Newsletter May 2023

Dear devotees and Friends,

Please accept our best wishes, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

In this newsletter we would like to share with you a small report on the Bhakti Immersion Retreat, an inspiration from Nitya Kisori and Visnu Priya who had recently visited the Holy Dhama, and about the benefits of Journaling.

During the Easter Holidays, we hosted the second annual Bhakti Immersion Retreat. Under the guidance of H.H. Sacinandana Swami, we invited two additional empowered speakers; Svayam Bhagavan Keshava Swami and Hari Parshad Prabhu. The three of them were an amazingly powerful combination and for 4 days they distributed a lot of inspirations. The mood of their presentation was very harmonious. Keshava Swami was establishing the foundation by pointing out the requirements needed to move forward toward our spiritual goal while Hari Parshad Prabhu was serving us a delicious cooling drink in the form of nectarine verses from Srila Rupa Goswami. Sacinandana Swami gave the evening sessions by alternatively speaking about the sweet activities of Lord Krsna and singing the Holy Name with a heart absorbed in recollections. We received more than 200 guests and for many of them, this retreat was one of their most inspiring experiences. The 4 daily sessions were fully attended by devotees eager to listen.

Our journey to Vrindavana this year, like the other times also, began with the prayer that our hearts may stay open to whatever the Dham would arrange for us. And, just like before, we again began this journey with some plans and intentions – where to go, which holy places to visit, where to take inspiration from, what sadhana to perform… However, unlike the other times, none of it turned out the way we had thought it would – Krishna had a completely different plan.

Due to some unexpected challenges with our bodies, it was not possible for us to undertake our planned trips. Remembering how Sacinandana Swami once advised that we should go on a pilgrimage as empty cups, ready to receive the divine gifts, we ‘emptied our cups’ of all expectations, ideas and plans, in quiet anticipation of whatever blessings were to come our way. Radhanath Maharaja very nicely explains the essence of spiritual search: “The most important thing needed is to find the spiritual world within ourselves. To find that oceanic peace, happiness, love and compassion within.”

There we were – ‘trapped’ on the banks of the holiest of all places in existence. Unable to move around much, we felt invited by Krishna to venture into this place inside, the sacred space – chanting the Holy Names, studying the Srimad-Bhagavatam, singing, worshiping our Deities, circumambulating the kunda, meditating on its banks and having some heart-touching exchange with the Brijbasis and sadhus. Days were peaceful, life was simple, hearts were joyful. Krsna was gifting us with different invaluable jewels on our path of finding our Vrindavan within, and with a small realization, very nicely put in words shared with us by a dear Vaishnava guide: “If one day we can share the sentiments (even in some small way) of Santana Goswami, who said the Bhagavatam was his best friend, constant companion, and greatest source of happiness, how wonderful that would be! When all is said and done, we enter our final phase of life with only our taste and attachment for Hari-kirtan and Hari-katha.”

Our stay in Vrindavan was an exciting journey within, in search of that Vrindavan which is invisible to the eye, but found and greatly cherished in the heart.