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valaya

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Everything posted by valaya

  1. Good points, prabhu! The real fast is not simply cleansing so we can feast again, but consciously extricating ourselves from any identification with the material energy. Thus chanting of the Holy Names is the only recommended sacrifice for Kali Yuga and it should be performed constantly, preferably in the personal association of His Divine Grace embodied as Sri Guru and sadhus. HARIBOL! HARIBOL! RR [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-21-2001).]
  2. leyh prabhu, you need a guru, maybe two...RR
  3. Dear JRdd, Isn't Mt.Shasta supposedly a `spiritual` energy covergence of some sort? Obviously you are a sensitive soul. Just living in beautiful natural surroundings tends to situate one in the mode of goodness, I'm sure, and the whole rainbow healthfood vegan conciousness provides further reinforcement. Still, it's just another mode, isn't it, though it can appear very attractive and cause us to become subtly yet strongly attached. As Mr.D said, you and I are not about to be called into active duty, so it's more a case of the war within which is the same struggle all devotees face every moment involving our identification with the material energy. All I ask is that we don't allow ourselves to surrender to fear and try to maintain a united stand. Something like this should join us in supporting each other emotionally and otherwise, or so I would expect. To do otherwise would be surrendering to terror-ism and it's by-product, disunity. What I cannot tolerate is a similar situation to the Vietnam war, where America was disarmed from within and those who served made to feel guilt for sacrifices in service to their country. I'm not a hippie anymore and I recognize well the negative effects of psychedelic drugs! As if `expanding` our minds brought higher awareness and made us somehow superior to those hard-working `straight` folks that we constantly mocked! The young must learn from their own experiences. Let them focus `light` or enter into trances or whatever. We have Srila Prabhupada, Radha-Krsna and the Holy Names. I've tried to share my own personal experiences here concerning Swamini-Kisori, although discouraged at every turn. Really, I have little else to offer than what has already been said. At least it was all from my heart, impure as it still is. Please keep faith in your real self, prabhu...valaya RR [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-20-2001).] [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-20-2001).]
  4. War is undoubtedly HELL! It's a tough nasty business, but sometimes someone has to do it. Of everyone on this forum, Bhuta Bhavana das seems to be the only one in that difficult position. Does anyone here besides myself have any idea what that entails? Right now he's puking from the anthrax vaccine pumped into his bloodstream! Armchair pseudo-generals, diplomats, philosophers and unrealized scripture spouting `gurus`, who haven't the stomach to FACE that which has been forced upon us, let alone actually FIGHT with anything other than their usual cheap words; could at least express their personal fears honestly and refrain from lashing out against those that have to muster up the courage to do the necessary in defense of us all and indeed freedom itself. Just sign me disgusted!
  5. ...and so it is! Now, where do I sign up for this `assassin` gig?
  6. Love is all To know Her We must be one With Her Without thinking We are Her! RR
  7. Maybe we beat ourselves, eh? Oh wait a minute, that'd mean abortions wouldn't be required, wouldn't it? How about handing out vibrators instead of condoms? (nyuck nyuck)
  8. If you alter `I` to `Her`, Then I'll agree wholeheartedly! RR
  9. Got a feeling we're all in for a good healthy dose of reality very soon and, in my humble opinion, it's about bloody time! Great time for a japa walk is when it's raining body parts! No falling asleep then, eh prabhus? HARIBOL! RR
  10. We all come together in Radhika, one way or another, as we are part and parcel of the Internal Potency. Srila Narayan Maharaja recently gave a lecture (sorry, can't find it) about how different factions exist in Vraja only while Sri Krsna is present. Otherwise, everyone is united around Sri Radha trying to keep Her alive, since She is experiencing such intense separation. Lord Caitanya appeared in the mood of Srimati Radharani undergoing separation after Krsna had left Vrndavan. This is evidenced in the significance of Rathayatra--ever noticed how we seem to come together from far and wide at that special time? Thus we must all unite in support of Her feelings of separation! The key is to merge emotionally with Swamini-Kisori, knowing our tears and feelings to be Hers. That way our infinitesimal selves become one with Her infinite Self, strengthening Her by our empathy. In these efforts the Holy Name is absolutely essential, as we know, both in private japa and group chanting. Someone once told me that we cannot force others to love us, but they are equally unable to prevent us from loving them. Each of us can practice this love secretly if need be, understanding that all are part and parcel of our dearmost Sri Radhika. Let Her tears in separation be our impetus... Thinking and feeling in this way, even a little, how can we not attract Gopinatha, the source of all auspiciouness and purity? This must also be most pleasing to Sri Gurudeva, himself always internally crying in separation, and in fact all the residents of vraja bhumi who are sharing emotionally as one with Krsna gone. The entire atmoshere everywhere is powerfully affected through this process, due to Lord Krsna's inevitably being attracted. I firmly believe that cementing our inner foundation will bring about that external unity we are seeking, naturally and spontaneously connecting us within our individual bodies and between groups, as well. Then even non-vaisnava organizations will want to join in, somehow or other. At least, that is my personal vision and faith, prabhus. JAI SRI RADHE! RR Please excuse extensive edits! [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-19-2001).]
  11. Good ones, Gauracandra prabhu! I 'specially liked the one about granny... [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-20-2001).]
  12. Most of the married men I know, devotees and others, would be completely lost without their wives though I don't believe any of them realize it. While they're provided a clean comfortable home, fed well and generally kept gainfully employed on the straight and narrow, their minds tend to dream of the magical single life and all the possibilities it seems to offer. Sure, when you're well-fed, have a clean comfortable place to call home and a good regulated life. Try it all alone for awhile, brother! I always remind them of what kind of lives they had before their wives took control, usually out of necessity, then point to my own wretched lonely existence. Whether any of it sinks in, I don't know, but I've little doubt that without the firm foundation of home and family they'd be pretty much lost. Maybe we men never fully accept maturity or enjoy family responsibility... An older neighbour woman just died, leaving a husband who not only emotionally abused her, but never was able to recognize just how dependent he was on her constant accomodating presence. Well, I guess he'll learn to appreciate her now that it's too late...so sad. I remember Prabhupada telling us that we should be attracted to the devotion we see in each. Surely our close relationships must nurture that same devotion if we are to grow as devotees. I see marriage mainly for the purpose of raising children, since partners need not actually enter into matrimony, even if there is sex involved. Certainly no one can depend on any formal ceremony to keep them together in this day and age. As for intimacy, I don't believe that sex contributes towards real closeness in any way. In fact, I think that it fosters jealousy, possessiveness, and ultimately frustration. My idea of bonding is more of an emotional sharing which includes physical embraces and sleeping together, but without sexual intercourse or genital stimulation. After all, we're not these bodies, thank God! Genuine love is for me the desire to strengthen another and encourage them to be all they can be, so that they become satisfied independently within themselves. We don't have to be married or live together in order to relate with each other like that. All we need is sufficent motivation, which I personally found from my worship of Srimati Radharani, in Her diety form and otherwise. Now when I recognize devotion in another it's Her qualities I focus on. It's Her part and parcels that I try to encourage. She is the oneness for me and the essence that I seek. Only She is my all-in-all. Maybe I'm wrong in this, prabhus. I know often I feel like I'm making a fool of myself, but then I start thinking that I actually am a fool anyway, so why hide it from myself or anyone else? Because of Her, I can reveal my vulnerability and I'm more in tune with the sensitive side of life, not having to remain behind a wall of hardness anymore. Unfortunately, now that my paternal instincts are finally emerging, my life is waning and this aching old body will soon slide into the 60's... So I'm looking at those around me as my family, particularly you prabhus, trying to care more deeply and praying to Sri Radhika that She will allow me somehow to be of value. At times it seems She does, giving me whatever qualifications are required at that moment. Then it's back into my usual dull monotonous slump. Anyway, that's my contribution to this thread, Jayaradhe dd. Hope it proves useful even if only to help others avoid coming to this point where they may also find themselves stuck in hopeless isolation. The dreamer who dreamed his life away! I'm afraid this post could be just a little too much wallowing, even for me, so read quickly 'cuz it might be gone tomorrow... valaya RR [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-20-2001).]
  13. Brahma das: Exactly, and siksa has always been most important in our parampara. Perhaps the threat is not simply the potential loss of followers to other groups, but also the possibility some may actually become self-realized! P.S. Replied to Siddhaswarupananda questions on the other thread I started about my visit to his group here in Toronto, Canada. RR [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-19-2001).]
  14. Careful though, you wouldn't want to get flushed! RR
  15. Dear Member of the Beliefnet Family, I wanted to first profusely thank those of you who contributed prayers to our prayer circles. The extraordinary outpouring of love - from across the faiths and across the world - has been moving, inspirational, helpful and hopeful. If you haven't already, I recommend you visit here: http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=203&lnkid=150 Blessedly, the staff here at Beliefnet, and our families, are all safe, though we all have friends and family who have been touched by this tragedy. One of our beloved co-workers, MJ Weber, is married to a NY police officer and her brother is an emergency medical service worker. Both, thankfully, are safe but they lost many, many friends, and need your prayers. The fire squad in my Brooklyn neighborhood lost more than half its men; Tony Uphoff, our CEO, says about 40 people in his town of Manhasset are gone. Those of us with kids are having to explain why some of their classmates no longer have mommies or daddies. Our offices are on 23rd street in Manhattan so we could see the smoke and fire billowing. The bus-stops along this street are now covered with those hand-made missing-people posters, with their tragically precise physical descriptions ("small mole above right side of upper lip"). By Thursday of last week, the wicked smell - vapors from the cloud that was the World Trade Center - had drifted over our offices. I'm sure you will forgive us for a number of glitches that have hit our site. The company that provides us with our internet connection was based near the World Trade Center and was wiped out, though we believe, as of now, that the workers there are ok. Our phone service has been intermittent. We are working through these things as quickly as possible but there will be some irregularities on the site and with our daily newsletters for a while. Mostly, I wanted to write to you because I believe that in addition to what you're already undoubtedly doing, there is one other way you can help. People are flooding Beliefnet to talk, gain wisdom, and gain support. Please, if there is anything from your own spiritual tradition - or anything that you've experienced -- that you think could comfort someone else, post it in this discussion thread: http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=204&lnkid=151 It could be a prayer, a poem, a passage from a sacred text, an inspirational story, a comment from a child, an image, a memory -- anything that might help. In addition, we are establishing a "Sermon Archive" of sermons, homilies, dharma talks and messages from spiritual leaders around the country. If you've heard of any great ones - or delivered any - please post them here: http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=205&lnkid=152 Beliefnet is also going to produce a book, with Rodale Press, tentatively called "From the Ashes: A Spiritual Response to the Attack on America" which will offer spiritual wisdom from many faith traditions and ordinary individuals. If there's anything that you think ought to be in this book - something that struck you as spiritually significant, wise, helpful or thought-provoking - please post it here: http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=206&lnkid=153. The profits from this book will go to charity and relief efforts. And, of course, if you are looking for more direct ways to help, you may get some ideas from our how-to-help resource page: http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=207&lnkid=155 One final thought. An ugly anti-Muslim backlash has already begun. We at Beliefnet - a multifaith community dedicated to the notion that understanding someone else's religion can only strengthen one's own - believe that those of us who are not Muslim have a moral obligation to learn as much as possible about Islam, and to be teachers in our communities: http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=208&lnkid=154 We hope and pray that you and your family and friends are safe and well. With deepest regards and respect, Steven Waldman Editor-in-Chief & Co-Founder (Here is a link http://www.beliefnet.com/tlrd.asp?lnkpid=208&lnkid=154 to a page that gathers all the articles we've done so far)
  16. valaya

    testing

    Hey, how'd you do that underline thing, eh?
  17. Bhaktavasya Prabhu, BB is back in uniform undergoing intensive training, before being sent overseas to risk his life, defending freedoms we all enjoy. This is not the best time to provoke him, believe me! Right or wrong, good or bad, it's out of our hands, anyways. Better I think to chant and pray as you see fit, according to your own conscience. Whatever happened between you two can be taken up again afterwards. Thank you.
  18. valaya

    test

    O.K. O.K., just because this is a `Test Area` doesn't mean you have to get TESTY! Say, do you think it's related to `testosterone`??? RR I meant the word, prabhu, not you. Now I don't mean you're not masculine or anything like, either...(nyuck nyuck) [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-19-2001).]
  19. valaya

    test

    I'm genuinely touched that you prabhus would seek moi out here! Reminds me of the gopis going in search of Radhika when She left the rasa dance. Now don't go thinking I'm all puffed up! Come to think of it, that's what they thought about Her, until they found Her crying in separation... Anyhoo, this MSN Explorer is available as a free download, from MSN.com I guess, and one of it's personalized features is you get to choose a little picture that shows up beside your name. One of those pictures is a yellow rubber ducky! Couldn't help thinking of you, Jayaradhe, although I know you're really a swan in disguise...
  20. Interesting scenario indeed. Speaking as one with nothing to lose, I'd just as soon get it all over with right now. One American boomer submarine is quite capable of pretty well destroying life on this planet and there are many! All are nearly impossible to find, let alone stop. If the United States is attacked in such a massive way, it's good-bye world, folks. Perhaps those who are so critical here might want to take a closer look at their own personal lifestyles, not to mention their actual physical existence, and try to appreciate what/who that depends on. RR P.S. Put together my favourite set of japa beads with duct tape! May not be bonafide, but this is an emergency!!! [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-19-2001).]
  21. Ha Ha! FunNY! Must have missed this little gem of BB humor before today. (this is NOT sarcastic!)
  22. Haribol Pita das prabhu! Sorry to hear about your mother's health. Hope the international situation is not causing you problems. Please be careful, it will probably get much worse. For entry to Dharma-mela, Email Jahnava@aabc.com and She'll send you a password with instructions. valaya
  23. Haribol Pita das prabhu! Sorry to hear about your mother's health. Hope the international situation is not causing you problems. Please be careful, it will probably get much worse. For entry to Dharma-mela, Email Jahnava@aabc.com and She'll send you a password with instructions. valaya
  24. Satyaraja dasa Member posted 09-19-2001 05:16 AM Badarayana Rsi has clearly established in Brahma-sutras that the way that Hari operates is beyond the reasoning faculty. valaya: Satyaraja dasa, I really can't comprehend why you continue your persistent attempts at reasoning with us in light of your staement above. I can only put it down to thickheadedness probably caused by excessive intellectual stimulation due to your unceasing attempts to fit the unlimited Absolute into your obviously very limited mind, in spite of so many good-hearted souls trying to help you. So far as the content of this thread is concerned, I took your suggestion to reread what Jagat had posted at the start. BTW I also visited him personally at his home in Montreal where we had the opportunity to share our views in a most productive way. Isn't it interesting how Bhakti-devi has a life of her own? Certainly, she cannot be taken simply as another religion; more like the basis of all religion! I noticed that your input on this subject occurs about halfway into the discussion. As usual, you believe it is you that is defining the topic and direction according to your own confused agenda, much like you seem to think you can control the Absolute Truth personified by your own methodology. Fat chance of either, prabhu!!! Should you wish to communicate in a more personal manner by telephone, in hopes of actually reaching some conclusive concensus, please let me know. I have a Portugese friend (non-devotee) who can act as interpreter if need be. Perhaps further discussions on these forums can be facilitated and improved, for the benefit of all concerned. RR
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