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.
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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
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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
By Bhaktimarga Swami
I am inspired by cleaning, as I’ve mentioned before, and today was one of those days to get down to business, roll up sleeves and pull up socks, by tackling the balcony of our temple. It’s been a part of the building under major neglect, in my opinion, but I got the help I needed from Mahaprabhu, visiting us from D.C. and Bhakta James from Montreal.
I put to work several muscles, which may not get the full attention from the almost perfect exercise, walking, by bending,
By Bhaktimarga Swami
It is the dharma of a sannyasi, a monk, to travel, and that is what I'm doing, but by jet. Once arriving at my destination I schedule myself for some period to walk. And this I did with the ‘Festa’ family, of Gaurachandra, Vani Priya, and Jagannatha, in what is now a winter wonderland.
Yes, that season of whiteness has set in and I don’t mind, provided I’ve got the clothing to cover.
Out in the east end of Calgary, we meandered through the streets and crescents to put i
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 Tarini Radha Devi Dasi
Sankalpa makes it easy for us to turn to Krishna in surrender to achieve our goal. And thus two things are achieved-
1. Increased surrender to Krishna
2. Achievement of goal
I want to share two incidents that demonstrate this.
*I want to distribute 25 BG in this building*
I prayed, as I walked up the steps of the LIC office in Pondy Bazaar. Very soon one young man told me to meet Mr. Rajesh in the second floor. Rajesh was not in his seat and I went about the
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
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
TOVP Australasia Tour, Day 1 – Perth, Australia
The Perth temple is a mid-size community of devotees numbering about 200-250, many of them new practitioners of Krishna consciousness. Their Graces Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus arrived on Monday, November 6th in preparation for the first program of the Australasia tour on Tuesday, November 7th.
Being a weekday only 150 devotees were able to attend, but the excitement of those devotees soon became apparent during the abhisheka of the Chakras a
By H.H. Radhanath Swami
Narada Muni the great acharya has previously explained to Maharaja Yudhisthira, the story of Prahlada Maharaja who is the perfect example of devotional service. Prahlada Maharaja remained faithful to the words of his spiritual master even in the face of the most impossible difficulties.
Depending on a power beyond his own, the mercy of Krsna, he crossed all obstacles. The Lord himself incarnated with a form that will attract all people’s hearts for all time just to show
Indradyumna Swami: Dear disciples, friends and well wishers,
On Saturday i.e 11th Nov, 2017 my beloved disciple, Braja Vallabhi dasi, from Brisbane, Australia passed away in a tragic car accident while on her way to attend a seminar at Govardhan Hill here in Vrindavan. She was only 23 years old. She was a wonderfully talented devotee with an effervescent smile, who most recently helped tremendously in organizing our month long Karitka parikrama. We will miss her dearly. Please everyone say a pr
By Kaishori Dasi
The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has made the folloing announcement:
Are you a graphic designer? We'd like to hear from you!
The BBT is looking for a new cover design for the book The Journey of Self-Discovery, a collection of Srila Prabhupada's articles from Back to Godhead magazine. This book has been in print for almost thirty years and is ready for a new, exciting, updated cover that will attract modern readers to Srila Prabhupada's timeless wisdom.
The BBT is casting a wide ne
By Madhava Smullen
Bhaktivedanta College in Radhadesh, Belgium has announced a new onsite Yoga Teacher Training Course, which will be the first of its type to have an extra online component – in this case on yoga philosophy.
The Course will also be part of the College’s future M.A. in Yoga, a program offered in few places in the world.
Set in the beautiful Ardennes region of Belgium, next to Radhadesh’s picturesque Chateau temple, the College’s scenic, secluded campus is ideal for the study an
By Bhaktimarga Swami
They are identical twins, bhakti yogis on top of that, and they recently acquired a 50 acre property with a house just off of Lake Ontario. They are doing some organic things such as growing and harvesting carrots, tomatoes, peppers, melons, blackberries and also honey.
Sanatana, Rupa and I stopped by to see the farm and the young men, the twins, Dhyana Chandra and Graham, who are also the proud owners of Prema the Pig. She is a big pig and works her snout by turning th
ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission has appointed a new GBC authority for the Greater New York Area.
At the GBC Midterm Meeting in Ujjain (U.P.), India on Oct. 9, the GBC Body added Rādhānāth Mahārāja, Devāmṛta Mahārāja and Vaiśeṣika Prabhu as co-GBC members for the Greater New York Area.
The new GBC team intends to help stop the pending sale of the Rādhā Govinda temple in Brooklyn, prevent the temple from being pulled out of ISKCON, and give new life to the Krishna consciousness movement in New
By Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
When the acarya disappears, a dark period comes, just as a patch of black cloud covers up the effulgent sun. It is an unfortunate time, but it is temporary. That cloud will go away. A violent storm may come and disperse the cloud, and then the effulgent sun will come out. If you trace out history you will find that after the disappearance of an acarya, this period comes. That period came after the disappearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. Then his discipl
