Letters to the editor

Hare Krishna

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada

Please Accept My Most Humbles Obeisances

Esteemed Maharaja

Hoping the allergies are getting better, here in panamá the raining season started but not fully, so weather goes from super humid to super rainy and so we are going thru the same here.

HpS - ASA --- AgtSP!!! Ayur-veda is so nice. Even a little general principles and we can see so many ways to improve our energy. We are 70% pitta, minimum, so allergy means we have to reduce the pitta. That gives us inspiration intuitively what to cook for our Deity.

0ur sadhana is getting so much better, getting up at brahma muhurta, chanting our rounds, i have given myself the task of keeping a steady number of rounds and when i´m completely disciplined committed with this, i increase the number, in order to keep a steady number.

we are following the four principles on point, and we are very interested in keeping studying the second chapter [canto?] of the Srimad Bhagavatam, we feel very interested about the Virat-rupa form of the Lord and its meditation and finding a way in it, to find a "where to start" because every time we feel we are just starting the process, always in the neophyte mood, because i´m having a hard time to keep up the utsahan, some days we feel we aren´t being sincere with our process, like we are ghosting our own process, and i was wondering, if our material nature interfere more than we think it can in our spiritual process to become devotees? or its that some people develop a better relationship with krishna in the separation mood?

HpS - A lot of variety, but the basic principle is that whatever effort you make to purify yourself of material convering, it has a effect. Krsna is pleased

listening every day to your classes and trying to keep everything learned in practice in a daily basis! my memory is giving much trouble i have a hard time remembering everything i learn! its this part of maya too? or more part of our own ignorance?

HpS - Listen. You cannot learn everything. Understand as best you can, then the correct things will sink into your heart.

but still, im not acting like before, when everything used to become dark and lazy and i stopped chanting, but now i chant, even if i feel heavy and not like chanting i chant HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE !

we do our offerings to the Lord and then eat the prasadam and while chanting we ask the Lord to help us with this feeling, with this thoughts, we pray to the Lord to clean our hearts and to give us the opportunity to serve him, to serve you, serve Srila Prabhupada and serve the devotees! Haribol!

your wellwisher

Andrea Ramirez

HpS - Just go back and forth chanting your rounds like a soldier, HK, HK, then you will have strength all day!!! You are doing O.K. Just take advantage of the mercy when Krsna sends it. Always do some service. That will give you intelligence in the fastest way possible about how to be organized.

Querido Gurumaharaja: 

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias.

¡Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada! 

Deseando y orando humildemente para que su energía se encuentre en óptimas condiciones para Su sankirtana. 

Recibimos las fechas para México, muchas gracias!

Entiendo que queda fijo del 29 al 3 de Junio. 

Viernes 29 y Sábado 30 

Mantenemos FMP cada dia.

Srimad Bhagavatam 

Viernes 29 

Srinivas Acarya Das ( por confirmar) 

Sábado 30 

SS. Hanumatpresaka Swami 

Como se viene realizando el Viernes se puede celebrar: 

Noche de Srila Prabhupada "Distribuicion de los significados de Bhaktivedanta a través de los medios académicos" 

 7:30 pm o el horario que le convenga a Usted, no tenemos inconveniente.

HpS - ASA -- 7PM, Podemos? Programa local a las 8.PM. -[;o]/\___

También vemos la importancia de las reuniones con Balimardana prabhu y los invitados que se unan así que podemos descartar la propuesta de la noche, no queremos saturar la agenda, somos flexibles con cualquier cambio prioritario, estamos a sus órdenes.

Por favor digamos si de nuestra humilde posición hay alguna posibilidad de apoyar en su servicio para el sastra-mela; talves requiere alguna fecha de reunión con participantes específicos de México y Sud América?

HpS - Si! Gracias. Cuando es bueno para Srimati Lalita-gopi Devi Dasi y mas.

Muchas gracias por su infinita misericordia de emplearnos en servicio. 

En una próxima carta enviaré el resumen. 

Vuestra eterna aspirante a sirviente

Asta Sakhi dd.

HpS - Gracias!!! Sabado 30 es organizado con Krsna-West??

Hare Krsna dear Gurumaharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

I apologize in advance, because this message will not be short. I have already sent my proposal for the BhVai questionnaire in Chapter 3 of the 2nd Canto to your e-mail. I hope it agree with what you have in mind. Please allow me to make the necessary corrections otherwise.

HpS - We hope that MOnkey and Piggy get to it and we can help! You class was wonderful. We sent the link to Atul, Yadu Swam et al. SO was Isvari's. We can help with ed. dev. in ISKCON at the highest of its levels.

If you are satisfied with the questions, I would ask you to allow me to continue with another chapter. Honestly I have learned many things from this experience and I have had a good time doing something that I really like which is research.

*************** 

On the other hand, and with regard to the education landscape in Peru and the region, I would like to share some ideas with you, as well as some doubts with the purpose of knowing your point of view.

Bhakti sastri :

• At the moment things are moving to the rhythm of their possibilities. Only a few online programs maintain their activities. I just had a conversation with Deva Deva Vyasa prabhu who starts a Bhakti Sastri course this weekend with 71 enrolled! ( wow ! if most of them finish the course, they will generate irreparable brain damage to our examiner!) The good thing about all this is that the devotee is willing to collaborate with the MOE and we periodically have conversations on Skype to clarify the doubts he may have. Their intentions are to continue with institutional policies and offer an official course. LAD and I continue with our program separately and everything is presented without further inconvenients. Both courses will be ending before the middle of next year.
• CMDD BS examiner record was rejected as she lacks training in Teacher Training Education courses 1, 2 and 3. Bhaktarupa prabhu asked me to at least she must take the TTC3 course. Her extensive teaching career is recognized, but BoEx devotees have raised the bar , with which I fully agree. Param Padam prabhu offers teachers recommended by the MOE 50% discount on any of their courses, so in the coming weeks LAD, CMDD, me, Rupa Gosai and Deva Deva from Bolivia will acquire this training. After obtaining the certificate, I will resubmit the file of our future examiner.
• Last minute news! Guayaquil is starting two BS courses next week (one line / classroom) with Rupa Gosai prabhu, I have just had a kind conversation with Guru Mangala prabhu who has shared with us their needs , expectations and concerns on education. He sends you greetings and his best wishes for your sankirtan program.
• The educational tide is pervading and nurturing each corner of this land of God, by the grace of Sri Sri Radha Madana Vihari. All glories to his Lordships! I'm so, so, so happy.

Pada Padma ( BhVai )

• LAD has formed a small but enthusiastic group of students that I am pleased to be part of. We started as a larger group but little by little we were reducing. The level of discussion is interesting and the commitment of the participants is serious. It may be necessary to work on the study material which seems to me, it does not have the level of the material developed for BS yet, but the effort is being made. This first official experience is meeting the expectations of the temple and the students.

Introduction to Bhakti- yoga

• Isvari Radha devi dasi is finishing the annual course with a small but highly motivated group with a strong inquisitive profile. Hopefully by the second half of this year we can start another group online. Very comprehensive study guides have been developed. The first five topics of the course were developed by me and the second five, by madre Isvari . The material is organized in the form of synoptic charts and diagrams and is serving as a model for the study guides I am developing for my Bhakti Sastri course . Later, we can put it all together in a database. The important thing is that this material is in Spanish entirely. My intention is to make it interactive and include hyperlinks that allow less linear and more dimensional access. Little by little I am working on this idea.

Strategies:

• I suggest to change certain paradigms regarding educational administration. The ISKCON Chosica temple can be the point of origin for these transformations that can then be replicated (as necessary) in the rest of the region. The administrators of some centers have a somewhat rural idea of ​​what ISKCON development can represent, locally and globally. For decades, educational services have facilitated administrative issues, such as initiations, which generate labor for the practical services of the temple, which is what matters most to these sectors. The education of two or three devotees (no more) to teach the weekend classes is also part of their interests but without the intention of facilitating a platform for collective and personal growth for the majority of the members, according to their service. and position in the VAD. Therefore, since education becomes an instrument of political exploitation, they have no greater interest in understanding the possibilities of sustained growth for their communities.
• The old culture of the temple education officer appointed by the authorities is still very much in force. The temples have remained isolated from each other and the temple educator ran the universe for his congregation , and (literally) was unaware of what was going on in other spaces . There are devotees who have a hard time coordinating, I think it is important to meet to find ways to understand the purposes of the MOE. Only in this way, education in Peru and the region can be articulated with the ISKCON pedagogical current worldwide trend.
• The administration of the sastric courses (BS, Pada Padma - BhVai , Introduction to Bhakti Yoga (IBY) and Disciples Course) should be more orderly, locally speaking. BS has two teachers, an administrator and an examiner, I propose to replicate the model in the others. IBY also: administrator, examiner and one or two teachers, depending on demand. Pada Padma will conform to a similar scheme when we can access BhVai accreditation and the Disciples Course is examined by the same teachers but I also propose an administrator. The administrator should be responsible for overseeing compliance with course standards, providing content, and serving as a link between examiners and teachers. 
• In this way, I strongly beleive a specialization should be developed in each course. Teachers must specialize in one course (or two at most, as it is done in the universities). Multi task teacher who gives 3 or 4 courses corresponds to an educational system of a smaller scale and of little scope. It seems to me that we must turn each course into a program, supervised by the MOE and the national education officer. This is what is being done globally.
• It may be necessary to give teachers more tools, although the TTC courses are not a panacea, they serve to organize a language and didactic and pedagogical standard. Param Padam prabhu wants to collaborate with the MOE, I will take him at his word.
• I do not know if it is possible to develop an online seminar program with MOE's accreditation, something like diplomas on various topics, given by devotees in two, three or four 2-hour sessions. These certificates can allow devotees to access specialized services in temples or abroad. I haven't fully developed the idea but I think it can be interesting. Would a MOE-certified program be possible? I'm presenting in short a project to you an TMd for its discussion, if you allow me, Gurudeva.
• It is necessary for devotees interested in children's education to hone their skills. For this I think that a network of early childhood education training can be developed that formally links educators in the region with educators in Dallas or Houston (or elsewhere) , that way they get enthused and can apply that knowledge in their own jobs (many of them work as teachers or education assistants in schools).
• What about the Sastra Mela in june? Which are the details or where can I look at them? It's an open invitation for all the regional teachers?

I regret the length of this message. I am looking forward to your opinions and recommendations, Gurumaharaja . May Lord Nrsimhadeva take care of your sankirtan .

Your servant

Gandharva das

OOOh!! Sri Sri Gaura Nityananda have given us their infinite mercy by allowing us to worship them at home, these two beautiful deities have come to light up our lives due to the generous heart of our beloved sister Nitya Kisori devi dasi, the Lord bless her always!!. Nitai Gaura Haribol !!!!

 HpS - Gaura nitai Ki Jai!! We had to start scanning the letter and could not read everything. It is far to technically advanced for us. I don't see the institution being able to handle such a complicated system. Hmmm! It depends on how you can develop relations. I have a nice but simple relation with the BOEX now. I don't know how it will develop or disappear. Our ideas may be lost. ISKCON may fade away after 100-years and Krsna come again and start another. He will never give up.

1. Who am I? Two Mantras are enough, first. Then on that BASIS how do other books fit in.
2. SB class on some day. NOI evening on the other days. Is working well.
3. Bonk.. We ge tired... Hare Krsna Hare Krsna!! Priorities. Personal relations then building systems that people THOSE people will maintain. Moltke, "No plan of battle survives after the first thirty minutes of serious contact with the enemy".

Thank you for this letter!!! Any close friends in these projects?

Hare Krsna Beloved Gurudeva:

AGTSP PAMHO ¡¡¡¡

I hope this meets you in good health ¡¡¡

ASA - Our donkey is old and losing his brains, cannot remember if his wise our insane. Two teeth gone but others may stay until we can rest in the fire at last! Ahhh!

Gurudeva, this time that we are facing is very stressful for all of us, but specially for teachers.

ASA - It is only justice for the greedy monsters! Now there students can get revenge! Ha! Ha! Ha!

We are forced to join lots of workshops in order to train us how to deal with virtual environments.

ASA - This world is a virtual environment!

Most of the professors are over 50 years old and they are not too skillful with those virtual environments.

Even if I do not waste time commuting to work, I am very busy most of the day :(

I have to make lots of ppt presentations, homeworks, etc, etc

I am working in two universities. But just for hours. In Norbert Wiener University asked me to be a full time professor. But I recalled what you told me and I rejected it. My job is really demanding even if I am not a full time professor

Nevertheless, I try to manage my time in order to do my spiritual practices

I am over the moon, because I am learning how to cook better for Krsna. I am attaching some pictures.

I am taking advantage of the gem therapy and aromatherapy in order to calm myself. And obviously taking shelter of the Maha Mantra.

My cat "Peregrino" also helps me to relax, and sometimes he is present in my virtual classes haha.

Please Gurudeva your blessings in order to continue with my spiritual life.

I write this brief report so that you do not forget this silly girl

Thanks for all your inspiration

Trying to be your disciple

Candramukhi dd

ASA - Esteemed 'silly girl' with cat, cooking for Crsna, with crazy sister who is psychologist, whose parents are in heaven, thank you for the letter. All of Maya's pandemics are temporary, but she has an unlimited number of them!!! So, don't panick! Have fun. Yes, you may die, but that is Krsna's plan! It will be fun also. Yes, you can take you cat if your really want to. Actually we can stay in touch with overyone in their relation to Krsna.

Next letter.

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!!

All Glories to You!!

PAMHO

Jaya Radha Madana Goapala!

Dear Gurudeva!

From Mexico city, this is Natyelli Garza. It´s been a difficult time with the quarantine. This is my first time I live totally alone, by myself and...I think it´s even more difficult not to procrastinate, sing the rounds and dedicate the mind to service. Sometimes I feel very bored and my mind tells me to do anything trash.

It's been a few months since your last visit in December and more since my last report, an apology to you, we will make more effort and sacrifice. It was difficult because I was working excessively and it was difficult to go see you, being very aware of you. You recently accepted Prabhu Paco and me as your formal aspirants, for which we feel very blessed and grateful. Thanks Gurudeva. Rounds 16, very difficult; Association with devotees is also disrupted, the temple has closed and direct service to Radha Madana Gopala is at zero, Raja Bhoga is my favorite service :D . while at home then deal with laziness.

On the contrary, mother Karuna Shakti DD has been very aware of me, always supporting me and encouraging me to continue. She is a beautiful person. While I am helping with some translations for the Grihastha Vision Team (GVT) which Mother Karuna kindly proposed to serve. Waking for Mangal arati, cooking Prasadam at home, listening to the broadcasts of the temple and following the classes.

On the other hand it is time to do the thesis at home to finish my studies in History, to which I dedicate myself, struggling all the time.

HpS - Krsna is very lonely. Krsna is very frightened. Krsna wants His mommy, won't you help!!!

Family in their home taking care of me from the distance. I love them (mother, father and sister) (will attach a photo of them)... by the way, in some class you suggested if someone could make a translation, mother Karuna wrote to you about this translation, where was a confusion, internet-entity played us wrong. First, changed the order of the words of mother Karuna in her letter, actually I made the translation that Karuna Prabhu sent you by her instructions :), second, erased my letter (since three weeks ago). So It´s a little fun to play with the mind!!

Hoping we will always find ourselves better in the service. Your dumb aspirant to disciple, Bhaktin Natyelli

Thank so much Maharaja!

Hare Krishna!

ASA - Krsna, "Help!"

ASA - NIce photOS

Next letter!!!:>>>

April 30, 2020

Dear Gurumaharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada, All glories to your service to the Sankirtan Movement 

Isn't more clear moment than this to reflect upon our priorities in this Human form of life ; people is losing their bodies, their family members, their jobs and their security and so-called shelter. Nobody knows to whom to turn to, but you thought us perfectly to whom we have to turn to, to Sri Krishna and their associates. 

All this had make me reflect how seriously i’m investing time in my sadhana and in Krishna’s Service. 

I finished my Post Grad in Canada but with all the COVID situation I lost my job, my immigration status, and all our tours were cancelled. Fortunately I was traveling to Mexico to visit Ranchor just few days before Canada closed its borders. Now we both are at my Parents house Chanting Hare Krishna and trying to improve sadhana. For example: waking up @brahma muhurta chanting our 16R early in one sitting/asana [phone forbidden] and after that deity worship and morning Prayers for 1hr. My memory is not that great as Ranchor’s prabhu but I try to memorize words.

Gurumaharaja, i want to honestly and sincerely open my heart. I feel separation from my service and community in Houston. My independent mentality make me flicker in my services and I want to surrender that mentality, I want to remain fix in a service to you and your projects. I really belong to Nila madhava Dham, and I would like to serve there in Goswami Academy. Devotees who I consider shiksas and from whom I take inspiration are there.

HpS --- What does The Ranchor say!??? Your family? Krsna is only a picture passing though the lens of Srila Prabhupada. What does he say?

Please Gurumaharaja guide me, is very easy to get misguided from propaganda of getting money, professional status or just material stuff. We just need a community where Ranchor and I can associate and develop our capacities and to be honest I never believed that I can teach because i’m an untrained Sudra, but I know that if I have your blessing, Nilamadhava blessing, Subhra, CC at all the devotees I can be instrumental. 

Sincerely yours,

Govinda Pramodini Dasi & Ranchor Krsna Das 

HpS --- I don't know, but I think it is certainly O.K. to pray to Krsna and Prabhupada and get guidance. Things maybe changing fast. Krsna my want us to go to a different universe, back to Goloka! Get instrucions from Him daily.