Ananda Rupa Devi We read in the Bhagavad Gita that the soul is eternal and is on a journey back to its true home. It also talks about attaining peace through detachment, steadiness, and faith. Such philosophy remains comforting until life asks us to live it. This reflection arose from experiencing the departures that shaped me: the loss of a loving parent whose voice now lives in memory, the separation from a spiritual Guru whose physical presence is no longer visible yet con

Ananda Vrindavaneswari The air is warming, the snow is melting and the birds are singing a little louder. This poem is inspired by this time and how Krishna’s name also warms and melts our hearts: It’s a wonderful thing the sound of the holy name like the song of the birds it moves across the sky of my heart and sweeps my soul to places it longs to be  It is the parrot song bringing messages of love, to me of all people how this birdsong of the holy name  touches my small hea

Ananda Vrindavan Devi Dasi Mother Theresa once said that the only real hunger we all have is a hunger for love. To give and receive love is what will truly satisfy us. In this attention-craving world that we currently live in, the underlying motive behind all activity is a search for love and belonging.  The good news is that the essence of our self, our soul, is made for love; the soul's dharma is loving service to God. The not-good news is that we regularly forget this, and

by Chaitanya Kishore Das Recently there was a celebration called Nityananda Trayodasi. It is a holy day for Gaudiya Vaishnava followers celebrating the birth of the person Nityananda. If you’ve never heard of Nityananda, please allow a brief introduction. Nityananda was considered to be many things: an ascetic, an enlightened man, divinity incarnate, a priest, a madman; all depending on who you ask. Whatever the case, history attests to the fact that he was born in West Benga

Ananda Vrindavan devi dasi The cold weather continues, unusual for this location, and for this long. Extremes can break us down, wear our mind and emotions thin. Then the cold seems colder and our life more difficult.  What energy sources from within do we have to warm us up? Here are three to consider: Remember who we are - ‘mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ.’ In the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 15, text 7, Krishna reminds us that we are part of Him, made up of His energy