By Sarah Rogers
The Sherbrooke Record August 28th 2007
On his way across the country. If you happened upon a robed man strolling down the side of the road somewhere in the Townships last week, you likely saw a monk on a mission. Bhaktimarga Swami is in the midst of his third walking trip across Canada; this journey, called Canwalk, is to be completed over two summers. The Vaishnava monk left the Manitoba-Ontario border – where he completed last summer’s walk – on May 10. Joined by a few devotees from Montreal, Swami steered down the region’s bike paths last week, stopping in at Libby Lake for a swim. “He really enjoyed walking the Eastern Townships,” said Doug Kretchmer, who is accompanying Swami by vehicle. “It’s beautiful countryside.” In 1996, Swami embarked on his first cross-country tour on foot, from Vancouver Island to Cape Spear in Newfoundland. In 2003, he completed the circle by doing the trip from his end point back to British Columbia. Swami averages about 40 kilometres a day, some of that spent with supporters such as Kretchmer’s parrot Billie perched on his shoulder. Swami is now is New Brunswick, aiming to reach Cape Spear by Sept. 15. Besides the allure of a pilgrimage across thousands of kilometres of changing terrain, the trip also grew out of a doctor’s recommendation to walk more in order strengthen an ailing back, said Kretchmer. More than 30 years ago, the Chatham, Ontario-born Swami (then John Peter Vis) left home for India where he adopted an Eastern order of monastic life. Now based in Toronto, Swami is an instructor of yoga and meditation.
To follow Swami’s blog or to contribute to Canwalk, visit www.thewalkingmonk.org.