Holy Name Retreat

Compatibility for Marriage

10/23/2024

On the 15th of October I travelled from Pune to Nashik to spend one week in the association of the dedicated servants of Sri Sri Radha Madan Gopal, Lalita and Vishaka. Their Lordships are of exquisite beauty and truly offer a glimpse into the spiritual world....
The devotees kept me busy with a variety of programs, and I enjoyed connecting with people while trying to inspire them. One of these programs was for unmarried men and women who desired to prepare themselves to enter married life. The compatibility for marriage is always a highly intriguing and important topic for young people to discuss.

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Receiving Darshan Of The Yamadutas

10/15/2024

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During the first two weeks in October I had the good fortune of visiting the devotees in Pune which is one of the most dynamic and vibrant Vaishnava communities in India. Apart from the main temple (NVCC - New Vedic Cultural Centre), there is the original temple (RKBM - Radha Kunjabihari Mandir) and two more devotee communities - the BCEC (Bhakti Centre for Education and Culture) and an extension centre in Hinjewadi. I had the opportunity to spend time in all four communities, and devotees kept me busy with lots of programs at the temple and in people's homes. I could clearly feel that devotees have cultivated a genuine taste for hearing and inquiring which is a healthy sign of devotional practice.

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We must accept a gift - no matter how useless it may be

10/1/2024

The last week during September I spent in Cologne/Germany, wrapping up my time in Europe and getting ready to embark on my tour around India and Bangladesh. The devotees invited me to offer some morning classes, the Sunday feast lecture and a house program. Over the past 15 years, Cologne has become my base in the Western world, and it always feels good to visit the wonderful devotees there and catch my breath after intense travels.

No Physical Intimacy in Public

9/24/2024

On the 18th of September I arrived in Barcelona/Spain - it was my first visit to this temple. It is in a good location - in the centre of the city, on a square in a touristy area, off the main mall leading to the harbour, with little shops, bistros and the Spanish style street cafes. Childhood memories came to my mind - I had been here before in my childhood, in 1968.

When our distress becomes our greatest happiness

9/18/2024

This was my second visit to the Spanish yatra - I came here before in 2016. In my childhood I had sometimes spent my school holidays in Spain, together with my family. In those days, it was a rather poor but beautiful country, and people lived very simple and off the land. Now, 55 years later, economic development and the advancement of Kali-yuga have brought along so many changes - like everywhere else in Europe....

Jewelry made from tulasi

9/4/2024

After visiting Krishna Island in Northern Ireland, I spent some days visiting the preaching centre in Dublin, offering a variety of programs at the centre and in devotees' homes.
The preaching centre is in excellent location - in the middle of the city, with a Govinda's Restaurant on the ground floor, and three more floors above, with the temple room on the top floor. They worship a relief carving of the Pancha Tattva - perfect for a preaching centre with a simple standard of worship. Especially on Sundays a good crowd of people come, but also during the week people are interested to join discussions on relevant and catchy topics.

Krishna Island - great for retirement?

9/1/2024

This year I spent Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada's appearance in Ireland - on Inish Rath, or Krishna Island.

Vanaprastha - the forgotten ashrama

9/1/2024

As last year, I once again decided to visit New Mayapur in France for the festival of Lord Balarama's appearance. In any other temple in Europe, it would be a three-hour festival, but here in New Mayapur the devotees celebrate the event over three to four days...!
New Mayapur is an historic early-20th-century castle - Srila Prabhupada installed beautiful, big marble Krishna-Balarama Deities here in 1975 - the first Krishna-Balarama Deities ever installed in the Western world. Furthermore, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Radha-Govinda-Madhava are mercifully accepting our loving service. Srila Prabhupada visited here twice, in 1975 and 1976, and his quarters are being maintained as a museum - a peaceful place to chant japa.

When a wife speaks harsh and insulting words

8/20/2024

On the 1st of August I arrived in Riga/Latvia - after 3 weeks of heat in Mayapur it felt good to be in a cooler climate again. I had not visited the Riga temple for many years - now I fondly remembered the early days, when my former husband and I came here in 1989 to establish a temple. It was perfect timing - just when the communist system collapsed. In those days the borders were open, and many devotees came from all around the former Soviet Union to join our temple. We had around 65 brahmacharis and 30 brahmacharini in the ashrams - they were exciting and adventurous times in pioneer work...!

Vrajalalana Mataji has left this world

8/5/2024

I have known Vrajalalana Mataji for more than 30 years - I consider her to be one of my 'spiritual daughters'. Therefore I decided to put my preaching activities aside and spent 3 weeks with her in Mayapur during the month of July, trying to assist her in approaching death. I arrived on the 11th of July and I stayed in the same flat with her, so I could be available all around the clock and take care of her, overseeing her medical treatments and taking care of all her needs. Unfortunately I was not able to stay until the moment when she left this world - I had to leave Mayapur on the 31st of July.

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Compatibility for Marriage

Receiving Darshan Of The Yamadutas

We must accept a gift - no matter how useless it may be

No Physical Intimacy in Public

When our distress becomes our greatest happiness

Jewelry made from tulasi

Krishna Island - great for retirement?

Vanaprastha - the forgotten ashrama

When a wife speaks harsh and insulting words

Vrajalalana Mataji has left this world

Devaki Devi Dasi's Travel Diary

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