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January 2005

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krshna. This is the beginning of a new year of Krishna Consciousness. Srila Prabhupada said that by 2000 everyone would be living underground, so we are actually living on the mercy of the devotees who have chanted the Holy Name, and by the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books changed the immediate karma of this planet by more people taking to vegetarianism and spiritual life.

As the pioneers of this Sankirtan Movement of Lord Chaitanya get a little older in years, we must take it on our shoulders to spread this message to people less fortunate. We also need to associate with others on our level much more, as sadhu sanga is vital for our spiritual progress.

We need to get blessings from senior devotees whenever possible, which for all of us in the South West and West Wales means travelling to the Manor or Soho St Temple for classes and festival days. I read at the beginning of my Krishna Consciousness that if we don’t live near a temple we should travel there once a month. I’m going to try to take people to the Manor for day trips to the Manor starting in January.

I was recently talking to a young devotee who serves at the Manor, who was trained in an indian vaisnava family, and she was commenting how she doesn’t go to places where she can’t get sadhu sanga (she said “what’s the point”). You may think - I can’t be that strict - but perhaps we should analyse how much of our time is spent with devotees and non-devotees, and try at least to get more of a balance.

The other tool is to give our association rather than take theirs, as often others bad habits can rub off. The science of Krishna Consciousness is all about trying to purify our consciousness by various means, and then maintaining that level and constantly taking it a bit farther. As most of you know, I recently came back from Vrindavana, and the impact of being there with senior devotees, ecstaic kirtans, thought provoking classes and good chanting of rounds has a tremendous impact on my spiritual life.

The important aspect is to become more attached and deepen our loving relationship with Krishna, and become more detached from the phantasmagoria of the material world, which is just a small part of the Spiritual world and is Krishna’s spiritual energy covered by the cloud of the mahat tattva. A pure devotee sees everything as Vaikuntha due to his pure consciousness and his utilisation of everythiung for Krishna’s service.

It doesn’t have to be Vrindavan where you go, but I can guarantee that the devotional mood of kartik in Vrindavana is very powerful and for that reason you can make a lot of progress there at that time. I’m allready thinking about next year’s trip and thought that if someone really wants to go, if they save £70 every month from January to October that would be enough even including some spending money.

So take the opportunity sooner rather than later. If you want someone to travel with, I’ll make travel arrangements for you. If you can’t go in 2005, make a New Year Resolution to go on a spiritual pilgrimage somewhere (Buckland Hall-Nama Hatta Convention October).

your servant Minaketanarama dasa

News

H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami is still undergoing treatment for skin cancer but the cancer is increasing so he may soon travel to Mayapura to leave. He is taking everything very philosophically, and totally depending on Lord Krishna’s plan for him, whether it’s to preach here or somewhere else to assist Srla Prabhupada.

BRISTOL
The Bristol Nama Hatta is moving venue after many years at the odd fellows hall. One devotee has suggetsed that the group may not have expanded as much as hoped due to the influence of the order of the odd fellows. From January we will have monthly meetings in the Hindu Temple in St.George and above a carpet shop owned by a devotee in Bedminster. In this way we hopefully will attract a wider cross section of people. It is still planned to have a centre in Bristol but this may take a while longer than originally anticipated.

WEST WALES
An outbuilding of a manor house near Newcastle Emlyn is to be refurbished so that it can be used for the West Wales Nama Hatta and festivals. Bhakta Lee, Bhakta Chris and Pat are soon going to start the work with a view to using it by Feb/March.

BUCKLAND HALL WALES
The Nama Hatta Convention is allready booked for October 21st-23rd. and the line up for speakers is being planned at the moment. Keep watching this space for more details.