yoga?

[Guest guest]

> > Imho it'd be a mistake to lump this yoga preaching in with the

> > recently debated humanistic philosophy courses. The difference should

> > be obvious.

>

> IMHO I don't see the difference. Both are using concocted, speculative

> methods, which they claim will aid our bhakti. The difference is only in

> name.

 

I agree. There may not be much diference, thats why I brought it up here, to

hear your opinons.

 

> Personally I don't understand why bridge seminars designed to reach

> out to non devotees are being held at Radha desh and other devotees'

> seminars. To me it all signifies a gradual infiltration and watering down

> by atheistic elements of Srila Prabhupada's pure process of devotional

> service. That's why I speak out against it.

>

 

Usually in Radhadesh the purpose is to train preachers. I don't think that

it is being presented in Radhadesh as ordinary yoga course for devotees. It

seems, that idea is, that some preachers need to be trained in atma-yoga, in

order to spread it as preaching technique. Probably atma-yoga prooved itself

very succesful, and now they feel, that it needs to be expanded by training

new preachers in it. Which may be of course even more considered as "gradual

infiltration and watering down by atheistic elements", if one decides to see

it that way.

 

But I don't think that Radhadesh ISKCON leaders see it that way. I think

they see atma-yoga as a great preaching tool, and in order to do it

properly, they want to train devotees, who are interested in such preaching.

Because yoga courses are already happening in ISKCON, so instead looking

away from it, maybe better to systematically educate those involved, so that

there is at least some regulation.

 

Probably we will never agree if those courses are indeed effective and

needed. But I think we will agree, that if they are present in ISKCON, there

better be some education for that, in order to provide regulation and

control over them. And Radhadesh seems as a nice place for such social

educations, for those who are interested in those things. Probably Radhadesh

is happy with such socially-educational image, otherwise they wouldn't go

into this.

 

Of course, the question remains, what will regulate such institutions (like

Radhadesh), who try to educate ISKCON devotees in social techniques. Are

they free to choose whatever they feel right, or will they teke regulation

from varnasrama culture? Because with all those social courses you cannot

educate devotees just in daiva-varnasrama culture. Obviousy they are more

into social things, connected with wider KC culture, outside of brahminical

daiva-varnasrama. So, educating on levels, lower than daiva-varnasrama, the

regulation becomes varnasrama and vedas. ISKCON should not go lower than

that, and start mixing in some elements of western culture, replacing

element of varnasrama with western elements. I wonder how this is taken care

of.

 

your servant Giri-nayaka das