I heard an interesting Ted Talk the other day. It was called Rewilding the World and the speaker shared what happened when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. To the surprise of many, everything began to get better. Grasslands blossomed, trees strengthened, butterflies and bees came back, the rivers stayed their course. It turns out the the wolves were a very important part of the eco-balance needed to keep everything flourishing. One obvious impact was the ability of the wolves to keep the deer in check, both in numbers and location. This one equation alone influenced the life and landscape of the whole park.
So too in our lives. We may be drying up, dragging along, depleting ourselves in so many unseen ways because we are out of balance. What and where are our missing wolves? We tend to live safely and keep everything in the comfort zone. What wild spiritual practice can we introduce to bring our life back into balance so it can flourish in all areas?
Well, we are in luck! Kartik is here (starts tomorrow, Friday 18th) and this is the month when devotees take vows to do something (or not do something) for Krishna that is hard, challenging, and stretching for their spiritual practice. It may be that we rise early to chant extra rounds, that we give up sweets, that we come to the Temple more often, that we volunteer to serve in places and ways we usually avoid. It may be that we turn off the TV, that we promise to read 10 verses of the Gita every day, or that we share and give more that we usually do.
Kartik is a perfect time to bring some spiritual wildness into our lives. Each one of us is different and each one knows what we should do. But do something! Otherwise we may end up like this quote – “If you cover yourself with the blanket of material comforts, you will fall asleep spiritually.” Bring on the wolves – so our hearts can beat stronger, our lives can be richer, and the landscape of our consciousness can blossom with pure love for Krishna.
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