sandra

http://www.carleton.ca/~hdehejia/content/Radha_Nayikafini.PDF

http://www.deathclock.com/ My Personal Day of Death is on Sunday, September 26, 2060!

Coming Back: The Science of Reincarnation based on the teachings of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Everyone Knows, l Am Not This Body Srila Prabhupada: It is not difficult. You can experience it. It is only because of foolishness that people think differently; but everyone really knows, "I am not this body." This is very easy to experience. I am existing. I understand that I have existed in a baby's body, I have existed in a child's body, and also in a boy's body. I have existed in so many bodies, and now I am in an old man's body. Or, for example, say you have now put on a black coat. The next moment you may put on a white coat. But you are not that black or white coat; you have simply changed coats. If I call you "Mr. Black Coat," that is my foolishness. Similarly, in my lifetime I have changed bodies many times, but I am not any of these bodies. This is real knowledge. Prof. Durckheim: And yet isn't there a difficulty? For instance, you may have already intellectually understood very well that you are not the body—but you may still have the fear of death. Doesn't that mean you didn't understand it by experience? As soon as you've understood by experience, you should have no fear of death, because you know that you can't really die. Srila Prabhupada: Experience is received from a higher authority, from someone who has higher knowledge. Instead of my trying to experience for years and years that I am not this body, I can take the knowledge from God, or Krishna, the perfect source. Then I have experienced my deathlessness by hearing from a bona fide authority. That is perfect. Prof. Durckheim: Yes, I understand. Srila Prabhupada: Therefore, the Vedic instruction is tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. "In order to get first-class experience of the perfection of life, you must approach a guru." And who is a guru? Whom should I approach? I should approach someone who has heard perfectly from his guru. This is called disciplic succession. I hear from a perfect person, and I distribute the knowledge in the same way, without any change. Lord Krishna gives us knowledge in Bhagavad-gita, and we distribute the same knowledge, without changing it. Prof. Durckheim: Over the past twenty or thirty years there has been a great awakening of interest in spiritual topics in the Western part of the world. But, on the other hand, if the scientists want to eliminate the human self, they are well on the way to doing it with their atomic bombs and other technical innovations. If they want to guide humanity to some higher goal, however, then they have to stop looking at man in a materialistic way through their scientific spectacles. They must look at us as we are—conscious selves. --- I used to go sell books on the streets (back in Mauritius, my homeland) and like, i read most of the smaller books like Perfect Questions Perfect Answers... They're real gripping. I really relish discourses such as these. Very accurate and scientific!

Well, i've got a few drawings of my own but they're more the 'romantic type' : Radha Krishna in a loving embrace, etc... and no story associated... I just draw when i'm in the mood. Sometimes they come out nice, sometimes not... But you're good! I can draw but i'm not good at painting/shading... Mine look more like manga comics! Nice pencil strokes by the way.

Gaurangi Age: 9 year old cow Breed: Holstein Herd Status: Mid level management Nature: She is one of the quiet members of the herd but she can also kick up her heels and dance in early spring when heading out for new spring pasture. At times she is a breakout artist and can be found on the wrong side of the fence with the other cows watching her graze the “greener” grass. There have been times when she has lead herd breakouts with a mischievous glint in her eye. She is a good natured matriarch with a touch of rascal thrown in for sweetener. Moo-velous site!

http://www.anarac.com/additives_and_preservatives.htm

Is that the whole story? "That moment was the beginning of his liberation." Sounds like there's another sequel coming... Searching for Buddha 2!

they should be live bacteria because it'll be ridiculous to sell such tablets if it weren't the case. Also, who would buy them if it were the case?! Except maybe theist?! Kidding! =) I found a nice site on probiotics... Might want to check it out: http://www.bodyandfitness.com/Information/Health/Research/friendly.htm The two mostly stressed probiotics are acidophilus and bifidum (they occur naturally in the human gut)

EW. And i suppose there's no way of tracing back the exact source... I don't think any yogurt brand actually mentions where their live bacteria are derived from.. I've always assumed they're vegetarian-friendly. Hopefully they use yogurt starter cultures... makes more sense to me but i wouldn't really know.

I wouldn't wanna live in such a world if it ever comes to be... If it's immortality we're after, why not aim for the vaikuntha planets where we can enjoy immortality, bliss, knowledge and serve the Lord at the same time?

I made a few online research on the matter but nothing seems to indicate that any of the bacteria cultures are from an animal source. *crossing fingers here* One site i went to emphasizes on regular probiotics consumption: http://www.medicinalfoodnews.com/vol02/issue5/yogurt.htm An extract: "To be truly effective it is important that the bacteria in yogurt are alive when consumed. Proper production, packaging, storage, shipping and refrigeration are necessary to ensure this. Although no standards exist, it is generally agreed that to be effective yogurt should contain 100 to 1000 million live bacteria per ml. Why so many? The stomach is the first line of defence of the body against possible disease organisms. The low pH (or high acidity) of the stomach kills most foreign bacteria before they pass into the intestines. If this weren't so we would be sick more often. By consuming a very large number of bacteria in yogurt, some survive and pass through the stomach. However, the environment in the intestines is not friendly either. Our intestines are home to a wide variety of different bacteria; some of these bacteria are beneficial and some are not. The yogurt bacteria must compete with the normal intestinal bacteria for nutrients and sites to adhere to. Because the yogurt bacteria are foreign, they do not find adhesion sites along the intestinal wall and are quickly flushed through the intestines and are excreted in the feces. Yogurt must be eaten regularly to be effective. This is not a ploy by yogurt makers to get us to buy more yogurt. This is the true. A steady supply of yogurt means that the yogurt bacteria are present in the intestines where they can benefit the host. Stop eating yogurt and very soon they are all eliminated." But in your case, as you're vegan, i guess you're probably better off taking your probiotics regularly as the article stresses.

I particularly like the 'cow and scriptures' part.. "One who gives some water and grass to the cows for eating attains the result of performing a horse sacrifice there is no doubt in it." Imagine how powerful cow seva is... If it were possible i'd adopt a cow! =P

I thought so too but there's one article that particularly disturbed me: It said that Bifidum was extracted from the guts of animals... I was like "EW".

I know a non-fat live cultured yogurt that seems to not contain any gelatin or the likes... Organic Meadow No Fat Plain Yogurt. All they mention on the Ingredients List is Milk ingredients and active bacteria cultures such as xyz.... So, i guess it's okay! I mostly consume organic dairy products such as Presiden't choice organics... To be 100 % sure, you can always fill the feedback form on the site of daisybrand... Never mind i asked them! =) "We truly appreciate the comments that come to us by our consumers. Thank you for taking the time to help us make our product the best. Your feedback has been forwarded to Customer Relations, and you will be contacted within the next 24 hours."

I did some research and came across a website on cultured dairy products. Here's an extract: "Sour cream (21CFR131.160) consists of pasteurized cream fermented with flavor-producing bacteria. Sour cream must contain 18% milkfat. Other sour-dairy products might use half-and-half with 10.5% milkfat, or even no fat. Stabilizers such as gelatin and starch are required to adjust viscosity. The fermentation process is the same as for buttermilk, but nonfat milk solids are higher." You might want to check it yourself: http://www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/2000/0300de.html Hope this helps. =)

"I know some enzymes are animal based like the rennet used in cheeses while others are not like in Yogurt, which also contains bacteria which are not animal derived." Hare Krishna. Is yogurt with live cultured bacteria vegetarian friendly? Specifically if it contains Lactobacillus, Bulgaricus, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Acidophilus and Bifidum. Sorry but i'm not a fan of sour cream so i can't help you there!

Hare krishna! Just wondering where the live cultured bacteria in certain yogurts are derived from... Like Lactobacillus, Bulgaris, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Acidophilus and Bifidum... Are they vegetarian-friendly? I know that gelatin (exception is agar agar) and rennet (most commonly found in cheeses) aren't...

http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/constitutions/index.html

Hare krsna! I think i read somewhere (Some Ayurveda book? Or was it SP who mentioned it...? Can't recall exactly...) that it's not recommended to drink more than 2 glasses of milk - becomes toxic for the body. Thanks for pasting the whole article. Well, i'll just moderate my dairy consumption! At least i can do that! Some say soy is bad, others dairy... Makes your life much too complicated! Maybe milk could be good or bad for you according to your ayurveda constitution: Kapha, Pitta or Vata I think I'm Pitta... Gotta check that out! From http://www.mothercow.org/oxen/cow-milk.html : ABOUT COW MILK (From THE AYURVEDIC COOKBOOK by Amadea Morningstar with Urmila Desai) Dairy is a builder, not a cleanser. Dairy is used as a prelude to some Ayurvedic cleansing. It gives grounding, mass, sweetness, and usually coolness to meals. For these reasons, it is excellent for children, teenagers, pregnant and nursing mothers, those seeking calm and grounding, and convalescents. It is superb for Vata, miserable for Kapha (with a few key exceptions) and at times quite beneficial for Pitta. It offers calories, calcium, protein, and some vitamins. It builds bones and teeth, and in Vata strengthens the heart and nervous system. In Kapha it can do the opposite for the heart, adding congestion where it is not needed. Its cool sweetness is good for tonifying Pitta, if the appropriate dairy products are used. As Robert Svoboda points out in his excellent book Prakruti, Your Ayurvedic Constitution, dairy has gotten a bad name in health circles more through its methods of preparation and mode of consumption than through its innate qualities. In the West, it is usually served cold, unspiced, homogenized, with other foods, and in excess. Its high-fat content, heaviness and coldness does not lend it to these uses. Served in this way, it can increase one's risk of heart disease, cancer or obesity. Dairy needs to be used skillfully and not in excess. Cow's milk was highly regarded by the Ayurvedic sages, being lighter and easier to digest than most dairy. It invigorates and works well for both Vata and Pitta, so long as they are not allergic to it. Unfortunately, cow's milk was introduced extremely early to Western babies of the post-war period, for widespread sensitivities to it as a food now. If it agrees with you (i.e. does not cause diarrhea, gas, congestion, or other discomforts) it is an excellent and balancing food, when properly prepared. Preparation is the key. There has been a lot of controversy over raw versus pasteurized homogenized milk in the last few decades. In Ayurveda, raw milk is recommended whenever possible, and milk is always boiled before serving. This high heat effectively kills bacteria in raw milk. It may also denature the proteins of pasteurized milk further, causing their breakdown into shorter amino acid chains which are then easier to digest. In general, boiling makes it safer and easier to digest; this is especially true when it is raw. The boiling process also warms a usually cold product as will the addition of warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper. A bit of honey added after heating will also balance the qualities of the milk, warming and drying it. Pasteurization has made the consumption of mass-produced dairy safer in terms of eliminating the chance of bacterial infections for large groups of people. But its lower heating point (15 seconds at 161 degrees Fahrenheit or 30 minutes at 145 degrees Fahrenheit) does not make the dairy more digestible nor does it eliminate the risk of potential viral contamination. The incomplete heating of pasteurization seems to cause the partial breakdown of proteins into tangled coils. These disorganized tangles are difficult for digestive enzymes to hold on and break down. For some people, this raw dairy does not. The homogenization process is another controversial one. It apparently splits the fats down into small enough globules that some pass into the blood stream whole, initiating a complex process which may lead to a greater tendency to create atherosclerotic clots. Whether such a tendency actually exists is still being hotly debated in medical and health circles. In any case, the cow's products extolled by the ancients is not the same as that sold in most markets today. Another interesting website on cow protection, etc: http://www.love4cow.com/virtues.htm

http://www.love4cow.com/

What do you mean? Could you please rephrase that in more understandable terms? I'd be able to reply then!

Sorry i misunderstood. Yeah, i understand how somebody else could be tempted to think that we're being arrogant... when we behave the way we do...

I admire vegans but it's not a way of life i can adopt. It's sad that iskcon doesn't have enough farms where one could buy dairy products from them! I believe anyone doing well on the vegan diet should continue with it (Like for you) but unfortunately, i can't...

people can be so cruel... Seriously, i have a hard time even killing a mosquito! I'm like sheesh! I can't stand the sight of blood. The smell from the meat section in the supermarket is enough to get me going the other way... It's just... in one word: repugnant. Guest, I don't think Govindaram is arrogant because i react like him sometime (It's just about getting your frustrations out!) In no way, does that mean that i don't love my folks, we just don't agree on many issues... My dad even now makes some offensive remarks and i just ignore them. I try my best to explain stuff to him but when it gets outta hand, i am quick to get annoyed... (Unless you care for your folks, you wouln't react that way, right?) Human nature... but that's it! See, i want them to benefit from KC too and so, my intention isn't twisted or anything but it just isn't valued by those i consider my family. Now if i were to earn a big degree, marry a rich fellow or the like, they'd probably think better of me and that's really upsetting. For them, material advancement wins over spiritual advancement. But i do pray that they get the Lord's mercy and that they might one day have a change of heart and let me tell you, that praying for others does work... We argue less now! IMO, sometimes when we say stuff to others and they get hurt, it kinda becomes an obstacle in our own spiritual life - so i try my best not to offend anyone, even if they are not exemplary themselves... Guess what? I read all these anger management, etc articles just so i could become more tolerant and to see if it wasn't me who was actually responsible now and then or if i could improve my communication skills... But you have to agree, it's tough sometimes! I ain't perfect and i'm not taking that as an excuse or maybe i am...Oh well... =P

I do not thrive on the vegan diet. Reason: Multiple allergies (including but not limited to those: citrus fruits, peanuts...) and nutrient deficiencies. I actually made the transition to veganism for like a year but couldn't keep up with it. Believe me, it really was much against my will that i reverted back to lacto-vegetarianism. I am particularly stubborn! I didn't want to give up veganism even though i was turning sicklish... (I read so much about how cows suffer that i got disgusted with myself for consuming milk!) I like to work out and during my vegan year i had a difficult time just meeting my daily nutrient requirements. I never had this problem on a lacto-vegetarian diet before. Plus, i would have very low energy levels, take an awful long period of time to recover from flus and injuries and to make matters worse, skin rashes made their appearance on my arms and i become more prone to ecchymoses... And no, i wasn't overtraining and yes, i did make the effort of eating a variety of vegetables, salads, whole grains, whole cereals, fortified non-dairy milks, vitamin supplements, etc... But what really scared me back into lacto-vegetarianism was when my hair started falling in bunches!!! Strict vegetarians diet are prone to deficiencies such as B12, zinc, etc... And in my case, it was zinc deficiency. I don't especially like relying on supplements. All i do take however is a multi-vit tab daily. For me, the vegan diet is inadequate but i know people who do well on it! Anyway, the best i can do is buy organic dairy products... I think that veganism is alright... But didn't SP recommend milk products? I would really like to know more about SP's opinions concerning milk consumption. Many vegan advocates claim that milk is bad for humans but i do not completely agree. Sure, milk derived from cows treated with hormones or fed chemically processed foods, etc is indeed bad for your health but how about the organic alternatives? Related websites: http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C76343.html http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/H48-10-1-86-1987E.pdf http://www.academynaturalhealth.com/Vitamin/Zinc.HTM