If the natures of a husband and a wife are not complementary, but contradictory, how can they function?
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Spiritualizing our relationships 3 – Learning to separate people from their behavior
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[Phone talk to everydaychant.com online sanga]

 
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Sunday, July 9th, 2017
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Montreal, Quebec

Peaceful Situation

A very pleasant 23° Celsius / 76° Fahrenheit blessed the city of Montreal, and Day 2 of the Festival went on with packed attendance, once again.  Summer in Canada is all about outdoor events.  From late May to the end of September, expect a lot more events than just little picnics.

On top of the staging of a world-class jazz festival, last night as I walked from Centre Ville in Montreal, to our ashram on Pie IX Boulevard, I witnessed a migration of multitudes of people moving toward the St. Lawrence River for an international fireworks competition.  The volume of people moving made me think of some kind of exodus, like the Jews from Egypt during Biblical times, or the partisan era in India when thousands of Hindus and Muslims had to leave their homes.

Well, by 10:00 p.m. the marvelous ‘explosion-of-light show’ went off with a bang, a louder sound than snap, crackle, and pop, and these folks—the spectators—were a happy lot.

And so, with another festival—ours—that lit up Jeanne Mance Park, we all served to bring together thousands of eager seekers.  As I mentioned to a couple from Sherbrooke, Fabian and Genevieve, who brought their kirtan to the stage, “We may have different Vedic beliefs, and our mantras may vary, but most importantly, we join together and sing songs and break into dance, and create a peaceful situation.”

I’ll be travelling with a group of thirty young men, in their early teens, throughout Canada to share a higher consciousness through song and dance.  Of course, I’ll walk a bit every day.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

Indonesia AGM
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Leaders from all of over Indonesia, including, Java, Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumatra and Bali, came together for the annual general meeting of the National Council. Kavicandra Maharaja and I also attended in our role as GBCs for the area.

Each leader represented a temple or preaching centre and gave a report of their preaching activities over the last year. One notable report was that of the Rathayatra committee, which stated that there were 29 Rathayatras celebrated in Indonesia over the last year.

leadership style
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How to be a diplomat and at the same time not duplicitous? I think this is the art of ambassadorship. It is also the art of negotiating and leadership. A leader especially a Kshatriya type leader is trained to cultivate this art of diplomacy without duplicity. I believe today we have more duplicity than diplomacy. Unfortunately, it is very hard to tell the difference. Henceforth, people in general do not trust their leaders anymore or at the least have a dubious outlook. If we want a leader to be respected and trustworthy, then the leader should establish his or her agenda clearly, follow up on it periodically in a transparent manner with verifiable statements. To me, this type of leadership invokes trust. So when such a leader is behaving diplomatically and may seem duplicitous, still it will not create doubt as we are aware of their leadership style.

I think Srila Prabhupada was like this. He always was clear in his speeches, letters, projects, and his day-to-day dealings with people (big, small, disciples, non-disciples). Such straightforward and consistent dealings puts people at ease and any doubt that may exist will soon dissipate. People may not agree or even understand fully our philosophy but if they see our dealings as simple and straight, then they will certainly value our words. Everyone is a leader, i think, and should take it upon themselves to practice simplicity and straightforwardness (not rude) with everyone.

Hare Krishna

Overcoming the influences of previous lives
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 09 February 2012, Leicester, England, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.19)

We cannot trace how long we have been in the material world. Life after life, we are changing bodies – the gross body – but the subtle body; which is made up of the mind, intelligence and false ego; is travelling with us. Therefore, the impressions of so many lifetimes are stored in our consciousness. By the arrangement of the Supreme Lord, we have forgotten these previous lives but memories of so many previous lives are stored within the sub-consciousness and are influencing us.

Therefore a cute little child is not totally innocent because there is a whole history that may not be manifest yet but it will come out later and then you think, “How is it possible that my little darling is doing such a thing?” but your little darling has already done these things in unlimited previous lives.

So in this way we are very much influenced by the three modes of material nature which spread out over many lifetimes.

Srila Prabhupada mentioned that we should associate with the mode of goodness. He does not say that we should be in the mode of goodness, he says that we should associate in the mode of goodness, which I think is an interesting point.

To be in the mode of goodness is so not easy. Just by determination and endeavour we cannot really change our heart but by associating with the mode of goodness then one gradually develops the qualities of goodness. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the transcendental process of devotional service is described. It is said, “By devotional service, automatically the influence of ignorance and passion disappears. Then eventually one becomes fixed in goodness and even in pure goodness!”

Unalloyed goodness is known as viśuddha-sattva, transcendental goodness. Meanwhile we are in the process of purification and the influences of the lower nature are still within and some bad habits may still be there because we were already afflicted with sinful behaviour from previous lives that the tendency is there but by associating with the mode of goodness then gradually one develops good qualities and rises above.

Ecstatic July 1st Harinam at Jacksonville Beach, Florida, United…
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Ecstatic July 1st Harinam at Jacksonville Beach, Florida, United States (Album with photos)
Every month many Harinams are held at various football games, parades, events and beaches. Jacksonville Beach is one such location. Devotees blissfully sing and dance with the sincere drunks and distribute books in the scorching summer sun - often coming back ten shades darker.
Afterwards, everyone takes prasadam at Mother Vishnupriya and Godruma’s home. Sankirtan yajna ki jaya!
(photos by Narottama)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/fmwwpr

In the Bhagavatam, devotees renounce the world to serve the Lord, but in the Vitthal tradition, devotees serve their parents while the Lord waits – how to reconcile?
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When our consciousness goes up and down regularly, how is consciousness irreducible?
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Different brain areas are activated when we have different emotions – doesn’t that show consciousness comes from the brain?
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When facing problems, how can we go beyond blaming others and blaming our own past karma – Hindi?
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How can we decide when to give up one service and take up some other service?
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ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry

Srila Prabhupada on “What is a Sannyasi?” As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary. The same temporary energy when surcharged with Krsna consciousness it transforms into supreme energy by the supreme will. By this will any energy can be transformed into another just like electronic energy in a refrigerator or in a heater, to an ordinary layman, he sees cold and hot but to an electrician he sees electricity. So when one is engaged in the service of the Lord that person is already in the spiritual energy, and a sannyasi is to transform himself from the inferior to the superior, spiritual energy. If your consciousness is absorbed in Krsna you are always a sannyasi." (SPL to Jayananda, 29th September, 1967) Continue reading "ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry Newsletter
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In past-life memories cases, how do wounds on the previous body manifest as birth marks on the next body?
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When presenting philosophy from one perspective, how can we avoid getting carried away and rejecting other perspectives?
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If devotees are becoming lethargic in professional life, should we encourage them to aim high?
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Does the subconscious mind help us to do whatever we think repeatedly with our conscious mind?
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Should a brahmachari change his ashrama if his astrological chart is unfavorable for renunciation?
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Understanding what is mental and what is spiritual
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[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Chowpatty, Mumbai, India]

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Reincarnation – From Romance to Research
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[Prerna youth lecture at ISKCON, Nasik, India]

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