My dear devotees,
I send my love from Germany, this is a little message for Sunday Chat from Europe. I have very beautiful news to share with all of you.
Two years ago I heard the music production of Nrishimha prabhu for the first time called "Open range, Bakata reborn." At the time I was fascinated with the music of the Sierra Nevada of Colombia, with the songs of the Mamos (the priests of the Sierra) and the inspiring example of leaders like Ati Quigua. Shortly after that I personally met Ati and we developed a connection with the whole project they were developing. Then, we traveled with a group of devotees to Brazil to attend the Rio +20 where we formed an activist group that preached about protecting Mother Nature and the animals. There we officially founded the World Conscious Pact with Vandana Shiva and other activist organizations and individuals.
Throughout this work, both myself and the Vaishnava participants, kept low profiles, while supporting all initiatives; and this is because if people saw a very strong leadership of the devotees they could feel and possibly give less importance to the message. Awareness and participation of everyone was the main message.
Back in Colombia I received an invitation from Mamo Lwntana to participate in the Foundation of Ikwashendwna, the Covenant of the Guardians of Nature. Mamo Lwntana offered support and agreed that the World Conscious Pact and Ikwashendwna were the same. Thus, we presented as the World Conscious Pact - Ikwashendwna. After that, Mamo Lwntana said the Guardians of Nature would be known as "Naturalists" and, from this, the idea of Chaksi-fest began as a promotional format for the World Conscious Pact.
At the World Conscious Pact - Ikwashendwna establishment two musical leaders who are well known in South America and in the world participated: Hector Buitrago (Aterciopelados) and David Jaramillo - Nrishimha Das (Doctor Krapula), along with other friends and musical guardians and advocates for Mother Earth. After the foundation of the World Conscious Pact - Ikwashendwna, I received another invitation from another Mamo, Antonino, to create a common educational effort called the University of Ancestral Wisdom (UDSA-spanish), whose main purpose is to return a source of knowledge for native brothers about the reality of modernization, impacts and dangers. For this purpose, I also had the great fortune to receive from the hands of the venerable Mexican educator Eduardo del Rio (Rius) the collaboration of all his conscious messages to be used by anyone who would benefit from these messages.
Simultaneously we were able to connect the original law of the ancestral Andean people, known as "Law is" with the universal principles practiced by the inhabitants of the Himalayas in the East. This friendship between the Vaishnava groups and the original tribes in the world, including Dr. Vandana Shiva and the Ati Quigua leader, marked the beginning and it illuminated a new commitment that coincided with the launch of the high-impact music production in South America "the voices of Patagonia "in Chile and" Ama-zonas" by David Jaramillo and Collective Jaguar in Colombia.
In these days I was speaking to David Jaramillo - Nrishimha Das, on the need to revive the campaign "Open range, Bakata reborn" in a solid manner. There he gave me, completely at our expense, the promotional tool for the campaign for use in connection with the Global Conscious Pact and the Ancestral Wisdom of our guardians. I was very happy to know this, and that's the news I wanted to share with you, because this beautiful production has not yet been sufficiently promoted internationally and it is still unknown. Of course, one must always consider that these three major productions that I've talked about today, "Open range Bakata reborn", "Voices of Patagonia" and "Ama-zonas" are entirely donated by the authors and it is of interest to all of us that this music reaches the maximum number of people on the planet so they can benefit from it. So more people can be made aware of what is happening and will be able to join this campaign.
Like the Andes, the Himalayas have been threatened by hundreds of dams and should be protected, the water for millions is in danger. So, this fight is very important for the Planet and I am very happy that we can be part of it. An important part of this effort was the campaign launch in Colombia by Ati Quigua to recognize the rights of Mother Earth and giving him the benefit of being considered a judiciary person that can be legally protected from exploitation.
This Ati campaign was taken up in Europe by another activist that Krishna put in our way, his name is Mumta Ito, she is working hard in preparing this proposal for the European Parliament. She invited the World Conscious Pact - Ikwashendwna to be part of this campaign. Thus, the call of the Andes to protect Mother Nature can reach all corners of the world. We can present this campaign along with other efforts and services that the World Conscious Pact and the University of Ancient Wisdom. Better said, we are forming a beautiful alliance of friendship in which we can join and become representatives. So we will be partakers of all the struggles that take place around the planet for the protection of Mother Earth.
Vaishnavas are present in this dynamic through the distribution of prasada. Vaishnavas are noted in the kitchen, because love begins in the stomach. And if you distribute prasada to the people, then their hearts can be filled with love and their awareness can be improved.
Please dear devotees, consider that everything I just told you about are arrangements of Lord Krishna Himself; I never imagined that all these connections and facts would happen. Through the Chaski - fest we can reach thousands and millions of people with the distribution of prasada, inviting them to chant the holy names of the Lord and learn more about the Vaishnava culture.
Personally, I think the expansion of Krishna Consciousness is going to manifest simultaneously when people see that devotees are allies in the fight for the welfare of the planet, alongside all of them. So one of the tasks that we will meet at this time is to make a new design and promotion for Open range, Bakata reborn so it can be distributed in all cultural festivals and even in sankirtan.
We must also begin to launch the World Conscious Pact - Ikwashendwna at large. We have the support of David Jaramillo and Collective Jaguar (Nrishimha prabhu) who will surely soon be rewarded for their excellent production.
We will be working on several sides to fulfill these tasks. Along with prabhu Aradhya we will work on a professional film that allows us to spread it all in a very serious manner. I wanted to share this about the service we are doing for the World Conscious Pact.
On the other hand, I want to tell you that I am very pleased with the wonderful boom in book distribution thanks to the sankirtan group which is led by Thakur prabhu. I believe that in the future much more energy will flow in this area, especially in the distribution of educational materials, such as the new Yoga Inbound course through correspondence. My dear, we must not forget the main thing of all, we are a Vaishnava community that is looking to win the hearts and friendship of the people to serve them better and show them transcendental knowledge.
Our presence in South America with the Eco Yoga Villages is of utmost importance because preaching to the volunteers who visit us has a really big impact, it is something that is just beginning and will produce very good results. Also our presence in India and our participation in festivals like the Kumbha Mela has been of the utmost importance. We hope we can become instruments of love of Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada, who was a great defender of Mother Earth, gave us his blessing. May his and Lord Caitanya's glory, who predicted that the Lord has thousands of names to invoke His gracious presence, be disseminated in that manner. At least, we experienced it that way on the day of the founding of Ikwashendwna, singing all night with aruhacos, Kogi and others. We sang together the different names of God and danced nonstop until midnight feeling that we were receiving a blessing. I did not imagined that the song of the Kumbha Mela Ganga Mai was going to circulate throughout the planet.
The Sierra Nevada of Colombia called the Heart of the Earth is actually becoming famous all over the Earth.
So we end the chat here today, remember the instruction of saying, doing and being prepared.
Your always well wisher,
B. A. Paramadvaiti Swami.
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Eco Villages. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Eco Villages. Mostrar todas las entradas
30th anniversary of the Vrinda family 1/26/2014
Dear devotees,
This year we are celebrating 30 years of the Vrinda family, 30 years my God, who could have imagined 30 years of Vrinda and it is true, it is reality. In 1984 we launched the Vrinda family. I wanted to find a spiritual family, family means commitment of father, mother, brothers, uncles, grandparents, all that.
I wanted to have a family, but I did not want to marry. I wanted to have a real family in the family of Srila Prabhupada, because I see that institutions always have shortcomings, on the other hand I will say this again, in my life I have helped find a minimum of 20 organizations but I am not a member of any of them, I just belong to the relationship from heart to heart.
If you have a shop you have to register it and that is called legal personality, and if it is not like this no one will take it seriously, and in our service we want to be taken seriously, we want to have a family from heart to heart, we just have that and we have to defend it, that is what this life is for, and that is my message to all of the Vrinda family members chatting on this day.
In a way another chapter of my life begins in Bogota, I already had several. I had the extensive chapter of Brazil, of Sweden, of Denmark, sankirtan leader in northern Europe, and brahmacari in the Berlin temple and all those were previous chapters, but the chapter that I opened in 1984 in Colombia was very significant because it was where Harijan Maharaj and I took responsibility for a spiritual family, this is a position called mission impossible, but by the mercy of a pure devotee the mission impossible can become possible which is called causeless mercy. But for a person with a birth as low as mine that can assume a role like this, one begins to wonder:
Why can I make a mission possible if it is impossible? Because at that time and thanks to Srila Prabhupada we were already working for years in Colombia, and there at that time there was no failing of international support from other Vaishnavas because Srila Prabhupada was helping his whole mission, but failure was felt .... either you assumed responsibility or close the mission, and some devotees said:
"We want to have your guidance, no one elses ..." and I was not in Colombia I was in India, and I came to the United States and I was completely uncertain about my future and I received a call from Harijan Maharaj and other devotees who told me: come to Colombia, we want to continue working for Srila Prabhupada but with your support, but if you do not come how are we going to do it? And I was in exile like Napoleon. I was six months in exile, I could not go to Colombia on part of the authorities because they knew that I was angry with them. Devotees told me not to put care into it and that with them I would walk with the mission, and that to me was like a 3rd or 4th birth. The first was mom and dad , the second is when I took initiation. The third is when you start to worship the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I felt that this was the fourth birth, to assume a role of spiritual responsibility, practically almost as a spiritual father.
I had seen the institutional aspect called international institution, so I wanted something that was from heart to heart, I deplored diplomacy, hypocrisy, I do not wish to have such relationships in life, I want to have relationships of the heart with people, thus this effort of Vrinda family was born, and the 30 year marks is here. And Srila Harijan Maharaja a couple years before went to be with Krsna, luckily Gurudeva Atulananda appeared to help me and lend a hand so that I would not be left without association. There was also Prabhu Kanka , Prabhu Askalita , Prabhu Mrigranath, but we were a flock of disciples of Srila Prabhupada with the charge of a large mission, and frustration because of the institution, from all sides, and we said that it was not the mission that Srila Prabhupada wanted and we looked for how he wanted it to be and from there we found inspiration from Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaja. Harijan Maharaj and I received Sannyas and took off very happy.
So today we are reflecting on the fact that after 30 years Krsna blessed us to be in the service of Prabhupada in separation, but also Krsna shows us that the maximum degree of humility is the greatest need, permanently we must never forget that we come from a world of lust, anger, envy, from very low samskaras.
We are in the land where there are no jokes but only sacrifice, a growing humanity like the Vrinda family, establishing a spiritual family and among the devotees in general things are soft and very tender, when a devotee stops being a devotee the sin is that he begins smoking marijuana or takes a beer or has illicit sex; and this in the material world ... parties and partying, the fall of a devotee is engagement in the party of this world, then it's not exactly something as shocking as crimes and all the corruption and horror of this world, but of course we want to be exemplary as devotees, we want to be followers of a pure devotee.
We want to offer to human society, good things, extraordinary things through the services you all do, everything we do in a large part is done for you, I feel very fortunate to be associated with you, to inspire you. I feel fortunate to be a member of this family. I am very grateful for Sri Gaura Nitai and Sri Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara for exposing Their mercy to Colombia and the world. Imagine that the Vrinda family from Colombia has actually spread all over the planet, better said, Vrinda Family is known outside of Colombia by devotees who have also taken this sacrifice, as Paramahamsa Maharaj in India, who is very famous, he never misses any festival, he is always there and so many other wonders, I think Colombian devotees are more famous than just the Valdez cafe.
Then it's a good sign , imagine expanding the fame of Vrinda because of what the devotees do in the world. I am filled with great joy and it has been essential for the Vrinda family to create a regional family, for a devotee here there are no such distinctions as Ecuadorians, Brazilians, Panamanians, here there are only devotees. The integration and work in different countries has been very exemplary and it practically remains as such.
Venezuela is nurtured by Colombia going there to do sankirtan so that we can awaken our neighboring country, for love and rememberance of Avadhuta Maharaja, a special warrior of this country who received the sannyas order from Srila Prabhupada, and this is something very good, to maintain the spark in this fight, this memory. Then for devotees of the Vrinda family everyone around the world is family, any of you can go to Chile to do service, wherever there is family you are welcomed you just have to speak the secret formula Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara, continue within, initiation, internally, this is the key formula, then all doors open, except the door of the false ego, that is kept closed to such things but you keep fighting, you should always keep fighting forward because there is no other way. In this world and in this life you can not go back, in a car you have gears to go back, but not in life, and what happened, already happened ... you carry that charge, and you carry that with dignity, that is Bhakti yoga, the office of dignity.
We spent these days, celebrating a family that has existed now for 30 years, where virtually everyone comes from different ethnic, international, cultural backgrounds and even background and so we can report that for 30 years, it is assumed that the family has had no deaths and no one will lift their hands to another, but the devotees do not harm one another.
Now I wish I could say that in this mission of 30 years there was not a tidbit of gossip, but that would be a lie, and I will not lie, but despite the gossip, we continue living, growing, and appreciating that there is a family called Vrinda because when someone says: I do not mind the Vrinda family, I want no part of Vrinda, to me that's fiction, do not give me anything, I will become very sad that day, because Vrinda actually came as a refuge, Ashraya .
Ashraya means refuge and refuge is Radharani, She is who gives us shelter in this world and that shelter is transmitted to the last devotee who is part of the family, and when you preach you open the refuge to another person by the kindness of your heart, that is love and everyone asks why are you here and to every one you mention to them how another devotee inspired you and then they are hooked. Each one of you has a story, this is a family who become representatives, each Ashraya, a shelter and that is what we must be.
Without Srila Prabhupada nothing could have been done, the shelter given is based on him without a doubt. All glories to the various shelters that devotees provide through their work, their services, their various projects, conferences, publications, documentaries, and the sankirtan they do. Devotees of the 2nd generation must make their decision as they are there for their parents. It's very nice because those who have given us refuge are still present here.
This is practically the first official celebration of our 30 years together, we will celebrate every year course. A family that follows and establishes new centers is very special. Thanks to you projects and projects are growing. I spoke with P. Prakasananda about the yoga course by correspondence which was made in Cd -Rom format but the validity has been lost because the Cd -Room is no longer used. But so many people we met, told me the other day : you have to make all pages of Vrinda family new because they are all on Dreamweaver. Oh I had no idea what it was either, and now I have to figure it out, such as updating things. So Krishna does not let us rest, always doing, doing, take, do, run. Krsna pushes us, because one can not forget Krsna nor service to Krsna, there are many things to improve.
In the mode of passion there is creation, in the mode of goodness everything is maintained and in the mode of ignorance everything is destroyed, fortunately there are not many in ignorance, but many things will be destroyed, in fact we do not destroy, we create and that's very nice .
So we can understand that service to Sri Visnu is ultimate. We must be aware of many things, we are in the process of creating many things, we are almost finished with Oidatherapy, Yoga Inbound is not finished but it is growing and the material is being delivered.
The farms are always in development, as are the retreats, the tours, the pilgrimages, ah , I mean that we should always move toward perfection, thanks to Krsna who gave us the snow covered ground in the river Mink the traditional sector of healing, there are wells that are a specialty for healing, there in Goloka , which Sandi Pani bought when I lived in the U.S. without seeing it, and then later he gave it away without me seeing it. We have this beautiful place where one can go to stay two weeks and heal, 7 wells and a tremendous waterfall so you can imagine and Gambhira on the other hand is a special place for education, healing, there in the sierra nevada we have received a very special mercy. I want the devotees to take advantage of the tours and Goloka, where we have the ability to heal. Thank you very much mother earth for blessing the Vrinda family.
I 'll make a story of the most beautiful sites of Vrinda, although it is difficult because there are many and they are amazing .Varsana, the Sanctuary of water, Radha Kunda, the subtropical forests that are above Bhumi, the caves of the park, Krsna the winner of all obstacles and what to say of the temple and its devotees, after Varsana came Vrindavanita with Govardhana and this river which has healed us and refreshed us, which has been a haven for devotees of the golden age, how many devotees have left this world having a site like Vrindavanita? There are no words to appreciate and describe.
Then the sanctuary that is New Govardhana which is sustained by Krsna, a waterfall and a creek in the mountains there in Cali, then go to the coast, Gambhira , Goloka and the site of the University of Ancestral Wisdom, which has an altar of stunning water, something crisp and beautiful, some of these stones have original carvings of ancient cultures, as well as the Taironas roads, like in Gambhira and Goloka, very impressive, those are the most important sites in Colombia, until we come to the confidential womb of Mother Earth, her navel, called the shrine of Mother Earth, the Volcano Totumo, which the devotees have an Ashram of dedication beside it, natural and simple, but really where you can swim for hours between canoes and crocodiles, they are small but this site is amazing and when you leave the Ashram just 5 min is the Atlantic Ocean with clean and uncrowded beaches, very beautiful, very private, an awesome site.
Another site that Krsna has given the Vrinda family is Guatape, with a lake view and there is a cave which is another meteorite and it seems that it fell from the sky and remained stuck between two mountains, a river runs below this, and in the afternoon some lights appear in such a spectacular way that not even the best artist could have painted it, and we were there singing a song to the water, with more than 60 people, it was wonderful, amazing, and those are the shrines of our family that come to mind. In the Amazon, in Leticia, we have some special sanctuary that I've only seen pictures of, I could not go, it is by a river in which one goes to the Amazon and you can swim, and the devotees are doing very beautiful projects under the guidance of Bharati Prabhu.
Very wonderful, and we have now arrived to the Amazon, in Leticia with Krsna , all that is missing is the tip of the Guajira , although in Riohacha there is preaching being done by Prabhu Syama. Harijan Maharaj wanted 500 temples, a lot to do, these beautiful sites amaze me just like the Yamuna river passing by Govardhana Hill. I can look at it for a long time. I look at Govardhana, the Yamuna river, and I can stay there, it is an amazing beauty. We also have Vrinda Bhumi in Brazil, an estate of waterfalls, there are so many beautiful waterfalls, one more beautiful than the other, with amazing bath wells, the wind of the mother, it is also a self healing site, one can go there and stay amazed. There are such very special things like Ecuador, the Vrindavan Ecological Gardens. A very beautiful piece of rainforest where devotees have made a sanctuary. The Eco Truly Park which is internationally renowned as well as the Eco Truly Park of Argentina, although it does not have anything special in terms of visibility, but it is famous because Prabhu Thakur did a lot of volunteer work campaigning , and it was chosen in Only Planet as the best place to visit in Argentina.
So we arrive to Bolivia, Titicaca , Shanti Dwip an island in the Titicaca, very small, it has but a single tree, but there has been a mother there cultivating the vegetation. There is the beauty of Gupta Govardhana the ne farm, 60 acres of the most wonderful landscapes, crystal clear waters, wells, waterfalls, a nest in Uchumachi, the most sacred mountain of the Aymara, here the devotees have a corner of shelter, run by Colombian devotees, great devotees. Oh, I almost forgot to mention Cusco, Sradhavan in Cuzco, you can make a pilgrimage from Chaski or by America, visiting these sites to pray to mother earth, meaning devotional service (offerings) selfless service is a true offering.
Arica, the Trulys of Lluta Valley, the devotees there defending Mother Nature, very beautiful; Goura Mandal, La Serena , the Elqui Valley, Diaguitas, Jagannath Mandir between Mamayucta and Papallacta, sacred mountains of Diaguitas, very beautiful, and then there are the devotees of Chile striving and doing nice things too. The Inbound school of Yoga, Saranagati the school of leaders, creation of devotees for years, then you reach the beautiful terrain of the island Catemu of Lord Shiva. In Catemu you forget the materialistic world, it is so beautiful, there one can be with Damodar Maharaj, Tirtha Maharaj, and then you continue to the south of Chile where in Los Angeles there is a farm coming from island to a turbulent beautiful, clean, crystal river to the snow, a very nice farm, you have to visit, from there you arrive to Prema Mandal which is about south of Concepción where there is a beautiful lake, where devotees can take mud baths and it is amazing, a very nice place.
So in this world there are many sites revealed by Krsna and I am only speaking of South America, the other shrines in Hungary, Germany, India beside the dolphins of the Ganges there is Jahnavi Kunja Ashram and Saraswati Kunja where at both ends it becomes the Triveni and there are devotees waiting for you there or Vrinda Kunja which has been described as the most beautiful temple of Vrindaban. I like to that they say it but there are so many beautiful temples ...
In Yamuna Kunja we do social work and Radha Kunda the devotees are doing wonderful services, major cleaning, we are going to Govardhana for Maha cleaning, beautiful, very nice what Krsna has given us, so beautiful. And also there is Spain, Tenerife, devotees have meeting sites in Isla Palma, and there a devotee has a cave overlooking the Pacific which has been made into a temple, but it's wonderful I've seen in pictures, but it seems that in the summer I will be headed that way.
Those are the shrines that have been expand Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara. Being a pilgrim is amazing and I have been back and forth and I marvel at the beautiful things I come across, Mother Earth has been so merciful, but I ask you Why? It isn't so I could to travel, it is to provide shelter, healing, so that people can find Srila Prabhupada, Sadhu Sanga and it is amazing to see the Vaishnavas offering shelter to others, now on the coast they recently opened something of the UDSA. Prabhu Jagannath and Mother Radha Damodar are doing an organic farm, 1 hour from Barranquilla. Do not forget that Srila Bhaktisiddantha Saraswati said, I want a temple in each place and that is the bottom line, so lets dedicate ourselves to educating our children, new devotees, now comes the agro- ecological school; There is also the Guardians of Sumapaz, which is another beautiful corner on planet in Varsana .
Further up the path of the original natives, the Muiscas, and those are the sanctuaries in physical form, then there are the shrines of harinams in Bucaramanga, there is a temple with Sri Gauranga and Krsna Balaram, thanks to the efforts of Bhagavat Maharaja.
Now I have to mention the Visnupriyas and the Maharanis, that's a very important program of the Vrinda family. There is respect and we should provide support so that all can be free and give support where there is much deficiency in Kali Yuga. And there is much happiness in my association with the native people especially in the Sierra Nevada, I have special respect for the Sagas and very visionary and very loving, like mothers, then I think that the Vrinda family produce many Sagas, many Maharanis, extraordinary leaders who can support others, then for all women who are in Krsna consciousness, single mothers who preach, which provide shelter to the other women, to all of them I give them a great applause; it is amazing, I'm very happy, moreover, the Visnupriyas have given me so much support for regional work, that's the family of Vrinda over 30 years , the offices are important, full of sacrifice, with extra time for me, so they can help me do many things I could not do under any circumstances, but the mothers have helped me a lot, devotees also say, if we talk about Vrinda we must talk about the Sannyasis of Vrinda, the Maharanis of Vrinda and Pancatattva, the minister of communication of this family, this is difficult work without him, I applause him for it! And I know very well what I'm saying, he began the Sunday chat we use today to share this message, that was Pancatattva from the start and he has always kept it up even today ...
So all the work of Seva , which are very important, momentous books, literatures for the world to know who the devotees are, there are many, many things that most of the devotees of Vrinda do not even know of, you have to take the time. I create sounds that heal and I think only Mother Govinda has heard it since we and now we have reached 100 sound therapies. It is important, they are small pieces of service that Srila Prabhupada provided to the world, I want the world to fall in love with Srila Prabhupada, that is my sacred duty as a disciple, if it was not for Srila Prabhupada the Vrinda Family would not exist, that I can guarantee. A yoga move of determination, of volunteers which is increasingly present there as to reach the correct destination and not like some schools of yoga, where there are exercises only, take money and they only think of avatars as a concept of american movies.
Well, I want to keep talking about the celebration of the 30th year of the Vrinda mission which is difficult there are so many presidents, I want to applaud the Presidents that are enduring in these temples, that's just for presidents, they must endure it all, no? And they do it well, raise your hand: Who has been a president for more than 10 years of a temple ? 5 years? I sent a hug to all the presidents; Prabhupada wants to see presidents for life, it is something so beautiful to care for life, for people, I have to thank you on this day, at this moment, I can only ask for a recess to work a little, there is much more to do, we are not much for festivities, we are more for work in service, you have to work for everything so it progresses nicely!
With these words I leave you all today, Srila Prabhupada Ki Jay!
Your always well wisher,
Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti
This year we are celebrating 30 years of the Vrinda family, 30 years my God, who could have imagined 30 years of Vrinda and it is true, it is reality. In 1984 we launched the Vrinda family. I wanted to find a spiritual family, family means commitment of father, mother, brothers, uncles, grandparents, all that.
I wanted to have a family, but I did not want to marry. I wanted to have a real family in the family of Srila Prabhupada, because I see that institutions always have shortcomings, on the other hand I will say this again, in my life I have helped find a minimum of 20 organizations but I am not a member of any of them, I just belong to the relationship from heart to heart.
If you have a shop you have to register it and that is called legal personality, and if it is not like this no one will take it seriously, and in our service we want to be taken seriously, we want to have a family from heart to heart, we just have that and we have to defend it, that is what this life is for, and that is my message to all of the Vrinda family members chatting on this day.
In a way another chapter of my life begins in Bogota, I already had several. I had the extensive chapter of Brazil, of Sweden, of Denmark, sankirtan leader in northern Europe, and brahmacari in the Berlin temple and all those were previous chapters, but the chapter that I opened in 1984 in Colombia was very significant because it was where Harijan Maharaj and I took responsibility for a spiritual family, this is a position called mission impossible, but by the mercy of a pure devotee the mission impossible can become possible which is called causeless mercy. But for a person with a birth as low as mine that can assume a role like this, one begins to wonder:
Why can I make a mission possible if it is impossible? Because at that time and thanks to Srila Prabhupada we were already working for years in Colombia, and there at that time there was no failing of international support from other Vaishnavas because Srila Prabhupada was helping his whole mission, but failure was felt .... either you assumed responsibility or close the mission, and some devotees said:
"We want to have your guidance, no one elses ..." and I was not in Colombia I was in India, and I came to the United States and I was completely uncertain about my future and I received a call from Harijan Maharaj and other devotees who told me: come to Colombia, we want to continue working for Srila Prabhupada but with your support, but if you do not come how are we going to do it? And I was in exile like Napoleon. I was six months in exile, I could not go to Colombia on part of the authorities because they knew that I was angry with them. Devotees told me not to put care into it and that with them I would walk with the mission, and that to me was like a 3rd or 4th birth. The first was mom and dad , the second is when I took initiation. The third is when you start to worship the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I felt that this was the fourth birth, to assume a role of spiritual responsibility, practically almost as a spiritual father.
I had seen the institutional aspect called international institution, so I wanted something that was from heart to heart, I deplored diplomacy, hypocrisy, I do not wish to have such relationships in life, I want to have relationships of the heart with people, thus this effort of Vrinda family was born, and the 30 year marks is here. And Srila Harijan Maharaja a couple years before went to be with Krsna, luckily Gurudeva Atulananda appeared to help me and lend a hand so that I would not be left without association. There was also Prabhu Kanka , Prabhu Askalita , Prabhu Mrigranath, but we were a flock of disciples of Srila Prabhupada with the charge of a large mission, and frustration because of the institution, from all sides, and we said that it was not the mission that Srila Prabhupada wanted and we looked for how he wanted it to be and from there we found inspiration from Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaja. Harijan Maharaj and I received Sannyas and took off very happy.
So today we are reflecting on the fact that after 30 years Krsna blessed us to be in the service of Prabhupada in separation, but also Krsna shows us that the maximum degree of humility is the greatest need, permanently we must never forget that we come from a world of lust, anger, envy, from very low samskaras.
We are in the land where there are no jokes but only sacrifice, a growing humanity like the Vrinda family, establishing a spiritual family and among the devotees in general things are soft and very tender, when a devotee stops being a devotee the sin is that he begins smoking marijuana or takes a beer or has illicit sex; and this in the material world ... parties and partying, the fall of a devotee is engagement in the party of this world, then it's not exactly something as shocking as crimes and all the corruption and horror of this world, but of course we want to be exemplary as devotees, we want to be followers of a pure devotee.
We want to offer to human society, good things, extraordinary things through the services you all do, everything we do in a large part is done for you, I feel very fortunate to be associated with you, to inspire you. I feel fortunate to be a member of this family. I am very grateful for Sri Gaura Nitai and Sri Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara for exposing Their mercy to Colombia and the world. Imagine that the Vrinda family from Colombia has actually spread all over the planet, better said, Vrinda Family is known outside of Colombia by devotees who have also taken this sacrifice, as Paramahamsa Maharaj in India, who is very famous, he never misses any festival, he is always there and so many other wonders, I think Colombian devotees are more famous than just the Valdez cafe.
Then it's a good sign , imagine expanding the fame of Vrinda because of what the devotees do in the world. I am filled with great joy and it has been essential for the Vrinda family to create a regional family, for a devotee here there are no such distinctions as Ecuadorians, Brazilians, Panamanians, here there are only devotees. The integration and work in different countries has been very exemplary and it practically remains as such.
Venezuela is nurtured by Colombia going there to do sankirtan so that we can awaken our neighboring country, for love and rememberance of Avadhuta Maharaja, a special warrior of this country who received the sannyas order from Srila Prabhupada, and this is something very good, to maintain the spark in this fight, this memory. Then for devotees of the Vrinda family everyone around the world is family, any of you can go to Chile to do service, wherever there is family you are welcomed you just have to speak the secret formula Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara, continue within, initiation, internally, this is the key formula, then all doors open, except the door of the false ego, that is kept closed to such things but you keep fighting, you should always keep fighting forward because there is no other way. In this world and in this life you can not go back, in a car you have gears to go back, but not in life, and what happened, already happened ... you carry that charge, and you carry that with dignity, that is Bhakti yoga, the office of dignity.
We spent these days, celebrating a family that has existed now for 30 years, where virtually everyone comes from different ethnic, international, cultural backgrounds and even background and so we can report that for 30 years, it is assumed that the family has had no deaths and no one will lift their hands to another, but the devotees do not harm one another.
Now I wish I could say that in this mission of 30 years there was not a tidbit of gossip, but that would be a lie, and I will not lie, but despite the gossip, we continue living, growing, and appreciating that there is a family called Vrinda because when someone says: I do not mind the Vrinda family, I want no part of Vrinda, to me that's fiction, do not give me anything, I will become very sad that day, because Vrinda actually came as a refuge, Ashraya .
Ashraya means refuge and refuge is Radharani, She is who gives us shelter in this world and that shelter is transmitted to the last devotee who is part of the family, and when you preach you open the refuge to another person by the kindness of your heart, that is love and everyone asks why are you here and to every one you mention to them how another devotee inspired you and then they are hooked. Each one of you has a story, this is a family who become representatives, each Ashraya, a shelter and that is what we must be.
Without Srila Prabhupada nothing could have been done, the shelter given is based on him without a doubt. All glories to the various shelters that devotees provide through their work, their services, their various projects, conferences, publications, documentaries, and the sankirtan they do. Devotees of the 2nd generation must make their decision as they are there for their parents. It's very nice because those who have given us refuge are still present here.
This is practically the first official celebration of our 30 years together, we will celebrate every year course. A family that follows and establishes new centers is very special. Thanks to you projects and projects are growing. I spoke with P. Prakasananda about the yoga course by correspondence which was made in Cd -Rom format but the validity has been lost because the Cd -Room is no longer used. But so many people we met, told me the other day : you have to make all pages of Vrinda family new because they are all on Dreamweaver. Oh I had no idea what it was either, and now I have to figure it out, such as updating things. So Krishna does not let us rest, always doing, doing, take, do, run. Krsna pushes us, because one can not forget Krsna nor service to Krsna, there are many things to improve.
In the mode of passion there is creation, in the mode of goodness everything is maintained and in the mode of ignorance everything is destroyed, fortunately there are not many in ignorance, but many things will be destroyed, in fact we do not destroy, we create and that's very nice .
So we can understand that service to Sri Visnu is ultimate. We must be aware of many things, we are in the process of creating many things, we are almost finished with Oidatherapy, Yoga Inbound is not finished but it is growing and the material is being delivered.
The farms are always in development, as are the retreats, the tours, the pilgrimages, ah , I mean that we should always move toward perfection, thanks to Krsna who gave us the snow covered ground in the river Mink the traditional sector of healing, there are wells that are a specialty for healing, there in Goloka , which Sandi Pani bought when I lived in the U.S. without seeing it, and then later he gave it away without me seeing it. We have this beautiful place where one can go to stay two weeks and heal, 7 wells and a tremendous waterfall so you can imagine and Gambhira on the other hand is a special place for education, healing, there in the sierra nevada we have received a very special mercy. I want the devotees to take advantage of the tours and Goloka, where we have the ability to heal. Thank you very much mother earth for blessing the Vrinda family.
I 'll make a story of the most beautiful sites of Vrinda, although it is difficult because there are many and they are amazing .Varsana, the Sanctuary of water, Radha Kunda, the subtropical forests that are above Bhumi, the caves of the park, Krsna the winner of all obstacles and what to say of the temple and its devotees, after Varsana came Vrindavanita with Govardhana and this river which has healed us and refreshed us, which has been a haven for devotees of the golden age, how many devotees have left this world having a site like Vrindavanita? There are no words to appreciate and describe.
Then the sanctuary that is New Govardhana which is sustained by Krsna, a waterfall and a creek in the mountains there in Cali, then go to the coast, Gambhira , Goloka and the site of the University of Ancestral Wisdom, which has an altar of stunning water, something crisp and beautiful, some of these stones have original carvings of ancient cultures, as well as the Taironas roads, like in Gambhira and Goloka, very impressive, those are the most important sites in Colombia, until we come to the confidential womb of Mother Earth, her navel, called the shrine of Mother Earth, the Volcano Totumo, which the devotees have an Ashram of dedication beside it, natural and simple, but really where you can swim for hours between canoes and crocodiles, they are small but this site is amazing and when you leave the Ashram just 5 min is the Atlantic Ocean with clean and uncrowded beaches, very beautiful, very private, an awesome site.
Another site that Krsna has given the Vrinda family is Guatape, with a lake view and there is a cave which is another meteorite and it seems that it fell from the sky and remained stuck between two mountains, a river runs below this, and in the afternoon some lights appear in such a spectacular way that not even the best artist could have painted it, and we were there singing a song to the water, with more than 60 people, it was wonderful, amazing, and those are the shrines of our family that come to mind. In the Amazon, in Leticia, we have some special sanctuary that I've only seen pictures of, I could not go, it is by a river in which one goes to the Amazon and you can swim, and the devotees are doing very beautiful projects under the guidance of Bharati Prabhu.
Very wonderful, and we have now arrived to the Amazon, in Leticia with Krsna , all that is missing is the tip of the Guajira , although in Riohacha there is preaching being done by Prabhu Syama. Harijan Maharaj wanted 500 temples, a lot to do, these beautiful sites amaze me just like the Yamuna river passing by Govardhana Hill. I can look at it for a long time. I look at Govardhana, the Yamuna river, and I can stay there, it is an amazing beauty. We also have Vrinda Bhumi in Brazil, an estate of waterfalls, there are so many beautiful waterfalls, one more beautiful than the other, with amazing bath wells, the wind of the mother, it is also a self healing site, one can go there and stay amazed. There are such very special things like Ecuador, the Vrindavan Ecological Gardens. A very beautiful piece of rainforest where devotees have made a sanctuary. The Eco Truly Park which is internationally renowned as well as the Eco Truly Park of Argentina, although it does not have anything special in terms of visibility, but it is famous because Prabhu Thakur did a lot of volunteer work campaigning , and it was chosen in Only Planet as the best place to visit in Argentina.
So we arrive to Bolivia, Titicaca , Shanti Dwip an island in the Titicaca, very small, it has but a single tree, but there has been a mother there cultivating the vegetation. There is the beauty of Gupta Govardhana the ne farm, 60 acres of the most wonderful landscapes, crystal clear waters, wells, waterfalls, a nest in Uchumachi, the most sacred mountain of the Aymara, here the devotees have a corner of shelter, run by Colombian devotees, great devotees. Oh, I almost forgot to mention Cusco, Sradhavan in Cuzco, you can make a pilgrimage from Chaski or by America, visiting these sites to pray to mother earth, meaning devotional service (offerings) selfless service is a true offering.
Arica, the Trulys of Lluta Valley, the devotees there defending Mother Nature, very beautiful; Goura Mandal, La Serena , the Elqui Valley, Diaguitas, Jagannath Mandir between Mamayucta and Papallacta, sacred mountains of Diaguitas, very beautiful, and then there are the devotees of Chile striving and doing nice things too. The Inbound school of Yoga, Saranagati the school of leaders, creation of devotees for years, then you reach the beautiful terrain of the island Catemu of Lord Shiva. In Catemu you forget the materialistic world, it is so beautiful, there one can be with Damodar Maharaj, Tirtha Maharaj, and then you continue to the south of Chile where in Los Angeles there is a farm coming from island to a turbulent beautiful, clean, crystal river to the snow, a very nice farm, you have to visit, from there you arrive to Prema Mandal which is about south of Concepción where there is a beautiful lake, where devotees can take mud baths and it is amazing, a very nice place.
So in this world there are many sites revealed by Krsna and I am only speaking of South America, the other shrines in Hungary, Germany, India beside the dolphins of the Ganges there is Jahnavi Kunja Ashram and Saraswati Kunja where at both ends it becomes the Triveni and there are devotees waiting for you there or Vrinda Kunja which has been described as the most beautiful temple of Vrindaban. I like to that they say it but there are so many beautiful temples ...
In Yamuna Kunja we do social work and Radha Kunda the devotees are doing wonderful services, major cleaning, we are going to Govardhana for Maha cleaning, beautiful, very nice what Krsna has given us, so beautiful. And also there is Spain, Tenerife, devotees have meeting sites in Isla Palma, and there a devotee has a cave overlooking the Pacific which has been made into a temple, but it's wonderful I've seen in pictures, but it seems that in the summer I will be headed that way.
Those are the shrines that have been expand Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara. Being a pilgrim is amazing and I have been back and forth and I marvel at the beautiful things I come across, Mother Earth has been so merciful, but I ask you Why? It isn't so I could to travel, it is to provide shelter, healing, so that people can find Srila Prabhupada, Sadhu Sanga and it is amazing to see the Vaishnavas offering shelter to others, now on the coast they recently opened something of the UDSA. Prabhu Jagannath and Mother Radha Damodar are doing an organic farm, 1 hour from Barranquilla. Do not forget that Srila Bhaktisiddantha Saraswati said, I want a temple in each place and that is the bottom line, so lets dedicate ourselves to educating our children, new devotees, now comes the agro- ecological school; There is also the Guardians of Sumapaz, which is another beautiful corner on planet in Varsana .
Further up the path of the original natives, the Muiscas, and those are the sanctuaries in physical form, then there are the shrines of harinams in Bucaramanga, there is a temple with Sri Gauranga and Krsna Balaram, thanks to the efforts of Bhagavat Maharaja.
Now I have to mention the Visnupriyas and the Maharanis, that's a very important program of the Vrinda family. There is respect and we should provide support so that all can be free and give support where there is much deficiency in Kali Yuga. And there is much happiness in my association with the native people especially in the Sierra Nevada, I have special respect for the Sagas and very visionary and very loving, like mothers, then I think that the Vrinda family produce many Sagas, many Maharanis, extraordinary leaders who can support others, then for all women who are in Krsna consciousness, single mothers who preach, which provide shelter to the other women, to all of them I give them a great applause; it is amazing, I'm very happy, moreover, the Visnupriyas have given me so much support for regional work, that's the family of Vrinda over 30 years , the offices are important, full of sacrifice, with extra time for me, so they can help me do many things I could not do under any circumstances, but the mothers have helped me a lot, devotees also say, if we talk about Vrinda we must talk about the Sannyasis of Vrinda, the Maharanis of Vrinda and Pancatattva, the minister of communication of this family, this is difficult work without him, I applause him for it! And I know very well what I'm saying, he began the Sunday chat we use today to share this message, that was Pancatattva from the start and he has always kept it up even today ...
So all the work of Seva , which are very important, momentous books, literatures for the world to know who the devotees are, there are many, many things that most of the devotees of Vrinda do not even know of, you have to take the time. I create sounds that heal and I think only Mother Govinda has heard it since we and now we have reached 100 sound therapies. It is important, they are small pieces of service that Srila Prabhupada provided to the world, I want the world to fall in love with Srila Prabhupada, that is my sacred duty as a disciple, if it was not for Srila Prabhupada the Vrinda Family would not exist, that I can guarantee. A yoga move of determination, of volunteers which is increasingly present there as to reach the correct destination and not like some schools of yoga, where there are exercises only, take money and they only think of avatars as a concept of american movies.
Well, I want to keep talking about the celebration of the 30th year of the Vrinda mission which is difficult there are so many presidents, I want to applaud the Presidents that are enduring in these temples, that's just for presidents, they must endure it all, no? And they do it well, raise your hand: Who has been a president for more than 10 years of a temple ? 5 years? I sent a hug to all the presidents; Prabhupada wants to see presidents for life, it is something so beautiful to care for life, for people, I have to thank you on this day, at this moment, I can only ask for a recess to work a little, there is much more to do, we are not much for festivities, we are more for work in service, you have to work for everything so it progresses nicely!
With these words I leave you all today, Srila Prabhupada Ki Jay!
Your always well wisher,
Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti
Forming communities 01.19.2014 Colombia
Conference.
Dear devotees
Today is my last day in Colombia . Important days of the mission.
Today I travel to Ati Quigua, Costa Rica to meet with Dr. Vandana Shiva. This meeting will be historic. The reunion of two ancient cultures.
Ati Quigua seeks to strengthen ties between the Sierra Nevada and India. I am very happy with this, as these meetings are very auspicious for everyone. Our main campaign is to restore and protect traditional values. Offering an education based on spiritual values that include respect for all cultures.
Ati Quigua is traveling as a representative of Ikwashendwna taking a message of peace and universal love. Ikwashendwna or the global conscious pactc is the union of the people for a better world, for the respect of values. Krishna is manifesting all this by His mercy. And we are instruments of this great plan.
What do we do to alleviate the suffering in the world?
First know, why do we suffer? What is our suffer for? The oida therapy gives us the answer to this in a scientific way. Now that we know why, what do we do? How do we apply the lessons learned? We learn many things in this world but do they have practical application in life? Most information we learn are oriented in the end to economically maintain us.
We did not have spiritual education that compliments other education and meaning to our lives. The sages of India gave us a lot of spiritual information. The mystical school of India is rich in wisdom, such as the Srimad Bhagavatam. There are 18,000 verses designed to awaken spirituality in society. Information that serves even an atheist. An atheist can say he does not believe in God but believes in values.
But who defines or set the values? From where do they arise or how are they taught? How is there education in values?
Sometimes I find these atheists and ask them if they worship the cosmic mother, the creator of life, and they say sure, how wouldn't I, then I tell them well then you are very religious.
I want to acknowledge the Mamos, the grandparents and teachers of the Sierra. They are an example of a culture that has fought and are fighting to protect their values; and that is found in the love and in the generosity that they have towards each other, even though they were abused by the misuse of the word religion.
I am their humble apprentice. I was one of the hippies of Europe looking to live in a community, we made many attempts to form small communities of which I was part of, but I saw them form and saw them get canceled, that is what happens with these communities. While Arhuaca communities have thousands of years existing and they still care for each other, they make offerings and are here sharing with us.
These days I attended a reunion of the eco villages in Varsana but it was much more than eco villages, it was the need of each living being to find a community and to have a sustainable relationship with the earth, with other brothers, with forests, rivers, with the trees, the animals and everything around us. So what I saw was a meeting of the heart.
What unites us is the cosmic mother, the source of all that makes our biodiversity, and happy life, and it is also the ability to cope with different situations and conflicts. The conclusion of this meeting is that we should not see enemies even if we know people who do horrible things, we must try to stop them but we only have complex little brothers who we must wake up and include them in good.
And the good, in its different varieties, show them that murderers have to do with violence, well we suffer collectively or with something that unites us. I ask you this, "do you guys internally feel that everyone in the group must receive the reactions of the actions of a specific person or a specific group?
We need to weave a web that goes beyond sectarianism, we must identify elements that bring us together such as the protection of animals, mother earth, values, and of these we have much in common.
From the Vedic view the goal of life is liberation. We can say that we have bought the ticket to liberation but we lose that if we do not help others to grab their ticket. We should all leave this world, we must have a healing community where it fits all and salvation is the way of life we lead. This is the role of the eco villages, educational centers of the healing culture.
In an eco village two very nice concepts exist. The leader doesn't feel himself to be a leader, he is a trainer, educator of leaders. And there is no concept of private property even if it is privately owned. They feel that what they have is borrowed and they feel as guardians . For them it is very clear : we are not owners but guardians of Mother Earth.
Spirituality is a self -evident truth of the law, it is what unites us by law, by necessity. Spirituality represents beauty and not torture and inquisition, so I feel blessed to find the ancestral solution because a community without law is going to end in nothing, where you will fight even for a pin, as is the mentality of hegemony who remove everyone for the army so they can leave their rotten power flow. The leader of a spiritual community inspires others under rules that everyone agrees to accept because they accept them as beneficial, to form, to generate, to sustain your personal and group development. That's a big sacrifice.
An ideal materially solidifies when there is a selfless sacrifice from someone willing to help and receive all with love. We know there is justice in the universe and if someone starts making trouble then by universal law we know that person will get what they deserve, but that law is not written, it is something that we have at heart.
Cult is culture, it is our due. Forming community, finding values that I want to sacrifice for, finding leaders who inspire me because they sacrifice the most.
You can have the desire to have an eco village, then you must give your land to the community and agree to what the grandparents say about rules and regulations, because they sacrifice and they have the common good in mind, that worship is for the welfare of all.
The environmental movement has a great negligence basically by part of the humans towards animals, and now the united nations mentioned the importance of refraining from meat eating, but large organizations such as Green peace do not have as their primary concern. Many animal organizations recommend caring for pets but they do not mention that in India they should stop the sacrifice of animals, that it must be avoided. If you need to do it then you pay your due where you kill the animal with your hands and say that he will have the right to do the same with you in the next life. Spirituality is the defense for the motherland, to love others and to follow a leader who is capable of sacrifice without fanaticism, without thinking that he is the only one worthwhile to do it.
I wanted to convey the experience of a community that has and promotes values such as gratitude, purity and compassion and at its base are meetings where members discuss how to protect those ideals together. Within these communities are authorities but no fear. For me, spirituality is the ideal of a community, especially those who have a close relationship with each other or where greater strength is the base on the common belief that we all share.
I am speaking about the Eco villages, we had the most important meeting for the eco villages here and the concept includes all spiritual communities. Do you have a spiritual community? Then it is part of this network.
A spiritual family and a community. If you open the door to your brothers to talk of universal values and have a community...The future depends on communities working together in their ideals. So I was happy in this meeting with the many leaders who share their experiences and exist for a better world.
Thank you Srila Prabhupada. Thanks for this great gift and this gift is definitely for you too. Srila Prabhupada ki jay!
Your always well wisher,
Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti .
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)