically, but your fire of bhaktiexceeded any other flame.  

So long!  So long, Friend, well-wisher of all.  When I go to Florida next, I will walk by the place where you left us—at the corner of the pavement and the sandy road.  

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019

Etobicoke, Ontario

Journey Through

I was thrilled to receive a parcel in the mail, this morning, from Professor David L. Haberman, whom I met at the Parliament of World Religions this last November, right here in Toronto.  I opened the parcel and voila there was the book he so kindly promised me.  Authored by himself, Journey Through the Twelve Forests; An Encounter With Krishna, is for bhakti-yogis and pilgrims alike.  Thanks David!  Your kindness was shown when you came to visit and we had prasadam.

I've begun to read this masterpiece, which takes me to Braj, the land of Krishna.  It's a special place, no doubt.  It has been suggested to me many times that perhaps I should trek the stretch of India, following the Ganga perhaps, from north to south, maybe the Yamuna River which flows through Braj.

I've given those urges a thought.  Frankly, I like it best to move through uncharted territory that is beautiful, but not yet recognized pilgrim trails.  Although I see much of India's tirthas, or holy places, to be saturated with a special amrta(nectar) ,I cannot fail to see all terrain to be part of His domain as well.

After a marvelous dinner by Yamuna Jivana in Etobicoke, I just had to fulfil a rationed one-hour-minimum pilgrimage on my own neighbourhood not turf, but fresh snow.  My God, the white stuff in all this evening's fluff is so pure—so Krishna like.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Tuesday, January 1st, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Shoes

Happy New Year!

A spiritually surcharged program took place at 243 Avenue Road.  To add to our drama repertoire we now have a fresh new skit which was presented, "First Timers," but what I would like to perhaps rename as, "Red Hot Chilli."  What is the experience of a newcomer to the centre?  Does the person have a good experience?  Sometimes it's cumbersome and lessons are to be learned.  The audience loved the comedy.

After this program of good cheer, I walked west on Bloor.  I often take that route, and when I do I pass by the Bata Shoe Museum.  You won't find a shoe museum in every city.

If you are a walker, footwear is important to you, although I've never personally taken a fancy to being stylish with shoes and, being a monk, I am somewhat restricted in apparel choices. Period.  I recall how our guru, Prabhupada, found guys wearing "stacks" in the seventies to be amusing.

In the past, I've ventured into the museum. Tuesday afternoons were free.  You are looking at three floors illustrating shoe power.  I remember seeing shoes worn by Glenn Gould, Elton John and, if I'm not mistaken, Marilyn Monroe.  On display were a set of wooden shoes worn by an Indian maharaj, and every time he'd take a step a device built inside would squirt out a blast of perfume. Impressive!

The window display for pedestrians shows floral patterns made of shoes, each display representing a provincial flower from Canada.  Sweet! I spent a few minutes, a break from walking, viewing the colourful patterns of shoes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsGQzy2idHc/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=10j9jrjlvf9u2

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Monday, December 31st, 2018

Toronto, Ontario

New Year Blues

In he walked, during my moment of chanting the mantracalled gayatri.  It was someone who was familiar with the system.  He reverentially offered his obeisance after entering the temple room where I was chanting.  I completed my mantraand walked toward this six-foot-four-inch Texan (by birth).  I suddenly recognized that here is someone I hadn't seen in over twenty-five years.  It was Jagadisvara.

It was a hug for a feeling of long-gone separation.  He used to live on these premises, and since leaving for West Virginia, he married a Torontonian girl, and then produced two sons.  

"I'm so proud of my boys.  They have Krishna in mind.  It's the best thing I've done.  I instilled in them a sense of spirituality."

Jagadisvara came to town to see his family.  It's New Year's time, and people are moving about visiting friends and family.  I consider my dear friend to be family, part of our spiritual family.

A terrible thing happened to him, though, in the evening in Yorkville, during the drizzle of the night.  "I was walking; got approached by three tall men. They showed a knife, a gun and led me to an ATM and pulled out all my money."  

This is the sad story that goes along with the ushering in of the New Year for Jagadisvara.  It's interesting because the neighbourhood where this happened is a respectable one.  I recall hearing sirens going off more than twice in the night, an indication that not all goes well for some, and that it can be easy to start off on the wrong footing.

Watch your step.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Scarborough, Ontario

Om Purnam

Omprakash is eighty-six and is a prominent member of the community in ISKCON Scarborough, located at 3500 McNicoll Avenue #3. Whenever I visit this centre, this gentleman stands out by having something pertinent to say.  Today he took the step forward to have diksha.  At one of the finest sacred fires I’ve experienced, Omprakash sat and received the Sanskrit name Om Purnam (Das).  Congratulations!

Dikshameans initiation but actually this rite of passage (for seniors or youth alike) is more or less a confirmation.  With this ceremony, vows are made—vows which express commitment to abstain from eating meat, gambling and intoxication.  The last or fourth one, is the abstinence of promiscuous sex.  Now when it came to Om’s uttering of it, it came out more like a mutter, and everyone had a good laugh.  Considering Om’s age and all, this particular appetite for sex is not much of an issue.  

From Scarborough’s program, I moved to Toronto to 243 Avenue Road, for the Sunday gathering.  It was a lively kirtan and everyone enjoyed themselves.  Nakula had come over to visit from St. John, New Brunswick, during the holidays, where he and partner, Sarah, conduct weekly bhakti programs.  I’m so proud of them.

Nakula and I took a hike from the city’s Greek town to our temple address, to talk about everything under the sun (or more like “under the street lights”).  It was good.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Saturday, December 29th, 2018

Toronto, Ontario

Talking and Walking It Up

The chill dampness can only get to your legs, with just a dhoti to cover them, if you don't keep moving.  Ananda had his black long-johns on, while I braved the zero degree celsius with thin fabric.  We took to the morning freshness and then again at nightfall.  Breaking up the day with two saunterings is really cool. We stuck to the Rosedale area and included Ramsden Park where Ananda went wild on a grandiose chime, a New Year's offering to Vishnu, I suppose.  https://www.instagram.com/p/BsAjF1AA2Vi/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=10zvpm3pcboi4

We are lucky snow hasn't seriously manifested yet, but that luck could wear off at any time.  Our second trek was through the Victorian neighbourhood.  For Ananda, the homes appear like houses from horror films. "Look again, my friend.  They are actually solid, homey charmers."

He had a second look and agreed. "Yes, they are solid, well-maintained structures."  

And I thought strong foundation means strong humility. If the base is firm, all above it can be solid.

Ananda told me of the earthquake in his village in Maharastra.  "In eleven seconds, everything was downed.  There wasn't even enough time to scream.  Many deaths.  I was young and the walls were thick, but still..."

He was right about Nature not stopping at anything to dismantle what we've built.

There we were, going at a leisure pace with grave thoughts in our minds, and in the background, and sometimes foreground, was our sound of the mahamantraas we fingered those beads of ours.  It was nice.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Friday, December 28th, 2018

Toronto, Ontario

A Class of Truth

At our very holy spot in the ashram, the dozen monks, plus to be and wannabe monks, sit in the cozy corner of the temple room for a Bhagavatamreading and discussion. I was asked to conduct the class today based on 10.51.50 from the story of a retired warrior, Mucukunda, who received a benediction to burn to ashes anyone who would disturb his slumber. That happened.  The notorious Kalayavana, who was chasing Krishna, was led into a cave and woke up the privileged sleeper.  I thought the verse and purport were compelling:

Translation:  The body that at first rides high on fierce elephants or chariots adorned with gold and is known by the name “king” is later, by Your invincible power of time, called “feces,” “worms,” or “ashes.”

Purport:  In the United States and other materially developed countries, dead bodies are cosmetically disposed of in a tidy, ceremonial way, but in many parts of the world old, sickly and injured people die in lonely or neglected places, where dogs and jackals consume their bodies, eventually transforming them into stool. And if one is so blessed as to be buried in a coffin, one’s body may very well be consumed by worms and other minuscule creatures.  Also, many earthly cadavers are burned and thus transformed into ashes.  In any case, death is certain, and the ultimate fate of the body is never sublime.  That is the real purport of Mucukunda’s statement here—that the body, though now called “king,” “prince,” “beauty queen,” “upper-middle class” and so on, will eventually be called “stool,” “worms” and “ashes.”

The reading above rendered the naked truth to those of us in attendance, stripping the ego to the simplest, most basic  reality.

May the Source be with you!

1 km

Thursday, December 27th, 2018

Toronto, Ontario

Ravine Stroll

Raymond and I went for a ravine stroll.  We appreciated the air movements.  It made the trees sing.  Those higher winds caused trunks and branches to twitch, dance and produce screaming sounds.  The bending of these trees seemed to flex their muscles and release some tension. Raymond was claiming the screeching was that of birds.

"No!" I said.  "Stop, look and listen." 

It actually took some time for the next screech to occur but it came.  It was definitely the limbs responding to the wind.  We moved on and saw the leafless vines swirled about some tree trunks. "What does this say to you, Ray?"

"The tree is like the guru and the students are getting strength (like the vines) from the guru," he analysed.

"Good thinking!"

We came upon a posting affixed to another tree which read, "Dog Found," with a picture of the canine cutey centred on it.  We had a little chuckle over that.

"It reminds me of some words by Carole King about the soul being in the lost and found," I mentioned to Ray.

"I know it," he said excitedly.

Out of the ravine, I pointed to the once-train-station-now-liquor-store.  I used to pace back and forth here after closing hours whenever it rained.  The awning is substantial enough for that.

It was a good walk in and out of the ravine.

May the Source be with you!

5 km