On the 7th of May I landed in Tampa/Florida and was excited to visit the devotees of the community in Alachua. This is one of the most prominent projects within ISKCON, with many well-known disciples of Srila Prabhupada living on the property and in the surrounding townships. It was a great honor for me to get the opportunity to offer humble service to the Vaishnavas here, and I felt greatly inspired to witness so many wonderful aspects of community development being established.
New Raman Reti is the abode of Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara, Sri Sri Krishna Balarama, and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. The temple serves almost five hundred families, making it the largest community of its kind in North America. And Their beautiful Lordships are served very gorgeously and are the center of the Vaishnava community.
On my arrival the gardenias were in season, and the Deities were offered opulent garlands and flower decorations, their heavenly aroma wafting through the temple room. Even though it was early spring, the temperatures already climbed up the thermometer, and the midday-sun was burning with full strength. The climate and vegetation reminded me of Queensland in Australia.
On my arrival the gardenias were in season, and the Deities were offered opulent garlands and flower decorations, their heavenly aroma wafting through the temple room. Even though it was early spring, the temperatures already climbed up the thermometer, and the midday-sun was burning with full strength. The climate and vegetation reminded me of Queensland in Australia.
A team of senior ladies known to me were eagerly welcoming me and seeing to all my dietary needs. It was a humbling experience having to accept personal service from disciples of Srila Prabhupada, and I tried my best to offer some service in return.
I was invited to give a SB class and two evening presentations on the topic of the false ego being our constant companion and troublemaker, concluding with a third session as a house-program in one of the congregational members' homes. It was a great pleasure for me to get the association of many elevated Vaishnavas and build relationships. The discussions were well received, and devotees expressed their appreciation.
I was invited to give a SB class and two evening presentations on the topic of the false ego being our constant companion and troublemaker, concluding with a third session as a house-program in one of the congregational members' homes. It was a great pleasure for me to get the association of many elevated Vaishnavas and build relationships. The discussions were well received, and devotees expressed their appreciation.
One morning, Mother Nataka Candrika took me around the school. I was highly impressed by the wonderful atmosphere which I could perceive in the class rooms. The children were so disciplined and peaceful - something I did not necessarily expect to see in the United States! In each group some girls were appointed to greet a visitor, and I was so respectfully received, and even offered a glass of water. How cultured! The wonderful experience and impressions I collected on my tour around the school almost blew my mind.
The school is following the Montessori method of education which is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. In Montessori classrooms children make creative choices in their learning, while the classroom and teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process.
I was impressed how expertly the devotional topics were combined with academic learning, so that the children were genuinely inspired to actively participate and make their contributions. It seems an almost ideal way to find a good balance between the various teaching methods, and intertwining material education with spiritual knowledge.
I was impressed how expertly the devotional topics were combined with academic learning, so that the children were genuinely inspired to actively participate and make their contributions. It seems an almost ideal way to find a good balance between the various teaching methods, and intertwining material education with spiritual knowledge.
A famous letter comes to my mind, which Srila Prabhupada wrote to Karandhara in 1972:
"Our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles — Krishna Consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy. So you big managers now try to train up more and more some competent preachers and managers like yourselves. Forget this centralizing and bureaucracy."
Even though Prabhupada gave this instruction in regards to training adults, nevertheless the same principle can also be applied to the children: rather than forcing them to learn so many things which they may not be interested in and may never be relevant to their lives, we have to be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic learning, which is individual, spontaneous and voluntary. The atmosphere of a fresh challenge also has to be created in the classroom, which I could certainly perceive when visiting the school in New Raman Reti.
"Our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles — Krishna Consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy. So you big managers now try to train up more and more some competent preachers and managers like yourselves. Forget this centralizing and bureaucracy."
Even though Prabhupada gave this instruction in regards to training adults, nevertheless the same principle can also be applied to the children: rather than forcing them to learn so many things which they may not be interested in and may never be relevant to their lives, we have to be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic learning, which is individual, spontaneous and voluntary. The atmosphere of a fresh challenge also has to be created in the classroom, which I could certainly perceive when visiting the school in New Raman Reti.
On another day Mother Nataka Candrika took me to the Eco Farm, where I met Mother Akuti, the wife of Deena Bandhu Prabhu (ACBSP). I was delighted and impressed by her unique personality and her determination to single-handedly develop this project, even building walls and gates from natural stones, and doors from wood! Even in her advanced age she keeps herself so busy in deep absorption, meditating on Srila Prabhupada's instruction of "simple living, high thinking". She has a clear vision for her project - truly a woman on a mission!
I also had an opportunity to visit the well-known artist Pushkar Prabhu and his good wife in their home. His beautiful paintings are used in many of the BBT publications - wonderful windows into the spiritual world....!
My visit to New Raman Reti was the highlight on my tour around the United States - the cherry on the cake!
After spending the following weekend in nearby Tampa and Orlando, offering further programs and the Sunday feast lecture, I flew back to Germany on the 14th of May.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
I also had an opportunity to visit the well-known artist Pushkar Prabhu and his good wife in their home. His beautiful paintings are used in many of the BBT publications - wonderful windows into the spiritual world....!
My visit to New Raman Reti was the highlight on my tour around the United States - the cherry on the cake!
After spending the following weekend in nearby Tampa and Orlando, offering further programs and the Sunday feast lecture, I flew back to Germany on the 14th of May.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
RSS Feed
