Thursday, August 25, 2022
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Downtown, Toronto

Finishing With a Possum

After three years we have our invited guests, Vaisesika and Nirakula, to inspire us in the service to Krishna and His outstanding rep, our guru, Prabhupada.

He, Vaisesika, is doing a series of talks on “Save the Earth,” based on the teachings of the Bhagavatam. Nirakula is presenting a workshop for female Vaishnavas. In the meantime, I had the pleasure to Zoom a class with our regular Thursday crew from the Gita, 13.8–12. This highlights attributes pertaining to knowledge and they begin with amanitvam adambhitvam, humility and pridelessness. How Prabhupada defines humility is very perceptive. “Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others.”

And, if I might add, humility and pridelessness are true features of success in life. The key.

Today’s walk, beginning at 6 pm, brought me and companion, Omkar, to the Spadina and Richmond area where condo buildings tower and impose a kind of humility upon the pedestrians. There I went to the residence of Rasheshvar for a great meal on his extensive balcony. The walk back, a distance of 4.1 km, took me through Chinatown. A great walk there and back.

My last few breaths before turning in for the day was spent at our ashram’s front steps. Four feet away from me and climbing expertly on a cedar tree was a possum. He was rather small but determined to reach the top. In Canada we are not accustomed to having possums. They are now multiplying in the Great White North. A possum is awesome. It eats such things as ticks and cockroaches. It was my first sighting of one in Toronto.

May the Source be with you!

8 km


 

Wednesday, August 24, 2022
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Concord, Ontario

Weddings and Walkings

A wedding on Wednesday? It seems odd but it did happen on this very day. The bride’s dad had invited me months ago. He recalls how I last saw her, the bride, when she was six months. Abhiramy Was just a toddler then but is now thirty. She certainly doesn’t remember the occasion, which is understandable. Her new husband is Ricardo, Mexican born; nice guy. The priest who conducted the vivaha-yajna, marriage ceremony, asked him to smile but, from what I saw, Ricardo carried the biggest smile since he arrived on what’s usually a white horse by Vedic royal standards.

“I came in a horse poweredwhite horse,” said Ricardo, again with a smile. Ricardo’s folks were happy. So were Abhiramy’s parents. Her dad, Shati and I go way back to when he first arrived from Sri Lanka.

All went well with tying the knot. Then I paid a visit to Jivanuga (Jim Johnson) at the hospital’s rehab. This great hero suffered from an assault on the street which severely did damage to his skull and threatened his brain. Major surgery was done and with successful results. His recovery was quick.

Yes, fatalities, mishaps and accidents occur all the time. In fact, one of the couples attending the morning’s wedding asked for blessings because they were victims of a bad auto accident. Doesn’t it happen enough!? They are going through ongoing pain.

It was a second couple that came across the banquet hall to learn about my marathons and the safe way to travel. To them, and to the many folks I met, I offered my advice to get off one’s behind and walk as much as possible.

May the Source be with you!

5 km



 

Tuesday, August 23, 2022
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Toronto, Ontario

Light and Serious

I liked our discussion this morning at the Bhagavatam class, from Canto one, wherein two questions were posed by the last of the Yadus, King Pariksit. Question one lodged towards the sage, Sukadev: What should I be doing with my life despite any circumstances? The Second question gets more specific: What is the best way to spend the remaining days knowing I will die soon?

With our usual younger temple members, the Bhakti Academy, on a few days outing, I was in the company of a smaller mature group when we concluded based on the guru’s, Prabhupada’s, words, under all circumstances we are to get spiritual. One way is to immerse ourselves in the Absolute, in Krishna. The answer to the second question is the same as the first but, because it poses something more critical, it calls for even more intense meditation on the Lord.

So that discussion brought about a richness to the morning. By afternoon, I got a surprise from a visitor. Brian Gonzales came around. He was one of my first assistances on the first walk that I ventured on in 1996. I gave him a copy of The Saffron Path, where he became part of the content in the chapter where I speak about all the things that made me laugh on the road. Yes, there were a few occasions we got to knee-slapping sessions of joy. Spiritual life has its moments of gravity and its times for lightness.

May the Source be with you!

4 km


 

Monday, August 22, 2022
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Bracebridge, Ontario

Moving Through a Green Heaven

I do not know all my trees but I can pretty well identify the white pine on my walks and here in the near north, there are plenty of them. In Bracebridge you have awesome trees and in the greater Muskoka area in general, people love their trees. If you’re caught cutting down trees on your property or even what seems like an attempt at deforesting, the town authorities get on your case. I think that’s good.

In walking along Manitoba Rd, Vyasacharya, Jaya Gopal as well as Nimai and I noticed the trees edging the road are pine, maple, oak and more. It’s a diverse growth of green giants. And that’s natural; the way it should be.

This area is also blessed with lakes and rivers and waterfalls and some of the oldest rock in the world. After a fresh rainfall the fragrant emissions from the trees were so effervescent. It was really like Vaikuntha.

Most of my friends in Muskoka are actually my students (or disciples). They are business people in the hotel/motel industry so they are used to accommodating and caring for people. Devotionally they work together so well, like a team. That’s what I see with the trees. They are sharing space and are, in some way, accommodating each other. They appear to be so connected to their surroundings – the water, sky and rocks also appear to play a harmonious existence together.

May the Source be with you!

6 km


 

Sunday, August 21, 2022
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Barrie, Ontario

Barrie and Bracebridge

My flight back to Toronto was a blessed one because of some good fortune. I met someone special. His name is Nitai Ram, who was enroute to Toronto on Air Canada flight 126. Before boarding the redeye flight we had a good chat. He was on his way to see his parents in St. John, New Brunswick.

With about three minutes of rest on this overnight flight, I deplaned and got picked up by Chris and Amy from Hamilton. Ryan joined us as I needed his company and his good djembe planying. The venue for tonight’s program was the old train station (now renovated) on Lake Simcoe, in Barrie. Dignitaries came, including the deputy mayor, along with a host of loyal Krishna followers; many young families immigrated from India.

The chanting was led by Vrikodhara, from the Ukraine, and the receive-and-respond technique worked quite well. The Barrie group is a vibrant one and today’s program demonstrated that devotion. To a large extent it was a lively program for the kids. After all, many Krishna followers love to meditate on Him in His childhood. I have a preference to adoring Him in His adult stage, as the speaker of The Gita.

By evening I was driven to Bracebridge and there I was lucky enough to trek with a bunch of bhaktiguys along the tame but windy Muskoka River. The Patel clan, mostly motel owners, came together for Mexican prasadam. We closed the day with a kirtan.

May the Source be with you!

5 km


 

Saturday, August 20, 2022
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Burnaby, British Columbia

The Way It Is

Every year on two consecutive days there is this praise in memory of two individuals. Gaudiya Vaishnavas of the ISKCON world celebrate the birth of Lord Sri Krishna, and on the following day do the same for His pure devotee, Prabhupada. He is the person we focused on today.

Born in 1869, in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), he was raised in a Vaishnava family committed to serving Krishna. He credited his parents and extended family, in addition to the mercy of his guru, Bhaktisiddhanta, with his devotion to Krishna. Of course, something can also be said about his past life, or lives, and such commitment in this direction. This is often the case for those born in auspicious circumstances. What was done in the past, karmically, impacts the present situation.

The devotees here in the Vancouver area celebrate Prabhupada’s coming every year with devotion and sincerity. I had the good fortune to give an initial speech in his honour. A point I made is that, although I was formally initiated by His Divine Grace, I never had the chance to personally speak to him. I was at six locations where he delivered class and led kirtan chanting, but I did not see an opportunity to ask for personal guidance or blessings for that matter. I understood from my studies in the tradition that if personal exchange doesn’t occur then some merciful energy can be captured through the chain of representatives, his other students. That is the way it is.

May the Source be with you!

3 km


 

ISKCON News In a Minute: Aug 26th, 2022
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Last week Janmastami & Prabhupada Vyasa Puja was celebrated all over the world. At Bhaktivedanta Manor, it was extra special with British Politician Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy joining the celebrations. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a written message to ISKCON on the occasion of Janmastami, quoting Bhagavad Gita & glorifying […]

The post ISKCON News In a Minute: Aug 26th, 2022 appeared first on ISKCON News.

Considering Material Conditioning Without Identifying With It
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By Paramadayala Nityananda Dasa

We sometime use the term "conditioned soul" without full awareness of the mystery it denotes.The soul is ontologically distinct from matter, yet conditioning is a material phenomena. However, as preachers, we must consider an individual's conditioning in order to guide them in pursuing Krishna Consciousness. Therefore we must have sufficient intelligence to consider conditioning without identifying with it. Continue reading "Considering Material Conditioning Without Identifying With It
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Radhastami – Appearani Of Srimati Radharani 2022
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Radhastami is a special festival in Mayapur. Srimati Radharani is Navadvipeshwari, the giver of Navadvip dhama. In her divine abode, join us in celebrating Her Divine Appearance Day. A two day festival with Radha Prem dhan Kirtan Mela and Adhivas festival on 3rd Sep and on 4th sep, new otufits will be offered to Sri […]

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