Tuesday 8 November 2016

Saturday, November 5th, 2016

Tampa, Florida
  
Engagement of Sorts on November 5
  
I did my trek on Lake Burnett’s Boulevard, but it became a struggle to figure out where there’s a lake or a boulevard.  It’s basically a sandy soil, country road—at least in the stretch I know near Alachua.  It’s awesome, really.  Quiet.  There are pine, oak and more trees which attract the mystical look of Spanish moss that sways in the wind.

I feel I have the road (boulevard) all to myself.  The thing about America is you have roadways everywhere and in every direction.  It’s not always a clean grid to follow.

In any event, I have my routine route and this road factors into it.

I arrived in time for Alachua’s Guru Puja, a morning ceremony for expressing gratitude to the guru, and we then conducted a class, or more like a discussion, on the life of Sri Chaitanya.  That was followed by Ananta’s orchestration of visitations by individuals, persons who seek encouragement and/or give it.

Evening time opened up to a Bhakti Vrksha gathering in Tampa, my first visit to the city.  Quite the mixed crowd of enthusiasts!  We have south, north, east and west natives of India.  Then there was outgoing personality-type Todd, from Minnesota, Erwin from South America, a chap from Russia and an Afro-American woman who had her rhythms down when it came to playing kartals (hand cymbals).  Ramiya, my good friend with origins from Detroit, organized the event and is the usual facilitator.

Questions poured out from the people with regard to the subject of “three modes,” as characterized from the constant companion, the book Bhagavad-gita.

May the Source be with you!


6 km

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