strictlymedicinal

Need Help Making A New Year's Resolution?

2009-12-29T21:30:00.000-08:00

I admit it. I'm obsessed. I'm a fanatic. I can't stop thinking about it. So I'm going to do something about it.

This year, I will beg, I will plead, implore, request, abjure, advocate, beseech, besiege, bribe, canvass, conjure, entreat, impetrate, importune, invoke, nag, obsecrate, obtest, petition, pray, press, requisition, solicit, supplicate, urge, woo, and ask all of you to PLEASE STOP EATING MEAT! (in between studying for my GRE's).

"Global Warming: the impact of meat production & consumption on climate change"

"India Tells West to Stop Eating Beef"

"People should give up eating meat to halt climate change"

How to become a Catholic nun.

2009-12-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

Vocation, vocation, vocation. Everyone's talking about it. But who's praying for it?

As is my tradition when visiting friends and family in my home town of Buffalo, NY, I take the opportunity to rest, reflect, and catch up on a year's worth of TV, movies, and multimedia. It's not that I don't watch movies, but with my full work, school, and play schedule, I find little time for HBO (does that channel still exist?). I suppose I've lived without a TV for over 10 years now, but I like to tune in once a year to experience what the average American spends roughly one fourth of their life doing. According to a Neilson report published earlier this year, the average American watches over 150 hours of television per month.

But the real finds have been found digging through my mother's Christmas video selection. So far we've watched a string of Bing Crosby flicks. I feel confident to announce that The Bells of St. Mary's is by far my pick of the year. To see an endearing clip of the film, go here.

Why can't you find any decent movies with nuns and priests anymore? The last I can remember is Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg, which doesn't exactly fall into the "decent" category. Still, I laughed. But isn't sad that practically our only opportunity to associate with a nun is via the Internet. On that note, you can listen to weekly podcasts, live from the convent, on a blog called A Nun's Life. Under a sidebar, there are a list of FAQ's along with a vocation forum and a "testing your vocation" article.

An unexpected find in the Christmas video category was Dr. Wayne Dyer's new film, Ambition to Meaning, released around Christmas last year in which the topic of vocation is also discussed. His Jungian approach is somewhere between physcological determinism and individuation, basically saying that if we surrender to God's original plan, then the path will be laid out in front of us. He questions us, "Do you live an inspired life?" He also introduces us to the popular Hindu term, dharma, and defines it as a spiritual principle that implies we have a spiritual purpose to our lives. This idea is discussed as teleology in academic circles.

Dr. Dyer quotes T.S. Eliot saying, "We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." Here, Mircea Eliade's theory of "eternal return," a religious archetypal nostalgia for paradise or a desire to return to the realm of the supernatural, can be observed.

What does this have to do with vocation, vocation, vocation? Not sure. All I know is that after watching that movie, my sister walked into the room frustrated with her new Palmpilot. I looked deep into her eyes and said, "Nicole, maybe it's time you let go and let God." She returned my noble act of compassion with biting scorn and a piercing glare. I carefully rephrased my proposal and suggested, "let go and let Todd?" (FYI Todd is my brother-in-law). We had a good chuckle.

Anyways, I hope you all get the opportunity to spend time with a real nun this holiday season. I am again looking forward to spending Christmas Eve with Father Dugan, a much loved, Jesuit priest and friend of the family. But I've got Christmas gulabjamons to start working on for Jesus Christ's Vyasa Puja, vegan pizza hors d'oeuvres, and a Christmas dinner to plan, so I better end now. Merry Christmas everyone and a token Hare Krishna in good spirit!

(PS. And if you haven't watched this Indianized version of Jingle Bells, it's a must see!)

Theology as if Animals Mattered

2009-11-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

“Gracefully combining balanced scholarship with personal witness, animal activists Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund have written a book that will enable Christians of all denominations to rediscover the powerful tradition of creaturely compassion that runs throughout their religious history.”

—Reverend Gary Kowalski, author of The Souls of Animals and The Bible According to Noah: Theology as if Animals Mattered

“Many books about animals, diet, and Christianity have been written for a general audience, but this one is now the best. The authors mix personal stories with Biblical insight and passionate argument to produce a book that is as creative as it is earnest and focused. This book is beautifully written and carefully argued. It would be the perfect book for a Bible study or church study group. Warning: it is an enjoyable read, but it might change your life.”

—Stephen H. Webb, Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Wabash College, author of Good Eating and On God and Dogs: A Christian Theology of Compassion for Animals

For more information about Christianity and vegetarianism, please visit the Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA) website.

Religion & Environmental Values?

2009-11-01T21:21:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, October 29th, I represented ISKCON and participated in a panel, organized by graduate students in the UF Religion Department, discussing religious values and the environment. The other panelists included a representative of Islam, Professor Sarra Tlili from the UF Department of Asian & African Languages, a local Jewish rabbi, and another student from Campus Crusade for Christ.

Having an undergraduate degree in environmental science and as an environmental activist for the past 15 years, my personal conclusion is that Krishna consciousness is the climax and saving grace of any environmentalist's career. I emphasized in my introductory statement why vegetarianism and simple living are two of ISKCON's most relevant values when it comes to ecological awareness. As we strive to see all living entities with equal vision, embracing vegetarianism is an immediate symptom of higher consciousness.

Naturally, vegetarianism is also a symptom of ecological awareness. As the industrialized agricultural industry and meat consumption continues to expand, the environmental impact has been detrimental. I explained that by the end of our discussion, over 1.5 million animals will have been slaughtered in the U.S. alone. What this translates into is over 55 billion animals slaughtered annually. Thus, an unprecedented demand for petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides is needed in order to grow enough feed crops, which means more land to grow these crops, which demands one-third of the world's arable land and another 25% of the world's ice-free land to “graze” them.

I further explained that 5000 gallons of water are used to produce one pound of beef versus 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat or lettuce, and that last year, the UN made a statement that 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions were attributed to the livestock industry, whereas all modes of transportation, including cars, trucks, trains, planes, and ships combined, account for a lesser 13%. I quoted manta one from the Sri Isopanisad, "isavasyam idam sarvam..." and concluded by saying that ISKCON sees the root of all sin as the deliberate disobedience of the laws of nature through disregarding the proprietorship of the Lord.

In summary, I felt the other panelists had much to say philosophically but few examples of "lived religion" or organized efforts of environmentalism in practice. An interesting point I observed was that every panelist commented on the environment as being under humanity's stewardship yet also existing for our enjoyment. After all the panelists presented their opening statement, the forum was opened up to questions from the audience. Approximately 50 students and community members were in attendance. The lively discussion that followed centered on vegetarianism, global warming, death rites, and war.

This panel is the first of a series of three. My professor, Dr. Whitney Sanford, who has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies with a specialization in north Indian devotional traditions, is very favorable towards ISKCON and recently attended the Vaishnavi Retreat at New Vrindavan. The following day, Professor Tlili approached a devotee on campus and asked for a copy of the Bhagavad-gita. In my opinion, ISKCON has an invaluable voice that must be strengthened and refined in order to be heard and understood by modern society and academia in regards to environmentalism. Yet, embracing or even discussing vegetarianism as a solution seems to be a truth even too inconvenient for Al Gore.

UF Homecoming Day Parade 2009

2009-10-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

A year without words? I suppose it is time to fess up. I've caught a mild form of a highly contagious disease called avyarta kalatvam. Symptoms include: running around like a crazy woman, singing at the top of your lungs, washing pots at midnight, going to sleep way too early when others your age are just getting ready to go out, and saying words like "benediction moon." As you can see, this disease has rendered me utterly useless and miserable. Please pray for me.

They call it Mellow Yellow?

2009-08-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Does your Pepsi lack pep? Is your Coke not the real thing? India's Hindu nationalist movement apparently has the answer: a new soft drink made from cow urine.

By Matthias Williams, Reuters

NEW DELHI - A hardline Hindu organization, known for its opposition to "corrupting" Western food imports, is planning to launch a new soft drink made from cow's urine, often seen as sacred in parts of India.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or National Volunteer Corps, said the bovine beverage is undergoing laboratory tests for the next 2 to 3 months but did not give a specific date for its commercial release.

The flavor is not yet known, but the RSS said the liquid produced by Hinduism's revered holy cows is being mixed with products such as aloe vera and gooseberry to fight diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Many Hindus consider cow urine to have medicinal properties and it is often drunk in religious festivals.

The organization, which aims to transform India's secular society and establish the supremacy of a Hindu majority, said it had not decided on a name or a price for the drink.

"Cow urine offers a cure for around 70 to 80 incurable diseases like diabetes. All are curable by cow urine," Om Prakash, the head of the RSS Cow Protection Department, told Reuters by phone.

Prakash, who is based in Hardwar, one of four holy Hindu cities on the river Ganges where the world's largest religious gathering takes place, said the product will be sold nationwide but did not rule out international success.

"It is useful for the whole country and the world as well. It will be done through shops and through corporates," he said.

The Hindu group has campaigned against foreign imports such as Pepsi and Coca Cola in the past, which it sees as a corrupting influence and a tool of Western imperialism.

The RSS was temporarily banned after a Hindu mob tore down a mosque in 1992 which lead to bloody religious riots.

The Shiv Sena, a hardline Hindu political party also known for attacking what it sees as threats to Indian culture such as Valentine's Day, started a similar initiative last year to appeal to its powerbase in Mumbai.

To promote the food of the native Marathi culture, the Shiv Sena said it was "making a chain like McDonalds" to sell a popular local fried snack.

Krishna Camp @ Burning Man 2009

2009-07-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

"I love going to Burning Man but it's too much hassle to pack up food for a week in the desert. Last year, I ate nothin' but playa until I ran into Krishna Camp. Ya'll saved my life!"

This year's gonna be even better...

Thinking about going to Burning Man? Save yourself the hassle and hit up the 24-hour kitchen. Register now for only $151 and receive an entire week of transcendental goodness!

Hare New Year!

2009-01-01T01:08:00.000-08:00

Why, I suppose, I've fallen in love...

2008-12-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure when exactly it happened. Perhaps somewhere in between the countless planning meetings for Srila Acharyadeva's 60th Birthday Party (Vyasa Puja), or when chanting in unison the Siksastaka Prayers at 5am. Maybe it was after pulling off a rock star, 30-prep Thanksgiving dinner or while scrubbing the temple floor together and complaining about the mysterious sticky substance that won't come off. Maybe it was during lunch kirtan or at 1am after a legedary Friday night kirtan. I don't know how or when, but somehow, I've fallen desperately in love with my new community.

It is an amazing thing to fall in love. It's as if you could be in the ugliest city in Florida, but if you have a good friend by your side, there isn't a more beautiful place you'd rather be.

It startles me how many people there are in this world and how little time I have to met them all. What if I never came to Gainesville. Would my life be as complete as it is now?

Unselfish love is hard to come by. I think it has to be taught. Maybe it comes naturally in the beginning, but after the layers of hurt, disappointment, anger, greed, and selfishness add up, our hearts are miserably filthy, thick with fear and anxiety. I've been told that chanting Hare Krishna cleanses the heart of all unwanted ignorances that bind this natural loving propensity.

Which 80's metal band put it so perfectly? Love hurts. But true love is unconditional. Love can not be broken. And yet who amongst us know what love really is? If these bodies are temporary but love is eternal, where do we all go to play out this epic romance novel?

I suppose love means taking time to help others understand what love is, and doing so, better understand yourself. I've read that real love is Krishna Consciousness, thus love can not be exclusive.

Real love goes beyond the body. I love your guts! I hate your guts! I love your guts! Just kidding. Your love for others is as sincere as your smile.

Real love means recognizing that we don't know everything about love and that we need to find qualified teachers who can help us better understand the details. Love is not cheap. Love means sacrifice. A sacrifice to obtain it at any cost, except the cost of hindering each other's pursuit of it.

Love does not grow old. It matures with age and, yet, it remains eternally youthful. The faith in pure love is what keeps us young at heart.

When will we realize that everything we do, everything we eat, and everything we offer or give away needs to be done in full consciousness in order to experience the highest ecstasies of love. Have we lost our taste? Content with average, with just enough? Content with what our parents had?

The search must continue and never be stopped. Love can not be contained in one relationship. Love must be a collective experience. Love left unrequited is love never given in the first place. Love is seeing every living being as important as ourselves.

Can only a mother know what real love means? It may be one of the best ways to start. If only her compassion and sentiment could extend to all living beings. If only her love wasn't contained to her family unit, her community, to her country, her species, her planet.

I may be experiencing the beginning symptoms of love, but I want more. This is my desire. To learn how to and what it means to love Krishna even if I drive myself (and others?) crazy during my journey. Logic leads me to love God as the most complete form of love because He is all-inclusive. No other relationship can claim all-inclusivity. You can't actually love your father without loving your mother. You can't love your mother without loving your brothers and sisters. You can't claim to love your brothers and sisters without loving their babies. And if you really love your mother, you'll even, genuinely, love her dog.

My body lies over the ocean.

2008-11-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

Nature break. I know, it's not the ocean nor the sea. But, even better, it's a natural spring.

Florida boasts the largest number of cold water springs in the western hemisphere and we found one of her finest. These springs maintain an average temperature of 72 degrees year round and manatees can be found in many of them once the temperature of the Gulf starts cooling down.

Welcome to Rainbow Springs, located one hour SW of Gainesville, and, yes, the water is actually this color.

The whole family came alone this time. An who would miss this opportunity? We were kayaking in t-shirts in the middle of November! After the ride, we all decided to go swimming.

That's right, it's a web. We're part of a chain. We're in this together. Hello people! Hello!

And here he is. The introspective vegetarian/sage/peace activist. Chanting Hare Krishna to save the environment. Chanting Hare Krishna to find his heart in the depths of his intelligence.

Halloween Hari Nam

2008-11-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

This Halloween, Gainesville's very own Hari Nam party hit the streets with devotion. Go here to watch the video.The most unlikely of creatures and personalities gathered to purify the planet.Pictured above, the world's best friend, Krishna Kripa das, showed up just in time.There are no hard and fast rules for chanting the names of the Lord. If you have a problem with that, talk to this guy.

In search of fertile ground.

2008-10-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

I have read that in the spiritual abode of Krishna, the cows move slowly due to the weight of their milk-laden udders. But when Krishna calls them each by name, with overwhelming affection, they come running towards Him with milk overflowing and spilling on the ground. My understanding is that spiritual life means living a lifestyle that revives this natural affection of the living beings to please the Lord.Here in Gainesville, one of the responsibilities I've taken on as a resident of Krishna House is beautifying the grounds. With four houses in the Krishna House complex, there is a lot of space and gardens to engage in Krishna's service.

First thing first, build the soil by adding manure from some local cows at Adi Karta and Mother Rucira's farm in Alachua.Armed with shovels, my godbrothers Saranga, Jai Hari, and I took to the field with great enthusiasm and determination for the early afternoon cow dung hunt.The hunt was a success and we drove back to the city with contended hearts and two recycle bins full of freshies. Now it's time for cleanup.What's up with the toxic waste?
Decades of leaves needing to be raked.Gardens to be planted.
A rare combination- spiritual advancement with saw in hand.

"Who is that person who will not agree to worship the land of Mathura? How wonderful is it that simply by residing in Mathura even for one day, one can achieve a transcendental loving attitude toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead!"

-Nectar of Devotion, chapter 12

"But to the eyes imbued with proper devotional faith, the
spiritual glory of the dhama is ever visible, her portals ever wide
open to receive all weary pilgrims who have abandoned all reliance on their own
power and, with unflinching faith, placed their destiny in the hands of the Lord."
-HH Varsana Swami

Into the fire, into the sea.

2008-10-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

In the Vaishnava tradition, spiritual rites of passage are commemorated by performing different types of fire ceremonies called fire yajna. On October 2, 2008, my godbrother, Saranga das, received Brahman initiation and Yaitza received Nama initiation. Having not yet performed a fire yajna to consecrate my Nama initiation this past April, I was invited to participate in the ceremony. The fire yajna begins with the building of the arena. A small pit is made with bricks then filled in with sand. The pit is decorated with various fruits, flowers, and herbs. Mantras are chanted to purify the arena and glorify the Lord, a small fire is lit, and the ceremony begins.

Throughout the ceremony, mantras are chanted and repeated and the participants throw a mixture of barley, rice, and sesame seeds into the fire. The fire is understood to be the mouth of Vishnu.Nama initiation celebrates one's acceptance as a disciple from a bona-fide spiritual teacher in the Vaishnava tradition. Brahman initiation, also referred to as second initiation, celebrates one's increased commitment to guru by increasing their vows and responsibilities by becoming spiritual leaders and teachers for the welfare of all of society.The ceremony is concluded by the placing of bananas into the fire. It is understood that at this point, all of one's karma, good and bad, is destroyed, thereby allowing one to advance rapidly with clarity and without obstacles in the process of self-realization and spiritual life.Jaya Sita devi dasi ki jaya!

To listen to the initiation speech given by HH Hridayananda das Goswami, please go here.Two days later, we celebrated by godbrother's marriage. The humble couple, Giridhari and Carana Renu, have dedicated the last 15 years of their lives to teaching others the tenets of bhakti yoga throughout Europe, New Zealand, and Brazil.During the fire ceremony, garlands are exchanged and the marriage is consecrated.There are some couples who are painful to be around. And then there are other couples whose love and respect for one another inspires everyone around them to be better people. Giridhari and Carana Renu are like that and together they will uplift all of society.After a short speech on the significance of marriage in spiritual life, we watched the Vedic cake exchange. Classic.Unfortunately, I was in the kitchen for most of the ceremony, finishing up the 8-course feast I was asked to prepare. The Italian menu was completely vegan and featured: white bean & kale soup, angel hair past with sun-dried tomato and roasted red pepper pesto, rosemary focaccia, grilled eggplant, avocado mousse, and locally-grown mixed greens with mint lemonade and lemon-poppyseed cake for desert. A feast is best be measured by the laughter of its takers.

After organizing two major ceremonies in two weeks and cooking two major feasts in three days, everyone was exhausted, so we went to the beach to recharge. "Of bodies of water I am the ocean."- Bhagavad Gita 10.24After four hours of beach blanket kirtan, we felt ourselves again.Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.Kirtan has a way of bringing out the best in the unique characters, personalities, and qualities of the Lord's devotees.

Absolute FREEDOM.

2008-09-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today I feel like jumping up and down and screaming, "I'm free, I'm free!" (Emily, pictured above, kindly agreed to do this for me). I am celebrating two years of soberness and celibacy. For this, I am completely indebted to a handful of good friends who encouraged and supported me to pursue a life of virtue. However, I am also in anxiety because so many friends of mine are still struggling to put their lives together or struggling to live their lives apart, stuck in the same old patterns of intoxication, ambition, attachment, and aversion.

In the Bhagavad Gita (3.27), Krishna says, "The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature." The three modes are described as goodness, passion and ignorance. Those in the mode of goodness seek out intelligence and virtue. Those driven by ambition are highly influenced by passion. Excessive sleep and intoxication are characteristics of the mode of ignorance. The three modes of nature effect everything we do or "think" we do. Our thoughts, beliefs, goals in life, actions, questions, the people we are attracted to, the food we eat, even the religions we believe in or choose not to believe in, are determined by the influence of the three modes which manipulate, pollute, and smoother our minds and intelligence.

The path of self-realization begins by understanding and observing the workings of the three modes in our daily activities. The goal is to become aware and learn how to transcend the modes all together. Everyone talks about the political agenda this, the corporate agenda that, but who actually realizes that the participants in these agendas are also unconsciously enslaved by the three modes. So if we really want to be free, we've got to learn who is actually pulling the strings of those who pull the strings.

Free your mind, for what? To take more intoxication and become further entangled in the web of unrequited sense enjoyment? It's more like, observe your mind by using your intelligence, control your mind by controlling your senses. And then the most amazing thing happens. You can actually live in peace with the satisfaction of knowing that this new found mental clarity will enable you to make the right decisions to guide you wherever you need to go to become the best possible person you can be and live the best possible life there is to live.

So this is dedicated to all my beautiful friends out there who are feeling stuck or overwhelmed and needing direction. I'll give you the advice that was given me from a dear friend who sat me down and said, "For now, just try to live your life purely, then you'll understand why later."

What's everyone waiting in line for?

2008-09-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Krishna Lunch. How may we serve you?This is it- an exclusive insider's look- the famous Krishna Lunch, now serving over 1,000 plates of vegetarian goodness to starving and impoverished college students at the University of Florida at Gainesville. In its thirty year history on campus, once the university administration threatened to stop the program because it was getting too big, but the students protested and Krishna Lunch remains a fixed element on campus.Features include: vegan options, free seconds, thirds, even fourths, until you waddle like a duck.The steady kirtan crew sets the mood for a transcendental lunch experience.What is in that salad dressing anyways?Srila Acharyadeva's class, Regions of India, is the most fascinating class I've ever been in. It's not too often you get to talk about the nature of existence and the science of being in a university setting. I have been steadily recording the classes and posting them online. You can listen to them here. This is a must educational experience for the aspiring transcendentalist.Living in the ISKCON Gainesville seminary has been a blessing for my devotional life. The classes are stimulating, the students are enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is all about family. Pictured above are Bhaktin Emily and Bhaktin Kelly. As the women's ashram leader, I am responsible to make sure all the ladies in the ashram are happy, stimulated, motivated, reading and on time to the daily morning and evening program.Sometimes I have to get heavy with them when they roll their eyes at me. But I don't budge an inch. I don't care what you ate last night, 3:30am is a perfectly reasonable hour to wake up in the morning.Bhakta Andres is another seminary student living at the center. His father came and visited over Janmastami and left crying, thanking us all over and over again for giving his son such an amazing opportunity. He never imagined spiritual life could be so blissful. Srila Prabhupada says, "Devotional life is NOT static, it's ECSTATIC!"Every day we read, translate and study various, ancient Vedic texts discussing the bhakti yoga tradition, including the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, and Krsna Book. With over 800 devotees living in the Gainesville-Alachua metropolitan area, there is no shortage of senior association and thus guest teachers are frequent. We are so fortunate. Occasionally, I am asked to give class. This is the best service because the best way to learn is by teaching. In the purport of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.7, Srila Prabhupada explains, "One can assimilate the knowledge of the revealed scriptures only by hearing and explaining."

The Srimad Bhagavtam is a historical epic. It starts off approximately 5,000 years ago, in the forest of Naimisaranya, where a group of sages have gathered to hear from Suta Goswami, the most learned and respected sage amongst them. The sages elegantly proceed to ask a series of six questions. The first question is a request for Suta Goswami to explain, in an easily understandable way, what is the the highest occupation for a person who seeks the ultimate good for all of society.

On this particular morning, I was explaining the verse 1.2.6 in which Suta Goswami begins his response. In addition to teaching, I continue to assist Srila Acharyadeva and cook for him when he lets me. This was part of a series of salads named after a series of hurricanes that passed through the area a couple of weeks ago.

And in the meantime, Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundar tolerate my inconsistencies and allow me to serve in the capacity I can.

Ithaca is GORGE-OUS!

2008-09-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

The only thing more beautiful than Ithaca, NY is the people who live there. After the family reunion, I decided to spend a week in Ithaca. My old boss, John, at the ABC Cafe welcomed me with a giant plate of prasadam. It was African night.
I have so much to learn from my friends. My buddy, Josh, is a permaculture freak. We spent the day on his land, ooing and awing his garden and then took a short herb walk through the woods, rich with Elder berries, Blue Cohosh, Bloodroot, Pawpaws and Hepatica.
This spring Josh started cultivating shitake and reishi mushrooms by drilling holes in oak logs harvested from his land and filling them with spore-laden "plugs". The crew formed an assembly line and pulled the logs out of the pond after a week-long inoculation period. Harvest starts next year and will continue for up to 3 years.
A rare photo of a newly initiated mushroom log in its natural habitat. Oh, the thrill of stalking the wild mushroom- curbing carnivorous tendencies.
The first raspberry of the season. I made a simple offering back to Krishna then popped little red into my mouth, the whole time smiling with ubolic devotional tendencies running through my heart. And who did I find next door? Brother blackberry darshan, a sure cure for city slumber and dormant taste buds.What would be a trip to Ithaca without spending time with Dunkelman and Astra. These are two of the more outrageous spiritual-minded women you'll ever meet. Dunkelman leans towards the Vipassana, and while Astra does have Buddhist tendencies, her heart is more into shamanism.I spent two days with Dunkelman at the Zen Retreat Center she has been working at this summer. Folks come for 10-day healing sessions that revolve around the detox method as prescribed by Ann Wigmore. One of Dunkelman's duties is to prepare the "party packs" which are actually DYI enema kits. The retreat diet is mostly raw, lots of spouts, wheatgrass juice, and something called energy soup.Fortunately, I was visiting during an interim break between retreats and was, thus, able to offer some service and cook for all the staff members. Kichari and chapatis for breakfast, and homemade "guru-approved" veggie burgers, whole wheat buns, fresh garden salad, and lemon-tahini dressing for lunch.
Belly certification. Heart purification. On Indian night at the ABC cafe, I was able to offer kirtan, singing the glories of Krishna, during dinner in the restaurant side of the cafe. Dunkelman even decided to skip dinner and chant with me the whole time! The entire staff from the Zen Center showed up and asked lots of questions in between bhajans. At the end of the night, after four hours of chanting, Dunkelman was glowing. Notice her instrument of choice: old school spoons. Some fight revolutions with pens and others with swords, but this revolution is fought with spoons!
And here's the little man who only three short years ago, appeared in this world surrounded by the prayers of a home birthing support team, including Astra and myself. Elijah is a terror on his scooter but a whimp in the water. His mother and my dear friend, Danielle, is more beautiful than ever and even sweeter than her homemade peach pie. We talked a lot about heart break and the importance of goddess worship while I was in town. My main point was that if you could have a personal relationship and receive guidance from the topmost, Supreme Goddess, why not jump on that opportunity in a second. I explained that the "Hare" in Hare Krishna refers to this Supreme Mother, Hari, and that we ask for her guidance and direction by chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra. The necessity of women taking shelter of our Supreme Mother has never been so apparent as present day when marriages dissolve faster than Emergen-C packets.

Why do you DO what you DO?

2008-08-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

I just entered a few photos into a Burning Man photo contest called "Why do you DO what you DO?" which is a really excellent question to ask ourselves at every minute of the day. That's actually why I started chanting HARE KRSNA in the first place. You can check out my entries and explanation here.

And then there was many.

2008-07-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

OK! Everyone, say sOYcHeESe!
This is my beautiful family. I am fortunate in that my service for Srila Acaryadeva has allowed me just enough time to fly back to Buffalo, NY and hold my three new nieces and nephews for the first time.

My sweet, sweet Ella. Just a few months back, she was in the hospital with tubes poking out of her every which way and trapped inside a lonely, plastic bubble. At that time, I was only allowed to hold her little fingers by reaching through a tiny arm flap on the side of that bubble. We prayed and prayed and now she is Krishna's miracle, sweet as they come and satisfied by watching the world around her. And here is my amazing sister, Nicole, who somehow made it through the trauma of having her precious little girl in the intensive care unit for the first month of her new life. Nicole is a natural at this mom stuff.
Todd is my brother-in-law. He is an expert at giving Ella her evening bath. I don't know how the three of them survived that first month, but they pulled through elegantly. Becoming a parent is one way to become truly self-less in a selfish, selfish world.

My Dad and Heather (AKA Pops & Mops) are proud as can be. Heather is an old pro, having had two babies of her own. She's got the magic touch only moms can have. Here's my little man, Mr. Zach. Good thing he's so freakin' cute cause he likes to cry, and he like to cry A LOT! April describes his personality as rugged yet sensitive. Zach's partner in crime and twin sister, Ms. Maya here, looking like an angel. It was so special to spend time with these guys. They live in Santa Cruz, California so darshan is few and far between. My favorite time with the babes was chanting HARE KRSNA together. It's fun having a little buddy to pray with until....until he wakes up screaming with a disaster diaper and a killer stomach ache. It's gotta be rough having no sense control or control of your bodily functions. This is truly the definition of MENTAL. It rubs off on the caretakers too.
But don't worry, April, there is a special place in heaven for mothers of twins.
It was a special treat to see my Gram and Grumpa, meeting their great grandchildren for the first time. We know they're not ours but family means special connection, a closeness and an unconditional love that, in our finer moments, we might strive to give others outside our limited identification of family. Temporary as it is, I sure love my beautiful, beautiful familia.

Beverly Hills 90211

2008-07-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to ISKCON Beverly Hills, 153 N. Arnaz Dr. Certainly, if everywhere else, why wouldn't the Hare Krishnas be in Beverly Hills? I came out two weeks ago after leaving Athens and celebrating Ratha Yatra in Atlanta, GA. To my surprise the neighborhood is lovely and quite charming, even for a minimalist like myself. Here at the Arnaz Ashram, the devotees can be themselves and we have lots of fun. Pictured above are two of my godsisters, Krishna Priya and Dhanya. Both have been staying here at the house and doing lots of service.I've quickly resumed kitchen duties, cooking and preparing the finest in gourmet, vegan cuisine. Lately, I've been making Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches to the delight of the devotees. Since I am lacking in many other categories, I feel cooking is one of the best ways I can express my love and gratitude. Since my teacher, Acaryadev, has arrived, he has been busy writing and giving classes. Lately, he has been giving lectures to audiences around the world, including Columbia, Brazil, Mexico, and Ukraine, via Skype. It is wonderful to see how excited the devotees are to have virtual darshan with Acaryadev.My friend Manjari from Moscow came to visit for the weekend. She has been sharing Krishna Consciousness through musical venues for the past decade. Here she is singing a bittersweet bhajan, lamenting the loss of great spiritual personalities when they die. Not all fun and games here. Lots of time to think, read, contemplate, chant, wonder, and pray.The schedule here at the ashram is 4:30am wake up, 5 o'clock morning kirtan, 5:30am japa walk. Since Acaryadev grew up in LA, he knows all the best places to go walking. He has taken us all over Beverly Hills, into Beverly Woods where he grew up, Cheviot Park and Santa Monica where Srila Prabhupada used to walk, UCLA, Rodeo Drive, and my favorite, Franklin Canyon Park.The amazing thing about LA is that, despite the material insanity, traffic, and sprawl, there are beautiful neighborhoods with nice old houses and lovely gardens. Carob trees, Oleander, Southern Magnolias, Drake Elms, Southern Sycamores, Canary Island Date Palms, and Mexican Fan Palms are but a few of the diverse numbers of trees that line the streets here in Beverly Hills. Acaryadev is constantly being visited by his disciples, well-wishers, and neighbors. He really is the life of the party. Hey, who invited the guru, smiling like anything? I hear he only buys his dhotis on Rodeo Drive.But, alas, every party must come to an end and then we must say goodbye. Every party? Anyways, after Acaryadev left, we started organizing for a big move out of the house and into a smaller and more efficient studio space down the road.Moving is one of the more hellish experiences I've been privileged to endure in this lifetime, but when you have good help and conversation, work goes by fast. On Srila Bhaktivinoda's Disappearance Day, Taruni prepared a feast. Taruni and her husband, Jagatpati, are visiting from Australia after a month stay in a cancer treatment clinic in Tijuana. Jagatpati is being treated for a brain tumor that was removed two years ago and has since grown back. They are amazing folks and their life revolves around distributing pure food, as they own a restaurant back in Cairns, Australia. Their immense struggle continues and, yet, they only inspire those who have the honor to be in their company.
The meal has been offered, the table is set, and the garland has been strung. But when will the guest of honor be arriving?
Jaya Srila Acaryadeva! When the teacher is pleased, the students are ecstatic. There are so many wonderful people to meet in this world. Who will show up next at our door?

Intelligent Design

2008-06-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

Check out the trailer for Ben Stein's new film, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a documentary on the resistance of the academic and scientific community to allow open debate and public discussion on the possibility of intelligent causation. Ben Stein interviews some of the world's leading scientists, mathematicians, and theologists to uncover an unprecedented state of modern science where such theories of Darwin and Richard Hawkins are dogmatically left uncontested despite mounting evidence of new probabilities.

"Freedom of inquiry is basic to human advancement. There would be no modern medicine, no antibiotics, no brain surgery, no Internet, no air conditioning, no modern travel, no highways, no knowledge of the human body without freedom of inquiry.
This includes the ability to inquire whether a higher power, a being greater than man, is involved with how the universe operates. This has always been basic to science. ALWAYS.
Some of the greatest scientists of all time, including Galileo, Newton, Einstein, operated under the hypothesis that their work was to understand the principles and phenomena as designed by a creator.
Operating under that hypothesis, they discovered the most important laws of motion, gravity, thermodynamics, relativity, and even economics.
Now, I am sorry to say, freedom of inquiry in science is being suppressed."
-Ben Stein

"Not quite as relevant as a good Jane Austen movie, but I think anyone who is preaching to intelligent people should see this. It is an extremely well done movie."
-Srila Acaryadeva

A Tribute to Athens

2008-06-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

These past two months of assisting Srila Acaryadev (Dr. Resnick) during his writing retreat in Athens, Ohio have been quite literally off the hook, off the wall, and out of this world, fantastic. I never expected to be able to spend so much time with Acaryadev in the company of, whom I consider, the coolest and most sincere devotees I know. No false pretension, no pressure, no heroic organizational feats, just simple folks trying to love and serve Krishna in the best way they know how. Athens is a small college town. Naturally, wherever there are students, there is great hunger and poverty. Every Friday afternoon on the college green, the local devotees organize what they call a "Starving Artists Lunch," featuring the finest in vegan prasadam cuisine.
So many wonderful personalities came to visit Acaryadeva. Pictured above is my godbrother Arka das from Australia and my godsister Yaitza from Puerto Rico.

"Yo mataji! Can you spare some subji for a poor little beggar like Ali Krsna devi? But don't forget the dasi, that's what makes this name complete, as I offer flowers to my guru's lotus feet. OH, SHAKE YOUR ASAFOETIDA! Just shake your asafoetida. I ain't no meat eater, and I don't eat garlic neither! OH!"

I introduce to you the infamous Tessafoetida. When we're not rapping, we're skipping and dancing at 5 in the morning. After these two months, I can honestly say that she is one of my favorite people on this planet. Tess generously invited me to stay with her during my time in Athens and her hospitality was first-class. She is sweetness personified and her devotion is inspiring. Gurjeet and Marian came to visit from Columbus, Ohio and we went hiking to a big cave just off the bike trail. These girls rock and are organizing the bhakti yoga college preaching programs at the giant state university in Columbus. Marian is special, shy but witty, sharp and hilarious, hitting up the prasadam after a Sunday feast program in Columbus at which Acaryadeva spoke. Here Acaryadev sits at his desk. He is finishing up a novel that he has been working on for years. I had the great honor of spending many hours sitting in this room while Acaryadev read aloud. I helped with some minor editing. The plot is amazing and the characters are richly developed. The book is a fictional, transcendental mystery/love story based around the story of Dhruva Maharaja in the Srimad Bhagavatam. It's definitely a page turner. Miss Bindhu. Calm and serene. Introspective and totally goofy. Bindhu is my godsister who lives out in Seattle, WA. Her specialty is baking bread. One bite of her bread is like biting into tangible love. She is humble, thoughtful, and extremely perceptive. I am a big fan of hers. Pictured above is the asafoetida sampridaya. Her Grace Malati Manjari came to visit Acaryadev all the way from Germany. She asked me to help her write a contemporary book about the importance of vegetarianism. She is my kind of cowgryl.
As Weird Al puts it so nicely, "Lunch, lunch, lunch, they want to have lunch, lunch, lunch, they want to have lunch! They just a wanna, they just a wannaaaaaa. They just a wanna, they just a wannaaaaaaa. When the working day is done...." Indeed the high lite of these past two months have been Acaryadeva's lectures. To listen or download some of Acaryadeva's lectures given in Athens click here.
Several years back I remember meditating on how sorely limited I was in my consequence and influence on society. I realized that the best thing I could do for humanity was to find a righteous somebody who already has influence and assist them accordingly. Krishna answered my prayers as always. I can not think of anyone else I would rather serve than Acaryadeva nor a mission as noble. As Acaryadev puts it, "basement-bottom dharma, prices are slashed." This is our yuga dharma- chanting, dancing, and feasting. It's that simple. I have to stop sometimes and realize my beautiful, beautiful life.
Hey Lord Caitanya, maybe I can help you too with the sankirtana movement? I sure am impressed by your die-hard fans. In fact, I think they are some of the greatest people in this world. This sankirtan party is rockin' and I've never been one to leave early from a good party. You mind if I stick around for awhile?

Nobody loves me but my mother, and she could be jivin' me too.

2008-05-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

On the occasion of Mother's Day this Sunday past, and, today, both Mother Sita and Mother Jahnava's most auspicious appearance days, I sing the praises of all mothers in this world and beyond. I ran across a nice memory of Srila Prabhupada that pretty much sums up everything. Once, while speaking with Gurudas, Srila Prabhupada said,"If I don't forgive you, Krishna will, and if Krishna doesn't forgive you, Radharani will."

Oh Radha! You are our Eternal Mother! Please bestow your mercy on our fallen souls. Like B.B. King put it, "Nobody loves me but my mother, and she could be jivin' me too." Except with Sri Radha, there's not even a tinge of jive, and, no doubt, Mother Radha is our only hope, the Supreme Goddess, and humanity's topmost well-wisher.

I went to mass with my mother this past Sunday and the homily was about being a "good finder." Apparently some study was done assessing what, if any, similarities could be found amongst the top 100 successful people in the world. It wasn't socio-economic status during childhood, not gender-related, race or even religion-related. What the study came up with, somehow, was that all these people were "good finders." Then the priest tied it in with Mother's Day. Mothers are naturally "good finders."

In ISKCON a similar analogy is given with the bee and the fly. A fly is automatically attracted to anything that stinks, whereas the bee only goes for the nectar. Most mothers, for better or worse, see only the good in their children. When applied to our interaction with the rest of society, this bee-like quality is actually a symptom of the highest degree of spiritual advancement. And moms dish out this stuff like it's nothing.

Compassion, we all need it. I wish I had more of it because then I could actually do some good in this world. Srila Prabhupada says, "Material compassion, lamentation and tears are all signs of ignorance of the real self. Compassion for the eternal soul is self-realization...No one knows where compassion should be applied. Compassion for the dress of a drowning man is senseless" (BG 2.1). This may be confusing for most of us but with a little bit of transcendental knowledge, it makes the most sense in the world. Like in the hospital the other day my mom said, "Why worry if you pray, why pray if you worry?"

My mother showed me a card today that she is sending to my brother and sister-in-law out in California who just had twins. The card reads:

HAVING A BABY IS GOD'S WAY OF SAYING, "YOU'VE SLEPT LONG ENOUGH!"

Jiv Jago. Wake up sleeping soul. What a blessing. The saints say there is no love in this material world. Yet, the love a mother shares with her child is the closest example we have on our planet of selfless love, which is just a spark of the profound love we share with our Eternal Mother. Unfortunately, we've forgotten all about this relationship and again and again we take birth until we finally wake up, which can only happen when we encounter a pure devotee of the Lord. By the mercy and compassion of a pure devotee, we are reminded who we actually are and what is our eternal occupation. No unemployment in the spiritual world. We're all just eternally blissful lovers of Mother Radha. So now it's a good time to start crying, in separation.But if tears are a sign of ignorance, how come Sita Sang the Blues? Check this out. Anyways, so much love to give, but how to distribute it in a way that the soul benefits? And like my sister asked the other day over lunch, "What is the soul?" Back 2 basics.

Jaya Sri Radhe! Jaya Sri Sitadevi! Sri Jahnavadevi ki jaya!

Welcome to the material world, spirit soul, how may I serve you?

2008-05-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

On April 22, 2008 (Earth Day) my sister gave birth to a very special little lady. Introducing Bhaktin Ella Michele Rassman ki jaya!Ella is what you might call a "high-maintenance" woman. Since the day she was born, she has commanded every minute of her family's attention, thoughts, and prayers. Our little Ella suffers from a blood disorder that is affecting her liver. Yet, since the diagnosis and with subsequent treatments, her blood counts have been steadily improving and her vitals are stronger than ever. We hope that by Mother's Day she will be ready to come home in her momma's loving arms. In the meantime, as Aunt Ali on duty, I have been visiting her daily and chanting cribside. We sing together and she has already responded favorably with a big grin to the promise of vegan tofu burgers when she gets a little older. When momma requested some homemade treats for the nurses in gratitude of their hard work, I quickly jumped at the service. Transcendental vegan granola bars, cookies, and banana bread have been distributed thus far. Please send your prayers and blessings that I may serve little Ella properly.

Got Name?

2008-04-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

On the morning of April 16, 2008, prep work in the Athens, Ohio ISKCON center started up as usual. However, the scheduled evening program was not going to be the typical Wednesday night program.
Garlands needed to be strung and hung in anticipation of a very special ceremony. Mahalaxmi dd is the garland acarya and I am very thankful that she offered her services and expertise. Luckily, the magnolia trees were in full bloom and the daffodils were plentiful.
As 7:30pm rolled near, the auspicious guests began to arrive.
His Holiness Hrdayananda das Goswami took to the throne and the initiation ceremony officially commenced. Click here to listen to the full lecture.My prayers are being answered. How fortunate I am to have taken shelter of a bona fide spiritual teacher who has formally agreed to personally guide my spiritual life and development and, thereby, maximize my full potential in this human body. What more could a girl ask for?At this very moment I received Nama Initiation into the Madhva-Gaudiya ISKCON sampradaya. Following tradition, just before I received my japa mala, I made a public vow to chant at least 16 rounds (1728 mantras in total) of the Hare Krsna Mahamantra every day and to uphold the four regulative principles of freedom for the rest of my life. The four regulative principles are as follows:

No Intoxication
No Gambling
No Illicit Sex
No Meat-Eating (no carne, no fish, no eggs)

Traditionally, one is also given a new name with initiation. As Srila Acaryadev puts it, Vaisnava initiation is like a "Vedic barmitzvah." I am thrilled to announce that my new spiritual name is Ali Krsna devi dasi. Ali literally means "girlfriend of the girlfriends" and Krsna means "all-attractive". Together the name signifies that I am the loving servant of Krsna who is the center of the lives of all women. My godbrother from Australia also received initiation. He was given the name Arka das. Click here to see the ecstatic kirtan that followed the ceremony.
HH Hrdayanada das Goswami (more commonly known as Srila Acaryadev) is the most magnificent personality I have ever met. Having had the opportunity to personally serve him these last two weeks, I have an even greater understanding of his magnanimous personality. He brings out the very best in all who surround him. To know him is to love him. His knowledge of Sanskrit & sastra is unparalleled, and his understanding of Srila Prabhupada's mood and the mission of Lord Caitanya is perfectly complete. Please pray that I may follow in Srila Acaryadev's footsteps and serve Lord Caitanya and His mission to reestablish spiritual principles throughout the universe by chanting the Holy Names and, thereby, personally seeing to the spiritual upliftment and evolution of mankind and all living entities.

It's official. There's no turning back now. Ali Krsna dd is at your service!

On Pilgrimage.

2008-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

After completing the bhakti-sastri examinations and finishing the course, I decided to take a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and attend the annual Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama (pilgrimage) sponsored by ISKCON Mayapur every year. On March 9 we ventured out by boat, early in the auspicious hours of pre-dawn while the fog was still hovering above Mother Ganga. The parikrama was one week long and consisted of walking, boating, and camping throughout all nine islands that make up the region known as Navadvipa-dhama, "the crest jewel of all holy places". Over 1000 pilgrims from all around the world, including Sweden, Russia, Australia, Brazil, and China, were in attendance. The spiritual potency of traveling, praying, and serving with so many devotees was literally an out-of-this-world experience.
Hours and hours of walking and chanting afforded incredible opportunities to see the natural landscape of West Bengal and observe the simple life and culture of her inhabitants. His Holiness Jayapataka Swami led the pilgrimage and personally saw to it that everyone was well taken care of, well-fed, well-rested, healthy and happy. Guru Maharaj is the best friend anyone could ask for. His attention and focus on pleasing the devotees is pure inspiration. At each stop we would gather and listen to him speak about the significance of each holy tirtha and listen to the various pastimes of great personalities who had come before us, sometimes thousands of years previous.
Over the years, how many millions of pilgrims have walked these well worn paths?

"For those who walk throughout Navadvipa, the benefit of millions of asvamedha yajnas are accrued with each step, and the bonds of maya are cut along with the cycle of repeated birth and death."

-Gauradesa by Manjari devi dasi "In three nights in Navadvipa-dhama, one gets the results of ten years of practices performed in other tirthas."

-Gauradesa by Manjari devi dasi

"Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur once said that dhama means nama. One might ask why: The explanation is that the holy name will purify us so that we can see the dhama not with our material eyes but with our spiritualized eyes."

-Dhama Sevamrta

"When someone calls out the names of Nitai and Caitanya, krsna-prema comes looking for him." -Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura

"The act of going on pilgrimage represents the search of the soul for God."

-Dhama Sevamrta

"If one visits a tirtha and only does some shopping and takes a ritual bath there, without inquiring from saintly persons his visit is useless."

-Narada bhakti-sutra

"When we arrive at a holy place we must be ready for some serious work: We must uncover the layer of illusion which is covering the dhama to reach the spiritual essence, That is the spiritual place where Lord Krsna manifests. It is said that the holy dhama is not visible to the eyes of mundane people."

-Dhama Sevamrta

"What is it that covers the soul: False ego, which is the subtlest and finest and all the other elements grosser and grosser unto the physical manifestations. And those are the coverings of the heart which are also the coverings of the holy dhama. Because the heart is also the dhama. Dhama means residence of the Lord. So when that manifestation from the false ego down to the most solid concrete physical manifestation earth is reversed from service to ego, then the spiritual elements which are eternity, knowledge and bliss manifest. And the key to all loving relationships is keeping Krsna in the center. And that is the holy dhama, where Krsna is in the center." -His Holiness Varsana Swami

May the dhama be with you!

No ordinary school.

2008-03-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

The best part of the last 4 months in Sridhama Mayapur has been attending early morning Srimad Bhagavatam class given by His Holiness Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami at the boys' gurukula (school). The long path that goes from temple and stretches across the opulent marigold fields and rice paddies is the most beautiful path on campus. The ground is soft and squeezes between your toes, making it practically intolerable to walk with shoes on.

The boys' gurukula was built a few years ago and is currently occupied by 20 or so young boys. The older boys live here while the younger boys go back home in the evenings. However, this no ordinary boarding school. This gurukula is exclusively reserved for exceptional young boys who exhibit the qualities of brahmanas. Krishna tells us in the Bhagavad Gita that peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty,wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness are the qualities by which the brahmanas work (18.42). Thus, brahmanas are recognized and determined by one's character and not by one's birth (although commonly misunderstood as such). The purpose of this school is to provide an education to young boys in order to ensure their further development into spiritually, mentally, and physically strong brahminical men and genuinely qualified spiritual leaders of today's world.No ordinary school, no ordinary architecture. The building itself is a work of art. The amount of detail in the gardens and walkways is simply amazing.No ordinary classroom. Here is the main classroom that Srimad Bhagavatam class is given in every morning. Imagine the sun just rising and smoke billowing from small clay pots where cow dung paddies are burned to purify the air and ward off mosquitoes. The dew begins to evaporate as Maharaja begins class with a soft kirtan and the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra. The atmosphere is surcharged with beauty, wisdom, and virtue.No ordinary hallways, no ordinary hall pass. The walkways here remind me of Swiss Family Robinson meets Never Never Land. Although a new building, there is an undeniable sense of antiquity and a feeling of ancient knowledge and technology in every structure.No ordinary bedroom. Yes, here is a small hut where some of the boys will sleep at night. The way the structure is designed and with the cow dung floors and straw roof, the enclosure makes for warm nights and transcendental dreams.

No ordinary kitchen. The entire school is immaculate. The boys are instructed in first-class cleanliness standards and the teachers demand nothing less. The boys are also trained to cook and all take turns preparing breakfast and lunch. Everything is made from scratch and, of course, 100% vegetarian.
No ordinary stove top. These are wood-fired stoves made out of clay and cow dung. Every day the boys must collect enough wood to fire the cooking stoves. The boys learn not only the art of traditional Indian cooking but other styles as well.No ordinary shower. Here is the bathing faucet and communal shower stall. The water is pumped from a well which supposedly keeps the water warm in the winter and cool in the summer. No ordinary shoes. No ordinary deities. The gurukula altar and temple room is full of Lord Nrsimhadeva deities. The boys are instructed in deity worship and primarily worship Lord Nrsimhadeva, the half man/half lion form of Lord Krishna who bestows protection unto all who take shelter of Him. This young student and pujari carefully introduces all of the deities and lovingly explains their histories and pastimes. His name is Caitanya das and he is one of the oldest students. His maturity and character astonishes me for a boy his age. Move over Harry Potter, your magic school got nothing on this gurukula.

A typical Saturday night in Sri Mayapur.

2008-02-24T01:03:00.000-08:00

Every Saturday night since December, the small Radha-Madhava deities come out of the temple and are royally treated to a ride around the complex on their bull-driven chariot. The atmosphere is surcharged with excitement, the air filled with incense, and flower petals are showered from the rooftops. Everything about the procession is beautiful. Yet, despite drums, bells, cymbals, and kirtan, the bulls remain calm and composed. They are gentle giants and embody the self-realized quality of tolerance. The deities are offered opulent foodstuffs along the way and occasionally we are treated to their remnants (prasadam). Reach, reach, reach!One maha cherry and one maha grape! My life is complete (at least my Saturday night)!The kids are stoked.Before the procession, many devotees draw and design elaborate chalk and sand paintings on the pavement throughout the streets.And thus goes by another surreal Saturday night in Sridhama Mayapur.

All and all, it's just another book on the shelf.

2008-02-16T23:58:00.000-08:00

We all need some education...
We all need some sense control...Unfortunately the world is lacking qualified teachers...But Srila Prabhupada is the best one I know!Hey! Kids...Tad viddhi pranipatena! Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master (Bhagavad Gita 4.34).All and all, it's just another book on the shelf.

A Glimpse of the Holy Dhama

2008-02-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

Living in Sridhama Mayapur is like living in another dimension. Life revolves around Sri Nama and the maha mantra oozes from the pores of all the living entities. The island itself exhibits the finest in bike culture, cow culture, temple culture, and brief glimpses of Vedic culture. But no fear, the technological advances of the modern world are no stranger to Mayapur.
The island of Mayapur is most significant because it is the birthplace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, this spiritually potent tirtha is covered with temples. On the weekends, I try to visit some of the temples and take darshan of the deities. The actual neem tree where Lord Caitanya was born under is less than one mile from the ISKCON mandir! It is an eventful walk, full of colorful, local characters. The water buffalo are my favorite. They are so well-mannered and work like anything. They are massive and their strength is incomprehensible.
This is rural living. Most of the island is under cultivation. The brilliant green of youthful rice paddies stretches far into the distance.

A day in the life of a MIHET (Mayapur Institute for Higher Education & Training) student... Here are some shots from my classroom. You can imagine how intense it is to study Vedic philosophy. Yet, the teachers are expert and engage us in various interactive exercises that make the philosophy come to life. My classmates are awesome. We are around 30 women from over 15 countries including Sweden, Greece, China, South Africa, Slovenia, Russia, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, England, Spain, Germany, etc. The diversity is amazing and makes everything so much sweeter.

There is a core group of hardcore Hari Namsters who go out on Hari Nam every single day. Often times they will leave Mayapur and travel by boat to neighboring islands. The accordion always comes along. Whenever I hear it, my heart skips a beat and I get excited the way a little girl feels when she goes to the circus. Accordion plus the maha mantra equals bliss. Unfortunately, I am not able to accompany the Hari Nam during the week, being so busy with class and all, but on the weekends I try to represent. I have always been a sucker for fancy dance moves, and, most of the time, the locals so us how its really done.

Ganga Sagar Mela

2008-01-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

Try to picture one million pilgrims descending on one island off the eastern coast of West Bengal, travelling thousands of miles just to take bath in the holy Ganges River, on the most sacred day of the year, as if their lives depended on it. Welcome to India.

On my week break from classes I was invited to help set up camp and be a part of Team ISKCON Mayapur at the Ganga Sagar Mela. I decided the service opportunity was too valuable to turn down even if I did want a "real" vacation. So after loading ourselves onto the bus at 5am, 10 hours of travel, one hour by boat, and another hour by local bus, we finally arrived.
The trip was gruelling but worth every minute. We arrived at camp late at night and to my surprise, camp was set up and the kitchen crew was at work, having already prepared our dinner and actively preparing for their first day of free prasadam distribution. I initially met the devotees at Rainbow Gathering and after many years of these festivals in the USA, I am no stranger to Krishna Camp. However, Camp ISKCON Mayapur was on a whole new level. For an outside camp, I would say everything was pretty darn first-class. The most impressive feature was the kitchen and the kitchen crew who served tirelessly for one week straight. Check out the size of those pots! Foot knives. I had heard rumors but never knew exactly how one would use such a tool. These mothers were expert and could chop and peel a six-foot mound of cauliflower and zucchini is no time. Prasadam was served to the devotees three times a day and was, without a fail, hot and delicious. Prasadam was served out to the genral public from 8am to 6pm for five days in a row. My estimate is that tens of thousands of free plates of prasadam were served over the course of the week.
This here is a picture of what is called a fire yajna or traditional Vedic fire ceremony. All of the students from the Mayapur gurukula, a brahminical school for young boys, were also in attendence. It was an honor to serve with them and be in there general company, watch them behave. These are no ordinary boys. By themselves, they led the fire ceremony while chanting hundreds of Sanskrit mantras, having memorized most of them. Ghee, rice, and black seasame seeds were offered to the fire which is honored as the mouth of Visnu, or the mouth of God Himself. The ceremony was held every afternoon in order to invite auspiciousness to the festival and purify the hearts, gross and subtle body of all those in attendance.
This was one of my favorite sadhus. Who else could make a gumpsha turban look so beautiful? But, on a serious note, the pilgrimage was a fascinating exchange of so many sincere spiritual seekers from so many lineages and backgrounds. Sky clad devotees of Lord Shiva covered in ash, saffron-robed sunnyasis, red-robes, leopard skirts, big turbans, small turbans, dhotis, sarees tied every which way, silk, cotton, nylon...the diversity was amazing. Yet, not a single guru held even a fraction of my interest compared to Srila Prabhupada.
My service was Hari Nam. Thus, 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon I danced, and danced, and danced away, blissfully chanting the Hare Krishna mantra to the delight of all the pilgrims. Everyday, we would start from camp playing accordians, mrdangas, ans djembes and cymbals, parade down to Mother Ganga, and circle up on the beach. From there we would invite everyone to come dance. This amazing woman, pictured above, danced with us everyday. I've never seen such a blissful smile and sincere eyes. She was my inspiration. The kids, and especially the little girls, went crazy! The ultimate dance party. Who said spiritual life was boring?
Lots of kids. Lots of cows. Lots of grandmothers. Lots of devotion. Lots of hope. Lots of desperation. Lots of suffering. Lots of help. Lots of service. Lots of inspiration. Lots of humility.
Inevitably, the best part of Krishna Camp is the relationships made by serving so closely and volunteering so much time with all the devotees. Pictured above is my classmate Renu and her Grandma who is non-stop. Grandma went out on Hari Nam everyday and after coming back to Mayapur was the only one who didn't catch a cold.
The Bhagavad Gita says consciousness is a symptom of the soul and devotional service, a symptom of a devotee of the Lord. How am I so fortunate to be in the company of such saintly souls?
The night before leaving camp, minutes away from crashing into bed, my feet sore and my muscles aching, I was asked to give an interview to several local and national radio and news stations. I was exhausted but was very pleased to be given such an honor to represent Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON, and the whole camp. When asked if I would return, I said only with the blessings of the devotees.
But really, I mean where else can you wake up at two in the morning to hike down to Mother Ganga with tens of thousands of pilgrims to take bath in the company of calves, sadhus, gurus, coconuts, marigold flower garlands, floating candles and millions of sticks of incense burning everywhere. The water smelled and tasted like camphor and sandalwood. A pleasant surprise. An amazing adventure.

Ekachakra Dhama, Nityananda Rama!

2008-01-14T04:22:00.000-08:00

The day after my exam, I few ladies and myself travelled four hours by jeep to the birthplace of Lord Nityananda, Ekachakra Dhama. I got sick along the way but it was worth it. This village is the most beautiful. The tranquility that pervades the village puts me in a trance just thinking about it. Cows and traditional straw-roofed houses everywhere, water buffalo being bathed in the river, the villagers threshing grain all afternoon. We visited Lord Nityananda's birthplace, His bathing ghat, the tree grove He would take rest under, the fields He played in, the site where His wife proved her acharyaship after Lord Nityananda left the planet, and the brahmana's house the Pandavas stayed in where Bhima crushed the rakshasha. I had no idea that Caitanya and Krishna lila crossed over like this.
There was an ecstatic Hari Nam while we were there. The devotees go out every afternoon and visit the temple marking the site where Lord Nityananda took birth. The brahmancaris were awesome, totally blissed out with full smiles, enthusiastically singing the Holy Name throughout the entire village.
After prasadam, the ladies led kirtan for several hours. I've been studying mrdanga since I arrived and it was especially sweet to play for the pleasure of the deities and Lord Nityananda in his home town and all. Nitai, Nitai, Gaura Nitai! Needless to say, I was covered in dust when it was time to go.

100 Cow Patties On The Wall, 100 Cow Patties On The Wall...

2008-01-10T03:08:00.000-08:00

Hare Krishna, party people! In Sri Mayapur Dhama, the party starts at 4am and the temple is packed full with hundreds of pilgrims every day. It's helpful for the ego to get a nice kick in the head while offering prayers and dandavats. But what can I say, I am in awe and reverence of the sincerity of the devotees here and have been blessed with this opportunity to see what it really means to love God.
I apologize for not keeping up with my posts. I actually arrived in Mayapur around November 13th, literally walked into the dhama after three days of travel, and was greeted by thousands of devotees on yatra celebrating Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day. An auspicious sign to say the least. The last two and half months have been full. Classes started at the end of November and we've already finished studying Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction and the first nine chapters of Bhagavad Gita. Four papers, 25 memorized verses, and one open and one closed book exam later, sastra is oozing out of my pores. Lets see if I can't apply it in my so-called devotional life.All glories to the bucket. Living in India, one's life revolves around a bucket. Bathing, heating up water, washing my clothes, rinsing, cleaning, carrying, all your daily needs in the convenience of a large plastic bucket. Myself and Evelyn share a small room in the old ladies' ashram and it is hardly austere. The roof is the best part and I call it my office.

Rice, dal, sabji, chutney, and sweet rice are also oozing out of my pores. Two words- maha prasadam. I have discovered the glories of black salt and the magnificent khirkadum. Papaya juice, black grapes and succulent mandarin oranges for breakfast. Fresh samosas, paneer sandwiches, ginger tea and gulabjamons for dinner. Yes, you can expect a feast when I return.

Better A Thief In Vrindavan Than A Good American.

2007-11-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

It's midnight and I haven't slept in two days. I decided to apply to three graduate schools before my trip to India. The good news is that my portfolio is finished and my applications are sent. The bad news is that I haven't chanted for two days.

But soon I will board that glorious flower airplane and far away I will be delivered into the loving arms (or on the loving feet-Vaishnava stylee) of the holy dhama. I pray that I may diligently peel my eyes off this cold computer screen and absorb my everything into the nectarian mellows of Lord Caitanya and His eternal pastimes in Sri Mayapura Dhama. Posts from now on will be few and far between. From mid-November till early March, I will be studying in great detail The Bhagavad Gita, Sri Isopanisad and The Nectar of Instruction, three ancient Sanskrit texts glorified in the Vaishnava tradition as being the essence of all the Vedas and explaining the essence of all religions.

So without further adieu, I say good-bye my friends. I love you all dearly. Winter is coming and it is time for me to retreat, for the real work begins. I'll leave you with some poetry by Radika Prabhu, perhaps one of the most far out women I have ever met. Will we be reunited on the banks of Radha Kunda on a distant, winter morning? "I've heard it said:Knee-deep in the waters of JamnajiYour Palace of pastimes:Pray may I raise the skirts of my unbeliefand attain the Palace of Faith.""I've heard it said:Knee-deep in the waters of JamnajiYour Palace of pastimes:Pray may I raise the skirts of my unbeliefand attain the Palace of Faith."

"I've heard it said:
Knee-deep

in the waters of Jamnaji
Your Palace of pastimes:
Pray may I raise

the skirts of my unbelief
and attain

the Palace of Faith."

- Radhika devi

NYC Burning Man Decompression Party

2007-11-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I went to the NYC Burning Man Decompression Festival. Despite the frigid weather, Krishna Camp was there and holdin' strong, distributing hot plates of kicheree and an array of spiritual refreshments. Devotees from Alachua, DC, and Chicago showed up just for the festivities. The high lite of the party was the rockin' kirtan session, somewhere around midnight would be my best guess.
My artistic contribution was a series of "talking" collages, put together using a handful of newspapers, magazines, and pamphlets, along with a stack of reclaimed cardboard boxes.This art project consumed my entire last week in DC and became my constant meditation. All of the pieces were interactive, featuring such personalities as Run DMC, Rick James, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Statue of Liberty, the Pope, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a handful of Burmese Buddhist monks, and several cows.
For a couple hours, I sat in the entrance way of the Queens Museum of Art where the indoor portion of the event was held, and laid out 20 collages for people to play with. Tons of folks came over and participated. No doubt, the art bundles were a hit.
As you can see, nothin' but good company and great conversation. If you would like to have your very own "talking" collage in your home, let me know and I'll see what I can do. For more photos of the festival, check out the Krishna Camp website (soon to be posted!). Thanks to all the devotees for another awesome adventure in the transcendental journey back home to Godhead. Till the next one...

229 Flowers

2007-11-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

On Friday I said goodbye to my dear friends, Nisha and Radha Sakhi, dropped them off at the airport, then caught an early morning Chinatown express bus to NYC. There I met up with one of my fab girlfriends, Loren, who drove down from Hartford, CT just for me. Loren and I go way back. We met in college and quickly took over the environmental club on campus. Our relationship has had many ups and downs but I can still honestly say that she is one of the sweetest and most magical women in my life.
Loren and I are both fascinated by the plant kingdom and so we decided to check out the NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx. If you have never gone, you must immediately go. There are over 250 acres of gardens, including a giant arboretum featuring the last remaining stand of old-growth forest in NYC.
The featured exhibit is called Kiku- The Art of the Japanese Chrysanthemum. There I discovered the exquisite beauty of kiku—meticulously cultivated chrysanthemums, a traditional Japanese art "never before seen on this scale outside Japan." The NY Botanical Garden describes this installation as the most elaborate flower show and cultural exhibition ever presented in its 116-year history. It is fascinating how people have dedicated their professional lives to the art of chrysanthemum cultivation and presentation. With mouths gaping open, Loren and I explored in amazement I kept on thinking how this must be a reflection of the preparations and lengths the eternal master gardener and landscape architect, Vrnda devi, must go to in Goloka Vrindavana. The NY Botanical Gardens are a window to the splendor of the spiritual sky.
Luck would have it that there was simultaneously a bonsai exhibit with the foremost master of bonsai in the area giving tours and answering questions. He was wonderful. I immediately fell in love with him when he described how the pruning of bonsai trees must be done so "to leave enough space for the birds to fly through."
This Ginkgo tree here is over 50 years old and perhaps 3-feet tall. The bonsai master explained that like all living beings, we begin to age and dwindle when the body's ability to absorb nutrients is lessened. To maintain the vitality of these trees, once a year the tree is taken from her pot and the roots are delicately trimmed, thus encouraging root tip growth and maintaining maximum nutrient uptake. Perhaps one day I will find a bonsai master with whom I will study with so that I may arrange an array of bonsai forests on outdoor altars for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Damodara for centuries to come.

Hindu-ween?

2007-10-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

Keepin' it fresh, cause devotional service is only as limited as our creativity is. Radha Sakhi sported as Spiderella for Halloween and we trick-or-treated till her bag was half full of clogged artery sticks.

Halloween is alright and all, but I prefer to celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos when surrounded by fellow enthusiasts. This is the traditional festival celebrated in Mexico when everyone builds an altar in their house and offers foodstuffs and other delectables to their ancestors. On November 1st and 2nd, every cemetery and mausoleum is packed to the gills with family and friends, crying, laughing, singing, praying, and dancing. All of the graves are showered with marigolds and call-a-lilies and other offerings. Beautiful sand paintings and millions of candles decorate the cities amongst a stir of calavera imagery and their wild artisans.

I've always loved the concept of an altar. It fascinates me how the altar is utilized in so many different cultures. What rocks about Hinduism is that an altar is honored and decorated everyday. In the Hare Krishna movement, everyday people around the world chant sacred mantras to honor our spiritual ancestors and beg for their blessings so that we may pursue our daily lives with intelligence and ability in order to serve all of humanity in meaningful ways with lasting results. Generally, mantras are more potent when chanted together. So if we want to truly honor our ancestors, why party once a year, when we can party everyday? Like my raver friends in Mexico say, "FULL ON!"

Sunrise Over Suburbia

2007-10-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

Living in the suburbs of Northern Virginia these past few weeks has definitely taken a toll on my subconsciousness. I just can't think of a more unattractive and depressing landscape than a bunch of cookie-cutter apartment complexes intermingled with shopping plazas.

Yesterday morning, I woke up early to chant as usual. As I was finishing my meditation, the sun carried himself above the horizon and the most amazing shade of magenta filled the sky. My realization: No matter city, suburb, country, mountain, or dessert, the beauty of the sunrise remains an absolute truth.

Victory Over Evil

2007-10-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I travelled to Gita Nagari in Port Royal, PA in order to celebrate the Victory Day of Lord Ramachandra over the demon Ravana, who is the personification of lust, anger and greed. I have always been fascinated with medieval forest epics like Robin hood, Willow, and Lord of the Rings, but little did I know of the ancient classic, the epic of all epics, the Ramayana. What is far out though is that the Ramayana is no fictional tale, it is factual history. Lord Rama is considered one of the ten primary incarnations of Lord Krishna, along with Lord Buddha and Lord Nrsimhadeva.
It was such a blessing to return home. Gita Nagari has felt like home since the first time I visited. I immediately paid my respects to all of the great personalities in the neighborhood like Mother Kaulini, Mother Jagannatha, and Mother Kartamisa, along with Gopa, our three-legged dog, the cows, the calves, the watermelon plants, the tomato plants, the sunflowers who are still holdin' on, and certainly to the newest batch of kittens in the barn. Soon the entire gang started filtering in and I was greeted by big smiles and open arms. Everyone is family at Gita Nagari, where everyone knows or wants to know your name and you feel free to just be yourself. I spent the morning cleaning the gorgeous hard-wood floor in the temple and the not-so-glorious floor in the prasadam hall and was cleaned up just in time for the arrival of His Holiness Varsana Swami, the resident sunnyasi at New Vrindavan. When Mother Kaulini and I approached his car to welcome him, Mother Kaulini called out, "AHA, finally we have captured you!" Maharaj blushed and with a little boy's smile replied, "I am very delighted to be captured!".
Maharaj gave lecture and recited most of the Ramayana with great enthusiasm and detailed intricacies. Afterwards, the kirtan started and we marched outside and down the path to the pasture where a 12-foot tall Ravana stood, complete with 10 demons heads and faces. Mother Kaulini told me the hair was harvested from a couple of goats some devotees take care of down the road.
Varsana Swami took a torch, lit it in the fire, and struck Ravana straight in the gut. Ravana immediately went up in flames, and to the onlookers surprise, fireworks began exploding from his heads. The crowd was delighted, giggling, dancing, smiles all around. Suddenly, fireworks began shooting into the crowd and the devotees were squealing, running, and clutching one another in fright. Thankfully no one was hurt and laughter ensued. The kirtan didn't skip a beat.

I found myself in such a state of bliss. I looked around and felt totally in love with everyone around me.
I couldn't stop taking pictures, especially close-up ones so I could really high-lite their facial expressions and genuine eyes, deep wells of compassion.
The kirtan continued back down to the temple and sumptuous prasadam was served out.
The last 8 days or so I have been engaged, perhaps, unengaged, in an intestinal cleanse, drinking only liquids, so I passed on the feast and served instead. Serving is where all the nectar is anyways.
The following morning, I woke up at 3am thinking it was 4. This ended up to be a great boon, for who should have walked into the temple bright and early but Varsana Swami himself. I had been fortunate only a handful of times to catch Varsana Swami in the temple at New Vrindavan early morning before 5am. This is an opportunity I recommend all to experience at least once in this lifetime. To hear Varsana Swami chant, is Vaikunta. It was and is beyond this realm, literally out of this world, and he kindly transports all within his vocal frequency to accompany him in the delight of Sri Sri Radha Damodara's pastimes.

"Can We Dance Now?"

2007-10-16T09:22:00.001-07:00

I am most fortunate to be living with a talented artist who is inspiring my spiritual life in so many ways. Even though we are in the suburbs of northern Virgina, somehow we simultaneously exist in the spiritual world, running through lush green pastures with milk bucket and daisies in hand.

As of late, we have been preparing for Radha Sakhi's 4th grade dance performance to Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke. You can feel it all over! My brother believes Stevie Wonder should be the U.N. Ambassador of Education. In the liner notes of Stevie Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life, he explains his philosophy as that of love mentalism. In one interview he explains that as "a positive tomorrow for all people, where we do not just talk about love or just feel it as a temporary thing, but really relate to it as something that lasts forever in our hearts and in our spirits and in the way that we do and our character." I offer my humble obeisances to Stevie Wonder, a true spiritual warrior.

"You may give them your love but not your thought, for they have their own thoughts. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth."
-Kahlil Gabran

I'm not JUST a vegetarian...

2007-10-12T10:04:00.001-07:00

My sister tellin' it like it is...the perfection of culinary art!

Feed the World Week

2007-10-09T08:19:00.001-07:00

A Call for Action!

October 15-21 will mark the annual observance of Feed the World Week (FWW). During this week, Food for Life volunteers and concerned vegetarians in over 60 countries will serve out more than 5 million karma-free vegetarian meals to the world!

Feed the World Week is based on a simple principle: For one week, the world should experience a wholesome, nonviolent diet, and thus pave the way for a peaceful and prosperous world.
Feed the World Week is an open community event to show how food when prepared and distributed with love, has the power to unite and heal the world.
Feed the World Week is a call for action: for the world to move away from animal agriculture—the greatest cause of environmental destruction and the principle reason why there is so much hunger in the world today. Most non-vegetarians are unaware that more than 70% of the world’s grain production is fed to livestock destined for slaughterhouses. That same grain could feed humans. Every year, millions of children in the developing world die from hunger, alongside fields of fodder destined for the West’s livestock.

In an attempt to correct this imbalance of the earth’s resources, Food for Life volunteers daily distribute over 800,000 karma-free meals to the needy of the world!

During Feed the World Week, we share vegetarian food in remembrance of the world’s 1.3 billion hungry. The fact is, if Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10 percent, enough grains would be saved to feed sixty million people!

For more info, check out the Food For Life website.

For all the Ladies in the House!

2007-10-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

"One thing that keeps coming to my mind is I'm now very convinced that the very best women in the world are actually in the Hare Krishna movement."
-H.H. Hridayananda das Goswami

This past weekend I participated in a women's retreat back with my old girlfriends at New Vrindavan, West Virginia. Srila Acharyadev's quote above summarizes my experience.

In fact, the women's retreat is what first brought me to New Vrindavan. Last summer, I heard about the retreat at the Rainbow Gathering and was delighted to have an opportunity to come visit the temple. I was confused about the role of women in the ISKCON movement having always seen far more men than women at camp. I thought I would check things out for myself and meet the women who have been chanting Hare Krishna for the last forty years to observe exactly what this movement is all about.

It seems to me that I came for a visit and never ended up leaving. Needless to say, the women I met at last year's retreat impressed the heck out of me. After meeting so many incredible women, I thought to myself, now this is what it means to be intelligently empowered. Thus, I was thrilled to again have the opportunity to participate in this year's Vaisnavi retreat.
To be in the same room with women from all over the world, coming from different religions, and different cultures, yet united by faith in God, is a rare opportunity. I used to think that Hare Krishna was just another religion. I had no understanding that the Hare Krishna Movement is actually a spiritual collective, encouraging and facilitating the pursuit of pure love of God through many religious paths based on unified spiritual principles of truth, mercy, self-control, and cleanliness.

The women in this movement are the personification of these qualities. How can I resist their embrace? How can I bear to be in separation from them. Good thing there are Hare Krishna women representin' all over the world. It is comforting to know that in any given situation, I will never be far from a loving mother.

I'm posting some pictures of my favorite women at the retreat. Varshana Swami told me this weekend that people seem to have wavering feelings about New Vrindavan but when it comes to Mother Gopa, they all agree. The agreement is that Mother Gopa is one of the kindest, most generous, and humble women on the planet.

Young and old, the retreat reflected the eclectic group of women around the world who have taken to spiritual life for the benefit of themselves, their family, and for humanity at large.

I offer my respects to all the righteous women in this world holding up the very essence of feminine qualities: pure, self-less, unmotivated love and nurturing.

"The soul is of no sect, no party: it is, as you say, our passions and our prejudices, which give rise to our religious and political distinctions."
-Jane Austen

Gettin' personal.

2007-10-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

My pops sent me this quote the other day...

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much , and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom."-George Carlin

Amen, brother. Basically, I feel like what it all boils down to is a
society drifting into the depths of impersonalism. What
attracted me to the Hare Krishna Movement was Srila
Prabhupada's message of personalism. Everyday, I recite a
prayer that glorifies Srila Prabhupada for delivering a message
to the western world, that is slowly liberating humanity from a
frigid ocean of vast impersonalism and voidism.

I feel like, anything I've ever been upset about can basically be
boiled down to this theory of impersonalism. The farther I am
removed from the land and tending a garden, the more my
relationship with Mother Earth dwindles, being hardly aware
of the subtle changes in the weather, the cycle of the moon, the
beauty of each vegetable. The less informed I am of my
community and the larger global community, the less I realize
how much people are suffering. Because I do not understand
the amount of resources it actually takes to manufacture all
products and the repercussions resulting from those extractions,
I rarely think about my consumption habits. The less time I
spend around cows and those who honor them, the more
detached I am from their suffering and the more I liberally
drink their precious offerings with little understanding that in

a short time their bodies will be slaughtered and butchered
alongside their fattened baby calves. In schools, we complain
about our children being just a number. In hospitals, we
complain about misdiagnosis because of the doctor's lack of
understanding our actual dis-ease. It's interesting that in western
medicine, the approach is to treat symptoms, not individuals.
Whereas, in eastern medicine, there is an understanding
that the same symptoms in two different people may have two
entirely different causes depending on the nature of the
individual's body.

It's just this whole idea that the less we know about
something and someone, the less we care about their
situation and suffering. But even more than that, the shallower
our relationships are. Srila Prabhupada came to the western
hemisphere to share the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita,
which at it's essence, decries that all living beings are eternal.
However, until we are purified and situated on a
platform of goodness to recognize and honor this fact, we will
endlessly and repeatedly be subjugated by the laws of nature.
Basically, what goes around, comes around. If you kill and
support the killing of others, you too will be killed, maybe not
this life, but possibly in the next. Just because the child doesn't
know the flame is hot, the child is still burned by the fire.
So basically intelligence impels us to inquire and learn the laws
of nature, question where human beings fit into this game,
and how to proceed from here. My suggestion, turn now to
chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita.

I had a nice realization
the other week. We
were celebrating Srila
Prabhupada's 42nd
anniversary of arriving
in America and in his
honor, the temple
planned a big Hari
Nam downtown. But
by the time Nisha got
home she was too
exhausted to get back
in the car and drive
another hour through
rush-hour DC traffic.
We brainstormed and
decided to have our
own celebration
around the apartment
complex instead. We grabbed the mridanga (drum),
kartals (hand cymbals), a picture of Srila Prabhupada,
some prasadam to pass out, and headed out into the parking
lot. We circled around then sat in the grass and lit a few candles.
All of a sudden mis hermanitas came over and started freaking
out, dancing, singing, clapping, "oh, this tastes sooo good",
"what is this drum called", "who is that beautiful man?".

Soon we invited everyone up to the apartment and passed out
the rest of Radharani's birthday cake and tea. The girls
adored the altar and tey all offered incense to the deities. Picking
out Krsna book immediately and commenting, "now that is one
book you don't just leave on the floor," they listened carefully
as I read aloud the first chapter.

The night was brilliant and my biggest realization was grassroots.
Think globally, act locally. I go downtown to distribute vegetarian
cookbooks to strangers, yet I've yet to go next door and offer
some delectable veggie goodness to my neighbors.

I once studied with a brilliant philanthropist, Gustavo Esteva, a
facilitator for indigenous rights movements in southern Mexico.
He published a book entitled, Grassroots Post-Modernism,
which highlights various successful social movements around the
world. What they all have in common is a concentration of energy
in localized, individualized, and personalized, grassroot efforts.

Please remind me of my impersonal behavior and tendencies.
Again, when it comes down to it. There are an infinite number
of relationships out there and souls to connect with. I guess this is
what gives me the greatest joy. Solid, honest, respectful and
eternal connections in this oh so temporary world.

On Judgement...

2007-10-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

"Even the most learned man cannot understand the words, activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of Godhead."

*verse quoted from the Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya 23.39) in The Seventh Goswami, a biography of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur

The Afterburn.

2007-10-02T11:24:00.001-07:00

For all of you west coasters out there, LA stylee, a post-festival Burning Man party will be happening on October 13 from noon to midnight. Krishna Camp will be in attendance along with Lord Jagannath and his chariot. For directions to the festival click here.

Please contact Nitai and Mandali if you can help out with Krishna camp in any way: 347 409 3897

We're all just passing through...

2007-09-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce you to two incredible women who have recently entered my small reality. This here is Nisha. Several months ago she offered to sponsor my ticket to India. In gratitude, I have been helping her take care of her 9-year-old daughter, Radha Sakhi, for the last month here in DC. Her presence in my life is a godsend. I'm not sure which one did the sending part, but certainly the order came from the top.

Te presento Miss Radha Sakhi Vrinda. She has instantly become my smiling guru and dear little sister.This is a picture of us making tilaka-shaped pancakes, one of the finer pleasures of devotional life. Radha Sakhi is in 4th grade and is aspiring to be a disciple of H.H. Indradumnya Swami. Often times, she gets in trouble for daydreaming about him in school. Perfection!

"Stellaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

2007-09-25T12:12:00.001-07:00

"The doors of wisdom are never shut. Well done is better than well said."-Ben Franklin

This past weekend I celebrated RathaYatra in Philadelphia, and, yes, both Ben Franklin and Rocky were in attendance. I have fond memories of last year's Ratha Yatra, including my confusion and serious questioning of the movement when some random lady forcibly handed me several Back to Prabhupada magazines to distribute. There I was, passing out rikvik literature in a starched old sari, feeling really uncomfortable and thinking to myself what in the world am I doing here. Good thing big

brother Balaram was there to set things straight, but I have to admit, I was pretty traumatized by the event.

Later in the afternoon, at the Questions & Answers tent, all of my anxieties were relieved by Bhuchari Prabhuji, who had everyone laughing and crying at the same time. I thought to myself, this is a self-realized person! I later watched Matati Prabhu ride the space wheel and felt reassured that I was in the right company.

This year's Ratha Yatra was again beautiful and full of realizations. My current service of choice, being book distribution, has me introducing myself to the coolest people. One sister I met was on her way back from mass. She is an exchange student from Italy pursuing a PhD in molecular biology. She was fascinated by the diorama depicting the changing of the body from youth to adult to grandpa and back to youth. She bought a book and we talked for almost an hour about vegetarianism and Christianity.

I shared another hour-long conversation with a beautiful brother from Mexico City who is pursuing the teachings and religion of the ancient Toltec people of Mesoamerica. He performs traditional Toltec dance and had just boughten peacock feathers for his headpiece when I met him. He shared with me the similarities between the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and the Toltec ethos concerning reincarnation, consciousness, spirit versus matter, and self-realization. When he saw a picture of Lord Jagannath on a postcard I had given him, he immediately wanted to know who He was. I brought him over to the chariot to introduce him to the deities and gifted him a garland to take home to his girlfriend.

Before I knew it, the sun was setting. I took the remaining moments of the festival to wallow in the nectar of sweet kirtan, the satisfaction of a full day spent distributing Srila Prabhupada's books, and the company of visiting devotees from Alachua and New York. My gratitude manifested itself in the form of ecstatic dance.

The next day, I followed Achuta, Janaki, Jvalamukhi, Bali, Vish, Gauravani, Ananda, Kumar, Sundeep, and family (aka As Kindred Spirits) to their gig lined up at George Washington University. The performance followed a yogathon in which the participants performed 108 sun salutations to raise donations for the Global Mala Project and Trees for the Future. The yogis perfected their meditation with a kool-down kirtan and dance party.

As Ben Franklin once put it, "Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it."

God Bless America.

2007-09-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'm back on the east coast folks! For the next two months, I'll be living in the DC area working as a nanny for a friend of mine and her 9-year-old daughter. On Saturday, we decided to take a day trip into DC and check out the national peace march in which people from across the country travelled long distances just to march in.

Gathered in front of the White House, approximately 10 to 20 thousand enthusiasts were present. I came to the event armed with a bag full of Srila Prabhupada's books. The way I see it, I'd rather actively work for something than against something.

My main book of the day was a vegetarian cookbook called, The Higher Taste. As a proponent of educational awareness to create a solid foundation for the peace movement, I shared with my fellow activists how animal genocide goes hand and hand with the injustice of civilian death.

I met one nice boy from Peru, another from Mexico, a Peace Corp worker from Mali, and several activists from LA. I traded one book for a conscious hip hop record from a local Philly artist known as Tha Truth and another book for a fresh "Peace in Iraq" (written in Arabic) t-shirt from a Muslim brother who designed it himself. My Philly brother said he would definitely check out Philly Ratha Yatra next weekend.

So many amazing people were gathered. I had many conversations and some important realizations. What initially attracted me to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada was that he was a staunch follower of Gandhi in the forefront of the British resistance movement in the early 1920s. But upon the first encounter of meeting his future guru, he was told that self realization is too important to wait for a change in politics, nor is it dependant on who rules. He was told that man-made political systems come and go but real welfare work is that which helps reawaken one's original and eternal relationship with the Supreme.

Srila Prabhupada, then a young boy named Abhay Charan, thought to himself that British slaughter of innocent citizens was a reality and that independence would benefit the people. Spiritual life was a luxury that could be afforded only after independence and the people's cause was, in itself, God. Yet, he recognized this guru as being truly wise and learned, a man who was not concocting a new philosophy rather representing the eternal, timeless teachings of Vedic literature. There was something profound and intriguing about the explanation given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta who referred to the independence movement as a temporary, incomplete cause.

I'll conclude this post with several quotes from a purport written by Srila Prabhupada that talks about the historic civil disobedience movement of Lord Chaitanya.

"The Kazi's order not to perform sankirtana could stand only as long as there was no civil disobedience. Under the leadership of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, the chanters, increasing in number, disobeyed the order of the Kazi. Thousands assembled together and formed parties, chanting the Hare Krishna mahā -mantra and making a tumultuous sound of protest. Thus the Kazi was very much afraid, as naturally one should be under such circumstances.

In the present day also, people all over the world may join together in the Krishna consciousness movement and protest against the present degraded governments of the world's godless societies, which are based on all kinds of sinful activities.

Śrīmad -Bhāgavatam states that in the Age of Kali, thieves, rogues and fourth-class people who have neither education nor culture capture the seats of governments to exploit the citizens. This is a symptom of Kali-yuga that has already appeared. People cannot feel secure about their lives and property, yet the so-called governments continue, and government ministers get fat salaries, although they are unable to do anything good for society. The only remedy for such conditions is to enhance the sankirtana movement under the banner of Krishna consciousness and protest against the sinful activities of all the world's governments.

The Krishna consciousness movement is not a sentimental religious movement; it is a movement for the reformation of all the anomalies of human society. If people take to it seriously, discharging this duty scientifically, as ordered by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the world will see peace and prosperity instead of being confused and hopeless under useless governments. There are always rogues and thieves in human society, and as soon as a weak government is unable to execute its duties, these rogues and thieves come out to do their business. Thus the entire society becomes a hell unfit for gentlemen to live in. There is an immediate need for a good government — a government by the people, with Krishna consciousness."
- Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrta Ādi 17.141 purport

Still feeling the Burn...

2007-09-13T09:00:00.001-07:00

For more pictures, click here.
To watch last year's rockin' video of Krishna Camp, click here. I'll post this year's video as soon as it comes out.

Feel the Burn.

2007-09-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

What can I possibly say? Krishna Camp was there. We built, we cooked, we created, we opened our hearts, we distributed love, we conquered, we were sober.

I've done my fair share of partying. I have gone far out of my way to find a good party, crossing several borders and continents in search of a good time, and just when I thought I would take a break from partying this summer, I get a call from Nitai.
Burning Man is unlike any concert, festival, Rainbow Gathering, Demolition Party, etc that I have been too. We are talking 50,000 folks, average age of 35, assembled for one week of creative debauchery in one of the most extreme ecosystems on the planet. Brilliant.

It actually kind of is though. Everyone is totally out of their average day-to-day element. The festival is meant for creative, uninhibited expression. Everything has to be built from scratch, all materials carried in, including water, and not a trace to be left behind.

You'd be interested to know that this constructed city called Black Rock City is built on top of an ancient lake bed, an ecosystem called the playa. Batholithic deposits and sedimentary marine packages characterize this fascinating desert landscape. Fortunately, a few of us arrived early to set up camp and I was able to appreciate the land's unique beauty before the madness ensued.
I quickly locked in as the kitchen mobilizer. I've cooked in some interesting places, but never with 45 mph sand storms threatening the feast. Everyday the sand came, everyday the kitchen was destroyed, a half inch of playa covering everything.

We did manage to serve some incredible prasadam. Coconut-avocado smoothies, mango salsa, Spanish rice, donuts, pineapple nectar, oriental noodles with ginger-peanut sauce, hot puris and chai to name a few of the delectables.
The most amazing night was that of the official "burn." The major creative component of this year's Krishna Camp was to reconstruct a Ratha Yatra cart that was recently acquired from the Vancouver temple. The amount of work, effort, sweat, tears, suntan lotion and pure devotion that went into building the cart blew me away. When the cart was finished, a light rain showered the playa and a double rainbow appeared in the sky.

The "burn" refers to when the mascot burning man is lit up in flames while thousands of fire spinners dance around and tens of thousands of fellow burners do their thing amongst one another. I watched the madness from the most pacifying, exciting, secure, and satisfying seat in the universe, on Lord Jagannatha's chariot at the side of Lord Baladeva. For hours the devotees, new friends, and I sat and chanted, sang, prayed, observed, smiled, laughed, and cried while the havoc ensued down below. This was one of the most fantastic moments in my entire life. I felt complete confirmation from Krishna to pursue this spiritual path of loving devotion and purification.
Amazingly enough, I made it out sober, invigorated, inspired, and alive. The ol' feet got pretty busted but they are quickly recovering. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Burning Man for such an awesome experience and especially to the devotees and friends at Krishna Camp for their example of unmotivated, unalloyed devotional service. You are the personification of love and compassion. How can I ever repay you for the inspiration you have given me?

Count me in for next year. I love you all.

I never thought I'd actually be going to...

2007-08-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

Burning Man 2007 is coming!

The Burning Man Festival is an annual arts festival in the desert of Nevada. Thousands of people (like 50,ooo!) descend into the desert to gather, create and camp for approximately one week of chaos. This here will be the second year Krishna Camp is attending the festival. This year's festival theme is GREEN.

"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong."-Śrī Īśopaniṣad Mantra One

As aspiring devotees, it is crucial for us to be on the forefront of ecological awareness and environmental sustainability. Click here for pictures of last year's Krishna Camp.

Last night I received a call from one of the young organizers who found out I was in Seattle. I was given no choice in the matter. I was told I must come because it isn't just any old Burning Man Festival, but it is GREEN Burning Man and, therefore, Krishna Camp needs my help. How could I turn down Lord Jagannath? How could I dissapoint the cows? So off I go. I'll be back by Labor Day.

Check out the Burning Man website.

O Captain! O Captain! Where arth me Captain?

2007-08-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

From Vancouver the van headed back to the states to begin the long road trip back east. Fortunately, a handful of old college buddies live in Seattle so I decided to make myself cozy and stay for a few weeks to catch up and take a little vacation. Annie, Levan, Kevin and Noah- these kids know me too well. It was tough saying goodbye to the girls but Malati Prabhu gave me her blessing.

By staying I was able to attend the rest of His Holiness Radhannatha Swami's program here in Seattle. The grand finale was an evening cruise ride with kirtan, lecture, and prasadam. O captain, steer me ship across this vast ocean of material suffering!

The best things about Seattle are its blackberry patches and infinite swimming spots. I'm tossing around the idea of going to grad school so I thought I would take the opportunity to check out the university while I'm here. Definite potential.

Officially 27.

2007-08-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

The following weekend, the van entourage made the daring pilgrimage all the way back north to Vancouver for Ratha Yatra . The trip was highlighted by a quick stop in Berkeley, where I met up with Lacie. Lacie is my soul sista' and also partly responsible for my original stay at New Vrindavan. She paved the way for my arrival and I am eternally grateful. With her encouragement and example, I was able to give ISKCON open ears and an open heart.

The best thing about the Vancouver temple is the lone brahmacharini, Su Devi Sudari Dasi, and her authority, Sri Tulasi Maharani. Su Devi is fired up and all about distributing books. She also daily clips Tulasi manjaris for Sri Krishna's garland. The entire weekend, there must have been more than 30 women using her bathroom and shower morning and night, yet being the perfect hostess, she welcomed each and everyone of them.

Su Devi's roommate, Guru Mukha dd, is also amazing. One night she described to me how she found Krishna Consciousness in China. However, in communist China, bhakti yoga must be practiced underground in secrecy. She explained the trials the devotees must undergo simply to distribute one book or gather for kirtan.

I woke up the following morning feeling ashamed at how I take for granted the temple, my freedom to worship in the temple and the access I have to an abundance of Vedic literatures. When faced with such opulence and abundance, it is easy for me to lose sight of the great fortune I have causelessly been given.

I spent all weekend living in the groves of Vrindavana, taking shelter of the lotus roots of Sri Tulasi Maharani. By the indication of Tulasi's vigorous luster and health, the devotion of the Vancouver devotees has become tangible.

By Krishna's arrangement, I met up with a long lost friend from Albuquerque who just happened to see the parade from her apartment building and who just happened to see me in the front of the procession. The last time we saw each other was one year ago to the day at my 26th birthday party last year. We spent the evening together catching up, bewildered by the spontaneous arrangement. The next morning she took me to a cafe where her classmate's cow painting exhibit was hung. Beautiful! And, yes, I am now officially 27.

LA Ratha Yatra, doin' it with style.

2007-08-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

I've never been so enthusiastic to be in LA. In general, I would avoid it at all cost. However, the Los Angeles Hare Krishna temple has shed some new light on the scene. It's actually not new at all. The LA temple has been representing for over three decades and boasts a large community base to prove it.

LA Ratha Yatra is famous. I did some flyering the day previous and spent some time chatting with a local psychic on Venice Beach Boulevard. She was complaining that this year the devotees sent out written requests asking all the vendors to move their kiosks back one tile for the parade. She was upset at the intrusion but said she continues to allow the devotees to love her. She mentioned something about always being gifted peanut butter cups during Ratha Yatra. Little did I know the significance of her statement.

The carts were more incredible than ever. The candy garland fringe was over the top. We marched down Venice Beach, with the Pacific Ocean accompanying us to our West. Everything was magnificent. Flower petals continuously showered the onlooking public to either side of the boardwalk.

I spent the entire day distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. I met so many incredible people. So many young folks from around the world pursuing Absolute Knowledge, eager for bona-fide literature. Check out the local paparazzi studio and their photo documentary of the festival.

The free vegetarian feast was awesome. And the homemade peanut butter cups- transcendental! Undoubtedly, LA hosted my favorite Ratha Yatra of the year. All glories to the LA bhaktas!

I AM MANIFEST.

2007-08-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

After two days and one major van breakdown in Seattle, two nights in Portland distributing books and celebrating a sweet Sunday feast with the local devotees, we made our way down to Mt. Shasta, CA. Svarga Prabhuji's apartment backed right up to the mountain making it was essential for me to sleep outside on her dock in the full splendor.

The first night we arrived was full moon and we decided to drive up to Lower Panther Camp for the monthly full moon gathering. The entire crew came and chanted Hare Krishna amongst oms, diamond sutras, exotic opera vocals, wooden flutes, rain sticks, and seven different sized, crystal singing bowls. Gotta love Callifornia.

Mt. Shasta happens to host the world's largest crystal singing bowl collection. We checked out some stores in town. After fulling aligning our chakras through sound vibration therapeutics, the demo had us spinning and grinning. Later in the afternoon we drove up to Castle Lake where I had one of the best swimming experiences in my life. Feeling water deprived this summer, I took advantage of the moment. The water was like silk and was warmer than the air. Was I swimming? Was I flying? Was I floating on clouds? All I know is that I was fully intoxicated by the lake and dizzy when I came out of the water two hours later.

Good thing we left Mt. Shasta before I got too absorbed into the New Age thang. Is there such a thing as too many crystals? Luckily, we found a monster blackberry patch on our way into town and I was able to whip together a mean blackberry pie as a grounding goodbye dessert.

Saranagati Village

2007-08-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Introducing Saranagati Village, a bucolic Hare Krishna community in southeast British Columbia. Bear country folks. All the houses are off the grid and the raspberries are plentiful. We spent three days here and spotted an eagle on our way out. Auspicious.

This community is the home of one of the most famous and respected chefs in the Hare Krishna movement. Her name is Yamuna Devi Dasi Prabhu and by Krishna's mercy I spent several days in her glorious company. Above are some pictures from her garden, which surrounds her straw bale house/ashram. One afternoon we were invited for lunch. I was in ecstasy. Seconds, thirds, fourths. My travelling comadres literally had to drag me out of the door.

The official ISKCON temple in Saranagati is inside a solarium. I like the way these folks are thinking. Leaving was tough but Seattle was awaiting our arrival.

Banff National Park

2007-07-26T00:42:00.000-07:00

Why voluntarily choose to live without the daily association of huge mountains? The mood of surrender and humility is alive in Banff National Park. For years I've attended the traveling Banff Mountain Film Festival, featuring international extreme wildlife and sport documentaries, but I never thought I would actually get around to seeing these great mountain personalities so soon. Extreme mountain unicycling, here I come. If only we had an extra day or two to stick around.

This southern Canada tour has been such a pleasant surprise. One day of hiking and hot springs later, our time in Banff has been the highlight of my trip thus far. The Canadian Rockies are magnificent in their glacial glory. The rivers run aquamarine and ice cold white. The wildflowers are never shy in front of my camera.

Calgary ho!

2007-07-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

Hay, flax, and canola fields dressed the landscape as we drove across southern Ontario. Thunder Bay was our first stop. There we caught up with the bus tour kids and headed west to Winnipeg for a full day program of theatre, kirtan and feasting.

Another 2,000 miles later through the rolling flats of Saskakewan, we arrived in Calgary but not without some serious car troubles. Making the delay well worth it, even while broken down, I was able to collect the most beautiful roadside sunflowers and sage.

The Calgary Ratha Yatra was very simple and sweet. Most enjoyable for me was spending time with the temple president's young daughters at their beautiful home, where we stayed two or three nights. The last night we talked until late in the evening. I was sad to leave my sisters the next morning, but such is the reality of travel, quick hellos and quick goodbyes.

Toronto Ratha Yatra

2007-07-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

The day was splendid. After a quick visit to the ol' home town, my mom and I drove across the border to Toronto and both marched alongside the magnificent Ratha Yatra carts. His Holiness Bhakti Marga Swami led kirtan and the devotees were elated. Evident by Evelyn's smile, the afternoon was infused with happiness.

The following morning, I was given a rare opportunity to cook a feast for 12 exalted guests at Satyabhauma Prabhu's apartment overlooking the Toronto skyline. I was given complete artistic freedom so, of course, I decided to cook an authentic, southern Mexican meal. The menu was as such: poblano pepper, zucchini, and sour cream enchiladas with mango salsa, guacamole, beans and blue corn chips/fried plantainsfresh whipped cream with a touch of coconut for dessert. Provecho! Lunch was a big hit and everyone left glorifying the meal. Oh, the glories of Radharani's kitchen. I am her aspiring instrument.

Unfortunately, it was goodbye to Ananda Mohini, my new friend from Germany who was travelling with me on the east coast for two weeks. As a Sacinandana Swami disciple, she explained to me that the secret behind her Krishna Consciousness is, "enthusiasm at any cost!" After practically one year of travelling around the world through India, Australia, New Zealand, and North America, she is headed back home. You're a rockstar, Ananda Mohini! Thank you for giving me your example of blissful bhakti yoga in effect.

In Pursuit of the Best

2007-07-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we celebrated the much anticipated samadhi completion ceremony for His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja. It is an amazing phenomena to watch the devotees descend on the dhama for a festival. Overnight, hundreds of devotees arrive in their best, with their best, to see their best, and strive to be their best.

The best surprise of my weekend was a visit from Nichole, visiting from the 505. I was elated. By the mercy of H.H. Jaya Pattaca Swami, we were offered the service of collecting cow urine in the morning for his daily medicinal dose. So sure enough, after morning program we set out. Sunrise at Gita Nagari is intoxicating. It is the perfect conclusion after late night light shows given by the local lightning bugs who flock by the millions.

Absolute! Independence Day.

2007-07-04T14:29:00.000-07:00

The celebration of the completion of H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami’s samadhi is just two days away and the excitement is rising. The last three weeks, the samadhi work crew and the hometeam ashram residents have been plugging away every day to prepare for the festival. I took to the responsibility of temple grounds beautification.

Here are some before and after shots of a few gardens surrounding the temple that I worked on. I’m pleased with the results and am ready to party.

My stay at Gita Nagari has been enlightening. I came desiring engaging service in a
Simpler, more austere environment and that’s exactly what I have found. No hot water
Here thus ice cold showers morning and night have challenged my determination and so-called renunciation.

Temple program begins at 4:30am, a half hour earlier than at New Vrindaban. Working out in the garden till sunset has me in bed by eleven, which is way too late. Most of the time, I lead morning program by myself because I am the only human in attendance (I’m thankful Gita Nagari at least has plants in their temple) which means I’ve finally had to memorize all the prayers, mrdanga beats, etc. These challenges have been good for me.

Tonite I’m celebrating “Independence” Day, Vaisnava style, complete with vegan marshmallows and campfire kirtan. Motha’ Deva Deva and her husband are hosting the sankirtan party at their house, featuring darshan and lecture with H.H. Dhanurdara Swami.

In Mexico, there are at least three Independence Days that I have clebrated, one from the Spanish imperialists, one from the French aristocrats, and one from the Catholic Church. But here in bhakti yoga world, every day is Absolute! Indepence Day, regardless of temporary government institutions and unstable maneuverings of political parties. Entonces, saca la pachanga y empieza esta fiesta de sankirtana con nosotros todos los dias!

God smiles in flowers.

2007-07-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, after a full day in the garden, I found this budding Echinacea flower. Some call it mutant, but I call it a manifestation.

Srila Prabhupada says that God smiles in flowers. Because I’m so distracted in general, I find Krishna gives me really obvious signs when he is pleased with my service. Reassurance is most reassuring. Krishna’s mercy is abundant although often hard to understand and perceive.

Here at Gita Nagari, every day there is a new happening in the fields, woods, and gardens. Three weeks ago, the Honeysuckle and Peonies were in full bloom. Next came the Milkweed, Yarrow, New England Asters and Oxeye Daisies. In the past week and a half, Queen Anne’s Lace, Tigerlilies, and Black-eyed Susans have found themselves on the altar and Hyacinths made their appearance at Prabhupada’s lotus feet. This is the joy of simple living.

My next-door neighbor in the ashram runs an animal hospital of sorts. When I first came, Mother Locana Padma was caring for some ailing barn kittens. But last week, a new resident arrived on the doorstep and she gladly scooped him up. We named him Garuda.

We never found out what kind of bird he was but we could hear his relatives in the surrounding trees. After a strong week, eating peanut bitter and Ganges water, he left his body listening to Prabhupada chanting the maha mantra. Life and death on the farm. Life and death on the farm. Life and death on the farm. On the farm, the reality of the continuous cycle of birth and death is constantly in your face, and usually you have to pick it up and bury it too.

Yesterday, while moving the oxen water trough, Mother Kaulini and I watched two slimy slugs slither across the body of a salivating snake curled up below. We were both disgusted. She reminded me then that the soul’s destination is determined by our life’s activities and consciousness. Thus, it is paramount to take advantage of this human birth, learn the science of life, and avoid the risk of taking birth again as a slug. Yes ma’am!

First impressions.

2007-06-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

Mother Kaulini asked me to travel with her to “upstate” NY where her services were requested to lead two grain ceremonies. Grain ceremonies, according to my neophyte understanding, are one of the samscaras (basically means a ritual intended to create a favorable impression) that most children brought up in the Vaisnava tradition undergo at 6 months when they receive their first taste of grain. Turns out the ceremonies were for the triplets I saw in NY and another little boy named Yogi.
After the kid takes his first bite, tradition holds that three plates are put in front of the baby, one full of books, another with coins and jewelry, and the third with soil. The idea is that whichever plate the child reaches for, becomes an indication of their future inclinations. Nice pick Yogi!
Our last night was spent in Styvescent Falls, NY with the nice Kayle & Saci family. Their kids impressed the heck out of me. All three attend a Waldorf school in the area. We spent the following morning looking through pictures of their school's annualperformance of The Mahabarata, an ancient Vedic text that describes in detail the full history of The Bhagavad Gita. Little Laxman here officialy qualifies as a super rare allstar.
My favorite moment of the entire trip was late afternoon after the first grain ceremony which was only the beginning of a larger Panihati festival to be celebrated for the rest of the day. Upon departure, I noticed our tires were low but neither I nor Mother Kaulini could remember the proper tire pressure for an SUV nor did we have a tire pressure gauge. A seasof Hindus stood before us. Outcome unlikely. A moment later, however, Mother Taruni spots His Holiness Varsana Maharaja. She ran over, he nodded his head, and, sure enough, came back with an answer and a tire gauge. He said we could keep it. And that's how one lucky tire gauge found itself on my altar.

strawberries, i'm home.

2007-06-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

I’m finally at home. Gita Nagari is magical. Nestled in between thriving Mennonite and Amish communities, she holds her own as a religious place of pilgrimage and refuge. The Radha-Damodhara temple here is the most beautiful temple I have had the opportunity to worship in. Simple yet elegant, her giant windows spill in the morning sunlight and illuminate the otherwise invisible waves of incense hovering above. Today I washed these giant windows and was practically out of breath when I finished.

Gita Nagari has a down-home, comfortable, family atmosphere. The Sunday feasts feature the finest in vegetarian, home-baked soul food, infused with loving devotion. One is surly blessed to experience the honor of tasting Mother Kaulini’s curd and zucchini sabji. The two cows we milk every day provide the temple with an abundance of fresh yogurt, paneer, smoothies, and Vrindaban ice cream! So much for my urban, vegan aspirations.

Day and night, Mother Kaulini milks two beautiful brown swiss mothers, named Kisore and Saloni. I usually tag along and watch in amazement at Mother Kaulini’s gentle yet steady and strong milking grip. The cows are literally dripping milk and stand patiently, legs untied, while we sit on either side of one cow, harvesting their priceless donations one at a time. Evening milking is the best. Sometimes we linger and watch the eastern storm clouds roll in or observe the reddish hues of sunset illuminating the western sky. Full bucket in tow, we head back to the ashram, day well spent and ready to take rest.

I quickly plugged in here as a groundswoman. There are infinite hidden perennial beds and future gardens waiting to be discovered. I arrived just as the strawberry patch ripened up and spent the first two weeks picking strawberries early mornin' style so as Krishna could enjoy freshies for breakfast. In one week there will be a big celebration here marking the simultaneous two-year anniversary of the death of H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami and the completion of his samadhi memorial, being dressed in white marble as we speak. At the request of Mother Kaulini, one week gives me just enough time to finish decorating the holy dhama with as many sunflower, watermelon, sweet pepper, and tomato plants as possible.

This here is Gopa. He’s my pal. Yesterday while sitting underneath the back porch awning of the old farm house, we chanted japa together and watched the greatly anticipated rain quench the garden’s thirst. I guess I’m partial to three-legged beings. The kittens with extra toes pass as well. Srila Prabhupada compares our relationship with Krishna as that between the caretaker and the dog. The sane caretaker (Krishna) gives the dog (living beings) freewill to roam and explore, play and do what she wants, but the ultimate purpose of the dog is to obey the master’s orders. The way I figure, there is nothing more annoying than an untrained dog, so I’m getting myself potty trained.

Absolute fashion.

2007-06-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

After the GBC meetings, the van was again packed up Ratha Yatra bound. NYC, here we come! Again.

We arrived in Brooklyn around 9 pm. With just enough time to catch a quick shower and powernap, we headed down to Washington Square Park for late night set-up starting at midnight. Good times with the local entertainment and four hours of tent and pole placement later, we jumped on the subway around 4am, got back to the temple just before mangala arati, but slept through the morning program anyways. We were up and showered, however, by 8am and in the van soon after for a quick stop at 26th & 2nd Avenue, the historic site marking the first Hare Krishna pad and bhajan kutir in North America.

The Ratha Yatra began in Central Park at noon. The crowd was in the thousands, all scrambling to help pull Lord Jagannatha’s chariots some 50 blocks down 5th Avenue. I think the pictures say it all. Check out this rockstar Vaisnava mama keepin’ it reals with triplets.

H.H. Praladananda Maharaja (who weeks ago in Srimad Bhagavatam class explained how we all worship a deity, meticulously dress, bathe, and feed them nicely and very opulently, but in most cases the deity is our own bodies), and H.H. Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja led great sessions in the question & answer tent at the festival landing site, where I proceeded to help serve out free vegetarian prasadam to what seemed like thousands of folks. I kept on asking myself, as the line grew longer and longer, “How to go about feeding NYC?”

In all the excitement and madness, I left my backpack in the Brooklyn temple and was forced to leave it when my ride to Gita Nagari informed me that it would be too far out of the way to retrieve it. What to do? Me, my sari, and my humble fanny pack arrived in Harrisburg three hours later and spent the night at Motha’ Lila Katha and Tamal Krishna Prabhu’s lovely new home. Lila geneoursly hooked me up with some necessities so that I arrived at Gita Nagari in Port Royal, PA, the following afternoon, with a fresh sari and toothbrush in hand.

Shooting hoops with His Holiness.

2007-06-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

I returned to New Vrindaban after Cleveland Ratha Yatra to the International GBC meetings. Basically, all the top administrators of the ISKCON universe blessed the community with their stay for practically one whole week. At least three days in a row, morning program was attended by over 25 sunnyasis along with some of the most well-respected devotees in the movement.

The highlights of my weekend include playing basketball with H.H. Hrdayanada Goswami. Instead of P-I-G, we played A-S-U-R-A (literally means “demon” in Sanskrit). After several evenings of darshan and two morning japa walks, Acharya Deva’s humor and intelligence has given me an even greater appreciation of Krishna consciousness and has reinforced my decision to pursue bhakti yoga as a lifetime aspiration. His blissful enthusiasm and love of Krishna is totally infectious.

Other highlights include serving fresh cow urine to H.H. Jaya Pattaca Swami every morning in the barn. What a fabulous lila. I admire his ability to reach out to so many people with his full attention, heartfelt kindness and compassion.

The mercy was flowing like anything that week and I ran after it enthusiastically. As I was packing up my room for my big move, I felt most grateful to leave New Vrindaban on such a high note. All glories to the New Vrindaban devotees who are teaching me what it really means to throw a good party.

Phone home.

2007-06-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to reflect on this past month and bring the folks up to speed with my whereabouts. Why have I been so busy that I couldn’t manage to fit in a few phone calls to relay things like hello, I’m still alive, etc. for the peace of mind of my dear parents? What is the difficulty? Communication has always been my weak point.

To start off, a few weeks ago the ladies and I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio for my first kick-off Ratha Yatra of 2007. Ratha Yatra is sometimes referred to as the Festival of Chariots or the Festival of India. These festivals are held annually all around the world at various times throughout the year. The ultimate significance is that we are welcoming Krishna back into our hearts and reawakening our original, primeval consciousness of pure love of God.

Ratha Yatra is something I hold dear in my heart. Two years ago, I was traveling through Mexico and happened to find a devotee to hitchhike with into the city of Guadalajara. On the way there he told me the Ratha Yatra festival was that very same weekend. I had no clue what he meant but eventually we caught a ride downtown and made our way to the temple.

There they were. Three massive chariots carrying three wooden sculptures with crazy, intoxicating eyes and big smiles. By the mercy of the devotees, I was later formally introduced to the presiding deities, Lord Jagannatha, Lady Subadra, and Lord Baladeva. Two days of festival later, stomach full of prasadam (foodstuffs offered to the Lord), ears ringing with kirtan, and bewildering images of devotees in devotional dress playing bass guitar and Hare Krishna reggae on a massive stage with devotees going nuts in the audience, I was fascinated. What are they so excited about, I wondered. I was curious. I wanted more. That weekend I was gifted my first Krishna book. After traveling for some time with a few devotees who put me up in their casa that weekend, I moved back to New Mexico, started going to a Sunday program and by the following summer I moved into the temple. Thus, I feel strongly about the powerful role Ratha Yatra played in awakening my Krishna consciousness and feel strongly about supporting and continuing this tradition.

By the mercy of Mother Devavati, I was invited up onto the cart to help decorate. Years of birthday parties with crepe paper décor paid off as I successfully went through four rolls to decorate the railings. With Lake Erie as our backdrop, the parade went through the waterfront parkway on a hot and blissful afternoon. H.H. Bhakti Marga Swami led funky kirtan for hours afterwards to the point of almost reaching a salsa groove. I was in ecstasy. Many thanks to the organizers of the festival and to all the Cleveland devotees who helped make it happen.

Time to Ketchup.

2007-06-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

I moved into the temple thinking the best thing for my spiritual life would be to renounce the world and withdrawal for awhile. But some how or another, I've been to NYC on three different occassions since May on strictly devotional business. I guess I picked the right temple. Funny how things work out. Our Vaisnava tradition instructs us to enthusiastically pursue devotional life. Sure we renounce a bit in the beginning, but like H.H. Varsana Swami said last weekend, "We may be fasting, but, spiritually, we are feasting."

Sleeping soul sisters.

2007-05-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a transcendental weekend road trip. Unexpectedly, after finishing a batch of speculation sweet potato kicheree for breakfast, I was rescued in time to miss Memorial Day weekend madness and thrown into Malati Prabhuji's van last Friday. Our first destination was Towacco, New Jersey. Ahhh Jersey. I am astounded by any good you have to offer and yet I seem to be surrounded by your byproducts wherever I go. Traveling with Malati Prabhuji is a unique experience. Two things are guaranteed. Passengers never experience a moment of hunger and passengers never experience a moment of hunger. Transcendental smarties and caramel chews lofted liberally to the back seat...I find it simultaneously hilarious that originally my intention was to move to the temple so that I could renounce, and, slightly sickened by the opposite extreme that seems to have presented itself. But, whatever, different strokes for different folks. The only truly important thing to recognize is that we are all sleepy, conditioned souls in temporary, human bodies.
After an early darshan and bhajan with Sri Sri Sita Rama, Laxman and Hanuman, the blue chariot headed north to Brooklyn and arrived just in time for the ceremony on Saturday evening. The assembled devotees were more brilliant than ever. The initiations were profoundly moving and inspiring. I have to admit, however, that after everything, I was most fascinated by my newly found detachment to the ever attractive lure of NYC. Upon departure, I didn't feel a single tinge of hankering or lamentation. My stays in the past have always revolved around a show, an exhibition, a culinary rendezvous, a vinyl mission, etc. NYC has for many years been a utopian abode of curiosity and unlimited potential. A piece of my heart has always hankered to live in a funky Brooklyn neighborhood, surround myself with a tight crew, open up a small vegan soup and sandwich joint, make big rooftop community gardens, and play ball in the streets. I guess for now, the company of cows and devotees is all I'm hankering for.
Which brings me to the best part of the trip. Gita Nagari Dhama ki jaya! Gita Nagari, located in Port Royal, PA, is my home. I feel alive and compelled to serve enthusiastically without inhibition whenever I visit. Bhakti Tirtha Maharaj disciples feel like my true brothers and sisters, so it's like a big reunion from lifetimes ago whenever I go there. The Thursday after the Festival of Inspiration, Mother Salini gave birth to lady Premunjana, pictured above. Both are doing well and in good spirits.
Mother Kaulini is my inspiration. She has lived at Gita Nagari for over 30 years. She milks the cows day and night, dresses the deities, cooks for the devotees, cleans the temple, organizes the accounts and serves as temple president. It is imperative I spent more time in the company of this saintly soul. My desire is to be her right hand milker.
The nice folks opened up a great little dinner down the hill from the farm. Complete with Kraft macaroni & cheese and soft serve ice cream, this joint distributes the goodness. These kids are really living the dream. Of course it's all prasadam and lovingly served with big ol' compassionate Vaisnava smiles.
Soul sista' Deva Deva is one of my favorite residents in the greater Gita Nagari community. The first time I ever visited, she invited me over for popcorn and tea at her new home, an old refurbished 19th century stone house. We were friends instantly. This weekend I crashed at her place and decided to walk to the temple the next morning rather than drive. What should have been a half hour walk turned into two and a half hours and I still never made it. The adventure was a blessings, however, and only reconfirmed in my heart the love I feel for this area. John & Joan Fry, an old covered bridge, and Dame's rocket bouquets were the high lites of my stroll.
At present count, Gita Nagari's cow protection program gives shelter to 16 cows and oxen. Two mothers are milked daily by hand. Mother Kaulini told me a story about one cow they cared for named Vishaka who gave birth to one calf and continued to give milk for 14 consecutive years! At one point she was sent to a hospital for eye surgery and the veterinarian took Mother Kaulini aside and explained that in his 20 years of practice, he's never met such a trusting animal. She replied, "Well that's because she knows we will never kill her." The vet was moved to tears.

Searching for herons, came up with shells.

2007-05-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

"For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me." -Bhagavad Gita, As It Is (6.30)

New Vrindaban is full of tiny surprises. Jaya Murari Prabhuji gave me a tip off on some giant sycamore trees and heron nests down by the creek, so I took the sunny afternoon's suggestion to do some exploring. Not a one heron was spotted but a single river otter came by for a quick hello and goodbye. Unfortunately, the camera was not in hand. I decided instead to focus on some of the forgotten and abandoned homes of New Vrindaban's aquatic community. Pictured are some of the more modest accommodations, but palm-sized mansions laid nearby.

A tribute to my Mom.

2007-05-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

I received the following letter a few days ago from my mom, thanking me for my hospitality after her first visit to New Vrindaban a few weeks ago. Feeling fortunate to have such a open-minded and supportive mother, I want to glorify her by sharing this letter with everyone.

Hi Alysia,
The pictures turned out beautifully- didn't they? The colors are so vibrant- they reflect the good energy of New Vrindaban.

I don't know why you apologized when you wrote "sorry I wasn't a better host". You were a terrific host -you couldn't have paid more attention to me- introducing me to so many people and showing me around. And I'm so glad I stayed in your room. It was really convenient and gave me a chance to chat with Olivia. She was so nice. Please say "hello" to her for me. You were both so careful "tip-toeing" around me so as not to wake me up at 5AM.

Sorry for leaving so abruptly Wednesday morning. I had to get home for an evening meeting, so I was eager to hit the road- but I also needed time to "digest" everything that I saw, learned, and experienced with you. You have to admit, it was a bit of a cultural shock...and something that I'm not used to...at all. But I'm really OK with it, and besides that, everyone I met impressed me as being sincerely nice, friendly and caring people. Besides that, it's your life and your decision. I hope I didn't offend anyone (including you) with giving my opinion of the worship of "deities." I honestly would have kept it to myself had I not been asked what I thought. And now that I know how strongly your beliefs are about not eating meat, when you are home I'll respect that by trying to alter our menus whenever possible.

I'm pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed being at a place that I had negative thoughts about. The only thing that bothered me was (as I already shared with you) a feeling of detachment with families- having to choose between family and religious beliefs. But again it's your decision. We will always be here for you and love you- no matter what! I love you a ton and love that you are loving where you are.

You can make plans, but plans change.

2007-05-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

New Vrindaban celebrated its 7th Annual Festival of Inspiration this past weekend. My post festival blues are starting to subside and I'm slowly getting back into my daily, pseudo transcendental routine. The past two weeks were wild in preparation. On top of it all, I thought it would be a great time to start the Master Cleanse so that come festival I would be clear and focused, equipped with proper vision and consciousness.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Master Cleanse, it is a detox program designed to clean out the ol' intestinal tract through a process of fasting, cayenne lemonade, salt water flushes and laxative tea bedtime stories. I've always been weary of trendy, universally beneficial fasts, but many friends have shared with me their votes of approval. Because my situation and means are very limited right now, lemonade mexicano sounded appropriate and affordable. I decided to go for it.

The first day I felt some abdominal cramping but by morning it had cleared up. The next few days were normal. The fifth day came and I started feeling really good. My senses were accentuated and I was feeling empowered by my discipline. Up until the eight day, I rarely felt hunger. The smell emanating from the kitchen was delightful and satisfying in itself. My energy was high and I felt great.

Half my friends here thought I was nuts, the other half were really curious and supportive. But, really folks, living in America and living the Hare Krishna "feasting" lifestyle, the body becomes overloaded with undigested foodstuffs, rotting and festering, gradually building up on the intestinal wall, rendering the body unable to properly absorb nutrients and discard the rest. This is the primarly cause of most disease and illness within our bodies.

Krishna consciousness is about foresight. Fasting is also about long term vision in that it is a form of preventive medicine. Fasting gives the body a chance to process what's already on the desk, taking up space and causing anxiety, without being overloaded by continuous incoming calls and paperwork. If our bodies are not physically fit and fine-tuned, our spiritual work will suffer miserably.

The hardest part about fasting is coming down. Funny how Krishna arranges things. Starting with a day of apple juice followed by salads the next, I was prepared to break the fast slowly over the course of the weekend. However, on Friday evening, by default I was asked to prepare dinner for His Holiness Satsvarupa Maharaj all by my lonesome. The fancy title is given because Maharaj is saintly and, therefore, one of the most respected gurus in this movement. In Vaishnava tradition, to eat the remnants off the plate of a guru or any exalted personality is likened to taking communion in the Christan tradition. SO sure enough, there I am, haven't eaten for a week, in front of me is a full plate full of sacred leftovers, i'm the only one around, what to do? Material versus spiritual? Temporary stomach ache and indigestion versus eternal spiritual rewards? Needless to say, I ate everything.

We can make groovy plans, but plans change. Sometimes Krishna personally makes special arrangements for his aspiring devotees. This time though, He got me good.

Te presento the all-pure Madre Shantendriya

2007-05-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

"For those who worship me with love and devotion, meditating on my transcendental form, to them I preserve what they have and carry what they lack." -Bhagavad Gita (9.22)

I used to read Carlos Castaneda and dream of finding my own Don Juan. The lizard thing always freaked me out though. Then I starting reading Florida Donner, starting with A Witch's Dream: A Healer's Way of Knowledge. I was convinced I had to find a curandera in Peru. Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Mayan Healer, by Rosita Arvigo, then fell into my hands en route to Central America, and I was more ready than ever. Starving for a qualified teacher, I searched the Huicholi desserts in northern Mexico, the jungle temples of Chiapas, and the Land of Enchantment, glorious New Mexico. I read somewhere, probably in Siddhartha, that one who is searching for something will never find it because their focus is so narrowed that they will miss what they are looking for because they are too busy searching rather than observing. I observed for two years and simultaneously observed myself not attaining my goals or dreams, overwhelmed with possibilities and having no focus to pursue any of them.

Moving to the temple in West Virgina was not very appealing to me. The last place in the world I wanted to be was on the east coast of this dreadful country. By Krishna's mercy, somehow I left everything and everyone I loved most in this world, and made the pilgrimage to New Vrindaban. Deciding to stay was based on the promise Krishna gives in the Bhagavad Gita that was quoted up top.

Will I be stuck in boondocks West Virgina for the rest of my life? What about all my dreams and aspirations? My adventurous travels? Mis frijoles y tortillas? These were the questions in my head, but I pursued nevertheless, having enough intelligence to recognize I was going nowhere in life without a solid spiritual foundation.

After several weeks I was introduced to a woman by the name of Shantendriya, a Brazilian-bodied devotee who moved to NV one year ago with her husband Jai Prabhupada and two kids. She spoke little English. We compromised with our mutal Spanish. I would watch her carry the Tulasi plant in big, heavy pots, one in each arm, up and down the stairs everyday. One day I asked if she could use my help. I joined her for Tulsi puja that night and my love for Shandentriya and Tulasi Maharani was quickly ignited.

Shandentryia is one of the most incredible, equipoised, gentle, sincere and humble women I have ever met. Her energy is soft and calming, magical and motherly. We share similar wandering backgrounds and a mutual passion with plants and herbal medicine. She is a practitioner of Ayurvedic massage and an infinite source of knowledge and experience. I started assisting her with massage several months ago and I am fascinated by her hands.

Shantendriya paints the temple deities and recently made a diorama of Panca Tattva for Gaura Purnima in March. I knew she was a painter but I had no idea until today the extent of her talent. The fotos above are several pieces of hers that are painted on canvas with bleach! Shantendriya is far out. This morning we were spending time together in her workshop and she began showing me some of her small paintings. She explained how she got tired using paintbrushes so she started using her fingers. The detail and sharpness of her work is amazing. I am totally in love.

So who would have thought? In Bethlehem, West Virginia, I move to a Hare Krishna temple that distributes ancient Vedic knowledge and low and behold, I find my South American curandera and an apprenticeship I've always longed for. Another example in my life that proves Krishna is true to his word. Therefore, for the pleasure of Krishna and his devotees, te presento a Uds. the all-pure Madre Shantendriya- mi tia, mi madre, mi inspiracion.

A Reason to Vegan.

2007-05-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

These past two weeks, my girl, Reggie, and her daughter, Marlee, have been visiting the temple. Reggie's a fellow New Yorker, what a relief! There's just something about New York humor that I love, especially Jewish humor. Reggie's all about it, being the old bat that she is. Reggie has been vegan for over 15 years and sugar-free for the past five. Vegan isn't just what one excludes from their diet, it's a lifestyle. No animal products what so ever, no leather, no tallow, no exceptions. She ditched the sugar for health reasons but the environmental impact of sugar cane on coastal ecosystems (http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/sugar.htm) what to speak of its historic and contemporary role in economic colonialism are reason enough to avoid it. It was inspiring to have her vegan consciousness around the temple. I really needed her to wake me up. Striving to be compassionate for all conditioned souls, this is my responsibility as an aspiring devotee of Krishna. I'm tired of being complacent and lazy.

In high school, we used to chant the Serenity Prayer after the ol' pledge of allegiance.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

In a time when an infinite number of institutions and agendas are working hard to control our lives, its empowering to stand up and resist. Purify our hearts, while purifying our body so that we can help others to do the same.

Straight up VEGGIE.

2007-05-05T08:41:00.000-07:00

The four legs of a cow represent the four pillars of religiosity: mercy, austerity, cleanliness, and truthfulness. Srila Prabhupada instructed his students to follow four regulative principles of freedom: No meat eating, no sex outside of marriage, no intoxication, and no gambling. By practicing these corresponding regulations, I am developing a foundation for a strong spiritual life. A strict vegetarian diet is most favorable for obtaining the quality of mercy and compassion for all living beings.

Throughout my life I have gone in and out of the vegetarian lifestyle. Initially, my freshman year of college, I became a veggie for ethical, environmental, and political reasons. The health benefits were a bonus, along with the friendships and connections I began making with others striving for a similar lifestyle of awareness and conscientiousness. However, while studying abroad in Mexico, travelling to small villages where the occasional chicken was slaughtered in honor of my arrival, I thought it was best to be gracious and accept the hospitality. I thought, "Who am I? Some middle-class, white gringa, so proud and privileged that I can survive without eating meat." The veggie thing was off.

After graduating with an environmental science degree, I began a period in my life where I apprenticed at several small, organic family farms. I learned how to raise goats, pigs, sheep, turkeys, rabbits, chickens, you name it, for the self-contained sustenance of the farmer and his family. The last step in animal husbandry, however, is killing, butchering, and storage. I learned it all. It was never easy but somehow empowering. I even felt quite proud about it. Enough so that if I were to eat an occasional piece of meat that wasn't family-raised, I thought I paid my dues and an exception here and there never hurt anyone.

While living in New Mexico, at one point I started working for a schmancy restaurant that, in addition to catering to vegans and vegetarians, only served organic meats. By the end of my employment there, I found myself eating meat practically every other day. But enough was enough. I felt my moral fiber slipping like anything. I thought to myself, I used to have strong beliefs and political orientation. Now what am I doing for humanity?

I came to the temple seeking refuge, renewed spiritual life and direction. The New Vrindaban devotees have provided me with this and so much more, beyond my wildest imagination. It has been eight months now for me, meat-free. This means no eggs, no fish, straight-up herbivore. It is more apparent to me now than ever, why it is essential to practice vegetarianism. Even from a platform of good health, healthy environment, and moral integrity, what to speak of an understanding of the karmic reactions one brings to themselves and others, a vegetarian lifestyle is the key to wellness. Yet so many of my loved ones still just don't get it. What to do but pray that one day I will be given the intelligence and ability to help them understand.

The Sexual Politics of Meat?

2007-05-05T00:25:00.000-07:00

"A clearheaded scholar joins the ideas of two movements--vegetarianism and feminism--and turns them into a single coherent and moral theory. Her argument is rational and persuasive....New ground-whole acres of it-is broken by Adams."

--Washington Post Book World

"An important and provocative work...the author provides a compelling case for inextricably linking feminist and vegetarian theory. This book is likely to both inspire and enrage readers across the political spectrum."
--Library Journal

"An intelligent polemic...Adams's observations are telling, most are seductively sprung...the argument is both thoughtful and hought-provoking."
-- The Kirkus Reviews

"Carol J. Adams's original, provocative book makes a major contribution to the debate on animal rights."
--Publisher's Weekly

"The Sexual Politics of Meat by Carol J. Adams examines the historical, gender, race, and class implications of meat culture, and makes the links between the practice of butchering/eating animals and the maintenance of male dominance. Read this powerful new book and you may well become a vegetarian."

--Ms. Magazine

"Depiction of animal exploitation as one manifestation of a brutal patriarchal culture has been explored in two books by Carol J. Adams, The Sexual Politics of Meat and Neither Man nor Beast: Feminism and the Defense of Animals. Adams argues that factory farming is part of a whole culture of oppression and institutionalized violence. The treatment of animals as objects is parallel to and associated with patriarchal society's objectification of women, blacks and other minorities in order to routinely exploit them. Adams excels in constructing unexpected juxtapositions by using the language of one kind of relationship to illuminate another. Employing poetic rather than rhetorical techniques, Adams makes powerful connections that encourage readers to draw their own conclusions."
--Choice

"With this bold and provocative book, a powerful champion of animal rights has entered the lists, challenging the patriarchal domination of the Western world's eating habits."
--National Women's Studies Association Journal

"The Sexual Politics of Meat couldn't be more timely, or more disturbing."
--Environmental Ethics

The Sexual Politics of Meat Slide Show
To learn more about this rockstar woman, check out her homepage:
http://www.triroc.com/xcj/#slide

My Dad or Lord Visnu?

2007-05-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

Transcendental Dry Cleaning

2007-05-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

I took a quick trip home to visit the folks in Buffalo this past weekend. My big sis, Nicole, and cousin, Natalie, turned 30 and a big party marked their achievement. Being surrounded by family and friends, I was showered with many precious gifts like unconditional love, material comforts, and lots of reality checks.

My mom's best friend Ruth is one of the more fabulous women I have ever met. We share a similar eccentric personality. Somehow I found myself at the over-the-hill dinner table and the discussion was death, but Ruth was really yukking it up. She said something like, "I'm not ready to go yet because I still haven't found anything to wear." Then she turns to my mom, looks her up and down and says, "And these women aren't helping me much either." Ruth is hilarious.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, "As a person puts on new garments, taking off the old ones, similarly the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones" (2.22).

Personally, I'm tired of doing laundry. Fortunately, Krishna Consciousness provides an opportunity to never do laundry again.

Where the grass is greener...

2007-04-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

The morning began with the usual suspects, who according to Jaya Prabhupada, were anxiously awaiting the other side and the promise of greener grass and fresh pasture. After two unsuccessful attempts to round up the herd, the crew was on the verge of giving up. After a short pep talk, Jaya Prabhupada reminded us that the cows will only listen if we present ourselves authoritatively, with a clear understanding of what we need them to do. Sure enough, three was the charm and the five-mile journey up to Bahulaban began.

The skies threatened rain all morning but hardly a drop was felt. The cows being far more familiar with the path than any of their herders, took to the hike like well-seasoned pros.

With camera in hand, I quickly found myself in the rear, delighted by the wide array of blooming forest flowers and fiddle heads ready to unfurl. White trilliums decorated the trail side amongst the well-postured May apple leaves and the occasional patch of star flowers.

For the folks who don't know, New Vrindaban has got some crazy history. If you take a walk in the woods, in any direction from the current temple building, an incredible array of old cabins, dilapidated houses, and mysterious temples quickly present themselves.

Old Vrindaban is one of the best finds. Crazy beautiful stained glass wall, left only to be appreciated by the occasional vagabond and renegade sapling bursting through the floorboards. It reminds me of the temporary nature of all material things and opulences.

I never actually made it to the new pasture. I took my time and relished the forest splendor. Walking stick in one hand, my prayer beads in the other, I've always been a sucker for woods. Not many places I'd rather be really. Now it's time, though, that I brush up on my plant identification skills and reestablish some personal relationships with so many plant friends I've left behind or have forgotten. Anyone recognize our purple friend pictured above?

"Krishna consciousness is about loving relationships."- this being one of the very first sentences Varshana Swami shared with me last fall. The extent of these relationships is limitless. So many souls surrounding us, but have we introduced ourselves and extended our services? Every plant my guru, each blade of grass, my inspiration. The cows, my redeemers, devotional service, my shelter.

The Birth of the Spoon Revolution

2007-04-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

I've always had a slight obsession with soup spoons. Now I understand why. Check out this flick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4sK1PZHWPg

bREAD & pUPPET upDATE

2007-04-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

The revised list of BREAD & PUPPET's upcoming performances is as follows:

WESTERVILLE, OH
Otterbein College
The Main Quad
(In the gym if it rains)
EVERYTHING IS FINE CIRCUS
Saturday 4/21, 2 pm

DELAWARE, OH
Ohio Wesleyan University
location to be announced
EVERYTHING IS FINE CIRCUS
Tuesday 4/24, 4 pm

OBERLIN, OH
Oberlin College
location to be announced
EVERYTHING IS FINE CIRCUS
Wednesday 4/25, @ 4 or 4:30 pm

ATHENS, OH
Ohio University
Studio Theatre, School of Dance
EVERYTHING IS FINE CIRCUS
Friday 4/27, 7:30 pm

And here's what I know about Buffalo. Space is not 100%
confirmed yet.

BUFFALO, NY
Buffalo Seminary Gym
EVERYTHING IS FINE CIRCUS
Thursday 5/3, 7 pm

A group of folks from New Vrindavan is planning to attend one
of the performances.  Please let me know if you would like to
join us.