Tuesday, August 16, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Anchorage/Seattle

Covid Years

 

An offering to Prabhupada, our guru:

 

In these last two years

We felt a buildup of fears

In a battle of usual peers

We witnessed a shedding of tears

 

With large-scale character erosion

Sadly there’s community implosion

Sunk in a lake of irrational emotion

Is it all a lack of devotion?

 

Even Saints seem to be hating

Satan’s presence – intimidating

And highly incriminating

Seeing viruses and prices inflating

 

Misappropriation of finances

These are Kali Yuga advances

Is Shiva doing his destructive dances

In such chaos what are the chances?

 

Does the solution lie in activism?

Or in peace driven pacifism?

Certainly not in capitalism

How to address a narcissism?

 

Where does all this take us?

Do our leaders forsake us?

Is there anyone to wake us?

Is there anyone so gracious?

 

All fingers point to you

Prabhupada, it’s true

In analysis and review

Whom else can we pursue?

 

Do we just step right back

And see our own personal lack?

Why do we give others flack?

Isn’t it better to self attack?

 

You have given us everything

Wisdom, music, food for a king

How to serve, how to sing

All that involves a healing

 

We follow or we fall

It makes no sense to stall

When we started it was a crowd

Now we move, sit and stand tall

 

We clutch onto your lotus feet

We utter the Name and we repeat

We read, teach, know how to treat

We start this project, we complete

 

We must end our messing

Look hard at our possessing

Detach and do that assessing

We continue to receive your blessing

-          Composed by Bhaktimarga Swami, The Walking Monk©

 

May the Source be with you!

0 km


 

Monday, August 15, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Anchorage, Alaska

Last Full Day

Adam and I hiked one of the trails at Kincaid Park where a massive moose, a bull with crowning antlers, came into view. There he was chewing away at leaves from a little tree. He wasn’t shy in the least nor aggressive. Was just enjoying lunch. He was close.

Adam was in the process of recording for his Outdoor Explorer radio show, 91.1 FM, from Anchorage. Being an outdoors person himself, as a ski coach and a cyclist marathoner, he was excited about my cross-country walks so he took an hour of recording as we were walking. Being a coach, he fills the role, automatically, as a kind of guru. Young folks in training come to him for consultation and consolation. Anyway, we have a lot in common.

For a bit more of outdoor experience and mountain air, Sudevi took Krishnadas and I to Chugach Mountains area. We hit a dry spot for a change.

The evening became a time for another book launch at Namaste North on L St. in Anchorage. Although I only had two copies left of The Saffron Path, my launch presentation went on, nevertheless. I offered my tales from trails and then we finished with a pleasant kirtan.

You can say it was an all around in-and-outdoor exploration. So much exhilaration!

May the Source be with you!

5 km




 

Sunday, August 14, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Anchorage Alaska

Full and Fun

It was a day full and fun. Firstly, Krishnadas and I went for our morning walk. Then Sudevi had lined up a series of events that stretched throughout the day. A.T.O.M. (Ancient Teachings of Masters), our small Anchorage group, came to listen to a woman’s life journey and it was interesting; from the perspective of her presentation, her language and evolution.

By noon time we were set up for some pooja or worship at the newly constructed Ganesh temple. This location was the former center for A.T.O.M. and is a mere two blocks away from Sudevi and Ryan’s place. How convenient! The attendees there were mostly tourists, like Krishnadas  and myself. Folks came from Dallas, Orlando and Cleveland. It was Nice to unite with our Hindu brothers and sisters.

With the regular rain upon us for days we were craving to get out to see more of Alaska’s naturalness. Fog and wetness had obscured any visible beauty but we couldn’t complain. Thus far our stay has been phenomenal and, to top off today’s journey, we drove to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and, once again, it was nothing to do with a presentation I put out. I was here to watch and learn. On display were indigenous members of the wildlife community. Muskox, bison, bear, moose, caribou, and porcupine were behind fences but then I saw adequate space. The public came and appreciated. I do have mixed feelings about animals in a type of captivity but, to put it more cleverly, these creatures are in a rescue category.

Tagged onto this afternoon trip was viewing surfers as the high tide came in at Turnagain Arm’s Channel. Quite amazing!

May the Source be with you!

4 km



 

Narayani Devi Dasi Initiates Her First Diksa Disciple
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Narayani Devi Dasi (right) initiates Nila Madhava (left), now Nilambari Dasi, a second-generation ISKCON devotee on Janmastami 2022 at New Raman Reti Temple in Alachua, Florida. (Photo credit: ISKCON Alachua)   On August 19, Janmastami Day, Narayani devi dasi became the first Vaishnavi (female devotee) in ISKCON to serve as a diksa guru, or initiating […]

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Special Gaura Mandala Darshan Tour This Kartik 2022!!!
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Dear Devotees Hare Krsna All Glories to Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. The most auspicious of all months is just weeks away! The Month of Kartika is said to be very auspicious that whatever little Spiritual activities performed in this month are rewarded with greater spiritual results than usual. Just Imagine immersing […]

The post Special Gaura Mandala Darshan Tour This Kartik 2022!!! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

MAN-tra 2022: Together Again
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After two years of separation, MAN-tra is back in New Vrindaban, Sept. 9-11th, 2022. While technology allowed the annual men’s retreat to go virtual over the past couple of years, and carry on with exciting seminars, performances, and discussions, and to have the association of Vaishnava men from around the world, nothing can replace the […]

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ISKCON’s Code of Ethical Behavior
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One year ago this month, the GBC ratified and voted into law the attached ISKCON Code of Ethical Behavior. Here is a brief description of accomplishments this first year.   ADOPTED BY ISKCON AGENCIES This first year, the Code was made an active part of proceedings in many ISKCON initiatives including the International Child Protection […]

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Prabhupada’s Palace Restoration With New Roof and Domes
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Situated at New Vrindaban, West Virginia is Srila Prabhupada’s smriti shrine or memorial shrine – Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold. The beautiful palace that was constructed by the disciples of Srila Prabhupada in 1973 as an offering of love to their spiritual master. Over time, large parts of the concrete domes, outer wall, balustrade railing, and […]

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Evacuation of Vraja-Govinda Prabhu and His Family From Kherson City
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Donations Needed Vraja-Govinda prabhu, his wife and two children have to leave Kherson, a city in the frontline. This city is in the south of Ukraine. Now it is one of the two toughest flashpoints of this horrendous war. Vraja-Govinda prabhu is a wonderful Vaishnava from the Kherson ISKCON community. He is, without a shadow […]

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Rishi Sunak Visits Bhaktivedanta Manor
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Rishi Sunak and his wife celebrated the festival of Janmashtami at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire, near London. Mr. Sunak and his family have made visits to the temple in the past. Today, Mr. and Mrs. Sunak were welcomed with the customary tradition of the blowing of a conch shell, and they were garlanded before they […]

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News Brief | Nepal ISKCON Devotees Meet with Prime Minister of Nepal and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India
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ISKCON Nepal devotees (left) including Patri Das with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Sri Yogi Adityanath Maharaj (center) and staff (far right)   This month the ISKCON Nepal devotees have met two important dignitaries through their outreach efforts: the Prime Minister of Nepal and the Chief Minister of UP.  On August 7th, Patri das, the […]

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