Below is an article from Brantford of our very own HH Bhakitmarga Maharaj who is currently on his 4th cross Canada walk...
Bhaktimarga Swami, "The Walking Monk," heads west out of Paris, Ontario on Monday, Aug. 13 along King Edward Street as he continues his fourth trek across Canada to promote better health, spiritual awareness and pilgramage. MICHAEL PEELING/THE PARIS STAR/QMI AGENCY
Monk finds walking therapeutic and addictive
By Michael Peeling, Sun Media
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 7:24:04 EDT PM
Bhaktimarga Swami, a Hare Krishna monk, freely admits to be an addict.
His drug of choice: walking.
The Chatham, Ont. native also known as John Peter Vis loves walking so much, he’s in the middle of his fourth walk across Canada since 1996.
Hi first walk was featured in the documentary “The Longest Road.”
The Swami has a lot of fun terms for his walks, but he calls this one a “get up off your butt-a-thon” with a smile.
“It’s a great way to clear the cobwebs in my mind,” he says. “Walking really helps create clarity of thought. When I think about what it does to improve me psychologically, physically and spiritually, I think people should reconsider the idea of walking.”
The Toronto-based monk says walking also provides a positive way to deal with identity crisis, stress and faltering relationships and a chance for self-discovery.
Very much in keeping with being a monk, Bhaktimarga Swami is also promoting the notion of pilgrimage.
“That’s the type of things monks do – go on long treks for inspiration and that exactly how I feel when I walk; in fact, it gets better each time” reads a brochure he hands out to anyone who is interested in his story and motivation.
The brochure also invites others to join the vegetarian monk for part of his journey.
When he isn’t walking, Bhaktimarga Swami is a yoga instructor and director of morality plays.
Although he might not be everyone’s image of cool, he’s hoping one day people will think of walking as where it’s at, instead of disturbing the peace in a muscle car and blasting music. He doesn’t even have an MP3 player to keep him company, just a man named Daruka who follows him in a blue sedan with his parrot Billy.
“I think when we walk, we should listen to what’s around us,” said the Walking Monk. “I’m going for simplicity.”
Not only does he believe walking can be cool, he think it can help quell the turmoil of a troubled mind.
“I say more walking, less squawking,” he said. “A lot gets cleared up in my mind when I walk.”
Once all your worries are cleared up on two feet, the monk believes an uncluttered mind can come up with its best ideas and “beautiful innovations.”
Vis embraced an eastern monastic life in 1973 as a student of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The seasoned cross-country walker made a point of starting his journey at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, the first point east in North America, instead of the 0 km marker in St. John’s.
Bhaktimarga Swami has also been sticking to secondary highways such as #4 in Nova Scotia and Highway 2 through Paris, a path which will take him to his hometown.
While some might find the Prairies boring, he finds something inspiring.
“The Prairies are totally awesome,” he said. “It’s a great place to step into infinity.”
By Michael Peeling, Sun Media
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 7:24:04 EDT PM
Bhaktimarga Swami, a Hare Krishna monk, freely admits to be an addict.
His drug of choice: walking.
The Chatham, Ont. native also known as John Peter Vis loves walking so much, he’s in the middle of his fourth walk across Canada since 1996.
Hi first walk was featured in the documentary “The Longest Road.”
The Swami has a lot of fun terms for his walks, but he calls this one a “get up off your butt-a-thon” with a smile.
“It’s a great way to clear the cobwebs in my mind,” he says. “Walking really helps create clarity of thought. When I think about what it does to improve me psychologically, physically and spiritually, I think people should reconsider the idea of walking.”
The Toronto-based monk says walking also provides a positive way to deal with identity crisis, stress and faltering relationships and a chance for self-discovery.
Very much in keeping with being a monk, Bhaktimarga Swami is also promoting the notion of pilgrimage.
“That’s the type of things monks do – go on long treks for inspiration and that exactly how I feel when I walk; in fact, it gets better each time” reads a brochure he hands out to anyone who is interested in his story and motivation.
The brochure also invites others to join the vegetarian monk for part of his journey.
When he isn’t walking, Bhaktimarga Swami is a yoga instructor and director of morality plays.
Although he might not be everyone’s image of cool, he’s hoping one day people will think of walking as where it’s at, instead of disturbing the peace in a muscle car and blasting music. He doesn’t even have an MP3 player to keep him company, just a man named Daruka who follows him in a blue sedan with his parrot Billy.
“I think when we walk, we should listen to what’s around us,” said the Walking Monk. “I’m going for simplicity.”
Not only does he believe walking can be cool, he think it can help quell the turmoil of a troubled mind.
“I say more walking, less squawking,” he said. “A lot gets cleared up in my mind when I walk.”
Once all your worries are cleared up on two feet, the monk believes an uncluttered mind can come up with its best ideas and “beautiful innovations.”
Vis embraced an eastern monastic life in 1973 as a student of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The seasoned cross-country walker made a point of starting his journey at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, the first point east in North America, instead of the 0 km marker in St. John’s.
Bhaktimarga Swami has also been sticking to secondary highways such as #4 in Nova Scotia and Highway 2 through Paris, a path which will take him to his hometown.
While some might find the Prairies boring, he finds something inspiring.
“The Prairies are totally awesome,” he said. “It’s a great place to step into infinity.”
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