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Preparing Our Minds & Hearts For 2020

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Take sometime to think about all the things you wanted to do in 2019 and is still undone.

 Think about the state of your mental and emotional well-being at the end of 2019. Are you happy about it or do you want to change it for good as you enter 2020?
 
Think about the spiritual advancement you have made in 2019. Do you think you could have advanced much more than you presently have?
 
How do you want to see yourself placed at the end of 2020
 
Let these questions act as catalysts and springboa
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“Lord Jesus Christ lived for two years in the temple at Jagannatha Puri. He was thick and thin with the priests in that temple, and he took his spiritual training from Lord Jagannatha. It is because Lord Jesus loved Lord Jagannatha……and because Lord Jagannatha loved Lord Jesus…….that He, Lord Jagannatha, has come to your country”. (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami. Identical statement made during two separate Ratha Yatra lectures, 1972).
In those Ratha Yatra lectures, Srila Prabhupad built up to

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“If one loves Krishna, he must love Lord Jesus also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus he must love Krishna too. If he says, “Why shall I love Krishna? I shall love Jesus,” then he has no knowledge. And if one says, “Why shall I love Jesus? I shall love Krishna”, then he has no knowledge either. If one understands Krishna, then he will understand Jesus. If one understands Jesus, you’ll understand Krishna too”

(Srila Prabhupada – Room conversation with Allen Ginsberg, May 12, 1969 / Columbus –

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Christmas, Prabhupada and Jesus

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By Ramai Swami

Christmas is celebrated by millions all over the world. Thousands of the ISKCON congregation, although not Christians, visit our temples on Christmas day. Carparks are full and temple rooms packed out.

Srila Prabhupada commented on Jesus Christ many times:

“Jesus Christ was such a great personality–the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him–they were so thankless. Th

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The Spirit of Christmas, the Spirit of Love

By Giriraj Swami

“Now these Christmas holidays have begun in your country. Throughout the whole month of December you’ll observe nice festivities. Why? It began with God consciousness. Jesus Christ came to give you God consciousness, and in relation to him these festivities are going on. It may have degraded into another form, but the beginning was God consciousness. Now we may have lost it. But people cannot be happy without reviving God consciousness. It may be named differently—‘Krishna cons

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Two UK lawmakers Alok Sharma and Rishi Sunak took oath on the Bhagavad Gita while swearing in as members of the parliament in the new House of Commons on Tuesday. Alok Sharma is a minister in the British cabinet, Rishi Sunak is the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
 
Alok Sharma, 52, was born in Agra and was elected for the fourth time from Reading West. He is serving as the Secretary of State for International Development since July 2019. Rishi Sunak was born in Southampton, Hampshire and was
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By HH Krishna Ksetra Swami

I presented a copy of my book ‘Cow Care in Hindu Animal Ethics’ to Dr. Nanditha Krishna, President of the C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation and author of several books, here in Chennai. Dr. Krishna kindly wrote an endorsement for the book, on quite short notice, prior to its publication (included in the book’s front matter):

“The cow is integral to the economic, cultural and spiritual well being of Hindus and is central to the natural, human and divine spheres of life,

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Is there an evidence that the Holy Name is still powerful nowadays, in 2019?
Being the doubtful person that I am, Krishna removed all doubts from my mind in the last few weeks.

In 2018 we purchased a house for helping devotees with accommodation alongside facilitating a Krishna Conscious Airbnb, that house is also called Yashoda House Detroit.
When we got the house in 2018, it seemed like it’s just going to be another material struggle.
But this year, a miracle has happened that proved that the

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By Radha Dasi

 ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) recently ended a lengthy, detailed consideration of the Vaishnavi diksa guru question that has been under consideration since 2003. The Vaishnavi Ministry welcomes the new resolution, which upholds important spiritual principles and Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition while accommodating concerns about local communities having different cultural standards.  The resolution permits Vaishnavis to initiate disciples while allowing regional leaders

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Good-bye Callous by Bhaktimarga Swami

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It has been more than twenty-four years since I developed this callous and corn on the sole of my right foot.  It doesn't cause pain, but more—aggravation, from the point of view that it remains hard, and in some subtle way causes an uneven walk when I’m going barefoot. 

Personally, I have been hacking, or chiseling, away at this stubborn entity, on and off.  Today, I asked Radha Madhava, the person whom I stay with in Calgary, to finish it off.  So I handed him a rasp-type instrument suppli
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HH Indradyumna Swami’s health update

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Indradyumna Swami: Last week here in Durban, South Africa, I visited my dermatologist – a skin specialist. Unfortunately, he found a Malignant Melanoma skin cancer on my face. The tumor was very near to the first one I had five years ago. It is called recurrence cancer. I had a PET/CT scan to see if this second tumor had metastasized (spread) throughout my body. The result came back clear. It had not spread. Nevertheless, as a precaution, my oncologist (cancer doctor) asked that while surgicall

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Greta and the Veda

Dear Greta,

My congratulations for achieving so much during such a short a time! At the same time – in the second part of my letter – I would like to inform you about a really important issue.

In 2018 as an innocent girl you started to demonstrate on your own in front of the Parliament of your country because of the global warming. It turned out that you are an expert on the science of the problem. At the same time, you are also emotional about it. You have been chiding the p

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Chennai, India - The ISKCON Communications Ministry hosted the Fifth Annual Vaishnava Christian Dialogue in India, December 16-18. The Dialogue is part of a global effort by the Ministry to promote understanding between members of ISKCON and other major religious communities.  

Previous dialogues were held in Tirupati, India. This one was held at ISKCON’s temple in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. 

In India, the dialogue takes the form of a three-day meeting between Gaudiya Vaishnavas,

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About my Vrindavan days from “By his example”:GOVARDHAN HILL

A few days hence, before sunrise, with a group of about thirty people, we began our walk around sacred Govardhan Hill. The entourage included the Maharaja of Bharatpur, two queens, the prince, various relatives, zamindhars (landowners loyal to the king), agents, a doctor, and eight soldiers dressed in Jat military uniforms, part of the Maharaja’s private army. Twelve servants carried the supplies and the largest incense sticks I have

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After years of collective dedication in devotional service by the community, in December 2019 the management of New York’s Bhakti Center made the final mortgage payment to own the 25 First Avenue building outright.

It was the community members’ heartfelt contributions have made it possible for the people of New York to find their spiritual home and enter the family of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Gaurachandra, Sri Sri Radha Muralidhara and the beloved community of devotees for generations to come. 

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People are Important by Bhaktimarga Swami

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Sanjaya had a successful business and his family was doing well.  Then ten years ago, he suddenly was hit by a stroke and hasn't been able to physically do much since.  It has put a strain on the family financially, and his good wife is working extra time to compensate. They do receive some income due to his disability.  He has had time to think over the misfortune and has come to a redeeming conclusion. "Had this not happened I would not be spiritual.  It brought me closer to Him," he told me.
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Message from the Director

When we started our OCHS journey twenty years ago, I was focused on the study of my own Hindu denomination. I thought it time for that tradition to engage in a critical assessment of itself. We should use the apparatus of scholarship to compare its perspectives with those of other world views, and provide a basis for discussion and dialogue in a more public and global context.

In the association of wonderful scholars, such as Prof. Keith Ward, Peggy Morgan, and Prof.

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By Vidura Dasa ACBSP

In Nairobi, many moons ago, Kenya was hosting the annual meeting of the African Union where the heads of state of all countries in Africa gather. We happened to have recently received a container of Bhagavatams and Gitas cleared through customs. I went to the Kenyatta Conference Centre and tried my luck at getting in. If you think Western politicians are paranoid about security you should see these African ‘Boss Men’ and their ever nervous heavy dudes. Somehow, in dhoti, ku

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By Jayapataka Swami

[It says that one who hears the pastime, when they leave the body they will get the benefit of leaving in the Ganges.] Lord Caitanya’s father, Jagannath Mishra, he would go to his guru’s ashram regularly. So one night he came back and suddenly got a high fever. So Sachi Mata started crying and she didn’t know what to do. At that time Lord Caitanya was still a small boy, maybe nine years old. He said everybody in this world leaves, as a human being everyone dies. So why are y

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Time In Two Places by Bhaktimarga Swami

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Chandan is an enthusiastic and energetic fellow, father, husband, bhakti-yogi.  He took a forward step this morning by sitting at the fire for his diksha (initiation).  His new name is Chandramauli, in reference to Shiva, who carries the moon.  He's happy.
 
My walking time was under the moon in Calgary, after the sangha program, the Sunday Open House.  My dear Dhruva came out to see me as i was leaving the building.  He came in his flip flops with snow all around.  Luckily for me, the temperat
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