martes, 1 de febrero de 2011

Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: For Many Species, No Escape As Temperatures Rise



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"Planet ISKCON" - 38 new articles

  1. H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Tuesday 1 February 2011--Be True to Your Guru. He's Saving You.--and--Stop My Personal Projects?
  2. Candidasa dasa, UK: Spiritual Recharge Festival 2009 Photos
  3. Japa Group: I Put My Heart Into The Syl­la­bles
  4. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Prahladananda Swami
  5. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Prahladananda Swami
  6. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
  7. Institute for Sustainable Society, NZ: Backyard Sufficiency
  8. Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Where is money? Where is stool?
  9. David Haslam, UK: My monthly stressor
  10. H.H. Sivarama Swami
  11. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday, January 31st, 2011
  12. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Sunday, January 30th, 2011
  13. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, January 29th, 2011
  14. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, January 28th, 2011
  15. Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - Part 1
  16. Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: For Many Species, No Escape As Temperatures Rise
  17. Ananda Subramanian, Iowa, USA: Imitation meat and my 2 cents
  18. H.H. Sivarama Swami: Pictures from puja this morning
  19. Australian News: INVITATION TO AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT
  20. H.H. Sivarama Swami: Danavira dasa asks whether residents of Vaikuntha can go to Goloka at will
  21. Matsyavatara das (ACBSP), Italy: Family Matters (Part Four) - By Matsya Avatara Dasa (Marco Ferrini)
  22. Australian News: Radhadesh Mellows continues (online video archives available)
  23. Dandavats.com: International Vaisnavi Retreat
  24. Dandavats.com: Bhakti Yoga From Beyond the Grave
  25. Dandavats.com: Paper on Bhagavad Gita for the independent study course “Vedas as Myth” in American University in Bulgaria
  26. Dandavats.com: Australians Ignite Kulimela Fuse
  27. Dandavats.com: Go bhaktas chant holy name in unison at “All India Goshala Conference
  28. Dandavats.com: Does faith need religious institution ?
  29. Dandavats.com: Meet the playgroup at Sri Mayapur International School
  30. Dandavats.com: A Comparison of the Doctrine of Sri Caitanya with those of Nimbarka and Vallabha - Rabin Bangoer
  31. H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 207
  32. Dandavats.com: Bhaktivedanta College Radhadesh Divine Names Retreat, April 22-28, 2011
  33. Dandavats.com: New Kirtan CD by Red Rock Rishis “Rocks” Reviews
  34. Dandavats.com: ISKCON sets of books
  35. Dandavats.com: My Last Conversation with Aindra Prabhu
  36. H.H. Sivarama Swami: Morning puja video
  37. Gouranga TV: Dance – Bus Tour – Pushpanjali
  38. Japa Group: Japa Seminar Chandramauli Swami P8
  39. More Recent Articles
  40. Search Planet ISKCON
  41. Prior Mailing Archive

H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Tuesday 1 February 2011--Be True to Your Guru. He's Saving You.--and--Stop My Personal Projects?

A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(tm) Tuesday 1 February 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. 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. Today's Thought: Be True to Your Guru. He's Saving You. Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA When after careful study of the revealed scriptures and due deliberation we accept someone as our spiritual master, we must be very careful to always faithfully follow his instructions because Krishna measures our devotion to Him by how much we are dedicated to our spiritual master. It is not that we simply use our spiritual master as a ladder to attain the transcendental platform and then after attaining it kick him away. No. We must always remain fully dedicated and surrendered to our spiritual master because it is by his mercy that we are being delivered from the vicious cycle of birth, death, old age, and disease. Even after going back to home, back to Godhead one still remains the eternal servant of his spiritual master. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Stop My Personal Projects? Is it necessary to leave one's studies or personal projects to be able to practice Krishna consciousness? What influence does it have if I have thoughts and desires for improvement in all areas and I offer them to Krishna--for example, to be well situated economically to provide well for a family and not live in misery? The other matter concerns the principles. If one is having difficulty fulfilling some principle, is this a fault that impedes chanting the Maha Mantra? It is supposed that the Maha Mantra is tremendous, so if we chant it we enter in contact with God and therefore we will have the best experiences of our life. L.W. Answer: Offer Them to Krishna One does not have to change one's position in society to become Krishna conscious. Whatever you are doing now, you simply do that for Krishna. That is Krishna consciousness. It is your duty to see that your family is comfortably taken care of. So you should be very responsible in this regard. The key is to remember that it is not your household. It is the property of Krishna. So now you should have a nice spiritual program with your family members in the morning and evening and work to maintain Krishna's household so that all the family members can peacefully practice Krishna consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. In Krishna consciousness we have four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no illicit sex, and no gambling. If you are not able to follow these principles strictly, it will be more difficult for you to absorb yourself in Krishna consciousness. Therefore we advise you to strictly follow these principles so that you can progress along the path of bhakti without any impediment. It is a fact that by chanting sincerely we will the experience the best of all possible lives. 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 Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address: 

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Candidasa dasa, UK: Spiritual Recharge Festival 2009 Photos

I’ve posted 307 photos I took at the last Spiritual Recharge Festival 2009-2010.

See the gallery here.

 
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Japa Group: I Put My Heart Into The Syl­la­bles


The qual­ity of my japa is ques­tion­able. It is not suddha-nama, or chant­ing with­out offenses. But I sin­cerely com­plete my quota. I put my heart into the syl­la­bles and the getting-done of the quota.

From Viraha Bhavan #203 
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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Prahladananda Swami

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.29.38 - We should arrange our lives in a way that we can hear the Holy Name & glories of Krsna.
 

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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Prahladananda Swami

Srimad Bhagavatam class given on Monday, 31st January, 2011

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.29.36-37 - Those in the disciplic succession of Madhva Gaudiya sampradaya should develop feeling of separation from Krsna.
 

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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana

01/02/11

Fabulous darsana on this first day of the month of February 2011;
it is sure to cast all inauspiciousness and anxiety far away, very far away!

Indeed, it is as if Visvakarma, the architect of the demigods, has reconstructed the Pleasure-Groves of Vrindavana on the altar.

"May Vrindavana, which is fragrant with a gentle breeze that makes the lotuses in the Yamuna rock to and fro, where there are groves of Kadamba trees, and where there are many gopis, their hearts blossoming with happiness by hearing the music of Lord Mukunda's flute, be my shelter..."
(Sri Vrindavana-astaka by Srila Rupa Goswami)
 

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Institute for Sustainable Society, NZ: Backyard Sufficiency

Well, it’s a good time of year to start our blog as now is the time we are reaping the rewards, a bountiful harvest!
Apart from a few potatoes we lasted a whole year using only the vegetables from our own back yard. I was certainly surprised how little space we needed to live off, we are currently using about 50 sq foot.

Dave loves making juices with carrots plucked straight from the soil and the health benefits that come from home grown veggies.The highlights for me are picking our fresh strawberries for our one year old, knowing they’re full of goodness. Cooking becomes much more of a joy knowing that everything comes from our garden which is completely organic and grown in line with our ethics, not to mention the rich flavours and sweetness that is so unique to home grown vegetables.

We hope to keep you updated on our evolving journey to a more simple and organic lifestyle.

 
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Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Where is money? Where is stool?

What is this rascal civilization, whole day "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" Everyone. Busy means "Where is money? Where is money?" Just like the hog, he is busy: "What time...? Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" That is not civilization. If you remain always busy, "Where is stool?" like the hog, then what is your civilization? Whole day working, night, nightshift, dayshift, whole day, the same, like hog. Get money and then drink wine and eat meat and do all nonsense things. This is their civilization.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- October 28, 1975, Nairobi

 
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David Haslam, UK: My monthly stressor

I want to share what for me is one of the biggest stressors faced every month and in many ways it shouldn’t be, but it also reminds me of two things; that I am not really known (a point made by a senior devotee) and that we should not expect things even if we think [...] 

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H.H. Sivarama Swami

When one’s mind is polluted, it is very difficult to remember Krishna, and when remembrance of Lord Krishna is hampered, one’s life is unproductive.

- Lord Caitanya

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday, January 31st, 2011

Luckiest Man

Toronto, Ontario

I had actually surprised myself with moving forward walking at practically a normal pace easily on Sunday morning. That I did again early this day, as the healing from surgery is occurring. What compelled me on to trek at midnight was tummy problems. I had engaged so much in conversations with guests before, during and after the Open House Sunday program. I had actually forgotten about eating at the Sunday feast only until it was too late.

A monk is in ecstasy when talking about spiritual matters. There is a greater adrenaline from that than eating.

By the time the program was over, the kitchen was a Mother Hubbard's Cupboard. All was devoured except for some thick dahl soup and rice, not what you want to put in your stomach before going to bed. My meal for the day, by circumstance, was a bit of greasy broccoli and later, black cherry juice. Well, my bowels were encountering a whole new experience while lying down. If you combine the 1st, 2nd World Wars and Kuruksetra War on top of that, you might get the picture of explosions going on inside. The cure? Walk! And for hunger pangs? Find someplace that's open that may have snacks. Both tasks were accomplished and a third japa chanting.

I walked past the Bata Shoe Museum. I thought about some of the exhibits inside. On display are shoes of some celebs like Elton John, Marilyn Monroe and Tiger Woods. I thought again, "Would I trade my life for the lives of any of them?" And the answer to that is, NO!

Life! I'm loving it, even with an eruptive stomach from time to time, when sleep gets disrupted. I'm the luckiest man in the world and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Sunday, January 30th, 2011

Twisting Things

Toronto, Ontario

I opened randomly to a page from Hari Sauri Dasa's book, "A Transcendental Diary", and came upon a passage that I had found interesting at my first read of it. Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, of whom the book is all about, raised an objection about the way in which his rendition of the "Bhagavad-gita" had been edited.

The following passage from Mellbourne in '76 indicates that he wanted proper and responsible editing to be applied to his book. You might call this an inside story.

"On the way back in the car, Srila Prabhupada told Pusta Krsna Maharaja (his assistant) to have the BBT in Los Angeles correct and editor's mistake in the Bhagavad-gita" he has detected during a conversation in his room yesterday. While talking about cow protection, he had asked Pusta Krsna to look up verse 18.44. When Pusta Krsna read the verse aloud, Prabhupada noted a mistranslation of an important word. So today he told him, "Immediately inform Ramesvara (the publisher-in-charge). In the "Bhagavad-gita" yesterday, they have edited 'cattle raising'. But it is not cattle raising. Cattle raising means to grow and killing. That means the rascals, they have edited. Hayagriva edited. He thought, ''cattle raising'. Not 'cattle raising'. It is mistranslation. It is go-raksya, 'giving protection to the cows.' It is expecially mentioned go-raksya, not otherwise."

Here is a prime example of how editing was irresponsibly handled. You want to be especially careful with regard to a classic text like the 'Bhagavad-gita'. Fortunately, thereafter, editors did as was ordered - to change the definition to the original meaning of the Sanskrit words, go-raksya. It goes to show that a misinterpretation can distort something fundamental as the word 'protection' to the twisted meaning of 'raising for the slaughter'.

6 KM

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Cold!

Brampton, Ontario

Temperatures have dipped after a spring-like dynamic. Now we've entered a big freeze in central Canada and although the sun shines, frigid mother nature pervades. Devotees are not deterred by the weather.

Twenty-five young men and women from our community braved the cold to be embraced by it in two locations. Kensington Market and Dufferin Mall, to go out and "have a good time" as they put it.

What is this good time?

Each month on the last Saturday youths are geared up under the mentorship of Radha Mohan, a banker by profession, to engage in a sankirtan party. This entails street chanting and distribution of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust literature. There's a vegetarian feast to follow and then sharing of stories about the great people. Mostly shoppers, that were interacted with.

In my healing from surgery stage I lamented not being part of this happy experience but I was present when the eager brigade both left and returned from the venture. Excitement filled the air as on an amazing "buzz" invaded the Govinda's dining room upon the return of those weather warriors. I was happy for them being in their own ecstasy. They appeared to have transcended the cold.

What I was fit for today was a ride to suburbria Brampton, and a home program with hosts Savyasachin, Shyamesvari and their one year old daughter. In our tradition a true inauguration for entering into a new home is chanting which is accompanied by a toasty fire ceremony called agni-hotra. The fire was foregone but the chanting was not. There is always warmth that emanates from chanting-warmth to the heart.

Our super drummer Radha Kanta, who provided the music for our mantras, is a monk from Asam, and he just hasn't quite understood our winters here yet. If your vehicle is stuck on the road during frigid climate you have to be prepared for anything. When ascending to our van to leave, icy conditions were such that the ill-prepared monk lost his balance sending one of the dollarama sandals from his feet, sliding off into the street. That gave him a good laughing. It's certainly another world for him in Canada.

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, January 28th, 2011

Smitten With Love

Toronto, Ontario

A little about sex

I took my therapy trek along Bloor and Yonge Streets and I noticed the store fronts in preparation for Valentine's Day, the next wave of sensual indoctrinations, a subtle tsunami for the public. It brought to mind a line from the Gita, "Of causes of procreating I am Kandarpa, the god of love." Window Displays project images of hearts and arrows. The colours of red and hot pink are abound.

Kamadeva, the Vedic nomenclature for Cupid, has wings and flies about striking stinging arrows into the hearts of just about everyone, humans and non-humans. He's a cute and very babyish in innocence and in appearance; his baby fat is adorable topped by curls o sandy-coloured hair. Monks are supposed to feel less of his influence but they may not necessarily be exempt to such feelings. They should be better equipped to cool down the surging heat of lust. Thank god that in one's late fifties, speaking personally, the umpf feeling becomes somewhat subdued. Cupid should be buzzing right by you.

Just south of Wellesley on Yonge Streets' west side is a new shop with a banner reading "Blue God". I intentionally visited. Workers are putting the finishing touches to the interior. I stepped in to be greeted by the business partner of J.J. Das. The shop has not yet opened. The grand opening is yet to come to this chic boutique-type of space which will carry a line of unique clothes and which has already laid out booths for tattoo operations.

I was greeted by a smile and told J.J.'s not in. "He's in the hospital. Shanti just got a baby. Here!" And he showed me a picture on his phone display of a newborn baby boy. The smile was contagious. I broke out in an oceanic smile, and for two reasons.

First of all, I was happy for the baby's healthy disposition, and secondly, I was happy for the couple. Here is an example of the fruition of well-deserved man and woman's effort. J.J. and Shanti are a divine couple. They have gained a modest following, being gurus in their own right. When J.J. administers a tattoo, being a master at it, you can be assured he's counselling. He's telling something about responsibility and doing the right thing.

Back to our topic - SEX. I just gently endorsed responsible sex. I hope you caught on. I was talking about a very committed couple.

Congratulations to J.J. and Shanti!

4 KM

 
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Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - Part 1

ajayadhvamaja yadhvam na sansayah

kalau sankirtana rambhe bhavisyami saci sutah

    “The Supreme Lord said: ‘In Kali-yuga, I will appear as the son of Saci, and inaugurate the sankirtana movement. There is no doubt about this.’”  

anandasru-kala-roma-harsa-purnam tapo-dhana

sarve mam eva draksyanti kalau sannyasa-rupinam

      “O sage whose wealth is austerity, in the Kali-yuga everyone will see My form as a sannyasi, a form filled with tears of bliss and bodily hairs standing erect in ecstasy.”

~ Bhavishya Purana
 
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Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: For Many Species, No Escape As Temperatures Rise

Ed Ou/The New York Times

The long-tailed widow bird was once far more common but is now a threatened species. More Photos »

KINANGOP, Kenya — Simon Joakim Kiiru remembers a time not long ago when familiar birdsongs filled the air here and life was correlated with bird sightings. His lush, well-tended homestead is in the highlands next to the Aberdare National Park, one of the premier birding destinations in the world.
Multimedia
Ed Ou/The New York Times

Simon Joakim Kiiru, a beekeeper in Kinangop, Kenya, has seen the area’s birds decline. “So many today are gone,” he said. More Photos »

Ed Ou/The New York Times

A tacazze sunbird, which lives in high altitudes, spread its wings while perched on a branch in Aberdare National Park, in Western Kenya. More Photos »

The New York Times

More Photos »

When the hornbill arrived, Mr. Kiiru recalled, the rains were near, meaning that it was time to plant. When a buzzard showed a man his chest, it meant a visitor was imminent. When an owl called at night, it foretold a death.

“There used to be myths because these are our giants,” said Mr. Kiiru, 58. “But so many today are gone.”

Over the past two decades, an increasing number of settlers who have moved here to farm have impinged on bird habitats and reduced bird populations by cutting down forests and turning grasslands into fields. Now the early effects of global warming and other climate changes have helped send the populations of many local mountain species into a steep downward spiral, from which many experts say they will never recover.

Over the next 100 years, many scientists predict, 20 percent to 30 percent of species could be lost if the temperature rises 3.6 degrees to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit. If the most extreme warming predictions are realized, the loss could be over 50 percent, according to the United Nations climate change panel.

Polar bears have become the icons of this climate threat. But scientists say that tens of thousands of smaller species that live in the tropics or on or near mountaintops are equally, if not more, vulnerable. These species, in habitats from the high plateaus of Africa to the jungles of Australia to the Sierra Nevada in the United States, are already experiencing climate pressures, and will be the bulk of the animals that disappear.

In response to warming, animals classically move to cooler ground, relocating either higher up in altitude or farther toward the poles. But in the tropics, animals have to move hundreds of miles north or south to find a different niche. Mountain species face even starker limitations: As they climb upward they find themselves competing for less and less space on the conical peaks, where they run into uninhabitable rocks or a lack of their usual foods — or have nowhere farther to go.

“It’s a really simple story that at some point you can’t go further north or higher up, so there’s no doubt that species will go extinct,” said Walter Jetz, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale, whose research last year predicted that a third of the 1,000 mountain birds he studied, or 300 species, would be threatened because warming temperatures would decimate their habitats.

Birds are good barometers of biodiversity because amateur birdwatchers keep such extensive records of their sightings. But other animals are similarly affected.

Two years ago, scientists blamed a warming climate for the disappearance of the white lemuroid possum, a niche mountain dweller in Australia that prefers cool weather, and that was cute enough to be the object of nature tours. Many scientists, suspecting that the furry animal had died off during a period of unusually extreme heat, labeled the disappearance the first climate-related animal extinction.

Since then, biologists have found a few surviving animals, but the species remains “intensely vulnerable,” said William F. Laurance, distinguished research professor at James Cook University in Australia, who said that in the future heat waves would probably be the “death knell” for a number of cold-adapted species.

For countries and communities, the issue means more than just the loss of pleasing variety. Mr. Kiiru regrets the vastly diminished populations of the mythic birds of Kikuyu tribal culture, like buzzards, owls and hawks. But also, the loss of bird species means that some plants have no way to pollinate and die off, too. And that means it is hard for Mr. Kiiru to tend bees, his major source of income.

Current methods for identifying and protecting threatened species — like the so-called red list criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a conservation gold standard — do not yet adequately factor in the impact of probable climate shifts, and the science is still evolving, many scientists say.

Some species that scientists say are at most risk in a warming climate are already considered threatened or endangered, like the Sharpe’s longclaw and the Aberdare cisticola in Kenya. The cisticola, which lives only at altitudes above 7,500 feet, is considered endangered by the international union, and research predicts that climate change will reduce its already depleted habitat by a further 80 percent by 2100.

Other Kenyan birds that are at risk from climate warming, like the tufted, brightly colored Hartlaub’s turaco, are not yet on watch lists, even though their numbers are severely reduced here. A rapid change of climate can quickly eliminate species that inhabit a narrow niche.

On a recent afternoon, Dominic Kimani, a research ornithologist at the National Museums of Kenya, combed a pasture on the Kinangop Plateau for 20 minutes before finding a single longclaw. “These used to be everywhere when I was growing up,” he said.

He added: “But it’s hard to get anyone to pay attention; they are just little brown birds. I know they’re important for grazing animals because they keep the grasses short. But it’s not dramatic, like you’re losing an elephant.”

As the climate shifts, mountain animals on all continents will face similar problems. Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley recently documented that in Yosemite National Park, where there is a century-old animal survey for comparison, half the mountain species had moved their habitats up by an average of 550 yards to find cooler ground.

Elsewhere in the United States, the pika, the alpine chipmunk and the San Bernardino flying squirrel have all been moving upslope in a pattern tightly linked to rising temperatures. They are now considered at serious risk of disappearing, said Shaye Wolf, climate science director of the Center for Biological Diversity in San Francisco, which in 2010 applied to protect a number of American mountain species under the United States’ Endangered Species Act.

Last year, new research in the journal Ecological Applications and elsewhere showed that the pika, a thick-furred, rabbitlike animal that takes refuge from the sun in piles of stones, was moving upslope at about 160 yards a decade and that in the past decade it had experienced a fivefold rise in local extinctions, the term used when a local population forever disappears.

On the Kinangop Plateau in Kenya, Mr. Kimani exults when he finds a Hartlaub’s turaco, once a common sight, near Njabini town, in a stand of remaining of old growth forest, after engaging local teenagers to help locate the bird. The turaco could lose more than 60 percent of its already limited habitat if current predictions about global warming are accurate, Dr. Jetz said.

“Even substantial movement wouldn’t help them out,” he said. “They would have to move to the Alps or Asian mountains to find their mountain climate niche in the future.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: January 21, 2011

An earlier version of a photo caption with this article misidentified a bird that was pictured. It is a Tacazze sunbird, not a sandbird.

 
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Ananda Subramanian, Iowa, USA: Imitation meat and my 2 cents

People who believe in God, especially who follow the Judeo-Christian tradition, are convinced that God created animals for humans to eat them. People who do not believe in a God do not care about such ethics...they are happy to eat anything that is dubbed as "proteinicious" and "tasty" by the scientific community. Combination of these two population constitute approximately 80% to 90% of the world population. The end result, the poor animals slaughtered and mis-treated in all possible ways. Unfortunately, not much sympathy is shown to these animals.

The scientific community foreseeing the costly nature of growing "real" animals and slaughtering them are working on "imitation" meat in laboratories. Billions of dollars are necessary to conduct research to make imitation meat a reality. We will not change our lifestyle by controlling our urge to eat flesh but rather spend billions in tax-dollars to artificially create meat in labs.

If we simply can control our urge to eat flesh and blood, we can save billions of dollars and siphon that dollars to help feed the poor and improve the standards of living across nations. While this is a theoretical reality, it will not happen as "man" needs his "flesh" and "blood". Unfortunately, majority of the population seem to think like this.

Anyways...enough of my ranting...this post was intended to copy an article of "imitation" meat that scientists are trying to develop. Apparently, there is not much funding for such a cause in the US. Read the interesting article where it broaches on the science of imitation meat.

Link

Hare Krishna

 
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: Pictures from puja this morning


IMG_0629 IMG_0630 IMG_0631 IMG_0632 IMG_0634 IMG_0635

 
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Australian News: INVITATION TO AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT

By Kurma dasa

INVITATION TO AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT

(Originally posted at Dandavats.com)

Dear Disciples, followers and well-wishers of Srila Prabhupada,

2011 is a special time for all members of Srila Prabhupada’s Australian Family.

It marks a milestone in the history of the Krishna Consciousness Movement that began back in 1971, when we were all in the prime of our youth. 2011 marks the 40th Anniversary of Prabhupada’s arrival in Australia, and 40 years since Australia’s first Deities – Radha Gopinatha – were lovingly carried across the Pacific in the arms of Vegavan and Bali-mardan and finally installed in that fledgling storefront temple at 118 Oxford Street Paddington by Srila Prabhupada himself.

Srila Prabhupada expressed his desire that 10 temples be established in Australia and New Zealand, and that number has been well surpassed.

Some of us were early members way back then, and some of us ‘joined’ a bit later, some here in Sydney, and some elsewhere in Australia. And some have remained well-wishers, or become disciples of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples.

It’s an incredible history, and one worth celebrating. Those years have left an indelible mark on our hearts.

Our lives have changed dramatically in those 40 years, but there is one constant: with Srila Prabhupada as our Spiritual Father we have a unique relationship as brothers and sisters.

Over three magical days, Friday 20 May to Sunday 22 May 2011, Sydney Temple will be celebrating that unique bond. The Temple will be hosting a whirlwind of memorable events that shouldn’t be missed.

Family members from all over the world will be attending. That alone is a great reason to come – to meet old and dear friends again all in one spot, at the same time. But there’s more.

The formal program commences with a delicious reunion dinner on Friday 20 May. Slideshows, a tour to old Sydney temple sites, vintage films, guest speakers, an historic group photo, blissful chants, feasting and a picnic are just some of the highlights!

More details are available but for now, please mark these dates in your diary: Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May, 2011.

Want to know more? Contacts listed below.

We eagerly look forward to seeing you again!

With love and affection,

Kurma dasa (on behalf of the 40th Anniversary Committee)

email: kurma.acbsp@pamho.net

website: http://www.kurma.net/

blog: http://www.iskcon.net.au/kurma/

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kurma.dasa

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H.H. Sivarama Swami: Danavira dasa asks whether residents of Vaikuntha can go to Goloka at will

 
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Matsyavatara das (ACBSP), Italy: Family Matters (Part Four) - By Matsya Avatara Dasa (Marco Ferrini)


Spiritual Lovers

Question: Wife and husband should be seen more like spiritual friends or more like "spiritual lovers"? What is the difference between the two?
If the spiritual is authentic both definitions are synonymous. But only if it's authentically spiritual, because today it is a fashion to say spiritual: "Oh, today I got to know a very spiritual person!", but often people don't know anything about the dimension of the spirit. I remember, years ago, I had so much discussion on this with one person. I had to rebuke and correct him so many times. Slowly, slowly, he stopped. He had friends―some poets―that he considered spiritual but who were actually conditioned by everything: by tobacco, by alcohol, by scurrilous language; they were very conditioned. What a distorted idea of spiritual! I have explained and re-explained to him the definition of spiritual―five, seven, ten times―and it seems that lately he has grasped it. But the idea of spiritual is generally very vague, therefore it’s better to further clarify.
Let's analyze the category that indirectly emerges from your question: if the two, instead of being spiritual lovers, are carnal lovers. Then they are known as grihamedhi, which is different from grihastha. The distinction is that for the grihastha the fundamental goal is spiritual realization, while for the grihamedhi the aim is to get a beautiful wife or a handsome husband and enjoy each other. (Of course we know that it's only an attempt and than there is the other side of the coin.) These are the two categories. We have to make this essential distinction: does the person want to get married to increase his or her own potentialities of enjoyment, or does the person―in this case a sincere spiritualist―choose another sincere spiritualist in the form of the other gender to have a companion for the journey of spiritual realization?
Therefore we have two categories: those who pair for enjoying life better and those who unite for reciprocal help in self-realization. We exclusively deal with the second category; the first category is dealt with by sexologists, psychologists and other researchers. We are concerned only with those who try to have a family as a suitable, propaedeutical instrument for spiritual realization. The single man and the single woman may think, "By myself I can't make it." They may think that they are not yet ready to live as brahmacari or brahmacarini. Therefore, they look for a person with whom to walk a section of the path together, understanding from the beginning that the aim is to help each other to obtain liberation, to obtain love of God.
In this category―the grihastha―there could be some short-circuits at times, because the body is there, the senses are there, and the karma is there. Therefore by being close sometimes they find themselves too close and at times there might be exchanges of affection surpassing the level allowed in the shastra. I would say that this is not a tragedy. Some people have made a tragedy of it but then they themselves created tragedies many times greater than this. Probably I won't be acclaimed for saying what I am saying but, in all conscience, I am taking full responsibility and I have solid arguments to support my theses.

Going Beyond the Conditioning of Modern Culture

The information of the media―which the mass misinterpret as progress and emancipation―doesn't stimulate at all a 'positive' process of liberation and emancipation of the human being, but an indiscriminate consumption, which only profits the great financial and industrial groups. The disposition of modern man is to be lenient, to be accommodating with the weak side of his character, to let one's own bio-psychic impulses and the external influences dominate his personality. Even if superficially he appears original, spontaneous and self-assured, in reality he is an off-centered and fragile individual, because of being hetero-directed.
Control doesn't mean repression or suppression. Repression involves an irrational fear (taboo) that impedes the elaboration of psychic energies, which are mostly unconscious. Rather, reasonable control consists in governing the energetic manifestation, with the objective of utilizing those same energies for a constructive goal. Among the innumerable examples I could make I limit myself to the case under exam: the transformation of the sexual push into a satisfactory rapport of love, process that for years I have defined from Eros to Love.
In other words, through using a well-trained willpower, it's possible to control the bio-psychic energy through reason (Logos). This control is the opposite of repressing or suppressing one's impulses, as it can produce the transformation of the egoistic-destructive pushes in ecologic energy, beneficial to the individual, the collectivity and the environment. This process is defined transformation and sublimation.
The same principle applies to inhibition. The modern psychological literature―especially the one of Freudian school―has incorrectly attributed a negative connotation to the vital psychic function of inhibition. Evidence of the erroneousness of such idea is provided by scientific research in physiology, which has amply demonstrated that inhibition is a normal neurological function to better govern the organism. On the psychic plane also, to inhibit doesn't necessarily mean to suppress, but to apply a temporary brake to a reaction of the conditioned consciousness, in order to reflect on one’s behavior. To reflect means to activate the intellect, the buddhi, and to deliberate with emotional detachment on the present event without being overwhelmed by one’s urges. Inhibition is pathologic when used stubbornly, non-critically, but it is therapeutic when propaedeutic to sublimation: "One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws his limbs within the shell, is to be understood as truly situated in knowledge" (Bg. II-58).
A person who lives the traditional values (sacrifice, work, saving, honesty, family, religion, etc.) doesn’t maximize commercial profit. To obtain maximum profit financial companies need to transform man in avid consumer, because to realize profit they need people to buy their products. Maximum profit for capital invested is given by a person who works to the maximum of his psychophysical capacity and consumes to the maximum of his financial capacity. The worker who is content leading his social or family relationships based on religious values and behavior is a bad consumer. He yields little, because to realize oneself in that way costs little or nothing and consequently doesn't push the individual to work to the maximum of his capacities. Similarly, the chaste girl who doesn't go out at night to have fun, the faithful wife who stays at home, the monk and the priest produce very little commercial profit. There arises therefore the need to create the consumerist, who seeks pleasure and entertainment, who seeks an individualistic, materialistic actualization and who frees himself from all the factors that could have inhibited such evolution, spending in goods and services whose sale produces profit. Modern culture achieved this by demolishing those ethical and social values―or motivational vectors―that checked the establishment of consumerism. Modern culture promoted liberation from duties, sexual liberation, blameworthiness of prohibitions, devaluation of the family and of family roles, emptying of religion, relativization of ethics and of authority. It created innumerable new personal fancied wants―essentially responding to the need of the industry to sell and gain: divorce, fashion, designer clothes and accessories, hankering for status symbols of every type, from classy cars to vacations in particular places.
 
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Australian News: Radhadesh Mellows continues (online video archives available)

If you didn’t catch the outrageously great kirtan live stream from Radhadesh Mellows recently you can catch up by playing the video recording over at Mayapur TV Archives.

http://www.mayapurtvarchives.com/

But dont forget the live program still continues and you can ride the wave of nectar here

http://www.radhadeshmellows.com/

Don’t miss out

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Dandavats.com: International Vaisnavi Retreat

Prasanta dd: Fostering a spirit of love and care between devotees is on the agenda for the up-coming International Vaisnavi Retreat. This special event is aimed at generating peer support between female devotees dedicated to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. It has sprung from an initiative of the now three-year old GBC Devotee Care Committee and is being organized by the Vrindavana Institute for Higher Education

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