By Ananda Rupa devi dasi During a recent visit to the United States, my elderly father undertook the long flight from India despite his age and health challenges. The desire to spend meaningful time with my brother, whom he could not meet enough during an earlier visit, became an inspiration for this journey. It was a reminder of how deeply a parent's love, care, and attachment can move the heart. The wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita helps us reflect on the nature of our desires.

Ananda Vrindavan If you are planning to come to the temple to celebrate Janmastami here are some sweet tips. Come Early and Stay Late - this way you miss the big traffic and have lots of time to be with Krishna on His special day. Explore the Festival - make sure you experience everything, even the joy of observing others' joy! Do some Service - help a lot or a little. Check in at our volunteer tent and see if there is a need. Even if you have 15mins or an hour or more, the

Ananda Vrindavan Of Secret Things Recently a young couple delivered a baby and as we were celebrating I asked their friend - so what’s the baby’s name? Oh, was the reply, I know the name but they asked me not to share it. I appreciated her ability to keep her word and not tell me the name. This, I thought, is someone I can trust. “Of secret things I am silence” is part of a verse in the Bhagavad-gita, 10th Chapter. The chapter is called The Opulence of the Absolute and list

Ananda Vrindavan devi dasi I watched as the two elderly ladies came down the road while on their morning walk. Then they parted - one headed into the driveway of her house and the other crossed the street and stopped at the entrance driveway to the temple. There she stood with folded hands and bowed head towards the temple building. How nice, I thought. Pausing to acknowledge the presence of a sacred place, to offer respect and perhaps a prayer. I then wondered why she didn

By Ananda Rupa devi dasi Many of us begin life like travelers holding a mirror, constantly checking how we are seen through the eyes of others. A word of appreciation can feel like warmth, while silence or misunderstanding can feel like distance. Over time, we may notice a pattern. Even when there is recognition, the need for it can quietly return again and again. Like trying to satisfy thirst with salt water, external approval never fully settles the inner search. But the sp

By Ananda Rupa devi dasi Life often feels like moving through a crowded airport where every gate promises a different destination, yet none offer lasting rest. We rush with expectations, miss connections, face delays, and sometimes lose control over the journey we thought we were managing. In these moments, suffering appears like an unexpected announcement that interrupts our carefully planned itinerary. Sometimes life also feels like tough love from a wise parent or a loving

By Ananda Rupa devi dasi After days of rain and gray skies, it is easy to forget that the sun is still shining above the clouds. Our view changes, but reality does not. The same can happen in our relationships, workplaces, and communities. We often see only fragments of a larger story, a decision, an outcome, a conversation, or a moment in time. From that limited view, assumptions can quickly form. Yet what appears unfair may have reasons we do not know, and what seems obviou

Ananda Vrindavaneswari Movement and time never stop the breath of the universe moves in and out and in again rhythmic and steady We stand in one small place two small feet planted on the ground holding on tight to this ever moving world but really being held from above Bhakti sustains life on this earth relationships of love and service it’s not gravity that holds us in place us small whisps of being but the original love of the One we are all connected to the One who truly

By Ananda Rupa devi dasi A lotus does not wait for perfect waters. It rises through stillness, through mud, through whatever surrounds it. In much the same way, being shy, introverted, uncertain, or even unsupported does not have to define our path. These may simply be the waters we begin in, not where we remain. We have the example of Queen Kunti from the bhakti tradition. Her life unfolded through uncertainty, loss, and constant challenge. Yet, through it all, her inner str

By Ananda Rupa devi dasi Being a parent or caregiver is like tending a garden. We nurture, protect, and help those in our care grow strong roots and reach for the sun. Each day is filled with teaching, guiding, and creating a safe space for them to flourish. But one day, the garden changes. Children become adults. Parents find their own rhythm. The ones we cared for begin walking their own path, and sometimes our hearts need time to adjust. This is where steadiness matters. T