A friend returning from India and dealing with jetlag added a small line in an email to me – my goal today: to stay awake.

That jumped out. What a goal, not just for the day, but for life.

In spiritual life when we think of being awake, we think of being conscious, being mindful of how we are relating with the world and with others. Being awake in bhakti means being awake to Krishna, to our particular relationship with Him, and our intentional effort to honor, respect, and grow that relationshi

It seems that the world has gone crazy. This last election cycle, and the aftermath has provoked fear and anxiety in millions of people around the world. Americans are rushing to buy land in Canada, there is talk about building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, thousands are in fear of being deported, there are demonstrations in the street, and we have a President elect who claims to know more than all the Generals.

Although I have posted this essay written by our Srila Prabhupada before, it

In Forlì, Italy, as I was entering a big office building, I was suddenly stopped by a security guard who inquired boldly:
“Who are you? Where are you going?”
She was a young lady, and she seemed quite severe and determined to not let me enter. When I presented myself and explained in a few words about our mission she changed positively and asked:
“Don’t you need a security guard for your community? I’m tired of working for these people.”
I replied, “There is an ancient proverb, rakhe krsna mare

The “American Dream” is built on the presumption of free will: If we try hard enough and work smart enough, we can reach our goals. Yet karma and destiny are some of the biggest influences in our life. Now new findings in neuroscience have a lot to say about free will vs. determination.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=33206

Hare Krsna,

In this issue of Illuminations we talk about the power and importance of visualizing ourselves as the kind of devotee we really want to be.

May you always think of Krsna.

Mahatma Das

_________________________________________________________________________

What You See is What You Get

I’d like you to take a minute and envision the kind of devotee you would like to be if anything were possible. What qualities would you like to possess? How would you like to act? What kind of menta

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The Vice President of India, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, inaugurated ISKCON's East West Cultural Festival in New Delhi yesterday. The event also saw the Indian premiere of the film Hare Krishna! directed by Yadubara Prabhu.

Dr. Bibek Debroy, one of world's well-known economist and Indologist, executive member of India's Planning Commission (NITI Aayog) and Chairman of Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Coun

By Laxmimoni Devi Dasi

I have come to Mayapur many times over the years. The first time was in 1974. Between then and the 90’s I went on the Nabadwip Mandala parikrama six times without shoes! But in all the times I’ve come to Mayapur and all the parikramas I’ve gone on, I have never felt so close to the Dham as I do when I go on the Kartik Parikrama with the Mayapur Chandra’s and the 200 or so others that come along on this transcendental pilgrimage.
Small and intimate, this gathering of serio

By Karnamrita Das

None of us want to be sick, and yet we all experience the occasional cold, flu, or something more serious. Some persons, like my wife, who have a weak immune system, deal with a body that is prone to catch whatever bug is going around. Having such a delicate bodily instrument, if they don’t eat and sleep properly they become more susceptible to illness. Thus my wife is a much greater expert than me in understanding the benefits of sickness to her spiritual life and how the body

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View this email in your browser JOIN US FOR Dynamic and informative learning Tue 28th Nov – Tue 5th Dec 2017,  4 PM-6 PM RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY Register Now Dynamic & informative learning, enriching your residence in Sridhama Mayapur & application of Vaishnava Culture… Topics include : * Srila Prabhupada’s vision for Mayapur. * The glories of Sridhama Mayapur. * Community resources in ISKCON Mayapur. * Appropriate behavior toward residents and visitors to Mayapur. * Temple Room Etiqu

By Ramai Swami

A lot of people visit New Govardhana and stay in either the asramas, (for the serious ones) the cabins, retreat facility, or perhaps down at Krsna Village for Wwoofers and yoga aspirants.

The devotees have regular programs of lecture/seminar, kirtan and prasadam at the village and recently I went and led kirtan giving the explanation and meaning of the mantras.

Source: http://www.ramaiswami.com/krsna-village/

By M. Venkaiah Naidu

Community welfare is “at the very heart of the social infrastructure that dominated our Indian civilization for millennia” and this message has been taken forward by reformers like Swami Prabhupada, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said here on Sunday.

Addressing the East West Cultural Festival in commemoration of the 121st birth anniversary of Swami Prabhupada, founder of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), he said that Swami Prabhupada was an “exempl

By Shii and Nel

I learned how to chant in Krishna last night. So I guess I can say that I am a mild member of the religion. I wrote this, I’m not sure if it’s a monologue or what, just to get my thoughts out, based on not only how I was led to His wisdom and away from the standards of my area, but also the aggravating community service I involuntarily volunteered for six days.

It doesn’t have a title yet, and I guess it might be a continuing piece, based on how I am in the religion of Krishna.

By Mahatma Das

The following is a list of (what I consider to be) mistakes that either I have made or have seen other devotees make while preaching. By preaching I mean helping a person come closer to Krsna. So “mistakes” would be saying or doing anything that could or will get in the way of this. Granted, we can sometimes make a mistake and it will not have adverse effects, so these are not absolutes. And it is even possible that some of these “mistakes” may occassionally end up helping someon