Author Archives: H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami

Monday, October 10th, 2016
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Monday, October 10th, 2016

Toronto, Ontario

Give Thanks

It’s an official holiday in Canada, Thanksgiving Day.  It is very much a family day when blood relations converge for a dinner.  As the name implies, gratitude becomes the theme in the minds and in practice for those who honour the occasion.

I see that spiritual practitioners and folks of faith carry that type of spirit—the spirit of saying, “Thank you!”  For those who have adopted the lifestyle of atheism, it would be hard to imagine who to thank for life’s bounties.  Perhaps, expressing inner appreciation for what is to be utilized for one’ssurvival and pleasure, might be one way to be grateful.  That approach, it seems, would eliminate the person, God.

I had the fortune to deliver a class this morning to the resident monks, and a few visiting folks from our community, highlighting the meaning of giving thanks.  We looked at the historical reference to do with early settlers, pilgrims to the New World.  Apparently, Martin Frobisher, Arctic explorer, took up the first Thanksgiving in 1578, more than forty years before the pilgrims arrived, therefore, the traditional approach to this day began in Canada, first.

I didn’t know that until I looked it up.  Frankly,every day is, or should be, a Thanksgiving Day, for the reason that every moment, we receive benefits from the original supplier.

May the Source be with you!

0 km (en route to India)

Sunday, October 9th, 2016
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Sunday, October 9th, 2016

Caledon/Toronto, Ontario

Blue Jays Hype

Two men came to deliver wood chips to the farm run by Vishol in the Caledon area, where land is rolling hills, with a mix of forests and fields embellishing it. Vishol’s farm was the second one for Daivata and I to visit this weekend. Soon to come will be Zebu cows from Texas, who will join the two thoroughbred horses and pony, already there. Apparently, the fine wood chips are to be a temporary covering over the cemented barnyard.

The farm has yielded potatoes which were prepared Vedic-style in a wok and executed in the barn itself.  Great meal!

From farm to city, I went. Being that the drive was incredibly lengthy, from Ottawa and back to Toronto, which rapper Drake calls “The Six”, I had little time spared for walking until the evening. I thought Yonge might be a good pick for a street on Sunday, Canada’s Thanksgiving.

As midnight approached, people on the street went berserk. Pedestrians and motorists responded to the local teams’s win—the Blue Jays, in the baseball category. The frenzy was on and all across the country. On Yonge, people were dancing and chanting “José” (Bautista), who played a major role in the team’s victory. It was nice to see everyone happy. People were either present at the game, or watching it on the screen.

I called one of my associates in Vancouver while the game was on and she sounded like she was in a hurry. “You’re busy?” I asked.

“Yes, the game’s on.”

Here’s a joke.

Where is there mention of baseball in the Bible?

Answer: “In the big inning!”

May the Source be with you!


6 km

Saturday, October 8, 2016
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Saturday, October 8, 2016

Ottawa, Ontario

Good Friend!

Daivata came to join me.  He is in a unique position in the world, as someone who trains oxen.  I would think it’s becoming a dying art, especially in the developed world.  Isn’t it true that the nations of the west depend heavily on technology and sophisticated machinery for getting things done?

I admire Daivata for the years he’s spent at our guru’s first eco-friendly village in West Virginia. And also that he fully involved himself in the goshala, a cow/bull sanctuary, in West Bengal, India, this last winter.

I also value his friendship.  In spiritual life, keeping peers is a key factor in developing the finer qualities in a person. Not only in spiritual circles, but on every level, how is it possible to get by in this world, without social interaction in the form of friendships?

Daivata and I were somewhat intimidated by persistent rains.  The family of wild turkeys didn’t seem to be shy of the wetness.  The front yard of the farm where I have been staying, became their playground.  They certainly arrived on cue on Thanksgiving Day weekend (the Canadian date), but in the format they should—wild and free—as supposed to being on a platter for dinner.

When the clouds cleared, Daivata and I took to ourfreedom also, but out back on an old railroad track, then in a ravine where a creek could be seen, as we carried on with a great chat, until it was time to depart for the night venue.  We had our own version of a Saturday Night’s Fever—chant, dance, talk and eat. We build on friendships.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Thursday, October 6th, 2016
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Thursday, October 6th, 2016

Ottawa, Ontario

Train and Trail

The train ride to Ottawa was sublime.  Leg room.  Stretch room.  Spacious washroom.  Good scenery.  People are quiet—passed out in sleep.  No traffic jams.  Potato chips—for one small bag, two dollars.  Wait a minute!  I knew that it was all too good to be true.  The chips brought a reality check.

Mathieu picked me up at the station in Ottawa and then to the farm we went; a rental space occupied by himself and Raymond.  They’ve got a serious garden growing.  We utilized some of the harvest—tomato, chard, peppers.  Energized we were.  Palate, lips and tummy, determined it all as yummy.  Other senses were entertained by the veggies’ colour, smell and texture.

Thank you, Krishna!  Provider!

A solo walk on the Prescott/Russell Pathway provided the balance.  You eat.  You work it off.  You sleep.  I love the fall colours by the way.

Then it’s another day.  What that new day brings is known by few, not even two.  But one!  You may have plans for the day to come, but variables of incidents must be made room for.  So keep the day somewhat open for His plans.

Life must be a joint effort in order to make the most of it.

We should make the most of it.  We are humans.  We can seek its full potential.  It’s easy to blow the chance.  It’s happened before.  We’ve gone through a series of chances.  We do slip and fall, but we pick ourselves back up.

May the Source be with you!

9 km

Friday, October 7th, 2016
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Friday, October 7th, 2016

Ottawa, Ontario

Good Day!

Mathieu was kind, as he always is.  From the trunk of his car, he pulled out a plank long enough to knock off the sole apple from the tree—an apple which was unreachable otherwise.  It fell and rolled right to my feet.  “Good aim, Mathieu!”

The apple was a great morning gift; a breakfast on top of that.  Krishna knows I grew up in a fruit-belt area (in southern Ontario), and it was our habit, along with siblings, to yank from a branch of any tree that which would give something delicious.

Mathieu then drove off and left me the gift of a trail to walk, and to find my way back to the farm.  From the farm, Maxance drove me to Russell, where a new Vaishnava school has developed.  There are nine young students in the Montessori-run school.  I led them in a chant and it turned into an aerobics-kirtan.

We had a blast!

Vrajabhumi is the prime teacher.  I chatted with her and her husband, Krishna Dulal—the brainchild behind the project—after our chanting session.  We spoke of schooling and how the system that Krishna Himself had gone though, in his growing years, was a hands-on method; a method of learning by using your senses and sensitivities on many levels.

Back at the farm, we conducted a sanga, a spiritual gathering which drew some families to chanting, food and discussion.  The topic of discussion was based on chapter 13, verse 16, from the Bhagavad-gita.

“The Supreme Truth exists both internally and externally, in the moving and non-moving.  He is beyond the power of the material senses to see or to know.  Although far, far away, He is also near to all.”

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016
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Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Toronto, Ontario

Being the birthday boy for the day, I reflected on the greatest contributor to invest in my life.  I shared an excerpt from Joshua Greene’s book on the biography of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, entitled Swami in a Strange Land with the attendees that came to the party.

Calcutta, 1912

“The scaffolding of metal bars and bamboo poles spiraled 200 feet into a moonlit sky.  Soon the Victoria Memorial—Britain’s architectural declaration of dominance over India—would be finished in white marble, and the cobwebs of supports would be dismantled.  Before that happened, sixteen-year-old Abhay Charan could not resist scaling it to the top.

Streets were quiet at this late hour.  Do Not Enter signs lined the construction site, but rules had never held Abhay back before.  He ducked under the barricade, climbed the crisscrosses of beams hand over hand, reached the wood-planked summit and stared out over the city to the Hooghly River, a tributary of the mighty Ganges.  The Hooghly’s tides ran rapidly, sometimes producing head waves that capsized small boats.

From atop the Victoria Memorial he watched the Hooghly’s tides flow swiftly out of the city, down to the Bay of Bengal and beyond to Europe and America…

It would take more than fifty years before Abhay set sail across those waters.  He was not impatient.  For now, India was in trouble.  His own people needed him.  He climbed down from the scaffolding, waves crashing in the distance, and headed home, back to school and family and the tumult of a nation awakening to an uncertain future.”

This was inspiring for all to hear.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Tuesday, October 4th, 2016
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Tuesday, October 4th, 2016

Toronto, Ontario

Remembering Saints

On a call, someone reminded me that today is the birth anniversary of Francis of Assisi.  Some records say he died on this day.  Whatever the case he is globally known for his kindness to all living entities.

Some great quotes from this 12th century saint are:

“For it is in giving that we receive.”

“Make me an instrument of Your peace.”

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”

Today I felt a bit like Francis—not on the basis of saintly status.  I’m nowhere near him.  Today, like yesterday, I trekked on a trail amidst good trees (yesterday it was coniferous, today deciduous).  Chaitanya, of the early 15thcentury, was also a communicator with the animals, some ferocious by nature.

I was walking under a canopy of trees in a ravine, with companion, Karuna Sindhu, one of our best monks.  While doing so, I remarked that Krishna, in His youth, playfully moved about where there were trees and green grasses.

It’s easy to think of the Creator, within the green creation, in the company of good creatures.  I feel blessed all the way through.

Overnight I’ll turn 64.  I’m reflecting on the good people who shaped me, although not being thoroughly proud of all that’s me.  At least I can say I’ve been impacted by the best.

I thank my parents and my spiritual father, Srila Prabhupada!

May the Source be with you!

9 km

Sunday, October 2nd, 2016
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Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

To the Great Ocean

“I have black curtains over my window,” said one of the lads who drove me to tonight’s program.  “I’ve had a hard time adjusting to the long sunny hours in the summer.  One day in June, the sun doesn’t even go down.”

Such is one of the interesting dynamics of being north, above the 60thparallel, in the Yukon.

I just had the best time.  In the basement of the United Church, our group hosted the weekly Sunday bhakti-yoga hour.  There was a much greater attendance tonight than usual, a response to the posters put up, as well as media coverage via the local newspaper, the “What’s Up Yukon.”

I introduced take-home Sanskrit words such as samsara (the cycle of birth and death) and of course, the maha-mantra, Hare Krishna.  Good questions came my way and I can say that my answers are never satisfactory enough for my ears.

One person did have one more private question.

“How to meditate more effectively, especially in dealing with the mind?”

Answer: Wash!  Breathe!  Pray! 

Rise early, shower, do some breathing exercises allowing good oxygen and blood to go to the brain, then pray while in a good sitting posture.  Pray for strength.

One of the prime prayers for strength is found in the book the Bhagavatam, uttered by Queen Kunti:

“My mind wanders and meanders like the Ganges River, but may that mind surrender at Your lotus feet, as the river makes its destination to the great ocean.”

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Monday, October 3rd, 2016
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Monday, October 3rd, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

Yukon Wrap Up

Pamela Holms was the last person to take Ananda and I on a trek down the Yukon River during my trip here.  The trail was the real thing—no pavement, just leaves, dirt, fir needles, twigs, roots and rocks.  It meanders; goes up and goes down.

Thank you, Pamela.

At the airport new friends made, saw me off.  Like anywhere I travel, there are people who love Krishna.  Some are not sure of His existence.  Some people up here in the Yukon accept GOD as meaning the Great Out Doors.

To wrap up my report on the Whitehorse visit, I thought to submit the article in the “WhatsUpYukon,”  along with a photo. Author Selene Vakharia writes:

“I have always had a fascination with the North.”

I am on the phone with Bhaktimarga Swami, a 63-year-old monk in Toronto. We are talking about the visit to Whitehorse he has planned for late September.

Better known as The Walking Monk, at 63 he has already walked across Canada four times, as well as across the United States, Ireland, Israel, Fiji Islands, Mauritius, Trinidad and Guyana.

He walks as a way to meditate and to slow down. He uses mantras – repetitive phrases with spiritual meaning – when he walks, to instill introspection and mindfulness into his treks.

During his cross-country walks, he often walks eight hours and 33 km a day. One day along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, he walked over 90 km.

“When you’re walking, you take some time,” says Bhaktimarga Swami. “It’s introspective walking, meaning you do some meditation when walking.”

Bhaktimarga Swami believes in the power of walking for health and for community. He sees walking as an act that takes us away from our technological devices and puts us into contact with our neighbours.

He refers to his long walking expeditions as “friend-raising” for their ability to introduce him to new people. The marathon walks are a traditional monastic practice that is about inspiring and being inspired by those who come into your path. Like everything that Bhaktimarga Swami does, the walks are meant to “share the joy of life and that’s what you want to give out.”

“What makes walking so nice,” he says, “is you’re doing something physically while also doing something on the spiritual side.”

Through the relationships built with others and through the physical benefits, Bhaktimarga Swami finds that the walks keep him in prime condition to take care of and serve others.

“Many issues are overcome by walking because you allow the time to process thoughts, plans and dreams. Introspective or mindful trekking is like therapy.”

In 1973, at the age of 21, he joined the monastic lifestyle. Bhaktimarga Swami always had a spiritual inclination. He visited an ashram in Montreal, settled at one in Toronto, and found the whole lifestyle came easily and naturally. The whole practice for him “ignited that spark from previous existence.”

Bhaktimarga Swami is a practitioner of Bhakti Yoga – a spiritual practice focused on the cultivation of love and devotion. Within Bhakti Yoga, everything is done in devotion and in gratitude – everything is done from the heart, says Bhaktimarga Swami. He extends this practice to his walking, to daily life, and even to the work he is currently doing on a friend’s tomato farm.

“Whatever you’re doing,” he says, “when you redirect it, channel it more, whatever you’re doing is an offering to the divine…it changes your mindset. You begin to appreciate your work.”

He dubs this mindset an “attitude of gratitude” and credits it with bringing joy into the everyday, no matter what it brings his way – chores, work, and even walking.

Having had a longstanding desire to visit the North, Bhaktimarga Swami says he is excited to visit and walk in Whitehorse. He is looking forward to meeting the community and sharing his experiences and lessons on meditative walking. While in town, he will be leading workshops and the mantra meditation at the free weekly Sunday kirtan and vegetarian feast at the United Church, on the end of Main Street in downtown Whitehorse.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Saturday, October 1st, 2016
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Saturday, October 1st, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

Treasures of the Day

I had an excellent, hour long discussion with the Honourable Larry Bagnell, Member of Parliament for the Yukon.  Along with Larry, who sipped on coffee with Ananda and Vaibhav (myself, on apple juice) at the Westmark Hotel.  I asked him about the Canadian political structure and his role in it, and in exchange he asked about Krishna Consciousness, our administration, and our truth.  “How old?  Beliefs? Where does it come from?”

It was really pleasant.

Food has been good.  Even though we are miles away from anywhere—very remote—all the diversity you want for tongue and belly seem to be here.  At the Punjabi household I’m staying at, it was aloo paratha for lunch.  I put greens in the centre of this potato roti with my own salad dressing on top, mixed in avocado and then rolled it like a wrap.  Even Anand, a traditionalist to the taste of Indian cuisine, enjoys my style of pleasing hunger.  That, and a special energy drink assembled by local Sikh gentlemen filled my ‘tank’.

More was to come in the form of speech output.  After being ‘tanked’, we had an engagement at the Canada Games Centre, Room 2, for “Tales from Trails.”  I left ample time for questions, which did pour out.  People were keen to know of monastic life.  My mention of suggesting that everyone in the room become more of a monk (or nun) as we mature in our years, seemed to very much resonate with them.  The notion of renunciation was becoming relevant.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Friday, September 30th, 2016
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Friday, September 30th, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

By the Kings of the Sky

Gillian was very gracious to have us do a presentation at the seniour’s home, Macaulay Lodge. I spoke about trail experiences on the various countries I’ve blazed across, not to mention the early one of this morning, on the top of a mountain where eagles and ravens are kings of the sky.

The follow-up to my talk was Ananda’s table demo, which was colourfully cultural for the seniors to witness. Marianne and I inserted the maha mantra.  It was a treat for them.

Whitehorse boasts of having seven-hundred kilometres of walking trails within the city limits, some of which are suited also for cross-country skiing and snow-mobiling.  A short section of the Great Trail (formerly Trans Canada Trail) was checked out by our team of three.  It is essential that I give at least an hour and a half to walking daily during my stay.  I’m getting spoiled by the food here and I must make the effort to burn calories.

On top of this, I’m getting generously loaded down by gifts, some of which require at least tasting.  Attention must be given to local, irresistible, edible products such as birch syrup, spruce tip jelly, and fireweed honey—all to be sampled.

Lillian Strauss, who has lived here in the Yukon for forty-seven years, has also been a spiritual person.  It’s great seeing her come to participate at the venues we attend.  Her affiliation with Bhagavad-gitaAs It Is teachings have inspired and elevated her.  It was a pleasure having her with us this night, at the more remote home of Harjit Bajwa, the place of sanga, evening chanting and Gita discussion.  More food.  OMG!

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Thursday, September 29th, 2016
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Thursday, September 29th, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

Aurora Borealis

Mariann, who moved here from Vancouver sometime back, mentioned to Ananda and I on the Millennium Trail, that the Brand for Whitehorse is “Larger Than Life.”  That phrase seemed most  appropriate when Ananda and I viewed Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, before sun-up. It was purely by accident. Tourists come to Whitehorse with the sole intent of seeing an aspect of nature that is stunningly mystical, and yet they are often disappointed.  It’s by a fluke that the Lights even appear.  But we were lucky to see the whipping out of curved light-rays, moving about, appearing and disappearing, making snake moves and changing colours. “Awesome!” might be a word to describe this continuous display of surprise.

At noon, I presented “Tales From Trails” to a curious group at Yukon College.  Basically, it became a virtual ‘walk through Canada’ with the group, through the eyes and experience of a monk.

I also met Dan Curtis and staff at City Hall.  I was most inquisitive about his management experience and what it means to be a public servant as mayor.  He showed us the Chambers where his council meets and also where we had a good conversation at the round table.

The final visitation for the day was in the basement of the United Church.  It was Ananda who facilitated the discussion on “How to Love All Living Beings.”  Members of the United Church participated, along with Baha’i, Islam, Hindu, spiritualists, and Hare Krishnas.  I quoted from the Gita and offered a possible ‘take home’—Love Love and Hate Hate.

May the Source be with you!

12 km

Wednesday, September 28th, 2016
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Wednesday, September 28th, 2016

Whitehorse, Yukon

Hello Yukon!

It’s not often that I’m greeted by a party of people who beat the drum and chant at an airport.  Here in Whitehorse, with a population of 25,000, a swami is a rarity.  I must also mention that my host, Ananda, is an animated personality and very amicable.  He led the chant and the drumming.

After a long flight from Toronto and a stop-over at Vancouver, I was glad to meet this crew of greeters and to have my feet on the ground.  Furthermore, to take in great air.  According to this group, Whitehorse is the most pollution-free city in the world, so Guinness says.

“I believe you,” I said to Ananda, to which he added, “And it has the best water.”

The Yukon River runs through the town.  Ananda calls the river “Yamuna” after the sacred waters in India, the river which also is the place where Krishna enjoyed his childhood pastimes.

I was also greeted with a subji (veggies) mixed with golden Yukon potatoes known as world-renowned.  Yes!  Delicious!

It had been a long day, with no sleep the night before, and also included a visit to one of our Toronto congregants dying from breast cancer in the hospital.  For Meena, whom I may not see again, I chanted by her bedside with her brother Mukesh and his wife Jayamala.  That was before the flight.  I was exhausted.  Ananda addressed it with a massage.  Thanks to him I’ll be in competent shape for the next day of devotional life, a life that is people-interactive and most rewarding.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Tuesday, September 27th, 2016
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2016

Toronto, Ontario

Introducing Santosh

Santosh, twenty-three, is a young student of history who just came to Canada.  He’s here for a three month stay at the ashram while attending classes at York University.  He is from Surinam and has never ever been in a metropolis before.

When someone new comes to the city, my way of giving them the keys to the city is by introducing him/her to the streets and trails.

Thus far he is liking the city and I wish him well in his studies.  His stature is tall, but he carries a humble disposition.  He has the facial, pious look of a demigod and is most helpful.  I’ve engaged him in multiple tasks that are of a more physical nature.  In fact, I would say he’s a rare kind who does everything with a healthy attitude.

I realize it’s important to not overlook him with everything that needs doing.  That would be a burn-out program.  A recipe for disaster.  A new person can be very vulnerable, and when people who have services in the temple ashramrequire help, as in “Can you help me lift this, or carry that, fetch this, fetch that?” such assistance can really stack up.

I guess one of the reasons for my showing Santosh the better walkways is so that when he needs his time off and privacy, he can then know where to go.  His taking a break will be legit.

If you are reading this entry Santosh, please keep in mind the importance of balanced out-put.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Monday, September 26th, 2016
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Monday, September 26th, 2016

Toronto, Ontario

C.H. Came

Chaitanya Hari is staying at the InterContinental Hotel on Front Street and is here on business.  He works with Telus and is based in Vancouver.  He is a young, promising, business person and his prospects for spiritual advancement also look good.  I’ve known him since he was a kid.

I took him south on Yonge Street and then over to Front to his hotel, where he was to retire for the evening before he started business training, and ideas and strategic planning during the next day.

Being from Vancouver, he noted some differences between that city and the current one he’s in.  Each place does have its own character and personality.  But every place you go to, reveals a similarity—people are driven.  People are motivated to forge ahead on some level of progress.  Even the homeless are motivated to survive.

Both Chaitanya and I witnessed some people, a few, lying down over the vents where heat rises from the underground traffic.  Other more driven men in suits walk with a speed of expectation.  In general, there is ambition.  That is natural.

It is also natural to look at, or at least ponder, the metaphysical, and consider transcending over the physical world and the freaks of nature.  That term, “freaks of nature,” was used by our guru, Srila Prabhupada, to reflect or express the turbulent nature of existence itself.

It’s beneficial to balance our physical and spiritual needs.  Do not suppress either.

May the Source be with you!

9 km

Sunday, September 25th, 2016
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Sunday, September 25th, 2016

Burlington, Ontario

The Bend at The Lake

Jagannatha Misra and I took a stroll along the northwest bend of Lake Ontario.  We have been there before, and again and again.  It’s in his very neighbourhood.  The trail, which is edged along the lake, also takes you past the historic Joseph Brant home.

Who was he?  Joseph Brant was actually a Mohawk Chief who became the leader of the Six Nations.  He was also a Christian.  He fastened a policy onto his people saying “unity and concord among themselves.”

The year that the Olympic Summer Games came through with the mighty torch, Jagannath and I were there at North Shore and Lake Shore when we accidentally bumped into the runner, not physically, but we met at the same intersection.

At the same time as the run, one of our couples from the Toronto community was giving birth to their first child at the Joseph Brant Hospital.  It was at this hospital that I was admitted after a serious foot infection, a result from getting punctured by a dead catfish on a beach in Guyana.  I was on my Guyanese cross-nation walk when this occurred.

These are memories of this trail.  It runs right up the sandy beach where you are likely to find the occasional beachcomber.  The air from the lake is invigorating—at least the many geese think so.

Walking in an area like this, with memories and history woven into it, makes it special apart from nature’s blast of invigoration.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Saturday, September 24th, 2016
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Saturday, September 24th, 2016

Markham, Ontario

Burning Food

Jai Sri is a meek and simple kind of guy.  He’s a monk residing in our ashramin Toronto.  It was his birthday today.

“What’s your age?”  I asked him.

“It’s probably 70,” he said jokingly.

That makes him the seniour-most person living on our premises.  Oh, and then there’s God Himself who outdoes us all in longevity.  In the deity form presiding in our temple, we have Krishna who stands in the three-fold bending form, with the ceremonious flute in hand.

Back to Jai Sri.  He became the reason for the ice cream cake served and honoured at the home of Ramananda Ray in Markham.  It’s rare to see the few residing monks all getting time off to gather together.  Pizza was also on the menu.

Oh yes, it was offered to become prasadam.  The Jews have their kosher, the Muslims their halal, the Christians have their communion.  The Krishna-ites have their prasadam, sanctified food.

It was time to walk off the prasadam, to burn calories and karma.

Karuna Sindhu and I took to Danforth Avenue, not only to walk, but also to visit another congregant for more food.  Holy Moses! (Excuse me.) Holy Krishna!  When does the eating end?!

The walking is indeed a justification for dealing with food at times.  Adventure too.  One fellow saw us and took his head-phones out just to tell us, “You guys, there’s a UFO circling the CN Tower.  You’ve got to see it, man.”

May the Source be with you!

Friday, September 23rd, 2016
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Friday, September 23rd, 2016

Kitchener, Ontario

Cremation Within Creation

Rush we did, in our monk van, to Kitchener, for a funeral and cremation.  Brihat was our driver, and on board was Nick, Gordon, Keith and myself.  Gangotri, an 86 year-old, caring kind of devotee, was the deceased person we attempted to revere and respect in the best way possible, in a send-off to a new realm.

To put it in more simple terms, those of us family and friends participated in the last rites for Gangotri’s soul’s journey to a better place.  The event went smoothly. As usual, soft chanting is what truly makes the program—any program—sweet.  It created an atmosphere of comfort, and kept feelings of separation subdued.  The Pillay family was pleased.

As a monk who has a considerably large base of congregations across Canada, participation in events including last rites, weddings, birthdays and samskaras (purificatory rites of passage) is a willing obligation to fulfill.

Bear in mind that there should also be time set aside for some trekking.  Along with the boys, after the cremation and a meal, we ventured off to a trail along the Grand River near Conestoga College.  What a change of terrain this area is, compared to the north, where I was one week ago.  Here, it’s a softer wilderness where apparently native folks, at least the Mohawk, flourished in the 1800’s.  They had the river—which was the source of all their needs—food, travel, water, etc.  The Creator looked kindly upon them.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Thursday, September 22nd, 2016
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Thursday, September 22nd, 2016

Castleton, Ontario

Real Men

It is my final day with the crew of men working at the farm.  Before we pulled in the last of what we could—tomatoes, Long Island Cheese Squash, beans and basil—yanking out dead bushes and branches, we had a good walk through pretty Campbellford.  There was the Trent Canal, the river portion with gorge and plentiful cedars along the path.  Our promenade also included going over a suspension bridge and through the downtown itself.

As the five of us walked, we chanted on our beads.  We were at first rather chatty, but in the last hour we all got serious.  What a great gang!  I’m so fortunate to have their company.  Each one of them has been very real.  Even as they wait for the breakfast porridge to be set by the table, one by one they take one of the nine month old twin girls, Fil and Sukayanti’s daughters, on their lap, to comfort and play with them.

To me, these guys were being real men, having wholesome topical exchanges, working hard in the out-of-doors, enjoying meals, and discussing Krishna Consciousness.  I feel we are living the Bhagavatam; living what the ancient texts talk about.

Another farm was visited by us.  Jai Chaitanya and Rasa, along with their four kids, secured a farm of sixty acres in Castleton two years ago.  After the work at Fil’s farm, and a scrumptious meal at Jai’s, the boys agreed to two hours of moving and piling bales of hay.

The reward was going wild on the concord grapes from vines that have been there for generations.  Secondly, there was the relishing of a final swim at Little Lake to get clean and relieve the prickly sensation from the hay.  No one complained about the day.

They were real men.

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Tuesday, September 20th, 2016
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Tuesday, September 20th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

At the Civic Centre

Hastings has a civic centre which is located on the top of a hill at Albert and Hwy 45.  Being situated on the lower level of the library makes it a central place people know about.  This became the venue for our presentation, “Tales from Trails.”  With this presentation, I basically took the attendees—over fifty in number—for a walk across the country, mentally.

Attendees were attentive.  What a marvelous group of mature people they were.  Should I expect anything else?  We are looking at thoughtful, mindful folks.

Skye was the real hero for the event, in my opinion.  She secured the venue, called friends to come, did additional promotion and was the brains behind the set up.  She’s a networker, practical and conscientious.

Fil came with his produce, for sale and for talking about.  “Beyond Organic” is his slogan.  He met people also in his field, among them organic farmers, bakers, and professionals. Down to earth people indeed.

Tony, from the Norwood Holistic Centre, arrived and began the kirtan, which engaged people in singing and clapping.

Kirtan (the person) brought her home-made wraps as refreshments, enjoyed by all.

The line of credits to a successful program goes on.  Perhaps the most curious of questions that arose was, “What type of shoes do you use for the long-haul walking?”

Answer, kyboots, Swiss technology and Italian-made.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Monday, September 19th, 2016
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Monday, September 19th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Beans and Things

Brhat and Nick took to tomato harvest.  Keith and Gordon went at rewinding the water-line and hose system, and I got at the bean gathering.  As I was about to start picking, Gordon told a joke.

“You know why you can never keep a secret on the farm?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Because the corn has ears, the potatoes have eyes and the beanstalk.”

“Very funny, Gordon.  On that note, I’ll start gathering the beans.”

There is a fervent push now to get crops in.  Everything is a race against time, before the first frost hits.

In regard to frost, I encouraged Gordon to try the wild grapes as we were trekking the Trans Canada Trail before gardening.  He took a clump and put them in his mouth.  Generally after the first frost, the grapes are sweet, but even at this stage, before the light freeze, those grapes were nice—tart but nice.

After the laborious morning of farm-related tasks, lunch was to aspire for.  Succulent it was.  Then, most deserving, came the swim.  I remember a limestone quarry in the area with pristine water.  Our crew’s eyes widened, at the discovery, and soon their bodies wettened.

While outdoor farm-life goes on, there is a constant contemplation over people I know.  Gangotri is a devotee who is in her old age, dying.  Another friend, Yamala, has a dad who was in a serious auto accident.  Prayers and thoughts are being sent.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Sunday, September 18th, 2016
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Sunday, September 18th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Gordon hails from Red Lake, Ontario where eagles galore, are there, out to soar.  He stays in a tiny cabin in the wilderness near Wawa.  He’s a real drifter, but does his drifting via bicycle.  He caught onto the Trans Canada Trail (TCT), but lost it somewhere along the way.  This does indeed happen.  My last trip across Canada took me through Oxford, Nova Scotia on the TCT.  Suddenly, it just came to an end.  I looked for confirmation on this and indeed locals told me the same.  So where do you pick up this trail then, which is supposed to go from coast to coast?

No answer!

So, I’m lost.  And that’s the reality of the TCT.  It lacks good signage.  Next year, it will be called The GreatTrail, I’m told.  Many sections of trails will be linked to form and finalize it, in preparation for Canada’s 150th birthday.

Let’s see what The Walking Monk makes of it.  I still have the youthful passion to explore.  I want to know what hidden secrets lie along this and other paths.  Each new route brings an essential treasure, which is Krishna in nature’s form.

Some people are enthralled by what new arrivals are on display and up on sale at the shopping mall.  For me, the adventure lies in the trail, the forest and the field.  There is no match or comparison in this regard.

May the Source be with you!

12 km

Saturday, September 17th, 2016
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Saturday, September 17th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Chill at the Farm

Back I am into farmland and the countryside, and with two extra men—Gordon and Keith.  That makes five of us—Brihat, Nick, Gordon, Keith and myself.  We are here for a final week to assist in harvest, barn clean-up, yard clean-up, canning goods and whatever else necessity dictates.  We leave the dictating to the Supreme, while we, His servants, are the instruments.

Fil and Sukayanti are the proprietors of Govardhan Farms, on Friendly Acres Road, where we converged with a host of other folks, mostly from the city, for an Open House.  “Open Barn” would be the more appropriate nomenclature.  All attendees were made aware of operations on the farm—this included Suzanne Atkinson, journalist for the weekly publication “Ontario Farmer.”  She found it unique to learn Fil and Sukayanti’s approach to agriculture, which includes a sanctuary for cows, bulls (and cats I imagine), in addition to cultivating good quality, organic food, or what Fil refers to as “Beyond Organic.”  Generally, Suzanne reports on cash crops/cattle raising dynamics.  This is different for her.

The visit to Govardhan Farms is always full of educational and physical workout opportunities, time to bond with people, animals, and the earth.  Chilling-out is also a component.  Young Nimai is 3.  He loves the barn and the hay.  Lemonade with mint and cookies—home-made—gave it that down-home feel.  Just after lunch, we had a look at YouTube on New Walkers Popadums.

May the Source be with you!

4 km 

Thursday, September 15th, 2016
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Thursday, September 15th, 2016

Toronto, Ontario

Ruchi Group in Town

The Nama Ruchi group is in town.  World travelers, they are.  Four of their members were kind enough to honour my request from last year.  We are looking at a foursome—young, healthy, strong, enthusiastic monks whose mandate is to give a taste (ruchi) of the name (Krishna’s).

The timing is perfect for their arrival to the city, because we are in the midst of the TIFF, The Toronto International Film Festival.  To my understanding, the public is drawn to venues of new film releases.  Secondly, many renowned and upcoming actors make their appearances.  The Nama Ruchi group and some local devotees, including my humble self, drove to hip Kensington Market, and from there, on foot, processioned our way through the entertainment district on King Street and its adjoining roads.

People were lined up like crazy at the film venues, down and around the block.  They were anticipating to see “the stars.”  As we chanted along these queues, I witnessed some glum-to-grave looking faces light up at the sight and sound of us; the sound being sweet and melodic with a reggae kick.

I really felt like saying to some of these fans, “You came to see the stars, but you may be barking up the wrong tree.  The stars are in the sky and they are accompanied by a fairly full moon.  Your high rises are blocking out reality.”  In any event, the public came to be entertained and perhaps we could be considered the opening act.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Friday, September 16th, 2016
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Friday, September 16th, 2016

Niagara Falls, Ontario

At the Falls

I spoke to the Nama Ruchi monks before we began to do some kirtan, public chanting. Out of respect for the famous falls itself, and the people who have come to view the awesome waters rushing down, I said, “Take a few minutes to appreciate it, and perhaps see it as a spark of Krishna’s splendour.”  I told them that I see it as God in liquid form.

Once photos were taken and time spent to absorb this great wonder of the world, we set out on the streets where pedestrians were in motion.  Naturally, people are anticipating something unique when they arrive at this tourist destination, and they are coming from all over the world.

At the Hard Rock Café, from the stage, a musician, a guitarist, welcomed us in.  He heard our vocalist playing the accordion and asked, “What key?”  He took the note and played along with our mantra.  The customers seemed to enjoy the sound from their tables and beer.  I found it interesting that it was an older crowd.  Everyone deserves a chance to chant and, if boldness will allow, to dance.

Out of all the people we encountered, perhaps the most enthusiastic for singing and jigging were a couple of oriental elderly men who took the prize.  They were jolly good in their gyrating.  They wouldn’t stop.  They were so excited.

There is a following of devotees in Niagara Falls, and it was lined up for us that we would lunch with time.  A lot of output goes into pleasing the crowds.  I’m starting to see how these men, the Nama Ruchi group, are on a roadshow of sorts, and constantly on the move.  Their next stop is Chicago.  It’s a twelve hour bus ride for them.  Their visit to the Falls and Canada was just too short.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Wednesday, September 14th, 2016
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Wednesday, September 14th, 2016

Washington/Toronto

Getting Guidance

I had delivered a class based on a verse from the book, the Bhagavatam, 11:7:38, at the temple in Potomac.  The entire chapter seven is very instructive as it expounds upon the concept of guru—the concept of giving guidance.  It is in this text that Sri Krishna shares the example of how a sadhulearned about life from gurus known as the mountain and the tree.  I will simply copy the purport to the verse.

“Great mountains bear unlimited quantities of earth, which in turn gives sustenance to innumerable forms of life such as trees, grass, birds, animals, and so on. Mountains also pour forth unlimited quantities of crystalline water in the form of waterfalls and rivers, and this water gives life to all. By studying the example of mountains, one should learn the art of providing for the happiness of all living entities. Similarly, one may take excellent lessons from the pious trees, who offer innumerable benefits, such as fruits, flowers, cooling shade and medicinal extracts. Even when a tree is suddenly cut down and dragged away, the tree does not protest but continues to give service to others in the form of firewood. Thus, one should become the disciple of such magnanimous trees and learn from them the qualities of saintly conduct.”

Here Sri Krishna tells of two gurus, or teachers, that we find in nature.  It is through the words of the sadhu that we discover, in addition to the mountain and the tree, there are other elements which become instructors, totalling twenty-four.  This is an incredible, educational offer to all of humanity and that’s why the book, Bhagavatam, is such a gem.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

  

Monday, September 12th, 2016
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Monday, September 12th, 2016

Toronto/Washington

Walking Monk Goes to Washington

I would like to use the phrase “hop, skip and a jump” with regard to my journey today, but that’s not how it works for aircraft travel.  The flight from Thunder Bay to Toronto was brief. It wasn’t choppy, as the phrase suggests, nor was the one to Washington D.C.  The journeys were short and sweet, or more truthfully,sweet, because they were short.

I arrived at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to be picked up by a Nepalese devotee, Chaitanya Nitai by name.  It is an enviable airport in that a gorgeous trail leads you directly into it.  It runs along the Potomac River and then under a canopy of a thousand trees.  This trail accommodates walkers and cyclists who can then come right up to the airport entrance.  I thought you could only do that in Thunder Bay.

I feel indeed honoured to reach the U.S. capital city to participate in ISKCON’s Historic 50th Anniversary, for it was fifty years ago that America started to acknowledge the work which was being done by Srila Prabhupada.  From 1966,when papers were signed and registered in New York City, to the early winter of ’77, a span of a mere eleven years, he established a worldwide adjustment in consciousness.  His aim was to approach life with a lighter tone, to experience bhakti, the essence of human sentiment.

Not all the world, at this point, has recognized his great worth.  The event tomorrow, held at the Capital Hilton, is a gesture to give credit where it is due.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Tuesday, September 13th, 2016
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Tuesday, September 13th, 2016

Washington, D.C.

The Guy on the Parkway

Bharat, a lively member from the Potomac Vaishnav community, drove a group of us to the Gala event at the Capital Hilton, when the passengers asked about some of my walking experiences.  So I obliged.

Nearing the end of one of the selected adventures, I said something for them to think about.“When one walks, you are more inclined to be God-centered.  That holds true more-so than for those in a car.  An automobile can make you cold and callous, like the machine itself.”

Just as I made the statement, we noted a fellow, likely homeless, walking along the parkway we were on.  I rolled down the window and got the fellow’s attention. “Hey, you’re a hero for walking.”

His response was, “I’m walking after just having a triple bypass.”  With that, he pulled down his T shirt, as much as it would go from the neck, to reveal the medical marks.

“We think it’s great you’re on foot,” I reiterated.

“The good Lord is allowing me to do it,” he shouted back, in appreciation for the divine benefit he’s received.

In any event, I made the point about the connection between walking and spirituality, and right on cue, an affirmation came about.  The passengers and Bharat were questioning, “How could this be so?”  Something was magical in all of this.

The event at the Hilton was a milestone.  To commemorate ISKCON’s fifty years is remarkable.  Many speakers, including Congresswoman Tulasi Gabbard, honoured the achievements of ISKCON’s noble work.  She even picked up a ukelele and led all folks present in the chanting of Hare Krishna.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Sunday, September 11th, 2016
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Sunday, September 11th, 2016

Thunder Bay, Ontario

By the Side of the Road

By the side of the road, there was this substantial piece of a body of a deceased raccoon.  Let’s say he was one third there.  Millions of maggots were stirring about, chewing whatever they could as part of nature’s recycling department.  One day later, Nick and I, witnesses to the feast, saw what was left.  But for a few bones, practically the whole thing had vanished over a period of twenty-four hours.  It was just astounding what we observed in terms of the clean-up.  Hardly any fur was left.  We were in south central Ontario near Hastings.

Today, Prem and I ventured onto the body of the Sleeping Giant.  No, it is not a carcass.  It’s actually a beautiful provincial park, situated in this northern region off of Lake Superior.  I always wanted to mosey on over and explore the old boy, who, according to myth, was an old chief who went to slumber after hearing a prophecy that the White Man was coming.

This park, which has the formation of a peninsula, resembles a large reclining person (reminding me of the horizontal Vishnu lying in water) and features many walking trails.  People take full advantage of them.  You have many choices.

Prem and I decided to take the trail to the Sea Lion rock formation.  Said to be shaped over a billion years ago, you can currently witness what’s left of it.  We were a bit disappointed to see the head clipped off due to erosion; due to time actually.  Once, it had the semblance of a lion resting on his haunches.

That then is the work of the all-powerful we call time.  It wears away everything, even our own bodies, precious as they are.  The Gita reminds us that God is time.

May the Source be with you!

14 km

Saturday, September 10th, 2016
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Doing Things Right

I arrived at the Thunder Bay Airport only to have to wait.  A call came on my phone.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” said Prem.

He arrived and we drove to Lake Boulevard.

There, I met young new students, twenty-five or so, fresh from India.  It was their first time in Canada and their first week to start a new phase in their lives.  And, it was their first time meeting a white swami.

Prem has a way of doing things well.  He and his wife, Sneha, take these young enthusiasts and make them feel at home.  They are oriented to the beauty of nature around, then a walk by the lake, a picnic, an introduction to the quaint temple on Victoria Ave—which has attached to it, a shop for Indian goods—food and clothes.  Samosas, of course, are a regular feature.

Overall, the most important way of making the students—who are all bright and really value their education—feel comfortable,  is by helping them realize they have each other’s friendship, as well as the mentorship of Prem and his wife.  The students are made to feel right at home while they get totally accustomed to Canada and their school.

Well, the walk around the lake was great.  They got to understand what a Frisbee course was, and in  the end, after our picnic, they went on to playing cricket.

The last two evening hours were spent with Prem, in his home, viewing the results of his work, and the students watching last year’s Festival of Colours.  The displays and the stage show were phenomenal.  He and his team do a lot of things right.  They especially excel in newcomer care.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016
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Wednesday, September 7th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Red

If I were to colour the day, it would be red.  Red is what I see, and I shared it with one of the boys, Brihat.

As part of our chores for these last two days, we’ve taken to Fil’s expansive garden and harvested the darling—big, firmly ballooned chunks of circular happiness—tomatoes.  Minus pesticides, these tomatoes are not on the food list of the dirty dozen,and are screaming with redness for attention.

Harvest—we did.  Cleaning, cutting, cooking and canning—we did.  We even rationed some of the day’s sauce we had cooked to flavour the pasta we ate.

Mama Mia!

This month, September, is the best month for tomatoes around here.  The red comes through those green vines.  Red also is the colour slowly creeping up from within the trees.  It is the chlorophyll which supplies the leaves of the tree with a green colour.  The autumn hues, slowly surfacing, are from the lack of chlorophyll.  We are left with bright oranges, yellows, burgundies and reds all making a pronounced presence by the end of September.

There is also an avatar by the name of Yajnaand He has the complexion of red.  Red is wanted, craved for, especially when the snow white sets in for months at a time.  Only the red dogwood stands out as a rival to the snow.  They actually complement each other, in my opinion. 

Here I go, sounding like a horticulturalist or a botanist.  I’m really just seeing the colour red in nature.  I haven’t dreamt in red, not even of tomatoes, but during the course of these few days, we are consuming a lot.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Friday, September 9th, 2016
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Friday, September 9th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Exercise: The Drug That Does it All

It is an eight kilometre trek for Nick and I.  Brihat leapfrogs uswiththe van, but does some walking, too.  That gets us from the centre of Hastings, at the guest-house where we are staying, to Govardhan Farms on Friendly Acres Road.  It’s a pleasant walk with little traffic.  We relish the countryside sights, sounds and smells.

Eight kilometres is great for a morning workout.  We also get a good portion of our allotted soft-volume chanting done.  And when we arrive at the eco-friendly farm, we put ourselves to work, harvesting tomatoes, squash, beans and okra.  It’s the bending over and squatting that works extra muscles.

I’m compelled to quote from this month’s “Time” magazine in regard to—in particular—walking and yoga.

For strength,yoga is beneficial.

“Lift your own body weight and flow through intense poses, and yogawill give you strength with a side of mindfulness and stress relief.”

For cardio, walking excels.

“With the lowest quit rate of any type of exercise, walking improves memory, well-being, heart health and even creativity.”

In the article,McMaster University’sDr. Mark Tarnopolsky concludes his research with “The most effective therapy available to my patients right now is exercise.”

It’s not surprising that more than half of all baby boomers report doing no exercise whatsoever, and 80.2 million Americans over the age of six are entirely inactive.

For the sake of longevity, optimism and service to others, let’s do the workout needed.

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Thursday, September 8th, 2016
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Thursday, September 8th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Skye Has No Limit

Our landlady at The Doors Guesthouse is quite awesome.  She surprises us with her gifts, remarks and hospitality.  For instance, knowing I’m a traveler with a spot of patriotism in me, she offered as a present, the perfect book to savour—a hard-bound Canadian Book of the Road.

I’m reading,or at least pursuing it, Skye. Skye Morrison is her name.

Today, she brought over a mini wooden, toy sculpture of “Krishna and the Gopis Vastra Haran,” that is Krishna’s teasing the young maidens during their river-bath hour.  It’s surely a conversation piece.  Skye insists we bring this objet d’artfrom her home to the Hastings Civic Centre on Sept. 20th where I’ll be speaking on “Tales from Trails.”

Her remarks, well, they are light-hearted.  The bag of Indian snacks we have, she calls “snakes” because that’s the way they pronounce it in India, where she spends five months of every year.  The local “Hysterical Society” is what she calls the Historical  Society, and being a member herself, I guess she has the right to speak endearingly about the people there whom she loves.

The quarters she provides for us to occupy are homey, and old (for Canada)—a 160 year old structure of charm.  The ceiling is red and the walls are yellow, which reminds me of Van Gogh’s room, which he painted, naturally.

Hastings is a quiet town where people can retire or raise a family in a relatively safe place.  I’m getting to meet residents, one by one, after a few hours of chores at the farm.

Simple living, high thinking!

May the Source be with you!



7 km

Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
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Tuesday, September 6th, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

The Force Behind

My primary school teacher used to say “kids” refers to baby goats, so I’ll refrain from the use of the word.  Children are back to school and in many cases, adults are back to work after the summer holidays.

There is a change of sorts in the atmosphere.  Nights are slightly cooler—a relief—but days continue to offer a warmth Canadians don’t mind. 

Our program, like dharma, doesn’t change.  We’re up early.  That’s what all of us should do.  Then we take to a trail (the Trans Canada Trail in this case) and head for the farm for some sadhana (spiritual workout) and then something physical.

A sign on the trail reads “Watch for…” and below it are images of a frog, a turtle and a snake.  When on foot, there’s no real problem.  On bicycle, then it’s another issue due to speed.

This imagery brings to mind the verse from the Gita: 5:18, where Krishna lists categories of creatures—certain mammals and certain humans, namely the cow, elephant, dog, brahman and a dog-eating man.  The message is that all are one, being spiritually equal.

The sign before us may also reflect that all creatures are important.  All have life force so let’s take care.  Let’s share this vision.

While walking to the farm on this trail, I noticed a perished bat.  He was not on the list but is nonetheless an entity with a progressive force; a force that moved on to another body.

Whenever I see something alive, or something lying deceased, it stirs reflection.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Monday, September 5th, 2016
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Monday, September 5th, 2016

Montreal, Quebec

Memory Walk

Major walking today constituted more of a slower sway while moving forward.  I wasn’t alone.  I was on a schedule to conduct a chanting party with all who could attend, in order that, as we say in Krishna parlance, “We get the mercy.”

A group of about forty of us converged at the Bay Shopping Centre to move along to Place Des Arts, and then finally to 420 Prince Arthur Street, the actual address where our guru, Srila Prabhupada, stayed for some weeks to train-up some of his students in the art of bhajan,before they set off to the U.K. to bring  the mission there.

In ’68, he came to Canada to address the extension of his visa, and while here not only engaged in teaching the songs we now know, but also taught the art of archana seva, honouring the deities of Radha-Krishna.  With a small set of brass deities, a kind donation from a New Yorker, Srila Prabhupada demonstrated the art of worship.  These small, charming deities that go by the name “Radha-Krishna” made their way to the Toronto ISKCON  shrine on Avenue Road, where they have now been looked after for close to half a century.

Once we arrived in Place Des Arts, that open space friendly to pedestrians, we formed a circle for dancing.  A second circle was formed by tourist spectators.

What can I say?  Everyone had a jolly good time, including Gurudas, who was with our Guru, Srila Prabhupada, during that time so many years ago.

We had stepped into the past and become very present enjoying each other’s company.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Sunday, September 4th, 2016
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Sunday, September 4th, 2016

Montreal, Quebec

Long Day

We’ve all been on some sort of marathon, while having a party at the same time.  Krishna devotees have come to partake in an extension of the “Joy of Devotion” retreat.  Held on the premises of ISKCON  Montreal, you meet people from Alberta, Ontario, Quebec of course, and even the Big Apple, New York.

The retreat is about hearing and chanting and special guests—Gurudas, Malati, Suresvar and Srutirupa–—all telling their personal memories of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.  Gordon is one newcomer to bhakti-yoga and his marathon is the pots.  It’s a lot of cleaning, and he appears to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

So starting from 4:30 am, for chanting, until 8:30 pm, many people have been going strong with only minor breaks in between.  It goes without saying that a big veggie prasadam feast marks the festive day’s end.

As most readers of this blog know, I’m habituated to a genuine wind-down at the end of the day.  With a small contingent, we walked and chanted, soaked our feet in a municipal fountain, and secured a final refreshment, an aloe vera drink, before retiring for the night.

Upon reflection on these festive hours, what personally struck us as prominent, were the explosive kirtans of the early evening, and a slide presentation, by Malati, to do with the involvement of our guru’s female students in his service to Krishna.  He was definitely inclusive when it came to their participation, sharing in all the activities of their spiritual brothers, including sitting and teaching from the Vedic texts.  It is important that we see beyond gender and recognize qualification.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Saturday, September 3rd, 2016
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Saturday, September 3rd, 2016

Montreal, Quebec

Full Circle

After a grand day at Complex Desjardins for a second consecutive day, and after happily hearing Patrick Bernard sing and play out the maha-mantra from the stage, I decided on my usual form of wind-down.  I would walk back to the ashram on Pie IXBlvd.

That meant, once I left the main entrance of the mall, I turned right on Rue Sainte-Catherine O.  It also meant meeting the three modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance, and not necessarily in that order.  I now left what seemed like the spiritual world.

Let’s say, that from that entrance, in a relatively central core of the city, a large volume of passion (rajas is the Sanskrit term) can hit you in the face.  There’s traffic and people bustling. Not but a few blocks from there continuing westbound, where streets are pedestrian-free, at the Gay Village, there is another brand of passion.  And so Brhat, who comes here with chanting parties quite regularly, said of the area, “The people respond here very well.”  Considering that it’s night now, that also stokes up the rajas power a bit more.  Folks dress-up here in a rather non monk-like way.

Finally, I come to more quiet quarters.  Montreal is known for its many magnificent churches, and you do pass the occasional one.  Ahhh!  Here I have a feeling of meekness as I view their towering stature.  I also realize much devotion has been rendered in such territory.  I’ve touched goodness (sattva).

Further on, and the neighbourhood opens up to an ignorance element (tamas).  Prostitutes stand at corners until clients appear.  Drugs, alcohol and depression join hands together.  This is apparent in general in speaking about this neighbourhood.  I wish I could do something.

After a sojourn, I turn a corner at Pie IX and land myself in transcendence.  Yes, here is the ashram and the temple.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Friday, September 2nd, 2016
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Friday, September 2nd, 2016

Montreal, Quebec

The Joy of Devotion

What a venue!  What a catch!  What a blessing!

The managers of ISKCON Montreal had secured a section of Complex Desjardins, a large shopping mall  in the downtown, connected on the lower floor by the prestigious Place Des Arts.  There, in the centre of the complex, were thousands of commuters, corporate passers-by, and shoppers, who could all catch a glimpse—if not a browse or a sit-down—of the show and displays, smartly presented under the theme “Journey to the Heart of India.”

The seating could hold two hundred at capacity.  Displays were on topics such as Mantra-Yoga, Eco Village, Reincarnation and more.  Books on display—pertaining to these subjects—were sold as well.  All were neatly presented.  One of the co-ordinators of the mall, perhaps a type of maître d’, saw to the arrangements.  This meticulous woman, with an eye for the aesthetic, came around at set-up time to see to proper presentation, whether it meant selecting a chic table cloth with which to drape over a display table, lining up chairs displaced, or arranging for a dolly to be removed from the area.  Details!  Details!

In other words, she was determined to go to great lengths to be sophisticated.  And she succeeded.

The stage performances were superb—classical vinawith tabla, drum sessions, Bharat-Natyam dance and excellent kirtan—as well as speakers extolling the glories of bhakti-yoga, which is at the heart of Vedic culture rooted in India.  Audiences turned over constantly in the ten-hour period of the presentations.

I was impressed.  Good show!  Good hearts!  The applause was the benchmark of its success.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Thursday, September 1st, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Thursday, September 1st, 2016

Hastings, Ontario

Clearing/Cleaning

Another monk made his way to the area for a short stint at Govardhan Farms.  Bhakti Svarup Chaitanya Swami hails from Lithuania, where four country projects are underway.  He spends time with Russian congregants, and audiences in Toronto and Montreal, every year.  He is very amicable.

I asked him if he has the same vegetation as we do in Canada—for instance, the maple tree.  When Nick was twenty feet up in the air, sawing dead limbs off a blue spruce—after quite a climb—Bhakti Svarup Chaitanya Swami mentioned that Lithuania has similar needle trees, and also some type of maple.

We all admired Nick’s contribution to tidy up  the farm.  The eaves trough has yet to be tackled.  It’s full of plant growth.  It seems that every channel that exists, when not cleared, needs unblocking.  Even our personal body, referred to as “the city of nine gates” in the sacred text Bhagavad-gita—two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the anus and genitals—requires a thorough cleanse when we rise in the morning.  Such is the way of a yogi.

One more thing that was cleared up was the confirmation of the date for our presentation, “Tales from Trails.”  Skye, our landlady, took me to the nearby Civic Centre where we will speak to the local folks on September 20th at 7:30 pm.

On the lower level of the building, we came upon a group of contented ladies knitting away.  They gave the semblance of yogis in meditation—peaceful and serene.

May the Source be with you!

10 km