Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Just one person for Vedicsoc. It was exam time, so a low turnout was to be expected.
I taught a simple but grueling slow-deep aerobic yoga class. 16 minutes of aerobic exercise were, according to the one guest, "the most difficult thing he had ever done".
We then discussed a wide variety of topic, all referencing the Bhagavad-Gita. From the four regulative principles of freedom to the three modes of nature. It was fun.
Just one person for Vedicsoc. It was exam time, so a low turnout was to be expected.
I taught a simple but grueling slow-deep aerobic yoga class. 16 minutes of aerobic exercise were, according to the one guest, "the most difficult thing he had ever done".
We then discussed a wide variety of topic, all referencing the Bhagavad-Gita. From the four regulative principles of freedom to the three modes of nature. It was fun.
Google PageRank measures how important a website by how many other websites link to it. The more people link to a website, the more important it is. If no one is linking to a given website it will have a PageRank of 0, if practically everyone on the entire World Wide Web is linking a website it will have a PageRank of 10.
The more important a website, the more likely it is to appear higher up in the list of search results in Google. The higher a site is in the list of search results, the more people find and visit it. So, PageRank gives a good idea of how much impact a website is having.
(You can check the PageRank of any website using this tool.)
I've compiled a list of the various Krishna conscious blogs over the Internet with a Google PageRank score of 5. Five is the highest PageRank of any KC blog I've found. A few non-blog websites like Krishna.com and Iskcon.com have a PageRank of 6, but that's about it.
So then - behold - here the list of those Krishna conscious blogs with the most world-wide impact (according to Google):
(if you have a PageRank of 5, but are not on the list, please comment or email me and I'll add you).
Google PageRank measures how important a website by how many other websites link to it. The more people link to a website, the more important it is. If no one is linking to a given website it will have a PageRank of 0, if practically everyone on the entire World Wide Web is linking a website it will have a PageRank of 10.
The more important a website, the more likely it is to appear higher up in the list of search results in Google. The higher a site is in the list of search results, the more people find and visit it. So, PageRank gives a good idea of how much impact a website is having.
(You can check the PageRank of any website using this tool.)
I've compiled a list of the various Krishna conscious blogs over the Internet with a Google PageRank score of 5. Five is the highest PageRank of any KC blog I've found. A few non-blog websites like Krishna.com and Iskcon.com have a PageRank of 6, but that's about it.
So then - behold - here the list of those Krishna conscious blogs with the most world-wide impact (according to Google):
(if you have a PageRank of 5, but are not on the list, please comment or email me and I'll add you).
The Apple iPhone: Apple's amazing entry into mobile phone market. It blows away any other phone on the market in terms of form, flexibility, features and functionality (and also has a price tag to match: $500 with a 2-year contract).
The iPhone has an amazing design. The front is occupied by a large 3.5-inch multi-touch screen rimmed with silver. The back is also silver, but there is a black stripe along the bottom. It looks kind of strange, but is certainly memorable. Everyone will be able to tell the iPhones from other smartphones when people walk around with them held up against their heads.
(image courtesy of AppleInsider.com)
However, I think there is more to this black stripe than just trying to be different. It has to do with the golden ratio. I blogged about the golden ratio in the iPod design a while ago. The rectangle of the iPod is closer to the golden ratio than any other MP3-player. This no-doubt factors into to it's immense appeal.
The iPhone is however far too long to be a golden ratio rectangle.
The 5th-gen iPod's measurements: 103.5 x 61.8 x 11.0 mm
The Apple iPhone's measurements: 115.0 x 61.0 x 11.6 mm
5g iPod ratio: 1.67 : 1
iPhone ratio: 1.88 : 1
Golden ratio: 1.62 : 1
So, has Apple lost its design touch?
No. Judging from the pictures I estimate the silver section along the back of the iPhone is about 95 mm high and the black is 20 mm. This works out to:
iPhone silver sub-section ratio: 1.56 : 1
Pretty close to the golden ratio. The black stripe is barely noticeable next to the polished silver. So, someone looking at the phone from the back will see a near golden ratio rectangle and will be instantly bedazzled by its beauty.
Why is it not exactly the golden ratio? My guess is that because the iPhone has rounded edges, it appears to be less high than it actually is, so, to the human eye, it actually does look exactly like a perfect golden ratio.
Apple design is yet again triumphant: the iPhone miraculously manages to combined the best of both worlds: looking more like a traditional candy-bar phone while simultaneously maintaining an appealing golden ratio shape. Jonathan Ives definitely knows his stuff.
The Apple iPhone: Apple's amazing entry into mobile phone market. It blows away any other phone on the market in terms of form, flexibility, features and functionality (and also has a price tag to match: $500 with a 2-year contract).
The iPhone has an amazing design. The front is occupied by a large 3.5-inch multi-touch screen rimmed with silver. The back is also silver, but there is a black stripe along the bottom. It looks kind of strange, but is certainly memorable. Everyone will be able to tell the iPhones from other smartphones when people walk around with them held up against their heads.
(image courtesy of AppleInsider.com)
However, I think there is more to this black stripe than just trying to be different. It has to do with the golden ratio. I blogged about the golden ratio in the iPod design a while ago. The rectangle of the iPod is closer to the golden ratio than any other MP3-player. This no-doubt factors into to it's immense appeal.
The iPhone is however far too long to be a golden ratio rectangle.
The 5th-gen iPod's measurements: 103.5 x 61.8 x 11.0 mm
The Apple iPhone's measurements: 115.0 x 61.0 x 11.6 mm
5g iPod ratio: 1.67 : 1
iPhone ratio: 1.88 : 1
Golden ratio: 1.62 : 1
So, has Apple lost its design touch?
No. Judging from the pictures I estimate the silver section along the back of the iPhone is about 95 mm high and the black is 20 mm. This works out to:
iPhone silver sub-section ratio: 1.56 : 1
Pretty close to the golden ratio. The black stripe is barely noticeable next to the polished silver. So, someone looking at the phone from the back will see a near golden ratio rectangle and will be instantly bedazzled by its beauty.
Why is it not exactly the golden ratio? My guess is that because the iPhone has rounded edges, it appears to be less high than it actually is, so, to the human eye, it actually does look exactly like a perfect golden ratio.
Apple design is yet again triumphant: the iPhone miraculously manages to combined the best of both worlds: looking more like a traditional candy-bar phone while simultaneously maintaining an appealing golden ratio shape. Jonathan Ives definitely knows his stuff.
I've captured and subsequently liberated a mouse that was camping out in my flat. It was there ever since I got back to my flat after the Christmas break. The mouse had been feasting on a plastic bag full of oat meal it had chewed itself into. However, removing the oat meal and supplying a bait of peanut butter (offered to Krishna) in a steel mousetrap caught me one scared little mouse. So, I took the little guy for a walk down the street and let him out into a bush. The mouse was, of course, super scared, hiding in the trap's doorway and refusing to come out for the longest time. But, after about 5 minutes of chanting at it, it finally shot out of the trap and, like a greased lightning, vaulted itself into the bush.
I've captured and subsequently liberated a mouse that was camping out in my flat. It was there ever since I got back to my flat after the Christmas break. The mouse had been feasting on a plastic bag full of oat meal it had chewed itself into. However, removing the oat meal and supplying a bait of peanut butter (offered to Krishna) in a steel mousetrap caught me one scared little mouse. So, I took the little guy for a walk down the street and let him out into a bush. The mouse was, of course, super scared, hiding in the trap's doorway and refusing to come out for the longest time. But, after about 5 minutes of chanting at it, it finally shot out of the trap and, like a greased lightning, vaulted itself into the bush.
Today I accidentally dropped my MacBook Pro.
I had it open on a stand on a desk with some headphones plugged into it. I took the headphones off my head, got up out of my chair, caught my foot on the (overly long) headphone cord and, as I walked away, the mac came crashing to the floor, yanked off the desk by the headphone cord.
*crash*
*bang*
So, I picked it up, dusted it off and opened the lid (which had snapped shut during the fall). Much to my surprise, it came right back out of sleep as if nothing had happened. Inspecting the case there was no damage, not even a dent. The only sign of the incident is that now pressing down a specific part of the case makes a slight squeaking noise.
Impressive, most impressive. The aluminum clad MacBook Pro is one tough, sturdy, well-built, resilient, solid piece of computing equipment that knows how to take a punch and keep on going.
As a comparison: I once dropped my old Dell Inspiron 4150 from a similar distance while it was turned off and inside a protective laptop bag (Kensington Saddlebag). It still worked after the crash, but the plastic case was cracked and severely warped, the DVD-drive wouldn't fit anymore and several keys popped out. Dell, to their credit, later repaired the damage under warranty when the motherboard died.
However, if you have a habit of dropping your laptop it's probably a good idea to have an external backup, and for even more security you can protect your files with an online backup. A good place to start for choosing an online backup is to read a few just cloud reviews to get an idea of the services and features typically offered for protecting your files online.
(The hard drive on the MacBook Pros is protected during falls by a sudden motion sensor. There is a gyroscope built into the Mac which detects if it is accelerating too fast for its own good and then, in mid flight, quickly moves the hard drive into a protective "parked" position so it isn't damaged by the inevitable impact.)
Today I accidentally dropped my MacBook Pro.
I had it open on a stand on a desk with some headphones plugged into it. I took the headphones off my head, got up out of my chair, caught my foot on the (overly long) headphone cord and, as I walked away, the mac came crashing to the floor, yanked off the desk by the headphone cord.
*crash*
*bang*
So, I picked it up, dusted it off and opened the lid (which had snapped shut during the fall). Much to my surprise, it came right back out of sleep as if nothing had happened. Inspecting the case there was no damage, not even a dent. The only sign of the incident is that now pressing down a specific part of the case makes a slight squeaking noise.
Impressive, most impressive. The aluminum clad MacBook Pro is one tough, sturdy, well-built, resilient, solid piece of computing equipment that knows how to take a punch and keep on going.
As a comparison: I once dropped my old Dell Inspiron 4150 from a similar distance while it was turned off and inside a protective laptop bag (Kensington Saddlebag). It still worked after the crash, but the plastic case was cracked and severely warped, the DVD-drive wouldn't fit anymore and several keys popped out. Dell, to their credit, later repaired the damage under warranty when the motherboard died.
However, if you have a habit of dropping your laptop it's probably a good idea to have an external backup, and for even more security you can protect your files with an online backup. A good place to start for choosing an online backup is to read a few just cloud reviews to get an idea of the services and features typically offered for protecting your files online.
(The hard drive on the MacBook Pros is protected during falls by a sudden motion sensor. There is a gyroscope built into the Mac which detects if it is accelerating too fast for its own good and then, in mid flight, quickly moves the hard drive into a protective "parked" position so it isn't damaged by the inevitable impact.)
I finished re-reading the Caitanya Caritamrita over Christmas. That makes it the second time I've read the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrita all the way through. Nevertheless, I feel like I know nothing. There is so much knowledge in those books that even a lifetime of study will just scratch the surface. And even if, by some miracle, I were able to absorb all the knowledge, there is still many, many lifetimes of realization locked up in the Vedic literature. And even if I fully understand all the points, it will take a long time to actually apply them in my life.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep reading. I'll get there eventually. Good thing that the books get better and better every time I read them. It even says so: Krishna consciousness is joyfully performed (and scientific) (BG 9.2 and 10.9). So what if it takes a long time? I certainly don't have anything better to do.
So then, time to once again dive into the wonderful, fascinating, thrilling, treasure-trove of transcendental knowledge: the 1st Canto of the Bhagavatam.
I finished re-reading the Caitanya Caritamrita over Christmas. That makes it the second time I've read the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrita all the way through. Nevertheless, I feel like I know nothing. There is so much knowledge in those books that even a lifetime of study will just scratch the surface. And even if, by some miracle, I were able to absorb all the knowledge, there is still many, many lifetimes of realization locked up in the Vedic literature. And even if I fully understand all the points, it will take a long time to actually apply them in my life.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep reading. I'll get there eventually. Good thing that the books get better and better every time I read them. It even says so: Krishna consciousness is joyfully performed (and scientific) (BG 9.2 and 10.9). So what if it takes a long time? I certainly don't have anything better to do.
So then, time to once again dive into the wonderful, fascinating, thrilling, treasure-trove of transcendental knowledge: the 1st Canto of the Bhagavatam.
In the last Vedicsoc session before the christmas break we talked about the controversial topic of human origins.
I talked about the established theory of Charles Darwin and why it (seemingly) makes a lot of sense. We then watched a part of the Mysterious Origins of Man documentary and I gave examples of some other archeological discoveries and so-called paranormal physical phenomena from Michael Cremo's books: Hidden History of the Human Race
We then discussed why the concept of the "knowledge filter" which prevents idea that radically contradict established ideas from being taken seriously. People naturally think:
"Modern humans, millions of years old? No, that is clearly impossible, otherwise I would have learnt about it in school. There must be some mistake. Let me ignore the evidence."
We concluded by discussing the Vedic alternative explanation: humans aren't ascended apes, instead we are actually fallen angels. The Vedas contain detailed genealogical records documenting human origins from "angels" (sophisticated living entities living on other planets and/or in other dimensions). But those are just absurd children's stories, right ... ?
The result: (much to my surprise) everyone attending the session agreed. "Wow, yes, the Vedic version makes a lot more sense."
In the last Vedicsoc session before the christmas break we talked about the controversial topic of human origins.
I talked about the established theory of Charles Darwin and why it (seemingly) makes a lot of sense. We then watched a part of the Mysterious Origins of Man documentary and I gave examples of some other archeological discoveries and so-called paranormal physical phenomena from Michael Cremo's books: Hidden History of the Human Race
We then discussed why the concept of the "knowledge filter" which prevents idea that radically contradict established ideas from being taken seriously. People naturally think:
"Modern humans, millions of years old? No, that is clearly impossible, otherwise I would have learnt about it in school. There must be some mistake. Let me ignore the evidence."
We concluded by discussing the Vedic alternative explanation: humans aren't ascended apes, instead we are actually fallen angels. The Vedas contain detailed genealogical records documenting human origins from "angels" (sophisticated living entities living on other planets and/or in other dimensions). But those are just absurd children's stories, right ... ?
The result: (much to my surprise) everyone attending the session agreed. "Wow, yes, the Vedic version makes a lot more sense."
Guru Maharaja asked Frank-Peter what the most memorable part of our trip was. Answer: the Swami's lectures and the spiritual feeling of nourishment in the heart from devotee association.
Bits of advice from the Guru:
Also, check out the pictures from the trip.
Guru Maharaja asked Frank-Peter what the most memorable part of our trip was. Answer: the Swami's lectures and the spiritual feeling of nourishment in the heart from devotee association.
Bits of advice from the Guru:
Also, check out the pictures from the trip.
I just listened to a talk by Dr. Philip Weeks on various aspects of natural medicine. Wow, it was really interesting. (Dr. Weeks was instrumental in helping my body recover from Ulcerative Colitis / Crohn's Disease.)
He talks about how he cured blood poisoning in his own leg using echinacea. He tells the story of one of his patients who had lethal radiation poisoning and was due to die in 6 months, but was completely cured by doing an intense juice fast. He talks extensively about amalgam dental fillings (50% mercury) causing auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease and general insanity. Plus, heavy metal poisoning in general.
Why can some people drink, smoke, eat junk food and still never get sick, while others are constantly getting sick from the smallest bit of unhealthy living? Philip answers this question (hint: genetical strength/resilience has a lot to do with it).
He talks about the "mandate of heaven" and how to optimize our bodily constitution and mental/emotional well-being.
Listen the audio of his talk at the Fresh Festival October 2006. Also, check out his comprehensive website.
I just listened to a talk by Dr. Philip Weeks on various aspects of natural medicine. Wow, it was really interesting. (Dr. Weeks was instrumental in helping my body recover from Ulcerative Colitis / Crohn's Disease.)
He talks about how he cured blood poisoning in his own leg using echinacea. He tells the story of one of his patients who had lethal radiation poisoning and was due to die in 6 months, but was completely cured by doing an intense juice fast. He talks extensively about amalgam dental fillings (50% mercury) causing auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease and general insanity. Plus, heavy metal poisoning in general.
Why can some people drink, smoke, eat junk food and still never get sick, while others are constantly getting sick from the smallest bit of unhealthy living? Philip answers this question (hint: genetical strength/resilience has a lot to do with it).
He talks about the "mandate of heaven" and how to optimize our bodily constitution and mental/emotional well-being.
Listen the audio of his talk at the Fresh Festival October 2006. Also, check out his comprehensive website.
Krishna is like the sun, sometimes unmanifest like the sun at night, sometimes manifest.
Krishna has a right to do whatever he wants, but we don't like that.
We want things done our way. However, Krishna does things his way and thereby creates subject matter for eternal conversation.
Story of my father educating me in the real point of life: leave some footprints in the sand when you're gone.
Where are the former leader of the DDR's (E. Honiker) footprints? Ever place has its local heroes. In Weimar they are Schiller, Goethe and Liszt, but in other parts of the world no one has ever heard of them.
Mysterious: the Lord wants to take his own Yadu dynasty away from the world. The reasons are that some of his family members where becoming too powerful, familiar and proud, less intelligent people would automatically consider someone born in that dynasty spiritually qualified and that they were so attached to him that they couldn't have handled the feelings of separation from him.
Brahmanas curse the Yadu dynasty. Maharaja Pariksit is confused as to why and asks Sukadeva Goswami.
Yadu boys play a joke on the great sages and get cursed to give birth to an iron club that will destroy the entire dynasty. They told there family members and King Ugrasena had the club ground up and thrown into the ocean. These turned into iron reeds that the Yadus used to beat each other to death.
Krishna let all this happen. He wanted to reduce the prestige of the material world. Just like the death of Jimi Hendrix caused DS to loose faith in material glory.
Understanding Krishna is the greatest career goal.
Questions:
Krishna is like the sun, sometimes unmanifest like the sun at night, sometimes manifest.
Krishna has a right to do whatever he wants, but we don't like that.
We want things done our way. However, Krishna does things his way and thereby creates subject matter for eternal conversation.
Story of my father educating me in the real point of life: leave some footprints in the sand when you're gone.
Where are the former leader of the DDR's (E. Honiker) footprints? Ever place has its local heroes. In Weimar they are Schiller, Goethe and Liszt, but in other parts of the world no one has ever heard of them.
Mysterious: the Lord wants to take his own Yadu dynasty away from the world. The reasons are that some of his family members where becoming too powerful, familiar and proud, less intelligent people would automatically consider someone born in that dynasty spiritually qualified and that they were so attached to him that they couldn't have handled the feelings of separation from him.
Brahmanas curse the Yadu dynasty. Maharaja Pariksit is confused as to why and asks Sukadeva Goswami.
Yadu boys play a joke on the great sages and get cursed to give birth to an iron club that will destroy the entire dynasty. They told there family members and King Ugrasena had the club ground up and thrown into the ocean. These turned into iron reeds that the Yadus used to beat each other to death.
Krishna let all this happen. He wanted to reduce the prestige of the material world. Just like the death of Jimi Hendrix caused DS to loose faith in material glory.
Understanding Krishna is the greatest career goal.
Questions:
"How sophisticated is human design? How many humans can walk out into a meadow and with their left hand scrape away a little dirt and with their right hand put something into the ground that starts to make oxygen, sequester carbon, fix nitrogen, distill water, provide habitat for hundreds of species, build soil, accrue solar energy as fuel, generate complex sugars and food, change color with the seasons, create micro-climates and self-replicate?"
From a talk by William McDonough on Cradle to Cradle Design.
"How sophisticated is human design? How many humans can walk out into a meadow and with their left hand scrape away a little dirt and with their right hand put something into the ground that starts to make oxygen, sequester carbon, fix nitrogen, distill water, provide habitat for hundreds of species, build soil, accrue solar energy as fuel, generate complex sugars and food, change color with the seasons, create micro-climates and self-replicate?"
From a talk by William McDonough on Cradle to Cradle Design.
As we drove from Berlin to Leipzig I noticed that wind power generators were everywhere. Every few km there was a patch of about 15 windmills. Germany is the world's greatest producer of wind power. It generates double the amount of wind power than the next runner up (which is France, I think). A good thing too: German has instituted a law that requires that all nuclear power plants are shut down in the next 50 years. The 40% of the country's power that those generate needs to be replaced with renewable energy.
The East Germans are quite hearty people. More so than their western breatheren. They seem more emotional and personable.
Guru quotes:
The TV is the greatest destroyer of Krishna conscious family life and time for chanting
The prasadam in Berlin is very good. When there is good prasadam, the mind is peaceful.
As we drove from Berlin to Leipzig I noticed that wind power generators were everywhere. Every few km there was a patch of about 15 windmills. Germany is the world's greatest producer of wind power. It generates double the amount of wind power than the next runner up (which is France, I think). A good thing too: German has instituted a law that requires that all nuclear power plants are shut down in the next 50 years. The 40% of the country's power that those generate needs to be replaced with renewable energy.
The East Germans are quite hearty people. More so than their western breatheren. They seem more emotional and personable.
Guru quotes:
The TV is the greatest destroyer of Krishna conscious family life and time for chanting
The prasadam in Berlin is very good. When there is good prasadam, the mind is peaceful.
If you just make 10% of the population of Berlin Krishna conscious the whole country will change. Krishna can do the seemingly impossible. Don't buy into the Hare Krishna folk tales. In spite of material failure, going on and on in Krishna's service is always successful.
How long will it take to get to Leipzig? Frank-Peter is Germany's safest and most mellow driver. Driving with him is like driving on a bed of feathers.
The exclusiveness of devotional service should always be discussed. It is not sectarianism.
Real sustainable human economic development doesn't exist today, nor does sense gratification that doesn't kill you in the process, let alone religiosity, that can't deliver any genuine information about God. Everyone knows everything, except what they should know.
Why do we worship someone's feet? A speck of dust from Krishna's lotus feet can situate you beyond liberation.
Krishna forces pleasure onto the devotee. Don't worry about your own pleasure.
Who had gotten a letter from the mayor thanking you for serving Krishna? There is no support, no fame and no appreciation from materialist society.
Talk it up about serving Krishna. That is the highest position in reality! How to increase? How to serve better? Krishna appreciates this.
If you follow the so-called great people of today's society you'll go crazy. It's not that having precise spiritual knowledge in optional.
Germany has changed a lot since the 80s. The under 45s are open to everything. However, then one must understand: what is the best thing? Everyone is saying their thing is the best. Are all cars the same? Is a Mercedes as good as a Hyundai?
In the material world it's not enough to be a nice guy, you need to be
smart: you need knowledge. Bhagavatam is the topmost knowledge. See for yourself.
Questions:
If you just make 10% of the population of Berlin Krishna conscious the whole country will change. Krishna can do the seemingly impossible. Don't buy into the Hare Krishna folk tales. In spite of material failure, going on and on in Krishna's service is always successful.
How long will it take to get to Leipzig? Frank-Peter is Germany's safest and most mellow driver. Driving with him is like driving on a bed of feathers.
The exclusiveness of devotional service should always be discussed. It is not sectarianism.
Real sustainable human economic development doesn't exist today, nor does sense gratification that doesn't kill you in the process, let alone religiosity, that can't deliver any genuine information about God. Everyone knows everything, except what they should know.
Why do we worship someone's feet? A speck of dust from Krishna's lotus feet can situate you beyond liberation.
Krishna forces pleasure onto the devotee. Don't worry about your own pleasure.
Who had gotten a letter from the mayor thanking you for serving Krishna? There is no support, no fame and no appreciation from materialist society.
Talk it up about serving Krishna. That is the highest position in reality! How to increase? How to serve better? Krishna appreciates this.
If you follow the so-called great people of today's society you'll go crazy. It's not that having precise spiritual knowledge in optional.
Germany has changed a lot since the 80s. The under 45s are open to everything. However, then one must understand: what is the best thing? Everyone is saying their thing is the best. Are all cars the same? Is a Mercedes as good as a Hyundai?
In the material world it's not enough to be a nice guy, you need to be
smart: you need knowledge. Bhagavatam is the topmost knowledge. See for yourself.
Questions:
Krishna is the master of masters of yoga, so any understanding of him is the highest kind of mystic yogi.
How far can you take your spiritual life living in a big city?
In the Dwarka pastimes: Krishna has just gotten rid of Shalva, Dantavakra and Vidura and ended his mission of annihilating the miscreants. Balarama was going on pilgrimage while the battle of Kuruksetra was going on. When visiting the sagas at the forest of Namasuranya he was offered respect by everyone expect Romaharsana Suta who was sitting on the vyasasana.
Lord Balarama became angry. His mission was to annihilate hypocrites.
Romaharsana was not humble, not self-controlled, and just pretending to be a great sage and therefore needed to be terminated. He killed him with a single blade of kusa grass.
The sages cry out: abscheulich (alas, alas). They request Balarama to seat Romaharsana's son in his father's place, kill the demon Bhalva and tour all the holy places as atonement.
Thereafter Balarama saw Bhima and Duryodhana fighting, told them they should give up their anger and stop trying to kill each other. They didn't and Balarama left the scene, assuming it was destiny/Krishna's arrangement.
Yesterday in Weimar someone asked me: you may have knowledge, but still act in the opposite way. How is that the topmost thing? But real knowledge is realized, it is shown in actions, like a fire that burns.
That is what Romaharsana lacked. True, real knowledge!
Each pastime of Krishna's has deeper and deeper realization within it.
Think about it and understand the two-sided reality. Everything Krishna does can fascinate you endlessly. That is being the most powerful urban mystic.
Questions:
Krishna is the master of masters of yoga, so any understanding of him is the highest kind of mystic yogi.
How far can you take your spiritual life living in a big city?
In the Dwarka pastimes: Krishna has just gotten rid of Shalva, Dantavakra and Vidura and ended his mission of annihilating the miscreants. Balarama was going on pilgrimage while the battle of Kuruksetra was going on. When visiting the sagas at the forest of Namasuranya he was offered respect by everyone expect Romaharsana Suta who was sitting on the vyasasana.
Lord Balarama became angry. His mission was to annihilate hypocrites.
Romaharsana was not humble, not self-controlled, and just pretending to be a great sage and therefore needed to be terminated. He killed him with a single blade of kusa grass.
The sages cry out: abscheulich (alas, alas). They request Balarama to seat Romaharsana's son in his father's place, kill the demon Bhalva and tour all the holy places as atonement.
Thereafter Balarama saw Bhima and Duryodhana fighting, told them they should give up their anger and stop trying to kill each other. They didn't and Balarama left the scene, assuming it was destiny/Krishna's arrangement.
Yesterday in Weimar someone asked me: you may have knowledge, but still act in the opposite way. How is that the topmost thing? But real knowledge is realized, it is shown in actions, like a fire that burns.
That is what Romaharsana lacked. True, real knowledge!
Each pastime of Krishna's has deeper and deeper realization within it.
Think about it and understand the two-sided reality. Everything Krishna does can fascinate you endlessly. That is being the most powerful urban mystic.
Questions:
We travelled to Berlin with Maitreya-Muni das, a very nice disciple of Pritu Prabhu. It was a very nice sunny day with hardly any traffic. A very nice ride up to Germany's capital city (4 million people live in Berlin).
The temple itself was a bit of a shock. Located off a main street in an old courtyard of sorts, it had a run-down DDR-look to it, but at the same time was extremely peaceful. None of the noises from the busy road penetrated in. Dieties of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra shone brightly. Supremely excellent prasadam was served upon our arrival. I've rarely seen Guru Maharaja chant so much while taking a meal. The food was most definitely out of this world.
I met Bhakta Andr?©, an expert photographer who took off in his Krishna consciousness while visiting New Zealand. In Wellington he met Devamrita Swami and married his long-term girlfriend.
The Saturday Feast started off with an hour of super-sweet bhajans. The singing, harmonium and mrdanga playing was expert.
We travelled to Berlin with Maitreya-Muni das, a very nice disciple of Pritu Prabhu. It was a very nice sunny day with hardly any traffic. A very nice ride up to Germany's capital city (4 million people live in Berlin).
The temple itself was a bit of a shock. Located off a main street in an old courtyard of sorts, it had a run-down DDR-look to it, but at the same time was extremely peaceful. None of the noises from the busy road penetrated in. Dieties of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra shone brightly. Supremely excellent prasadam was served upon our arrival. I've rarely seen Guru Maharaja chant so much while taking a meal. The food was most definitely out of this world.
I met Bhakta Andr?©, an expert photographer who took off in his Krishna consciousness while visiting New Zealand. In Wellington he met Devamrita Swami and married his long-term girlfriend.
The Saturday Feast started off with an hour of super-sweet bhajans. The singing, harmonium and mrdanga playing was expert.
Some things degrade with time, but there is always a revival. This is a miracle: devotees openly discussing Krishna consciousness in the DDR. Freestyle spirituality is popular today. No repressive dogma! The need for a religious institution is even more alien.
Devotees are an opportunity to talk about Krishna. Then everything becomes positive. Pray for the ability to associate. Nice association of devotees will attract the lonely people of today. How? Help others to achieve their (genuine) dreams. The more you give Krishna, the more you get Krishna.
Real love requires qualification. You have to practice. Like being a student. 5 years of study just to understand something ordinary like hospitality or tourism. Dedicate your whole life for this purpose.
Questions:
Some things degrade with time, but there is always a revival. This is a miracle: devotees openly discussing Krishna consciousness in the DDR. Freestyle spirituality is popular today. No repressive dogma! The need for a religious institution is even more alien.
Devotees are an opportunity to talk about Krishna. Then everything becomes positive. Pray for the ability to associate. Nice association of devotees will attract the lonely people of today. How? Help others to achieve their (genuine) dreams. The more you give Krishna, the more you get Krishna.
Real love requires qualification. You have to practice. Like being a student. 5 years of study just to understand something ordinary like hospitality or tourism. Dedicate your whole life for this purpose.
Questions:
Weimar is a famous beautiful university town. The birthplace of Schiller, one of the most famous German authors ever. It is one of the only cities in East Germany that has grown in population since the reunification. Income comes mostly from tourism. Gurudeva's comment about Weimar devotees: quite an unusual crowd, they were quite mellow, usually Germans are really intense people.
The devotees are a nice, close knit community of university students and householders: no big leaders, no big programs; just simple, kind, loving and caring, free-flowing, non-rigidness.
East Germany has lots of unemployment. Practically every second person I spoke to didn't have a job. Even educated people have trouble finding themselves jobs. However, rent is very cheap. Living life does not cost much.
The programs are in a former slaughterhouse with very cheap rent. Even running just one program each week the congregation can easily afford to permanently rent the room.
Weimar is a famous beautiful university town. The birthplace of Schiller, one of the most famous German authors ever. It is one of the only cities in East Germany that has grown in population since the reunification. Income comes mostly from tourism. Gurudeva's comment about Weimar devotees: quite an unusual crowd, they were quite mellow, usually Germans are really intense people.
The devotees are a nice, close knit community of university students and householders: no big leaders, no big programs; just simple, kind, loving and caring, free-flowing, non-rigidness.
East Germany has lots of unemployment. Practically every second person I spoke to didn't have a job. Even educated people have trouble finding themselves jobs. However, rent is very cheap. Living life does not cost much.
The programs are in a former slaughterhouse with very cheap rent. Even running just one program each week the congregation can easily afford to permanently rent the room.
We're originally a part of Krishna, but struggling like a fly that has landed in some jelly. I was the first regional secretary for the DDR.
Weimar is famous for its culture. One thing is going on in the world:
economic development, more money, more money, more money!
In times with material "good times", people need to do it out of their intelligence. Most people tend to come because of distress, but such motivation does not last. We need to develop attraction to Krishna and his service, just like people are attracted to money making.
People are into being spiritual, but not religious. People think being religious means focusing on specific rules and real spirituality is free from all that. That kind of false religion is something that people are afraid of. However, real religion means complete, definite understanding of what is God.
There is so many so-called spirtual paths and teachers. What to do? Go party! Make money! Those become people's religion. But as soon as the goal of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known, everything makes sense. That is what is unique about Krishna consciousness.
Materially what is the benefit in trying to understand anyone? It has been going on for millions of years. But that desire to understand, focused on Krishna, is real religion.
Bhagavad-Gita already assumes some basic human intelligence: not belief in God, that's easy, kindergarden-stuff. Instead, a program for your senses to understand the Supreme is given. So don't be afraid of admitting you are trying to understand Krishna.
Please remember: you can eliminate all confusion, simply by understanding that the whole point of everything is simply to understand Krishna.
Questions:
We're originally a part of Krishna, but struggling like a fly that has landed in some jelly. I was the first regional secretary for the DDR.
Weimar is famous for its culture. One thing is going on in the world:
economic development, more money, more money, more money!
In times with material "good times", people need to do it out of their intelligence. Most people tend to come because of distress, but such motivation does not last. We need to develop attraction to Krishna and his service, just like people are attracted to money making.
People are into being spiritual, but not religious. People think being religious means focusing on specific rules and real spirituality is free from all that. That kind of false religion is something that people are afraid of. However, real religion means complete, definite understanding of what is God.
There is so many so-called spirtual paths and teachers. What to do? Go party! Make money! Those become people's religion. But as soon as the goal of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known, everything makes sense. That is what is unique about Krishna consciousness.
Materially what is the benefit in trying to understand anyone? It has been going on for millions of years. But that desire to understand, focused on Krishna, is real religion.
Bhagavad-Gita already assumes some basic human intelligence: not belief in God, that's easy, kindergarden-stuff. Instead, a program for your senses to understand the Supreme is given. So don't be afraid of admitting you are trying to understand Krishna.
Please remember: you can eliminate all confusion, simply by understanding that the whole point of everything is simply to understand Krishna.
Questions:
Only 2 people for Vedicsoc this week. It was raining very (!) heavily.
I asked what they wanted to do. The request, to my surprise, was kundalini yoga. They really liked that. One person again said that the minute they closed their eyes in savasana they saw a bright green light.
We then discussed Ayurveda. Principles of Ayurveda:
Amazing that this medical knowledge had its origin:
2000 years before Buddhism
1000 years before the Greek civilization
1000 years before the first Chinese dynasty (Xia)
1000 years before the Mayan civilization (and interestingly according to the Mayan Long Court system of recording time, the current cycle of this world began in 3114 BC, almost the exact time of Krishna's leaving the world)
500 years before the Egyptian pyramids
Of course, the Vedic culture is the origin of all the world's civilizations, so, in that sense, it makes perfect sense.
Only 2 people for Vedicsoc this week. It was raining very (!) heavily.
I asked what they wanted to do. The request, to my surprise, was kundalini yoga. They really liked that. One person again said that the minute they closed their eyes in savasana they saw a bright green light.
We then discussed Ayurveda. Principles of Ayurveda:
Amazing that this medical knowledge had its origin:
2000 years before Buddhism
1000 years before the Greek civilization
1000 years before the first Chinese dynasty (Xia)
1000 years before the Mayan civilization (and interestingly according to the Mayan Long Court system of recording time, the current cycle of this world began in 3114 BC, almost the exact time of Krishna's leaving the world)
500 years before the Egyptian pyramids
Of course, the Vedic culture is the origin of all the world's civilizations, so, in that sense, it makes perfect sense.