management - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT2024-03-29T05:54:09Zhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/managementManagement: Material or Spiritual? by Bhurijana dasahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/management-material-or-spiritual2023-02-28T06:30:00.000Z2023-02-28T06:30:00.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Management to facilitate preaching is spiritual, not material.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Everywhere, in the office, there is some immediate boss. So you have to please him. That is service. Suppose in office, in a department there is office superintendent. And if you do in your own way, “Yes, I’m doing my business,” and the office superintendent is not pleased, do you think that kind of service is nice? No. Similarly, everywhere we have got immediate boss. So we must work. That is systematic. If everyone manufactures, invents his own way of life, then there must be chaos.<br /> SUDAMA: Yeah, that’s true.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Now we are world organization. There is spiritual side, and there is material side also. That is not material side. That is also spiritual side, systematic management. Otherwise how it will be done? <br /> Conversations, Vol. 6, Los Angeles, December 5, 1973</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Management is a sign of intelligence. Srila Prabhupada even proved the existence of God through arguments based upon the intelligent management of the universe.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Demigod means almost God. They have got all godly qualities, and they are controllers of the atmospheric affairs. Some of them are controlling rainy season, some of them are controlling heat. As you have got controller here, some departmental director of this department, director of that department, similarly why don’t you think that this cosmic manifestation, there is a great brain behind it and there are different directors and there is management? People do not accept it. Nature. What do you mean by nature? Such nice things, such wonderful things are going on automatically, without any control? You see?<br /> Journalist: Well, I know that’s a question that, of course, one asks oneself all the time, I guess. It’s part of man’s quest to find himself and . . .<br /> Srila Prabhupada: But they should have common sense that you are trying to float one sputnik, so many scientific brains are working. And millions of wonderful sputniks which are called planets, they are floating in the air, there isn’t brain behind it? What is this? Is that very good reasoning?<br /> Journalist: I don’t know. I must ponder that.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: You should know it. How can it be? There must be a very big brain behind this. They are working. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 1, Los Angeles, December 30, 1968</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">To manage anything smoothly requires intelligence. Effective teachers apply their intelligence to maximize the actual time they spend teaching. Here are six basic managerial principles that should help.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle One: Cultivate the Mode of Goodness <br /> Cultivate the mode of goodness within yourself, your classroom atmosphere, and your students. Teaching thrives on maintaining steadiness and regularity. These qualities are born of an atmosphere of goodness.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">sattvat sanjayate jnanam<br /> rajaso lobha eva ca<br /> pramada-mohau tamaso<br /> bhavato ’jnanam eva ca</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develop foolishness, madness, and illusion.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Purport: Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living entity, Krsna consciousness is recommended. Through Krsna consciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there. When they are actually educated in the mode of goodness, they will become sober, in full knowledge of things as they are. Then people will become happy.<br /> Bg. 14.17<br /> A key element of goodness is cleanliness. It is no wonder that Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Your country, America, will become very degraded. They will appreciate our revolutionary cleanliness. Our revolutionary medicine will be experimented on these children, and it will be seen to be the cure.” (Letter to Satsvarupa dasa, February 28, 1972)<br /> Because cleanliness and goodness are the cure, teachers should be vigilant about protecting their students from slovenliness, passion, and ignorance.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">jaya-kale tu sattvasya<br /> devarsin rajaso ’suran<br /> tamaso yaksa-raksamsi<br /> tat-kalanuguno ’bhajat</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">When the quality of goodness is prominent, the sages and demigods flourish with the help of that quality, with which they are infused and surcharged by the Supreme Lord. Similarly, when the mode of passion is prominent the demons flourish, and when ignorance is prominent the Yaksas and Raksasas flourish. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone’s heart, fostering the reactions of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. <br /> Bh€g. 7.1.8</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Basically, goodness is required because it makes us receptive to Krsna consciousness. <br /> YOGESVARA: Is there some, any qualities, in the sense that some people have more receptivity towards the divine than other people?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: That I explained, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Those who are in sattva-guna, they can understand easily. Those who are in rajo-guna, they have got difficulty. And those who are in tamo-guna, they cannot.<br /> Madame Devi: (French)<br /> YOGESVARA: Is this degree of covering, whether they are in goodness, in passion or in ignorance, is that a question of their physical body? Is it a question of their hormones or chemical state? Is it a chemical state that some people are more covered than others by the modes of nature?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Covered means with some dirty things. That’s all. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 15, 1974</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">For a further explanation of the relationship between Krsna consciousness and the mode of goodness, please refer to chapter 5, “Teaching and Disciplining in the Modes of Material Nature,” and the essay “Elevation to Goodness” in the appendix.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Two: Preach Strongly, Yet Be Sensitive<br /> Srila Prabhupada once said that preaching brought management to one’s fingertips. When teachers effectively preach, students cooperate and cause few problems. And the students should preach as well. “It is especially nice to hear,” Srila Prabhupada wrote, “that the boys are becoming first-class preachers. That is essential. Without preaching, our institution becomes all rubbish.” (Letter to Dayananda dasa, April 11, 1974)<br /> The preaching, to be effective, should be realized and strong. Prabhupada’s preaching example was to the point.<br /> MAKHANALAL: There was that one notable, so-called incarnation. He supposedly lost all his potency. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: : Eh?<br /> MAKHANALAL: He said he gave away all his potency. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: He’s a rascal. What potency he has got?<br /> Dr. Patel: Who?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Any rascal who has called himself incarnation of God. There are so many rascals.<br /> MAKHANALAL: Wasn’t that Ramakrishna who said he gave away everything; he had nothing more except . . . <br /> Srila Prabhupada: What Ramakrishna? Don’t talk of these nonsense. Simply they have misled. That’s all.<br /> Dr. Patel: Simply you bhaja Krsna and don’t think anything else. And you get all your intelligence there.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Therefore Krsna has said, mam ekam. “Don’t go to these foolish rascals.” Mam ekam. You’ll be misled. Because they are misleaders, rascals.<br /> Dr. Patel: You are so very hard.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: I must be hard.<br /> Dr. Patel: Hard, harsh, and hard and harsh. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: The whole world is spoiled by these Mayavadis. Therefore I am very much hard. <br /> Dr. Patel: I don’t say hard. Hard and harsh. <br /> Srila Prabhupada: No, we must be harder and harder.<br /> Dr. Patel: Hard and harsh! Doesn’t matter . . . <br /> Srila Prabhupada: I don’t make any compromise with these rascals. No words. No, no. I never made that. Even if I don’t get any disciples, I’ll be satisfied. But I can’t make any compromise like these rascals. I cannot make. Ekah candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. If I can create one moon, that is sufficient. I don’t want many stars. That was my Guru Maharaja’s principle and that is my principle. What is the use of having a number of fools and rascals? If one man understands rightly, he can deliver the whole world. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 7, Bombay, March 23, 1974</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Although at times as hard as iron, Srila Prabhupada was also discriminating. Our preaching, especially to our students, should be individually prescribed and not fanatical.<br /> YOGESVARA: You didn’t find it necessary to enter into any kind of discussion with this French professor just now. There was no real discussion of philosophy. I was wondering why that didn’t happen.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: He did not raise any question. And he is simply translator. He has no philosophy. I asked him, “Which philosophy you are . . . ?” “So I make comparative study.” I think he did not like to enter into philosophical . . . Is it not? <br /> Devotee: Most of these gentlemen who come here, when they see you and begin talking with you, like you said, they show their ignorance when they begin to speak. So they prefer not to speak. They always make some excuse that they have an appointment because they know that if they speak, they will be in real trouble.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Tavac ca sobhate murkho yavat kincin na bhasate: “A foolish man is very nice as long as he does not speak. As soon as he will speak, his foolishness will be captured.” So therefore, sometimes they do not like to talk. Remain as a nice man, (Laughs.) without being discovered. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 14, 1974</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Three: Keep Strong Krsna Conscious Relationships<br /> Make management easier by keeping strong Krsna conscious relationships with your students.<br /> Brahmacari means living under direction of guru. Guror hitam. How can he be simply thinking of benefitting the spiritual master? Unless that position comes, nobody can serve guru. It is not an artificial thing. The brahmacari, the disciple, must have genuine love for the guru, then he can be under control. Otherwise why one should be under the control of another person? Therefore it is said, €caran d€savat. Servant, not only servant, but menial servant. Less than domestic servant. So a disciple is expected to live in gurukula, at the shelter of the guru, as menial servant gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah. This can be possible when one is really thickly related to the guru. Otherwise, ordinary relationship will not do. One who has actually the convictionyasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadoone who is convinced that if I please my guru then Krsna will be pleased. This is called suhrdah, full faithyasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi. And if I displease my guru, then I have no place. In this way. Guru cannot be false guru. False guru has no such thing. If guru is genuine and disciple is genuine, both of them are benefited and they go back to home, back to Godhead. <br /> Lectures, Bombay, April 12 and 14, 1976</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Know your students. Call the students by their names. Write down the names of the students in your class and see which ones you can’t remember or which ones you think of last. Note what qualities those students have. Deal with each student personally, either with a question, a comment, or a few words connected with the day’s occurrences, each day or during each lesson or section of the day. Be personally interested in each student. Informally speaking with students at different times of the day develops relationships. <br /> However, etiquette should always be observed in the dealings between a teacher and his students. Otherwise, a teacher’s “friendly” relationships will turn to familiarity, which breeds contempt. <br /> Guest: The Hare Krsna movement has started in the United States. Why did it start in the United States rather than India?<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Because the United States, they are our best customer. A businessman goes to a place . . . Just like you come here. Why you have come here? Wherever there is best possibility of doing your business, there you must go. I went to the United States because these people are not poverty-stricken. And our Indian people, they have been trained to think that they are poverty-stricken. Actually, they are not poverty-stricken, but the leaders have educated them that, “You are all poverty-stricken.” This is India’s position. So far I knew that it would not be successful in India. The government would not help. The public is educated in a different way. They are after technology. So, “familiarity breeds contempt.” They say, “What is this Hare Krsna movement: It is known to us since a long time. What effect it will have?” <br /> Conversations, Vol. 3, Hong Kong, April 18, 1972</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Just as Srila Prabhupada circled the world many times to add enthusiasm, instruction, and strength to his temples, circulate amongst your students. Know what and how they are doing. Know their strengths. Commend them for work well done. Know their difficulties. Offer help and advice to inattentive students. Document their troubles and achievements. <br /> Maintain a positive atmosphere. Avoid nagging, sarcasm, and frequent negative comments — tension between the teacher and his students cannot fail to exist within an atmosphere where these constantly go on. Sincerely praise whenever possible. Think of plenty of exact words that can be used instead of “good” and “nice” (delightful, imaginative, superb, great, remarkable, original, fascinating). Remember that chastisements are most effective within a basically positive atmosphere. Keep your word. Fulfill your promises. Don’t bluff. Remember: problem students need more positive reinforcement. <br /> Interact with the students. When lecturing, look at specific students in succession, each for a few seconds, in different parts of the room. This gives the teacher a feel for how the entire group is doing. Speak loud enough for students to easily hear. Use questions, not to catch the inattentive, but to check whether the material is being understood. If wrong answers are returned, the teacher should understand that he may have to re-explain in a simpler way or use examples. Using questions in this way will tend to keep the atmosphere positive.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Four: Start and End All Activities Carefully <br /> A careful start . . . <br /> Be there first, before the students arrive. Make sure the surroundings are neat and tidy. Make sure student seating or student order is pre-organized. At first, this can be done in an arbitrary way, and later, after you have established yourself in control, student placement and order can be rearranged.<br /> Be prepared. Know in advance what you will do. Have all materials and their distribution already organized. <br /> Start on time. This immediately establishes the teacher’s authority. The students naturally feel respectful, knowing the teacher is on top of his service.<br /> . . . An effective ending<br /> Plan in advance how the activity will end, how the dismissal will take place, and how a smooth transfer to the next activity will occur. <br /> First, go over it mentally in detail and write it out. Then, practice and master it. <br /> Plan ahead. Leave sufficient time for the orderly and efficient collection of materials and for the dismissal, thus allowing an effective summary to occur. <br /> Plan the end of the activity. Consider first what was the goal of the activity. Then sum it up. Don’t let one activity merge into the next. If possible, at least mentally prepare the students for their next activity.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Five: Make Sure Your Procedures are Efficient <br /> Know your objectives. Frequently check your results against your goals. Change or adjust procedures if necessary.<br /> Use variety. Consider student interest, curiosity, and motivation. Keep in mind your students’ attention span: two short activities may be better than one long activity. Alternate preferred activities with boring ones, familiar activities with new ones, quiet individual work with group work. But don’t let variety become confusion.<br /> Vary pace. Although the general tendency towards briskness in activities appears desirable — the ability to vary pace, and to know when to teach less and allow more time for practice — is also important. Short periods of practice followed by rest or by a different activity seem most effective.<br /> When engaging your students, make sure each student knows what he should be doing and when he should be doing it. Just knowing without a doubt what one should be doing by having heard precise instructions removes, for most students, the temptation to misbehave. <br /> Make sure you have your students’ attention before you give instructions. Also make sure that your students are actually capable of carrying out your instructions. <br /> King Pariksit said: O great sage, never before has it been heard anywhere that an order from Yamaraja has been baffled. Therefore I think that people will have doubts about this that no one but you can eradicate. Since this is my firm conviction, kindly explain the reasons for these events.<br /> Srila Sukadeva Goswami replied: “My dear King, when the order carriers of Yamaraja were baffled and defeated by the order carriers of Visnu, they approached their master, the controller of Saˆyaman-pur and master of sinful persons, to tell him of this incident.” <br /> The Yamadutas said: “Our dear Lord, how many controllers or rulers are there in this material world? How many causes are responsible for manifesting the various results of activities performed under the three modes of material nature?”<br /> Purport: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the Yamadutas, the order carriers of Yamaraja, were so disappointed that they asked their master, almost in great anger, whether there were many masters other than him. Furthermore, because the Yamadutas had been defeated and their master could not protect them, they were inclined to say that there was no need to serve such a master. If the servant cannot carry out the orders of his master without being defeated, what is the use of serving such a master? <br /> Bh€g. 6.3.2-4</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Consider your instructions before expecting students to follow them. As the Yamadutas became confused because they were incapable of carrying out the orders of their master, students who find themselves unable to carry out the orders of their teacher may similarly become confused or even angry. <br /> Also take care to make sure your instructions do not contradict those of another teacher or authority.<br /> If in this universe there are many rulers and justices who disagree about punishment and reward, their contradictory actions will neutralize each other, and no one will be punished or rewarded. Otherwise, if their contradictory acts fail to neutralize each other, everyone will have to be both punished and rewarded.<br /> Purport: Because the Yamadutas had been unsuccessful in carrying out the order of Yamar€ja, they doubted whether Yamaraja actually had the power to punish the sinful. Although they had gone to arrest Ajamila, following Yamaraja’s order, they found themselves unsuccessful because of the order of some higher authority. Therefore they were unsure of whether there were many authorities or only one. If there were many authorities who gave different judgments, which could be contradictory, a person might be wrongly punished or wrongly rewarded. According to our experience in the material world, a person punished in one court may appeal to another. Thus the same man may be either punished or rewarded according to different judgments. However, in the law of nature or the court of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there cannot be such contradictory judgments. The judges and their judgments must be perfect and free from contradictions. <br /> Bh€g. 6.3.5</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Principle Six: Handle Basic Disruptions Without Losing Momentum<br /> Following effective management procedures, like the above principles, will help eliminate most disruptions to teaching. But as happiness comes of its own accord, so does trouble. Minor disruptions are irritating. Even giving attention to them causes interruptions. <br /> Minor misbehavior is difficult to deal with because the offender can easily hide behind innocence: “I didn’t do it on purpose.” And because it is often difficult to recognize the culprit, suitable responses are difficult to find. Be tolerant and careful. Don’t overreact, treating minor disturbances as a threat or challenge to your authority. If wrongly handled, these disruptions can develop from minor irritations to major confrontations. <br /> Even when a teacher is quite certain that misbehavior is intentional or provocative, he should be wary of too strong an immediate response. Dramatic punishments are especially counterproductive as nothing is kept in reserve for more serious cases. Even simulated anger is troublesome. Rather, a teacher should look for a series of responses which are cool, calm, and carefully calculated.<br /> Here are some technical-sounding names for simple techniques that help teachers effectively handle these “surface” problems:</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Planned ignoring<br /> Ignore simple affronts meant to cause disruption. Students often stop misbehaving when they do not get the attention they seek.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Interference<br /> Inhibit behavior with eye contact or disapproving facial expressions to inform the student that the source of disturbance has been spotted and that the disturbance is not pleasing.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Quick conference<br /> Peacefully call the student up to your desk and quietly whisper in his ear that he please stop the activity.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Proximity control<br /> Stop restlessness by moving to the troubled area. An on the spot “quick conference” can also help.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Interest boosting<br /> Display interest in the student’s activity with a specific comment, such as during japa, “How’s your listening been the past few beads?” instead of, “How’s your chanting today?” You can also correct the student’s work, bring him closer to you, or praise his work. The idea is to refocus the student’s attention and remotivate him. Sometimes distractions result from the student’s inability to cope with required work.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Hurdle help<br /> See how the student is doing. If he is having a problem with his work, help him push beyond the difficulty.<br /> If the above techniques fail, try these:</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Humor<br /> Diffuse a tense situation with a joke, showing that you don’t take it seriously or that you can see the funny side of it.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Affection<br /> Search for an appropriate reason and sincerely give praise or show some affection, like a wink, a pat on the back, or a friendly smile.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Personal appeal quick conference<br /> Call the student up, take him aside, and gently request that he desist from the behavior. Tell the student that you can’t allow him to continue acting in this way. Tell him the reasonsothers cannot hear the story, you cannot concentrate, it is making it impossible for you to teach, and so on. Then ask, “Do you think this is an unfair request? If you want to run around, you’ll have time later. But you can’t run now.” Try to avoid the threat, but as a last effort, it can be used. “Look, if you continue, I’m going to have no other choice but to give you a detention.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">* * *</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Simply following the above points will stop most casual offenders, although it will not stop a student “saboteur.” The teacher, however, should initially assume that basic disruptions and minor transgressions are motivated either by desire for attention, by boredom, or by inadequacy. If this is so, when the teacher gives attention to the task, not to the behavior, conflict is avoided. Concentrating on what the student is doing, rather than why he is doing it, can often defuse a potentially tense situation. <br /> Even if the transgression is caused by a student’s personal animosity, all but the most determined seekers of confrontation will be diverted by the above simple manoeuvres. If a confrontation seems to be looming, avoid itsomehow or another.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Remember . . .<br /> Remember that a student always engaged in Krsna conscious activities will have less tendency towards mischievous activities.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Just like, somebody, a child. A child is active, but his frivolous activities, or mischievous, have to stop when he’s active in taking education. You see. The same child, his energy for becoming active is transferred for taking education. He’s no more acting mischievously, breaking this, doing this, doing that. The activity is there. Now that is purified. Similarly, spiritual life means the spiritual activity, that is purified activities. These boys, they have given up drinking, meat-eating. That does not mean they stop eating. They’re eating better things. Therefore they have given up the nonsense eating. So that is spiritual life. Spiritual life means purified activity.<br /> SYAMASUNDARA: Rationally, I was thought to be intelligent. I went to college, got so many degrees, but I could not in the least control my senses and control my mind, even though I tried. I studied philosophy so hard. But, by simply chanting Hare Krsna and coming to the platform of service for God, all my activities became dovetailed in one direction so that the other things were automatically brought under control as a result.<br /> Srila Prabhupada: Param drstva nivartate. The exact word is there that if one gets good engagement, he can give up bad engagement. But he cannot make it inactive. That is not possible because the soul is active. It is living. How he can make it inactive? That is not possible. Nirvana means stop nonsense, but take to spiritual life. That is next: athato brahma-jijnasa. Nirvana does not mean to stop activities; to stop nonsense activities. Come to the real activity. <br /> Conversations, Vol. 3, London, September 4, 1971</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source: </strong><a href="http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31261">http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31261</a></p></div>A word of thanks to HH Bhakti Charu Swamihttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/a-word-of-thanks-to-hh-bhakti-charu-swami2020-06-07T12:04:29.000Z2020-06-07T12:04:29.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p style="text-align:left;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIySHiCzcRg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br />Mayapur Management would like to express heart felt thanks and gratitude to HH Bhakti Charu Swami, who has inspired his followers, disciples, well wishers and devotee community worldwide through Youtube video appeal requesting donations for Mayapur, during this difficult situation. Following Maharaja’s appeal, we are receiving donations and many devotees have recorded their emotional sentiments and affection to HH Bhakti Charu Swami in their offering note. This shows how Maharaj holds Sri Mayapur dear to his heart.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">We are grateful for his guidance, participation and support to Sri Mayapur and its development.</p>
<p>HH Bhakti Charu Swami ki Jai!<br /> <br /> <strong>Source: </strong><a href="https://www.mayapur.com/2020/a-word-of-thanks-to-hh-bhakti-charu-swami/">https://www.mayapur.com/2020/a-word-of-thanks-to-hh-bhakti-charu-swami/</a></p></div>Surviving the Institution: One of the biggest secrets in Krsna Consciousnesshttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/surviving-the-institution-one-of-the-biggest-secrets-in-krsna-con2020-03-16T15:15:10.000Z2020-03-16T15:15:10.000ZCaitanya Chandra dasahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/CaitanyaChandraDasa<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4124227465?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><em>This article is a combination of a few thoughts I got from a class by Madhavananda Prabhu, and a few personal realizations.</em></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>Our movement has two sides: one side is the institution, a kind of impersonal entity, the other are the devotees. When we look from the institutional side, our movement is not so different from other organized religious groups. It is important since it's the vehicle created by Srila Prabhupada to spread Krsna Consciousness, but just as other organized religious groups, it involves egos, politics, a certain struggle for power and so on. It's much better than many other groups, we can tell, but still, it's far from perfect. There are problems and we need to learn how to live with them if we want to go somewhere.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>Organized religion is necessary for the enlightenment of the general public. It may not be perfect, but it is necessary. To try to abolish organized religion is a type of anarchist mentality that is influenced by the mode of ignorance, and don't bring any good result. It may be difficult to believe, but Lord Caitanya had to deal with many of the same problems we may complain about regarding "the institution" when he was living in Puri.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>During these pastimes, he was going daily to receive darshan of Lord Jagannatha and was attending the Ratha Yatras and other festivals. The temple was part of his life, despite the problems. First time Lord Caitanya visited the temple, the pandas wanted to beat Him up because he fell down to the ground paying dandavats (which is not allowed in the strict code of rules followed in the temple). They didn't allow Haridasa Thakura, as well as Rupa and Sanatana Goswami in the temple. Being God, he could have started a revolution to overthrow the management, but instead he just followed the rules. He supported the managers of the temple, despite their shortcomings. It may be hard to believe, but God supports organized religion, even when the leaders are not perfect.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>That's actually a noticeable difference between Indian culture and western culture. In traditional Indian culture, people are trained to respect authorities (like the teachers, father, mother, older brothers, etc.) regardless of their imperfections. In western culture however we tend to have a puffed-up mentality: if the authority is not perfect (according to our own standards), we don't want to follow. This is something that constricts our progress, since the whole Vedic concept of spiritual life is based on learning from authorities.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>Another problem with rebelling against the leaders is that they may decide to leave and we may end-up in their place. To be a manager is not a very good position for one aspiring to progress in spiritual life. Considering that in ISKCON we usually don't receive salaries, it's not a very advantageous position for material success either. There are only two classes of persons that can execute a managerial position without harm for their spiritual life: a) one that has a Ksatriya nature (and qualities such as power, morality, integrity, etc.) and can thus be happy serving by managing and taking care of people and b) the pure devotee, that can do anything for Krsna. If you don’t fit in any of the two options, it's much more intelligent to assist and cooperate with the leaders that are already there doing this inglorious service than to try to take their place.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>So, on the one hand we need organized religion and we need to follow authorities, but on the other hand we must also develop sufficient brain matter to be able to navigate the negative aspects of the institution. One problem with organized religion in general is that it tends to focus more in the rituals than on people. We need to be able to do our service and offer our contribution, but at the same conserve our individuality, otherwise we may end being swallowed by the impersonal aspects.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>To counter that, we should have our private space, our circle of intimate friends, a place where we can cultivate human relations, where we fell nourished. People that abandon the institution tend to gradually abandon Krsna Consciousness, while the ones that become too much absorbed in the impersonal aspects of the institution may end-up becoming fanatics, that don't usually stay for very long either.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>The secret is to be able to be a team-player, cooperating with other devotees, performing our service and doing our part in the cooperative effort, but at the same time keep our private space and our circle of intimate friends. There are so many nice, sweet devotees in our movement. If you can't mention at least ten names, I'm sorry but you are missing out. To cultivate friendship with like-minded devotees is one of the most important aspects of spiritual life. This is our safety net. The institution may not help you when you have someone sick in the family, but the devotees will. The institution may not bring you back to Godhead, but the devotees certainly can.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>One of the biggest secrets in spiritual life is exactly this: to be able to combine our participation in the institution with solid relationships with like-minded devotees. By doing that, we can have the best of both worlds. By keeping this equilibrium, we can flourish in spiritual life, despite obstacles in dealing with "the institution" or with imperfect authorities. As we evolve, we can become more useful in helping others to become Krsna Conscious.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>Lord Caitanya Himself gave this example when living in Jagannatha Puri, by simultaneously being engaged in the activities related to the temple and having intimate dealings with His intimate associates. One that can follow this advice, can be much stronger in his spiritual life, maintaining his progress and at the same time being able to do something for others. </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>Devotees that are not capable of doing that, end-up usually becoming too dependent on the institution, expecting that the institution will maintain them, and the institution may not be very competent in doing so. We can see that many, or maybe most of the devotees that abandon Krsna Consciousness do it with a very heavy heart, after having some experience when they felt neglected or offended. One that don't have a good safety net, will fall straight to the ground in such a situation, which can easily have fatal consequences.</span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span> </span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span>We need to learn the art of being alone in the crowd, working inside the group, but at the same time maintaining our individuality. Krsna likes individuality, because individuality brings variety. The goal is not to extinguish our individuality and become one with the group, but to conserve our individuality, using it to serve Krsna and develop love for Him.</span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"> </div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><span><em>This article was originally published on my website. You can read more on:<br /></em><em><a href="https://www.gettingthemercy.com/blog">https://www.gettingthemercy.com/blog</a></em></span></div></div><div class="jwLWP _2hXa7 _1dPe8 blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color"> </div></div>New Book: Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gitahttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/new-book-leadership-lessons-from-the-bhagavad-gita2019-11-09T10:43:25.000Z2019-11-09T10:43:25.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><div id="article_image" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2019/11-Nov/spr1_slideshow.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2019/11-Nov/spr1_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" alt="spr1_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><br /><br /></div>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">A new book ‘Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita,’ published by Sage Publisher wonderfully combines the two worlds of management and spirituality. The author Ace V. Simpson, a.k.a. Shri Prahlada Das is a well-known kirtaniya from Australia, but he is also a scholar with a Ph.D. and now teaches at Brunel Business School in London, UK.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">For professionals navigating negative corporate karmas, Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita offers a way forward for overcoming self-defeating habits and managing the mind’s negative chatter that is often the main obstacle to effective leadership. By promoting a leadership approach of caring for followers, stakeholders and future generations, the book offers hope for harmonious workplace relations and a protected environment. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Based on leadership by inspiration as opposed to leadership by control, Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita provides an alternative to conventional leadership. Particularly, in the times we live, where there is a crisis of faith in leadership, the insights from this book presents a vision of linked-leadership—leaders who are linked through loving-connection or bhakti-yoga with themselves (through self-knowledge), with other beings, with nature and with the supreme source. As exemplified by Krishna taking over the reins of Arjuna’s chariot, the crux of this book is leadership, not as a title or position, but as a commitment to service, excellence and virtuous character that motivates and inspires others to pursue the same. The unique insights from this book will help you make sense of different personality types to motivate others according to their natures and inclinations, which will support you in forming effective teams and creating a harmonious and prosperous organizational culture. In short, this book challenges and equips leaders to step up and cultivate unity and diversity, and achieve sustainable wellbeing and happiness in their organizations.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>The main topics of the book are the following: </strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>SELF-LEADERSHIP AND SERVANT-LEADERSHIP</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Leadership Values in Conflict</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Self-Awareness in Leadership</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Work as Yoga</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Timeless Leadership</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Leadership Towards Freedom</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Meditation and Leadership<br /> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>HIGHER PURPOSE</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Leadership as the Yoga of Love</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Leadership and the Supreme Position</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Confidential Knowledge</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Leadership and Infinite Divinity</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Seeing the Integrated Whole</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Devotional Leadership<br /> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>HOLISTIC SYSTEMS</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The Leader as the Knower of the Field</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Transcendent Leadership</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Leadership as Higher Consciousness</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Divine and Demoniac Dispositions</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Three Leadership Styles</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/11-Nov/spr2.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/11-Nov/spr2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="400" alt="spr2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p>
<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Recommendations: </h3>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">"Those of us familiar with India’s ancient book of wisdom, the Bhagavad Gita, tend to roll our eyes when we see yet another translation of it published or yet another commentary, especially one about ‘the Gita on Leadership’. But with Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, I am not just happily surprised, but frankly amazed to see how deftly Ace Simpson has brought forth the Gita’s wisdom to illuminate the very depths of what it means to be and to act as a leader in all spheres of one’s life, bringing real benefit</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">for both the leader and those who would follow. The translation of the original text is both faithful to the text and finely done, the reflections are richly illuminating for deep understanding of what is true leadership, and insights are backed up with references for empirical support. If today’s leaders-to-be read this book and imbibe its teachings, there is great hope for our world." -- Kenneth Valpey, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, Oxford, UK</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">"Dr Simpson’s mastery in the field of leadership through his PhD and academic career, and his deep understanding of the great spiritual text the Bhagavad Gita, which has been his guiding light since childhood, render him uniquely qualified to make this marvellous contribution: Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita. He provides apt translations of all verses from the Bhagavad Gita, which he elegantly arranges in a thematic fashion and shares his sagacious reflections, which are deeply profound. The significant leadership lessons that Dr Simpson draws should be relevant across a wide spectrum of situations—personal, interpersonal and organizational. A must read for all leaders in today’s turbulent environment—be that turbulence internal or external." -- Ravi Kathuria, Professor, and James and Lynne Doti Chair in Operations Management, The George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">"Good leadership is essential in all aspects of life. Drawing from the ancient wisdom of India’s pre-eminent scriptural text, the 5,000-yearold Bhagavad Gita, Ace Simpson shares with us knowledge that can inspire today’s leaders to fulfil their responsibilities in working with those under their command. Along with practical advice that made successful leaders through the ages, Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita stresses leadership combined with empathy and compassion. After all, a leader’s greatest asset is the men and women under his or her command. This is not just another modern-day book on leadership. It is unique in that it draws from the sagacity of the divine." -- Indradyumna Swami, Monk, author and spiritual teacher</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>To purchase a copy of the book on Amazon visit:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/admin/content/article/add/%20https:/www.amazon.com/Leadership-Lessons-Bhagavad-Gita-Simpson-ebook-dp-B07YW7XX84/dp/B07YW7XX84/ref=mt_kindle?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1572269475&fbclid=IwAR3T6TaZiDPw7i2JPNpa-4BeUxvahYckPmCMGpxshu_pbg75aX6-GDBo6i0">https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Lessons-Bhagavad-Gita-Simpson-ebook-dp-B07YW7XX84/dp/B07YW7XX84/ref=mt_kindle?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1572269475&fbclid=IwAR3T6TaZiDPw7i2JPNpa-4BeUxvahYckPmCMGpxshu_pbg75aX6-GDBo6i0</a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/new-book-leadership-lessons-from-the-bhagavad-gita,7148/">https://iskconnews.org/new-book-leadership-lessons-from-the-bhagavad-gita,7148/</a></p>
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