THE ROOTS OF SPIRITUAL CULTURE
  • Institute
  • Mayapur Courses
  • Registration
  • Course Descriptions
  • Devaki dd
  • Diary
  • Books
  • Recordings
  • Photos
  • Testimonials

A Vaishnava society cannot sustain without cultural education

6/14/2020

0 Comments

 
Reflecting back on my time in Mayapur in the beginning of this year, another highlight was the International Education Symposium, which took place immediately after the ILS - the ISKCON Leadership Sanga.
It was a two-day symposium with educators from all around the world giving presentations on various fields of education. To my surprise and joy I was invited to speak on the topic of "Cultural (R)Evolution - A Vaishnava Society Cannot Sustain Without Cultural Education". Exactly the topic I feel such urgency for...!

My audience was a qualified and senior assembly of Vaishnavas, with several Maharajas like HH Krishna Kshetra Maharaja, Yadunandana Maharaja and others participating. Thus I felt highly inspired and encouraged to receive an opportunity to share realizations and strong convictions.
Picture
​Culture evolves through the practical application of a worldview and ideology and manifests in all aspects of daily life. Culture also promotes and reinforces the very same underlying worldview. In BG.2.69, Krishna states how different spiritual and materialistic culture are:
"What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self- controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage."
The two cultures are as different as day and night - based on entirely opposite worldviews and goals in life, and ultimately incompatible. This day-night principle accompanies us through various aspects of devotional life: What is success in spiritual life is regarded as weakness and failure in material life. For example, the qualities of tolerance, shyness and chastity are highly important qualities within devotional practice, whereas for a materialist they are seen as undesirable. Furthermore, the attitude within these two cultures towards various sections of society are entirely opposite: for example towards the elderly, children and mothers.
Between the "day of the materialist" and the "day of the spiritualist" is a broad spectrum of all kinds of shades and mixtures. Krishna consciousness is meant to bring about a transformation, so the day of the materialist eventually becomes night to us. We are meant to transform our likes/dislikes, tastes, world views, patterns of behaviour - our very heart, so that bhakti can grow. Our mundane conditioning is very subtle and deep - it truly requires a paradigm shift! However, this transformation cannot be imposed or forced upon people - it can only be inspired.
The first step in spiritual education is to teach sambhanda jnana - our basic philosophy. Now we require to move to the next level by offering systematic training and education, how to practically live our philosophy in our daily life. Such cultural education will give insights into our Vaishnava culture as being Krishna's system, which He gives us to establish stability and harmony in our life, so we can develop our relationship with Him. It will empower our devotees to make a conscious choice, how much of which culture they want to invite into their lives.
If this education is not offered, devotees may "go with the flow" and accept all kinds of modern trends into their lives, seeing them as progressive and trendy - not realising that they promote the opposite world view which we don't want to cultivate. We may encounter the danger of watering down the process of Krishna consciousness, and the spiritual strength may get lost.

The following are practical examples where education is highly required:
 * Family life as an ashrama. We are not there yet - our high divorce rate         confirms this fact!
 * The Vanaprastha ashrama. It is not established!
 * Our children are our future! We still maintain the immature understanding that children are a distraction and burden!

We can conclude that a Vaishnava society will not be able to sustain without cultural education....!

To watch the entire presentation please see the second presentation on the video below.
Your servant, Devaki dd
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Devaki Devi Dasi's Traveling Diary

    Devaki Devi Dasi is sharing her realizations and adventures in her Traveling Diary. Welcome to relish this nectar!

    Archives

    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    June 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.