Saturday 27 December 2014

Friday, December 19th, 2014

Calgary, Alberta
 
Walk to End Violence 
 
 
I shared, in conversation with others, my inner disturbance at the news of terrorist attacks in a cafe in Sydney, Australia and worse still, over a hundred school children being killed in Pakistan. I had come out of the bubble of Saranagati safety to receive more details on acts of cowardice that are shaking our world.
 
To say that we reside in the Age of Kali (the era of darkness) would be an understatement. Could such a shameless venture as gunning down 141 children at school be on par with the assassination of JFK or the ill-fated destruction of New York's twin towers? I should think so.
 
While taking an afternoon walk with Krishna's devotees at Calgary's north-east Greenway, we addressed with heavy hearts this recent-most incident. Speaking for myself, my initial feelings are mixed with compassion for the innocent, and contempt for the offenders, or for the sinners as much as for the sin. What could drive people so mad to come to this? I'm afraid these feelings will linger for some time.
 
At the Radha-Madhav Cultural Center I became a teacher for the evening before children, youth and adults. The session held before the deity of Krishna became more of a Q and A program. I simply put the suggestion forward "What's on your mind? Questions on anything, please." The bulk of the questions that rolled out held onto the topic of long-distance walking and so I obliged and answered, hoping it would inspire the group to walking-and-chanting initiatives.
 
May pilgrimage play a role in people's lives and help to stamp out within the mind of the walker any notion of any anticipated senseless violence.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
5 KM

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