From Trains to Chocolate
Montreal, Quebec
We took to the tracks (railway tracks), three monks and I. It was different and that's why we decided that route. No people would be there and there were not. But lots of wild plants and weeds line those tracks. We count them in as living spirits. They got the chance to hear us chant, softly though. We had been informed that the mantra is so powerful that even the vegetation reaps benefit. The sound penetrates through the green fiber and reaches the soul.
After all plants do hear. Haridas Thakur, the close associate of Chaitanya, Father of the Holy Name, was himself a master chanter. In a dialogue with Chaitanya, Haridas mentioned that pure sound spiritually advances even the plants. So wherever you venture if you carry some meditation beads and chant with their help you are doing someone or something a favour. Even in the desert the cacti can listen and derive some progress.
I had not planned to travel to Montreal via rail but by co-incidence it happened that way. It seemed to be a day for trains. I struck it quite lucky when economy class was full and one seat was left on first class which I got at economy rate. I believe the guy at the wicket had a genuine compassion for a monk.
While on the train I sat next to Joan who was in her eighties. She had roughed it up being in the navy during the war. She wasn't going to "stay at home and knit all day." She seemed to know about Krishna Consciousness. She also told me about current events and how a man in New Jersey lost his life at work when he fell into a vat of chocolate that was hot and sweet. "What a way to go!" said Joan with empathy of course.
3 KM
No comments:
Post a Comment