Goloka Dham/Germany: Men in Spiritual Culture

I arrived in Goloka Dham on the 1st of October for yet another transcendental adventure - launching the course "Men in Spiritual Culture." Needless to say, I was very curious how it would be accepted....

Dandadhrk Prabhu, a senior devotee from Cologne wrote the following article for the dandavats website:

Men in Spiritual Culture - What a Paradigm Shift...!

Devaki Mataji was not afraid to hit into a bee hive: Why do the relationships between men and women often seem so incredibly complicated, with almost unsolvable problems? Is there an understanding beyond  "Men are like butter and women are like fire?" Why is the role of women so amazingly important and why, if neglected or misunderstood, human society basically goes to hell? These and many other relevant thoughts and questions were
addressed during her course "Men in Spiritual Culture".

First I had my doubts. Why should a woman give a seminar for men? This thought was very soon dissolved. Based on her preaching experience in Bangladesh where Vaisnava culture is still practiced today, and based on many wonderful quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books, Devaki Mataji gave us deep insights into the underlying principles of true spiritual culture and the urgent need for us to practice and implement them in our daily life.

We were twenty participants assembling at Goloka Dham in Germany on the first weekend of October, embarking on a three-day spiritual adventure. Some of us had been practicing Krsna consciousness for many years, and some of us were young bhaktas. Nevertheless, for all of us it was a highly transformational experience, if not to say a true paradigm shift. The schedule was tight - no time to space out. After the standard morning program in the presence of Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan we met in our bhajan kutir for three hours during the morning, and two and half hours in the afternoon.

I am amazed about Devaki Mataji's vast frame of knowledge, her uncompromising and humble attitude to present Vaisnava principles and to show us how far human civilisation has meanwhile gone off the track by neglecting spiritual culture and literally living an animal life. But that is only where the seminar starts. It also offers answers and solutions. Her course will help us to re-adjust our internal compass and code of behavior regarding our relationships with women. I am amazed about the deep psychological insights Devaki Mataji is giving.

All participants received a nice folder with printed materials, and we were invited to put little role plays together, demonstrating the topics of the previous day's discussions. This added a very humorous side to the course and deepened the learning experience.

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Devaki Mataji's seminar was not easy to digest since it was not meant to
offer spiritual entertainment. Rather it is aiming at transformation -
transformation of the heart, our consciousness, our world view,  our tastes, our habits, our likes and dislikes and our patterns of behavior. It clearly explains why there is a need for an urgent change not only for society at large but especially for us ISKCON devotees to apply these eternal and universal principles and teach them. Every male who considers himself a member of ISKCON should participate in this course. It is very deep, sometimes breath taking, and at times also humorous. It will make you re-think your relationship with women. I can only highly recommend it!
Advitya Baladev Prabhu, a young devotee shared the following:
This course 'Men in Spiritual Culture' opened my eyes to what spiritual
culture is actually all about. It should be taken by every devotee in a
men's body and should be included in the Bhakta Program in each ISKCON temple.

I had met Purna Tattva Prabhu in Radhadesh, and together with two more devotees he came to attend the men's retreat. And he shared the following:
Back to the future!
Devaki Mataji's course 'Men in Spiritual Culture' is indeed wonderful. Although I have read Srila Prabhupada's books already for 37 years my understanding of the principles of spiritual culture is now greatly extended. Her words are like a magnifying glass giving deep insights into Srila Prabhupada's words and showing us how we as mankind have deviated from real culture - spiritual culture. We have to turn around and go back to the point where we have deviated. The past is our future - Vedic spiritual culture.

Rama Gopala Prabhu, the father of the Cologne yatra, shared his realizations:
Dear Mother Devaki, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this deep and wonderful inspiration you have given me. With your two seminars 'Giving and Accepting Shelter' and 'Men in Spiritual Culture' you have given me great hope in regards to the future of my relationship with Lord Krsna. These two seminars made it easy for me to discover subtle anarthas within my heart, and by the mercy of Sri Guru and Gauranga I want to transform and uproot them now. Also I want to beg with sincere heart forgiveness from all the women who I may have disrespected or hurt due to my ignorance, with the desire to transform my attitude and behavior and take blessings from my mothers. Thank you kindly for this extraordinary gift.

Radha Madhava Prabhu, who has mainly been serving in Vrindavan in connection with FFL was also there:
Devaki Mataji's course 'Men in Spiritual Culture' gave me deep insights into the psychology of men and women. She could very nicely connect it with our process of devotional service and its culture, based on the teachings of
Srila Prabhupada - in an amazing and deep way I have never heard before. Therefore this course brought me much closer to Srila Prabhupada and helped me to understand what he is actually saying in his purports in the
Bhagavatam.
This course also gave me a great foundation to my dealings, attitude and association with women which will be beneficial for my entire life in Krsna consciousness. The valuable and most important role of women within this
society was presented in a most wonderful way. This course is a 'must' for all those devotees who want to get deeper insights into the subtleties of the complicated relationship between men and women, and who want to live it successfully - not only in married life, but in all dealings with the other gender.
Thank you very much, Devaki Mataji, for your wonderful service. Please keep it up....!

Bhakta Peter put a nice little slide show together, which you can see here:

This mission of spreading spiritual culture in these modern days is indeed an almost impossible one. And I do like to take up such impossible missions, because they always make me feel helplessly dependant on Krsna, Srila Prabhupada, Guru and my well-wishers.
And it is humbling to experience how They reciprocate and gradually open the doors for it to become successful. I am fully aware, that without Their blessings and mercy I would not be able to do anything at all.....

After spending two more days with my mother I flew off to Delhi on the 10th of October....

Your servant, Devaki dd