London College of Vedic Studies

from July to August 2020 ISKCON-London Community Newsletter

Community Development

A range of online courses took place at the London College of Vedic Studies (LCVS) in July and August.

JULY

• Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th: Murli Manohara dasa facilitated an interesting two-part seminar on ‘The Opulence and Beauty of Krishna’ looking at a summary study of chapter 21 of the Madhya Lila from Caitanya-Caritamrta.

• Sunday 19th: Janananda Goswami joined from France and provided some practical lessons on controlling lust in the popular seminar ‘Is Lust A Must?’. This seminar attracted over 80 participants and there was time at the end for several questions and answers.

• Sunday 26th: Jayadvaita Swami joined from USA and shared beneficial insights on the topic ‘Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature’.

AUGUST • Sunday 2nd: Ranchor dasa continued his ‘Nectar of Instruction’ seminars discussing Srila Prabhupada’s commentary on verse four which focuses on ways devotees exchange love with one another and so deepen and nourish their attachment for Krishna.

• Sunday 2nd: Jai Nitai dasa started teaching a weekly online course called ‘Overview of Bhagavad-Gita’, looking at the key themes and messages within each chapter, covering all eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita in six sessions.

• Saturday 22nd: Jaga Mohini devi dasi, former Tulasi pujari at ISKCONLondon, joined from Southampton to deliver a two-hour online workshop titled ‘Importance, Care and Worship of Srimati Tulasi Devi’. Over 70 participants joined from Finland, India, Norway, South Africa and the UK. They were given insights on how to look after Tulasi plants at home with guidance on what soil to use, temperature, sun light, watering in different seasons and lots more tips.

Amanda (picture on the left) shared her inspiration behind teaching the yoga classes: “I completed my yoga teacher training course at the Govardhan Eco Village, India in November 2019. This was a 200-hour course. I saw the positive effects of hathayoga practice from teaching my family and friends and I wanted to share these benefits, especially during these strange (COVID-19) times with as many people as possible. I am very thankful to my mentor for encouraging me to start teaching yoga to the ISKCONLondon community. It’s been very special teaching through LCVS. I love it!”

LCVS introduced free live yoga classes in August with qualified yoga teachers Amanda Teeha and Sophie Georgiou. Both yoga teachers are ISKCON-London community members and mentees of Bhava Bhakti devi dasi’s mentorship group. Yoga classes are a great way to introduce a wider audience to Krishna consciousness and to LCVS’s courses.

If you would like to take part in the free yoga classes, please join in on Instagram @londoncvs at 9.30am on Saturday mornings. Q) Wow, you are based in Cameroon! Your job sounds very interesting. How did you hear about the ‘Overview of Bhagavad-Gita’ online course?

STUDENT INTERVIEW WITH RACHEL HOGAN

Rachel Hogan is a first time LCVS course attendee. She is currently taking part in the ‘Overview of Bhagavad-Gita’ course and is joining all the way from Cameroon, Africa! Gita I was left with many questions as well as feeling

The Community Newsletter team caught up with Rachel to see what inspired her to do the course, how she found out about it and her interest in learning more about the Bhagavad-Gita.

Community Newsletter Team: Hare Krishna Rachel! Thanks for speaking to us. Firstly, tell us a bit about Rachel Hogan: I’m 45 years old. For the last 20 years I have been living in Cameroon. I’m the Director of Ape Action Africa, a UK charity based in Cameroon. We work in partnership with the Cameroon Government rescuing and rehabilitating gorillas, chimpanzees and monkey orphans whose families have been killed due to the bush meat trade. I also enjoy reading and running in the forest when I get a chance! A) A very good friend of mine who first introduced me to meditation four years ago as well as introducing the Bhagavad-Gita and ISKCON-London to me. Over the last year I have been receiving updates and that’s when I saw this particular course available.

Q) Have you taken part in any other courses at the LCVS? What inspired you to take part in this particular course? A) I haven’t taken part in any other course. This is my first. The reason I applied I guess is good timing! I happened to be reading the Bhagavad-Gita for the second time and received the email with courses available. I felt the first time I read the Bhagavadyourself, your interests and profession?

I had only just scratched the surface and there was so much more to learn and understand.

Q) So, you have been taking part in the ‘Overview of Bhagavad-Gita’ course, taught by Jai Nitai dasa, how are you finding it? A) I’m finding it really interesting and I’m understanding and appreciating it a lot more than when I first read it.

Q) What is one thing that you have learnt (so far!) that has really stuck out to you? A) It’s difficult to pin point one thing as there have been several. I enjoyed session two which included learning the meaning of karma. “Where there is action there is reaction” has really stuck. Q) Has the course helped you in your spiritual journey? A) Very much so. The course has helped so much in understanding and applying the teachings into everyday life. I’m also very keen to learn even more. It’s the first online course I’ve ever done and I’m really enjoying learning.

Q) Thank you for speaking to us!

NEW LCVS VOLUNTEERS

The LCVS team has grown in July and August with the addition of several volunteers helping in different areas. Thank you to the following volunteers for joining the team. Akash Vatsa who is helping with the marketing of online courses, and Himani Gandhi, Pooja Morjaria, Rohit Moturi and Shusmita Deb who have been helping with the smooth running of the online courses.