ISTAGOSTHI: Questions & Reflections - January 16th, 2024

Join in the conversation amongst pilgrims who share the same journey—coming together and opening their hearts in trust, bringing forth relevant concerns in an attempt to deepen one’s personal approach to a balanced humanity and spirituality, and to grow together and nourish each other in the context of developing love of God. This is the purpose of Istagosthi—in a safe environment, we are invited to share our concerns and questions in service to authenticity, honesty and truth.

The first question that is offered in this Istagoshti is about how to keep ancient practices relevant for people in the larger society. In reflection, Swami poses that before we ask that question, we need to ask, and answer, how do we make the teachings relevant in our own lives?

Additionally, we can keep every thing fresh, new and relevant by keeping astonishment alive and not succumbing to certitude—thinking that we already know the totality of devotional concepts. The nature of Krishna consciousness is that it is continually unfolding and ever-evolving; it is not static. therefore, a mystic—an alive practitioner—is meant to keep pace with transcendence and that involves intelligently integrating and upgrading our approach to the principles of a particular tradition in such a way that makes us sensitive to and empathetic with the particular struggles of our current society. In this way, we will be able to “translate” the ancient teachings into not just the language of the times, but into the mindset of the times, and make sense of our world through the philosophy.

Join in the circle of conversation as this and other concerns are addressed.

▶ WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/k5rdv7IY6-U

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RADICAL PERSONALISM: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion.