Planet ISKCON

Today we celebrated my Gurumaharaja's Vyasa-puja. This is my last few days in Wellington, as I'm heading back up to Auckland on Monday, so it was nice to observe the ceremony here, especially considering this is where I first got into Krsna consciousness, but I had never previous been in Wellington to celebrate Gurudeva Vyasa-puja.

Here is my offering to Gurudeva:

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this most blessed and auspicious day, I hope for my mind to be deep in contemplation over the mysterious indebtedness that arises as a natural result of the Guru-disciple relationship.

Srila Gurudeva, it’s practically impossible for me to calculate exactly when my debt to you began. In the summer of 1998 I first met a disciple of yours, the first Hare Krishna devotee I had ever met, while walking in Whakatane township with some friends. I was full of envy and asked this devotee what it felt like to be a member of a cult. He just stared blankly at me, with my spiked up pink hair, facial peircings and dirty appearance and replied “Well…from my perspective it looks like you are the cult member.” All my friends laughed, and instantly I was filled with respect for this devotee.

The following year an aspiring disciple of yours approached the door of my parents’ house, and convinced me to give him a donation and thus I received the book Easy Journey to Other Planets. Over the following years, I frequently met your disciples in various cities in New Zealand. My brother and I spent ½ an hour talking to one disciple in Rotorua. Another gave me advice on asthma on Queen Street in Auckland. Often I would go looking for a Hare Krishna whenever I visited a city, and upon finding one I would walk past them repeatedly until they would talk to me. One day I even received a set of beads from a disciple of yours that I met on the streets of Hamilton, which lead me to start chanting Hare Krishna daily, for at least a little while. Your disciples fed me from their restaurant on many occasions. In fact, several previous associates of mine even became your very serious disciples.

Somehow, Gurumaharaja, one of my previous associates, turned surrendered soul, convinced me to take a trip to your Gaura-Yoga centre, to see a world traveling monk. With no money in my bank account, I had to beg $3 to come for the Sunday feast, and with that $3 I unknowingly placed myself into a debt of unimaginable proportions. On that night I heard you speak such obvious truths that I was ashamed to admit that I was so lost in a world of obvious illusion. We had a short discussion afterwards, during which you told me that I could only make a real change in the world if I first changed myself. From that night I felt a feeling of indebtedness to you, and in order to begin to pay it back, I tried to follow your advice faithfully, though progressing slowly.

Srila Gurudeva, somehow or other you dragged me from such a position of embarrassing suffering. One is automatically placed in an embarrassing position when they think they are the body, and I was so deep in such a position that I am now completely ashamed thinking about the situation, and thus I feel immensely indebted to you. And through your constant guidance, you have repeatedly given me the opportunity to begin to pay back my debt.

Srila Gurudeva, you placed me in the association of serious devotees, so that I could engage in serious devotional service to begin to pay back my debt to you. But, mysteriously, the happiness I felt by engaging in devotional service, in the association of devotees, only served to increase my feelings of indebtedness. Then, under your guidance, I began to try to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. It is clear that this is a service very dear to you, and I thought that perhaps by serving you in this way I might just be able to repay my debt to you. But Srila Gurudeva, the mystery is that the total opposite seems to be happening!

While in Auckland I met a boy named Jonathon, who had just returned to New Zealand from a student exchange experience in Denmark. While passing through the LA Airport, heading to Denmark, he ran into a disciple of yours who sold him a book. He read that book several times, and thus decided to become vegetarian. On the way back through the LA Airport he again met that same disciple of yours, receiving this time the Journey of Self Discovery. When I met him, he decided to buy a Science of Self Realisation. I sent you an e-mail about this story some time ago, for your pleasure, and as an attempt to pay off some of my debt.

But Srila Gurudeva, that story hasn’t ended, and thus my debt has only increased again! Recently, I have made a brief visit to Wellington. On the first Krishna Fest celebration I attended while here I had a boy come up to me, asking if I remembered him. He said I had met him a year and a half ago in Auckland. Since I had met him, he had met many other disciples of yours, and bought many more books to continue his collection, which he reads regularly. He has made himself familiar with a number of your disciples at your Gaura-Yoga Centre, he has started chanting a little bit, and seems enthusiastic to continue his associating with your disciples. As we talked I asked where he got his first book, and as he explained his story more, I realized who it was I was talking to. It was that same Jonathon who I wrote to you about over a year ago.

Srila Gurudeva, somehow or other, while trying to repay my debt to you, I have found myself to be an insignificant link in your chain of mercy which is working to pull conditioned souls out of the embarrassing ocean of material existence, out of the dark ocean of misery that is bodily identification. And as a result of being in this position I feel such happiness that it seems like my debt to you has just increased a thousand fold again!

Gurudeva, I don’t know what kind of trick you have played on me, but I don’t see any way out of this situation, for the only currency which you will ever accept for repayment of my debt only seems to increase my indebtedness to you more and more. But unlike my materialistic friends of yesteryear, who upon finding themselves in debt are feeling incredible pangs of stress and anxiety, for myself the thought of serving you for the rest of my life in order repay this great debt only serves to fill me with such a feeling of happiness and satisfaction that I am actually praying to you today that this debt will only increase a thousand-fold, year after year after year.

Your eternally indebted servant,
Vidyapati dasa

Today we celebrated my Gurumaharaja's Vyasa-puja. This is my last few days in Wellington, as I'm heading back up to Auckland on Monday, so it was nice to observe the ceremony here, especially considering this is where I first got into Krsna consciousness, but I had never previous been in Wellington to celebrate Gurudeva Vyasa-puja.

Here is my offering to Gurudeva:

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this most blessed and auspicious day, I hope for my mind to be deep in contemplation over the mysterious indebtedness that arises as a natural result of the Guru-disciple relationship.

Srila Gurudeva, it’s practically impossible for me to calculate exactly when my debt to you began. In the summer of 1998 I first met a disciple of yours, the first Hare Krishna devotee I had ever met, while walking in Whakatane township with some friends. I was full of envy and asked this devotee what it felt like to be a member of a cult. He just stared blankly at me, with my spiked up pink hair, facial peircings and dirty appearance and replied “Well…from my perspective it looks like you are the cult member.” All my friends laughed, and instantly I was filled with respect for this devotee.

The following year an aspiring disciple of yours approached the door of my parents’ house, and convinced me to give him a donation and thus I received the book Easy Journey to Other Planets. Over the following years, I frequently met your disciples in various cities in New Zealand. My brother and I spent ½ an hour talking to one disciple in Rotorua. Another gave me advice on asthma on Queen Street in Auckland. Often I would go looking for a Hare Krishna whenever I visited a city, and upon finding one I would walk past them repeatedly until they would talk to me. One day I even received a set of beads from a disciple of yours that I met on the streets of Hamilton, which lead me to start chanting Hare Krishna daily, for at least a little while. Your disciples fed me from their restaurant on many occasions. In fact, several previous associates of mine even became your very serious disciples.

Somehow, Gurumaharaja, one of my previous associates, turned surrendered soul, convinced me to take a trip to your Gaura-Yoga centre, to see a world traveling monk. With no money in my bank account, I had to beg $3 to come for the Sunday feast, and with that $3 I unknowingly placed myself into a debt of unimaginable proportions. On that night I heard you speak such obvious truths that I was ashamed to admit that I was so lost in a world of obvious illusion. We had a short discussion afterwards, during which you told me that I could only make a real change in the world if I first changed myself. From that night I felt a feeling of indebtedness to you, and in order to begin to pay it back, I tried to follow your advice faithfully, though progressing slowly.

Srila Gurudeva, somehow or other you dragged me from such a position of embarrassing suffering. One is automatically placed in an embarrassing position when they think they are the body, and I was so deep in such a position that I am now completely ashamed thinking about the situation, and thus I feel immensely indebted to you. And through your constant guidance, you have repeatedly given me the opportunity to begin to pay back my debt.

Srila Gurudeva, you placed me in the association of serious devotees, so that I could engage in serious devotional service to begin to pay back my debt to you. But, mysteriously, the happiness I felt by engaging in devotional service, in the association of devotees, only served to increase my feelings of indebtedness. Then, under your guidance, I began to try to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. It is clear that this is a service very dear to you, and I thought that perhaps by serving you in this way I might just be able to repay my debt to you. But Srila Gurudeva, the mystery is that the total opposite seems to be happening!

While in Auckland I met a boy named Jonathon, who had just returned to New Zealand from a student exchange experience in Denmark. While passing through the LA Airport, heading to Denmark, he ran into a disciple of yours who sold him a book. He read that book several times, and thus decided to become vegetarian. On the way back through the LA Airport he again met that same disciple of yours, receiving this time the Journey of Self Discovery. When I met him, he decided to buy a Science of Self Realisation. I sent you an e-mail about this story some time ago, for your pleasure, and as an attempt to pay off some of my debt.

But Srila Gurudeva, that story hasn’t ended, and thus my debt has only increased again! Recently, I have made a brief visit to Wellington. On the first Krishna Fest celebration I attended while here I had a boy come up to me, asking if I remembered him. He said I had met him a year and a half ago in Auckland. Since I had met him, he had met many other disciples of yours, and bought many more books to continue his collection, which he reads regularly. He has made himself familiar with a number of your disciples at your Gaura-Yoga Centre, he has started chanting a little bit, and seems enthusiastic to continue his associating with your disciples. As we talked I asked where he got his first book, and as he explained his story more, I realized who it was I was talking to. It was that same Jonathon who I wrote to you about over a year ago.

Srila Gurudeva, somehow or other, while trying to repay my debt to you, I have found myself to be an insignificant link in your chain of mercy which is working to pull conditioned souls out of the embarrassing ocean of material existence, out of the dark ocean of misery that is bodily identification. And as a result of being in this position I feel such happiness that it seems like my debt to you has just increased a thousand fold again!

Gurudeva, I don’t know what kind of trick you have played on me, but I don’t see any way out of this situation, for the only currency which you will ever accept for repayment of my debt only seems to increase my indebtedness to you more and more. But unlike my materialistic friends of yesteryear, who upon finding themselves in debt are feeling incredible pangs of stress and anxiety, for myself the thought of serving you for the rest of my life in order repay this great debt only serves to fill me with such a feeling of happiness and satisfaction that I am actually praying to you today that this debt will only increase a thousand-fold, year after year after year.

Your eternally indebted servant,
Vidyapati dasa

I was listening to Christopher Allen (blog) giving a talk about Dunbar's number.

Dunbar measured the ideal sizes of various types of groups. The larger the group, the more time must be spent coordinating and socializing, and less time spent doing stuff.

Groups over 150 or so people, do not work.

Settlements split at that size, Roman army units are that size (a Centurion would command no more than 150 men), academic peer-groups don't work if they grow above 150, the list goes on ...

The best group size is far lower than 150, depending on what a group is trying to accomplish. 150 is the ideal number for a group of primates trying to survive. The ideal modern group size is somewhere around 40 - 60. Such groups can work very well.

Allen goes on to describe that a group of 40 people have a different dynamic to a small group of about 5 - 10 people. Groups of 10 people also work well, but do so in a different way to larger groups of 40 people. However, in between these two ideal group sizes the group dynamic falls apart. The group is too big for small group practices to work well, but too small for large group practices to take effect.

Groups of 13 people do not work.

Such groups must either shrink back to a more manageable size, or quickly expand to at least 20 people to allow large group dynamics to set in. Groups between 10 and 20 people will otherwise at best get nothing done or at worst break apart.

I was listening to Christopher Allen (blog) giving a talk about Dunbar's number.

Dunbar measured the ideal sizes of various types of groups. The larger the group, the more time must be spent coordinating and socializing, and less time spent doing stuff.

Groups over 150 or so people, do not work.

Settlements split at that size, Roman army units are that size (a Centurion would command no more than 150 men), academic peer-groups don't work if they grow above 150, the list goes on ...

The best group size is far lower than 150, depending on what a group is trying to accomplish. 150 is the ideal number for a group of primates trying to survive. The ideal modern group size is somewhere around 40 - 60. Such groups can work very well.

Allen goes on to describe that a group of 40 people have a different dynamic to a small group of about 5 - 10 people. Groups of 10 people also work well, but do so in a different way to larger groups of 40 people. However, in between these two ideal group sizes the group dynamic falls apart. The group is too big for small group practices to work well, but too small for large group practices to take effect.

Groups of 13 people do not work.

Such groups must either shrink back to a more manageable size, or quickly expand to at least 20 people to allow large group dynamics to set in. Groups between 10 and 20 people will otherwise at best get nothing done or at worst break apart.

A new University semester is upon us and Vedicsoc is back in business!

We just had the Fresher's Fair at the University. Up to four days of hoards of students being induced to join every kind of club or society one might imagine. I chose two days in the prime location (UoM Academy) for Vedicsoc's recruitment efforts. Kamren helped me.

We distributed loads of prasadam (Coconut Ice and Chinese Almond cookies), as well as 1000 flyers (and foolish me thought I had printed too many). 166 interested people put their email address down to be put on our mailing list.

On advice from Joy I added a timetable of events to the back of the flyers. A definite schedule of interesting topics should hopefully attract more people. I also set the price at ?£1 per session, pay-as-you-go. People liked the cheap price for a two hour long session, as well as the fact that they didn't have to commit to anything.

The fair itself was pretty intense: loud noise everywhere, wall-to-wall people and discarded flyers all over the place.

My realizations:

• Asian people are becoming more interested in yoga/meditation. We had quite a few Chinese and Japanese students come by, ask questions and sign up. In previous years there was zero interest from students from those countries.
• Students are getting older. Excessive sense gratification is prematurely aging young people. I remember when the freshers at University looked like little kids. Now I can hardly tell the difference between someone who is 18 and someone who is 28. All their innocence has been lost long long ago.
• (As my spiritual master also has said) men are generally spaced-out and women are angry. Indulging the senses destroys a man's intelligence and he becomes a spaced-out zombie. Women hope to get some emotional fulfillment from sense indulgence and are (inevitably) disappointed and angry when it does not result.

I tried to capture some of these ideas with my camera as I was distributing flyers and shouting at people trying to get their attention so they would join Vedicsoc. You can view the result of my photographic endeavors here. I think the pictures nicely illustrate the sad and sorry state of the student community (if I accidentally took a picture of anyone reading this blog entry and you don't want it displayed, please email me and I'll remove it).

Sorry for the low quality of the pictures. It was quite dark in the room and I had to resort to less than ideal ISO settings and shutter speeds.

On another side note: I've been watching the Radiant Vista Daily Critique. It is an excellent daily 5-minute video photo critique by master photographer Craig Tanner. He takes viewer/listener submitted photos and gives some encouraging words, as well as suggestions for improvement. I've learnt a lot about photography from these podcasts. I've implemented some of what I've learnt in this latest series of pictures. Further comments and suggestions are, of course, welcome.

A new University semester is upon us and Vedicsoc is back in business!

We just had the Fresher's Fair at the University. Up to four days of hoards of students being induced to join every kind of club or society one might imagine. I chose two days in the prime location (UoM Academy) for Vedicsoc's recruitment efforts. Kamren helped me.

We distributed loads of prasadam (Coconut Ice and Chinese Almond cookies), as well as 1000 flyers (and foolish me thought I had printed too many). 166 interested people put their email address down to be put on our mailing list.

On advice from Joy I added a timetable of events to the back of the flyers. A definite schedule of interesting topics should hopefully attract more people. I also set the price at ?£1 per session, pay-as-you-go. People liked the cheap price for a two hour long session, as well as the fact that they didn't have to commit to anything.

The fair itself was pretty intense: loud noise everywhere, wall-to-wall people and discarded flyers all over the place.

My realizations:

• Asian people are becoming more interested in yoga/meditation. We had quite a few Chinese and Japanese students come by, ask questions and sign up. In previous years there was zero interest from students from those countries.
• Students are getting older. Excessive sense gratification is prematurely aging young people. I remember when the freshers at University looked like little kids. Now I can hardly tell the difference between someone who is 18 and someone who is 28. All their innocence has been lost long long ago.
• (As my spiritual master also has said) men are generally spaced-out and women are angry. Indulging the senses destroys a man's intelligence and he becomes a spaced-out zombie. Women hope to get some emotional fulfillment from sense indulgence and are (inevitably) disappointed and angry when it does not result.

I tried to capture some of these ideas with my camera as I was distributing flyers and shouting at people trying to get their attention so they would join Vedicsoc. You can view the result of my photographic endeavors here. I think the pictures nicely illustrate the sad and sorry state of the student community (if I accidentally took a picture of anyone reading this blog entry and you don't want it displayed, please email me and I'll remove it).

Sorry for the low quality of the pictures. It was quite dark in the room and I had to resort to less than ideal ISO settings and shutter speeds.

On another side note: I've been watching the Radiant Vista Daily Critique. It is an excellent daily 5-minute video photo critique by master photographer Craig Tanner. He takes viewer/listener submitted photos and gives some encouraging words, as well as suggestions for improvement. I've learnt a lot about photography from these podcasts. I've implemented some of what I've learnt in this latest series of pictures. Further comments and suggestions are, of course, welcome.

Just got word that Hitesh has been initiated by his spiritual master (Devamrita Swami) during the recent festival in New Vraja dhama, Hungary. His initiated name is Radhikesa dasa. I'm really happy for him. Who would have known that a photography student from Manchester would become such a great humble servant in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya?

Here is a picture from the ceremony:

Just got word that Hitesh has been initiated by his spiritual master (Devamrita Swami) during the recent festival in New Vraja dhama, Hungary. His initiated name is Radhikesa dasa. I'm really happy for him. Who would have known that a photography student from Manchester would become such a great humble servant in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya?

Here is a picture from the ceremony:

"When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be"

-- John Lennon

"When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be"

-- John Lennon

“In the liberated state of affairs, the full-fledged affection for the Lord is awakened. As such, there is an unlimited flow of everlasting happiness, without the fear of its being broken as we have experienced here in the material world. The relationship with the Lord is never broken; thus there is no grief and no fear” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.7.47 purport).

I remember whenever I would experience some sort of happiness, when things would start to go well in my life, immediately the fear of loss would rush into my consciousness. “When is this going to end?” I knew it would. It always did. After some time of experiencing this duality of gain and loss the fear would take over. This happened with relationships, this happened with school and work, even (or especially) on drugs. I would be high as a kite, oblivious to the world, but then came the comedown. Even the onset of comedown would bring fear and grief. Why does it have to end? Why can’t I be like this forever? And sometimes those comedowns were extremely hard. From so high to so low, just like that.

Because of this fear we may not want to enter into any sort of relationships. Why go through all of the trouble if it will simply end sooner or later? Then we become a bitter hermit who hides from the world (I speak from experience here too). But this will not solve the problem. We have to have relationships. We have to have real love. And as the above quote states, that real ever-lasting relationship exists between the soul and God. Only in that relationship do we never have to fear loss, for it is eternal. Even without our knowledge the relationship still exists, as God is within our heart always watching over us. And when we turn our love back to Him then we experience this “everlasting happiness” which we are all searching for.

“In the liberated state of affairs, the full-fledged affection for the Lord is awakened. As such, there is an unlimited flow of everlasting happiness, without the fear of its being broken as we have experienced here in the material world. The relationship with the Lord is never broken; thus there is no grief and no fear” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.7.47 purport).

I remember whenever I would experience some sort of happiness, when things would start to go well in my life, immediately the fear of loss would rush into my consciousness. “When is this going to end?” I knew it would. It always did. After some time of experiencing this duality of gain and loss the fear would take over. This happened with relationships, this happened with school and work, even (or especially) on drugs. I would be high as a kite, oblivious to the world, but then came the comedown. Even the onset of comedown would bring fear and grief. Why does it have to end? Why can’t I be like this forever? And sometimes those comedowns were extremely hard. From so high to so low, just like that.

Because of this fear we may not want to enter into any sort of relationships. Why go through all of the trouble if it will simply end sooner or later? Then we become a bitter hermit who hides from the world (I speak from experience here too). But this will not solve the problem. We have to have relationships. We have to have real love. And as the above quote states, that real ever-lasting relationship exists between the soul and God. Only in that relationship do we never have to fear loss, for it is eternal. Even without our knowledge the relationship still exists, as God is within our heart always watching over us. And when we turn our love back to Him then we experience this “everlasting happiness” which we are all searching for.

What foods should you eat?

Is this question really that difficult to answer? Lots of people seem to think so. Indeed, from what I see people all around me eat, it would seem there is a huge need for some basic common-sense food education.

This website has a free downloadable easy-to-read guide that distinguishes foods that cause disease and foods that are good for health. It is very nicely presented. I agree completely (except for the thing about fish oils; not because they aren't healthy, but because I don't want to get the karma from killing the fish).

So, have a heart and be healthy and happy!

What foods should you eat?

Is this question really that difficult to answer? Lots of people seem to think so. Indeed, from what I see people all around me eat, it would seem there is a huge need for some basic common-sense food education.

This website has a free downloadable easy-to-read guide that distinguishes foods that cause disease and foods that are good for health. It is very nicely presented. I agree completely (except for the thing about fish oils; not because they aren't healthy, but because I don't want to get the karma from killing the fish).

So, have a heart and be healthy and happy!

There is a force that makes us act in the material world, even though we do not know what we are doing, or why we are doing it. We propose a new standard of intelligence: someone who can see this temporary material energy acts is a truly brilliant scientist. Not someone who can merely create some brilliant technology.

We need to understand that we should give the best of our lives to Krishna.

So, how much Krishna consciousness do you want to bite off?

We need to overhaul our lifestyle.

Who gives the best advice? What is the "absolute"? Where do you go to get knowledge of your true identity?

Please say: "give me the Bhagavad-Gita"

Conditioned life means denying Krishna - in a variety of ways. Some people have a fear that by focusing too much on Krishna they become limited or sectarian.

Where did personalism come from? Who is the best (unlimited) person? As soon as we acknowledge someone as a person that means there is personal obligation. We have calculated that the best way we can get on with our enjoyment program is to ignore the person Krishna. We have ourselves brainwashed into thinking: "I have no time"

We must have a progressive plan how to go forward in Krishna consciousness, otherwise the material world will pull us back.

Questions:

• But I don't have enough disciple to practice all of Krishna consciousness.
• I see disciple as just following the teaching, not some victorian thing imposed upon us.
• Will I appreciate Krishna consciousness if I just subject myself to it?
• It seems like we should just read to enjoy the verse, not thinking "if I read this verse it is going to make me x,y,z". We should be attached to the result, right?
• Will our freedom always be limited?
• You say that real religion does not require you to believe in anything, but can be experienced in the laboratory, but then you say some faith must be there in the beginning?
• Vivekananda said that it is very good to be born in a church, but it is very bad to die in it, because you do need some kind of system when you are at the embryonic stage until you can stand alone.
• Perhaps she is talking about when you come to the spiritual platform from the material platform?
• Isn't it up to you to find you path? How can you say that somebody else's path is not valid?
• There are so many maps by so many different religions, all claiming to be valid.
• It really winds me up when I'm told "whatever you do, it has to go to Krishna". How do I do it? Do I have to go all the way into the laboratory, since I can't talk to Krishna directly? I can also misinterpret what I hear.
• Surely you can chant someone's glories by talking about him, not just by chanting?
• I want to be convinced that this is the path.
• In the Bible it says "in the beginning was the word", but the translation of the original greek is "logos" which means "conversation", like the Bhagavad-Gita's conversation between Krishna and Arjuna.
• I think in the Indian mentality there is a lot of thinking "I can be God", but in the Christian world people don't consciously think that. Also, a Muslim is always thinking that the best position is to be a servant of God. Not how he can become God.
• Do we not believe in Advaita? Becoming one with God does not mean wanting to be God.
• If you become realized you are a part of the whole is that still duality? Is the thing that is left after the body decays is not the whole?
• We need sat-sanga discussion to understand what we are reading, otherwise there will be so many misconceptions.

There is a force that makes us act in the material world, even though we do not know what we are doing, or why we are doing it. We propose a new standard of intelligence: someone who can see this temporary material energy acts is a truly brilliant scientist. Not someone who can merely create some brilliant technology.

We need to understand that we should give the best of our lives to Krishna.

So, how much Krishna consciousness do you want to bite off?

We need to overhaul our lifestyle.

Who gives the best advice? What is the "absolute"? Where do you go to get knowledge of your true identity?

Please say: "give me the Bhagavad-Gita"

Conditioned life means denying Krishna - in a variety of ways. Some people have a fear that by focusing too much on Krishna they become limited or sectarian.

Where did personalism come from? Who is the best (unlimited) person? As soon as we acknowledge someone as a person that means there is personal obligation. We have calculated that the best way we can get on with our enjoyment program is to ignore the person Krishna. We have ourselves brainwashed into thinking: "I have no time"

We must have a progressive plan how to go forward in Krishna consciousness, otherwise the material world will pull us back.

Questions:

• But I don't have enough disciple to practice all of Krishna consciousness.
• I see disciple as just following the teaching, not some victorian thing imposed upon us.
• Will I appreciate Krishna consciousness if I just subject myself to it?
• It seems like we should just read to enjoy the verse, not thinking "if I read this verse it is going to make me x,y,z". We should be attached to the result, right?
• Will our freedom always be limited?
• You say that real religion does not require you to believe in anything, but can be experienced in the laboratory, but then you say some faith must be there in the beginning?
• Vivekananda said that it is very good to be born in a church, but it is very bad to die in it, because you do need some kind of system when you are at the embryonic stage until you can stand alone.
• Perhaps she is talking about when you come to the spiritual platform from the material platform?
• Isn't it up to you to find you path? How can you say that somebody else's path is not valid?
• There are so many maps by so many different religions, all claiming to be valid.
• It really winds me up when I'm told "whatever you do, it has to go to Krishna". How do I do it? Do I have to go all the way into the laboratory, since I can't talk to Krishna directly? I can also misinterpret what I hear.
• Surely you can chant someone's glories by talking about him, not just by chanting?
• I want to be convinced that this is the path.
• In the Bible it says "in the beginning was the word", but the translation of the original greek is "logos" which means "conversation", like the Bhagavad-Gita's conversation between Krishna and Arjuna.
• I think in the Indian mentality there is a lot of thinking "I can be God", but in the Christian world people don't consciously think that. Also, a Muslim is always thinking that the best position is to be a servant of God. Not how he can become God.
• Do we not believe in Advaita? Becoming one with God does not mean wanting to be God.
• If you become realized you are a part of the whole is that still duality? Is the thing that is left after the body decays is not the whole?
• We need sat-sanga discussion to understand what we are reading, otherwise there will be so many misconceptions.

My spiritual master, Devamrita Swami, recently visited my humble little abode. Not much to report. I was so busy serving and arranging things that I didn't ask him any questions. Actually, all the many worries, doubts and concerns that had been on my mind evaporated in his association. I ended up not needing to ask him anything.

Hitesh was traveling with Guru Maharaja. He is due to get initiated at the Ukraine festival sometime very soon (or perhaps it has happened already). It was nice to see old gloomy Manchester resident Hitesh (judging by his old passport photo) literally glowing in his saffron robes. Krishna consciousness creates happiness. No question about it (Lilamayi Subhadra also thinks so).

The two of us worked together nicely cooking for the Guru. Here is what we prepared on the two (and a half) days:

Day 1:

• Salad with radishes and carrots
• Basmati rice with wild rice
• Tomato soup with zucchini
• Stir fried broccoli and sweet potato subji
• Organic corn on the cob (which he really liked; it was the first time I found organic corn in the local ASDA supermarket)
• Wholemeal easy apple pie with vegan custard

Day 2:

• Salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumber
• Yellow basmati rice with wild rice
• Oven roasted vegetables with rosemary
• Spicy spinach and tomato subji
• Split mung dal soup
• Wholemeal carrot and sunflower seed cookies

Day 3:

• Cauliflower and pea samosas for the flight (which weren't quite spicy enough, apparently)

My spiritual master, Devamrita Swami, recently visited my humble little abode. Not much to report. I was so busy serving and arranging things that I didn't ask him any questions. Actually, all the many worries, doubts and concerns that had been on my mind evaporated in his association. I ended up not needing to ask him anything.

Hitesh was traveling with Guru Maharaja. He is due to get initiated at the Ukraine festival sometime very soon (or perhaps it has happened already). It was nice to see old gloomy Manchester resident Hitesh (judging by his old passport photo) literally glowing in his saffron robes. Krishna consciousness creates happiness. No question about it (Lilamayi Subhadra also thinks so).

The two of us worked together nicely cooking for the Guru. Here is what we prepared on the two (and a half) days:

Day 1:

• Salad with radishes and carrots
• Basmati rice with wild rice
• Tomato soup with zucchini
• Stir fried broccoli and sweet potato subji
• Organic corn on the cob (which he really liked; it was the first time I found organic corn in the local ASDA supermarket)
• Wholemeal easy apple pie with vegan custard

Day 2:

• Salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumber
• Yellow basmati rice with wild rice
• Oven roasted vegetables with rosemary
• Spicy spinach and tomato subji
• Split mung dal soup
• Wholemeal carrot and sunflower seed cookies

Day 3:

• Cauliflower and pea samosas for the flight (which weren't quite spicy enough, apparently)

He looks at her from across the meadow. Her brownish hair waves in the wind as she dances and smiles, but not at him. He realizes she has no interest in him as much as he longs for her. It was always like that with every girl. The one he liked could care less. Is that why he liked them? To torture himself? Just then he noticed another looking in his direction, with that same expression of want. But this time, he was the one who did not reciprocate. “Why is it that we always are looking for the one who is looking for someone else?” he wondered. “Why can’t we find the one who could fully repose our love?” Then it hit him, it’s only Krishna who could do that. Only Krishna who loves everyone, unconditionally. Only He who no matter how many turn toward Him can truly satisfy their feelings. Only Him.

He looks at her from across the meadow. Her brownish hair waves in the wind as she dances and smiles, but not at him. He realizes she has no interest in him as much as he longs for her. It was always like that with every girl. The one he liked could care less. Is that why he liked them? To torture himself? Just then he noticed another looking in his direction, with that same expression of want. But this time, he was the one who did not reciprocate. “Why is it that we always are looking for the one who is looking for someone else?” he wondered. “Why can’t we find the one who could fully repose our love?” Then it hit him, it’s only Krishna who could do that. Only Krishna who loves everyone, unconditionally. Only He who no matter how many turn toward Him can truly satisfy their feelings. Only Him.

I’m staying at my father’s new house in Gainesville. He’s finally done it, after all these years. Bought his own house and moved back to his favorite place. And I’m happy for him. Of course, to tell you the truth, when I first found out that he was planning to do this I was a bit surprised and maybe even a little disappointed. After all, he is almost 58, which in Vedic culture is a time to be winding down one’s material responsibilities and preparing for the final exam of leaving this world, not accumulating a mortgage and tons of debt. One is supposed to have gone through the full life experience and now, children grown, pass things off to them and have time and energy to fully focus on one’s spiritual life.

But he has sacrificed much of his life for service. This is the first time he’ll have owned property in his entire life, which is more surprising given the fact that he’s been a successful attorney for the past 25 years. He sacrificed his youth to living in and running a temple, for the first couple years barely able to pay for food. He worked tirelessly in that position, and then even more so when he became a lawyer. Instead of making a healthy living, he worked mostly for the movement, losing much income to preserve and protect the mission his spiritual master had given him. We were never in want, but we didn’t have the most comforts either. Mostly we lived modestly and the sometimes embellishments were brought about by his going into debt.

So now he has this house and he deserves to enjoy. He still has hopes for service in a new field and maybe will be able to serve more now than he ever has. But he also has to worry about paying that mortgage and the many other bills associated with it. And he’s not getting any younger. Where will he get the energy? What if he starts developing serious health problems? I guess we can’t let these kinds of questions stop us from taking risks in life. Otherwise, we would never be able to do anything.

But when I look at my own life, I wonder about the future and how much I want to become invested in this society. In “getting my share”. In other words, going about the normal routine of job, home, family and the rest. How long will this society continue? When will a major war take place? When will economic collapse occur? When will a hurricane or earthquake come along and destroy everything? Or simply when will death come? Once again, we can’t think about these questions all the time and plan our life accordingly, living in bomb shelters or germ-free biospheres. I recently heard that the reason BV, my former gurukula (spiritual boarding school) folded was because it bought the land based on small initial payments and then a balloon payment five years down the road. They agreed to this deal thinking that a war would come by then and therefore they wouldn’t ever have to pay it.

However, at the present rate I don’t think this society can last much longer. So how could I just go about my life as if nothing were wrong? I have to do something meaningful to help change take place. I can’t just worry about my socio-economic position. I saw a couple of nice documentaries last night. One was called The Corporation, a vivid expose of the utter power and nightmarish effects the modern corporations have upon us all. I didn’t watch the whole thing, but saw enough to get the point. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch it in full another time. The other, I can’t remember the name, was about a lady named Helen Kolnukaff?, who at one point 25 years ago became one of the leaders of the anti-nuclear arms movement by giving up her profession as a medical doctor to travel all around the world and write books about the horrors and politics of nuclear war. In this doc she has written a new book all these years later and struggles to bring people back to the issues in a changing environment of corporate control and mass media and the overall apathy of people today. Although going through many obstacles, she connects on a grassroots level and gradually through her optimistic mentality begins to spark the movement again. She said at one point that a cynic is simply an optimist who has given up.

In seeing these I validated my understanding of the terrible circumstances we face today in society and the great need for change. And I also realized that with determination and faith in God one person can make a difference. But can I be that person?

I’m staying at my father’s new house in Gainesville. He’s finally done it, after all these years. Bought his own house and moved back to his favorite place. And I’m happy for him. Of course, to tell you the truth, when I first found out that he was planning to do this I was a bit surprised and maybe even a little disappointed. After all, he is almost 58, which in Vedic culture is a time to be winding down one’s material responsibilities and preparing for the final exam of leaving this world, not accumulating a mortgage and tons of debt. One is supposed to have gone through the full life experience and now, children grown, pass things off to them and have time and energy to fully focus on one’s spiritual life.

But he has sacrificed much of his life for service. This is the first time he’ll have owned property in his entire life, which is more surprising given the fact that he’s been a successful attorney for the past 25 years. He sacrificed his youth to living in and running a temple, for the first couple years barely able to pay for food. He worked tirelessly in that position, and then even more so when he became a lawyer. Instead of making a healthy living, he worked mostly for the movement, losing much income to preserve and protect the mission his spiritual master had given him. We were never in want, but we didn’t have the most comforts either. Mostly we lived modestly and the sometimes embellishments were brought about by his going into debt.

So now he has this house and he deserves to enjoy. He still has hopes for service in a new field and maybe will be able to serve more now than he ever has. But he also has to worry about paying that mortgage and the many other bills associated with it. And he’s not getting any younger. Where will he get the energy? What if he starts developing serious health problems? I guess we can’t let these kinds of questions stop us from taking risks in life. Otherwise, we would never be able to do anything.

But when I look at my own life, I wonder about the future and how much I want to become invested in this society. In “getting my share”. In other words, going about the normal routine of job, home, family and the rest. How long will this society continue? When will a major war take place? When will economic collapse occur? When will a hurricane or earthquake come along and destroy everything? Or simply when will death come? Once again, we can’t think about these questions all the time and plan our life accordingly, living in bomb shelters or germ-free biospheres. I recently heard that the reason BV, my former gurukula (spiritual boarding school) folded was because it bought the land based on small initial payments and then a balloon payment five years down the road. They agreed to this deal thinking that a war would come by then and therefore they wouldn’t ever have to pay it.

However, at the present rate I don’t think this society can last much longer. So how could I just go about my life as if nothing were wrong? I have to do something meaningful to help change take place. I can’t just worry about my socio-economic position. I saw a couple of nice documentaries last night. One was called The Corporation, a vivid expose of the utter power and nightmarish effects the modern corporations have upon us all. I didn’t watch the whole thing, but saw enough to get the point. Hopefully I’ll be able to watch it in full another time. The other, I can’t remember the name, was about a lady named Helen Kolnukaff?, who at one point 25 years ago became one of the leaders of the anti-nuclear arms movement by giving up her profession as a medical doctor to travel all around the world and write books about the horrors and politics of nuclear war. In this doc she has written a new book all these years later and struggles to bring people back to the issues in a changing environment of corporate control and mass media and the overall apathy of people today. Although going through many obstacles, she connects on a grassroots level and gradually through her optimistic mentality begins to spark the movement again. She said at one point that a cynic is simply an optimist who has given up.

In seeing these I validated my understanding of the terrible circumstances we face today in society and the great need for change. And I also realized that with determination and faith in God one person can make a difference. But can I be that person?

"You have to be a man of action," they say. "Don't wait for things to come to you. For maybe they never will." Yet I look toward the sky dreamily thinking about a mystical destiny and gain coming of its own accord. How long will I look?

"You have to be a man of action," they say. "Don't wait for things to come to you. For maybe they never will." Yet I look toward the sky dreamily thinking about a mystical destiny and gain coming of its own accord. How long will I look?

So many opinions, what to do and what not. Mistakes to learn from, new systems discovered. Am I really going there, back again? Didn’t I run from this once before? Feelings I forgot were there. Interesting it is, but the mind can only think about so many things. Do I want this going during japa, during puja? What happened to Krishna?

So many opinions, what to do and what not. Mistakes to learn from, new systems discovered. Am I really going there, back again? Didn’t I run from this once before? Feelings I forgot were there. Interesting it is, but the mind can only think about so many things. Do I want this going during japa, during puja? What happened to Krishna?

My MacBook Pro needed a repair. So then, here is a first hand account of my experience with the AppleCare tech support.

The first problem I had was the battery malfunctioning. It would continually display a battery life estimate of 55 hours (which would have been nice, if true), even when empty. So, I phoned Apple and the tech support person ran me through a long list of trouble-shooting steps. She concluded that the battery was indeed faulty and arranged to send me a new battery. The new battery arrived two days later. With the battery came a prepaid UPS box to send the faulty battery back (Apple took my credit card number, so if I did not returned the old battery they will bill me for it).

Then I decided to complain about the infamous "whine" problem. The MacBook Pros make a faint, high-pitched whining/buzzing noise when running idle while on battery power. Apple had been denying the problem until last month when they announced a fix. I again phoned Apple support and (after about 45 minutes of running through every possible other thing that might be causing the noise) the tech support person arranged for the MacBook to be picked up for repair. The very next day a box for the computer arrived by UPS. UPS collected the computer a few hours later that same day.

Now the trouble started. It seems that since practically all MacBook Pros had this "whining noise" problem, everyone on the planet decided to send their laptop into Apple for repair at the same time. The result was that Apple was very short on the part (motherboard/logicboard) needed for the repair. To cut a long story short, after 4 weeks of my repair being "on hold - in queue for part" I phoned Apple and told them I critically needed my laptop. 3 days later it arrived in the post fully repaired and in good working order.

Tech support staff were always friendly, expert and helpful. The longest I was on hold for was about 3 minutes. They explained the situation with the long queue for the part, saying that repairs normally will take no longer than 7 days. They then upgraded the priority of my repair so it would "jump the queue".

I learnt the key words to say when talking to an Apple tech support person. They are "critical" and "unacceptable" . The staff are trained to agree to repair almost any complaint, however small, if you say it is "unacceptable". If you say the use of your computer is "critical", the priority of the repair gets boosted and it is completed in record time.

Apple recently has won a whole load of tech support awards. They are generally rated equally to Lenovo (both got grade A). In this particular review of computer tech support the other manufacturers scored as follows:

1. Apple: A
2. IBM/Lenovo: A
3. Fujitsu/Siemens: A-
4. Dell: B+
5. Gateway: B+
6. Sony: B
7. HP: B
8. Acer: C
9. Toshiba: D-

(also check out PCMag's recent consumer satisfaction survey. Yup, Apple comes first there, too.)

My MacBook Pro needed a repair. So then, here is a first hand account of my experience with the AppleCare tech support.

The first problem I had was the battery malfunctioning. It would continually display a battery life estimate of 55 hours (which would have been nice, if true), even when empty. So, I phoned Apple and the tech support person ran me through a long list of trouble-shooting steps. She concluded that the battery was indeed faulty and arranged to send me a new battery. The new battery arrived two days later. With the battery came a prepaid UPS box to send the faulty battery back (Apple took my credit card number, so if I did not returned the old battery they will bill me for it).

Then I decided to complain about the infamous "whine" problem. The MacBook Pros make a faint, high-pitched whining/buzzing noise when running idle while on battery power. Apple had been denying the problem until last month when they announced a fix. I again phoned Apple support and (after about 45 minutes of running through every possible other thing that might be causing the noise) the tech support person arranged for the MacBook to be picked up for repair. The very next day a box for the computer arrived by UPS. UPS collected the computer a few hours later that same day.

Now the trouble started. It seems that since practically all MacBook Pros had this "whining noise" problem, everyone on the planet decided to send their laptop into Apple for repair at the same time. The result was that Apple was very short on the part (motherboard/logicboard) needed for the repair. To cut a long story short, after 4 weeks of my repair being "on hold - in queue for part" I phoned Apple and told them I critically needed my laptop. 3 days later it arrived in the post fully repaired and in good working order.

Tech support staff were always friendly, expert and helpful. The longest I was on hold for was about 3 minutes. They explained the situation with the long queue for the part, saying that repairs normally will take no longer than 7 days. They then upgraded the priority of my repair so it would "jump the queue".

I learnt the key words to say when talking to an Apple tech support person. They are "critical" and "unacceptable" . The staff are trained to agree to repair almost any complaint, however small, if you say it is "unacceptable". If you say the use of your computer is "critical", the priority of the repair gets boosted and it is completed in record time.

Apple recently has won a whole load of tech support awards. They are generally rated equally to Lenovo (both got grade A). In this particular review of computer tech support the other manufacturers scored as follows:

1. Apple: A
2. IBM/Lenovo: A
3. Fujitsu/Siemens: A-
4. Dell: B+
5. Gateway: B+
6. Sony: B
7. HP: B
8. Acer: C
9. Toshiba: D-

(also check out PCMag's recent consumer satisfaction survey. Yup, Apple comes first there, too.)

I attended Krishna's birthday in Wales.

I took a train down to Cardiff, walked to the Soul Centre and felt like I was going to faint from the strain of the long trip and fasting. Some fruit helped restore my body.

I then took some pictures of the Soul Centre. It is a very stylish urban spiritual centre, don't you think?

The devotees went out on harinam in Cardiff for two and a half hours. It was great! After about an hour of chanting while walking around the city centre we spread out some blankets and spent the rest of the time sitting down and chanting.

Just as we were preparing the seated area a group of about five young people came up to me and asked me what "all this" was about. I briefly started to explain when one of them asked if we believed in the Bible. I said "yes, we do". Somewhat surprised, the guy started to ask some more questions. By this time I started to realize that these were rather fanatical (though respectful and inquisitive) Christians I was talking to.

Soon the kirtan had started and was going on in full-force, purifying the surrounding atmosphere. Oh well, I thought, I might as well take the opportunity to talk to these evangelical Christians about Krishna while they hear the holy name.

They presented all kinds of doubts and attacks against the notions of reincarnation, salvation outside of solely following Jesus, karma, vegetarianism (apparently, it says in the Bible that God wants us to eat meat). I explained the Krishna conscious perspective on all these point. One young man was surprised to hear the sensible KC viewpoints. The others however were closed-minded. They strained their brains to come up with something that "this heathen Hare Krishna" could not answer.

However, little did they know that all knowledge comes from Krishna, especially on his birthday. With Krishna on my side I could answer all their points. After we had talked for quite some time they asked me what distingishes a bona-fide religion from a bogus one. I answered that one aspect of a bona-fide religion is that it has a disciplic succession, like catholicism, for example.

I was very much surprised when they shoot back:

Catholics are not Christians!!

They argued that the catholic church has changed aspects of the literal meaning of the Bible. It also believes that we can go to heaven simply by following a mechanical process without surrendering our heart (which is actually true: someone can, for example, go to Gandarvaloka, which resembles the Christian idea of heaven, just by following the necessary rules and regulations of pious life; though, of course, that isn't the perfection of life).

I now realize that the lack of a disciplic succession is the main fault in evangelical Christianity. It takes the Bible as literally true. Too literally true. Without a chain of teachers coming down from the original teacher it is very easy to misinterpret the teacher's teachings and loose the true meaning (BG4.2). That is exactly what these poor Christians have done. They follow the exact words of the Bible without taking into account time, place, circumstance and intent. It is not just Chistians however. There are so many bogus interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gita which distort the true meaning.

Later, returning to Swansea, we sang bhajans until late into the night. Suki-Krishna expertly led the most amazing chanting on the harmonium. We also watched a documentary about Indradyumna Swami's amazing Festival of India tour. It is such an inspiring series of festivals! The film made me want to go to Poland and help out (but I won't because my body couldn't handle the intense austerity of the tour).

At midnight, the time of Krishna's appearance, over 100 different preparations were offered to the deity. The devotees then partook in the obligatory feast. As usual, I couldn't eat more than about two preparations because of dietary restrictions. So is life. On the bright side: my body held up surprisingly well. I even managed to chant 54 rounds throughout the day.

I attended Krishna's birthday in Wales.

I took a train down to Cardiff, walked to the Soul Centre and felt like I was going to faint from the strain of the long trip and fasting. Some fruit helped restore my body.

I then took some pictures of the Soul Centre. It is a very stylish urban spiritual centre, don't you think?

The devotees went out on harinam in Cardiff for two and a half hours. It was great! After about an hour of chanting while walking around the city centre we spread out some blankets and spent the rest of the time sitting down and chanting.

Just as we were preparing the seated area a group of about five young people came up to me and asked me what "all this" was about. I briefly started to explain when one of them asked if we believed in the Bible. I said "yes, we do". Somewhat surprised, the guy started to ask some more questions. By this time I started to realize that these were rather fanatical (though respectful and inquisitive) Christians I was talking to.

Soon the kirtan had started and was going on in full-force, purifying the surrounding atmosphere. Oh well, I thought, I might as well take the opportunity to talk to these evangelical Christians about Krishna while they hear the holy name.

They presented all kinds of doubts and attacks against the notions of reincarnation, salvation outside of solely following Jesus, karma, vegetarianism (apparently, it says in the Bible that God wants us to eat meat). I explained the Krishna conscious perspective on all these point. One young man was surprised to hear the sensible KC viewpoints. The others however were closed-minded. They strained their brains to come up with something that "this heathen Hare Krishna" could not answer.

However, little did they know that all knowledge comes from Krishna, especially on his birthday. With Krishna on my side I could answer all their points. After we had talked for quite some time they asked me what distingishes a bona-fide religion from a bogus one. I answered that one aspect of a bona-fide religion is that it has a disciplic succession, like catholicism, for example.

I was very much surprised when they shoot back:

Catholics are not Christians!!

They argued that the catholic church has changed aspects of the literal meaning of the Bible. It also believes that we can go to heaven simply by following a mechanical process without surrendering our heart (which is actually true: someone can, for example, go to Gandarvaloka, which resembles the Christian idea of heaven, just by following the necessary rules and regulations of pious life; though, of course, that isn't the perfection of life).

I now realize that the lack of a disciplic succession is the main fault in evangelical Christianity. It takes the Bible as literally true. Too literally true. Without a chain of teachers coming down from the original teacher it is very easy to misinterpret the teacher's teachings and loose the true meaning (BG4.2). That is exactly what these poor Christians have done. They follow the exact words of the Bible without taking into account time, place, circumstance and intent. It is not just Chistians however. There are so many bogus interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gita which distort the true meaning.

Later, returning to Swansea, we sang bhajans until late into the night. Suki-Krishna expertly led the most amazing chanting on the harmonium. We also watched a documentary about Indradyumna Swami's amazing Festival of India tour. It is such an inspiring series of festivals! The film made me want to go to Poland and help out (but I won't because my body couldn't handle the intense austerity of the tour).

At midnight, the time of Krishna's appearance, over 100 different preparations were offered to the deity. The devotees then partook in the obligatory feast. As usual, I couldn't eat more than about two preparations because of dietary restrictions. So is life. On the bright side: my body held up surprisingly well. I even managed to chant 54 rounds throughout the day.

Joel from the popular 'Joel on Software' blog, talks about the The Identity Management Method of managing a team. His advice: eat together to stay together!

A method I??(TM)m pretty comfortable with, is eating together. I??(TM)ve always made a point of eating lunch with my coworkers, and at Fog Creek we serve catered lunches for the whole team every day and eat together at one big table. It??(TM)s hard to understate what a big impact this has on making the company feel like a family, in the good way, I think. In six years, nobody has ever quit

Joel from the popular 'Joel on Software' blog, talks about the The Identity Management Method of managing a team. His advice: eat together to stay together!

A method I??(TM)m pretty comfortable with, is eating together. I??(TM)ve always made a point of eating lunch with my coworkers, and at Fog Creek we serve catered lunches for the whole team every day and eat together at one big table. It??(TM)s hard to understate what a big impact this has on making the company feel like a family, in the good way, I think. In six years, nobody has ever quit

I've had a busy time since arriving in Wellington. I'm certain that the only way I've been able to keep functioning is solely by the mercy of the devotees here.

On Tuesday I went to see Dr. Dan, who is primary reason I am in Wellington. He did a few tests, said that in some areas it looks like the treatment he gave me last time I visited had been fairly successful. He did a few other tests, one that somehow measures energy, and he said that I seemed to have 1/2 the amount of energy that I should have, which I kinda of agreed with. Then, he hooked me up to some machine, which measured...something, i'm not really sure... I don't realy know exactly what he was doing...but my Gurudeva said that in terms of my health I have to use whatever saw is available to cut the wood, so I'm just gonna surrender to Dr. Dan and see what happens. He practices heaps of different alternative medical systems. He has put me on some homeopathic stuff, which he says will help me with my revolutionary tendencies. He thinks that this might be part of my health problems. We'll see what happens.

Tuesday night we read Krsna book together, and sang some bhajana's, to prepare ourselves for the next day.

Wednesday, of course, was Janmastami. I woke up at 2:30, with a bit of a sore tummy, but full of energy. I got up, along with boddhi, my new room mate extraordinaire, and chanted as much as I could before the morning programme started. It was supposed to start at 4:30, but Mahavana was rather sick, so we just stuck to the regular 7am programme. After I finished my first set of 16 rounds for the day, Mother Khadiravana, Mahavana's wife, asked if I could give bhagavatam class as Mahavana couldn't. So, although I had planed on chanting more, I surrendered, and went to prepare for a class. There were about 13 devotees who showed up at the asrama in the morning. It was nice to see them all, especially Martin who was a very dear friend of mine, but who had a momentary break in his practice of Krsna consciousness. As soon as I finished that class, which was about an hour long, I was asked again by Mother Khadiravana if I would also be able to fill in for Mahavana Prabhu at the Janmastami celebrations, as he was supposed to give class there as well. That was abit more of a surrender. It meant spending much of the day going through the class Mahavana had prepared, getting my head around it, and working my way through the powerpoint he had set up for it. The result was that I didn't get to chant as much as I had hoped to that day. I have yet to actually fulfill my desire to chant 64 rounds on Janmastami. Perhaps next year I'll be able to do that.

I had a surprising amount of energy for the whole day. I think it may have been a result of the one treatment that Dr. Dan gave me. As a result I managed to fast the whole day, till midnight, only taking a small plate to break fast. It was a great festival. Festival days are the mothers of devotion. I tried my hardest to be prayerful all day. My constant prayer was based on a verse in the sixth canto of the Bhagavatam, spoken by Ajamila. It's one I meditate on often. The first line is my favourite "I am such a sinful person." Humility is a good way to start a prayer.

During the festival I was asked by Bhakta Sam to speak to a friend of his, who was a philosophy student, going for his masters degree. It was a huge auterity talking to him, it was so dry. I'm not into philosophy that doesn't have practical application...whats the point? In life I want happiness and success that completely fulfills the deepest desires of my heart, not some process of disecting and analysing arguments for not real purpose other than to enjoy some mental pleasure temporarily.

We broke fast, and got home about 2 am I think. As the following day was Prabhupada's appearance day, I was asked to help cook the feast, which meant waking up at quarter to five...not alot of sleep. It also meant that I missed out on the whole celebration, as I was in the kitchen. I didn't get to read out my offering either. But the feast was good. I finished my rounds at about 6 pm or something like that.

Because I didn't get to read out my offering, I decided to place it on here, so that I can prove that I actually did write one...though it is a fact, I didn't put much effort into it at all. I was too busy preparing classes yesterday to do it.

------------

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to your lotus feet.

Srila Prabhupada, in your most wonderful book, KRSNA, you explain so perfectly what makes Krsna so special. You explain that all of Krsna's activities, from the very moment of His birth are entirely unparralleled. They are completely beyond compare.

Srila Prabhupada, making an analysis of your life, it appears that in many ways, so many of your activities are also unparralleled. Your coming to the west, with the intense desire to serve the instructions of your Gurumaharaja is completely unparralleled. There is no one in the history of the world who endeavoured in this way with so much determination, and faith in the words of their guru. In this way you are unparralleld. Your ability to make thousands and thousands of first class devotees out of so many degraded personalities, turning hippies into happies, is completely unparralleled. You possess an amazing ability to explain the highest spiritual truths, the highest concepts of love of Godhead, in such a way that people from any background are able to grasp the concepts you explain. This is unparralleled. Not only that, but you formulated the perfect progamme of devotional engagement perfectly suited to the nature of passionate westerners. This is totally unparralleled. This is your unparralleled position as founder/acarya extraordinaire.

Srila Prabhupada, I am such a sinful person, but somehow or other, I have now gotten this most wonderful opportunity, by your grace. On this most auspicious day, I beg for your special mercy so that I can completely control my mind, life and senses, and always engage in devotional service, so that I may not fall again into the deep darkness and ignorance of material life. Please grant me this determination, so that my life will be successful.

Please help me to fully appreciate the complete perfection that you have given the whole world through your unparralleled books. I beg today for the eagerness to dedicate my life to your books, and their distribution. At least in some way or another may I always be in direct contact with the distribution of your books, and may I take every opportunity to encourage everyone I meet to take your books seriously in their lives. May I always be a servant of your ISKCON, which is the greatest shelter available in this dark period of the world.

your aspiring servant,
Vidyapati dasa

I've had a busy time since arriving in Wellington. I'm certain that the only way I've been able to keep functioning is solely by the mercy of the devotees here.

On Tuesday I went to see Dr. Dan, who is primary reason I am in Wellington. He did a few tests, said that in some areas it looks like the treatment he gave me last time I visited had been fairly successful. He did a few other tests, one that somehow measures energy, and he said that I seemed to have 1/2 the amount of energy that I should have, which I kinda of agreed with. Then, he hooked me up to some machine, which measured...something, i'm not really sure... I don't realy know exactly what he was doing...but my Gurudeva said that in terms of my health I have to use whatever saw is available to cut the wood, so I'm just gonna surrender to Dr. Dan and see what happens. He practices heaps of different alternative medical systems. He has put me on some homeopathic stuff, which he says will help me with my revolutionary tendencies. He thinks that this might be part of my health problems. We'll see what happens.

Tuesday night we read Krsna book together, and sang some bhajana's, to prepare ourselves for the next day.

Wednesday, of course, was Janmastami. I woke up at 2:30, with a bit of a sore tummy, but full of energy. I got up, along with boddhi, my new room mate extraordinaire, and chanted as much as I could before the morning programme started. It was supposed to start at 4:30, but Mahavana was rather sick, so we just stuck to the regular 7am programme. After I finished my first set of 16 rounds for the day, Mother Khadiravana, Mahavana's wife, asked if I could give bhagavatam class as Mahavana couldn't. So, although I had planed on chanting more, I surrendered, and went to prepare for a class. There were about 13 devotees who showed up at the asrama in the morning. It was nice to see them all, especially Martin who was a very dear friend of mine, but who had a momentary break in his practice of Krsna consciousness. As soon as I finished that class, which was about an hour long, I was asked again by Mother Khadiravana if I would also be able to fill in for Mahavana Prabhu at the Janmastami celebrations, as he was supposed to give class there as well. That was abit more of a surrender. It meant spending much of the day going through the class Mahavana had prepared, getting my head around it, and working my way through the powerpoint he had set up for it. The result was that I didn't get to chant as much as I had hoped to that day. I have yet to actually fulfill my desire to chant 64 rounds on Janmastami. Perhaps next year I'll be able to do that.

I had a surprising amount of energy for the whole day. I think it may have been a result of the one treatment that Dr. Dan gave me. As a result I managed to fast the whole day, till midnight, only taking a small plate to break fast. It was a great festival. Festival days are the mothers of devotion. I tried my hardest to be prayerful all day. My constant prayer was based on a verse in the sixth canto of the Bhagavatam, spoken by Ajamila. It's one I meditate on often. The first line is my favourite "I am such a sinful person." Humility is a good way to start a prayer.

During the festival I was asked by Bhakta Sam to speak to a friend of his, who was a philosophy student, going for his masters degree. It was a huge auterity talking to him, it was so dry. I'm not into philosophy that doesn't have practical application...whats the point? In life I want happiness and success that completely fulfills the deepest desires of my heart, not some process of disecting and analysing arguments for not real purpose other than to enjoy some mental pleasure temporarily.

We broke fast, and got home about 2 am I think. As the following day was Prabhupada's appearance day, I was asked to help cook the feast, which meant waking up at quarter to five...not alot of sleep. It also meant that I missed out on the whole celebration, as I was in the kitchen. I didn't get to read out my offering either. But the feast was good. I finished my rounds at about 6 pm or something like that.

Because I didn't get to read out my offering, I decided to place it on here, so that I can prove that I actually did write one...though it is a fact, I didn't put much effort into it at all. I was too busy preparing classes yesterday to do it.

------------

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to your lotus feet.

Srila Prabhupada, in your most wonderful book, KRSNA, you explain so perfectly what makes Krsna so special. You explain that all of Krsna's activities, from the very moment of His birth are entirely unparralleled. They are completely beyond compare.

Srila Prabhupada, making an analysis of your life, it appears that in many ways, so many of your activities are also unparralleled. Your coming to the west, with the intense desire to serve the instructions of your Gurumaharaja is completely unparralleled. There is no one in the history of the world who endeavoured in this way with so much determination, and faith in the words of their guru. In this way you are unparralleld. Your ability to make thousands and thousands of first class devotees out of so many degraded personalities, turning hippies into happies, is completely unparralleled. You possess an amazing ability to explain the highest spiritual truths, the highest concepts of love of Godhead, in such a way that people from any background are able to grasp the concepts you explain. This is unparralleled. Not only that, but you formulated the perfect progamme of devotional engagement perfectly suited to the nature of passionate westerners. This is totally unparralleled. This is your unparralleled position as founder/acarya extraordinaire.

Srila Prabhupada, I am such a sinful person, but somehow or other, I have now gotten this most wonderful opportunity, by your grace. On this most auspicious day, I beg for your special mercy so that I can completely control my mind, life and senses, and always engage in devotional service, so that I may not fall again into the deep darkness and ignorance of material life. Please grant me this determination, so that my life will be successful.

Please help me to fully appreciate the complete perfection that you have given the whole world through your unparralleled books. I beg today for the eagerness to dedicate my life to your books, and their distribution. At least in some way or another may I always be in direct contact with the distribution of your books, and may I take every opportunity to encourage everyone I meet to take your books seriously in their lives. May I always be a servant of your ISKCON, which is the greatest shelter available in this dark period of the world.

your aspiring servant,
Vidyapati dasa

And while I'm at it: check out this other blog (been going for a while). It is written by Rishi Prabhu. He is a University student in Cardiff, Wales. Also much recommended reading.

And while I'm at it: check out this other blog (been going for a while). It is written by Rishi Prabhu. He is a University student in Cardiff, Wales. Also much recommended reading.

I am now officially in Wellington. Indra greeted me by sending a rainy, windy day, typical of Wellington.

On Sunday, I took my last trip for a few months to Aucklands Radha-Giridhari Mandira, for deity greeting, guru-puja and Bhagavatam class. Although I had gotten up late that morning, as a result of a late night the previous night, and a tuff final day of teachers training studies, I was asked by Abhay-caran Prabhu to give the Bhagavatam class. The verse was awesome, it dealt with the effects of time, and inevitable death. Death can really come at any second, but when we are nearer the fag end of life, when death is emminent, our bodies are so useless that it is so difficult to make the proper preparations to die.

Anyway, in my class I talked about my experience in nursing training, as I did part of a nursing course. I did my practical experience in a rest home, looking after an 83 year old man, with one leg, named Jack. That experience really changed my outlook on life. I decided firmly then that I didn't want my life to end up like that. I didn't, and don't, want to end up an old man, laying in bed all day, crying out of intense desire to engage in activities that my body is just no longer able to carry out. Every day I saw Jack he would cry for at least half the day, lamenting that he couldn't be with his family, that he couldn't go fishing, or stay at his batch in Whangamata. It was really heart breaking to watch.

Anyway, the thought of death has been heavy on my since the class. Really, what guarantee do we have that we won't die today, or during the night? Death is certain, actually, it's gonna hit you some time. It's not something you can think of entirely as being an event of the future, it could happen on your walk down the street, or on your flight down to Wellington.

Of course I didn't die on my way to Wellington, but I did spend most of the flight chanting, contemplating the reality that I am not ready to die successfully yet. Death is certainly coming some day, and I have a heck of a lot of work to be down before I can face that obstacle with determination. But if I can stick, with faith and conviction, to the instructions of my Gurumaharaja, then I have nothing to fear whatsoever. If I can remain (become) free from whimsical mindsets and activities, then perhaps I have a chance at perfection in this life. Otherwise, if I do stick to a whimsical attitude, Krsna makes the results clear "na sa siddhim avapnoti, na sukham na param gatim", no attainment of perfection, nor happiness nor the supreme destination.

note to self: you have to write an offering to Srila Prabhupada before Thursday...

I am now officially in Wellington. Indra greeted me by sending a rainy, windy day, typical of Wellington.

On Sunday, I took my last trip for a few months to Aucklands Radha-Giridhari Mandira, for deity greeting, guru-puja and Bhagavatam class. Although I had gotten up late that morning, as a result of a late night the previous night, and a tuff final day of teachers training studies, I was asked by Abhay-caran Prabhu to give the Bhagavatam class. The verse was awesome, it dealt with the effects of time, and inevitable death. Death can really come at any second, but when we are nearer the fag end of life, when death is emminent, our bodies are so useless that it is so difficult to make the proper preparations to die.

Anyway, in my class I talked about my experience in nursing training, as I did part of a nursing course. I did my practical experience in a rest home, looking after an 83 year old man, with one leg, named Jack. That experience really changed my outlook on life. I decided firmly then that I didn't want my life to end up like that. I didn't, and don't, want to end up an old man, laying in bed all day, crying out of intense desire to engage in activities that my body is just no longer able to carry out. Every day I saw Jack he would cry for at least half the day, lamenting that he couldn't be with his family, that he couldn't go fishing, or stay at his batch in Whangamata. It was really heart breaking to watch.

Anyway, the thought of death has been heavy on my since the class. Really, what guarantee do we have that we won't die today, or during the night? Death is certain, actually, it's gonna hit you some time. It's not something you can think of entirely as being an event of the future, it could happen on your walk down the street, or on your flight down to Wellington.

Of course I didn't die on my way to Wellington, but I did spend most of the flight chanting, contemplating the reality that I am not ready to die successfully yet. Death is certainly coming some day, and I have a heck of a lot of work to be down before I can face that obstacle with determination. But if I can stick, with faith and conviction, to the instructions of my Gurumaharaja, then I have nothing to fear whatsoever. If I can remain (become) free from whimsical mindsets and activities, then perhaps I have a chance at perfection in this life. Otherwise, if I do stick to a whimsical attitude, Krsna makes the results clear "na sa siddhim avapnoti, na sukham na param gatim", no attainment of perfection, nor happiness nor the supreme destination.

note to self: you have to write an offering to Srila Prabhupada before Thursday...

Hare Krishna! Check out this new blog. It is written by Lilamayi Subhadra devi dasi. She is a disciple of Jayapataka Swami and expert pilates teacher. Her blog is about her efforts to spread Krishna consciousness in South Africa. Much recommended reading.

Hare Krishna! Check out this new blog. It is written by Lilamayi Subhadra devi dasi. She is a disciple of Jayapataka Swami and expert pilates teacher. Her blog is about her efforts to spread Krishna consciousness in South Africa. Much recommended reading.