Wood Chip Gardening

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 08:28 AM PDT

Beginning of a MOObile for my new grand-daughter. Made with upcycled cotton and stuffed with merino wool.

Dear Readers;

I walk by a human and they will undoubtedly get this bewildered look and  say..."Hmmmm....all of a sudden I feel hungry for some fries!"  In the mood of making what we use....we make our own shampoo bar and for a hair conditioner I rinse my hair with two cups of apple cider vinegar and just leave it in. The ACV smell usually leaves after my hair is dried.This minty scented shampoo bar is a minimalists dream because you can shampoo your hair...wash your bod and brush your teeth with it. Of course I recommend you cut a bit of the bar off ...for your toothpaste...other wise...that would just be gross:)

I'll write the weekly blog post while my hair dries and besides I look like a wild woman with my hair down...and I hate having anyone see me like that! Once upon a time as I was typing my post

The great Master, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Maha-Prabhu

  - video courtesy Parvati DD,  2nd. gen. devotee, co-TP elect.   

                                                 SPIritNET

The organizational structure here at SPI; loosely moderated Gaudiya Vaisnava spiritual anarchy; Its all about pleasing Sri Krsna through cooperative encouraging services to each other and the sankirtana movement.  We dont care much for formal hierarchies except inasmuch as required. We embrace the spirit of like-minded humble cooperation and appreciation and service of other devotees; all are servants here, there is no big boss-man except God and His pure devotees.  In all, its the same seventies ISKCON unchanged except in online format and contemporary news slant !

As Editor, I would dare to say most members here aspire for Beauty and Love, while Knowledge and Power per se take a distant secondary place in our hearts and minds. Simple and sublime works, but

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati; "The church that has the best chance of survival in this damned world is that of atheism under the convenient guise of theism. The churches have always proved the staunchest upholders of the grossest form of worldliness from which even the worst of non-ecclesiastical criminals are found to recoil. It is not from any deliberate opposition to the ordained clergy that these observations are made. The original purpose of the established churches of the world may not always be objectionable. But no stable religious arrangement for instructing the masses has yet been successful.

The Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in pursuance of the teachings of the scriptures enjoins all absence of conventionalism for the teachers of the eternal religion. It does not follow that the mechanical adoption of the unconventional life by any person will make him a fit teacher of religion. Regulation is necessary for controlling the inherent worldliness of conditional sou

Shrivasa lead his brothers Shri Rama, Shri Nidhi, and Shripati in their devotional lives of singing Krishna's names, worshiping the Lord, and bathing thrice daily in the Ganges. (In the wallpaper: Shrivasa Pandit, ISKCON Leicester, UK).

   Shrivasa Pandit, fifth member of the Panca-tattva, Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Shri Advaita, Gadadhara, Shrivasadi, Gaura Bhakta Vrinda lived in Navadwipa before the advent of Lord Chaitanya. Shrivasa lead his brothers Shri Rama, Shri Nidhi, and Shripati in their devotional lives of singing Krishna's names, worshiping the Lord, and bathing thrice daily in the Ganges.

   Meeting with Shri Advaita Acharya Prabhu, they studied Bhagavatam and prayed for an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Why did they pray? Because only an avatara of Krishna could reestablish Vaishnavism among the staunch atheists, logicians, and proud pandits harassing Nadia at that time.

   Malini, wife of Shrivasa, was a constant friend of Sachi Devi. She served Nimai as a

Party Time, Prabhus! Hope you like the tunes.

SPIRITNET ; A meeting place for devotees to express themselves, share Radha-Krsna culture, plan and perform seva, learn, educate, and grow their love.

The materialist is certainly driven by demands

to satisfy infinite varieties of scenarios repeatedly,

of false-self identified pleasures at mundane hands,

forging karma, ongoing, into a destiny.

Devotee now seeks to rise and forsake such dull restricting confusing  glop and gloom

Vaikuntha bound ! Try your fortune, shoot for the Moon!

Selfless service, unconditionned, performed unceasingly in every situation !

Until the dross of desire to enjoy the temporary body falls forever into perdition.

But in between, not knowing who is the Self,

Placing all pleasure-seeking selfish desire upon the shelf,

We should act in service... But I do not yet know who or what I AM?

How do I know then how to serve?? I am not yet spirit, and also not merely a man!

It is like being a hungry ghost, an unanchored ship, a lost pilgrim, a pollen-less flower.

I have no such ability that I can see, nor such power.

All reason leaves such a devotee when, and he must take shelter of Godbrothers in the faith, then.

Question 1: What is the easy way to achieve the Supreme Lord?

Answer: The only way to attain bhagavad-bhakti is by associating with those devotees who are engaged in serving the Supreme Lord. The devotees have accepted that rendering service to Śrī Bhagavān is the essence of life, and that this is conclusive. They always engage in discussing the name, form, qualities and pastimes (nāma, rūpa,  guṇa and līlā) of the Lord and consider this the sole substance of their very lives. Only by associating with devotees who perform service to the Lord simply to please Him can one attain spiritual welfare.

The devotees do not attempt to secure their own pleasure by pretending to serve the Lord. They have no desire for personal happiness, either in the present or in the future, nor do they have desires for bodily or material comforts, nor liberation. They are always engaged in serving the Supreme Lord from the core of their hearts. Their inclination to serve does not heed any impediments at all

Once in the house of Srivasa Thakura Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sang while Vakresvara Pandit danced in, constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. At that time Lord Caitanya said, "Vakresvara, I have only one wing like you, but if I had another certainly I could fly in the sky".

Expert at singing and dancing, Vakresvara Pandit always pleased Lord Caitanya with his service in the Navadvipa sankirtana parties (which he joined from the beginning), the dramas at Srivas Angam, and the yearly Ratha-yatra at Jagannatha Puri.
 
Vrindavana Dasa Thakura said, 'To awaken the sleeping souls in the age of Kali Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute the nectar of the holy name of Krishna. When He came the khol (mrdanga) and karatals sounded like thundering clouds. Absorbed in moods of ecstatic love and shouting "Hari bol Hari bol," Sri Gauranga told everyone to chant the holy name of Krishna. Raising His golden arms to the sky, Lord Gaura Hari would dance in ecstasy. At that time, Vakresvara Pandit and

Lots and Lots of Wood Chips!  Posted: 11 Jun 2014 12:10 PM PDT

We were so convinced by this method of gardening that we ordered thirty-five tons of wood chips!

Anyone want to help haul wood chips?

Starting to cover the front flower garden.

We will keep you all updated on our latest Govindas' Farm experiment.
Until next time.
Hare Krsna.
Lal

Feeling very sad (dukhi) over losing several children before his birth, his parents named him Dukhi Krishna Dasa. Upon taking diksha from Hrdaya Chaitanya he became known as Krishna Dasa. In Vrindavana, he joined Narottama Dasa Thakura and Shrinivasa Acharya to study the Goswami granthas under Shri Jiva Goswami.
 
   Many "ankle bell stories" describe how Krishna Dasa received Radharani's mercy, the name Shyamananda, and his unique tilaka mark. Shripad B.V. Narayana Maharaja gives this account in Navadwipa Dhama Parikrama:

   "While living in Vrindavana, Krishna Dasa regularly swept the streets before dawn. He performed this humble service so that the Vaishnavas would not hurt their feet while walking to the Temples. One morning he found a captivatingly beautiful golden ankle bracelet. When Lalita and Vishakha-sakhis asked for the bracelet Krishna Dasa said he would only give it to the original owner.
 
   "Blindfolding Krishna Dasa, the gopis brought him to Shrimati Radhika. She allowed h

On this full-moon day, sixteen days before Ratha- yatra, Lord Jagannatha is bathed. He becomes sick and is confined to rest for fourteen days. He is then offered special care until He comes out for Ratha-yatra.

A special bath of Jagannath takes place on the Purnima of Jyestha month (Devasnan Purnima), to commemorate the appearance day of Lord Jagannath.

April 10, 2013, Shri Nrsngha Dasa said…

Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami’s chipped- rice-and-yogurt festival for Lord Caitanya and His associates. Celebrated especially in Panihati, West Bengal.

The Chida-dadhi Mahotsav, also known as the Chipped Rice Festivalof Panihati, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of SrilaRaghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Thisastonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges atPanihati, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Caitanya and hisassociates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida-dadhiMahotsav remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with Hisdevotees by arranging, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunathadasa, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice,along with various other nectar foodstuffs. Linked below is anexcerpt from Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya lila chapter 6, whichdescribes this wonderful pastime in detail.

The chipped rice festival took place just before the monsoons,when it is very hot (45 – 50 C) and muggy (80 – 90 % humidit

Dave Hodges

June 9, 2014

The Common Sense Show

This is a story that is not about race, ethnicity or religion. Some people will make it a demographic issue in order to obfuscate the ubiquitous nature of trafficking crimes involving children. What is the crime? The crime is murdering American children for the purposes of organ theft and shipment to countries such as Israel, Turkey, India, China, et al.

There was a watershed case back in 2009 which nearly broke open the practice of child abduction wide open. The reference was obscure, but for those that would look, there is evidence enough of child trafficking for the purpose of harvesting organs to warrant a detailed investigation.

 After having viewed this disturbing report, videoed in 2009, the national investigation trail went cold. Let’s examine the report and its contents chronologically and it will become crystal clear that there are major omissions from this report. which were designed to take attention away from child traffick