SWEET FASCINATION

Thursday, June 1st, 2023

Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto

She called herself ‘Nancy O’Magic’ when we broke or took a pause from chanting. We stationed ourselves, Bhakti Academy students and I, under this gorgeous low hanging tree at Trinity Bellwoods, a park stretching from Dundas to Queen streets, making the space sizable. Our session of mantra, mridanga drum, guitar, accordion, kartalas, and tambourine, Made sounds of magic. There is definitely a taste of magic in being in the green, but it's the extraordinary music that offers a fine tuning of the extraordinaire. Nancy, who comes across as one of the neighbourhood free spirits, said so herself, “The music is magic.”

I feel the same way with these mid-afternoon Thursdays in the park. I love watching and hearing our young folks give it all to Krishna, whether it be Gabriel on the guitar, Karuna on accordion to a perfect pitch at Kunti’s voice level, or to see Nikil in the background talking to someone about the treasure of books he has on display. Then, to further the delights, he does this little jig between the book sales.

Another woman with her two-year-old joined our circle on the grass, singing with us in total awareness of the mantras. “I am aware of them because I lived in India for some years.” She was rather surprised to bump into us.

Not all passersby approached our chanting team like a magnet. In fact, you will find a segment of pedestrians and cyclists responding in an aloof way, but my heart reveals that our sending mantric vibes out there is what our teachers of the past are pleased with – our delivery of sweet fascination. We felt the blessings.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU!

4 km