DESERVED REST

Friday, October 17th, 2025

Durbuy, Belgium

It is a day of rest, perhaps deserved.  Yes, we have been going strong over the last eight days at twenty kilometres.  A pause is always good.  Downtime.  A handful of us on the “Walk for Devotion” project are taking it easy in this tiny town, Durbuy, and specifically at beautifully showcased Radhadesh.  It is an oasis of a tastefully done tourist trap and includes a Radha Krishna temple, restaurant, bakery, boutique, art museum, a cow shelter, a playground, an extensive walking trail, land to explore, and guest accommodations.

if all ISKCON centres were to follow this model, it would be a highly successful organization known for its cleanliness, orderliness, and richness of philosophy and lifestyle.  The morning class I was asked to deliver included a quote, an observation by a saint, Sridhar Swami.  The essence goes as such in an address to the Creator:

“Oh Lord, Your illusion has put her feet on my head and is pressing down extremely hard causing me great distress.  Now I have come to You for shelter.  Please make her desist.”

Much of life’s struggle is centred around our voluntary embrace of maya (illusion) and being absorbed in routine pleasures. The walk we completed leaves us with a statement to the people of the Netherlands, and that is, “Life doesn’t need to be complex.  It can be very freeing.  It can be humbling.  It should be self-rejuvenating, and not draining. 

In the evening, I gave one of those “Tales from Trails” talks.  I made it a point to say that instead of maya’s embrace, let us hug the elements, put our legs and heart into action.  

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

? FOOTSTEPS