FRIDAY NIGHT IN SAINT JOHN

Friday, August 14th, 2026

Saint John, New Brunswick

Saint John is a port city off the coast of the Atlantic where cruisers dock and sea gulls squawk. It is where land and sea meet, where sun and fog greet. On this day my two wonderful companions and I spent time (a.m.) in Fredericton walking trails and exploring purports. It was in the late afternoon that a function for spiritual seekers was held in Saint John.

Nakula, a life coach for men, was our host at a Catholic community centre. The floor was bare and walls were plain but cozy chairs were set up in a circle for a meaningful chat and chant. At least the count was 25 in attendance, a mixed attendance. I asked Nebula, “I am happily your guest speaker, but what do you want me to talk about?” He more or less left it to me, so I chose to inform all about mantra power, in addition to walking power. Sandipani was strapped up with an accordion while Monil was set for mrdunga drum thumping.

The kick start was our introductions, then we went the way of chanting, til it was time to speak a bit. I tried to paint a picture of what monastic life looks like. Being at that vocation for fifty years plus, I layed out an idea of a day in the life of a monk.

“There is a piece of monkness in everyone — a part of calmness, solitude and gratitude. The life of a monastic is humbling but you get to make lots of friends, to be sociable and a down-timer too and a dozen times too. It is not mundane but full of energy.”

There were a few new timers to chanting. All in all it was a good time and one week since the joyful potato festival that we partook in.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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