The Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan returns for its 26th year on Saturday, 3rd, and Sunday, May 4th, 2025, at The New Bingley Hall, Birmingham, UK, inviting devotees and spiritual seekers to immerse themselves in the chanting of the holy names of Lord Krsna.
Inspired by kirtan pioneers Aindra Das and Tribhuvannatha Das, this landmark event will feature renowned kirtaniyas including Candramauli Swami, Dayananda Swami, Amala Harinama Das, Saci Suta Das, Smita Krsna Das, Sharad Bihari Das, Kishor Gopal
The weather was the worst kind, with a wind, rain, slush, and cold, all a good reason to stay back. I came upon a poem of the past. Here it is:
IN THE COURSE OF A DAY
the morning
I heard a pandit speaking, highlighting dying
Then received a call of a sick man in bed lying
How many days in life can we actually count?
How much karma can one person mount
Before he moves on to the greener field
After the gloom-ridden body can be finally peeled?
by afternoon
It happens on occasion that someone enters the temple with good intent, but they are either not so stable, are on drugs, or both. This morning, we were blessed by the presence of someone like that.
A fellow came to the door, introduced himself and asked if he could sit down. His dress was casual, and to my dull recollection, he might have worn a poncho. He plopped himself down on the floor and pulled out of his long bag a number of stones – amethyst and crystals, and began praying or med
Last Saturday, April 12th, the St. Augustine Rathayatra filled the downtown streets with melodious kirtan and a joyous atmosphere. During the procession, the beautifully decorated chariot carrying Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra was accompanied by the Hare Krsna mantra, graceful youth dancers, and colorful flags and flowers calling the attention of the spectators who lined the route.
After the parade, the festivities continued with more chanting and the distribution of sumptuous prasada
On April 12th-13th, 2025, a historic moment unfolded in the sacred land of Birnagar, as thousands of devotees gathered to witness the laying of the foundation stone for a temple dedicated to Srīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Led by Jayapataka Swami, it marked the beginning of a long-awaited project that seeks to glorify one of the greatest acaryas in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
This monumental initiative is being undertaken by the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, an organization established t
Hari Rasa Pandita Devi Dasi, also known as Priti Wright, has spent her life navigating two very different worlds: the path of spiritual devotion laid before her from birth and the call of the mountains, where she pushes the limits of human endurance. Through Alpine Vagabonds, the project she shares with her husband, Jeff Wright, she documents these high-altitude journeys, carrying her faith to the summits of some of the world’s most demanding peaks.
Born into a family of Srila Prabhupada’s dis
STEPPING ENCOUNTERS
It doesn’t register in kilometres
But in steps taken, causing me to boast
For a walker, such figures count the most
They start at zero, go to tens, hundreds, thousands
Not numbers for any dastardly cowards
It is what you do with the steps that matter
And in their wake, the stories you gather
I met a courageous woman on a marathon
Calling it “Get off your butt-athon”
I was humoured by h
Hari Rasa Pandita Devi Dasi, also known as Priti Wright, has spent her life navigating two very different worlds: the path of spiritual devotion laid before her from birth and the call of the mountains, where she pushes the limits of human endurance. Through Alpine Vagabonds, the project she shares with her husband, Jeff Wright, she documents these high-altitude journeys, carrying her faith to the summits of some of the world’s most demanding peaks.
Born into a family of Srila Prabhupada’s dis
ISKCON Halifax devotees gathered outside the newly acquired property.
ISKCON Halifax, Nova Scotia, has moved from dormancy to dynamism over the last seven years through committed leadership, spectacular public festivals, and engaging Sunday programs. With this explosive growth, the community has now acquired Atlantic Canada’s first temple, which is 7,700 square feet in size and sits on nine serene acres.
History of ISKCON Halifax
From 2007 to 2010, under the shelter of Bhaktimarga Swami, ISKCO
Pradeep and I had a little time to kill before the kirtan gathering at Soham Yoga Studio. We ventured off to Locke St., the hip part of town, a place for cannabis shops, salons, spas, boutiques, and bars. Pradeep remarked that people here haven't seen too many monks. They take a second look.
It was on Locke that we met Pat, a sweet middle-aged woman who upon seeing Pradeep and I, decided to follow us to the yoga studio. It was her first time to the kirtan. It was also Pradeep's first. Ap
An important part of the Itihasas are the Puranas. The Puranas are the histories of the universe and contain many stories that took place on earth or even on other planets and dimensions, or in which superhuman powers are commonplace. As we pointed out earlier, Vedic knowledge often consists of information about things from beyond our own sense perception or experience. We can be assured of its authenticity because of the fact that many Vedic scholars such as Shukadeva, Maitreya, Madhva, Raman
George Harrison’s spiritual journey stands as one of the most profound and influential connections between a Western artist and the Hare Krishna movement. His relationship with Srila Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, and his devotion to spreading the Hare Krishna mantra, left an indelible mark on the global spiritual landscape.
A Deep Spiritual Connection
George Harrison’s fascination with Indian spirituality began in the late 1960s, as he sought peace beyond the fame and pressures of The Beatles
The Bhakti Center in New York City is set to host a four-day “Career Dharma Coaching Certification” program from April 24 to 27, led by renowned educator and spiritual teacher Urmila Devi Dasi (Dr. Edith Best). This intensive immersion, based on the book Career Dharma: The Natural Art of Work, is designed for individuals who are passionate about guiding others toward fulfilling, purpose-driven careers that align with their spiritual values.
Participants in the course will be trained to assist
There is a warning for drivers about the oncoming freezing rain. For this reason, I am cancelling several programs, especially trips up north such as Huntsville and Sudbury. Better to buckle down and stay at home. By Providence, I had good reason to stay planted. A good 40 or so people came, studiously, to learn about guidelines of Kirtan. The five-hour workshop proved successful. Let the weather do what it wants. We were absorbed in the cultural practices of chanting, and there are standards
A therapist draws on Lord Krsna’s teachings to help a child control his rage.
THE HOSPITAL ROOM SMELLS strongly of antiseptic as I walk in. Chris sits on his bed, immersed in rapidly pushing buttons with his thumbs.
“Nintendo?” I ask nonchalantly, breaking his concentration.
“Play Station,” he replies, continuing to madly push buttons.
I sit in a chair next to his bed, observing his strategy for blowing things up.
After a couple of minutes, Chris slams the game paddle to the floor.
“I hate thi
The foundation stone has been laid for a historic new temple in Birnagar, the birthplace of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur!
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, born Kedarnath Datta, was a revered saint, scholar, and pioneer of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. A distinguished High Court judge in Jagannath Puri, he was also a deep devotee whose life was dedicated to reviving and spreading the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Among his many contributions, he was the first to present the profound philosop
There are various kinds of yoga; such as karma-yoga, based on purifying our activities; Jnana-yoga, based on acquiring spiritual knowledge and insight; Raja-yoga, the mystical yoga system; and Bhakti-yoga, attaining union with God through love and devotion. From these yoga systems, additional systems have also developed. But these four basic forms of yoga are all discussed in the primary and essential Vedic text of the Bhagavad-gita. But out of all of them, Lord Krishna specifically directs us
Newly married Aksh and Gopika attend a Grihastha Vision Team Retreat in 2015.
Inspired by Krishnanandni Devi Dasi,* foundress of the Grihastha Vision Team (GVT), a young devotee couple, Aksh and Gopika Sharma, have launched Better Together – A Vaisnava Family Podcast. The new offering provides a much-needed platform for discussing marriage and family life within Krishna consciousness and aims to create a space for devotees to explore the realities of the grihastha ashram, weaving together insi
Jack Boken is the CEO of Happy Jack Yoga, established in Ontario. He is finishing up his degree in Harvard Divinity School, is a wonderful human being, and a practitioner of bhakti yoga, as well as a host of other genres of yoga.
Jack was kind to invite me into his broadcast this morning as a guest speaker where a series of speakers present their specialization in their brand of spiritualization. I have a number of areas that I dabble in when it comes to the spirit, but of interest to the
