Conversation, Lecture, Uncategorized Conversation, Lecture, Uncategorized

(Recording) Urban Devi Feb Sanga: Befriending our Parts w/Symala Priya Devi Dasi

Please click on link here for the recording.

Mental and emotional care are important branches on the tree of holistic care for our community. In this sanga we will explore and practice strategies to help us attune with our inner parts with the goal of becoming more appreciative and receptive to our position as part and parcel of Krishna. Since Krishna Consciousness is a relational and transformative process, we sometimes need to upgrade and mobilize that process from within. Syamala will share tools inspired by Internal Family Systems, Brainspotting, and EMDR psychotherapy practices. This will be an experiential sanga with time for sharing and reflections in small groups.

Speaker bio: Symala Priya Devi Dasi was introduced to Krishna Consciousness in Washington, DC in 2010 through yoga classes with Hari-kirtana das. She continued to take workshops and courses with Hari-kirtana on yoga philosophy from a Vaisnava perspective, which helped Symala deepen her understanding gradually and organically. She feels fortunate to be part of the Institute for Applied Spirituality (IFAST) and ISKCON of DC communities.

By profession, Symala is a licensed psychotherapist with a holistic approach to mental health care. She is passionate about empowering people of all ages to mindfully engage in a process of self-discovery and transformation. The name of her private practice was inspired by her spiritual teacher, Radhanath Swami (InnerFoundationsCounseling.com). 

Symala Priya likes to assist in organizing a variety of community events that help people connect with each other, as well as enrich their relationship with devotional service. She serves as a local representative for the Intimate Partner Abuse Prevention Initiative and Vaishnavi Ministry of North America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVyBiNlPbWY

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Lecture, Uncategorized Lecture, Uncategorized

Building and Maintaining Relationships

In case you missed the last December Urban Devi, please click here or on the image below to listen. Healthy relationships are an integral part of our devotional life in Krishna consciousness and a fundamental part of a balanced life in the world in general.Drawing from Rupa Goswami’s description of loving exchanges and other relevant devotional and educational resources we will discuss the basic principles of building and maintaining healthy relationships in the various aspects of our lives – ranging from very intimate to friendly or formal acquaintance and even to relationships that require keeping a respectful distance.Speaker Bio: Nanda-Nandana Dasi, a disciple of Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, has served in ISKCON as a cook, teacher, and leader. In 1992, she joined ISKCON in Boston, Massachusetts where she served as a head cook, preparing Deity offerings and managing the kitchen, as well as cooking for feasts, festivals, public programs, and events. Nanda-Nandana has trained in and taught seminars in Non-violent Communication, Mediation, Leadership Training, and Bhakti Sastri. Nanda-Nandana is currently living at the Krishna House in Gainesville, Florida where she manages and trains cooks in the kitchen department and occasionally teaches seminars, and Gita classes, and leads spiritual discussions at public events for the Krishna House Bhakti Academy.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_4NZJ_5MfY[/embed]All the best,Rukmini Walker

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Lecture Lecture

Urban Devi- Devotional Literature: Practical Strategies

This month's Urban Devi session was with Guru Carana Padma Dasi. She joined the bhakti movement in 1976 in Chicago where she was engaged in full-time outreach programs. She came to the UK in 1979 and was at the full-time ladies’ book distribution party in London and around the UK. After marrying Kripamoya Dasa in 1982 they developed a community through the Nama Hatta outreach and FOLK (Friends of Lord Krishna) programs as well as supervising, educating, and nurturing new students who joined the ashram. After having her 3 children, she became involved in children’s education at Bhaktivedanta manor and eventually became the head of the Primary elementary school where she served for over 20 years. At this time, she gained her degrees in Educational Management and Early years education. She is currently serving on the temple council at Bhaktivedanta Manor UK and is on the Ladies' board at Bhaktivedanta Manor helping to support the ladies’ programs there. She is also an Ombudsman/Mediator through ISKCON Resolve.

With Gratitude,

Rukmini Walker  

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Lecture Lecture

The Poetry of Living Life

This September Urban Devi Class featured Ananda Vrindavan speaking on the topic "The Poetry of Living Life".'Poetic' is one of the qualities attributed to a devotee of Krishna, one that should come naturally as we practice Krishna Bhakti. Explore what does 'poetic' mean and what does a more poetic life look like? Please click here or on the video image below to explore this topic and learn from each other.Ananda Vrindavaneswari Devi is the President of ISKCON of Washington D.C. She is an educator and a writer and loves the early morning hours the best.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ufYjlz5IH4[/embed]  

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Lecture Lecture

Urban Devi Class: Listening to Learn

~presented by Vrindavan Vinodini Devi Dasi

This August's Urban Devi Class featured Vrindavan Vinodini Devi Dasi speaking on the topic "Listening to Learn". Drawing from bhakti wisdom and secular knowledge and research, you will learn the simple and practical application of seven key principles to help you grow, improve and establish healthy loving relationships. Please click here or on the video image below to listen to the talk.Vrndavana Vinodini grew up in both the Montreal and Ottawa ISKCON Communities. At 23, after finishing her Bachelors in Biochemistry, she travelled to Belgium to complete Bhakti sastri in Radhadesh. Although having grown up in the tradition of Bhakti, the trip was life-transforming as it was here she chose the Bhakti path for herself. Coming back to Canada, she completed her Masters in Biochemistry, after which she went to Mayapur to study deity worship. Upon returning, she served for several years as a scientific regulator and advocate for natural health products. In 2016, she received her coaching certification and started learning about a powerful personality framework known as the Enneagram. Today, she works as a coach who helps others develop a better relationship with themselves and build a rich inner life by becoming aware of the patterns of the ego. Alongside coaching, she teaches the Gita in yoga studios, small groups, as well as meditation classes[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FettkzwXgc[/embed]

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Lecture Lecture

Transcendental Transformation with Citi Sakti Devi Dasi

In our June Urban Devi Sanga, Citi Sakti Devi Dasi presented  on the topic: Transcendental Transformation. Spirituality offers an attractive solution to life’s problems. However, the very same problems that lead us to divinity, are often where our ability to connect more deeply can be discovered. Unfortunately, many of us may try to bypass our humanity, rather than transform and transcend it, which means we may then lose out on the opportunity to go deeper through our challenges.Please click here or on the video image below to listen to this special discussion, and find out more about how being human and experiencing psychological distress can be a catalyst for spiritual growth.Citi-Śakti Devi Dasi has been practicing Krishna consciousness for over 25 years and is a disciple of H.H Bhakti Tirtha Swami, serving as one of his caregivers in the last 6 months of his life. She lives with her daughter in London, UK and primarily serves as a preacher and mentor. For many years she has led a number of projects including the UK Youth Group Pandava Sena, mentorship, university preaching programs and a weekly sangha which she has run for the past 21 years.Graduating from Imperial College as a Medical Doctor & specializing as a Consultant Psychiatrist, she brings together over two decades of experience in scientific advances in mental health with Krishna consciousness & connects with a diverse audience of celebrities, politicians, healthcare professionals, students & corporate leaders. All the best,Rukmini Walker[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz6wgs0TFT8&t=1s[/embed]  

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Lecture Lecture

Honoring Compassion

Honoring compassionate mentors in our lives- our mothers, Srimati Sita Devi (wife of Lord Ramachandra ) and Srimati Jahnava Devi (wife of Lord Nityanada).I gave this class on Mother Day for the Gita Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary in PA.The class can be found at this linkI hope you enjoy it!All the best,Rukmini Walker  *Urban Devi is a monthly interactive women’s discussion circle that seeks to make spirituality accessible to women in the 21st century. For more information, please follow Rukmini on Facebook, or go to the Bhakti Center NYC online programs.

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Lecture Lecture

"Stealing Gratitude"

Presented by Sarah Kuretzy
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My dear friend and sister Sarah Kuretzy teaches high school and she teaches this very creative course that she calls stealing gratitude. Please click on this link or on the video image below to watch, and be illumined in gratitude! ~ All the best, Rukmini Walker

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCTdHv2FqJs[/embed]  

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Lecture Lecture

Kitchen Religion ~ Lessons from cooking for Srila Prabhupada

On July 25, Urban Devi Ladies Sanga hosted Srutirupa Devi Dasi who shared her experiences and lessons learned from cooking for Srila Prabhupada. To listen to a recording of this inspiring talk, please Click here to access the class.

Srutirupa first began going to the temple as a young girl of 15 years old in Coconut Grove, Florida in 1970. At 16 she began working in a vegetarian cafe called ’Sri Krsna’s Rainbow Cafe’ in Key West, Florida. At age 18 joined the temple in Paris, France while traveling. She met Srila Prabhupada one month later and knew that he was her spiritual master. Through the years she did temple services of dressing the deities, cooking, and distributing books. She moved to India in 1975, and was taken into Srila Prabhupada's personal service until he left this world in 1977. Since his departure, she took different directions of helping set up prasadam kitchens, working with a girls ashram, doing a family business, becoming an herbalist, studying many types of cooking, raising children, again living in India and now living in Alachua and again working on different food and cooking ventures.

All the best,Rukmini Walker

Urban  Devi is a monthly interactive women’s discussion circle that seeks to  make spirituality accessible to women in the 21st century. Each session focuses on a theme based on topics that are of importance to women  and will offer insight and practical applications from the practice of Bhakti Yoga.

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Lecture Lecture

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Class by HG Rukmini Devi @ IFAST DC

~presented by Rukmini Walker

On June 19, 2021, Rukmini Devi dasi presented a special class on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to Institute For Applied Spiritual Technology Inc, (IFAST) in Washington, DC.   To listen to the recording fo this class, please click on the following link - https://www.facebook.com/bt.housedc/videos/4027672150686972

Rukmini  is a dynamic and powerful personality and senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada. She is an artist, expert at creating beauty in all she touches. She is  a well of wisdom and is very conversant in the knowledge of Krishna Bhakti. She has served in many capacities over the years as a pujari, preacher and spiritual activist. Rukmini writes, teaches, and leads workshops and retreats internationally. Founder of the Urban Devi collective, based out of the Bhakti Center in New York City, she is a member of the board of directors, and is an inspiration too so many.  Rukmini is also a member of Sabha – a thirty person international committee that advises the GBC of ISKCON.
Currently resident in the Washington D.C. area, she and her husband Anuttama Prabhu pioneer in interfaith, leading a Vaisnava Christian Dialogue and a Vaisnava Muslim Dialogue each year. She is the mother and grandmother to an illustrious devotee family, and the internationally renowned kirtan artist, Gauravani is her beloved son.
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Lecture Lecture

Hare Krishna Africa w/Rukmini Walker - SB.1.8.31

On June 7, 2021, Hare Krishna Africa hosted Rukmini Walker for a special class on the Srimad  1.8.31.  To listen to the recording, please click on the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CifBixam8CQ

ŚB 1.8.31

गोप्याददे त्वयि कृतागसि दाम तावद्या ते दशाश्रुकलिलाञ्जनसम्भ्रमाक्षम् ।वक्त्रं निनीय भयभावनया स्थितस्यसा मां विमोहयति भीरपि यद्ब‍िभेति ॥ ३१ ॥
gopy ādade tvayi kṛtāgasi dāma tāvadyā te daśāśru-kalilāñjana-sambhramākṣamvaktraṁ ninīya bhaya-bhāvanayā sthitasyasā māṁ vimohayati bhīr api yad bibheti

Synonyms

gopī — the cowherd lady (Yaśodā); ādade — took up; tvayi — on Your; kṛtāgasi — creating disturbances (by breaking the butter pot); dāma — rope; tāvat — at that time; yā — that which; te — Your; daśā — situation; aśru-kalila — overflooded with tears; añjana — ointment; sambhrama — perturbed; akṣam — eyes; vaktram — face; ninīya — downwards; bhaya-bhāvanayā — by thoughts of fear; sthitasya — of the situation; sā — that; mām — me; vimohayati — bewilders; bhīḥ api — even fear personified; yat — whom; bibheti — is afraid.

Translation

My dear Kṛṣṇa, Yaśodā took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.

Purport

Here is another explanation of the bewilderment created by the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the Supreme in all circumstances, as already explained. Here is a specific example of the Lord’s being the Supreme and at the same time a plaything in the presence of His pure devotee. The Lord’s pure devotee renders service unto the Lord out of unalloyed love only, and while discharging such devotional service the pure devotee forgets the position of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord also accepts the loving service of His devotees more relishably when the service is rendered spontaneously out of pure affection, without anything of reverential admiration. Generally the Lord is worshiped by the devotees in a reverential attitude, but the Lord is meticulously pleased when the devotee, out of pure affection and love, considers the Lord to be less important than himself. The Lord’s pastimes in the original abode of Goloka Vṛndāvana are exchanged in that spirit. The friends of Kṛṣṇa consider Him one of them. They do not consider Him to be of reverential importance. The parents of the Lord (who are all pure devotees) consider Him a child only. The Lord accepts the chastisements of the parents more cheerfully than the prayers of the Vedic hymns. Similarly, He accepts the reproaches of His fiancees more palatably than the Vedic hymns. When Lord Kṛṣṇa was present in this material world to manifest His eternal pastimes of the transcendental realm of Goloka Vṛndāvana as an attraction for the people in general, He displayed a unique picture of subordination before His foster mother, Yaśodā. The Lord, in His naturally childish playful activities, used to spoil the stocked butter of mother Yaśodā by breaking the pots and distributing the contents to His friends and playmates, including the celebrated monkeys of Vṛndāvana, who took advantage of the Lord’s munificence. Mother Yaśodā saw this, and out of her pure love she wanted to make a show of punishment for her transcendental child. She took a rope and threatened the Lord that she would tie Him up, as is generally done in the ordinary household. Seeing the rope in the hands of mother Yaśodā, the Lord bowed down His head and began to weep just like a child, and tears rolled down His cheeks, washing off the black ointment smeared about His beautiful eyes. This picture of the Lord is adored by Kuntīdevī because she is conscious of the Lord’s supreme position. He is feared often by fear personified, yet He is afraid of His mother, who wanted to punish Him just in an ordinary manner. Kuntī was conscious of the exalted position of Kṛṣṇa, whereas Yaśodā was not. Therefore Yaśodā’s position was more exalted than Kuntī’s. Mother Yaśodā got the Lord as her child, and the Lord made her forget altogether that her child was the Lord Himself. If mother Yaśodā had been conscious of the exalted position of the Lord, she would certainly have hesitated to punish the Lord. But she was made to forget this situation because the Lord wanted to make a complete gesture of childishness before the affectionate Yaśodā. This exchange of love between the mother and the son was performed in a natural way, and Kuntī, remembering the scene, was bewildered, and she could do nothing but praise the transcendental maternal love. Indirectly mother Yaśodā is praised for her unique position of love, for she could control even the all-powerful Lord as her beloved child.
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Lecture Lecture

Becoming Malleable in the Hands of Krishna

~presented by Rukmini Walker

In this inspiring Srimad Bhagavatam class [9.6.27] given by Rukmini Devi (ACBSP) on Sunday, May 23rd at Bhakti Center, she leads us through how to become malleable in the hands of Krsna.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXG87zX8yCE[/embed]

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Lecture Lecture

What is Love?

~presented by Rukmini Walker

On February 14, 2021, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, Rukmini Walker presented a talk to the ISKCON St. Louis community entitled  "What is Love".  To listen to this inspiring talk, please click on this link or video image below.[embed]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TSRvr_chQHM[/embed]

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Lecture Lecture

Getting Through Grief with Devotion

In this presentation, Citi Sakti Devi speaks on "Getting Through Grief with Devotion."Citi Sakti Devi is a consultant psychiatrist, with over 20 years of experience in advances in mental health with Krishna consciousness. She broadcasts for BBC radio on mental health, wellbeing and spirituality with over 200 million listeners. She is a disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Swami and is based in London, UK. She serves as a preacher, mentor and sanga leader.
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To listen to this inspiring talk please click on this link or the video image below.--[embed]https://soundcloud.com/user-170426651/townhall-on-getting-through-grief-with-devotion-by-citi-sakti-devi-ifast-dc?ref=whatsapp&p=i&c=0[/embed]
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Lecture Lecture

The Value of Eagerness

~Presented by Rukmini Walker

On November 22, 2020, Rukmini Walker gave this online talk speaking on the Value of Eagerness for the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education. To listen to this inspiring discussion, please click on this link or on the video image below.

[perfectpullquote align="full" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]"O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like." - Srila Prabhupada at Boston Harbor, September 18, 1965[/perfectpullquote]

 
[embed]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yrkiSBrNY1Y[/embed]
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