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April 2006

New location for Bristol center (see below)

Dear Devotees, On the first day of spring, we can think about the beginning of the growing season after a long winter, and compare this to our spiritual life starting in this body after many births of being in ignorance of Krishna and being unaware of our spiritual propensity. The flower bud will eventually become a blooming flower, and we also have the same propensity to become a fully realized, fully blooming soul. We may all be in different stages of spiritual development, but we can see in the history of vaisnavas, souls who were in advanced stages who according to the scriptures can be viewed in different degrees of fire from smoking to fully inflamed.

The process of Krishna Consciousness is so scientific, and we can apply it to ourselves and develop the art of thinking only of Krishna. In our everday lives of mixing with non-devotees in business or employment, we have to learn the art so we see Him in everything we do. Our lives may be very complicated with schedules, meetings etc etc but there are also many ways to remember him - devotional music (I'm sitting here listening to Bada Haridas prabhu singing vaisnava prayers to western music), books, pictures and of course our japa beads/clicker. When we do have the opportunity, we can spend time with local devotees or travel to a temple/centre to hear the scriptures, kirtan and taste the delights of maha prasadam. The icing on the cake is devotional service which gives our direct link to Krishna through guru and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

George Harrison wrote a song called "The art of dying" and we all know that whatever we think of at the time of death will determine our next birth, but how to think of Krishna at that time. Narottama Das Thakura (one of our acaryas/poets) writes about desire and how it's impossible to negate as long as we have a body and mind. Even ghosts have so many unfullfilled desires even though they have only a subtle body. We cannot stop thought and this leads to so many desires. Narottama das Thakura says we should focus our minds on how to be Krishna Consciousness and how to help others also. My guru maharaj told us that being a brahmana means to help others and every devotee should be aspiring for the mode of goodness which is the beginning of the brahminical platform.

Our service to Krishna is always a voluntary affair as our love for Him has to be freely given with our minute freewill, but spontaneous devotional servive is a very advanced platform, and for us that means we are practicing to serve, so in essence this means commitment. When we serve a spiritual society like ISKCON we are directly connected to Srila Prabhupada. The more we connect to him through commitment to service the more he's pleased. We may be anywhere on the ladder of ISKCON and devotional service, but that service is valued by Krishna on account of our developing relationship with Him.Srila Prabhupada appreciated the toilet roll which the tramp brought into the 1st. temple in New York. The more we try to please Krishna the more he will reciprocate by giving more service.

From chanting=bliss.from chanting = service.from service= bliss.bliss=Krishna
Your servant Minaketanarama dasa

New location for F.O.L.K. Center

75 North Street, Bedminster BS3 1ES
Telephone: 01179 669770 / Email: mkr@iskcon.org