Change is something we find difficult to bear in every sphere of life. Be it a new computer software that government employees have to get used to or be it changing our habits which we are accustomed to. Our habits are deeply created impressions in our sub-conscious mind. Unless we consciously uproot our habits with new practices, it is going to be with us till the day we die and even after death it comes with us to the next life.  But it is possible to change ourselves and replace the bad habits with good ones, when we experience a higher taste.

Next comes the question, what is higher taste? The sense objects are higher than the senses, the mind is higher than the senses and the chief of all the senses and hence it is also called as 6^th sense. Intelligence is even higher than the mind. And He(soul) is even higher than the intelligence. In our modern world we find research and artificial temporary relief for problems faced with the body, mind, ego. But in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna gives information even one step higher saying that we are all spirit souls and our perception of the self as body as the cause of all problems in life. We have experience of having pleasure in these different levels right from body, mind, intelligence and ego but very few of us would have actually experienced the pleasure of the soul which is obtained by serving the Supreme Lord.

What makes the soul happy? Freedom? Freedom from the influence of material nature such as the birth, death, disease, old age, lust greed, pride, anger, envy. Knowledge of the self as soul, material nature, Supreme Controller, action, time is essential as well to understand to progress further from the bodily concept of life.

Fish can be happy only when it is in water , not in the sand and the same way we can become happy by reviving the actual position of the soul as servant of the Lord in His Supreme abode.

In short, to change oneself one has to experience a higher taste by practicing Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord constantly, otherwise it's not possible to bear the pull of the material modes of nature from taking us deep in the dark.

Everyone thinks of changing the World but no one thinks of changing the self – Leo Tolstoy

GuruVakya • Divine Quotations by HH Jayapataka Swami Reflections Of The Spiritual World "The material world and its relationships are a reflection of God's own Spiritual world and its spiritual relationships. He made man in His image and He made the material relationships as a type of reflection so that they can feel that if they want to become like God, it gives them opportunities to have apparently similar kinds of activities. But in fact they are like the shadow, and Krishna's activities are the original and pure. These are not real relationships. These are a play, a kind of toy dolls, which are given to people in the material world, so that they think, "Okay, I have my own world, I have my own Samsara, my own creation. This is my family, I have created my children, I have created my business", and "my whatever" that they are able to create. They can become a Brahma and create the whole universe; and ultimately see that everything is Krishna's energy. When they surrender to Krishna – that is pure devotional service. Pure devotional service means to do that is pleasing to Krishna." HH Jayapataka Swami From the book: Taking Shelter of Krishna Courtesy: Mathuradesh Publications

Reflections Of The Spiritual World

This is true but, we are forced to get ugly by the time which devours everyone and everything. We always wanted to be beautiful and attract everyone around. But we are controlled by the material nature which is very stringent in its laws. It's a matter of time as far as this material world is concerned. The living entity fails to see the time factor with which he is carried, just like clouds are carried away by the mighty wind. This temporary beauty of the material existence is only a reflection of the real beauty that exists in the Spiritual World where everyone is as beautiful as the Lord Himself. The Supreme Lord is a person and the name befitting Him is Krishna which means "All Attractive". He is the most beautiful being who attracts all living beings from plants, animals, insects, stones and stone hearted persons in the entire manifestation of both spiritual and material existence. How many years does the beauty queens or actresses can attract the public?

In this world, we don't find loving exchanges between different species of life because the living beings, the souls are covered by their gross material and subtle bodies.But this loving exchange is possible between different species when we all see the reality that we are spirit souls and connect themselves with the real source of existence . And the perfection of loving exchange is possible only with the Supreme Person who is our ultimate refuge.

When Lord Chaithanya went through the forests of Jharkand, even the animals were able to feel the ecstasy by hearing the holy names from the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaithanya Himself. Tiger and Deers were embracing and dancing. Such is the potency of the names of the Lord. It can bring ecstasy to the soul regardless of the physical, mental, intellectual coverings.

Beauty is worse than wine, it intoxicates both the holder and the beholder

Grace Beneath a Full Moon

Grace Beneath a Full Moon

One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one
takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita,
for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished.
(Gita-mahatmya 3)

Ganges@home?