Let’s Talk by Jahnavi Harrison

Posted by dinesh

Let's Talk.

The Hudson reminded me of the Ganges last night.

Last night I arrived in NYC again, skimming over the Hudson at sunset to touch down in the city once more.

I've been saying my mantra 'I'm trying not to travel - it just keeps happening!' Needless to say, I must not be trying very hard, because my wheels keep turning. This month I came from England straight to LA, to Joshua Tree, to Santa Barbara, to Laguna Beach, to Florida, and now back in the Big Apple. It's all connected in an attempt to take kirtan wherever there is an enthusiasm for it, but it can sometimes feel like living in a series of trailers. Movie trailers that is, not Winnebagos. The people around me are changing all the time - the places, the pillows, the temperature. I try and stay as adaptable as I can, but it can be overwhelming at times. As soon as you adjust, you're changing again. There are only a few constants in the midst of it all.

One is my personal sadhana - my japa meditation that I do every day. Though I sometimes struggle with time zone changes to get up early and do it first thing, and doing it on the plane is an exercise in fighting every kind of distraction possible, if I give it priority, it gives focus and spiritual strength to my life on a daily basis. The other is unfortunately, my laptop. Staying connected with the world through email, Skype, and though I hate to say it, Facebook, gives some continuity. It's alright I suppose - a symptom of our modern age. But sometimes I worry that looking at a screen becomes easier than interacting with those around me. Sometimes you just don't want to answer the same old questions again, or tell your life history to yet another new set of perfectly well intentioned people.

I've always been shy, so this is something I've thought about a lot in my life. What is the value of making the endeavour to connect personally? In gaining confidence, and trying to remember that my laptop and phone are just tools for genuine human exchange, it's getting easier to realise that the true and deep connection between people is magical. Closing the email inbox and opening myself to an unexpected conversation in person has often had the most extraordinary consequences, within and without. It's common sense, but sometimes that's not so common.

I attribute so much of anything going right in my life to encouragement and love from others. There is a quality of energy exchange that seems to be able to transform, from the inside out. All the more so in person, as I have been experiencing lately. Though there are all too many people whose kind words are only niceties, there are also an equal amount who really mean what they say. If words took physical shape and form as they emerged, perhaps they'd be jewels.

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true. - Charles Dickens

Source/Originally published at : http://jahnavi.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/lets-talk/

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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KKSblog.com - To work for the benefit of others

Posted by dinesh

To work for the benefit of others

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 04:47 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Martin, Slovakia, 2011)

The whole world has a spiritual tradition. Just see everywhere in every country,
there are temples mosques, churches and all kinds of religious things.
There are pyramids. The whole world has many traditional monuments everywhere.

I went to Rio De Janeiro and on the side of the city where the mountain is,
there is a 45 metres high statue of Jesus. It's impressive, when you stand
in the city of Rio De Janeiro, then you can see that statue, which really
looks like somebody is watching over this city. Some people may or
may not believe it, but it does emanate some power.
If we go to Rome and look at the Vatican, it is impressive.
Such a big building that we become a little humble. Our mind goes through
different moods. Sometimes we are proud….we feel strong, and
other times when we stand on top of a mountain we feel small! In
all the traditions of the world we find an exceptional class of people,
which are known as the saints.
The west has its saints….the east has its saints. These saints
are people who are very religious minded, and they seem to
have a great happiness within. So history had its saints
and also in modern times, there are still saintly people – people
who are willing to work for the benefit of others!

To rise above the mind!

Posted: 25 Sep 2011 04:40 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Martin, Slovakia, 2011)

Everyday we ask people:
"How are you? Are you all right?"
We constantly have to ask, because the mind is just like the weather – it changes all the time. In this way people are actually under the control of the mind. The mind is connected to the senses:
"Oh, what do we see? I must have it? Whatever I see, I must have."
The eyes are connected to my mind:
"Now I see it, and now it is in my head. I think about and dream about it. I cannot live without it anymore.
Yes, but we must learn to rise above the mind! Because this mind gets us entangled in so many things, and all these things – we desire them, but how much happiness do they bring us? So many false dreams!

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com/

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The Monster Market of the Gangsters!

Posted by dinesh

The whole marketing industry is making huge profits by inducing the
common mass of people with the attraction between the opposite sex.
You might have seen in most of the advertisements that there'll be no
relation between the product or service being promoted and the theme
of the ads.
The ads are made after thorough psychological
Study in such a way that we'll get enamoured by the ads even without
our knowledge.They inject poison into our minds and influence our
consciousness without even our notice.
Actually people want themselves to be cheated and they like themselves
cheated by some one who does word jugglery.
The sweet feminine voice is another tool to attract anyone who hears
that. Thats why you can see any women who can sing so nicely are
making huge money in the marketing industry. But unless we understand
that we are being exploited by our own sinful desires(which is to
enjoy the nature separately from God),there's no chance of us saving
our soul.
One who loses the imperishable(soul) soon loses the perishable(body)
as well.If wealth is lost nothing is lost,but if character is
lost,everything is lost!

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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Krishna always wears peacock feather-Must Read!

Posted by dinesh

When one day Krishna woke first from a rest in the forest with his
cowherd friends, he decided to wake everyone and call the cows grazing
at a distance by playing his flute. When Krishna blew the nectar of
his lips into the flute, a melodious raga with a slow rhythm and a
deep base emerged from its end. This wonderful vibration enchanted the
peacocks in and around the Govardhan hills. Their hearts began to sing
in happiness and fill the skies with their own song. The resonant
vibrations from the flute encouraged the peacocks to dance. Krishna,
who is the source of all dramatic arts, was pleased with their dance
and encouraged them by his kind glances and sweet smiling. They cried
with joy and it sounded all over the hills. In time, their sounds
became indistinguishable from the echoes. They became excited and
jumped up and down, flapping their wings. As the peacocks danced, the
kings of peacocks made his way to the lotus feet of SriKrishna,
touches His holy feet and makes a sound which SriKrishna understands
as a thanking note and requesting Him to dance with them. SriKrishna
accepts to dance and moves amidst them, dancing like the peacocks
increasing the tempo and playing to the rhythm of His steps. The bliss
of the peacocks increased multifold when SriKrishna danced with them.
It was so overwhelming, that some peacocks fainted. All the animals
and cowherds of the Govardhan hills stood transfixed, unable to move
their eyes away from the dance of SriKrishna. The flute in
SriKrishna's hand seeing the uncommon performance of its master began
to sing on its own. The spectacle was extremely splendid when seen
from the top of the Govardhan hills, the heaven and even the
netherland. They danced for a long time and slowly the tired peacocks
stopped dancing. Then Krishna danced to the rhythm of His own steps.
After many days, when he stopped dancing, there was an enchanting
silence. The king of the peacocks approached SriKrishna with great
humility, bowed down his head and said, "You have created a festival
of bliss for which we remain eternally indebted to You. It is our duty
to offer you 'Gurudakshina'. I request You to accept our only
opulence, our plumage. Wear them on your crown as a decoration." With
large tears of ecstasy, the king of peacocks dropped many divine
feathers. SriKrishna lovingly accepted the offering of the peacocks
and picked up the feathers and to everybody's joy, placed a few of
them on his turban. Thus he came to wear the peacock feathers.

By: Rohi Doll Mataji from Sydney Australia!!
--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com/

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KKSblog.com - Transcedental addiction

Posted by dinesh

Transcedental addiction
To do our best!
Soweto Ratha Yatra
Pretoria Ratha Yatra

Transcedental addiction

Posted: 24 Sep 2011 04:51 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Modra, Slovakia, 2011)

All the temporary relationships in this world will oneday break our heart, but spiritual things are not like that – they are eternal. The kirtan is not at all temporary. It hasn't stopped….it's still going on. It continues in our consciousness. Maybe it looks like the music has stopped and that may echo for a little while in our minds until we forget it.

The name of Krishna is non different from Krishna, and the connection we made with Krishna in this kirtan, that will continue from where we left off! So the kirtan is not temporary………………………Our eternal relationship with Krishna is getting deeper and deeper. Devotional service is different. There is always this eternal damage. First we know it theoretically, and then as we begin to perceive Krishna more than we know it practically….and then we get more and more enthusiastic about it, and we begin to get addicted to kirtan. We can't stop anymore. We have to do it again and again until we lose our voices…until we have no hands left…..and even then in between we still do it again. It becomes a transcendental addiction!

To do our best!

Posted: 24 Sep 2011 04:11 PM PDT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Modra, Slovakia, 2011)

Once we begin our devotional service then we want to do something more. It's very nice, since you do the best you can for Krishna without expecting anything in return!

Usually in the world you do the worst possible job and you want the most money for it! As the boss complains, you then go to the union. But in Krishna Consciousness we try to do the best as we can and we don't get paid! It's wonderful….you invite everyone to try it!

Soweto Ratha Yatra

Posted: 24 Sep 2011 01:27 PM PDT

The day after Pretoria Ratha Yatra, Lord Jagannatha decided to bless the citizens of Soweto, a less affluent region of Johannesburg inhabited by African people. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships.

It was a nice parade and the local children constantly followed Jagannatha's chariot as devotees generously distributed Mahaprasadam in form of candy and lollipops. The Ratha Yatra procession was well received – many people were watching, some clapped their hands and others even danced.

At the festival site, a huge initiation ceremony took place as the main event. Eight devotees received first initiation from HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaja. A nice kirtana started the ceremony, followed by a powerful lecture by Maharaja, HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja and HH Bhakti Nrsmha Maharaja. The initiates were blessed with wonderful names like Ujjvala, Candrasekhar and Rasaraja. It was a truly transcendental event which ended with another roaring kirtana.

Maharaja stayed a further two days in Pretoria and then travelled to Cape Town for a week-longvisit.

If can't see the slideshow, visit flickr!

Pretoria Ratha Yatra

Posted: 24 Sep 2011 01:19 PM PDT

Maharaja's stay in Durban continued with a function on the South Coast of Kwa-zulu Natal that was hosted by HG Haridev. It was held in a rented hall and well attended. The program for the evening consisted of a performance by a Bhajana Band, kirtanas by Maharaja, talks from both HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaja and HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja, and a newly released movie by HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja was featured.

On Saturday (17 September), Maharaja flew to Pretoria, to be part of the first Pretoria Ratha Yatra ever held there. Devotees from all over South Africa, and some from Swaziland, graced this grand event. Ecstatic kirtanas were led by great kirtaniers like HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja, HG Mahaprabhu and HG Savya Saci. The occasion was blessed by wonderful weather as the devotees pulled Their Lordships Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhadra Devi through the city to Pretoria's Union State building, were the festival site was set up. It was quite impressive to see the devotees having their international 'Festival of chariots' in the governmental area of South Africa's capital city.

Can't view this slide show? Visit flickr!

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

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