Workshop @ FOI

If you’re attending the Festival of Inspiration, I’ll be offering a workshop on Friday at 12:15:

Exploring Our Life's Journey -    We explore the stories which have shaped us, nourished us and sent us forth on our life’s journey. We look at the hows, whys and whats which have  started us on our spiritual path.  Through writing, discussion, storytelling and small group interaction, this session will help us spark our creativity, ignite the imagination, and also reflect anew upon our own spiritual mission.

The 50th

I had mentioned a couple of months back that the 50^th is coming up. That is, the 50^th  anniversaries of Srila Prabhupada's arrival in America and the formation of ISKCON: 2015 & 2016  respectively. One ISKCON manager said that of course the Movement is planning to do something.  My call, however, is directed not toward an organization, but to individual devotees; that each of us prepare a personal offering. And it’s really only 2 & ½  years away. That’s not very long. Now is the time to begin to meditate on and to prepare offerings for this singular occasion.

And especially Prabhupada’s  disciples are not going to be around for the 100^th anniversary (at least not in our present bodies). In a letter of April 21, 1968, Prabhupada wrote to the devotees, “who knows if all the boys and girls joining me were not born by the Supreme Will of Krishna just to help me in this great task of distributing Krishna Consciousness in the Western World specifically.”

So what projects or events would you like to focus on to offer to Srila Prabhupada on this momentous occasion? Back in 73 -74 in Chicago someone  said, “I see the Hare Krishna’s everywhere – at the airport, in the downtown, at special events. You must have thousands of people.” (At that time there were about 60 devotees in the temple.)

These anniversaries are a time to make an impact; a time when the media pays attention and when people  are inclined to perk up and notice. And it’s coming at us quickly.  Carpe diem. It’s a opportunity  for devotees to personally and collectively make a favorable impression. Or it could be a time to simply make a renewal in one’s personal commitment to Srila Prabhupada.