Exhausted for a while

[Guest guest]

Hi there. I would like to do bhakti yoga again following the whole process: wake up at 4:00 AM, taking cold shower using a swimming suit, putting on tilaka, doing kirtan, 16 japa rounds every day, reading Bh.G. and Sr.Bh., accomplishing the 4 regulative principles, performing Ekadasis, and avoiding karmi people and karmi places and karmi activities. But I think it's very complicated and frustrating in the end and it only gives me anger and boringness.

Therefore I think I'll just take it easy for a while, sing the blues and let it be.

Honestly, Me.

PS Somehow, I don't know but I may change my mind tomorrow and get back in yoga soon, but it isn't sure OK? So greetings for everyone, giggle and thumb up. C-ya.

[Guest guest]

this appears more a declaration of war to yourself than bhakti yoga... are you initiated? have you a spiritual master?

[BruzWayne]

I'm not initiated, but I feel respect for Srila Prabhupada as a bona fide Spiritual Master. Even though, following all his teachings is very difficult.

 

Are you initiated? Who's your spiritual master?

[Guest guest]

my questions are because you are following a very strict sadhana, with some not so ortodox austerities (like cold shower)

 

the essence of spiritual advancement is to follow an uttama adhikari spiritual master who gives personal advices

 

we are fallen in this material world for pride, we did not want to give to krsna his position as supreme.. so to come back we have to take the way in the opposite sense, learning first of all to follow krsna in the person of the spiritual master , learning to accept instructions and chasizements

 

in this perspective everything has a sense, austerities without following a guru risk to be another aspect of our rebellious tendency to act without guidance...

 

to have a person who cares for us helps very much in the difficulties

[Guest guest]

ah... if you want to follow a little less strictly... do as you want, but please keep harekrishna chanting.. this is essential, other things are important but marginal

[Guest guest]

HARE KRISHNA DEVOTEE,

 

my questions are because you are following a very strict sadhana,

 

SOME TIME AGO I USED TO FOLLOW IT, NOW THOSE DAYS ARE GONE AND I'M NOT SO SELF ASSURED AND MY WILL POWER SEEMS TO VANISH IN THE AIR,

 

with some not so ortodox austerities (like cold shower)

 

BRRRR, COLD SHOWERS ARE OK BUT DIFFICULT WHEN THE WEATHER IS VERY COLD... AND USING THE SWIMMING SUIT WELL, SOMETIMES I FEEL TOO LAZY TO DO THAT AGAIN,

 

the essence of spiritual advancement is to follow an uttama adhikari spiritual master who gives personal advices

 

we are fallen in this material world for pride, we did not want to give to krsna his position as supreme..

 

I ACCEPT KRISHNA AS THE SUPREME, IT'S JUST THAT I'M EXHAUSTED AND BORING OF DOING ALL OF THE AUSTERITIES, THAT'S ALL,

 

so to come back we have to take the way in the opposite sense, learning first of all to follow krsna in the person of the spiritual master , learning to accept instructions and chasizements

 

in this perspective everything has a sense, austerities without following a guru risk to be another aspect of our rebellious tendency to act without guidance...

 

to have a person who cares for us helps very much in the difficulties

 

THIS MUST BE THE KEY ELEMENT... I AM REQUESTING FROM KRISHNA TO PROVIDE ME ENOUGH LAKSHMI THROUGH MY WORK IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH OPULENCE IN ORDER TO FEEL READY TO GET A KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS GIRLFRIEND OR WIFE, BUT KRISHNA'S REPLY IS ZERO, THEREFORE I THINK I DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW BHAKTI YOGA AUSTERITIES NO MORE, I RATHER HAVE SOME KARMI FUN FOR A WHILE LIKE PLAYING BACKGAMMON AND POOL AND LISTENING TO ROCK MUSIC UNTIL KRISHNA DECIDES TO PROVIDE ENOUGH LAKSHMI IN ORDER TO GET MYSELF A KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS GIRLFRIEND OR WIFE, IN THE MEANTIME I ASSUME IT IS KRISHNA'S WILL TO LET ME HAVE SOME FUN FOR A WHILE, THAT IS MY OPINION, AFTER ALL KRISHNA IS THE SUPREME OWNER OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT? HARI BOL.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

Have some pateince bro!

 

---

http://www.asitis.com/6/20-23.html

 

TRANSLATION

 

The stage of perfection is called trance, or samadhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.

 

PURPORT

 

By practice of yoga one becomes gradually detached from material concepts. This is the primary characteristic of the yoga principle. And after this, one becomes situated in trance, or samadhi, which means that the yogi realizes the Supersoul through transcendental mind and intelligence, without any of the misgivings of identifying the self with the Superself. Yoga practice is more or less based on the principles of the Patanjali system. Some unauthorized commentators try to identify the individual soul with the Supersoul, and the monists think this to be liberation, but they do not understand the real purpose of the Patanjali system of yoga. There is an acceptance of transcendental pleasure in the Patanjali system, but the monists do not accept this transcendental pleasure, out of fear of jeopardizing the theory of oneness. The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure--realized through transcendental senses--is accepted. And this is corroborated by the Patanjali Muni, the famous exponent of the yoga system. The great sage declares in his Yoga-sutras: purusartha-sunyanam gunanam pratiprasavah kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti.

 

This citi-sakti, or internal potency, is transcendental. Purusartha means material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme. This "oneness with the Supreme" is called kaivalyam by the monist. But according to Patanjali, this kaivalyam is an internal, or transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called ceto-darpana-marjanam, or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This "clearance" is actually liberation, or bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. The theory of nirvana--also preliminary--corresponds with this principle. In the Bhagavatam this is called svarupena vyavasthitih. The Bhagavad-gita also confirms this situation in this verse.

 

After nirvana, or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service of the Lord, known as Krsna consciousness. In the words of the Bhagavatam, svarupena vyavasthitih: this is the "real life of the living entity." Maya, or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated by material infection. Liberation from this material infection does not mean destruction of the original eternal position of the living entity. Patanjali also accepts this by his words kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti. This citi-sakti, or transcendental pleasure, is real life. This is confirmed in the Vedanta-sutras as ananda-mayo 'bhyasat. This natural transcendental pleasure is the ultimate goal of yoga and is easily achieved by execution of devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga will be vividly described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita.

 

In the yoga system, as described in this chapter, there are two kinds of samadhi, called samprajnata-samadhi and asamprajnata-samadhi. When one becomes situated in the transcendental position by various philosophical researches, it is called samprajnata-samadhi. In the asamprajnata-samadhi there is no longer any connection with mundane pleasure, for one is then transcendental to all sorts of happiness derived from the senses. When the yogi is once situated in that transcendental position, he is never shaken from it. Unless the yogi is able to reach this position, he is unsuccessful. Today's so-called yoga practice, which involves various sense pleasures, is contradictory. A yogi indulging in sex and intoxication is a mockery. Even those yogis who are attracted by the siddhis (perfections) in the process of yoga are not perfectly situated. If the yogis are attracted by the by-products of yoga, then they cannot attain the stage of perfection, as is stated in this verse. Persons, therefore, indulging in the make-show practice of gymnastic feats or siddhis should know that the aim of yoga is lost in that way.

 

The best practice of yoga in this age is Krsna consciousness, which is not baffling. A Krsna conscious person is so happy in his occupation that he does not aspire after any other happiness. There are many impediments, especially in this age of hypocrisy, to practicing hatha-yoga, dhyana-yoga and jnana-yoga, but there is no such problem in executing karma-yoga or bhakti-yoga.

 

As long as the material body exists, one has to meet the demands of the body, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating. But a person who is in pure bhakti-yoga or in Krsna consciousness does not arouse the senses while meeting the demands of the body. Rather, he accepts the bare necessities of life, making the best use of a bad bargain, and enjoys transcendental happiness in Krsna consciousness. He is callous toward incidental occurrences--such as accidents, disease, scarcity and even the death of a most dear relative--but he is always alert to execute his duties in Krsna consciousness or bhakti-yoga. Accidents never deviate him from his duty. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, agamapayino 'nityas tams titiksasva bharata. He endures all such incidental occurrences because he knows that they come and go and do not affect his duties. In this way he achieves the highest perfection in yoga practice.

 

 

[BruzWayne]

Hi Govindaram. You are right, patience is always required. Still, some times you have the inspiration for doing yoga, and some times you're just needing vacation, in this case vacation away from yoga.

 

Some times we must acknowledge that we are not perfect, only Krishna is perfect, so if we can't carry on our yoga, well no problem, one day we'll be back in our austerities.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

Your wanting sense gratification, be honest RIGHT NOW, otherwise you'll go on your merry way, and think your not good enough to do Krsna-Bhakti.

 

Maya is tricking you, ok you take some time-out, prabhu days will turn into years, before you even know it, so don't stop it all completely, still chant and read Gita a little, associate with devotees. Thats all ya getting from me, read Gita PLEASE.

[Guest guest]

my questions are because you are following a very strict sadhana,

SOME TIME AGO I USED TO FOLLOW IT, NOW THOSE DAYS ARE GONE AND I'M NOT SO SELF ASSURED AND MY WILL POWER SEEMS TO VANISH IN THE AIR,

-sadhana has to be suited for us, tailored exactly from the pure spiritual master.... if we do something whimsically we are not strict, strict means adherent to the orders of spiritual master, otherwise is austeruty in ignorance, sense gratification... and it will end in .. stop sadhana at all

 

BRRRR, COLD SHOWERS ARE OK BUT DIFFICULT WHEN THE WEATHER IS VERY COLD

-cold showers and cleaning ourselves wearing swimming suit are not instructions given by guru, sastra and sadhus... krsna consciousness is essentially to follow a path, a school, a way... if we do what we want or what we like or what for us seems good, it is not following

 

I ACCEPT KRISHNA AS THE SUPREME, IT'S JUST THAT I'M EXHAUSTED AND BORING OF DOING ALL OF THE AUSTERITIES, THAT'S ALL,

-. maybe krsna simply is not interested that you make austerities not requested and ordered by guru, sastra and sadhus

 

THIS MUST BE THE KEY ELEMENT... I AM REQUESTING FROM KRISHNA TO PROVIDE ME ENOUGH LAKSHMI THROUGH MY WORK IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH OPULENCE IN ORDER TO FEEL READY TO GET A KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS GIRLFRIEND OR WIFE, BUT KRISHNA'S REPLY IS ZERO, THEREFORE I THINK I DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW BHAKTI YOGA AUSTERITIES NO MORE, I RATHER HAVE SOME KARMI FUN FOR A WHILE LIKE PLAYING BACKGAMMON AND POOL AND LISTENING TO ROCK MUSIC UNTIL KRISHNA DECIDES TO PROVIDE ENOUGH LAKSHMI IN ORDER TO GET MYSELF A KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS GIRLFRIEND OR WIFE, IN THE MEANTIME I ASSUME IT IS KRISHNA'S WILL TO LET ME HAVE SOME FUN FOR A WHILE, THAT IS MY OPINION, AFTER ALL KRISHNA IS THE SUPREME OWNER OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT?

--krsna is the supreme owner, the isvara, the supreme.... so do as you want, if you have some frustrations provoked from your past austerities it is surely not in my power to stop you to live a period of your life concentrated on money, gambling, rock, girl and so on.... but make a step further, live your life, but keep absolutely Hare Krsna chanting. The name of krsna is krsna himself, wathever you want from him ask it chanting mahamantra... He will show you the way.

 

if you do not chant your life will be a jumping from a kind of maya to another

 

if you chant you will find your way to go back to godhead

 

i repeat... please chant hare krishna

[Guest guest]

How easy it is to use Krishna to justify everything.

[Guest guest]

We all have some fear that our response to the challenge on the path of Krishna Consciousness is inadequate. I suggest that do what you can, if you stray for a while quickly forget about

 

Hare Krishna

[BruzWayne]

Your wanting sense gratification,

 

--THAT'S WHY ALL OF US ARE HERE IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD. SUDDENLY WE START AVOIDING SENSE GRATIFICATION BUT THE CLUTCHES OF KALI GET HEAVIER THAN BEFORE SO TAKING A BREAK BECOMES NECESSARY.

 

be honest RIGHT NOW,

 

--I AGREE, ATTACHMENT TO SENSE GRATIFICATION IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME.

 

otherwise you'll go on your merry way,

 

--I'M LIVING IN A CITY WHERE THE ONLY BELIEVER IN KRISHNA IS ME. I'M HERE BECAUSE SUPPOSELY THE CHANCES ARE GREAT IN ORDER TO MAKE FORTUNE BY HONEST WORK RELATED TO SALES.

 

and think your not good enough to do Krsna-Bhakti.

 

Maya is tricking you, ok you take some time-out, prabhu days will turn into years, before you even know it, so don't stop it all completely, still chant

 

--I DO THAT, SOMEHOW, IN THE MIND.

 

and read Gita a little, associate with devotees. Thats all ya getting from me, read Gita PLEASE.

 

--THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVICE. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED, SOMEHOW KRISHNA GAVE ME BAD LUCK IN MY JOB SO I HAD TO QUIT AND GET ANOTHER JOB. PRACTICALLY KRISHNA LEFT ME IN ZERO MONEY. BY COINCIDENCE THAT DAY, APRIL 1st WAS EKADASI ACCORDING TO THE MOON CALENDAR SO I DID COMPLETE EKADASI THAT DAY, ZERO FOOD ALL DAY LONG AND ZERO WATER, EXCEPT FOR A LITTLE BIT WATER WITH SOME MEDICINE, WHICH IS ALLOWED, SO NOW I REALIZE THAT IF I STOP DOING BHAKTI YOGA AGAIN THEN I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO ZERO MONEY AGAIN. SO NOW I'M BACK IN THE 4 REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES AGAIN, GETTING READY TO DO KIRTAN AGAIN AND CHANTING 16 ROUNDS DAILY, I MAY START PRACTICING TO DO 50 ROUNDS ONE DAY, IN CASE I MEET A KC WOMAN IN THE FUTURE, NEXT EKADASI WILL BE ON APRIL 15, AND BY THE WAY I'M TAKING MY SHOWERS AGAIN USING SWIMMING SUIT... THEREFORE I MUST CONFESS THAT ONCE YOU START TO DO BHAKTI YOGA FOR KRISHNA THERE'S NO WAY OUT... KRISHNA WILL BRING YOU BACK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, NO MATTERS IF YOU WANT TO PLAY BACKGAMMON OR SING ROCK SONGS IN THE KAREOKY, KRISHNA WILL CUT OFF YOUR MONEY INCOME SO YOU'LL BE FORCED TO DO YOGA AGAIN... KRISHNA'S HUG IS PAINFUL... HOWEVER IT IS LIKE A MEDICINE GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH AND SPIRITUAL PROGRESS. NOW LET'S SEE HOW FAR I CAN GO ON BY DOING BHAKTI YOGA AGAIN IN A CITY WHERE THERE'S A BEERS' STORE IN EVERY BLOCK AND WHERE KALI'S CLUTCHES ARE EVERYWHERE... MAY KRISHNA'S FORCE BE WITH US ALWAYS. HARE KRISHNA.

[Guest guest]

what's the use of showering with swimming suit? where's the advantage? where have you found this idea? how can you be clean..... ehem.... there?

[BruzWayne]

Some Krishna devotees taught me that you must take a cold shower in the morning. First of all you offer the shower to Krishna and chant the maha mantra while taking the shower. It's better if the water is cold so you do it fast and also lust thoughts do not appear. Using a swimming suit is reccomended in order to avoid offenses against Lord Indra, the demigod of heaven that supplies water. Of course that you clean the parts under the swimming suit with soap and then wash. The suggestion is that Krishna's devotees are never naked. On the other hand, do you remember that story about some devotees that once were drunk and then decided to swim naked in a river, then Narada Muni was passing by and saw them and then cursed them by making them to live as trees for 10,000 years more or less? Hare Krishna.

[Guest guest]

one of the reasons because you oscillate from moments of intense dedication to moments with intense sense gratification, is this unnatural idea of krsna consciousness

 

if they were bona fide and recommended you would find peace and steadiness in spiritual practices

 

but it is not so... you absolutely need a spiritual master, doing something whimsically or under the guidance of some not so competent "devotee (and a little irresponsable, if it is true what are you saying)" will not help you

 

please find a real and pure guidance, cold showers with pants are repression, not spiritual advancement... i am sincerely concerned by the things you're saying prabhu

 

hari bol

 

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna, Prabhu. I didn't invent the idea of taking cold showers using swimming suit. I learned this habit while living for a few days inside of an official ISKCON temple, where all of the devotees were encouraged to take showers this way. Therefore I suppose that you have never ever lived inside of an ISKCON temple, right?

 

Or maybe this habit exist only in certain ISKCON temples.

 

And regarding the fact that sometimes I get miscarried from Bhakti-yoga by the many clutches of Kali... well, I'm not Superman you know... I'm doing the best I can to perform Prabhupada's teachings in a city where most of the population doesn't even know who is Srila Prabhupada.

 

Take care. Hare Krishna.

[Guest guest]

Therefore I suppose that you have never ever lived inside of an ISKCON temple, right?

--only a little...9 years

 

Or maybe this habit exist only in certain ISKCON temples.

--practiced from some speculator and mentally ill """"devotee""""

 

And regarding the fact that sometimes I get miscarried from Bhakti-yoga by the many clutches of Kali... well, I'm not Superman you know...

--you are a very nice person and a vaishnava.. this is not in discussion

 

I'm doing the best I can to perform Prabhupada's teachings in a city where most of the population doesn't even know who is Srila Prabhupada.

--so do only what you find in prabhupada's teachings, not in the instruction of some religious fanatics... and pray intensely krsna to send you a spiritual master, otherwise it is not possible to go back to Him

[Guest guest]

why do you all fight like this? what will you all do when the yamadutas come?

[Guest guest]

if we go on like that when yamadutas will come they will find us speaking of krsna consciousness like we are doing now

 

so they will leave the place for vishnudutas

 

please let me and my friend bruz speaking about krsna consciousness.... or.... where's the problem?

[BruzWayne]

Interesting that you mention Yamadutas. All I know about them is what I read in the book where Ajamila was about to get taken by them but since he chanted one name of Krishna then he was released and given a second chance.

[Guest guest]

prabhu, i think you should move out. that is what i am gonna do. temple and devotees are too far away, so i will pack up my stuff and move closer. that´s it. we need sadhu sanga. and maha mantra.

[Guest guest]

what's up with this swim suit bro? why do you need to mention this swim suit for shower all the time? :-)

[Guest guest]

it is lord varuna, the presiding deity of water who we are trying to respect when we have our bath and cover ourselves. i think you can find out about in the book pancaratra pradipa

[Guest guest]

prabhupada is our acharya, he gives the number of rules and regulations that we have to follow

 

and this fact of the showering with a swimming suit is not given by prabhupada

 

and there's another point.... what kind of person, and how is repressed (=dangerous), one who cannot even bear to stay naked in the shower without risking of masturbating?

 

much better to go out and find a prostitute every day.... 15 minutes and the mind is free to have a normal life and chant hare krishna for all the remaining 23h.45

 

who needs to put a swimming suit to shower, he's fixed in thinking of sex 24/24