Thursday 1 December 2016

Sunday, November 27th, 2016

Santa Clara, Cuba 

Some Things Work


Not everything works perfectly here in Cuba.  All was set for a yajna, a small fire ceremony, within a building called the Video Club.  Two followers of Krishna were to be blessed with brahman initiation, and one person, an aerobics/martial arts teacher, Denis, was to receive his first initiation.  Participants, including two priests, were preparing themselves for the event, by changing into the traditional dhoti, kurta and chaudar.  There was no change room.  All had to make due.

The toilet to the building didn’t flush.  No water came out of the tap.  The soap dispenser had bleach water in it.  The air conditioner was out of order.

Just as we were about to begin the ceremony, we were informed that no forum like this was to take place in a public facility for nine days during the mourning of Fidel Castro.

The twenty or so people in attendance were ready to adjust and move pronto to Denis’ residence to hold the yajna there.  No complaints.  Everyone was so cooperative, and the ceremony, held in the back shed, was ermoso (beautiful).  Sarees were hung to adorn the tin and barnwood slat walls of the shed.  Wool strings were used as make-shift brahman threads for the 2nd initiates and Denis went home (oops! This is his home.) with a new Sanskrit name, Dhanvantari, the name of the avatar who is known for his ancient healing powers.

The Krishna community is growing at incremental paces in Cuba.  This is progress, as we see a pluralism of communities populating this land which currently is undergoing a very slow birth rate.

May the Source be with you!


4 km

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