My time in Mayapur during January and February was intense but blissful. I offered five courses over 5 weeks, followed by the False Ego course in February, which is always most popular and well attended. Around the same time we observed beautiful festivals in Mayapur - the Pushya Abhishek, Vasanta Pancami celebrating the first day of spring, Advaita Acarya's appearance and Lord Nityananda's appearance. In mid of February the ILS (International Leadership Sanga) took place which was a wonderful opportunity for me to be on my stall from early morning to evening, connecting with leaders and general devotees while offering the four books I have published so far. It was great - like being on Sankirtan! I was invited to give a presentation on the topic of "Prajalpa - it will Destroy this Movement", which was well attended and received, being so immensely relevant, especially at the present challenges ISKCON is facing.
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For the first time after the pandemic, we could once again conduct our 3-day Holy Name Retreat at Ekachakra in December, over Christmas - a program which has over the years become very dear to my heart. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of busy Mayapur and going into seclusion for several days while giving our undivided attention to the holy name allowed us to enter another reality - eternal reality: my relationship with Krishna through chanting His holy name.
After spending a week in Vrindavan, I took a flight from Delhi to Dhaka on the 30th of November. I had not been able to visit Bangladesh during the pandemic, so it was exciting to finally meet the devotees again - after three years of separation...
After my mother's departure from this world I flew back to India on the 9th of November and was immediately engaged in conducting various preaching programs. After the intense experience of taking care of my mother during her last days and arranging her funeral celebration, it felt good to enter a different headspace and thus gain some distance to the past impressions.
Already a few days before my mother passed away, I meditated on arranging a special and unique funeral celebration in her honor - as an expression of my gratitude and love for her, and also for preaching purposes. Funerals are always excellent opportunities to preach; in this moment, people are more sober and a little introspective, sometimes contemplating life and its higher purpose, and what happens after death.
I was winding up my tour around Australia and New Zealand spending the last two weeks in Brisbane, offering a few more lively programs in devotees' homes and getting ready for yet a new chapter to unfold...
On the 12th of September I returned from Perth to Sydney to offer a Holy Name Retreat at New Gokula over the following weekend. Friday evening was the time of arrival, and Sunday after lunch devotees departed to their respective homes. Just over 50 devotees attended the event - a good turn-out, considering that Madhava Prabhu was in Sydney on that weekend, and it was also Bhakti Charu Maharaja's Vyasapuja which many devotees attended.
A 5-hour flight took me on the 2nd of September from Sydney to Perth - right across the whole continent of Australia...!
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Devaki Devi Dasi's Travel DiaryDevaki Devi Dasi is sharing her realizations and adventures in her Traveling Diary.Welcome to relish this nectar! Archives
December 2022
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