April 2014 ISKCON-London Community Newsletter

Community News April 2014

Who’s Who

Community News

1. Jai Nitai Dasa

Temple President Charity Chairman Mentor Member of Management Board South Region Coordinator

4. Murli Manohara dasa

8. Maha Nrsimha dasa

5. Suddhatma dasa

9. Jagannath Suta dasa

Charity Trustee Head Pujari Member of Brahmacari Council Member of Management Board

Govinda’s Restaurant Manager Member of Management Board

Charity Trustee Festivals Coordinator Mentor

Radha Krishna Records

2. Bhava Bhakti dd

Mentorship System Coordinator Counsellor Charity Trustee / Secretary Temple Administrator South Regional Secretary Member of Management Board

6. Ram Charan dasa

3. Titiksu dasa

UK Ratha Yatra Coordinator Member of Management Board

10. Kasinatha dasa

Financial Controller Member of Management Board Mentor

Temple Security / Commander

7. Gaura Kishore dasa

11. Saumya Radhika dd

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Charity Trustee Mentor

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Mentor

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Who’s Who

Community News

12. Jaga Mohini dd

ISKCON Educational Services (IES) Tulasi pujari

16. Sachi Kishore dasa

13. Bhaktin Sunita

20. Gandaki dasa

Preaching and Outreach Mentor

Radha’s Boutique Manager Member of Management Board

Child Protection Officer Community Care Officer (Ombudsman) for ISKCON-London

Volunteers’ coordinator

17. Devaki dd

21. Bhakta Thiru

14. Vamsi Priya dd

18. Bhakta Dhaval

22. Premarnava dasa

15. Bhakta Nikita

19. Acyuta Charan dasa & Krishna Kanta dd

23. Bhakta Rakesh

Education and Courses

Sankirtan Leader

Kitchen Manager

Volunteers’ coordinator

Properties Manager

Food for Life coordinators

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Communications Team

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Community News

Vamsi Priya dd

Courses Upcoming and Current Events Mridanga Lessons Dates: Commences 29th May for 10 weeks Individual Price: £100.00 Facilitator: Bhakta Krishna Chaitanya Time: Thursdays, 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm

was planning for His descent as Lord Caitanya, His flute wanted to accompany Him. Lord Krsna said that the flute would not be a practical medium of carrying the spiritual vibrations around. Hence, the mridanga came to existence as a drum that is nice and loud, and easy to play. Since then, Bengali music and Gaudiya Vaisnava kirtans have been blessed with this avatar of the flute of Sri Krishna.

The mridanga had its advent nearly five hundred years ago around the mid-1400s when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on Earth. It is said that the mridanga is Lord Krishna’s flute incarnated, and also an expansion of Lord Balarama, on earth. When Lord Krsna

Course Details: Interactive mridanga sessions Learn mantras and how to apply them in kirtan Mridanga booklet included

Journey of Self Discovery Date: Commences 16th June Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm Individual Price: £20.00

an easy explanation on what is meditation and yoga? Who exactly am I and how can I transcend bodily and mental limitations and experience unending spiritual bliss?

Have you ever wondered what exactly is ‘happiness’ and why we see it so often advertised, but rarely experienced? Or have you ever thought of who exactly is God and can we really see Him? What about the tragedies that strike good people - ‘why do bad things happen to good people’? The path of yoga is confusing - is there

If you have ever had these questions, you are on the right page.

The ‘Journey of Self-discovery’ is a 6-session course that answers all the above questions and more. The course is designed to take you systematically from the basics of spiritual life, to answering deeper philosophical questions about God, love and happiness.

Now register for courses & seminars online!

You can now register for our courses and seminars online. We hope that this will make it easier for you to register and encourage more of you to attend the courses and seminars that we offer.

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Please visit Upcoming Courses & Seminar page to view details and register for upcoming courses that may be of interest.

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i t k a Bh a g o Y

to n o i t duc

Intro

Community News

Course Facilitato

r: Sonal

We warmly invite you to: •An enlivening opportunity to learn: How to be the best version of yourself in any relationship or situation?

•Interactive and Introductory Course on Eastern Spiritual Wisdom and Practices, followed Questions and Answers and Refreshments.

d includes Course fee: Only £5 an gift ! refreshments and a free

What is Bhakti Yoga?

Bhakti Yoga is: The Yoga of Personality and Character Development, which uncovers our highest potential.

Yoga = “to connect with the higher self” Bhakti Yoga is the dynamic application of spiritual wisdom, which: Bhakti = “through devotion and character” •Is Practical for our every-day lifestyles.

•Is Relevant to us, even in today’s modern age.

•Simultaneously increases positive thinking and decreases negative thinking.

•Transforms our character to be excellent communicators, team players and attentive to the needs and interests of others in our RELATIONSHIPS with anyone: from family, partners and friends to colleagues at work.

•Enables us to be more competent and efficient at our workplace, university, hobbies or in any task.

•Enables us to achieve personal and team goals.

Saturday 10 May 2014 12.45pm 1.15pm sharp 5.30pm

ISKCON London Radha-Krishna Temple

Welcome and Registration at Reception, Ground Floor 10 Soho Street Course to start, 3rd Floor, Seminar Room London, W1D 3DL Course ends (Nearest tube stations: Tottenham Court Road/Oxford Circus).

Places are limited so please register ASAP from one of the three options below:

1. On-line at iskcon-london.org. Go to “Activities” Menu, select: “Upcoming Courses and Seminars” OR 2. In person at Radha's Boutique (2nd floor at above address) OR 3. Over the phone at Radha’s Boutique (pay by card): 020 7287 0269 Note: Options and 3 only possible: Mon-Sat 12.00pm-8.00pm and Sundays 1.00pm-8.00pm 5 Hare Krishna 2 Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Contact Vamsi Priya: Tel: 07828 402 534 or Email: courses@iskcon-london.org

Community News

Temple Open Day The Temple held an Open Day on Saturday 19th April from 1pm to 6pm, which ran alongside Radha Krishna Records partaking in UK National Record Store Day, by converting the Temple reception into a record store.

The theme of the day was ‘The Power of Sound’. Guests’ journey began with a short presentation about this topic, questions and answers facilitated by HH Keshava Bharati Swami, and then the kirtan experience in the Temple room where various artists featured on Radha Krishna Record albums, performed. The day was well attended, with a recorded number of 67 visitors, with each receiving a gift bag filled with goodies.

The Open Day also took place during the Rama Navami sprint, so many devotees were distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. We also had kirtan outside, and a large Harinam party with devotees from all over the country spreading the holy names of the Lord on the streets.

The Temple is hoping to hold more Open Days in the future, to welcome more and more of the public who have not previously visited the Temple.

Here is a wonderful excerpt from an email the Temple received from an Open Day attendee: ‘Dear ISKCON London, Today I attended a Hare Krishna Temple for the first time. I would like to convey my sincerest and humble gratitude to all there, who made me - as a complete newcomer to Krishna Consciousness - feel extremely welcome.

I would like to thank the gentleman that took the Q&A session for a moving, and deeply enlightening afternoon.

Thanks again, and I will return as soon as practicable.

Hare Krishna, R. Hutchings’

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Community News

Celebrating 45 years This year we will be celebrating 45 years of ISKCON London! Each newsletter this year will feature a special article about Their Lordships and our London Temple.

On Monday 28th April we were graced with the association of Mother Mondakini, who shared memories of Bury Place and nectar about Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara with us for morning class. Below we have featured some parts of the class. To hear and watch in full online, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHQg3N7R41k Telling of the beginning stages of her and her friend’s coming to Krishna Consciousness, Mother Mondakini told us – ‘It took the mercy of Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara to make us understand that God is a person. Srila Prabhupada said about Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara, actually They have tricked you - Krishna didn’t come as a murti here, but He came Himself.’

Many of the devotees went on Harinam three times a day. ‘It was a wonderful and blissful life, and the Deities were the centre of our life. We learned to look at everything in connection to Krishna in the Temple. Time went on very peacefully in the service of the Lord.’

‘Even coming back to the Temple now, They are so welcoming, and that fabulous smile is there. It is like They know each one of us - our inner feeling, our weaknesses, our progress, and They are always welcoming and waiting for us to come back to Them. They want us much more than we want Them, actually. So you are all very, very fortunate.’

Mother Mondakini’s enlivening concluding words were – ‘Please carry on serving the beautiful Deities SSRLI, and remember always how powerful They are. If sometimes you feel a little down in your spiritual life, of course pray to your spiritual master, but don’t hesitate to also pray to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani and Krishna, and you will see what happens!’

Mother Mondakini retold a beautiful pastime that Mother Manjuali shared – she [Mother Manjuali] was in Los Angeles, serving Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadish. Srila Prabhupada was smiling at the Deities, and he said ‘Oh, Krishna is smiling so nicely this morning.’ The devotees were really happy and said, ‘yes, Srila Prabhupada!’ And then Srila Prabhupada made a dramatic pose and said, ‘But, actually, Krishna in London is smiling the best’.

The class was filled with so much nectar – we could continue listening endlessly! We thank Mother Mondakini for gracing us with her presence, and sharing such beautiful realisations and pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara, and hope she will return soon!

Mother Mondakini’s first visit to the Temple at 7 Bury Place was on the installation day of Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara. She recalls – the Temple was beautifully built, with purple velvet carpet. It looked like a cave, all curved, with red oakwood. Srila Prabhupada’s vyasasana was to the left of the Deities when entering the Temple. She and her friend arrived after the installation, and there was a beautiful kirtan going on. There were not so many devotees – around 20 to 30. ‘Srila Prabhupada was leading kirtan in a very progressive way – starting slowly in a very meditative mood, and building up.’

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Community News

Bhava Bhakti dd

The Mentorship System Spotlight on Jai Nitai dasa and Bhava Bhakti devi dasi’s Mentee Group in Crawley Reflections from mentees Naresh and Bhavna Ghedia “We prioritise all our meetings – one of us will swap work shifts or take time off – the meetings are like a life line! It’s like we recharge ourselves in spirituality. We don’t have the chance to go to the Temple or other events often, so the meetings are extremely important to us. We have prasadam, read from the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, and share our realisations in a relaxed atmosphere.

I would recommend joining the Mentorship System. It has strengthened our spiritual focus and given us direction.”

Mark and Nikki We always made it a priority to try and make certain that we could attend meetings if possible, which is not always easy due to family and work commitments, but we have found that as we kept our focus and desire to become better devotees, aspiring to take initiation at some point, the results of our fixed determination to attend meetings and study etc have now born fruit and we are working full time for ISKCON.

The mentorship meetings and the group has given us association that we value dearly. As we are not living close to a Temple, we get support

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and friendship with both mentors and other group members. We enjoy the meetings, the discussion of spiritual topics, and in depth study of Srila Prabhupada’s books leading to deep and meaningful realisations. Kirtan is always nice, and of course prasadam is the icing on the cake.

Practical advice on how we can incorporate the process of Krishna Consciousness into our daily lives from our mentors and other group members is appreciated and ongoing.

We would recommend the system to others, and would hope to encourage others to do the same, because of the reasons above. We understand that association with other devotees is crucial in staying fixed in Krishna Consciousness, and it is therefore so important. We would also hope to be able to use the knowledge and techniques we have learnt in the process to help others in the future.

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Community News

Devaki dd

Bhakta Dhaval

Volunteers Team Volunteering Opportunities Administration Guest Greeters - Please give your smiles and enthusiasm to welcome the new jivas to Krishna’s home! Greeters are needed in particular for the Sunday Feast programme and festivals.

A volunteer is required who can establish and document systems and procedures for all areas of the Temple. Must have an eye for detail and have experience in administration. Reporting directly to Jai Nitai dasa, Temple President.

Follow up callers - If you would like to do some service from home, keeping in touch with new guests by calling them is a great opportunity to serve the community.

Database Services A volunteer is required who is able to work on Linux, Postfix, Courier/Dovecot, MySQL to establish a Virtual Mail Server (SMTP+IMAP/POP3). Advantageous if one knows how to set up Reverse DNS as well.

Sacred Street Parties Every Saturday, we have a book table in various towns around London. Would you like to be part of an energetic and fun team dedicated to making the souls in London fortunate by receiving Srila Prabhupada’s books? All are welcome! Even if you have never distributed books before, no problem. We can provide full training.

A volunteer is required who has knowledge of programming skills in PHP, MySQL, JavaScript.

Food for Life Volunteers required Monday to Thursday evenings from 6 pm.

There is a particular need for volunteers on Tuesday and Thursday.

Ad Hoc Services From time-to-time, we require volunteers for short-term projects.

Temple Broadcasts

Copywriters

Volunteers required who can broadcast the Temple morning program. Good internet connection and knowhow of computers is required. Full training will be provided.

Email developers

Web developers Graphic designers Prezi specialists

Visitor Care

Researchers - Carrying out various online research e.g. event venues, products, etc.

Do you remember the first time you stepped into the temple?

Were you greeted with a warm and friendly welcome? Would you like to help provide the same great experience to others?

We are looking for volunteers for Guest Greeting and Follow Up Calls.

Volunteers need to have been practicing Krishna Consciousness for some time, conversant with the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy by regularly reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and enthusiastic about providing care to Temple visitors:

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If you are interested in any of these services or have any queries, please contact us on volunteers@iskcon-london.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Community News

Community News

Maha Nrsimha dasa

Festivals

Ram Navami Mantra Lounge Album Launch

This year the auspicious Rama Navami festival, the appearance of Lord Rama, was observed on Tuesday 8th April. The festival was celebrated with morning class by HG Rupa Vilas dasa, break fast feast at noon, abhisheka, evening class by HG Sundar Nitai dasa, and in the evening the Mantra Lounge album team launched their first album, with kirtan and bhajans, continuing late into the evening.

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Many artists joined us, including Charlotte Kelly from the band Soul II Soul, Ranchor Prime, Hari Kirtan dasa, Sandipani Muni dasa, and Isvari Priya dd, and they were accompanied by various instruments.

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Community News

Festival Dates 8th April – Rama Navami 15th April – Hanuman Jayanti 13th May – Nrsimha Caturdasi 1st June – Snana Yatra at ISKCON London 15th June – London Ratha Yatra

General News

On the auspicious day of Rama Navami which fell on Tuesday 8th April, Bhakta Nikita, a resident brahmacari, was given saffron cloth as he has taken a view to remain in the brahmacari ashram for the next 3 years!

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Community News

Srila Prabhupada’s Dream for London

‘Dear Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara; Jagannatha, Baladeva & Subhadra;

We are petitioning to the empowered leaders of the United Kingdom to donate five acres of land in Regent’s Park in Central London in order to build a temple for Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara.

Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Giri Govardhan – we offer our most respectful obeisances unto You. With a mood of deep gratitude and appreciation we request Your causeless mercy upon us.

For more details and to sign the petition

For Your pleasure, if You so desire, we wish to erect a holy place of Your transcendental pastimes that will attract unlimited souls to Your service and fulfil the vision of Your pure devotee Srila Prabhupada for London.

please visit www.londontemple.co.uk Prayer

Please enable us to cooperate together in order to satisfy You in this way.

In addition to signing the petition, we request that you please make this following prayer your daily meditation:

We Your surrendered servants humbly beg.’

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Community News In 2014 we celebrate the 45th anniversary year of the installation of their most beautiful Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara

Sign the Petition for Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara’s new temple in London www.londontemple.co.uk

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“Krishna is very kind and any sincere devotee is always taken care of by His Lordship in all respects. Please regularly chant Hare Krishna, read Srimad-Bhagavatam, and very soon you will get other books also, like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and always read and talk about Krishna between yourselves, and always remember that this life is but a flash only. We have to seek after our eternal life in Krishna Consciousness and be transferred to the spiritual world in the association of Krishna. Continue to keep your present attitude and certainly even within this life, you will be successful in attaining perfection of Krishna Consciousness.�

(Srila Prabhupada, letter to Dayananda, Montreal, 7 July, 1968)

Daily Programme Times Arati Times 4.30am - Mangala Arati 5.00am - Tulasi Arati 7.00am - Deity Greeting 8.00am - Dhoop Arati 12.30pm - Raj Bhoga Arati 4.15pm - Dhoop Arati 7.00pm - Sundara Arati 9.00pm - Dhoop Arati

Darshan Times 4.30am to 5.00am 7.00am to 7.30am 8.00am to 11.45am 12.30pm to 1.00pm 4.15pm to 6.30pm 7.00pm to 7.30pm 9.00pm to 9.30pm LUNCH PROGRAMME Monday to Saturday 1.00pm to 2.00pm

Classes 7.30am - Bhagavatam or Caitanya Caritamrta 1.00pm - Introductory Talk (except Sunday) 6.00pm - Bhagavad Gita (except Sunday) Sunday Programme 3.30pm - Bhajans 4.15pm - Dhoop Arati 4.30pm - Introductory Talk 5.30pm - Feast 6.00pm - Q & A 7.00pm - Gaura Arati

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Radha-Krishna Temple 10 Soho Street London W1D 3DL

T: 020 7437 3662 E: info@iskcon-london.org W: www.iskcon-london.org

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Society for 14 Krishna Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare International Conciousness

Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada