The Day Justin and Sophie Trudeau Received Lord Krishna’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is
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I have a little story about the time I distributed a Bhagavad-gita As It Is to the then-future Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau and his fiancee Sophie-Gregoire. They married in 2005 so it must have been a year or two before that when I met them.The Montreal Hare Krishna devotees from the ISKCON community of Sri Sri Radha Manora were doing Harinam Sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra in a parade down trendy St. Laurent Blvd. The parade was commemorating the celebration of “India Independence Day” Each ethnic group of India had their float or representation of drummers, dancers and colorful saris and traditional dress from Punjab, Bengal, Gujarat South India, etc… and then there was our group of Hare Krishna devotees with the Vaisnavis dancing in colorful festive saris and the men in dhotis, kurtas playing kartals and mrdangas


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How Mubarak of Egypt and other African leaders got Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita
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Vidura Dasa ACBSP: In Nairobi, many moons ago, Kenya was hosting the annual meeting of the African Union where the heads of state of all countries in Africa gather. We happened to have recently received a container of Bhagavatams and Gitas cleared through customs. I went to the Kenyatta Conference Centre and tried my luck at getting in. If you think Western politicians are paranoid about security you should see these African ‘Boss Men’ and their ever nervous heavy dudes.

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Why “Bhagavad-gita As It Is?
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Why “Bhagavad-gita As It Is?
The Bhagavad-gita has been translated many times since Krishna spoke it on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra thousands of years ago. Srila Prabhupada chose "Bhagavad-gita As It Is” as the title for his own translation and commentary, first published in the late 1960s. It has since attracted a worldwide following of spiritual seekers and scholars of Vedic culture.

World famous cricketer receives Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita (1 min video)
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World famous cricketer receives Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita (1 min video)
Jhulan Nishit Goswami is an all-around cricketer and former captain of India national women’s cricket team.
After receiving a copy of Bhagwat Gita in London last week, Jhulan Goswami appeared to be elated. She said, “This is for the first time I received a full version of Bhagwat Gita in Bengali language. I know this holy book defines the way of life. I feel blessed to have it today”.

Does practicing bhakti at only the cultural level deprive us of intellectual and spiritual growth?
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Answer Podcast

 

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Bhaktin Raji Nachiappan

Question: Does practicing bhakti at only the cultural level deprive us of intellectual and spiritual growth?

Answer: Cultural bhakti in not wrong or bad in any way. Yena kena prakarena – by any means, if we can fix the mind on Krishna, it is good. However, we all need some level of philosophical understanding. Some of us may be very intellectual and philosophical and may want to go deep into philosophy. Some of us may not be so philosophically inclined. However, if we have some level of philosophical understanding that Krishna is the ultimate reality, then we will not be too shaken by the ups and downs of life.

To what extent our bhakti needs to be intellectual, that will depend our own our intellectual capacity and interest. However, we need to have a basic understanding of philosophy. Without that basic understanding of philosophy, if we stay too much at bodily level, then bhakti will not make sense. Once a devotee in a class said, “You are not your body”. Then, a person in the audience raised a hand and asked, “If I am not my body then whose body am I?”. Here, the conception is that we are our bodies and that if we are not our bodies, then we are someone else’s body. The point is that ignorance of the bodily conception can be very deep-rooted.

When I spoke about rising from cultural bhakti to spiritual, it is about understanding that Krishna is the ultimate reality. If we do not have this understanding, then we see our relationship with Krishna through the filter of our attachment with others. We start thinking that when the Lord fulfils our prayers, he loves us and when he does not, he does not care about us. Just like a child, when he/she wants a toy and the parents do not buy it, the child assumes that the parents do not love the child. The parents may have done so much for the child, but the child reduces the love of the parents to whether or not they purchase the toy.

Hence what happens is when we do not have an adequate philosophical understanding, then our mind becomes child-like. When one thing is not given, we think that Krishna does not love us.
We may think that the things we need in our life are very important and they are not akin to toys. Yes, they may be very important, however from the perspective of eternity, what we may have considered vitally important five years ago, it may not be that important now.

When we discuss about practicing intellectual or philosophical bhakti, it simply means understanding Lord Krishna as the ultimate reality and that we should not let our practice of bhakti be conditional to the fulfilment or non-fulfillment of desires. We should stay fixed on Lord Krishna whether or not our desires get fulfilled.

End of transcription.

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Gita 02.04 Fight not for or against some material cause – fight for Krishna
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 02.04 Fight not for or against some material cause – fight for Krishna appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

How to control the mind?
→ Servant of the Servant

Krishna after the war and before His departure from this mortal world instructs Uddhava in what is famously called now as Uddhava Gita. One can read this conversation in the pages of the Bhagavata Purana. Right in the beginning, Krishna says something important which i thought requires serious contemplation.

Krishna says that the world we perceive through our mind, eyes, ears etc is simply an imagination. He says this because the value and meaning we apply to the things of this world as good (guna) or evil (dosha) is derived from our subjective mind. The mind and senses are temporary and subject to change and hence our values and meanings we apply to things also change. In that sense, the same things and people we know, we may like one day and may not like another day or vice versa. In that sense, our values of good or bad is all in the mind.

From here, Krishna says the concept of mind control arises. He says to Uddhava, because everything is changing and our perception is changing with it, Krishna says withdraw the mind and focus within the self and see the self as part of the Super-self which is Krishna. In other words, mind control means to withdraw the mind from the outside people/world (as it is all subjective anyways) and focus ultimately on Krishna.

Basically, mind control is a two step process (1) withdraw from the outside world (2) focus or meditate on Krishna. When we constantly practice withdrawal and meditation on Krishna, in time we will be able to perceive our true self (separate from body and mind) and thus attain peace and happiness. This sounds too theoretical but never hurts to try it out.

SB-11.7-7-9

Hare Krishna

Vaishnava marriage in Mayapur (Album of photos) Indradyumna…
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Vaishnava marriage in Mayapur (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Today Ananda Mohan das and Varsana-rani dasi had their Vedic wedding in Sri Vrindavan Dhama. Two hundred devotees, including a number of distinguished guests, participated and gave their blessings. Their traditional vows included staying together for “one hundred autumns.” In the years that follow may they render wonderful service to the samkirtan movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/t7F4RB

“THE SUNDAY HARE KRISHNA LOVE FEAST”
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“THE SUNDAY HARE KRISHNA LOVE FEAST”
Srila Prabhupada: Make very nice palatable prasadam. We shall spend for that. Why miserly? There is no need of miserly. You are going to earn money by agricultural produce, so how the money will be utilized? It will be utilized for Krsna’s purpose. By prasadam, by chanting, by drama, somehow or other bring them. That is our mission. Congregational chanting. Always festival, and we shall spend for that. Immediately arrange. If there is scarcity of money, I shall pay, but from… Bring them somehow or other. Tomorrow I want to see at least 500 men. Make arrangement like that. I came here to see that, not to sit down in a room peacefully.

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The crying monkey
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The crying monkey.
Sacinandana Swami: Bhakti takes two forms in this world. On the one hand the form of activities you perform with body, voice and mind, and on the other hand the form of feelings. These devotional feelings are the inclination to serve Krishna in a favorable way, in other words giving pleasure to Him. The feelings of bhakti-bhava also include eagerness, gratitude and being moved by genuine love.


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Devotees Chant Hare Krishna Before UF/FSU Game and Fans of Both…
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Devotees Chant Hare Krishna Before UF/FSU Game and Fans of Both Dance and Play Instruments (6 min video)
Ten devotees took a 6-hour break from the Alachua Festival of the Holy Name to drive 2 hours to Tallahassee to chant Hare Krishna for 2½ hours for the benefit of the University of Florida and Florida State football fans there. Fans of both teams played the instruments and danced with the devotees. November 24, 2018.

Iskcon-London 2019 Wall Calendar. SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY…
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Iskcon-London 2019 Wall Calendar.
SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
2019 marks ISKCON-London’s 50th Anniversary. For this milestone year, we have a special calendar with 12 original, meditational pieces of artwork including:
Deity installation and early day darshan of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara
Srila Prabhupada in London
Aspects of devotion over the last 50 years, including deity worship, harinama, and kirtan
Meditations on the transcendental qualities of Their Lordships
There is also a compilation of quotes by Srila Prabhupada and in reference to Srila Prabhupada speaking about Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara, the first large marble deities Radha Krishna Deities in ISKCON.
Read more: https://goo.gl/38yb3W

Experience Krishna’s magic – Jhulan Lila Devi Dasi (2 min…
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Experience Krishna’s magic - Jhulan Lila Devi Dasi (2 min video)
Srila Prabhupada’s Winter Book Marathon 2018 - Every December the entire ISKCON world focuses all attention on the distribution of transcendental literature, something we all know was so close to Srila Prabhupada’s heart. He was incredibly eager to hear the figures of how many books were being distributed. Indeed, he said it gave him life. When a new book was printed, Prabhupada felt as though he had conquered an empire. He told one disciple – “the best of me is in my books.”
Join us this marathon and let’s try to give pleasure to Krishna by giving this mercy in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books to as many souls as possible.

In loving memory of Sukadev das
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Hare KrishnaBy Damaghosa das

Sukadeva spent his life dedicated to the service of his spiritual master Srila Prabhupada and was greatly attached to reading his books daily. He and I would have many long discussions over the years over the Krsna Conscious philosophy based upon those books and personal realizations. He also worshiped over 300 Salagrams Silas as part of his daily program. Myself and hundreds of others will miss his association when they learn of his passing. He was a wonderful, always laughing, happy, and totally determined devotee. Continue reading "In loving memory of Sukadev das
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Vraj Padayatra November 2018
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Hare KrishnaBy Parasuram dasa

This year we distributed 31,000 books, "the teachings of Lord Caitanya", and tonnes of Prasad. HG Loka Saranga prabhu a regular Vraj Padayatra devotee, had a serious car accident a year ago during the Padayatra in the Check Republic. He was lucky to be alive, he even had to learn how to walk, and now by Krishna's mercy he is fully recovered, and again singing and dancing in the dust of Vraj. We were also fortunate to have 3 members of the Harinam Ruci Party. Continue reading "Vraj Padayatra November 2018
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Intelligence is seen not just through aptitude but also through activity
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[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Connecticut, USA]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

Video:

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Does any Gita verse say that the soul is on a multi-life journey of spiritual evolution?
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Answer Podcast

The post Does any Gita verse say that the soul is on a multi-life journey of spiritual evolution? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Gita 02.03 Identify behavior that is out of character with our character
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 02.03 Identify behavior that is out of character with our character appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Thursday, November 22nd, 2018
→ The Walking Monk

Richmond Hill, Ontario

Meet Arnav, Chess Master

I remembered to call my dear sister, Rose Ann, to say, “Happy Birthday.”  A good day it was for her and also for we bhakti-yogis who are honouring this last day of the month of Kartik, the month of Krishna as a child.  I headed north today on Yonge, opposite direction to yesterday, from our ashram to the corner of Lawrence.

There Kishor picked me up for a song ceremony and food with friends, to commemorate the month where candles are presented.  At his home in Richmond Hill, families came including neighbours.  Kishor moved here from Atlanta not long ago and started a successful IT business.

I met his son, Arnav, age eight, who recently returned from Santiago de Campastella, the famous place where the world’s most renowned footpath begins in Spain.  Arnav went to Spain with his family to engage in chess.  Contestants came from all over the world.  He represented Canada and was able to make the trip with parents and sister because he gained a grant/scholarship for being the champ in his age group.  Smart kid! He scored well.

Krishna plays chess.  I imagine He wins.  We are not informed about His batting average at the game.  We know He is fond of it.  I’ve never ventured into the game.  Of anything, I try to champion walking.  

At least guests at Kishor’s home were impressed at my six kilometres.  “Aren’t you cold?” “There’s a full moon!” two remarked.

“Yes, these features add to inspiration.  Six K is nothing.  Standing in one spot causes freezing in this weather, but walking keeps you warm.”

May the Source be with you!
6 km

Wednesday, November 21st, 2018
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Toronto, Ontario

Six Kilometres

Billie dropped me off at Yonge and Lawrence, leaving me with a nice six kilometres to make it back to the ashram.  I say “nice” because Yonge Street southbound is a smooth gradual downward slope toward Lake Ontario.  One day, when I walked this route, a film company with a camera affixed to the roof of a car was capturing a half dozen, or so, young skateboarders going on that downward incremental slope.  There was a grating sound against the asphalt, but those guys were in ecstasy, having the time of their lives, while getting filmed on ‘Take Number who-knows-what’.

It was at 7:30 p.m. when Billie dropped me off, night time, of course, but the street with its lights was enough so I could see where I was going.  Shops, mostly independently owned—in other words, not chain-stores—cast their own light onto the sidewalk.

The weather was reported to be brutal with high northern winds.  I couldn’t feel it much.  I sported my new bright-orange, amazon, winter coat, compliments of Gurudas and Amala from Hawaii, and it protected me sufficiently.

I received a call from elsewhere in Canada.  Someone needed to talk, needed reassurance, some advice.  I did the best I could, at least listening to the concerns of personal matters.  To console I spoke of Arjuna who underwent the biggest of tasks and challenges, and who overcame them because he became fixed on duty and love, which in Sanskrit are dharmaand prema.

Snow, the nice kind, soft and fluffy, came down from the sky.  It created magic for the walk.

May the Source be with you!
6 km


Tuesday, November 20th, 2018
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Argentina / Canada

Go! Geronimo!

Seva and Camila were the great couple who saw me off when I was departing back to Canada. Once boarded, I would occasionally take a peek at the screen indicating what, geographically, our flight was soaring over.  For a while it was indicating we were over the Amazon, then the equator, the Caribbean, Florida and so on.  We were forging ahead.

I reflected also on one of my favourite renderings of art displaying Krishna and Arjuna on a chariot with horses in full ‘charge’ mode.  “Move forward!” it seems to say. “Leave maya, illusion, behind.”  A massive blow-up of this piece, by artist Baradwaj, adorns the wall by the entrance gate at the temple in Buenos Aires.  It is powerful.

When I was a kid it was common to do a war cry, when imitating an attack on an ‘enemy’, and to yell, “Geronimo,” the name of the great Apache leader from the New Mexico area.  “Geronimo” was also a cry used by parachuters in American movies to denote they were jumping out of a plane. 

When I see that picture of Krishna, the wise man, and Arjuna, the warrior, in that progressive stance, I get very inspired.  There are many reasons, these days, for disappointment and depression. It is in those times of discouragement that we must conjure up some profile or image that does it for us.  It is a duty or dharmathat must be done, and so do it with a gusto, as if to say, “Geronimo!”

May the Source be with you!
4 km

Celebrate Your Birthday with the TOVP
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TOVP: Fundraising on Facebook has reached an all-time high with people fundraising for their favorite non-profits, churches, Causes, etc. on holidays, their birthdays, and other occasions. Why not become a TOVP Ambassador and celebrate your birthday, wedding anniversary or any other special day with the TOVP and make it a combined gift from your Facebook friends to support the MISSION 22 MARATHON to complete the TOVP by 2022?

Vrindavan Braj Parikrama – Day 6
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Day 6 – 17 November 2018

Written by Neil Bookseller

Prema Sarovar

Overlooking from the high steps of the spectacular Prema Sarovar, we gather to commence another day of meditations together. Maharaj begins with an ecstatic explosion of kirtan that gets all the devotees on their feet. It comes to a close, or so it appears, till Maharaj starts round two; such nectar!

As we all gaze around to appreciate the beauty of Prema Sarovar, Maharaj comically reminds us, “This beautiful architecture is connected with the land of Krsna, totally perfect for a Facebook profile photo!” Maharaj commences our reflections for the day by reminding us of the origins of Prema Sarovar, one that was created by separation, separation from Krsna (viraha bhava), “When you feel separation from Krsna, this is supposed to be the highest feeling, but how? Separation isn’t fun?” Maharaj continues that this is because when we are separated from Krsna, we are constantly thinking of Him, chanting His holy name, and through that He is present with us, giving us that nectar we are always craving. So, Maharaj neatly summarises how separation on the spiritual platform leads to remembrance, which thereby leads to the highest form of ecstasy!

We move on to the story of an opportune bumblebee, who at the sight of Radha and Krsna decides to circumambulate them three times. When Madhumangala offers his assistance in shoo-ing the bumblebee away, he celebrates by informing the divine couple, “This Madhusudhana is gone!” Mistaking the bumblebee (Madhu-sudhana) for Krsna (killer of the demon, Madhu), a disturbed Radharani lets a sea of tears to flow from her eyes at the thought of separation from Krsna. Upon seeing Radharani in such an emotional state, streams of tears also started to flow from Krsna’s eyes. These transcendental tears being a product of intense separation and love then formed the first waters of Prema Sarovar, following which all the holy rivers attended a pilgrimage to Prema Sarovar to purify themselves, further adding to these holy waters.

Maharaj introduces our theme for Prema Sarovar, being that Krsna is the best friend of all living entities. He continues that Krsna, being omniscient, is always present for his devotees, whether it is Radharani or a bumblebee. He never forgets His devotees, knowing our deepest desires and thoughts, he seeks to fulfil them, and is constantly looking to offer a path for us conditioned souls to return back to Him. So, we meditate on our individual relationships with Krsna and reflect on how close we truly are with Him. He is available to us. He understands our ordeals, regardless of how mundane they might be. He offers us a shelter. He cares for us.

Maharaj then brings together all the devotees in this year’s Vraj Parikrama, all 140 of us, to capture an iconic moment together on the steps of the Prema Sarovar. This causes us to remember that while we all originate from different countries and come from different walks of life, our hearts beat as one and we share a common purpose moving forward, to capture Krsna as our best friend. So, in this way the culture of the spiritual world manifests itself in the dhama and within our movement.

 

Sanket

As we walk up the stairwell to the temple room in Sanket, we witness a beautiful Shyam and golden Radharani resting in the shade. Right away we are brought to attention that this was a meeting spot for Radha and Krsna, and we realise the measures Krsna goes to in order to please his devotees. Devotees fill up the entire courtyard and soon the place is filled with the sounds of the holy name, so sweet that even the local children of Sanket run up to the temple to dance with the enthusiastic devotees. Maharaj highlights here that even if mukti (liberation) may seem like the easy route out, we must go after bhakti (devotion), whereby we must engage whatever talents and qualities we are best gifted with in the loving service of Krsna. So, Maharaj introduces his plan for Sanket, being to attract Krsna, not just for himself, but for everyone around him and he asks us a question that left us all reflecting, “What are you doing to attract Krsna?”

 

Ter Kadamba

A picturesque walk across the fields of Ter Kabamba where Krsna used to herd his cows, leads us to a sarovar behind the temple where we are first welcomed by a large black snake who crosses our path. We spread out the mats under the scorching sun and some technical difficulties later, we are all ready to begin our final meditations for the day.

Maharaj provides that it is understood that Srila Rupa Goswami wrote his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu and proceeds to read about this book. He emphasises the need to steadily grow through devotional service and how material happiness means nothing to a Krsna conscious person. Some more pearls are passed on by Maharaj about the proper execution of devotional service through our senses. Shortly after, we were graced by a local baba to a skit and some prasadam, following which we walked back across the fields in one queue, with harinama along the way and meditations back to Vrindavan.

The article " Vrindavan Braj Parikrama – Day 6 " was published on KKSBlog.

The Difference Between Arjuna and Duryodhana
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Once when the Kurukshetra war was declared, Duryodhana sent messengers to every part of the globe to seek the assistance of various kings. But Krishna was so powerful that He warranted a personal request. Also Duryodhana knew that Krishna was the main support of the Pandavas, and if Duryodhana could get His assistance, then the Pandavas would stand no chance in winning the war. Arjuna also thought of Krishna, so both of them decided to go to Dwaraka.


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What is consciousness? (9 min video)
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What is consciousness? (9 min video)
By Drutakarma das (Michael Cremo)
Srila Prabhupada: A fish, when it is put into the land, it is unhappy, or death. Similarly, if you, the creature of the land, if you are put into the water, you are unhappy, and death. So because we belong to the spiritual nature, so long we shall remain in the material nature, we must be unhappy. Vrindavan, August 2, 1974.

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Krsna’s Divine Veg Restaurant
→ Ramai Swami

I was invited to a new restaurant in Perth run by two of our congregation members, Ravi and Vivek. Formerly it was an Italian restaurant but now it is a prasadam restaurant.

When I went I was served various preparations from salads, paneer subji to huge south Indian dosas. Everything was delicious and apparently the business is picking up nicely.

Gita 02.02 Fight against lower emotions by fighting for higher emotions
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 02.02 Fight against lower emotions by fighting for higher emotions appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Can’t thinking why something bad has happened help us to better address the situation?
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Answer Podcast

The post Can’t thinking why something bad has happened help us to better address the situation? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.