Thankfully, some things don't change in Melbourne; the Deities stand as radiant as ever, lunar eclipse or not
Here is a soothing sight to help us cope with the heat: the uneclipsable moon that has arisen in the sky of Nadia, accompagnied by He whose lotus feet are more cooling than a million moons
...and here's a hint of what to do, no matter what:
SMILE! True to our most representative logo, let us wear our broadest grin as Lord Jagannatha blesses us with His darsana.
The Bhagavad-gita (11.32) describes that time is a manifestation of God. Overall, the eleventh chapter of the Gita demonstrates the dynamic connectedness of God with the material world: he is not just a passive cosmic presence, but also an active universal agent who is shaping history according to his benevolent will for the gradual purification and eventual redemption of all.
This enlightened vision of God as the ultimate historical agent enables us to see history in a new light as His-story: he is orchestrating the chaotic and even destructive events on the world-stage as the unavoidable storm necessary to raise human consciousness to the divine level and there relish an unbreakable calm.
This insight provides us, as it did to Arjuna, with the double empowerment of relief and confidence:
Relief because we realize that we don’t have to worry about how everything and everyone will shape up; there is a far greater intelligence taking care of that.
Confidence because we recognize that if we just do our part, a higher agent will come to our aid, nay, use us in his aid, and bring about a beneficent result for one and all.
The new two-volume “Encyclopedia of Global Religion,” released this October by the academic publisher SAGE, features substantial and authoritative entries on ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada, and Vaishnavism.
http://vimeo.com/25970882 Lecture on the Srimad Bhagavatam 4.9.26-27 given on July 4, 2011 during the Padayatra in Slovenija. SB 04.09.26-27 Accepting The Internal Vision Of The Scriptures 2011-07-04
(Kadamba Kanana Swami Govinda Valley, Australia, 2011) Lecture – Caitanya-caritāmṛta
Srila Prahbupada explains that actually it’s not the desire of Krishna, that this world was created. Krishna doesn’t want to create this world. It is because we are desiring to be in a situation, where we are independent from Him! Then he has to create a situation which is covered over. It cannot be independent of Him, because nothing can be independent from Him! But it is covered over by illusion, which makes it look as if it is independent from Him.
So he doesn’t enjoy that! He gets no pleasure out of that. It hurts His heart but it’s inevitable, and of course, He builds in some elements that will indirectly bring back all the living beings back to Him. And that’s the only pleasure He gets out of all the material creation. He inspires Brahma to create this world, and Brahma sometimes has to do things in the creation that he doesn’t like! Like Brahma has to create influences of nescience, forgetfulness and he really doesn’t feel good about that, but he has to do it to fulfil our desires!
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 4.9.25 given on July 3, 2011 during the Padayatra in Slovenija.
Lecture title is also known as “I should be god or least god should be my servant.”
SB 4.9.25
tato gantasi mat-sthanam
sarva-loka-namaskrtam
uparistad rsibhyas tvam
yato navartate gatah
Translation:
The Personality of Godhead continued: My dear Dhruva, after your material life in this body, you will go to My planet, which is always offered obeisances by the residents of all other planetary systems. It is situated above the planets of the seven rsis, and having gone there you will never have to come back again to this material world.
Purport:
In this verse the word navartate is very significant. The Lord says, “You will not come back to this material world, for you will reach mat-sthanam, My abode.” Therefore Dhruvaloka, or the polestar, is the abode of Lord Visnu within this material world. Upon it there is an ocean of milk, and within that ocean there is an island known as Svetadvipa. It is clearly indicated that this planet is situated above the seven planetary systems of the rsis, and because this planet is Visnuloka, it is worshiped by all other planetary systems. It may be questioned here what will happen to the planet known as Dhruvaloka at the time of the dissolution of this universe. The answer is simple: Dhruvaloka remains, like other Vaikunthalokas beyond this universe. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has commented in this connection that the very word navartate indicates that this planet is eternal.
http://vimeo.com/25932128 Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 4.9.25 given on July 3, 2011 during the Padayatra in Slovenija. Lecture title is also known as “I should be god or least god should be my servant.” SB 4.9.25 tato gantasi mat-sthanam sarva-loka-namaskrtam uparistad rsibhyas tvam yato navartate gatah Translation: The Personality of Godhead continued: My dear Dhruva, after your material life in this body, you will go to My planet, which is always offered obeisances by the residents of all other planetary systems. It is situated above the planets of the seven rsis, and having gone there you will never have to come back again to this material world. Purport: In this verse the word navartate is very significant. The Lord says, "You will not come back to this material world, for you will reach mat-sthanam, My abode." Therefore Dhruvaloka, or the polestar, is the abode of Lord Visnu within this material world. Upon it there is an ocean of milk, and within that ocean there is an island known as Svetadvipa. It is clearly indicated that this planet is situated above the seven planetary systems of the rsis, and because this planet is Visnuloka, it is worshiped by all other planetary systems. It may be questioned here what will happen to the planet known as Dhruvaloka at the time of the dissolution of this universe. The answer is simple: Dhruvaloka remains, like other Vaikunthalokas beyond this universe. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has commented in this connection that the very word navartate indicates that this planet is eternal. SB 04.09.25 No Fear Of Maya And Afraid Of Krishna 2011-07-03
Recently I was viewing the statistics for the Japa Group and discovered that we are currently on 95,499 visits over the past 2 years. Thanks to all of you who have continued to come here, please continue to take advantage of the Japa Group articles and invite devotees to visit also.
Hare Krsna my dear devotees, I hope your week of chanting has brought you nice realisations. Here is a quote from theHarinama Cintanami about how advanced devotees avoid laziness in chanting.
Overcoming laziness Inattention arising from laziness (jadya) prevents a person from relishing the nectar of the holy name. He is slow to chant and remember the holy name. Even after trying, he very soon finds the effort unendurable and wants to sleep or otherwise engage himself in frivolity.
Advanced devotees are cautious against such an offense. They never waste a single moment in useless talks or activities. Their meditation on the Lord's holy name is unbroken. They are so absorbed in the nectar of the holy name that they do not want anything else. One must therefore aspire to associate with such rare devotees and follow their example, thus ridding himself of his laziness.
It is the nature of saintly Vaisnavas to be always engaged in devotional activities. They never waste time uselessly. One should become attracted to this devotional trait. One should ask himself how he also can become like these devotees, immersed in meditation upon the holy name; how, from this very day, he can increase his chanting step by step until such time as he can actually chant three lakhas of holy names with inspiration and eagerness. When Lord Krsna sees such enthusiasm, He reciprocates by removing the neophyte's mental inertia with the power of His name, and by allowing him to remain in the association of His advanced devotees.
Wishing you a powerful chanting during the weekend.
1968 December 9: "I had also been thinking of you because you were thinking of me, but as your letter arrived first it is for me to answer it. Actually, I always think of you as my naughty daughter."
1968 December 9: "It is not so serious nor is it a permanent disqualification. The conditioned soul is very prone to failure but such failure must not discourage us from becoming fully Krishna Conscious. But you must check yourself from such things."
1971 December 9: "I am very glad the Deity worship is going so nicely. They look very glowing, and that is very satisfying to me. When I go there I shall take transcendental pleasure in offering my obeisances to Them."
1971 December 9: "Very soon I shall call you and you may remain with me for some time for translating under my direction. If you can do it very nicely, then I shall entrust the whole matter to you."
1971 December 9: "Competition and profit spirit cannot be artificially removed. Our profit is for Krishna's pleasure, and our competition is how to please Krishna more than someone else."
1971 December 9: "Even amongst the Gopis there is competition to please Krishna, and there is envy also. But it is transcendental. They are thinking, 'Oh, she has done something more wonderful than me, that is very nice, now let me do something even more wonderful.' "
1973 December 9: "By Krsna's Grace we have built up something significant. The test of our dedication to serve the Spiritual Master will be our spirit to push on this Movement and not deviate and make factions."
1973 December 9: "They had no right. They did not ask my permission. There is a great fall down on their parts. And anyone who follows them will also fall down without a doubt."
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.13 - The Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam, are specifically recommended to suffering humanity to bring about the desired effect of liberation from the pangs of material civilization, which is eating the vital part of human energy.
A few tips on how to reclaim oneself from the mind’s clutches.
“There is one easy weapon with which the mind can be conquered — NEGLECT. The mind is always telling us to do this or that; therefore we should be very expert in disobeying the mind’s orders. Gradually the mind should be trained to obey the orders of the soul. It is not that one should obey the orders of the mind. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that to control the mind one should beat it with shoes many times just after awakening and again before going to sleep. In this way one can control the mind. If one does not do so, one is doomed to follow the dictations of the mind. Another bona fide process is to abide strictly by the orders of the spiritual master and engage in service to God. Then the mind will be automatically controlled. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed: ‘When one receives the seed of devotional service by the mercy of the guru and Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one’s real life begins. If one abides by the orders of the spiritual master, by the grace of Krishna he is freed from service to the mind.’”
-From Srila Prabhupada’s commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 5.11.17
What Pariksit Maharaja could do 5000 years ago – keep Kali at bay – can now only be done if people in general keep Kali out of their lives by chanting Hare Krsna.
In a generalized sense, an event is considered random if it occurs out of the ordinary or something that has no prior notification of incidence. A pattern, on the other hand, is like a random event except it occurs several times that statisticians’ derive a “pattern” based on the type of event. For example, if there was an isolated burglary in a house, investigators would see it as a random event, but if the same burglary occurs at certain times and certain locations or over period of times and locations, then investigators can perhaps derive a pattern of burglary to arrive at certain conclusions.
Physical evidence is stronger when there is data to track a pattern of events versus a random isolated event. Stronger evidence helps researchers arrive closer to accuracy about the nature of events. In this way, researchers collect, store and analyze data over generations thus evolving a body of knowledge.
In a similar vein, how do we know if Krishna is God and that chanting His Holy Names can actually help us see God? These are questions that each and every individual has to answer for him/herself. However, as a researcher, as a seeker, if I want to seek out a genuine and authentic process to understand the metaphysical aspects of life and God, then how do I go about doing it? The answer lies somewhat in the concept of random versus pattern.
If we begin by assuming (hypothetically) that Krishna is God, and then seek to study the people who practice Krishna consciousness, perhaps we will obtain some clues. To begin with, we have to trace back history (data) as far as possible to find out those who have dedicated themselves to Krishna or at least who say they dedicate themselves to Krishna. Then, we have to study the scriptures that elucidate the characteristics or symptoms that are associated with Krishna and His followers. With some theoretical understanding of Krishna and His followers (albeit in a mood of neutral researcher and not as a follower), we set out to study the characteristics of pure devotees of Krishna. These pure devotees can be historical figures or contemporary ones, either way we simply have to ascertain for their authenticity and approach to study them.
If we find the characteristics of pure devotees over generations of time to be consistent in quality and in accordance to scriptural evidence, then we are basically seeing the same patterns of behaviors/characteristics exhibited by these pure devotees (regardless of geography, culture, religion or other background variables). This pattern of data that is exhibited in the form of pure devotion by multiple devotees over period of thousands of years is indicative of the fact that, indeed, Krishna must be real and that His pure devotees are exhibiting pattern of behavior that is only characteristic of them and not others. If we can chart this pattern of data and categorically prove that they are not random or isolated, then, as a researcher we have to acknowledge the veracity of Krishna, His devotees and the process of Krishna Consciousness as authentic. Otherwise, what explanation is there to describe the consistent pattern of physical, psychological and sociololgical characteristic exhibited by these devotees? They must be having close encounters of the fifth kind of some sort with a being not of this world? This being they (pure devotees) call Krishna.
The entire Guru Parampara (disciplic succession) starting from Lord Brahma till Srila Prabhupada is a chain of pure devotees who have been exhibiting such ecstatic symptoms of love that cannot be defined or limited by mundane terms. This cannot be a random or isolated event as the time line from Brahma to Prabhupada extends for millions of years. If we have consistent data for millions of years (say), then we have to accept the Supremacy of Krishna and His Divine Personality. As initial followers of Srila Prabhupada, I study this pattern of other worldly love and compassion of these great teachers/devotees and conclude that their external behavior must be something that cannot be explained by modern day science books. That something, I understand through Bhagavad Gita and through the words of the teachers’ (pure devotees) themselves to be Lord Krishna.
This line of pure devotees is the epitome of Krishna and its process. We simply cannot ignore the amount of physical, psychological, sociological and anthropological data (pattern of data) that these great devotees have left behind and how mysteriously all of them exhibit a similar pattern of behavior closely related to one another yet set apart by eons of time. This behavior, they say, is attributed to Krishna. If we are serious beyond common rhetoric, sentiment, and superficial designations then here is an opportunity to study these great souls of yore and now and delve deeper to understand them.
The verdict by these great souls is out, and is unanimous – Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and serving Krishna in devotion is the goal of human life.
Once again, the Ratha Yatra in Lenasia, Johannesburg took place on the 3-4 December. The special guests were Mahavisnu Swami, Madhava Maharaja, Bhakti Brhad Bhagavata Swami, Bhakti Vasudeva Swami, Ram Govinda Swami, Bhakti Caitanya Swami and of course Kadamba Kanana Swami. The Ratha Yatra procession was bejeweled with wonderful kirtanas. Devotees were dancing to Mahavisnu Maharaja’s transcendental accordion playing, as well as to Kadamba Kanana Swami’s kirtana who once again rocked the whole procession!
In the actual festival site, which was situated just next to the ‘Gandhi Hall’, numerous activities were going on. Kadamba Kanana Maharaja was speaking in the Sadhu lounge, a nice little arrangement, in which he gave a talk in a rather confidential atmosphere.
After that he answered all kinds of questions in the Q&A tent. In the end of both the programs, Maharaja distributed small sets of Srila Prabhupada’s books. The idea of these books is that the buyer does not take them for himself but rather distributes these few books to make a contribution to Srila Prabhupada’s December Marathon. Additionally Maharaja gifted the devotees with his new small book ‘Nothing but the Holy Name, Part 2′, which is compiled by his disciples and contains a lot of inspiring quotes about the chanting of Hare Krsna.
The next day, Maharaja was again speaking in the Sadhu lounge, pushing the same program. At noon time the festival ended with a final Kirtana performed by Mahavisnu Swami, Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja and Kadamba Kanana Maharaja.
Enjoy the pictures!
If you cannot view the slide show below, please visit flickr!
Mark Kastel, co-founder of the Cornucopia Institute, has a long history as a marketing- and political consultant, and as a lobbyist (working for family farmers).
While he didn't grow up on a farm, he ended up taking a summer job during his youth with the International Harvester Company.
That was his first farm experience.
Later, he was recruited by JI Case, another large agricultural equipment manufacturer.
"I worked in corporate agribusiness," he explains.
"Then I had a health crisis in the late 70s; I was acutely exposed to pesticides and it injured my immune system…
I was lucky enough to see the preeminent environmental allergist… Theron Randolph… who recommended that, among other things, I go on an all organic diet; that there weren't many things we could do to relieve the strain on my immune system while I was healing, but controlling your food and your water intake is something you can take control of."
The rest, as they say, is history.
At the time, he was operating his own farm implement business, which was in a region dominated by the industrial, chemically-intensive farming model. He switched gears and began gardening and farming organically.
"It caused a major professional shift in my life. I ended up doing consulting work for years, for what are now some of the leading organic companies," he says.
"[T]here wasn't really a readily available source for organic food until the early to mid-1980s when it started. It kicked into high gear in the 1990s when genetic engineering became an issue; when people became more synthesized to chemicals in their food.
… I helped launch the Organic Valley brand when they began in the late 80s or early 90s... Then I helped found the Cornucopia Institute eight years ago, when it looked like the wheels would fall off of this movement; when the giant corporate agri-businesses that has squeezed family farmers out of conventional farming, and that were responsible for the deterioration in the nutrient level and the safety of our food, were buying out, on a wholesale basis, all the brands that had launched the organic commercial movement."
The Cornucopia Institute
The Cornucopia Institute is an organic industry watch dog. Their core constituencies are the family farmers across the U.S. Currently, Cornucopia has more organic farmers as members than any other group in the country, and what they lack in financial resources and political influence, they make up for with a coalition of dedicated farmers and passionate consumers and providers of organic foods.
"The secret weapon we have is building bridges between the organic farming community and the consumers… millions of people who passionately give a damn; who really care about the authenticity of the food and respect the people who are doing it," Kastel says.
"Our goal is to—from a research and educational perspective—empower consumers and wholesale buyers so that they can make good and discerning choices in the market place."
Organics have Never Been Under Such Dire Threats!
As you will soon learn, organics are now being profoundly threatened by a number of potentially devastating votes that will take place by the USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which I will summarize at the end of this article.
We're in dire need of your involvement, so I urge you to please print out the hyperlinked proxy letter and mail it to Cornucopia for hand delivery at the rapidly approaching NOSB meeting. Corporate lobbyists will be present, and so will the Cornucopia Institute, to counter their obnoxious claims and make sure your voice, in support of organic integrity, is heard. For more details on this meeting, please continue to the end. You'll no doubt be shocked, and hopefully resolved to help stop this impending madness.
As Kastel says, we're now at the point where we really cannot afford NOT to buy organic food, even if it is more expensive. The U.S. is forecasted to soon be spending close to 20 percent of our gross national product on healthcare, and the failing health of the American people is a direct result of poor nutrition and toxic foods. Healthcare costs are also the number one cause of individual bankruptcy.
We simply MUST take organic agriculture seriously if we want good health.
"[I]t's a matter of prioritizing where we put our money. You know that classic adage, "Pay now or pay later," Kastel says. " I'd rather pay now and have a better quality of life, especially when it comes to the developing fetuses, lactating mothers, young developing children. Not only are we exposing them to the soup of neurotoxic chemicals during development, but, we're depriving them of a lot of essential nutrition.
The USDA did a study in 1999 comparing essential nutrient content in our food… They found that about half of the essential nutrients on our food had been reduced by as much as 38 percent [compared to the 1950's].
If [nutrients are] not in the soil; if we're depleting the soil through industrial processes, and it's not in the plants, it's not in our milk, in our meat, it's not in us. Many of the immune enhancing compounds that make life wonderful, make our food taste wonderful, and also protect us from cancers and a lot of chronic disease. The attributes to organic food are not just the avoidance of toxins. It's also about what it does have in there, and that's the superior nutrients."
I couldn't agree more. Reprioritizing your budget to spend more where it really counts is imperative if you want to optimize your health. This may mean cutting something else out of your budget, but surely in the long run it will be worth it.
"If families reprioritize, they can have the most wonderful food, and the gift of health, which is… priceless."
Weeding Out the "Greenwashers"
The Cornucopia Institute has been on the forefront of the movement to keep the organic movement truly organic. As many of you are now aware, there's plenty of "greenwashing" going on as large corporations try to get a piece of the organic market share.
The very first campaign the Cornucopia Institute launched was on factory dairy farming posing as all organic. Dean Foods, the largest, milk bottler in the U.S. (a $ 12 billion company; the size of Monsanto) had just bought Horizon, which was (and still is) the number one organic dairy brand.
"When we started… they were buying from a 10,000-cow farm in California with no pasture. We don't think that size is the determinant. It's not about corporate scale. It's about corporate ethics. There are some corporations that have invested in organics and have done it right—but not Dean Foods."
The Cornucopia Institute filed a number of legal complaints, which eventually, after much delay, resulted in sanctions against a select number of dairies that failed to conform to organic practices. The Institute has also helped push through stricter organic standards and regulations. The problem now is that despite the fact that the laws exist, large factory farms are not being re-inspected to ensure that they're conforming to the new, stricter organic standards. All is not lost however…
"We say that there is a higher authority in the United States than the USDA at organics, and that is the organic consumers," Kastel says. "So we published our first in-depth research study on this issue, organic dairy, and a score card that lists every organic dairy brand in the country: butter, milk, cheese, ice cream—both the name brands and the private label store brands.
The good news is that 90 percent of all organic dairy brands are done with high integrity. They're really conforming to the expectation of the consumers. They're grazing their cattle, which increases the nutritional value of the milk or Omega-3s, antioxidants, and CLA. These are really beneficial compounds for human health, but, they are also beneficial to the cow. They live long, healthy, happy lives, as opposed to the animals that are confined in industrial environments.
So consumers get to vote.
Now the gold standard for organic retailing is the 300 or so consumer-owned cooperatives around the country—the natural food cooperative groceries. Almost all of them dropped the Horizon label."
They've replicated that process for organic soy foods and organic eggs, and they're currently lobbying the USDA to tighten the organic egg standards and enforcement. In this interview, Kastel also discusses The Authentic Almond Project; an effort to overturn the USDA's new regulation calling for all raw almonds to be pasteurized for safety—a ruling that has devastated the businesses of raw almond growers in California. For more information, please listen to the interview in its entirety, or read through the transcript.
Many "Natural" Breakfast Cereals and Snack Bars Contain GMO's
Another report recently published by the Cornucopia Institute investigated "all natural" and organic cereal brands. Shockingly, their independent third-party testing revealed that many trusted natural brands contain genetically modified (GM) corn and soybeans—including brands enrolled in the Non-GMO Project.
This is information you simply cannot get anywhere else, and reason alone to support the Institute's efforts. Natural products that contained, unimaginably, as high as 100 percent genetically modified grains included:
Kashi®
Mother's®
Nutritious Living®
General Mills Kix®
GoLean®
Bumpers®
Hi-Lo®
Two breakfast cereal products that are currently enrolled in the Non-GMO Project, Barbara's Bakery's Puffins and Whole Foods' 365® Corn Flakes, contained more than 50 percent GM corn...Meanwhile, the research control Cornucopia used, Nature's Path® USDA certified organic corn flakes, contained only trace amounts of GM contamination (less than 0.5 percent).
Cornucopia writes:
"These test results underscore the importance of the organic label, which ensures consumers that the manufacturer uses only non-genetically engineered ingredients. More extensive testing is necessary to draw conclusions regarding the truthfulness of "non-GMO" claims, but these preliminary results point to several problems. First, manufacturers can claim that they avoid purchasing genetically engineered ingredients, but these claims may be meaningless unless they are verified by a third party, such as an organic certifying agent.
In addition, many of the most reputable organic companies have developed their own testing protocols to ensure the purity of their products. Furthermore, the Non-GMO Project, which "enrolls" products before it verifies them as being non-GMO, may give consumers a false sense of security. Our test results reveal that several "enrolled" products were in fact made with GE ingredients."
The "All Natural" Label is Frequently Misused on Conventional Products
The report also reveals that "natural" products—using conventional ingredients—are frequently priced higher than equivalent organic products, suggesting that some companies are taking advantage of consumer confusion and trust in the "all natural" label... According to the Cornucopia report:
"Since breakfast cereals are popular with children, it is especially important for parents to be aware of the differences between "natural" products, with conventional ingredients, and certified organic ones. Children are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of synthetic pesticides and other inputs that are commonly used in "natural" products but prohibited in organics."
In the featured interview, Kastel further expounds on this issue, and why it's so important to expose these practices and demand honest labeling:
"Kashi, which is a big name in natural cereals, has a big market share. Not only can you find them in natural food stores, you can find them in Walmart. Kashi is owned by Kellogg's and highly contaminated with GMOs. It's very expensive; it's more expensive than the organic brand. Somebody's making some money here at the expense of consumers, at the expense of organic farmers who are truly stewarding the land.
Our job is to educate consumers so they can make those marketplace decisions,"Kastel says.
The Cornucopia report clearly shows that the terms "natural" and "organic" are not interchangeable, and as a concerned shopper, you need to beware of the differences between the two, or risk paying more for what amounts to little more than a conventional product. According to the report:
"On August 31, 2011, a class action lawsuit was filed against Kellogg/Kashi® for allegedly misleading consumers with its "natural" claims. One Kashi® product in particular, GoLean® Shakes, is composed almost entirely of synthetic and unnaturally processed ingredients, according to the plaintiff."
The Power of Marketplace Activism
The goal of the Cornucopia Institute is to "shift the market share to the true heroes of this industry, the farmers and their marketing partners, and send a really strong message to the "bad actors," Kastel explains.
"In this whole world, there are only two kinds of power; money and people. We have the people… The most powerful thing is the marketplace activism, I think, because these corporations listen to money. We have been able to change some of their practices, because [once] they are losing their business, they need to respond…That's the first leg of the three–legged stool for Cornucopia.
The second would be regulatory, and we are working really hard now… to rein in abuses at the USDA. The Congress has set up the National Organics Standard Board to advise the USDA, and every material used in organics has to be screened by them. Unfortunately, during the Bush administration, they stacked it with corporate players, so we have people like General Mills making the decision for the organic industry…or Dean Foods [Kastel says that despite the fact that the Obama administration is doing better, there's still a way to go in terms of transparency and respecting the will of Congress and the organic community in terms of appointments].
… The third tactical approach here is the courts, and that's always our last approach because it's expensive and it takes a lot of time. So, we try to win the easier fights."
There's no doubt that the Cornucopia Institute has rich and powerful adversaries. Some of these may appear to be from within the organic movement itself, but don't be fooled! Giant conventional food manufacturers have quietly purchased a large number of small organic brands. One example he gives is that of Cascadian Farms, a large producer of organic foods that began as a small farm in the Pacific Northwest, in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains. Today, the brand belongs to General Mills, but you won't find any indication of this ownership on their packaging!
Ditto for Horizon organic milk or Silk soymilk. Nowhere on those cartons will you find any indication that Dean Foods owns these brands.
"When they bought Silk, it was an all organic company," Kastel says. "Now, it's almost all conventional. In that case, you'll see on the Horizon and Silk cartons: "White Wave." That was one of the original tofu companies. They create this façade."
If you go to the Cornucopia website, there is a chart titled, "Who Owns Organics?" where you can find out who really owns your favorite organic brand. The primary question is, if it's owned by a large conglomerate, are they acting ethically and truly conforming to organic standards, which includes sustainable farming methods?
How You Can Support the Movement for Authentic Organics
In terms of funding, the Cornucopia Institute gets its money from:
Individual members, most of which are organic farmers
"Urban allies"—concerned consumers who want to support the organic movement
Foundations that want to support human health and ecological farming
Organic industry (organic food co-ops making up the greatest number of cornucopia's commercial members)
I would urge anyone concerned about the state of our food supply to support the work of The Cornucopia Institute by making a tax-deductible donation.
You can also sign up for their newsletter, which will empower you with the knowledge of which brands are authentically organic and respect organic values, and which are not. The Cornucopia Institute will also alert you to important legislation, and how you can make a difference.
The Cornucopia Institute is now in URGENT need of your help, and joining the Institute and/or signing up for their newsletter will assure you get timely updates on these important issues.
At the end of November, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will vote on a number of important issues with regards to organics, including:
The approval of an organic egg regulation that would require organic chicken farmers to provide a mere two square feet per bird of outdoor space. This is a huge favor to industrial producers allowing their factory farmed eggs to fall under the designation of "organic." Meanwhile, it will handicap family farms that are truly letting their birds out to pasture.
A vote will take place to decide whether to allow a food additive produced by Martek Biosciences in organic foods. The product is an omega 3/omega-6 oil synthesized from fermented algae and soil fungus. The oil is extracted from this biomass using hexane, a neurotoxic byproduct of gasoline refinement that is specifically banned in organics.
Cornucopia investigated Martek’s patent and safety filings at the FDA, and discovered that the product also contains synthetic chemicals, stabilizers, carriers, and some of the ingredients are also genetically modified. (As it turns out, some of their products were developed by Monsanto before Martek bought the technical rights.)
“They’ve already added this to almost all infant formula in the United States,” Kastel warns. “Algae and fungus have never been a part of the human diet, let alone children’s. And now we see it in organic infant formula, and companies like Dean Foods are adding it to organic milk… it’s in every single formula available on the market… except for one organic brand[Babies Only brand, which contains DHA from eggs. All other organic brands appear to contain Martek’s omega oil].
The NOSB is also considering approving the addition of sulfites (artificial preservatives) to organic wine. This would be the first time artificial preservatives are allowed in organics
Organics has never been under such dire threats, so I urge you to please take a moment right now to print out, sign, and mail the proxy letter provided by Cornucopia back to them ASAP for hand delivery at the rapidly approaching NOSB meeting.
Corporate lobbyists will be present, and so will the Cornucopia Institute, to counter their claims and make sure your voice, in support of organic integrity, is heard.
Also consider including a donation check with your letter, to support the invaluable work the Cornucopia Institute performs to protect your and your family's right to clean, wholesome,truly organic food.
As of right now, there does not appear to be any additional benefit to contacting your congressman, but if the need arises, Cornucopia will notify all their members and subscribers with the information.
I can't encourage you enough to participate in this process. It's important to recognize that you CAN make a difference! Always remember that collectively, we have the most effective power in the marketplace that can exceed the power of these multibillion dollar, multinational corporations. We can vote with our pocket books. But we also need to make our voices heard; we have to let these agencies know that we are watching, we're paying attention, and we're not going to allow this immoral, if not downright illegal, industrial favoritism to continue.
The ancient Vedic scriptures of India is the threshold of transcendental knowledge. Its practices are still practiced to date, passed down from guru to disciple, being a base of the world's most primeval religious path.
The Distinction
The most fundamental aspect of Vedic knowledge is to comprehend that there is a difference between the material body and the spirit soul. Srila Prabhupada explains "The soul is not born, but, because he takes on a material body, the body takes its birth. The soul does not take birth there, and the soul does not die." (Purport of Bg 2.20)
Once a person understands this, he instantaneously begins to detach himself from the worldly plane as he knows he is a spiritual entity in a transient body composed of matter. Once this first step is completed, he is even more inquisitive to know about spiritual knowledge.
Life After Life
The Bhagavad-gita (2.22) states "As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." From this we can understand that it is completely natural for the soul to change bodies based on its unfulfilled goals, desires or karmic reactions.
Understanding this, one will seek out his actual responsibility. As human beings, we have a particular set of laws given by nature that we have to follow.
Merciful Edibles
It is said in the Bhagavad-gita 3.13: "The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin." Lord Krishna, The Supreme Lord and the speaker of the Bhagavad-gita continues to say; "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it." (9.26). Such ingredients are in the mode of goodness which elevates oneself to the platform of attaining real transcendental knowledge.
Eating these fresh vegetarian ingredients is an essential part of nature's law. However, eating prasadam, or sanctified food, means there is no karma incurred as what you eat is totally spiritual.
Connecting With God
"Yoga" means "To Unite". The process of yoga is meant for us to connect with God. There are many different types of yoga based on one's spiritual maturity, but they all are meant to lead to the perfection of yoga which is to establish the lost eternal loving relationship with God. This process of Bhakti is most supreme.
"Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves in faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me" - Bhagavad-gita 12.20
Hare Krishna Valley in Deans Marsh was the venue for Vaiyasaki Prabhu's Kirtan Retreat during his recent visit. All of our 20 guests as well as the facilitators had a great time.
Some more nectarean pastimes around Sri Krsna's flute:
"Just see how, after hearing the transcendental sound of Krsna's flute, Indra, the king of heaven, is crying in his heavenly kingdom! From his teardrops falling on the ground, Vrndavana appears to have become a celestial residence for the demigods..."
(Sri Vidagdha Madhava: Clever Krsna; 30)
Melbourne alike has become a celestial residence from where Sri Sri Radha Ballabha give us Their transcendental darsanadaily.
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Friday 9 December 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. (Click on photo to see a larger image.) Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. For Transcendental Association Connect With Other Members of this Course. Join this Conference: http://groups.google.com/group/sda_students Help Popularize Our Message By Liking Today's Thought on Facebook: Today's Thought: Sanity in an Insane World uploaded from London, United Kingdom All around us we witness a world society that is gradually disintegrating. It's falling apart at the seams. What is still holding it together at the present moment is the remnants of its former God consciousness. But that God consciousness is now being discarded more and more with each passing day and being replaced with secularism or godlessness. Krishna or God is the unifying principle which allows all of us to live together peacefully and happily. Without this center mere selfishness will become the norm and governments will simply be based on the Machiavellian principle that might makes right. Tyrannical governments will be the norm and the people in general will suffer like anything. The cure for all this madness is the wide scale introduction of the ultimate self-realization science, Krishna consciousness, which should be taught everywhere from the very beginning as the foundation for genuine education. Krishna consciousness means to recognize Krishna or God as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and as the best friend of all living beings. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Godlessness and Psuedo Religion Breed Chaos http://www.backtohome.com/images/terror.jpg Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why Does the Guru Hate Mayavadis? Dear Gurudeva, Namaste. I would like to humbly ask the following questions: What are the distinguishing characteristics of a person who has matured into a person of wisdom through effective practice of meditation as taught to Arjuna by Lord Krishna? Knowing fully well that every creature possesses transcendental spark in the heart, why does one person hates other? Why does the revered Guru hate Mayavadis? Is it not an insult to Lord Krishna? What is the gain or loss? yours in yoga Janardan Mali Answer: He Hates Their Philosophy But Loves Them The distinguishing characteristics of a person who has awakened his Krishna consciousness are as follows: 1) He is very kind to everyone. 2) He does not make anyone his enemy. 3) He is truthful. 4) He is equal to everyone. 5) No one can find any fault in him. 6) He is magnanimous. 7) He is mild. 8) He is always clean. 9) He is without possessions. 10) He works for everyone's benefit. 11) He is very peaceful. 12) He is always surrendered to Krishna. 13) He has no material desires. 14) He is very meek. 15) He is steady. 16) He controls his senses. 17) He does not eat more than required. 18) He is not influenced by the Lord's illusory energy. 19) He offers respect to everyone. 20) He does not desire any respect for himself. 21) He is very grave. 22) He is merciful. 23) He is friendly. 24) He is poetic. 25) He is expert. 26) He is silent. (This means he only talks about Krishna.) Anyone who perceives the spiritual nature of every living being cannot hate anyone. I don't know why you are thinking that the bona fide spiritual master hates Mayavadis (those who deny God's personal nature). This is a gross misconception. The bona fide spiritual master loves everyone equally seeing them all the beloved children of God. Opposing false philosophies such as Mayavadi philosophy does not mean hating the propounders of those philosophies. A doctor hates disease and tries to eradicate it by the proper administration of medicine. This does not mean that he hates the person who has the disease. No. He loves the person who has the disease. This is why he tries to defeat the disease. The spiritual master is just like a doctor. By administering the medicine of transcendental knowledge he seeks to eradicate the Mayavadi philosophy to save the poor Mayavadis and those that they might infect from suffering the heavy reactions which they will endure from denying the personal nature of God. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at:http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed: http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought Thought for the Day on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ultimate.Self.Realization Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. 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