Rati

Just because Jijaji has not met any Westerners that he considers to be absorbed in bhajan to an acceptable level does not mean that they are not out there. When looking for examples we need to look to those that are exemplary and not just point out those that are less than exemplary in order to judge a whole tradition. I think that Jijaji has read about Ronald Nixon, a British subject that lived in the 20th century and became a rasika saint in the Gaudiya tradition. Perhaps he forgot to consider that counter example. [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-25-2002).]

Karandhar was definitely an expert manager. He displayed that and other remarkable traits in Bombay.

Tarun: That's why I am proposing a network as opposed to an enterprise. This would be independent entrepreneurs uniting to help one another in the marketplace, rather than an enterprise on the Spirtual Sky model. A financial institution such as a bank could be good as well, but would require the usual checks and balances to prevent unsound lending practices and fraud.

It is not really a question of having to reconcile those two statements, because it is just a question of the nature of the world that is under the influence of mahAmAyA. It is based on brahman and in essence it is brahman, however the phenomena that manifest within it are of a transitory and impermanent nature. It is not that they lack reality, just that they are more shadow like in substance. The illusion is that the nitya baddha jIvas perceive those transitory phenomena as having relative permanence and attach more importance to the physical body than they should, and in the process become attached to the body and the transitory objects of the senses. The Vaishnava via spiritual insight views the body as something entirely different: as a temple of viSNu. For such an enlightened person it is all of the kingdom of bhagavAn and this world of appearances is just another variety of His divine pasttimes (lIlA). The nihilist says that the world is false and all of its existence must be negated. The personalist views it as this dark little corner of Godhead (comprised of Goloka, Dwaraka and Vaikuntha) where the fallen jIvas reside and into which bhagavAn descends as His various avatAras for the benefit of those temporarily lost souls. I had this clever professor of music composition in college once who made a poignant remark. When I told him I had a new idea for a piece of music he said, "OK, think of that composition. Now you can remember it in an instant, whereas it might be a twenty minute performance. I can think of any symphony I have heard performed and remember its essence by thinking of it for a couple of seconds." That is the nature of our illusory perception of the passage of time. While we are going through life, time can seem to drag on when we are suffering. However, at the time of death all the events of an entire lifetime flash before us in a few seconds. [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-24-2002).]

Has anyone here that has been to Hawaii seen the ghostly processions that so many natives and toursists have witnessed? The big hotel chains will not even build near or on the paths they walk at night.

No question about it: Mahaprabhu's kirton has ridden a wave of popularity on the surfboard of rock n roll world culture to reach every corner of the globe (well, almost). [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-23-2002).]

Intense raw emotion and musical improvisation: rAga = rock

Looks like there is only that same religion for the current younger generation in Iraq: After a bunch of college grads finished denouncing America in an interview with Tom Brokaw today, as soon as the cameras stopped rolling they gathered around to ask him questions about American movies, fashion and yes - their favorite POP STARS.

What fractals demonstrate is an underlying order that can be actually patterned or modeled by mathematical equations, despite the appearance of totally random or chaotic phenomena. Mandelbot applied such equations to correctly forecast levels of the Nile river (after taking measurements made over a few thousand years) and cotton prices. What is really remarkable is the fractal program he wrote to simulate random lines resembling ocean coasts that he left running over the weekend. When he came back in on the following Monday morning there on the computer screen was clearly visible among the various strange continents a shape that looked uncannily similar to New Zealand!

What fractals demonstrate is an underlying order that can be actually patterned or modeled by mathematical equations, despite the appearance of totally random or chaotic phenomena. Mandelbot applied such equations to correctly forecast levels of the Nile river (after taking measurements made over a few thousand years) and cotton prices. What is really remarkable is the fractal program he wrote to simulate random lines resembling ocean coasts that he left running over the weekend. When he came back in on the following Monday morning there on the computer screen was clearly visible among the various strange continents a shape that looked uncannily similar to New Zealand!

So you do not accept the existence of ghosts then, or is it just that you think there is some other explanation for them?

A Saivite once pointed out to me a number of self manifested Siva-lingas all over the place behind one of the temples in Vrindavan. I do not remember anymore exactly where the spot was. Did anyone else visit that place and know where it is?

All true. If we get a network of Vaishnavas together, it is also going to be difficult to not have non-Vaishnavas involved, wouldn't you agree? All the more reason to downplay the religious affiliations (even though we know that under the surface we are helping other devotees and indirectly supporting Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cause). My knowledge of networking, from some real estate sales training classes I attended years ago, is that it involves what is called one's sphere of influence (relatives, alumni associations, friends, professional contacts, church/temple, civic organizations, country clubs, literally everything that brings us into some contact with others and provides the opportunity to market to them). The key is to tap into that sphere of influence, as opposed to the approach known as cold calling (literally picking names out of the phone book). The latter approach is inherently going to yield far fewer sales. What finds in America today (at least in our area) are various sales leads groups that meet and exchange contacts. Some of them are exclusive - only allowing in one member from a single industry to avoid internal competitiveness, whereas others are open membership. We could start such a group (either several exclusive ones or a single open membership one) online, if anyone is interested. A networking effort can be very beneficial and does not require some controlling influence by some sect or organization to have likeminded Vaishnavas involved. [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-23-2002).]

Thanks for the input. What is your plan for advancing yourself on the path of bhakti? We pretty much all have many obstacles related to material attachments and entanglements, which is by Prabhupada stressed the need to overcome them, in line with the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam and the acaryas. That is a gradual process, like the water dripping on a stone that eventually wears it down. The more intense our sadhana, the more we accelerate that process. Living in Vrindavan and focusing on bhajan are ideal, but not necessarily practical for all and not at their current stage of life. So, we do what we can and look forward to the opportunity that may arise to increase the activities of sravana, kirtana, etc. Anything at all is meaningful, however small it may seem to us at the time.

Thanks for the input. What is your plan for advancing yourself on the path of bhakti? We pretty much all have many obstacles related to material attachments and entanglements, which is by Prabhupada stressed the need to overcome them, in line with the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam and the acaryas. That is a gradual process, like the water dripping on a stone that eventually wears it down. The more intense our sadhana, the more we accelerate that process. Living in Vrindavan and focusing on bhajan are ideal, but not necessarily practical for all and not at their current stage of life. So, we do what we can and look forward to the opportunity that may arise to increase the activities of sravana, kirtana, etc. Anything at all is meaningful, however small it may seem to us at the time.

I guess I just overlooked the posts where you made your own statements and erroneously judged you as shy. I apologize for that. The fact that you are here participating means that you must be somewhat extroverted (like the rest of us). I did have some personal contact with Prabhupada back in the '70s, although it was quite limited. It was virtually impossible to get an audience with him or have much conversation, mainly because of the huge crowds competing for his attention and time. So let's get back to my earlier question: Why are those teachings important to you, and how have they enriched your life? [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-23-2002).]

I guess I just overlooked the posts where you made your own statements and erroneously judged you as shy. I apologize for that. The fact that you are here participating means that you must be somewhat extroverted (like the rest of us). I did have some personal contact with Prabhupada back in the '70s, although it was quite limited. It was virtually impossible to get an audience with him or have much conversation, mainly because of the huge crowds competing for his attention and time. So let's get back to my earlier question: Why are those teachings important to you, and how have they enriched your life? [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-23-2002).]

You are saying that the conmen do reveal facts that they could not possibly have know about? That does not make much sense. If you are talking about situations where everyone is in cohuts (hidden earphones with an accomplice offstage feeding the phony psychic clues), then it does make sense, otherwise, not. So the question remains about this particular psychic: If he can do those things, how is that possible, if there is in fact no God and no soul?

Exactly my point as well. What right do they have to ask who your guru is in the first place?

Scientist fed LSD to spiders back in the 70s and they spun really strange webs. The only problem is that those webs did not work at catching any food, so the spiders died. Maybe I could try that, if nobody has any good mantras to get rid of them.

Anyone know of some good mantras to get spiders to leave the house and go back outside where they belong? We must have had an egg hatch recently, as I am now finding them crawling all over the place. In fact one just tried to crawl over to the keyboard a minute ago. These particular house spiders are not dangerous like black widows or brown recluses or anything. Just your basic yellow web weavers. They're just kind of creepy. I can't even imagine what they have been living on, except devouring each other (something they are known to do), because we do not have other insects inside (just a stray silverfish here and there and some soil bugs that live in the house plants). Reminds me of those really weird spiders in Nabadwip and Vrindaban that crawl around on the walls and are flat like pancakes. [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-22-2002).]

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Hey, there's only one orthodox religion for our generation: Give me that old time rock n roll. That music just soothes the soul... / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ [This message has been edited by Rati (edited 04-22-2002).]

The psychic I mentioned above is going to be on ABC tonight (an hour special). Watch and decide for yourself whether or not he is amazing.