Monday 23 January 2023

GOING WEST WITH THE GITA

Monday, January 2nd, 2023
Mississauga, Ontario

Mississauga is an Ojibwe word which means ‘river of many mouths’. To reach Mississauga in a most practical way is by automobile going west of Toronto, not nearly as romantic or adventurous a means of transport as in the days of our Indigenous – on foot or canoe.

Mahadeva, Annapurna, and I, made our way on a set of wheels to the home of Lobsang, his good wife, teenage son, and a trusty dog. It became a sangha, a gathering of Gita enthusiasts. This group comes together monthly by Zoom, and also monthly in person. Today it’s in person. I have been combing the Gita with this assembly for some time now on our second year. We are still early the game of the Bhagavad-gita’s teaachings, chapter one, catching the theme of a warrior’s duty in the matter of protecting family traditions.

So, there we were in the living room sitting with family people, all scoring fairly well in their mutual looking out for each other. I feel quite safe in such an environment. We had great Ekadashi prasadam – grainless, sacred food. Starting the New Year like this doesn’t get better.

I felt the same sort of safety in a Zoom class with devotees from the big stretch of Manitoba to British Columbia. It just so happens that this group is analyzing the same section of the Gita, all so much to do with honouring values and protocols and assessing what is and what is not sin according to the standards of Sri Krishna.

A healthy outlook always is obedience to code. We just need to learn them.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

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