Student papers at the Global Leadership Center at Ohio University profile the conversion experience of some of the residents of New Vrindavan Community. The students broke into groups and interviewed devotees on the phone a couple of times, spent a month doing research into the community, and then actually came to visit for a weekend last Oct. Now their papers are ready for viewing at Harvard University's Pluralism Project website. The Pluralism Project is dedicated to the study of religious diversity in America.
http://pluralism.org/affiliates/emery/research.php
The article that targets me is at
http://pluralism.org/affiliates/emery/Quest_for_Dharma_Sankirtan.pdf
If you haven't seen it already, you might also view my Nov 29th post - What The College Students Really Thought About New Vrindavan -
http://nytsanga.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-college-students-really-thought.html
- which contains reflections by the students of their visit.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Raw Deal
(or Shell Game Passes For Tough Love)
New York Times - Huckabee proposes his idea of a “fair tax” as Chuck Norris looks on admiringly. See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/us/politics/15campaign.html
Big Politician Guy: Listen, I’m going to give it to you straight. This federal income tax system is dumb. It’s your hard earned money. You have a right to spend it the way you see fit. You know how to spend it better then the government. Forget about federal income tax and use your money to be happy..…… Actually, the government will need some money… Of course we’re not going to tax the people… Oh wait, I know… We’ll just impose a spending tax. That sounds fair. We’ll have a national sales tax on gas and clothing and food and stuff like that. . But why should you worry? You can afford a few extra cents with all those 1000’s of dollars you’re saving from not having to pay income tax.
Local Politician Guy: Since the taxes were cut the Federal government doesn’t have any money to give to supplement state programs so we’re going to have to increase your property taxes and also add a few more cents to the tax on goods. But why should you worry? You can afford a few extra cents with all those 1000’s of dollars you’re saving from not having to pay income tax.
Local Doctor or Pharmacist : The government is cutting back on Medicare and drug programs, so you’re going have to pay for your own drugs and treatment. But why should you worry? You can afford it with all those 1000’s of dollars you’re saving from not having to pay income tax.
Big Politician Guy: What! You need some help? Why turn to the government? The government is not a charity. . Don’t expect the government to bail you out… What?… Well, sure… the government created the New Deal to help people in the depression….. And that’s right, after WW II there was the GI Bill where the government helped millions of GI’s go to college and get an education. And sure the government bailed out a lot of corporations. And what if the government gave amnesty to a bunch of illegal immigrants back in the 80’s. What does all that got to do with you? Listen, times have changed. Your better than that. We believe in you. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Keep your eye on the ball. Put your nose to the grind stone. Study hard. Then move to China and get a good job there.
Srila Prabhupada (from Light Of The Bhagavat text 2): The welfare state imposes upon its citizens scorching taxes… in due course of time when the taxes accumulate into a large sum of money, they are utilized for the welfare of the citizens in various ways. Nevertheless, sometimes it happens that the benefits of the taxes fall like rains on the stone-hearted men in the state who are unable to utilize the money properly and who squander it for sense gratification….Thus, to have equal distribution of state raised taxes, the citizens need to be scrupulously honest and virtuous… if the people are not good they cannot have good government, regardless of which party governs the administration. Therefore good character is the first principle necessary for a good government and equal distribution of wealth.
New York Times - Huckabee proposes his idea of a “fair tax” as Chuck Norris looks on admiringly. See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/us/politics/15campaign.html
Big Politician Guy: Listen, I’m going to give it to you straight. This federal income tax system is dumb. It’s your hard earned money. You have a right to spend it the way you see fit. You know how to spend it better then the government. Forget about federal income tax and use your money to be happy..…… Actually, the government will need some money… Of course we’re not going to tax the people… Oh wait, I know… We’ll just impose a spending tax. That sounds fair. We’ll have a national sales tax on gas and clothing and food and stuff like that. . But why should you worry? You can afford a few extra cents with all those 1000’s of dollars you’re saving from not having to pay income tax.
Local Politician Guy: Since the taxes were cut the Federal government doesn’t have any money to give to supplement state programs so we’re going to have to increase your property taxes and also add a few more cents to the tax on goods. But why should you worry? You can afford a few extra cents with all those 1000’s of dollars you’re saving from not having to pay income tax.
Local Doctor or Pharmacist : The government is cutting back on Medicare and drug programs, so you’re going have to pay for your own drugs and treatment. But why should you worry? You can afford it with all those 1000’s of dollars you’re saving from not having to pay income tax.
Big Politician Guy: What! You need some help? Why turn to the government? The government is not a charity. . Don’t expect the government to bail you out… What?… Well, sure… the government created the New Deal to help people in the depression….. And that’s right, after WW II there was the GI Bill where the government helped millions of GI’s go to college and get an education. And sure the government bailed out a lot of corporations. And what if the government gave amnesty to a bunch of illegal immigrants back in the 80’s. What does all that got to do with you? Listen, times have changed. Your better than that. We believe in you. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Keep your eye on the ball. Put your nose to the grind stone. Study hard. Then move to China and get a good job there.
Srila Prabhupada (from Light Of The Bhagavat text 2): The welfare state imposes upon its citizens scorching taxes… in due course of time when the taxes accumulate into a large sum of money, they are utilized for the welfare of the citizens in various ways. Nevertheless, sometimes it happens that the benefits of the taxes fall like rains on the stone-hearted men in the state who are unable to utilize the money properly and who squander it for sense gratification….Thus, to have equal distribution of state raised taxes, the citizens need to be scrupulously honest and virtuous… if the people are not good they cannot have good government, regardless of which party governs the administration. Therefore good character is the first principle necessary for a good government and equal distribution of wealth.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Deconstructing Obama In Iowa
This last week the media was buzzing with the results of Iowa caucuses. Ten months earlier, Rory Steele, a 29 year old former marine, had arrived in the state. He was a man on a mission, sent there to organize the Barack Obama campaign in 21 counties. He did whatever it took. No job was too big nor too small for him. Steele, a friendly guy who can talk with anyone, says, “We don’t give up on people.” On January 3rd his efforts paid off. A New York Times article from back on Nov 26th , entitled In West Iowa, Obama’s Man Thinks Locally http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/26/us/politics/26organizer.html
reveals how Steele helped organize and lay the foundation that culminated in Obama’s Iowa victory.
Actually, the metaphor of a political campaign, in its excitement and competitiveness, seems appropriate to Krishna Consciousness. Devotees want to inject the awareness and teachings of Krishna into the hearts and minds of the “voters.” This brief article is a whole mini-course in itself. It glimpses Steele’s methodology and is chock full of important lessons that can be applied both within the Krishna movement as well as for interacting with the general public. The points below emerge as the article unfolds:
1) Think like a local - anticipate, understand and address people’s needs and concerns
2) Build networks based on person to person contact
3) Listen to people to get their advice and feedback
4) Be a problem solver but depend upon Krishna (Steele admits there are things and situations beyond his control - “I can only control what I can control, or I’d spend all day freaking out.”)
5) Focus on your work at hand
6) Delegate responsibility – empower others
7) Inspire people by your words and actions
8) Acknowledge people’s efforts and contributions
9) Thoroughly know your Candidate’s philosophy
10) Don’t speak ill of people (you might need their help in the future)
11) Pay attention to community movers and leaders who can help get others involved (warning: this does not imply that those who don’t appear to be “leaders” should be ignored)
12) Take notes and be sure to follow up
In this way, a devotee can humbly work for his Candidate. As Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of the verse below – “ A Krishna Conscious person acts out of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore he has no attraction for the results of the action.”
“Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.” Gita 4:20
reveals how Steele helped organize and lay the foundation that culminated in Obama’s Iowa victory.
Actually, the metaphor of a political campaign, in its excitement and competitiveness, seems appropriate to Krishna Consciousness. Devotees want to inject the awareness and teachings of Krishna into the hearts and minds of the “voters.” This brief article is a whole mini-course in itself. It glimpses Steele’s methodology and is chock full of important lessons that can be applied both within the Krishna movement as well as for interacting with the general public. The points below emerge as the article unfolds:
1) Think like a local - anticipate, understand and address people’s needs and concerns
2) Build networks based on person to person contact
3) Listen to people to get their advice and feedback
4) Be a problem solver but depend upon Krishna (Steele admits there are things and situations beyond his control - “I can only control what I can control, or I’d spend all day freaking out.”)
5) Focus on your work at hand
6) Delegate responsibility – empower others
7) Inspire people by your words and actions
8) Acknowledge people’s efforts and contributions
9) Thoroughly know your Candidate’s philosophy
10) Don’t speak ill of people (you might need their help in the future)
11) Pay attention to community movers and leaders who can help get others involved (warning: this does not imply that those who don’t appear to be “leaders” should be ignored)
12) Take notes and be sure to follow up
In this way, a devotee can humbly work for his Candidate. As Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of the verse below – “ A Krishna Conscious person acts out of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore he has no attraction for the results of the action.”
“Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.” Gita 4:20
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Mahabharata: Work-In-Progress
For Gita Jayanti I’d like to share my opening of Mahabharata, (Copyrighted, 2007). I’ve been working on the manuscript over the last couple of years. It’s a fast paced, cinematic rendition and is a product of my work in the field of storytelling. Actually, my book is geared toward the storytelling community. Storytelling as an art form is lean and action driven. For a storyteller too much description or embellishment is gratuitous and indulgent. A story unfolds like a Zen painting where so much is suggested by one stroke of the brush.
Last year I was requested to perform a little of Mahabharata at an evening event for the 1000 attendees of the National Storytelling Conference and the response was amazing. In 2005 I received a West Virginia Artist Fellowship Award for literature and my work in storytelling and I’ve gotten several endorsements from that. So I’ve built some momentum and right now I’m half way through the manuscript which, when completed, will clock in at less than 200 pages. In the opening below, a variety of personalities and elements are introduced. For me, it’s sort of an adventure to put it all together and make it available for an American readership. But the work can only be completed, and my efforts can only be successful, with the blessings of the Vaisnavas.
The Mahabharata
“Your sons and their forces are ready, as ready as they’ll ever be,” Sanjaya told the blind king. Dhritarastra listened with both expectancy and with regret, hovering in a world of his own, molded of past and future. If only he had listened to Vidura, it would not have come to this. He feared for his sons. What would happen to them now? If he could, he would make Duryodhan give back all the land he had taken from the Pandavas. But of all his sons, Duryodhan, had always been beyond his control. Surely, Providence would now have its way.
Sanjaya sat in the royal palace at Hastinapura by the side of his king. Though his gaze was drawn within, he looked far beyond the city’s streets and walls. With Vyasa’s gift of mystic vision, Sanjaya beheld the valley of Kurushetra over a hundred miles away. There, as armies prepared for battle, Sanjaya could observe every aspect, and scan every detail. He could hear any conversation and even know someone’s thoughts.
“This is quite unusual,” Sanjaya continued, and then he paused, looking on in disbelief. Dhritarastra impatiently stamped his jeweled cane for attention. “What is it?” he insisted on knowing.
“Yudhisthira has stepped off his chariot. He proceeds eastward across the valley, toward your sons, on foot and unarmed.”
“Unarmed? Does he mean to seek a truce or to surrender?” Dhritarastra inquired. His mind hoped against hope. Could there still be time for reconciliation, for peace?
Yudhisthira walked toward the expanse of enemy warriors. The morning air was crisp. The army Yudhisthira beheld far outnumbered his own. In the distant ranks he spied Bhismadev’s splendid chariot, decorated with a variety of weapons, and headed straight for it. Bhismadev was the respected grandsire of the dynasty, the eldest and wisest. He was also Yudhisthira’s ever well wisher and like a father to him. Even now Bhismadev observed the solitary figure with pride. Yudhisthira took each step with such ease and grace. Bhismadev knew the last thing Yudhisthira wanted was this fight.
Bhismadev, in turn, was surrounded by men impatient for battle, for blood and glory, for the sweet taste of victory. Duryodhan, Dusasana, Karna, Sakuni, and Ashwattama. They had waited years for this moment. The horses drawing their chariots whinnied in anticipation. The nobles snickered upon seeing Yudhisthira approach. Maybe this would be easier than they thought. Had Yudhisthira lost his nerve when he saw the sight of their magnificent forces? After all, he had retreated to the forest to spend thirteen years in exile without a word of complaint.
Bhismadev’s mind drifted away from the moment at hand and settled into the past. How had he let it come to this? A civil war that would rip apart his dynasty. It was the one thing he sought all his life to avoid. His mind wandered back to his youth, and to his father, King Santanu.
Last year I was requested to perform a little of Mahabharata at an evening event for the 1000 attendees of the National Storytelling Conference and the response was amazing. In 2005 I received a West Virginia Artist Fellowship Award for literature and my work in storytelling and I’ve gotten several endorsements from that. So I’ve built some momentum and right now I’m half way through the manuscript which, when completed, will clock in at less than 200 pages. In the opening below, a variety of personalities and elements are introduced. For me, it’s sort of an adventure to put it all together and make it available for an American readership. But the work can only be completed, and my efforts can only be successful, with the blessings of the Vaisnavas.
The Mahabharata
“Your sons and their forces are ready, as ready as they’ll ever be,” Sanjaya told the blind king. Dhritarastra listened with both expectancy and with regret, hovering in a world of his own, molded of past and future. If only he had listened to Vidura, it would not have come to this. He feared for his sons. What would happen to them now? If he could, he would make Duryodhan give back all the land he had taken from the Pandavas. But of all his sons, Duryodhan, had always been beyond his control. Surely, Providence would now have its way.
Sanjaya sat in the royal palace at Hastinapura by the side of his king. Though his gaze was drawn within, he looked far beyond the city’s streets and walls. With Vyasa’s gift of mystic vision, Sanjaya beheld the valley of Kurushetra over a hundred miles away. There, as armies prepared for battle, Sanjaya could observe every aspect, and scan every detail. He could hear any conversation and even know someone’s thoughts.
“This is quite unusual,” Sanjaya continued, and then he paused, looking on in disbelief. Dhritarastra impatiently stamped his jeweled cane for attention. “What is it?” he insisted on knowing.
“Yudhisthira has stepped off his chariot. He proceeds eastward across the valley, toward your sons, on foot and unarmed.”
“Unarmed? Does he mean to seek a truce or to surrender?” Dhritarastra inquired. His mind hoped against hope. Could there still be time for reconciliation, for peace?
Yudhisthira walked toward the expanse of enemy warriors. The morning air was crisp. The army Yudhisthira beheld far outnumbered his own. In the distant ranks he spied Bhismadev’s splendid chariot, decorated with a variety of weapons, and headed straight for it. Bhismadev was the respected grandsire of the dynasty, the eldest and wisest. He was also Yudhisthira’s ever well wisher and like a father to him. Even now Bhismadev observed the solitary figure with pride. Yudhisthira took each step with such ease and grace. Bhismadev knew the last thing Yudhisthira wanted was this fight.
Bhismadev, in turn, was surrounded by men impatient for battle, for blood and glory, for the sweet taste of victory. Duryodhan, Dusasana, Karna, Sakuni, and Ashwattama. They had waited years for this moment. The horses drawing their chariots whinnied in anticipation. The nobles snickered upon seeing Yudhisthira approach. Maybe this would be easier than they thought. Had Yudhisthira lost his nerve when he saw the sight of their magnificent forces? After all, he had retreated to the forest to spend thirteen years in exile without a word of complaint.
Bhismadev’s mind drifted away from the moment at hand and settled into the past. How had he let it come to this? A civil war that would rip apart his dynasty. It was the one thing he sought all his life to avoid. His mind wandered back to his youth, and to his father, King Santanu.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
All They Are Saying Is Give Happiness A Chance
From The New York Times editorial page:(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12mon4.html);
By EDUARDO PORTER
Published: November 12, 2007
The framers of the Declaration of Independence evidently believed that happiness could be achieved, putting its pursuit up there alongside the unalienable rights to life and liberty. Though governments since then have seen life and liberty as deserving of vigorous protection, for all the public policies aimed at increasing economic growth, people have been left to sort out their happiness.
This is an unfortunate omission. Despite all the wealth we have accumulated — increased life expectancy, central heating, plasma TVs and venti-white-chocolate-mocha Frappuccinos — true happiness has lagged our prosperity. As Bobby Kennedy said in a speech at the University of Kansas in March 1968, the nation’s gross national product measures everything “except that which makes life worthwhile.”
The era of laissez-faire happiness might be coming to an end. Some prominent economists and psychologists are looking into ways to measure happiness to draw it into the public policy realm. Thirty years from now, reducing unhappiness could become another target of policy, like cutting poverty.
“This is another outcome that we should be concerned about,” said Alan Krueger, a professor of economics at Princeton who is working to develop a measure of happiness that could be used with other economic indicators. “Just like G.D.P.”
It might be a bit of a political challenge to define happiness as a legitimate policy objective. Imagine the Republican outrage when the umpteenth tax cut didn’t do the trick. Democrats would likely slam the effort as regressive, distracting from efforts to improve the lot of the less fortunate by more conventional measures — like income.
Happiness is clearly real, related to objective measures of well-being. Happier people have lower blood pressure and get fewer colds. But using it to guide policy could be tricky. Not least because we don’t quite understand why it behaves the way it does. Men are unhappiest at almost 50, and women at just after 45. Paraplegics are not unhappier than healthy people. People who live with teenagers are the unhappiest of all.
Happiness seems fairly cheap to manipulate. In one experiment, subjects were asked to answer a questionnaire about personal satisfaction after Xeroxing a sheet of paper. Those who found a dime lying on the Xerox machine reported substantially higher satisfaction with their lives.
Most disconcerting, happiness seems to have little relation to economic achievement, which we have historically understood as the driver of well-being. A notorious study in 1974 found that despite some 30 years worth of stellar economic growth, Americans were no happier than they were at the end of World War II. A more recent study found that life satisfaction in China declined between 1994 and 2007, a period in which average real incomes grew by 250 percent.
Happiness, it appears, adapts. It’s true that the rich are happier, on average, than the poor. But while money boosts happiness, the effect doesn’t last. We just become envious of a new, richer set of people than before. Satisfaction soon settles back to its prior level, as we adapt to changed circumstances and set our expectations to a higher level.
Despite happiness’ apparently Sisyphean nature, there may be ways to increase satisfaction over the long term. While the extra happiness derived from a raise or a winning lottery ticket might be fleeting, studies have found that the happiness people derive from free time or social interaction is less susceptible to comparisons with other people around them. Nonmonetary rewards — like more vacations, or more time with friends or family — are likely to produce more lasting changes in satisfaction.
This swings the door wide open for government intervention. On a small scale, congestion taxes to encourage people to carpool would reduce the distress of the solo morning commute, which apparently drives people nuts.
More broadly, if the object of public policy is to maximize society’s well-being, more attention should be placed on fostering social interactions and less on accumulating wealth. If growing incomes are not increasing happiness, perhaps we should tax incomes more to force us to devote less time and energy to the endeavor and focus instead on the more satisfying pursuit of leisure. One thing seems certain, lining up every policy incentive to strive for higher and higher incomes is just going to make us all miserable. Happiness is one of the things that money just can’t buy.
"One whose happiness is within, who is active within, who rejoices within and is illumined within is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated, and ultimately he attains the Supreme." Gita 5:24
By EDUARDO PORTER
Published: November 12, 2007
The framers of the Declaration of Independence evidently believed that happiness could be achieved, putting its pursuit up there alongside the unalienable rights to life and liberty. Though governments since then have seen life and liberty as deserving of vigorous protection, for all the public policies aimed at increasing economic growth, people have been left to sort out their happiness.
This is an unfortunate omission. Despite all the wealth we have accumulated — increased life expectancy, central heating, plasma TVs and venti-white-chocolate-mocha Frappuccinos — true happiness has lagged our prosperity. As Bobby Kennedy said in a speech at the University of Kansas in March 1968, the nation’s gross national product measures everything “except that which makes life worthwhile.”
The era of laissez-faire happiness might be coming to an end. Some prominent economists and psychologists are looking into ways to measure happiness to draw it into the public policy realm. Thirty years from now, reducing unhappiness could become another target of policy, like cutting poverty.
“This is another outcome that we should be concerned about,” said Alan Krueger, a professor of economics at Princeton who is working to develop a measure of happiness that could be used with other economic indicators. “Just like G.D.P.”
It might be a bit of a political challenge to define happiness as a legitimate policy objective. Imagine the Republican outrage when the umpteenth tax cut didn’t do the trick. Democrats would likely slam the effort as regressive, distracting from efforts to improve the lot of the less fortunate by more conventional measures — like income.
Happiness is clearly real, related to objective measures of well-being. Happier people have lower blood pressure and get fewer colds. But using it to guide policy could be tricky. Not least because we don’t quite understand why it behaves the way it does. Men are unhappiest at almost 50, and women at just after 45. Paraplegics are not unhappier than healthy people. People who live with teenagers are the unhappiest of all.
Happiness seems fairly cheap to manipulate. In one experiment, subjects were asked to answer a questionnaire about personal satisfaction after Xeroxing a sheet of paper. Those who found a dime lying on the Xerox machine reported substantially higher satisfaction with their lives.
Most disconcerting, happiness seems to have little relation to economic achievement, which we have historically understood as the driver of well-being. A notorious study in 1974 found that despite some 30 years worth of stellar economic growth, Americans were no happier than they were at the end of World War II. A more recent study found that life satisfaction in China declined between 1994 and 2007, a period in which average real incomes grew by 250 percent.
Happiness, it appears, adapts. It’s true that the rich are happier, on average, than the poor. But while money boosts happiness, the effect doesn’t last. We just become envious of a new, richer set of people than before. Satisfaction soon settles back to its prior level, as we adapt to changed circumstances and set our expectations to a higher level.
Despite happiness’ apparently Sisyphean nature, there may be ways to increase satisfaction over the long term. While the extra happiness derived from a raise or a winning lottery ticket might be fleeting, studies have found that the happiness people derive from free time or social interaction is less susceptible to comparisons with other people around them. Nonmonetary rewards — like more vacations, or more time with friends or family — are likely to produce more lasting changes in satisfaction.
This swings the door wide open for government intervention. On a small scale, congestion taxes to encourage people to carpool would reduce the distress of the solo morning commute, which apparently drives people nuts.
More broadly, if the object of public policy is to maximize society’s well-being, more attention should be placed on fostering social interactions and less on accumulating wealth. If growing incomes are not increasing happiness, perhaps we should tax incomes more to force us to devote less time and energy to the endeavor and focus instead on the more satisfying pursuit of leisure. One thing seems certain, lining up every policy incentive to strive for higher and higher incomes is just going to make us all miserable. Happiness is one of the things that money just can’t buy.
"One whose happiness is within, who is active within, who rejoices within and is illumined within is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated, and ultimately he attains the Supreme." Gita 5:24
Monday, December 10, 2007
Storytelling - Written and Spoken - For All Ages
My Holiday Sale
All items below are written and produced by yours truly , recipient of WV 2005 Artist Fellowship Award.
Shipping in USA is $3 for 1st item and $1 for each additional item, or $5.00 max on one order. Contact me at story108@juno.com
***1) The Fish Who Wouldn't Stop Growing And Other Wisdom Stories From Ancient India ( 12 Stories) - Book $8
Internationally acclaimed storyteller Laura Simms calls it "A marvelous collection of stories resplendent with meaning, pathos, and joy."
***2) Sacred Voices - stories & meditations from sacred traditions w/music - CD $7
"Your Sacred Voices CD is a treasure. I love your voice." Jennifer Rudick, Storyteller & Workshop Leader
***3) Mahabharata - Story Concert of India's Ancient Epic w/music - Cassette $7
"Your Mahabharata has created a long lasting impression on our minds." Koti Sree Krishna, Hindu Society of Greater Cincinnatti
And Stories To Grow By Booklet Series
Shipping in USA, if only ordering items 4 thru 6, is $2 for 1st item and $1 for 2nd and/or 3rd item, or $3.00 max on order for all three.
***4) Flying Turtles & Frightened Elephants - 7 Stories of Wit & Wisdom From Many Lands (for grades 1 - 3) - $4
***5) The Magic Horn & Other Tales of Enchantment (six stories for grades 3 - 6) - $4
***6) Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - An exciting retelling of Coleridge's epic w/some of Coleridge's original poem sprinkled throughout. I've performed my story version to student's in 5th grade and up with tremendous response. Poem is usually studied in 11th or 12th grade - $4
"What a wonderful collection of stories! Storytellers, librarians, parents, grandparents, and more will be drawn to the simple yet direct style of how the stories are told. What I've seen in other collections doesn't compare to the manner presented here. I would highly recommend this collection to anyone." Kathy Maron-Wood, Senior Librarian, Children's Dept,Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
"This collection of stories is a rich treasure trove of traditional folktales crafted in a way that a child or young reader would want to hear them. The words lift up off the page like the sun rising in one of the stories. I recommend that you take these tales, spend a quiet evening with your kids, and watch the stories come alive." Kevin D. Cordi, Author, Teacher & National Co-Chair of Youth Storytelling Network
"These stories are wonderful, uniting the familiar rhythm of the folktale with liveliness and humor. The author's talent as a performer comes through in these stories, and it is easy to imagine that children would be entranced by hearing or reading these tales. I'm impressed with the author's selection of tales and with the polished nature of his narration." Dr. Julie Pfeiffer, Dept of English, Hollins University, Va.
And also available -
***7) Coaching On Writing, Theater & Storytelling - Hone your writing or performance skills - help with rehearsal techniques, strenghtening the voice, refining your performance or writing, promoting yourself - all at non-stress rates. Have also worked with high school and college students.
"Sankirtana Das is my storytelling guru." Sacinandana Swami
All items below are written and produced by yours truly , recipient of WV 2005 Artist Fellowship Award.
Shipping in USA is $3 for 1st item and $1 for each additional item, or $5.00 max on one order. Contact me at story108@juno.com
***1) The Fish Who Wouldn't Stop Growing And Other Wisdom Stories From Ancient India ( 12 Stories) - Book $8
Internationally acclaimed storyteller Laura Simms calls it "A marvelous collection of stories resplendent with meaning, pathos, and joy."
***2) Sacred Voices - stories & meditations from sacred traditions w/music - CD $7
"Your Sacred Voices CD is a treasure. I love your voice." Jennifer Rudick, Storyteller & Workshop Leader
***3) Mahabharata - Story Concert of India's Ancient Epic w/music - Cassette $7
"Your Mahabharata has created a long lasting impression on our minds." Koti Sree Krishna, Hindu Society of Greater Cincinnatti
And Stories To Grow By Booklet Series
Shipping in USA, if only ordering items 4 thru 6, is $2 for 1st item and $1 for 2nd and/or 3rd item, or $3.00 max on order for all three.
***4) Flying Turtles & Frightened Elephants - 7 Stories of Wit & Wisdom From Many Lands (for grades 1 - 3) - $4
***5) The Magic Horn & Other Tales of Enchantment (six stories for grades 3 - 6) - $4
***6) Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - An exciting retelling of Coleridge's epic w/some of Coleridge's original poem sprinkled throughout. I've performed my story version to student's in 5th grade and up with tremendous response. Poem is usually studied in 11th or 12th grade - $4
"What a wonderful collection of stories! Storytellers, librarians, parents, grandparents, and more will be drawn to the simple yet direct style of how the stories are told. What I've seen in other collections doesn't compare to the manner presented here. I would highly recommend this collection to anyone." Kathy Maron-Wood, Senior Librarian, Children's Dept,Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
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Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Part 2 What the Students Really Thought
Dear Global Leadership Students,
I really enjoyed reading all of the papers. They were thoughtful and candid, and even humorous at times. I’d like to address a few of the points that cropped up in your reflections on your visit to New Vrindaban. I’ll try to keep my responses brief.
Student: “I still think the events of the 80’s and 90’s were beyond creepy, but I don’t think they define the religion.”
Thank you. Yes, the Movement allowed a lot of dumb and illegal things to go on. It is unfortunate and embarrassing. We were very naïve. Prabhupada had asked the devotees not to do anything that would embarrass the Movement. Most of these things happened in the 80’s and were brought to light in the 90’s. I think that devotees are working to right the wrongs and give people a better understanding of the Movement, but it will take a while.
Student: “One must remember that the Hare Krishnas follow Vedic law, and as such, their ideas on women’s roles in society are not exactly up to date.”
There has been, and perhaps still is, some confusion about the role of women because of the contradictory quotes found in Prabhupada’s writings. I think the role of women in the Movement has greatly improved since the 70’s. I don’t know what the official ISKCON position is or if there is one. I think Prabhupada himself broke the mold, so to speak, because he was the first to give brahman initation to women, making them priests. This was never done before.
Here in NV: the GBC rep is a woman; the temple had a woman president for a time; women sit on the executive and managerial boards; they give classes; the two gift shops, the health food store, and the thrift shop are all managed by women. I know several women who also successfully manage their own businesses outside the temple environment. In the devotee marriages that I know, the husband and wife view themselves as equals and share responsibilities of the household. Friendships and conversations do exist between men and women.
Student: “The devotees say you are ‘not your material body’ and ‘gender really is irrelevant,’ then why must men and women separate for kirtans?”
In the temple and in the presence of the monks, the women’s behavior is an indication of modesty, and should not be confused with being subservient. The Vedic understanding is that men have an obligation to protect the women, and women have an obligation to protect the men. Of course that “protection” should not be abusive, obsessive or paranoiac. But mutual protection is necessary to curb the tendency for promiscuous behavior which is blatant in the culture at large.
Student: “I could not understand why such a peaceful group of people would base so much of what they believe around stories of violence.”
The Krishna tradition is by nature peaceful, but it is not against violence per se. The Mahabharata and The Ramayana both describe monumental battles. Both books chronicle the victory of good (dharma) over bad (adharma). Krishna (God) actually treats everyone as a friend. So if someone approaches Him to fight, He will accommodate that person. If someone comes for enlightenment, He’ll enlighten. In whatever way you want, Krishna will reciprocate. Krishna’s activities are like a movie or a dramatic play. The drama creates some tension and conflict to get our attention, and the author will use that as a means to provide us with some food for thought.
Same student continues: “I felt the same way when I went to the farm for cow protection. (he protects the cows but his dog kills groundhogs).”
The Vedic injunctions allow one to use violence to protect one’s family, home and property. Balabhadra, in charge of that project, uses a dog to protect his garden from other animals. At our house, my wife tried having a vegetable garden but it was ravaged by deer and groundhogs. She gave up after two years. But Balabhadra’s lifestyle is more dependent on the land, and for him a vegetable garden is vital. The dog is their family’s assistant and is acknowledged as such. As everyone knows, living and working in the material world is not an easy proposition. So devotees have to utilize their intelligence in applying the Vedic understanding to their particular situation.
Student: “It (the slaying of Ravana) reminded me of something out of Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross.”
The festival in question commemorates the slaying of Ravana by Sri Rama in the pastime of The Ramayana. The burning of the effigy of Ravana celebrates the victory of good over evil. A devotee relishes this event somewhat in the same way Bob Dylan, in his song Masters of War, relishes the death and burial of a wicked man:
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave'
Til I'm sure that you're dead
The main difference is that a devotee doesn’t really hate or condemn anyone. While seeing Ravana burn, a devotee prays that the sinful elements in his own heart will also be burned up and destroyed. A devotee knows that even a wicked man like Ravana, who was chastised by God, is ultimately benefited and purified. So it’s totally inappropriate to compare the festival of the slaying of Ravana to Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross, which are acts of fear and hatred.
Student: “The Krishna lifestyle provided stability to the unstable, spirituality to the skeptic, and love to the lonely.”
I can’t disagree with this statement. I also like the way it’s put; its rhythm and balance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains that the material nature is endlessly mutable. We are eternal beings seeking happiness in a temporary realm. It’s a paradoxical situation. Before I joined the devotees, I was perplexed as to why people struggled so hard to get ahead. I thought, “Even if you’re successful, so what? Is that it?” When I was 20, I sat with a 40ish year old friend in a bar. He was lamenting. He was the editor and publisher of a magazine and he was hoping to be rich and established by 40. He was still struggling. He felt that providence had passed him by and that he was over the hill.
People are desperate to get wealth, sex and fame. Sometimes they compromise whatever principles they have to achieve their goals. But even if you are successful and become rich and famous, the material world is not necessarily going to deliver the happiness you want. There’s a certain allurement to material nature, and the conditioned living being is enamored by the prospects, but they can (and often will) vanish in an instant. It’s no surprise that when people begin to understand the dynamics of the material nature they feel a sense of instability. And yes, Krishna provides stability to the unstable.
Student: “In Judaism one is not supposed to worship anything other than God (and not the statues of Prabhupada and the deities) which may be why I had such a hard time with these two practices.”
I think the hardest thing to understand about Krishna Consciousness is Deity worship. It was for me. But if you look at any religious tradition there is a point where the ‘spiritual’ spills into the ‘material.’ In every religion the church, mosque, and temple (even though made of bricks and timber) is a sacred place or a house of God. The Jews pray at the Wailing Wall. They leave notes there for God. Also, in Juadaism the Torah is kept on the alter. And just as the devotees adorn the Deities of Radha and Krishna with crowns and elaborate dress, in many synagogues the Torah is also adorned with a crown and wrapped in beautiful cloth. And when the Torah is paraded through the congregation everyone wants to kiss the cloth in great reverence, and sometimes they even get on their knees. Some one may look at this and wonder “What are these people doing? It’s just a scroll with some ink on it, wrapped in a piece of cloth!” But the devotees won’t say that this activity is wrong. Actually, it is correct. This is the claim of the Hare Krishnas (as stated in Gita and Bhagavatam) – that God is non different then His scripture, His temple, His name and His form. God is manifested in the material realm through these, and by serving these manifestations of God, one serves God directly. Thus, the Deities, etc, are revered and worshiped.
As for the spiritual master, that person is an ambassador of God. When an ambassador goes to a foreign place, he brings the presence of his own country with him. And the way that ambassador is treated and honored is an indication of what the people think of the country (and its leadership) from which he comes. In such a mood is Srila Prabhupada honored and worshiped.
In closing, I would add that Krishna Consciousness is very deep. You can’t understand everything over night. It’s an ever unfolding adventure and a journey. It’s like going down a wild river or crossing over a mountain range. Don’t let it pass you by so easily. Devotees who have been around for 30 and 40 years are still learning. Lord Brahma, the creator of this universe who has been around millions upon millions of years, still can’t fathom the full extent of Krishna’s personality and powers. If you are inclined, I simply suggest that for this coming year you take some time and continue to study Prabhupada’s books, especially Bhagavad Gita. And chant and meditate upon the Name. Hare Krishna.
I really enjoyed reading all of the papers. They were thoughtful and candid, and even humorous at times. I’d like to address a few of the points that cropped up in your reflections on your visit to New Vrindaban. I’ll try to keep my responses brief.
Student: “I still think the events of the 80’s and 90’s were beyond creepy, but I don’t think they define the religion.”
Thank you. Yes, the Movement allowed a lot of dumb and illegal things to go on. It is unfortunate and embarrassing. We were very naïve. Prabhupada had asked the devotees not to do anything that would embarrass the Movement. Most of these things happened in the 80’s and were brought to light in the 90’s. I think that devotees are working to right the wrongs and give people a better understanding of the Movement, but it will take a while.
Student: “One must remember that the Hare Krishnas follow Vedic law, and as such, their ideas on women’s roles in society are not exactly up to date.”
There has been, and perhaps still is, some confusion about the role of women because of the contradictory quotes found in Prabhupada’s writings. I think the role of women in the Movement has greatly improved since the 70’s. I don’t know what the official ISKCON position is or if there is one. I think Prabhupada himself broke the mold, so to speak, because he was the first to give brahman initation to women, making them priests. This was never done before.
Here in NV: the GBC rep is a woman; the temple had a woman president for a time; women sit on the executive and managerial boards; they give classes; the two gift shops, the health food store, and the thrift shop are all managed by women. I know several women who also successfully manage their own businesses outside the temple environment. In the devotee marriages that I know, the husband and wife view themselves as equals and share responsibilities of the household. Friendships and conversations do exist between men and women.
Student: “The devotees say you are ‘not your material body’ and ‘gender really is irrelevant,’ then why must men and women separate for kirtans?”
In the temple and in the presence of the monks, the women’s behavior is an indication of modesty, and should not be confused with being subservient. The Vedic understanding is that men have an obligation to protect the women, and women have an obligation to protect the men. Of course that “protection” should not be abusive, obsessive or paranoiac. But mutual protection is necessary to curb the tendency for promiscuous behavior which is blatant in the culture at large.
Student: “I could not understand why such a peaceful group of people would base so much of what they believe around stories of violence.”
The Krishna tradition is by nature peaceful, but it is not against violence per se. The Mahabharata and The Ramayana both describe monumental battles. Both books chronicle the victory of good (dharma) over bad (adharma). Krishna (God) actually treats everyone as a friend. So if someone approaches Him to fight, He will accommodate that person. If someone comes for enlightenment, He’ll enlighten. In whatever way you want, Krishna will reciprocate. Krishna’s activities are like a movie or a dramatic play. The drama creates some tension and conflict to get our attention, and the author will use that as a means to provide us with some food for thought.
Same student continues: “I felt the same way when I went to the farm for cow protection. (he protects the cows but his dog kills groundhogs).”
The Vedic injunctions allow one to use violence to protect one’s family, home and property. Balabhadra, in charge of that project, uses a dog to protect his garden from other animals. At our house, my wife tried having a vegetable garden but it was ravaged by deer and groundhogs. She gave up after two years. But Balabhadra’s lifestyle is more dependent on the land, and for him a vegetable garden is vital. The dog is their family’s assistant and is acknowledged as such. As everyone knows, living and working in the material world is not an easy proposition. So devotees have to utilize their intelligence in applying the Vedic understanding to their particular situation.
Student: “It (the slaying of Ravana) reminded me of something out of Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross.”
The festival in question commemorates the slaying of Ravana by Sri Rama in the pastime of The Ramayana. The burning of the effigy of Ravana celebrates the victory of good over evil. A devotee relishes this event somewhat in the same way Bob Dylan, in his song Masters of War, relishes the death and burial of a wicked man:
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave'
Til I'm sure that you're dead
The main difference is that a devotee doesn’t really hate or condemn anyone. While seeing Ravana burn, a devotee prays that the sinful elements in his own heart will also be burned up and destroyed. A devotee knows that even a wicked man like Ravana, who was chastised by God, is ultimately benefited and purified. So it’s totally inappropriate to compare the festival of the slaying of Ravana to Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross, which are acts of fear and hatred.
Student: “The Krishna lifestyle provided stability to the unstable, spirituality to the skeptic, and love to the lonely.”
I can’t disagree with this statement. I also like the way it’s put; its rhythm and balance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains that the material nature is endlessly mutable. We are eternal beings seeking happiness in a temporary realm. It’s a paradoxical situation. Before I joined the devotees, I was perplexed as to why people struggled so hard to get ahead. I thought, “Even if you’re successful, so what? Is that it?” When I was 20, I sat with a 40ish year old friend in a bar. He was lamenting. He was the editor and publisher of a magazine and he was hoping to be rich and established by 40. He was still struggling. He felt that providence had passed him by and that he was over the hill.
People are desperate to get wealth, sex and fame. Sometimes they compromise whatever principles they have to achieve their goals. But even if you are successful and become rich and famous, the material world is not necessarily going to deliver the happiness you want. There’s a certain allurement to material nature, and the conditioned living being is enamored by the prospects, but they can (and often will) vanish in an instant. It’s no surprise that when people begin to understand the dynamics of the material nature they feel a sense of instability. And yes, Krishna provides stability to the unstable.
Student: “In Judaism one is not supposed to worship anything other than God (and not the statues of Prabhupada and the deities) which may be why I had such a hard time with these two practices.”
I think the hardest thing to understand about Krishna Consciousness is Deity worship. It was for me. But if you look at any religious tradition there is a point where the ‘spiritual’ spills into the ‘material.’ In every religion the church, mosque, and temple (even though made of bricks and timber) is a sacred place or a house of God. The Jews pray at the Wailing Wall. They leave notes there for God. Also, in Juadaism the Torah is kept on the alter. And just as the devotees adorn the Deities of Radha and Krishna with crowns and elaborate dress, in many synagogues the Torah is also adorned with a crown and wrapped in beautiful cloth. And when the Torah is paraded through the congregation everyone wants to kiss the cloth in great reverence, and sometimes they even get on their knees. Some one may look at this and wonder “What are these people doing? It’s just a scroll with some ink on it, wrapped in a piece of cloth!” But the devotees won’t say that this activity is wrong. Actually, it is correct. This is the claim of the Hare Krishnas (as stated in Gita and Bhagavatam) – that God is non different then His scripture, His temple, His name and His form. God is manifested in the material realm through these, and by serving these manifestations of God, one serves God directly. Thus, the Deities, etc, are revered and worshiped.
As for the spiritual master, that person is an ambassador of God. When an ambassador goes to a foreign place, he brings the presence of his own country with him. And the way that ambassador is treated and honored is an indication of what the people think of the country (and its leadership) from which he comes. In such a mood is Srila Prabhupada honored and worshiped.
In closing, I would add that Krishna Consciousness is very deep. You can’t understand everything over night. It’s an ever unfolding adventure and a journey. It’s like going down a wild river or crossing over a mountain range. Don’t let it pass you by so easily. Devotees who have been around for 30 and 40 years are still learning. Lord Brahma, the creator of this universe who has been around millions upon millions of years, still can’t fathom the full extent of Krishna’s personality and powers. If you are inclined, I simply suggest that for this coming year you take some time and continue to study Prabhupada’s books, especially Bhagavad Gita. And chant and meditate upon the Name. Hare Krishna.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
What The College Students Really Thought About New Vrindaban
PART 1
Introduction
In October a group of about 25 students, along with their professors, visited New Vrindaban (NV). They were part of the Global Leadership Project at Ohio University. For their fall project, the students broke into groups of three and each group was assigned a devotee to interview and to write a paper on their devotee’s Conversion Experience. Caitanya dasa made sure that the devotees consisted of men and women, as well as older and newer devotees. Each group of students conducted several phone interviews with their devotee.
Also, for a month before their visit, the students extensively researched NV and gathered information from various sources. A number of students even read Monkey On A Stick. Then, for a weekend in October, the students actually visited NV to get a close up view of the community and also to meet their respective devotees.
Recently, professor Greg Emery forwarded me papers of the students’ reflections of their visit to the community. I thought the raw candor of their observations would be valuable to take a look at in helping devotees to understand how some visitors view the community. The following excerpts are from those student papers.
Please also see my comments in END NOTES after the excerpts.
In a few months, the papers the student groups wrote on their devotees’ Conversion Experience will appear on the Harvard Pluralism Project website at Pluralism.org
******
Comments About the Devotion of the Devotees
“Touring the Temple and Palace I was able to see the result of pure faith in one’s God. I can only hope to achieve something as magnificent as a result in my faith in something.”
“The practices of bhakti yoga, vegetarianism, as well as many other nuances of the religion were apparent in every single devotees’ life.”
“They offered love and a genuine sense of care for your well being… Once you ask them about the religion, they won’t hesitate to talk your ear off.”
“I appreciated the session on etiquette… the discussion helped me see that the Hare Krishna’s were not much different than anyone else, and that was very important to me… I wish the devotees the best of luck in their futures.”
“I could see that Chris is truly devoted to his religion. It’s amazing to me how much he knows about it, and I have been a Catholic all my life and still do not know some aspects of it.”
“It was amazing to see how dedicated and passionate Tapahpunja was about gardening and agriculture.”
“Getting a tour and talking with a women (Jamuna) who seemed to have a great influence on the community and who had been there for a long time was nice.”
“The most enjoyable part of the trip for me was the meditation during Damodar’s yoga class. It seems that each Hare Krishna, just like everyone else, has their own way to worship and practice their faith.”
About Kirtana and Dancing
“We saw the devotees having a blast and decided to join in and just by our participation they were successful in getting us engaged in their religion.”
“I was a bit unnerved at the fact that devotees would pull in non-participating people and force then into kirtana with them… Everyone knew they were welcome to join in if they wanted to…The chanting and dancing was fun. The kirtanas reminded me of taking communion in my church… the Hare Krishna faith is not far off from Christianity.”
“The chanting and dancing was simply a blast… Megan had said that the chanting and dancing made the dedication to Hare Krishna real, and now I knew what she meant… I found people extremely dedicated to their religion.”
“I danced and chanted my heart out in the Lord’s name…it felt good to let loose…I felt a sense of disconnectedness from everything else in the world… I was in the Hare Krishna “zone. … it felt tribal… far different from anything I have ever experienced inside a Catholic church.”
“Christianity on steroids.”
“Listening and dancing brought me great joy.”
“The trip seemed like a camping excursion, just with a lot more dancing and chanting to sweeten the deal.”
“I liked dancing with the Krishnas. It seemed to bring the temple alive, and for a moment I felt like I could understand their faith….. like a really, really bad camp that was the result of your parents’ good intentions.”
About the Role of Women
“One must remember that the Hare Krishnas follow Vedic law, and as such, their ideas on women’s roles in society are not exactly up to date.”
“I was disappointed when I found that there was no real place in religious hierarchies for independent, forward thinking women.”
“I felt like the only purpose for the women in this religion is to procreate and nothing more.”
“Hare Krishna is a very male dominated religion. Many of the women did not take part in the dancing.”
“I found it frustrating that men could express themselves more freely then women. I could never live in a community like NV… Listening and dancing brought me great joy… I felt somewhat sad. We were leaving this exotic place to return to the ‘real world.’”
Students’ Reflections On Their Visit
“An unforgettable journey ripe with valuable life lessons, unique encounters and cultural education.”
“I have a respect for the Hare Krishna religion, favorable acquaintances with several devotees, and an understanding of the lifestyle.”
“At the Palace rose garden, Chaitanya das held a rose in his hand and said, how could something like this exist without God? A little seed, some water, and then it rises from the dirt to be one of the most beautiful things, with a wonderful smell unlike any other… it did make me look at the beautiful surroundings of NV in a new way.”
“I appreciated what the Krishna Movement showed me about discipline… self discipline is one of the most rewarding qualities to have…it has helped me to be more aware of what discipline can bring to your life… I was able to pet a cow, experience a variety of new foods, meet some interesting people – fun stuff…New Vrindaban showed me another religious walk of life and helped me to experience it…”
“I loved the visit because I was able to gather thoughts and opinions by myself without having anything pushed on me…I will always have a certain attraction for the movement, but the weekend showed me that it was not for everyone. Hare Krishna.”
“My experiences were both enjoyable and challenging. It seemed that there was nothing that was not mentally stimulating …Completely out of my comfort zone to be worshiping false Gods… Krpamaya’s explanation changed me from seeing the deities as elaborately dressed dolls to statues that held a certain amount of credibility… 85% of the time I felt generally “creeped out.”
“My experience at NV was stranger than any other experience I’ve ever had…I talked with one devotee about the possibility of converting to Hare Krishna…They are living a life style that I could never imagine for myself, and I greatly respect them for their dedication and patience.”
“Even though I do not believe in the Deities, the devotees’ devotion and apparent love for them was inspiring.”
“The constant lecturing which continued throughout the weekend was probably the part I disliked the most…The Krishna lifestyle provided stability to the unstable, spirituality to the skeptic, and love to the lonely…there were things I did enjoy about the religion…the trip was one I will never forget or regret.”
“The devotees are charismatic, charming and fantastic storytellers. I value many of their philosophies and appreciate their sense of happiness. Nevertheless, I do not find myself converting to become a Hare Krishna anytime soon.”
“I have gained a better understanding of the religion, its practices, devotees, and unique qualities… but I would not say I would give NV a ‘glowing report.’”
“I in no way want to convert, but was able to understand why it was attractive to some people. I am not sure if I had a spiritual awakening, but it definitely was a spiritual vacation.”
“I would have liked to have more free time to walk around and talk to people rather than sitting and listening to lectures.”
“I came home exhausted, hungry, sore, and desperately wanting to eat something that was recently alive.”
“Go ahead and ask my bank teller, she can tell you all about New Vrindaban!”
"I felt welcomed and accepted despite living a life in almost perfect contrast to theirs."
About NV’s Past
“So it was never proven that the people of NV actually killed someone, but even a suspected murder was enough to put fear in my mind.”
“No murders had recently been committed…”
“I have to admit, I was a little scared and really didn’t know what to expect at all… I have gained a better understanding of the religion, it’s practices, devotees and unique qualities.”
“I had my doubts about Hare Krishna and NV… while some doubts were subsided, many still remain.”
“The experience was something I both anticipated and slightly dreaded…a week before our visit, I started to get a nagging sense of fear and trepidation… despite the worry, I came away from NV with a totally different perspective….I still think the events of the 80’s and 90’s were beyond creepy, but I don’t think they define the religion. The people we met were so open and willing to answer all our questions about the faith… I never felt I was being judged nor that the devotees were interested in converting me to their religion.”
“Nothing gave me the impression of a “cult-like” community… you can’t be a moderate Krishna like you can with Christianity…. I developed a respect for the Hare Krishna religion.”
About the Prasadam
“Although I enjoyed the food, I found the taste to be relatively bland in much of it.”
“Some of the food was not good at all. I really expected it to be amazing, (because of what I heard about Balaram Chandra’s cooking class on campus).”
“The food and people were fantastic aspects of my visit.”
“The prasadam reminded me of Christianity…just like when you eat the bread and drink the wine in Church, you are taking Christ into your body.”
“They served good food and the people were friendly.”
“Pretty much lunch was inedible.”
About the Cows
“Though I am not currently a vegetarian, the man (Balabhadra at ISCOWP) who led us around was very convincing. I wish that people everywhere would treat animals the way this man’s whole philosophy was about just loving cows and treating them with respect.”
“I was enthralled to actually get to pet and hug a cow and felt relaxed in the presence of this gentle giant….Walking through the grove with the cows made me feel happy and like there wasn’t anything else in the world going on. The idea that the cows were so gentle because they were treated with love and kindness was such a great message to take home.”
“Seeing a cow that huge up close was awesome.”
About the Skit for the Students
“The ‘spontaneous drama’ was blatant and over the top… about as subtle as the broad side of a barn… I felt overly proselytized to.”
“The event that really put me off was the small skit the devotees put on…. I found it offensive the way they portrayed students as drunken idiots and liars. I didn’t appreciate they way they singled us out…. Overall, visiting NV was a positive, life changing experience.”
“I was offended by the skit. It was painfully obvious that it was directed toward the students.”
About the Slaying Of Ravana
“The slaying of the devil was absurd and meaningless to an outsider.”
“I found it disturbing.”
“It seemed very cultish when everyone started to dance around the fire and scream the mantra… Overall it was an interesting and insightful weekend.”
“I didn’t like it at all … the message to kill contradicts my understanding of Vedic beliefs. It reminded me of something out of Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross.”
“It was so much fun.”
END NOTES
The majority of the students walked away from their visit to NV with a positive experience. I think, if nothing else, the students (except for perhaps one or two) accepted the movement as a bona fide and respected religious tradition. It was great to see how often the students mentioned “Hare Krishna” in their papers.
It’s important to understand that even if someone has a negative comment or attitude, it doesn’t mean that they are against the movement or don’t appreciate it.. Some students went from negative or suspicious to favorable (i.e. one student wrote: “I found it frustrating that men could express themselves more freely then women. I could never live in a community like NV… Listening and dancing brought me great joy… I felt somewhat sad. We were leaving this exotic place to return to the ‘real world.’ “).
So we shouldn’t feel threatened by someone’s negativity, or feel that we have to defeat that negativity with argument. Usually people’s remarks are not inimical, but are made innocently. It’s important not to be annoyed by it, but to deal with each person patiently. Just imagine how patient Srila Prabhupada was with us. Dealing with so many guests, the devotees here in NV are especially cordial. The students appreciated the devotees’ hospitality and many commented on this (i.e.: “I felt welcomed and accepted despite living a life in almost perfect contrast to theirs.”).
Prabhupada wanted devotees to present Krishna Consciousness (KC) to academia. We have to use our intelligence in presenting various issues so that we can truly help people to consider applying KC in their lives. Also, anyone you talk to will in turn go home and talk to numerous people about their visit (i.e. “Go ahead and ask my bank teller, she can tell you all about New Vrindaban!”).
Work out a strategy and make sure all the devotees are on the same page. It was embarrassing to have a couple of devotees with little theater know how try to stage an impromptu skit for the visitors. If its important enough to do, than take time to prepare it properly. We can see from student comments about the skit that throwing something together in the last minute is actually counter productive.
Engage people in KC experiences. On one hand two or three students commented about excessive lectures and talks, but when we did not sufficiently explain about the slaying of Ravana, many students were critical of the event because they didn’t understand it. I take responsibility for this oversight. We need to have a balance in giving people both a proper understanding and the KC experience. And lastly, make sure prasadam is first class since taking prasadam is an important KC experience.
In PART 2 I will address some of the students' concerns and questions.
Introduction
In October a group of about 25 students, along with their professors, visited New Vrindaban (NV). They were part of the Global Leadership Project at Ohio University. For their fall project, the students broke into groups of three and each group was assigned a devotee to interview and to write a paper on their devotee’s Conversion Experience. Caitanya dasa made sure that the devotees consisted of men and women, as well as older and newer devotees. Each group of students conducted several phone interviews with their devotee.
Also, for a month before their visit, the students extensively researched NV and gathered information from various sources. A number of students even read Monkey On A Stick. Then, for a weekend in October, the students actually visited NV to get a close up view of the community and also to meet their respective devotees.
Recently, professor Greg Emery forwarded me papers of the students’ reflections of their visit to the community. I thought the raw candor of their observations would be valuable to take a look at in helping devotees to understand how some visitors view the community. The following excerpts are from those student papers.
Please also see my comments in END NOTES after the excerpts.
In a few months, the papers the student groups wrote on their devotees’ Conversion Experience will appear on the Harvard Pluralism Project website at Pluralism.org
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Comments About the Devotion of the Devotees
“Touring the Temple and Palace I was able to see the result of pure faith in one’s God. I can only hope to achieve something as magnificent as a result in my faith in something.”
“The practices of bhakti yoga, vegetarianism, as well as many other nuances of the religion were apparent in every single devotees’ life.”
“They offered love and a genuine sense of care for your well being… Once you ask them about the religion, they won’t hesitate to talk your ear off.”
“I appreciated the session on etiquette… the discussion helped me see that the Hare Krishna’s were not much different than anyone else, and that was very important to me… I wish the devotees the best of luck in their futures.”
“I could see that Chris is truly devoted to his religion. It’s amazing to me how much he knows about it, and I have been a Catholic all my life and still do not know some aspects of it.”
“It was amazing to see how dedicated and passionate Tapahpunja was about gardening and agriculture.”
“Getting a tour and talking with a women (Jamuna) who seemed to have a great influence on the community and who had been there for a long time was nice.”
“The most enjoyable part of the trip for me was the meditation during Damodar’s yoga class. It seems that each Hare Krishna, just like everyone else, has their own way to worship and practice their faith.”
About Kirtana and Dancing
“We saw the devotees having a blast and decided to join in and just by our participation they were successful in getting us engaged in their religion.”
“I was a bit unnerved at the fact that devotees would pull in non-participating people and force then into kirtana with them… Everyone knew they were welcome to join in if they wanted to…The chanting and dancing was fun. The kirtanas reminded me of taking communion in my church… the Hare Krishna faith is not far off from Christianity.”
“The chanting and dancing was simply a blast… Megan had said that the chanting and dancing made the dedication to Hare Krishna real, and now I knew what she meant… I found people extremely dedicated to their religion.”
“I danced and chanted my heart out in the Lord’s name…it felt good to let loose…I felt a sense of disconnectedness from everything else in the world… I was in the Hare Krishna “zone. … it felt tribal… far different from anything I have ever experienced inside a Catholic church.”
“Christianity on steroids.”
“Listening and dancing brought me great joy.”
“The trip seemed like a camping excursion, just with a lot more dancing and chanting to sweeten the deal.”
“I liked dancing with the Krishnas. It seemed to bring the temple alive, and for a moment I felt like I could understand their faith….. like a really, really bad camp that was the result of your parents’ good intentions.”
About the Role of Women
“One must remember that the Hare Krishnas follow Vedic law, and as such, their ideas on women’s roles in society are not exactly up to date.”
“I was disappointed when I found that there was no real place in religious hierarchies for independent, forward thinking women.”
“I felt like the only purpose for the women in this religion is to procreate and nothing more.”
“Hare Krishna is a very male dominated religion. Many of the women did not take part in the dancing.”
“I found it frustrating that men could express themselves more freely then women. I could never live in a community like NV… Listening and dancing brought me great joy… I felt somewhat sad. We were leaving this exotic place to return to the ‘real world.’”
Students’ Reflections On Their Visit
“An unforgettable journey ripe with valuable life lessons, unique encounters and cultural education.”
“I have a respect for the Hare Krishna religion, favorable acquaintances with several devotees, and an understanding of the lifestyle.”
“At the Palace rose garden, Chaitanya das held a rose in his hand and said, how could something like this exist without God? A little seed, some water, and then it rises from the dirt to be one of the most beautiful things, with a wonderful smell unlike any other… it did make me look at the beautiful surroundings of NV in a new way.”
“I appreciated what the Krishna Movement showed me about discipline… self discipline is one of the most rewarding qualities to have…it has helped me to be more aware of what discipline can bring to your life… I was able to pet a cow, experience a variety of new foods, meet some interesting people – fun stuff…New Vrindaban showed me another religious walk of life and helped me to experience it…”
“I loved the visit because I was able to gather thoughts and opinions by myself without having anything pushed on me…I will always have a certain attraction for the movement, but the weekend showed me that it was not for everyone. Hare Krishna.”
“My experiences were both enjoyable and challenging. It seemed that there was nothing that was not mentally stimulating …Completely out of my comfort zone to be worshiping false Gods… Krpamaya’s explanation changed me from seeing the deities as elaborately dressed dolls to statues that held a certain amount of credibility… 85% of the time I felt generally “creeped out.”
“My experience at NV was stranger than any other experience I’ve ever had…I talked with one devotee about the possibility of converting to Hare Krishna…They are living a life style that I could never imagine for myself, and I greatly respect them for their dedication and patience.”
“Even though I do not believe in the Deities, the devotees’ devotion and apparent love for them was inspiring.”
“The constant lecturing which continued throughout the weekend was probably the part I disliked the most…The Krishna lifestyle provided stability to the unstable, spirituality to the skeptic, and love to the lonely…there were things I did enjoy about the religion…the trip was one I will never forget or regret.”
“The devotees are charismatic, charming and fantastic storytellers. I value many of their philosophies and appreciate their sense of happiness. Nevertheless, I do not find myself converting to become a Hare Krishna anytime soon.”
“I have gained a better understanding of the religion, its practices, devotees, and unique qualities… but I would not say I would give NV a ‘glowing report.’”
“I in no way want to convert, but was able to understand why it was attractive to some people. I am not sure if I had a spiritual awakening, but it definitely was a spiritual vacation.”
“I would have liked to have more free time to walk around and talk to people rather than sitting and listening to lectures.”
“I came home exhausted, hungry, sore, and desperately wanting to eat something that was recently alive.”
“Go ahead and ask my bank teller, she can tell you all about New Vrindaban!”
"I felt welcomed and accepted despite living a life in almost perfect contrast to theirs."
About NV’s Past
“So it was never proven that the people of NV actually killed someone, but even a suspected murder was enough to put fear in my mind.”
“No murders had recently been committed…”
“I have to admit, I was a little scared and really didn’t know what to expect at all… I have gained a better understanding of the religion, it’s practices, devotees and unique qualities.”
“I had my doubts about Hare Krishna and NV… while some doubts were subsided, many still remain.”
“The experience was something I both anticipated and slightly dreaded…a week before our visit, I started to get a nagging sense of fear and trepidation… despite the worry, I came away from NV with a totally different perspective….I still think the events of the 80’s and 90’s were beyond creepy, but I don’t think they define the religion. The people we met were so open and willing to answer all our questions about the faith… I never felt I was being judged nor that the devotees were interested in converting me to their religion.”
“Nothing gave me the impression of a “cult-like” community… you can’t be a moderate Krishna like you can with Christianity…. I developed a respect for the Hare Krishna religion.”
About the Prasadam
“Although I enjoyed the food, I found the taste to be relatively bland in much of it.”
“Some of the food was not good at all. I really expected it to be amazing, (because of what I heard about Balaram Chandra’s cooking class on campus).”
“The food and people were fantastic aspects of my visit.”
“The prasadam reminded me of Christianity…just like when you eat the bread and drink the wine in Church, you are taking Christ into your body.”
“They served good food and the people were friendly.”
“Pretty much lunch was inedible.”
About the Cows
“Though I am not currently a vegetarian, the man (Balabhadra at ISCOWP) who led us around was very convincing. I wish that people everywhere would treat animals the way this man’s whole philosophy was about just loving cows and treating them with respect.”
“I was enthralled to actually get to pet and hug a cow and felt relaxed in the presence of this gentle giant….Walking through the grove with the cows made me feel happy and like there wasn’t anything else in the world going on. The idea that the cows were so gentle because they were treated with love and kindness was such a great message to take home.”
“Seeing a cow that huge up close was awesome.”
About the Skit for the Students
“The ‘spontaneous drama’ was blatant and over the top… about as subtle as the broad side of a barn… I felt overly proselytized to.”
“The event that really put me off was the small skit the devotees put on…. I found it offensive the way they portrayed students as drunken idiots and liars. I didn’t appreciate they way they singled us out…. Overall, visiting NV was a positive, life changing experience.”
“I was offended by the skit. It was painfully obvious that it was directed toward the students.”
About the Slaying Of Ravana
“The slaying of the devil was absurd and meaningless to an outsider.”
“I found it disturbing.”
“It seemed very cultish when everyone started to dance around the fire and scream the mantra… Overall it was an interesting and insightful weekend.”
“I didn’t like it at all … the message to kill contradicts my understanding of Vedic beliefs. It reminded me of something out of Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross.”
“It was so much fun.”
END NOTES
The majority of the students walked away from their visit to NV with a positive experience. I think, if nothing else, the students (except for perhaps one or two) accepted the movement as a bona fide and respected religious tradition. It was great to see how often the students mentioned “Hare Krishna” in their papers.
It’s important to understand that even if someone has a negative comment or attitude, it doesn’t mean that they are against the movement or don’t appreciate it.. Some students went from negative or suspicious to favorable (i.e. one student wrote: “I found it frustrating that men could express themselves more freely then women. I could never live in a community like NV… Listening and dancing brought me great joy… I felt somewhat sad. We were leaving this exotic place to return to the ‘real world.’ “).
So we shouldn’t feel threatened by someone’s negativity, or feel that we have to defeat that negativity with argument. Usually people’s remarks are not inimical, but are made innocently. It’s important not to be annoyed by it, but to deal with each person patiently. Just imagine how patient Srila Prabhupada was with us. Dealing with so many guests, the devotees here in NV are especially cordial. The students appreciated the devotees’ hospitality and many commented on this (i.e.: “I felt welcomed and accepted despite living a life in almost perfect contrast to theirs.”).
Prabhupada wanted devotees to present Krishna Consciousness (KC) to academia. We have to use our intelligence in presenting various issues so that we can truly help people to consider applying KC in their lives. Also, anyone you talk to will in turn go home and talk to numerous people about their visit (i.e. “Go ahead and ask my bank teller, she can tell you all about New Vrindaban!”).
Work out a strategy and make sure all the devotees are on the same page. It was embarrassing to have a couple of devotees with little theater know how try to stage an impromptu skit for the visitors. If its important enough to do, than take time to prepare it properly. We can see from student comments about the skit that throwing something together in the last minute is actually counter productive.
Engage people in KC experiences. On one hand two or three students commented about excessive lectures and talks, but when we did not sufficiently explain about the slaying of Ravana, many students were critical of the event because they didn’t understand it. I take responsibility for this oversight. We need to have a balance in giving people both a proper understanding and the KC experience. And lastly, make sure prasadam is first class since taking prasadam is an important KC experience.
In PART 2 I will address some of the students' concerns and questions.
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