Planet ISKCON

I stumbled across some advice for dealing with crises of faith on Jewcy, a hipster Jewish community blog. I found it interesting for a few reasons:

1. In advising Jews to not abandon their communities, the author begins with the blunt (actually, kind of rude) sentence: "Hare Krishna is not a good idea." Okay, so I'm tempted to be maha-offended, except that I try to understand it in context. First of all, the point being made (communicated cheekily, to be sure) is that in times of theological doubt don't be quick to jump ship and switch teams. Fair enough. And the fact that so many young Jews -- presumably some of whom went through theological crises beforehand -- did join ISKCON in the 1960s and 1970s makes it understandable why some Jewish people might harbor some particular mistrust toward us.
   
2. A few paragraphs later, the author recommends that the crisis-faring Jew try yoga. Ring, ring, ring. What was that? I'm sorry I couldn't hear you, my irony alarm was ringing too loudly.
   
3. Despite #1 and #2, it is the type of down-to-earth, simple, well-written advice that I'd like to see more of circulated within Krishna conscious circles.
   

Til then, I'm going to "Krishna-ize" this list. Yes, that means I will just jack the list and search replace KC terms for all of the Jewish ones. Bear with me.

(And if you'd like to see the list as it is, check it out here.) Okay, here it goes...

For a number of reasons I’m friends with a lot of people who are constantly being tormented by crises of faith. There are smart, educated, engaged Hare Krishnas who are passionate about Krishna consciousness most days-- until they find themselves rubbing up against the edges of acceptability within their own communities. Maybe they fall in love with someone who’s not a devotee. Maybe they become frustrated by a closed-minded understanding of sastric criticism. Maybe they have had a bad experience with a senior devotee, guru, or temple president. Maybe onion rings suddenly look really appealing. Whatever the impetus, the crisis it brings on is intense and frustrating. Men and women who have devoted years of their lives to Vaishnava study and education, who are active members of a community, who regularly pray, give donations to the temple, and are involved in various devotional programs, suddenly lose motivation, and feel alienated and angry. And for a few days, or a few weeks, or months, or years, they distance themselves from everything that they once used to identify themselves. Depending on their background, their families begin to freak out. Some of their friends edge away, suddenly uncomfortable with someone they’ve known for years.

1. Don’t abandon your community
Chances are, this crisis is a temporary thing. Though you’re feeling tormented today, by next Wednesday, or a month from now, or next year, you’ll be over it. You might not end up in exactly the same place as you have been, but just in case, it’s important to maintain a connection to your community—whether it’s a temple, a bhakti vriksha group, a group of godbrothers and sisters, or the devotees in your neighborhood. You want to keep these people around for practical reasons . They will feed and comfort you in times of crisis, and cheer you on when things are going swimmingly. Alienating them will only end up badly. If you really can’t stand to attend Sunday Feasts anymore, or you’ve decided that gurukula ruined your life and you refuse to go back for a reunion, try to do something that keeps you in the loop—even if it means you’re consciously shifting yourself into a less public or involved position. Show up just for mangala arati on a weekday. Have prasadam with old devotee friends. Keep in mind that many of your friends have gone through similar ordeals, and they’re probably willing to be pretty tolerant of whatever you need to do or not do. As long as you don’t bring the onion rings to a home program, there’s no reason you can’t maintain your position in the community.

2. Don’t join another community right away
Returning to your Jewish roots is not a good idea. :-) Having a crisis at the Sunday Feast and then leaving Monday morning to run off with the circus is probably not going to turn out well. Respect the speed of your own transition, and accept that you may need some space from any kind of theological community for awhile.

3. Don’t use this time to experiment with new substances
Replacing a Krishna habit with a crack habit is probably not going to work out well for you.

4. Consider Krishna
For some reason, most of my friends who struggle with the pulls of Krishna consciousness and modernity don’t consider their struggles to have much to do with Krishna at all. And that confuses me, because it seems like Krishna is at the center of Krishna consciousness, and if I’m having a problem with Krishna consciousness it’s because I’m having a problem with either my own or someone else’s interpretation of what Krishna wants. Think about where Krishna fits into your religious life, and think about allowing space for a God that trusts you to live your life the best way you can. Consider that you might let Krishna down without being cast to the Hellish Planets. Consider how much you care about letting Krishna down—if at all. (I don’t mean this in a pretentious way. I frequently decide that I just couldn't do whatever I think Krishna expected of me. And I’m sorry about it, but I accept it, and move on, and hope that next time I’m more up to the challenge). If you don’t believe in Krishna anymore, try and pin down why, and whether or not you still want to be around/involved with people who don’t feel the same way. Just because you have doubts, doesn't mean that you cannot stay within the shelter of a devotional community.

5. Work out
Okay, this is kind of cheesy, but I find that going to the gym makes me feel calmer and more able to deal with my problems no matter what kind of crap is going down in my religious, academic or personal life. If you’re not too intimidated or annoyed by the idea of a hatha yoga class, I highly recommend them. To find a yoga studio near you, try talking with devotees who are involved in the yoga scene -- many of them incorporate bhakti-yoga and can also provide a devotional mood.

6. State your needs
I’m big on just asking for what you want instead of beating around the bush. When your theology is falling apart, think about what you want from religion. Do you want a comforting picture of the afterlife? Do you want Vedic culture and no religion whatsoever? Do you want to chant in kirtan, but no sense of obligation to the rules and regulations? Do you want the advantages of being a member of a tight-knit community? When you can state clearly what you really want from Krishna consciousness, and what you don’t want, too, then you can start looking for ways to maintain your identity as a devotee without ignoring the problems that brought you to the edge of your faith.

7. Stop worrying about being a hypocrite
Everyone’s a hypocrite. You need to be honest and dignified with yourself, but it’s completely reasonable to say something along the lines of, “I think the Vedic standards are really important, and not something that I’m comfortable disregarding, but I’m in favor of gay rights, gay marriage, and gay pride.” Accepting that you’re going to struggle with something is a nice way of keeping your head from exploding.

8. Respect your own decisions, and everyone else’s, too
You might decide that you can’t participate in a community because of its position on women, homosexuality, social justice, how to follow ekadasi…whatever. Flaunting your new self in the faces of former friends and acquaintances is a quick and easy way to burn bridges and look like an idiot. Try to be cool with people whose journeys haven’t coincided with yours. If you need to, I recommend spewing hatred into a journal. Harmless, but highly effective.

9. Seriously, chill out
It happens to the best of us.

originally by Tamar Fox; conversion by VBD

I stumbled across some advice for dealing with crises of faith on Jewcy, a hipster Jewish community blog. I found it interesting for a few reasons:

1. In advising Jews to not abandon their communities, the author begins with the blunt (actually, kind of rude) sentence: "Hare Krishna is not a good idea." Okay, so I'm tempted to be maha-offended, except that I try to understand it in context. First of all, the point being made (communicated cheekily, to be sure) is that in times of theological doubt don't be quick to jump ship and switch teams. Fair enough. And the fact that so many young Jews -- presumably some of whom went through theological crises beforehand -- did join ISKCON in the 1960s and 1970s makes it understandable why some Jewish people might harbor some particular mistrust toward us.
   
2. A few paragraphs later, the author recommends that the crisis-faring Jew try yoga. Ring, ring, ring. What was that? I'm sorry I couldn't hear you, my irony alarm was ringing too loudly.
   
3. Despite #1 and #2, it is the type of down-to-earth, simple, well-written advice that I'd like to see more of circulated within Krishna conscious circles.
   

Til then, I'm going to "Krishna-ize" this list. Yes, that means I will just jack the list and search replace KC terms for all of the Jewish ones. Bear with me.

(And if you'd like to see the list as it is, check it out here.) Okay, here it goes...

For a number of reasons I’m friends with a lot of people who are constantly being tormented by crises of faith. There are smart, educated, engaged Hare Krishnas who are passionate about Krishna consciousness most days-- until they find themselves rubbing up against the edges of acceptability within their own communities. Maybe they fall in love with someone who’s not a devotee. Maybe they become frustrated by a closed-minded understanding of sastric criticism. Maybe they have had a bad experience with a senior devotee, guru, or temple president. Maybe onion rings suddenly look really appealing. Whatever the impetus, the crisis it brings on is intense and frustrating. Men and women who have devoted years of their lives to Vaishnava study and education, who are active members of a community, who regularly pray, give donations to the temple, and are involved in various devotional programs, suddenly lose motivation, and feel alienated and angry. And for a few days, or a few weeks, or months, or years, they distance themselves from everything that they once used to identify themselves. Depending on their background, their families begin to freak out. Some of their friends edge away, suddenly uncomfortable with someone they’ve known for years.

1. Don’t abandon your community
Chances are, this crisis is a temporary thing. Though you’re feeling tormented today, by next Wednesday, or a month from now, or next year, you’ll be over it. You might not end up in exactly the same place as you have been, but just in case, it’s important to maintain a connection to your community—whether it’s a temple, a bhakti vriksha group, a group of godbrothers and sisters, or the devotees in your neighborhood. You want to keep these people around for practical reasons . They will feed and comfort you in times of crisis, and cheer you on when things are going swimmingly. Alienating them will only end up badly. If you really can’t stand to attend Sunday Feasts anymore, or you’ve decided that gurukula ruined your life and you refuse to go back for a reunion, try to do something that keeps you in the loop—even if it means you’re consciously shifting yourself into a less public or involved position. Show up just for mangala arati on a weekday. Have prasadam with old devotee friends. Keep in mind that many of your friends have gone through similar ordeals, and they’re probably willing to be pretty tolerant of whatever you need to do or not do. As long as you don’t bring the onion rings to a home program, there’s no reason you can’t maintain your position in the community.

2. Don’t join another community right away
Returning to your Jewish roots is not a good idea. :-) Having a crisis at the Sunday Feast and then leaving Monday morning to run off with the circus is probably not going to turn out well. Respect the speed of your own transition, and accept that you may need some space from any kind of theological community for awhile.

3. Don’t use this time to experiment with new substances
Replacing a Krishna habit with a crack habit is probably not going to work out well for you.

4. Consider Krishna
For some reason, most of my friends who struggle with the pulls of Krishna consciousness and modernity don’t consider their struggles to have much to do with Krishna at all. And that confuses me, because it seems like Krishna is at the center of Krishna consciousness, and if I’m having a problem with Krishna consciousness it’s because I’m having a problem with either my own or someone else’s interpretation of what Krishna wants. Think about where Krishna fits into your religious life, and think about allowing space for a God that trusts you to live your life the best way you can. Consider that you might let Krishna down without being cast to the Hellish Planets. Consider how much you care about letting Krishna down—if at all. (I don’t mean this in a pretentious way. I frequently decide that I just couldn't do whatever I think Krishna expected of me. And I’m sorry about it, but I accept it, and move on, and hope that next time I’m more up to the challenge). If you don’t believe in Krishna anymore, try and pin down why, and whether or not you still want to be around/involved with people who don’t feel the same way. Just because you have doubts, doesn't mean that you cannot stay within the shelter of a devotional community.

5. Work out
Okay, this is kind of cheesy, but I find that going to the gym makes me feel calmer and more able to deal with my problems no matter what kind of crap is going down in my religious, academic or personal life. If you’re not too intimidated or annoyed by the idea of a hatha yoga class, I highly recommend them. To find a yoga studio near you, try talking with devotees who are involved in the yoga scene -- many of them incorporate bhakti-yoga and can also provide a devotional mood.

6. State your needs
I’m big on just asking for what you want instead of beating around the bush. When your theology is falling apart, think about what you want from religion. Do you want a comforting picture of the afterlife? Do you want Vedic culture and no religion whatsoever? Do you want to chant in kirtan, but no sense of obligation to the rules and regulations? Do you want the advantages of being a member of a tight-knit community? When you can state clearly what you really want from Krishna consciousness, and what you don’t want, too, then you can start looking for ways to maintain your identity as a devotee without ignoring the problems that brought you to the edge of your faith.

7. Stop worrying about being a hypocrite
Everyone’s a hypocrite. You need to be honest and dignified with yourself, but it’s completely reasonable to say something along the lines of, “I think the Vedic standards are really important, and not something that I’m comfortable disregarding, but I’m in favor of gay rights, gay marriage, and gay pride.” Accepting that you’re going to struggle with something is a nice way of keeping your head from exploding.

8. Respect your own decisions, and everyone else’s, too
You might decide that you can’t participate in a community because of its position on women, homosexuality, social justice, how to follow ekadasi…whatever. Flaunting your new self in the faces of former friends and acquaintances is a quick and easy way to burn bridges and look like an idiot. Try to be cool with people whose journeys haven’t coincided with yours. If you need to, I recommend spewing hatred into a journal. Harmless, but highly effective.

9. Seriously, chill out
It happens to the best of us.

originally by Tamar Fox; conversion by VBD

In this visit of mine to Dr. Philip Weeks' clinic I was surprised by the number of people in the waiting room. A whole bunch of other doctors and health-care practitioners have moved into the practice with Philip. Their skills very much complement each other. They are now treating many, many patients.

First some good news: the lump that had been developing under my chest has greatly reduced. Dr. Phil's remedy worked.
Philip bought a new Vega testing machine. This new one is more automated than the last. So, after a brief initial discussion, Phil hooked me up and let the machine electrocute me for a few minutes (I believe it tests the state of bodily organs by running specific frequencies of low power electricity through the body).

The result: bad. Practically all my organs were blocked. My body had reasonably high vitality, for some strange reason, but otherwise almost every organ had extremely low energy.

So, the solution was some intense acupuncture to revitalize the damp and musky husk that was in the body. Phil stuck needles in the center of my chest, ankles, knees and wrists. He also did some moxibustion near my knees. That is: he burnt a Chinese herb on my skin, which increases the body's heat.

The herb smells a lot like cannabis (although it isn't). So, many people mistakenly assume Phil is a smoker. Phil explained how weed is really bad for people. Some people with strong constitutions can get away with smoking it, but most people's vitality is just drained away to nothing by the drug. Devotees are especially affected: former practitioners of Krishna consciousness are very quickly inhabited by ghosts, if they start smoking marijuana.

After a long acupuncture session, throughout which Phil racked his brain, trying to figure out how to bend my body's energies back to flow the way they were supposed to flow, he finally got my chi somewhat flowing again. He loaded me up with some vitamin B-complex and some Horopito leaf (pseudowintera colorata) to take, whatever that is (the stuff, ironically, is from New Zealand) and sent me on my way.

Update: here another tidbit of information from the doctor. He commented on some new glasses of mine. I had gotten a pair of new frame-less glasses. These, he said, were better than the ones with a full metal frame around the lenses. Such metal loops can interfere with the electricity flowing through nerve cells in the brain, causing mental disorders. Some autistic children, for example, can be cured simply by swapping their glasses.

In this visit of mine to Dr. Philip Weeks' clinic I was surprised by the number of people in the waiting room. A whole bunch of other doctors and health-care practitioners have moved into the practice with Philip. Their skills very much complement each other. They are now treating many, many patients.

First some good news: the lump that had been developing under my chest has greatly reduced. Dr. Phil's remedy worked.
Philip bought a new Vega testing machine. This new one is more automated than the last. So, after a brief initial discussion, Phil hooked me up and let the machine electrocute me for a few minutes (I believe it tests the state of bodily organs by running specific frequencies of low power electricity through the body).

The result: bad. Practically all my organs were blocked. My body had reasonably high vitality, for some strange reason, but otherwise almost every organ had extremely low energy.

So, the solution was some intense acupuncture to revitalize the damp and musky husk that was in the body. Phil stuck needles in the center of my chest, ankles, knees and wrists. He also did some moxibustion near my knees. That is: he burnt a Chinese herb on my skin, which increases the body's heat.

The herb smells a lot like cannabis (although it isn't). So, many people mistakenly assume Phil is a smoker. Phil explained how weed is really bad for people. Some people with strong constitutions can get away with smoking it, but most people's vitality is just drained away to nothing by the drug. Devotees are especially affected: former practitioners of Krishna consciousness are very quickly inhabited by ghosts, if they start smoking marijuana.

After a long acupuncture session, throughout which Phil racked his brain, trying to figure out how to bend my body's energies back to flow the way they were supposed to flow, he finally got my chi somewhat flowing again. He loaded me up with some vitamin B-complex and some Horopito leaf (pseudowintera colorata) to take, whatever that is (the stuff, ironically, is from New Zealand) and sent me on my way.

Update: here another tidbit of information from the doctor. He commented on some new glasses of mine. I had gotten a pair of new frame-less glasses. These, he said, were better than the ones with a full metal frame around the lenses. Such metal loops can interfere with the electricity flowing through nerve cells in the brain, causing mental disorders. Some autistic children, for example, can be cured simply by swapping their glasses.

Check out this Day in Pictures from BBC News. (Click on Number 4.)

Just a little reminder that even in a day filled with heat waves, soccer games, forest fires, and political milestones, the Lord of the Universe finds a way to keep on smiling for the cameras.

Check out this Day in Pictures from BBC News. (Click on Number 4.)

Just a little reminder that even in a day filled with heat waves, soccer games, forest fires, and political milestones, the Lord of the Universe finds a way to keep on smiling for the cameras.

From Ishani, the HAF executive director:

From Ishani, the HAF executive director:

Aren't Hindu chants usually supposed to mellow people out? Apparently not. Breaking news today (thanks for the heads up, Sree) is that the first Hindu prayer opening the Senate in U.S. history... was disrupted by hecklers and protesters, who branded the Hindu prayer an "abomination."

I had blogged about some negative reaction to the Hindu prayer in an earlier post, but had opined that the voices of dissent were few and extremist. Sadly, I might have underestimated the power of prejudice.

This news report on the Raw Story reported that

Three people were arrested Thursday after staging a noisy protest as a Hindu chaplain read the opening prayer at the US Senate, branding his appearance an "abomination."

US Capitol Police said the protesters, apparently Christian religious activists, were ejected from the chamber and charged with an unlawful disruption of Congress.

As Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed started to recite his prayer, one protest or was heard chanting "Lord Jesus, forgive us father for allowing a prayer which is an abomination in your sight.

"You are the one, true living God."

Ugh. I especially like the last line. I can just imagine Hollywood's Old Bearded Man conception of God calling back down "Dude! Thanks for the reminder."

Occasionally, ISKCON devotees or Hindus opine that we ought to befriend the Religious Right, reasoning that -- like us -- they favor religion in the public square and a more faith-based approach to engaging with the world. Which is all well and good, except that there is a very ugly double standard at work that becomes glaringly obvious at times like this. The Raw Story post highlights this nicely:

The pressure group Americans United for Separation of Church and State condemned the protest.

"This shows the intolerance of many Religious Right activists," said the group's executive director, Reverend Barry Lynn.

"They say they want more religion in the public square, but it's clear they mean only their religion."

A press release from the Americans United for Separation of Church and State gives Lynn's whole statement, and also includes this juicy food for thought:

Religious Right groups have been agitating against the Hindu leader’s prayer since it was announced. The Rev. Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association has asked his members to complain to their senators about the invitation. The group’s news service reported that “Christian nation” activist David Barton said that Hinduism has few followers in the United States and that prayer to a “non-monotheistic god” is “outside the American paradigm.”

More than a few problems with Barton's enlightened view. For starters, there are anywhere from 1 to 2 million Hindus in the United States -- and possible more if you include followers of Hindu-based gurus and spiritual movements who are reticent to self-identify as an organized religion in the Western sense of the term. In any event, "few followers" is not quite an appropriate term. Secondly, how Barton can decide that Hindus pray to a "non-monotheistic god" (lower case g alert! lower case g alert!) is beyond me -- there are certainly Hindu monotheists (the list includes, but is not limited to me, Ramanujacharya, about 70% of all Hindus in North and South India). And finally, I wonder what "American paradigm" founding father Thomas Jefferson's leanings towards Deism fall under? Hmmmm.

Jesus promised that the meek shall inherit the earth, but til then a few self-righteous morons who claim to be His PR department had this to say:

WASHINGTON, July 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- Ante Pavkovic, Kathy Pavkovic, and Kristen Sugar were all arrested in the chambers of the United States Senate as that chamber was violated by a false Hindu god. The Senate was opened with a Hindu prayer placing the false god of Hinduism on a level playing field with the One True God, Jesus Christ. This would never have been allowed by our Founding Fathers.

"Not one Senator had the backbone to stand as our Founding Fathers stood. They stood on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! There were three in the audience with the courage to stand and proclaim, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' They were immediately removed from the chambers, arrested, and are in jail now. God bless those who stand for Jesus as we know that He stands for them." Rev. Flip Benham, Director, Operation Save America/Operation Rescue

Again with the Founding Fathers being super-Christians? Cheese and rice!

I'll try to keep posting about this if there are any developments, especially since I am attending the SAJA convention in NYC right now. Til then, maybe we all need to say some prayers about the state of our "religiously plural" nation tonight.

Aren't Hindu chants usually supposed to mellow people out? Apparently not. Breaking news today (thanks for the heads up, Sree) is that the first Hindu prayer opening the Senate in U.S. history... was disrupted by hecklers and protesters, who branded the Hindu prayer an "abomination."

I had blogged about some negative reaction to the Hindu prayer in an earlier post, but had opined that the voices of dissent were few and extremist. Sadly, I might have underestimated the power of prejudice.

This news report on the Raw Story reported that

Three people were arrested Thursday after staging a noisy protest as a Hindu chaplain read the opening prayer at the US Senate, branding his appearance an "abomination."

US Capitol Police said the protesters, apparently Christian religious activists, were ejected from the chamber and charged with an unlawful disruption of Congress.

As Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed started to recite his prayer, one protest or was heard chanting "Lord Jesus, forgive us father for allowing a prayer which is an abomination in your sight.

"You are the one, true living God."

Ugh. I especially like the last line. I can just imagine Hollywood's Old Bearded Man conception of God calling back down "Dude! Thanks for the reminder."

Occasionally, ISKCON devotees or Hindus opine that we ought to befriend the Religious Right, reasoning that -- like us -- they favor religion in the public square and a more faith-based approach to engaging with the world. Which is all well and good, except that there is a very ugly double standard at work that becomes glaringly obvious at times like this. The Raw Story post highlights this nicely:

The pressure group Americans United for Separation of Church and State condemned the protest.

"This shows the intolerance of many Religious Right activists," said the group's executive director, Reverend Barry Lynn.

"They say they want more religion in the public square, but it's clear they mean only their religion."

A press release from the Americans United for Separation of Church and State gives Lynn's whole statement, and also includes this juicy food for thought:

Religious Right groups have been agitating against the Hindu leader’s prayer since it was announced. The Rev. Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association has asked his members to complain to their senators about the invitation. The group’s news service reported that “Christian nation” activist David Barton said that Hinduism has few followers in the United States and that prayer to a “non-monotheistic god” is “outside the American paradigm.”

More than a few problems with Barton's enlightened view. For starters, there are anywhere from 1 to 2 million Hindus in the United States -- and possible more if you include followers of Hindu-based gurus and spiritual movements who are reticent to self-identify as an organized religion in the Western sense of the term. In any event, "few followers" is not quite an appropriate term. Secondly, how Barton can decide that Hindus pray to a "non-monotheistic god" (lower case g alert! lower case g alert!) is beyond me -- there are certainly Hindu monotheists (the list includes, but is not limited to me, Ramanujacharya, about 70% of all Hindus in North and South India). And finally, I wonder what "American paradigm" founding father Thomas Jefferson's leanings towards Deism fall under? Hmmmm.

Jesus promised that the meek shall inherit the earth, but til then a few self-righteous morons who claim to be His PR department had this to say:

WASHINGTON, July 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- Ante Pavkovic, Kathy Pavkovic, and Kristen Sugar were all arrested in the chambers of the United States Senate as that chamber was violated by a false Hindu god. The Senate was opened with a Hindu prayer placing the false god of Hinduism on a level playing field with the One True God, Jesus Christ. This would never have been allowed by our Founding Fathers.

"Not one Senator had the backbone to stand as our Founding Fathers stood. They stood on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! There were three in the audience with the courage to stand and proclaim, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' They were immediately removed from the chambers, arrested, and are in jail now. God bless those who stand for Jesus as we know that He stands for them." Rev. Flip Benham, Director, Operation Save America/Operation Rescue

Again with the Founding Fathers being super-Christians? Cheese and rice!

I'll try to keep posting about this if there are any developments, especially since I am attending the SAJA convention in NYC right now. Til then, maybe we all need to say some prayers about the state of our "religiously plural" nation tonight.

I will be attending the Toronto Ratha Yatra,the biggest -- and rumored to be the best -- Ratha Yatra in North America, this weekend.

That got me thinking about the communications purpose of these festivals, and their significance for ISKCON.

A blogger in Montreal recently stumbled upon one such Ratha Yatra festival and wrote a short but nice observation. Here's the intro teaser:

Every year, I see colorful tents set up at the corner of Parc and Mont-Royal in Jeanne Mance Park for the Hare Krishna/Hindu festival. I've also seen the colorful chariot covered in flowers parade by. There's always free food given out and you would think that me being me - where there's food, I would be there - but oddly enough, I have never gone to check things out. This year, I decided to be more adventurous and went to visit the festival site...

I think as devotees we sometimes take it for granted that these festivals -- as much as they are in need of repair, revamping, and re-strategizing -- are attractive and valuable gifts that ISKCON shares with the world. In a world where "preaching" usually means some holier-than-thou fanatic thumping on a ____ (insert your scripture of choice) and talking down to people, such events can be an effective and pleasing way of sharing the culture of God consciousness with others.

I will be attending the Toronto Ratha Yatra,the biggest -- and rumored to be the best -- Ratha Yatra in North America, this weekend.

That got me thinking about the communications purpose of these festivals, and their significance for ISKCON.

A blogger in Montreal recently stumbled upon one such Ratha Yatra festival and wrote a short but nice observation. Here's the intro teaser:

Every year, I see colorful tents set up at the corner of Parc and Mont-Royal in Jeanne Mance Park for the Hare Krishna/Hindu festival. I've also seen the colorful chariot covered in flowers parade by. There's always free food given out and you would think that me being me - where there's food, I would be there - but oddly enough, I have never gone to check things out. This year, I decided to be more adventurous and went to visit the festival site...

I think as devotees we sometimes take it for granted that these festivals -- as much as they are in need of repair, revamping, and re-strategizing -- are attractive and valuable gifts that ISKCON shares with the world. In a world where "preaching" usually means some holier-than-thou fanatic thumping on a ____ (insert your scripture of choice) and talking down to people, such events can be an effective and pleasing way of sharing the culture of God consciousness with others.

In this age of instant gratification, constant flux and a demand for bigger and better, sometimes there's nothing more satisfying than simplicity — particularly when it comes to food. While I love innovation in the kitchen, sometimes I feel as if one more blood orange-tomato-pea emulsion might just send me over the edge. Thankfully, when gustatory stimulation reaches an all-time high, I can find solace in the quiet embrace of my favorite Hare Krishna temple.

I don't go there to pray, though. I go there to eat.

Those who have never been to, nor heard of, the full vegetarian buffet you can get for $7 inside a temple in midtown St. Louis might be a bit confused. Let me explain. Govinda's is an extension of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). ISKCON followers (better known as the Hare Krishna movement) adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, which includes no meat, fish or eggs. Caffeine is avoided, as are onions, garlic and mushrooms due to their belief that those foods have adverse effects on the consciousness of the eater.

That said, no one at the temple has ever, in all my years of patronage, tried to lecture me on faith. That's not part of the deal.

Govinda's has a modest buffet, yet its offerings are full of flavor, making it impossible not to sample something from each of the categories — which typically include a lentil-based soup, savories such as pakora (vegetables dredged in chickpea flour and deep fried), salad, pappadum (dried crackers made of lentil flour), chapati (saucer-size rounds of soft wheat bread), brown and basmati rice, sabji (stew) and halva, a farina-based dessert made with butter, sugar, fruit and nuts.

The sabji on a recent visit was a sweet and slightly incendiary tomato sauce puréed with homemade cheese and laced with chunks of the same cheese and sweet peas. The cheese was firm and buttery like a very mild mozzarella, and did well to thicken up the sauce. A dish of thinly sliced green beans dusted with coconut was distinctly different. The coconut, though unsweetened, pulled the sweetness from the green beans, and when eaten with nutty basmati rice was an intoxicating combination.

The pakora, which I think of as tiny doughnuts made of chickpea flour, were too spicy for me. The salad is always my favorite — so long as they have the almond dressing. A simple blend of olive oil, puréed almonds and a bit of spices, it makes for a healthy alternative to traditional cream-based dressings. Fresh romaine lettuce is offered alongside toppings of peppers, olives, carrots, cucumbers and beets.

The orange, walnut and date halva was refreshing and owed most of its sweetness to the sugar in the dates. There were bits of orange zest throughout the dish, imparting a nice, mellow orange flavor that paired well with the dates. A chilled tea is always offered, and its flavor changes daily.

Perhaps to cool the fire from the sabji and pakora, the offering on my visit was chamomile with honey. It was wonderfully soothing, not to mention perfect for a hot St. Louis day. Of course, so much more about my day was perfect. It was just me, a plate of delicious food and a giant helping of peace. What a bargain.

In this age of instant gratification, constant flux and a demand for bigger and better, sometimes there's nothing more satisfying than simplicity — particularly when it comes to food. While I love innovation in the kitchen, sometimes I feel as if one more blood orange-tomato-pea emulsion might just send me over the edge. Thankfully, when gustatory stimulation reaches an all-time high, I can find solace in the quiet embrace of my favorite Hare Krishna temple.

I don't go there to pray, though. I go there to eat.

Those who have never been to, nor heard of, the full vegetarian buffet you can get for $7 inside a temple in midtown St. Louis might be a bit confused. Let me explain. Govinda's is an extension of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). ISKCON followers (better known as the Hare Krishna movement) adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, which includes no meat, fish or eggs. Caffeine is avoided, as are onions, garlic and mushrooms due to their belief that those foods have adverse effects on the consciousness of the eater.

That said, no one at the temple has ever, in all my years of patronage, tried to lecture me on faith. That's not part of the deal.

Govinda's has a modest buffet, yet its offerings are full of flavor, making it impossible not to sample something from each of the categories — which typically include a lentil-based soup, savories such as pakora (vegetables dredged in chickpea flour and deep fried), salad, pappadum (dried crackers made of lentil flour), chapati (saucer-size rounds of soft wheat bread), brown and basmati rice, sabji (stew) and halva, a farina-based dessert made with butter, sugar, fruit and nuts.

The sabji on a recent visit was a sweet and slightly incendiary tomato sauce puréed with homemade cheese and laced with chunks of the same cheese and sweet peas. The cheese was firm and buttery like a very mild mozzarella, and did well to thicken up the sauce. A dish of thinly sliced green beans dusted with coconut was distinctly different. The coconut, though unsweetened, pulled the sweetness from the green beans, and when eaten with nutty basmati rice was an intoxicating combination.

The pakora, which I think of as tiny doughnuts made of chickpea flour, were too spicy for me. The salad is always my favorite — so long as they have the almond dressing. A simple blend of olive oil, puréed almonds and a bit of spices, it makes for a healthy alternative to traditional cream-based dressings. Fresh romaine lettuce is offered alongside toppings of peppers, olives, carrots, cucumbers and beets.

The orange, walnut and date halva was refreshing and owed most of its sweetness to the sugar in the dates. There were bits of orange zest throughout the dish, imparting a nice, mellow orange flavor that paired well with the dates. A chilled tea is always offered, and its flavor changes daily.

Perhaps to cool the fire from the sabji and pakora, the offering on my visit was chamomile with honey. It was wonderfully soothing, not to mention perfect for a hot St. Louis day. Of course, so much more about my day was perfect. It was just me, a plate of delicious food and a giant helping of peace. What a bargain.

from the SAJA forum blog:

MEDIA WATCH: Did CNN quietly change its story on India's widows?

from the SAJA forum blog:

MEDIA WATCH: Did CNN quietly change its story on India's widows?

According to the Times of India for the first time ever, the US Senate will open with Hindu prayers.

U.S. Senate to open with Hindu prayers

New York: History will be created when a Hindu prayer will be recited at the opening of the US Senate in Washington DC on July 12.

Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain, said that he had been officially asked to say the prayer. He said he believes this may be the first time any Hindu prayer is delivered in the Senate since its formation in 1789.

Zed is likely to choose the prayer from the Rig Veda, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita. He said he plans to start and end the prayer with 'Om', the mystical Hindu syllable. The full text of the prayer will be included in the Congressional Record.

There are an estimated two million Indian Americans in the US.

Followers of Hindu groups like ISKCON may add up to another one million.

Great news! Although opening the Senate with prayer is something of a perfunctory formality, the fact that a Hindus has been invited is a sign of increased diversity and the inclusion of religious minorities. And who would have a problem with that?

Oops, apparently there are some folks who do. The red-blooded love-it-or-leave-it Archie Bunker Americans at this blog think that the very idea of having Hindu prayers is "a slap in the face to the one true God, the Judeo Christian God."

(an aside: I've always thought the idea of a "Judeo-Christian God" was weird. It makes it seem like God is some old bearded man at a cocktail party introducing Himself by way of his dual-identity. "Hi, I'm the Judeo-Christian God. Yeah, My dad's side is Jewish, but My mom is a Catholic." A bit odd, but anyway...)

Fans of the charmingly fascist PC-Free Zone -- which also features a graphic that says "Allah Sucks" -- added equally bone-headed insights like:

According to the Times of India for the first time ever, the US Senate will open with Hindu prayers.

U.S. Senate to open with Hindu prayers

New York: History will be created when a Hindu prayer will be recited at the opening of the US Senate in Washington DC on July 12.

Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain, said that he had been officially asked to say the prayer. He said he believes this may be the first time any Hindu prayer is delivered in the Senate since its formation in 1789.

Zed is likely to choose the prayer from the Rig Veda, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita. He said he plans to start and end the prayer with 'Om', the mystical Hindu syllable. The full text of the prayer will be included in the Congressional Record.

There are an estimated two million Indian Americans in the US.

Followers of Hindu groups like ISKCON may add up to another one million.

Great news! Although opening the Senate with prayer is something of a perfunctory formality, the fact that a Hindus has been invited is a sign of increased diversity and the inclusion of religious minorities. And who would have a problem with that?

Oops, apparently there are some folks who do. The red-blooded love-it-or-leave-it Archie Bunker Americans at this blog think that the very idea of having Hindu prayers is "a slap in the face to the one true God, the Judeo Christian God."

(an aside: I've always thought the idea of a "Judeo-Christian God" was weird. It makes it seem like God is some old bearded man at a cocktail party introducing Himself by way of his dual-identity. "Hi, I'm the Judeo-Christian God. Yeah, My dad's side is Jewish, but My mom is a Catholic." A bit odd, but anyway...)

Fans of the charmingly fascist PC-Free Zone -- which also features a graphic that says "Allah Sucks" -- added equally bone-headed insights like:

Hindu widows are shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition -- and because they're seen as a financial drain on their families.

They cannot remarry. They must not wear jewelry. They are forced to shave their heads and typically wear white. Even their shadows are considered bad luck.

Hindus have long believed that death in Vrindavan will free them from the cycle of life and death. For widows, they hope death will save them from being condemned to such a life again.

"Does it feel good?" says 70-year-old Rada Rani Biswas. "Now I have to loiter just for a bite to eat."

Biswas speaks with a strong voice, but her spirit is broken. When her husband of 50 years died, she was instantly ostracized by all those she thought loved her, including her son.

"My son tells me: 'You have grown old. Now who is going to feed you? Go away,' " she says, her eyes filling with tears. "What do I do? My pain had no limit."

As she speaks, she squats in front of one of Vrindavan's temples, her life reduced to begging for scraps of food.

There are an estimated 40 million widows in India, many of them shunned and stripped of the life they lived when they were married.

It's believed that 15,000 widows live on the streets of Vrindavan, a city of about 55,000 in northern India....

(read the whole story here, at CNN.com)

Watch how some widows are rebelling »

Hindu widows are shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition -- and because they're seen as a financial drain on their families.

They cannot remarry. They must not wear jewelry. They are forced to shave their heads and typically wear white. Even their shadows are considered bad luck.

Hindus have long believed that death in Vrindavan will free them from the cycle of life and death. For widows, they hope death will save them from being condemned to such a life again.

"Does it feel good?" says 70-year-old Rada Rani Biswas. "Now I have to loiter just for a bite to eat."

Biswas speaks with a strong voice, but her spirit is broken. When her husband of 50 years died, she was instantly ostracized by all those she thought loved her, including her son.

"My son tells me: 'You have grown old. Now who is going to feed you? Go away,' " she says, her eyes filling with tears. "What do I do? My pain had no limit."

As she speaks, she squats in front of one of Vrindavan's temples, her life reduced to begging for scraps of food.

There are an estimated 40 million widows in India, many of them shunned and stripped of the life they lived when they were married.

It's believed that 15,000 widows live on the streets of Vrindavan, a city of about 55,000 in northern India....

(read the whole story here, at CNN.com)

Watch how some widows are rebelling »

This article from the Austin American Statesman describes a bhakti yoga class that seems to present the teachings of Krishna consciousness in an innovative, relevant, and attractive way. I don't know if the devotee running the program described here is a member of ISKCON or not, but I think his approach is inspiring and dynamic, and can teach us all a thing or two about effectively communicating Srila Prabhupada's mission.

I didn't know quite what to expect when I crossed the threshold of the Austin Meditation Center for the first time. I slipped off my sandals and placed them neatly on the shelf available by the door for this purpose, then took a look around.

The best way to describe the center is also the most clichéd: It was peaceful. I was greeted by the yogi, an older Englishman with a wide smile on his face. Richard Davis seemed to radiate energy and life. We sat down and talked for a while as others trickled in.

After offering us water, organic cherries and whole wheat, sugar-free, homemade cookies, he led us into the next room, where seats and pillows formed a circle on the hardwood floor. The walls were lined with paintings of figures such as Krishna and Christ. We sat as he took his place in front, closing the circle.

Richard took time discussing the concept of mantra meditation with us beginners. He told us that there are two worlds — the material world, and that of the spirit — and that we are "in illusion" when we believe that we are our bodies, and that we are of this material world. We wear our bodies like we wear a T-shirt, he said. The T-shirt is not us; we only wear it. We are "atma," the spirit-soul, that divine spark that differentiates between a living body and a dead one.

He shared an analogy of a fish in the ocean. If you were to take such a fish and put him on the hot, sandy beach, would he be happy? No. He belongs in the ocean. Likewise we, as spiritual beings, can never find happiness in the material world, try as we may. We will only find happiness when we reconnect with our "atma." Happiness — pure bliss — is possible only through the sound vibrations of mantra. Mantra is the vehicle that takes us there, to that place within.

Richard then taught us three kinds of mantra meditation. The first, "breathing meditation," consisted of saying a one-word mantra, "Gauranga," upon exhaling our breath. We inhaled deeply and when we could inhale no more, we began to push out each syllable: "Gaur ... Ra ... Ang ... Ga." "Gauranga" means the "golden effulgence" or light that surrounds God, and can be used as a name for God Himself.

Next we learned "japa meditation." We chanted a phrase as we moved our fingers along wooden beads to keep track. "Gopala Govinda Rama Madana Mohana," we repeated, which I soon learned were other names for God.

Meditation and chanting form patterns similar to the worship I had experienced in Christian churches. The most striking similarity came when we did "kirtan," which was singing the names of God as Richard played guitar: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Despite the familiarity of the phrase from popular culture, to a Western woman who was raised within the Christian church, this was all so new and strange. Yet I had made a commitment to try it, and I wanted to see if it really did offer contentment.

And so, I did it each day in my home, breathing and chanting and counting the beads. I was surprised to find that mantra had sneaked into my subconscious and was pervading my life: It was in my head at work and I would chant it under my breath in the car. In addition, I felt peace envelop me, as if nothing could harm me any longer. When I heard bad news, it did not break me. I felt above it, able to handle anything. I felt my anxiety and even some of my customary road rage dissipate. This was quite welcome.

I am still new to meditation and to the doctrines of karma, reincarnation and the like that surround it, and I cannot honestly say that I believe every single one of these precepts. Maybe I will come to, and maybe I will not. I will, however, continue to make time and space for contemplation, silence and peace in my ever-whirling, ever-changing world.

April D. Boland is a writer and editor from New York City who currently works in marketing as she completes her English literature degree.

This article from the Austin American Statesman describes a bhakti yoga class that seems to present the teachings of Krishna consciousness in an innovative, relevant, and attractive way. I don't know if the devotee running the program described here is a member of ISKCON or not, but I think his approach is inspiring and dynamic, and can teach us all a thing or two about effectively communicating Srila Prabhupada's mission.

I didn't know quite what to expect when I crossed the threshold of the Austin Meditation Center for the first time. I slipped off my sandals and placed them neatly on the shelf available by the door for this purpose, then took a look around.

The best way to describe the center is also the most clichéd: It was peaceful. I was greeted by the yogi, an older Englishman with a wide smile on his face. Richard Davis seemed to radiate energy and life. We sat down and talked for a while as others trickled in.

After offering us water, organic cherries and whole wheat, sugar-free, homemade cookies, he led us into the next room, where seats and pillows formed a circle on the hardwood floor. The walls were lined with paintings of figures such as Krishna and Christ. We sat as he took his place in front, closing the circle.

Richard took time discussing the concept of mantra meditation with us beginners. He told us that there are two worlds — the material world, and that of the spirit — and that we are "in illusion" when we believe that we are our bodies, and that we are of this material world. We wear our bodies like we wear a T-shirt, he said. The T-shirt is not us; we only wear it. We are "atma," the spirit-soul, that divine spark that differentiates between a living body and a dead one.

He shared an analogy of a fish in the ocean. If you were to take such a fish and put him on the hot, sandy beach, would he be happy? No. He belongs in the ocean. Likewise we, as spiritual beings, can never find happiness in the material world, try as we may. We will only find happiness when we reconnect with our "atma." Happiness — pure bliss — is possible only through the sound vibrations of mantra. Mantra is the vehicle that takes us there, to that place within.

Richard then taught us three kinds of mantra meditation. The first, "breathing meditation," consisted of saying a one-word mantra, "Gauranga," upon exhaling our breath. We inhaled deeply and when we could inhale no more, we began to push out each syllable: "Gaur ... Ra ... Ang ... Ga." "Gauranga" means the "golden effulgence" or light that surrounds God, and can be used as a name for God Himself.

Next we learned "japa meditation." We chanted a phrase as we moved our fingers along wooden beads to keep track. "Gopala Govinda Rama Madana Mohana," we repeated, which I soon learned were other names for God.

Meditation and chanting form patterns similar to the worship I had experienced in Christian churches. The most striking similarity came when we did "kirtan," which was singing the names of God as Richard played guitar: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

Despite the familiarity of the phrase from popular culture, to a Western woman who was raised within the Christian church, this was all so new and strange. Yet I had made a commitment to try it, and I wanted to see if it really did offer contentment.

And so, I did it each day in my home, breathing and chanting and counting the beads. I was surprised to find that mantra had sneaked into my subconscious and was pervading my life: It was in my head at work and I would chant it under my breath in the car. In addition, I felt peace envelop me, as if nothing could harm me any longer. When I heard bad news, it did not break me. I felt above it, able to handle anything. I felt my anxiety and even some of my customary road rage dissipate. This was quite welcome.

I am still new to meditation and to the doctrines of karma, reincarnation and the like that surround it, and I cannot honestly say that I believe every single one of these precepts. Maybe I will come to, and maybe I will not. I will, however, continue to make time and space for contemplation, silence and peace in my ever-whirling, ever-changing world.

April D. Boland is a writer and editor from New York City who currently works in marketing as she completes her English literature degree.

"The division of gross time is calculated as follows: two atoms make one double atom, and three double atoms make one hexatom. This hexatom is visible in the sunshine which enters through the holes of a window screen. One can clearly see that the hexatom goes up towards the sky." (SB3.11.05)

Scientists currently believe that the photon (also known as light) is the transmitter particle (gauge boson) for electromagnetic force. Photons supposedly have no mass and no electric charge. It is said that Einstein was the first person to theorize that these particles should exist (except he wasn't the first - not by a long shot!).

Photon (obviously) travel at the speed of light. They can be redirected by gravity (not because gravity attracts the photon like e.g. a magnet attracts iron, but because gravity bends the very space through which the photon flies).

Photons are strange because they behave both as waves and as particles at the same time (as demonstrated in the famous double-slit experiment).

Besides photons, which we "see" every day, there are supposedly a few other gauge bosons, or carrier particles for fundamental forces of nature. Specifically, there supposed to exist W and Z bosons (which supposedly cause the weak atomic interaction), gluons (which supposedly cause the strong atomic interaction) and the (totally speculative) gravitons (which supposedly cause gravity - although no one has ever detected a graviton).

Physicists are hard at work trying to figure out how these particles fit together in a grand unification theory. They believe that if they figure this out they will understand everything there is to know about the elegant universe with no need for primitive gods, deities and other "unscientific" stuff like that.

And here we have the Srimad Bhagavatam stating quite plainly and clearly, thousands of years before the advert of modern physics (or more precisely: the sage Maitreya speaking to Vidura sometime around the year 3102 B.C.), that the photon is actually made up of 6 (specifically 3 groups of 2) atomic particles. These Vedic Atoms (parama-anuh) are the true fundamental particles of nature. In different combinations these particles presumably also make up the other gauga bosons.

So, there we have the much vaunted unification theory.

Why do theoretical physicists not take notice?

Update: (disclaimer) My statements above are called into question by some good counter arguments in the comments to this post. This is not to say that the article is incorrect, but I nevertheless advise anyone reading this to read the comments and make up their own mind based upon what they think are the most reasonable assumptions.

"The division of gross time is calculated as follows: two atoms make one double atom, and three double atoms make one hexatom. This hexatom is visible in the sunshine which enters through the holes of a window screen. One can clearly see that the hexatom goes up towards the sky." (SB3.11.05)

Scientists currently believe that the photon (also known as light) is the transmitter particle (gauge boson) for electromagnetic force. Photons supposedly have no mass and no electric charge. It is said that Einstein was the first person to theorize that these particles should exist (except he wasn't the first - not by a long shot!).

Photon (obviously) travel at the speed of light. They can be redirected by gravity (not because gravity attracts the photon like e.g. a magnet attracts iron, but because gravity bends the very space through which the photon flies).

Photons are strange because they behave both as waves and as particles at the same time (as demonstrated in the famous double-slit experiment).

Besides photons, which we "see" every day, there are supposedly a few other gauge bosons, or carrier particles for fundamental forces of nature. Specifically, there supposed to exist W and Z bosons (which supposedly cause the weak atomic interaction), gluons (which supposedly cause the strong atomic interaction) and the (totally speculative) gravitons (which supposedly cause gravity - although no one has ever detected a graviton).

Physicists are hard at work trying to figure out how these particles fit together in a grand unification theory. They believe that if they figure this out they will understand everything there is to know about the elegant universe with no need for primitive gods, deities and other "unscientific" stuff like that.

And here we have the Srimad Bhagavatam stating quite plainly and clearly, thousands of years before the advert of modern physics (or more precisely: the sage Maitreya speaking to Vidura sometime around the year 3102 B.C.), that the photon is actually made up of 6 (specifically 3 groups of 2) atomic particles. These Vedic Atoms (parama-anuh) are the true fundamental particles of nature. In different combinations these particles presumably also make up the other gauga bosons.

So, there we have the much vaunted unification theory.

Why do theoretical physicists not take notice?

Update: (disclaimer) My statements above are called into question by some good counter arguments in the comments to this post. This is not to say that the article is incorrect, but I nevertheless advise anyone reading this to read the comments and make up their own mind based upon what they think are the most reasonable assumptions.

Seek not to be respected but to be respectable. It's simple isn't it? But yet so elusive to the soul in search of some comfort in this world. Being respected is dearer to the living being than life itself. For one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death. And yet we cannot please all the people all of the time. Someone will inevitably come into our life, for however brief a moment it may be, with the express reason of making our lives as miserable as possible by treating us like we were something nasty clinging to the inside of a toilet bowl. It's inevitable, and for some of us these moments are more frequent than not.

Being attached to some dignity and simultaneously watching someone's face turn from as bright as the sun to sour grapes, just because we walked into their line of sight, can have some adverse side effects in our resolve, especially if we have never met that person before. One reason for this unsolicited adversity could be outward appearance. It's funny how something as simple as clothing can summon up so much wrath amongst people. Generally we dress to be accepted in whatever we want to be accepted in. If we're in the high-powered business world it would be considered intelligent to own the best tailored suits in order to create a mark in others. If we're fashion conscious it would behoof us to be up with the times. If we're in a casual setting then acceptance lies with being causally adorned. But when one of these worlds, without warning, steps into another then there is undoubtedly discomfort. Borders are drawn, acceptance is sought amongst ones own kind, especially at the cost of ridiculing the other -- in other words, a natural selection takes place.

But if you are not at all affected by the results of such barriers and aggressions, then, even if you are ridiculed or abused, it will make no difference. You will have transcended the dress and gained access to a place where respect is given to everyone no matter who or what they are. As Srila Prabhupada points out, one life you may be a King, the next a dog. What is the use of identifying with our dress? It dosn't make us a better person -- a better dressed person maybe, but not one that has become unblemished like the cloth one wears.

Yet the unanswered question here is how, in the midst of so much adversity, do we become respectable rather than seek respect? In the same vein we could ask how do we become tolerant? Does tolerance get given to us or are we put into situations where we have an opportunity to practice tolerance? How can we give unless we are in a situation where we can understand the value of what we have to give? Similarly, how can we become respectable if we are never given a chance to not expect respect?

Seek not to be respected but to be respectable. It's simple isn't it? But yet so elusive to the soul in search of some comfort in this world. Being respected is dearer to the living being than life itself. For one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death. And yet we cannot please all the people all of the time. Someone will inevitably come into our life, for however brief a moment it may be, with the express reason of making our lives as miserable as possible by treating us like we were something nasty clinging to the inside of a toilet bowl. It's inevitable, and for some of us these moments are more frequent than not.

Being attached to some dignity and simultaneously watching someone's face turn from as bright as the sun to sour grapes, just because we walked into their line of sight, can have some adverse side effects in our resolve, especially if we have never met that person before. One reason for this unsolicited adversity could be outward appearance. It's funny how something as simple as clothing can summon up so much wrath amongst people. Generally we dress to be accepted in whatever we want to be accepted in. If we're in the high-powered business world it would be considered intelligent to own the best tailored suits in order to create a mark in others. If we're fashion conscious it would behoof us to be up with the times. If we're in a casual setting then acceptance lies with being causally adorned. But when one of these worlds, without warning, steps into another then there is undoubtedly discomfort. Borders are drawn, acceptance is sought amongst ones own kind, especially at the cost of ridiculing the other -- in other words, a natural selection takes place.

But if you are not at all affected by the results of such barriers and aggressions, then, even if you are ridiculed or abused, it will make no difference. You will have transcended the dress and gained access to a place where respect is given to everyone no matter who or what they are. As Srila Prabhupada points out, one life you may be a King, the next a dog. What is the use of identifying with our dress? It dosn't make us a better person -- a better dressed person maybe, but not one that has become unblemished like the cloth one wears.

Yet the unanswered question here is how, in the midst of so much adversity, do we become respectable rather than seek respect? In the same vein we could ask how do we become tolerant? Does tolerance get given to us or are we put into situations where we have an opportunity to practice tolerance? How can we give unless we are in a situation where we can understand the value of what we have to give? Similarly, how can we become respectable if we are never given a chance to not expect respect?

I just had a paper accepted for publication at this year's Knowledge Capture conference (K-CAP 2007). My paper is "A Methodology for Asynchronous Multi-User Editing of Semantic Web Ontologies". It will serve as the basis of my upcoming PhD thesis.

You can download the paper here, or in the publication section of this website.

So, see you in Whistler, Canada in October.

I just had a paper accepted for publication at this year's Knowledge Capture conference (K-CAP 2007). My paper is "A Methodology for Asynchronous Multi-User Editing of Semantic Web Ontologies". It will serve as the basis of my upcoming PhD thesis.

You can download the paper here, or in the publication section of this website.

So, see you in Whistler, Canada in October.

This video site has a number of how to and self-help videos. For example, the hilarious: how to give a great man-to-man hug video. The videos are informative and often really funny. I could see this site becoming quite popular in the future. They have a niche beyond the usual youtube clone.

It would be great if some devotees could make a video version of Vaisnava Etiquette and How-To guides. There are a few "how to play mrdanga" video and audio sites, but that's about it.

So, how about videos on: "how to offer obeisances", "how to ask a question to a senior devotee", "how to enter the temple room", "how to wear a dhoti", "how to eat prasadam", etc.

Such videos would be more accessible than a book and potentially even quicker to produce. All it would take is a video camera, some aspiring devotee actors and a computer with good video editing software (such as iMovie on the Mac).

(see also my previous post on video blogging)

This video site has a number of how to and self-help videos. For example, the hilarious: how to give a great man-to-man hug video. The videos are informative and often really funny. I could see this site becoming quite popular in the future. They have a niche beyond the usual youtube clone.

It would be great if some devotees could make a video version of Vaisnava Etiquette and How-To guides. There are a few "how to play mrdanga" video and audio sites, but that's about it.

So, how about videos on: "how to offer obeisances", "how to ask a question to a senior devotee", "how to enter the temple room", "how to wear a dhoti", "how to eat prasadam", etc.

Such videos would be more accessible than a book and potentially even quicker to produce. All it would take is a video camera, some aspiring devotee actors and a computer with good video editing software (such as iMovie on the Mac).

(see also my previous post on video blogging)

I just can't make this stuff up, folks.

From the Indian news, also making the rounds on some "stranger than fiction" types of blogs:

Inmates of an Indian prison are reportedly refusing to apply for bail because the food is so good.

Parappana Agrahara prison in Bangalore is crowded with 4,700 inmates, more than twice its capacity.

Criminals are refusing to apply for bail to get out while juvenile offenders are lying about their age to get in, reports the Bangalore Mirror.

The paper says the reason is healthy food being served by ISKCON, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Hindu evangelist organisation.

ISKCON, commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, started serving its pure-vegetarian fare in the jail in May under contract from the prisons department.

Lunch and dinner typically include piping hot rice, two vegetables and a spicy lentil dish called sambar and buttermilk.

A dessert is added on festival days and national holidays like Independence Day, and also once a week.

Prisoner Raja Reddy, who has been arrested 20 times in 30 years for theft, robbery and burglary, said: "When we are getting tasty, nutritious food three times a day here, why should we go out and commit crimes."

source

I just can't make this stuff up, folks.

From the Indian news, also making the rounds on some "stranger than fiction" types of blogs:

Inmates of an Indian prison are reportedly refusing to apply for bail because the food is so good.

Parappana Agrahara prison in Bangalore is crowded with 4,700 inmates, more than twice its capacity.

Criminals are refusing to apply for bail to get out while juvenile offenders are lying about their age to get in, reports the Bangalore Mirror.

The paper says the reason is healthy food being served by ISKCON, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Hindu evangelist organisation.

ISKCON, commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, started serving its pure-vegetarian fare in the jail in May under contract from the prisons department.

Lunch and dinner typically include piping hot rice, two vegetables and a spicy lentil dish called sambar and buttermilk.

A dessert is added on festival days and national holidays like Independence Day, and also once a week.

Prisoner Raja Reddy, who has been arrested 20 times in 30 years for theft, robbery and burglary, said: "When we are getting tasty, nutritious food three times a day here, why should we go out and commit crimes."

source

60 minutes has a report (A Pill to Forget?) (videos here) on a drug that can erase memories. Propranolol is a drug that (among other things) seems to erase link between an intense emotional event and the memory.
Psychiatrist hope to treat patients suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (i.e. victims of war, rape, or accidents). Usually if someone has experienced a traumatic event and then, years later, sees or hears something that reminds them of that experience, then the emotions from the trauma come back in full force. However, the drug shows promise that it can remove these painful memories.

It does its magic by blocking adrenaline from nerve cells. Adrenaline causes memories to really take root. We can see for ourselves: most long-lived memories are associated with some event that caused our body to produced lots of adrenaline. So, if the drug is taken shortly after a traumatic event, or even many years after the event, provided the victim is made to remember the thoughts and emotions of that time, then it breaks the link between the thoughts and the emotions. The memory fades away.

Opponents of the drug believe that our memories make us who we are. Erasing painful memories would rob us of the chance to become better people. They also fear the drug will be used recreationally, to erase minor unpleasant or embarrassing moments from our memory.

This strikes me as interesting and reminds me of a realization that a devotee recently shared with me:

The devotee is interested in remembering Krishna at the time of death. Everyone else is interested in remember as little as possible at the time of death.

This devotee doctor was telling me that death is super painful. Like 1000 scorpions biting you all at once. A dying person usually is given vast quantities of morphine to dull their brain so they feel and remember as little as possible. However, there comes a stage at the end of life where even morphine is no longer effective and the full pain takes effect.

However, the jaws of death are just like the jaws of a cat carrying her kitten to the devotee. The rat lives in terror of the fearsome cat jaw, but the kitten purrs contently as its mother carries it in the very same jaw.

The memory pill opponents do not know that we are not this body and mind. Our memories most certainly do not make us who we are. After all, we forget almost everything at the time of death. However, the subtle impressions remain. So, someone who has endured a life of a pig will subconsciously learn that maybe they should not engage in a gluttonous lifestyle when they become a human again.

Can this pill erase these subtle imprints? - I don't know.

One frightening thing however is that while the drug can erase bad memories it can also probably erase good ones. The Vedic culture makes use of so-called samskaras. Rituals at important life events that serve as imprints in people's memories. If the samskaras are Krishna conscious, then the person recalling these memories at the time of death can attain liberation (and avoid repeated birth in the animal kingdom) (BG 8.6 + BG 14.15).

Another perspective is that living with painful memories, day-after-day, is suffering we were destined to receive by our previous actions (bad karma). If we try to escape the suffering by taking a pill, it will just come back at us in some other way. No one can escape their karma (unless, of course, they practice devotional service and Krishna personally intervenes to give them a special personalized reduced package of karmic reaction that is best suited to bringing them back to Godhead).

So, this is yet another example of today's culture of ignorance and forgetfulness. Materialists want to forget as much as possible, while devotees want constant remembrance (smartavyah satatam vishnu).

60 minutes has a report (A Pill to Forget?) (videos here) on a drug that can erase memories. Propranolol is a drug that (among other things) seems to erase link between an intense emotional event and the memory.
Psychiatrist hope to treat patients suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (i.e. victims of war, rape, or accidents). Usually if someone has experienced a traumatic event and then, years later, sees or hears something that reminds them of that experience, then the emotions from the trauma come back in full force. However, the drug shows promise that it can remove these painful memories.

It does its magic by blocking adrenaline from nerve cells. Adrenaline causes memories to really take root. We can see for ourselves: most long-lived memories are associated with some event that caused our body to produced lots of adrenaline. So, if the drug is taken shortly after a traumatic event, or even many years after the event, provided the victim is made to remember the thoughts and emotions of that time, then it breaks the link between the thoughts and the emotions. The memory fades away.

Opponents of the drug believe that our memories make us who we are. Erasing painful memories would rob us of the chance to become better people. They also fear the drug will be used recreationally, to erase minor unpleasant or embarrassing moments from our memory.

This strikes me as interesting and reminds me of a realization that a devotee recently shared with me:

The devotee is interested in remembering Krishna at the time of death. Everyone else is interested in remember as little as possible at the time of death.

This devotee doctor was telling me that death is super painful. Like 1000 scorpions biting you all at once. A dying person usually is given vast quantities of morphine to dull their brain so they feel and remember as little as possible. However, there comes a stage at the end of life where even morphine is no longer effective and the full pain takes effect.

However, the jaws of death are just like the jaws of a cat carrying her kitten to the devotee. The rat lives in terror of the fearsome cat jaw, but the kitten purrs contently as its mother carries it in the very same jaw.

The memory pill opponents do not know that we are not this body and mind. Our memories most certainly do not make us who we are. After all, we forget almost everything at the time of death. However, the subtle impressions remain. So, someone who has endured a life of a pig will subconsciously learn that maybe they should not engage in a gluttonous lifestyle when they become a human again.

Can this pill erase these subtle imprints? - I don't know.

One frightening thing however is that while the drug can erase bad memories it can also probably erase good ones. The Vedic culture makes use of so-called samskaras. Rituals at important life events that serve as imprints in people's memories. If the samskaras are Krishna conscious, then the person recalling these memories at the time of death can attain liberation (and avoid repeated birth in the animal kingdom) (BG 8.6 + BG 14.15).

Another perspective is that living with painful memories, day-after-day, is suffering we were destined to receive by our previous actions (bad karma). If we try to escape the suffering by taking a pill, it will just come back at us in some other way. No one can escape their karma (unless, of course, they practice devotional service and Krishna personally intervenes to give them a special personalized reduced package of karmic reaction that is best suited to bringing them back to Godhead).

So, this is yet another example of today's culture of ignorance and forgetfulness. Materialists want to forget as much as possible, while devotees want constant remembrance (smartavyah satatam vishnu).

I had a dream. I was hovering above myself as I was dying, and no one noticed. Men, women and children passed by without blinking an eye at my demise on the pavement next to them. I made no noise for fear of disturbing them. I kept to myself for want of peace. And then, just as I was breathing my final breath, a small girl stopped and looked into my eyes. She said nothing but I knew her thoughts were mirroring mine as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. I reached for her hand but she took a step back, out of reach. And then blackness.

By this time my eyes were wide open and I was in a cold sweat on my therm-a-rest®©. It was a bad dream, I told myself, and tried to fall back to sleep again but to no avail. Death in the dream was not disturbing me, nor was it the lack of interest from the masses; it was those tears, the look in that little girl's face, and her subsequent standoffishness.

I sat up and drank some water from a glass next to me. Water - the elixir of life. Life - something we take for granted. Why is it that we need something overwhelming to happen to us in order to register that simple fact? That we can so easily go through life without blinking an eye, without even acknowledging existence let alone ponder over it. And before we know it we missed the boat and wasted a golden opportunity to understand.

I had to get up now and walk over to the window. Outside it was dark and drizzling. Small raindrops patted against the windowpane, eventually forming streams of water that glided down to the window's ledge. These streams moved slowly at first, almost uncertain, but picked up speed and confidence before moving like lightening in the final third.

The transition of movement from apprehensive to certain in those small rivulets of water seemed so brief. In the beginning it was almost meditative, soothingly melancholy, to watch an element creatively exist and awkwardly function in another element. I could keep up with it. Mother Nature weeping in kindness. But then, when it built up to breakneck speed in such a short time and quickly vanished into it's own at the end of it's journey, I had to take a step back for my eye strained in trying to keep up.

Lightening struck. And then darkness. The sudden burst of light emphasizing the blackness that followed it. It was too dark to see anything outside the window for there were no streetlights nor was their moonlight for the clouds. I went back to the therm-a-rest®© and laid down on it again. My folly was to close my eyes, for off I drifted into a deep dreamless sleep wherein I forgot everything.

I had a dream. I was hovering above myself as I was dying, and no one noticed. Men, women and children passed by without blinking an eye at my demise on the pavement next to them. I made no noise for fear of disturbing them. I kept to myself for want of peace. And then, just as I was breathing my final breath, a small girl stopped and looked into my eyes. She said nothing but I knew her thoughts were mirroring mine as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. I reached for her hand but she took a step back, out of reach. And then blackness.

By this time my eyes were wide open and I was in a cold sweat on my therm-a-rest®©. It was a bad dream, I told myself, and tried to fall back to sleep again but to no avail. Death in the dream was not disturbing me, nor was it the lack of interest from the masses; it was those tears, the look in that little girl's face, and her subsequent standoffishness.

I sat up and drank some water from a glass next to me. Water - the elixir of life. Life - something we take for granted. Why is it that we need something overwhelming to happen to us in order to register that simple fact? That we can so easily go through life without blinking an eye, without even acknowledging existence let alone ponder over it. And before we know it we missed the boat and wasted a golden opportunity to understand.

I had to get up now and walk over to the window. Outside it was dark and drizzling. Small raindrops patted against the windowpane, eventually forming streams of water that glided down to the window's ledge. These streams moved slowly at first, almost uncertain, but picked up speed and confidence before moving like lightening in the final third.

The transition of movement from apprehensive to certain in those small rivulets of water seemed so brief. In the beginning it was almost meditative, soothingly melancholy, to watch an element creatively exist and awkwardly function in another element. I could keep up with it. Mother Nature weeping in kindness. But then, when it built up to breakneck speed in such a short time and quickly vanished into it's own at the end of it's journey, I had to take a step back for my eye strained in trying to keep up.

Lightening struck. And then darkness. The sudden burst of light emphasizing the blackness that followed it. It was too dark to see anything outside the window for there were no streetlights nor was their moonlight for the clouds. I went back to the therm-a-rest®© and laid down on it again. My folly was to close my eyes, for off I drifted into a deep dreamless sleep wherein I forgot everything.