08/19/98 - 2040

Dharma Journal August 12, 1998

USA (VNN) - The Electronic Newsletter of the Sanatana Dharma Student Association
(The Hindu student and faculty organization of the University of Wisconsin)

Birds are able to fly with their two wings.
Even so both work and knowledge together
lead to the supreme goal of liberation.
Neither alone can lead to liberation,
but both of them together form the means.

(Agastya in the "Yoga-vashishtha")

Announcements

1) Krishna Janmashtami. Friday, August 14th, 1998 is the holy appearance day of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. On this day, devotees of Lord Krishna attend pujas, satsangs, bhajans and kirtans at their local Krishna temple, and fast until midnight.

2) Ganesha Chaturthi. Tuesday, August 25th, 1998 marks the birth of Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, and remover of obstacles.

3) Classes resume at U.W. Wednesday, September 2nd, 1998 marks the first day of classes for the Fall semester at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.


Article

Hindu Contributions to the New Age Movement

Frank Morales

As a phenomena which has gained notable attention in the last two decades or so, the New Age movement has been of special interest to those who specialize in the study of religion. The history and origin of this essentially American movement is an especially interesting one. While several historical trends have contributed to the development of this world view, the main impetus for the New Age movement - both since the 1960's, and including its pre-Sixties antecedents - has been the periodic influx of Hindu spiritual and philosophical ideas.

The New Age movement had its origins in the explosive interest in achieving maximal human potential and personal spiritual development witnessed in 1960's America. Today, included among the many of the more famous New Age leaders are Deepak Chopra, Bernie Seagal and Marianne Williamson. As a social phenomena, this spiritual movement seeks both personal and planetary transformation. The former, most New Age theoreticians would say, leading necessarily to the latter. While this movement has gained great notoriety in recent years, however, the core basis of its ideas are nothing new. Many scholars have, in fact, described New Age ideas as a revival of esoteric and mystical religion traditions rooted in humanity's ancient past. Indeed, the greatest contributor to the New Age movement has been something neither new nor American, i.e., the ancient religious traditions of Hinduism.

This is evident both historically and in more contemporary observations.
Historically, there were several 19th Century antecedents of the New Age movement. These include a) the Theosophical Society, b) the New Thought Movement, and c) the arrival of Swami Vivekananda in America. The Theosophical Society of H.P. Blavatsky derived much of its philosophical outlook from the religions of Asia, specifically Hinduism and Buddhism. The source of divine knowledge for Theosophists were the mysterious and elusive "Mahatmas" who supposedly lived in the Himalayas. The New Thought Movement was also receptive to religious currents emanating from Eastern sources. It owed much of its theology to the ideas of the New England Transcendentalists, such as Thoreau and Emerson, who, in turn, where greatly influenced by the Upanishads
and the Bhagavad Gita. Finally, the famous 1893 arrival of Swami Vivekananda, and the subsequent growth of his Vedanta Society in America, helped communicate Hindu religious thought in a more explicit form.

Building upon these 19th Century foundations, the New Age movement began its development in the 1960's. Though other trends certainly contributed significantly to this development, including transpersonal psychology and occultism, it was the new influx of Hindu spiritual traditions which was most responsible for the movement's subsequent development and outlook. Due to changes in the immigration laws in 1965, Asian spiritual teachers found entering the U.S. less of a challenge. During this time, many Hindu gurus began travelling about America on lecture tours, including Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Bhaktivedanta Swami, Swami Rama and Swami Satchidananda. Consequently, many Hindu religious traditions began to find new and eager adherents in America. Some of these traditions included Yoga, Vedanta, Tantra, Vaishnavism and various Advaitic Hindu teachings. The contributions of these different Hindu schools of thought to New Age thinking was immense.

These include both philosophical and practical contributions. While New Agers believed in such concepts as: the interdependence of all life, non-violence, concern for the Earth's environment, and tolerance of diverse viewpoints, it was Hindu philosophy which first helped formulate these concepts coherently in the mind's of many nascent New Agers. Other New Age ideas which received strong philosophical support from India's religions include the belief (prominent among New Agers) in reincarnation and karma, the efficacy of ritual, and the need for compassion towards animals. Indeed, the latter trend within the New Age movement is quite in keeping with the vegetarian and non-violent ethic taught by most Asian spiritual traditions (specifically Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism).

Possibly the most important component which the New Age movement owes to Hindu spirituality, however, is the practice of meditation. Every tradition of Asian religion teaches one form of meditation or another. Perhaps the most important proponent of meditation in the U.S. has been the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement. Other forms of meditation introduced from India include mantra-meditation, visualization and karma yoga. As a result of this influx of Hindu meditational techniques, the practice of meditation has become an integral part of the New Age landscape.

While it is true that many of the beliefs and practices of the New Age movement can also be traced to other sources (for example, Platonic and Hermetic philosophy, and Native American beliefs), it is apparent that the movement owes a great deal to the older spiritual traditions of India. From the practical considerations of vegetarianism and meditation, to gaining a more philosophical justification for its belief structure, the New Age movement finds its greatest source of inspiration and ideas from the great religious traditions of Hinduism.


Om Namo Narayanaya *** Om Namo Narayanaya *** Om Namo Narayanaya


Article II

Christian Leaders Embrace Vegetarianism
to Abolish World Hunger

by
Vasu Murti

Meat has traditionally been a luxury which few could afford. The American Dietetic Association reports that "most of mankind for most of human history has lived on vegetarian or near vegetarian diets."

The livestock population of the United States today consumes enough grain and soybeans to feed over five times the entire human population of the country. We feed these animals over 80 percent of the corn we grow, and over 95 percent of the oats.

Less than half of the harvested agricultural acreage in the U.S. is used to grow food for people. Most of it is used to grow livestock feed.

Ronald J. Sider, in his 1977 book, "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger," points out that 220 million Americans are eating enough food (largely because of high consumption of grain fed to livestock) to feed over one billion people in the poorer countries.

The realization that meat is an unnecessary luxury, resulting in inequities in the world food supply, has prompted religious leaders in different denominations to call on their members to abstain from meat.

Paul Moore Jr., the Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of New York, made such an appeal in a November 1974 pastoral letter calling for the observance of "meatless Wednesdays."

A similar appeal had previously been issued by Cardinal Cooke, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York. The Reverend Eugene Carson Blake, former head of the World Council of Churches and founder of Bread for the World, has urged everyone in his anti-hunger organization to abstain from eating meat on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

What does the future hold? If the world population triples in the next 100 years, then meat production would have to triple as well. Instead of 3.7 billion acres of cropland and 7.5 billion acres of grazing land, we would require 1.1 billion acres of cropland and 22.5 billion acres of grazing land.

But this is slightly more than the total land area of the six inhabited continents! We are already desperately short of groundwater, topsoil, forests, and energy.

Nor can fish provide any help here. There are signs that the fishing industry (which is quite energy-intensive) has already overfished the oceans in several areas. And fish could never play a major role in the world's diet anyway: the entire global fish catch of the world, if divided among all the world's inhabitants, would amount to only a few ounces of fish per person per week.

Even if we were to resort to extreme methods of population control -- abortion, infanticide, genocide, etc -- modest increases in the world population during the next century would make it impossible to maintain current levels of meat consumption.

On a vegetarian diet, however, the world could easily support a population several times its present size. The world's cattle alone consume enough to feed over 8.7 billion humans.

Father Thomas Berry, a Catholic priest, author and founder of the Riverdale Center of Religious Research in New York wrote that "Vegetarianism is a way of life that we should all move toward for economic survival, physical well-being, and spiritual integrity."


Vasu Murti

vasum@ juno.com

*** Hari Om *** Hari Om *** Hari Om *** Hari Om ***


Article III

Sahaj Marg Meditation: A Raja Yoga System of Meditation

by
Shri Ram Chandra Mission

What is Meditation?

The word meditation is derived from its' Latin root, medite which means to rest on one idea or thought. This process of waiting with an appropriate idea increases awareness and opens the way to experience the true Self and become one with it.

We become that on which we meditate. In other words, we acquire the nature, quality or condition of the object on which we meditate. In Sahaj Marg we meditate on the idea of divine light in the heart. As the process takes root, we experience the expansion of our inner self which may be called the Higher Self or God.

Modern civilization, particularly the West, places little value on spiritual growth, but a great deal of emphasis on physical and material matters. When the spiritual and material aspects of life become unbalanced, human existence (as individuals and as a society) suffers.

Humanity needs both kinds of values to grow and develop. Like a bird, we need two wings to fly -- a material wing and a spiritual wing. Meditation is a simple way to achieve that balance.

What is Sahaj Marg?

Sahaj Marg (the Natural Path, or the Simple Way) is a form of raja yoga, the 'King of Yogas.' The practice is simple, without rituals or ceremonies, and is centered on the heart. It uses the power of the mind, that is, thought, to achieve the highest spiritual goal -- complete oneness with the Ultimate, with God.

An essential and unique feature of Sahaj Marg is the direct help and guidance of the Spiritual Teacher in the form of transmission of divine energy into our hearts. In a spiritual path, guidance of a capable teacher is paramount and the acceptance of such a guide comes through personal experience.

What does the practice consist of?

The daily practice of Sahaj Marg consists of meditation in the morning, before the day's activities begin; a cleaning meditation in the evening after the day's activities are complete and a prayer meditation before going to bed.

Weekly sessions of group meditation and individual meditations with a preceptor are available for supporting our daily practice for faster growth.

Belief is not required for Sahaj Marg because Raja Yoga emphasizes direct experience. Yoga has always insisted that we must actually produce for ourselves, for secondhand knowledge cannot satisfy our soul any more than reading a menu can satisfy our stomach.

It is recommended that the aspirants try this practice sincerely for a period of three months and let their experience convince them to continue the practice.

How do I meditate?

Close your eyes and start with the thought that Divine Light is present in the heart. Afterwards, sit in a relaxed manner in an attitude of looking inward. It is very simple.

How do I get started?

Training in Sahaj Marg is free of charge, and is open to all those over eighteen years of age who are willing to try it. The only requirement is a genuine and abiding interest in spiritual growth and balanced existence.

For More Information:

Contact:
Sridhar Katakam
SKATAKAM@IMCGLOBAL.COM
Ph : (847) 940 - 2892 (w)
(847) 478 - 0433 (h)


*** Jaya Rama *** Sri Rama *** Jaya Jaya Rama ***


Letters

From: "Eliseo franco" <isevperu@amauta.rcp.net.pe>
To: Frank Morales > fmorale1@students.wisc.edu
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 13:39:21 +0000
Subject: NEW VAISHNAVA NEWS SERVICE OPENS
Reply-to: isevperu@amauta.rcp.net.pe


Dandabat pranams.

Vaishnava Internet News Agency is now up and running. Please visit this site at www.vina.org and please send us news and articles for publication. If you have any difficulties logging on to VINA or navigating the site, please let us know at feedback@vina.org

NEW VAISHNAVA NEWS SERVICE OPENS

Contact: webmaster@vina.org
Release date: August 4, 1998

The Vaishnava Internet News Agency (VINA) has launched its new Website at www.vina.org.

VINA staff members say they have started the news service to provide a forum where Vaishnavas can learn about and appreciate each others positive contributions and achievements.

The Vaishnava Internet News Agency will welcome news from any Vaishnava institution or any individual Vaishnava so long as that news is of a constructive nature. Positive news about any individual preacher or any individual Vaishnava organizations preaching endeavors or projects will be freely broadcast.

Philosophical ideas can also be freely discussed on this site as long as personalities are left out of the issue. Personal attacks on any Vaishnava or Vaishnava organization will not be posted.

VINA will be non-sectarian in nature and will not promote any particular Vaishnava spiritual master, nor will it give preference to one Vaishnava organization over another. However, the Vaishnava Internet News Agency will have facility on their Website for Vaishnava preachers and institutions to promote their own programs if they so desire.


***

From: Dandi Swami Shivanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj<fajes@telcel.net.ve>
To: Frank Morales <fmorale1@students.wisc.edu>
Subject: To Mr. Morales, please send this message to any Hindu people and yourself, thanks
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 11:12:24 -0400

TO: Any Hindu Religious Minded
Date: August 7th 1998
---------------------------------
I am Dandi Swami Shivanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, a 75 year old disciple of Guru Swami Shantanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, Shankaracharya of Jyothir Math, Badrik Ashram, Himalayas. Last year he passed away. I came to Venezuela six years before with the intention to create a Shankaracharya Organization all over America. I got registered at Venezuela and I have made many Sanyasins and Brahmacharis at this place, but my progress is very slow in this country because my teaching is not easily entering into the minds of
Venezuela`s people. My period of life is very less on hand.

Therefore, I am thinking that if I get the opportunity to reach and contact
the religious Hindus in New York, then I hope that within a very short time they will pick up my teaching and in this way I may get success to create the Shankaracharya Organization over there. Many organizations like Satya Sai Baba and Hare Krishna have already reached over there, but up till now Shankaracharya Organization has not reached. This is one of the oldest, strongest and most powerful organizations in Hinduism, being two thousands four hundred (2400) years old in India. Many Hindus are aware of this fact. The greatest desire of my life is to create this Organization on a large scale. My motive in life is not to earn money or to earn name and fame. I would like to say that I am ready to sacrifice my life to teach you all free of charge, but I need your cooperation and faith with strong will power.

Only I can say that the present Mahatma, Brahmachari Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who is shining like a sun in the world, is a disciple of my Grand Guru, Swami Brahmanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, who was the Shankaracharya of Jyothir Math, Badrik Ashram, Himalayas. After his death my Guru took over the charge as Shankaracharya. He sat on the Guru's seat for about twenty eight (28) years and voluntarily left the post and made his Guru Brother, Swami Vishnu Devanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, to seat on the Guru's seat. He remained nine and half (91/2) years and then passed away. Now at present Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, my Guru Brother, is seating on the Guru's seat of Jyothir Math, Badrik Ashram, Himalayas. This is the clear picture of my math and by this you all can know with no doubt that I am authentic. I wish to come down to your country if you all wish and cooperate so that you all may see the real picture of Truth. At present I am the Shankaracharya of Venezuela at Maracay Ashram.

To have contact with me you have to send the fax addressing to:

SARASWATI BOOK STORE
TELEPHONE No
Country Code City Code Phone No.
58 43 327185

FAX No.
Country Code City Code Phone No.
58 43 360215

Waiting for your reply, thanks

DANDI SWAMI SHIVANAND SARASWATI JI MAHARAJ,
SHANKARACHARYA OF VENEZUELA

Reply-To: <fajes@telcel.net.ve>


***

Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 11:41:08 -0400
From: Pratyatosa Dasa <pss@wwonline-ny.com>
To: Frank Morales >fmorale1@students.wisc.edu
Subject: Prabhupada San Kirtana Society's Center for Vedic Culture

Dear Mr Morales,

My name is Biranrsima dasa. I am one of 6 initiated devotees of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who are part of establishing a center for Vedic culture here on the Lower East side of Manhattan. We are instituting Vedic Culture amongst the residents of this upwardly mobile community. Although the real estate prices of this area are skyrocketing there is a sense of cultural renaissance, and the reinstitution of the Hare Krsna Movement, as it was instituted by my spiritual master, is part of it. The community has embraced our small but active temple due to the fact that we are making an impact on the community with our feeding programs ( free vegetarian meals for the homeless) as well as our free discourses on vegetarian cooking, mantra meditation and the subtleties of Vaisnava culture. I can send you a package with the details of our program.

We are quickly running out of space and to facilitate the needs of the community as well as maintain the historical sanctity of parampara we need to expand to a larger building. We have already located a very nice building but we need help financing the project. We are receiving donations from people in the Hindu community as well others who see the value of participating in this historically important project. We need to raise $1,500,000 to properly establish this building. Our financial records are open to the public for examination. For more information you can check out our website prabhupada@cc.com. We are still constructing the sight.

Thank you for considering our project and please inform others about the Prabhupada SanKirtana Society and The Center for Vedic Culture

In your service,

Biranrsimha dasa


*** Om Krishnaya *** Om Krishnaya *** Om Krishnaya ***


Appeal

As a Hindu student organization the primary function of which is educational, we need literature of any kind about Sanatana Dharma to share with our members and friends. If you have any books, magazines, pamphlets, C.D.s, cassettes, or anything at all - either new or used - that you can give us, please send them to:

SDSA
c/o Frank Morales
1128 Morraine View Drive, #305
Madison, WI 53719

Thank you!

Frank Morales - Editor/Advisor
fmorale1@students.wisc.edu
(608) 288-0266