ART AND THE SACRED
Academic and Cultural Preaching Program
AgtSP
Paoho… First let us apologize that we have not submitted this earlier. We have tried several times and the pace of the Sankirtan here in Chile has been so intense that we could not, but I think it shall still be of good use with our short verbal presentation at the Latin American GBC meeting today.
Of course, this preaching has its roots in our opportunity to work with H. H. B. S. Damodara Swami and the Bhaktivedanta Institute and his cultural programs such as the Manipuri Ranganiketan Troupe.
This year, with our NIOS (North American Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies), we have again realized an intense program with the Peru National Library. For the three previous years it was Psychology and the Sacred but by advice of the Ambassador of India and many others it has expanded to Art and the Sacred. At heart, our contribution to the events is still Psychology and the Sacred culminating in our efforts to preach through the via media of the excellent world of Carl Gustav Jung. Srila Prabhupada concluded Spiritual Dialecticism by saying that of all the Western philosophers Jung had the most sense. Jung’s community is still incredibly dynamic and has volumes to offer ISKCON devotees in terms of psycho-therapy and excellent bridges between East and West.
This year in Lima the event went from the 24th-26th of October and, for example, featured:
- Oscar Natars, Director of the Year for 2017 from the Latin American Critics Association and Premio Nacional de Cultura, the highest cultural award from the government of Peru;
- Patricial Llosa, teacher and curator for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and co-founder of the Jungian Philemon Foundation;
- Jose Luis Valencia Gonzalez, Professor of Cultural Anthropology, ICONOS Mexico, with vast knowledge and research of the still alive, pre-Hispanic tradition of dance and ritual, La Colchera.
The variety, quality and depth of the presentations was over the top in terms of international standards.
ISKCON people included Dhruva O’Shear from Australia, Radhika Ramana Das and H. P. Swami from USA, Dolores Chavez from Mexico.
A twenty man orchestra from the National Peruvian Music Conservatory did one hour of 18th century religious music that brought the house to its feet for roaring and extended applause.
The conclusion is that here is a rich field of communicating the rich resources of Sri Krsna Chaitanya and Srila Rupa Goswami’s cultural heritage to a much beleaguered modern world. It is a format that satisfies Srila Prabhupada’s vision of a cultural presentation meant to review today’s materialistic and self-destructive civilization. We are very disqualified to even participate in these efforts and beg you all to take a hand to guide and develop these efforts.
Central to the effort is our annual NIOS publication, Solaris. Which show-cases the writings and art of this global effort and then clearly offers scholars and devotees a chance to contribute their voice into the choir.
Right now we are in the middle of the same effort, Art and the Sacred, here in Santiago. With dialogs with the national poet Laureate, Raul Zurita; Christian Contreras (Dr. File), https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristi%C3%A1n_Contreras_(periodista), who has about 30,000 people on his Face-book account et al. ISKCON devotees here are incredibly talented, and the level of university faculty involved is also amazing and instructive.
Please write to us if you have any questions or comments. We printed 1,000 full color copies of Solaris in Peru and are sending them to Chile, Mexico, Argentina; and expect to have it on the internet soon.
We were the first to read a letter that Srila Prabhupada sent to the USA to Jayatirtha Das in 1976 and were shocked when we read the last line: You cannot exist without my mercy.
It was so strong to us, but our intellect bowed down and accepted it, but that surprise even expanded more when we read the whole comment: You cannot exist without my mercy, and I cannot exist without your mercy. This mutual respect, this mutual love, is Krsna Consciousness.
Again thank you and please help us.
Hanumatpresaka Swami and all the Advisors, Directors and valiant members of NIOS.
