On this day, where we celebrate and observe his appearance in this world, I rededicate my life to him. In my estimation, of spiritual leaders, he is the greatest of all.

I have visited seven cities in three weeks, seeing many sides of American culture. Previously held stereotypes have been broken, and a greater appreciation of this land has been developed.

I have had to say goodbye to many friends and well-wishers. Moving from place to place, I was wholly dependent on the kindness of friends, family, and strangers. Opening their hearts and homes, they showed kindess I can only hope to repay in this lifetime. I am thankful to them all.

Yesterday evening I sat in meditation on the steps of the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC. I reflected on the challenges Lincoln faced in his life and how he overcame them. I began to think of the challenges I have faced whilst in America, and of those that I will encounter on reaching England. They were, and are, of far less significance than those of Lincoln, but none-the-less, they are challenges. As I try to follow the teachings of my spiritual teachers, develop a mood of selfless service, and deepen relationships with new and old friends alike, I pray for your kind wishes and blessings.

“My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place and the kindness of this people I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born and one is buried.

I now leave, not knowing when or whether ever I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being who ever attended him I can not succeed. With that assistance I can not fail.

Trusting in Him who can go with me and remain with you and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

— Abraham Lincoln, Farewell address at Springfield, February 11, 1861

The first landmark I visited in Boston was Commonwealth Pier. It is here where Srila Prabhupada first saw America. Standing on the pier, I was reminded of the sacrifice made by Prabhupada to share the teachings of Krishna to the Western world.

I cannot think of a better way to start my America trip.

Along with thoroughly enjoying the design process, I also love well-designed products. Chief amongst these are books. Recently I have found myself purchasing books based solely on the look and feel of it in my hands. At times nothing pleases me more than holding a book or magazine with careful and considered design. This extends from the cover design, to the paper type, use of typography, and imagery.

One such publication is the magazine Monocle. Twice a year I purchase a copy, not for the content – as it is largely dull and lifeless – but for it’s excellent design. At 200 pages, it is substantial for a monthly magazine. Each page is stunning; I often find myself flicking through in awe of the simple yet highly effective design. When working on design projects, it is usually the first item off my bookshelf for inspiration.

For those interested in further reading, here is an interview with their former art-director.

Over the 3 days we were taken out on four ‘game drives’. Lasting approximately two and a half hours each, over the course of our stay we were able to see all the wildlife the Mara has to offer – except the hyena, much to the disappointment of my friend.

I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the Krishna community in Nairobi. From distributing free food to local villages, to holding regular Bhagavad-gita discussion groups, they are doing some outstanding work. I was asked to speak at one of their Gita sessions. It was a fantastic experience sharing what I knew about the text with some of the local people. For 40 minutes we spoke and shared ideas about thanking God for what he has given us, and ensuring we use whatever we have with responsibility.

Following the discussion, as is tradition, we all sang in kirtan, and had a lovely lunch in the temple-owned restaurant.

Leaving aside all arguments on the relevancy of the Royal family in the 21^st Century, and their lack of ‘qualification’ – whatever that means – as heads of State, yesterday was a wonderful  spectacle for all. The pomp, grandeur, and celebration were truly wonderful. The genuine love and affection between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was especially warming to see.

I was pleasantly surprised at religious tone of the service at Westminster Abbey. The language was strong and direct.

One of my highlights of the day was seeing them on their journey to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey. Flanked on either side by the Household Cavalry, there was a real sense of history and tradition.

Overall, I felt yesterday was a day of joy, and an opportunity to appreciate our great fortune to live in country where faith and historic traditions are alive and well.

It was very inspiring to hear how Christian and Muslim communities all over Africa are working to take care of the planet. One would think that with the raft of challenges Africa is faced with – disease, poverty, and lack of education to name a few – that environmental protection wouldn’t be a priority. What was clear from the conference, however, was that these faith leaders saw caring for the planet deeply connected with these other issues. As Emerson states so eloquently in his masterpiece Nature:

The ruin or the blank, that we see when we look at nature, is in our own eye. The axis of vision is not coincident with the axis of things, and so they appear not transparent but opake. The reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps, is, because man is disunited with himself. He cannot be a naturalist, until he satisfies all the demands of the spirit. — Nature, Chapter 8

Following the conference I spent a few days getting to know the Hindu community in Nairobi. Well established and highly influential, Hindus (and Indians in general) have been in East Africa for almost 100 years. My main contact whilst there was the President of the Hindu Council of Africa. He kindly showed me around Nairobi and introduced me to leading members of the Hindu community in the city. By the end of my trip I had met some great people and learnt about some amazing environmental work Hindus in Kenya are doing. Agreements were made, as were the foundations for a successful partnership between Bhumi and Hindus across Africa.

From a work perspective, everything far exceeded my expectations. It was immensely gratifying to see the willingness of the Hindu community to engage in environmental work that benefitted all parts of the African community. A great example for others to follow.

On my recent trip to Kenya, I was asked why I had chosen Radhanath Swami as my guru. Of the many hundreds (if not thousands) of gurus to be found in India and around the world, one is certainly not challenged by a lack of choice. The acceptance of a guru is a very deep and personal decision. It is also something that cannot be completely rationalised, thus making it difficult to fully explain to others. For me, the knowledge that accepting a guru was essential for spiritual growth was the driving force that ultimately led me to Radhanath Swami.

It is fitting that the one year anniversary of my initiation falls on Easter Weekend. As Christians around the world remember and celebrate the life of Lord Jesus Christ, praying for his love, guidance, and to be better Christians as he would have wanted, I too pray that I may always try and live up to the ideals that Radhanath Swami expects from all of his disciples.

Above, Radhanath Swami at a book signing during an author tour of America following the release of his book, The Journey Home.

I had serious misgivings before I entered full-time employment. The thought of spending 8 hours behind a desk on meaningless tasks troubled me. When making money was no longer the driving force in my life (sometime around the age of 18), my mind turned towards trying to help people through meaningful work. Some may argue that it is arrogant to think one can help others. I would have to agree, but would counter that one should at least try to help others. I am so thankful, therefore, that my work involves working with great people on projects and initiatives that have the potential to benefit so many around the world.

A week ago we opened a new multi-faith prayer room at Imperial College. This is the second such room on the South Kensington campus. The room is available to people of all traditions who wish to use it for individual and group prayer. The fact that we now have two of these rooms is a real sign of how the practice of faith is important to so many students. One of my roles is to make sure students are aware of these rooms, and help them make bookings to use them. Although not a taxing task, I take it seriously. It is a privilege to help so many students practice their faith whilst at University.

The past two months has seen a lull in activity for the Bhumi Project. We are now to kick things off again, and have exciting plans for the next 12 months. First on the agenda is a trip to Nairobi, Kenya. I fly out this Sunday for 10 days. Whilst there I will be attending a Christian-Muslim conference on the environment. The conference has been organised by ARC, with support from the World Bank, USAID, and other international organisations. I will be attending to learn how these other faith groups are working to take better care of the planet. It promises to be a great event. Following the conference I’ll spend a few days meeting and getting to know the Hindu community in Nairobi. The hope is to encourage them to partner with Bhumi and begin to implement our programs. I’ll also spend a day planting trees in rural Kenya. The final few days will be spent on safari in the Masai Mara.

I am so grateful for these opportunities, and to those who have put their trust into me to carry out such work. At times it is overwhelming and daunting. Often it is frustrating and tedious. I draw strength from the fact that I do such work, not for the pay slip at the end of the month, but for a greater good.