November 2016 – Page 5 – Planet ISKCON

Is chanting unfinished rounds the next day bona-fide?
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Conversation.

Diverse Newcomers Delve into Prabhupada’s Books at Baltimore…
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Diverse Newcomers Delve into Prabhupada’s Books at Baltimore Bhakti Lounge.
Originally the gatherings were held in a tiny space – barely more than a shed. Since being restarted in October, however, the Bhakti Lounge’s home has been a handsome, two-storey residential house with a wrap-around porch and comfortable furnishings, located near the ISKCON Baltimore temple in Catonsville, Maryland.

Yavat – Ter Kadamba Karttika 2016 (Album with photos) Deena…
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Yavat – Ter Kadamba Karttika 2016 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: This is my very favorite parikrama to go to Yavat and …Read More…

THE SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS CONFERENCE 2016 Recently I attended…
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THE SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS CONFERENCE 2016
Recently I attended the yearly conference, “The Science of Consciousness”, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. Sponsored for the past 23 years by the University of Arizona and the University of Michigan, and dedicated to “broad and rigorous approaches to conscious awareness, the nature of existence and our place in the universe”, this unique forum attracted over 1000 participants from 60 countries. Of the 500 submitted abstracts, mine was one of the 200 included in the poster session.
Here is the Abstract from my presentation:

Modes of Material Nature: A Mathematical Model of Consciousness Based on Eastern Philosophical Traditions Mauricio Garrido (Columbia University, Professional Studies; Bhaktivedanta Institute, Gainesville, New York, NY )

Consciousness is postulated by some to be a fundamental entity (Chalmers, 1996). As such, how is it affected by and how does it affect the world around us? Eastern philosophies such as Vedanta and Sankhya hold that consciousness is fundamental and explain its interactions with matter in terms of the modes of material nature, or gunas, which act as both consciousness filters and the make-up of
matter itself. Dasgupta (1961) describes the gunas as ?the universal characteristics of all kinds of mental tendencies? (p. 468). According to the Bhagavat Purana, on one hand all material elements are infused with the gunas. And on the other hand, our psycho-physical disposition consists of mixtures of the gunas (Prabhupada, 1976). Thus, more than just a personality indicator to describe an individual’s behavior – such as the Myers-Briggs Indicator (Langton & Robbins, 2007) – or perceptual sets that are created by motivation (Coon & Mitterer, 2008), the gunas have an important ontological status in the metaphysics of Vedanta and Sankhya. Although there have been studies on inter-guna correlations (Das, 1991 and Pathak et al., 1992), only until recently has a fully statistically-validated, quantitative tool been developed to assess them individually (Wolf, 1999 and Stempel et al., 2006). This tool has been used in meditation studies (Schmidt & Walach, 2014) and speech rehabilitation (Caturvedi, 2000). We now present a mathematical model of the gunas that aims at understanding the results of some of these studies, which use the tool developed by Wolf to quantify the gunas. A delineation of the different characteristics that make up the different mental faculties according to the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavat Purana is presented to create interacting modules. The states of this machinery are then linked to the gunas and dynamics are included in this state-space. Finally, the results from some of the studies that involve guna theory are explained using this model

As Krishna enters the listening ear, He clears up the vision of the listener…
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By Krishna-kripa das I share an excerpt of a letter from Srila Prabhupada, and a quote from his guru, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share inspiring selections from Vaishnava Compassion and Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name by Satsvarupa da…

Bhaktivedanta Institute of Gainesville Conference
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Hare Krishna By Krishna-kripa das

Since Vivekananda’s 1893 address to the Parliament of World Religion in Chicago, Aurobindo’s extensive writings on evolutionary theory in the early to mid-20th century, and Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s discussions with scientists and philosophers popularized by his young Hare Kṛṣṇa followers in the late 20th century, the natural sciences of the West have been on the mind of great thinkers from India. Focusing on how Bhaktivedanta Swami’s teachings have been developed and articulated in the early 21st century, this conference highlights developments from some of those on the forefront of the encounter between Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the sciences. Friends and followers of Sadaputa Prabhu, many in Alachua County, Florida, started a branch of the Bhaktivedanta Institute in Gainesville. They decided to do a practice conference on November 13, inviting devotee scholars to speak and present papers. What follows is some notes I took on the presentations of things that were striking to me.

How can we overcome the infection of karma and jnana?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/11-16%20QA/How%20can%20we%20overcome%20the%20infection%20of%20karma%20and%20jnana.mp3
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How can we know whether we are depending on our own endeavors or on Krishna?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/11-16%20QA/How%20can%20we%20know%20whether%20we%20are%20depending%20on%20our%20own%20endeavors%20or%20on%20Krishna.mp3
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How can we know whether we are depending on our own endeavors or on Krishna?

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Material solutions to problems lead to bigger problems – so, should we seek material solutions?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/11-16%20QA/Material%20solutions%20to%20problems%20lead%20to%20bigger%20problems%20-%20so,%20should%20we%20seek%20material%20solutions.mp3
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Does the mind tempt us because of the modes or do the modes tempt us because of the mind?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/11-16%20QA/Does%20the%20mind%20tempt%20us%20because%20of%20the%20modes%20or%20do%20the%20modes%20tempt%20us%20because%20of%20the%20mind.mp3
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How can we maintain our spiritual alertness amidst worldly association?
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/11-16%20QA/How%20can%20we%20maintain%20our%20spiritual%20alertness%20amidst%20worldly%20association.mp3
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Bhikshu Gita 6 – See the mind’s aversion to concentration as a trick of illusion (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.47)
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Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/11-16%20classes/Bhikshu%20Gita%206%20-%20See%20the%20mind’s%20aversion%20to%20concentration%20as%20a%20trick%20of%20illusion%20-%20Bhagavatam%2011.23.47.mp3
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Business leaders, spiritual teachers advocate charity in…
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Business leaders, spiritual teachers advocate charity in business.
“Our greatest treasure here is our own culture. India has a historic opportunity in today’s times to do great things for the benefit of the country and the World”, said Radhanath Swami Maharaj, ISKCON Spiritual leader and one of the keynote speakers at Artha Forum.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/3Zya1Z

Daily Darshan:November24, 2016
→ Mayapur.com

The post Daily Darshan:November24, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISKCON 50 Meditations: November 24, 2016
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Prabhupada Teaches How to Stay High Forever

A deeper purpose
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 06 September 2016, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.26) Vedic culture is all about dharma. The kshatriya is not to become non-violent but they should use their violence only to protect the principles of religion thus they are protectors and not aggressors – not just big guys with big muscles; big […]

Working with others can reduce sectarian mindset
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Typically, a group of people or an institution promote a particular cause or multiple causes. For example, a State University promotes the cause of higher education. A political party promotes certain causes to its electoral votes. A church or temple p…

THE ZIGZAG PATH OF BHAKTI
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Author:

Karnamrita Das

When I was a new devotees it seemed like our spiritual advancement was like a rocket going straight and fast to our spiritual destination, and surely in a few years we would board that spiritual flower airplane piloted by the best of devotees, and go “back home, back to Godhead.” However, after some years my shiny, fast, roller blades become covered in thick, heavy mud and what had at first seemed like a full throttle race to the finish line turned into a slippery crawl, where sometimes I seemed to be going nowhere, or even sliding helplessly backwards down the rocky, dusty hill with no footing or holds.

Reading that Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has sometimes referred to spiritual advancement in bhakti as the “zigzag path,” has normalized my ups and downs in spiritual life, helping me to understand my difficulties, or starts, stops, and reverses not as a personal anomaly but as natural for every seeker. When we are on the ground, we have to rise up with the help of the ground, so this is my attempt to stand and go forward aided with the staff of mercy, prayer, and knowledge.

Worlds of Magic, Worlds of Truth
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By Nikunja Vilasini Devi Dasi Reading or hearing about Krishna’s astounding pastimes in Vrindavana will satisfy our innate spiritual need to be connected with the supreme spiritual person, Sri Krishna. Mundane tales bind us to the material sphere, wher…

Are We Bound or Free?
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By Vishakha Devi Dasi Simply by hearing about Krishna and His devotees, we will lose our longtime desire to control and enjoy this world, and as we gradually reduce our desire to dominate, we will proportionately enjoy spiritual happiness. A Vedic mant…

Austerity and Pleasure: Managing Our Sexuality While Waiting for Transcendence
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Hare Krishna By Urmila Devi Dasi

The enlightened devotee’s detachment derives from the superior satisfaction of spiritual love. The rising tide of spiritual love gradually increases to a flood. This love, real love, means giving rather than taking. It means giving oneself for the pleasure of God. It means being an agent to unite the Lord and His energy of pleasure – Krishna with Radha, Narayana with Lakshmi, Rama with Sita. Of course, the Lord and His eternal consort do not depend on a tiny soul to aid their union. It is the kindness of the Lord that He engages the expanded living beings in this way so as to share His bliss. The finite soul, thus linked with the infinite through loving service, eternally experiences ever-expanding ecstasy. Such is our natural, constitutional, inherent nature. Let us take daily steps toward regaining our nature and letting go of its pale reflection.

Don’t identify with the mind – identify the mind
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“To identify with the mind” means to accept its desires as our desires and unthinkingly act on them. “To identify the mind” means to recognize that the desires popping up inside us are the mind’s desires – “Aha! That’s the mind speaking” – and to intelligently evaluate whether to act on them or not.

“Don’t identify with the mind; identify the mind” – this can be a contemporary English rendition of the key call of the Bhagavad-gita (06.05): Elevate yourself with the mind; don’t degrade yourself[1]. When we identify with the mind, we act according to its shortsighted, self-defeating desires, thereby degrading ourselves. When we identify the mind, we check its desires and choose to act only on those desires that are worthy, thereby elevating ourselves.

Redefining external and internal

Suppose we had a house with a large courtyard that had a fence with the main security gate. Suppose we found someone inside the fence. Just because they were inside our premises, we wouldn’t assume that they belonged, that they were related with us. We would investigate who they were and then decide how to interact with them.

We need to be similarly cautious when we find some unexpected desires popping up inside us. We often think of physical objects as external and desires as internal. This external-internal classification is based on our thinking of ourselves as our body. However, the fundamental teaching of the Bhagavad-gita (02.13)[2] is that we are souls. The mind is made of matter, although of a kind subtler than the physical matter we are accustomed to. Being material, the mind is an external covering on the soul. So, from the perspective of our real identity as souls, the mind is external to us, as are the desires in it.

But we usually think of the desires inside us as our desires. Some of our desires can be like intruders who have slipped through the main security gate and entered into the premises. Just as those residing in the house are especially vulnerable to such intruders, we too are especially vulnerable to the inimical desires that have penetrated into our mind. We misidentify with such desires and act on them. For example, we may have resolved to diet for health. But then a desire to eat something fatty pops up within us. If we mistake that desire to be our desire, we end up bingeing. If we can recognize that desire as an unwanted trespasser, we can strive to resist it.

How can we identify the mind instead of identifying with the mind?

Here are four strategies:

Labeling
Advising
Purifying
Persisting

Labeling

When we interact with people regularly, we gradually form labels for them: “He’s lazy,” “She’s fussy,” “He’s rash”, “She’s vain.” This labeling tendency can mislead. People are a complex blend of strengths and shortcomings, but labeling reduces them to just one of their traits.

Still, labels, if used carefully, can serve as helpful functional guides. People are what they are, and aren’t likely to change overnight. Once we understand their nature, we can adapt to them. For […]

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It was Ford and Reuther, and the ceremony was covered by Time…
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It was Ford and Reuther, and the ceremony was covered by Time magazine, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Detroit Free Press!
Udayananda: We had kirtan competitions. Devotees from the Chicago temple would do their thing, the L.A. devotees w…

Monday, November 21st, 2016
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Parting from the Party

It is always on a tearful note that I leave the community of devotees in Buenos Aires. It is the whole continent, South America, which seems to run on emotional fuel. I’m caught up in it myself.

Our group that took the three and a half days to assemble a narrative dance/drama was exhausted over the hard work. Results paid off. I delivered two Bhagavatam classes while here, and Gaura Vani Swami, and Maha Vishnu Swami, respectively from Germany and the U.K., are monks I had a good time with. To those whom I gave dikshainitiation in the past years, I offer my deepest regards for sticking to dharma (principles). To Maha-hari, an Argentinian native, who runs the operations at ISKCON, and Merudevi, who had done so much to pull the festival together, my dandavats(prostrations) go to them.

Actually, Balarama and I had been on such an intense program, that outside of my chanting quota, the practices, some eating and a few hours of sleep, we hadn’t visited the successful Govinda’s Restaurant, which is housed in the same complex we had been residing in. For a send-off, we were treated to a lunch meal. It’s a good buffet. Spices are minimal. We ate like kings before our final good-byes.

As in the days of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, a subtle kirtan put a closure to our devotional endeavours for this year.

Water swelled in the eyes as we parted and hugs were plenty.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Sunday, November 20th, 2016
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

So Much Happiness

As the name implies this city has some “good air.” Being near the ocean, a port city, some prana (life force) makes its way through the place. I’m enjoying it, seated on a bench, and anticipating a high spirit festival, the annual Chariot Fest.

While fingering through on my japa (meditation) beads, I find everything rather conducive to living a ‘real’ life. Even the local temple cat, who seems to carry on as if the courtyard is his domain, is frisking about, chasing and grabbing a fallen twig of leaves. The air’s movement agitates the leaves and their shiver has captivated him. He’s oblivious to my sitting there and chanting.

He’s also unaware of today’s celebration of what you’ll find in most major cities, the Ratha Yatra, a chariot festival. A re-enactment of a joy ride taken up by Sri Krishna and siblings, long ago. The celebration includes a march of chanters down a major street and then food, displays, kid’s fun and stage events to follow.

I was involved in the stage presentation. Balarama, who travelled with me from Canada, played the lead role in “Krishna Is…” He did very well by incorporating his ballet-trained skill into the production. I moved around the grounds, where the audience was sitting during the performance, with some concern. Will the people be able to focus on some grave-to-emotional, almost stoic-in-action scenes like Krishna just talking to an old school mate during a reunion? Fortunately, the crowd of hundreds was focused. That same attention came during the Gita scene. I was amazed at their amazement.

Overall, what a festival! So much happiness!

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Saturday, November 19th, 2016
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Deal With the Fluff

In the Spanish world they have a saying: Si te gusta el durazno bancate la pelusa. “If you like peaches, you must deal with the fluff.”

A conversation I had with two young people, who shared this with me, addressed the austerity that one is obliged to do this if you really want to enjoy life. They also pointed out a song from the 80’s “Every rose has its thorn” by the unplugged group “Poison.”

Duality is what we must live with in this world, whether we like it or not. Sweet and sour play together in the real world. Enough of this subject is contained in the Bhagavad-gita.

Since I arrived here in Buenos Aires, it’s been time spent in hard work, which is motivated by wanting a good result (as best as possible). Our production of “Krishna Is…” comes with co-operation, timeliness and listening.

Unfortunately, my Spanish stinks. I’m picking up on some words. I’ll say, “Hermoso” which means “beautiful” when I think the actors really put forth their best at a practice. I’m committed to encouragement to augment the performance. The good Lord knows I raise my voice at times in order that our troupe keeps focused on the project. Directors are permitted to do such things. A touch of discipline can’t spoil the purchase. It enhances.

My experience thus far in dealing with the young to mid-age in the drama has been good, except for the mañana spirit that sometimes kicks in. Delay, or being late in showing up is a kind of procrastination. Being “on time” is a welcome austerity.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Who determines what our nature is and what engagements we should perform
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Conversation.

Reading Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s conversation (Part 4)
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Devamrta, Niranjana, Sivarama Swamis.

“One’s ability to respond.”The word, responsibility, derives…
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“One’s ability to respond.”
The word, responsibility, derives from Old French, respondre, “to answer.”

In other words, responsibility, can be literally taken as, “one’s ability to respond.”

Daily Darshan:November23,2016
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Hladini, Sandhini And Samvit
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Hladini, Sandhini And Samvit.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three kinds of internal potency, namely the hlādinī-śakti, or pleasure potency, the sandhinī-śakti, or existential potency, and the samvit-śakti, or cognitive potency. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.12.69) the Lord is addressed as follows: “O Lord, You are the support of everything. The three attributes hlādinī, sandhinīand samvit exist in You as one spiritual energy. But the material modes, which cause happiness, misery and mixtures of the two, do not exist in You, for You have no material qualities.”
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta—-1:4:60—-purport).

Five beings that should always be appreciated, valued and protected
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Five beings that should always be appreciated & valued and PROTECTED.
When they are thus valued (as any great wealth is), they will be protected by those who value them. Lack of protection indicates a lack of appreciation – that is, the fault is not with the wealth, it is with the unappreciative wealth holder. Danakeli Dasi once wrote a very nice explanation why they should be protected.

Initiation ceremony (Album with photos) Nitya Lila Devi dasi…
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Initiation ceremony (Album with photos)
Nitya Lila Devi dasi receiving Harinam diksa and Vedanta-krit das receiving brahminica…Read More…

Torrents Of Rain! Giriraj Swami: Reading Srila Prabhupada’s…
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Torrents Of Rain!
Giriraj Swami: Reading Srila Prabhupada’s Light of the Bhagavata, I was struck by text 12 and his commentary on it:
“The mountains, although being struck by torrents of rain during the rainy season, are not shaken, just as those whose hearts are dedicated to the transcendental Personality of Godhead are never disturbed, even when harassed by great misfortune.” (LOB 12)
“Because a person who is spiritually advanced accepts any adverse condition of life as the mercy of the Lord, he is completely eligible to enter into the spiritual kingdom. Even though a person takes to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, he may sometimes become diseased, impoverished, or disappointed by life’s events. A true devotee of the Lord always considers these sufferings to be due to past sinful activities, and thus without becoming disturbed he patiently awaits the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Such devotees are compared to high mountains, which are never agitated in any way, even when struck by powerful torrents of rain in the rainy season. Rather, such devotees remain humble in spiritual enlightenment. Free from pride and envy, they easily gain the mercy of the Lord and go back home, back to Godhead.” (LOB 12 purport)
Hare Krishna.

“Translating ‘Dharma’ and the Dharma of…
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“Translating ‘Dharma’ and the Dharma of Translation”
Krishna Kshetra Swami: Yesterday I gave a 2-hour lecture at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Faculty of Religion) here in Beijing. My lecture title: “Translating ‘Dharma’ and the Dharma of Translation” (focusing on the Bhāgavatam). Nice, bright group of students and scholars, some of whom I met last year.

The Quest for Infinity
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A video by Krishna Wisdom describing the nature of the soul, based on the ancient teachings of the east, taken from the Bhagavad Gita – As It Is, by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Bhikshu Gita Series
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Bhikshu Gita 1 – Minimize misery by identifying the misery caused by the mind (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.42)
Talk at ISKCON, Bahrain
Podcast :

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/11-16%20classes/Bhikshu%20Gita%201%20-%20%20Minimize%20misery%20by%20identifying%20the%20misery%20caused%20by%20the%20mind%20Bhagavatam%2011.23.42.mp3