Along the Way.... January Walk Review

The morning walk of January, just at the start of a fresh New Year, was hosted by Mr Ramanathan at West Coast Park.  It was very heartening to see that we were a group of 30, young and adults, who enjoyed the walk.

Themed as the "Play Centre in the West", West Coast Park is a large regional park located in the southwest of Singapore. A linear park comprising 50 hectares of park land, the park runs parallel to West Coast Highway.

The Park caters to people of different age groups, from toddlers to adults. The Western part of the Park is for more adventurous activities, whereas the eastern part of the park is for those who like a quiet and peaceful environment.

We ourselves, living in the Western part of Singapore, visited West Coast park after a very long time and it was a pleasant surprise for me to see so many changes that had taken place. It was only then we realised that all of us were moving forward in time, with so many changes the nature has undergone.  Did we find our magic key?

“Always we bear in us a magic key
Concealed in life's hermetic envelope.
A burning Witness in the sanctuary
Regards through Time and the blind walls of Form;
A timeless Light is in his hidden eyes;
He sees the secret things no words can speak
And knows the goal of the unconscious world
And the heart of the mystery of the journeying years”.

Savitri, Book I, Canto IV

The park is set next to the sea. Along with enjoying the sea breeze and appreciating the flora and fauna, we marched our way with our mind as blank as a clean slate, getting closer with the nature.

We realise that Savitri is always with us, all the time, wherever we go. Looking at the sea adjoining the park, a few lines from Savitri came to my mind:

“When earth was built in the unconscious Void
And nothing was save a material scene,
Identified with sea and sky and stone
Her young gods yearned for the release of souls
 Asleep in objects, vague, inanimate.”

 Savitri Book II, Canto III

As we walked in the park, we noticed that there was a path where the branches of the trees were seen bending inwards, forming a shelter for the humans. It looked more like that the trees were welcoming the big group that had joined the walk.

A little further, we came across some sandy patch. No doubt we saw the sand on the sea, but it was a purposeful patch of sand that was provided for in the Park.

I found it to be very symbolic as regards sand, time and the course of the Earth,

“Along a path of aeons serpentine

In the coiled blackness of her nascient course

The earth Goddess toils across the sands of time”

 Savitri, Book I, Canto IV

After a good stroll in the park, we all went to Mr Ramanathan’s new house.   We all, as a big group, meditated and the lines from Mother’s work were read out.

The first one started with

“Ignorance and excuse are two separate patterns that can be dissolved”

And ended with

“Anandamayi, Chaitanyamayi, Satyamai Parame”

As always,  it was awesome to listen to Mother’s words.

The birthdays and the anniversaries were read out and everybody joined in the joy of the birthday and anniversary celebrities. The wonderful cake was cut by two wonderful girls, Sophia and Ananya.

We were then treated to not a brunch but a delicious lunch. Enjoying the view at the 34th storey, we were quite liberal with our appetite and enjoyed the “Brunch” along with the dessert.

“On a height he stood that looked towards greater heights”

The beginning line of Book I, Canto IV—Savitri.

“A prayer, a master act, a king idea can link man's strength to a transcendent Force”.

Savitri Book I, Canto II

                  

                                                                                      Kiranchandra Vasant Sule