Holy Name Retreat

When devotees feel burnt out

11/6/2018

I arrived in Chandigarh on the 1st of November to offer the course on sheltering relationships over four extended evening programs over the weekend.
Since the devotees had already started to implement a mentoring system, the seminar came just at the right time and offered further ideas how to fine-tune the present structure for their community. The Temple leaders, senior devotees and key players participated in the course, which is always a promising sign for further development.

Surrounding ourselves with 'haribol-relationships'

11/1/2018

On my arrival in Vrindavan on the 15th of October, my taxi had a little accident with one of those electric rickshaws. It happened just outside Kirtan Ashram, where I am usually staying. The Rickshaw driver's arm got badly injured, and blood was squirting all over the place. It was a disgusting sight, which stayed in my mind for a couple of days. What an arrival to the holy dham....! A good reminder of this world being 'padam padam yad vipadam' - full of danger at every step. Later I heard that luckily they were able to save his arm.....

Visiting Lord Nrsimhadeva

10/15/2018

On my arrival in Cologne on the 2nd of October I received Julia and Polina from Ukraine, who I had invited to join me on a little tour around Germany. I consider it to be very educational to visit temples in other countries. It broadens our experience and leaves valuable impressions on our minds and hearts.

The thorn to remove another thorn

10/2/2018

I had not visited Kishiniev/Moldova for two years, so it was nice to meet all the devotees again.....
I stayed in the country side with Navadvip Prabhu and his wife Caitanya Rupa Mataji - around 50 minutes' drive from the temple, and Julia from Kharkov had come to take care of all my needs. It was a peaceful environment, and during the day I could find time to continue working on my next book.

Srimati Radharani's cakes

9/25/2018

I had once before visited Bhaktivedanta Manor outside of London around 30 years ago, when I had just gotten married. We had come for Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada's appearance festival which was indeed memorable, with many disciples of Srila Prabhupada remembering and glorifying their spiritual master. Many visiting devotees attended, and since we did not have a room booked, we had no choice but to sleep in the hay barn...

No illicit sex life - what does it mean?

9/15/2018

The gigantic Bhakti Sangam Festival in Ukraine is another highlight of my life - the most amazing and unique event within the three worlds. Nothing compares to this.....!
More than 8.000 devotees came together in Koblevo - a holiday resort on the Black Sea outside of Odessa. We welcomed many Sannyasis and preachers, who offered seminars in six venues parallel throughout the day. And there were so many wonderful kirtaniyas chanting the holy name throughout the evening.

Krishna and His beloved cows

9/4/2018

The festival days of Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada's appearance in Kharkov/Ukraine are my most blissful days of the entire year. It is the time when I can taste a different flavor of joy and absorption - not preaching and giving lectures, but creating a Vrindavan panorama on our altar in order to open a window into the spiritual world - Goloka Vrindavan.

Having fun with the kids

9/1/2018

On Saturday, the 25th of August we had scheduled our first Children's Day for our Kharkov Community. It had been my spontaneous idea during the children's course in order to move our children into the center of our community. The outing was not only for children and their parents, but anybody who wanted to interact and play with the kids was welcome to participate. And even some of our brahmacaris and young bhaktas joined the fun, eager to give pleasure to the kids....!

If we could have but one generation of properly born...

8/8/2018

On my return to Kharkov/Ukraine on the 29th of July I immediately settled back into my writing retreat and continued working on the draft of my second book in a very disciplined and regulated way. I enjoyed my seclusion and absorption, marveling how Srila Prabhupada performed this herculean task of producing so many volumes of books while traveling and preaching!
And I had to start putting ideas together for the design of the book cover. To produce the second book seemed easier than the first one...

When Mother Devaki was a grhastha

7/29/2018

Since I had come to Germany to attend Damodara-priya Mataji's wedding, I decided spontaneously to visit my dear mother for three days, together with Olga. My mother had expressed that she did not feel well, and I would have been very regretful if she was to leave her body in the near future, and I had not taken the opportunity to pay her a visit.

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