The train ride from Montreal to Toronto was very comfortable and gave me an opportunity to get some idea what the country of Canada looks like. It somewhat reminded me of a blend between Norway and Australia.......
It has the vegetation and climate of Norway - thick forests, short summers and cold winters, and lots of wild nature. And it has the empty space of Australia. And even the trucks and also the country towns look just like the Australian one's.
It has the vegetation and climate of Norway - thick forests, short summers and cold winters, and lots of wild nature. And it has the empty space of Australia. And even the trucks and also the country towns look just like the Australian one's.
I received a heartfelt welcome in Toronto and settled into my little room. Also here the temple is a former church - purchased in Prabhupada's times, and even more impressive than the one in Montreal: situated on a busy main road just ten minutes from the city center. Prabhupada had instructed the devotees to put two huge neon signs on the tower of the church, saying "Hare Krishna", so that all the by-passing cars would see it. And so they did.
The temple is in a high class residential area - too expensive for devotees to live, but nice for early morning walks: with peaceful streets, lots of big trees, nice gardens in front of the houses, and so many squirrels....
Devotees shared with me how they were meeting in the early days with the Christian leaders in order to discuss the purchase of the church, and the Christian people said: "We rather set fire to our church than selling it to you people....!" But ultimately they prefered to get the money from the sale.....
Ironically enough, as soon as I entered my little room I spotted a book on the shelf entitled "Jesus Lived in India". I had read the book some years ago when I purchased it for my mother, and seeing it here again I couldn't help but smiling to myself. Yes, Jesus lived in India - especially after reading this book I am also convinced of it, and I am sure he must be very happy to see the devotees worship Sri Sri Radha Ksira-Chora Gopinath, Gaur Nitai and Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra in the church now.....
I gave a morning class, a Sunday program and the Tuesday evening sanga, which was very well attended. In the Sunday feast lecture I introduced the topic of "The False Ego - our Constant Companion and Troublemaker", and continued it at the Sanga on Tuesday evening, which drew lots of interest and thus a good attendance.
My main speaking engagement was once again the course "Giving and Accepting Shelter", scheduled from Friday evening through the entire Saturday and most of the Sunday, and concluding Monday evening. I had a dynamic group of around thirty-five participants, most of them being in Indian bodies. Infact I would sometimes almost forget that I was in Canada - the mood reminded me so much of Bangalore....!
Here the discussed topic was even more relevant than in Montreal and fell on open ears and eager hearts - the devotees had already begun implimenting a structured mentoring system, and they felt that it needed some input and improvement. So we had two follow-up meetings with some of the key players in their present mentoring system and the Temple Management Board taking part. The devotees were keen to receive principles and to discuss how they can apply things in their yatra and adjust their present system in order to improve it. I felt very inspired that the devotees were so eager to immediately discuss the practical applications. My humble preaching attempts had fallen on very fertile grounds, and the devotees repeatedly and eagerly requested me to visit once a year.
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The seminar clearly established in devotees' minds that unless we cultivate sheltering relationships, we will not be able to build healthy communities. The Deities being the very center of a community is also very important, but it is not everything. If the devotees' spiritual nourishment and care is neglected and they don't establish trusting and confidential relationships, which help them to assess themselves, then devotees will always come and go, and not stay with the project. They will feel like hired hands, where everybody is interested in the work-load they can accept, but not in them as aspiring devotees and struggling sadhakas. Krsna will only be pleased if His dear devotees are nicely cared for. If we only concentrate on worshiping the Lord, He will say: "This is very nice - but what about my devotees....?!" Devotees are so dear to the Lord - His heart is conquered by them.....
So Devotee Care based on sheltering relationships is a most important topic and so extremely relevant at this moment within ISKCON. Every yatra should actually be open to it, if they are seriously interested in community development.
So Devotee Care based on sheltering relationships is a most important topic and so extremely relevant at this moment within ISKCON. Every yatra should actually be open to it, if they are seriously interested in community development.
On the 9th of June I traveled to Ottawa for yet another wonderful experience....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Your servant, Devaki dd
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