Websites from the ISKCON Universe
(source)
Or, in Latin, if you prefer: "aurora musis amica"
That is a German proverb that literally means: "the morning hour has gold in the mouth". It kind of loses something in the translation...
Anyway, in a survey of 20 top CEOs, 80% of them get up before 5:30am. So, if you want to be successful: rise and shine! The early bird catches the worm!
(and, if you aren't into worm-eating, the morning hours are also the best time to meditate)
(source)
Or, in Latin, if you prefer: "aurora musis amica"
That is a German proverb that literally means: "the morning hour has gold in the mouth". It kind of loses something in the translation...
Anyway, in a survey of 20 top CEOs, 80% of them get up before 5:30am. So, if you want to be successful: rise and shine! The early bird catches the worm!
(and, if you aren't into worm-eating, the morning hours are also the best time to meditate)
The Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, the largest Christian book publisher in the world, talks about the core values of his company in this blog posting.
The core values of Thomas Nelson are:
1. Honoring God
2. Serving Others
3. Focus and Discipline
4. World-Class Talent
5. Collaboration
These mesh well with Krishna consciousness, I think.
(Nice company logo, too)
The Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, the largest Christian book publisher in the world, talks about the core values of his company in this blog posting.
The core values of Thomas Nelson are:
1. Honoring God
2. Serving Others
3. Focus and Discipline
4. World-Class Talent
5. Collaboration
These mesh well with Krishna consciousness, I think.
(Nice company logo, too)
Only one guest this week. It was a student from Iran who came because I advertised that this week's discussion would be on "nuclear weapons". With the controversy over Iran's nukes in the media he came to hear the Vedic perspective.
He had visited the local temple 3 years ago for a new years party and told me that he still remembered the meal. He raved about the amazing beverage he was served. He said he has never tasted anything like it.
We did a bit of yoga. I then explained the meaning of the maha-mantra and how and why it was compatible with Islam. We chanted together for a bit.
After that we discussed all sorts of things: big media manipulating people's thoughts by propagating a one-sided view of Iran, different conceptions of God and the nuclear weapons described in the Srimad Bhagavatam and Mahabharata:
I told the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the chief scientist who developed the first nuclear bombs in the United States. When he saw the first bomb test he quoted a verse from Bhagavad Gita:
kalo 'smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddho
lokan samahartum iha pravrittah (BG 11.32)
Later when asked if this was the first nuclear explosion he replied:
"Yes, in modern times, ..."
What Oppenheimer knew was that there were descriptions in the Vedic literature of warriors using nuclear weapons over 5000 years ago. Just as scientists now use high voltage electric sparks (and other methods) to start the chain reaction that results in a nuclear explosion, the most skilled ksatriyas (elite warriors) of the Vedic times could use special sound vibration (mantra) to either fuse or slip atoms and thereby achieve the same explosive effect.
Here is a passage from the Mahabharata describing a nuclear attack:
...a single projectile charged with all the power of the Universe. An incandescent column of smoke and flame, as bright as the thousand suns, rose in all its splendor...a perpendicular explosion with its billowing smoke clouds...
...the cloud of smoke rising after its first explosion formed into expanding round circles like the opening of a giant mushroom...
It was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death, which reduced to ashes the entire race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas...the corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. The hair and nails fell out; pottery broke without apparent cause and the birds turned white. After a few hours all foodstuffs were infected...
...to escape from this fire the soldiers threw themselves in streams to wash themselves and their equipment.
In the Bhagavatam there is a description of the misguided warrior Asvatthama being chased by the more powerful Arjuna and, out of desperation, launching a nuclear attack against his enemy. However, Asvatthama didn't know how to properly control the weapon and the chain reaction cascaded out of control, threatening to destroy the entire world. Arjuna, on Krishna's advice, released a nuclear weapon of his own, merged its explosion with that of Asvatthama's weapon and then slowed the joint reactions and retracted both weapons, saving the day.
Point: people who can't property control the great power of nuclear energy shouldn't have access to it, but nukes are perfectly alright for those people of high moral and intellectual standard (which is practically no one today) like Arjuna who can utilize the power properly.
Only one guest this week. It was a student from Iran who came because I advertised that this week's discussion would be on "nuclear weapons". With the controversy over Iran's nukes in the media he came to hear the Vedic perspective.
He had visited the local temple 3 years ago for a new years party and told me that he still remembered the meal. He raved about the amazing beverage he was served. He said he has never tasted anything like it.
We did a bit of yoga. I then explained the meaning of the maha-mantra and how and why it was compatible with Islam. We chanted together for a bit.
After that we discussed all sorts of things: big media manipulating people's thoughts by propagating a one-sided view of Iran, different conceptions of God and the nuclear weapons described in the Srimad Bhagavatam and Mahabharata:
I told the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the chief scientist who developed the first nuclear bombs in the United States. When he saw the first bomb test he quoted a verse from Bhagavad Gita:
kalo 'smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddho
lokan samahartum iha pravrittah (BG 11.32)
Later when asked if this was the first nuclear explosion he replied:
"Yes, in modern times, ..."
What Oppenheimer knew was that there were descriptions in the Vedic literature of warriors using nuclear weapons over 5000 years ago. Just as scientists now use high voltage electric sparks (and other methods) to start the chain reaction that results in a nuclear explosion, the most skilled ksatriyas (elite warriors) of the Vedic times could use special sound vibration (mantra) to either fuse or slip atoms and thereby achieve the same explosive effect.
Here is a passage from the Mahabharata describing a nuclear attack:
...a single projectile charged with all the power of the Universe. An incandescent column of smoke and flame, as bright as the thousand suns, rose in all its splendor...a perpendicular explosion with its billowing smoke clouds...
...the cloud of smoke rising after its first explosion formed into expanding round circles like the opening of a giant mushroom...
It was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death, which reduced to ashes the entire race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas...the corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. The hair and nails fell out; pottery broke without apparent cause and the birds turned white. After a few hours all foodstuffs were infected...
...to escape from this fire the soldiers threw themselves in streams to wash themselves and their equipment.
In the Bhagavatam there is a description of the misguided warrior Asvatthama being chased by the more powerful Arjuna and, out of desperation, launching a nuclear attack against his enemy. However, Asvatthama didn't know how to properly control the weapon and the chain reaction cascaded out of control, threatening to destroy the entire world. Arjuna, on Krishna's advice, released a nuclear weapon of his own, merged its explosion with that of Asvatthama's weapon and then slowed the joint reactions and retracted both weapons, saving the day.
Point: people who can't property control the great power of nuclear energy shouldn't have access to it, but nukes are perfectly alright for those people of high moral and intellectual standard (which is practically no one today) like Arjuna who can utilize the power properly.
A friend of mine, David, who has had a blog on Microsoft's "Live" for a while, has recently switched to using WordPress. Check out his beautiful new blog at:
http://david.deltaflow.com
(please update your bookmarks)
A friend of mine, David, who has had a blog on Microsoft's "Live" for a while, has recently switched to using WordPress. Check out his beautiful new blog at:
http://david.deltaflow.com
(please update your bookmarks)
"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." (United Nations LEAD report)
Meat eating is destroying the planet!
In an article over on huffingtonpost, blogger Kathy Freston describes how a vegetarian diet can do more to reduce pollution than, for example, switching to a fuel-saving hybrid car like the Toyota Prius.
Reducing the environmental (and karmic) impact of the 10 billion animals that are killed each year in the United States (that's 300 deaths every second), is far more important than reducing the pollution caused by the 250 million passenger cars in the USA. Of course, there is nothing wrong with more fuel efficient cars, but vegetarianism should be the given much greater priority as a quick, easy, cheap and effective first step to save the planet.
Q: What is the best way to become and maintain a vegetarian diet?
A: Krishna consciousness automatically transforms one's consciousness so that one looses the desire for flesh eating. Repression the desire for meat is very difficult, but by experiencing a higher taste one is fixed in consciousness (see BG 2.59).
"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." (United Nations LEAD report)
Meat eating is destroying the planet!
In an article over on huffingtonpost, blogger Kathy Freston describes how a vegetarian diet can do more to reduce pollution than, for example, switching to a fuel-saving hybrid car like the Toyota Prius.
Reducing the environmental (and karmic) impact of the 10 billion animals that are killed each year in the United States (that's 300 deaths every second), is far more important than reducing the pollution caused by the 250 million passenger cars in the USA. Of course, there is nothing wrong with more fuel efficient cars, but vegetarianism should be the given much greater priority as a quick, easy, cheap and effective first step to save the planet.
Q: What is the best way to become and maintain a vegetarian diet?
A: Krishna consciousness automatically transforms one's consciousness so that one looses the desire for flesh eating. Repression the desire for meat is very difficult, but by experiencing a higher taste one is fixed in consciousness (see BG 2.59).
Time, time again for another consultation with Philip Weeks. My digestion was starting to degrade again. A few (actually quite a large amount of) acupuncture needles sorted that out. The healing effect of the needles seems to require a "boost" ever so often.
I also had developed a weird cramp in my jaw. I could hardly open my mouth without a painful spasm shooting through my jaw bone near my ear. Speaking wasn't a problem, but yawning and eating was a little difficult.
Philip used about four needles in the side of my face to release the cramp (or whatever it was). He said these kinds of things are quite common if one grinds one's teeth while sleeping. I obviously wouldn't know if I do. In any case, it is better now. Still not completely gone, but much improved.
Dr. Weeks then also stuck needles into my feet, shins, thumb joints and the side of my nose (!) (which was kind of weird). He explained that a meridian runs all the from the thumb up to the jaw. If one sticks a needle the correct place, one can remove someone's teeth without them feeling a thing.
My body responds well to acupuncture. I would do well to find a good acupuncturist wherever destiny might take me next. However, sorting the good from the demoniac is difficult for the ignorant (i.e. me). According to Philip most of the really good acupuncturists stay in China and only the mediocre to incompetent ones are allowed to leave the country and "heal" westerners. He kindly offered to vet any potential doctor I might find in a foreign country to see if their style matches his own.
Time, time again for another consultation with Philip Weeks. My digestion was starting to degrade again. A few (actually quite a large amount of) acupuncture needles sorted that out. The healing effect of the needles seems to require a "boost" ever so often.
I also had developed a weird cramp in my jaw. I could hardly open my mouth without a painful spasm shooting through my jaw bone near my ear. Speaking wasn't a problem, but yawning and eating was a little difficult.
Philip used about four needles in the side of my face to release the cramp (or whatever it was). He said these kinds of things are quite common if one grinds one's teeth while sleeping. I obviously wouldn't know if I do. In any case, it is better now. Still not completely gone, but much improved.
Dr. Weeks then also stuck needles into my feet, shins, thumb joints and the side of my nose (!) (which was kind of weird). He explained that a meridian runs all the from the thumb up to the jaw. If one sticks a needle the correct place, one can remove someone's teeth without them feeling a thing.
My body responds well to acupuncture. I would do well to find a good acupuncturist wherever destiny might take me next. However, sorting the good from the demoniac is difficult for the ignorant (i.e. me). According to Philip most of the really good acupuncturists stay in China and only the mediocre to incompetent ones are allowed to leave the country and "heal" westerners. He kindly offered to vet any potential doctor I might find in a foreign country to see if their style matches his own.
No one came.
No one came.
What do sankirtan and street photography have in common? Quite a bit actually. Techniques from one apply very much for the other.
I was listening to a podcast over at the Radiant Vista website. Craig Tanner was talking about the way he does street photography. He gives tips on how to overcome the fear of approaching people one does not know, how to stop them by being the most high-energy person on the street, how to build a rapport with them and finally how to ask to take their picture. When the transaction is complete he thanks the person and gives them a gift (the picture he just took). Sound familiar?
Listen to the complete podcast for a different angle on sankirtan (and to improve your photography skills).
What do sankirtan and street photography have in common? Quite a bit actually. Techniques from one apply very much for the other.
I was listening to a podcast over at the Radiant Vista website. Craig Tanner was talking about the way he does street photography. He gives tips on how to overcome the fear of approaching people one does not know, how to stop them by being the most high-energy person on the street, how to build a rapport with them and finally how to ask to take their picture. When the transaction is complete he thanks the person and gives them a gift (the picture he just took). Sound familiar?
Listen to the complete podcast for a different angle on sankirtan (and to improve your photography skills).
Just one person for Vedicsoc. It was exam time, so a low turnout was to be expected.
I taught a simple but grueling slow-deep aerobic yoga class. 16 minutes of aerobic exercise were, according to the one guest, "the most difficult thing he had ever done".
We then discussed a wide variety of topic, all referencing the Bhagavad-Gita. From the four regulative principles of freedom to the three modes of nature. It was fun.
Just one person for Vedicsoc. It was exam time, so a low turnout was to be expected.
I taught a simple but grueling slow-deep aerobic yoga class. 16 minutes of aerobic exercise were, according to the one guest, "the most difficult thing he had ever done".
We then discussed a wide variety of topic, all referencing the Bhagavad-Gita. From the four regulative principles of freedom to the three modes of nature. It was fun.
Google PageRank measures how important a website by how many other websites link to it. The more people link to a website, the more important it is. If no one is linking to a given website it will have a PageRank of 0, if practically everyone on the entire World Wide Web is linking a website it will have a PageRank of 10.
The more important a website, the more likely it is to appear higher up in the list of search results in Google. The higher a site is in the list of search results, the more people find and visit it. So, PageRank gives a good idea of how much impact a website is having.
(You can check the PageRank of any website using this tool.)
I've compiled a list of the various Krishna conscious blogs over the Internet with a Google PageRank score of 5. Five is the highest PageRank of any KC blog I've found. A few non-blog websites like Krishna.com and Iskcon.com have a PageRank of 6, but that's about it.
So then - behold - here the list of those Krishna conscious blogs with the most world-wide impact (according to Google):
(if you have a PageRank of 5, but are not on the list, please comment or email me and I'll add you).
Google PageRank measures how important a website by how many other websites link to it. The more people link to a website, the more important it is. If no one is linking to a given website it will have a PageRank of 0, if practically everyone on the entire World Wide Web is linking a website it will have a PageRank of 10.
The more important a website, the more likely it is to appear higher up in the list of search results in Google. The higher a site is in the list of search results, the more people find and visit it. So, PageRank gives a good idea of how much impact a website is having.
(You can check the PageRank of any website using this tool.)
I've compiled a list of the various Krishna conscious blogs over the Internet with a Google PageRank score of 5. Five is the highest PageRank of any KC blog I've found. A few non-blog websites like Krishna.com and Iskcon.com have a PageRank of 6, but that's about it.
So then - behold - here the list of those Krishna conscious blogs with the most world-wide impact (according to Google):
(if you have a PageRank of 5, but are not on the list, please comment or email me and I'll add you).
The Apple iPhone: Apple's amazing entry into mobile phone market. It blows away any other phone on the market in terms of form, flexibility, features and functionality (and also has a price tag to match: $500 with a 2-year contract).
The iPhone has an amazing design. The front is occupied by a large 3.5-inch multi-touch screen rimmed with silver. The back is also silver, but there is a black stripe along the bottom. It looks kind of strange, but is certainly memorable. Everyone will be able to tell the iPhones from other smartphones when people walk around with them held up against their heads.
(image courtesy of AppleInsider.com)
However, I think there is more to this black stripe than just trying to be different. It has to do with the golden ratio. I blogged about the golden ratio in the iPod design a while ago. The rectangle of the iPod is closer to the golden ratio than any other MP3-player. This no-doubt factors into to it's immense appeal.
The iPhone is however far too long to be a golden ratio rectangle.
The 5th-gen iPod's measurements: 103.5 x 61.8 x 11.0 mm
The Apple iPhone's measurements: 115.0 x 61.0 x 11.6 mm
5g iPod ratio: 1.67 : 1
iPhone ratio: 1.88 : 1
Golden ratio: 1.62 : 1
So, has Apple lost its design touch?
No. Judging from the pictures I estimate the silver section along the back of the iPhone is about 95 mm high and the black is 20 mm. This works out to:
iPhone silver sub-section ratio: 1.56 : 1
Pretty close to the golden ratio. The black stripe is barely noticeable next to the polished silver. So, someone looking at the phone from the back will see a near golden ratio rectangle and will be instantly bedazzled by its beauty.
Why is it not exactly the golden ratio? My guess is that because the iPhone has rounded edges, it appears to be less high than it actually is, so, to the human eye, it actually does look exactly like a perfect golden ratio.
Apple design is yet again triumphant: the iPhone miraculously manages to combined the best of both worlds: looking more like a traditional candy-bar phone while simultaneously maintaining an appealing golden ratio shape. Jonathan Ives definitely knows his stuff.
The Apple iPhone: Apple's amazing entry into mobile phone market. It blows away any other phone on the market in terms of form, flexibility, features and functionality (and also has a price tag to match: $500 with a 2-year contract).
The iPhone has an amazing design. The front is occupied by a large 3.5-inch multi-touch screen rimmed with silver. The back is also silver, but there is a black stripe along the bottom. It looks kind of strange, but is certainly memorable. Everyone will be able to tell the iPhones from other smartphones when people walk around with them held up against their heads.
(image courtesy of AppleInsider.com)
However, I think there is more to this black stripe than just trying to be different. It has to do with the golden ratio. I blogged about the golden ratio in the iPod design a while ago. The rectangle of the iPod is closer to the golden ratio than any other MP3-player. This no-doubt factors into to it's immense appeal.
The iPhone is however far too long to be a golden ratio rectangle.
The 5th-gen iPod's measurements: 103.5 x 61.8 x 11.0 mm
The Apple iPhone's measurements: 115.0 x 61.0 x 11.6 mm
5g iPod ratio: 1.67 : 1
iPhone ratio: 1.88 : 1
Golden ratio: 1.62 : 1
So, has Apple lost its design touch?
No. Judging from the pictures I estimate the silver section along the back of the iPhone is about 95 mm high and the black is 20 mm. This works out to:
iPhone silver sub-section ratio: 1.56 : 1
Pretty close to the golden ratio. The black stripe is barely noticeable next to the polished silver. So, someone looking at the phone from the back will see a near golden ratio rectangle and will be instantly bedazzled by its beauty.
Why is it not exactly the golden ratio? My guess is that because the iPhone has rounded edges, it appears to be less high than it actually is, so, to the human eye, it actually does look exactly like a perfect golden ratio.
Apple design is yet again triumphant: the iPhone miraculously manages to combined the best of both worlds: looking more like a traditional candy-bar phone while simultaneously maintaining an appealing golden ratio shape. Jonathan Ives definitely knows his stuff.
I've captured and subsequently liberated a mouse that was camping out in my flat. It was there ever since I got back to my flat after the Christmas break. The mouse had been feasting on a plastic bag full of oat meal it had chewed itself into. However, removing the oat meal and supplying a bait of peanut butter (offered to Krishna) in a steel mousetrap caught me one scared little mouse. So, I took the little guy for a walk down the street and let him out into a bush. The mouse was, of course, super scared, hiding in the trap's doorway and refusing to come out for the longest time. But, after about 5 minutes of chanting at it, it finally shot out of the trap and, like a greased lightning, vaulted itself into the bush.
I've captured and subsequently liberated a mouse that was camping out in my flat. It was there ever since I got back to my flat after the Christmas break. The mouse had been feasting on a plastic bag full of oat meal it had chewed itself into. However, removing the oat meal and supplying a bait of peanut butter (offered to Krishna) in a steel mousetrap caught me one scared little mouse. So, I took the little guy for a walk down the street and let him out into a bush. The mouse was, of course, super scared, hiding in the trap's doorway and refusing to come out for the longest time. But, after about 5 minutes of chanting at it, it finally shot out of the trap and, like a greased lightning, vaulted itself into the bush.
Today I accidentally dropped my MacBook Pro.
I had it open on a stand on a desk with some headphones plugged into it. I took the headphones off my head, got up out of my chair, caught my foot on the (overly long) headphone cord and, as I walked away, the mac came crashing to the floor, yanked off the desk by the headphone cord.
*crash*
*bang*
So, I picked it up, dusted it off and opened the lid (which had snapped shut during the fall). Much to my surprise, it came right back out of sleep as if nothing had happened. Inspecting the case there was no damage, not even a dent. The only sign of the incident is that now pressing down a specific part of the case makes a slight squeaking noise.
Impressive, most impressive. The aluminum clad MacBook Pro is one tough, sturdy, well-built, resilient, solid piece of computing equipment that knows how to take a punch and keep on going.
As a comparison: I once dropped my old Dell Inspiron 4150 from a similar distance while it was turned off and inside a protective laptop bag (Kensington Saddlebag). It still worked after the crash, but the plastic case was cracked and severely warped, the DVD-drive wouldn't fit anymore and several keys popped out. Dell, to their credit, later repaired the damage under warranty when the motherboard died.
However, if you have a habit of dropping your laptop it's probably a good idea to have an external backup, and for even more security you can protect your files with an online backup. A good place to start for choosing an online backup is to read a few just cloud reviews to get an idea of the services and features typically offered for protecting your files online.
(The hard drive on the MacBook Pros is protected during falls by a sudden motion sensor. There is a gyroscope built into the Mac which detects if it is accelerating too fast for its own good and then, in mid flight, quickly moves the hard drive into a protective "parked" position so it isn't damaged by the inevitable impact.)
Today I accidentally dropped my MacBook Pro.
I had it open on a stand on a desk with some headphones plugged into it. I took the headphones off my head, got up out of my chair, caught my foot on the (overly long) headphone cord and, as I walked away, the mac came crashing to the floor, yanked off the desk by the headphone cord.
*crash*
*bang*
So, I picked it up, dusted it off and opened the lid (which had snapped shut during the fall). Much to my surprise, it came right back out of sleep as if nothing had happened. Inspecting the case there was no damage, not even a dent. The only sign of the incident is that now pressing down a specific part of the case makes a slight squeaking noise.
Impressive, most impressive. The aluminum clad MacBook Pro is one tough, sturdy, well-built, resilient, solid piece of computing equipment that knows how to take a punch and keep on going.
As a comparison: I once dropped my old Dell Inspiron 4150 from a similar distance while it was turned off and inside a protective laptop bag (Kensington Saddlebag). It still worked after the crash, but the plastic case was cracked and severely warped, the DVD-drive wouldn't fit anymore and several keys popped out. Dell, to their credit, later repaired the damage under warranty when the motherboard died.
However, if you have a habit of dropping your laptop it's probably a good idea to have an external backup, and for even more security you can protect your files with an online backup. A good place to start for choosing an online backup is to read a few just cloud reviews to get an idea of the services and features typically offered for protecting your files online.
(The hard drive on the MacBook Pros is protected during falls by a sudden motion sensor. There is a gyroscope built into the Mac which detects if it is accelerating too fast for its own good and then, in mid flight, quickly moves the hard drive into a protective "parked" position so it isn't damaged by the inevitable impact.)
I finished re-reading the Caitanya Caritamrita over Christmas. That makes it the second time I've read the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrita all the way through. Nevertheless, I feel like I know nothing. There is so much knowledge in those books that even a lifetime of study will just scratch the surface. And even if, by some miracle, I were able to absorb all the knowledge, there is still many, many lifetimes of realization locked up in the Vedic literature. And even if I fully understand all the points, it will take a long time to actually apply them in my life.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep reading. I'll get there eventually. Good thing that the books get better and better every time I read them. It even says so: Krishna consciousness is joyfully performed (and scientific) (BG 9.2 and 10.9). So what if it takes a long time? I certainly don't have anything better to do.
So then, time to once again dive into the wonderful, fascinating, thrilling, treasure-trove of transcendental knowledge: the 1st Canto of the Bhagavatam.
I finished re-reading the Caitanya Caritamrita over Christmas. That makes it the second time I've read the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrita all the way through. Nevertheless, I feel like I know nothing. There is so much knowledge in those books that even a lifetime of study will just scratch the surface. And even if, by some miracle, I were able to absorb all the knowledge, there is still many, many lifetimes of realization locked up in the Vedic literature. And even if I fully understand all the points, it will take a long time to actually apply them in my life.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep reading. I'll get there eventually. Good thing that the books get better and better every time I read them. It even says so: Krishna consciousness is joyfully performed (and scientific) (BG 9.2 and 10.9). So what if it takes a long time? I certainly don't have anything better to do.
So then, time to once again dive into the wonderful, fascinating, thrilling, treasure-trove of transcendental knowledge: the 1st Canto of the Bhagavatam.
In the last Vedicsoc session before the christmas break we talked about the controversial topic of human origins.
I talked about the established theory of Charles Darwin and why it (seemingly) makes a lot of sense. We then watched a part of the Mysterious Origins of Man documentary and I gave examples of some other archeological discoveries and so-called paranormal physical phenomena from Michael Cremo's books: Hidden History of the Human Race
We then discussed why the concept of the "knowledge filter" which prevents idea that radically contradict established ideas from being taken seriously. People naturally think:
"Modern humans, millions of years old? No, that is clearly impossible, otherwise I would have learnt about it in school. There must be some mistake. Let me ignore the evidence."
We concluded by discussing the Vedic alternative explanation: humans aren't ascended apes, instead we are actually fallen angels. The Vedas contain detailed genealogical records documenting human origins from "angels" (sophisticated living entities living on other planets and/or in other dimensions). But those are just absurd children's stories, right ... ?
The result: (much to my surprise) everyone attending the session agreed. "Wow, yes, the Vedic version makes a lot more sense."
In the last Vedicsoc session before the christmas break we talked about the controversial topic of human origins.
I talked about the established theory of Charles Darwin and why it (seemingly) makes a lot of sense. We then watched a part of the Mysterious Origins of Man documentary and I gave examples of some other archeological discoveries and so-called paranormal physical phenomena from Michael Cremo's books: Hidden History of the Human Race
We then discussed why the concept of the "knowledge filter" which prevents idea that radically contradict established ideas from being taken seriously. People naturally think:
"Modern humans, millions of years old? No, that is clearly impossible, otherwise I would have learnt about it in school. There must be some mistake. Let me ignore the evidence."
We concluded by discussing the Vedic alternative explanation: humans aren't ascended apes, instead we are actually fallen angels. The Vedas contain detailed genealogical records documenting human origins from "angels" (sophisticated living entities living on other planets and/or in other dimensions). But those are just absurd children's stories, right ... ?
The result: (much to my surprise) everyone attending the session agreed. "Wow, yes, the Vedic version makes a lot more sense."
Guru Maharaja asked Frank-Peter what the most memorable part of our trip was. Answer: the Swami's lectures and the spiritual feeling of nourishment in the heart from devotee association.
Bits of advice from the Guru:
Also, check out the pictures from the trip.
Guru Maharaja asked Frank-Peter what the most memorable part of our trip was. Answer: the Swami's lectures and the spiritual feeling of nourishment in the heart from devotee association.
Bits of advice from the Guru:
Also, check out the pictures from the trip.
I just listened to a talk by Dr. Philip Weeks on various aspects of natural medicine. Wow, it was really interesting. (Dr. Weeks was instrumental in helping my body recover from Ulcerative Colitis / Crohn's Disease.)
He talks about how he cured blood poisoning in his own leg using echinacea. He tells the story of one of his patients who had lethal radiation poisoning and was due to die in 6 months, but was completely cured by doing an intense juice fast. He talks extensively about amalgam dental fillings (50% mercury) causing auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease and general insanity. Plus, heavy metal poisoning in general.
Why can some people drink, smoke, eat junk food and still never get sick, while others are constantly getting sick from the smallest bit of unhealthy living? Philip answers this question (hint: genetical strength/resilience has a lot to do with it).
He talks about the "mandate of heaven" and how to optimize our bodily constitution and mental/emotional well-being.
Listen the audio of his talk at the Fresh Festival October 2006. Also, check out his comprehensive website.
I just listened to a talk by Dr. Philip Weeks on various aspects of natural medicine. Wow, it was really interesting. (Dr. Weeks was instrumental in helping my body recover from Ulcerative Colitis / Crohn's Disease.)
He talks about how he cured blood poisoning in his own leg using echinacea. He tells the story of one of his patients who had lethal radiation poisoning and was due to die in 6 months, but was completely cured by doing an intense juice fast. He talks extensively about amalgam dental fillings (50% mercury) causing auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease and general insanity. Plus, heavy metal poisoning in general.
Why can some people drink, smoke, eat junk food and still never get sick, while others are constantly getting sick from the smallest bit of unhealthy living? Philip answers this question (hint: genetical strength/resilience has a lot to do with it).
He talks about the "mandate of heaven" and how to optimize our bodily constitution and mental/emotional well-being.
Listen the audio of his talk at the Fresh Festival October 2006. Also, check out his comprehensive website.
Krishna is like the sun, sometimes unmanifest like the sun at night, sometimes manifest.
Krishna has a right to do whatever he wants, but we don't like that.
We want things done our way. However, Krishna does things his way and thereby creates subject matter for eternal conversation.
Story of my father educating me in the real point of life: leave some footprints in the sand when you're gone.
Where are the former leader of the DDR's (E. Honiker) footprints? Ever place has its local heroes. In Weimar they are Schiller, Goethe and Liszt, but in other parts of the world no one has ever heard of them.
Mysterious: the Lord wants to take his own Yadu dynasty away from the world. The reasons are that some of his family members where becoming too powerful, familiar and proud, less intelligent people would automatically consider someone born in that dynasty spiritually qualified and that they were so attached to him that they couldn't have handled the feelings of separation from him.
Brahmanas curse the Yadu dynasty. Maharaja Pariksit is confused as to why and asks Sukadeva Goswami.
Yadu boys play a joke on the great sages and get cursed to give birth to an iron club that will destroy the entire dynasty. They told there family members and King Ugrasena had the club ground up and thrown into the ocean. These turned into iron reeds that the Yadus used to beat each other to death.
Krishna let all this happen. He wanted to reduce the prestige of the material world. Just like the death of Jimi Hendrix caused DS to loose faith in material glory.
Understanding Krishna is the greatest career goal.
Questions:
Krishna is like the sun, sometimes unmanifest like the sun at night, sometimes manifest.
Krishna has a right to do whatever he wants, but we don't like that.
We want things done our way. However, Krishna does things his way and thereby creates subject matter for eternal conversation.
Story of my father educating me in the real point of life: leave some footprints in the sand when you're gone.
Where are the former leader of the DDR's (E. Honiker) footprints? Ever place has its local heroes. In Weimar they are Schiller, Goethe and Liszt, but in other parts of the world no one has ever heard of them.
Mysterious: the Lord wants to take his own Yadu dynasty away from the world. The reasons are that some of his family members where becoming too powerful, familiar and proud, less intelligent people would automatically consider someone born in that dynasty spiritually qualified and that they were so attached to him that they couldn't have handled the feelings of separation from him.
Brahmanas curse the Yadu dynasty. Maharaja Pariksit is confused as to why and asks Sukadeva Goswami.
Yadu boys play a joke on the great sages and get cursed to give birth to an iron club that will destroy the entire dynasty. They told there family members and King Ugrasena had the club ground up and thrown into the ocean. These turned into iron reeds that the Yadus used to beat each other to death.
Krishna let all this happen. He wanted to reduce the prestige of the material world. Just like the death of Jimi Hendrix caused DS to loose faith in material glory.
Understanding Krishna is the greatest career goal.
Questions: