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\u201cTraversing the U.S. on foot.\u201d
\nEmily Wenger: MUSCATINE, Iowa\u2014 Bhaktimarga Swami, also known as \u201cThe Walking Monk,\u201d passed through Muscatine on Thursday as part of his walk across the U.S.
\nThe 63-year-old Swami hopes to encourage people to connect with their spirituality through walking.
\nHe began his trek in New York City and plans to finish his journey in San Francisco in the summer of 2017 after taking a break during the winter months. He timed the end of the walk to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.
\nAlthough his entry into Muscatine Thursday was greeted with rain, everything around him, Bhaktimarga Swami said, reminds him of his spirituality.
\n\u201cSo when you\u2019re outside walking seven hours a day on average you can\u2019t help but see the spiritual things that creep up around you, the rain has a message to tell you,\u201d he said, \u201cDavenport to Muscatine has been one of the most beautiful days.\u201d
\nWhile walking to Muscatine on Highway 22, Bhaktimarga Swami said he encountered a curious police officer, and people who have offered him rides along the way. In those interactions, he said, he has seen the kindness the Midwest has to offer.
\n\u201cThe people have been very kind, mostly I would say, with offering rides. And then I have to disappoint them and say I can\u2019t cheat,\u201d he said.
\nThe Swami became a monk in 1973, and said the introspective walks he has been taking for 20 years are a way to raise spiritual awareness.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s my calling,\u201d he said.
\nWhat Bhaktimarga Swami has noticed most is the kindness from people along the way. While traversing the U.S., he said he has had a place to sleep every night.
\n\u201cThe people are phenomenal, they have been really kind,\u201d he said.
\nEvery day Bhaktimarga Swami walks around 20 miles, sometimes beginning as early as 3 a.m. to avoid the worst heat of the day. He has friends who follow him, and occasionally check in.
\n\u201cHe checks in sometimes just to make sure I\u2019m still alive,\u201d Swami laughed.
\nHe also takes occasional detours from his walks, to drive to a nearby temple to speak, but he always begins where he left off.
\nThe Swami has crossed his home country of Canada three times (actually it\u2019s four), and he said the Iowa cornfields remind him of home.
\n\u201cThe cornfields are what I grew up with,\u201d he said.
\nCars have caused a disconnect among people, Swami said. Returning to walking allows personal connections to form.
\n\u201cThe automobile is cold, you don\u2019t really see each other,\u201d he said.
\nHe hopes that the universal understanding about walking will help raise people\u2019s spiritual awareness.
\n\u201cIt is a kind of non-denominational approach to spirituality,\u201d he said.
\nThe Swami is an instructor of bhakti yoga. Bhakti means \u201cdevotion,\u201d and he said the objective of yoga is connection with the divine.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a very old traditional practice that has roots in India and like the Mississippi it flows through all people, countries, nations, and races,\u201d he said.
\nHe is also a director and playwright of \u201cmorality stories\u201d based on ancient Indian epics, which he said are a spiritual outlet for his creativity. Bhaktimarga Swami said walking across countries sometimes reminds him of these plays.
\n\u201cWhen you put your feet right on the ground and you meet everybody and you see the way their hair blows, you see the skin color, you see the face of the individual whatever it may be, grumpy or cheerful, that\u2019s like having a drama in itself,\u201d he said.
\nThat drama crosses boundaries of religion, and Bhaktimarga Swami said that while appreciating differences, the unity of people is most important.
\n\u201cThe diversity is beautiful but we really have to look at is the oneness factor,\u201d he said.
\nWhile moving across the country, Bhaktimarga Swami hopes to remind people of the need for human connection.
\n\u201cThe intent is to try to encourage people to slow down the pace of life and get connected to their soul,\u201d he said.
\nBeth Van Zandt took a photo whose caption reads. \u201cIt\u2019s not every day you see a monk walking down the street of Muscatine, but, Bhaktimarga Swami of Chatham, Ontario, Canada, walks along Cedar Street Thursday in Muscatine as he treks across the United States, walking from New York City to San Francisco. He is a member of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness and has walked across Canada three times.\u201d
\nMay the Source be with you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n
“Traversing the U.S. on foot.”
\nEmily Wenger: MUSCATINE, Iowa— Bhaktimarga Swami, also known as “The Walking Monk,” passed through Muscatine on Thursday as part of his walk across the U.S.
\nThe 63-year-old Swami hopes to encourage people to connect with their spirituality through walking.
\nHe began his trek in New York City and plans to finish his journey in San Francisco in the summer of 2017 after taking a break during the winter months. He timed the end of the walk to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.
\nAlthough his entry into Muscatine Thursday was greeted with rain, everything around him, Bhaktimarga Swami said, reminds him of his spirituality.
\n“So when you’re outside walking seven hours a day on average you can’t help but see the spiritual things that creep up around you, the rain has a message to tell you,” he said, “Davenport to Muscatine has been one of the most beautiful days.”
\nWhile walking to Muscatine on Highway 22, Bhaktimarga Swami said he encountered a curious police officer, and people who have offered him rides along the way. In those interactions, he said, he has seen the kindness the Midwest has to offer.
\n“The people have been very kind, mostly I would say, with offering rides. And then I have to disappoint them and say I can’t cheat,” he said.
\nThe Swami became a monk in 1973, and said the introspective walks he has been taking for 20 years are a way to raise spiritual awareness.
\n“It’s my calling,” he said.
\nWhat Bhaktimarga Swami has noticed most is the kindness from people along the way. While traversing the U.S., he said he has had a place to sleep every night.
\n“The people are phenomenal, they have been really kind,” he said.
\nEvery day Bhaktimarga Swami walks around 20 miles, sometimes beginning as early as 3 a.m. to avoid the worst heat of the day. He has friends who follow him, and occasionally check in.
\n“He checks in sometimes just to make sure I’m still alive,” Swami laughed.
\nHe also takes occasional detours from his walks, to drive to a nearby temple to speak, but he always begins where he left off.
\nThe Swami has crossed his home country of Canada three times (actually it’s four), and he said the Iowa cornfields remind him of home.
\n“The cornfields are what I grew up with,” he said.
\nCars have caused a disconnect among people, Swami said. Returning to walking allows personal connections to form.
\n“The automobile is cold, you don’t really see each other,” he said.
\nHe hopes that the universal understanding about walking will help raise people’s spiritual awareness.
\n“It is a kind of non-denominational approach to spirituality,” he said.
\nThe Swami is an instructor of bhakti yoga. Bhakti means “devotion,” and he said the objective of yoga is connection with the divine.
\n“It’s a very old traditional practice that has roots in India and like the Mississippi it flows through all people, countries, nations, and races,” he said.
\nHe is also a director and playwright of “morality stories” based on ancient Indian epics, which he said are a spiritual outlet for his creativity. Bhaktimarga Swami said walking across countries sometimes reminds him of these plays.
\n“When you put your feet right on the ground and you meet everybody and you see the way their hair blows, you see the skin color, you see the face of the individual whatever it may be, grumpy or cheerful, that’s like having a drama in itself,” he said.
\nThat drama crosses boundaries of religion, and Bhaktimarga Swami said that while appreciating differences, the unity of people is most important.
\n“The diversity is beautiful but we really have to look at is the oneness factor,” he said.
\nWhile moving across the country, Bhaktimarga Swami hopes to remind people of the need for human connection.
\n“The intent is to try to encourage people to slow down the pace of life and get connected to their soul,” he said.
\nBeth Van Zandt took a photo whose caption reads. “It’s not every day you see a monk walking down the street of Muscatine, but, Bhaktimarga Swami of Chatham, Ontario, Canada, walks along Cedar Street Thursday in Muscatine as he treks across the United States, walking from New York City to San Francisco. He is a member of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness and has walked across Canada three times.”
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