It’s good to start young. Such is the case of a young six-month-old daughter of Gangadas and Rohini Shakti. Vrnda Hladini was receiving her first grains in a sacrament (samskara) called anna prasana. Friends and family came to support the ceremony which involves a fire or agni invocation. Nityananda, 23, officiated the program.
The family insisted that I spoon feed the little baby, and so I felt happily obliged. While the ceremony went on, I noticed Vasey, Laksmi, and their two girls enter the temple room. This family comes from Nunavut, which is polar bear country, a place of pristine environment. Not only did I talk to them about other samskars they might participate in in the future, but we also chatted about my spring or summer visit to the far reaches of the north. We haven’t really nailed down an actual date for this, but are serious about making such a trip happen by plane, of course, and not foot.
In the late afternoon, Nityananda and I ventured off to the park, Christie Pits, and then to see in that same neighbourhood, our dear friend, godsister Subuddhi, who is in her 80s. She just loves when people come to give her some attention.
With a thaw taking place, we could hear on our return walk the regular drips of snow-turned-water coming down from rooftops to hit tin or sidewalk. The weather fluctuates so much these days with the up and down temperatures like the unsteady mind of a non-yogi. When we came upon an Orthodox church, we stepped in to chant our gayatri mantras.
Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/first-grains
Comments