“Are you a Christian monk?” is what I heard when sauntering on Cumberland St. I turned around and stopped to see four young men looking wholesome and fairly clean cut.
I responded with, “A Krishna monk!”
“Oh! Hindu!” said one of the fellows.
“That’s the kind of little box theologians like to put our group in, but in truth we represent an ancient wisdom that dates to thousands of years. I was born and raised Christian but I added onto my life more information and ways of an enhanced experience.”
I took a stroll to Yorkville where cafes are cool and people are too. For me it’s always interesting to see people’s reactions to some monk gliding through at an early night hour. The place is pretty harmless.
Two young men were passing in front of me. One looked back and spotted me. He touched the waist of his buddy and mildly moved him out of the way. He turned around and immediately got out of the way. “Make way for the monk.”
I passed by a man and his companion dog and said to his pet, “Now
My knee surgeon, Dr. Backstein, saw me at the hospital where I was to take the final X-ray. He confirmed I’m doing good for 6 weeks after the knee replacement. I respect the man for having done a splendid job.
I’m proud to say I walked the entire way there and back – 6 kilometers, no sweat. No cane. In the afternoon, I met Bob back outside of the ashram quarters. Bob says he was raised Catholic but never took it too seriously. He claims Krishna has been speaking to him. I won’t deny.
“What did
It’s only an hour’s drive to Innisfil, which is set along a southwesterly edge of Lake Simcoe. I had been hankering for being in water for my joints and for a healing left leg. Tony is fun-loving, a senior, who declares himself as Greek Orthodox and he opened up his driveway for seekers of beach pleasure. The deal was $25 dollar parking for each of our vehicles for as long as we want. Actually, he saved us from the turmoil of parking many blocks away. This was our picnic and it was the birthday
High Park is currently graced with golden rod. To some people, its colour offers an exotic flair, and it is hard to control their spread.
The location where we chant weekly is at a fork in the road, at the main entrance where we are is very visible, but the golden rod is found more in the woods, however, they can be seen in all their glory. It is our experience that pedestrians and cyclists that come through at that entrance cannot but become touched by the kirtan. Perhaps that’s what is the dr
Listing here my personal annoyances (pet peeves) and also listing what I like (soft spots) at the temple/ashram.
Pet Peeves
When:
1) … the temple and washroom are not clean
2) … a poor brand of incense is being used for the deities
3) … there is dissension amongst resident monks
4) … we lag behind in building repair
5) … the front yard is overgrown by weeds
6) … classes are delivered without eye contact and in monotone
7) … shoes are not placed in the designated area
8) … bugs enter and we don
Dr. Sunil Sachdev decided he wanted to fly in, from his home in Vancouver, for a visit to help me during my rehab. He is a specialist with eyes. He had a vision and a heart to see how he could pitch in. So, this morning we phoned an Ayurvedic clinic which offers natural healing through a system of panca-karma. He also booked me in for shiatsu. I do have friends in this field but you have to know Sunil. He gets over excited with service; either that or most other people I know usually under achi
Adam was coaching me once again as my physiotherapist and said, “You’re doing really good.” He gave some more exercises to add onto the regimen I already have. At one point he cautiously grabbed the weakened left leg and held it to a certain angle which caused some mild spasms to arise. I knew he knew what he was doing, being an expert in the field. I’m grateful.
He knew that my home (the ashram) was 3 km away because I mentioned it last week. “Are you doing three a day?”
“I’m not there yet but
I had myself set up at a picnic table with a majestic blue spruce to my back. I was just beginning with a Zoom call and connecting with our Ottawa admins. I popped my two-day-old walking cane on the table. Like all meetings, virtual included, we start by reciting prayers to the guru, our founder, Srila Prabhupada.
That was completed and then a decent looking man appearing to be in his 60’s came over to grab for my cane. He thought it was his. I placed my grip on it.
“Oh!” He looked back and sa
This weekend the Scarborough ISKCON team held their Ratha Yatra, starting at 6:30 AM on Saturday and completing near midnight. What I’m hearing from some of the different centres we have is that the Covid approach to this festival may be better than the usual way of doing things. Several items make the event more favorable such as:
1) It reaches more people as a vehicle with Jagannatha inside, goes to the neighborhoods where people get curious
2) Less-to-no permits required
3) Easier to organi
My third visit for Physio on my left knee went well. Adam, the trainer for today was pleased. According to him there’s still work to be done even though I walked in crutch free. After the visit I walked towards home and was feeling so much appreciation for a medical system that really does care for the individual. That’s how I feel about Adam and Kathy from the week before and also Kevin on the first visit.
And, I guess, I’ll give all the thank-you’s I can when the physician confronts my right
Chris from Hamilton had come. “I’m dropping off some kids, including my son, at Wonderland and that gives me some time at the temple. I’m up for service.”
Such a wholesome attitude, is what I thought as I expressed the nature of helpfulness to our maintenance guy from Croatia, Vallabha Hari. Help is always needed around the ashram and the temple. So, Chris came to pitch in, with cleaning mostly. We appreciate his spirit.
The mind is at ease when all is clean and orderly and the spirit is right.
I’ve really relished watching Indrayumna Swami talk about the transformation of one chap that was unkept, hygienically-alien and rather drugged/high on something in Paris. He lived in the bushes with some newspaper foundation. He was nicknamed “Pig Pen” and was practically untouchable. However, by some kind of merciful act of Prabhupada, who was with us at the time, Pig Pen became transformed. He credits the ISKCON founder for changing directions for him. With a madman’s tone, “Prabhupada saved
Good folks came to visit me today. Lobsang and family delivered some special prasadam — wholesome, tasty wraps.
Then Abhay arrived with his wife and two energetic kids. As he walked into the room, in what we call Prabhupada’s quarters, it brought him back to his childhood.
“I remember this room. I was really young and there was a cup of cayenne and I blew into it sending the powder especially into my eyes. One devotee, Dharmaprana, grabbed me, took me to the tub in the next room to try to clear
It was a delight delivering a class, over Zoom to Vancouver, this morning about the pastime of Krishna being charged by all his young friends for eating mridam (dirt). His buddies, including his older brother, Balarama, were building up a case against Him, which would lead to a chastisement from His mother. This conflict does from time to time arise in the spiritual realm. Then, what to speak of the hostilities of this mundane world?
The notion that no aggravation exists in the holy dham (place
“Hi!” Greeted the gentleman, who, along with his wife, were walking down the same trail as Paramahamsa and I. We were sitting on a stone for me to catch my breath while also catching some sun. He continued, “Do you need some help?”
Maybe I looked a little helpless? I had my crutches leaning against the boulder stone and left leg pant rolled up to expose my surgical knee for receiving sun rays.
“No! I’m fine. Recently I had a knee replacement. Just doing some Physio right now.”
“Oh! I had my hip
We have such a great philosophy. I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I am here to serve. All good stuff.
When this body receives pain, the pain is eased because you tell yourself, “That is not me. It may be connected to me but it is not me.” I have to convince myself of this reality from time to time. One of those times is now. Weaning off painkillers and accepting some uneasiness. That’s the way to go through the healing of my left leg.
It was so generous of my friend, Paramahamsa, to drive
“You’re one of the top five,” said the therapist at Toronto West General Hospital.
“Meaning?” I asked.
“Of the five years I’ve looked at knee replacement patients you’re in the top five for recovery.”
Well, that certainly made me feel good. I had mentioned I’m a monk, a walking one, and I wore down my cartilage. The reaction to the marathon walks I’ve done astounded the physiotherapist, as did the Vietnamese doctor and a local assistant from Canada. Yes, I had three guys look at the leg and giv
Bhagavad-Gita 10.7 and 10.8 offer a strong message of realizing our true position in this world; I am small and everything else collectively (God) is big. The moment this thought awakens in us then we are big — MAHATMA. This understanding of my smallness, compared to the greatness of all else, compels me to act in humility and devotion.
There’s something very attractive about humility. It means you are willing to learn, be on an adventure and ultimately crush the ego.
I would like to say that i
I’ve walked by the above-mentioned park (actually it’s more like a sunken garden) several times off Yonge St. I never ventured inside. There are flowerbeds, trees of all kinds (northern breeds), perfect sod-lain sections for lawn bowling, tennis courts and then there is a grassy area perfect for kirtan. This very special place is tucked away from the world and is ideal for groups singing and dancing. That’s just what we did — a bunch of us — Russians, Indians, Canadians — whatever that means.
U
