Have you got Character?

Currently we have 15 very successful Krishna Consciousness Socieites all over the UK, attracting students from all different backgrounds and walks of life, it is truly a unique thing.

Just two days ago we had a very powerful event at City University, based on "Character Development" as the focus. The highlighted points were personal definitions of character; how character is tested and what is required to develop character.

We discussed current real life examples who are dominating the news and media. The first name that came to mind was Lewis Hamilton. Youngest ever winner of the F1.

He has shown great character to get to where he is today. People may have been more skilled, not believed in him etc, however due to his strong character he has achieved his goal. His character and skill will now be put to the test when he has to once again prove himself as a great driver.

Another good example is Barack Obama. He has taken over one of the most influential and powerful countries in the world, at the moment things may seem bright but will his character be up to the test to deal with criticism, change, unsupportive nations and other crisis that are bound to come.

And finally, it's ok when you're winning. Everyone's best of friends and supporting each other but true test and strength of character comes when placed in difficulties. For example Chelsea got thrashed (3-1 wohooo) this week. All these points make people realise that having skills, qualifications, attributes, good looks can only get you soo far but your character and desire to develop character will take you further and this can only be achieved in co-operation with the supreme person, Lord Krishna.

Please contact me if you are interested in knowing more about the University Socieites.

Or for more information check out:

http://www.krishnasoc.com/
http://www.tattva.co.uk/

A Visit to the "Dirty South"

So recently I had the great fortune of facilitating a session entitled 'What a Wonderful World' in Crawley, or the "Dirty South" as us Northeners like to refer to them as. I was clever because I did not drive down myself (they steal stuff in Crawley); I hid my watch under my sleeve and tucked mu tulsi beads in. Reaching the event safely we had an interactive discussion; great music and food all in a really nice, chilled out environment. There were some really deep, some really funny and some really inquisitive questions from the members and all in all it was a great night out in the dirty south.

The points highlighted in the discussion were choosing between material and spiritual happiness; long term and short term gain; and how to practically improve our day to day lives.

They're hoping to buy there own centre soon due to their growing support and enthusiasm from the young people taking on more responsibility in thier Krishna Consciousness. It is so inspiring to see everyone working together to spread the happiness which everyone in the world is undoubtedly looking for!

Please keep it up! Hope to see you guys again soon!

The 'tourist guy'

Whilst browsing the internet for pictures for Uni and Jamming posters I came across this image which I hadn't seen for quite a while. Look familiar? Ok, i'll tell the story once again...

Soon after 9/11 an image showing a tourist while an airliner was about to hit the building beneath him circulated on the Internet. It was claimed that the picture came from a camera found in the debris at Ground Zero. The 'tourist guy' as it was called became an Internet phenomenon and was world famous through the circulation of multiple e-mails.

Here comes the punchline...The picture won a best photoshopped picture contest. Can we still trust the camera? With Photoshop, you can now actually make pigs fly and it will take a skilled eye to tell whether any of them is true.

While that might be a creative opportunity for artistic photographers and designers, for news editors, it can all be a bit of a nightmare and for readers too when the photos skip the newspapers and land straight in your mailbox.

Doesn't it feel like 9/11 was just yesterday? It is still heavily talked about in the media, in schools, in politics (look even I'm still talking about it).

Like the image of the 'tourist guy' above Maya fools us to believe things are real when they're actually not. Maya makes things seem so believable and true (like the image above) and can only be spotted doing this by a trained eye (as mentioned above).

We have to train our minds through Krishna Conscious activities so that we can differentiate very clearly between Krishna and Maya. Especially in this age of Kali, Maya will continue to think of new ways to entagle us but we have to stay fixed and not fall for her trick.

As you can probably guess from the image I'm a big United fan. Most of you are probably thinking he's one of them...but NO! I'm not one of those glory hunters, I was actually at the Nou Camp when United won the treble (jealous aren't you?). Anyway Recently one of my mates from University went to watch the Arsenal Vs. Newcastle game and was telling me what an exciting mtach it was, the atmosphere, the live game, the intensity and from there I realised how similar it was to what I usually do....but at the temple.

Football fans have a place of worship..their stadium like Old Trafford, The Emirates etc and we have our place of worship...the temple! Football fans wear the colours of their team to show their support and show pride in their tradition..we wear dhotis, sari's(for the girls) and tilak to please their Lordships and represent our practices, beliefs and culture. Football fans chant the names of their players, victory songs, chants for when they score to boost their teams moral and show their support..we chant the holy names of Krsna! Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

We can notice here that the same process is used to try to make us happy, the difference is one has Krsna in the centre. All we have to do is place Krsna in the centre of our activities and our lives will be come successful. When discussing this analogy in a boys sangha, Nanda Gopa Prabhu also added a very nice point, that box seats, to get up close to the sports stars that you love are not cheap and supporters pay a hefty sum for these locations. Similarly, spiritual advancement and realisation is not cheap and we must take to Krsna Consciousness sincerely and seriously and Krsna will reciprocate unlimitedly...and you will be a winner..your team could lose on any day.

Free Running - Overcoming Obstacles

'Free running' is one of the fastest growing physical arts in which participants (free-runners) use the urban and rural areas to perform movements through its structures focused on freedom and beauty. Jumping, leaping, diving and surviving, they travel rapidly using modern acrobatics and street stunts over what would seem to the untrained eye an obstacle or blockage in the normal path. I did something very similar recently, not on the streets but in the mind.

It's been a long time since my last blog. Maybe because a lot has happened since then. Krishna's blessings and tests come in all shapes and sizes (like buildings and walls) but the defining factor is the way in which we deal with them. Through innovative techniques, stable discipline and positive focus the 'Free runners' overcome such dangerous obstacles. Our attitude is more important than we think and with it we can change something we feel is negative into something incredibly positive. If we see all good and bad things happening as a reason to take more shelter of Krishna then our life can be successful. No matter wether something looks simple or difficult the 'Free runners' find a way of overcoming the scenario intelligently. Summer is nearly coming to an end but it's usually a time when everyone's smiling, happy and enjoying life..well usually. And in these times we often get so carried away we don't think about God, Krishna or anything else for that matter. If instead we took out some time to thank Krishna and try to understand that everything going well is only due to Krishna's will and not our own doing then we can please Krishna. Because we all know that no matter how hard we try to make things right in life most of the time they just don't work out which shows us that someone else is in control. But if we acknowledge and appreciate the person in control, Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our dearest, closest and best friend then he is pleased and we are also happy because we have pleased him. When put up against a slightly more difficult situation we may not be able to see a way over it or reasoning behind it but once again by taking more shelter of Krishna we are able to cleverly tackle the situation at hand.

So how to take more shelter of Krishna you may ask? The best way is through the ABCD of Krisna Consciousness. ASSOCIATION - Spending more time with devotees, discussing Krishna Consciousness topics and regular conversations about life and how to improve. BOOKS - Srila Prabhupada has given us an abundance of Krishna through his books with philosophy, pastimes and prayers. CHANTING - "If one chants the holy name of the Lord, 'even in a helpless condition or without desiring to do so, all the reactions of his sinful life depart, just as when a lion roars, all the small animals flee in fear.'' DIET - Eating Krishna Prashadam (food offered to Krishna) purifies us immensely as it is Karma free and non-different from the Lord himself.

Any major sports star, celebrity or free runner will state that in terms of their career discipline is very important. If we maintain regular chating, reading and association with devotees we are developing our relationship with Krishna and this will help us in all obstacles, education, work, relationships, spiritual, EVERYTHING!

Keep CHANTING and a positive attitude because KRISHNA is the supreme controller and he has given us his DIVINE holy names.

Thank You To All The Devotees!

This is just a thank you to all the devotees who made Janmashtami possible this year! There was a lot of hard work and effort put into all areas to try and make Janmashtami successful and I am extremely pleased by everyone's commitment!

Please continue with this spirit of dedication and devotion to Srila Prabhupada's mission and you are bound to feel the immense reciprocation of their lordships!

Thank you once again, and please forgive me for any offenses caused!

Your servant

Derren Brown - 'Trick of the Mind'

Derren Brown (shown on the left) has become famous for his powers of suggestion; seeing the future; art of distraction; recalling memories; and tricks of the mind. He states that it is an ability that he has had to learn, and labor hard over rather than something he was born with. It takes much time and practice to perfect the art of what he does.

His program on 4 is extremely popular and his work is became more and more known all over the world. Derren Brown thinks outside of the box and that's what makes his illusions stand out from the rest!

He works with everyone, from celebrities, to people on the street!

A lot of his stuff I believed could be linked to our philosophy or the way of the material world as it is all about the 'trick of the mind' - our worst enemy!

Below is a written description, in his own words, one of his recent tricks of the mind he conducted on his show on 4. The text in bold is my commentary.

When I leave a cash-filled wallet on the pavement in a busy street all day, I am playing with people's perceptions. By drawing a line around it, I disconcert them even more by making it look 'official'. (shown on the right)

No one touches the wallet because they think it's too weird or perhaps some sort of trap. People know that lines are drawn round the shape of the body if someone has died in suspicious circumstances, so that makes them feel the wallet has been put there by the authorities. The line makes it clear that it's not lying there by accident.

I don't think the trick would work without the line around the wallet. It makes the object look surreal, as though it has been put there for some unknown purpose. People walking past suspect that both they and the wallet might be being observed, so they don't touch it. The context and appearance of the wallet are too odd for people to be able to process the information that they have about it.

The aim of this trick of the mind is to make people feel so weird about picking up the wallet that they would rather play safe and not touch it. And it works!

Srila Prabhupada once said “If you sell diamonds, you cannot expect to have many customers. But a diamond is a diamond even if there are no customers.” Our philosophy and culture is like a diamond. It's value does not change whether people follow it or not as a diamonds value never drops but only increases.

Similarly, in this example, the cash-filled wallet can be compared to our philosophy and culture. As Derren Brown is playing with people's perceptions, Maya (illusion) has clouded our minds with materialism by drawing this line around Krishna.

People don't take up to spirituality easily as they are too tied up in themselves and their attachment to material possessions. Sometimes people also see spiritual life as a 'brain washing' mechanism, 'weird' or a 'trap'.

Maya is very clever at doing what Derren Brown is doing in this situation. Despite people knowing that what they are chasing (in this case money) is right there in front of them, Brown is able to put them off it using their OWN mind against them. Even when people know that Krishna Consciousness is the only way, Maya confuses the mind and makes it believe it is odd and surreal therefore despite their knowledge people reject it!

As Derren Brown says it works! The mind acts as such an enemy that people are reluctant to pick up the wallet, whereas in any other situation they would be more than happy to take it! Similarly our mind works against us in so many ways. Whether it be waking up early to chant; reading the scriptures; going tot he temple; following the four regulative principles; and just being disciplined.

Maya is using our mind to keep us away from what is best for us! Derren Brown has shown in this example that 'just a line' is able to separate people from the money. Maya is throwing all sorts of things at us: ignorance; laziness,;relationships; education; family duties; let alone our conditioning in this material world and neglect of Krishna for so many lifetimes.

The only way we can overcome Maya is by chanting the holy names of the lord. (arms raised) HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE! Praying that Krishna will give us his mercy by which we can get closer to him and really see what a diamond Krishna Consciousness is!

ADVERTS FROM HELL!

Scientific research and religious scriptures alike agree that children grasp the most or learn the most effectively between the ages of 0-5.

Therefore it's hard to understand why between those ages, children are literally bombarded with adverts of all kind that could be affecting there whole life! From newspapers to magazines; and billboards to the radio. But the main factor behind it, the major player is the idiot box or the one eyed monster - THE ONE AND ONLY - TV! Children are like sponges at those ages and they are soaking up completely the wrong kind of information, so what is being done about this?

Due to the recent increase in teenage crime influenced by movies and video games this is what has happened: Issue reviewed on 'The Wright Stuff' - Channel 5

'A pressure group is calling for a ban on all advertising to kids under seven claiming commercialism is destroying our kids’ childhoods - influencing everything from the way they eat to the way they play. But is a total advertising ban really going to achieve anything? After all, we’ve already banned junk food ads during kids’ TV and many would argue programming’s suffered as a result. Maybe that’s a price worth paying. What do you say?'

A respected authority in the Early Childhood Education Research Institution stated 'The first five years are the most critical. Many theorists have researched that certain subjects if not learned before a certain age simply cannot be learned.'

Our main concern should not only be the adverts but even the children's programs today are not educational or informative.


Recognise this guy? Think of the cinema...still not yet?...how about little Britain...orange mobile phone adverts? You must have by now!

This is Steve Furst, actor, comedian and writer. He appeared on the show and explained how he believes it is a price worth paying and that adverts should be banned. He also shed some light on how he takes care of his kids at home. He said that his kids are only allowed to watch kids DVDs of his choice. He spoke on the difference in his kids behaviour when they were watching cartoons or american tv channels compared to the DVDs. He said they were glued to the tv when the cartoons or american channels with the major advertising were on whereas the DVDs did not have their attention so much. He believes it is better to take your kids out and spend time with them!

So if you have any little brother's or sisters or know anyone who is being exposed to these sort of adverts stop them now! These adverts are more polluting to the mind then we think and know!