By Bhaktimarga Swami
Note : This is the diary of Bhaktimarga Swami from September 18th to October 11th, 2015. He’s walking from Boston to New York, and from New York to Butler in Pennsylvania to celebrate ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. Stay tuned for the rest of his adventures.
Friday, September 18th, 2015
Toronto/Boston
Long Leap
Yes, it was a long leap from Toronto to Boston by van. It was even a greater challenge for my driver, Vivasvan, who took a four hour drive from Detroit before arriving in Toronto to pick us up. All in all, it was 15 hours in transport for him and a little less for Vicky and I leaving from Toronto.
I enjoyed the company of the two comrades and even more the purpose or intent of our venture. We were off to participate in the 50th anniversary of our guru’s arrival to America. Furthermore, I was about to embark on my first marathon walk in the States beginning on the 20th. It will be a send off from Boston.
There was much anticipation in the air in the capsule of Vivasvan’s van. We drove most of the way with the rooftop open and the side windows at half mast. We were feeling the air alright and it was positive. My legs were antsy, wanting to be mobile. Maybe one day they’ll make cars with treadmills in them. With no walking put in today due to the drive and adrenaline rushing up and down with great prospects ahead, it added interesting dimensions to the urges of the legs. Our dialogue covered many things such as upcoming media, the walking route we would take, and so on. But the discussions and tales on the contributions our gurumade to the world and how he personally touched many lives to transformational levels, captivated us the most as we sailed down those highways to Boston.
May the Source be with you!
0 km
Saturday, September 19th, 2015
Boston, Massachusetts
It All Began in Boston
Pilgrims from the USA, Canada, Europe, and other destinations who were keen to be present for a unique historic event, converged at Commonwealth Pier where Srila Prabhupada landed at 5:30 AM on September 17th, 50 years ago. We did not make a walking venture to commemorate his touching American soil for the first time but rather a three-hour cruise on the 900 person Provincetown II boat. The passengers, myself included, transcended (or tried to) the blistering sun beating on our heads as we immersed ourselves in reflecting on the significance of what would be to secular vision, a small brown monk from India landing in the USA in 1965 and what impact he had for those on board. Speakers went on further to say how perhaps he had impacted the world. I was given the honour to lead the kirtan in what is called the ‘Guru Vandanam’ (Prayers to the Guru). This was followed by reflections from senior men and women, disciples of Srila Prabhupada. This was precious.
A second gathering of souls took place at historic Faneuil Hall with Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Graham M. Schweig. The guest speakers who spoke ranged from the political sector to the spiritual one. Now, this might all sound like a real formal experience but actually, it was flavoured by the presence of kirtan. Niranjan Swami sang. And it was Ambarish, the great grandson of Henry Ford, who spoke most endearingly about his ancestral past that captured my heart. What sticks out in my mind regarding what he said about his childhood was that at his Sunday school he demanded to know from his spiritual authorities who is God and how does He look? For this he was made to step out. Of his great grandfather, Henry Ford was known to have a Sufi saint come to his home. Plus to those whom he deemed receptive, he would present them with a pamphlet on reincarnation. Henry Ford was also a vegetarian.
May the Source be with you!
5 km
Sunday, September 20th, 2015
Boston/Natick, Massachusetts
Champions Never Go to Sleep
From 72 Commonwealth in Boston at the ISKCON centre, Vivasvan and I set foot on the pathway of the Boulevard and headed west embarking on the first of many steps to cover about six states. On Facebook our pilgrimage project can be viewed under the heading, ‘Walking For Our Teachers.’ More broadly, this walk is significant in that we pay homage to the people who help us see and do what we could not before. More personally, we take to the road to recognize our own guru’s work as he reached out and touched our hearts so that we can see the world by a different light.
We trekked along Beacon St, bore left to reach Centre St.moving through various communities. When our GPS guided us to Highway 9 it looked a bit gloomy. Although there was a sidewalk, it was crooked and broken up because of under usage. “You mean we are going to walk along a fast highway for days?” Fortunately, at Wellesely we spotted a parallel road and switched. This was more like it. A gentleman sitting at a park bench with newspaper in hand who was kind and expressed he’s deep into Zen recommended the new road that would take us to our final steps – to the Town Hall of Natick.
Vivasvan stuck by me all along up to this point before Vicky came to pick us up. Interaction with people was mostly with a swift, “Hi!” but the most precious remark came from a young chap who was climbing into a car with his two companions after an all-nighter. Being the last to get in, he noticed the two of us, raised his arms and said, “Champions never go to sleep!” It was about 6:30 AM and my thought was that Arjuna, the famed warrior of the epic “Mahabharat”, was addressed by Krishnaas Gudakesh (conqueror of sleep). Well, we had our sleep alright. We started early with our trekking
because I believe heroes always rise early. A second but public and official kick-start to the walking happened after 3 PM today. From the stage at Boston Commons, a send-off kirtan party led myself and others to Commonwealth Pier where the whole Hare Krishna thing unofficially started 50 years ago.
May the Source be with you!
27 km/17 miles
Monday, September 21st, 2015
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
A Full Day
Off to a great start. Three of us, Karuna, Pradyumna, and I, walk in the dark, westbound. At 5:25 AM we hit the pavement as our driver, Vivasvan, pulls ahead three miles to park and heads back on foot until we meet. He then continues to move forward with us until we reach the vehicle. That’s our system until the passions of the morning come to their zenith. By 9 AM we all needed some downtime. We chose a park in Hopkinton to lie down on the grass under one of its great trees. Before doing so, we noted a bronze statue of a man with a Hitchcockian physique holding a gun in his right
hand above his head. Curious, we decided to read the plaque at its base and lo and behold we discovered that this is the starting point of the famous Boston Marathon Run initiated in 1905. Wow!I napped, as did Pradyumna, and was poised to continue to trek, when I saw a man and woman setting up chairs by the park’s gazebo. Seniors, some with the aid of walkers, moved towards those chairs. I asked one of the boys if we could somehow participate in what they were going to do and Jennifer, the woman, introduced herself to me and said I could help. Rachel, a yoga/dance/stretch instructor then led the group of seniors into easy stretches. When asked what I could offer, the folks were seated. I knew I couldn’t ask them to do our usual ‘Swami Step’ to music so I came up with a sit-down version, the ‘Swami Swerve’, which requires arms in the air, swaying, and twisting at the waist. We all enjoyed moving to the recording of Willie Nelson’s rendition of ‘Blue Skies’ and Steve Miller’s Band doing ‘I Could Fly Like An Eagle.’ Our crew was also enjoying the stretches to address our stiff limbs. Great fun!Then Jennifer invited us for lunch at the Golden Pond Assisted Living & Memory Care Facility. It was something we couldn’t refuse. “No onions and garlic if you don’t mind,” I asked. She wanted to know why the restrictions but asked unchallengingly. Also she was curious about our meditation beads and the marking on our forehead. Kelsey, from the Bahamas, was the chef and provided us with a gourmet-standard meal catered to our diet. Emma served. They were both darlings.Onward we went
and discovered the most outstanding wild grapes. The greatest discovery of the day, however, was finding Ganesh at the base of a lake’s edge. Our men were parked at Pratt Pond and were looking at a promising swimming spot when they spotted a clay-based colourful object submerged in fresh water –
the adorable Ganesh. Voila! What a find! Karuna pulled him out of the water and I pronounced that he join us for our walk as a passenger in our SUV. This deity is known to remove obstacles on the path of devotion. We seated him in the middle of the second row of seats and he appeared like a prince.
The last of this day’s installments of joy was time spent at the Hartford centre for ISKCON. There we honored a day for Radha. As I mentioned to Rachel earlier, “We did a half-day fast in dedication to the Goddess.” There it ended. I was united with godbrothers like Niranjan Swami, a fine example of a monk!
May the Source be with you!
37 km/23 miles
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015
Oxford, Massachusetts
Number of Highs
There were a number of high points today such as stepping on millions of acorns fallen from the trees. It’s a sign of prosperity, I guess. Surely you hear those squirrels uttering their satisfaction.You’ve also got walnuts a bit larger in size. It’s good for acupressure and reflexology on the feet. Karuna and I continued to find an abundance of wild grapes. We can’t get enough of them as we coast along, on foot, through the typical New England terrain on shady up-and-down roads.An accountant took notice of the pilgrimage.
I was walking on Central Turnpike when a semi-retired ‘man of numbers,’ Peter J. Reilly, pulled over.”Can I give you a ride?” he asked. I then explained my mission and about our guru, Srila Prabhupada, coming to America 50 years ago. “Can my wife and I offer you lunch?” My response was
quick, “Yes but we’re vegetarian, no onions and garlic.””No problem,” he explained and also mentioned that his wife, Evy, follows a similar diet. So, it was a date. We ate. We spoke. We made friends.From there we rushed to Rhode Island, to Brown’s University in the city of Providence. A
meditation group, headed by Jeremy, had us present meditation on sacred sound. It was more of an interactive and inclusive experience. Sound is powerful – everyone agrees – but sacred sound is beyond powerful. We chanted various mantras which are well established in the yoga tradition of bhakti. A nice group of students! It appears that they are looking to reap the benefits of meditation just as much as they wish to excel in their studies.I would like to refer to something Srila Prabhupada said in regards to achieving higher consciousness. “It all depends on attitude,” he said.
May the Source be with you!
12 km
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015
Stafford, Connecticut
We Keep Going
Walking continued with an anticipated ‘better day’ distance-wise. Our trek began in the centre of Oxfordat the ‘Dunkin’ Doughnuts’ and from there moved through the dark on windy roads until twilight. Then, after obscure visibility, the sun came strong, blinding motorists who were headed east.
Karuna and I were constantly switching to either side of the road in order to not give a scare to motorists. One consideration is absence of light or too much. Another is the sudden bends and twists the roads themselves make. We have barely a road’s shoulder to walk on. There are instances where we step into wet grass and patches of poison ivy in order to avoid oncoming traffic. All is well with attentiveness.
Tom Nappi, news director of HCAM-TV in Hopkinton, was great. Vivasvan, our support-person, drove us back to Hopkinton for a TV interview. The questions he posed surrounded the curiosity of why the walk, its dynamics, when did I begin such pilgrimages, and so on. What was initially supposed to be a five minute interview went way beyond. Tom also asked about my involvement in community theatre and so I explained that in my ‘time-off’ (from walking) I travel the globe working with newcomer actors in morality drama based on Vedic themes. As we were about to leave after the successful session, I noticed an old poster of ‘Citizen Kane’ on the studio’s reception room wall. I
remarked, “That is one of the best films of all time by Orson Wells.” Everyone was in agreement of course. Vedic theme? It could easily be a story from the Bhagavatam, the likes of Ajamil, in a modern-day context. In the interview I referred to the Beatles and George Harrison as experimenters of chanting. As we left we handed Tom a copy of ‘Chant and Be Happy’, a publication on the topic.
We went back on the road where we met some runners and a farmer, Barry Smith, who owns several hundred acres of land on both sides of the Massachusettsand Connecticutborder. Nice guy! At 73, he looks robust and happily prides himself in a full head of curly hair. Like many buildings in the area, the homes date back to the 1700’s.
May the Source be with you!
24 miles/38 km
Thursday, September 24th, 2015
Rockville, Connecticut
Apple Monk
On this trail a police officer pulled over and asked, “Going for a walk?” Answer was “Yes! To Pennsylvania and I’m doing it for my teacher, my guru. Here’s my card.” So, I handed him a card which has the maha-mantra on one side with its translation, “Oh, awesome Creator, allow me to be of blissful service to You and the world.”The officer expressed his thanks and moved on.
My walking partner for the morning session was Karuna Sindhu. He has got down the service attitude quite well. Our party was honoring a half-day fast, this being a day to remember the avatar, ‘Vamana,’ yet Karuna will go to knock on someone’s door when we spot an apple tree and ask if we could help ourselves to a small number of the delicious fruits. Once granted, if the owner was home, Karuna would stock what he could in his pockets. At least for today we held back from eating until the clock struck 12 noon. Indeed, we are getting our share of apples everyday while investing in the chanting of the mantraduring trekking. Karuna was on a special diet for years which begins with a boiled apple in
the morning. If I’m ‘The Walking Monk’ then he’s ‘The Apple Monk.’ Interaction with people is limited. In Staffordville we actually connected, but briefly, with pedestrians, otherwise you can say that most everyone is very car-bound. This is the destiny of the world it seems. People are cut-off from each other by way of the automobile. At least on two occasions today a motorist stopped asking for directions, which left us unaware of where to point. Anyways, it’s great when there’s human interaction. One more interaction was with water. A good swim in Shenipsit Lakerelieved leg tension. It was like heaven.
May the Source be with you!
25 miles/40 km
Friday, September 25th, 2015
Hartford, Connecticut
Oh! Magic Day
My dear friend, Pyari Mohan, the friendly head honcho of the Iskcon Centre in Hartford took me down a secret passageway to the downtown. “Hardly anyone knows this route,” he told me as if a best-kept secret. Even though he’s 67, he reminds me of a young kid in some way. Finally, he led me to the downtown district and to Connecticut’s Old State House where a group of the local Krishna members had assembled for a chanting kirtan session. We all participated together, including Bhakti Damodara Swami, an American monk. Now, Pyari is a magician. Yes, he does magical tricks. At his home in East Hartford he has this beautiful white dove named Jatayu – a dove that he uses for his magic tricks. He’s a pretty bird, he is.What really got me thinking about how out-of-the-ordinary the day was (magical even), I had in my thoughts the young Rastafarian chap that I chatted with on Monday night
at the festival in honour of Krishna’s consort, Radha. Tri’van is his name. While we were chanting, he happened to walk by. He had felt that maybe he wasn’t liked at the event but I believe he changed his outlook when we greeted him warmly on the street.Now this Tri’van is a special soul. I invited him to join me on the continuation of my walk and being his day off he accepted my offer. We let time slip away like anything as we immersed in conversation. He had questions. So did I. I like to be informed about what’s going on these days. We reciprocated with answers. I shared my Krishna Conscious viewpoint. When it came to asking about his birthday, I knew intuitively he was an October 5th boy, like myself, before he could say. When it actually came out of his mouth to confirm, it had me wonder
about how magical a day could be. It all climaxed with a good swim in Woodridge Lake, a body of water with an aged wood smell. I was given such good company, by Krishna’s grace, from Pyari to Tri’van to the ancient lake.May the Source be with you!
20 miles/32 km
Saturday, September 26th, 2015
Burlington, Connecticut
Cultivation
It is almost alarming to see the intensity of traffic this early Saturday morning on secondary roads, not freeways. Who are these people? Where are they going at 6 AM and with such speed and intensity of purpose? On a Saturday? You can’t help asking these questions. Karuna and I spent most of the journey, now west of Hartford, on Highway 4 through Farmington and then beyond Burlington. At one time, for about 2 miles, we encountered relief from the callous traffic by way of a trail frequented by runners, walkers, and cyclists. Thank God. Occasionally, a motorist on the busy road honks his horn. You can tell when it’s a happy honk as distinct from a ‘watch it man’ type of warning. It’s rare to find nasty travelers as long as you walk responsibly. I still find it astounding to see the lack of ample space for alternative travelers like walkers. It appears that all is laid out to the advantage of the automobile.
What does compensate for the more or less little interaction with motorists is the time I spent with newcomer, Tre’von. I find him exceptional, devotionally a rare bird. I spent the evening with him after his work hours in what our guru used to call, ‘cultivation’. This is a word Srila Prabhupada used to use to describe someone’s preparation in devotion. When I was a boy growing up in a farming district, the term cultivation was used to mean ploughing or turning the soil by way of machinery. I believe it’s an appropriate word as Tre’von is really having a turnover in life. My support person, Vivasvan, is also helping him learn the ways of bhakti, devotion. I can see Tre’von’s head spinning around in a most positive way. I explained to him, “Just look at it this way”, as cars are whipping by, “we are not these bodies but spirits. The body perishes. Our souls go on. We can get over our identity crisis by concentrating on the point, ‘I am spirit'”. Tre’von liked that. Regards to Madhava and Vishali for accommodation.
May the Source be with you!
20 miles / 32 kilometres
Sunday, September 27th, 2015
New Preston, Connecticut
Mark Twain’s ‘Turf’
When I walked through Hartfordwith Tre’von, we went past the home of author Harriet Stowe who published the bestseller, ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’. She was an abolitionist and wrote about the slave escapees in the 1800’s. I was born near Uncle Tom’s cabin so it struck my interest. Also, to my amazement, situated next to her home was the house of writer and humorist Mark Twain (1835 – 1910). It is a real stately house. I can’t help but deliver some of his best quotes: “Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.” “If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.” “I don’t like to commit myself about Heaven and Hell. You see, I have friends in both places.” “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.” “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing, it was here first.” “Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.” “All generalizations are false, including this one.” “Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.” “Anger is an acid that can do more harm than the vessel in which it is stored to anything on which it is poured.”
May the Source be with you!
18 miles/29 km
Monday, September 28th, 2015
Uniondale, New York
Everything’s Going Nuts
With an early start and it being dark we could not see the thick branches jutting out from the trees. So, when backing up, our rear window bashed and broke into millions of pieces. Something had to be done to replace the vehicle’s back which was also damaged.
The forecast called for rain, even for a storm, so Vivasvan got working on the damaged rear-end right away. Another mechanical issue is my knees. They don’t seem to care for the initial steps taken in the morning with the up-and-down nature of the Appalachian trail. Eventually though, the machinery (my body) takes to it fine.
Trees are shedding their fruit. What I mean to say is that nuts are falling all over the place – walnuts and acorns especially. The squirrels are in glee. You hear the sound of a thud when a nut hits the pavement but only after several snap sounds which arise from contacting twigs and leaves during its descent. I am lucky to not be struck by one of these guys yet.
We have crossed another border at Bull Bridge. We are now in New York State. It’s funny but I guess each state has its own personality. Suddenly, I felt an increased openness in the people of New York whereas in Massachusettsand Connecticutpeople were somewhat reserved. Finally we’re in a place where we get noticed. This is a good thing of course. In fact, when some people see me, the way they express themselves is as if they’re going nuts. They stop and talk and they find that the walk is awesome. Even the police came by after receiving a report of a guy in orange sleeping on the side of the road. The one officer said, “You know, prisoners are in orange jump-suits and sometimes they escape.”
On a more serious note, I spoke to a friend (a rather well-known athlete) on my cell and being familiar with our guru, Srila Prabhupada, I asked him, “Now it has been 50 years since our guru came to the West…what kind of assessment, reflection, or vision do you feel we should have?”
“Appreciate and never think that because I am a devotee (spiritualist) that all things should be happening for me. Do not feel entitled. Be grateful.”
May the Source be with you!
20 miles/ 32 km
Tuesday, September 29th, 2015
Beacon, New York
Meeting a Runner
Vivasvan and I took a picnic break near Sylvan Lake. A runner came up to us, “I saw you in Connecticut. I am curious about what you are all about.” The runner identified himself cordially along with his profession, “I am a retired professor. My interest now is UFOs.” He mentioned he was writing a book about the positive experiences people have when they encounter beings from other spheres.I offered to say that our Vedic literatures are replete with information about other places and planets of evolved life. The person was really nice and seeking knowledge. “I have got this left brain that wants to know. I think scientifically – why are these beings coming to us? Apparently all people who contact them have a good experience. They transform and they become somewhat enlightened.”I suggested that perhaps we don’t need to over-analyze the situation but instead come to the point of loving, giving, and serving. There is always a problem with avoiding this natural obligation. I remember saying to him that our constitutional position is to serve. We are spirits and we are prone to bhakti (love) unconditionally.Vivasvan and I left our new-made friend with some smaller BBT books (not to burden him too much – he’s running) and a strand of japa meditation beads. He was most grateful to have a copy of the book Beyond Birth & Death.Adios.I also met Jessica who was one of the people who offered a ride today. To Jessica I gave a, “Thanks but no thanks. I am walking.” She told me of her friends who used to live in the Krishna Brooklyn Temple and how they all learned how to cook. Now, our evening was spent back in Farmington to hear my godbrother monk speak. Niranjan Swami,
who is from Boston, spoke about bhakti (unconditional love). The prasadam (food) was bangin’ good.It was a great day. I spent the last 2 hours walking with Murali, a friend who lives in the area. It was a great pleasure to know that he spent the time to drive and look for me. Once found, he parked the car and we walked. I walked through Fishkill, Hopewell, Beekman, and New Milford.
May the Source be with you!
20 miles / 32 km
Wednesday, September 30th, 2015
Montgomery, New York
“Don’t Jump, It’s Not Worth It!”
Rain permeated through the sky and through the previous night. It persisted through the morning. Off I went to a later than usual start at which time the drops did let up. Only then did I step out of the van. When I did so, five fawns spun out from the forest next to me. But guess who also emerged at that time? It was Tre’von, who slept overnight with Vivasvan and I and is now an official member of our team. He emerged from the van and, like a real trooper, took to the whole 20 miles of walking for the day.
We had a thrill walking on the bridge that suspended over the Hudson River. It took us exactly a half hour to walk it. That made it four revolutions on our meditation beads. We stopped somewhere at the middle of the bridge just to enjoy the view of the vista. When a motorist saw us while driving, he yelled out, “Don’t jump, it’s not worth it!” It gave us a good laugh. A construction worker on the bridge also noticed us. He was a big burly guy and upon seeing us he stopped his work and offered us a pranam ( a traditional palms together Vedic greeting). We were treated royally at the Nimai Bliss kitchen to a tasty vegetarian Gujarati meal. I was impressed with the food and with Jimmy, one of the
patrons of the place. Who is Jimmy anyway? He’s a garage owner across the street from the restaurant. He calls himself the All-American Boy but has taken a fancy to Krishna Consciousness. It comes at a good period in his life. At age 75, he is just looking to a new track in life. He is reading the books of our guru, whom I am walking for. Once again, my guru’s name is Srila Prabhupada and he came to America 50 years ago. He started an explosion in consciousness-raising. To me, a walk in his honor is very justified. We walked Newburgh, Little Britain, Plain View, Rock Tavern and Montgomery.
May the Source be with you!
20 miles / 32 kilometres
Thursday, October 1st, 2015
Montgomery, New York
Walk or Drive But Move
The temperature has dropped to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s still fine and the weather is not severely austere. Yesterday, rain and drizzle came periodically and whether accompanied by umbrella, plastic poncho or not, constant walking provides warmth. In looking at the bright side of things, the rain of yesterday and the coolness of today provides a transition of texture and colour to the vegetation and foliage all around. Hence, the awesomeness of autumn begins to show its usual splendor.
By 1:30 PM I had completed my targeted 20 miles. That was done to make room for a drive to Schenectedy, a historic city in New York State. There we conducted a sangha, a devotional gathering with the Guyanese community. Sabrina was our host. With children all the way to seniors in the group,
the mild challenge is to keep everyone perked up and attentive. Any presentation should inspire. For me, before attempting such a task, an internal mindfulness of prayer, as brief as it may be certainly helps in the endeavour. I spoke from 9.29 of the Bhagavad Gita and explored the fairness of God. We
read through the purport of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, by the way of charades. That’s always a winning approach for the kids. Kirtan (chanting) and blessed food known as prasad finished off a great
evening before the long drive back to our rendezvous in Newburgh. When choosing whether to be a passenger in a van or walking on the road, I prefer the latter. However, it’s always good to be in that vehicle to maximize time in the company of my team players, Vivasvan and Tre’von. Incidentally, Tre’von is completing a good amount of mantra meditation on his beads. It’s day number two of accomplishing 16 revolutions on the beads. May the Source be with you!
20 miles / 32 km
Friday, October 2nd, 2015
Matamoras, Pennsylvania
A Cool Mayor
Monks in our order are allowed to vote but I would not, even if I would be an American citizen. If I WERE to vote, I would cast my vote on November 3rd for Judith L. Kennedy. She is the mayor of Newburghin New York State and with her term coming to an end and the election campaign going on, she has the chance to be re-elected. The reason why I would have put a check to her name had I the opportunity, is because she stands for moral values. I spent an hour talking to her over dinner at Newburgh’s vegetarian restaurant, Nimai’s Bliss Kitchen. Judith and I dialogued over many topics concerning the way our society is. She let me know of a recent shooting of eight people in a college in Oregon. God, I didn’t know. I haven’t been following the news lately although I got interviewed by Mark of the Sentinel Newspaper today. With Judith, we spoke of rampant drug use, the world of Reaganomics, commercialism, and being in deep debt. We spoke of Americaand the world at large being like the Roman Empire, a civilization that fell into decline with the cause coming from within.
She was totally right on with her assessment and that there’s need for change. She came, along with others, to the restaurant not just for a meal but also to hear from The Walking Monk, so I delivered ‘Tales From Trails’, and to do something that can shake up a troubled world, so we did kirtan. We chanted and danced up a storm, including Judith. She’s totally cool.
After a long day trudging through drizzle, tracking back for dinner, and after stepping into a new state, Pennsylvania, it was worth coming to the event. I expressed to the group how our guru, Srila Prabhupada, came to the West 50 years ago with a message and part of that message was about redefining what we call ‘partying’. His definition, having a good time with kirtan and acknowledging the Source. Judith actually mentioned to me that she uses the word Source quite a lot. Anyways, I hope to see her stay in her mayoral seat for another term.
May the Source be with you!
Port Jervis, Milford, Matamoras
19 miles / 31 km
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015
Delaware State Park, Pennsylvania
Never Seen Such a Group
A constant rain fell upon us for a four hour hike within hilly Pennsylvania before the drive to today’s destination at Old Forge. The occasion was the opening of a yoga studio situated in an old renovated railway station. A cargo train still goes by on a daily basis. The station’s interior itself is smartly done up to accommodate the spiritually enhanced. Father Bill, who frequented Iskcon’s Laguna Beach center years ago, is teaching yoga in the premises along with other persons who conduct presentations on meditation, yoga, and prayer. Father Bill embraces Christian liberalism. He asked that I speak on a topic that would cover the concept of bhakti, devotion, and how it is a form of yoga that entails a relationship with God. He also asked that I express the nature of God as Radha and Krishna, the Divine Female and Male. I did as he asked, along with expressing the superior or essential element of yoga and that it is not just a physical exercise – ultimately it involves a profound love for the Supreme.
Kirtan (chanting) was the most important component of the presentation and ended up being an inclusive exercise. For everyone, that experience probably topped the joy of eating prasadamwhich was so kindly provided by devotees who prepared and delivered the outstanding feast from Iskcon
Philadelphia.
I can say with full honesty that I have never seen a group of such gracious, smiling, and appreciative people in an American setting. I felt, along with team players Vivasvan and Tre’von, that we were not in a physical place or even at a train station. We were transported to another realm primarily because everyone approached and engaged in kirtan in a surrendered mood. It was a thrill to see a nun in full regalia, that is, in the traditional nun’s habit chanting and dancing in our circle.
May the Source be with you!
10 miles / 16 km
Sunday, October 4th, 2015
Birchwood Lakes, Pennsylvania
The Moon’s Crest
The moon’s crest was above and, as twilight snuck in, a gorgeous world opened up to us on Snowhill Road. It was a realm of rain-cleared air, serenity, and colors of all kinds. The sky was a blue blue, not tainted by urban air in anyway. Trees, some tall and some small, graced each side of the pavement, blessing us with shade and shielding us from wind. And you can capture with your eyes, as I did, fleeting deer, squirrels, porcupines, and wild turkeys. There was also a migration of these intensely orange salamanders.
I was with Vivasvan, my support guy, when we noticed a tiny one an inch and a half in length making his way across the road. I wanted to come down to his humble level in an attempt to stroke him gently on his back. I poised myself for this but heard a car coming. I rose and saw it was actually a van hauling a residential vehicle. It came closer and I feared for the young crawling fellow’s life. We could do nothing. The wheels of the van missed him but the wheels of the trailer did not. I looked in horror at his head getting crushed.. Ohhhhh! Harsh is nature. Fragile is the self. Relentless are the machines. Callous is man. Helpless is the individual. Those were our emotions or reactions over the mini drama. However, we had to carry on walking. The day was warm in terms of what the coming hours offered but I was also a trite disappointed over the motorists’ indifference. Not one person stopped to talk. Experience tells that that will change tomorrow. Let’s see.
We were thrilled to be hosted in the home of Rupa Vilas, AKA Richard Mason, who was a major mentor for me when I decided to go the way of the monk back in ’73 at the Toronto ashram. I’m indebted to him deeply.
May the Source be with you!
23 miles / 37 km
Monday, October 5th, 2015
Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania
A Lot of Care
Samantha cared. She, like so many rushers (people in rush hour), was going at the usual crazy speed down the 904 Highway at Mount Pocono when she managed to pull out of the wave of cars. Seeing the opportunity to do a horseshoe move (or in regular driver’s parlance, a u-turn) she turned and,
facing the opposite direction, landed herself on the shoulder of the road. There, birthday boy Tre’von and I, who am also sharing the same anniversary, were walking. I actually turned 63 today. Samantha rolled down the window as we got close. It was obvious she wanted to speak. “Do you want a ride?” she asked. “Thank you but we’re on our way to Butler, Pennsylvania, and then to New York City. This is a walk on behalf of our guru, the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement. 50 years ago, he came to America.” “That’s great! No ride then? Can I offer a donation?” “Sure.” So she did and with a smile on her face and a mantra card in her hand she wished us well and then drove off, caught in the madness of the car rage.
Shortly thereafter, the ‘Pocono Record’ newspaper responded to our message for our happy story. There was one call that came to us and then a second for an interview as well as a photographer who came for a photo shoot at Tobyhanna Lake. Hence, you have the makings of an article to come. As the
day passed by, I saw birthday blessings showering on Tre’von. Rupa Vilas, our host, presented him with a watch. Vivasvan presented him with a card of personal good wishes and a CD of devotional chants. My contribution or birthday gift is continual lessons on pronouncing new mantrasthat I hope he will abide in for the rest of his life.
May the Source be with you!
21 miles / 33 km
Tuesday, October 6th, 2015
Freeland, Pennsylvania
More of the Same Greatness
Our walking began where we finished the day before, at a beer store. There was pretty much a repeat of the previous day in the sense that the early hours brought some attention from motorists. This time some heavily accented New Yorkers pulled over to wish well my pilgrim message. Frankly, that’s what pilgrimage is meant to do – try to make a statement towards slowing down. Our host for the three nights, Rupa Vilas, did even more than he’s already done, which included rising early enough to fix our small team with some breakfast. Then, he provided us with provisions galore. In addition, he gave himself. Nearing the end of my day’s quota for walking, he drove quite a distance to catch the last mile with me on foot as a walking companion.
The day reached 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Perfect. A walker’s paradise and as everything moderately cooled down, Vivasvan drove Tre’von and I to a monastic retreat for the night. It is known as an Ishan retreat. It’s a residence for nuns and priests. This group enjoys the chanting of Hare Krishna while they concentrate their life and focus on Jesus. There’s a willingness on their part to see beyond the walls of religious institution in order to reach the more profound state of God consciousness. Though
Jesus remains for them the principal person of honor, Mary Magdalene, his wife, is revered as their female divinity. This gracious group fed us after exchanging words and giving us a tour of a gorgeous facility used for worship. Devotional mingling and as mentioned, residential stay. How kind they are.
Wednesday, October 7th, 2015
Berwick, Pennsylvania
By The Farms
It is easier to make the gradual climb up a slope of a hill than to descend. We humans just don’t have a good brake system built within us. Coming down just isn’t so easy. Other walkers and runners say the same thing. Perhaps we can take this as an analogy on life. We might think that the way down is a breeze, that it’s the easiest mode of travel. Yet, it’s the
challenges in life that give strength and tough skin, so to speak. Perhaps the balance of both makes sense. Different muscles get activated on both the ascending and declining ordeals. Let’s consider these physical blessings happening in these two ways. Enjoy those hills, as we are in Pennsylvania. Tre’von and I found the hills to be splendid when daylight became present. It’s farmland now. There’s corn and soya fields and there’s animals. We even saw the first sign of Amish communities. Eventually, we made it to a small city, Burwick, and then on to Highway 11, a dreaded stretch of passionate motorists.
Amongst friends we made were two ladies from ‘The Standard Speaker’ newspaper who caught up with us at the local Mexican taqueria place. There the proprietor became an instant amigo with us in exchange for the veggie plate he gave us. We presented to him Iskcon’s official simple cookbook, ‘Higher Taste’. He was grateful. Perhaps the lightest part of the day for me was receiving a call from an acquaintance struggling with drugs but who now, after the 12-step process, is doing much better. I would say that at all costs one should stay away from harmful drugs as stimulatingly promising as they may be. Too many people’s lives are destroyed by such intake and that holds true for alcohol as well. To those items — stay away! Stay away!
May the Source be with you!
20 miles / 32 km
Thursday, October 8th, 2015
Danville, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg
It wasn’t long into the swing of our trek today that media attention came our way. Tre’von and I were ambling along through the fog on bustling Highway 11 when Vivasvan informed us that WHLM radio wanted to have an interview at the station. Okay. And so we went to Bloomsburg downtown. It was great to see some pedestrians downtown walking or rather, off in a dash to work. Seeing pedestrians is sometimes quite rare in these parts. Following that interview, the ‘Press Enterprise’ newspaper with their rep, Mike, came to see us at the highway for more questions. I felt that Mike took our pilgrimage to be a very different kind of story. A photographer also came by, snapping shots to include the traffic in the background. Yes, the traffic, that is part and parcel of the whole walking experience, the sharing of space with creatures much bigger than you – trucks and cars.
Fortunately, a more subdued road lay open for us, a quiet one along Hemlock Creek all the way to Danville. Here, life seems almost perfect. Country homes are smartly maintained with trimmed grounds all around. The occasional farmer passes by in truck and sometimes someone in a car, maybe en route to the office. On this stretch of the trek, I met this down-home couple on the front porch of their house. The woman was actually sitting there with a display of her own grown veggies up for sale. For one dollar you could go away with three whopper tomatoes. When I approached her for the purchase, I could understand that her speech was impaired. She rapped on the living room window to get her hubby’s attention. Bearded and in coveralls, he came out to greet. The charm of this simple couple was almost
too much. Here are quite the remote people making a modest living for themselves from their tiny rural dwelling. The one other outstanding feature today was bumping into an older Indian
gentleman clad in traditional white dhoti right here in conservative small city Pennsylvania. He couldn’t speak a word in English but what he did say a few times in absolute ecstasy was “Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna….”
May the Source be with you!
20 miles / 32 km
Friday, October 9th, 2015
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Never Seen The Stars
“I’ve never seen the stars like this before,” remarked Tre’von.
“You must have spent your whole life in the city,” I guessed.
“That’s true”, he said and then he started to rap something along the lines of,
“Your ego says you’re such a big shot
When you see the stars you’re not even a shot
Not even a spot
Not even a dot.”
He was really liking the early excursion, making our way through small hamlets under the ever-changing sky. He was appreciating the brahma muhurta hour, the time before sun up . He told me Einstein called it ‘the genius spot’.
The sun had just come and Matt from ‘The Standard News’ came by with a recorder. It was question time. “The Daily Item” news also sent a rep who took notes. “Why notepaper and a pen?” Vivasvan asked when he caught up to us with his van. The reporter said, “If I record, I’ll have to listen to it all again. I just take notes.” As the questions went on, Tre’von took the liberty to grab Vivasvan’s camera and then walk a few metres to the gathering of local farmers huddled around representatives of the controversial Monsanto. With camera in hand
Tre’von posed challenging questions regarding the tampering of God’s seeds. Monsanto’s rep attempted to respond to radical Tre’von’s cutting queries. I wasn’t there to hear the dialogue but my daily companion put his warrior self out to action and then relayed back to us the stirring points that were exchanged.
The final little rendezvous place along Buffalo Valley Trail Run was the termination spot for my walking today. We then rushed to Pittsburghfor my flight to Edmonton for the weekend. I will miss magical Pennsylvania.
May the Source be with you!
18 miles / 29 km
Saturday, October 10th, 2015
Pigeon Lake, Alberta
Mud Feet
Everyone needs a little downtime. I’m getting mine at Pigeon Lake. Yesterday, I had flown from Pittsburgh to Chicago, on to Edmonton, and then finally driven to a rustic looking resort where a European settlement began 175 years ago on Pigeon Lake. In this countryside retreat, called Rundle House, you can find bison bones on display which were found in the area along with a massive tooth left from a mastodon. Personally, my interest is strong in this. There is also a plaque on the wall with a quote on creativity which reads, “The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before.” No author is credited here.
To fill the rooms of this building and some additional cabins are our members of Iskcon, the leaders actually. Here at this year’s annual gathering for Canada’s Thanksgiving, important strategies were discussed with messages along the lines of “what gets measured gets improved” and “the difference between a dream and a goal is a written statement”.
Presentations were truly inspiring.
Now, Pigeon Lakeis quite sizable and at one point in the day it was 20 degrees Celsius. I was tempted to go for a swim but by the time our meeting ended, that idea seemed less appealing. I did, indeed, stroll out to the water’s edge or what I thought was the water’s edge. The 20 foot wide beach was actually a depth of black muck. I sunk but not deep. I had seen enough
old Tarzan movies in my youth to know what to do when stuck in quicksand. I leapt out fast, grabbed on to something and didn’t panic, knowing well that we’re not talking about some African soil here. Basically, I was happy to use my legs on this feet-easy day. Frankly, it’s hard to sit at a chair for hours when your feet are accustomed to trekking 20 miles per day. My resolve is that it is short term. It is an austerity which is never a negative action on the part of a monk.
May the source be with you!
0.5 miles / 0.8 km
Sunday, October 11th, 2015
Pigeon Lake, Alberta
Smooth Synergy
I feel myself to be very fortunate, being in the best company. Through culture and like-mindedness, I feel very cuddled in the huddle of community spirit. I believe that many many people, especially in the capitalistic world, lack the community experience and find themselves to be so very alone. I know we have written of this before but once again, the moose (of which you will find a fair share of here in Alberta) are happy campers being alone. Humans, however, have that angle in life which calls for social intercourse. To humans I say, “Be human and not a moose on the loose.” Take the goose, for instance, here we find another creature (also common enough in these parts) that flock together.
The gathering of devotees of Krishna from Canada at this year’s Annual General Meeting in Pigeon Lake are an incredible, stimulating, and inspiring group of individuals. It appears to me that they have a heart to discuss and then implement actions that can add color to the world. No, I am not saying we’ll save the world no more than I’ll admit that we are better than
everyone else. We are all in the same boat shifting within varying lifestyles the activities of eating to sleeping, to mating and defending. What I would dare to say is that, as a monk in the Krishna order, we can offer a mild reminder about the spiritual component of life. I really like
it how our guru, Prabhupada, put it when questioned by a reporter from the Butler Eagle News in Pennsylvania (and here we set no boundaries between the US and Canadian border),
“If Americans would give more attention to their spiritual life, they would be much happier.”
Well, our group of leaders who converged at the lodge at Pigeon Lake, chanted, talked, ate, and slept with spiritual motives in mind. It brought about a beautiful synergy I hope is the type of synergy that can more readily be shared amongst others.
May the Source be with you!
0 miles / 0 km
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