Monday, May 27th, 2019
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Toronto, Ontario

Where We Like To Be

Karuna Sindhu and I hung out at the park in Kensington—well, we didn't really "hang out."  We had a purpose and that was connecting with people through drum and mantra.

Sandra came to join us today, along with her Colombian hubby and their young daughter. They drop in to the temple/ashram from time to time and even host kirtan at their home.

There were a lot of other people "hanging out."  One dude in his early twenties was convinced he's Spider Man. He climbed up the wash/rest room in full attire and spun a rope in the air.  He got down and with thick string webbed from tree to tree trying to impress.

The cannabis-smoking gets thick in the air here.  Grass is the stuff.  People also lie on it—the sod.

This is a place for all, I would say.  Young and old come here.  It's part of a Toronto Free Spirit world.  It's a change for Karuna and myself as well.  We are generally associating with conservatives, but here in Bellevue Park it is a more radical liberal scene.

We both decided to walk back to the ashram while helpful Gaurachandra drove back our instruments.  We walked Augusta Avenue, busy like anything with street musicians and such, and then through quiet residential roadways all in top bloom with trees and bushes, and people out on porches and decks.  It's just a great day.  The world is shining.  https://www.instagram.com/p/ByALmeEg_1S/?igshid=mgpmeatch2mo

We arrived back in time for our weekly reading and sharing of the book, Nectar of Devotion.  It's always a fine time when resident devotees come together.

May the Source be with you!
5 km

Sunday, May 26th, 2019
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Rochester / Hamilton / Milton

Fit In

Since a pre-planned retreat at a Seneca Reservation was cancelled out for this weekend, our creative and adjustment minds came into play.  The visit to Rochester was not pre-meditated, nor the visit to see God-sibling, Visvakarma, in Hamilton, nor the Sunday afternoon stopover and presentation in our ISKCON Milton Centre.  They were all last minute.

In Rochester we made one last walk in Linear Park along the Genesee River.  The trail was a bit soggy due to the sudden gush of rain yesterday.  You never will find a trail to be the same as a previous day.  A trail is ever-changing.

Seeing Visvakarma at his home in Hamilton is always interesting.  He had cooked a serious dahl and a light rice.  It was much appreciated in addition to his entertaining company.  Karuna, Connor and I managed to squeeze in a walk along the Rail Trail to assist in calorie burning.

The final visit of the day was in Milton at the Anglican Church in downtown where the basement provides space for weekly bhakti practices.  I was happy to speak about the value of regulation in the course of one's life.  "Regulation—discipline allows for  a happy conquer.  When you gain some control over the senses, then you gain—period.  Chapter Six of the Gita is a good source for inspiring discipline."

The group in Milton was content with talk, kirtan and our engaging or indulging in the wraps they assembled for us.  Many young families come to the regular programs.  They manage to find that it's a good fit.

May the Source be with you!
3 km

Saturday, May 25th, 2019
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Rochester, New York

We Love Rochester

I trekked a stretch on Lundy's Lane once again, the sight of combat from the War of 1812.  It is different now, being a strip of motels in Niagara. Back then, the place was more woodsy, with men in red coats, the Brits, and the Americans in blue, and with some backing by local indigenous warriors in more naturalist garb. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx4brH3g6By/?igshid=12q8pl9q7pyfz

Karuna and Connor picked me up for crossing the border at the Rainbow Bridge.  We were off to Rochester to meet some members of the Krishna community.  Quite spontaneously we decided to take a stroll along the Erie Coast before a more formal sangha,where we chanted, and reflected on a verse from Canto One of Chapter Two, "Divinity and Devotional Service."

To participate at this house program of Ravi and Priya was eighty-three-year-old, Hari, who worked on the ship, the Jaladuta, the same vessel and the same trip that our guru, Prabhupada, sailed on in September of '65 to make the historic journey to America.  To meet Hari was a peaking moment for the day.

Another surprise for our day was meeting Alicia in yet another park called Linear Park. She had tethered to herself on a leash, an interesting pet, a ring-tailed coati from South America.  He's a cute fellow with a tail resembling that of a raccoon, and a nose like a slender snout of a pig.  The guy was hungry foraging. "A tough pet." Alicia said of him.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx6-X4sAL8Y/?igshid=1vcaffygyegxy

A small group of us conducted a kirtan on the bridge overlooking High Falls. And the final event for the day was a sit-down at the prestigious RIT campus where I delivered a talk, "Tales from Trails."  A long day? Yes, I would say so.

May the Source be with you!
5 km



Friday, May 24th, 2019
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Hamilton / Niagara Falls

Movin' Along

Dr. Singh showed me the results of a very good physical check-up.  "Organs in fine shape.  No sign of cancer anywhere.  It's good news," he said, "just take care of your blood clots." He did recommend to use compression socks on a long flight in the future, and more.

At St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, I met with a blood clot expert, Dr. Ikesaka, who also gave counsel.  "Take the blood thinners and we'll see you again in September."

Karuna, Connor and I then drove to Niagara Falls, but before arriving, we decided to do a celebratory walk along Beach Trail, Lake Ontario, a well-used path shared by runners, walkers and cyclists.  It was one of those seasons with gnat infestation.  "Flying ants," one walker called them.

The day wasn't complete without some effort at outreach, so the three of us along with our host at the Falls, a South African born bhaktiyogi by the name of Vaishnava, made it to the gardens along the amazing waterway to chant.  Vaishnava strapped his guitar around the neck, and so we sang.  People and sea gulls responded well, but admittedly so, those white fowl were anticipating some scraps, which we didn't have.  As usual they were squawking and wailing.

A final walk for the day was a solo along Lundy's Lane.  "Peace Brother," shouted a greeting man at the shopping plaza. And an enthusiastic honk came from a motorist.  Likely, monks are a rarity, even though Niagara draws people from around the world.

May the Source be with you!
6 km


Thursday, May 23rd, 2019
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Toronto, Ontario

Sherri's Day

We had just set ourselves up with mats on the grass when Sherri, who was shaded by the next tree over, recognized me.

"I know you," she said.  "It's my birthday today."  Lo and behold, Karuna and I sang the Happy Birthday song but with the insert of "Hare Krishna," and as we did so, instantly a healthy gust of wind showered hundreds of thousands of pink blossoms down upon her frame.  The moment we stopped chanting, the blossoms desisted from falling down.

"How did you guys do that?" she expressed in awe over the magical occurrence.

"Mantras are powerful!" I said.

She concurred.

Now, with cannabis-smoking totally legal for the whole country, here at Bellevue Park, the heart of Kensington, so many people are ‘up in smoke’.  This is now part of the package deal within a park experience. Stoned or not, people are attracted to our mantras and the sound of the drum.  They join us with guitar, or just sit and sing.  It is so sweet.

One father was training his young son how to skateboard on the sidewalk next to us, and with some success, helped confidence to be achieved.  Near us was a guy on a didgeridoo, and almost everyone else was just lying on that grass that was recently blessed by a fine rain shower. Gregory came back to join us again, but at times he would break away and climb the maple as if a fast monkey, quick in action.  Being that it was Sherri's day, we allowed her to harmonize the mantra while we were immersed in the thick of our own melodic way.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2CT4sAMFZ/?igshid=1ezs3dadthk75

May the Source be with you!
5 km


Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019
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Toronto, Ontario

The Black Beauty

We didn't realize that "Long & McQuade" music store was quite the distance.  We had not anticipated but the walk was good for us nevertheless.  Karuna, Connor and I were set for the trek to purchase a hand-held tambourine for kirtan sessions.  It so happens that musical instruments left in our temple room are often used and sometimes left in disrepair.  Such is the case with the beloved tambourine.

Once we entered the store, we directly asked for our sought-after item to replace the broken merchandise that has rendered such valuable service in kirtan. We were told that a selection can be found in the basement, so we went for the choices.

We didn't want to buy the most expensive piece, for fear that it will be too easily ‘lifted’.  We also were not keen to go for the cheapest, as history tells such items break down too fast.  Go for the one in the middle! was the satisfactory compromise within the mind. We made the purchase and partially subwayed our way back to the ashram to give it a home.

It really was another day for good walking, but with drizzle, a let-down for conducting chanting, as we could not repeat yesterday's experience in the neighbourhood of free spirits, in Kensington Market.  We look to tomorrow for a promising warmer day when we can try/test our new tambourine.  It is a black beauty.

If memory hasn't left me, Bob Dylan wrote a down-home, "Mr. Tambourine Man." Also in the sixties/seventies you had the Lemon Pipers sing a catchy "Green Tambourine."  Much later Prince sang, "Tambourine," which I guess is in the funk genre.  Anyway, we will play our instrument for Krishna's pleasure.

May the Source be with you!
5 km

Tuesday, May 21st, 2019
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Park of Free Spirits

In my heart, I get excited when I know I'm a member of a chanting party, in a park full of free spirits.  I feel like a kid with video games.

Bellevue Park is one such place where the wild and wonderful go.  Many artists.  Many open minds whose thoughts easily spill out.  This tiny park has been recently renovated.  As I mentioned to Gregory, one of our newly-made friends today, "Our tax-payers money put into good use."

Gregory is a guitarist.  He came over to share some of the mantrashe knows.  One of them is in honour of Ganesh, the elephant avatar.  "He removes obstacles on the path of devotion," I relayed to him.  His buddy, also a guitarist, came along and remembered us from last year.  He did no strumming, but chumming—yes.

We also sang the bhajan to honour the lion avatar, and then on cue,  a fellow came around with his massive pet cat—a mellow fellow, really.  ‘Big cat thought’ was in the air.

Friendship was also established with three Irish women who were as curious as hell to know about our clothes, the names of the four of us monks, and what we actually believe.

"What in a nutshell do you believe?  What is our purpose?" they queried quietly.

"We are ultimately here to serve the universe, its people and the Creator.  We are spirits mandated to serve others.  We are not these bodies, but while we have them, we learn, and whatever we cannot gain in experience in this life, we hope to achieve in the next."

They liked what they heard.
5 km

Human Devolution: A interview with Michael Cremo
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Human Devolution: A interview with Michael Cremo.
In their 1993, 900-page tome, Forbidden Archeology and its condensed version, Hidden History of the Human Race, co-authors Michael Cremo and Richard Thompson brought forth largely unknown evidence illustrating that modern humans worked and walked the earth millions of years ago, even as far back as 2 billion years ago. The reverberations of this work on the scientific materialist hegemony warranted an extensive response, entitled Forbidden Archeology’s Impact, wherein Michael Cremo provided a blow-by-blow of his dealings with the fashion elite of the Darwinist persuasion. This is as important a book as the first two, but for different reasons.

28 – Damodar Prabhu: The Challenges of Being a Temple President
→ Successful Vaisnavas - Personal Development for Hare Krishnas

In this episode, I talk to Damodar Prabhu again to discuss some of the more personal aspects of his life as a devotee. Some of the topics we cover: How it was growing up in a Hare Krishna family. What life was like as a 17-year-old brahmacari. What it was like to be part of […]

The post 28 - Damodar Prabhu: The Challenges of Being a Temple President appeared first on Successful Vaisnavas - Personal Development for Hare Krishnas.

Secret Agent for Krishna
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By Karuna Dharini Dasi

A full-time distributor of the seventies and eighties, Lavangalatika was very devoted to Srila Prabhupada and would go out seven days a week on sankirtana. Although we would see her at managla-artika we rarely saw her for the rest of the day. She did a lot of books, she averaged in the thousands of dollars every week in her collection, and with her proper English accent, she was very personal, with a funny high spirit and bright blue eyes. Her father was an officer in the military during the British occupation of India. She took the support of the temple and the BBT as a personal responsibility. Continue reading "Secret Agent for Krishna
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ISKCON European Communications Conference – Day 3
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By Mina Sharma

HG Anuttama Dasa ran a practical and lively session on the Art of Public Speaking, where he shared practical tips that devotees can implement immediately. The ISKCON European Directors then shared the draft strategic plan document, which devotees were able to input into. The team shared their 10-year vision, which focuses upon supporting countries with their communications activities with the aim of having a Communications Director in each country. Continue reading "ISKCON European Communications Conference – Day 3
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Life and Afterlife: Does Modern Science Have it Right?
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Hare KrishnaBy Navina Syama Dasa

I recently read one of the latest books by Ian Stevenson, entitled European Cases of the Reincarnation Type. Dr. Stevenson is a research professor of psychiatry at the University of Virginia, and he has been doing research on the subject of reincarnation for more than thirty years. Over this period, he has accumulated several hundred accounts of young children who consciously remember details of past lives, exhibit birthmarks or phobias connected with a former person’s death, or even speak fluently in languages with which they have had no prior contact. Continue reading "Life and Afterlife: Does Modern Science Have it Right?
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Maya’s Friend Norm
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Hare KrishnaBy Padma Devi Dasi

Lord Krishna’s deluding potency, works with certain energies that have the capacity to make material life seem like normal life. As we go about our everyday activities in the material world, we are continuously confronted with the normality, or normalness, of material existence. In other words, we are constantly bombarded with the notion that material life, with all its mundane rationality, constitutes normal life and that this world is where we belong. As Srila Prabhupada affirms, however, material life, which is devoid of love of Lord Krishna and service to Him, is very abnormal. Continue reading "Maya’s Friend Norm
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Plans of Materialistic Leaders Cannot Benefit Society
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By Paramadayala Nityananda Das

Genuine spiritual teachers are friends to everyone, they do not see anyone as an enemy; rather, the enemy is the illusory energy. To act on this platform, one must understand that the spirit soul can never possess material qualities. It simply contacts matter and carries it like air carries earthly aromas. This explains a seeming contradiction. The Lord and His devotees relieve conditioned souls from the “us and them” mentality by sharp words which sever material attachments. This may seem like criticism; but criticism is condemned by Krishna. There is no contradiction because severing attachments is distinct from material criticism- and it is material criticism which is condemned. Material criticism means to criticizes others while attributing material qualities to the spirit soul. This reinforces material distinctions. Vaishnava literature anticipates an audience who can intuitively glimpse the pure soul. Those who cannot will confuse severing material attachments with material criticism. Continue reading "Plans of Materialistic Leaders Cannot Benefit Society
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European Communications conference – Day 2
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By Mina Sharma

Day Two of the European Communications Conference began with a very relevant and hard hitting talk by Willy Fautre of Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF). This led to much discussion about various cases of abuse of human rights on the basis of religious belief and how HRWF has helped. It was also a fascinating opportunity to learn about the importance of PR and lobbying to raise awareness and tackle these issues. Continue reading "European Communications conference – Day 2
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Wellbeing Expo Kensington London
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Adi-Guru das: Devotees from all spectrums of ISKCON joined together to meet thousands of spiritual seekers at the London Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Expo. With the Pop Up Temple, kirtans, book distribution and both Sivarama Swami and Ananda Monet featuring on the Main Stage and veteran book distributor Adi-Karta prabhu, it was a wonderful success with over 300 Maha big books distributed and hundreds of people experiencing kirtan for the first time.

Bhaghirati De, Srila Prabhupada’s Great Granddaughter. She lives…
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Bhaghirati De, Srila Prabhupada’s Great Granddaughter.
She lives in Mayapur on the ISKCON Campus. The photo was taken yesterday at a school function. Bhagi lives with her widowed father, a disciple of Jayapataka Swami. Her mother, late Gouri De (daughter of late Vrindavan Chandra De, who was Srila Prabhupada’s youngest son) drowned during a flood in Mayapur, along with Bhagi’s elder sister Yamunangi. Bhagi was miraculously saved by her uncle Hari Das, former temple president of ISKCON Dhaka in Bangladesh. Hari Das was able to save the 10-month-old Bhagirathi, just before he himself drowned. He left his body as a hero.
Bhagirathi is a very good and sincere devotee.

Taste of Love
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 31 December 2018, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.21)

After taking sannyasa, Lord Caitanya, by a trick of Lord Nityananda, met all the devotees from Bengal, including Mother Saci. Lord Caitanya had a transcendental mood. He said, “What have I done? I was mad. Somehow or other, I took sannyasa in a fit of madness. How could I give up my mother? But now it is too late – now it is done!”

Upon hearing this, Mother Saci said, “I beg that I may be allowed to cook this week and that I will be the only one to cook.” Everyone wanted to cook, but it was Mother Saci’s wish that was granted, and when she cooked, it was just something incredible. Each time she cooked, it had always been special, but this time she knew that she was cooking for the last time for Nimai. So she was cooking with so much love and so much devotion, putting everything in whatever she made, and then it was offered. When the devotees got this maha-prasadam, it was extraordinary!  

You can buy food items from the supermarket, read the ingredients and say, “Well, it is vegetarian … Sri Vishnu, Sri Vishnu, Sri Vishnu … and now we have prasadam.” Yes, that is prasadam, but then there is also prasadam where the devotee has, with great love and dedication, taken so much effort to do something extraordinary that you can taste it in every bite! That is what the devotees and even Mother Saci were tasting.

This movement is made of dedication and it is dedication which makes things special. And it is dedication that is the means by which we preach. If we think that preaching means to learn the art of hypnosis, then we are making a big mistake. Devotees purchase others with their exemplary dedication.       

The article " Taste of Love " was published on KKSBlog.

True Humility
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From A Meditation on the Importance of True Humility” in “Back to Godhead, Vol. 53, No. 5 (Sep/Oct 2019):
Guru Dasa (disciple of Bhaktimarga Swami): “The Tao Te Ching advises that humility is the best policy. One quote I like is translated as follows: ‘If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below.


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The Lord not impressed with the Precetas 10,000 years of austerities as much as He was by their friendly cooperation
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Internal discord is our greatest enemy.
One disciple of Srila Prabhupada wrote him a letter soon before he left this world saying he wished he could trade his youth for Srila Prabhupada’s old age so Srila Prabhupada could go on preaching. Srila Prabhupada appreciated the disciple’s loving sentiment but said that how much they loved him would be shown by how they cooperate to spread this movement in his absence.


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How are faith and knowledge related – how is faith in the dharmic tradition differnt from faith in Christianity?
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Podcast

The post How are faith and knowledge related – how is faith in the dharmic tradition differnt from faith in Christianity? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Sun Love Feast – Jun 2nd, 2019 – Vedic discourse by His Grace Kashyap Muni Prabhu
→ ISKCON Brampton




Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare 

And Be Happy!!

ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-ksano nita
uttama-sloka-vartaya

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one
who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.
 ~ Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17




11.00 - 11.15      Tulsi Puja
11.15  - 11.30     Guru Puja
11:30 - 11:55     Aarti & Kirtan
11.55  - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers
12.00 - 1:00     Vedic discourse
  1.00 - 1.30      Closing Kirtan
  1.30 - 2.00     Sanctified Free Vegetarian Feast


COMING UP AHEAD


 Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi
Fasting.....................on Thu Jun 13th,2019
Breakfast................  on Wed Jun 14th, 2019 b/w 5.35am – 6.00am

Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we follow a complete fast from eating and drinking. We spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra. By constantly ‘exercising’ our minds through regular japa we can train our senses to push the threshold of contentment.


ONGOING PROGRAMS

Adult Education At The Temple
ISKCON Brampton offers various courses and Seminars for adults. The courses take a personal approach to learning. It encourages the student not only to study thoroughly the contents of Srila Prabhupada’s books but also to clearly understand the philosophy and practically apply it. The course focuses on behaviour and character, nurturing students in appropriate Vaishnava values.
Professionally designed and presented, it draws on the principles of Krishna consciousness
and the best of progressive education. In this way, it is true to ISKCON’s heritage and at the
same time relevant to its mission in contemporary society.

For further information, please contact HG Prema Gaurangi Devi Dasi @ premagaurangi.jps@hotmail.com


Sunday School

To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates,
quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed
to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him.
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).


Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
“One who has life can preach, and one who preaches gets life.”(Previous Acaryas)
Every member of ISKCON should have the opportunity to make advancement in Krishna
consciousness by preaching.We encourage everyone to come out and participate and make
Srila Prabhupada happy.

Please contact:
Dharma Dasa- dharandev58@gmail.com-647.892.0739(Mississauga and Brampton regions)


The Mentorship Program

Please note that registration in the Mentorship System is now a mandatory requirement for all initiation requests at ISKCON Brampton.It

1.Facilitates  and nurtures devotees aspiring for first and second Initiation.
2.One-on-One personal follow up on a regular basis.
3.Systematic training to devotees in matters of Philosophy, Sadhna, Vaishnava behavior, etiquette, Lifestyle and attitudes.

To find details please click here


Gift Shop

Are you looking for some amazing gift items which are less expensive and more beautiful for your
loved ones for festivals or many other occasions??
Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your
visit. It offers textiles, jewelry, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs
inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.

Maintaining faith on the spiritual path 1 – Bhakti is not all-or-nothing
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Seminar at Bhakti Lounge, Wellington, New Zealand]

Video

Podcast

 

Podcast Summary

The post Maintaining faith on the spiritual path 1 – Bhakti is not all-or-nothing appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

For self-control, should we just focus on chosing our desires or should we also chose our situations?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Podcast

The post For self-control, should we just focus on chosing our desires or should we also chose our situations? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Shastrakrit Das: This cute girl came up to my table and started…
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Shastrakrit Das: This cute girl came up to my table and started to bargain the price on the Inner Yoga book.
She goes “ give me a better price on that Inner Yoga book!“.
I tried to give her the Krishna book instead but she said: “I already gave her brother the Krishna book in the past”.
She wanted to be a yoga teacher when she grows up, so she insisted on the yoga book. So finally she went and got $10 from her mom and gave it to me and walked away with a $20 book!