This morning’s yoga teacher training course lead practice was a restorative class - think Atma Slow Deep Stretch. There were some rope inversions and some partner work, which I did with Elliott. I left my ‘99 vintage hooded Icebreaker on through the whole class, and kept a kashmere shawl over me as we relaxed into the postures. It was just what the doctor ordered after the weekend.

Here are the highlights:

Om Gurudeva His Holiness Devamrita Swami arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday night. Due to my working schedule the next time I saw him was on Friday night at Atma Yoga, where we had 30 guests for a discussion in the Atma Lounge. Sorry, no photos, and no recording.

Saturday I worked in the morning and raced back to Red Hill for sat sang with Gurudeva at midday. I think I recorded this one, but I haven’t checked yet. There were about 15 people there.

Sunday morning there were initiations before the Deities in Graceville. I’ve stopped referring to it as “the temple” because that just creates these phantasmagorical expectations in new people which are complicated to manage. The Brisbane Temple is under construction at 17 Mile Rocks. Until we move there “No, we don’t have a temple”, we have a temporary housing for the Deities. Yes I know that where ever the Deity is, is a temple, but that’s not what new people hear when you say: “temple”. When you say “temple”, they hear “Temple with a capital T” and imagine something exotic and opulent with gold plated domes, robed monks, incense burners, ancient tradition, and so on. Having to then reduce that expectation, or worse, deal with the disillusionment that arises from disappointed expectations, and explain our center in Graceville and introduce the idea of the as-yet-unmanifest Temple in 17 Mile Rocks is a real trip. Best not to go there.

“Do you have a Temple in Brisbane?”
“Not yet, we’re currently building one at 17 Mile Rocks.”

To me that evokes the “exciting future” that we are headed toward.

People who want to have the “Hare Krishna experience” should come to Sunday Feast to experience enthusiastic chanting and dancing, and take prasadam in community. For those who want to go deeper into it, they should get direct association in one of the environments that we have created for that. Once they are sadhana bhaktas they should go to the Deity for their sadhana. When we have a cultural presentation facility that is useful for making an impression on people’s consciousness with the opulence of the service of the Deity and the cultural tradition surrounding that we can invite them to that.

Of course there will always be rare souls who can hook in to the existing facility, but it’s not effective as a general strategy.

Anyway, I digress.

Antje is now Adina-lila devi dasi. Anantara is now Ananta Vrindavan das. I received my second initiation.

Now that I have my second initiation, once my work situation stabilizes again I’ll be getting a moped in order to get to my yoga teacher training, and I’ll also use it to go to the Deities in Graceville to do some personal service for Them.

I recorded the initiation lecture, but again, haven’t checked to see how or if it came out.

Sunday night was the Sunday Feast. We opened with our stage performance of bhajans, Sukanthi Radha dd gave a slide presentation entitled: “Have You Got Time? Or Has Time Got You?”. Then we had a Hare Krishna Network Show with Devamrita Swami as our special guest in the studio, interviewed about his book Searching for Vedic India on the subject of the Vedic Conception of Time.

Again, I didn’t record this. This was an amazing presentation. There are some photos, but no recording that I know of. I was a bit overwhelmed with everything, and you can’t do everything - some things just have to be sacrificed. I apologize to you, the Internet audience, because you were sacrificed in preference for the 150 guests who came on the night.

Vrajadhama was away on a catering gig (he missed out on being in this fire yajna for his second initiation), so the HKN team was a bit understrength, and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything. It’s always like this these days. A lot of change, a lot of responsibility. Anyway, that is what life is for. We keep praying for the strength to do the needful for the mission, and begging for forgiveness for all the failings.

In regards to my second initiation, it has been four years since my first initiation, and I’ve spent the time researching and reflecting on the role and duties of the brahmana, and my own capability to carry them out. After this brief time I still don’t feel qualified to do it, but I feel a need to synchronize my role in the community with the formal positional structure of ISKCON, and I know that by the mercy of the Vaisnavas everything is possible. Under the advice of senior devotees here I’ve taken second initiation, and if I am able to successfully discharge my duties in this regard it will be due to their mercy only. If I am unable to do it then that is due to my own insincerity in receiving their mercy. Let me try my best realizing that that alone will never be enough and depending on Guru, Krishna, and the Vaisnavas as my ultimate refuge.