In the Fall of 2011 I was privileged to visit a place which I found after walking the ground to be a sort of heaven on earth.  I fell in love with this piece of land set back in the hill of West Virginia.  I also fell in love with the people who lived there, the devotee of Krishna.  One person in particular, after being introduced to her, became a mother to me and took me under her wing.  She loved me even though I am a stubborn quirky sort.  This is her grace Malati Devi Dasi.  She gave me lessons, my 1st set of chanting beads, and got me on my path of being a scholar in KC.   I am a single woman who has devoted my life to serving the Lord even before KC became part of my path, she helped me to understand it better and work it into my preaching, teaching and life.  She lives in New Vrindaban, West Virgina.  There are several senior devotees and a Maharaj Vasudev Swami, whom I love.  I have gotten to sit with him and his grace Radanatha Swami, once and just chat, then again with others in a circle informal discussion of minister in New Vrindaban.  Mother and I the only women in the discussion. 

New Vrindaban became a second home for me when I spent the summer of 2012 there.  I was recovering from having tumors removed, and needed a quiet place to pray, meditate and be.  My plan was to be there 2 week and do service, but I ended up staying about 7 weeks doing service.  That was the hottest summer in the USA in a long time.  The Lord had some tests he wanted to take me through.  Thing that  tested my spiritual strength and fortitude that when finish would make me stronger and more advanced to go on in more responsible service.  While there my service was something as simple as wiping off tables, helping to cook for the deities, transport the deities, to cleaning the women's ashram, cooking and serving over 200 devotees.   The only thing I didn't want to do was to be on the alter.  I know how to do it, I learned how, but I enjoyed watching.  I did lead, sing Arti, kirtan and Gita discussion.  I enjoy doing so even now upon occasion and when visiting small temples.  New Vrindaban gave me my indoctrination head 1st into doing more then just singing kirtan in KC, it put me to work, made me a more responsible devotee.  In such lead me on a road to advancement.   I had reached a high level in Christianity long ago, and needed something else, because I get bored.  KC has given me a whole new area of study, and New Vrindaban has given me another home to go to.  I love going about every so often and just spending a few day in the ashram, It is like I can hear the deities calling to me to come. While there I love doing service, walking the grounds chanting, going to morning program, and serving the deities and devotees.  I have been asked to move there permanent several time.  Even though I love the place dearly, i have not felt the calling to make a permanent move. 

If you are visiting in the USA, a good place to come visit is New Vrindaban West Virgina.  You will not be disappointed.  I hope you fall in love with it just like I have.

I have a very eclectic spiritual belief system.  I was brought up on a wonderful foundation of Judaism and Christianity. Most of my life I have been a Christian minister, preacher, teacher, and counselor.  I studied Krishna Consciousnesses as a teenager when questioning everything, parents encouraged me to find my path.  I then put it away, as accepting it as a part of God, but not for me at the time.  Later in life I picked it up again.  I am one to read all ancient scripture and accept as relevant, and have always through life abide by the regulative principles for they are in all religions.  Since I have been going to the temple and festivals on a regular basis, my family makes fun of me.  They tease me.  It is not meant to be malicious, it is good hearted.   I visit my sister a couple times a year in Atlanta, Georgia for a week.  I set my deities on the kitchen counter, ring my bell, offer the food fixed, she in jest sings the Maha Mantra, making like she is playing the cartels.  I admit it is funny, but, I tell her a plate of muffins I am taking to an event at the temple must be offered.  We have always offered our food to the lord, taught as children, but not with deities present, or using a ghee-wick lamp.  Her grandchildren watched with interest, this gave a learning opportunity, to their 8 and 9 year old minds, to maybe one day seek their right path.

I have had other friends make fun, dance and sing like the old time devotees did in the airports, street corners and such, because this is the image most remember.  I am trying to dispel the notions of KC of the past.  It is vibrant and alive, more so then many churches.  I still love church, and worshiping the Lord in the Christian way, or going to a Seder to worship in the Jewish tradition.  I love worshiping also in the KC way.  Yes, I don't mind being made fun of for my belief system because I know Krishna smiles down at me and laughs along also.  The Lord has the best sense of humor then anyone here on this earth.  Hari Bol!  He always has the last laugh.  :) <3

In my service to Lord Krishna, I travel.  I am always coming upon youth in Temples and other places that are in need of a Seniors or Elders guidance.  Some of these youth are coming from homes to where there was no love, affection nor training of any kind.  They are in need of a true Mother and/or Father figure.  I am blessed to have been able to sit down with some and just listen to them pour out their hearts.  What happened to the older ones teaching the young?  Some of these youth don't even get shown any type of physical love or touch.  There is nothing wrong with a hug.  I have had youth both women and men cry in my arms.  This is the future of the movement.  One bramachi young man was going to take his life, if I had not been there to talk him out.  Another young woman, had not had a hug from anyone in a long time.  She held on for dear life.  I am just saying...are people scared to show love and affection.  Is it fear of being taken the wrong way?  I have seen young men put to work like slaves in an ashram, with no instruction or care, just told to do their service, come to morning program or get out.  No other lessons, care or instructions.  The temple where I saw this can't seem to keep youth there to serve, it is all older devotees,  all I could do was pray.

I came across one young man who was told to just chant, that would take care of all his problems.  He left the movement.  I am still in contact with him, I counsel with him regularly, he found a different path to serve the Lord.  He said there just wasn't any love in KC.  This is not the 1st time I have heard this said. 

When I go to festivals and kirtans, I make it a point to engage the youth in conversation, hugs, dancing, and anything to make them smile.  I like to know what is going on inside them and show genuine concern for their well-being.  Like I said some are coming from homes where there is no love or affection.  Do we want them to find it the wrong way? God forbid.  Please engage the youth.  See what is on their minds, and help make it better in the movement for them.  There will be more youth coming in from the outside, not born into KC.  I wasn't born into a KC family myself. but I have wonderful associations in my hometown, and where ever I go.  

Hari Bol!

Your Servant  Catie

(Caitanyatulasi)

From time to time I will go visit a city and stay at their ashram for a few days either giving a donation or if low on funds I will do service.  Usually I will do both.  Sometimes I need to get away from my everyday life, so it is good to go to a place where there is usually peace and quiet for meditation, reflection and worship.

Not long ago while visiting a city in the southern USA, I stay at their Hare Krishna ashram for a couple weeks doing service and retreating from the world.  It was peaceful, I got to rejuvenate my spirit.  I am a counselor, preacher and teacher.  The devotees were so kind to me especially the young woman who was over the ladies part.  She was around 23yrs old, and was glad for the company.  She herself needed someone to pour out her heart to, to help guide her in decision making.  We got along wonderfully.  I am 50yrs old, my life has been in the Lords service and I have never married.  One of my gifts is sharing unconditional love to others no matter how they treat me. 

One day another woman came to stay with us.  She was older, 56yrs old, a devotee, she said for many years.  I think of myself as a person who likes to talk, but when I am silent, in a meditative mode, I don't necessarily want to be disturbed, especially when winding down from a long day.  Well, I was laying in bed listening to some music on my Smart Phone w/ ear plugs, half in consciousness of anything around me.  She comes in and sits on her bed, a bit loud, so I don't pay attention.  Then she struggles and sighs a bit.  I turn, being in a low bunk I had a cover around the bed like a curtain for privacy, and to keep unwanted light out for when others are staying in the room...  I open the cover and asked if she was OK,  as I figured she wanted to talk.  So I moved the covering aside, sat up turned music off to listen.  She began by asking me the music I was listening to, from there it was sort of a 3 degree interrogation of my life.  I am careful what I share because I come from a very eclectic spiritual background, and sometimes people like to judge.  As what seemed to be the case here, she was trying to find something in me to criticize and judge.  Within me I already knew what she was about.  Nothing she said moved me to anger or sadness, I just felt pity for her.  She was such an angry person.  I could tell she was a neophyte in her spirituality. I let it go and told her I am sorry she feels she had to find fault with my path, and that the Lord loves us all as individuals.  I explained that my path was very similar to my gurudevs, and she should read his book, maybe she would not be so harsh in her assessment of me. When nothing moved me but compassion for her, she started crying.  She told me about not being very active in Krishna Consciousness but wanting to be.  She apologized for her behavior and being so mean to me.  For she had been for the few days she was there, I showed her nothing but kindness in return.  She couldn't understand it, that nothing she did upset me.  I told her of my mother, and godmother how they taught me patience and love, and my faith of being in service, then I offered to hug her.  When we hugged she held on not wanting to let go.  She cried as if her life was going out of her.  So I held her until she was ready.  She said she had not been shown such love in a long time, she had not known such spiritual advancement of a woman since mother Yamuna.  I can't come close to comparing myself to mother Yamuna, but we need to show each other Love. In our associations, show unconditional love. This love breaks the down barriers, and hard hearts.  Compassion for each other, and others going through problems is essential for growth.  This is not the only experience I have had in the last year.  There are others.  When and where I can I show love, I hug, and I listen. There is so much hurt out in the community.  Wake up and see.