Priya108

Living with our decisions

2012-01-27T05:09:00.002-05:00

Throughout our lives we meet all kinds of people -- some leave a bad taste in our mouths; some very sweet, while others can quite literally turn our lives upside down -- their impact is so powerful that we sometimes make decisions and take actions that are in many ways irrational or foreign to our normal way of behaving. This has now happened to me more than once and I am getting tired of it.

So how do we avoid these kinds of things happening? Well, for one thing, we have to take the time to learn from those earlier experiences. This may take the form of journalling or blogging, as I am doing now, or it may require sharing these experiences with your close friends and family to get their feedback and/or clarification on the subtleties of those experience. Because, sometimes, we get so wrapped up in our head, that we "cannot see the forest for the trees."

I have come to realise the importance of patience. It is too easy to jump to conclusions and assume things are as we expect them to be, even with very limited information and perspective. I guess this tendency comes from the need to feel in control of our lives, or to just feel like we have things all sorted out. Unfortunately, this is hardly ever the case. Even for a person with lots of experience, life's unexpected lessons can be a bitch. It is always better to wait and see. In other words, to just sit on something for a while, chew it over, and allow things to play out or mature before taking any major action or drawing and concrete conclusions. Sure, there will be times, when this attitude may cause us to "miss the boat" of opportunity, but I can assure you that those sorts of divine and serendipitous moments are few and far between. History confirms that to act in haste can sometimes lead to the greatest waste of time and resources.

So how do we recognise those divine moment -- the ones that really are "Opportunity" knocking at our door, from those other times when, "Opportunity" is really just a Will-o'-the-wisp nicely dressed to distract us from more important things? Certainly, with time comes the wisdom to know the difference, however, a good rule of thumb for discerning reality from illusion is to pause or reflect whenever there is any tinge of uncertainty. "Opportunity" may not give you the time you need to consult friends and family and cultivate the full faith and confidence you need to take confident action. So in these cases, just pause. Take a moment and be silent. Put your feet in the river or ocean, let your hair down, breathe deeply and pause. Carefully play the scenario out in your mind's eye and then see how you feel about it. Live the opportunity out as much as you can in your mind first.

Secondly, ask the question, "What if?" and see how you feel about the answer. Next, ask for divine guidance and sleep on it. At all costs, do not allow lust to dictate your decision.

Now, if you've already done that and you feel confident that the "Opportunity" is the real deal, then act with full conviction and enjoy every moment of the consequences. And if things don't pan out the way you imagined, then at least you can say that you tried.

My Birthday Wish

2011-11-04T03:48:00.002-04:00

Cooking Australian bread "pockets" using scrap wood

Feeling very blessed today from all the love coming from so many distant friends. Thank you so much!

Just as nature evolves according to the fibonacci sequence, we also evolve by taking a lesson from the past and applying it into our future step forward. The important thing to remember throughout this evolutionary process is to not remain too long in the past, but rather to look back just enough to get perspective, just as one would do when looking into the rear vision mirror while driving.

Similarly, we should not reject the past, but rather burn it in the fire of life experience and wisdom. In other words, the old and used energy becomes the "fuel" for the torch that lights our path; the "fuel" to warm our body; and the "fuel" to create something new.

We are a product of the decisions, mistakes and lessons from the past and today I can honestly say that I am happy with my past and feel stronger than ever to become the best person I can possibly be. We are interdependent beings, and so my personal journey is filled with the mercy and guidance of so many great souls. Some of them came in the guise of ascetics, while many others appeared as ordinary people, animals and insects. Of course, no one is truly "ordinary". We are all sparks of a Divine Godhead, only covered in various layers of mental conditioning and karma.

Thank you to my spiritual teachers who blessed me from the start of my journey and who continue to pray for my success despite my shortcomings.

Thank you to all my spiritual brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, partners and so-called "enemies", both inside and outside the Vaisnava tradition. You are many and so it will be impossible to thank you all by name. My body may be bound by the limits of this physical frequency, however, in spirit, my loving arms are wrapped around you, or my head is at your feet in absolute appreciation for the love and kindness you have shown me. Thank you. Every one of you who have helped me in some way or another to evolve.

If I have a benediction on this day, then let it be this: May all of you be blessed with peace, prosperity and the love of someone else.

We are never alone...just forgetful

2011-10-15T05:06:00.000-04:00

One of the things that I keep reminding myself of is that I am never alone. It may seem at times that we are so disconnected from the world; no one understands us, or that we are not loved. It happens to all of us from time to time. I can only assume that this is all part of the grand illusion of this world to keep us fearful and bound to this physical frequency. Because essentially these concerns are fundamentally body-consciousness.

The more we can remember our true essence as eternal spiritual beings, characterised by the magnificence of godliness in all it's variety, that much more we will avoid the pitfall of loneliness.

Every day we have to make the effort to refocus our consciousness on the higher frequency of spirit and cleanse the mind of the hankering and lamentations pertaining to the body. The fact is: we are not these bodies. That image looking back at you in the mirror is just a reflection of a temporary shell that is binding you to this dense frequency of matter.

What stops this realisation from becoming fixed in our consciousness is a poorly trained mind that for countless lifetimes has been allowed to recklessly pursue the whims of this grand illusion we call physical life. Matter is just compressed energy and energy is constantly changing shape. Nothing remains the same. All things must change at every moment. There is no such thing as an absolute static state. Life is characterised by motion, in infinite cycles of birth and death.

At some point in time, we throw our hands up and say, "what is going on here?" "Who am I?" What is the purpose of my life?" These are all valid questions that have bugged the greatest minds since the beginning of time. And there has never been a shortage of answers to those questions. However, ultimately, YOU are supposed to answer that question. YOU are responsible for your actions and reactions. YOU are the one that determines where you go from here.

It is so easy to just point the finger at God or others as the cause of our mistakes and suffering. However, if we are honest, we will admit that we have always had a choice as to how we react to every situations we found ourselves in. Our God or gods are always there to guide us if we wish, but at no point in time do they interfere with free will. To do so would go against the very nature of love and happiness. Both of which can never be forced. They are both constitutionally, individual expressions unbound by time, place, circumstance and the actions of others. Love and happiness are our nature as souls, and so these qualities spring from our very core. It is for this reason that we are able to have dynamic, loving, unconditional relationships in the first place.

We are all looking for love and happiness, but unfortunately we look for them in this illusory physical frequency that constantly changes shape. What we need to do is focus this noble pursuit exclusively on the domain that these qualities emanate from -- the frequency of spirit. When we start seeing each and every human, animal, insect and plant as a spiritual being, we connect with the world at the deepest level. Then and then only can genuine love and happiness mature.

Amy Dolby Gallery

The more we do just that, the less we will feel lonely and disconnected. On the contrary, we will bathe in an ocean of connectedness, love and gratitude. It is only then, that we can begin to appreciate God's love and our incredible potential as spirit souls. At this stage, life will cease to be a random and chaotic series of rollercoaster rides, but will morph into a divine play where the joy and wonder of life will inspire us at every moment.

Near Death Experience - What did I learn?

2011-08-04T06:18:00.009-04:00

On Monday, July 25 around 3pm, I nearly died in China. Seriously. I was about 30 seconds from death. The hotel I was booking into in Guangzhou had just fumigated the rooms with some ultra toxic mosquito repellent that caused my lungs to collapse. At first it was just a tickle in the throat, but it became annoying to breath and I had to cover my nose with my shirt. I assumed that as soon as I got into my room all would be ok. I mean, even the lady at the desk was not bothered, but something felt wrong.

When I entered my room on the 5th floor, however, within seconds I began gasping and my body began heaving trying to expell whatever it was from my lungs. The heaving got more and more intense to the point where my lungs were not interested in taking air in, only getting air out! The room was a toxic minefield. With whatever air I had left, I said, "We have to get out, I can't breath". Then my lungs fully collapsed. I raced into the bathroom to splash water in my face to shock my lungs into working again. It enabled me a few more breaths. I then stumbled into the elevator. I was now wondering if I would make it out in time. I tried to calm myself down. I couldn't talk but tried to communicate with my eyes to my friends, "Please help me relax so that my lungs can take in air". I managed to squueze out "Krishna" with my last remaning air. One of my friends hugged me and rubbed my back...I started to relax.

We reached the bottom and I ran out of the elevator red faced, coughing, crying and my nose flowing with mucus. I just had to get as far away as possible. I raced up the street and sat down to recover.

I remember thinking while in the elevator, "this is not how I want to go." But you never know, do you?

Reflections
Looking back at that event, I am happy to know that at a time of great stress and confusion I remembered Krishna. I hope that this will be true every time I am tested like that. For as Krishna states in the Gita, one who remembers Him is guaranteed success. In fact, remembrance of Krishna is considered the principle instruction of all the Vedas.

Another interesting observation was that the people I was with, although my friends, were ultimately helpless to do anything for me. Death is something we all have to face alone, for we are the only ones standing at the doorway. In any case, the hotel was so saturated from the mosquito fogging that they too were coughing and struggling to breathe. Only in my case, my lungs completely gave out. The moment that I rushed into the bathroom to splash my face probably gave me an extra minute of time. As soon as I splashed I was able to take in extra air, just enough to get me downstairs. I remembered this technique from an earlier experience when I was living in an ashram in Sydney in 1984. One morning my friend (Nimai Pandit) awoke from sleep, gagging because his throat had become overloaded with mucus. His face went red and he had no idea what to do. In a panic he was jumping up and down trying to awaken us. One of the other monks (Jagannath) immediately rushed into the kitchen and splashed cold water on Nimai's face. The shock enabled Nimai to break his panicked state and clear his throat. That happened nearly 30 years ago, but the memory stayed with me all these years to help me at a critical time in my own life. There are so many things we forget, and we often wonder why we remember particular incidents and forget others. I now know why I remembered that one incident and have pretty much forgoten all others from that time.

The most obvious lesson to take away from this experience is that we have to appreciate every moment we have in life, for you never truly know when the last one will come. More importantly, these near death experiences help us to understand the importance of preparation and to be conscious at every moment. The highest state of consciousness is to be aware of your higher SELF and the omnipresence of God. Material bodies are temporary portals for us souls to express ourSELF for a predetermined number of breaths, according to our karma. We the "witness" of these life events live on and on until such time that we do NOT require another material form to carry us further. This can only come to pass if our consciousness is sufficiently purified of attachment to this material matrix and is fully aligned with (or vibrating at the same resonance as) the higher spiritual dimension. At this time, a material body made of earth, water, fire, air and ether becomes unnecessary.

The challenge for all of us is relearning the TRUTH of our higher existence. We do not belong here in this material energy, explains Krishna in the Gita, but are sourced from a higher spiritual energy. This whole material creation is a response to our desire to enjoy and control independently of Krishna. As soon as we awaken to our "sanatana dharma" or eternal nature of loving service, this material world and the elements that build it will literally dissolve before our eyes.

Every time we are forced out of a body at death, for at least a split moment we become aware of our divinity. However, due to attachment and lust we are forced once more to accept another material body. The solution therefore is to cultivate detachment from matter over your lifetime so that at the time of death you CAN let go. This will only be possible with a pure heart fixed on the divine, because unless we are able to replace our attachment for material things with attachment for the divine there is no question of detachment.

Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation. (SB 3.25.20)

This is exactly why the path of voidism is so flawed. A transcendentalists may be able to break out of this material matrix through renunciation and sense control, but eventually, because the soul's nature is to enjoy, they eventually come back to this material dimension to satisfy the enjoying tendency.

Krishna instructing Arjuna

Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay. (BG 5.6)

The path of bhakti, however, teaches the aspirant to learn to enjoy in service to the Supreme which is expressed in 5 principle rasas (tastes): neutrality, servitude, friendship, parental, and conjugal. Everything that we experience in this realm is a perverted reflection of a pure expression of that experience in the spiritual dimension. In other words, enjoying is not the problem; the problems start when we attempt to enjoy through matter and independently of the Supreme Enjoyer, Krishna.

These concepts of divine rasa may seem unattainable or unrealistic because of a conditioning that God is a vindictive and impatient patriarch. However, the Vedas declare that God by definition, is that person that is a supreme expression of all things great and wonderful in this world. Therefore, just as we are persons and can love another person in a variety of ways, similarly, we can have a loving relationship with a Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our relationship with God is uniquely personal.

You may recall in a previous posting on the sacred geometry of food, I shared the idea that we resonate to Phi or "fiveness" -- five fingers, toes, senses, etc, and here we see that even in spiritual relationships there are 5 primary tastes!

At this stage in my own spiritual evolution, I may not be aware of my eternal rasa with God, but some things I do know for certain:

I am NOT the supreme enjoyer, but God, by definition must be;
I am NOT the supreme controller of my destiny, but God, by definition must be;
God (HE/SHE) is my best friend!

In conclusion: I am so glad that I have been given another opportunity to cultivate purity and express my love and appreciation for all the blessings in my life. I apparently was not ready to go on that day, but hopefully when my predetermined number of breaths does run out, I will be fully ready to embrace the eternal reality and not come back here again for another round.

What it means to be a Food Yogi

2011-07-15T10:22:00.003-04:00

Over the last 5 weeks I have been developing a Food Yoga workshop based on my yet-to-be-released book, The YOGA of EATING.

The response has been positive thus far and I am encouraged to think that with a little tweaking I will have a very effective presentation on the art and science of being a Food Yogi.

Essentially, what I am presenting in these classes is the ancient culture of spiritual hospitality combined with the lifestyle of a perfect prasadarian. A Prasadarian is someone that only consumes the most pure food, devoid of all suffering, toxins, and negativity. Prasadam is a Sanskrit word that means mercy, and specifically refers to food that has been prepared with loving intention and then offered in love to God. Naturally, such a gift of love must be physically and emotionally pure.

Because food is the most basic necessity of life it behooves us to honor the blessing of having food on our table, and even more importantly making sure that everyone else has food as well. This can only happen when we genuinely feel compassion and respect for all living beings and it is this universal respect that is fundamental to a Food Yogi lifestyle. A Food Yogi sees with equal vision, a dog, elephant, poor man, rich man, woman, child, bird, or insect, knowing well that all are equal in spiritual quality, although appearing externally different. The wisdom of equal vision is most naturally expressed in the sharing of food, simply because eating food is something we all have in common and no one should be denied.

Another pillar of the Vedic culture of spiritual hospitality is the policy of Atithi Narayan or the attitude of treating an unexpected guest like God. Atithi is a Sanskrit word meaning unscheduled, and Narayana is a name of Visnu (God). The purport of this policy is obvious: If you are supposed to treat the unexpected guest like God, how much more should we respect those that we invite to our homes!? You can just imagine how wonderful the world would be if this policy was common law.

Probably the most important lesson from the Food Yogi workshop is the idea that when we make an effort to be fully conscious of our food choices, preparations and eating—incredible and transformative things can happen to us.

When you are living consciously, beginning with conscious eating, you will do so in all your thoughts and actions. Your life will be consistent and in harmony with your environment. In other words, you will complement your environment and not disturb it. Rather than being a “spoke in the wheel” of Nature, you will be a welcome participant in the garden of unlimited possibility.

Food's only purpose is to nourish the body, mind and soul. Food, therefore, should give us life, cleanse our body and uplift our spirit. Eating food should never be just about fueling the physical body, it should always be viewed as an expression of consciousness.

Einstein was a vegetarian!

The journey of spiritual awakening begins with and ends with the tongue. Never underestimate the power of the plate or the power of the spoken word. What you put on your plate is as much a political statement as it is a mirror of who you really are. You can tell much about a person by what comes out of his mouth when he speaks and what he consumes as food. Food for Life founder Swami Prabhupada often gave the example of a dog on a throne. “If you throw a shoe, then the dog will leave his throne to chew the shoe,” he chuckled. Similarly, although an individual may claim to be enlightened or a great moralist, actions speak louder than words, and soon enough those actions will always reveal their true nature.

The Bible says: “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
The tongue will always lead the other senses either to purity and thus liberation, or to debauchery and thus perpetual entanglement in sin.

To be a Food Yogi is to walk in truth.

-------------------------------------------------

ABOUT THE FOOD YOGI WORKSHOP

Food Yogi Workshop is an introduction to the culture of spiritual hospitality and the importance of food on our spiritual journey. Students will learn how to achieve optimum health by practicing the Food Yogi diet and lifestyle, which includes, what to eat, when to eat, water therapy, food meditations and conscious eating.

• The meaning of Food Yoga
• Metaphysics of food
• Nature Meditation
• Food Alchemy
• Sacred Food and Super foods
• The importance of water
• Thoughts are energy
• Food Politics
• Spiritual Hospitality
• Food Offering Meditation
• Conscious Eating

To book your Food Yogi Workshop contact Priya at FFL.ORG

The Phi of the Maha Mantra

2011-06-28T09:41:00.018-04:00

Energy In -- Energy Out,

"Forbidden fruit" is what it's all about,

Cloaked in a Torus -- it reveals its heart,

When cut horizontally and two sides set apart.

The apple's seeds -- form a perfect Pent,

Proportionate to Phi or the Golden Measurement,

The signature expression of nature and time,

Efficiency of form for the spirit sublime.

Starting as a "Torus" -- we evolve in Phi,

Then express ourselves physically through the number 5,

Five senses, five fingers, and five toes you see,

Our heart resonates to "fiveness" in numerology.

We are "Phi energetics" trapped within a "core",

A physical prison where karma is the law,

The secret to escape is to resonate once more,

With the magic of Phi within a transcendental score.

Of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and sky,

It is sky from where sound makes its entrance into Phi,

That creative force -- embalmed in pure sound,

Is essentially what makes the world go round.

And it is this cyclic metaphor that I introduce the Name,

The most transcendental sound of infinite fame,

A garland of beads -- a rosary if you will,

Holds the secret to emancipation and ultimate free will.

Reconnecting our hearts to the source of bliss,

An experience so divine we don't want to miss,

Of all the divine sounds -- the great mantra blooms as a rose,

In its purity, potency, and mathematical prose.

32 syllables of 3 Names -- Krishna, Rama and Hare,

108 beads forming one complete "rosary",

The multiplication of which generates a number of Phi,

3,456 transforms all like a butterfly.

Dividing C by 16 rosaries we get a harmonic of the speed of sound,

forming a perfect Phi harmony with 16 completed "rounds,"

And so now we know why -- Srila Prabhupada emphatically decreed:

"Chanting Hare Krishna -- is validated scientifically."

Phi relationship of light to sound to mantra?

The relationship of 108 to Phi was first discovered by Jain 108. For more information on the mysteries of 108 go to The Book of Phi - 108 Codes

"The theory of special relativity explores the consequences of this invariance of C (Speed of Light) with the ASSUMPTION that the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference."

"It is generally ASSUMED that fundamental constants such as C have the same value throughout spacetime, meaning that they do not depend on location and do not vary with time. HOWEVER, it has been suggested in various theories that the speed of light MAY have changed over time." - Wikipedia

Assumed Speed of light = 186282 miles per sec

Syllables in one 108 bead rosary of the maha mantra = 3456

Syllables in 16 rosaries of the maha mantra = 55296

Speed of light 186282 / 55296 = 3.36881510416 (rounded to 3.37)

Speed of sound in higher atmosphere is given as 0.18694.

When divided by 55296 (16 rounds) = 3.38071, (rounded to 3.38)

However, since there is still some doubt as to actual speed of light, let's assume that C is a multiple of (108) or 186624 (which is very close to the assumed speed of 186282). If we divide this number (186624) by 55296 (syllables in 16 rounds of the maha mantra) we get a very similar number = 3.375 (which could round to 3.37 or 3.38)

Interestingly, the speed of sound varies according to the environment, but is fastest in the higher atmosphere.

Since there is no real certainty for the speed of light throughout all of spacetime and the Universe functions harmonically, we propose that the actual C (speed of light) could be 186624 miles per second and as a consequence, the optimum speed for sound must be 0.186624 miles per second.

In any case, even without using the 108 multiple number for the C, the current estimated speed for light and sound still form a nice harmonic when related to the total number of syllables within 16 rosaries (55296) of the maha mantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

* The key point to understand here is that 108 is related to Phi as discovered by my dear friend Jain 108

Taichung, Taiwan, June 27, 2011

Comments welcome...

Sacred Geometry of Whole Foods

2011-06-17T07:17:00.008-04:00

Excerpt from:

The YOGA of EATING - Becoming a Food Yogi

A new book by Paul Rodney Turner

Who would have ever thought that an apple could hold the key to the secrets of the universe and our existence?

Vedic Mathematician and Sacred Geometrician, Jain 108 explains: “Our energetic body is a Torus; planet Earth is energetically a Torus, and the apple is a Torus.”

Jain proposes that the secret to this understanding begins with the fetus in the womb. “Before any of the limbs have developed, the human form is essentially shaped like a tube torus donut, illustrating clearly that the human body is based on the principle of energy in – energy out. The tube torus donut is the ultimate geometrical shape – expressing perfection in balance and efficiency,” he explains.

Like all spiritual traditions, Jain suggests that complete knowledge can only be obtained by turning inwards to access our core, as illustrated by the turning in of the apple. “Since ancient times the apple has symbolized the science of immortality, ‘Les pomme bleue’. In French the word ‘pomme’ comes from ‘Op Om,’ or Sun Ball. The word ‘Apple’ also denotes ‘Eye’, ‘Stone’ or anything round. The phrase: ‘You are the apple of my eye,’ therefore, has deep meaning, suggesting that in the center of our energetic torus is the self (eye).”

Sacred Geometrician and health researcher, Don Tolman, offers that if we could reduce all the knowledge of our body and the world around us, it would be: “Everything is a tube.” Our body and everything in it is basically tube-like. “Sickness is a result of blockages within ‘tubes.’” He says. It is this “tube” concept that also reveals the mystery of the apple.

Slicing the “tube-torus donut-like” apple in half reveals a pentagonal arrangement of seeds. This 5-pointed pentagonal formation is not exclusive to the apple, but is also found in a host of other fruits like the papaya, and in the flowers of all edible fruits. Tolman explains that the “pulsating rhythm of living growth follows the pattern of pentagonal symmetry,” and is most perfectly expressed in the golden measure or the divine proportion (phi) — a relationship between a small part and a large part of any whole, and mathematically expressed as the irrational number 1.618033… into infinity. In the simplest terms, the small part of a divine proportion is a scale model of the large part, which is a scale model of the whole.

The golden spiral is another aspect of phi’s transcendental character and can be seen all throughout nature, including the nautilus shell, ram horn, butterfly wings, tornadoes, whirl pools, ocean waves, spiraled galaxies and in the movements of birds, bees and schools of fish. Thousands of plant species exhibit the golden measure’s proportional spacing in the distribution of their seeds and leaves in what is also known as the Fibonacci[1] sequence. Indeed, even the roots of plants follow the phi ratio and most profoundly it can be seen in the distances between the planets within our solar system.

The human body also perfectly expresses the golden measure. “The body begins it’s existence in the spiral pattern of an embryo and when it has matured the body exhibits the phi proportion in the primary relationship of its parts,” explains Tolman.

Indeed, even our DNA resonates to phi. Our DNA is composed or two 3D spirals. Sacred Geometrician Stephen Skinner explains that, the geometry that governs these spirals can best be seen if you look vertically down them. “What you will see is a structure that is reminiscent of phi (Golden measure), a series of double pentagons that make up the composite axial view of the DNA double helix. Phi is closely related to ‘fiveness’ and it is integral to the construction of the pentagon,” explains Skinner.

It is for these reasons that perfect health is achieved when we satisfy the bodies yearning for balance, as perfectly expressed in phi (fiveness), by eating whole fruits and vegetables that naturally resonate to phi and arranging our lives in such a way that we honor and connect with each one of the five material elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether).

Perfect health therefore can be as simple as embracing five key activities, that coincidently resonate with each of the 5 gross material elements:

1. Eating whole foods (Earth);

2. Drinking spring water (Water);

3. Greeting the morning sun (Fire);

4. Vitalizing the body with fresh air through stress-less exercise like yoga (Air);

5. Exposure to positive sound vibration (Ether).

[1] Leonardo of Pisa, famous for introducing Arabic numbers to Europe and discovering the Fibonacci series where numbers unfold by adding the previous. Natural growth often conforms to the numbers found in this series.

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A prayer to Little William

2011-04-19T14:02:00.002-04:00

Little William Lionheart

Little William, Little William,

Little man of iron.

Although cloaked as a boy,

Your heart roared like a lion

Your demeanour so cute,

and yet your presence so tall.

One could only wonder,

where you got such balls!?

Challenging anyone,

who came your way.

With a stiff upper lip,

You demanded they pay.

Walking and talking,

like a man of fame;

it made us wonder,

"What was in your name?"

Little William, Little William,

you were a king of boys;

so courageous and bold,

and a bringer of joy.

We’ll miss you dearly,

and yet we know you’re ok --

for the Lord is your shepherd,

on this joyous day.

You’re now free of pain,

so your soul can fly high --

to the heights of divinity,

into the spiritual sky.

Where life is eternal,

full of bliss and wisdom;

a fitting place for a “King,”

without a Kingdom.

Where every word is song,

and every step a dance,

and selfless love,

is the currency of romance.

A place from where,

we all once were,

but somehow forgot,

in this endless blur...

Of bodily games,

in a world of names,

seeking fortune and fame,

in this temporary plane.

Little William, Little William,

your love lives on.

We now understand,

That you’ve not really gone.

You’ll always be with us,

in a loving bond,

that transcends time,

and succeeds beyond…

This mortal frame,

that covers the “soul”,

for our love is eternal,

and you’ve made us whole.

We look forward to that day,

when we’ll meet once more,

and hear your challenge,

and that lion roar.

And get to know "you",

the real William of “soul,”

the little man inside the boys body,

the one that made us whole.

Little William, Little William,

please accept my prayer,

may the Lord bless you always,

for you are a soul so rare!

by Uncle Paul

(Little William Harris passed away on April 17th)

A Mother's Love

2011-04-15T09:42:00.000-04:00

(Excerpt from The YOGA of EATING)

by Paul Rodney Turner

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.

- Jewish Proverb

Nothing can compare to a home cooked meal from a loving mother. We’ve already talked about the risk we take with our emotional, physical and spiritual well-being when we eat out. Well, in the ideal home, a mother’s cooking is filled with loving intention and healing energy and is therefore the best source of spiritual and physical nutrition on the planet! (Of course, with modern gender roles so blurred, the same could be said of a loving father.)

The sad truth, however, is that, with mothers all over the world ceding control of the dinner table to scientists, food marketers and governments, a terrible thing happened. Tradition and common sense went out the window, and as Michael Pollen notes, “Thirty years of nutritional advice have left us fatter, sicker, and more poorly nourished. Which is why we find ourselves in the predicament we do: in need of a whole new way to think about eating.[1]”

A loving nurturer like a mother will invest all her loving intention into the meals she prepares. That sort of loving intention is not only invaluable, but also worshipable. In fact, in the Vedic tradition, the father (Pitru Devo Bhavaa) and mother (Matru Devo Bhavaa) are considered the first guru and second guru respectively and should therefore be worshipped.

In Sanskrit, the word “Guru” consists of two words: “Gu” – which means darkness or ignorance and “Ru” which means “remover of.” The guru is someone who helps to remove ignorance from our hearts and enlightens us.

In the Bible, it is also stated:
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

I have provided a comparison chart on the following page between food prepared by a loving Mother and that which you can buy in a restaurant. I could have extended this list indefinitely, but these are what I feel to be the most important pros and cons of eating a meal prepared by one’s loving mother versus a meal prepared by a restaurant:

Prepared by a loving Mother

Made with loving intention
Prepared carefully
Cleanliness honoured
Selfless
Focused intention
Pure motivation

Prepared at a Restaurant

Made with the intention of profit
Prepared hastily
Cleanliness compromised
Selfish
Distracted intention
Material motivation

It is easy to see the benefits of eating a home cooked meal, and yet, every year, Americans will spend, on average, $1,000 eating out (which is said to be less than it once was).

Good Magazine, in partnership with Whole Foods, chronicled[2] the proportion of income Americans spend on food today as compared to the past. And guess what? They’re spending less than ever.

In 1949, Americans spent 22% of their incomes on food, whereas in 2009 they spent a meager 10%. However, of this 10%, nearly half (40%)[3] is spent on food away from home, and research[4] has found that meals prepared outside the home are less healthful.

How is this so? Because, while saving money seems like a good thing, the cheap processed foods we buy outside are often produced by factory farming and industrial agriculture and supported by government subsidies, which we ultimately pay for in the form of taxes. Also, with jumbo-sized products being priced more economically, Americans may be getting more for their dollar, but they're also gaining more weight, losing their health, spending more on healthcare, and supporting environmentally unsustainable practices.

The Seven Mothers

According to the Vedic tradition, there are actually seven mothers in our life:
The first mother is our biological mother, from whose womb we have come to this world. Then there is the wife of the teacher or spiritual master; the wife of a priest; the wife of the king, or the queen; the cow; the nurse or caregiver; and finally, the earth, often referred to as “Mother Nature.” In Sanskrit, the country in which we take birth is called deça-mätåkä or “motherland.” We refer to our language as “mother tongue.” So you can see that there are so many mothers, of which the cow is just one. In India, a cow is sometimes addressed as amba, which also means mother. (In broken dialect people sometimes use the word amma.)

There is one common principle that characterizes all genuine mothers, and that is selfless, loving service to their dependents. This pure loving intention is the true life giving force that our mothers nurture us with. Whether it is milk from her breast or the fruit of a tree, a mother’s offering is pure. No matter how hard modern science tries to emulate the pure offering of a mother, it will never succeed. The failed history of baby formula is a case in point. In a recent report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), tests performed on liquid baby formulas found that they all contained bisphenol A (BPA). This leaching, hormone-mimicking chemical is used by all major baby formula manufacturers in the linings of the metal cans in which baby formula is sold.

BPA has been found to cause hyperactivity, reproductive abnormalities and pediatric brain cancer in lab animals. Increasingly, scientists suspect that BPA might be linked to several medical problems in humans, including breast and testicular cancer.

[1] In Defense of Food, Michael Pollen p 81
[2] Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reyxkSWUjLI&
[3] US. Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures in 2007 (Washington DC 2009)
[4] J.F.Guthrie, B.H. Lin, and E Frazao, Role of food prepared away from home in the American diet, 1977-78 versus 1994-96: Changes and consequences, J Nutr Educ Behav 34 (2002): 140-50

The Inner Artist (POEM)

2011-02-07T02:44:00.003-05:00

The Inner Artist

By Paul Turner

(6/2/2011 Sydney, Australia)

The artists’ quest to explore the heart,

To learn of Self – sets them apart,

From the fodder of public and depravity,

Who wallow in arcades of debauchery.

Surrendering their souls to the noble truth,

That life is for expressing our eternal youth –

The Child within that yearns for love,

And the reassuring hand of the Lord above.

Carefree and innocent, they find their song,

Convinced in mind that nothing can go wrong,

With their chins held high and a confident gait,

They pursue their path and so meditate –

On the Higher dimensions of the human psyche,

The world within where all souls are alike,

Where every word is a song and every step a dance,

And loving service is the currency of romance.

‘tis the artists that reveals heaven on earth,

by the stroke of their pen and the nature of Self worth,

Without their grace – humanity would despair,

For the artistic heart is a jewel so rare.

Awareness (POEM)

2011-02-07T00:51:00.003-05:00

Awareness

By Paul Turner 
(31/1/2011 Balmoral Beach, Australia)

Repeating patterns in the yellow sand,

Dominant Sun from where I stand,

Enlightenment possible – no doubt therein,

Removing refuse from the history within.

To be aware of actions and behaviors – so swine,

To acknowledge your essence – so perfectly divine,

To allow those mistakes to be lessons learned,

In the world of misfortune as the ocean churns.

Countless souls on the shore of time,

Clamoring for sunlight and a taste of wine,

The elixer of immortality, beauty and fame,

Is the frivolous ball in the roulette game.

A game of chance – and yet we hanker for more,

While the house bets large against our pultry score,

If bewildered by neon and a foolish quest,

We’ll lose our awareness and fail the test.

Stand strong and tall above the smashing waves,

Affirm your brilliance in the world of names,

Allow the eternal flame of your soul to shine through,

As you lay in the Sun beneath the sky so blue.

Spiritedness

2010-11-15T16:53:00.004-05:00

Webster defines the word “spirit” as: “Energy, vivacity, ardor, enthusiasm, courage,” etc., while the word “spirited” is defined as: “Animated; full of life and vigor, lively,” etc.

The word Spirit expresses the essence of Universal Power and that which is present in man as the core of his being—his inner strength and power. Spiritedness does not mean the quality of being ethereal, spiritual, or otherworldly. It simply denotes a state of being “animated," or “possessed of vigor”. This vigor comes from the very core of one’s being—the “I AM” region or plane of consciousness. The quality of spiritedness is manifested in different degrees among different men—and animals. It is an elementary, primitive idiom of Life, and is never dependent upon culture, refinement or education. Its development is a consequence of one’s ability to recognize one’s power within.

Within the animal kingdom we see how the quality of spiritedness plays into determining who will be the alpha male. For example, if you put two male baboons in the same cage, rather than launch into an attack on one another, they will open their mouths to expose all their teeth and then proceed to ‘blow’ at each other. But one of them will blow with a hint of fear that immediately marks him as the inferior male and the “fight” is over. It is the same with the big cats. Put a dozen lions together, and they also, usually without a single strike, will soon discover which one of them possesses the valor of the leader. Thereafter he takes the choice of the females. He becomes leader of the pride. It is not always the baboon with the fiercest teeth, nor biggest lion that asserts his dominion by winning a physical fight—it is always something far subtler than the physical—the soul quality of the animal or its spiritedness.

And so it is with men. It is not the dog in the fight, but the “fight in the dog” that endures. The spiritedness or “nerve,” or “mettle,” of a man is always the deciding factor.

There may be no feeling of antagonism between you and your opponent, but there will be an inward recognition on both sides that one of you is superior. This superiority does not depend upon physical strength, intellectual prowess, social status or skill set, but upon the expression and recognition of one’s inner power or spiritedness.

We often hear of people “lacking spirit”; or having had “their spirit broken,” etc. The term is used in the sense of “mettle.” “A horse with a “bigger heart” will always run a gamer race and will often outdistance and out-cardio a horse having greater physical characteristics, but less “spirit” or “heart.” Other horses become discouraged and allow themselves to be beaten by higher-spirited horses, even though they may be superior physical specimens. This spiritedness or valor of an individual is a vital quality of success but it can only be developed and strengthened once one becomes firmly established in knowing their higher self. Never allow someone else to define who you are. Believe in yourself and know that you are much more than what the world sees externally.

Excerpt from HOW TO PLAY GREAT POOL - and become a better person in the process
(by Paul Turner)

BUY NOW
eBook - 115 pages
$9.95

World Best Aiming System for Billiards (Book)

2010-11-15T16:44:00.000-05:00

New Book by Paul Turner
eBook - 72 pages
$4.95

World’s Best Aiming System for Billiards teaches the legendary 3-cut system of aiming popularized in snooker and used by the greatest billiards players in the world. The book breaks down the essential elements of the system into an easy to understand method that can be applied immediately while playing any kind of billiards. The 3-cut system is based on geometry so it is the most reliable and accurate aiming system available. Get this book and start pocketing balls like never before! Your friends will be amazed.

BUY NOW

HOW TO PLAY GREAT POOL - Now available on KINDLE

2010-10-11T22:43:00.002-04:00

HOW TO PLAY GREAT POOL
by Paul Rodney Turner, inventor of the Billiard Aim Trainer

Paul started playing pool in 1975 at the age of 12 on a 7-foot particleboard pool table in his family’s garage. Fascinated by the art and geometry of billiards, Paul studied the books of legendary snooker and billiard greats, Joe Davis, Walter Lindrum and Eddie Charlton. Soon after he became a fan of a new BBC series called Pot Black featuring a new breed of snooker professionals like Steve Davis and Jimmy White.

With a sense of optimism, Paul began practicing on 12 foot snooker tables for 4 hours daily, meticulously going through drill after drill to perfect his game. He had hopes of one day becoming a professional snooker player, but then in 1983, as if being called for a higher purpose; Paul put away his snooker cue and traveled East to study the ancient mystical teachings of India. It is that experience that Paul now draws on when explaining the more subtle aspects of billiards, like mind managementand gamesmanship.

Join Paul on a journey of championship billiards and self discovery as he reveals essential ingredients of what makes a great pool player and a great human being.

Available on KINDLE

Clinton endorses plant-based diet

2010-10-10T19:19:00.003-04:00

Lorax Community Garden Sanctuary - Sponsored by FFL

2010-09-12T17:09:00.001-04:00

Raw green soup prepared by Kathryn Davis at the
Lorax Community Garden Sanctuary house

For the last six months I have been pretty much full time working on the Lorax Community Garden project in Bronx, New York managed by Kathryn Davis.

In February 2010, Kathryn was able to secure a nice house for the project on Broadway and although it is very old and lacking in some areas, for all intents and purposes it meets the project's needs. The front room of the house is now a garden room for young plants, there are two upstairs bedrooms, an office, a large dining room and a good size kitchen. Most of the furniture including all the beds were donated or obtained through craigslist "curb alerts" so we saved a considerable amount of money.

Food for Life Global is the main sponsor for the project, however, the Lorax Community Garden Sanctuary is an independent church organization. To learn more, go to: LORAX COMMUNITY

HOW TO PLAY GREAT POOL - and become a better person in the process

2010-04-17T01:08:00.000-04:00

I recently finished my first book on billiards. In this book, I share secrets to championship level play along with providing practical advice and guidance on how to improve one's quality of life and attitude. In the end, what resulted was a book that was both a training guide for the passionate pool player and self-help book aimed at the billiards industry.

The book is available in hardcover, paperback and as an ebook for download through Lulu.

HOW TO PLAY GREAT POOL - and become a better person in the process by Paul Rodney Turner

Paul Rodney Turner, the inventor of the Billiard Aim Trainer, takes you on a journey to championship level billiards and self discovery as he reveals essential ingredients to winning pool and becoming and a better person in the process.

Food For Life Global Is Coming Through Big In Haiti | Washington Times Communities

2010-02-24T17:03:00.000-05:00

Food For Life Global Is Coming Through Big In Haiti | Washington Times Communities

Welcome the Sun back into your life!

2009-12-23T00:24:00.006-05:00

The Winter Solstice occurs exactly when the earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26'. The term Winter Solstice is also colloquially used as Midwinter. More evident to those in high latitudes, it represents the shortest day, the longest night, and when the sun's daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest. The seasonal significance of the Winter Solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern Hemisphere, and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sadly, though, it is a day that most people in the West barely notice, simply because of their fixation on Christmas, December 25, or the Gregorian new year, Jan 1. The Winter Solstice, however, marks the beginning of a new era, a potential blossoming of consciousness and the resurrection of spirit. Astro-theologists say that it marks the day when the Son of God, represented by the actual sun, pauses for three days before once again ascending in the sky.

Symbolic
Since the event is seen as the reversal of the Sun's ebbing presence in the sky, concepts of the rebirth of sun gods are common and, in cultures using cyclic calendars based on the solstices, the year has been celebrated as reborn and of new beginnings. In Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses met on the winter and summer solstice.

Sun Worship
Any way you look at it, it is an auspicious occasion and one that all of us should pay attention to by harnessing those shifting energies to our benefit. We can best do that by offering our respects to the Sun with a heart filled with gratitude. Practitioners of bhakti traditions will tell us that one need not bother with worshiping nature, but need only to "water the root the tree" by chanting the holy name of God instead. However, in the same scriptures they quote from, the Sun or Surya is described as the "eye of God." A closer study of these same devotional traditions teach us that Sun worship does in indeed take place daily in the form of the Gayatri mantra. The Gayatri mantra, regarded as one of the most sacred of the Hindu hymns, is dedicated to the Sun. Brahmans will privately chant the Gayatri mantra three times daily, just before dawn, at noon and finally at dusk.

Hinduism
In the Sanskrit Vedas, numerous hymns are dedicated to Surya/Mitra dev, the Sun personified, and Savitr, "the impeller", a solar deity either identified with or associated with Surya. The Adityas are a group of solar deities, from the Brahmana period numbering twelve. The ritual of sandhyavandanam, performed by some Hindus, is an elaborate set of hand gestures and body movements, designed to greet and revere the Sun.

The Sun God in Hinduism is an ancient deity, worthy of immense worship. The Sun is referred to in Sanskrit as "Mitra" or "Friend" down to the invariable warmth, life-giving nature and optimism its light brings to mankind. He is also called "Prati-Aksh Devta" meaning "The Seen Divinity".

The Mahabharata describes one of its warrior heroes Karna as being the son of the righteous queen Kunti who was impregnated by the Sun God. Sri Rama from the famous Ramayana descended from the Surya dynasty or clan of kings as bright as the Sun.

Mother Gayatri
The Gayatri Mantra consists of twenty-four syllables - three lines of eight syllables each. The first line (Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah) is considered an invocation, and is not technically a part of the original Gayatri Mantra as it appears in the Upanishads. Gayatri is also referred to as a Vedic poetic meter of 24 syllables or any hymn composed in this meter. Hence, there exists a whole family of Gayatri Mantras, which serve as meditative aids to pray for the blessings of a particular personal God.

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

A basic translation can be given as...

Oh God, the Protector, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent, Who is free from all pains and Whose contact frees the soul from all troubles, Who pervades the Universe and sustains all, the Creator and Energizer of the whole Universe, the Giver of happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance, the most excellent, Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us embrace that very God, so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction

Ancient Egypt
Sun worship was exceptionally prevalent in ancient Egyptian religion. The earliest deities associated with the sun are Wadjet, Sekhmet, Hathor, Nut, Bast, Bat, and Menhit. First Hathor, and then Isis, give birth to and nursed Horus and Ra.

Modern attitudes towards the Sun
In mundane dealings it is often said that one should not trust someone that doesn't look you in the eye when shaking hands or greeting you. And yet our hurried lives are causing us to do just that every single day when the Sun rises to greet us. We are usually not there, but are snoring away in ignorance, oblivious to beauty and power that comes with greeting the Sun. The birds and other animals certainly realize the benefits of praising the early morning Sun. The early morning is a veritable symphony of song and dance performed by the animals and insects in praise of the Sun.

Yogis, brahmans and Qi practitioners have known of the health benefits of rising early for centuries. In Asian countries, it is common to find thousands of people performing tai chi, meditation, or prayer just before sunrise. The Vedas state that a 48 minute period beginning 1 hour 36 minutes before Sunrise is called the Brahma Muhurta and is considered the most powerful time for any kind of prayer or meditation.

The Brahma Muhurta or Hour of God in the Indian tradition is a time of great energy and tranquility. The Vedic seers came to discover that this is the time that the cosmic gods meditate and start to perform their heavenly duties at the command of the Supreme Lord Visnu. Even if you are a complete beginner in meditation, you will encounter very little resistance if you meditate at this time.

Sun Gazing
Another interesting practice from the Indian tradition is Sun Gazing, or the art of looking directly at the Sun as it rises above the horizon. It is important to remember that staring directly into the sun can be dangerous and therefore must be done with great caution. However, according to world renowned sunhealing teacher Hira Ratan Manek (pictured below), the benefits far outweigh the dangers.

For centuries, people and researchers believed that it was impossible for human beings to live their lives without sustenance, and that their vision would be destroyed by looking straight at the sun. Based on science, human eyes are not strong enough to resist the damage of direct sunlight while the human body has a natural cycle of hunger that has to be curbed. However, modern sungazing devotees like Mason Howe Dwinell writes that people can overcome such obstacles and even achieve the impossible of living off light alone, in his groundbreaking book, The Earth Was Flat: Insight into the Ancient Practice of Sungazing.

Sunscreens
Another paranoia fed to us these days by the pharmaceutical companies is the need for us to use sun screen lotions to protect our bodies from dangerous UV rays. However, it is important to understand that there are some serious dangers associated with sunscreen, starting with the fact that most popular brands contain a large number of toxic chemicals that can invade your skin and actually increase the chance for cancer to arise! The main culprits are: Oxybenzone, PABA,Titanium Dioxide, and Dioxybenzone.

Vitamin D
In addition, these cancer causing creams block the overall production of Vitamin D in the body. When our bodies are deficient in Vitamin D, either through the overuse of sunscreens or through a lifestyle that keeps us out of the sun, many negative health consequences occur, for example:

Weakening of the bones.
Inability to absorb calcium.
Slowing of cell regeneration
Potential for developing various types of cancers
Depression

Also, insufficient sunlight in the short winter days increases the secretion of melatonin in the body, throwing off the circadian rhythm with longer sleep. Exercise, light therapy, increased negative ion exposure (which can be attained from plants and well ventilated flames, burning wood or beeswax) can reinvigorate the body from its seasonal lull and relieve winter blues by decreasing melatonin secretions, increasing serotonin and temporarily creating more balanced sleeping pattern.

Don't be afraid of the light
It seems that that honoring and welcoming the sun into our lives is at the heart of many of our modern day ailments. Most people rise after the Sun has risen, take some kind of sheltered transportation to their office, where they will work in artificially lit buildings until after the sun has set, when they will once again return to their homes to repeat the pattern. By exposing your forearms to the sun every day for as little as 15 minutes, or as Hiren Ratan Manek recommends, gazing directly at the sun in the early morning, we could most probably curtail most health problems quite easily.

It is time to remember just how wonderful and beneficial the Sun is to our physical, mental and spiritual health. Arise O' living dead and seek the light of the Sun wherever and whenever you can get it. We are all light beings and the Sun is the very source of all light!

For further reading on Sun Worship see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_deity

The desire to connect - at what cost?

2009-12-12T16:52:00.001-05:00

We often gloat about how "connected" we all are in this modern "wired world", but are we really? Look around any busy street, subway or office building and sure enough you're going to see cell phones and blue tooth devises stuck to people's ears, thumbs feverishly clicking away at tiny keyboards, or headphones feeding music into ears, as these people shut out the world around them.

Some of us will check email on our Blackberry, G1 or Iphone every few minutes because of a need to feel wanted. Others will talk for hours on their cell phone because they don't have the courage or desire to strike up a meaningful conversation with a stranger; a young activists blocks out all the bullshit by listening to Skinny Puppy, while couples "sext" each other raunchy IMs because they wouldn't dare say such things in person.

This wired world we live in has not made us more connected, but has literally hijacked us from the beauty of the human experience. We have become far too dependent on technology, to the point where we feel we can't live without it. And that very thought is the seed of all our confusion.

You see, we were not born with these gadgets and neither will we take them with us upon our departure from this world. They are, like every other man-made wonder, temporary distractions -- "toys" if you will, to play with while we wander through life. It is true, that technology has opened the door to information that would not or could not have been accessible to a vast majority of the human population, but at what price? We have to ask the question: "Am I really happier now that I have the latest Blackberry? Similarly, is that illiterate villager happier or better off now that they have access to the Disney channel? In a superficial way, yes, but if we really dig deep and look at the experience from the spiritual paradigm, the answer is a resounding NO! How can it be when the very essence of our existence here is transitory and meant only for awakening to the higher reality of spirit. Human life is a blessing from which the soul can once and for all escape this cycle of birth and death, and yet, modern man has created a life in which we have become fixated on electronic pulses and the glamor of owning new stuff, all the while losing touch with our innate need to love and be loved as souls.

As a way to fight this addiction to technology, I have begun to periodically turn off my cell phone and walk away from the computer to breath fresh air, take in the world without the use of a computer screen or sound system, and force myself to interact with other humans around me by smiling, watching them, speaking to them and just trying to be human once again.

If we wish to evolve, we simply must "turn off" this technology and start living as do all other animate beings in this world. I know by using my computer to write this blog I am consciously going against all of what I just said, but hey, while I have access to technology, I may as well use it help me. It's sort of like using your legs to help you get back up off the ground after those same legs had just tripped you up and made you fall. Or using the thorn of the rose bush to dig another thorn out of your hand. Get the point?

Yes, it's a relevant point, but, herein lies the problem: It is easy to justify any use of communication technology, for in many ways it has or is helping us survive. For example, in saving the life of someone after they called 911, or in stealthily alerting someone through text messaging, when it was not possible to call out. However, that is not the core argument I wish to make. What I am becoming increasingly uneasy about is the overwhelming amount of time that these gadgets have taken over our lives, to the point where we have forgotten how to connect with people one on one, face to face, by exchanging warm and meaningful words that are accompanied by real facial expressions and not some emoticon on a text screen. :-)

The same applies to the growth of social networking applications like Facebook, Twitter and the Grand daddy of them all, Google, with it's plethora of applications like Gmail that seek to make our lives better, all the while taking more and more of our privacy away. There is whole movement developing now to shut down facebook accounts (Facebook refusenicks). Indeed, there is even a site called Arsebook that helps people to connect to people they hate! I can't understand why, but I digress. The point is that along with the growth of these social media mavens, there are millions of people now canceling their online accounts or not even bothering to sign up at all, simply because they feel the trade-off of convenience is far outweighed by the loss of privacy. We've become a society that is so dumbed down that we openly welcome anyone into our life, even if they have ill intentions. I mean, unless you have gone in an changed your privacy settings on Facebook, by default you are allowing friends of friends and sometimes "anyone" to view your complete profile, what to speak of when you install those cute little applications that enable you to send a gift or vote for a charity, etc. All of them clearly state that they will access your personal information, but we don't bother to read the fine print and just click, click, click to install that app to our Facebook account. Such is the carelessness and mindlessness that dominates our culture these days. Why? Because we have been systematically "undressed" by large corporations and the media through carefully crafted Nuero-linguistic programming, to the point where most people have no idea that the elephant is literally sitting in their living room.

I encourage everyone to set limits on all communication technology and to do whatever it takes to get back to the basics of human interaction with other humans, animals and plants. For the survival of our species and spiritual evolution we need to!

Thanksgiving - a day to honor all life

2009-11-21T16:31:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time to come together with family and friends and reaffirm your love and appreciation for them through the age old custom of sharing food. Typically Americans will eat more than 45 million turkey corpses on this day. Why do we think it necessary to slaughter so many innocent animals to show our love for each other? It is a sad reality of modern society that although there is so much to be thankful for we deem it necessary to carve up a turkey to express that sentiment. And at what expense? Americans are getting fatter and sicker year after year. The three top causes of death, heart disease, cancer and diabetes are all food related. Eating a greasy fat-laden dead bird is not going to help matters. But millions will do it anyway, because that is the "tradition". We celebrate a human genocide by participating in another genocide on innocent animals.

The origins of the Thanksgiving celebration are not as blessed as most people think. Thanksgiving is a quintessentially American holiday, so much so that it is not just a holiday, but really is one of our Holy Days, almost universally celebrated by Americans. In its sacredness, families get together to celebrate one genocide (against Native Americans) by committing another (against turkeys). Can we celebrate in good faith and conscience?

On Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks. We give thanks for being the invader, the exploiter, the greedy, the colonizer, the thief, indeed the genocidaire. As Mark Twain points out in his War Prayer, wishing and being thankful for one’s own success and victory is, at the very same time, wishing and being thankful for another’s defeat and destruction. Do we want to make these kinds of wishes and give these kinds of thanks?

I do not wish to labor the negative history of what Thanksgiving represents, because most people visiting this blog will most probably already be vegetarian and much more conscious in their eating habits. On this day, therefore, Food for Life encourages one and all to be consistent with the true spirit of Thanksgiving by sharing pure food with love and respect for all of God's creation. Do not conform to the bogus traditions perpetrated by the masses, but rather stand strong on principle and make this day a day where you honor God and all of creation for what it truly is - our larger spiritual family.

Food for Life believes strongly that food in its purest form can speak all languages. It has the power to unite and heal and more importantly create real peace and prosperity in the world. We feel that such food, given in a spirit of love is the solution to all problems. Simply because food is central to every cultural gathering, every spiritual holiday, every ritual, every battle, every celebration and of course, without food there is no meaning or future for any family.

Thanksgiving therefore should be day that highlights the importance of food in our life and how much it is critical to our physical, mental and spiritual health. By eating flesh on this day, we in effect defile this day and lose touch with the very essence of our life. For by taking the life of another we offend God's creation and abuse the blessing of what human life affords us. Instead of eating a turkey, Americans should invite a Turkey to dinner and feed it as we would do with any other animate being that came asking for a meal.

The Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) has this to say:

Abusing and killing an innocent bird betrays the life-affirming spirit of giving thanks for our life, health, and happiness. The nearly 300 million turkeys killed each year in the U.S. spend their entire lives crammed in large sheds with little room to move. Artificially inseminated and selectively bred to gain enormous amounts of weight, they suffer heart attacks, broken limbs, lameness, and death from their genetically-induced accelerated growth rate. Most of these same conditions apply to "free range" turkeys.

Let the madness and hypocrisy stop once and for all.

Swami Prabhupada, the founder of Food for Life, believed that human wars are the direct result of slaughtering innocent animals. "It is karma," he explained.

Prabhupada offered a reason, which he repeated in books and lectures. For example, he wrote in a Shrimad Bhagavatam commentary to 4.26.5:

In this age of Kali the propensity for mercy is almost nil. Consequently there is always fighting and wars between men and nations. Men do not understand that because they unrestrictedly kill so many animals, they also must be slaughtered like animals in big wars. This is very much evident in the Western countries. In the West, slaughterhouses are maintained without restriction, and therefore every fifth or tenth year there is a big war in which countless people are slaughtered even more cruelly than the animals.

In lectures, Prabhupada would express himself more emotionally, as in this one in Los Angeles in 1973:

The desire is never satiated that “You have killed so many animals. Now you don’t—” No, he will go on, go on killing, killing, killing, killing, killing, killing. He is never satisfied, “Now I have killed so many. No more, stop.” No, there is no stoppage. . . . The injunction is “Thou shalt not kill,” but he will kill and kill and kill and kill, and still, he want to be satisfied. Just see. The Bible says, “Thou shalt not kill,” and they are simply engaged in killing business, and still they want to be happy. . . . Therefore Krishna says, “Yes, you be killed by occasional world war. You must be killed. You have created this situation. You must be killed. You may be American or Englishman or German or this or that. You may be very proud of your nationality. But you must be killed.” This is the position. Ishvarasya viceshtitam [the will of the Lord]: “You have killed so many animals. Now wholesale killing, one bomb. One atom bomb. Be killed.”

It is days like Thanksgiving when this wholesale human karma is elevated to astronomical proportions, thus paving the way for more suffering. There may not be much we can do to change the collective karma of the American public, but if we choose to reject these bogus killing traditions we can at least feel satisfied that we did not contribute to the chaos that is being created day after day and we will be one step closer to perfecting our human lives and becoming self realized.

Celebrating Genocide by Dan Brook
A Gentle Thanksgiving (FARM)
American Indian Genocide Museum
Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide (book review)
We were not the savages (book review)

NOW is all that really matters

2009-11-04T16:50:00.004-05:00

When I awoke today I laid in bed and spent many hours just going over past childhood memories, looking for answers for what made me the person I am today. The exercise was certainly interesting, and yet despite how hard I tried, all I got were mostly the same old memories. I visualized myself walking around my old house and then in the homes of friends and relatives, all the while trying to stimulate the mind for new pictures and experiences that I could learn from. However, there was nothing really all that compelling or instructive, other than what I already had come to realize about my persona thus far.

But then it struck me: All those past memories are just that, memories or "mental photographs" and "mental videos" that do not exist anymore. They are in fact illusory and gone forever. Yes, they serve a function of supporting the philosophical paradigm we currently adopt, but other than that, they are useless. What really matters is what is happening NOW? Who are we NOW? What can I be thankful for NOW? What do I want NOW?, etc. As I meditated on the NOW, it reinforced the importance of steering clear of meditating on what you don't want. To often we think and speak about what we don't want to happen, or what we don't like, etc, rather than what we want or appreciate. Such thoughts and discussions are not only unproductive, but harmful as well. You see, by thinking and talking about what you don't want, you're in effect attracting that very thing to you. The vibrations you send out in the form of words and mental thoughts, act like a magnet and sure enough the Universe arranges to send those experiences your way.

Therefore, today I began the day meditating on what I wanted in my life and what I could be thankful for right now. It is an exercise that we should do every morning because it then sets a positive framework for the rest of the day.

You see, living in the NOW is really all that matters. Our life is in essence just a bunch of NOW moments strung together in this illusory web of time. In the higher spiritual planes, there is no time. Time is conspicuous by its absence. Life in the spiritual realm is eternal, so the concept of past and present do not exist. Living is all about NOW.

Learning to live in the moment is truly a gift of immeasurable worth. In the Western world we are brainwashed to think in terms of schedules and deadlines, so our lives sometimes feel like a blur of past unfulfilling experiences. The word "Deadline" seems to solidify the idea that we are racing against the clock to meet out death!

Take a moment to stop and study the faces of people during rush hour and see how anxious and worried they appear. The "consumer-driven" system we have adopted in the West keeps us running on a "treadmill" getting nowhere. There is another interesting word, "Nowhere". It can also be written as NOW HERE. Instead of running for a mirage in the future, it is better to stop and appreciate what is NOW HERE.

The last 12 months of my life have probably been as transforming to me as the first year of my life when I became a monk way back in 1983. At that time, as is happening now, I began deconstructing everything I had ever learned up to that point and building a new reality for myself. Shaving my head was a big part of that experience. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking how different I looked now, and that all of the vanity that came with those long locks was now laying on the floor ready to be swept away. I felt so liberated! A new persona had emerged. I was "Born again," if you will. From that day on I dove deep into the path of bhakti yoga and never once regretted that decision.

Now 26 years later, so much has happened since that fateful day. I surrendered 14 years of my young adulthood to live as a monk, traveled the world, got married, had a daughter, got divorced, left my base in Washington DC, and am now starting all over in New York -- rebuilding once again. A dear friend of mine in New York has been so instrumental in my new metamorphosis by constantly reminding me of the very things I write about today, while also helping me to be more objective and less dogmatic. The new ME living in the NOW, although still strongly drawing on my most recent history as a Vaishnava, is a work in progress as I explore other spiritual traditions and honor and respect the perspective and opinions of great thinkers, philosophers, adherents, and even antagonists of these traditions.

The important thing to realize is that we are ultimately not Christian, Hindu, Vaishnava, Muslim, Zorastrian, Jewish, or Bhuddist, all of which are just material designations, but rather, we just are. You and I are unique individuals. There is no need to put a label on who you are. Nor is their a need to define yourself by some church, temple, community, race or religion. You are who you are -- a fragment of the splendor of God. We are in fact little Gods having a human experience. The human experience is meant for facilitating self discovery, bringing us to the point where we know absolutely who we are on the highest spiritual planes of existence. The search begins with recognizing that we are eternal spirit souls, far more significant than some gross physical body. Once we are set in this divine paradigm, characterized by the absence of time, we then need to focus all our thoughts, gratitude and actions on what is happening NOW, because in absolute reality NOW is all that really matters.

According to the Gregorian Solar calendar, today is the anniversary of my birthday. Many friends have expressed their love for me and offered blessings, so I am inspired and thankful for their presence in my life right NOW.

May the rest of my life be a string of such meaningful NOW moments, because when death comes knocking the only thing that we can hold onto is the NOW and how we are responding to it. To live in the moment is to live eternally.

Privacy is dead and our freedom is soon to follow

2009-10-21T03:14:00.005-04:00

In the Age that we are entering, every person must regain his or her sovereignty, and in so doing become as a Pharaoh. The days of charismatic leaders and saviors are over; no one is going to rescue us from the mess we have created. Each of us must step up to the plate and re-member ourselves, and our sacred purpose for being here on the planet, now.

[Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt by Nicki Scully and Linda Star Wolf]

"Privacy is dead, get over it," says privacy expert Steven Rambam. In this very long but incredibly illuminating look at modern data-mining, he gives deep insight into the possibilities of privacy invasion through tools that are freely available on the internet. Web sites like myspace, facebook, Monster.com, Amazon and blogger are making it really easy for private investigators like him and "big brother" to know everything about us. With tongue in cheek, he actually thanks Google and the like for making his job so easy!

The sad part about this is that most people simply don't care. How many of us know that Google reads every one of our emails inside the Gmail application? Maybe most of us, but who really cares? not many. Google tells us that they do this data mining so that they can select the appropriate ad to load inside the application. What they don't tell you is that once they have our data we have absolutely no right to do anything about it. They can sell it, cross reference it and massage it to their heart's content to find out exactly who you really are. Cell phones are another gaping gash in our personal privacy veil. When you marry GPS telephony and your cell phone habits, your cell phone essentially becomes you. Not only do data-miners know where you are, but they know what your searching for, buying, reading, who your calling, and who your friends are -- all of which help to connect the dots and reveal your "soul."

To put it bluntly, if you have ever used Myspace, Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, Monster.com, eBay, Skype, Paypal or Yahoo your privacy is toast. I am not sure about you, but I have used all of these web sites, and I think everyone I know has done the same. Don't believe me? Check this video out and decide for yourself.

So what can we do about it? In terms of hiding or deleting your records from these private and public databases, nothing. By signing up for their services, we essentially sold our soul. Well, not exactly our "soul" but we did sell our physical identity to these corporate vampires. The good news is that we can transcend the mundane layers of ego that keep us bound to this physical realm and seek a higher path of self realization. The bad news is that until the day we are vibrating on the higher planes of conscious awareness and have transcended the mundane urges to eat, sleep, and pay bills, we should care about our freedoms beginning with our basic privacy, because by not caring we are putting ourselves and our family in danger. If you think it is bad now, you're in for a huge shock. Over the next 2 years things will get worse.

I recently heard from a very reliable source that within 2 years we may not recognize America. The once "Land of the Free" will become the "Land of the dire". Despite overwhelming public sentiment upon his election, President Obama is not what he appears to be. He is not the "savior", but like those that came before him, he serves as a puppet to the elite class -- the "evil wizards behind the proverbial curtain," so to speak. The same ruling families that hijacked the US financial system in 1913 with the creation of the Federal Reserve, are still at it today weaving their web of deceit through the media, multinational corporations, and puppet governments. Their agenda is simple: A world government and total control of the masses.

See:

History of the Fed
Ron Paul speech about abolishing the Fed

Moving on... Alex Jones comes out with a new documentary called the Fall of the Republic today. I recently viewed his last documentary, The Obama Deception and I must say I was shocked and enraged.

View the trailer of Fall of the Republic

If you're still reading this and have not already fainted, swore at the screen or punched someone, congratulations, you're a saint! Seriously, the more I investigate this information the more disgusted I am with our society and how much we have lost our way and enslaved ourselves to the system and the evil hands that rule it. I mean, if you're thinking of punching someone, you should put yourself in front of the mirror and think about hitting the guy looking back at you. We only have ourself to blame for this mess, because we bought the story those "snake oil peddlers" sold us.

Modern society is a total disgrace -- a far cry from the divine life we left when we fell to this physical world. The elite ruling class are laughing at us and according to my source they have stepped up their agenda to gain absolute control. Apparently there will be a big squeeze on the economy pushing inflation through the roof and devaluing the dollar such that Americans will be so poor they will not be able to travel. The truth be told, and it's an old story, but Gold and Silver are all that we can rely on. Paper money is a scam and soon those Federal Reserve notes will be worthless. There is talk now of a Euro-centric oil trade system and dropping the "greenback" like a pile of turd.

The U.S. media tells us that Iran may be the next target of U.S. aggression. The anticipated excuse is Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program. However economic reasons may have more to do with U.S. concerns over Iran than any weapons of mass destruction.

Growing speculation over the potential end to dollar-based trading in the oil market may be part of the reason gold prices have rallied beyond $1,020 an ounce to stand near their highest level in 18 months.

And the strength was kept even as several top officials, including Saudi central bank chief Muhammad al-Jasser, denied the report.

Gulf Arab states, along with China, Russia, Japan and France, are planning to put an end to dollar-based trading in the oil market, according to an exclusive report published Tuesday in the U.K. by The Independent.

"News on gold's expected future role in oil transactions between these trading partners has sent the price past $1,020," said Peter Spina, chief investment analyst at GoldSeek.com.

See: Potential end of dollar-based oil deals helps gold shine (Marketwatch)

We cannot depend on the phony Federal reserve note much longer. By 2012 the dollar will be dead. In 2003 Gold was around $300 and silver was around $6 per ounce. They are the only real currency of value. Buy gold and silver now if you don't already have it, not for the investment, but simply to have possession of a bonafide form of currency.

The bankers appear to be moving in with their entire program (strategies) all at once, rather than just one at a time. It could be related to the hysteria surrounding the Mayan 2012 "End of the world as we know it" date. Whatever the reasons, it is obvious that things are moving very fast -- bills are being passed to take more and more of our freedoms away under the guise of homeland security and public health; the economy is hurting, people are being dumbed down with sport, beer and the McDonalds diet; health care is evaporating, people are getting sicker, and our children are getting poisoned with vaccines. It's all part of their global agenda to reduce the population, control those left over and bring in a New World Order.

It's time to wake up and take action. Rise up and use what freedoms you still have to save yourself and your loved ones.

Ch Ch Ch Changes - How to stop rebirth

2009-10-11T14:23:00.005-04:00

"This material world is not a fit place for a gentleman," explained Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami. "This whole material world is like a stool house," he said. "You don't loiter around, you just come
in, do your business and leave." This somewhat gross metaphor could be easily misunderstood and seen as a callous and irresponsible view of our role on this planet. However, the Goswami was speaking from a purely spiritual perspective in that we should focus our attention on the more important things in life and not waste our valuable time chasing illusions. "Doing ones business," therefore means we should perform our material duties diligently and attentively while keeping our mind focused on the goal of liberation.

Of course, maintaining such a purely spiritual focus on life can sometimes be the greatest challenge. Just ask Arjuna, the great warrior of the Bhagavad-gita, who declared that controlling the mind was like trying to "control the wind". Krishna, however, responded that it was indeed possible, "with practice."

Arjuna Said: "For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind." [BG 6.34]

Lord Sri Krishna said: "O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment." [BG 6.35]

Granted, such "practice" could be a lifetime endeavor, but if we do take up the challenge, we can feel comfort in the fact that we bucked the norm and took a stand for change. The sort of change that will benefit us beyond death. Let me explain...

Change is something that most of us are afraid of, and yet the fact is that change is an absolute fact of life. The entire material creation is constantly changing one atom at a time, every second of the day. Nothing remains the same, everything is in a constant state of flux. So why fight change? Just detach and accept that it is part of what makes this material creation work -- the recycling of nature. By embracing change as something good and natural and then taking the necessary action to initiate changes within, we tap into our higher dynamic self and set the framework for an abundant and accepting life. We may desire something intensely, but the Universe may surprise us in how that desire is fulfilled. In other words, it may not be as we expect it. Know for certain, however, that all desires are fulfilled and that our God/Goddess know what is best for us at every moment. Allowing such flow of mercy is imperative for creating an abundant and fulfilling life.

The understanding that this material world is not our true home, and that we need to except external change in our life while simultaneously initiating changes within that will feed our awareness are three key principles of success.

Let's address them one at a time:

1) This world is temporary and external to our core spiritual identity

You and I are not this body, but are eternal spiritual beings having a human experience as a result of past karma and decisions we made, including choosing to come to this material realm in the first place. Nonetheless, we are here now but we can comfort ourselves in knowing that all is temporary, including our entrapment. Soon enough we will shed this material skin and return to full consciousness. How long before that happens is open for debate. We do however play a role in when that day will come.

2) Change is an absolute fact of the material creation and maintenance

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

 (turn and face the strain) 

Ch-ch-changes

 Just gonna have to be a different man

- David Bowie

Material energy and all that is manifested before our eyes is constantly changing shape. Under the erosion of time and the will of illusion a tree becomes paper, paper becomes ash, ash becomes soil, soil nourishes a seed; that seed houses the potential of fruit or vegetables; that food becomes fuel for our body which is then formed into new cells or shit out as waste which to other living beings is a source of food. And these cycles and transformations go on endlessly. Why are we then so alarmed by change when it is all around us?

3) We always have a choice and the ability to change for the better

Minute independence is something that can never be taken away from us, for it is our constitutional right as spiritual beings of consciousness. We observe and we choose. At every moment, our brains are bombarded with a multitude of choices, most of which are dealt with subconsciously. For example, how often are you consciously aware of your breathing and yet at any given moment we could decide to stop breathing. The key here is to use this God-given minute independence (free will) to break free of these material entanglements through the natural evolution of consciousness. Such "natural evolution" entails accepting the responsibility for our past mistakes and serving those that depend on us and also serve us. Service is the foundation of every successful endeavor. Who and how we serve is what matters most. So choose wisely or you may find yourself back at square one in a dogs body fetching a stick. Or in the example below, some crazy looking fish guy!

This picture is so powerful on so many levels. Rather than go with the obvious here and talk about how our combined actions are hurting the planet, I suggest we go deeper and address the more important issue of soul pollution and the need to embrace internal change as a means to saving our true "selves". There are plenty of web sites and books dealing with climate change, but how often do we hear the call to get out of this world because you the soul do not belong here? This gross material world is in effect a giant layer of pollution on our soul. We need to clean up from the inside and thus remove ourselves from the dangers of rebirth. So this poster could have easily been titled:

STOP SOUL POLLUTION

BEFORE IT CHANGES YOU

Rumors - what to do about them?

2009-10-04T15:03:00.002-04:00

Rumor: A piece of unverified information of uncertain origin usually spread by word of mouth. R=Rude; U=Unverified; M=Malicious; O=Oratory; R=Rant

This was something I created today in response to some ugly rumors floating around about me lately. I am certainly not going to address them here directly and thus give them more energy, I will let them die a sad death as they deserve.

I guess at some point in time it happens to everyone. Even great souls get criticized, attacked and sometimes even killed, so what to speak of insignificant souls like myself. So it is today, that some unscrupulous people are creating crazy stories about me and my service to Food for Life. "Be gone", you wretched fools and your verbal diarrhea", I say.

These recent happenings remind me of the game of telephone, where a child will whisper in the ear of another child what they heard from the previous child in the circle until the story finds it way back to the source. As is often the case, the final story bears no resemblance at all to the original story and is often quite skewed, if not outrageously incorrect. Why does this happen? Simply because it is human nature to embellish, color and filter the information we receive. The conditioned soul is either forcing information into a preferred worldview, or acting out of lust, pride and or envy. Unless you've managed to transcend the trappings of this material world you're prone to such tendencies.

I have already talked about knowledge filters and our tendency to process information through our chosen cultural, philosophical or social paradigms. So how does lust, pride and envy affect our ability to process and disseminate information?

LUST

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world. [BG 3.37]

When a soul excepts a material body, the natural sense of love of God becomes transformed into lust, as milk does when it is touched by something sour like tamarind and transformed into yogurt. When such lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion entraps the soul further into material existence.

What we often think is love in this world, is really just lust and therefore it not only binds us to this material energy, but bewilders our sense of judgement.

PRIDE

Birth in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and pious activities certainly cause one to take pride in himself. Similarly, if one enjoys a prestigious position within society because his parents are highly respected members of the varṇāśrama social system, one becomes even more infatuated with himself. But if despite these excellent material qualifications one does not feel even a tinge of pride within himself, he is to be considered the dearmost servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.51]

Everyone of us has a tendency to be proud and yet pride is a major stumbling block on the path of enlightenment. This flaw is especially prevalent in the hearts of those adorned with high birth, fame, riches, beauty, and intelligence. Such is the irony of this material world that what appears to be a blessing can in fact be a curse. When we act and speak out of pride, we lose touch with the inner voice of God. Nothing eternally beneficial to the soul can ever come from acting out of pride, neither to us nor those we hurt by such prideful actions.

ENVY

Persons who want to advance in superior religion are advised to give up all envy of other living entities, whether in relationship to the body, words or mind. There is no religion superior to this. [Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.8]

To be envious of someone is utter foolishness, since the very basis of this condition is to think that somehow we are lesser then someone else or that that person is not deserving of some good fortune. Both assumptions are wrong in so many ways.

We are all spiritually equal in quality. The "Oneness" that is often talked about in spiritual circles refers to the quality of the soul and it's innate Godliness. We are all of equal value in the eyes of God. So the idea that we are in some way inferior to another soul is ludicrous. Similarly, to suggest in words or action that another embodied soul is not deserving of some good karma is to deny them their divine right and also does not take into consideration that that soul has a history of accumulated karmic credit. In other words, when someone is born into aristocracy, it can be understood that that soul performed great austerity and pious activity in past lives. Their apparent "Good luck" therefore is really just a well deserved blessing. Unfortunately, we see that when such blessings do fall upon us, we become overwhelmed with pride and forget our true identity as a soul, and thus waste the good fortune in frivolous pursuits and entrap ourselves further in this material world.

Unless we are freed from a bodily concept of life and in touch with our true nature as a soul, there will always be a tendency to create and fuel rumors. Don't be surprised then if you find yourself on the receiving end of an ugly rumor, or conversely, are in some way responsible for creating a rumor. It happens, so don't give it air, but just allow it to fade away into the universe and stay focused on what is truly important in your life now. Besides, no one or no thing can ever hurt us unless we give them (it) permission to do so.

My Oath

2009-09-24T17:45:00.000-04:00

On this day, September 24, 2009, I, Priya108, declare to the world that I will not allow others to dictate my life unless I revere them as my guru. Otherwise, I will respectfully question and challenge all attempts to control me or those actions that I deem to be unsettling, humiliating, inconvenient or hurtful. I will always defend my core values and protect the reputation of those whom I love. Under no circumstance shall I ever reject, dishonor or intentionally hurt my beloved daughter or those individuals that have in some way shed light on my path.

I am deeply sorry for having failed in the past, but fully believe that from this day forth I will be a torchbearer for truth, love, light, compassion and honor.

Amen

Priya108

Jain, a mystical cat and the magic of 108

2009-09-22T20:35:00.007-04:00

I saw a beautiful ginger tabby cat today just sitting alone on the sidewalk. It appeared to be homeless as there was no owner around. He seemed somewhat sad and maybe sick. I extended my hand to pet him and he did not flinch at all but welcomed my touch. Gently stroking him and offering words of encouragement I could see him gradually becoming more and more comfortable. Soon, he was rubbing his scent on my hand and leg and gently biting and licking me. I wondered why such a lovely cat had been abandoned and thought of taking him home. But where to? At the moment, I am also homeless.

I am sure my friend Dami would have loved to have been there today, as she is absolutely crazy about cats, and this one in particular reminded me of her long lost love, Miles, who passed away 3 years ago. Miles was also a ginger tabby. According to Dami, Miles was not just an ordinary cat but her soul mate. She still misses him dearly and it pains her to even talk about the loss. The relationship was so powerful and meaningful to her that nothing will ever compare.

If not for Dami, I probably would not have stopped to say hello to my new friend today. I was never a cat person in the past, but having now spent quality time with Dami's two new cats, I have developed a great appreciation for the feline species. I have become quite comfortable with them licking me, laying on me and sometimes even sleeping in my arms. They are indeed very mystical creatures and it is no wonder that they figure prominently in the magical traditions.

In fact, the whole day was interesting and somewhat mystical. Earlier on I spent quality time reading a new book I acquired from a very dear friend, Jain 108 from Australia. He considers himself a Mathemagician and has developed a reputation for being a leader in the field of Vedic math and sacred geometry. His focus these days is on the mystical traditions and significance of the number 108. His new book is called the Phi Code of 108 and it is compelling reading. I sat peacefully atop of a rock in the forest today, appreciating the gently breeze on my body and the natural sounds. Jain's book became my companion today and reading it reminded me of how much I miss his presence in my life, and how, although our paths have been very different, we are attuned to a similar vibration. The mystical nature of 108 is just one of those connections; numerology is another and so too are magic, paganism, raw food, the Vedas, Krishna, sacred geometry and our personality types. To learn more about Jain's paradigm shattering work with the number 108 and Vedic math, check out his site www.jainmathemagics.com

During my reading I got a little tired so I stopped and did some deep breathing exercises, drawing the fresh forest air deep into my lungs. After just a few minutes I felt totally invigorated and was able to read with full attention for another hour.

Later I visited Pirate Jason, a new friend I have made since coming to New York. I gave him a medicinal plant to care for while I am traveling. Jason is the kind of person that on the surface appears very offbeat, but in fact is one of the kindest and most genuine guys one could hope to meet. He is someone who will always be very honest with you. I value his friendship a great deal. Thank you, brother, for your kindness today. I needed it.

I then ventured into Manhattan to return a book at Barnes and Nobles and also to pick a new journal. I've taken to the old art of writing with a pen! How revolutionary. I have a feeling that more and more of us will take to pen and paper again. This technology for all the advances it offers, is really destroying our connection to our earth/heart (another contribution of Jain), what to speak of radiating our brains. I picked up a nice recycled notepad made in Nepal and upon returning to the car, I found that the parking meter I chose to use today was number #108 !!! I smiled and thanked the Universe for confirming to me that what I had been reading was indeed profound and meaningful. It is these seemingly mundane and inconsequential moments that can often have the most impact on us if we allow them to. It all depends on how much we are ready to accept these life experiences in the mood of a "student", rather than an ignorant victim harassed by seemingly random and meaningless events, and thus missing the plot.

See: For some fun reading about the number 108 in the Vedic tradition

Having read Jain's account of how he came to change his name from Colin Saad to Jain and then finally Jain108 inspired me and made me realize that I had done the same thing without any prior knowledge of his decision to do so. For me it just felt right. My actual spiritual name is Priyavrata das, however all my close friends have called me Priya (beloved) for the last 26 years. A few years back I started adding the number 108 because of my appreciation for the mystical nature of this number; my passion for sacred geometry, and because it conveniently represented the bhakti path I have traversed up till now.

Today it felt obvious that Jain and I are connected on some higher plane and so I look forward to that day when we can finally start working together. To that end, I have made the decision to visit Australia and catch up with family and friends like Jain. Just need to find that passport!

Are you seeking blessings? The answer is closer than you might think

2009-09-21T07:41:00.003-04:00

I owe everything to my teachers. I am indebted to all the Angels, Guides, plants, animals, people and gems that have come into my life to bless me. I thank you. I honor you with all my heart and soul. If only I could repay you for the debts I have incurred in begging your mercy. Please allow me somehow to do that in this lifetime so that I can complete my mission this time around. I beg to be blessed continuously because without such mercy raining down on me I amount to little but a dry weed of existence. I have no good qualities, save and except that I am determined to succeed, despite my failings, my hypocritical behavior, and the weaknesses I’ve exhibited in the past. I know that deep down I am strong. I have all that is needed to succeed. Determination and purity are my soul right. I will succeed, because it is written…erm...somewhere!

So how do we measure true success? Is it measured by how high we go? Is it measured by how much we accumulate? In a spiritual sense that may refer to knowledge acquisition. What is that measurement? What is the mark of success – the pinnacle for all souls? Is it individual and unique to one and all? Or is there some common ground by which we innately know when we have arrived? That is a question for the ages -- a question that we all must ask at some point in our evolution. I mean, seriously, what the heck are we doing if we don't know the ultimate goal of our existence?

We are all inherently flavored with the same essence – originating from the same source. All of us are eternally connected in a brotherhood/sisterhood kind of way, and so what feels right for one, will feel somewhat right for all, only, there is the factor of “filtering”. In a mundane sense “filtering” is when we reject things that do not fit our chosen paradigm. In a spiritual sense, however, “filtering” just means that we have unique lens and therefore each one of us has an exclusive way of looking at the world and a distinctive and wonderful relationship with the Divine. That relationship or rasa will determine everything about our innate spiritual qualities, emotions, character and service.

What that is for me, I have no idea at the moment. Neither will anyone else unless they are given the divine eyes to understand, as Arjuna was in the Bhagavad-gita. Without such anointed eyes, Arjuna would not have understood his true self, nor understood the position and greatness of Lord Krishna.

BG 11.5: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pṛthā, see now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms. [Bhagavad-gita]

BG 11.8: But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes. Behold My mystic opulence!

Arjuna's vision and reaction were explained thus:

BG 11.12: If hundreds of thousands of suns were to rise at once into the sky, their radiance might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form.

BG 11.13: At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place although divided into many, many thousands.

BG 11.14: Then, bewildered and astonished, his hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed his head to offer obeisances and with folded hands began to pray to the Supreme Lord.

BG 11.23: O mighty-armed one, all the planets with their demigods are disturbed at seeing Your great form, with its many faces, eyes, arms, thighs, legs, and bellies and Your many terrible teeth; and as they are disturbed, so am I.

When Krishna revealed His universal form, Arjuna was dumbstruck and scared. He didn’t know what to do, so Krishna blessed him with the ability to understand and finally revealed his original humanlike form

BG 11.51: When Arjuna thus saw Kṛṣṇa in His original form, he said: O Janārdana, seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am restored to my original nature.

BG 11.52: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear

BG 11.53: The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by undergoing serious penances, nor by charity, nor by worship. It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.

BG 11.54: My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.

This story serves to illustrate that the blessing of a higher more evolved soul is absolutely essential for understanding our divinity. Indeed, the Vedas state that the ONLY auspicious thing in this material world is the association of the Lord’s devotees. Why? Because from the association of such advanced and pure souls all auspiciousness flows and we are automatically blessed with everything else necessary for our spiritual advancement. The pure souls of this world are literally like walking places of pilgrimage or gateways to the Divine. The Lord resides in their heart and dances on their tongue. They are veritable magnets for attracting positivity. Meeting such pure souls is indeed the greatest benediction one could ever hope for, what to speak of meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as was the case with Arjuna.

So coming back to my earlier question, how do we get those blessings? How do we get so lucky to make it out of this material world in this lifetime? Well, as I have explained, the recommended way is to take shelter of those more evolved than us, but consider this: It is also recommended by these same great souls that the path of spiritual success must be paved with humility. Simply put: one should consider themselves lower than a straw in the street, be more tolerant than tree and ready to offer respect to all living beings. It follows then that we should essentially see all living beings as higher than us, including the animals, plants and insects. You see, if we accept that our constitutional nature is to serve and recognize how other living beings are constantly serving us, it is becomes perfectly honorable and right to worship and serve them. Such a reciprocation of love is the very foundation of a divine life. Indeed, in India it is not at all uncommon for a tradesman to worship their tools at the beginning of the day as a show of respect. The tools may appear inanimate, but at a closer look, like us, they too are made of the very same natural elements that make up our body.

Indeed, at the time of creation, the natural elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether, all enter into the body of all manifested entities — the seas, mountains, aquatics, plants, reptiles, birds, beasts, human beings, demigods and everyone materially manifested. The body of the human being, mountains, plants, as also the bodies of demigods like Brahmā, are all of the same ingredients — earth, water, etc. Similarly, the Supreme Lord, by His different energies, namely the internal and external, is within everything in the manifested cosmos, including every atom, and at the same time He is outside of everything, situated in the kingdom of God. This expansion of His plenary parts is clearly explained in the Brahma-saḿhitā (5.35) as follows:

"I worship the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who, by one of His plenary portions, enters into the existence of every universe and every particle of the atoms and thus unlimitedly manifests His infinite energy all over the material creation."

We sometimes foolishly look up to seek blessings, when in fact those blessings are all around us. Just open your eyes and see how blessed you are all the time. This attitude of gratitude will empower you to attract even more blessings and your belief that you are indeed a servant and insignificant in the larger scheme of things will guarantee that you will remain in the right consciousness to progress in your spiritual evolution.

So go ahead, hug a tree today, thank the bees, lady bugs, flowers, nature spirits, and even your trade tools for all that they have done for you all these years. Every animate and inanimate thing has in some way served you, because all of them have a role to play in the dance of Mother Nature. Start recognizing the blessings that surround you on a day to day basis and you might be surprised just how much more will come your way!

The dance of Mother Nature!

My Angel

2009-09-20T05:12:00.000-04:00

My Angel,

I will call you Joy, because that is the name I remember from my dream the other night.

You came to me lovingly and placed your warm hands to my face and asked me to relax and breathe. I did as you said, and soon we were both flying through the sky -- to where? I don't remember. All I know is that I felt safe and it was fun. I wish I can remember where we went and what we did. May I ask that you reveal that to me one day, or better yet, can we go again? I want to continue my journey. I want to continue learning and O' how much I enjoy flying in my own body!

Please come back to me. I feel more than ever now that I need some trusted guidance. Although I don't know you so well, my first impressions were very positive, so I am game. I know you are real, just like so many others that have come to me over the years. I know you and the others love me. Thank you for caring. I want my life to be a path of love and light -- a journey of knowledge and increasing bliss and to share that with others.

Please bless me with the ability to serve Swami Prabhupada and his desire to expand prasadam distribution, for it is my strong belief that prasadam is the best way to share love.

Amen

- Priya108
September 19, 2009 [8:05am]

Knowledge filters

2009-09-16T19:27:00.003-04:00

I've been reading some interesting books lately and one consistent theme that keeps popping up in a variety of ways is the concept of paradigms and knowledge filtering. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all fall prey to these mundane influences. Let me explain...

A paradigm is : a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly : a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind.

The act of "knowledge filtering" happens when the individual consciously or unconsciously excludes, rejects, or ignores information that does not conform to their chosen paradigm. Michael Cremo presents a compelling argument about the dangers of knowledge filtering in this article. In some instances, the person cannot even see, hear or experience the information at all, even though for everyone else it is as clear as day. An alarming and somewhat humorous example of this phenomena can be seen in the NLP (Neuro-Lingusitic Programming) work of Derren Brown and his "Invisible Man" trick. The young film student in this video is totally freaked out by Derren's sudden disappearance and is totally unaware that Derren's NLP has blocked the ability of his senses to perceive certain information, specifically the fact that Derren is sitting right in front of him!

Humorous as this video is, it illustrates that we ALL have a tendency to create knowledge filters based on what we choose to believe and what paradigm we feel most comfortable with.

These philosophical and theoretical frameworks are created from the very beginning of our life. As soon as we leave the womb of our mother we are literally "slapped" into a "I-am-this-body" paradigm by the doctor. Immediately after we're given a new name, home address, social security number, and a set of religious and social beliefs to boot! Alas, one more cycle of physical existence begins -- we learn how to walk and talk all over again; we go to school, get a job, pay taxes, get cheated, raise a family, grow old, get sick, and eventually die. And if after all that, if we didn't learn from our mistakes and sufficiently purify our spirit, no problem, we get do it all over again!

The soul's newly adopted framework is slowly but surely built into a solid "self-impossed tomb" wherein we live out our make-believe lives in a world of names -- a world characterized by change that we try to legitimize by categorization and naming conventions. The media reinforces these belief systems and consumerism drives in a final "nail" by firmly enslaving our minds with lust, greed and envy. Before long we are just another face on the "Merry-go-Round" of mundanity, regardless of social status or outside dress. It never ceases to amaze me when I see an ultra orthodox Jew smoking or hear of a Buddhist monk eating meat. However, these absurd contradictions are just part of the play of material existence. Indeed hypocrisy is the De facto standard for all paradigms emanating from material desire, especially those clothed in the guise of religion. In other words, simply adhering to some religious or cultural paradigm does not guarantee liberation. In many cases, such dogmatic obstinacy can actually be the most damaging thing for the soul. No one has all the answers except those rare enlightened souls who occasionally visit this mortal world. For rest of us, it is a good idea to remain a student of wisdom and never ever stop learning. If that means questioning our tradition and the paradigm that comes with it, then so be it.

The Srimad Bhagavatam urges us to kick out all materially motivated religious paradigms and seek a path of pure devotion. A path that can lead us once and for all out of the cycle of reincarnation. Such a path of purity, however, must be totally unmotivated and uninterrupted.

The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which one can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. [SB. 1.2.6]

You see, when we deviate from our original pure consciousness and filter knowledge through a paradigm based on the bodily concept of life, we lose the capacity to remember our pre-birth awareness or recognize the absurdity of our present entanglement. When this remembrance is lost, all knowledge acquired is built on a false foundation. At the present moment, the majority of human civilization is acting on such a false platform of bodily identification. Any identification that is culturally, socially, physically or in any way materially infected is false and therefore can only lead to frustration and failure. The fact is, we are not these bodies. Rather, we are the pure spirit soul, symptomized by the consciousness that animates the body. To believe that we are nothing but hairy skin bags filled with blood, mucus, bile, veins, organs, and stool is absolutely ridiculous and the epitome of ignorance.

It follows then that there is no stronger obstruction to one's self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one's self-realization. Human life is especially meant for self-realization and therefore, whatever it takes to mold our life for achieving that aim must be pursued at all cost. Your path in this present incarnation is YOUR responsibility. It should not be controlled nor manipulated by others. And yet, we allow this to happen time and time again when we blindly choose to believe the story the media feeds us, or what our religious and cultural leaders teach us. In every circumstance, with a heart filled with sincerity and humility, we should be ready to stand up and challenge authority. Never blindly accept anything without a thorough examination and always be open to acquire information from sources outside your comfort zone. After all, a wise person is one that is able to find gold even in a dirty place. We should seek the light wherever it shines. Conversely, be ready to reject that which is false or in some way materially motivated, for "all that glitters is not gold."

Over the past couple of years I have found myself challenging my own adopted traditions and opening my heart up to the truths and paradigms of others in an attempt to expand my understanding. This openness has been a refreshing experience and has helped me to better know my "self" and the path that is uniquely right for me. It has also helped me to value my past experiences and the teachers in my life. Two traditions that have inspired me recently, are the Shamanic traditions of South America and the Pagan (green) Magickal traditions of ancient Europe. Both traditions deal with the art of entering into and learning from realities beyond those of the physical realm and both have a strong connection to nature. The methods used in both traditions are uniquely different from each other, and yet, as in the bhakti traditions of Vaishnavism that I am so fond of, both honor personal Gods and Goddesses and both recognize the divinity of all living beings.

At very heart of my personal paradigm is the concept of spiritual equality, hence the powerful influence of the charity, Food for Life on my life. The slogan for the charity is "Uniting the world through pure food," because food is THE most powerful medium on the planet for expressing this equanimity concept. Nothing else comes close. Food speaks all languages; it has the ability to bring people together and in its purest form it can heal both body and soul. And yet, food, when viewed through impure "knowledge filters" (as in the case of gluttonous fools that like to feast on carcasses) can be THE most damaging thing to:

Our body [See: Eat Meat, Get Fat];
Self realization [See: Are We Good Stewards of God's Creation?];
The planet's health in general [See: Meat: Making Global Warming Worse].

The fatest man in the world. I wonder what his diet was?

And so I conclude: don't deny the existence of "knowledge filters" but rather take the time to see what ones are currently influencing your life, and quite possibly destroying you, or at the very least stifling your spiritual evolution. To be introspective, humble and objective is a sign of true wisdom.

Living Food for Life

2009-08-27T07:52:00.000-04:00

The latest news on the Living Food for Life project is that we are now in the process of securing a kitchen and work space for the main charity Food for Life Global. We are also setting up our Raw Food Buyers Club program that will enable our members to buy discounted bulk superfoods, far cheaper than other sources currently available through health food stores and online. Stay tuned for more information about our raw food buyers club program by signing up as a member today!.

The idea behind Living Food for Life (LFFL) came from Kathryn (Dami) Davis, the New York director of Food for Life Global. Kathryn has been a great help to the establishment of Food for Life in New York and is well educated on the latest food laws and issues of the day. In particular, she is a great proponent of consumer freedoms and has been monitoring CODEX for years.

The ideas behind LFFL are very timely and right on point with public sentiment about health and consumer freedom. LFFL will teach children and parents about healthful eating, wild food foraging, organic gardening, and informed consumerism (farmers markets, etc.) but more importantly about the new food laws coming into effect at the end of this year that will effect every consumer worldwide and how to obtain/maintain healthful eating/lifestyle habits despite these imminent obstacles. If you have not heard about CODEX you need to read up.

http://www.globalhealthfreedom.org/?page_id=195
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/
http://www.iahf.com/cdx-aprl.html

Please visit our new project web site and sign up today to become a member. http://livingfoodforlife.org/membership

Wishing you health and happiness always,

Priya

Life's challenges - How to deal with them?

2009-08-16T00:23:00.001-04:00

"Life is what you make it." Yep, we've heard that before, so how then did we find ourselves in such awkward and unhappy situations in the past? Simply because we are the product of all our decisions and mistakes and despite our tendency to blame this person, that person, or situation, we ultimately possess the independence to choose at every moment of our lives.

The question then follows: If we are to not use hindsight as our teacher, what constitutes the best choice? How can we avoid making decisions we will regret later on? The simple answer is to follow. In the business world, they say: "Copy success." In religious and spiritual circles we are told to just follow the guru or the higher spiritual authority who by their example, set the standards by which common people should follow. In the Bhagavad-Gita it is written:

"Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." (BG 3.21)

That is the ideal scenario, however, the problem now is determining who is that "great man" that we should follow? How do we decide that?

Actions speak louder than words, so a genuine guru or spiritual teacher must not only speak the truth, he must also live it. In other words, his character must be perfect and his behavior exemplary. So our lead questions then should be, "How does this person live their life? Are they consistent with their own teachings?

At the same time, if you are a parent, teacher, manager, or in any position of authority, the question to yourself should be the same. "Am I being honest and practicing what I preach?" If the answer is "no," in any shape or form, then you have to change. You must make some changes to your life to correct the imbalance. Otherwise, you will continue to move down the same path as before and keep the unsatisfactory status quo.

So in a word: if you want answers; if you want out of your mess; if you want to improve your life in every aspect, you absolutely must start with a thorough and honest self analysis. This can often require the assistance of a close friend or confident and it could also require the need to step away from your current situation entirely. Getting out of the house and spending a day at the beach or the mountains is a good start. Just give yourself time to think clearly without distraction. Turn off the phone, disconnect, take a pen and paper and get out.

Listening to your heart requires silence and openness, but more importantly it requires truth. You have to be true to your "self" (the real you within) and doing that is probably the most challenging thing that you will ever face in life. So face your "self" first and then surely, all these other "so-called" challenges along the way of life will pail in comparison, if not disappear entirely. Try it.

Gardening our way to independence

2009-07-12T23:48:00.000-04:00

I am loving the organic "Pizza" garden that now flourishes outside my friend's apartment - 5 varieties of heirloom tomatoes (Abe Lincoln, Brandy Wine, Money Maker, Black Krim from Russia and a variety from Costa Rica), 5 varieties of hot and sweet peppers (Cayenne, Habanero, Italian Pepperecinni, and a black and yellow kind), 8 varieties of basil, including Thai, lemon, cinnamon, Italian, a chocolate mint, stevia, zataar, oregano, cilantro, epazote, sorrel, and sunflowers. It's just awesome!

Gardening is something we all should do. It is really the most natural way of reconnecting to our source. As children we loved to play in soil, explore and create. Somehow along the way of adulthood we forgot how important that was to us. We disconnected and became a product of the media. It is such a shame to see the sad and unhealthy faces of Americans eating at places like McDonalds and shopping at grocery stores filled with genetically-engineered "plastic-like" fruits and vegetables. No wonder the hospitals and pharmaceuticals thrive.

The good news is despite all the artificiality and apparent hopelessness, we still have one thing that can never be taken away -- our individuality and free choice. We can always change things around and improve our situation, despite the circumstances. Look at the example of world-renowned psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl (author of the classic bestseller, Man’s Search for Meaning). Dr. Frankl, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, is perhaps best known for practicing and espousing “freedom of will,” especially in terms of one's choice of attitude, as a point of departure on the path to meaning. In Dr. Frankl's own words, “Everything can be taken from a man but--the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way.” In other words, in all situations, no matter how desperate they may appear or actually be, you always have the ultimate freedom to choose your attitude. That independence, albeit, minute, can never be taken away.

Therefore, whenever we confront a situation that is stressful, negative, or somehow challenging, use your free will to list “ten positive things” that are or could be associated with (or could result from) your circumstance. Expand your imagination and suspend judgment, listing whatever comes to mind, no matter how crazy or unrealistic your thoughts may seem at the time. Be free to determine or define what “positive” means to you and recruit family, friends, colleagues, co-workers, etc., to help you with your list, if necessary. It is a great exercise and I guarantee it will change your entire attitude on life and show you possibilities that you had not noticed before.

Gardening is just one way that we can reconnect to our source and get back to the basics of our unique and individual human existence. Try it and see how your entire attitude will change. At the very least you will start to eat more healthfully and that alone can purify the body and clean the mind of the artificial bonds that we allow to control us.

Health Matters - making our mind our best friend

2009-06-05T00:29:00.000-04:00

The only thing that matters in life is your spiritual, mental and physical health. Everything else, for the most part, is futile and irrelevant. Why so? Because health as the saying goes is real wealth. The problem, however, is that most people do not consider anything beyond their physical well-being; some do consider their mental state, but most completely neglect their spiritual health – the most important of the three.

Another challenge is the relative nature of spirituality and its lack of one single path, leading to a whole bunch of confusion, exploitation and in some instances, disaster (read: Jim Jones and his followers). How do we therefore determine what is right and what is wrong? The simple answer is: you can’t because what is right for you now is a subjective and relative determination. You are absolutely unique and as you change from moment to moment, that uniqueness continues unending. So what is right now may not be right for you latter in life. Yes, we can heed some general advice and guidelines from the enlightened, but here too we have the potential of being misled down a path that is inappropriate and lacking any sense of spiritual integrity, simply because we can never be fully sure that that guidance is pure, correct and free from illusion.

It amazes me how easily people will eagerly accept the advice of an author without first studying how they live their life. Do they honor their bodies by eating only pure non-violent foods? Do they respect all living beings? Are they disciplined and pure in their daily routines and sensuality? Are they honest and more importantly, free from the fourfold defects that affect all conditioned souls, namely:

1) Imperfect senses (Karanapatava): The senses are limited and can easily be misled;
2) Subject to Illusion (Pramada): Accepting as real something that is not real;
3) Prone to make mistakes (Bhrama): "To err is human”;
4) The tendency to cheat (Vipralipsa): To propagate falsehood, to present yourself as something you are not.

All these things are important, for a truly enlightened person will never fall victim to the lower urges of this world, but will perpetually remain in a state of higher consciousness and satisfaction, all the while being fully present (at least physically) in this material world. How do you find such souls? And if you do happen to find someone of such potential, how can you truly determine his or her qualifications?

The Vedic culture of dharma has a system of checks and balances to help out: Guru, sadhu and shastra. The guru or spiritual master is that person (man or woman) who is a recognized master of a particular bona-fide tradition coming in a line of similar spiritual masters. The sadhus are elevated practitioners within that tradition and the shastra is the bona-fide recognized spiritual literature. All three must be in compliance to render something genuine. Yes, you can say that even this system has its drawbacks and in some sense is relative, but it is at least a sound system and certainly better than whimsically accepting the mischievous and sometimes diabolical ramblings of the mind.

According to the Vedas, the mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy. We can all attest to this from personal experience and most probably there are things we just want to forget, but somehow can’t. So how do we make the mind our best friend all the time, while cleansing it from all those past embarrassing experiences?

Warrior Arjuna, the main character in the Bhagavad-Gita, told his friend Sri Krishna that to control the mind is like “controlling the wind" – it is practically impossible. Krishna however responded that indeed it was possible through practice – albeit a lifetime of practice. You see, the mind we have now is a product of our past actions and desires. Just the same as the body we inherit is determined by our past karma, the mind or mental body is the carrier of the soul from one body to the next and therefore the mind we have now has been influenced by the past. Like the aroma of food that has been cooked many hours before, our mind may carry ‘aromas’ of our past actions for many lifetimes.

The process of purification, or of training the mind has to begin somewhere and if we are fortunate enough to have the guidance and good association of someone who is a master of their mind and senses, that transformative process can take place the instant we decide to move in a direction of positivity. Indeed simply by the association of such elevated souls our minds can be transported to higher planes and our hearts purified. It is said therefore, that the association of such great souls is the only auspicious thing in this material world.

Through sincere practice, determination and austerity, we gradually purify and train the mind in positivity, removing past contaminations and thus set the framework for a higher plane of consciousness and well-being. The decisions you make now, as in the past, directly determine your future. We are architects of our future and that begins now. We have to embrace the “now” and enjoy every moment, for what is life but a string of fleeting moments. Embracing the “now” is to have gratitude for what you have NOW, what you are NOW, and all he wonderful opportunities NOW before you. Stop listening to the fickle mind and worrying about the future and start living the NOW. For otherwise your life and all its potential will escape you.

One technique I have used over the years to help me to remain in a positive state of mind is the “ecstatic modifier”. The idea is for every sentence you make modify the noun in that statement with the word “ecstatic.” For example, writing this article is ecstatic. Sounds easier enough, but it gets really funny when you start applying it in every mundane situation you find yourself in. I promise that very soon after you start playing this game on your mind you will actually feel ecstatic. The idea behind the ecstatic modifier game is to create a positive mindset and to appreciate the now. Once you do that, you can begin to train your mind as your friend. If you compliment techniques like this with a life that is regulated in eating, sleeping, and recreation, and refrain from eating flesh, eggs, fish and alcohol, controlling the mind becomes very easy.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, elevating consciousness begins with controlling the tongue, of which eating pure food is paramount. However, vibrating pure sounds, and in particular, sounds of the highest vibration like the holy name of God, is just as important. Speaking positively and embracing the moment with a mood of positivity, is the foundation, but surrounding ourselves with pure sound is literally like opening the door of higher consciousness. It is for this reason, that groups like the Hare Krishna devotees regularly chant the holy name of Krishna 2-3 hours every day. The founder of the Krishna movement, Srila Prabhupada told his followers that chanting the holy name of God was the universal sacrifice for this present age. All the great religious traditions acknowledge the same. The particular name or tradition one wishes to follow is a very personal choice and I do not wish to debate or recommend one tradition over another.

Gauravani (pictured above), a wonderful friend and follower of the Krishna tradition has made chanting the holy name of God (kirtan) an integral part of his personal and social life. Recently he and other chanters inaugurated the Chant4Change event in Washington DC, where many of the leading kirtaneers gathered to celebrate the Inauguration of Barack Obama.

Gauravani recently launched a new CD called Ten Million Moons that I highly recommend as a source of inspiration and knowledge on the science and art of elevating consciousness through pure sound.

The passing of my dear friend Ury Seltzer (1950-2009)

2009-04-24T01:23:00.000-04:00

Ury Seltzer (left) with Priya at the 2007 Green Festival

My dear Ury,

You were a good friend to me and countless others. You were there for me when I was at my lowest point. You helped me move Food for Life Global along and I can honestly say that your input and assistance were invaluable at the time.

I believe we first met at a kirtan gathering at Vidharba's house. We then met at various other gathering and often at the temple. From the beginning you expressed a sincere desire to help me with the charity. It was only much later that I finally took you up on that offer and allowed you to help me establish a new office in Takoma Park. With great hardship and determination, you and other volunteers created a beautiful new office while I was away visiting my family in Australia.

In the following months you dedicated yourself to help establish Food for Life Global on a more firm financial foundation and offered much valuable advice. That office served us well and it was with great sadness that we could not keep it. But I want you to know that your efforts were certainly not in vain, because any service rendered to God brings eternal benefit. And as you are well aware, Food for Life Global is all about bringing people back to their roots, back to God, through the wonderful experience of sanctified food (prasadam).

From time to time I visited you at your storefront to assure you that your efforts were indeed valued and that I appreciated your friendship. However, today I feel that I failed. I know in my heart that I could have done more; I could have said more to you; I could have done better to involve you in the work of the charity after the office closed. But more recently, I could have done better to be with you during these last few months. It is hard for me to admit it, but mundane life and all it's irrelevant and unimportant features bewildered me and I failed to recognize that friendship and love for friends and family are the only truly important things in this world.

The last time I saw you we shared some peanuts in the hospital. Thank you for sharing with me. You were so weak and needed the food more than I, but still you happily shared them with me. We talked about many things that night including all the latest developments with Food for Life Global, but one things sticks in my mind, your wails of sadness as soon as Sandeep and I left the room. You were so sad, so tired of fighting and so much in pain. It became obvious then that you were struggling the whole time just to smile for us. I held your hand a few times while Sandeep massaged your legs. In Sandeep's presence I sometimes feel useless, because he is such a loving person. Anyway, please know that although I failed in practically demonstrating my love and appreciation for you, it existed then and does even more so in my heart right now.

Despite your shortcomings (and don't we all have them!), you ARE a devotee of God, so I am very confident that you are well and happy and enjoying the reciprocation of love that you showed us all during your life.

One time we held a fundraising event at a coffee shop in Bethesda that you organized. For all intents and purposes, it went well. But the highlight of the show was you playing your guitar. Thank you for doing that. When you played, you did so with love and a heart full of joy. You enjoyed it and we enjoyed sharing that joy with you.

My dear older brother, please remember me kindly. I am sorry for not being all that you wanted me to be. Thank you for being a positive and loving influence in my life.

Love,

Priya
Director
Food for Life Global

(Food for Life Global office in Takoma Park)

Affirmation for 2009

2009-03-31T01:49:00.000-04:00

2009 is a year that I know will be very eventful, fruitful and inspiring year for my charity, Food for Life Global, and myself. I can feel it happening already as my body slowly transitions to a 100% raw food (live vegan) diet and I move beyond the shackles and limitations of the past. It's a new "me" evolving from the depths of a deep dark well of confusion, loneliness and fear. My heart and soul grow stronger day by day. I am more in control of my senses, mind and body. I sleep less and yet feel energetic and steady all day long. I am optimistic and faithful. I know that I deserve and expect only the best things to come my way, and the best people to enter into my life. I am the personification of gratitude and I attract happiness, vitality, and abundance everywhere I go. I am love, light, strength and compassion and my attention and intentions are laser-focused and pure. My dear reader, You are important to me, as I am to you. We are all energetically connected and interdependent in spirituality. Pure love flows through each one of use like fresh mountain spring water running through the veins of the earth, enriching, inspiring and energizing all that comes in contact with that pure energy. I am an eternal part and parcel of the divine Absolute Truth, as are you, qualitatively equal in all aspects, and yet humbled in the presence of that Divine Personal Source. We are unlimited in our capacity to cope, dream and love. Nothing but a feeble and weak mind can stop our flight to the heavens and so never forget your divinity. For you and I are not these gross material bodies, but are eternal spiritual beings encased in matter by choice alone. Indeed, if not for the mind, we would not have taken birth again and would not be so disillusioned by this "world of names" and the whimsical and fruitless urges of the gross senses. I therefore choose not to conform to this ridiculous material paradigm of birth, death, old age and disease, but rather choose a path of light and freedom. I do so by carefully choosing my association; consuming only the purest spring water, organic karma-free food, and aligning myself with the natural order and flow of Mother nature in all aspects of my life. I refuse to be an unconscious consumer; a slave to the IRS and Federal reserve, or a blind and fatuous sheep-like human. I am alive, sentient, and aligned with the will of God. I walk my unique path consciously and with all the love and sincerity I can muster, knowing that if I do slip or fall, it can never hinder my progress, for I am destined for success -- it is my eternal right and it is written!

The above note is a spontaneous affirmation for my well being that flowed from my heart today.

I hope it inspires you.

God in quality not in quantity

2008-12-21T17:31:00.000-05:00

I see a lot of people these days in the conscious community claiming to be God. Yes, we are qualitatively like God, but certainly not in quantity. In other words, our divinity is limited or "marginal". According to the Vedas, the fact that we are prone to illusion proves that we are limited. If we were "God" unlimitedly, then how is that we have found ourselves stuck in a gross material body and are forced to suffer, birth, old age, disease and death?

A certain breed of spiritualist in India, known as Mayavadi's, would say, "Oh that is just our pastime. We chose to be covered by this material energy, so that we can enjoy the liberation." To which the logician could respond, "Then let me kick you in the stomach right now, and when I stop kicking, you can enjoy the cessation of the pain!" It's the same logic. The point here is that although we are eternal pure spiritual beings by nature, because of decisions and actions we have taken in the past, we have been forced to accept a temporary material body. As we wake up to this reality, the thought of death and being somehow limited just feels weird. But this uneasiness should motivate us to find out the source of our true nature as parts and parcels of the body of God, while simultaneously unique individual beings of light.

Loving relationships are what motivate us in this world, and it is the same in the spiritual dimension, only they are purely unmotivated. The last snare of maya (illusion) is to think that we are the Supreme Being, for it is this very notion that got us here in the first place. The whole material creation is here simply to facilitate the childish passions of the soul to be independent and powerful. We are given an opportunity to be God-like, however, we must do so through layers of gross material energy. After many millions of births characterized by utter frustration and pain, the soul eventually awakens to the reality he/she does not belong here, cannot enjoy here, and that this material world is not our true home.

Religion is really just following the laws outlined by God and His messengers and one can do that quite easily outside the confines and control of some institution. As we awaken and become more pure in consciousness, doing the right thing becomes natural. Spirituality is being in tune with your true nature as the soul. You don't have a soul, rather, you ARE the soul. And you, the soul, have a pure and unique personality that is unfortunately now covered by layers and layers of material energy, which includes the most subtle layer, false ego. False ego is the mistaken idea that we are these bodies. But it can also be when we see ourselves as independently Supreme.

The fact is, our true nature is to serve God. Service is the innate quality of the soul, inasmuch as sweetness is the innate quality of sugar. To serve is the essence of our existence. Indeed, even while covered by these gross material bodies, we still like to serve. We serve our family, our friends, our boss, our pets, our company, our country, and of course our bodies. It cannot be avoided. The highest level of service is to serve God. Not in a slave-like manner, but in a beautiful loving exchange just like the loving exchange between a mother and child. Such love is as pure as you will ever find in this material world. So in the same way, our pure loving relationship with God takes on the form of some kind of service relationship, where both you, the soul (atma), and God, the Supreme soul (Paramatma) are serving each other. That relationship is absolutely unique to each soul and according to the Vedas, the goal of human life is reviving that pure loving relationship.

Miss A missed the point

2008-12-19T18:41:00.000-05:00

There is this so-called DC Diva who calls herself "Miss A." (aka) Andrea Rodgers who claims to be a Dating and Relationship Expert. She is also a Columnist for HealthCentral Network’s SexualHealthConnection.com. Her list of accomplishments, notoriety and compassion for the needy is boldly stated on her "About" page. The page shows a picture of Miss A holding a cute dog (above), presumably hers, smiling and looking all clean and angelic.

Ok, so you get the picture: She seems like a nice enough person. Only when you dig a little deeper it's not all rosey. At least that is my experience.

Here is what happened when I recently corresponded with Miss A.

Andrea and I had become friends on Facebook. I had noted her popularity and how connected she was in the DC social scene, so I thought I needed to get on her friend list for the sake of my charity.

Recently I wrote to her and asked if she could help promote a fundraising event for Food for Life, called Fashion for Compassion. More on this later, but basically we're talking about a fashion show to benefit Food for Life.

Miss A agreed to help in some way. I then ask her if she knows of a good venue in DC where we could hold this fashion show. She writes back and suggests the Lotus lounge on K street. So a few days later, we meet at the Lotus lounge and I give my presentation to the owners while Miss A listens on. Everything goes well as I explain in more detail about the event and make a point to tell them that all the food served must be vegan.

The meeting ends and everything seems good. I now just have to see what special deal the Lotus lounge can offer us, and my hope is that by having Miss A there it will help to get us the best deal possible.

By this time, Miss A had already agreed to be on the host committee in exchange for two free tickets at the event. I really didn't expect her to do anything else but help get the word out about the event through her large network.

Later after our meeting at the Lotus Lounge, I write to Miss A to thank her for arranging the meeting and trying to help us. Here is the exchange:

PRIYA:
Andrea,

Please let me know what you need. Sara [Event Coordinator] will be in touch soon.

- P

---------------

Andrea Rodgers

December 18 at 1:41am

Yeah, I'm just not sure if this is a fit for me. I love fur and meat! LOL

---------------
PRIYA

December 18 at 3:07am

Well, but I am sure you also like to see children getting fed healthy meals. That is what our charity does. This event is not about criticizing anyone or any company, but all about promoting what is best for the planet while at the same time raising awareness of Food for Life and our feeding programs and eco projects. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

----------------

Andrea Rodgers

December 18 at 9:22am

Well, so far I don't think it fits my "brand", so I think I'm out.

---------------

PRIYA
December 18 at 10:52am

I don't understand. Can you maybe wait till you talk to Sara?

----------------
PRIYA
December 18 at 11:57am

We are talking about feeding children and preserving the environment here. What is not to like? It is a summer fashion show, so fur is not going to be on anyone's mind in any case.

-----------------

Andrea Rodgers

December 18 at 12:31pm

Yeah, but i'm not interested.

--------------
PRIYA
Today at 12:03am

I am appalled by your attitude.

-----------------------------------

As you can see from this very simple, but telling exchange, Miss A, for all her so-called goodness, is really more interested in her "brand" than anything else. Make your own mind up about her attitude here. She had agreed already agreed to be on the host committee but then for no reason other than she liked "fur and meat LOL" she drops out.

I wanted say much more in the last email than "I am appalled by your attitude," but I hesitated. The whole exchanged has been eating at me and I just felt impelled to share it with others.

Know your self, give love and be free once and for all

2008-12-06T19:49:00.000-05:00

So much has happened since my last post. It seems like a year ago that I was in Germany and Prague enjoying the Summer with some fabulous veg friends. Now we are in the middle of Winter in DC and I yearn for warmer weather. I remember Swami Prabhupada once said that the bitter cold of India was "hellish". It seems almost contradictory to our conception of hell, but really "hell" is just that place, consciousness or feeling that is furthest removed from our divine nature and a loving relationship with God. Therefore, "hell" can mean different things to different people, depending on where we are in our spiritual evolution and understanding. But what Prabhupada meant is that this material world can sometimes present us situations that are so far removed from our divine nature that it is just "hellish".

As eternal spiritual beings, we struggle to come to terms with our bondage in these physical bodies. The limitations they present us are also "hellish." I mean, the human ear can only hear certain frequencies; our eyes are not able to see in the dark of night; we can't fly, run or jump like other species, and who likes the fact that despite all our efforts to eat right, exercise and rest, we still get diseases and eventually die!? Indeed, the very idea of death is abnormal for the eternal soul and that is exactly why we pretend it won't happen to us. The great King Yuddhisthir was once asked, "O great King, what is the most amazing thing you have ever seen?" The king replied, "Despite the fact that my mother, father, relatives and friends all die, I find it absolutely amazing that I think it will never happen to me!"

The truth of course is that we never die. At the time of death, depending on the development of our consciousness, we are either carried by the subtle body (mind, intelligence and false ego) to our next physical incarnation, or we are released completely from material bondage and returned to full spiritual awareness.

If you understand what I am saying here then like me, you will still feel challenged by the demands and responsibilities that come with the role we must play in our current incarnation. Whether we are a mother, father, uncle, aunt, or even indigo child, we have a calling - a specific lesson to experience or action to undertake. There are no exceptions. What that lesson or action is should be the central focus of our life. It is really a crying shame how people waste their blessed human incarnation and degrade their consciousness to such a level that material nature must then deliver them to a lower form of life. Never, ever underestimate the good fortune of a human birth. According to the Vedas (Srimad Bhagavatam 8.22.25), "While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his own fruitive activities, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being. This human birth is very rarely obtained." And in the Bhagavad Gita (7.3) it is stated, "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.

My life now is so much different to what it was like when I lived as a monk. Back then, everything was simple and I fully absorbed myself if my spiritual studies. Now, there seems to be an endless demand on my time from clients, family, friends, debt collectors, and the aging body. But I know that I am in no way unique. We all in some way must face these challenges. And truth be told, our life is a culmination of all the decisions we have made up to this point. So there is no use in pointing the finger at anyone else. We must accept responsibility. This is all part of the divine play called "our life." Embrace it, love it for what it is and know that you are as much loved as anyone or anything else in this world. We do not live in a vacuum; we are all connected and interdependent on each other. So the next time you step out into your yard, take a deep breath and look around. Really look around and know that everything you see, feel and hear is the loving embrace of your greater family. So give love back. Really give love. This holiday season, go the extra mile to show your love to the world. We all need it so give it out and watch it come back to you a million-fold. Rather than acting the "victim" when we experience something "hellish", use the experience to raise your consciousness and to fuel your passion to be freed from these physical bonds once and for all.

My recent travels - Germany

2008-09-07T13:28:00.001-04:00

Phew....I never really got a chance to sit down and write while I was on the road.

Germany: I flew to Dresden, Germany for the International Vegetarian Congress which has been held every two years since 1908, except the years surrounding WW1 and WW2. So this year was the 100th anniversary.

Dresden is a really interesting city, rich in culture with amazing architecture. I really enjoyed the fact that now that I was in Europe my body was now 5 hours ahead of the actual time, so this made it very easy to rise early in the morning. In fact, the first day I got got up at 4am and walked to the part where I spent the next 2 hours doing mantra meditation amongst the beautiful trees, birds and chipmonks.

It was so nice to just lose myself in that park. Sometime I would hug a tree and try to feel the presence of the nature spirits around me. I often make a habit of thanking them for the wonderful work they do, despite modern societies abusive and senseless behavior.

There were about 60 people at my presentation, but more importantly, the team from Supreme Master television were filming, so this meant so many thousands would get to hear our message. I felt satisfied with the presentation and many people came up after and thanked me. Whenever this happens, in my mind, I immediately offer this praise to the volunteers in the field that do the actual work. I see myself as their servant and cheerleader.

During the congress, I meant leaders of many organizations and some high profile people in the nutrition movement, like Brenda Davis and Vesanto who have written many books, including: Raw Revolution in collaboration with my good friend Cherrie Soria from the Living Light Institute (www.rawfoodchef.com)

Brenda and Vesanto are two of the most wonderful women you could ever meet and I feel blessed and honored to call them my friends. Brenda expressed great interest in our charity work and asked if there could be any opportunities for her son to get involved.

Some other olds friend I reconnected with were Surabh Dulal, Peter McQueen, Dilip Barman, Gerry Coffey, Francisco Martin and John Davis.

All of them have been big advocates of FFL's work and have helped to raise awareness.

Barbara Rutting was also in attendence, an indeed she was was on the main attractions at the congress as she is a big celebrity in Germany. Barbara is an old friend of the devotees and has been a big advocate of Food for Life since 1995 when I first met her in Buselingo. The last time I met her in Vienna she invited me to give a talk at the Bavarian parliament. I showed Barabara the Food for Life world map and she asked to have one for her office. Barabara is the leader of the Green party in Germany.

It was really great to reconnect with a very old Krishna friend named Gaura Lila. I was so happy to see that he was giving a talk on spiritual vegetarianism. If there is one thing that is lacking in many of these health food conferences, it is the spiritual dimension. The fact is that we can never be perfectly healthy and happy without nourishing the soul. That is one reason why I also give a talk called "The Yoga of Eating," where I explain how we can make eating a spiritual experience and use it to raise our consciousness, regardless of our religious affiliations or prejudices.

A young lady with an incredible future is Laila Weber. She heads up a drama group and at age 16 has maturity and intelligence way beyond her years. She expressed interest in doing some drama courses with children at the Vrindavan FFL project and the Gokulam orphanage in Sri Lanka.

After the congress I took a short trip to Prague in the Czech Republic. I had not visited this city since 1995 and was intrigued to see how much it had changed. I was impressed with the architecture and the way that the city has been able to preserve the integrity of the past with the modernization of the way of life.

Check the above picture which shows the famous castle of Lady Madonna in the background looking over the the river.

Spirituality without Religion

2008-08-12T11:38:00.000-04:00

Spirituality is simply being your true self -- connecting with your divine source and bathing in the loving energy exchange that is constantly taking place. Religion is basically just following the laws of God -- to act in such a way to prepare our consciousness for divine thought and expression. The rituals of religion are certainly not necessary if one's consciousness is fully purified, for ultimately we are spiritual beings by nature and do not really need someone, or some institution to tell us as such. We seek out religions for the sanga (association), which is critical for purifying our consciousness; for purifying our minds and for the reassurance that we are on the right path.

The designations resulting from our religious affiliations are illusory. We are not Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain or Jewish. We are by nature, pure individual spiritual lovers of God -- the one and only God, who is called upon by a different name according to each tradition.

SRI MAHAVISHNU DARSHAN from VISHNU DAS on Vimeo.

We are eternal spirit souls having a human experience. We do not belong in this material world. We come to this world for one reason: To play out our fantasy of being like God. As a result, the soul transmigrates through millions of bodies experiencing the four-fold miseries of this world, namely birth, death, old age and disease. The human body is the most divine gift, because it is only in the human form that we can begin to understand the true nature of this material world and start looking for an escape. Religions provide a facility for us to gather the strength and motivation to get out of this world, but they are certainly not necessary, because we are already equipped with all the tools we need to be successful.

The Vedas teach that spiritual life begins with the tongue (Lecture by Prabhupada). The tongue has two functions: tasting and eating. If we misuse the tongue it can drive our consciousness down, and the result is continued birth and death, and not necessarily as humans. If we eat like a pig, material nature will reward us with a body that is more suitable for that type of consciousness: a pig. Someone has to be a pig.

The good news is that the soul gradually rises in consciousness and in so doing takes higher and higher births until it once again reaches human status. This fluctuation and cycle can go on endlessly if we so desire. It is only in the human form that we can make a conscious decision to change this cycle. We begin this change by purifying the tongue: eating only the purest foods and vibrating only the purest sounds. So what is the purest foods? Of course food in its raw state is the most pure from the material standpoint, but higher than that is spiritual raw food or prasadam. This is another topic for discussion, but in essence, prasadam is food that has been transformed into spiritual energy, by the process of sacrifice and love.

To vibrate pure sound means to only speak words that are truthful, pleasing, inspiring and beneficial to the world and to also sing/chant sounds of very high vibration like mantras or prayer. These two activities of the tongue will raise the consciousness to the highest level and enable the practitioner to see with divine eyes. Your world will never be the same again. By controlling the tongue in this way, all the other senses come under control and one is freed from the shackles of sensual enslavement that forces the soul to take birth after birth. What I am sharing here is really the essence of spirituality and you will find that all true religions will teach these same things, but wrapped in a multitude of ritualistic blankets.

- Priya 108

Summer Travels

2008-08-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

I am traveling a lot at the moment. I just got back from Germany and Prague and before that I spent a lovely 8 days with my daughter, Kishori, in Puerto Rico.

Kishori learned how to boogi board. I was so proud of her and also quite surprised. She was so brave. We traveled all around the island and witnessed so many beautiful things and met so many beautiful people.

My friend, Nancy (in picture with me) and Carlos hosted us in their lovely house up in the mountains. We had a spectacular view from our balcony! See more of my trip on facebook.

My trip to Germany was for the International vegetarian congress. It was the 100th year of the congress and about 700 people from around the world attended. I met a lot of old friends and made some new ones, including Laila a nice young girl of extraordinary moral character. She has been a vegetarian her whole life and now manages a drama team in Dresden, Germany.

I enjoy traveling as it gives me time to reflect on the blessings in my life and plan for the future. I typically always get flashes of inspiration during these journeys or connect with incredible people who can help further the efforts of my charity, Food for Life. One group of people were the lovely people from Supreme Master TV. Celestine and Weiwen (seen in this picture, as well as Kimmy were so vibrant and helpful. The ladies prepared the most divine snacks at the congress and the film team videoed my presentation and then later interviewed me for their show. I can honestly say that the disciples of Supreme Master Chin Hai are extraordinary. They light up the room and are some of the sweetest people you will ever meet. See more pics on facebook.

SUPREME MASTER TV is a free-to-air satellite channel broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a variety of engaging programs in English with over 30 subtitles and 40 languages. Being the ideal television channel that brings to your life Nobility and Spirituality. Broadcasting on 14 satellite platforms across the globe.

My next trip is to Fort Bragg for the Vibrant Living Expo and then on the Nevada for Burning Man. Should be fun!

Courage and forgiveness

2008-05-16T23:41:00.000-04:00

Today I had a reiki healing and Angel therapy session with nationally known clairvoyant medium, Rev. Ana Jones. It was something that I signed up for on the spur of the moment while walking by the Meridian healing center in Gaithersburg, MD. When I approached the reception, I noticed an advertisement announcing that Rev. Jones would be at the center in a few weeks offering healing. It felt right and so I signed up. Well it turned out to be quite fortuitous because of all the healers I could have approached, Ana was most certainly one that could understand what I was going through. It is not something I can even really explain without going into a very lengthy discourse, suffice to say that her husband was coming from the same spiritual path as I had. As a result, there were things I could talk to her about that most would not understand.

After the healing session had finished Ana shared with me some of the realizations and messages past on to her by her angelic assistants. She said that the most powerful presence in the room was of my guru and that the overwhelming message was that I needed to protect myself. "I had to be courageous and do whatever I could to protect myself," she explained. She even mentioned that I should call upon the avatar, Nrsimhadeva, a well known incarnation of Lord Krishna and a universal icon of protection against evil. It was really amazing to hear her offer this advice although her own spiritual background was Christianity. She also told me that I needed to work on forgiveness. Forgiveness of my ex-wife; forgiveness of my guru; forgiveness of my father and forgiveness of myself. Her angels actually recommended I read a book called "Radical Forgiveness" by Colin Tipping.

She then offered me a meditation CD to use for assisting my journey of understanding and went on to explain that my experience on the spiritual path had been very similar to her husbands, in that in a very short time I had achieved a high level of realization, however, the ascent had left me feeling "short changed" in other areas of my life. For those familiar with my past, from the age of 19 until 33 I lived the life of a renounced and celibate monk. I had literally left home, escaped to the mountains for 6 months and soon after shaved my head and joined a Krishna ashram where for the next 14 years I owned no more than what could fit inside a 15 inch wide closet. I did not even have a bank account, medical insurance, or even a credit card until I reached the age of 34, after I had decided to move on from my monastic life and get married. You could say I lived a somewhat sheltered life with a laser-like focus on cultivating my intention on understanding God. The experience was certainly enriching, because it allowed me to travel the world, live somewhat stress-free, eat very well, and sleep like a baby. No mortgage, no bills, no screaming kids, no nagging wife, no concern really for anything bar the outreach work I did through the Food for Life charity.

So why did I give it all up? Unfulfilled desires. While focusing on my most inner needs I forgot to nourish the other vibrational levels of my existence. Yes, ultimately we are all spiritual beings, but we are also having a material experience and until that time that we completely transcend the bodily conception, we must address the needs of the mind, body and senses. Hence, in the traditional Vedic system of socio-spiritual evolution, there is the Varnashram institution which offers a gradual progression of the man from student life (monk), to marriage, to voluntary retirement (separation), and finally to the renounced order (sannyas). For all intents and purposes, I had gone from humble student (monk) to a "swami"-like existence in those 14 years. Interestingly enough, Ana's husband had been a swami for 17 years and so she knew exactly what I was going through. When I finally decided that I needed to get married to fill the void in my heart, I was sincerely looking forward to the experience of connecting with another soul on all vibrational levels. In the end, however, it was a disaster from the beginning, and for next 9 years my heart ached for emancipation. To tell that story would take a book. The purport is simple: I tried and I tried, but in the end, I decided that she didn't deserve me, and I didn't deserve her.

So now here I am, having gone through the greatest challenge of my life thus far, I stand at the doorstep of a new beginning. "We are all eternal souls," Ana explained, "and so no one or no thing can really harm us." And then in my mind I completed her words, "yes, very true, but the fact remains that until we are freed from this bondage of material existence, we must deal with and learn from the experiences that are presented to us. All of them are meant to "heal" us on some level. The "why" and "how" is something we will only understand once we have fully awoken from this "dream" of material consciousness. In the meantime, it behooves us to keep the faith; be inspired by the great souls that came before us, and to stay focused on the goal - to return "home" back to Godhead.

Thank you Ana for your comforting words and thank you for the gift of the CD; but more importantly, thank you for being a messenger of light and love for the world.

Love and Yin deficiency

2008-05-09T19:43:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I went to court for a PL trial. It is a temporary ruling for financial obligations of both spouses in a divorce settlement. Today the Master was offering his recommendations, and as expected, he ruled in favor of my ex wife. I sat there unemotional thinking that no one can really hurt me and if I can't afford to pay what they are expecting, then so be it. I am not a miracle worker and I know better than anyone the reality of my situation.

But while returning home I began to contemplate what took place and I started to feel the hurt takeover my body. I could not come to terms with how someone that I had supported for 10 years could be so ruthless and manipulating. The ruling was completely unfair to me and I know in her heart she knew this, but her ego is such that she would rather swallow the poison of injustice than accept the medicine of spiritual equality.

Once the ruling was complete, I just stormed out of the courtroom not wanting to talk to anyone, especially not to her. I can not even bare to look at her anymore. For ten years, she abused me to no end and now seems to be relishing the thought of driving a final "nail in my coffin."

Tomorrow I take my daughter to an audition and I hope that seeing her smiling face and watching her success will thrill me and heal my aching heart. She is truly the light of my life and the only thing that keeps me going.

I remain confident that Krishna (God) is my best friend and He will always be there for me till the very end. Although it appears difficult for me now, I know my suffering pales in comparison to the people of Myanmar or Dafur. I have many things to be thankful for and I do sincerely appreciate the blessings in my life. There only seems to be one thing lacking and that is love. After a decade of torment and torture, my heart yearns for the experience of true love. I am seeking this through my spiritual practices, but at the same time, because I am still physically bound and illusioned by this world, I seek the loving experience in the lower energetic vibrations of this world as well.

I was at a party the other day, surrounding by truly wonderful people, all of whom I call my friends. Some of them, however, are very close and special to me. One of them came up and hugged me and said, "Please call anytime, we are here for you." It meant a lot. That same night I spoke to another very old friend and confided with him of my personal struggles. He was silent on the other end of the phone and seemed to be lost for words. I guess it was all new to him. I am a very private person, and even my closest friends don't always know of my challenges. I am sure it is the same for many people. Anyway, after a long pause, my old friend sincerely offered me his helping hand if I needed it. Just to hear your friends say these things is healing.

Sometimes though I just want to be hugged. Don't we all? Today I was reading a great book on Qigong massage and came across an interesting passage about Qi An Mo or Qigong healing. "To understand Qi massage, you must understand that Qi is the bioelectricity circulating in the body. Because it is electricity, it can be conducted or led through electrical correspondence. Actually, everybody has the ability to do Qi healing. To give an example, when people are sad, their Qi is Yin deficient. If you hold their hands of hug them, your Qi will nourish them and they will immediately feel better. We have been doing this instinctively for a long time. The only difference between the average person and a Qigong master is that the latter has trained in Qigong healing, and can therefore be more effective. " - ("Qigong Massage" by Dr Yang, Jwing-Ming)

Isn't it interesting that there always seems to be a deeper meaning to the most common things we do unconsciously. When I was in New York in April, I came across a bunch of young people offering free hugs. I gladly obliged and was really appreciative of what they were trying to do. The world needs love and that gigantic world begins with the single cell in your body. From the macrocosm to the microcosm, the world we live in is an amazing artistic expression of divine love. Despite the pain and suffering that comes upon us at times or the overwhelming sadness that saturates the world, know for certain that in each and every one of us, is the spark of divine love just bursting with anticipation for that day it will rise up and shine in its full brilliance. That brilliance can never be denied. It is our God-given right and our constitutional position. I guess what I am saying is, that as I am trying to express this love to you, my dear reader, I hope that you will do the same to me. We all need each other.

With love,

- Priya108

The Loving energy that connects us all

2008-04-08T23:39:00.000-04:00

I've been doing a lot of reading lately about healing and the quantum physics connection. A couple of weeks back I attended a talk by ADAM, the famous young dreamhealer from Vancouver. Adam was in New York for one day to give a presentation and a group healing at the Airport Sheraton in Newark. 600 people packed the place and it was a very interesting experience.

What I find unique about ADAM, aside from the fact that he has hundreds of testimonials from people from all over the world, is that he is presenting a solid scientific basis to what he and others are experiencing. The academic theories of quantum physics come to life with his accounts of his direct experience of the interconnectedness we all share. ADAM is also pursuing a Masters degree in molecular biology to add even more credibility to this amazing young man's story.

Over the last few years I have come across some pretty amazing books and all of them in their own unique way are adding clarity to the mysterious and fascinating world we live in. What inspired me most about Adam's presentation is his constant reference to the power of intention. It is something we have all heard about in one way or another, from reading "The Secret" or even Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think and grow rich." However, I have recently come across Lynne McTaggert's book, "The Intention Experiment" and am finding it very impressive. If you want to explore the real science behind "The Secret" look no further. This book has it all.

Prior to finding this book, I had read others like "The Holographic Universe" by Michael Talbot, "The Golden Ratio" by Mario Livio, "The Way of Energy" by Master Lam Kam Chuen, and "The Adventure of Self Discovery" by Stanislav Grof. In their own unique way they bring light to understanding the beauty of the world we live in and the nature of mind and spirit and the energy field that connects us all.

During my 20s and 30s, some of you might know that for 14 years I was a celibate monk. It was a time for deep inner healing and reflection. Looking back now I am amazed that at such a young age I was able to have such discipline. I guess it was a continuation of something I started in a past life. In any case, for some reason it felt right at the time and my soul needed it. That experience changed my life forever.

During those "meditative years" I absorbed myself in the ancient teachings of the Vedas. One book in particular, The Srimad Bhagavatam completely changed my world view and set the framework for the rest of my life. If you have never read or even heard about this book, I strongly suggest you take a look. It is a Sanskrit classic and considered to be the "cream" of the Vedas. The Srimad Bhagavatam gives the complete picture of this world and the world beyond. It is considered the post graduate study of the Bhagavad-Gita which I know most people have heard about.

Anyway, since my first adventure into spirituality when I left home to live in the mountains, I have had a passion for understanding why? And every day as I grow wiser, I feel that I am getting more clarity on what this world is all about. Each one of us will go through life experiencing the world in our unique way. No two people will have the same experience and no two people will ever have the same conclusion. Even if only slight, the "flavor" will always be different from one person to the next. And there lies one of the fundamental beauties of this universe. Yes, we are all connected; yes, we all emanate from the same source; yes, we are all ultimately heading in the same direction, but amazingly we are all still absolutely unique individuals.

It is this tapestry of individualism that makes the life experience so amazing. In the same way that each brush stroke of a painting; each color band in a rainbow; each petal of a flower; each star in the firmament; each thread in a gorgeous gown; or each note in a symphony work together to create something magical -- each one of us is a participant in the play of life and together, connected by the loving energy that brought us forth, we have the ability to transform, uplift and create something even more wonderful for our own life and the life of others.

We all need love, so give some out today and have faith that it will return back to you multiplied!

My new personal definition statement now is:

I am: A mysterious and eclectic soul with a passion for understanding the life experience, the "field" that connects us all, and the summon bonum that makes it all possible.

Looking for definition

2008-03-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

Those who know me are either confused and/or critical about why I have so many things going on, or are totally inspired how can multi-task and get so many things done. From my side, well, I bounce between both camps. Some days I just don't know where to start; what direction to take or how the heck I got my self into so much complexity. But then there are days when I sit back in awe at all the opportunities before me and the beauty of such a variegated life.

Right now, however, I'm just plain confused. Tonight I was telling myself I have to establish a clear definition of who I am and be done with it. Life would certainly be a lot simpler. My schedule would be set and I would have a clear and defined path to traverse towards a clearly defined goal. Or would I? Maybe that's just not me? God, life can be confusing. Or maybe it's just that we allow our restless mind to create all the fog. An unbridled mind is certainly a "devils workshop." Hence, the need for daily meditation and making time for when we can focus on the essential needs of the soul. Believe it or not, along with all the projects I've got going on, I still meditate about 2 hours a day. The problem is my meditation sessions sort of suck at the moment. I do mantra meditation but my sessions are not very focused. At least I'm trying to stay connected to the source (Krishna), but I know it's not the best I could do.

Well, today at least, I spent some "quality meditation time" by chanting my mantra while strolling down the C&O canal path amongst the Potomac woods. I was mostly alone - just me, the trees, a few stray ducks and the odd squirrel. As I sat down beside a stream I stopped to throw out an urgent plea to the Universe to grant me love, confidence and clarity. Three things my heart is telling me that I need to work on. That reminds me of an experience I had while staying with my good friends, Rasamrita and Shyam in their cottage in the woods of Cheverly.

About a year ago, I was laying in my bed asking for healing from the nature spirits outside the house. I mentally prepared myself for healing by releasing all tension and inviting healing hands to work on me. At the time, I had recently separated from a very abusive relationship. That's another long story, suffice to say that I really needed healing. My heart was so hurt. As I lay there that early evening, I could sense three beings come into the room and begin gently guiding their hands over my body. It felt loving and I think I even shed a tear at the time. Then in my mind, I heard a distinct instruction from one of them: "You need to tell yourself, 'I am light; I am love; I am not afraid anymore." Since that day I try to remind myself of these beautiful words. My latest version of this healing "self talk" is: "I am light; I am love; I am full of confidence."

My heart still needs a lot of healing. The marriage was a mistake from the beginning, but I endured 9 years of it. I believe I only stayed in the marriage for four reasons: 1) To give love and guidance to my lovely daughter; 2) Out of compassion for the "ex" who I feel would have difficulty living with any man; 3) A sense of responsibility to my vows and my role as a father; and 4) ego, because I did not want to admit defeat to myself, nor admit to my friends and family that I had made a huge mistake.

So now I'm back to my earlier conundrum - how to define myself? Today I stand on a new horizon of my life. I am still a very young man with lots of hope and dreams inside me. There are so many things I need to experience, including the love of an angel-like partner. My heart burns with passion both for love and for life. I want to fill my heart with joy and radiate it back to the universe. My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, had requested that everyone get a chance to eat prasadam (pure food that is sanctified by offering it to God with love), because he was convinced that by doing this along with the propagation of pure sound vibration (The Maha Mantra), could create peace and prosperity in the world. This indeed was Prabhupada's "peace formula" and I feel that somehow or other it is a goal that I just have to try to realize. The good news is that I truly believe that it is possible, (more on this in another post) and so whatever I end up doing along the winding path of my life, one thing for sure is that expanding the distribution of prasadam (pure food) will be paramount. So, I guess I just defined myself! No matter how hard I try to be something else; a graphic designer, web developer, inventor, entrepreneur, numerologist, sacred geometrician, BATman, planner, dreamer, greeny, "Krishna-dairian", ad infinitum, the hard reality is that I will always be known to my closest friends as "Priya" or "Prasadam das" or the "FFL guy". I guess that's the way it is. This seems to be my core being while all the other things are just superficial layers that I can change as I wish just like I change my clothes. And I must say, this personal brand is something that I am most comfortable with and it seems to be the only thing that makes all the hard work worthwhile and my life truly relevant.

Thank you, Prabhupada.

- Priya108
To learn more about my charity work: www.ffl.org