Detroit Rock City (Part 2)

We continue the Motown tradition, Prabhupada-style, as the fired up devotees of Detroit bum-rush the annual Hash Bash in Ann Arbor with some souped-up harinama!

HG Gopal Prabhu...ready to rock



Haribollllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!


HG Srinivasa Prabhu plays the Aindra Model Harmonium (the Jimi Hendrix Strat of Harmoniums)...signed by Aindra Prabhu himself (I witnessed this!)


HARIBOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Detroit Rock City (Part 1)

Just another week in the Motor City...Gaur-Nitai continues Their causeless ecstatic descent into the various living rooms of the congregation, HH Indradyumna Swami arrives bearing blessings and new editions of his Traveling Preacher series, and then the whole lot of us bum-rush the new and old hippies at Hash Bash in Ann Arbor with some serious harinama...

Here's the photographic proof...









Stay tuned for Part 2!

The Meeting..

This has been a long time coming. It's absolutely necessary...It's more than just about your health, your wallet, your computer...

(Deep breath) My Lower Self, I would like you to shake hands and finally, formally, meet Your Higher Self.

Lower Self, you've been hearing whispers your entire life. You've been having strange sensations. Deep ideas. These whispers have told you of something more, higher, complete, perfect, and loving. Something more than a wafer and a wink and promise to be a good boy. When you met that devotee in Ann Arbor one fine spring day, and he even gave you a real sweet cookie, then the whispers got a little more intense, a little more urgent, and with a hell of a lot more detail.

Even when you moved into the temple in the hills of West Virginia (never thought you would end up there), you kept avoiding that certain person who always wanted to speak to you, to give you advice, and God forbid, to point out something you may have been doing wrong. But today is the day. I've been advised to put this meeting together. There are big things ahead, big changes...We need you on the right side.

So, My Lower Self, sitting across from you today in this room is Your Higher Self. You do not know Your Higher Self very well, but he sure knows all about you. He has been with you, guiding you, witnessing your many facets.

He knows about your lust, your envy of those who have it so much more together than you do. He knows about your anger. He hears your harsh words against those who make you feel uncomfortable and put you in illogical and difficult situations. He knows about your illusions, your obsessions, your sentiments to all the things of your youth, your so-called culture, and the ideas you once believed with some fervor.

Now, let him tell you about himself. Please listen to what he will tell you, and please receive what he can give you. It is such a great gift...He will teach you the brahminical way, how to be peaceful, self-controlled, nicely austere, pure, tolerant, honest, full of the right knowledge, and wise. He will teach you about dedication, and how to move beyond the selfish dictations that are the foundation of Your Lower Self into something more, something called devotional service.

He will teach you how to selflessly serve others with one goal in mind-to awaken love of God within their hearts. He will convince you that this calling, this duty, is the perfection of all your aspirations, of all your searching through the bookshelves, faces, and hearts of numerous personalities whom have shown you only partial glimpses of the big picture.

He will teach you to be a Vaisnava. His words, his thoughts, and his suggestions are no different from the parampara. What Your Higher Self will teach you is in no way shape or form different than what Krsna taught Arjuna 5000 years ago on the battlefield of Kuruksetra.

Your Higher Self wants to do the greatest thing for you. He wants to teach you to love Krsna, serve Krsna, and be with Krsna always. There is nothing greater than this. Let him convince you of this. Do not be afraid of Your Higher Self, for he has always been with you. Indeed, he is you. The real loving selfless wonderful talented creative you.

I hope this simple meeting bears great fruit.

"The Logic Show"

My dearest friend and confidante HG Sri-Kishore Prabhu (Satish More), currently working for his Masters degree in Film at Ohio University, was recently interviewed on Vocal Profiling Live, a local Ohio radio program. In the interview, Sri-Kishore reveals his deeply compassionate motivations and mission behind his upcoming documentary project. After listening, I became more proud to have this very special soul in my life. You may feel the same too...

www.vocalprofilinglive.com/media/radio/shows/satish.mp3 (click to listen)

Here's the blurb on the interview from Vocal Profiling Live

"A tantalizing conversation with, Satish More, a film maker who shared information about sustainability and ecological degradation and how frivolous and thoughtless people in First World countries are. His next film will concentrate on the desensitization of the American psyche and how we are numbed by the media. He feels that people are "burning with dissatisfaction" and really want to have a more meaningful life. He suggests that we start with moving motivation to an internal perspective and that TRUTH and TRUST of one's self and one significant partner is the place to start turning around our lives into one of significance and contentment. Satish is a former actor/singer/computer programmer who wants to make a difference and move people away from consumerism. Satish can be reached at moresatish@gmail.com or 408-835-3639"

Eternal Identity As Divine Entities

On one of the most sacred of days in our Vaisnava calendar, I'd like to throw up a late-evening tribute to one personality who inspires me greatly and constantly every day, HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami Maharaja, born fifty-eight years ago this day.

From his book Spiritual Warrior IV: Conquering The Enemies of The Mind, he are some choice quotes that will inspire and deliver your mind, body, and soul.

“We should never think that God has left us alone without any help or guidance and without anyway to get us out of maya or our problems.”

“People need to develop their internal essence and nourish their souls through their own sadhana or spiritual practices. They need to engage in contemplative and introspective activities while endeavoring to enlighten themselves spiritually. Then they will be able to influence the environment.”

“We need to stop minimizing our own potency and stop blaming others...Everyone has the ability to influence their environment if they recognize their eternal identity as divine entities.”

“In this practice, one embraces love, faithfulness, accountability, loyalty, and selflessness because these qualities are an inherent part of our spiritual identity.”

“If we wait for others to care for us and love us, we will remain in a state of impoverishment.”

“In recovery, the person has to substitute the miracle of the bottle or the drug with the whole process of recovery in order to access the real miracle. The addict must then take shelter of a higher power in order to help maintain that mood.”

“It is very important for us as aspiring spiritualists to constantly try to help others in their process of spiritual growth rather than just trying to protect or save ourselves.”

“We have the ultimate security because, in spite of whatever happens to our body and our material facilities, we realize that God's love and protection for our soul always remains.”

His Holiness Bhakti-Tirtha Swami Maharaja ki jaya!