Blogs

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed)

A big part of life is learning to be curious about what its purpose is and how it works. Now scientists might agree with this statement, but they generally only accept a mechanistic, non-spiritual perspective. Those with a spiritual orientation to life study about and try to act on the fact that we are souls having a human experience. This view changes everything, as does our understanding about the dual purpose of the laws of the Universe. These two main purposes illustrate that we are given freedom from our Source (Shri Krishna for us Gaudiya Vaishnavas) to choose what is in our best spiritual interest, or to strive for temporary happiness based on the illusion that we are only physical bodies meant to struggle for existence.

Dear Friends,

Namaste.

Namaste

Namaste.

Namaste.

In the U.S.A. we just observed “Father’s Day” and it’s celebrated in 55 other countries on various days. Although not a Vedic holiday per se, the day meshes well with the Vedic idea of honoring elders including our mother and father. (Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence. Bhagavad-gita 17.14). Although the West is a very youth oriented and “has to be new” culture there is still an appreciation of the importance of both one’s father and mother. Thank God or Thank Krishna!

Our spiritual master Shrila Prabhupada often spoke of going back to home, back to Godhead. It is one of the mottos of the Krishna consciousness movement. I have thought often over the last 2 months about the concept we generally have of our “home” in this world and the idea that the soul has an origin, a place or real home where he belongs eternally, which never has to be—or is wanted to be—left. Although people like change and seek fulfillment through variety, we also seek permanence, and lasting, loving relationships.

I
Soul within physical realms
planes within dimensions
levels within worlds
episodes within time
assignments within missions
travels within journeys.

Sitting in the living room
thinking of my 7 week visit
winding down while mountain gazing
the last legalities finalized
death certificate received
understanding the Will and adjusting.

The mountains are so prominent in the La Quinta area, and I am thinking of all the reasons they are so captivating to me. It is also typical that many people are oblivious to them, as much as they don’t take lessons from the sun-- that each new sunrise brings them closer to death. Regardless, I feel even the smaller ones close to the house are massive, ancient, and expressive of great wisdom. They appear like a huge pile of boulders and rocks that fell from the sky at the beginning of time, or like the mountains on the moon, or I say jokingly, like “dry cow dung”. Standing like eternal sentinels they witness the rise and fall of civilizations, laughing at the current attempt to turn the desert into “paradise”.