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"Planet ISKCON" - 42 new articles
- H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Friday 1 July 2011--Blissfully at Home at the Urban Yoga Center--and--How to Quickly Attain Perfect Devotion?
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
- Japa Group: Japa Room Opening Friday 1st July
- H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HOW GITA COACHING WORKS?
- Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Jaya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur! The Precept to ISKCON & the Worldwide Sankirtan Movement
- Kirtans in Oxford, UK: Celebrating the Shakespeare of Kirtan...
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Sankarsana Dasa Adhikari
- Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Understanding Krsna's stealing the gopis' clothes
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Madhavendra Puri, New Govardhana, AU: Jumping June (Radhadesh to Poland)
- ISKCON News.com: Coconut Sugar Quickly Replacing Agave Nectar As Natural Sweetener of Choice
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: IDENTITY SPRINGBOARD
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: GITA COACHING INTERVIEW WITH AKRURA DASA IN LIMA, PERU
- Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Jaya Gadadhara! Part 2...Gadadharastakam
- ISKCON News.com: New Website To Help Visitors of Mayapur
- David Haslam, UK: It’s easy to slip into offensive conversations
- ISKCON News.com: Prabhupada In a British Museum Book
- ISKCON News.com: No Man`s Land
- Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Bhaktivinode’s Appearance Day — A Quote From Him
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: DEVOTEE CARE AND GUIDANCE IN ISKCON - AN INTERVIEW WITH AKRURA DASA IN LIMA, PERU
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHY GITA COACHING?
- ISKCON News.com: US President Barack Obama Meets Radhanath Swami
- Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Dessert: 4th of July Vegan Checkerboard Cookies
- ISKCON News.com: Choir of the Crickets
- Dandavats.com: Terminating condition of Do-while Loop
- Dandavats.com: Limit the volume of kirtans in ISKCON Temples?
- Dandavats.com: Disapperance Day Of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
- Dandavats.com: We are looking to employ a full time kitchen/wedding cook
- Dandavats.com: (ISKCON) Trinidad & Tobago launches Website
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: Keeping Lilavatara dasa in our prayers
- Manoj, Melbourne, AU: 213. Srila Prabhupad Lecture 7 : Contaminated Life
- Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Recipe : Universal Brine
- Japa Group: Chanting Together Is Important
- Gouranga TV: Stonehenge Solstice 2011 with the Hare Krishnas
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H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Friday 1 July 2011--Blissfully at Home at the Urban Yoga Center--and--How to Quickly Attain Perfect Devotion?
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Friday 1 July 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. (Click on photo to see a larger image.) Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. Today's Thought: Blissfully at Home at the Urban Yoga Center Uploaded from Melbourne, Australia 29 June 2011--After flying from Sydney down to Melbourne and unpacking in our quarters I was driven to downtown Melbourne to the Urban Yoga Center where I was the featured speaker for an evening of bliss composed of kirtan and unpacking the secrets of the Bhagavad-gita. On my around-the-world lecture tours when I unpack my luggage in a particular place I start to feel at home there. In a similar way, wherever I unpack the hidden truths of the Bhagavad-gita I feel the bliss of my connection with my original transcendental home in that all-nectarean fully lustrous spiritual sky. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Unpacking the Bhagavad-Gita's Hidden Truths Urban Yoga Center-Melbourne--29 June 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Urban_Yoga_Poster.JPG http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Urban_Yoga1.JPG http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Urban_Yoga3.JPG http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Urban_Yoga2.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Quickly Attain Perfect Devotion? Dearest Srila Gurudeva, How to increase our faith and dedication to our spiritual master and Krishna for reaching to the topmost stage of perfect devotion? The menial servant of your servants: Junhui Du Answer: Remember, Worship, and Follow Instructions The secret of success in Krishna consciousness for attaining the perfectional stage as soon as possible is to always meditate upon, worship, and execute the instructions you have received from your spiritual master to the best of your ability. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at:http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed: http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought Sankarshan Das Adhikari on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SDASITE Thought for the Day on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ultimate.Self.Realization Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address:
•ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
As per a special request from Radhacarana Prabhu in China, here is the darsana of Their Lordships and Their dressing-pujari for the day:
Sri Sri Gaura Nitai : Krishna Kantha Mataji
Chota Gaura Nitai: Aditi Mataji
Sri Sri Radha Ballabha: Rasa Krsna Prabhu
Sri Sri Radha Krishna: Govinda Kunda Mataji
Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi: Kamalesvari Mataji
On the most auspicious day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura disappearance day, here is our daily darsana at Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir.
•Japa Group: Japa Room Opening Friday 1st July
The Japa Room will be launching on Friday July 1st.
Mayapur.tv has given the Japa Room a channel to broadcast to devotees from all around the world. Mayapur.tv is the hub of devotional livestreams, presenting many amazing and wonderful events from many countries.
Here is the information about the Japa Room channel including times and content.
The Japa Room is a friendly and constructive way to improve your Japa:
In the session we will cover a number of interesting and relevant topics including direct Japa quotes from Srila Prabhupada - real life experiences and personal realisations. We will also include video footage and audio from various senior devotees.
You are most welcome to ask questions when the floor is opened up and we will endeavour to answer them all.
We will also be inviting special guest devotees to speak about their realisations on the Holy names
1st session = Every Fri. 11.30pm GMT / 6.00pm EST
* To see the time in your city
2nd session = Every Sat. 1.30pm GMT / 8.30am EST
* To see the time in your city
Here's how you can join us - visit http://www.mayapur.tv/ - scroll down and you will see the channel TheJapaRoom. To enter chat, simply click the "Get your own login" button and you can join in.
* When live (in red left hand column) you can join us for a live broadcast.
* When offline (blue in right-hand column) you can visit and chant along with the Srila Prabhupada Japa slideshow.
Don't miss out....please come along and join us for some nice association and enlivening discussion.
•H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
The Street, the Lake, A House
Barrier Lake, Alberta
Prairie dogs are actually cute looking gopher like creatures that burrow holes in the ground. They let out this sharp squeak of a sound when they sense danger. That's just what several did upon seeing me, not in unison like coyotes or wolves howling, but at interval spurts.
"Squeak!" stated on warning the others. "Monk on the lose," was my interpretation. It triggered more to do the same.
Two crows, apparent proprietors of a group of blue spruces, hang around the same area where I trek along 68th Avenue each day. They perch on their branch, fuss a bit, soar higher to a municipal lamp post.
What other images came today?
Well, a couple necking at Barrier Lake, a chosen venue for them and us. Our Calgarian hosts, Radha Madhava, Svarti and their daughters took to their first summer break. Along the lake's trail, the man and woman, with firm intent remained in strong embrace, unphased by us passersby. It came to my head, "I could have been there, certainly had done that, but put such entanglement behind."
Along with a city slickin' lot, we picnicked on lasagna so good and then trekked an uneven terrain until we reached a wind-free nook to sit and chant. The group of us then piled worn boulders to form inookshooks of Vedic deities, Jaganatha, Baladev and Subhadra.
My actor devotees, Laghu, Gour and and I practically became a deity threesome, stiff after a quick dip in the glacial waters. It's all fun in nature's domain. And in the evening an enthusiastic group back in Calgary heard our message from the Gita's Chapter 10 in a domestic setting. Also fun!
I found it most interesting that a follower of Zoroastria-turned-Vaishnav had spent the day with us. Pracetanna has ancestors committed to Zoroaster who appeared in the world 6th century BC. When Pracetanna explained this Persian-based tradition to me I could understand that the transition from sun-worship to Vaishnav ways was not extreme.
6 KM
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HOW GITA COACHING WORKS?
Conversation between Mahatma dasa and Akrura dasa about Gita Coaching in June 2009 in Alachua, Florida
Mahatma dasa: What is coaching and how do you distinguish it between consulting, teaching, mantoring, counseling and therapy?
Akrura dasa: Coaching is more about facilitating your learning and drawing forth from you (knowledge, realizations, understandings, goals, solutions), while teaching is putting in information, giving people information about different things. Therapy deals with emotional scars from the past. Counseling is a similar thing, just milder. Consulting is giving solutions, giving advice. And coaching helps you find your own solutions and become more self-reliant.
M: One of my understandings of coaching that distinguishes it from therapy is that person who wants coaching has definite goals they want to achieve. And often in therapy people have specific issues they are dealing with and they are not goals of achieving something in terms of so-called success and something tangible, as opposed to resolving an internal problem. "I have this issue from the past that is affecting me today and I need to deal with it." Would that be correct assumtion of the differences?
A: Yes.
M: Then my next question would be – Vaisnava philosophy, we know, teaches, and we know by experience, that we are in ignorance, and we need a guru to show us the path. Now you seem to be saying that coaching allows you to become your own guru, so wouldn't that create just even a greater problem? Or you are saying that once you have a guru you have knowledge, and at that point coaching facilitates the application of that knowledge?
A: The specific coaching I do is Gita Coaching, which is spiritual coaching, and basically I help people follow the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srila Prabhupada and their current guru, so it's all based around our philosophy. It's not that you become your own guru but you take more responsibility and learn and find out ways how to effectively apply the knowledge that is already there in the scriptures.
M: So it's bridging the gap between what you've got in your head and perhaps what has gone to your heart that you want and practically achieving it step by step through implementation and empowering the person you're coaching to come up with their own decisions on how to do that and helping them see ways of how to do that.
A: It is not I who empower them. They empower themselves or Krsna empowers them.
M: You facilitate them.
A: Yes. I try to create an environment where they can think more effectively and clarify what they want. This is very important. Until they know what they want they are more or less stuck. But when they clarify what they want we can work on creating their goals and achieving them.
M: I was assuming that when people want a coach they already know what they want. Are you saying that sometimes people want a coach because they don't know what they want – they want to become clear about that?
A: Yes. It is easier to work with people who know what they want. But if they don't know what they want or it's too vague – they want something too general – then coaching helps to become more specific.
M: Some devotees may say it's not about what I want, it's about what my guru wants. How you deal with that in a coaching situation? Or is that a problem for someone?
A: As far as I have seen, very few people can just follow what guru tells them, so I have seen some gurus ask disciples "What do you want to do for Krsna?" And they may say, "I want to make money and give half to the temple or for printing Prabhupada's books or something similar." And th guru says, "Then do that." He encourages them to do that. Very few people can just do the needful. And also in few letters Srila Prabhupada mentions that it is advantageous, it is favorable to do something you are inspired to do, you like to do, then even it will be easier to follow the principles.
M: So for the person who is not clear what they want to do you might have to facilitate helping them find, within the parameters of the instructions of guru and sastra, what enthuses them, what inspires them, and clarify the vision of what they would like to achieve, let's say, within this year or six months or within five years or all of that? And then you would start to help them discover ways in which they can do that?
A: Yes.
M: Do you ever run into situations where that's all done but the person has a major fear or obstacle or blockage in doing that? If so, how do you help them?
A: It depends how this block is severe. Sometimes these blocks come from some past traumas, or emotional scars, or abuse. This is not my area. I don't deal with that. I send them to other professionals or other devotees. If block is less severe and it has to do with their misconceptions, then we can work on removing them. Usually the main obstacle to do anything is fear, some kind of fear. Either fear of success or fear of failure or something else.
M: There may be people who might be thinking that having a coach could be good but they are not sure if they maybe need a therapist. Maybe their issue is too deep or troublesome. So how can they distinguish what they need?
A: That's a very important question. Usually, through my experience, I am able to see whether I can help them as a coach or not. People may show symtoms that they are emotionally disturbed. They might become extremely mental or thoughtful when they speak about something. And you can see that their feeling is very deep. They were maybe abused in the past, or they cannot forgive someone, and it's very deep.
M: In other words, you can't move forward because that problem keeps coming up, can't get passed it?
A: Yes, like a major inner obstacle.
M: And then you realize this person needs other kinds of professional help to resolve that particular issue. Another thing you mentioned is that it's common even for successful people to have some fear, of doing something they haven't done, taking on a new occupation or a new service. I don't know if people consciously think about the fear of being successful. I think most devotees come to Krsna consciousness with a strong desire to be appreciated (our conditioned side) or recognized. That's what we bring in when we come to devotional service, unless we've practiced Krsna consciousness very deeply in the past or during many lifetimes. And when we come to Krsna consciousness we realize that it's supposed to be the exact opposite. We should offer recognition to others. And there may be a fear that if we become successful, along with that success will come recognition, honor, followers, wealth, so many things. On one side, we are attached to it, on another side we may be afraid that if we have it we may misuse it. For us as devotees it could be a common problem. How would you help someone with that?
A: We have to understand our philosophy. We have to understand that the credit goes to Krsna for our achievements. We shouldn't be proud of borrowed plums. There is no limit to how much you can achieve if you don't care who takes the credit. We know that Krsna has given us intelligence, physical strength, mental power, and that it is thanks to Him that we can achieve anything. So it's His credit. And it's better to do something and become proud than sit and lament and do nothing, just sink into the mode of ignorance. I heard that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati said that he wanted his disciples to come to the mode of passion. And so called goodness I call tamo-goodness. We think we are in the mode of goodness but we are actually in the mode of ignorance. We are afraid to do anything, out of fear of failure or fear of mistakes, or sometimes fear of success. And Bhagavad-gita says you should be equal in fame and infamy, so if we don't experience both in our lives, how we will practice it?
M: I remeber when Prabhupada first asked us, his disciples, to go to India. He called us - his dancing white elephants. And he wanted to show us off. He said, "Your behavior will glorify me, because you are my disciples. And when people see that you are sadhus, they will ask who is your guru, your guru must be wonderful, because you are wonderful." Just like when you see children who are well-behaved and intelligent, you naturally think they must have a very good parents. So I think that's very helpful, that we want to glorify Krsna and Srila Prabhupada, our spiritual master, and if we become successful, that will glorify them. And as Prabhupada showed, he always gave the credit to his spiritual master. The anartha of wanting to be recognized is there. We have to transfer that to wanting Krsna to be recognized. And Prabhupada even in a letter to me he wrote the same thing. He said, "Don't try to become famous. Try to make Krsna famous." If I become famous, that can make Krsna famous, but my motive is not to become famous. My motive is to introduce people to Krsna. Can you describe some typical situations or common situations that people come to you for coaching and how you help them get passed or get beyond where they are now? Because coaching is meant to take someone further, and they need a coach because they are not getting there on their own. If they would be getting there on their own they wouldn't want a coach. They wouldn't feel a need for a coach. So, let's say you are coaching me and I'm doing something that I want to do more and I'm stuck. I cannot get beyond this point. What are some of the things that you would ask me? Or how would you deal with me?
A: People come to me because they have either a problem to solve or a result to achieve. First thing I do is increase awareness. By asking questions I help them become more aware of what's going on or what they are thinking, what they are feeling, what they want, what other people are doing, what is the situation. I also help them to be more objective, rather than just subjective, and to try to see things from a side. Try to be neutral or objective. Once they become more aware of what's going on and what they want, then we can take more concrete steps.
M: You say they become more aware. Are you talking about giving them more objectivity about their situation and/or awareness of options that they didn't see before? And more aware of what else?
A: First see where they are now, what's the situation. For example, if someone says,
"I have so many problems in my life."
"What problems do you have?" And they name 10 problems.
"Which one would you like to work on now? Which one is the most pressing or the most important? Or which one would you like to work on now?"
Thus we take one thing and we work on that. By working on one thing we cover many things or get into other things. So we thouroughly look into that one thing.
M: Is it because the mentality or the activity that created one problem usually is the one that creates other problems?
A: Yes. Like a habit. A bad habit influenced all his problems. One bad habit. Like, for example, not getting up early, not chanting your rounds. This influences everything. It influences your consciousness and everything you do. So we look into one thing. We do one thing at a time. We don't do ten things at once. And then we do it very thoroughly. And this gives so much insight. They become more aware. They discover things. They say, "Oh my God, I didn't realize I have this." Or, "I have this thing within me that is holding me back." Or, "I have this talent." We work on discovering positive things: talents, skills, strengths. And discovering more options. They become aware that there is many more options than they see at the moment. And they become more hopefull and inspired to work on their goals.
M: You mentioned about discovering their talents or maybe getting more in touch, maximizing their talents. Some people could think that coaching is actually really suited for people who are not successful, who are losers. Persons who have never really done much. They are very simple person and they need a coach, someone to push them, someone to help them be successful. Whereas a person who is successful may think, "I don't really need a coach because I've been successful ever since I've been a teenager. I was a president of my class. I achieved this. I started this when I was 22, etc. So how do you address that? Does a person who's successful benefit from coaching or it's just for people who have trouble being successful?
A: This is a great misconception. One of my mentor-coaches, Marshall Goldsmith, who is a behavioral coach, coaches only successful people. Only great achievers, super-sharp, intelligent, educated, capable. So, coaching is for everyone.
M: He's coaching CEO's of some of the biggest companies in the world. Is that correct?
A: Yes.
M: These guys are the most successful people out there. So why are they needing coaches?
A: He coaches people on behavior. Sometimes they have a blindspot in their behavior. He helps them improve that. But, for example, in sports situation, top performers also have coaches, top coaches. Whether you are a poor performer or top performer, you need a coach in order to be able to achieve more, to achieve better results, higher results.
M: You are saying that coaching can help everybody achieve something more, even if you are really successful. Maybe you're not going to go a 100 miles with coaching, like a person who's not been a success. But you'll go further. You'll go somewhere you could not go on your own.
A: More quickly and more efficiently than you would go on your own.
M: Or even get there on your own.
A: Yes.
M: So, just putting this all in perspective, it seems to me that if a person says "I don't need a coach" we can translate that to mean "I don't really need help or want help in going forward," or "I feel I don't need to go forward". Maybe this could be due to ignorance, or due to pride. Some people say "I don't need a coach" because they are satisfied where they are at and they don't want to see other possibilities or options or go further. Or some say "I don't need a coach because I'm happy where I'm at". If that were the case, would you try to encourage those people or would you just say it's better that I don't encourage them because coaching wouldn't work well for them because they don't really want it?
A: Well, everybody wants something that they don't have. Even most devotees, they don't have pure love of God yet. So if you don't have something you want but you don't have it, you need some assistance to achieve it. Or if you already have all the tools and you have become like a super self-coach, in that case you are already working hard on yourself. Often this fresh, objective, outside perspective helps. Because we can't see what other people can see. And they can give us ideas, they can give us feedback, they can give us feedforward. So it's always good to do this. It's always adventageous. One way to do it is peer coaching. People who are equal they can help each other. Ocassionally they can discuss. It's always good. Because we are not God. We don't know everything. So if you want to achieve anything it's good to speak about it with somebody.
M: Do coaches have coaches?
A: Yes, or they have mentor-coaches, or they have friends who act like coaches in their lives.
M: It's really the objectivity that someone else brings to your subjective world.
A: Yes.
M: And even if the coach is not fantastic, even if the coach is just your spouse or friend, asking a few questions or even in a consultant format, they are bringing in points of view you may not be able to see.
A: Or asking good questions. One way to do peer coaching is that I give you a set of questions that I want you to ask me every day, and these questions cover the most important aspects and activities of my life. Then you ask me those questions, and you can ask me some subquestions. Some people do it daily, some people do it weekly. For example, you ask me "How is your chanting?". That's very important to me, and I say "Oh, I haven't thought about that. I was just chanting mechanically for the past week. Honestly, my chanting is not where I want it to be." And immediately my awareness increases and the likelihood of improving my chanting also increases, because you asked me that question.
M: And you are the one who told me to ask you that question.
A: Yes, I gave you that question.
M: Because that's important to you so you want to be reminded, otherwise you would not remind yourself.
A: Yes, reminded, and discuss about it, become more aware, and ultimately take action to improve it.
M: What's that called – peer coaching?
A: Yes, peer coaching, when equals help each other, or they don't even have to be equals. We can just call them success partners. They can exchange a set of personal questions and then just discuss, but with a genuine interest.
M: So if we are going to do peer coaching I would come up with a set of questions. I want to work on a particular project, so you would ask me "Did you work on this project?" or "How much time did you put in this project this week?"
A: Yes.
M: I want to chant on a certain level. On a scale of 1 to 10 I want to chant my rounds on level 6. So you would ask me "Did you chant your rounds on a level 6 or better?" Or "I want to go to bed before 9 o'clock." "Did you go to bed before 9?" Each week you ask me these questions and you said something really important, that the person is not just reading the questions you have given them, but you have to show concern. Because the concern is what helps the other person be self-reflective and helps them talk and open up. And if you are not concerned, you just read the questions mechanically, like you are totally bored and uninterested, and you are doing it because I asked you.
A: Genuine interest motivates people. It is inspiring to see that someone is interested in what I do. Yesterday we had a Gita Coaching training and I gave devotees the question "How can I help you succeed?" This is a very powerful question. You can have someone ask you that question every day or whenever you meet. Or you can ask "What else could help you succeed?" Or "What other options do you have?" So these are questions that expand your thinking. You start thinking "outside the box". You broaden your horizons. And you get more ideas how to achieve what you want to achieve.
M: Are you saying is that when you have a coach, your coach is exclusively interested in your success? Perhaps even more interested in your success than you are.
A: Yes.
M: Sometimes we see that we want things but we don't really work for them because we don't want them that much, or maybe we do want them but we're lazy.
A: Lazy or fearful.
M: Or we're just overworked or burned out. And you have another person who wants it equally as much or even more than you, who's not encumbered by obstacles that are preventing you from being as focused on it as apparently you want to be. So that's a very interesting dynamic that you have someone in your life who wants something as much as or even more tha you want it. And who's maybe even more committed to you achieving it than you are. It's seems that's also a position of a spiritual master. He's giving you Krsna consciousness. He's your coach. He's praying for you. And he wants you to have it maybe even more than you want it.
A: Yes. That's really giving life, inspiring, to have someone like this. I think all preachers, teachers and brahmanas and all the devotees who assist others in ISKCON should have this goal – sarve sukhino bhavantu. Srila Prabhupada gave this point for leaders, as one of the instructions. Make everyone happy, everyone that you are leading. Coaching helps you become happy and successful in all areas of your life. Thus there is nothing lacking in your life. And then you can help others. For me, success of my coaching is when my coachees become preachers, leaders, coaches, or responsible parents. Some responsibility should be there. Because when you accept responsibility it means you are following your dharma and you are connected to God.
M: Do you find that when you coach someone it naturally helps them become more responsible because you're not telling them what to do but you're asking them to find answers, options, and to deal with whatever they want to achieve, so when you finish with the coaching they are in a different mindset because they have discovered so much on their own already?
A: Exactly. One of the main goals of my coaching is to help people take 108 percent responsibility for their lives. I have seen in working with over 300 devotees over the past 5-6 years that those who take responsibility start moving forward toward success. Those who don't, they remain stuck.
M: Are you saying that some people become dependent on a coach and they can't continue without him? When the coaching should be finished or staggered over long periods of time, they are just not taking responsibility and therefore they dont really achieve as much as they could. Is that like an artificial dependency, like they need that person (a coach) always there because they are weak and that's not healthy?
A: We are talking about two diffeent things. One is becoming self-sufficient and independent of the coach, and another is taking responsibility for some or all aspects of your life. If someone remains in the coaching relationship it doesn't mean they don't take responsibility for their lives. It may be they still need help. So it can last 3 months, 6 months, a year. I sometimes coach people for years – monthly or every two months, or whenever they need assistance. Some people I coach once or twice and they are ready to go. They know what needs to be done. They just clarify certain things and get going again. Ocassionally I might ask them how are you doing, and they say I am doing well. In that case, either they are really doing well or they are afraid, because they know if they come back to me we will be confronting all the obstacles, I will ask them what do you want ... and sometimes they do not want to hear that.
M: Someone might think, "I know what the obstacles are, both internally and externally, but I don't know if I am really ready to deal with them. So would you say that even if they think that way the coaching will empower them or facilitate them or enable them in some way to deal with that, to deal with those doubts?
A: If they continue with a coaching relationship then it will become obvious that they have to make their own choices. They have to take responsibility. They have to work on removing obstacles. And it's very simple – go forward and be happy.
M: Is your experience that there is actually more pain in not dealing with it?
A: Yes. Exactly.
M: Even if there is this big fear "oh, I can't deal with this", that it's more painful not to deal with it and just avoid it?
A: It eats you up. It just eats you up. Krsna wants us to be conscious. Very rarely things happen automatically. You have to be either very lucky or very pure that things will happen automatcally. Krsna wants us to be aware. Why do we have consciousness? To be conscious. And especially to be Krsna conscious. But we also have consciousness to be conscious of how to proceed, how to advance, how to remove obstacles, how to recognize our strengths, and how to appreciate what God has given us.
M: What I've noticed in all the workshops that I've done, if you just give people time to reflect on whatever it is we're teaching at that moment (like japa, forgiveness, vows, prayer), give them time to reflect – where you stand, where would you like to go, what are the obstacles, where are your strengths, where are your weaknesses - it helps them so much. Because we don't do that enough. We're busy. We just don't think about these things enough. And than these things remain there. And also, with having another person assisting us, we come up with new options. When we speak about forgiveness, some people say I can't forgive, and there may be many reasons for that. But one of the reasons is you just don't know how. You think my only response to what happened to me is to be angry. You don't understand there can be other responses, other ways to deal with it. And by having another person helping you, you realize, "Oh, I never thought I could deal with it this way. I never thought I could be involved in taking this person to court but at the same time forgiving them for what they have done." So you see more options.
A: Yes, with a coach, options increase, choices increase. Three basic principles of coaching are awareness, choice and responsibility.
M: When you have more choices you become aware you have more choices?
A: Yes, and you are responsible for your choices. And also, you choose what you want. People say they don't know what they want, and I tell them you can choose what you want. If I give you a bag of apples and a bag of mangoes, you will choose what you want. If you have to choose one of them, you will choose either apples or mangoes. So it is our responsibility to choose responsibly, to choose to the best of our ability according to what we know is right.
M: When you are talking about choice, are you confronting people who think they don't have a choice?
A: Yes, and I just tell them, "You have a choice."
M: So in other words, they are in the situation where they don't think there is a choice. "This is the way it is, I'm doing what I'm doing. My life is the way it is. My spiritual life is the way it is" ...
A: "... and my karma is set. It can't be any different. It's pre-destined, preordained." But it's not exactly like that. There is a destiny, but you can affect your life. You are the most creative force in your life, along with Krsna.
M: I was told that Prabhupada said 50 percent of karma you're creating, you're getting in this life, not the next life. We're sometimes thinking whatever is happening in this life is totally because of what happened in the last life. He said – no. 50 percent has been created in this life, which helps us with those who think that things are totally written in stone and there's very little I can do about it.
A: This is one big area I am dealing in coaching - excuses. Our philosophy you can use for so many excuses. "This is my karma. This is Krsna." You just blame it on somebody else. And you are not taking responsibility. That's a tough thing. Many people are very sophisticated in how they make excuses, but I don't buy into it.
M: Very deep, philosophically articulated, profound excuses.
A: Yes.
M: Is that common with people when you begin talking, that most of them will give you the reasons why they cannot move forward? I mean amongst devotees. Is that common or is it just individual case?
A: Most people tend to give reasons or excuses, and I just ask them "What do you want to have in your life – excuses or results?" And they say – results. So then you have to give up this habit of trying to convince me why you cannot do something. And they can give me reasons why something is possible. Because with Krsna, anything is possible.
•Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Jaya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur! The Precept to ISKCON & the Worldwide Sankirtan Movement
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur would stay up until the late hours of the night writing, translating, commenting and annotating vedic texts. He published in English and sent the books to other corners of the world! The first globalization of the sankirtan movement. These books landed in Britain, Germany, America and yes even in Canada at our very own McGill University. Not only were the books recieved but they were read and recieved acclaim and thus the bhrad-mrdanga started...the broadcasting of this transcedental knowledge all over the globe.
In his writings, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur stated, "Soon there will appear a personality who will preach the holy name of Hari all over the world.” And this was mere months before the appearance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Meditate on that single statement for a few moments to appreciate the gravity of this prediction. And there is more...much much more. For example, Srila Bhakitvinoda Thakur avidly wrote a magazine journal called Sajjana-Tosani in which he writes, "Oh for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people with take up banners, mrdangas, and kartalas and raise kirtan through their streets and towns."
And thus in the title the declaration that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur represents the precept to ISKCON and the worldwide sankirtan movement!
Jaya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur!
I know there are many distractions and much to read so we are trying to keep our posts short but we really want to share one wonderful quote...
“There is no vow like chanting the holy name, no knowledge superior to it,
no meditation which comes anywhere near it, and it gives the highest
result. No penance is equal to it, and nothing is as potent or powerful as
the holy name. Chanting is the greatest act of piety and the supreme
refuge. Even the words of the Vedas do not possess sufficient power to
describe its magnitude. Chanting is the highest path to liberation, peace
and eternal life. It’s the pinnacle of devotion, the heart’s joyous
proclivity and attraction and the best form of remembrance of the Supreme
Lord. The holy name has appeared solely for the benefit of the living
entities as their lord and master, their supreme worshipful object and
their spiritual guide and mentor. Whoever continuously chants Lord
Krishna’s holy name, even in his sleep, can easily realize that the name is
a direct manifestation of Krishna Himself, in spite of the influences of
Kali-yuga.”
~ Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Harinam Cintamani
•Kirtans in Oxford, UK: Celebrating the Shakespeare of Kirtan...
From a post on the Mantralogy website about the festival day of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura - a prolific writer of poetry, songs and prose about the practise of kirtan:
Though his life was materially successful, Bhaktivinode was fully absorbed in his desire to see the culture of kirtan and of bhakti spread all over the world. He wrote thousands of songs and many books, as well as creating systems for forming small groups to meet and share their practice together. One day, looking out from his balcony over the sacred Ganges River, he had a vision of a beautiful temple across the water, and hundreds of people, chanting and dancing in true happiness. He wrote ‘Oh for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners, mridangas, and kartalas and raise kirtan through their streets and towns. When will that day come? Oh, for the day when the fair skinned men from their side will raise up the chanting of ‘jaya sacinandana, jaya sacinandana’ . When will that day be?
You can read the rest of the article here.
•ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Sankarsana Dasa Adhikari
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.11.26 - Holy Name of Krsna is a person & is our best friend (ayi mukta-kulair upasyamanam...).
•Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Understanding Krsna's stealing the gopis' clothes
Gopi-jana-vastra-hari, and He also stole the garments of the gopis, while they were taking bath. This is very confidential. Actually the gopis wanted Krsna. They prayed to Katyayani-devi, goddess Katyayani, because He was attractive to all the girls of His age, so they wanted Krsna as husband. So, superficially, Krsna was of the same age, and how He could be husband for all the gopis? But He accepted. Because the gopis wanted to become wives of Krsna, therefore Krsna accepted their proposal. In order to show them the mercy, He stole the garments, because a husband can take away the covering of wife's bodily garment. Nobody (else) can touch it. So that is the purpose, but people do not know. Therefore Krsna-lila has to be heard from a realized soul, or this portion should be avoided. Otherwise we shall misunderstand that Krsna took away the garments, and He was very much fallen, woman-hunter, like that. Not that. He is Supreme Lord. He fulfills the desire of every devotee. So Krsna had no business to see the gopis naked, but because they wanted to become wife, so He fulfilled their desire. A token, "Yes, I am your husband, I have taken your garment. Now you take your garment and go home.'' Therefore He is known as gopi-jana-vastra-hari.
>From Srila Prabhupada's Purport to Vibhavari Sesa (Nidra Chari Utha Jiva)
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1968 June 30: "Live as simply as possible without any exaggeration, regularly hold Krishna Kirtana, and try to convince people about the non-sectarian nature of Krishna Consciousness. That will make you successful."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1968 June 30: "Krishna is universal, Krishna is non-sectarian. Without understanding Krishna everyone is sectarian, and combination of such non-Krishna Consciousness persons will never create any institution of non-sectarian nature."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1968 June 30: "Krishna Consciousness is not a religious movement as it is generally understood. We are teaching love for God. That means Krishna Consciousness is the post-graduate class for all religious sects."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
•Madhavendra Puri, New Govardhana, AU: Jumping June (Radhadesh to Poland)
June jumped to a quick start. We stopped sighting deer but we did spot some foxes. We escaped to the forest after our final essays but soon returned for a jam packed long weekend. There was a full weekend of ISKCON Communication seminars, which I had a personal invitation for but sadly missed out on, paralleling many other events. There was more than enough going on that weekend to steal me on all fronts.
The graduation was the next major event for the extended weekend. I was already completely exhausted (as many other students were) but we did our bits to put together a lovely event. It really felt like blessings were showering down that day and I was simply content in plodding along through the day’s service. I made a fool of myself when I grabbed my diploma, walking off into the mataji’s section, before I realized where I was, but otherwise the Aussie devotees looked well. There were speeches after speeches, some over the internet and some recorded on film. We kicked off the end of the night with a massive pizza feast, for good measure.
Narrowly avoiding becoming a Broadway star, I was helping HG Parividha Prabhu in the role of a sound engineer all weekend. It seemed I could never escape the role behind the desk and this was another event that I had to step up for. The first performance was on the graduation night but it continued on for the rest of the weekend for three consecutive nights.
The Aussies had the kitchen, one morning out of the jam packed weekend (all the rest of the students on the roster had headed off in their separate directions). The Sunday night we met up for a student bonfire, to celebrate a million things at once: the finishing of the year, the graduation of the third years, saying goodbye to those who were leaving and also Hilary’s birthday.
The month seemed to tie in lots of new things, or perhaps old things re-establishing themselves in a more real way. Small esoteric notions, chipping away at the fathomless mind. Besides these, we were scheduled for a preaching program for the weekend, leaving on the Friday. Originally, we were going to camp out for the project but then we abandoned the idea. We had a nature day on Friday instead, visiting caves, rock formations and having a camp fire. We cooked pasta on our camp fire, blackening the pot with the heat and soot.
Our preaching program was not as big as we thought it was going to be (a fair on bonsais, the small Japanese plants, is not much of a big event after all) and instead we made our way to London for Rathayatra. It was a spontaneous and exhausting ordeal, well worth the physical struggles. We had a recovery day back in Radhadesh, celebrating Panihati, but then felt rather sluggish for the rest of the week.
I started a few new things on the internet; I found myself on SoundCloud, to help encourage my slow reintroduction to music, and even had a look at the mad world of Twitter (which was not as exciting as everyone pretended it to be). All the while, my brothers were slowly but surely making their way to Europe from Australia.
By the time my brothers were in Paris, I found most of my days spent organizing a large ten person travelling group from Berlin to Poland. I sent out generic emails to help everyone to Berlin and constantly kept on track with everyone’s whereabouts. I only spotted a small amount of time to do my usual favourite things – reading Bhagavatam, writing and occasionally composing some simple music.
By the middle of the month my brothers had arrived, Nitai and Rupa at least. I showed them around Radhadesh, celebrated my birthday with them and took them on Rathayatra in Antwerp. We continued our adventures onto Berlin and then took our ten person party to Poland.
In Poland, we readied for the tour, settling the party in and mentally preparing them for the months ahead. I managed to complete three hundred entries on my blog in the first few days also. We finished off the month with our first three day festival in Kolobrzeg, led by HH Indradyumna Swami. I found myself on my first acting debut for the tour, playing Krsna in HH Bhakti Marga Swami’s Gita drama (translated into Polish); while Nitai found himself on daily harinams and Rupa found himself in the restaurant. It was a monster of a month, bouncing from place to place, and full of Krsna conscious fun.
Read original post: [http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/jumping-june]
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•ISKCON News.com: Coconut Sugar Quickly Replacing Agave Nectar As Natural Sweetener of Choice
 | Over the last two years, we've witnessed a mass exodus away from agave nectar and a search for more natural sweeteners that are both low on the glycemic index and high in nutrient density. |
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: IDENTITY SPRINGBOARD
If you rediscover your original identity, you will be able to co-create your compelling future.
Gita Coaching will help you with that.
Bhagavad-gita reveals to us who we really are.
It reveals that we are eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss, and also - amazing.
So if this is our original identity, and we realize that, then we have a strong foundation to be happy and successful.
And what a happy person does?
Makes other people happy but helping them rediscover their original personal identity, and rediscover their connection wit the reservoir of all pleasure - the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna.
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1968 June 30: "Simply for land, we don't care. We simply want favorable place for worshipping Krishna. If your neighbors are always suspicious, there may be always danger. Why should we make our residence in such a place?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1973 June 30: "We received copies of the Swahili Topmost Yoga System and it is very nicely done. This printing and distribution of our literature is most important aspect of our propaganda work."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1974 June 30: "My blessing does not require my physical presence. If you are following all of my instructions then there is no question of not receiving the blessings of Lord Caitanya whose mission I am humbly trying to push on."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1975 June 30: "Why work in hellish factories? Let everyone live simply and be Krsna conscious. This farm project you should consider very important. Let people be self sufficient."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1975 June 30: "There is no need to form a separate committee. Let each zone and center push on in their area of the world. I have organized GBC for the purpose of spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: GITA COACHING INTERVIEW WITH AKRURA DASA IN LIMA, PERU
Q: What is Gita Coaching?
A: Gita Coaching is devotee care and guidance in action. Gita Coaching is a process of personal assistance meant to empower spiritual heroes. Within every devotee there is a spiritual hero, but he is now sleeping. Gita Coaching process helps that hero to wake up. According to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, every soul is amazing (Bg 2.29). That means that especially every devotee is amazing.
Q: How did you start this service?
A: I started 10 years ago when I learned about coaching from the professional books and audio programs. I got professional coach training in England and now I am using it to help devotees succeed. I mainly use the success principles from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is to coach devotees. I started because it was painful for me to see that many of our devotees are not happy, although we have the best process and the best philosophy on the planet. I believed that it is possible to help devotees become more happy and more productive if we provide better support, care, guidance and inspiration.
Q: How would you call yourself in relation to your devotee care service?
Akrura dasa: Devotees' Success Coach.
Q: Why?
A: Because my service is helping devotees succeed in all areas of their lives. It is based on a Vedic principle sarve sukhino bhavantu, that we learned from Srila Prabhupada. He said that leader's duty is to make everyone under his leadership happy. I am not a leader, but I do serve as a spiritual guide and the same principle applies.
Q: Which devotees do you coach?
A: I coach devotees of all ages and genders, from 5 to 95 years of age. Some of them are leaders, preachers, managers, spiritual guides, coaches, and parents.I welcome anyone who wants to stop whining and start winning, or go from victim to victor.
Q: What inspires you to serve the devotees in this way?
A: I think I have been blessed by Krsna to like His devotees, or anyone who is trying to approach Him in some way. I think they are rare on this planet and they are special. So it is my honor and pleasure to assist them on their journey back to Krsna. I also like other people, because ultimately everyone is a child of God, and everyone is dear to Him. But those who are already trying to come closer to Him especially inspire me to serve them.
Q: How do you see the future of ISKCON (The International Society for Krsna Consciousness)?
A: I think it is very bright, because devotee care and guidance is becoming increasingly important in more and more places, temples and yatras. The devotee care approach will create more servant leaders or spiritual guides that we really need in order to have caring communities. I believe that only a caring community can flourish in all respects.
Q: Could you give us some success principles from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is?
A: Srila Prabhupada's Gita is an ocean of success principles, ideas, tools and solutions. I read it daily and use it daily in helping devotees succeed. Gita is a holistic success book. It gives many principles of success for all areas of life. How to attain peace of mind, clarity, and confidence. How to see what happens to you more intelligently and how to react wisely. It gives health, nutrition and balance tips for the body. It enlightens us about quality relationships. It teaches us how to speak and communicate. It advocates uplifiting of our thinking, feeling and willing – the main functions of the mind. There are many, many more.
Q: What is preventing devotees to benefit from these principles?
A: They don't read the Gita enough, or they don't read it in a structured way. You can do a topical study in the Gita and become an expert in the very thing that is your current challenge or a problem. Then instead of having that problem, you will help others with it. This is called a turnaround expert – you turn a problem into an opportunity. Devotees also don't use the Gita to solve their problems or achieve their goals. Either they don't see the connection or they don't know how. Gita Coaching helps you apply the Gita more effectively.
Q: What excites you the most about helping devotees succeed?
A: When I see that they get a new hope, new determination , fresh perspective and a powerful personal strategy to keep moving forward in their lives – closer to Krsna. This usually happens when they stop blaming anyone and start taking responsibility and being grateful for what they have. What excites me the most is when they become caring leaders, preachers, spiritual guides, coaches or some kind of caregivers.
Q: How do you know what to say and what principle or a tool to give them, that will best help them succeed?
A: I learn a lot all the time, both from the sastra and from the professionals. Preparation brings inspiration. The more I know, the more I believe Krsna will inspire me from within to say the right thing. And also, when you love someone, God gives you intelligence how to benefit them in an optimal way. It is a highly intuitive service. Many times they discover what will help them the most, and I just facilitate that process.
Q: How is your Gita Coaching in Peru?
A: I have 5-6 session a day. It is great! I like devotees here very much. They are ready for coaching. Some of them will become spiritual guides, coaches and caregivers.
Q: Apart from Gita Coaching, what else are you doing?
A: I am teaching common sense that is not a common practice and I am showing the obvious that people do not see. I recommend devotees to choose to be creative instead of confused, and impressed instead of depressed. I claim that happiness is 95 percent your choice and 5 percent circumstances. And I like to ask devotees:
If not you – who? If not now – when?
•Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Jaya Gadadhara! Part 2...Gadadharastakam
sva-bhakti-yoga-lasinam sada vraje viharinam
hari-priya-ganagragamcacisuta-priyecvaram
saradha-krsna-sevana-prakacakam mahacayam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who appears very splendid, engaged in the Lord's devotional service. He always performs pastimes in Vraja, where he is very prominent among the gopis, who are very dear to Lord Hari. Lord Caitanya, the Son of Saci is the dear Lord of Gadadhara Prabhu, who is preaching the service of Radha and Krsna.
navojjvaladi- bhavana-vidhana-karma-paragam
vicitra-gaura-bhakti-sindhu-ragga-bhagga-lasinam
suraga-marga-darsakamvrajadi-vasa-dayakam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. He is expertly absorbed in meditation on the nine rasas of devotional service, beginning with ujjvala-rasa, and he dances in the waves of the amazing ocean of devotional service to Lord Caitanya. He preaches the path of raganuga-bhakti, and He is a fit person to attain residence in the transcendental land of Vraja.
sacisutagghri-sara-bhakta-vrnda-vandya-gauravam
gaura-bhava-citta-padma-madhya-krsna-vallabham
mukunda-gaura-rupinamsvabhava-dharma-dayakam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. It is only because of him that the truth of the exalted devotional service performed by the intimate associates of Krsna in the forests and groves of Vrndavana has been revealed. He is preaching the ecstatic love attained by the gopis, and he is indeed a personification of the mellows of devotional service. The saintly devotees take shelter of his lotus feet, and he teaches the truth of spiritual life to the living entities.
nikunja-sevanadika-prakasanaika-karanam
sada sakhi-rati-pradam maha-rasa-svarupakam
sadacritagghri-pankajam sariri-sad-gurum varam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. It is only because of him that the truth of the exalted devotional service performed by the intimate associates of Krsna in the forests and groves of Vrndavana has been revealed. He is preaching the ecstatic love attained by the gopis, and he is indeed a personification of the mellows of devotional service. The saintly devotees take shelter of his lotus feet, and he teaches the truth of spiritual life to the living entities.
mahaprabhor maha-rasa-prakasanagkuram priyam
sadamaha-rasagkura-prakacanadi-vasanam
mahaprabhorvrajagganadi-bhava-moda-karakam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. He is very dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is as if he had sprouted from the manifestation of the Lord’s ecstatic love. He is always adorned with the garments of ecstatic love of Godhead, and He delights Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by arousing in the Lord the ecstatic emotional love experienced by the gopis of Vraja.
dvijendra-vrnda-vandya-pada-yugma-bhakti-vardhakam
nijesuradhikatmata-vapuh-prakacanagraham
asesa-bhakti-sastra-siksayojjvalamrta-prabam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. With delight he is giving the devotional service of Lord Caitanya which reveals the nectarean ocean of the most exalted mellows of devotional service, along with the nectar flowing from the lotus feet of the gopis, headed by Srimati Radharani, who is most dear to Krsna. Gadadhara Prabhu is decorated with the eight transcendental ecstatic symptoms of sattvika-bhava, and he is distributing devotional service to his worshipable Lord Krsna.
mudanija-priyadika-svapada-padma-sindhubhir
maha-rasarnavamrta-pradesta-gaura-bhaktidam
sadast-sattvikanvitamnijesta-bhakti-dayakam
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. With delight he is giving the devotional service of Lord Caitanya which reveals the nectarean ocean of the most exalted mellows of devotional service, along with the nectar flowing from the lotus feet of the gopis, headed by Srimati Radharani, who is most dear to Krsna. Gadadhara Prabhu is decorated with the eight transcendental ecstatic symptoms of sattvika-bhava, and he is distributing devotional service to his worshipable Lord Krsna.
yadiya-riti-raga-ragga-bhagga-digdhamanaso
naro `api yati turnam eva narya-bhava-bhajanam
tam ujjvalakta-cittam etu citta-matta-catpado
bhajamy aham gadadharam supanditam guram prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. Even a conditioned soul, whose mind becomes anointed by the colorful waves of spontaneous devotional service as delineated by Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, quickly attains the highest level of devotional service. He becomes like a maddened bumble bee whose mind is anointed with the mellow of ujjvala-
rasamaha-rasamrta-pradam sada gadadhara-astakam
pathet tu yah subhaktito vrajaggana-ganotsavam
saci-tanuja-pada-padma-bhakti-ratna-yogyatam
labheta radhika-gadadharagghri-padma-sevaya
These eight verses glorifying Srila Gadadhara Prabhu distribute the nectar of the most exalted mellow of devotional service, and they are like a festival for the gopis of Vraja. If one regularly reads these verses and serves the lotus feet of Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who is an incarnation of Srimati Radharani, then he will become qualified to attain the jewel of pure devotional service for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, the son of Sacidevi.
Jaya Gadadhara!
Gauranga! Gauranga!
•ISKCON News.com: New Website To Help Visitors of Mayapur
 | The site will be able to provide general information regarding Mayapur's places to visit, festival information and calendar, tour packages, accommodations, and transportation options. |
•David Haslam, UK: It’s easy to slip into offensive conversations
Arriving home from an amazing extended weekend at my home at the Manor, lots of service including the early morning deity transfers something that is well worth savoring. There was an interesting thought or could I say realization whilst there on how easy a simple conversation can come close to or even offensive without any [...]
•ISKCON News.com: Prabhupada In a British Museum Book
 | ISKCON-founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s name and fame is highlighted in a book called Hindu Visions of the Sacred, by A.L. Dallapiccola, published by the British Museum Press. |
•ISKCON News.com: No Man`s Land
 | We may walk away from the material world, philosophically recognizing the futility of the temporary pleasures that are on offer there. However, the spiritual world and all its fulfillment seem far away. Thus, aspiring spiritualists can find themselves stuck in a no man's land. |
•Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Bhaktivinode’s Appearance Day — A Quote From Him
From a blog a couple of years ago
http://iskcondallas.blogspot.com/2009/06/unlessly-opinionated-professional.html
Just the Monday we honored the great Vaishnava Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. A week earlier I was gifted with one of his amazing works, the “Sri Caitanya Siksamrta”.
I thought that I should just browse through the book. As I was in the middle of some other books. However book itself told me not to read it. As checked the index index I found this interesting topic, ‘Studying Many Scriptures’
this is what is said,
“The devotees should only learn the scriptures concerning bhakti (loving service to God) and those works that conform to the conclusions of bhakti. However, because of a lack of time, to read small parts of large works without completing a full study is not advised. Devotees should read a work thoroughly. Otherwise, they will become uselessly opinionated, professional debaters. Some people take pleasure in arguing with any statement they hear, whether good or bad. This is forbidden for devotees.”
After reading this I decided to finish the books that I am working on so that I can give proper attention to this wonderful work when I am done.
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
Filed under: News, Ramblings or Whatever
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: DEVOTEE CARE AND GUIDANCE IN ISKCON - AN INTERVIEW WITH AKRURA DASA IN LIMA, PERU
Q: You said you would very much like to see Devotee Care and Guidance System in at least 400 ISKCON centers. Why do you want this?
A: Because I believe this most important service to devotees will please Krsna. Devotees who are cared for will be more inclined to care for others and preach Krsna consciousness. We will also not lose devotees and people who visit us will like to stay with us, inspired by seeing how nicely we take care of each other.
Q: How will you achieve it?
A: I am not the only one working on it. There is an ISKCON Devotee Care Team who is working on it, and many other devotees all over the world. We are trying to connect all those devotees and have them working together. I am trying to contribute by my courses on Devotee Care and Guidance and with personal Gita Coaching.
Q: What do you need in order to achieve this?
A: We need Krsna's mercy, faith in Him, and hard, sincere work. We need help of many devotees who understand the value of Devotee Care and Guidance.
Q: What impact would this have on ISKCON devotees?
A: They would be more happy and more productive. They would attract and keep many more people in Krsna consciousness. They would be creative instead of confused, and impressed instead of depressed.
Q: What are the internal and external obstacles?
A: I do not see any obstacles. I see a great opportunity. I believe Krsna wants it and it is a next phase in the growth of our movement.
Q: Who can help you achieve this goal?
A: Local devotees all over the world and leaders who support it.
Q: What is your plan?
A: My plan is to travel and preach about Devotee Care to increase awareness of its importance and to inspire local devotees wherever I go to become Spiritual Guides and organize the system of Devotee Care and Guidance in their temples, centers, farms, and communities.
Q: Do devotees understand you?
A: Many do. Many support the idea too. But very few are ready to take responsibility for developing Devotee Care and Guidance.
Q: Are there any doubts?
A: Yes. Bhakta Marko from Slovenia and I have compiled a list and answered them. It will be available very soon.
Q: What can you do to achieve this goal faster?
A: The speed is up to Krsna. Our part is to try our best and work on it as much as possible.
Q: Who is supportive or opposed to this goal?
A: Many devotees support it. Some don't understand its value yet. They think it is not in line with Prabhupada's instructions. As far as I can see, more and more leaders support it. This goal is fully in harmony with Prabhupada's caring approach. Bhaktivinoda Thakura created Nama Hatta program, which is a system of Devotee Care and Guidance, designed by acarya.
Q: What is the price you have to pay?
A: Have faith, be patient, preach, train and coach devotees as much as possible.
Q: Is this goal realistic?
A: I don't mind if it is unrealistic. We must go for it!
Q: How can you get the blessings of devotees?
A: By being patient, persistent and showing them the great benefits of Devotee Care, and showing how it can influence their personal advancement and prosperity, and how it can expand our mission.
Q: How can you find help within ISKCON?
A: By inspiring prospective local Spiritual Guides all over the world and inspiring leaders to support the program.
Q: What personal qualities do you need to develop in order to achieve it?
A: My personal spiritual standards, speaking with a great conviction, patience, persistence, and focus.
Q: What would you like devotees to say about this project after you leave the body?
A: That it transformed ISKCON leadership and positively influenced the whole world. That it helped spread our mission. That it inspired them to stay in ISKCON and bring many people to ISKCON's spiritual and very loving environment.
Q: What Bhagavad Gita verses can help you?
A: Many. I am always looking for and using those that can help devotees succeed in various areas. For example: Bg 5.7 and Bg 10.9. These verses speak about the attitude of a devotee toward others and about enlightening each other. These are the basic principles of Devotee Care and Guidance.
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHY GITA COACHING?
Some experts say that it takes 90 days to make a habit stick. So the challenge isn't in learning new information, it's having enough focus to carry the change through to your behavior.That's why Gita Coaching is so vital.
Gita Coaching process is the premier long-term solution to making enduring changes. And think about this: nearly 80 percent of coaching clients agree that coaching is the most effective method they have experienced for learning and internalizing new information.
If you are a leader, with Gita Coaching you and your team will:
• Enhance your communication proficiencies.
• Hone your decision-making skills.
• Strike a fantastic balance between work and your personal life.
• Boost your prioritization aptitude.
• Refine your organizational time-management abilities.
• Expand your leadership capacity.
• Improve productivity.
• Focus your task execution capabilities.
•ISKCON News.com: US President Barack Obama Meets Radhanath Swami
 | On June 13, 2011 ISKCON guru Radhanath Swami was invited to meet with the President of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama at an event in Miami Florida. |
•Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Dessert: 4th of July Vegan Checkerboard Cookies
4th of July All NAtural + Vegan Checkerboard Cookies
Recipe coming soon! But thought I’d get this pic up to inspire you for your dessert table on the 4th. Can you guess what I used to color the pink? Easy answer! And yes, pink is the new red! Actually, my 4th colors will be coral, white and blue.
•ISKCON News.com: Choir of the Crickets
Did you know that crickets sing like humans?
The angelic chorus you hear accompanying the sound of the crickets is NOT a synthesizer or a chorus singing. It's the crickets themselves (slowed down) creating the effect.
•Dandavats.com: Terminating condition of Do-while Loop
By Madhav Mehra
I am Software Engineer from India and working with Infosys Technologies Ltd. I have written an article making analogy of JAVA and Soul
•Dandavats.com: Limit the volume of kirtans in ISKCON Temples?
By Dr. Piyush Gupta
During the North American GBC and Temple President's Meeting in New Vrindavana this past May 13-15, a presentation was made about the dangers of hearing loss for members of ISKCON
•Dandavats.com: Disapperance Day Of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Payonidhi das: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-Lila, 3.30-31 (1) "Thus the lionlike Lord Caitanya has appeared in Navadvipa. He has the shoulders of a lion, the powers of a lion, and the loud voice of a lion. May that lion be seated in the core of the heart of every living being. Thus with His resounding roar may He drive away one's elephantine vices."
•Dandavats.com: We are looking to employ a full time kitchen/wedding cook
Brijlata Naysmith Authorising Officer HR Department Bhaktivedanta Manor: JOB VACANCY FULL TIME KITCHEN/WEDDING COOK 29 June 2011 Closing date 1 August 2011 We are looking to employ a full time kitchen/wedding cook.
•Dandavats.com: (ISKCON) Trinidad & Tobago launches Website
Arwind Ramautar: It has been a long journey and a lifetime desire for the devotees of ISKCON Trinidad & Tobago to share with the wider community and the world at large the messages and teachings of Krishna Consciousness via the medium of our very own website
•H.H. Sivarama Swami: Keeping Lilavatara dasa in our prayers
And a talk with Caitanya Candra on why after many years of bhakti the same lust and attachment is still in the heart.
•Manoj, Melbourne, AU: 213. Srila Prabhupad Lecture 7 : Contaminated Life
And today’s summary of Prabhupad lecture that I understood as follows :
SB 5.5.1 : Dec 25 1976, Mumbai
Lord Rsabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.
When we are in the lower levels of life, we are completely governed by the laws of nature. The Lord has multitude of energies but they are summarized into 3 divisions – Sattva, Raja and Tama guna. The living entities are gradually evolving from the lowest mode to the highest mode. Once you reach the highest mode, there is still chance of falling down to the lower modes. So, even though you may have reached the brahmanical stage which is sattva, there is no guarantee that you will not be overpowered by the other 2 gunas. This is the material world and one’s business is not finished just because you are in the sattva guna. But if you want to be above the material platform, then you need to take yourself to the devotional platform. At this stage, you are outside the jurisdiction of the 3 gunas.
Learned scholars do not consider the body – dead or alive as the subject matter of learning. Krishna reminds Arjun that such a talk is for fools and not suited for pundits. People who are attached to their bodies are no different from animals. When we elect a leader who have no spiritual knowledge, then their position is similar to us – stuck in the bodily concept of life. All involved are in the category of dogs, hogs, camels and asses.
Our existence is so contaminated. Actually, we are not subjected to take birth or die. We are eternal. But where do people get such knowledge nowadays? There is no educational institution that imparts such important piece of information. We are part and parcels of Krishna and this information is established by God Himself and not made up by mundane people.
Krsna says that he is the seed-giving father. Then why should we bother about birth control. Krsna is the controller. So, how you control population? Krishna is not a poor man. He knows the past, present and future. The cause for today’s problem is because of the Godless civilization. We are suffering because of our egos. It is predicted in SB that people gradually will suffer form 3 things – scarcity of rain, scarcity of grains and heavy taxes. People will be so harassed that they will be forced to leave home. In future, people will not get any food. There will be more and more sufferings yet to come.
Go to the village. This is recommended. ISKCON has such places where we are producing our own food, own milk, own clothes. And chanting Hare Krishna at the same time. This is simple life. Rectify your existence. Take the formula of devotional activity. This place is a place of absolute misery and yet we are making adjustments to solve these miseries. One needs a guru who can deliver a person from this place of misery. This is waste of time and life. Do not try to be an enjoyer and satisfy the senses but surrender and take up Krishna Consciousness.
•Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Recipe : Universal Brine
red onions pickled in balsamic vinegar (left) + white vinegar (right)
Did I mention I don’t eat onions? Or garlic? Not even powdered! Well, it’s not like I am going to shrivel up and turn into a karmi (inside joke har har) if I did, but I just don’t like the taste. Really. What started out as religious reasons has more to do now with respect for my taste buds than respect for God.
So…did I mention I pickled some onion?
It wasn’t for me. It was for a friend, I swear. And not a hypothetical friend. Mohini! Mohini loves garlic + onion and all kinds of stinky foods! So she was having a blue week and I have to admit, I do think those red onions are pretty. I bought a couple, sliced them up (again pretty) and got in so much trouble from my family.
Seriously. What was I thinking! I literally drove my family from our home with the terrible smell of onions. My poor baby! Stuck in the front pack while I chopped. The sting of the stench hit her baby eyes like chemical warfare. Sorry, baby!
See...even the camera was blurry with wet, stinging eyes!
In my little stinky opinion, the pickled onions look pretty! And they sure made Mohini happy. But I did have to promise never to bring onions into our house again. Did I keep the promise? Well…
Here’s my universal brine recipe. It is very versatile for all kinds of vegetables and is a great place for you to get started canning.
Recipe : Universal Canning Brine
- 8 cups white vinegar
- 5-8 cups sugar (I like evaporated cane juice because it’s processed naturally + is light)
- 1 c salt (canning salt is perfect + cheaper than kosher)
- 6 tbs black mustard seed
- 1 tb chili flakes
- 2 tspn turmeric
- Any additional whole spices–such as peppercorns, anise, cloves, celery seeds, cinnamon stick–can be added directly to the jars before packing with vegetables. Same goes for fresh herbs–such as tarragon, basil, rosemary, dill.
You can totally omit the sugar if sweetish grosses you out. It does not gross me out. Don’t dilute the vinegar. The vinegar is what is preserving everything. Salt and sugar, too, but really it is the acid content that is keeping things copasetic! You can safely adjust the salt and sugar (+ everything else!) to suit your tastes. This is just a guide to get you started.
Bring the brine to a boil so that things are dissolved. It is a good idea to blanch vegetables before canning to get the air out and cut back on the float in the jars. You don’t want your veggies floating to the top because they are best preserved if covered with vinegar. So you can even just toss them into the hot brine for a couple of minutes before getting them out with a slotted spoon and into your jars.
Screw those lids on and process for 10 minutes in water bath canner.
You are so good!
•Japa Group: Chanting Together Is Important
Chanting together is a very important aspect of our devotional life. Recently I wrote a post about families that pray together, stay together.
•Gouranga TV: Stonehenge Solstice 2011 with the Hare Krishnas
Stonehenge Solstice 2011 with the Hare Krishnas
•More Recent Articles
- H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 30 June 2011--Prestige Seekers are Forgotten--and--How to Be Aloof from Aloofness?
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
- Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Giriraj Swami - Bhagavad-gita 3.10 - Sunday Feast
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Nectar of Devotion – New Vrindavan
- ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Snana-Yatra this Sunday! ***NOTE: BATHING WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 4:30PM-6:00PM***
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