Holy Name Retreat

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.

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When a wife speaks harsh and insulting words

8/20/2024

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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...!

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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.

Good assistance in facing death

7/20/2024

I arrived in Mayapur on the 11th of July - not my usual time to visit Mayapur. I came on a special mission: To accompany one of my "spiritual daughters" on her final journey to prepare for death.
We have known each other since 1991 - for more than 30 years. I had traveled with her a lot, arranged her marriage and accompanied her through her whole devotional life. I felt compelled to put my preaching activities aside and serve her during these testing times, encouraging her to move on to her next destination.

A cow takes birth as a devotee child

7/10/2024

After spending one month in Krishnuv Dvur in the Czech Republic, compiling the preliminary manuscript for my new book on the vanaprastha-ashrama, I decided to visit the devotees in Slovakia. It was my first visit to this part of Europe, and I spent one week at the nice preaching centre in Zvolen, and one week at New Ekachakra in the Eastern part of Slovakia, near the border to Ukraine.
The devotees eagerly received me and arranged various programs at the temple, and also in a grihastha's home. We enjoyed each other's association while churning relevant topics related to our practical spiritual life.

Guidelines When Facing a Health Crisis

6/25/2024

I had come to Krishnuv Dvur, the farm outside of Prague, to stay for one month - with the mission of going into hiding to compile the manuscript for my next book entitled "The Vanaprastha-Ashrama - Meeting Death with Joy". Jaya Gopinath Mataji and her family welcomed me in their house - I usually stay with them and have meanwhile developed a nice friendship with her, her husband and their three daughters.
I settled into a good routine of not showing up at the temple from Monday to Friday; simply getting up, chanting most of my rounds, and after breakfast I was glued to my computer for 6 to 7 hours, working on my book. In the early evening I went for a one-hour walk in nice nature, getting some exercise and refreshing my brain.
On the weekends I would go to the morning program and mix with devotees, accept invitations for lunch and have private meetings with devotees. I also offered a few classes and took part in special events such as HH Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja's Vyasa Puja with his personal presence, and the Ratha Yatra in Prague. Amazingly enough, during this one month I managed to put the preliminary manuscript for the whole book together which will have around 300 book pages. I never expected it to go so swiftly! In this way, I spent a productive month in wonderful association.

When we don't hand over our titles and positions

5/23/2024

Simhachalam in Germany is for me the BEST place to celebrate Nrsimha Caturdasi - a MUST in my yearly schedule. Even Mayapur can not compare to this....! In this rural community situated in the Bavarian Forest, around 3 hours away from Munich, the devotees serve big Lord Nrsimhadeva in a devoted way, and His appearance day is celebrated in a grandiose style over 5 days. It is one of the main festivals - not only within Germany, but in Europe. Many devotees assemble from the neighboring countries such as Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and even all the way from the UK. This year we had the good fortune to welcome many saintly personalities: HH Sacinandana Swami, HH Candramauli Swami, HH Jayadvaita Swami, HH Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, HH Bhakti Mukund Swami, HG Krishna Premarupa Prabhu, and many young generation kirtaniyas.

When we become fat

5/16/2024

In the beginning of May I had an opportunity to visit Karuna Bhavan, a rural community in Scotland. I had heard a lot about this temple embedded in the beautiful nature of Scotland and always wanted to come here....

A wife is not his possession

5/9/2024

For many years I was contemplating the idea of visiting the Vaishnava community in Cardiff - I had met several times a nice group of devotees in Mayapur who come from this part of England. Now, in the beginning of May, I finally found an opportunity to do so.
Wales seems to be a bit of a conservative region of the UK - they even speak some old celtic language here: all public signs are in English and Welsh! Also the devotees seem to be in a more traditional mood - most of them are disciples of Sivarama Swami and Devamrita Swami.
They have a new temple project, renovating an old part of a building and extending it further into a new temple. There are a lot of young Western bodied people coming to the temple, with around 8 brahmacharis living in the ashram and traveling on Sankirtan. So the mood is vibrant and has a youthful spirit.

Why are we losing so many devotees?

5/2/2024

It was nice to return to Cologne which has served me as a base in the Western world for many years now....
I arrived in the morning of Ram Navami coming all the way from Durban in South Africa - just in time to join the celebration in the same evening and meet all the devotees again. After offering a few programs over the following days I moved on to London, visiting the temple at Soho Street.

<<Previous

Vanaprastha - the forgotten ashrama

When a wife speaks harsh and insulting words

Vrajalalana Mataji has left this world

Good assistance in facing death

A cow takes birth as a devotee child

Guidelines When Facing a Health Crisis

When we don't hand over our titles and positions

When we become fat

A wife is not his possession

Why are we losing so many devotees?

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