Planet ISKCON – Page 1930 – Websites from the ISKCON Universe

Re-Creating the Solar System
→ TKG Academy

As part of our study of the planets, students made actual representations of each planet as part of the Art Class. Check out the pictures here!

Tues 4th Feb
→ Bhakti Lounge - The Heart Of Yoga in Wellington

She’s back!
Shyam Gauri the famous, loved & missed “Tuesday Night Challenge”
teacher is visiting Bhakti Lounge! Shyam is trained in Ashtanga and
Power Yoga and has been teaching since 2005 in New Zealand, Australia
and India. She used to run Yoga-2-Work corporate Yoga in Wellington,
as well as teaching at Bhakti Lounge.

Her once a month Yoga classes/workshops will be themed around
different postures. First class kicks-off on Tuesday 4 February with a
“Level 2 Vinyasa class leading up to funky headstand and side-crow
variations”. Come early to grab a space!

75 minute class starting at 6pm, followed by dinner, $18 or $15 students with ID.

Reading: Raceway Report
→ TKG Academy

Reading Raceway Report: 1st grade is on Step 23 or 32 steps. Looking Good! We’re moving along with words such as - why, flower, ground, new, queen. The underlined sounds are the focus. So parents point out words that you’all use or see which have these sounds. Playing rhyming games with words that have the key sounds is a fun way to practice too.

Spelling for both 1st and 2nd grades is now on the menu. You will be seeing a weekly list which will serve as a word bank for our daily quizzes. 10 words a day for 1st. 5 more for 2nd. Some the 1st’s like to try out the upper classes’ words to see how they do. We’ve been doing practice quizzes for a few weeks. The students really like them. They say its “fun”, “sometimes challenging”. We even have classroom spelling bees.

Hot Danger in the Summer Night
→ Devamrita Swami's Facebook notes

Strangely my sleep broke, in the middle of the night. Sometimes, owing to so much traveling, I do wake up at odd hours not knowing where I am. But this sudden awakening was different. Arising clumsily in the darkness, stumbling around, half-asleep, I kept asking myself, "Why am I awake, what's this all about?"

I found myself staggering toward the window overlooking the backyard. Body dragging, eyelids drooping, I looked out. Great balls of fire.

An intense blaze consumed the back yard, its flames reaching from the ground below to upper levels of the house. Supersoul, the best security, had awakened me.

Quickly, while calling the fire brigade, all the occupants prepared to exit downstairs, through the front door. The members of each social order, each ashram, scooped up what was most essential to them: the householders grabbed their baby, and the sannyasi, his travel documents.

Waiting in front of the building, the neighbours all notified, we heard the sirens of the fire trucks before we saw them—just as a bhakti-yogi first hears the spiritual reality and then sees. Approximately five minutes after our emergency call, the firemen and firewomen of Melbourne, Australia, jumped off their trucks, and with fixed focus trooped single file into the narrow passageway behind the houses. The fire, now roaring wildly, was under attack.

Anticipating a synthetic blaze, the lead fire fighters had tanks of chemical extinguisher strapped to their backs. Behind the houses was a restaurant under renovation, stockpiling paints, enamels, varnishes, and assorted building materials in a rear yard shared with the residences. Who set the fire?

During the day, temperatures had reached 40 degrees C (104 F); night-time brought slight relief—down to 36 C. Roasted by the heat, the man-made chemicals spontaneously ignited, the fire feasting on all the building materials, melting anything it couldn't burn.

Just as living entities burn to death in fires they didn't cause, similarly they undergo varieties of suffering in material worlds and bodies they didn't create. In other words, we spirit souls get the blame for associating with material nature, with a material body, even though we are not the ultimate source or the ultimate cause of material nature and its various bodies.

As Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (13.21-22):

"Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.

"The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species."

Forget the innocence plea. We are blameworthy because we chose to associate and identify with the temporary bodies and locales that material nature supplies. Forgetting Krishna, we attained those residences due to our mistaken desires. Then we further complicate our plight by plunging into the material flavours of happiness and distress—intricacies packaged into those accommodations according to our past karma.

At 2am, the fire in the back extinguished, the sleepy devotees reentered the house. Glancing out the window before trying to get some rest, I saw fire investigators raking through the rubble and ashes. They wanted to make sure of the cause—no arson but spontaneous combustion of the overheated chemicals.

Bhakti-yogis know, however, that in the blazing fire of material existence, though we are not the ultimate cause, we deserve the blame. We chose to hang out here, in a high-risk, fire-hazard zone. Amidst the accumulated trash-heaps of our material desires, spontaneously igniting frequently, we try to laugh and play.

Hot Danger in the Summer Night
→ Devamrita Swami's Facebook notes

I found myself staggering toward the window overlooking the backyard. Body dragging, eyelids drooping, I looked out. Great balls of fire.

An intense blaze consumed the back yard, its flames reaching from the ground below to upper levels of the house. Supersoul, the best security, had awakened me.

As Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (13.21-22):

"Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.

The Milk Issue Part 2
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Discussion about the milk issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple Part 2.

The Milk Issue Part 2
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Discussion about the milk issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple Part 2.

How High Could the Tide Go?
→ The Yoga of Ecology

Click here to read the full article from Justin Gillis in the New York Times

"In previous research, scientists have determined that when the earth warms by only a couple of degrees Fahrenheit, enough polar ice melts, over time, to raise the global sea level by about 25 to 30 feet. But in the coming century, the earth is expected to warm more than that, perhaps four or five degrees, because of human emissions of greenhouse gases.

Experts say the emissions that may make a huge increase of sea level inevitable are expected to occur in just the next few decades. They fear that because the world’s coasts are so densely settled, the rising oceans will lead to a humanitarian crisis lasting many hundreds of years.

Scientists say it has been difficult to get people to understand or focus on the importance, for future generations, of today’s decisions about greenhouse gases. Their evidence that the gases represent a problem is based not just on computerized forecasts of the future, as is commonly believed, but on what they describe as a growing body of evidence about what occurred in the past.

To add to that body of knowledge, Dr. Raymo is studying geologic history going back several million years. The earth has warmed up many times, for purely natural reasons, and those episodes often featured huge shifts of climate, partial collapse of the polar ice sheets and substantial increases in sea level.

“I wish I could take people that question the significance of sea level rise out in the field with me,” Dr. Raymo said. “Because you just walk them up 30 or 40 feet in elevation above today’s sea level and show them a fossil beach, with shells the size of a fist eroding out, and they can look at it with their own eyes and say, ‘Wow, you didn’t just make that up.’"

How High Could the Tide Go?
→ The Yoga of Ecology

Click here to read the full article from Justin Gillis in the New York Times

The Milk Issue Part 1
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Discussions on the Milk Issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple.

The Milk Issue Part 1
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Discussions on the Milk Issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple.

Chant Culture and Happiness in Bhutan
→ sriprahlada.com

On a flight from Bangkok, Thailand to Paro, Bhutan, I found myself sitting next to David Silverberg. A geologist expert on the Himalayan region, David had been contracted by National Geographic to lead a group of travellers on a trip of Bhutan. A founding White House staff member for AmeriCorps under the Clinton administration and teacher at […]

Teachings of Bhagavat Gita by Her Grace Jayaraseshwari Devi Dasi this Sunday
→ ISKCON BRAMPTON'S BLOG

ISKCON Brampton Youth Program - Friday January 25th 2013 @ 7:00pm

Everyone is welcomed to come and participate. The program will start at 7:00pm sharp! So please try to make it at around 6:45pm. Sumptuous Prasadam will also be served at 9:00pm.

This event is absolutely free, but donations to the temple are always accepted.

Anyone that would like to help out with prasadam, or has any questions/queries please contact Sukhavak Das at sukhavakdas@hotmail.ca.

Sunday Feast, January 27th @ 11:00am

The program consists of arati, kirtan (devotional chanting), philosophical discussion and prasadam. Please come, get inspired and inspire others through your desire to share Krsna Consciousness!

Program Schedule:
11:00 am - 11:30 am Guru Puja
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Arati & Kirtan
12:00 pm – 12:05 pm Narasingadev Prayers
12:10 pm - 1:00 pm by Her Grace Jayaraseshwari Devi Dasi

1:05 pm - 1:20 pm Tulasi Puja
1:20 pm - 2:00 pm Prasadam (Vegetarian feast)

The Vaisnava Calendar 2013 will be distributed this Sunday at ISKCON Brampton. Please be there to receive your copy!
ISKCON Brampton has been issuing tax receipts for 2012 donations. Please come this Sunday to collect yours.
Presentation slides used in last week's discourse are now available for download on our blog gallery: http://iskconbrampton.blogspot.ca/p/presentation.html

Upcoming events:

Saturday February 23rd - Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day

Celebrations at ISKCON Brampton starting 11:00am. Please mark your calendar for this date. More details on the program would be sent in the following weeks.

Teachings of Bhagavat Gita by Her Grace Jayaraseshwari Devi Dasi this Sunday
→ ISKCON BRAMPTON'S BLOG

Sunday Feast, January 27th @ 11:00am

1:05 pm - 1:20 pm Tulasi Puja
1:20 pm - 2:00 pm Prasadam (Vegetarian feast)

Govinda Valley Kirtan Music Fest 22-24 March
→ sriprahlada.com

Looking forward to the Kirtan Music Fest 22-24 March at beautiful Govinda Valley just outside of Sydney! www.govindavalley.com

A small gallery
→ Traveling Monk

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Special "An Evening of Bhakti" – Saturday, February 16, 2013!
→ Gaura-Shakti Kirtan Yoga

While we have all become accustomed to seeing the typical images that are conjured up when we think of yoga, it can be an heart-opening experience to learn of bhakti-yoga - the yoga of love.

We invite you to come and dive into an evening full of divine chants as you learn more about the ancient teachings of the yoga of the heart. The premise of the "Evening of Bhakti" is to hold a spiritually-soaked event for you. Whether you are completely new to the concept of bhakti-yoga or a seasoned veteran, you can expect an incredible evening of chanting, wisdom, dancing and more, followed by a vegan dinner.

It is going to be a very special evening! In addition to the kirtan and vegan dinner, there will be a live spiritual concert featuring various ancient and modern instruments and a guest of honor, The Walking Monk - Bhaktimarga Swami, who will share gems of wisdom from his 40 years on the bhakti path.

Hosted at beautiful Govinda's Dining Hall in Toronto's historic Hare Krishna Centre (243 Avenue Road), we warmly invite your for an evening that will feed the mind, body and soul!

Free Admission - Donations Accepted.

Looking forward to meeting you on Saturday, February 16th, 2013! See you there! :-)

Please register at: www.tinyurl.com/eveningofbhakti

Special "An Evening of Bhakti" – Saturday, February 16, 2013!
→ Gaura-Shakti Kirtan Yoga

Obama’s Climate Challenge
→ The Yoga of Ecology

Click here to read the full article from Jeff Goodell at Rolling Stone

"I think the president understands the climate crisis intellectually, but he has not had the 'holy shit' moment you arrive at when you think about this deeply enough," says a leading climate advocate who has had private conversations with Obama about global warming. Instead of talking about the risks of climate change during the campaign, Obama touted an "all of the above" energy plan that was a soft-porn version of "drill, baby, drill." Under Obama, in fact, oil and gas production have soared: Last year, U.S. oil production grew by 766,000 barrels a day, the largest jump ever, and domestic oil production is at its highest level in 15 years.

Obama, who prides himself on his pragmatism and willingness to compromise, may also be ill-suited to address such an urgent and unyielding crisis – especially because it would mean taking on the climate-denying Republican majority in the House. "Climate is the toughest issue to get any cooperation from Republicans on," says Podesta. In fact, House Republicans see climate change as a wedge issue, the atmospheric equivalent to abortion, which allows them to collect mountains of cash from oil-industry magnates like the Koch brothers while painting themselves as defenders of free enterprise.

"You can't continue with business as usual and pretend you are dealing with the problem," says former Sen. Tim Wirth, who now heads the United Nations Foundation. "It requires a fundamental realignment of how you think about everything, from national security to agriculture to economic investment. Climate change is not one of those issues you can deal with in a few tactical moves."

Obama’s Climate Challenge
→ The Yoga of Ecology

Click here to read the full article from Jeff Goodell at Rolling Stone

Images from the planet of the trees
→ Jayadvaita Swami

“There is also a planet of trees presided over by Aryama, who represents Krsna.”
—Bhagavad-gita As It Is, first edition, purport to 10.29

Turning many heads at last year’s Ratha-yatra festival in Los Angeles was a colorful sight: a man on stilts and dressed as a tree, lushly adorned with leaves and branches. Apparently he is a well-known figure at Venice Beach.

Spotting him, my godbrother Svavasa Prabhu, the president of the Los Angeles ISKCON temple, called out to me, “Look! The planet of the trees!” I was too late to snap a picture of the tree-man. But I picked up pictures of him and other “tree people” from the internet.

Once, a few years before, in Long Island, I’d had a — well, I guess you could call it a chat — with a bold young fellow from Bangalore who proudly declared that since “the planet of the trees” was in the original edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the edition Srila Prabhupada had personally approved, at least he (that bold young fellow from Bangalore) had full faith that there really is such a place.

So for those who would accord a special sacred status to “planet of the trees” and other such editorial errors (and for anyone else who might find such curious matters interesting), here you have them: images from… … . The Planet of the Trees!

Please don’t get me wrong. The first edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is is a marvelous transcendental book, full of spiritual potency. So if that’s the edition you prefer, fine. In that case — if you’re sincere and honest about wanting to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions — please buy it from the BBT. Hare Krishna.

“There is also a planet of trees presided over by Aryama, who represents Krsna.”
—Bhagavad-gita As It Is, first edition, purport to 10.29

Spotting him, my godbrother Svavasa Prabhu, the president of the Los Angeles ISKCON temple, called out to me, “Look! The planet of the trees!”

I was too late to snap a picture of the tree-man. But I picked up pictures of him and other “tree people” from the internet.

Hare Krishna.

My personal finances, 2012
→ Jayadvaita Swami

Every year I make my personal finances public. Attached is an accounting of my finances for 2012.

My personal finances, 2012
→ Jayadvaita Swami

Every year I make my personal finances public. Attached is an accounting of my finances for 2012.

Bhakti and the art of Cooking.
→ RED ASHRAM BLOG

The Hare Krsna movement truly is a kitchen religion. At least for me the kitchen is a place where I can practically meditate and analyze our teachings, observe, and experience various steps in God realization. Today I tried to philosophically … Continue reading →

Embracing My Nature
→ Seed of Devotion

I have always considered my nature to be that of a brahmana - one who feels the most alive and content to study and teach.

Today, though, I have been embracing the fact that my nature is also that of a ksatriya - an administrator, leader, even a bit of a warrior.

I saw a picture tonight of me dancing in kirtan and tears poured down my face. I looked so intense, so passionate, like I was about to fight someone.

Accepting the fact that I have a ksatriya nature is so much harder than I thought it would be. As a woman, am I still lovable even when I bust out a sword?

Looking at that picture, I felt repulsed and liberated at the same time to accept the reality of my nature to be intense, outspoken, different, even a bit of a fighter. This is who I have been all along, all of my life. I feel like today I'm finally accepting that maybe it's okay to be this way, that there's a place in society for me. My journey is learning how to dovetail my nature in service to God.

In one sense, it's not that big of a deal. I'm a brahmana-ksatriya by occupation. Teacher-warrior, no sweat.

Because ultimately, strip away all of those designations and I'm just a soul crying for Krishna.

"I am not a brahmana, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmachari, a householder, a vanaprastha or a sannyasi. I identify myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance."
- Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya Lila, 13.80

Embracing My Nature
→ Seed of Devotion

Scientific Spirituality
→ blog

<h3>Science is Great</h3>Science is great! Science helps us understand the world, cure diseases, build great things like computers, mobile devices, skyscrapers, and jet airplanes. It is useful, fascinating and magical. Indeed, sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, as the physicist and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Arthur_C._Clarke/">famously said</a>.Moreover, additional benefits of science include wonderful inventions like coal-fired power plants, automobiles, and industrial farming, all allowing humans to do great things like <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/entire-rainforests-set-to-disappear-in-next-decade-585840.html">destroy the rainforest</a>, <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-spm.pdf">raise the temperature of the entire planet</a>, and <a href="http://innovationwatch.com/extinction-the-causes-and-consequences-of-the-disappearance-of-species-by-paul-and-anne-ehrlich-random-house/">cause mass extinctions</a>, clearly undesirable side effects of science. However, science will surely be able to solve the problem it has created. Take the Toyota Prius, for example, a wonder of technology, a hybrid car that is extremely fuel efficient. While it still uses fuel like any other car, it is much better than the gas-guzzlers of yesteryear. So good that its “fuel efficiency” is <a href="http://fatknowledge.blogspot.com/2005/05/horses-vs-cars.html">close to that of a horse</a>. With a few more years of scientific advances, we will surely be able to make cars that run on nearly nothing, re-grow the rainforest and clone extinct species back into existence. So, science is great. Right?<h3>The Horsemen Approach</h3>Have you heard of the Four Horsemen? The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Horsemen_of_the_Apocalypse">Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest">Conquest</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War">War</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine">Famine</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death">Death</a>, are described in the last chapter of the Bible as harbingers of final judgement of God over all people. However, I’m not speaking of these horsemen. Rather, I’m referring to the self-styled Four Horsemen known as the torch-bearers of the “New Atheists” movement: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. These four scientists claim to represent critical thinking, knowledge and reason. Disagree with their thinking and you must be an irrational, delusional religious fanatic. After all, they represent science. The most famous of the Four Horseman is Professor Richard Dawkins of Oxford University. A prolific author, Dawkins is best known for his book “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618918248/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=julianseidenb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618918248">The God Delusion</a>”. He also occasionally gives <a href="http://www.richarddawkins.net/events">public lectures</a>. I remember hearing of one of his lectures a few years ago. <h3>The Horseman Speaks</h3>I was sitting in my office in the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester, an office with narrow slits of windows letting in a little daylight, a building that is perpetually either too hot or too cold, having been designed with a monstrously over-powered air-conditioning system for the vacuum tube computers of years gone by. This building, the hallowed halls of learning, the zenith of Western Civilization, is not named after <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing">Alan Turing</a>, the famous scientist from Manchester who came up with a universal theory of computation. Instead, it is named after <a href="http://www.computer50.org/mark1/kilburn.html">Tom Kilburn</a>, the engineer who built the first stored program computer, highlighting the difference between science and engineering. Scientists come up with ideas, but it is the engineers that make them actually work and create technology. Engineering is applied science. While sitting at my desk, Mikel, a friend and fellow PhD student, came in wearing a large backpack. I waited until he sat down and caught his breath, then asked him where he just came from. He explained he was at Oxford University for a public lecture by Richard Dawkins. I then asked what he thought of the lecture, expecting a rant about how Dawkins was brilliantly condemning religion, especially the Catholic Church. Mikel was a staunch atheists with a special axe to grind against the Catholic Church, an organization quite prominent in his home country of Spain. I enjoyed these rants, as they were quite entertaining and often led to interesting friendly arguments between the two of us.Much to my surprise, however, Mikel said he was disappointed by Dawkins’ talk. Mikel explained that he was expecting Dawkins to make some good arguments for atheism, but instead the Professor was using emotional language and preaching like a Bible-basher. According to Mikel, Dawkins sounded as much as a religious fanatic, as the religious leaders he was speaking against with such “religious” fever. I remember this incident because it taught me of the insidiousness the Western materialistic scientific worldview. Matter is imbued with extraordinary secret powers. The material universe can come from nothing by magic, life can arise from matter by accident, and consciousness can arise from the brain by biochemical reaction. These claims are true, because, well, they just are.<h3>Science is True</h3>Let us examine a few of the ideas of materialistic science. I was quite astounded when I first learnt of each of these, reacting with a “wow, I would never have thought!”It is common knowledge that the Earth orbits around the Sun. The Earth as the center of the Universe is an archaic idea, an outdated concept, one that no one believes in anymore. Western scientists as far back as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicus">Copernicus</a> have discovered that actually the Sun is in the center and the Earth <a href="http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/retrograde/copernican.html">orbits around that</a>. But not so fast. If we dig a bit deeper we learn that accepted wisdom is false. The Earth actually orbits around the gravitational center of the solar system. Large planets such as Jupiter and Saturn, pull on the Earth with their enormous gravitational force. This causes the central point of orbit to vary greatly. Indeed, it is almost <a href="http://mechanicalintegrator.com/?p=148">never being centered directly on the Sun</a>. We can go further still. Let us take into account that our entire solar system is orbiting around the galactic core, and our galaxy, in turn, is probably moving and orbiting in some undiscovered pattern around other galaxies. So, why do we believe one childish simplification of the structure of the universe (Sun is the center) in favor of another (Earth is the center)?To <a href="http://our.ownpointofview.com/?p=1">quote Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi</a>:<blockquote>"Luke, you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our <a href="http://www.obimomkenobi.com/2008/06/many-of-the-truths-we-cling-to-depend-greatly-on-our-own-point-of-view/">own point of view.</a>"</blockquote>There is more scientific “truth” that falls into this hazy realm, a realm of generally accepted scientific wisdom, a place of theories that no one has ever verified by observation and theories which are impossible to verify by observation.One such hypothesis is the big bang theory. It proclaims to explain the origin of matter, time and space, but it seems highly unlikely that anyone will be able to stage an experiment to verify what actually happened at the beginning of the universe.Then there is macro-evolution. A species is defined as a group of life-forms that <a href="http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=15851674">can interbreed producing fertile offspring</a>. Evolution claims that species evolve into other species, yet scientists have <a href="http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=867">never observed</a> any animal evolving into a new creature that no longer can interbreed with members of its previous species).The last question we will tackle is the origin of life, and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/026269221X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=julianseidenb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=026269221X">origin of consciousness</a>. How best to get to the bottom of these mysteries and know for sure? Could such a thing even be possible? Believe it or not, I see very good reasons to be optimistic about solving these conundrums.<h3>Science is becoming more Scientific</h3>Why do I see reasons to be optimistic? Two reasons, each converging on the other, as if seeking to merge in a wonderful fusion of spiritual and material knowledge.On the spiritual side: we are rediscovering ancient spiritual knowledge that gives a detailed scientific account of life, the universe and consciousness. More on this a bit later on.On the material side: some scientists are beginning to remove the blinders of materialism, considering that perhaps there might be more to the universe than just matter. Chinks are beginning to appear in the armor of the Western materialist worldview. People are beginning to realize that <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/k477132777n3660v/">money does not buy happiness</a>, unlimited economic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155963071X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=julianseidenb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=155963071X">growth is unsustainable</a>, and something as subtle as consciousness plays a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment">significant role in the laws of physics</a>. Scientists are realizing there is a great need for scientific research to answer fundamental questions such as: What is consciousness? How can we become more conscious? What is happiness? How can we become more happy?In short, science is realizing that true science can and should be open to the <a href="http://pypacademymiami2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/BRADY+Eng.pdf">study of everything</a> and scientific spiritual knowledge is eagerly waiting to be rediscovered by open-minded scientists. Wonderful! <h3>Vedas: Knowledge of Everything</h3>I first came across the Vedic wisdom ancient India in the year 2000 while studying at the University of Southampton. I stumbled upon a university club dedicated to studying and applying the knowledge contained in the Vedas. “Veda” literally means knowledge, and the many books that encompass the Vedic literature indeed contain a great deal of knowledge.One of the many pearls of timeless Vedic wisdom is that real spiritual knowledge should be scientific. The Vedas teach how to use scientific methods to study and understand spirituality. This was an intriguing proposition. I had always admired the rigor of scientific knowledge, and here was a way to apply that methodology to the big questions of life (who am I, why are we here, etc.) The Vedic wisdom explains the mystery of conscious as follows.<blockquote>“O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness.”- <a href="http://vedabase.net/bg/13/34/">Bhagavad-Gita 13.34</a></blockquote>That is the basis of scientific spiritual teachings. The body only functions when there is consciousness, without consciousness there can be no life. At the same time, the conscious entity is a separate thing from the material body. Some interpretations of quantum mechanics lead to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199753814/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=julianseidenb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199753814">similar conclusions</a>.<h3>Happiness, proof in the pudding</h3>Everyone wants to be happy. The United States of America was founded on the promises of the right to the “<a href="http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/">pursuit of happiness</a>.” Yet it offers no clue on how someone might go about finding happiness. Indeed, that is one of the great mysterious of life. What will make me happy?It turns out that happiness is one of the key factors in the scientific approach to spiritual knowledge. The Vedic knowledge explains a step-by-step process for finding happiness, happiness with a very distinct flavor, happiness unlike any previously experienced, happiness that is, quite literally, out of this world.Here is a quote from a Vedic scripture on the topic of happiness.<blockquote>“Some say that people will be happy by performing pious religious activities. Others say that happiness is attained through fame, sense gratification, truthfulness, self-control, peace, self-interest, political influence, opulence, renunciation, consumption, sacrifice, penance, charity, vows, regulated duties or strict disciplinary regulation. Each process has its proponents." - <a href="http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/10/">Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.10</a></blockquote>All the persons I have just mentioned obtain temporary fruits from their material work. Indeed, the meager and miserable situations they achieve bring future unhappiness and are based on ignorance. Even while enjoying the fruits of their work, such persons are filled with lamentation. <blockquote>O learned Uddhava, those who fix their consciousness on Me [Krishna], giving up all material desires, share with Me a happiness that cannot possibly be experienced by those engaged in sense gratification.”- <a href="http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/12/en">Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.12</a></blockquote>This quote acknowledges various approaches to attaining happiness, ultimately recommending the approach of fixing one’s consciousness upon Krishna, Krishna being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, universally revered throughout the Vedic literature. The happiness experienced during this practice of “Krishna Consciousness” is markedly different from the happiness experienced through so many other activities. Here we have a scientific hypothesis: happiness in Krishna Consciousness is distinct from the happiness experienced when pleasing the senses.“Hold on!” you might say, “happiness is a subjective experience, not something that can be objectively measured. Science only deals with things that are objectively measurable.” True enough, but consciousness is an entirely subjective experience, and that is exactly what we are trying to study here. We have to cast off the shackles of materialistic science to make progress is this exciting new field of spiritual science. Just because something is not objectively measurable does not mean it does not exist, and certainly does not mean we should not endeavor to study it. Otherwise, if we neglected to study anything new and unknown, how could we make any progress?<h3>Process</h3>So how does one make process in this exciting realm where science and spirituality coalesce? The Vedic wisdom suggests an approach.<blockquote>“Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.”- <a href="http://vedabase.net/bg/7/1/en">Bhagavad-Gita 7.1</a></blockquote>Here Krishna is speaking in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita. He is explaining a scientific yoga process for understanding His nature. This process is more than just physical exercise. Yoga is a complete system for self-realization where the physical yoga postures are only one small part of the routine, there to make the practitioner fit to dive deeper into the complete system, culminating in complete absorption in the spiritual energy, resulting in full consciousness of Krishna beyond any doubt. So, at the end of a systematic process we have scientific proof. The process Krishna mentions involves integrating Krishna consciousness into everyday activities, aligning them with Krishna’s desires. Krishna recommends, reading about him, chanting of special Vedic mantras, contemplating the spiritual science and ultimately dedicating all one’s actions for a spiritual purpose. At the end of the process, the result should speak for itself.As the Nobel Prize winning quantum physicists <a href="http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1932/heisenberg-bio.html">Werner Heisenberg</a> has famously said: <blockquote>“The first gulp from the glass of the natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you.”</blockquote>

Training Nara & Narayana in a Yoke
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Nara and Narayana, who were saved from the slaughterhouse, are doing very well with their preliminary training in the yoke. In this video, Balabhadra das gives a few pointers on how to train a young team to the yoke.

Training Nara & Narayana in a Yoke
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Lost Baggage
→ Tattva - See inside out

During the flight I had a recurring bad feeling. Then, after waiting at the Delhi Airport Baggage Reclaim for one-hour, it was confirmed. KLM had lost my luggage! I had no choice but to proceed toward the holy village of Vrindavana with the clothes I was wearing and the few books I carried in my hand luggage. As the taxi pulled onto the busy highway the deeper meaning began to dawn on me. To truly enter the spiritual reality we have to leave all of our attachments behind. To receive spiritual gifts, we have to come forward with empty hands. I wish that all my material attachments were in that piece of luggage, and KLM never managed to find it! Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as that.

When a learned sage was one asked to elucidate the meaning of illusion, he responded by jumping off his dais and running out into the courtyard. The bemused audience quickly followed him. He rushed towards a tree, grabbed hold of it tightly, and proceeded to hysterically exclaim “let me go! Let me go! Let me go!” It was a graphic explanation. We’re holding onto our possessions and our need for security. We’re holding onto our image and our desires for reputation and respect. We’re holding onto our hopes and our plans for the future. We want the spiritual reality to manifest, but we’re still not quite ready to let go. How can a mind agitated and pre-occupied with so many thoughts focus on more profound pursuits?

It sounds painful to “sever our attachments”. In actuality, detachment is the most liberating experience in the world. When we pin the picture of our human journey on the backdrop of spiritual eternity, we gain incredible perspective. Real Success, the Bhagavad-gita states, is demonstrated by determined, dutiful and conscientious action. We carry out responsibilities with the best of intentions, and simultaneously remain detached from the temporary fortunes (or misfortunes) that we are dealt. By leaving our heavy and burdensome bags of attachment behind, we find an immediate relief, and simultaneously prepare ourselves for the eternal peace.

Lost Baggage
→ Tattva - See inside out

President of Iskcon Malaysia critically ill
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SANTI VARDHANA CAITANYA DASA

PHOTOS BY MULAKARANAM DASA

UPDATES FROM KUALA LUMPUR

6/2/2013 1.26pm

HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami has unfortunately contracted shingles.

The Doctors at Mawar Specialist Hospital are at loss what to do because it would
need a strong dosage of antiviral drugs to counteract the resistant bacterias of the shingles.
They are afraid it would worsen the liver sclerosis.

They are already giving the antiviral drugs. However they are concerned about the liver sclerosis.
Therefore, they had advised that we use traditional medicines or even prayers simultaneously.

Today Maharaja went to Mahkota Hospital in Malacca for liver check up and met
a liver specialist. According to the liver specialist, Maharaja's liver is 10% damaged due to auto immune hepatitis. Auto immune hepatitis is a form of immune disorder whereby the body's own immune cells attacks the liver cells. This progressively damages the liver daily and the doctors have to prescribe immuno-suppressant drugs in order to suppress the immune cells from attacking the liver cells.

Unfortunately, by doing so, it would lower the immune system of Maharaja's body. Any form of sickness could create damage to Maharaja's health. The liver specialist has confirmed that without administering this drug the liver would be completely damaged within a year.

Therefore, the Doctors are looking from all angles to see what is best for Maharaja to recover from all these complications.

We humbly request all devotee to please increase your prayers and hold kirtans in your respective temple for Maharaja's health.

What is shingles?

Shingles is a painful skin rash. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus. Shingles usually appears in a band, a strip, or a small area on one side of the face or body. It is also called herpes zoster.

Shingles is most common in older adults and people who have weak immune systems because of stress, injury, certain medicines, or other reasons. Most people who get shingles will get better and will not get it again.

What causes shingles?

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus "sleeps" (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus "wakes up" when disease, stress, or ageing weakens the immune system. Some medicines may trigger the virus to wake up and cause a shingles rash. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

BY SIMHESVARA DASA

18/1/2013 2.44pm

HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja's angioplasty operation came out very good together with a few balloonings and one stent insertion.

Maharaja is very conscious and thanked all devotees for their prayers for his good health. Maharaja will remain in Mahkota Hospital tonight and then be transferred to Mawar Hospital tommorrow.

18/1/2013 2pm

The two hour angioplasty operation was successful.
The major block was cleared and Doctors placed a stend
and few other blocks were also cleared.

Maharaja is conscious and responding well to devotees.
He will be monitored for next six hours and will rest at
Mahkota Specialist Hospital Malacca. Tomorrow, HH will be
transferred back to Mawar Specialist Seremban to continue
medication for liver sclerosis.

18/1/2013 11.29am

Earlier Maharaja had an incident-free journey in an ambulance.

Maharaja was accompanied in the ambulance by HH Janananda Goswami,

who is his dear friend, as both joined ISKCON 40 years ago same time.

17/1/2013 9pm HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja will be taken to Mahkota Hospital in Malacca tomorrow morning at 7am for angioplasty operation.

17/1/2013 5.51pm

HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja had a massive heart attack at 4 PM. His condition is critical now. Simheswara Prabhu has to decide whether to bring Maharaja to the Temple or send Maharaja for the Angioplasty operation.

BY SIMHESVARA DASA

17/1/2013 1.11pm

I had just visited HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja. Maharaja is better now. HH is speaking and breathing is with a bit of problem. Dry cough. Plan is to do angioplasty on one or more blocks.

BY SANTI VARDHANA CAITANYA DASA

16/1/2013 7.34pm

HH Bhakti Vrajendrannandana Swami Maharaja's health deteriorated again and Maharaja is in ICU now in critical condition. Maharaja is having difficulty in breathing.

The doctors wants to take Maharaja to Malacca to Mahkota Hospital for Angioplasty Operation.

However, Maharaja is very weak now and he needs to gain strength before he could for the Angio. The doctors are strengthening him now and hope to send Maharaja on Friday. Please kindly pray for Maharaja's recovery.

10/1/2013 8pm

At 8.22 PM I received call from Kalpavrksa Prabhu.

Doctors checked Maharaja again in evening and said that HH is completely free from all danger. However, the water content in Maharaja's body is high and they are now in process of draining the liquids from the body.

10/1/2013 3:17pm

This is information we received from Kalpavrksa Prabhu, the disciple of HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami, who is in charge of caring for Maharaja now.

HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja, is in ICU now and his condition is STABLE. Maharaja is resting well now and doctors advised that he should not be disturbed by any visitation for now. HH had difficulty in breathing this morning and upon checking, doctors confirmed that Maharaja had a mild heart failure.

Only devotees authorized by Simheswara Prabhu is allowed visitation for now. We request devotees

to kindly refrain from visiting our beloved Maharaja for now please.

We humbly request everyone to please kindly pray for Maharaja's quick recovery and discharge from ICU.

Classic ISKCON Vinyl – Srila Prabhupada – Mayapur LP
→ Sit Properly

In the collection that is Classic ISKCON Records, there have been a lot of strange practices that went into making these records. From incredibly shoddy recording to bizarre disorganization, it’s been very difficult to figure out not only what was released, but who released it and when.

The Mayapur LP covers all of these bases. And though it’s far from the most disorganized release, this one has me absolutely confused.

By all looks, this is an album that contains a live recording of a Hare Krishna Festival. That festival probably took place in Mayapur. The word “Mayapur” is on the front cover, and on the back there’s a blurb in four different languages that talks about the Mayapur festival. It explains that nobody in this recording was a professional musician.

The label of the record itself gives us a little more information, stating: “Live recordings of a Hare Krishna Festival.” Side one is simply entitled “Part I,” while side two is labeled as “Part II.”

So it seems pretty straight forward. Someone took a microphone and a tape recorder to the Mayapur festival, made some field recordings, maybe touched them up a bit, and then cut a record.

But that’s not actually what’s on the record. The recordings are three tracks of Srila Prabhupada. Two are definitely from the studio, while the last one could be live (or it could simply be in a bigger studio with more devotees).

Getting back to the confusion, I have no absolute idea which record label released this. The record definitely comes from Germany, and in Germany there were two ISKCON-based record labels. One was called Hare Krsna Records, which mostly released recordings made by Hansadutta das. The other was called Radha Krsna Productions, and it mostly released music by Acyutananda das. That said, both labels were somehow related and released at least one identical record (the Hare Krishna Festival, which I’ll reconvert soon, I promise).

The blurb on the back cover alludes to Hare Krsna Records. The center paper label makes no claim to either organization. However, the etching on the runout groove of the vinyl (called the matrix) is: RKP-1006. If true (and I believe it is – mostly because I have to believe in something), that would make this Radha Krsna Productions’ sixth record – and probably their last.

The Music

Side A
1) Hare Krishna Mantra

Side B
1) Sri-Sri Gurv-astakam
2) Jaya Radha Madhava

The first song, which takes up all of the first side, is the same recording featured on the first Krishna Consciousness record, released by Happening Records in 1966 (which I will get to soon enough). This was the only other time (as far as I can tell) that it appeared on vinyl. The second side contains two songs, the first of which is a fairly famous version of “Sri Sri Guru-astaka.” Both of these songs appear on the Hare Krishna Classics & Originals CD released in the 90s.

The last song is “Jaya Radha Madhava,” but it’s no version I’ve heard anywhere before. It’s not any of the BBT CDs, nor on any of the “Vintage Series” CDs. It’s also not been released on any other vinyl records as far as I can tell. This is a very sweet version with a full congregation of devotees chanting along.

You can listen to samples below:

Wild Speculation
As with most of the Classic ISKCON Records, we’re left with zero details about the recording, pressing and distribution of this release. In actuality, none of it makes any sense. Here’s both a record cover and label that appear to contain recordings of the Mayapur Festival. Yet, when you drop the needle, you’re blessed with Srila Prabhupada instead. How this came about is anyone’s guess.

My speculation is this: The devotees, perhaps in 1976 or so, decided that it would be nice to release a record of field recordings from the Mayapur Festival. Thinking that nothing could possibly go wrong, they threw together an album cover, got a bunch of labels printed and then went to record the festival. Along the way, somehow something went horribly wrong. Maybe the devotee tasked with pushing the [REC] button spaced out. Maybe it was recorded, but somebody misplaced the tapes (ie, “spaced them out”). Maybe the sound quality was so horrible that it was rendered unlistenable. Whatever the reason, the music they wanted to appear on this record wasn’t available.

So rather than trash a thousand (or more? less? who knows!) covers and labels, they decided to fill it with Srila Prabhupada. Listening to it, I can tell that they must have had the master tapes (or a good copy thereof) in their possession. The first song sounds great, especially considering it’s the oldest of the bunch. The second and third sound even better. With these in hand, they then sent thirty-three minutes of mono music to the pressing plant. And what we have now is a Srila Prabhupada album, half of which had been already released, in a record cover claiming that it was a stereo recordings of the Mayapur Festival. Surprise!

The Archival Process
This was one of the easier records to work on. My copy of it is VG+ on the Goldmine Scale, and while it’s got its fair share of pops and clicks, it sounds pretty good. You’ve got to understand that I’m archiving, not restoring. The difference is that while I am doing my best to fix the many, many tiny pops and clicks, it’s simply not possible to fix them all. While I can assure you that this particular record has never sounded better, I also have to remind you that it has been sourced from a 35 year old chunk of vinyl that has gone through the hands of who knows how many people (apparently including someone named Werner Wilde who thought it a good idea to put address stickers on his records). You will still hear some pops and clicks. The only way to really avoid that is to acquire the master tapes and do a full restoration.

I have archived this record in both lossless FLAC (level 8) and as high quality MP3s (320kbps). For most, the MP3s will do just fine.

Just click on the button and it’ll take you to a page where you can download the zip file. Then open the zip file with WinZip (or whatever program you use to open zip files). Add to your MP3 library or burn it to a CD-R. Easy as pie!

Technical Information:

Media Used:
Vinyl LP from my personal collection.

Audio Equipment Used:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/ acrylic platter and Speedbox II
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M Red
Preamp: Bellari VP-130 w/ Sovtek 12AX7LPS Vacuum Tube
Soundcard: Roland Edirol UA-1EX USB external soundcard

Software Used:
Audacity 2.0.1 on Linux Mint 14 (recorded at 24bit/96kHz)
Gnome Wave Cleaner 0.21-17 (click/pop removal)
Gnac 0.2.4 (to convert file to 16 bit FLAC level 8 and 320kbps MP3)

Artwork:
Scanned at 300dpi with Epson v500 Scanner
Edited and Restored Using GIMP Image Editor 2.8.2

When Saying "You Are Not Your Body" Is Not Enough
→ Life Comes From Life

This is the first in a series of essays I am writing based on my thoughts and experience as a devotee of Krishna, associated with ISKCON, in the 21^stCentury. These thoughts are mine and mine alone, resonant surely with other devotee's thoughts, but not representative of any community, temple president, or any other personality or spiritual master

I have submitted this piece to such websites as ISKCON News and Dandavats and so far it have not been published. While I hardly think the thoughts I have here are “radical” in any way, I have noticed a certain hesitancy to discuss some of the issues herein, like the place of LGBTQ people within our society of devotees, or to associate these issues in any kind of official capacity with the institution of ISKCON. This I find frustrating, because there are many devotees like myself who want to understand how our society can relate in a more honest and relevant way with our fellow brothers and sisters on this planet.

I hope that these words add to a fruitful and healthy dialogue as to the present and future shape of our devotional society. I intend no offense with these words, and if I cause offense by these words, I sincerely and humbly beg your forgiveness.

One of the most powerful spiritual experiences I have ever had in my life was when I had the chance to visit Srila Prabhupada's room at the Radha-Damodara Mandir in Vrndavana. It was, as you can imagine or may have experienced yourself, overwhelming to be so distinctly in the presence of Srila Prabhupada. His vibrations still filled the room so clearly, so mystically, if I may use that term with all sincerity, so long after his presence last filled that room physically. I immediately could sense my own place, who I was, who I wasn't, and what I was being asked to do, now that I had come this far, and committed as much as I could to becoming a servant of Prabhupada's mission.

All I could really do (all I can really do anyway) was pray, and beg. I begged to be given the chance to be a part, to be a servant, of carrying Prabhupada's mission forward into the 21^stCentury. Contemplating this responsibility felt like a two-ton weight on my shoulders. Everything I had considered serious in a materialistic sense up to that point in my lfe had the buoyancy of a riven cloud compared to the weight of this calling for Prabhupada. It was a frightening feeling in one sense, because I had never considered anything so serious, but it was also a liberation, a clarity that burned away the angst I had felt as a confused American kid in my twenties trying to find sense and belonging in the isolating substance of the material world which surrounded me.

With as much love and humility as I could muster, I simply asked Prabhupada for the chance to serve his heart. I asked for the chance to share the gift he had given me, that he had given all of us. Rarely before or since have I been able to find such a prayerful state. I felt embraced by Prabhupada for my efforts, trusted even to do what he needed me to do, despite the primary fault of my existence in this world. I've always wanted to be a revolutionary, and here the chance was being given to me in a way I never could have imagined. Every step I would now take, even if it was sideways, even if it was backwards, was to be shaped by this calling. To have any hope, I would just have to hang on to Prabhupada's lotus feet and never let go.

I was recently approached by a new friend over Facebook, a gay man who wanted to share his story and his anguish in approaching the bhaktitradition, and in particular ISKCON temples. He was clearly and deeply attracted in his heart to Krishna, and he wanted to walk forward in that resonance of his heart. Yet he had encountered prejudice because of his sexual persuasion when he had gone to his local temple. He was deeply affected by this, and he asked if there was anything I could tell him to help with his spiritual anxiety. I told him about the Bhakti Center community in New York City, where I had lived for over three years and how it was generally more welcoming than most Hare Krishna temples, but other than this, I had no easy answer for this obstacle of prejudice that he was encountering.

It broke my own heart to hear this. I simply wondered, on the level of common sense, how those claiming to represent the tradition of bhakti, those who claimed to represent the exquisitely magnanimous heart of Prabhupada, who have the obligation, as best as they can, to represent the pure and perfect love of Krishna, could look at someone from the vision of their body, and turn them away from the gift they themselves had been given.

This exchange shook me to my core, and left me with some serious and probing questions. What were these devotees missing or misunderstanding in the way they had related to my friend? How does this reflect what we may be missing or misunderstanding in our communication as devotees to the world at large today? What could I be missing or misunderstanding in my own conception and perception of Krishna consciousness? If we are telling ourselves, and if we are telling others, that “you are not the body”, how can we can judge anyone by their body? “You are not the body” is a saying every devotee has as an essential tool in their arsenal of spiritual communication, but I often wonder, as many devotees do, if we really understand what this means? Do we really understand that this saying, as essentially true as it is, can have an alienating effect upon others if we do not also know how to respond, comprehend, and comfort the bodily prejudice so many people experience in this world?

I am now a student at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, which is one of the oldest and most prestigious independent and progressive Christian seminaries in America. It is a place where I have the great fortune of having my spirituality shaped through many different sophisticated, outrageous, and radical lenses. It is a place where I am able to see and experience the beauty, pain, and struggle of how so many others outside of the “traditional ISKCON” universe understand the nature of God and reality. It is a place where I can develop my identity as a progressive devotee. What does this mean to be a progressive devotee? For me, it is a conscious choice to live one's devotional calling by examining how the purport of Prabhupada's mission, and the culture and tradition of bhakti which comes from that mission, can communicate in the most relevant concert and concern with the contemporary time, place, and circumstances of the 21^stCentury. To be a progressive devotee is not to abandon the fundamental principles that Prabhupada has given us, but it is to consider, as Prabhupada himself did, how to make these principles realistic and relevant for the people of this age.

To be a progressive devotee is a precarious position. It brings upon the serious concern and even condemnation of those devotees who are deeply suspicious of anything labeled as such, who feel that to label oneself progressive is to commit the offense of abandoning Prabhupada's core teachings. It creates the opportunity to respond in a very offensive manner to the sincere concerns of these devotees. I know I myself must be careful to use this label, for the reality is that all sincere devotees of Krishna are truly the most progressive people on this planet. We have been given a revolutionary process which questions the very status quo of material existence itself. To label one set of devotees as progressive and another as conservative is a dangerous political game, yet for the nature of these essays, I want to highlight certain distinctions, perspectives, and proclivities that devotees share and don't share, as a way of highlighting serious issues and arguments which are shaping, and will shape, the future of Prabhupada's mission in the 21^stCentury.

There is nothing I can do in preventing devotees who are concerned with my position from expressing their concern. This is their sacred and natural right to do so, and I welcome any conversation that does not come from or lead to offensive attitudes and expressions. My response to their concern and their criticism must stand on the solid ground of the wisdom that Prabhupada has given us. I write this essay in that spirit, standing on the bedrock of the gift of Prabhupada's wisdom as much as I can, and in that spirit, I hope to contribute to a fruitful and much needed dialogue in ISKCON. In that spirit, I hope that my own misconceptions can be corrected, that our mutual unhealthy assumptions can be confronted and transcended, and that the practice and art of our spiritual communication can be brought to a more profound and relevant level.

***

The heart of my concern as a progressive devotee is a question of the engagement, and the relevance of that engagement, of our movement to society at large. There are two levels of relevance to be considered here: the ultimate relevance of bhakti and of Krishna consciousness to the existential situation of being in the material world, a relevance that is beyond reproach and even the vagaries of human reason itself. Then there is the theological and sociological relevance of Prabhupada's movement to the concerns of our contemporary society, concerns which include social justice, civil rights, poverty, ecological collapse, amongst so many other connected issues. Here is where I, and many other devotees, feel that our movement suffers in its communication and in its relevance. I was particularly struck by something that Yogesvara Dasa (Joshua Greene), an esteemed and long-standing disciple of Srila Prabhupada, said in an interview with an academic publication on “Being a Krishna Devotee”

“The most candid comment I can give about public perception of Hare Krishna in North

America is that I don’t think there is one anymore. The worst possible thing has happened,

namely indifference. There was a time going back 20 years perhaps when there was a public

perception of the Hare Krishna movement in the sense that people felt accosted in airports or

read reports of abuses or saw devotees chanting in public. Devotees were a more visible part

of the landscape of American culture previously.

Maybe then one could say there was a public perception because Hare Krishna was in the news, it was on television, it was in the papers for good or for bad...I believe that Vaishnavism as it has been historically will not be the same in the future for the simple reason that the world it lives in is not the same. There is a compulsion within Vaishnava faith to move into the larger society and to become relevant, and the Vaishnava community has yet to demonstrate its relevance. For 99.99 percent of the world we don’t matter. Krishna Consciousness is irrelevant to most of the world.”

To be relevant, and to find relevance, is to always be considering how the prophetic voice of our movement is responding to the concerns of our fellow living entities on this planet. It is to be open to having a historicistapproach to how we express our faith in the world. We are not raw historicists, in that we believe in an Absolute Truth that is beyond the relativism of history, yet our prophetic voice is best expressed with an intelligent application of our principles to the time, places, and circumstances which we are intimately connected to.

To find our relevance means to understand that we should not frame our communication to others in such a way that we ignore who they are and where they are coming from. We also have to prove our worth and pull our weight. We may not be of this world, but we are in this world. This we cannot ignore. We have to learn to give the gift that Prabhupada has given us in such a way that it makes sense in people's lives and to the concerns in their life. We may tell someone that they are not the body, and yet by doing so, we may completely ignore how we can relate our transcendental message to their particular situation of bodily marginalization, pain, and oppression. We may completely ignore the questions they have for us, as to how the heart of bhakti, of Krishna's love, speaks to the body they live in and the ground they stand on.

In our relation as devotees to the material world, to our own bodies, and the bodies of others, we must learn to be transcendent, and we must learn to acknowledge. To be transcendent is to truly understand that we are eternal spirit souls, lovers and friends of Krishna, whose true home is the spiritual world, and that our ultimate destiny is the liberation of pure devotional service. This is the goal and perfection of our existence, and all that we do should direct us and all others towards this goal. This is the gift that Prabhupada has given us.

One of the most powerful and eternally relevant verses Krishna speaks in the Bhagavad-Gita is this:

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]. (5.18)

This verse calls all devotees, all living entities, to a spiritual vision and lifestyle which has no room for bodily discrimination. For me, this verse gives us the foundation of equality and justice which underlies all movements for the same within the material realm. The vision of the sage is the essential and pristine vision which must be at the core of all movements for equality and justice in the material world, from the fight for civil rights for those who are marginalized because of their race, gender, or sexuality, all the way to the consideration of the right to life, decency, and sustainable health for the wide diversity of plant and animal life that this planet holds. As Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse:

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not make any distinction between species or castes. The brāhmaṇa and the outcaste may be different from the social point of view, or a dog, a cow and an elephant may be different from the point of view of species, but these differences of body are meaningless from the viewpoint of a learned transcendentalist. This is due to their relationship to the Supreme, for the Supreme Lord, by His plenary portion as Paramātmā, is present in everyone’s heart. Such an understanding of the Supreme is real knowledge.

The vision of the sage sees reality as it actually is, but this doesn't mean that the sage ignores the reality that is right in front of him/her. When Prabhupada says that the “differences of body are meaningless”, he is not saying that those who claim to be a sage should treat everyone the same regardless of their bodily situation. The real sage does not discriminate according to the body. He/she gives the same grace of spiritual knowledge to everyone regardless of the color of their skin, the shape of their caste, or whatever their sexual preference is. The humble sage is able to use his/her intelligence to shape their message in such a way so that the mercy of Guru and Gauranga speaks specifically and intimately to each person's bodily/mental/existential situation.

The humble sage is able that to understand that to merely say “you are not the body” and not acknowledge the person's specific psycho-physical makeup is not enough. This acknowledgement is the supremely compassionate and intelligent awareness of the bodily, social, political, and sexual contexts that people come from, allowing the principles of bhaktito speak to them in such a way that it doesn't add to the injustice and oppression that they may face because of their body. To be able to acknowledge in this way is to give the gift Krishna consciousness so that it confronts this oppression and injustice and gives the ways, means, and inspiration to transcend it.

Frankly, in the general history of ISKCON, I feel that we not effectively learned how to transcend and how to acknowledge. I kneel and beg to be corrected, but I don't just base this statement on my own speculation, but on the experience and sincere feelings of many other devotees that I have encountered. Because we struggle so much to transcend and acknowledge our own bodies and our own standing in this world, we are left with a number of psychological and psychosocial hang-ups which have crippled much of our outreach. It has tended to harden our hearts, and with our hearts encased in the stone of our guilt, envy, and shame, how can we truly acknowledge and answer to those who approach us wanting to transcend their own pain and walk towards the loving embrace of Krishna?

As we try to mature in treating the subject of our transcendence with more compassion, patience, and common sense than has been the history of our movement, as we try not to “storm the gates of heaven”, as we understand that to purify our hearts is something that is the journey of a lifetime, or lifetimes, that must be done hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart with each other, we must learn to acknowledge our own bodies, our own material natures, and how these aspects of our existential situation can lead us further on to transcendence.

To be able to acknowledge means to not see our bodily and material situations as obstacles which should be smashed, but as aspects of our being which must be seen in the light of compassion and the wisdom of sastra, andalso in the light of our common sense and natural experience of our lives in this world. We have to reach people at the point of how they live their own lives, in the reality of their social location, and not through any oppressive assumptions of meaning that we may have of what their lives and bodies represent. In the same way we have to meet our own experience as devotees in terms of who we actually are, and not through the frameworks of assumption others may place upon us.

In the next essay I hope to further develop these points, to acknowledge my own discomfort with identifying with ISKCON, and to ask a serious question of devotees: do we really understand how bad the Kali-Yuga is in the manifestations which presently surround us and which oppress so many of us.

When Saying "You Are Not Your Body" Is Not Enough
→ Life Comes From Life

***

“The most candid comment I can give about public perception of Hare Krishna in North

America is that I don’t think there is one anymore. The worst possible thing has happened,

namely indifference. There was a time going back 20 years perhaps when there was a public

perception of the Hare Krishna movement in the sense that people felt accosted in airports or

read reports of abuses or saw devotees chanting in public. Devotees were a more visible part

of the landscape of American culture previously.

One of the most powerful and eternally relevant verses Krishna speaks in the Bhagavad-Gita is this:

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]. (5.18)

Mother Ganga’s Power
- TOVP.org

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, in partnership with the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, is addressing the need for custodianship of pilgrim sites within India. They have begun the Bhumi Project, an endeavor aimed to create awareness regarding the effects of pilgrimage on the environments of holy refuges. In November, I attended a conference on this subject as the representative of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. Many pilgrimage towns were represented for a weekend of discussions centering on planning the environmental sustainability of these revered sanctums.

Spiritual havens in India attract millions of visitors each year as they offer their obeisances to treasured deities and honor sites of worship. Grand festivals glorifying significant gods are auspicious milestones in the calendars of many. Attendance is welcomed and the festivities abound with joy.

However, while each step of a parikrama and each esteemed celebration are invaluable tributes, the aftermath of such glorification remains the responsibility of the local communities. Considerations such as green energy, trash disposal and recycling are among the many topics needing attention to ensure that the environmental impact on these respected places of homage is contained.

Hydrokinetic turbine in action

Since the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium will be a prominent feature in Mayapur and the surrounding areas, the management and planning officials of the project have assumed the responsibility of stewards of the local communities. Several progressive technologies will be employed in the new temple, the most exciting being one which will harness the natural power of Mother Ganga. Called a hydrokinetic turbine, the system is simple technology and easy to build. It has a proven history of successful installations worldwide on slow running rivers and canals. An area of the Ganga has been found which is deep enough and has enough speed to accommodate the needs of this small device. The turbine will float like a boat in the river and a single installation will produce approximately 75 kilowatts per hour. This translates into producing nearly half of Mayapur’s daily 4000 kilowatt consumption in 24 hours. Additionally, the hydrokinetic turbine is safe for the aquatic life and natural habitat in the river due to its slow rpm, open structure and silent operating.

Building a spiritual city is a huge undertaking requiring the dedication and forethought of many. The directors of the ToVP recognize the duties of their positions and work tirelessly to commemorate the sanctity of Mayapur in thought, word and deed.

For more information on the Bhumi Project, please visit bhumiproject.org.

Find Us on Facebook
→ Sit Properly

As I’m getting ready to pitch into Side Two of the Mayapur LP, I’ve also decided to start a Facebook Page for Sit Properly.

Rather than updating this blog every time I have something to say, I’ll post it on Facebook. This will keep you good people in the loop as to how the digitization of each Classic ISKCON Record is coming along.

Take a gander to your right and you’ll see the Facebook Like Box. Click it and it’ll take you to our page.

This will cut down on the frivolous and random posts on the blog, allowing the music to be the focus. And that’s the point.

Haribol!

Eric

Chant Fest Melbourne 2013
→ sriprahlada.com

9 March at 09:00 until 11 March at 14:00 Chant-Fest is a retreat-festival experience which awakens your inner-soul and touches your heart through blissful devotional chanting and dancing. Re-kinder your love with the divine through soul-stirring, heartfelt sacred Kirtan-Chants with a wonderful line-up of local and international Kirtan & Yoga artists as we explore different […]

Otaki WWOOFing
→ Bhakti Lounge - The Heart Of Yoga in Wellington

Want to get a break from the city? Smell some fresh air?
Come join us a for a fun weekend escape outside, put your feet on the grass, get your hands in the soil, walk in fresh native bush, eat mesmerising food, try kirtan, try yoga, surround yourself with good as people.

Flick us an email if you’re interesting in coming to the next weekend!