Wednesday 10 February 2021

Thursday, February 4th, 2021

Seaton Village, Toronto

 

The Sun/The Darkness

 

The sun was beckoning me to come out in the afternoon. More than that, when taking east-west Dupont St. on the northern, warmer side of it the sun was saying “peel it off” as in “take off the jacket” which I didn’t do but certainly felt like I wanted to. The heat was on.

 

We have been lucky here in southern Ontario with bright days. I only wish I could see to some clear and warm japa. I am often not too proud of my japa chanting. I know I must be more attentive and it can be somewhat achieved even in the course of walking. It is a little bit like multitasking. You are chanting softly. You are walking. You are dodging people because of Covid. You’re also watching traffic as you cross the street.

 

Either you walk and chant as attentively as possible or you sit down and chant stationary and attempt to buckle down that crazy mind. Neither one nor the other is simple if you are talking about being alert to the sound of the mantra.

 

I crossed the street at Davenport and Dupont and my head turned at the sound of a man shouting “Ma...”. There was the source of the sound — a cyclist. Did he say “Maharaja” addressing me? No, I really think he said “moron” of someone else, a motorist. It looks like he got cut off by a car.

 

I could never understand why, on a day of brightness — of the sun’s warmth and pure white snow — how someone becomes so easily irritated. OK, someone made a mistake. Can’t you feel and see the sun — the bright side of life? Where is the scope for sattva guna, the mood of thoughtfulness? That is something we can all do a little more of.

 

May the Source be with you!

5 km


 

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