by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi Klang - Ratha Yatra 2014

by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi Klang - Ratha Yatra 2014

by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi Klang - Ratha Yatra 2014

by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi Klang - Ratha Yatra 2014

by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi Klang - Ratha Yatra 2014

Pushya Abhishek in Iskcon Vrindavan! 5/1/15 (Album 57 photos)
Pushya Abhishek of their Lordship Sri Sri Krishna Balram Gaura Nitai Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundara and Lalita Vishakha Devi with pure cow ghee!
Srila Prabhupada once explained the festival this way: “Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis decided that we shall decorate Him. Pusya abhisheka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely with flowers, ornaments, cloths.
After there should be lavish feasting and a procession through the streets, so that all the citizens should see how beautiful Krishna appears.”
See them here: http://goo.gl/Ktq1Ry

Bhaktivedanta Academy Students in Alachua, Florida, help plant Fruit Trees
The Bhaktivedanta Academy students from Shanti Day’s class came out last week to help plant the first section of the fruit orchard. The students planted 15 trees including pear, persimmon, peach and plum, and learned some basic principles of dormant planting, where the plant’s roots shoot downwards, and the tree is prevented from budding. In two years or so the students will see the fruit of their work, literally. Now that the fruit trees are in they need watering. This can be easily accomplished by drip irrigation lines, which can be put down and connected to our new water tower tank. BUT the solar well pump needs to be hooked up to the new well and the solar panels installed by an experienced person.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/X0W2nc

A Krishna Conscious Taxi Ride - Yamaraja das
Yamaraja das likes to see each person that gets into his taxi as a potential recipient of Srila Prabhupada’s mercy. He is always looking for the right opportunity to introduce his customers to Srila Prabhupada’s books. More often than not people have been open and appreciative to receive a book and hear something about the Hare Krishna movement. The cab company owner Abhayananda das is also a devotee, which affords a degree of facility to Yamaraja prabhu’s mission.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/9egUr9

The qualities that a civilised society is meant to inculcate in its citizens.

The post Varnasrama series 5 appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Kirtan: Meditation with a bang (6 min video)
A short video to give a people a taste of kirtan.
Kirtan is actually the recommended yoga technique for this age, to uncover our original self which is beyond the body and mind, and reconnect with the Supreme consciousness, Krishna, Source of all pleasure. Yoga actually literally means this - to connect the tiny particle of consciousness, ourselves, with the Supreme Consciousness, Krishna in our original harmonious relationship - so we can again experience that taste and full resonance we are always searching for in everything we do - the Love Supreme. That is the highest pleasure available for us. But anyway that’s a look in to the deeper meaning of kirtan, if you just want to come for relaxation and a good time, feel free!
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/2G3WUV

Their Lordships Sri Sri Gandharvika Giridhari adorned in Traditional Manipuri Outfits (Album 15 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the material world, everything is full of anxiety
(kuntha), whereas in the spiritual world (Vaikuntha) everything is free from anxiety. Therefore those who are afflicted by a combination of anxieties cannot understand the Hare Krishna mantra, which is free from all anxiety.
(Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 7.74 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/g9dXZC

The post January 5th, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

HG Jai Nitai Dasa – 25.12.2014

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

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Śvetāśvataropaniṣad 4.5

अजाम् एकाम् लोहितशुक्लकृष्णम् बह्वीः प्रजाः सृजमानां सरूपाः
अजो ह्येको जुषमाणोनुशेते जहात्येनां भुक्तभोगाम् अजोन्यः

ajām ekām lohita-śukla-kṛṣṇām
bahvīḥ prajāḥ sṛjamānāṁ sarūpāḥ
ajo hy eko juṣamāṇo ‘nuśete
jahāty enāṁ bhukta-bhogām ajo ‘nyaḥ

Translation

There is one beginningless entity who is clear-white when she transmits conscious perception, reddish-hued when she inspires creativity, and dark-blue when she coagulates and destroys. There is another beginningless entity who wants to procreate with her. Yet another beginningless entity forsakes her after enjoying her.

Basic explanation

The verse mentions three “beginningless entities.” The first is prakṛti — nature, the original form of the external world. The second is a baddha-jīva – a living entity who wants to enjoy her. The third is a mukta-jīva – a living entity who forsakes her after enjoying her.

Prakṛti is so attractive. She has many “colors.” These three colors are her guṇa (attractive qualities): sattva, rajas, and tamas. Sattva is characterized as white and clear. Its purpose is to allow consciousness to interact with inert, extrinsic materials. Rajas is characterized as reddish and hued. Its purpose is to inspire creativity and expansion. Tamas is characterized as dark and blue-black. Its purpose is to allow things to cease, rest, and contract / coagulate.

The jīva is also beginningless, it becomes attracted to enjoy prakṛti’s beautiful qualities. The connotation is sexual (the word anuśete literally means “what happens after lying down together”). The verse describes two types of jīva – one is lying down in the arms of prakṛti, another is getting up and walking away after enjoying her. The implication is that the second type will achieve mokṣa – and existence not limited within the three qualities of prakṛti.

Extended Explanation: Gender Mixup

The irony expressed subtly in this verse is that both beginningless entities are prakṛti – they are both parts of the creative energies of Bhagavān. There are three categories of prakṛti. The current verse describes only two of them. The first, not described here, is the internal-prakṛti of Bhagavān Puruṣa, which delights him. The second, described here with three colors, is the external-prakṛti which makes herself available to delight a third type of prakṛti individual living beings who are not inclined towards participating in the Bhagavān-centric delight of the internal prakṛti. This third prakṛti is the jīva. It is not a part of the external prakṛti, nor is it  a part of the internal prakṛti. It is a third type of prakṛti which has the freedom to invest itself into one of the other two.

The irony is that only Bhagavān is truly the puruṣa (male). All three other beginningless entities are prakṛti (female). Thus the relationship between the jīva and the external-prakṛti is “homosexual” or “entirely imaginary.” The jīva is prakṛti, and the thing she wants to lie-down with is also prakṛti… both partners are female. But the external-prakṛti enchants the jīva so she feels like she is male (puruṣa) and foregoes identification as Bhagavān’s prakṛti in favor of embracing the imaginary fantasy of being prakṛti’s puruṣa. In other words, the soul loses her inherent female beauty to adopt the costume of a male-ego (which expresses itself as feeling worthy of being the focus of pleasure and service, and is at the root of all material life-forms, regardless of their temporary external physical gender).

Extended Explanation: Liberation is Insufficient

You can see that the jīva headed towards mokṣa is intentionally not painted in a flattering light. “After enjoying her, he gives her up.” Such a jīva is heartless and cold. So the verse is subtly indicating the mokṣa is the the true glory of the jīva. It is also an embarrassment because the jīva heading towards mokṣa still has not discovered her inherent femininity as Bhagavān’s prakṛti.

Bhakti is the only condition that is not an embarrassment for the jīva, for only in Bhakti does the jīva recognize herself as prakṛti and invests herself into the internal-prakṛti which serves to delight the true Puruṣa, Bhagavān.

Hare Krishna.

"Nama Prabhu is a person with all the qualities of Krishna just as good as His form, but when you chant mechanically it’s like you’re chanting the puppet rather than the person. The body is tired and can't give its energy in devotion as it would like to. But you push on and pray for the best."

From Bhajan Kutir #401
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Giriraj Swami met with yoga students from Santa Barbara in Srila Prabhupada’s Quarters at ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai.

“Srila Prabhupada used the term ‘practical samadhi’ — you can be busy the whole day in service to Krishna. It is not that you have your life and you set aside a certain amount of time for your meditation. And it is even more then having a certain lifestyle that supports your meditation. But, it is actually being engaged morning to night in service to Krishna. That was a really really good thing for me. To be able to connect your daily life with bhakti-yoga or Krishna consciousness — God consciousness.”

Meeting with Yoga Students

Politics of Unconsciousness and Use of Language

In “Politics and the English Language,” an essay published in 1946, George Orwell showed how political writing and speech, which, he said, are “largely the defense of the indefensible,” corrupt language through wordiness, hackneyed expressions, vagueness, ambiguity, and euphemisms. The intent of the writer or speaker, Orwell said, is to conceal what he is actually saying—even from himself. For example: “Defense-less villages are bombarded from the air, the inhabitants driven out into the countryside, the cattle machine-gunned, the huts set on fire with incendiary bullets: this is called pacification. Millions of peasants are robbed of their farms and sent trudging along the roads with no more than they can carry: this is called transfer of population or rectification of frontiers. People are imprisoned for years without trial, or shot in the back of the neck or sent to die of scurvy in Arctic lumber camps: this is called elimination of unreliable elements. Such phraseology is needed if one wants to name things without calling up mental pictures of them.”

Orwell’s essay has become famous, but that did not inhibit American officials from using these very euphemisms during the Vietnam War.

More recently, the American public was given a dramatization of Orwell’s lesson in the widely-viewed television show Holocaust. A leading character in the story was one Eric Dorf, a bright young lawyer who rose to prominence in the S.S. chiefly because of his talent for manufacturing euphemisms. Dorf named the ghettos in which Jews were confined “Autonomous Jewish Territories;” the removal of Jews to death camps he called “resettlement” and “relocation;” the murder of Jews en masse he named “special handling.” Thus Dorf provided the S.S. a way to talk about their activities without making themselves and their listeners unduly conscious of what they were actually doing.

“Political language,” wrote Orwell, “is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.” But neither Orwell’s essay nor the popularization of his lesson in Holocaust seems to have deterred people from using political language. It continues to fulfill a great need. One particular contemporary American instance is very revealing.

The political issue here is abortion. But abortion is an ugly and brutal word because what it names is ugly and brutal. A billboard advertising ABORTION in yard-high letters would shock our sensibilities. But we are not made needlessly conscious of the service offered when we read PREGNANCY TERMINATION. Here is political language at its finest. A clumsy cluster of polysyllables is substituted for a short, direct word. The new expression slyly sidesteps the fact that a life is ended by suggesting only that a pregnancy is. The phrase, to use Orwell’s words, “falls upon the facts like soft snow, blurring the outlines and covering up all the details.”

Moreover, when the mother comes to have her pregnancy terminated—that is, her fetus aborted—she never hears that anything so crude and offensive as the killing of a child will take place. Rather, she hears that the tissue will be removed, an expression that puts the operation comfortably on the level of the cutting out of an ingrown toenail or the lifting off of a wart.

Obviously some anonymous Eric Dorf has been diligently at work, doing a necessary service.

The very fact that proabortionists take refuge in political language is itself a strong argument against their case. There would be no need for euphemism if there were nothing to hide. The transparency of the deception only shows how desperate people are to become unconscious of their acts. Although at heart they recognize the self-deception, they carry on the ruse, for the clarity of consciousness would be unbearable.

Orwell saw that when language is corrupted, thought is corrupted, consciousness is corrupted—people are corrupted. To improve language is to improve human beings. Yet the appearance of political language among abortion advocates especially shows how difficult the problem is. For most, proabortionists are liberals and, as such, claim to be sensitive to the kind of language needed for the totalitarian bureaucratization of evil. They, above all, listened to Orwell. Yet they are sadly susceptible to the same corruption. Pregnancy termination and removal of the tissue must be added to pacification, elimination of unreliable elements, and special handling as part of the particular contribution of our time to the corruption of human life.

I suspect, however, that an advocate of abortion would charge that my case is question-begging and assert that I must deal with tissues more substantive than language. Pregnancy termination and removal of the tissue, the proabortionist might say, are somewhat euphemistic, but they are more than that. The mother seeking an abortion has made a difficult choice, and much of her difficulty is due to her conditioning by a specious outlook that regards the fetus as a person and its destruction as homicide. This view is based on the unscientific idea that the fetus is a person by virtue of a “soul.” Calling the fetus “tissue” only emphasizes that tissue is all the fetus, in fact, is, and tissue is all that is destroyed. My argument presupposes that the fetus is a person, but that assumption is precisely what is in question.

Here, then, abortion is justified by a view of the world that (appealing to the authority of science) sees everything in existence, human beings included, as arising out of ultimately accidental combinations of blind and lifeless matter. Everyone is familiar with this position. As a justification for abortion, however, it has problems. According to this view, a fertilized ovum becomes a human being through a gradually increasing complexity in organic structure. Yet the point in this process at which the entity is complex enough to be called “human” is acknowledged to be arbitrary. Any number of different criteria can be picked for any number of reasons. Granting the principle that reduces human beings to complexities of matter, a strong case has been made that a child becomes human only well after birth—for example, when it has developed the neural connections associated with language. The point is that we decide, arbitrarily, whether or not we want to recognize some being as human. After all, the same reductionistic philosophy that decrees a fetus to be tissue also decrees you and I to be tissue. We are, all of us, nothing but tissue. But because we have chosen to kill the unborn child, we now make a point of calling it “tissue.” If we chose to kill others, we could classify them as “tissue” also. Are the mentally retarded “tissue?” Are the old and infirm “tissue”? Of course they are, and if we decide that it is too expensive and bothersome to take care of them (or, in political language, that it involves “too high a social cost”), we will start calling them “tissue” and beg for their “termination.”

We are back to language. It makes it easier for us to kill people if we don’t think of them as such. By word magic, we make them less than human: “scum,” “gooks,” “pigs,” and, in this case, “tissue.” That we have a philosophical justification for this procedure only makes it worse. Certain Eric Dorf’s language was based on the philosophy that Jews were not human and killing them not murder—but only “special handling,” like disposing of unwanted warehouse stock.

The linguistic issue and the substantial issue really come to the same point: depersonalization. Historically, depersonalization began with nature. Before nature could be conquered and exploited, it had to be depersonalized. As long as nature was thought to be controlled by personal forces, one had to placate and satisfy them through propitiation and sacrifice. The powers were stronger than men and easily offended; one had to be careful and subservient; at best, control was indirect and precarious. But the mechanistic view the world as nothing but structures of dead matter shoved about by unvarying impersonal forces, which made possible the innovation of technology for the direct human domination and control over nature.

This depersonalization, however, has already begun with Christianity, which banished the pagan gods and the myriad local spirits of woods and streams and mountains. Christianity recognized a single transcendent Deity entirely separate from His creation. Thus nature lost both its personal and its sacred character. In fact, with Christianity, the nonhuman part of creation became something of an anomaly; it had no significance in itself but was merely the backdrop for the central human drama of redemption. Humans alone had immortal souls, and all the excess of furious and intricate life that otherwise fills the world was an unintelligible addendum, meaningful only when it serve some human end. The world, thus depersonalized and desacralized, could now be regarded entirely as a thing, as an object for detached study and the mechanical manipulations of an impersonal, science.

There was some success in this endeavor, and naturally the question arose: why should humanity itself be unique, categorically different from the rest of creation? If laws are universal and nature a unity, why shouldn’t human beings be subject to the same categories of explanation that cover everything else? And as for God—God was already seen as essentially disconnected from the creation, so transcendent that we can properly form no positive idea of Him at all, and the vision of the world as a field of impersonal forces operating according to unchangeable laws made Him even more remote and finally irrelevant. God went into eclipse, and humanity was no longer unique.

That human life itself is now becoming more and more impersonal and machines are simply-the latest stage in this historical development. We depersonalized nature; we depersonalized God; now we are busy depersonalizing ourselves. The domination of the mechanistic and reductionistic view of the world in our culture insures that the process will continue. Although people continually complain about being treated as things, these same people fully accept a view of the world that makes them into things. This is why the nightmare vision of society turned into a numbered, robotized collective, enslaved to mindless routines by an inscrutable bureaucracy or a remote, omnipotent leader haunts us with such persistent force. It is genuinely prophetic, for the future is already in us. We have accepted all the conditions for it, and now we fearfully await the manifestation.

The establishment of abortion brings the nightmare closer to reality. We may fear the growing depersonalization of life, but to justify the killing of an unborn child because it is nothing but tissue is to advance that depersonalization one terrifying step further.

Depersonalization means the deadening of life, the transformation of what is vital into something inert and mechanical. It signifies a loss of consciousness. This is important to realize, because it brings to light the fact that no one can depersonalize others without at the same time depersonalizing himself. The people who make an unborn child less than human; thereby, make themselves less than human, and they unwittingly reveal this by adopting language that is designed to foster unconsciousness. Orwell himself particularly observed that a speaker of political language is more like a “dummy” than a live human being: he “has gone some distance toward turning himself into a machine” and entered into “a reduced state of consciousness.” Reduction of consciousness precisely defines the regression of the human race.

Progressive human life means a continual struggle against unconsciousness. The enhancement of consciousness is the triumph of life over death, of spirit over matter. Depersonalization or unconsciousness, threatens everything of value human life can achieve. Yet we have for some time already been reduced in consciousness. The depersonalization of God and of nature were significant steps toward our own depersonalization; seeing God and nature as insentient is a function of our own reduced sentience.

Before we can do anything about depersonalization, we have to understand its cause. Depersonalization is necessary for us to dominate and enjoy others. When I, a conscious subject, recognize another as a conscious subject like myself, the kinds of relationships we have are what we call personal, based on a mutual respect for each other’s subjectivity. If, however, I set out to dominate another in order to use that person as an instrument for my own enjoyment, then I change him or her into an object, a mere means. The person becomes merely a tool to be manipulated and controlled. I do not consider that the other has significance for himself, and thus I lose the consciousness of the other as a person. For example, a factory owner interested only in profit will not really consider his employees to be humans. As such, they are merely tools of labor, factors in an economic equation, usable commodities. In a similar way, women are exploited by men when men regard them only as objects for enjoyment, mere instruments. The exploiter of workers or of women depersonalizes them, but in the process he has depersonalized himself, for he has become unconscious. Thus incapacitated, he is unable to experience personal relations and has emptied his own life of significance.

Thus, the drive to satisfy human appetites causes depersonalization and unconsciousness. All human relations in which this drive is a factor, are to that extent corrupted, and the would-be enjoyer, his consciousness diminished, becomes deprived of the only real source of happiness: genuinely personal relations, which alone enhance consciousness and life itself.

For this reason, we must accept the hard but unavoidable conclusion that depersonalization and unconsciousness can be eliminated only by eliminating the desire to enjoy others. Since this desire is so deeply rooted, its eradication would seem to require a very fundamental kind of human reformation. This may seem radical but it should not be surprising. We have seen how the steady encroachment of depersonalization and unconsciousness into our lives—exemplified in our acceptance of abortion—is a function of a long- established, fundamental view of the world. Constitutional amendments, legislation, and similar superficial measures are not going to change that. Rather, the impersonal, mechanistic view of the world must be abandoned. But that will happen only if we can become free from the desire to make others instruments to our own enjoyment.

The vision of the world that is fully personal, that sees both God and all fellow living beings as irreducibly conscious and personal, is taught by Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita and elaborated further in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. According to this view, not just humans—and human fetuses—are souls: all living beings are souls. The soul is a minute but eternal spiritual entity with consciousness as its essential characteristic. Souls animate bodies of matter; they are the living force. Thus, there is no living creature without significance for itself. A person who has become fully conscious by following the directions of the Bhagavad-gita sees this, and he will not exploit any creature for his enjoyment. His love is unrestricted and unimpeded.

A conscious person will not kill even animals (much less very young humans) for his pleasure or convenience. Certainly the unconsciousness and brutality that allows us to erect factories of death for animals lay the groundwork for our treating humans in the same way.

The idea that life is the property of souls is derisively referred to by mechanistic thinkers as “vitalism” or “animism.” They assert that there is no evidence for souls. Yet it has been a singular failure of materialistic science to demonstrate how out of a world composed of nothing but matter something arises that experiences matter. Moreover, the ability to apprehend souls is not possessed by everyone—it is not, in particular, possessed by those who have become unconscious because of their exploitative mentality. A society whose ideal is to reduce everything to exploitable objects will not produce many people conscious enough to see what is living and personal. That society will advance only into the increasing obscurity of unconsciousness and impersonality.

Yet it is possible to counteract this corruption of our experience, this brutalization of consciousness that annihilates our ability to enter into personal relations and condemns us to an absurd, insipid existence in a lifeless, soulless world. We do not have to be victims of the politics of unconsciousness.

According to the Bhagavad-gita, the desire to control and enjoy others is not natural in us. Desire itself is the symptom of life; desire is natural, but in its original state that desire is manifest as unrestricted love for God, Krsna, the Supreme Person—and through Him, for all other persons that come from Him and are part of Him. Only in our unconscious state have we forgotten the real object of our love and allowed our love to be transformed into lust, into the desire to exploit others for our selfish purposes. This transformation can be reversed.

The practical method that reconverts lust into love, unconsciousness into consciousness, is called bhakti- yoga. This yoga redirects the use of the senses from dominating and enjoying others to serving Krsna, who is the natural master of the senses. In the course of that devotional service, all the potentialities of the soul become manifest. We experience the true pleasure of full consciousness, of life without limitation or qualification. This advancement into complete consciousness and unimpeded personal relations is the aim of human life.

Even though consciousness is a live option, the future for human society still looks bleak. The acceptance of abortion is a great victory for the politics of unconsciousness. Still, unlike the millions of innocent children it has ruthlessly destroyed, we do not have to become its hapless victims. We do not have to succumb to this monstrous negation of life. We can still accept the invitation of Krishna and rejoin the world of the living.

In this excerpt from the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.22), a group of people speak to a sage they are about to accept as their spiritual teacher.

“We think that we have met your goodness by the will of providence, just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the difficult ocean of the age of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human being.”

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada:

The age of Kali is very dangerous for the human being. Human life is simply meant for self-realization, but due to this dangerous age, people have forgotten the aim of life. In this age, the life span will gradually decrease. People will gradually lose their memory, finer sentiments, strength, and better qualities. A list of the anomalies for this age is given in the Twelfth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. And so this age is very difficult for those who want to utilize their life for self-realization. The people are so busy with sense-gratification that they completely forget about self-realization. Out of madness they frankly say that there is no need for self-realization because they do not realize that this brief life is but a moment on our great journey towards self-realization.

In the age of Kali, the whole system of education is geared to sense-gratification, and if a learned person thinks it over, he sees that the children of this age are being intentionally sent to the slaughterhouses of so-called education. Learned people, therefore, must be cautious of this age, and if they at all want to cross over the dangerous ocean of Kali, they should follow the footsteps of the sages and accept an authentic spiritual teacher as the captain of the ship.

In this excerpt from the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.22), a group of people speak to a sage they are about to accept as their spiritual teacher.

“We think that we have met your goodness by the will of providence, just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the difficult ocean of the age of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human being.”

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada:

The age of Kali is very dangerous for the human being. Human life is simply meant for self-realization, but due to this dangerous age, people have forgotten the aim of life. In this age, the life span will gradually decrease. People will gradually lose their memory, finer sentiments, strength, and better qualities. A list of the anomalies for this age is given in the Twelfth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. And so this age is very difficult for those who want to utilize their life for self-realization. The people are so busy with sense-gratification that they completely forget about self-realization. Out of madness they frankly say that there is no need for self-realization because they do not realize that this brief life is but a moment on our great journey towards self-realization.

In the age of Kali, the whole system of education is geared to sense-gratification, and if a learned person thinks it over, he sees that the children of this age are being intentionally sent to the slaughterhouses of so-called education. Learned people, therefore, must be cautious of this age, and if they at all want to cross over the dangerous ocean of Kali, they should follow the footsteps of the sages and accept an authentic spiritual teacher as the captain of the ship.

Complete vs. Partial Freedom

Freedom is a topic that resonates with all human beings. You can approach the concept from many angles: political freedom, economic freedom, intellectual freedom, religious freedom, academic freedom, artistic freedom, and so on. People are enamored by freedom of movement, freedom of assembly. Whenever you hear that something is free, you get the sense that there are no boundaries, no limitations: free elections, free markets, free love, free thinking.

Marketers tap into humans’ love of freedom and things free. You go to a store and what do you see: “by two, get the third one free.” Marketers know you don’t need it, but you cannot resist the temptation of getting something for free. You rationalize: “I came to the store to get one, but maybe I could stash away the other two or give them to a friend.”

My point is that there is something attractive about freedom and things that are free. Yet we need to try to broaden our understanding of the concept of freedom.

I am attracted to a statement by Nelson Mandela: “There’s no such thing as part freedom.” But “part freedom” is what our economic and political leaders have been offering the world. We need to go much deeper; we need to have a broader understanding of freedom, based not simply on materialism but on spiritual reality. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada exhorted the students, the general population, and the leaders to build their nations on the spiritual platform.

What I’m going to propose to you is that indeed; if we are going to have real progress, we need to consider the spiritual platform, then we can understand freedom in contrast to partial freedom. I’m going to touch upon a thirst that cannot be quenched by politics and economics. I’d like to introduce the most important human right that distinguishes us from the birds, the bees, and the beast.

After World War II, many nations of the world came together in the United Nations and approved the Universal declaration of human rights. The world was still traumatized by the horrors of World War II, in which 55 million people died. The consciousness at that time was “Never again! Let us make this universal declaration of human rights, and in that way clear a path forward for the progress of humanity.”

FIVE MYTHS OF HUMAN PROGRESS

There are five great myths of human progress, and they have all turned out to be suspect.

Myth number one: Money brings happiness. A few years ago at a university, in front of an audience of 200 students and professors, I asked:”I’m sure you’re familiar with the current science of happiness– now about twenty years old. You’re familiar with the research showing that beyond a middle-class level of financial attainment, any further increase in wealth will not make you any happier?” I asked for a show of hands. About 80% were aware of the finding. Academics will quibble about details, but the general concept is accepted. So then I said, “Knowing this, and knowing your level of intelligence and potential success, how many of you are prepared to live your life at a basic middle-class standard?” No hands were raised.

So what we see is a disconnection between knowledge and lifestyle. The problem is that it’s not real knowledge. Real knowledge is evidenced in our actions. If we don’t demonstrate knowledge in our actions, we actually don’t know.

Now myth number two: Technology brings well-being. Are our technologically complicated lives actually better in terms of freedom from anxiety, freedom from stress? Yet we seem to have bought very deeply into the money goals, the technology goals.

And that brings us to myth number three: Weapons bring security. In some “revered” nations of the world, at least 50% of the government revenue is spent on the military. And the taxpayers are convinced: “All this spending on the military is for the security and protection of humanity.”

Myth number four: The Earth provides virtually unlimited resources for our exploitation.

And myth number five: The Earth provides limitless room for disposal of waste after we’ve done our exploiting.

REPLACING THE MYTHS

These myths are being punctured these days, but what are we going to put in their places? Unless we have a deep spiritual understanding of what the self is, we will never be able to escape these material traps– economics, politics, and so on. These are necessary, but we have come to a time when the greatest concepts of material life are shaky. Even the whole idea of democracy and its emphasis on economic growth as a cherished destination is shaky.

A few weeks ago The Economist magazine ran a special report on democracy. The Economist, published in the UK and distributed around the world, is known to be the party line for many news publications around the world. Social scientists, contributing to the special report, said, “We have to be honest: democracy is in trouble.” The 20th century was the great peak for democratic motivation. The fall of the Soviet empire, the fall of apartheid–these events and others brought exhilaration. But as we go into the 21st-century, for the past eight years, according to political studies, democracy has been receding in the world. There are two main causes for that. These causes are important to understand because many of our concepts of freedom are tied to the democratic process.

Hundreds of years ago Plato pointed out that the Achille’s heel of democracy is that the people can be easily bought off with populist proposals that just focus on short-term gain, short-term stimulations. What has upset the applecart? The global financial crisis – democracy could not prevent that. It could not reform the banking system.

But there is an even greater reason: China. China is showing that what is important is not freedom of expression, of speech, of thought. What is important is growth– economic growth achieved by any means. When America was at its economic peak, for it to double the standard of living took thirty years. China does that every ten years. And their leaders are now quite upbeat: “What is all this talk about freedom? Where is your economic growth? Look at our example! We have a tightly controlled society run by professional managers. We decide what’s good for the people.”

Go to China and you will see gleaming airports, brand new highways, super fast transport systems. People around the world are thinking:”This is what we want– the fruits of rapid economic acceleration. We can do without the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of thought, if we have the temporary stimulations that an advanced consumer society can give.”

What can we say to that, if the goal is rapid economic acceleration? If that is what will satisfy the human being, then let us do whatever is necessary to get that. If prosperity is more important than freedom, then we should restructure our political economies.

The Chinese are saying that this is the way. “What is the use of your democratic systems?” Their leaders openly say, “You elect incompetent leaders; you elect sweet talkers. Look at us! We assemble the brightest, most competent people, and we tightly control society. Look what we are able to provide the people. Look at our standard of living and how rapidly it increases!”

THE NEED FOR PRECISE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

I point this out because what we’re seeing is a misguided, mistaken understanding of what is best for the human being. Forgetting our nonmaterial identity, we’re struggling to seek fulfillment through matter. Sentimentally, we may talk about our spirituality, our spiritual self, but where is the precise, scientific knowledge of the spirit soul?

In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna – presented as the supreme source, the Absolute Truth, the ultimate reality – says that as long as we think we are matter, as long as we have no precise understanding of our spiritual identity, we must be subject to illusion. Our efforts for progress must be thwarted because we actually don’t know that our number one priority is enlightenment. Yes, we must take care of our material needs, and certainly there has been great injustice in the distribution of economic prosperity in the political sphere. While taking care of those external priorities, we have forgotten how powerful our spirit soul is, and we have forgotten our connection to the Supreme Soul. Unless we have a class of leaders who can uplift the people with spiritual knowledge, we will always see society declining, despite so many revolutions, so many restructurings of the political economy.

We will see that actually not much changes. There seems to be a potential for change, a great hope, and yes, in terms of the externals, there is adjustment. But then, again and again, the people become disappointed. Often political change means the ins become the outs and the outs become the ins. Is there a way we can focus on the real needs of the human being?

BEYOND THE MATERIAL

The culmination of the different levels of spiritual realization is known as ananda-maya. It is the crown of human achievement: relishing the love supreme, the relationship between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, of which the individual soul is part. In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna explains that this relationship will satisfy your core being. No amount of material adjustment, of material construction, deconstruction, reconstruction, will satisfy you or society, because our real problem is disconnection from the Supreme Absolute Truth, disconnection from God.

When we say Krishna, we are referring to God. The precise meaning of the word Krishna is “the unlimited, all-attractive source of pleasure.” In the Bhagavad-gita he claims that all living entities, no matter what species, are all his parts, his children. Yet we have become distracted by existence in the material world and have forgotten our purpose in life: how to be truly free.

I was reading about Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his 27 years in prison), and I noted the prison system in the apartheid days. According to your perceived ethnicity— white, Indian, mixed, or African —you would receive a certain standard of food. Moreover, based on periodic evaluations of your tractability, you would be designated as a class D prisoner, class C prisoner, class B, or class A. What would you do in those circumstances? Would you try to improve the prison conditions? Of course, and those political prisoners, those anti-apartheid fighters, certainly acted in such a way that their privileges within the prison would increase. But, while focusing on the struggle within the prison, they always kept their vision on the struggle without. And this is what the ancient Vedic texts advise us – how to live in this temporary world of matter. We are spirits souls entrapped in temporary material bodies in a temporary material world. Yes, we should live comfortably; we should live with justice and dignity. But at the same time, we should know that the real freedom is not on the material plane. Real freedom is in the spiritual reality. Until we can act on that, we will always be frustrated.

I am reminded of another statement by Nelson Mandela: “Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” How good is the human being? We need transcendental knowledge to inform us, knowledge beyond matter; then we can understand the true potential, the true goodness of the human being. Then we can truly understand that plane, which is hidden, because after all, by material methods we cannot see our spiritual identity, and therefore we forget all about it. We are then easily manipulated by external material desires.

People need to be educated in spiritual knowledge. I am not talking about religious belief. Regardless of whatever religion you may identify with, what is the nature of the self? Am I material or spiritual? And what is the ultimate reality I am part of? This knowledge is essential. If the people get this kind of knowledge, they will not be so manipulated by temporary promises of economic acceleration, which will not satisfy them anyway.

THREE E’s

Three E’s are troubling humanity today: environment, energy, and economics. Problems on these fronts are eluding solution. You see, no amount of material gain will contribute to your deep and crucial satisfaction. There are not enough resources in the world to fulfill the ever-increasing material desires of the people nor is there enough space for disposing the waste. Just this fact alone should tell us we need to adopt a different approach. It is not just a good idea– it is absolutely necessary.

My request is that you all consider how to go another route. Yes, we need to correct corruption and faulty political and economic systems. But while we are trying to survive in the “prison,” let us not forget what full freedom is: freedom of the spirit self in relationship to the Supreme Self. This is the knowledge Krishna gives. It is this knowledge Bhaktivedanta Swami came to give: build your nation on the spiritual platform. Amidst all your economic and political endeavors, don’t forget the real you– the spirit soul – and your relationship to the Supreme Soul.

Don’t succumb to the global, materialistic mantra. I was in China last year, and I explained to my audience of psychologists that China has a mantra, the same mantra that has shackled the whole world: “Work, buy, consume, die.” This is the tragedy. And if our leaders cannot offer anything higher than this as the main goal, the main lifestyle of the human being, there will be no solution to the problems of today.

I appeal to you all to please consider another route. Yes, live comfortably. Yes, take care of your body and mind. But understand that such endeavors are external; they’re not the main goal of life. We want the full freedom, not the part freedom. Full freedom can happen only on the spiritual platform.

Complete vs. Partial Freedom

Freedom is a topic that resonates with all human beings. You can approach the concept from many angles: political freedom, economic freedom, intellectual freedom, religious freedom, academic freedom, artistic freedom, and so on. People are enamored by freedom of movement, freedom of assembly. Whenever you hear that something is free, you get the sense that there are no boundaries, no limitations: free elections, free markets, free love, free thinking.

Marketers tap into humans’ love of freedom and things free. You go to a store and what do you see: “by two, get the third one free.” Marketers know you don’t need it, but you cannot resist the temptation of getting something for free. You rationalize: “I came to the store to get one, but maybe I could stash away the other two or give them to a friend.”

My point is that there is something attractive about freedom and things that are free. Yet we need to try to broaden our understanding of the concept of freedom.

I am attracted to a statement by Nelson Mandela: “There’s no such thing as part freedom.” But “part freedom” is what our economic and political leaders have been offering the world. We need to go much deeper; we need to have a broader understanding of freedom, based not simply on materialism but on spiritual reality. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada exhorted the students, the general population, and the leaders to build their nations on the spiritual platform.

What I’m going to propose to you is that indeed; if we are going to have real progress, we need to consider the spiritual platform, then we can understand freedom in contrast to partial freedom. I’m going to touch upon a thirst that cannot be quenched by politics and economics. I’d like to introduce the most important human right that distinguishes us from the birds, the bees, and the beast.

After World War II, many nations of the world came together in the United Nations and approved the Universal declaration of human rights. The world was still traumatized by the horrors of World War II, in which 55 million people died. The consciousness at that time was “Never again! Let us make this universal declaration of human rights, and in that way clear a path forward for the progress of humanity.”

FIVE MYTHS OF HUMAN PROGRESS

There are five great myths of human progress, and they have all turned out to be suspect.

Myth number one: Money brings happiness. A few years ago at a university, in front of an audience of 200 students and professors, I asked:”I’m sure you’re familiar with the current science of happiness– now about twenty years old. You’re familiar with the research showing that beyond a middle-class level of financial attainment, any further increase in wealth will not make you any happier?” I asked for a show of hands. About 80% were aware of the finding. Academics will quibble about details, but the general concept is accepted. So then I said, “Knowing this, and knowing your level of intelligence and potential success, how many of you are prepared to live your life at a basic middle-class standard?” No hands were raised.

So what we see is a disconnection between knowledge and lifestyle. The problem is that it’s not real knowledge. Real knowledge is evidenced in our actions. If we don’t demonstrate knowledge in our actions, we actually don’t know.

Now myth number two: Technology brings well-being. Are our technologically complicated lives actually better in terms of freedom from anxiety, freedom from stress? Yet we seem to have bought very deeply into the money goals, the technology goals.

And that brings us to myth number three: Weapons bring security. In some “revered” nations of the world, at least 50% of the government revenue is spent on the military. And the taxpayers are convinced: “All this spending on the military is for the security and protection of humanity.”

Myth number four: The Earth provides virtually unlimited resources for our exploitation.

And myth number five: The Earth provides limitless room for disposal of waste after we’ve done our exploiting.

REPLACING THE MYTHS

These myths are being punctured these days, but what are we going to put in their places? Unless we have a deep spiritual understanding of what the self is, we will never be able to escape these material traps– economics, politics, and so on. These are necessary, but we have come to a time when the greatest concepts of material life are shaky. Even the whole idea of democracy and its emphasis on economic growth as a cherished destination is shaky.

A few weeks ago The Economist magazine ran a special report on democracy. The Economist, published in the UK and distributed around the world, is known to be the party line for many news publications around the world. Social scientists, contributing to the special report, said, “We have to be honest: democracy is in trouble.” The 20th century was the great peak for democratic motivation. The fall of the Soviet empire, the fall of apartheid–these events and others brought exhilaration. But as we go into the 21st-century, for the past eight years, according to political studies, democracy has been receding in the world. There are two main causes for that. These causes are important to understand because many of our concepts of freedom are tied to the democratic process.

Hundreds of years ago Plato pointed out that the Achille’s heel of democracy is that the people can be easily bought off with populist proposals that just focus on short-term gain, short-term stimulations. What has upset the applecart? The global financial crisis – democracy could not prevent that. It could not reform the banking system.

But there is an even greater reason: China. China is showing that what is important is not freedom of expression, of speech, of thought. What is important is growth– economic growth achieved by any means. When America was at its economic peak, for it to double the standard of living took thirty years. China does that every ten years. And their leaders are now quite upbeat: “What is all this talk about freedom? Where is your economic growth? Look at our example! We have a tightly controlled society run by professional managers. We decide what’s good for the people.”

Go to China and you will see gleaming airports, brand new highways, super fast transport systems. People around the world are thinking:”This is what we want– the fruits of rapid economic acceleration. We can do without the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of thought, if we have the temporary stimulations that an advanced consumer society can give.”

What can we say to that, if the goal is rapid economic acceleration? If that is what will satisfy the human being, then let us do whatever is necessary to get that. If prosperity is more important than freedom, then we should restructure our political economies.

The Chinese are saying that this is the way. “What is the use of your democratic systems?” Their leaders openly say, “You elect incompetent leaders; you elect sweet talkers. Look at us! We assemble the brightest, most competent people, and we tightly control society. Look what we are able to provide the people. Look at our standard of living and how rapidly it increases!”

THE NEED FOR PRECISE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

I point this out because what we’re seeing is a misguided, mistaken understanding of what is best for the human being. Forgetting our nonmaterial identity, we’re struggling to seek fulfillment through matter. Sentimentally, we may talk about our spirituality, our spiritual self, but where is the precise, scientific knowledge of the spirit soul?

In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna – presented as the supreme source, the Absolute Truth, the ultimate reality – says that as long as we think we are matter, as long as we have no precise understanding of our spiritual identity, we must be subject to illusion. Our efforts for progress must be thwarted because we actually don’t know that our number one priority is enlightenment. Yes, we must take care of our material needs, and certainly there has been great injustice in the distribution of economic prosperity in the political sphere. While taking care of those external priorities, we have forgotten how powerful our spirit soul is, and we have forgotten our connection to the Supreme Soul. Unless we have a class of leaders who can uplift the people with spiritual knowledge, we will always see society declining, despite so many revolutions, so many restructurings of the political economy.

We will see that actually not much changes. There seems to be a potential for change, a great hope, and yes, in terms of the externals, there is adjustment. But then, again and again, the people become disappointed. Often political change means the ins become the outs and the outs become the ins. Is there a way we can focus on the real needs of the human being?

BEYOND THE MATERIAL

The culmination of the different levels of spiritual realization is known as ananda-maya. It is the crown of human achievement: relishing the love supreme, the relationship between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, of which the individual soul is part. In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna explains that this relationship will satisfy your core being. No amount of material adjustment, of material construction, deconstruction, reconstruction, will satisfy you or society, because our real problem is disconnection from the Supreme Absolute Truth, disconnection from God.

When we say Krishna, we are referring to God. The precise meaning of the word Krishna is “the unlimited, all-attractive source of pleasure.” In the Bhagavad-gita he claims that all living entities, no matter what species, are all his parts, his children. Yet we have become distracted by existence in the material world and have forgotten our purpose in life: how to be truly free.

I was reading about Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his 27 years in prison), and I noted the prison system in the apartheid days. According to your perceived ethnicity— white, Indian, mixed, or African —you would receive a certain standard of food. Moreover, based on periodic evaluations of your tractability, you would be designated as a class D prisoner, class C prisoner, class B, or class A. What would you do in those circumstances? Would you try to improve the prison conditions? Of course, and those political prisoners, those anti-apartheid fighters, certainly acted in such a way that their privileges within the prison would increase. But, while focusing on the struggle within the prison, they always kept their vision on the struggle without. And this is what the ancient Vedic texts advise us – how to live in this temporary world of matter. We are spirits souls entrapped in temporary material bodies in a temporary material world. Yes, we should live comfortably; we should live with justice and dignity. But at the same time, we should know that the real freedom is not on the material plane. Real freedom is in the spiritual reality. Until we can act on that, we will always be frustrated.

I am reminded of another statement by Nelson Mandela: “Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” How good is the human being? We need transcendental knowledge to inform us, knowledge beyond matter; then we can understand the true potential, the true goodness of the human being. Then we can truly understand that plane, which is hidden, because after all, by material methods we cannot see our spiritual identity, and therefore we forget all about it. We are then easily manipulated by external material desires.

People need to be educated in spiritual knowledge. I am not talking about religious belief. Regardless of whatever religion you may identify with, what is the nature of the self? Am I material or spiritual? And what is the ultimate reality I am part of? This knowledge is essential. If the people get this kind of knowledge, they will not be so manipulated by temporary promises of economic acceleration, which will not satisfy them anyway.

THREE E’s

Three E’s are troubling humanity today: environment, energy, and economics. Problems on these fronts are eluding solution. You see, no amount of material gain will contribute to your deep and crucial satisfaction. There are not enough resources in the world to fulfill the ever-increasing material desires of the people nor is there enough space for disposing the waste. Just this fact alone should tell us we need to adopt a different approach. It is not just a good idea– it is absolutely necessary.

My request is that you all consider how to go another route. Yes, we need to correct corruption and faulty political and economic systems. But while we are trying to survive in the “prison,” let us not forget what full freedom is: freedom of the spirit self in relationship to the Supreme Self. This is the knowledge Krishna gives. It is this knowledge Bhaktivedanta Swami came to give: build your nation on the spiritual platform. Amidst all your economic and political endeavors, don’t forget the real you– the spirit soul – and your relationship to the Supreme Soul.

Don’t succumb to the global, materialistic mantra. I was in China last year, and I explained to my audience of psychologists that China has a mantra, the same mantra that has shackled the whole world: “Work, buy, consume, die.” This is the tragedy. And if our leaders cannot offer anything higher than this as the main goal, the main lifestyle of the human being, there will be no solution to the problems of today.

I appeal to you all to please consider another route. Yes, live comfortably. Yes, take care of your body and mind. But understand that such endeavors are external; they’re not the main goal of life. We want the full freedom, not the part freedom. Full freedom can happen only on the spiritual platform.

You Have Got To Love Your Mom Enough To Change the World

You are standing outside a burning building. The flames and smoke are getting denser, but there is still one way to enter the building. Trapped inside it are the following:

1. Your beloved mother.
2. A Nobel-prize-winning scientist that is close to discovering a cure for cancer.
3. A highly intelligent ape that may unlock the secrets of the missing link.

You only have time to save one being, and each is equally distant from where you are standing. Given that you could save any one of them, which one would you choose, and why?

I use this ethical dilemma found in Understanding Ethics by David Ingram and Jennifer Parks in my introductory ethics course. My students love it.

What to do? Save your mother? Of course, save your mother. So, what’s the dilemma? Well… not all ethical theories conclude that your choice to save Mom is the most ethical. Indeed, at least one dominant theory of ethics, the utilitarian approach to moral decision-making, which focuses on the consequences of your act, reasons that the most ethical thing to do would be to make an impartial choice that considers the greatest good for the greatest number. Meaning that choice 2, or even choice 3, may be more ethical than saving Mom. Huh…!?

Fortunately, there are more ways than this to ethical choices. The Ethic of Care is a different approach that starts with the importance of relationships, and goes as far as saying that it would be unethical not to save mom. Unfortunately, the utilitarian approach has been around a lot longer and thus has skewed many aspects of our lives.

Take economics, for example. The economic choices we face are often very similar to the choice of who to save from the burning building. When we begin with the idea of a cost/benefits or bottom line/consequence analysis we often end up with dicey results. Alfredo Sfeir-Younis Ph.D., Senior Adviser to the Managing Directors Office, The World Bank, and advocate of the new discipline, Spiritual Economics, gives these examples of bottom line economics gone wrong. “Simply focus on poverty, environmental degradation, discrimination of all sorts, and so many other negative results of the so-called economic progress.”

Interestingly Dr. Sfeir-Younis notes, “the founders of economic thinking have not begun as economists, in the way we understand the profession today. Many of them were philosophers, moralists, ethicists, priests, etc.” In other words, these are the same guys who would have us sacrifice Mom in pursuance of what has proved to be an all too elusive greater good. There’s got to be a better way.

Dr. Sfeir-Younis claims that Spiritual Economics is that better way, in a manner similar to how the Ethic of Care is an alternative to utilitarianism.

“At the center stage of the debate of what economics should be all about there is a fundamental fact we must not forget; i.e., that we, human beings, are living on this planet not just in the pursuit of material welfare. And, therefore, ‘material welfare’ is only one aspect of ‘human welfare’.” He asks and answers, “whether we would be able to formulate economic policies and programs that are essentially void of, or indifferent with regard to, the spiritual dimensions of people’s lives. In my view, the answer is a flat ‘No’.”

I agree, but that’s easy to say. A harder question is figuring out what Spiritual Economics actually look like. By definition it seems that “material welfare” is external and thus activity based on this concept should be fundamentally different from activities based on “human welfare” that address the internal spiritual needs of society. But, as I look around I see that many spiritual traditions are rife with external consequence-based approaches to spirituality that don’t seem to address the inner spirituality, even the Vedas.

Consider this perspective on the Vedas offered by Professor Kedar Nath Tiwari in his work, Classical Indian Ethical Thought, “The Vedas in general seem to give us an ethic of overt duties rather than inner virtues, an ethics of doing rather than of being, and all duties are clearly directed towards worldly ends, such as, health, length of life, offspring etc. Thus, on a whole, the Vedic view of morality seems to be externalistic, and it has little scope for the consideration of inner motive or intention of the doer for judging his act to be right or wrong.”

My question remains, how is Spiritual Economics supposed to fundamentally shift our economic outlook on life when the goal of economic activity remains the same, i.e. “material welfare?” Simply by spiritualizing our endeavors (whatever that means)? I don’t think so.

Dr. Sfeir-Younis has some good ideas. He talks about the ‘human being,’ “Too much attention has been paid to the ‘human doing’, the ‘human having’ and the ‘human knowing’ and much less to the ‘human being’. While ‘having’, ‘doing’ and ‘knowing’ are extremely important, the intrinsic value, direction and identity of human life (like solidarity, caring, sharing) are given by, and are in the nature of, the ‘being’.”

He talks about the need to realize “that many of the states of human welfare we are all seeking belong to our non-material existence. And, that attaining our own goals in life – material and non-material, individual or collective – depend mainly on our process of ‘self realization’.”

And, he notes that, “nothing will change if we do not change from within. Inner change is the root of all change.”

But unfortunately, his ideas remain vague.

Fortunately, Srila Prabhupada’s explanation of the principles of Bhakti-yoga give practical shape to both Dr. Sfeir-Younis’s ideas and Spiritual Economics and offer an effective way to make the internal changes essential to a new approach to economics. His solution is plain living and high thinking.

Srila Prabhupada differentiates between the real and artificial needs of society.

“Human civilization is meant for purifying the senses, and objects of sense satisfaction should be supplied as much as absolutely required, but not for aggravating artificial sensory needs. Food, shelter, defense, and sense gratification are all needs in material existence. Otherwise, in his pure, uncontaminated state of original life, the living entity has no such needs. The needs are therefore artificial, and in the pure state of life there are no such needs. As such, increasing the artificial needs, as is the standard of material civilization, or advancing the economic development of human society, is a sort of engagement in darkness, without knowledge.”

Srila Prabhupada also describes the method of internal purification, which should be the aim of civilization.

“Human energy is primarily meant for purifying the senses in order to engage them in satisfying the senses of the Supreme. The Supreme, being the supreme possessor of spiritual senses, is the master of the senses God is not the servant of the senses, or, in other words, He is not directed by the dictation of the senses, but the conditioned souls or the individual living entities are servants of the senses. They are conducted by the direction or dictation of the senses, and therefore material civilization is a kind of engagement in sense gratification only. The standard of human civilization should be to cure the disease of sense gratification, and one can do this simply by becoming an agent for satisfying the spiritual senses of the Lord (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.30, commentary).”

In my opinion, it’s all about relationships. If you don’t love your mom enough to save her, your acts aren’t going to be motivated enough to change the world. And, if you don’t develop your relationship with the Supreme Lord, then you won’t have the means to change the world, as your change will remain a material one.

You Have Got To Love Your Mom Enough To Change the World

You are standing outside a burning building. The flames and smoke are getting denser, but there is still one way to enter the building. Trapped inside it are the following:

1. Your beloved mother.
2. A Nobel-prize-winning scientist that is close to discovering a cure for cancer.
3. A highly intelligent ape that may unlock the secrets of the missing link.

You only have time to save one being, and each is equally distant from where you are standing. Given that you could save any one of them, which one would you choose, and why?

I use this ethical dilemma found in Understanding Ethics by David Ingram and Jennifer Parks in my introductory ethics course. My students love it.

What to do? Save your mother? Of course, save your mother. So, what’s the dilemma? Well… not all ethical theories conclude that your choice to save Mom is the most ethical. Indeed, at least one dominant theory of ethics, the utilitarian approach to moral decision-making, which focuses on the consequences of your act, reasons that the most ethical thing to do would be to make an impartial choice that considers the greatest good for the greatest number. Meaning that choice 2, or even choice 3, may be more ethical than saving Mom. Huh…!?

Fortunately, there are more ways than this to ethical choices. The Ethic of Care is a different approach that starts with the importance of relationships, and goes as far as saying that it would be unethical not to save mom. Unfortunately, the utilitarian approach has been around a lot longer and thus has skewed many aspects of our lives.

Take economics, for example. The economic choices we face are often very similar to the choice of who to save from the burning building. When we begin with the idea of a cost/benefits or bottom line/consequence analysis we often end up with dicey results. Alfredo Sfeir-Younis Ph.D., Senior Adviser to the Managing Directors Office, The World Bank, and advocate of the new discipline, Spiritual Economics, gives these examples of bottom line economics gone wrong. “Simply focus on poverty, environmental degradation, discrimination of all sorts, and so many other negative results of the so-called economic progress.”

Interestingly Dr. Sfeir-Younis notes, “the founders of economic thinking have not begun as economists, in the way we understand the profession today. Many of them were philosophers, moralists, ethicists, priests, etc.” In other words, these are the same guys who would have us sacrifice Mom in pursuance of what has proved to be an all too elusive greater good. There’s got to be a better way.

Dr. Sfeir-Younis claims that Spiritual Economics is that better way, in a manner similar to how the Ethic of Care is an alternative to utilitarianism.

“At the center stage of the debate of what economics should be all about there is a fundamental fact we must not forget; i.e., that we, human beings, are living on this planet not just in the pursuit of material welfare. And, therefore, ‘material welfare’ is only one aspect of ‘human welfare’.” He asks and answers, “whether we would be able to formulate economic policies and programs that are essentially void of, or indifferent with regard to, the spiritual dimensions of people’s lives. In my view, the answer is a flat ‘No’.”

I agree, but that’s easy to say. A harder question is figuring out what Spiritual Economics actually look like. By definition it seems that “material welfare” is external and thus activity based on this concept should be fundamentally different from activities based on “human welfare” that address the internal spiritual needs of society. But, as I look around I see that many spiritual traditions are rife with external consequence-based approaches to spirituality that don’t seem to address the inner spirituality, even the Vedas.

Consider this perspective on the Vedas offered by Professor Kedar Nath Tiwari in his work, Classical Indian Ethical Thought, “The Vedas in general seem to give us an ethic of overt duties rather than inner virtues, an ethics of doing rather than of being, and all duties are clearly directed towards worldly ends, such as, health, length of life, offspring etc. Thus, on a whole, the Vedic view of morality seems to be externalistic, and it has little scope for the consideration of inner motive or intention of the doer for judging his act to be right or wrong.”

My question remains, how is Spiritual Economics supposed to fundamentally shift our economic outlook on life when the goal of economic activity remains the same, i.e. “material welfare?” Simply by spiritualizing our endeavors (whatever that means)? I don’t think so.

Dr. Sfeir-Younis has some good ideas. He talks about the ‘human being,’ “Too much attention has been paid to the ‘human doing’, the ‘human having’ and the ‘human knowing’ and much less to the ‘human being’. While ‘having’, ‘doing’ and ‘knowing’ are extremely important, the intrinsic value, direction and identity of human life (like solidarity, caring, sharing) are given by, and are in the nature of, the ‘being’.”

He talks about the need to realize “that many of the states of human welfare we are all seeking belong to our non-material existence. And, that attaining our own goals in life – material and non-material, individual or collective – depend mainly on our process of ‘self realization’.”

And, he notes that, “nothing will change if we do not change from within. Inner change is the root of all change.”

But unfortunately, his ideas remain vague.

Fortunately, Srila Prabhupada’s explanation of the principles of Bhakti-yoga give practical shape to both Dr. Sfeir-Younis’s ideas and Spiritual Economics and offer an effective way to make the internal changes essential to a new approach to economics. His solution is plain living and high thinking.

Srila Prabhupada differentiates between the real and artificial needs of society.

“Human civilization is meant for purifying the senses, and objects of sense satisfaction should be supplied as much as absolutely required, but not for aggravating artificial sensory needs. Food, shelter, defense, and sense gratification are all needs in material existence. Otherwise, in his pure, uncontaminated state of original life, the living entity has no such needs. The needs are therefore artificial, and in the pure state of life there are no such needs. As such, increasing the artificial needs, as is the standard of material civilization, or advancing the economic development of human society, is a sort of engagement in darkness, without knowledge.”

Srila Prabhupada also describes the method of internal purification, which should be the aim of civilization.

“Human energy is primarily meant for purifying the senses in order to engage them in satisfying the senses of the Supreme. The Supreme, being the supreme possessor of spiritual senses, is the master of the senses God is not the servant of the senses, or, in other words, He is not directed by the dictation of the senses, but the conditioned souls or the individual living entities are servants of the senses. They are conducted by the direction or dictation of the senses, and therefore material civilization is a kind of engagement in sense gratification only. The standard of human civilization should be to cure the disease of sense gratification, and one can do this simply by becoming an agent for satisfying the spiritual senses of the Lord (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.30, commentary).”

In my opinion, it’s all about relationships. If you don’t love your mom enough to save her, your acts aren’t going to be motivated enough to change the world. And, if you don’t develop your relationship with the Supreme Lord, then you won’t have the means to change the world, as your change will remain a material one.

Finding Truth Beneath Fiction

The pursuance of truth, either subjective or objective truth, is very attractive for people in general. But how does one know what to accept and reject as objective truth? One form of deductive evidence in determining if something is credible to accept, is to analyze its history. By scrupulously studying the events of the past, which shaped what we know today, one can have a more comprehensive understanding of that which one is examining. With such understanding one can discern how and why something has changed or remained consistent and pinpoint times in history when that may have occurred. In the field of epistemology, this investigation is the fundamental principle upon which faith in knowledge rests and dogma is cast aside.

Religion is a subject that is oftentimes barred from critical analysis. It is skirted around as inviolable to scientific inquiries, relegated to the infamous land of blind faith and blind acceptance. You are taught to accept a religion because that is the way of ‘truth;’ for those who reject it, they are labeled as fools to the believers; whereas, the nonbelievers, may label religious sectarians as dogmatic, ignorant and/or brainwashed. Materialism and self-interest becomes veiled by religious or non-religious fervor. In the midst of the polemical chaos, very few will put aside their bias and emotions to scientifically search out answers. Which answers? To find truth; and that is the common ground – truth and reality – upon which both factions can peacefully coexist.

Reality and truth, synonymous with each other, are reserved for those who are intelligent. To try to approach reality requires insight and a multifaceted, balanced approach because these are the characteristics of reality itself. It is never so rigid or narrowly interpreted. However, to attempt to deceiver reality by use of one’s intelligence alone is to handicap oneself from seeing reality on its own terms, not just from our severely limited perspective. There needs to be a qualified teacher whom we trust to impart accurate information and practical realization, if we hope to approach reality as it is.

Pearls and the Swine

We often hear the expression that ‘I had good intentions’ as a precursor to some anomaly. The same dynamic can be said on a grandiose scale; for example, social reformations, grassroots efforts, acts of philanthropy, etc. Certain standards, principles, and activities that are not compromised are what actually define and distinguish it. For example, would you recognize that person as a friend who only wished ill of you? Would you identify a bank as a place that has no money, a library as having no books, a small child as having no innocence? Therefore, to lose these principle elements is to lose identity and purpose; it is to literally and figuratively transform into something else. Because these transformations are possible, it is testament to the limitless varieties that reality holds and to the limited scope of language and ideology of the small-brained human.

When one takes advantage of a perception or idea in order to manipulate others, posing as something that he is not, then deception surely arises, not in reality, but in the minds of confused people who think that which is real to be unreal and that which is false to be truth. Failing to see everything in its proper perspective, proselytizers of ignorance further bewilder themselves and their naive cohorts. In every situation one is subject to circumstances beyond our limited control but what ends one is trying to achieve makes all the difference in how those circumstances are perpetuated. Therefore one should be very attentive to the message and the motives of the messenger.

Let’s take a polemical situation to serve as credence of this dynamic that I have discussed. Following the September 11 attacks, the then President of the United States, George Bush, made a press conference calling for revenge on the attackers. He claimed justice, liberty, and war on terrorism. That sounds like an idyllic message; however, the “terrorist” attacks would serve as impetus for american terror overseas; ‘terror’ would be used as a buzz word excuse for seizing more power; the result of a tragedy bringing a much more tragic result because of his hidden agenda.

Character Shapes History

It is a historical fact that those who are the leaders, and the winners of war will shape the historical record and promote their own accounts over those of whom they conquered. Many historical accounts are no longer available because they fell into the hands of the opposing party. That is one way of subjugating and colonizing a newly acquired culture; by erasing their ties to the past, they are also erasing their sense of cultural identity and thus are more amiable to assimilating to the culture of the conquering people. One example of this is the Western ideology that links modern historical records back to ancient Greece but fails to account for Asiatic historical accounts which greatly predate Greece. The Western ego wants all credit for culture, art, engineering, etc. However, if one were to do a careful study of the history of India, one would find these advances in humanity to have originated from the Indian motherland.

It is curious that one cannot get an accurate account of history unless the source is a trustworthy one, but this consideration is rarely mentioned by mainstream information outlets. We oftentimes assume that if it is coming from authority, it must be true and credible. However, it is most significant to note that a person’s character, not his badge, is a critical component of getting accurate information. Would you be more inclined to accept the words of a criminal or a saint? I hope I am invoking your credulity, that we should not be so apt to trust someone simply because they carry some authority. That alone is not enough nor will it bring satisfaction on any level.

Christ and the Christian

The history of Christianity is a long series of cases of misplaced trust in religious authority. When analyzing the rich history of Christianity, one finds many anomalies of philosophy and practice when compared to Jesus’ teachings, as they are described in the New Testament.

Fast forward to the present, and what new policies will be set forward in the coming years that will mark yet another precedent in what it means to be Christian? How will Christians know these changes are in line with what Jesus wanted for his followers? Ironically, there are many denominations of Christianity (Lutheranism, Protestantism, Catholicism, etc.) that each claim dominion over the original teachings of Jesus.

How do I handle the rapidly changing society while preserving the original teachings of the religion? This an heir apparent problem that many religious leaders are confronted with. Are the religious leaders expected to have had divine revelations prior to their decisions that affect the policies of the religion? And if not, how is one to know that he/she is not being subject to the same cheating that I described earlier?

Understanding Disciplic Succession

One can easily misrepresent an entire tradition and create entire movements from an initial deception, whereby followers blindly accept that initial deception as divine intervention. Thus the contamination of misinformation is created, spewing out self-perpetuating generations of teachers and students that are taught to believe a lie.

For example, in the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, creates a religion in 1954 after having a lackluster writing career. He quotes, “writing for a penny is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” He shortly after establishes the Church of Scientology. Today Scientology has thousands of followers and is a multi-million dollar organization.

In conclusion and summary, a legitimate disciplic succession is necessary to preserve the original teachings of a religion. This is actually the perfection of deductive reasoning, not based on our imperfect senses, or limited intelligence. What is a disciplic succession? A disciplic succession is a line of teachers or gurus that preserves and carries the original message of God. If there is an uninterrupted link of spiritual masters and disciples (genuine saintly persons, not persons of doubtful character) coming down from the spiritual realm, then there is very little chance for corruption. In this day and age, corruption is all too prevalent and contagious. Furthermore, one should test through analysis and critical study, as I mentioned earlier, the character of the people that make up the chain to see if they are indeed trustworthy. Seek truth sincerely and without compromise.

Finding Truth Beneath Fiction

The pursuance of truth, either subjective or objective truth, is very attractive for people in general. But how does one know what to accept and reject as objective truth? One form of deductive evidence in determining if something is credible to accept, is to analyze its history. By scrupulously studying the events of the past, which shaped what we know today, one can have a more comprehensive understanding of that which one is examining. With such understanding one can discern how and why something has changed or remained consistent and pinpoint times in history when that may have occurred. In the field of epistemology, this investigation is the fundamental principle upon which faith in knowledge rests and dogma is cast aside.

Religion is a subject that is oftentimes barred from critical analysis. It is skirted around as inviolable to scientific inquiries, relegated to the infamous land of blind faith and blind acceptance. You are taught to accept a religion because that is the way of ‘truth;’ for those who reject it, they are labeled as fools to the believers; whereas, the nonbelievers, may label religious sectarians as dogmatic, ignorant and/or brainwashed. Materialism and self-interest becomes veiled by religious or non-religious fervor. In the midst of the polemical chaos, very few will put aside their bias and emotions to scientifically search out answers. Which answers? To find truth; and that is the common ground – truth and reality – upon which both factions can peacefully coexist.

Reality and truth, synonymous with each other, are reserved for those who are intelligent. To try to approach reality requires insight and a multifaceted, balanced approach because these are the characteristics of reality itself. It is never so rigid or narrowly interpreted. However, to attempt to deceiver reality by use of one’s intelligence alone is to handicap oneself from seeing reality on its own terms, not just from our severely limited perspective. There needs to be a qualified teacher whom we trust to impart accurate information and practical realization, if we hope to approach reality as it is.

Pearls and the Swine

We often hear the expression that ‘I had good intentions’ as a precursor to some anomaly. The same dynamic can be said on a grandiose scale; for example, social reformations, grassroots efforts, acts of philanthropy, etc. Certain standards, principles, and activities that are not compromised are what actually define and distinguish it. For example, would you recognize that person as a friend who only wished ill of you? Would you identify a bank as a place that has no money, a library as having no books, a small child as having no innocence? Therefore, to lose these principle elements is to lose identity and purpose; it is to literally and figuratively transform into something else. Because these transformations are possible, it is testament to the limitless varieties that reality holds and to the limited scope of language and ideology of the small-brained human.

When one takes advantage of a perception or idea in order to manipulate others, posing as something that he is not, then deception surely arises, not in reality, but in the minds of confused people who think that which is real to be unreal and that which is false to be truth. Failing to see everything in its proper perspective, proselytizers of ignorance further bewilder themselves and their naive cohorts. In every situation one is subject to circumstances beyond our limited control but what ends one is trying to achieve makes all the difference in how those circumstances are perpetuated. Therefore one should be very attentive to the message and the motives of the messenger.

Let’s take a polemical situation to serve as credence of this dynamic that I have discussed. Following the September 11 attacks, the then President of the United States, George Bush, made a press conference calling for revenge on the attackers. He claimed justice, liberty, and war on terrorism. That sounds like an idyllic message; however, the “terrorist” attacks would serve as impetus for american terror overseas; ‘terror’ would be used as a buzz word excuse for seizing more power; the result of a tragedy bringing a much more tragic result because of his hidden agenda.

Character Shapes History

It is a historical fact that those who are the leaders, and the winners of war will shape the historical record and promote their own accounts over those of whom they conquered. Many historical accounts are no longer available because they fell into the hands of the opposing party. That is one way of subjugating and colonizing a newly acquired culture; by erasing their ties to the past, they are also erasing their sense of cultural identity and thus are more amiable to assimilating to the culture of the conquering people. One example of this is the Western ideology that links modern historical records back to ancient Greece but fails to account for Asiatic historical accounts which greatly predate Greece. The Western ego wants all credit for culture, art, engineering, etc. However, if one were to do a careful study of the history of India, one would find these advances in humanity to have originated from the Indian motherland.

It is curious that one cannot get an accurate account of history unless the source is a trustworthy one, but this consideration is rarely mentioned by mainstream information outlets. We oftentimes assume that if it is coming from authority, it must be true and credible. However, it is most significant to note that a person’s character, not his badge, is a critical component of getting accurate information. Would you be more inclined to accept the words of a criminal or a saint? I hope I am invoking your credulity, that we should not be so apt to trust someone simply because they carry some authority. That alone is not enough nor will it bring satisfaction on any level.

Christ and the Christian

The history of Christianity is a long series of cases of misplaced trust in religious authority. When analyzing the rich history of Christianity, one finds many anomalies of philosophy and practice when compared to Jesus’ teachings, as they are described in the New Testament.

Fast forward to the present, and what new policies will be set forward in the coming years that will mark yet another precedent in what it means to be Christian? How will Christians know these changes are in line with what Jesus wanted for his followers? Ironically, there are many denominations of Christianity (Lutheranism, Protestantism, Catholicism, etc.) that each claim dominion over the original teachings of Jesus.

How do I handle the rapidly changing society while preserving the original teachings of the religion? This an heir apparent problem that many religious leaders are confronted with. Are the religious leaders expected to have had divine revelations prior to their decisions that affect the policies of the religion? And if not, how is one to know that he/she is not being subject to the same cheating that I described earlier?

Understanding Disciplic Succession

One can easily misrepresent an entire tradition and create entire movements from an initial deception, whereby followers blindly accept that initial deception as divine intervention. Thus the contamination of misinformation is created, spewing out self-perpetuating generations of teachers and students that are taught to believe a lie.

For example, in the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, creates a religion in 1954 after having a lackluster writing career. He quotes, “writing for a penny is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” He shortly after establishes the Church of Scientology. Today Scientology has thousands of followers and is a multi-million dollar organization.

In conclusion and summary, a legitimate disciplic succession is necessary to preserve the original teachings of a religion. This is actually the perfection of deductive reasoning, not based on our imperfect senses, or limited intelligence. What is a disciplic succession? A disciplic succession is a line of teachers or gurus that preserves and carries the original message of God. If there is an uninterrupted link of spiritual masters and disciples (genuine saintly persons, not persons of doubtful character) coming down from the spiritual realm, then there is very little chance for corruption. In this day and age, corruption is all too prevalent and contagious. Furthermore, one should test through analysis and critical study, as I mentioned earlier, the character of the people that make up the chain to see if they are indeed trustworthy. Seek truth sincerely and without compromise.

Bhagavatam-daily podcast:

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New Year’s Eve preaching program in Prague, Czech Republic (Album 128 photos)
New Year’s Eve kirtan was held in a great atmosphere, created by all participants. Thanks to all who came, sang, danced, received prasadam … Especially we would like to thank all the devotees who contributed to make this New Year’s Eve and helped with the service where it was needed, see photos :) Main thanks goes Bhaktivaibhava Swamimu for his ecstatic inspiring kirtans and company! Bhaktivaibhava Swami ki Jay! Srila Prabhupada ki Jay! Goura Bhakta Vrinda ki Jay!
See them here: http://goo.gl/M4SNCo

Harinam 3.1.2015 in Prague, Czech Republic (Album 40 photos)
For many years harinams – the color joyous procession of devotees singing the holy name of Krishna accompanied by harmonium, mridangas and karatalas – are inseparable from Prague. This singing represents the yuga-dharma for this age. We go regularly on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 PM from Obecni du*m on Republic Square. If you would like to join, you are cordially invited. “Sankirtana brings grace of Krishna’s holy names to the spiritually inert mass of people and indeed to all living beings who do not otherwise have the opportunity or inclination to Krishna consciousness. This public chanting purifies the contaminated atmosphere of the Kali Yuga. Everyone who will participate, will be dear to Lord Chaitanya.”
See them here: http://goo.gl/FVnRkZ

The Acaraya’s House (Album 103 photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday we visited the home where the great saint Madhvacharya appeared. It is not far from Udupi. Madhvacharya was an incarnation of the wind god, Vayu, and previously appeared as both Hanuman and Bhima. He was instrumental is spreading Vaisnavism throughout India in the 13 century. We also took advantage to visit a nearby ancient temple of Lord Nrsimhadeva.
See them here: http://goo.gl/DyJuD9

The qualities that a civilised society is meant to inculcate in its citizens.

The post Varnasrama series 4 appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Kirtan Mela, Day 3 at New Dvaraka, Los Angeles 03 Jan 2015 (Album 39 photos)
The sweet congregational chanting of the Holy Names spilled over into a 3rd day. A festival like this should be held EVERY day!
See them here: http://goo.gl/nbFPSA

Arturo Vidal of juventus and Chile national team, receiving his first marriage gift from Sri Bhakti Das and Indira Jahnava Devi Dasi the Bhagavad Gita as it is! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

New Free App: Meditation the Hare Krishna Way
Are you ready to de-stress, unwind and feel genuinely happier? It’s possible to achieve all of the above through meditation. This amazing FREE app is available now to download. Introducing MHK.
Read more: http://goo.gl/UXcE2l

New Varshana Auckland NZ (Album 32 photos)
Our first sunday feast for the year starting with a fire yajna and our first Rathayatra on the farm.
See them here: http://goo.gl/PS9N1t

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