A Fun Fest by Bhaktimarga Swami

I introduced our guests, an extraordinary couple from Silicon Valley, California—Vaiseshika and Nirakula—as "The Unsinkables."  This dynamic duo are stalwarts of bhakti yoga, who come to visit Toronto every six months to enliven the community.  The emphasis of this four-day blessing was on chanting, billed as "Make Japa Great Again."

Vaiseshika had the interested recruits sit in a circle and, with chanting beads in hand, fuelled the group to a fresh approach.  Every so often he would cease the chanting and make a remark which would be instructive and in enthusing.

There was also an arrangement made, during the couple’s stay, for a sankirtan festival on the street.  This entailed greeting people, tourists and locals, and giving out literature on bhakti.  Lollipops were disbursed for youngsters, and the special place for me in all of this was the chanting party in front of the Old City Hall on Queen Street.  It's an impressive building used as a courthouse.  Anyway, justice be done.  It's amazing we have this spot.  I admit to this being a festival, a party.

Nicolas came for the first time.  An art student and model, he's finding devotional endeavours to be quite special, whether it be the singing on the street, reading, eating prasadam, hearing some philosophy and/or schmoozing with devotees.  He's young and eager to learn.
 
"Shall we walk it back to the ashram?"  I asked him, seeing an opportunity to get more acquainted.
 
“Sure!" he said, and so we made the journey home, on foot.  The way it should be.
 
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