bhaktimarga swami - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree

Sunset Speaks by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on September 3, 2019 at 6:43pm

There are lovers sitting on park benches and families, too people of all sorts and kinds speaking in multiple languages, Spanish, Russian, French and maybe English. They are enjoying Stanley Park at the water's edge of English Bay. Several of them are casually picking wild blackberries as they walk by, not initially intending to, but upon looking, some say, "Oh! Let me try these out." Usually it's not just one but two, or three. You pluck one and let it dive in your mouth. They are soft

A Soft Rain by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on September 1, 2019 at 12:46pm

A soft rain overnight made the day just right. I've been resisting the lake swim, overcoming a cold. It's hard for me because I always consider myself a water-baby. However, there's plenty of engagement in just sitting down and listening to seminars on topics, "Guilt," and "Forgiveness," by Mahatma and Jahnava, a marvelous husband and wife team. And it's always a delight to hear Sruti Kirti, speak about his two and half years in personal assistance to our guru, Prabhupada. It's so sweet.

I

Rest, Beans and Fun by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 31, 2019 at 12:12pm

It was restful at the farm in Mascouche, called Nandagram. The visionary behind this world project is a friend, Anubhava, a native of French Canada. He was kind to take me down the rural back road along the country creek and cornfields, on foot. It was with another Quebecois, Jagannath, who indulged in some bean harvest after the walk.

Yes, we got down to the humble position of bending our backs while bending the plants to expose the pods, and then pluck them. There were two rows to ha

I Met A Man by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 30, 2019 at 12:43pm

I met a man who lives in Prescott and works for the carnival. Gaura, the driver, decided to pull over the van for a catch-up nap. We were in Morrisburg, along the St. Lawrence River, when I met this friendly man who used to play the role of a clown in circuses and carnivals.

"Do you know what's the difference between a circus and a carnival?" he asked.

"No!"

"In the circus they keep the animals in the cages. In the carnival, they run the rides," he said with a chuckle. He then got cu

Medicine Comes From Great Sources by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 29, 2019 at 5:39pm

It was something I had never seen before. One calf was peeing. It was a bull calf. A second calf came right to his underside and began drinking with great relish the pure liquid coming out. Perhaps to calf Number Two it must have been like a smoothie. Incidentally, a third calf was looking on. All three were nestled together.

Vishal and Yasomati, a dynamic husband and wife team, had both been telling Gaura and I—their visitors to the farm—that the cows and bulls have a different way of u

I Awoke by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 29, 2019 at 5:22pm

I awoke to the sound of young coyotes howling in the morning. To me it was a good sign that wildlife was comfortable in the suburbs of such a sprawling place as Mississauga. David, Vivasvan, and Adisvar from Michigan, and I spent the night at the home of an outstanding couple, Dharma and Manasi. From there we went to meet Fernando and Victor for an additional stretch on the Bruce Trail. We anticipated a mere eight kilometres, which under normal circumstances, could take three hours on a usua

A Fun Fest by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 28, 2019 at 6:05pm

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

At Queen's Park by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 26, 2019 at 6:41pm

There was a major birthday party for Ashu at our temple, with kirtan entertainment in Govinda's. Special guest musicians were Amal Krishna and Hari Bhakti who were belting it out with voice and harmonium.

Ashu asked me to say a few things using the microphone, and so I had the chance to see face-on who had attended. "I can see that the people we have here are of the ’80s and ’90s crowd." They agreed with me. It seems that congregations go in waves not all at once, but transitionally. Pa

Things Not Always Going Right by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 7, 2019 at 12:14pm

The other day in Saskatoon, Chief Pratt of the First Nations, was on the stage giving his speech at the Festival of India, and said, "They used to call us Indians." People laughed. He then went on to explain that Columbus set sail from Europe in search of the bountiful land of India and then reached the shores of the New World thinking that perhaps they had accomplished their goal, or at least came upon a place of wonder —North America. It was nice to have the Chief present.

When I arriv

The Fest by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 6, 2019 at 12:16pm

The North Saskatchewan River is one of those majestic streams of water that connects with communities in the Canadian prairies of which this fine city is one. Our Chariot Fest for this place runs partially along this River, culminating at Meewasin Valley Park.

The chief of police joined us as he did last year. Chief Cooper is one of those cool officers, very popular with the kids. And Vice-Chief David Pratt, representing the Seventy-four Nations (tribes) of the province got on the stage to w

Good Chats by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 5, 2019 at 5:40pm

It is a familiar location for me, as Ananda and I stepped carefully beside the pond in John Avant Park with its dry and sometimes slippery edge. It's a man-made body of water, dug to address excess storm-water. A great job was done with the landscaping, and tree and bush plant management around the pond and the adjoining creek. Very pretty! https://www.instagram.com/p/B0WsnxOgm_a/?igshid=9xx3w5fsj5l3

A question came to mind, which I consider natural, as a visitor to this province and city

Warming by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 3, 2019 at 7:07pm

Gaura and Shivani hosted seventy-five people in their home for chanting, drumming, catching some wisdom, and eating. It was Ananda and I who were the presenters, except for the Prasadam (blessed food) that we were not responsible for. We were a bit cramped in a small basement. I talked about the soul’s evolution and Near Death Experience (NDE)—based on the Gita's knowledge, of course. But it was one young boy, age eight, who suggested I talk about global warming.

My response: "We don't h

Connecting by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 2, 2019 at 11:16am

There is this guy named the "Gentle Bear Man" who operates a bear sanctuary in north-western Ontario. I went to visit him in 2012 when I walked in the area. The wild bears in the region have come to know him, love him and trust him. During that trip, he brought me into his Sanctuary with eleven bears all around us. And because they love him, they trusted me to be in their midst. I fed a female black bear a pastry from my hand. I could feel her spirit. She was not defensive, only a litt

I Walked Here Before by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on August 1, 2019 at 12:20pm

I trekked along Memorial Avenue in Thunder Bay, in a fresh moment of wind and with sunshine doing its round once again. Destination was the Sanskrit Bazaar / Temple, and there our party conducted a mini, morning program with Reflections on Canto 1 from the book Bhagavatam. The main message we absorbed from those few moments was, "Whatever you learn share it—share it because you will remember it, retain it and you also will benefit the recipient."

Our route to drive, once in the van, was Hi

Darrel Left by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 31, 2019 at 5:28pm

I guess Darrel has left to continue his long walk to Nova Scotia. Apparently he did not make his presence known at the Festival of Colours, held at the same location at Marine Park, where on the previous day the Festival of India stood out in its glory.

What a day it was! So many happy people. So many people were chanting mantras. A big help in this regard was Malini Taneja, the dancer/singer extraordinaire who led most of the colour throws in the air. She's young, pretty and talente

It Starts With A Gull by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 30, 2019 at 12:30pm

In Thunder Bay, the day usually starts with the sound of a seagull flitting by one's bedroom. It's the big lake nearby, Lake Superior, which attracts these entertaining birds who are aerobatic by nature. I imagine the fish from the fresh water keeps them in the area.

Ananda, Gaura and I left our apartment, a condominium within the re-defined space of an old school, The Queen Elizabeth. With a solid foundation, strong walls and high ceilings, our group of six men felt safe, had good res

Observed by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 29, 2019 at 5:25pm

As has been observed many times before, when I move about in devotional attire, I get noticed. After a swim in Lake Boulevard, I had changed into a dhoti and kurta, when a cyclist slowed down and asked, "Hare Krishna?"

"Yeah, and I guess you'll be there for the Festival of India tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir!" he responded, and then picked up speed, off to his own destination.

At the harbourfront, the boys and I, in the midst of air-gliding seagulls, had just completed a kirtan/chanting sess

How it's Going by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 27, 2019 at 5:44pm

Our coordinator for this Vedic Mace traveling tour, is a competent person, a doctor from Thunder Bay by the name of Prem Kishor. ‘Prem’ means love for the Divine. It is Prem who demonstrates an actual caring for people, by organizing these events in venues throughout the towns in northern Ontario, where few folks get to the heart of the culture of India, and the heart of the soul.

Last year, we were here when a modest turnout of local people came. "This year you doubled!” said one woman wh

In the Boreal by Bhaktimarga Swami

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 27, 2019 at 5:32pm

Gaura and I took to the Great Northern Road as a head start to Terrace Bay. So, on foot we tread with traffic roaring by our side until our van pulled up. We spotted this perfect display of reversed karma: a sculpture of a moose on its rear legs, dangling an adversary, a hunter, suspended in the air from its front hoof.

We hopped into the van and joined our boys’ team to go westward through the prettiest scenery of nature you can imagine. The boreal forest is very special, covering 60%

bhaktimarga swami (539)

Sunset Speaks by Bhaktimarga Swami

A Soft Rain by Bhaktimarga Swami

Rest, Beans and Fun by Bhaktimarga Swami

I Met A Man by Bhaktimarga Swami

Medicine Comes From Great Sources by Bhaktimarga Swami

I Awoke by Bhaktimarga Swami

A Fun Fest by Bhaktimarga Swami

At Queen's Park by Bhaktimarga Swami

Things Not Always Going Right by Bhaktimarga Swami

The Fest by Bhaktimarga Swami

Good Chats by Bhaktimarga Swami

Warming by Bhaktimarga Swami

Connecting by Bhaktimarga Swami

I Walked Here Before by Bhaktimarga Swami

Darrel Left by Bhaktimarga Swami

It Starts With A Gull by Bhaktimarga Swami

Observed by Bhaktimarga Swami

How it's Going by Bhaktimarga Swami

In the Boreal by Bhaktimarga Swami

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