A Humble Request For MacBook Charity

Hello dear readers!

I have a humble and charitable request. I am looking to upgrade from my trusty yet somewhat limited Samsung N110 netbook to a 11-inch Macbook Pro ($1199)

Being an aspiring brahmacari, of course, I ask for your help. The reasons for this upgrade are twofold: the college outreach (cooking classes, Gita courses) at New York University and Columbia University that I am a part of would be facilitated by this upgrade, especially in the matter of being able to show videos and do other multimedia presentations, which are difficult with my little netbook.

Secondly, I would also like to upgrade to a Macbook Pro so that the files for my writing and teaching seva would have a more stable and usable device for storage and usage.

There is also the whole aesthetic factor-to be honest! But that's secondary.

So I humble beg for any help donation-wise, and also if you are looking to unload a used Macbook (no more than 2 years old), I will also gladly take it off your hands as well.

Any donation will be eagerly remunerated by yours truly in terms of any kind of service you may request, to the best of my ability and facility.

Thank you very much! Any inquiries can be directed to me, Chris Fici, at nvclub108@gmail.com

The Birth of Krishna: When God Came To Earth

It's Krishna's birthday! Here's a new article on the whole experience from my good friend and fellow monk Gadadhara Pandit Dasa at the Huffington Post

Krishna means "all-attractive" and avatar means "descent of the divine." Today is Krishna Janmastami, the birth or descent of Krishna, the god worshipped by millions of Hindus around the world. Krishna appeared on this earth, at midnight, approximately 5,000 years ago in Mathura, located in Northern India, 91 miles south of New Delhi.

Krishna is God as never seen before. He wore many hats: child, friend, servant, romantic lover, cowherd boy and killer of demons. For someone coming from a Western paradigm and even for some Hindus, Krishna can easily be passed off as a mythological figure created by a fiction writer for the purpose of entertainment.

However, hundreds of millions of people will perform severe fasts, engage in extended rituals and worship, recite extensively his activities and also the verses of the Bhagavad Gita for the purpose of remembering him and his activities on this day and throughout the year.

Krishna is the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita ("the song of God"), which is considered by many Hindus as the most prominent, referenced and commented-on scriptural text in all of India. The Gita serves as the guidebook for many Hindus and non-Hindus on how to live a life of devotion to God, while also cultivating a healthy detachment from the things of this world. In the past and even in the present, plaintiffs and defendants have sworn on the Gita in the courts of law in India.

Krishna's life has become the subject matter of textbooks in Hinduism classes in many universities and the subject of debate amongst philosophers and theologians. Those who are unfamiliar with his life and activities are befuddled by Krishna, while the devotees rejoice upon hearing and reading the wonderful stories of his life.

One of the most endearing qualities demonstrated by Krishna during his earthly manifestation was his willingness to relate to his devotees in multiple capacities. Even though he is the supreme deity according to the Gita and some of the Puranas, he always experiences great joy in the service of his devotees.

In the role of a child, he would carry the shoes of his father. Similar to Jesus washing the feet of his 12 disciples during the last supper, Krishna, with great joy, washed the feet of great saintly persons. The most prominent act of service demonstrated by Krishna was immediately after he spoke the Gita, when he drove Arjuna's chariot around like a humble chauffeur. The entire time, he obeyed, like a servant, every order of Arjuna.

These descriptions of Krishna's activities can be very difficult to comprehend, especially if one is used to the notion of God being the supreme father who is angry, jealous and eager to punish those who don't follow his law. There are descriptions that better fit Krishna: He's a poet, a singer, a dancer, he likes to serve, and all one has to do is look at a sunset, sunrise or any of the other wonders of nature and it becomes easy to understand the creative and artistic side of Krishna.

What I found especially intriguing about Krishna was the description given in an ancient Hindu text, the Brahma Samhita: "He has an eternal blissful spiritual body ... He is a person possessing the beauty of a blooming youth..." God is not an old man with a long white beard. I found this to be a very refreshing idea! If God is old, that means he falls under the influence of time and is subject to decay and possibly even death. Here he's described as an eternally youthful person beyond time and space.

It's not possible for us, with our limited and inaccurate sense perception and logic, to comprehend the nature, quality and personhood of Krishna. Hindu scriptures and sages explain that one needs to qualify oneself to understand God. Purifying one's senses, mind, consciousness and soul is the prerequisite for gaining access to this knowledge.

For example, before studying calculus, one needs to qualify one's self by studying arithmetic, algebra and geometry. Otherwise, more advanced subjects won't make any sense. Qualities of pride, envy, greed, anger and selfish desire must be purged as they cloud the ego.

Simultaneously, humility, nonviolence, forgiveness and tolerance need to be implemented into our character as they bring clarity into our lives. Without an endeavor to fulfill these prerequisites, God will only remain a theoretical concept.

Getting to know Krishna is a lot like getting to know anyone, as it requires time and commitment. Krishna explains in the Gita that he doesn't need anything nor does he want anything, but one who renders service to him becomes his friend. All-in-all, even though He's the supreme creator and the cause of all causes, he's looking to engage in a loving reciprocal relationship with those who are interested and he promises that it will be a two-way street where he's willing to do his part.

Follow Gadadhara Pandit Dasa on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nycpandit

Transcending The Quarter-Life Crisis

From my good friend and fellow monk Gadadhara Pandit Dasa at the Huffington Post

I had never even heard of the term "quarter-life crisis" until my fifth year as the Hindu Chaplain at Columbia University. During a conversation over lunch, a student told me about it, and then towards the end of the school year another student gave me a book called "Quarter Life Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties" by Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner.

The term is similar to a mid-life crisis, but it refers to the plight of students in school or right out of college trying to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. When I ask senior students if they know about their plans after they graduate, they give me a consistently similar response: "I have no idea."

It's not just one thing that leads to uncertainty and even panic which is labeled as the quarter-life crisis. It can be a combination of factors. All the facilities and conveniences a college campus provides will no longer be available: on-campus residential housing, eating facilities, medical & counseling facilities, security, and clubs and organizations for students to meet other students.

It can be even more intense if you can't find a job after graduating, or if you find something in your field and realize that you don't want to do this for the rest of your life, and you regret all that time and money spent on something you no longer want to pursue.

Moving back home with one's parents isn't the most attractive option, as it can feel a bit restrictive, and it can make graduates feel like they're regressing. Not everyone is affected by all of these concerns, but even one or two of these concerns can push students to act in extreme ways to resolve their situation. One such example, which I found quite shocking, was in a HuffPost article that describes college women engaging in sexual acts with wealthy older men in exchange for money to pay off their student loans.

The root of the problem is that right from our childhood we've been driven and pushed to achieve material success and social status. The equation we've been memorizing all our life is that material possessions, position, and success equals happiness, but there are so many people who get all of this and still feel empty inside.

We've been running full speed ahead, pedal to the medal, and we never stop to consider what's really going to make me happy. We've almost completely ignored our spiritual needs.

Material things can only give us so much. They can only provide temporary satisfaction for the senses, for the physical body and mind, but they do little for the heart and soul. It's quite amazing that we've hardly ever been seriously encouraged to pursue the needs of the soul, and we may even have been been discouraged to pursue our spiritual needs.

It's no wonder that so many people hit a brick wall at different stages of their life, whether it's in their 40s and 50s or even in their twenties, during the "quarter-life' crisis.

The fifth chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita explains:

One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.

Just taking care of the needs of the body and ignoring the needs of the soul is like watering the leaves, fruits, and flowers of the tree and forgetting to water the actual root. It's just a matter of time before we come face to face with a quarter or mid-life crisis.

The sooner in life we're able to implement into our lives, on a consistent basis, spiritual practices of meditation and yoga, with the intention of understanding the true nature and needs of our soul, the better chance we have of preventing such a crisis from hitting us in the face. The crisis happens because we lose sight of who we really are, and we can't figure out what we're supposed to do.

The Bhagavad-Gita helped me get through a very difficult time in my own life; which I would call a quarter-life crisis. My family's multi-million dollar business had collapsed causing us to lose our house, cars, and savings. We were left with nothing. I was 21 years old and felt like my life had turned upside down. I had lost all sense of direction and had no idea what my next step would be. This is the first time in my life I started to explore spirituality and considered building a spiritual foundation.

The wisdom of the Gita taught me that material things are temporary, that they come and go like the winter and summer seasons and that I shouldn't be disturbed by their disappearance. I learned that becoming overly attached to material possessions and positions will only lead to frustration, as at some point, they will be taken away by the power of time.

The wisdom of the Gita encouraged me to focus on the more permanent things in life, such as understanding the eternal nature of the soul, and how the purpose of life is to re-establish our lost relationship with God. Once we're en-route to re-establishing that relationship, many other aspects of our life become clearer.

The problem is that we get so caught up with all of our material affairs and we wait for something to go wrong before we take action. The recommendation of the Gita is to make sure each day we incorporate some meditation and reflection into our lives. This may very well prevent the "quarter-life" crisis from happening, and at the very least, if it does happen, it can provide us with the coping mechanisms we will need to get through it.

Follow Gadadhara Pandit Dasa on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nycpandit

Hey I Am Finally Published!

Click here to check out Part 1 of my essay "Lifestyle of a Monk in NYC" at the online magazine Tattva.

Parts 2 and 3 to follow soon!

Being A Monk In New York City

From my good friend and fellow monk Gadadhara Pandit Dasa at the Huffington Post

Most people I encounter are quite fascinated by the idea of monks living in Manhattan. I suppose the fascination is quite natural. Most people engaged in monastic life are expected to live away from a busy city. A place that allows for focused meditation and reflection on spiritual life. Wouldn't a busy city like New York, which is seen by many as the height of materialism, seem quite counterproductive to the monastic life?

It all depends on one's purpose. If one is aspiring to focus only on one's own individual meditation and spiritual practice, then a busy city environment can definitely be counterproductive. However, if one is residing in a city for the purpose of helping people, then there's no better place.

Within the Bhakti tradition of Hinduism, the tradition that I have adopted, it is recommended that some monks live in the city because that's where people are most stressed and therefore need the most spiritual guidance. The city is a very intense place where everyone is constantly scrambling from one activity to another, always keeping themselves busy, often times leaving their spiritual pursuits by the wayside.

The Bhakti tradition teaches that making oneself available to assist others helps one develop greater levels of compassion, which is a very important tenet of Hinduism. This tenet applies to monks and laypersons.

The city can actually push one to greater levels of focus in one's meditation. There are so many distractions everywhere and to prevent oneself from getting sucked into the ubiquitous materialism, one really needs to take greater shelter of the meditation and other focusing practices.

For example, when you're driving at high speeds, you need to be more attentive, otherwise the chances of an accident are much greater. I like to compare the city to a high-speed highway which requires a greater level of focus.

Being a monk in New York City can definitely be challenging. I'm more comfortable in a city environment than some of our monks. I was born in Kanpur, which is an extremely busy, industrial city. Then, at the age of about five, we moved to New Delhi, which is also insanely busy. By age seven, I was living in Los Angeles.

When I first moved to New York, I found it to be an exciting place. Because of my conditioning, I like busy places. People, cars, trucks, and other city noises don't really bother me. I do like to get away once in a while, but for the most part, I'm fine with it.

The monastery, located in the Lower East Side, is right on First Avenue, and from the outside, it looks like just another New York brownstone, so one could walk right past it and not notice anything special. We're surrounded by bars, nightclubs, restaurants, tattoo shops, and a variety of eclectic establishments. It's probably one of the busiest areas in Manhattan on Friday and Saturday nights. The action actually starts on Thursday nights and goes until early Sunday morning till about 4:00 a.m.

I know the timings so well because I usually wake up at 4:00 a.m. and can hear the boisterous discussions taking place on the avenue after the bars have closed and flushed out their clients. Once, I even saw a couple of guys with their shirts off, in a total drunken stupor, having a fist fight right in the middle of the street. It's quite a scene out there with people yelling and bottles smashing against the sidewalk.

The natural question arises: What in the world are monks doing in a place like this?!

There's about 15 of us and we all wake up between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Our morning meditation starts at 5:00 a.m. To refresh ourselves from the night's sleep, everyone is required to shower, put on a clean set of robes and then enter the temple room for the meditation and worship. According to the teachings in Hinduism, the mind has the easiest time focusing during the early morning hours. The mind responds to all the stimuli around us -- people, traffic, noises, and activity in general. There's not a whole lot of activity going on at 4:30am. Stilling the mind is close to impossible, but the morning hours do help when you're trying to focus the mind.

Morning Meditation

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • Monks engaged in mantra meditation at 5:00AM.

Our morning services move through a variety of moods and flavors. We start with the more grave mantra meditation and after an hour, we move into a very devotional practice of song and devotional dance. We sing different songs glorifying the previous teachers and God. The use of traditional Indian instruments such as cartals (cymbals) and a double-sided Bengali drum allow the sessions to become quite rhythmic and ecstatic. The beautiful melodies enable one to pour their heart into the prayers being sung while all the monks move back and forth and side to side and eventually dance in a circle. It's an incredibly powerful, devotional, and spiritual way to start the morning. It's easily more energizing than a double espresso and the experience stays with you the entire day.

The monks rotate lecturing from Hindu scripture elucidating the philosophy and explaining how it can be applied into our daily lives. During the lecture part of the morning program, some of the other monks are taking notes on the class, while others are cutting up vegetables for the day's cooking and some are stringing garlands of fresh flowers to be offered on the altar.

Whenever anyone hears about the morning service, a common question arises "how often do you guys do this?" and I tell them "everyday -- seven days a week." The look on most people's face is priceless when they hear my answer. It's anything but boring. There's quite a bit going on and the three hours, from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., flies by. Of course, if you haven't had a good night's rest, it can get kind of rough at times. After the morning program and before breakfast at 9:00 a.m., some monks will continue to do additional meditation, while others will do some yoga, and some may even take a quick nap.

The morning meditation and prayer service is our food for the soul. It gives us the much needed nourishment we need to handle the madness of the city and it gives us the spiritual strength we need for our various activities -- teaching, counseling, lecturing, cooking, cleaning, and going out to engage with the local population.

Being a monk in New York isn't easy by any means, however, if the principle of service to humanity is adhered to, it can be very satisfying and even blissful. Due to length constraints, I am only able to describe the first five hours of our day. In a future piece, I will go into further details of our monastic life, which will reveal more about the inner workings of the monastery and some of the challenges the monks face, individually and collectively.

Follow Gadadhara Pandit Dasa on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nycpandit