It's so much easier to be charitable towards others when you have very little to lose and plenty to give away.
When there is really no personal loss, or risk involved, it's very easy to give in to little points, let someone else win an argument, be right, while you are wrong, etc.. No big deal when there is no huge thing at stage, and no real personal sacrifice.
So, I'm thinking there are degrees of being charitable. Isn't it a lot more valuable when you really don't feel secure, when you feel threatened, when there is a lot to lose, and you really might actually be making a sacrifice of something that is very important to you?
I think it is.
I was talking to my son about this recently (and he's brilliant by the way, and a very advanced devotee, mom says so ;).
He was saying to me, it's like a millionaire who gives some several thousands of dollars in charity to some worthy cause, and everyone is praising them "oh, just look how much money so and so gave" etc... but of course they could easily afford to give away that money. So, what's really the greater giving?
Well, we both agreed (and we agree on most everything, I'm so fortunate to have such a wonderful amazing son) that really the greater charity, the greater gift, would be the one from the little old lady on welfare, who can't really afford to give a dime, but gives a dollar instead.
So, I'm trying to examine my charity (and being charitable, and charitable behavior toward others) and see if I'm really giving anything at all, or just telling myself I have because I really have nothing at stake, nothing to lose, and I feel totally secure even if I give something to someone else.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Thinking Of Krishna
"In this verse Arjuna is referred to as Guḍākeśa. Guḍākā means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called guḍākeśa. Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Kṛṣṇa. As a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he could not forget Kṛṣṇa even for a moment, because that is the nature of a devotee. Either in waking or in sleep, a devotee of the Lord can never be free from thinking of Kṛṣṇa's name, form, qualities and pastimes. Thus a devotee of Kṛṣṇa can conquer both sleep and ignorance simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa constantly. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or samādhi. As Hṛṣīkeśa, or the director of the senses and mind of every living entity, Kṛṣṇa could understand Arjuna's purpose in placing the chariot in the midst of the armies. Thus He did so, and spoke as follows."
Srila Prabhupad, Bhagavad Gita, purport, 1.24
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Looking For Solutions In All The Wrong Places
Everybody wants a solution to some problem they have. We are all looking for solutions to this difficulty or that difficulty.
Since the material world is full of all kinds of difficulties, there is no end to this search for solutions.
It's fine to want to find solutions to problems that make it hard for us to advance in spiritual life, but sometimes we can get so caught up in the various possible "solutions" that we lose track of the real purpose, namely making spiritual advancement.
We try to make solutions to the problems of the economy, the wars, the environment, our own personal lives, trying to make comfortable arrangements, solve our personal problems, etc...
It goes on endlessly. It's not possibly to stop all the problems in our lives or the world because it's the very nature of the material world that there will only be another problem once one is solved (even if you are able to actually solve it).
It's like trying to put out a raging forest fire with a watering can while standing in the middle of it alone.
So, while we are busy making sure our lives contain the things we need to be peaceful enough to concentrate on our spiritual progress, let's make sure we don't lose track of the fact that we could die at any moment, and if we have not properly prepared ourselves spiritually, we will be forced to take another birth in the material world.
If we do that, who knows what kinds of karma accrued from past lives will manifest then? We may have so many more problems to deal with than we do now.... things that possibly there will be no "finding solutions" to at all.
So, we need to keep our focus, (and make it the most important thing of all) on making spiritual progress in Krishna consciousness, and thus ending the need for material "solutions" all together.
Since the material world is full of all kinds of difficulties, there is no end to this search for solutions.
It's fine to want to find solutions to problems that make it hard for us to advance in spiritual life, but sometimes we can get so caught up in the various possible "solutions" that we lose track of the real purpose, namely making spiritual advancement.
We try to make solutions to the problems of the economy, the wars, the environment, our own personal lives, trying to make comfortable arrangements, solve our personal problems, etc...
It goes on endlessly. It's not possibly to stop all the problems in our lives or the world because it's the very nature of the material world that there will only be another problem once one is solved (even if you are able to actually solve it).
It's like trying to put out a raging forest fire with a watering can while standing in the middle of it alone.
So, while we are busy making sure our lives contain the things we need to be peaceful enough to concentrate on our spiritual progress, let's make sure we don't lose track of the fact that we could die at any moment, and if we have not properly prepared ourselves spiritually, we will be forced to take another birth in the material world.
If we do that, who knows what kinds of karma accrued from past lives will manifest then? We may have so many more problems to deal with than we do now.... things that possibly there will be no "finding solutions" to at all.
So, we need to keep our focus, (and make it the most important thing of all) on making spiritual progress in Krishna consciousness, and thus ending the need for material "solutions" all together.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Assume The Best
In any relationship will always be times of struggle. Times where we don't see things the same way, or we don't understand why a person is acting the way they are, or saying the things they are saying, etc...
I have found during times like this it's really important to always assume the best about that person. Just simply by staying in a state of consciousness of believing there is an important reason for the things they are doing/saying etc.... and that they are really doing the the best they can, and trying very sincerely to serve Krishna, it changes my attitude toward them and the whole situation.
When I just keep on "assuming the best" about everything they say and do, it changes the way I respond to them, and elevates the entire exchange, and things tend to go much better for everyone in the long run.
When you believe the best about someone, they tend to prove you right. When you believe the worst about someone, they tend to prove you right. (and most of it is based on your own consciousness or ability/inability to see the good).
If we don't give our friends (any relationship) our support this way, then what is the meaning of friendship? Especially when one of our friends is going through a personal struggle, the last thing they need is us deciding that there is "something wrong" with them and therefore not giving them our support. The very support they need most in this time of difficulty.
A true friend does not abandon you in times of trouble. A true friend will give you more support and strength and kindness and consideration in times of trouble.
I have found during times like this it's really important to always assume the best about that person. Just simply by staying in a state of consciousness of believing there is an important reason for the things they are doing/saying etc.... and that they are really doing the the best they can, and trying very sincerely to serve Krishna, it changes my attitude toward them and the whole situation.
When I just keep on "assuming the best" about everything they say and do, it changes the way I respond to them, and elevates the entire exchange, and things tend to go much better for everyone in the long run.
When you believe the best about someone, they tend to prove you right. When you believe the worst about someone, they tend to prove you right. (and most of it is based on your own consciousness or ability/inability to see the good).
If we don't give our friends (any relationship) our support this way, then what is the meaning of friendship? Especially when one of our friends is going through a personal struggle, the last thing they need is us deciding that there is "something wrong" with them and therefore not giving them our support. The very support they need most in this time of difficulty.
A true friend does not abandon you in times of trouble. A true friend will give you more support and strength and kindness and consideration in times of trouble.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Supersoul
"Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest stage of trance in yoga practice. This very understanding that Kṛṣṇa is present as Paramātmā in everyone's heart makes the yogī faultless."
Srila Prabhupad, from purport to Bhagavad Gita 6.31
Srila Prabhupad, from purport to Bhagavad Gita 6.31
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Seeing Things
I think after a time of being Krishna conscious we start to become very aware of things that lots of people cannot see, or perceive.
Some of the people in my life think this is kind of a strange thing, and they ask me a lot "how did you know that?" Or they may say "how in the world could you possibly tell such a thing about this or that"....
Well, it seems very obvious to me, and I often find it very strange that they cannot "see" the things that I see.
It's a certain perception ability and I feel it comes from Krishna.
"From Me comes knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness" (Bhagavad Gita)
Sometimes, it makes life more difficult, since there is often no "scientific" way to "prove" what I know, but with time, the facts gradually reveal themselves.
We live in a very scientific, proof oriented culture, if it can't be "proven" with the literal senses, then it's not considered true.
Well, that's incredibly limited to me. What good is any amount of "scientific" proof of anything? They change what they so-called "prove" from one day to the next.
So, it doesn't amount to much in my opinion.
My own knowledge of Srila Prabhupad's teachings about Krishna consciousness, the material world, and the ways of life mean more to me. That, along with Supersoul and the guidance from Him, is all I need.
It's like having a very good extra amount of common sense materially, combined with knowing the purpose behind everything from a spiritual perspective.
When you know the base, everything else becomes rather easy to know.
Some of the people in my life think this is kind of a strange thing, and they ask me a lot "how did you know that?" Or they may say "how in the world could you possibly tell such a thing about this or that"....
Well, it seems very obvious to me, and I often find it very strange that they cannot "see" the things that I see.
It's a certain perception ability and I feel it comes from Krishna.
"From Me comes knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness" (Bhagavad Gita)
Sometimes, it makes life more difficult, since there is often no "scientific" way to "prove" what I know, but with time, the facts gradually reveal themselves.
We live in a very scientific, proof oriented culture, if it can't be "proven" with the literal senses, then it's not considered true.
Well, that's incredibly limited to me. What good is any amount of "scientific" proof of anything? They change what they so-called "prove" from one day to the next.
So, it doesn't amount to much in my opinion.
My own knowledge of Srila Prabhupad's teachings about Krishna consciousness, the material world, and the ways of life mean more to me. That, along with Supersoul and the guidance from Him, is all I need.
It's like having a very good extra amount of common sense materially, combined with knowing the purpose behind everything from a spiritual perspective.
When you know the base, everything else becomes rather easy to know.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Like A River To The Sea
"If, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough to associate with the unadulterated devotees of the Lord and gets a chance to hear the unadulterated glories of the Lord, certainly the flow of devotional service takes place like the flow of a river. As the river flows on till she reaches the sea, similarly pure devotional service flows by the association of pure devotees till it reaches the ultimate goal, namely, transcendental love of God. Such a flow of devotional service cannot stop. On the contrary, it increases more and more without limitation. The flow of devotional service is so potent that any onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance. These two qualities of nature are thus removed, and the living being is liberated, being situated in his original position."
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.28 purport
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.28 purport
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