Announcing and welcoming the next Chief Moderator

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

Namaste all.

 

I have great pleasure in announcing to you all that Shri

Gregory Goode will take over as Chief Moderator of our

Group from around December 1.

 

I am planning to leave for India around that time, for a

stay, in Bangalore, of a few months. During this month I

expect to be busy preparing for my departure from

California where I will be located from Nov.14 onwards.

 

I thank you all most heartily for all the cooperation and

consideration you have shown me in the discharge of my

responsibilities. Most of the hard tasks was however being

done by the ever-present Shri Ramchandranji and Shri

Sunderji, who both not only initiated me into the duties of

the Chief Moderator, but also guided me all the way. My

gratitude to them both.

 

Now let me take a little time of yours to say a few words

(mostly his own) of introduction (if that be necessary!) of

Shri Gregory Goode.

 

Shri Gregory, a PhD in Philosophy, lives in Fort Lee, New

Jersey, working in the IT department of an international

law firm. As for his spiritual growth, he himself writes:

“My family, of British, German and Swedish roots, has been

culturally atheist for as many generations as I am aware

of. Never a mention of anything spiritual or religious. But

for me, as young as age 10, I began to do what I'd now call

a kind of inquiry. As kids, my friends and I would throw

rocks at each other. If a rock hit me in the shoulder, I'd

think that it didn't hit "me," but rather my shoulder only.

In fact, I couldn't think of anywhere the rock could hit

that would be "me." This investigation continued into

academic life”.

 

Shri Gregory has studied Western metaphysics, epistmology,

axiology (the study of human choice) and decision theory

(the study of rational behavior). He ‘experienced karma

yoga in the U.S. Army :-)’, as well as ‘profound bhakti and

karma yoga in the fundamentalist pentacostal Christian

church’, to which he felt ‘mystically drawn’ . He has also

studied Ayn Rand's Objectivism, Libertarianism,

microeconomics, solipsism, Western hermeticism, esoteric

Christianity, Kabbala, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy,

Anthroposophy -- until the constant mention they made of

the Vedas turned him towards the East in search of Vedanta

in which he has now read widely, having for about two

years attended the weekly Manhattan study group under the

Chinmaya Mission. The instructor was Dr. George Romney, a

gifted, kind, insightful, intelligent, strict and devoted

teacher. His conviction in advaita may be described in his

own words:

 

“For me, Advaita Vedanta found its richest, clearest and

fullest expression in the teachings of Krishna Menon (Sri

Atmananda). His teachings have been facilitated by years of

meetings with Francis Lucille, a student of Jean Klein, who

was a direct disciple of Sri Atmananda's. Sri Atmananda's

great works ATMA DARSHAN, ATMA NIRVRITTI and his massive,

unpublished, two-volume DISCOURSES made this great

philosophy come alive for me. His works seemed to

articulate my own experience like pouring oil into oil”.

 

We, as members of the advaitin -group family, welcome

Shri Gregory Goode in his new role and look forward to a

period of further enlightening activity under his

stewardship.

 

PraNAms to all advaitins.

profvk

[Guest guest]

Namaste ProfVKji, Gregji and Satsanghis:

 

The list is doubly blessed with the outstanding leadership and

scholarship of outgoing cheif moderator ProfVKji and the incoming chief

moderator Gregji.

 

The list membership during the stewardship of ProfVKji has gone up to

1342 from 1030. This represents an increase of 30 percent of membership

and most importantly, the list has discussed a significant number

serious topics on advaita. ProfVKji's presence is quite inspirational

to his fellow moderators and a motivating factor for the general

members. Many of you may already know, he will be leaving for India

next month for four to five months stay and will return back to US

during the spring of 2006. Fortunately, the Internet services in India

has become very stable and of high quality and he will be very likely

active in the list participation during his stay in India.

 

Gregji with the last name of 'Goode' will truly supply the list with

Vedantic 'goodies.' He is one of the founding members of this list and

with true advaitic spirit. We are very fortunate that he has agreed to

dedicate his time and energy to take this list and its members to

achieve to higher goals.

 

Warmest regards to you all,

 

Harih Om!

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

advaitin, "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk> wrote:

>

> Namaste

>

> Namaste all.

>

> I have great pleasure in announcing to you all that Shri

> Gregory Goode will take over as Chief Moderator of our

> Group from around December 1.

>