Interview with Pratapana prabhu! – Dynamic KC preaching in Sydney, Australia!
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Wednesday, 27 August 08 - 09:49 AM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Devamrita Swami - The Yoga of Greed - 31st Aug
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Tuesday, 26 August 08 - 12:26 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Auckland, New Zealand.
Offering to Srila Prabhupada, 2008
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Monday, 25 August 08 - 08:10 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Your servant, Tri-yuga das
Faith, Doubt and the Spiritual Master
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Sunday, 24 August 08 - 03:11 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Recent Travels, and a little war...
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Sunday, 27 July 08 - 06:00 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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I left Melbourne just under a week ago, after a 2 year stay in the Melbourne Temple men's ashram. Currently I am in Brisbane, staying with Sita Pati, his wife Param Satya, and their son Prahlada.
Brisbane has a wonderful climate: fine one day, perfect the next. This is a nice change from Melbourne which is notoriously changeable in its weather patterns. Although it is mid winter, it is sunny and warm here on the deck of Sita Pati's house amidst a forest of Tulasi plants.
Sita Pati and I have been attending Bikram Yoga classes daily - 90 minutes of yoga in a sauna! It is a kind of physical euphoria, and great for the body - the sweating experience is very cleansing.
Param Satya is and excellent cook, and the family diet is extraordinarily healthy - all organic and salt free. So the combined experience of Bikram Yoga, sunshine and such a healthy diet is like a kind of health retreat for me!
I have given 3 Krishna Conscious presentations since I've been here: Saturday night KrishnaFest at AtmaYoga, Sunday feast at Govinda's and Tuesday Night Bhagavad Gita class at AtmaYoga.
Sita Pati and I have also had a number of deep conversations about various things I have been thinking about over the last month. I value his friendship very deeply, and he is something of a mentor to me.
So all in all I am feeling refreshed and excited about the next chapter of my life in Auckland, New Zealand.
After Brisbane I will spend 4 days in Sydney to help Pratapana prabhu to develop the poster graphics to advertise this years Le Carnaval Spirituel Australian tour - Indradyumna Swami's travelling show. Then, on the 20th of August, I fly into Auckland.
A couple of weeks ago I bought a Flip Mino video camera, after reading about it on KrishnaGeeks.com. It is a nifty and compact unit, very simple yet effective for capturing videos for the Internet, and great in low light (Karunamayi Mataji - it is pretty good!)
I have shot a few videos and just started a YouTube account. Here is my first upload - a play battle between me and Prahlada and Atma Yoga!
Talk at Urban Yoga - Cultivating Wealth in the Inner World
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Thursday, 24 July 08 - 10:39 AM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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I gave the Krishna Fest presentation at Urban Yoga last night. It was an introductory style talk exploring some of the benefits of a meditation practice.
My presentation was around 25 minutes long, but the Q&A session extended for another 25 minutes.
You can download a recording of this talk by clicking the link below:
Culitvating Wealth in the Inner World.mp3
StrengthFinder 2.0: My Results
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Wednesday, 23 July 08 - 04:49 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Today I did the Strengths Finder 2.0 Test. To do this test you need to purchase the Strengths Finder book which gives you an access code to the online test. I found the test very accurate and it is helping me to determine my future focus in terms of study, career and service. I would recommend the test to anyone who wants to identify and hone their unique fields of strength for maximum effectiveness.
The test takes about half an hour and produces a ranked list of your top 5 areas of strength, along with explanations and suggestions on how to maximize and capitalise upon them.
Here are my top five themes of talent, ranked in the order revealed by my responses to the Clifton StrengthsFinder.
Ideation, Activator, Communication, Strategic, Learner
Here are the explanations of each of these categories:
Ideation
You are fascinated by ideas. What is an idea? An idea is a concept, the best explanation of the most events. You are delighted when you discover beneath the complex surface an elegantly simple concept to explain why things are the way they are. An idea is a connection. Yours is the kind of mind that is always looking for connections, and so you are intrigued when seemingly disparate phenomena can be linked by an obscure connection. An idea is a new perspective on familiar challenges. You revel in taking the world we all know and turning it around so we can view it from a strange but strangely enlightening angle. You love all these ideas because they are profound, because they are novel, because they are clarifying, because they are contrary, because they are bizarre. For all these reasons you derive a jolt of energy whenever a new idea occurs to you. Others may label you creative or original or conceptual or even smart. Perhaps you are all of these. Who can be sure? What you are sure of is that ideas are thrilling. And on most days this is enough.
Activator
“When can we start?” This is a recurring question in your life. You are impatient for action. You may concede that analysis has its uses or that debate and discussion can occasionally yield some valuable insights, but deep down you know that only action is real. Only action can make things happen. Only action leads to performance. Once a decision is made, you cannot not act. Others may worry that “there are still some things we don’t know,” but this doesn’t seem to slow you. If the decision has been made to go across town, you know that the fastest way to get there is to go stoplight to stoplight. You are not going to sit around waiting until all the lights have turned green. Besides, in your view, action and thinking are not opposites. In fact, guided by your Activator theme, you believe that action is the best device for learning. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. This learning informs your next action and your next. How can you grow if you have nothing to react to? Well, you believe you can’t. You must put yourself out there. You must take the next step. It is the only way to keep your thinking fresh and informed. The bottom line is this: You know you will be judged not by what you say, not by what you think, but by what you get done. This does not frighten you. It pleases you.
Communication
You like to explain, to describe, to host, to speak in public, and to write. This is your Communication theme at work. Ideas are a dry beginning. Events are static. You feel a need to bring them to life, to energize them, to make them exciting and vivid. And so you turn events into stories and practice telling them. You take the dry idea and enliven it with images and examples and metaphors. You believe that most people have a very short attention span. They are bombarded by information, but very little of it survives. You want your information—whether an idea, an event, a product’s features and benefits, a discovery, or a lesson—to survive. You want to divert their attention toward you and then capture it, lock it in. This is what drives your hunt for the perfect phrase. This is what draws you toward dramatic words and powerful word combinations. This is why people like to listen to you. Your word pictures pique their interest, sharpen their world, and inspire them to act.
Strategic
The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?” This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path—your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: “What if?” Select. Strike.
Learner
You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered—this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences—yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting there.”
"As you may know, the Clifton StrengthsFinder measures the 34 themes of talent determined by The Gallup Organization as those that most consistently predict outstanding performance. The greater the presence of a theme of talent within a person, the more likely that person is to spontaneously exhibit those talents in day-to-day behaviors.
Focusing on natural talents helps people build them into strengths and enjoy personal, academic, and career success through consistent, near-perfect performance.
To learn more about your strengths and to discover your Top 5, visit http://sf2.strengthsfinder.com
Accident Update
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Tuesday, 22 July 08 - 01:04 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Last week I mentioned a serious car accident I had been involved in, in which I collided with a motorcyclist. It was a shocking experience to say the least. Here is an update on the outcomes:
The motorcyclist got out of hospital 3 days later! This was very amazing to my mind, as at first I though he would die! In the final analysis he suffered a broken jaw in 2 places, a few broken ribs and a couple of cracks in his pelvis. The good news is that there is no spinal injury and no brain damage. He can move about with crutches and is forecast to be fully healed, with no long-term issues, within 6 to 12 weeks.
Discovering this has been a great relief to me.
Overall, he is more upset about his new bike been all smashed up than he is about his body! He purchased the bike only the day before...
Legally, I got a fine of $187 for not giving way. According to the cop that attended the scene, the motorcyclist got the same, as well as a fine for not having a motorcycle licence...
The temple has comprehensive insurance so the damage to the temple van is covered. I don't think the cyclist was insured, and because he was riding without a license I think his chances of being covered by our policy are very slim.
So I got off very lightly physically, legally and financially, while the motorcyclist has suffered on many fronts. It is an unfortunate situation, but at least the worst (death, brain damage or paralysis) has been avoided.
Thanks to everyone who called and emailed me with your support - I have been very touched.
Some more stats:
Motorcyclists are casually classified as 'temporary residents of Australia'...
There is a 100% accident (of some kind) rate amongst motorcyclists...
1 in 10 motorcyclists are killed or maimed....
Motorcyclists are 37 times more likely to suffer a serious road accident…
My Heavy Road Accident
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Wednesday, 16 July 08 - 05:08 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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(a lot of people are learning of the serious road accident I was involved in yesterday afternoon and are calling to question me about details and offer their support. I appreciate this show of care very much. For those who know me personally and may have heard rumours, here is the story...)
Yesterday, around 4 in the afternoon I was driving the temple van down to Bunnings hardware to pick up some stuff for the renovation service I have been doing. The sun was low in the western sky and glaring directly in through the windscreen as I began to pull across the oncoming lane to enter the Bunnings car park.
CRASH! The vehicle shuddered violently and glass from the passenger window showered into my face. The motorcyclist peeled of the side off the van and collapsed onto the road. He had collided with me at high speed. He was dressed in yellow riding gear and riding a powerful yellow motorbike, and with the low afternoon sun directly behind him I hadn’t seen him coming.
In shock I got out of the van. The motor cycle was a wreck and the rider lay on the ground. Through his visor I could see his face flushed with blood and eyes bulging. Blood dripped from his helmet as he lay gurgling.
I looked around in shocked disbelief. Various passers-by looked on in horror or frantically dialled emergency numbers on their cell phones.
The rider began to struggle to move. People came running yelling for him to lie still. He managed to struggle to a crawling position and then raised himself precariously to his feet, before swaying and collapsing to the ground. Again, despite cries of “lie still!” he began to crawl towards a lawn on the side-walk where he collapsed.
The ambulance arrived within 7 mins and the medics began attending to him. I was in a daze, countless worst-case scenarios racing through my head.
Eventually some of the rider’s nearby work colleagues, including his girlfriend, turned up, as well as a fire truck and a police officer. His girlfriend accompanied him in the ambulance.
I spoke with the police officer who confided that he had just come from 2 other serious accidents that day. He reassured me that, while I was technically at fault, the low sun, his yellow attire, and his high speed had obviously contributed to my inability to see him coming.
“That’s why we call them ‘accidents’ my friend…”
Now this incident is 22 hours in the past. My feelings are mixed. First I was numb with shock and disbelief. Now I am feeling remorse and guilt. Later that day I called the accident victim’s partner who has been looking after him in hospital. She seems kind, albeit in shock. Here is the update:
- Broken jaw, wired shut with plates
- Major laceration under the chin
- Several ribs cracked near the spine
- Cracked pelvis
The injuries are very heavy but will not be fatal. I feel intensely sorry for what has happened, as these injuries will have a serious impact on his life for a significant time to come.
I have spoken to the RTSTV (Road Accident Support Team Victoria) for advice on how to deal with the psychological trauma, and to the TAC (Transport Accident Commission) and find out the legal implications.
Legally this is considered an accident and any health care expenses will be covered by the TAC (Transport Accident Commission).
Emotionally… well I have an appointment to speak with a councillor later today. Mainly I feel for the plight of motorcyclist.
I have already had much support from my devotee friends, my family and even from the above mentioned social welfare departments, for which I am very thankful.
Please pray for the welfare of the motorcyclist…
Some stats: Each year more than three hundred people are killed on Victorian roads. Another 46 are seriously injured every day...
Online Discovery!: Vaisnava Family Resources
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Sunday, 13 July 08 - 12:48 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in Human Relationships |
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Today I discovered a great devotee resource:
http://www.vaisnavafamilyresources.org
This is a website dedicated to providing guidance and insight into achieving a healthy marriage and family situation, set up by a grass roots volunteer group of Krishna devotees who are mental health or educational professionals.
Today I read several articles including:
12 Principles and Values behind a Krishna Conscious Family Life
"Subjective Reality" in Relationships
A Potential Spouse: 7 Important Qualities to Look For
Eight Principles of Prosperity
Strong Marriages Have These 6 Vital Ingredients
I found each of these articles to be concise and insightful, as well as balanced and mature in the advice they offer. They are well written, combining the wisdom and values of Krishna Consciousness with the best of modern relationship psychology and counselling.
This is great to see, and gives me a lot of confidence in the future of the Hare Krishna Movement. To me this is yet another indicator that the Krishna Conscious Society is stabilizing into a healthy and sustainable state after it's explosive birth and rough adolescence, so to speak.
When an organism is healthy, growth is automatic. Similarly, when the community of devotees is healthy and vibrant, it becomes naturally attractive to people, and they desire to be a part of it. Thus:
"A healthy community will grow, naturally" (Rick Warren)
Zoom H2 Q&A
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Friday, 11 July 08 - 11:52 AM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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I received an email this morning which features some questions about the Zoom H2 recorder. Since I am an employee of the Zoom Corporation Sales Department, I have publicly posted my evangelistic statements here in the hope of securing a promotion 
. The letter I received is in purple, while my statements are in black.
Dear Triyuga prabhu,
Haribol!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhu, thank you so much for the downlads of the Govinda chant evening. Sita and Tina are amazing together and we can't stop listening to it! Thank you.
I was searching a little about the Zoom h2 and found it online for 170$ brand new in the box.
Yes that is a good price.
I was wondering if you could tell me a little about recording kirtans successfully. Not too close to the mrdangas... not too close to the kartals... etc...
Thats right, you need to keep it away from things that will overpower the recording like kartals and loud drumming. You need the kartal player to play SOFTLY, which usually sounds better anyway. Other than that, it is a pretty simple device and the instructions are good, so with a bit of experimentation you will be able figure out what works best.
One thing I would reccommend is picking up some good headphones that block surrounding sound. Then you can listen to what is being recorded as it is being recorded and adjust the levels and positioning to what sounds best. The headphones I got are the Direct Sound EX-29 Extreme Isolation Headphones, which cost me $115 on sale at Factory Sound in Melbourne. Allens also have them at around $200. I am sure you could find them cheaper with an online search.
How long is the battery life?
Battery life is ok, nothing special. It really depends on what settings you are running it on. It also comes with a power pack so you can plug it in.
Is it pretty user friendly?
I thinks so, although you will need to read the instructions to get the most out of it. On top of it's basic recording function which is quite simple, it has a lot of special features which can greatly enhance your results if you learn about them.
Can a good quality mic be attached to it for taping to lecture mic?
Yes it has a 3.5mm jack plug. When you plug in a mic the built in mics automatically turn off. This allows you to get an isolated sound (the built in mics are so sensitive they will pick up the whole room, although their sensitivity is adjustable).
Thanks so much! Hari!
Velcome!
ys Tri-yuga das
Kirtan Recordings - Govinda's, Sydney, Australia.
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Thursday, 10 July 08 - 09:58 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in Preaching |
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As promised, here are the kirtans and bhajans I recorded in the Lotus Room at Govinda's during my recent trip to Sydney (to download, right click the individual tracks and 'save target as', or visit the upload site here at Internet Archives)
Visit to Sydney
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Monday, 07 July 08 - 09:41 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Spot the Fired-up Brahmacari...
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Monday, 07 July 08 - 08:33 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Bhakta Uddhava, Liverpool Ratha Yatra, Sydney, Australia, 5th July, 2008.
Krishna Valley Farm Sign - complete!
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Wednesday, 02 July 08 - 01:36 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in General |
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Signed off on this one today! Final design confirmed. It's off to the sign writers.
Lessons in Leadership – What not to do!
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Sunday, 29 June 08 - 10:19 AM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in Leadership |
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As a final point, we should recognise that in a voluntary organization (like ISKCON) where leaders have no power over their followers other than that which the followers voluntarily grant them, understanding the psychology of leadership is essential. It has long being recognised that in most cases, people don’t quit their jobs, they quit their leaders! Therefore, if leaders in volunteer organizations are to be effective in their leadership responsibilities, they MUST come AT LEAST to Level 2 on the leadership scale, and preferably to Level 4.
Some Personal Sutras for Meditation
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Saturday, 28 June 08 - 10:56 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in Philosophy |
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Words of Wisdom Re: Traditional Gender Roles and Modern Application
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Friday, 27 June 08 - 02:22 PM (GMT +11:00) By Tri-yuga das in Human Relationships |
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