To Japa, With Love
Our time with japa is super important. A serious student of bhakti, the practice of self-realization in relationship with Krishna, will take a vow to chant a set number of rounds every day.
"I am Yours now, so please, take me / where you will, teach me about / eternity and other things of / consequence..."
Balance is a key component of the bhakti practice - the art of remembering Krishna and our relationship with him. When our life goes to the extremes - it can overwhelm us and move us away from that remembrance.
We long to be free. And we long for love. Yet love and freedom don’t seem to go together.
The word “soul” sometimes refers non-literally to the things that matter the most to us. Such a non-literal usage features in the phrase “to sell one’s soul.”
Have you heard it said these days that the secret to happiness is to lower your expectations? It makes sense, doesn’t it? We often put so much pressure on ourselves or each other, due to our unnecessary or overblown expectations.
When something upsets us, we can remind ourselves: “Yes, this is the material world, and this is bound to happen. When a stone drops into water, it will get wet. When a soul drops into the material world, it will experience miseries."
Hinduism contains probably the most lucid exposition of the distinction between body, mind and soul; and it also asserts that each of us should have the opportunity to enjoy good health, the full span of life and the use of all our physical and mental faculties. These philosophical issues are often assumed to be opposing and, indeed, some individuals may be extreme in their personal outlook.
Some people say, “Everything that happens is God’s will.” They may think that such a statement conveys their unquestioning faith, but does it really? Or does it raise disturbing questions that detract from God’s goodness?
During kirtan, experienced chanters often call us to chant from the heart, not just the mind. We are called to go from mindfulness to heartfulness. But, how do we find the place of the heart?
It is only by intentional practices that we can begin to access spiritual tastes and emotions that are less obvious and more refined.
"When we turn away from the sun, we face our shadow. When we turn away from God, our original Source, we see ourselves as separate, and fear arises."
Just as our phone disturbs us externally, our mind disturb us internally.
One of my favourite BBC Radio Four shows is Desert Island Discs. At the end of every show the guest is figuratively sent to the island with a copy of the Bible and the entire works of Shakespeare. They can also have a book of their own choice and some important item.
Srila Prabhupada once said, “Unless in the human society the Varnasrama system is introduced, no scheme or social order, health order or any order, political order, will be successful.”
It is an odd development of the modern world that being excessively anxious about our children is considered a virtue. We consider ourselves good parents if we make life easy for them, reward them for the smallest achievement, and are anxious for their safety and well being at all times.
As long as we are living in this world we have to act, none of us can remain idle and not do anything.
“A writer is an individual who uses language to discover meaning in experience and communicate it.” Pranada certainly exemplifies this.
When thunderstorm and lightning strikes we run inside our house, and when the earth shakes we run out of our house. Is there any place where we are safe?
Shaunaka Rishi Das spent many years caring for his wife Keshava, who had chronic fatigue syndrome. In her mid-50s and suffering from depression, Keshava took her own life, with questions over the medical response leading to a traumatic two-day inquest.
According to an Indian proverb, there’s nothing that a goat won’t eat and nothing that a madman won’t say.
Bhaktivinod Thakura was a high court judge and he was so expert in his work that when he wanted to take retirement the government pleaded him not to do so.
Have you heard kirtan leaders say“Chant from the heart!”? What do they mean by this?
I fear that not being anchored to you
I will so easily be swept away
Like each tiny flower.
When we function in the world, our desires direct our vision, consciously or subconsciously.
