a counter example / Beware of Kali's agents

[Guest guest]

> Perceptions, and other visceral sensations, can be (and often are)

> misleading. That's why a phenomenological evaluation of the effectiveness

> of psychology is inadequate. According to Chanakya Pandita:

>

> A brahmana sees through shastra,

> A king sees through his spies,

> A cow sees through her nose (for finding eatables)

> And the common man sees through his eyes.

 

I suppose that means he relies on his other senses as well.

[Guest guest]

> I forgot to mention that some devotees have said that their experiences

> with LSD opened them up in a way that they could be receptive to Eastern

> philosophy and thus more easily be open to KC. Of course, we don't

> recommend people

> take LSD, but it seems to have helped some people come to KC.

 

There is no evidence that drugs have ever helped anyone come to

Krsna consciousness. If they had, then drugs would be a legitimate spiritual

experience. What helped these people come to Krsna consciousness was their

inherent tendency towards it. The drugs simply disturbed their perceptions

of external reality. But the realization that something exists beyond this

material phenomenon came from within. Mostly with devotees it is because

they had some previous realization of spiritual life before this lifetime

and at a certain point that re-exerted itself, when the external

circumstances were disturbed. That's all drugs do, they disturb, they do not

enlighten.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa

[Guest guest]

> Is it possible for something non devotional to aid ones devotion/

>

> Of course we know that PRabhupada said about LSD, "it is material and how

> can anything material help one's spiritual life.," But what I am getting

> at, and continually refer to in my letters to you, is that sometimes we

> see a devotee improve their bhakti by doing something not directly related

> to bhakti.

>

> They could have gone, for example, on a vacation with their families and

> gotten much closer or resolved some issues as a result of just playing

> together,

> etc. and then they come back more peaceful and thus in a better position

> to serve Krsna, particularly if before the trip they were having

> difficulties.

 

If a person's material circumstances change, that may sometimes

provide an opportunity to take devotional service more seriously. But

materical circumstances are fleeting and limited to affecting the body, mind

and intellect. If a person feels some impetus to spiritual activity due to

some material rearrangement, it will only be maintained by actual contact

with the genuinely spiritual.

 

In other words, we cannot rely on material circumstances and events

to sustain our spirituality because they will constantly change, and they

are limited. Thus those who approach God for material benefits or relief

tend to fall away as soon as the material goal is accomplised. Association

of devotees is the primary way to increase initial faith, and acceptance of

spiritual practices are the only way to sustain and develop it.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa