Sunday, March 12th, 2023
Toronto, Brampton, Barrie, & Newmarket
Sundays get busy, not just for me, but for others in the bhakti yoga arena. As I was leaving my home (which is actually a temple ashram) for the Sunday Brampton program, I noticed families streaming in for a Ukrainian festival to honour Gaura Purnima, Chaitanya’s birth. At the same time, at lower decks, our conference room was engaged in the final session on the ISKCON Guru Disciple course. Young members of our Bhakti Academy had the pleasure of being taught by Prabhupada Priya, an excellent teacher. Meanwhile, the kitchen on the same basement level is busy with Dwarkanath and helpers, spicing it up for the evening Sunday Feast.
Lots going on.
Once I arrived in Brampton, Nanda, my driver, and I, ended up being the first people at ISKCON’s door. luckily, he had a key period we arrived early for some appointments with new congregants just getting acquainted. The floodgates opened up. The place got packed, and by the time of the final kirtan, the happy crew of worshippers were dancing, literally, in good form. I spoke. We ate. We chanted.
The next installment of Sunday visitation was northbound to the city of Barrie. A memorial service was held for a departed Irena from Fiji at a United Church. I was asked to conduct and speak, delivering a message from the Gita. The folks in the back sat on chairs and the front space was occupied by lotus-positioned people on floor mats. I was interested to find amongst the listeners Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus. My message was mainly, “Let’s not forget, we are not these bodies; we are spirits.”
Nimai, my kind driver to Barrie, then took me to a household in Newmarket, a city of 88,000. This family was sweet indeed. The problem with all these destinations was eating a lot at every stop.
MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU!
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