Vyasa Puja Offering ~ A letter to Srila Prabhupada
~by Rukmini Walker
This is my vyasa puja offering to Srila Prabhupada for this year 2022.
**To listen to Rukmini's audio recitation of this letter, please click here or on the video image below***
My Eternal Father and Master, Srila Prabhupada,
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-
This year 2022, is the celebration of the anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Govinda-ji's arrival and installation in New York's Brooklyn temple on Henry Street, where I was serving as pujari. I made grieves offenses to your Lordship at that time, and we heard that you were furious about all that we'd done at my instigation. I was ignorant, but as I have heard you say many times, ignorance is no excuse; fire will burn even an innocent child if she comes too close. I was that ignorant child, and I was so remorseful after hearing about your anger. I felt that my spiritual life was over and that I would surely die. I wrote you a letter expressing my grief and shame, but your compassion and forgiveness surpassed my comprehension and imagination. Your return letter never mentioned my offenses but rather stunned me with undeserved praise.
Here is a quote from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā verse 4.47 --
- “If by chance a servant falls down and goes somewhere else, glorious is that master who captures him and brings him back by the hair.
Later that year, you personally came to our Brooklyn temple. Sri Sri Radha Govinda-ji were dressed in a simple outfit. Govinda-ji in His classic yellow dhoti and Srimati Radharani in a Vrindavan style skirt and chuni. The temple room was crammed with guests eager to hear your Sunday lecture. You entered the long narrow temple room and walked to the front, where you stood with folded hands, gazing at your worshipful Lords for a very long time. I had just finished performing the aarti ceremony, and I hid behind the left had curtain trying to be invisible. As you started to bow down to offer your obeisances, I saw tears shoot out of your eyes like a syringe, just as we'd seen in pictures of Lord Caitanya at Ratha Yatra. The devotees on the right side of the temple room were splashed with tears. I saw them looking around to see where the water had come from. Had the pujari thrown water from the aarti ceremony over their heads? As you so humbly bowed down, I jumped off the side of the altar, telling my friend Palika, those are Srila Prabhupada's tears. We both gathered your precious sacred teardrops up from the floor and smeared them on our heads again and again.When shall my eyes be decorated with tears of love such as yours? When shall my heart be decorated with compassion and forgiveness such as yours? When will that day be mine?Thank you for your glorious, divine, amazing grace and forgiveness, which is fathomless and beyond my comprehension, without which my life would be meaningless.I beg to remain your servant eternally.Rukmini devi dasi[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD8bHMm_RZI[/embed]
O Prabhupada, Brilliant Moon
Forty-three years ago on November 14th, 1977, our beloved Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupada departed this world from Sri Vrndavana Dham, ending his pastimes here in this world, and returning to the Vrndavan of the spiritual world. According to the lunar calendar, we are honoring that day today, Wednesday, November, 18th.Here is a video remembrance of Srila Prabhupada by his spiritual daughter and disciple, Pranada Devi Dasi that evokes his mood of brilliant compassion. Please click here to watchSrila Prabhupada, thank you for showering this world with your divine compassion,Your eternal daughter,Rukmini Devi Dasi
Krsnanandini -- A Fearless Angel Among Us
Last Friday, our extraordinary god-sister, Krsnanandini Devi ended her sojourn in this temporary material world. My husband, Anuttama and I spoke to her over facetime on the phone just a few days before she departed. She was effulgently shining like an angel about to enter the spiritual world. She was joyous, fearless and fixed in ardent enthusiasm and unbreakable faith. In her life, she faced racism and bigotry and lived many years as a single mother with many children. Still she saw no sectarian boundaries and shared her compassion with everyone who was fortunate enough to cross her path. She lives on as a polestar in the sky of pure Bhakti and as a true guru to us all!
In this video, Krsnanandini Devi Dasi reflects on her story of coming to Krishna consciousness and how she came to be initiated by Srila Prabhupada.
To listen to this inspirational talk, please click on this link.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doFJEnKRgFU&feature=emb_title[/embed]
Damodarastakam Prayers
Kartik, also known as the month of Damodara, is a month for deepening one's love for Krishna. This year Kartik begins on October 31, 2020. It is considered by devotees of Krishna to be the holiest month of the year. During this month, devotees make extra vows, perform extra spiritual activities, and generally worship Krishna in His form as a young boy,Here is a beautiful recording of Gaura Vani and Sri Vani Devi Dasi together singing the Damodarastakam prayers. Every year during the month of Kartik we offer this special 8 verse prayer to Krishna called Damodarastakam. It is sung either in the morning or the evening along with the offering of a ghee lamp.
Happy Kartik!All the best,Rukmini
Urban Devi Sanga - Meditations on Sri Radha: The Original Sacred Feminine
This month the Urban Devi Sanga explored meditations on Srimati Radharani, the original sacred feminine. To listen to a recording of the sanga please click here or on the video image below. In the sanga, Rukmini Devi references a special recipe said to the a favorite of Sri Radhika, she shares it with us below.
Dear Friends,This afternoon, we had our monthly Urban Devi sanga online. I spoke about Srimati Radharani, and that link will be shared with you here.
Someone asked what is a favorite preparation of Sri Radhika? Just a few days ago, my dear friend from the UK, Varsana Devi Dasi sent me this recipe. I’m happy to share it with you here.The recipe calls for arbi, a starchy vegetable that’s used as a substitute for potatoes, but it’s much more healthy than potatoes. It’s available at Indian or Asian grocery stores. The unusual spices used in this recipe can also be ordered from:pureindianfoods.comIngredients:10-12 arbis1/2 tsp carom seeds (also called ajwain)1/2 tsp tumeric powder1/2 tsp garam masala powder2 Tbsp oil2 Cups watersalt as requiredsome mint and coriander (cilantro) for garnishingFor making the paste:3 medium tomatoes1 green chili1/2 inch ginger1 tsp cumin powderInstructions:
- Wash the arbi well.
- Cook the arbi until tender.
- Drain and let the arbi cool.
- When warm or cook, peel the skin and slice the arbi into 2 or 4 pieces vertically
- Grind all the ingredients mentioned for making the paste into a smooth paste.
- Heat oil.
- Add the carom seeds and fry them.
- Stir and add all the spice powders one by one.
- Fry the tomato paste until the oil separates, this will take about 6-7 minutes.
- Add water, salt and the boiled arbi pieces.
- Simmer for some 6-7 minutes till the gravy becomes smooth and thickens a little bit.
- Garnish with mint or coriander leaves and serve Arbi Curry to Radha and Krsna
Jai Sri Radhe! Jai Sri Krsna!All the best,Rukmini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgbvns0spZk&feature=youtu.be
The Holy Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani
Tuesday, August 25th is the holy Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani, the original feminine goddess and internal pleasure potency of Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Together They unite as the original divine feminine and masculine, and we unlimited jiva souls are expanded from Them. We can find joy in excavating our sacred connection with Them in love and service.
Srila Prabhupada explains that if you offer your sincere prayer into the hand of Sri Radha, she will recommend you to Him, saying, “this devotee is better than me, please accept her!”
Here are a few drops from the deep ocean of her qualities:
“Vrndavan’s queen brings limitless pure bliss to He whose face is Vrndavan’s splendid moon risen from the nectar ocean of bliss and love. She fills Vrndavan with nectar and she makes her beautiful friends again and again shed tears, and their bodily hairs stand erect in wonderful ecstatic love like her own.” --Vrndavan Mahimamrita
“I, a distressed soul, belonging to you, beg you with sweet words while rolling on the banks of the Yamuna!
Although I am unfit, an offender with a crooked mind, please bestow on me a fragment of the gift of service to you. This unhappy soul is not fit to be neglected by you, for you have a butter soft heart that melts constantly by the warmth of your compassion.” -- Srila Rupa Goswami, Stava-mala
Happy Radhastami!
All the best,
Rukmini Walker
A Letter To Our Future Selves
This piece is being featured in "The Emergence of Women's Voices in ISKCON" a written documentary of the voices of the first-generation pioneer women of ISKCON. Thirty-three authors speak about their relationships with Srila Prabhupada, what women bring to Krishna consciousness, and the importance of women's voices in ISKCON. My "Letter to our Future Selves" is featured in this book and book launch. Please scroll to bottom of this posting to learn more about this effort. Here is the link to the event on Facebook August 22-23: https://www.facebook.com/
A Letter to our Future Selves
by Rukmini Walker
written on June 20th, 2020
Click here to listen to the audio version of this piece.
[audio m4a="http://www.urbandevi.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/A-Letter-to-Our-Future-Selves.m4a"][/audio]
Dear Vaisnavis of the future,
My deepest respects to you all. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Several years ago I attended a conference in Geneva, sponsored by the Global Peace Initiative of Women. A woman who was a high court judge in India spoke and explained a powerful metaphor.
She said that traditionally in India, most people lived in a joint family home. There was usually a courtyard space in the center facing inward, and a veranda around the perimeter facing out. The men would usually be on the veranda, talking about finance, politics, science, and the problems and affairs of the outside world.
The women would be in the courtyard cooking together, talking together, dealing with domestic problems, and healing the family’s illnesses with herbal remedies.
Some are trying to lead by facing out, looking for solutions from outside; and some are looking to lead, and heal community by facing in…
Of course, today, there are many women in leadership - in government, in finance, in science, and many other fields as well. In ISKCON, in the US today, there are six women temple presidents. In other countries, there are also women leading in different capacities, in different services. It seems that often women and also men who are spiritually advanced, have an ability to lead in a supportive, empathic way, rather than a controlling or domineering way.
It seems to me that this sort of introspective leadership would mean to lead as a sort of path smoother, or servant leader, trying to truly hear others and deeply appreciate each and everyone’s unique and diverse contribution to the whole. This inward-facing community-centered leadership seems to be a formula for developing what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr called, “the beloved community”.
He defined that beloved community, first of all, as one that offers radical hospitality to everyone; an inclusive family rather than an exclusive club; recognizing and honoring the image of God in every human being. Of course, we would extend that to include every living being.
I’m fond of a certain story about Srila Prabhupada. In the early days, a new devotee, who was also very young at the time, had a chance to serve Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was staying for a few days in a house near New Vrindavan, and this young man was given the task of guarding the house from outside at night. It began to rain outside and the young man came into the attached garage to do his guarding service from there.
In a few moments, he felt a presence behind him in the garage. He turned around, and there was Srila Prabhupada standing behind him. He fell down and offered his obeisances. Then he rose and asked, “Is there any service I can do for you, Srila Prabhupada?”
Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes. You can go where I will not go!” The young man was bewildered. Srila Prabhupada had just come from Chicago; Dallas; Caracas, Venezuela; San Francisco, and before that Tokyo; soon he would be going on to New York, London, Paris, and Germany…
He asked, “But where is it that you will not go, Srila Prabhupada? You are going everywhere!”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “To the future! And by the way you treat the people there, they will know how much Krsna loves them.”
In other words, Krsna cares for us, for all living beings. He patiently travels with us as the Supersoul in our lost wanderings as we try to fulfill our separatist desires in so many species of life. When we feel distress, Krsna feels compassion for our suffering. "Tat te 'nukampam...", "anukampam" means “to tremble with” (SB 10.14.8). And He gives us the understanding by which we can come to Him.
As His aspiring devotees, how can we make our consciousness more like His, in the sense of loving and caring for others? What will enhance our Krsna consciousness and help us go deeper in experience and realization? What parts of ourselves do we want to carry into the future?
What kinds of interactions in our communities and beyond can grow into deep loving exchanges that sustain and build faith and trust?
On the path of Bhakti, we learn that at the center of all existence, there is a love affair, a dance between Radha and Krsna. The divine masculine - Sri Krsna, loving the divine feminine - Sri Radha, who is expanded from Him. She is His own pleasure potency. In effect, this is God loving God. And we are being invited to join that dance, to live and dance in harmony along with Them in eternity. To live in Bhakti, means to live in harmony with this “Rta,” or divine cosmic order.
Once, Srila Prabhupada gave an example: If you’re sitting on the bank of a still lake and you throw a pebble into the center of the lake, then harmonious concentric circles will radiate outward from that center where you threw your pebble. If you throw another pebble, and another one, and yet another one into that same center, they will all create harmonious circles generating out from that center. But if I throw a pebble to this side or that side, and you throw your pebble here or there, then so many interference patterns will form and begin to clash with each other.
In other words, if we act in this world, loving Krsna and serving Him in the core of our hearts, and at the center of our lives, then as many interests, goals or pursuits as we may have, can all be harmonized in peace and sustainability in Krsna. We can have community, family, art, music, intellectual pursuits, environmentalism, or so many other “isms” all offered into the center point of loving Krsna. And if we act out of self-centered ego, then we will clash - within ourselves, between ourselves and others, and in the world.
How does Srila Prabhupada describe the formula for peace? To understand that everything is owned and controlled by Krsna, that everything is meant for His pleasure, and that He is our dearest friend. (BG 5.29)
In his purport to Bhagavad Gita 4.24, Srila Prabhupada explains that,
Everything that exists is situated in the brahmajyoti, but when that jyoti is covered by illusion (maya) or sense gratification, it is called material. The material veil can be removed at once by Krsna consciousness… the Absolute Truth covered by maya is called matter. Matter dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality. Krsna consciousness is the process of converting the illusory consciousness into Brahman, or the Supreme. When the mind is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness, it is said to be in samadhi, or trance.
How can we bring this mood of harmony into our hearts, into our communities, and into the world? We are eager to preach, but are we eager to appreciate and to truly hear others?
We are members of an institution meant for giving compassion to others, but are we each individually acting with compassion in our personal dealings? Or are we remaining on the neophyte platform judging and criticizing others? Offending others and becoming offended by petty things, making assumptions, taking things personally, and acting out of false ego? Are we trying to grow the seeds of Bhakti but instead getting tangled up in the weeds?
I was recently listening to a lecture given by Srila Prabhupada where he was comparing the practice of beginning or sadhana, vaidhi Bhakti to jumpstarting the engine of a car. We try to give our internal battery a jump by our daily practice. But real Bhakti begins when we develop a spontaneous taste for the practice, or when the car engine kicks in and begins to run on its own power.
If we want to carry these sacred teachings into the future, we must ourselves develop the taste for authentic Krsna consciousness. So many religious communities of different traditions exist on a kanistha, or beginner’s platform… judging or criticizing others over petty differences of understanding, or class or race or practice.
If we remain on this beginner’s platform, how are we any different? Perhaps we have an extraordinary theology, but if we don’t practice it with realization, how are we any better? How will we communicate to them how much Krsna loves them if we are not living and showing that love between ourselves and others?
Recently, we attended a funeral ceremony for a beloved devotee who had taken his own life. It has been a tragedy in this community. In the first days after the suicide, there were naturally many unanswered questions: “Why? How could this happen?” As well as much blame and finger pointing to others in leadership that, sadly, also extended out onto social media.
I feared that this mood of negativity would continue at his memorial ceremony. And yet after those first painful days, there seemed to be a shift. At his ceremony, each person spoke of him with such appreciation, telling stories of how kind, selfless, and lovingly serving he had always been. How he treated everyone of every community, both Indian and Western, young and old, new and seasoned members with such affection.
After the ceremony, there was such a sense of peace, of the community having come together. Afterwards, one older god brother of mine, said to me, “Why did we have to wait until after his death to appreciate him so much? Why didn’t we let him know while he was alive, how much we all loved him? Maybe this tragedy could have been averted, if we had let him know…”
We so often speak about higher levels of rasa, of brava and prema. But this kind of love is impossible to realize without first learning to act with appreciation and gratitude in this world. Our acarya, Srila Prabhupada was always so grateful. Even Lord Krsna is so grateful for any tiny service rendered.
In conclusion, dear Vaisnavis, I suggest that gratitude and appreciation are the two doors to the palace of Bhakti… and there is no back door. Can we be the change that creates the future and show the people there how much Krsna loves them?
Hare Krsna,
Your sister in service,
Rukmini Devi Dasi
The Emergence of Women's Voices in ISKCON is a written documentary of the voices of the first-generation pioneer women of ISKCON. In this anthology they pass the torch of wisdom and lessons learned to future generations. Thirty-three authors speak about their relationships with Srila Prabhupada, what women bring to Krishna consciousness, and the importance of women's voices in ISKCON. They tackle difficult issues with philosophy, reason, common sense, decades of personal experience, and Krishna consciousness.
The essays in this anthology will bring light to ISKCON members around the world. They are as applicable today as they were yesterday and can be used as a road map to move into the future. Many senior devotees have poured out their wise hearts here, having thought deeply about this topic. They knew Srila Prabhupada and lived under his roof."A must-read. Emergence opened a floodgate of emotion and gave me solace and wisdom." --Mathura Mandala devi dasi
How to Fight and Win the Relationship
~a talk with Rukmini and Anuttama Walker
In this special session presented by Vaishnavi Ministry of North America, Rukmini Walker Devi and her husband Anuttama Das speak to us on the topic of how to fight and win the relationship.In any relationship sometimes things are smooth sailing and sometimes there can be friction. Sometimes a benchmark in a relationship is seen by how we are able to pass over those difficult times. Am I able to state my position without descending into shame and blame? Am I able to choose my battles and avoid fighting over petty things?Please click here or on the image below to listen to the talk.[embed]https://youtu.be/XtZ0ecfp_VQ[/embed]
Human Rights and UN SDG
In honor of International Woman's Day, here is a video that was written and created by a young woman named Sana Mittar. She lives in Delhi, India, where her loving family so kindly hosted me last February. This past year, Sana was the valedictorian of her high school graduating class at the Springdales School, in New Delhi.
Happy International Woman's Day!
All the best,Rukmini Walker
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndLX3cLKsSA&feature=youtu.be[/embed]
Paradoxes of the Path, Lessons from Loss
~presented by Rukmini Walker
This past Sunday, I presented a special class to the ISKCON New Jersey ISKCON Temple called "Paradoxes of the Path, Lessons from Loss". To listen to a recording of the class, please click here https://www.youtube.com/user/
To my beloved family of devotees in Italy
This is a letter sent by His Holiness Radhanath Swami to his dear friends, the devotees in Bologna, Italy and shared with the devotees all over Italy. His wisdom and concern are so poignant and instructive for us all right now… ~Rukmini Walker
To my beloved family of devotees in Italy,Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.With my heart and soul I am praying for all of you. Please do whatever is best to protect your health. Our bodies are gifts that Krishna has entrusted to us for divine service.Srimad Bhagavatam was spoken by Sukadeva Goswami to a man destined to die in seven days. Srila Prabhupada often told us that no one knows for sure if we have even seven minutes in our present bodies. Like a drop of water on a lotus leaf, life in the material world is always uncertain and vulnerable to disease, old age and death. But, for one who takes shelter of our supreme ever-well-wishing friend and lover, who resides within our hearts, Sri Krishna, then the joy of eternal life in divine love is awakened. That is our true fortune. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada have given us the Holy Names of Radha Krishna, Srimad Bhagavatam, association of devotees, worshipful Deities, and wonderful opportunities to serve. Let us sincerely remember and remind each other of these precious gifts.My heart is breaking to think of the struggles that you and the people of Italy are passing through. I offer my sincerest prayers to our beloved Lord to protect you and to shower intimate blessings and grace upon you.Thank you very much for your life of devotion.With gratitude, your servant,Radhanath Swami
A Letter to a Young Woman Devotee
This is my reply to a young woman who is new to the path of Bhakti. She has been regularly attending temple programs in one city in the US. Sometimes she is discouraged hearing a sectarian or misogynist slant coming from the speaker during the morning class. With her name omitted, I thought to share my reply to one of her emails. I hope you will find my reply to her helpful in your life as well. ~ All the best, Rukmini Walker
Dearest Sister,My very fond affection to you. Jaya Prabhupada.There are always many reasons to become discouraged, especially when interacting or serving in a multicultural international community or environment where people have different values and cultural norms. Please always remain vigilant to be a seeker of the essence and don't lose the precious baby when throwing out the bathwater. It's most important. Never allow yourself to become isolated from the temple sanga, no matter how discouraging some voices may be. Find the ones there with whom you find resonance. Prabhupada has shed many gallons of blood to establish these communities for you- and for all of us, without discrimination.Certain speakers at the temple might be speaking with a sectarian perspective, or sometimes you might think the Bhagavatam itself is that way. Actually, Srimad Bhagavatam exposes materialistic thinking wherever it appears - in men, in women, in high caste people, in low caste people... Generally, it will tell stories that bring down the proud, the high and mighty; and uplift the humble people - time and time again. We have to read it all in context. Like water, grace flows down. Like water, keep flowing down, keep going around any obstacles, keep seeking your Source - Sri Krsna, the origin of us all.You and I - and so many others - love the ideal of the worship of Sri Radha, but we also always have to remember that she is divine - and also that we are ourselves are not women - we are atma, jivatma, beyond this material body. The controlling, dominating ego must be given up - whether it appears in the mind and heart of a man or a woman. Of course, we hear that spiritually all living beings are of the feminine nature, in relation to the one Supreme male, Sri Krsna.There is the beautiful story of Mirabai when she came to Vrndavan and sought the darshan of an esteemed holy man. She approached the ashram and asked the brahmacarya disciple if she could have the saint's darshan. The disciple said that his guru doesn't see any women. Then Mirabai, in her deep wisdom and realization replied, "But I thought that Sri Krsna was the only male in Vrndavan!" The disciple was stumped and said, "Ok, let me go ask". Then he came back and said to her, "Yes, you are welcome, my guru said to come immediately!"So what an example she is. Mirabai was certainly humble in herself, in her prayers, and in her outlook. But her ardent love made her bold also. She could not be dissuaded from her love for Krsna. When Srila Prabhupada was asked by one woman book distributor, how can we be both humble and bold at the same time? He replied, "Be a lion on the chase, and a lamb at home". Not easy, but these dichotomies can be resolved with deep realization.In order to understand Sri Krsna, we seek the compassionate sidelong glance of Sri Radha. But today, on the Appearance Day of Nityananda Prabhu, we seek His blessings in order to achieve the grace of Lord Caitanya. Grace flows down like water, seeking the lowest place, seeking those who are humble.There is a pivotal verse given in the Sri Caitanya Candramrita of Prabhadananda Sarawati. It says:
yatha yatha gaura padaravinde
vindeta bhaktim krta-punya-rasih
tatha tathotsarpati hrdi akasmad
radha-padambhoja-sudhambu-rasih
When a pious person attains the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Gaura (Lord Caitanya), the ocean of nectar from the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani suddenly floods his heart.You are a deep thinker, and you are also trying to enter deeply into the consciousness of loving Krsna. Our candid conversations are a joy and an honor for me. Let's please keep these conversations going, ok? Hare Krsna,With all my love and prayers for your continuing advancement in Krsna Bhakti,Your sister in service,Rukmini
What is Love?
~Presented by Rukmini Walker
This is a part of a series of lectures I gave on the six values of the Bhagavad Gita according to a Bhakti perspective at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in the Bahamas this November. In the talk we explore the context of the Bhagavad Gita and Krishna as the source and foundation of everything. Please click below to listen to the talk:[audio mp3="http://www.urbandevi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/What-is-Love__cut.mp3"][/audio]
"What is the greatest need or desire in this world? To love and be loved for who we really are."
~ Rukmini Walker
What is Humility?
~Presented by Rukmini Walker
This is a part of a series of lectures I gave on the six values of the Bhagavad Gita from the Bhakti perspective at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in the Bahamas this November. In the talk we explore the context of the Bhagavad Gita and Krishna as the source and foundation of everything.Please click below to listen to the talk.[audio mp3="http://www.urbandevi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/What-is-Humility__cut.mp3"][/audio]
- Humility is to come down where we ought to be.
- With an investment in humility we will reap joy.
- Humility is the avenue to the true freedom of the human spirit and can transform weakness into strength.
- Humility is not thinking less of myself, but thinking of myself less and thinking of others more.
Happy Black-eyed Susans and Unconditional Love
By Pranada Comtois
I treasure Black-eyed Susan’s cheerful orange-yellow glow. They have a fire for life but not without graceful countenance. Spritely, joyful Susan’s deserve larger vases. When I must discard my yellow bundles of love, I put them in the dirt on both sides in the front of the house. They seed themselves. They grow themselves from their own deaths. I’ve got a garden of them thriving.There’s another garden I’m giving special attention to: my friends and family and complete strangers. Every day I turn myself over to the practice of unconditionally loving. This takes practice and rigorous practice, at first. I don’t always feel loving, and people, family included, can be absolutely impossible at times.Actively cultivating unconditional devotional love for my Divine Other, the Supreme Person, makes it possible to tend to other relationships. See, I found out that no material relationship makes me whole, and unless I’m whole I can’t love unconditionally. I learned the secret to giving unconditional love—and not be drained or degraded by my offering—is to make developing love of God my central relationship. In that relationship (as one friend likes to say) “giving is receiving; the giving is getting.” When I’m hooked up to my unlimited Giving Source, I find the ability to extend unconditional love to others.Once I decided that my life’s work and joy is to develop unconditional spiritual love, or bhakti, I’ve found that it seeds itself, sprouts up from fear (and strangles it), and returns love to me unbounded.We have tremendous potential for spiritual development in our relationships. Do we believe this? If we look at the state of family in America, we might suspect our collective answer has to be “no.” Do we care about the state of family in America? Enough to change ourselves?After looking at statistics below, if you had to rate it honestly, how would you rate the health of family in America?Awful, Poor, Fair, Good, Great?Divorce rate holds firm at 50% for many years, with more than 2 million couples marrying every year. One million marriages coming to an end every year means emotional turmoil for 2 million people and their families.Most everyone either knows the emotional and relational costs of divorce or experiences pain as they grapple with evaporating dreams.Divorce isn’t the only familial ill in America (or elsewhere).As you read the numbers below please don’t read too fast. Allow yourself to remember that each number refers to a human being.Every day 4 to 7 children die from abuse and neglect right here in our country. This number doesn’t take into account the fact that 50%, or more, of children’s deaths due to maltreatment are not listed as such on the death certificate. 70% of these children are under 2 years old.More than one in four children live in a single parent home, or 24 million children. 408,000 children were in foster care in 2010, but it should be noted that closer to 600,000 move in and out of foster care during the year.Every day more than 3 women are murdered by their partners. About 1.3 million women are victims of physical violence by their partner every year. Nearly 7.8 million women have been raped by their partner at some point in their lives.Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.Whenever I listen to the news or hear depressing things like these statistics about the state of family in America, I feel overwhelmed. What can I possibly do to help change the suffering in the world? What’s really frustrating is I usually answer, Not much.But I can change what’s happening in myhome, in my heart. I can change how I relate to my friends and colleagues. I can change how I behave in relationships and I can do it today.Guy Finley writes, “How do we illuminate our relationships at home, in our workplace, wherever we are? What must we do to enlighten this murky world of ours that staggers under the weight of its own shadows? We must cease being an unconscious part of its darkness.”I see myself and others as a spiritual individual and contemplate how we’re eternally interconnected in relationships.I can choose to act with each person, event, and my environment in a manner that honors and energizes how I want to express myself in my personal relationship with my Divine Other. I design my relationship and establish the tenor of my relationship with divinity by choosing how I act in each circumstance now.Let the numbers remind us; let the human beings remind us; let our loved ones remind us: we can choose to love unconditionally.We can do so without self-neglect by recharging ourselves through daily practices of loving exchange with our Divine Source, the reservoir of love.
Pranada Comtois is a devoted pilgrim and author of Wise-Love: Bhakti and the Search for the Soul of Consciousness,which has received four industry awards in spirituality and body/mind/spirit. She is a featured speaker in the film “Women of Bhakti.”
The Seen and the Unseen: The Young and the Elderly
Oct. 17th, 2018
South Florida is an interesting place. Like all places, I suppose, each has it’s own mood, it’s own ambience.
Last weekend I led a workshop in a vibrant youthful yoga community in Del Ray Beach. These last few days, I’ve been spending with my 91 year-old mother, Edith, in Boca Raton.
I keep thinking of the story of the Prince Gautama Buddha, and how it was predicted that he would renounce his father’s kingdom and the world.
His father, the king, took precaution to shelter his son from any possible stray introspection. The prince grew up surrounded by beautiful young people, pleasure gardens and all possible enjoyments of life. He was never to see suffering, or disease, old age or death.
But one day the inquisitive young prince scaled the wall and began to observe and inquire:
“What is this I see?”
“Dear boy, this is suffering- this is disease- this is old age- and this is death. And after death- again, there will be rebirth!”
Our culture also seems to have created such a veneer of an ever-youthful pleasure garden: in the media, on the billboards, the internet, in film… Beautiful people, an endless summer, with questions of why? sidelined to the fringe. With cancer wards tucked away behind corporate walls. Just a little more acquisition should fill the emptiness in my heart- with no alert to my time… to my youth- slipping away each day.
I see an elderly couple walking out of an elevator, clutching each other for support, for dear life…
What is our purpose in this temporary place? Aren’t we meant to begin to awaken- before our next death- some inkling of who we are and why we are here?
But the voices of the sadhus are there, in every place, in every generation, calling to us:
“But then a voice, how deep and soft,
Within ourselves is left,
Soul! Soul! Thou art immortal soul!
Thee death can never melt.”
Bhaktivinode Thakur