Thursday, May 2nd, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

After the Chiropractor

So, it worked out fairly smoothly.  We merely called the local wellness centre in Rosedale, and asked if their clinic accepts walk-ins.  It so happens they do in the chiropractic department, and I was good to go for 9:00 a.m. The call was made at 7:30 a.m.  I was practically accepted on the spot.  I met Dr. Suk, a pleasant therapist, and showed him my X-rays made in Mauritius, which were very helpful.

He looked at my posture and did a thorough examination.  He then expressed his observations.  He said I was uneven in various areas, stiff in some. Interesting was that apparently I'm carrying an extra 23 lbs. of weight on the right side.  I'll hear more on Monday after a second visit.  He made some physical adjustments.  It felt good and relieved some of the enduring pain I was having.  I walked back to the ashram with some pride.

A second walking installment was a leisurely stroll through Yorkville, with Connor and Raymond.  We wove through the more pedestrian-friendly venues.  I did so with ease except for the occasional outburst of what felt  like a cough which was going to misalign my rib cage.  I managed to gingerly let out my internal irritation, and no bones, spine or ribs, went further out of place.

Spring is here.  Trees are budding, but it's a slow process.  So is my healing a slow process.  Such is the case when you are aging.  On display by a shop's window reads, "Don't resist growing old. Some people never have the chance."   https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw_sHxygXBS/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=d462x9q115qd

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Wednesday, May 1st, 2019

Toronto, Ontario

Thoughts During Easiness

It struck me like a culture-shock, as I looked out the arched window of Prabhupada's quarters, viewing the damp coolish weather outside.  I have just come back from Mauritius where everyone says it's been intensely hot for the summer.  Now that summer is behind us, it's still hot—at least for me.

I could just go out in proper wear, and bear the rain, but reason says, "Sometimes you just have to take it easy."  So that's what I did.  My mind wandered to two years ago.  In May, I set out with two good brahmachari monks—one was a French-Canadian, Hayagriva, and the other from Nova Scotia, Marshall—for America's mid-west; Lincoln, Nebraska, to be exact, to complete the U.S. walk.

The mornings were cool, often cloud-destined.  There were threats of hurricanes, and I remember Marshall, especially, looking forward to seeing and feeling that humbling experience if one ever occurred.  Once we entered western Nebraska it was drier and more desert-like—also new for the three of us.  Prior to that we had gone through torrential rains which just stopped us from any physical movement.

Yes, how weather does influence us!

I was indoor bound today, catching up on things which needed attention.  I was happy to see the bath-tub/shower I use was finally draining properly.  There's nothing worse than clogged up plumbing.  It's like having a barrage of negative thoughts entering into the mind, huddling together, up to no good.  Flow, a good one, is necessary, if the mind is at all to be a friend.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8O2DYFqST/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=vvnjvgnivqub

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Tuesday, April 30th, 2019

Istanbul / Toronto

Day Broken Up

The layover in Istanbul was a good seven hours, providing an opportunity to divide up time with either sitting, lying, standing or lotus-sitting.  There are carpet patches which interrupt the tile floor, and they were just perfect for doing some yoga stretching.  I guess in an international setting like this, one might  expect a guy in orange robes to do such maneuvers.

Personally, though, I had to address my right side pain, a new feature to aging. It helped.

I indulged in a breakfast, and around the corner I could see a woman and man with bead bags around their necks.  I know them to be devotees of the bhaktitradition.  I beckoned them to come and see me, and it turned out these were members of the Nova Gokula Retreat in Brazil.  My meeting them broke the isolation.  Sweet people. Their flight was on, and we parted, but I then engaged in communication with an old friend, The Gita.  Reading chapters seven and eight was mentally appeasing—grounding.

It was now time to queue for Flight 17, Turkish Airlines, destined for Toronto. Sneaking up behind me was a voice that went, "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna..." as he left me to guess. I surrendered and turned around. It was red-haired Jagannatha of Ukrainian descent, whom we call, "The Viking," who burst into a smile that was contagious.  There we spoke of old and recent times, of the walks he and I did in Israel along the Mediterranean Sea, and of the dramas done together in Canada.

I was blessed on these very stretched out hours for one day.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Monday, April 29th, 2019

Mauritius / Istanbul

Wrap Up in Mauritius

Sukadeva, like myself, is departing today for his homeland, South Africa, and he raised his arms up to the sun as if to say, "Good-bye."  It was our last stroll along the Indian Ocean on peaceful Belle Mare Beach, and a last dip in saltwater until our re-visit next year.

From here we darted off to Bon Accueil and the temple of Krishna Balarama. Dhananjaya is in his middle-aged years, and has been waiting for a year to gain his initiation.  From what I can see, he's a happy man, settled in his vocation, with wife and four children.  I had them all engaged in our drama.  I see them as a model family.  In that regard, Sukadeva, the eldest of a batch of five boys, also comes from a wholesome environment.

God, please empower us to influence others for more of this.

The ceremony began, and there was good cheer culminating in a great kirtanat the end.  Then off to pack bags and head for the airport after a stuffing of foods, rich and healthy.  Our Mauritian community came out in fine numbers for a final rendezvous, or Pow Wow, as I call it.  There were limited chairs for seating so we went for the circle on the floor, each person, at times, reflecting on the last few days of cohesion in guru's service. Our guru, Prabhupada, gave so much support to artists making presentations of a spiritually-centric nature. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw5mQwYlBfJ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1cfu1wr8v2gft

The number of classes I gave in Mauritius was somewhat limited due to the physical challenges.  I must remind myself of the need to care for the physical and spiritual.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Sunday, April 28th, 2019

Phoenix, Mauritius

Ayurveda Man Comes Through

I could only dream of trekking today.  Pain overnight, but finally by this evening an Ayurvedic doctor, Narada, came to figure out my issues.  They were purely mechanical by nature, and the issue has much to do with how I position myself when lying in bed.

You never stop learning.  Learning is about everything.  Chapter Four of the Gita concentrates on jnanam, learning or knowledge.  Now one translation I've always thrived on—by our guru—on the subject of knowledge, is to discern the difference between matter and spirit.

It was from this chapter that I was asked to say something at the local temple's Sunday Open House.  My God! Beautiful questions came out of this talk.  Stimulating!

It was a cool day, meaning awesome!  At the theatre our group presented a matinee of, "Gods and Demons."  More energy and more innovations were inserted and again the showing of, "The Walking Monk," was presented.  Thank you Michael Oesch, for a job well done on this film.  There were quite a lot of requests by parents to enrol their kids in next year's production.

"We'll see what we can do for you as we get closer to the actual date.” ‘We’ meaning Kala, the main coordinator, and I. Good response!

A sangha program at someone's home put a closure to the day before Narada got to massage and observe this person's walking body.

May the Source be with you!

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Saturday, April 27th, 2019

Phoenix, Mauritius

To Another Town

Kala and I went to Belle Mare once again for one of those beach walks.  It's quiet.  Whoever may roam there has a similar intent to ours.  Get tranquil.  With beads in hand, we put an extra layer onto the experience, and I'm sure that there are others who take time to add a prayer to their day. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwv45yrgJd1/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1sgzzhbfpim1d

Upon returning to the home of our hosts, Amar and Priya, I took the time to put order into my smaller luggage, as we're leaving for a trip elsewhere on the island. In my perusing of things, I pulled out a hand-written list of the twenty-six qualities of a yogiin devotion.

"Jambhavan, this is one of the greatest gifts I can ever give you. These are the qualities to cultivate: goals from the Gita. Please keep this notation of things to do in life.  In fact, write it down on another piece of paper and pass it on to Sukadeva, your friend, for his initiative in starting the project."

Jambhavan appreciated the list from Chapter Sixteen on becoming divine, and he knew I was asking for a tall order, a life mission in fact, but to be honest he took my direction very literally.  I guess asking a young person to hand-write a collection of twenty-six words, in English, plus transliteration for Sanskrit, is a daunting task for a computer-age kid. He took it well.

Now it was time to leave for the Phoenix area, and the Serge Constantine Theatre. Yes, we are prepared for the play, "Gods and Demons."  It’s a darling of a drama, a community builder, and a teen confidence booster.

In addition to the drama, there was a magic show—so wonderful, some bhajans, and Michael Oesch's film, "The Walking Monk."

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Friday, April 26th, 2019

Mauritius, All Over

Scurrying Around in Pain

Gopal and Kala were kind to take me around.  It wasn't to do with walking trails.  Chest pains were strong.  I was taken to clinics for check-ups, x-rays and medicine.  The diagnosis or prognosis showed that my organs were good.  Still the pain was hard to bare.  The sitting position was easy.  Lying down was hell, especially when leaning to the right side. Hard to breathe.  Doctors were surprised as to how I was reacting.  The cause of this inconvenience is unknown.  What can I say?

After taking some pain killers and working at our  drama rehearsals, I felt some relief.  A good sleep.  I couldn't believe it.  I woke up chipper, grateful and ready to meet the sun.

As a practitioner of bhaktiyoga,I have to believe and pray.  Medicines aren't everything.  With that in mind, I will share the first of the narrator's words from our drama, "Gods and Demons," the first scene.

Vishnu!  The Lord of a Thousand Names.  Not visible to mundane eyes, yet present everywhere.  Aloof from everything, yet very much involved.  The Lord of the Heart.  From Him, the elements issue, including the cosmic waters which give rise to all living entities.

And the gods—they revere Him.  In times of great peril, they appeal for His aide.

The Vedas say, "If one could count the atoms of the universe, then one could count the attributes of Vishnu. But no one can count the atoms of the universe, nor can one count the qualities of Vishnu. Shanti (peace), shanti, shanti. Om Tat Sat!”

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Thursday, April 25th, 2019

Centre de Flacq, Mauritius

Wake Up

I woke up with low energy.  Instead of lower back issues, which I've been confronted with in the past, my right side went quite stiff.  A nice guy by the name of Gopal, took me to another end of the island to see an expert massage therapist, then to a doctor for medicine.  Pray for me that healing will happen in a pronto manner.

I did go for an extended sleep.  Time ran short for any walking.

My friend, Sri Niketan, from Europe, is 70.  He has knee challenges, something we have in common.  I cannot make this a complaining session.  I must be grateful for the services I have.  I'm glad to be alive and happy to have a good friend in Sri Niketan, a man of the first generation after our benevolent guru, Prabhupada, came to the western world.  Those of us who fit into that category are becoming rare collector's items.

"Hello Love," is the loud caption on Balaram's T-shirt.  He is helping me as narrator for our play, "Gods and Demons."  He's got a good voice and is learning how to project and articulate.  This is definitely a succession plan, getting the younger generation to gain experience.

Like me, Balaram took up fine arts as his major; the only difference is, I dismissed the classroom and entered a monastery.  It was so radical of me but I was determined to go spiritual.  It was the only thing that made me happy and made much sense.  I needed dimension in my life, and I believe I've achieved it.  Mind you there is a journey of self-control yet to tread.

May the Source be with you!

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Wednesday, April 24th, 2019

Centre de Flacq, Mauritius

From Milk to Saltwater Oceans

Kala and I started off in the ‘sark’ with a walk in the quaint downtown.  We moved in stride and then ‘crunch’ came the sound and sensation.  

Wait a minute, I know that sound, I thought, so I confessed to Kala that I just cracked the shell of one of those huge snails.  

We briefly talked about whether this slow-but-sure mover was going to make it through.  No municipal lights were there to reveal his actual identity.  Will he be reincarnated?  Hard to say, but one thing is for certain, life is fragile.

At 8:00 a.m., I gave a class at the local Krishan Balaram temple.  Based on Sankhya philosophy, Kapila addresses the dual nature of the world.  It is precious.  The physical energy, prakriti, we take so much interest in, but we give so little credit to the essential factor behind it.  We call that power: Bhagavan.

In the evening the local youth, teens and beyond, gathered for an exploration of Bhagavanin the form of Vishnu.  It is such a lively story involving the churning of the cosmic milk ocean.  This story will be enacted this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, and will also feature the documentary by Michael Oesch, "The Walking Monk."

Anyway, we are in the phase of practice, and everyone's just having a good time together.  That spirit extended itself in the form of a second stroll at Belle Mare, a sandy beach and ocean.  A few of us went for a dip in the calm waters at 11: p.m.  No one else was there, with the exception of the moon and millions of stars.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2019

Durban / Mauritius

Never Ever

Never ever have I seen or heard such forceful rain. It was an all-nighter, and penetrated, somehow, through windows and doors, leaving us with a threat of flights being cancelled to various destinations, ours being Mauritius.  When finally we did arrive and having survived the consistent pounding of water, Sukadeva, 19, and I experienced another hiccup. Our itinerary said we leave today, while the computer at the airport wicket read that we were on for tomorrow. Yikes!

However, Krishna came through on this one, like all challenges.  Adjustments were made and we ended up on the same flight as Jambhavan at 7:00 a.m. Over the Indian Ocean we went, losing two hours of time, and we landed at the Mauritian Airport to be greeted by a chanting, welcoming party with flower garlands, smiles and a bowl of mini slabs of baked potatoes with pizza topping.

As is done annually, Kale and a companion, Dhananjaya, drove us to Amara's home, there to meet over twenty teens and older, for a preparation on this weekend's Shakti Show, and our drama, "Gods and Demons."  I'm resorting to the three of us who flew over, to provide direction to this fun play. We started rehearsals, not losing a beat, and also got serious about the casting.

It's a nice group but they are shy and stiff. What to do?  I’ve been in this spot before, and am determined to loosen up the troupe.  Unfortunately, time did not allow for footsteps other than what we achieved in three airports.  We'll be okay!

May the Source be with you!

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Monday, April 22nd, 2019

Durban, South Africa

Fun Under No Sun

The temple in Durban has a rather elaborate book display, which on its own merit demonstrates the great wisdom presented on Vedic culture.   https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwnt-fwAD3H/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xis41sh4hyn8 I took personal note of this as I was preparing to leave for, of all things, a picnic with the volunteer actors whom I worked with.  We drove to an old quarry where a benevolent owner had turned the place into a fun outdoor park with trails and obstacle courses.  We took advantage of the trail to a waterfall.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BwqPgjlACZB/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=m70n03cgeduy Over lunch I read from the Krishnabook and engaged the listeners in charades on one story about Aghasura. Great fun!  https://www.instagram.com/p/BwlX9mVgzMT/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=7cqrqeifocc4

Today was also a last crack at the Bhakti Cloud tent for more as Dance Master.  That was terminated by two hours leading kirtan on the final Chariot journey; the first time happened Friday.  The djembeaccompaniment made all the difference.  This drum transcends the rain which was the actual weather condition.

The downpour came especially as we were completing two kilometres of weaving through the streets with all three chariots. They looked spiffy with lights glowing in the dark.  The actual luminaries for me were the hundreds of chanters making a difference on this final day of the Easter Weekend.

While I'm having the time of my life, and others as well in this more or less tiny spot on the globe, I am personally troubled by the news of the recent bombings in Sri Lanka.  What cowards would do such horrendous things?  I pray for the loss of the lives of the innocent. There are events going on in the world that make me sick.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Sunday, April 21st, 2019

Durban, South Africa

Much Rain Much Fun

The Chariot Festival wasn't a total  disaster despite ongoing rain.  Sufficient tents for shelter offered a space for bhakti.  In fact in the Bhakti Cloud tent, it was like a live wire as usual.  Billed as Dance Master, at 3:30 p.m. people were curious for my session of a half hour.  I engaged people in using a part of the body so underused when it comes to dance.  We started with a clapping session over the djembe, then introduced the maha-mantra.  I then encouraged rhythmic walking. 

Can you walk as if you were a model going down the catwalk?  How would you walk to the beat as a corporate going to the office?  How may a homeless person walk?  With a slow stride?  People volunteered to try "the different strokes for different folks."

I was also asked to give a talk on "The Secret to Spiritual Advancement."  Now this may come across, subject wise, as a secret in itself.  Is the answer to this puzzle private, personal, or confidential?  Is eating holy food, prasadam, the key to success in devotion?  Some people believe so.  What about the philosophy?  Is reading sastra, and its application, what binds us to devotion?  We've also heard that chanting resolves all.  But really, there is something more to consider.  I'll be silent about it and resort to the Gita's chapter on the opulence of the Absolute: "Of secret things I am silence."  If there is one single item that breaks this silence and helps us to advance in spirituality, then I would say it is sangha, good devotional company, because if you have that then you will have the Name, the wisdom and the prasadam.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwihDVdlQ0g/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1u6gbtljycecr

May the Source be with you!

5 km