An Authentic Life v 1.2 - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

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Subal seated left front, Krishna Devi dancing left rear, Swamiji chanting at microphone. tal vibration, therefore it appeals to everyone, even without understanding the language of the sound. This is the beauty. Even children respond to it..." After speaking about five minutes, he started chanting again. I danced as Swamiji showed us, but some devotees thought I looked like a wild, Native American dancer. Swamiji also danced with his disciples and other hippies. He moved in a stately, elderly way, deeply pleased and smiling at the often wild and sensual enthusiasm of those around him. We invited everyone to the temple for a feast, chanting, and lecture. Swamiji and his disciples sometimes went to the Psychedelic Shop that sold drug paraphernalia, incense, posters, etc., on Haight Street to chant and lec- 44
ture in its meditation room. It was covered with madras bedspreads, lit by flashing colored lights, and a strobe light. The smell of incense filled the air. Usually there was a small group of disciples and a few hippies. One night, I dreamed that Swamiji took me to the Psychedelic Shop. We slipped in under the door. The gods Shiva and Indra were there. Swamiji introduced me. Indra, the king of heaven, threatened to stab me with his shining sword. Then they started laughing and said they were just testing me. It was a vivid dream and left a strong impression on me. <strong>An</strong>other night, Swamiji initiated several people, some of whom were mentally unstable from the effects of drugs. Afterwards, I stayed at the temple alone in the basement to mimeograph the latest issue of Back to Godhead, our monthly publication, which was edited by the New York temple. When I got home, Krishna Devi was terrified. She could see a ghostly form that looked like a demon out of the Tibetan Book of the Dead that came home with me. We chanted to Krishna and his ferocious half lion, half man form, Nrisingha Dev to protect us and drive the ghost away. It worked. The next day, we told Swamiji what happened. He was pleased with us for depending on Krishna. He said, "I used to rent a very nice house in Calcutta for little rent. It was haunted, so no one else would live there. I sat in my rocking chair and chanted Hare Krishna. The ghost would be standing there but he 45
Page 1 and 2: An Authentic Life A Spiritual Autob
Page 3 and 4: Copyright © 2012 by Steve Bohlert
Page 5 and 6: TABLE OF CONTENTS Author’s Prefac
Page 7 and 8: Author’s Preface I started this b
Page 9 and 10: I was born December 29, 1946, in Br
Page 11 and 12: Mom’s parents, Eleanor and Spence
Page 13 and 14: was on the wrestling and cross coun
Page 15 and 16: I was seventeen and the drinking ag
Page 17 and 18: Harlem. One of my coworkers was a f
Page 19 and 20: “How far is it to the coast?”
Page 21 and 22: North Beach and were told, “North
Page 23 and 24: afford to rent the room we had shar
Page 25 and 26: while I ripped up the pot plants we
Page 27 and 28: on top of her. The next day, I had
Page 29 and 30: Chapter 2 THE KRISHNA MOVEMENT It w
Page 31 and 32: wanted to experience life on a high
Page 33 and 34: Here was this group of hippies sitt
Page 35 and 36: another name of God meaning the Sup
Page 37 and 38: wanted to be like Swami and know wh
Page 39 and 40: "You should cut the back also," he
Page 41 and 42: changing rings our cloths were tied
Page 43: A group of devotees continued to op
Page 47 and 48: danta Forest Ashram record. I wante
Page 49 and 50: as if they came from another time a
Page 51 and 52: ent was a reasonable one hundred fi
Page 53 and 54: could carry on without me. Krishna
Page 55 and 56: ar. Swamiji was well pleased with m
Page 57 and 58: They were toxic and made devotees w
Page 59 and 60: Swamiji and I went to evening worsh
Page 61 and 62: Swamiji took much interest in the p
Page 63 and 64: me. His lunch was late and the chap
Page 65 and 66: A car floated down the street and b
Page 67 and 68: needed money by whatever available
Page 69 and 70: friended me gave me the plane fare.
Page 71 and 72: men used large pizza pans as their
Page 73 and 74: a locker and headed to a downtown p
Page 75 and 76: Devotees gathered in New York. Suba
Page 77 and 78: A van full of devotees picked me up
Page 79 and 80: handed us our staffs. We had the ti
Page 81 and 82: wanted to run ISKCON, the Internati
Page 83 and 84: was an opportunity to renew old acq
Page 85 and 86: come. We were the strangest people
Page 87 and 88: was raining, but we managed to get
Page 89 and 90: I stayed with the devotees in their
Page 91 and 92: visible on many Berlin buildings al
Page 93 and 94: attachment to Bhaktivinode and his
Page 95 and 96:
temple. An Indian travel agent book
Page 97 and 98:
free food, showed slide shows, and
Page 99 and 100:
an opportunity to live the myth mor
Page 101 and 102:
is one of the most beautiful tradit
Page 103 and 104:
near the back of the courtyard. Dev
Page 105 and 106:
The next day, I went to an old temp
Page 107 and 108:
and good deity worship. They kept a
Page 109 and 110:
We went to his temple on the edge o
Page 111 and 112:
of Radha-Krishna. Others come as pa
Page 113 and 114:
turn the lights off. "If they want
Page 115 and 116:
cially if one asked in the name of
Page 117 and 118:
sion. He asked how many rounds of b
Page 119 and 120:
Swamiji had his own way of doing th
Page 121 and 122:
monkeys at bay. Our monk staffs wou
Page 123 and 124:
Swamiji and his disciples were invi
Page 125 and 126:
place and following in our guru's f
Page 127 and 128:
Rohini-nandan Maharaj came to Vrind
Page 129 and 130:
sandy bank. They dug holes about te
Page 131 and 132:
Tamal Krishna, three celibate male
Page 133 and 134:
charmer sat on the floor and took a
Page 135 and 136:
Workers dug the foundation of the K
Page 137 and 138:
equested police protection, which h
Page 139 and 140:
Swamiji asked another American renu
Page 141 and 142:
This temple sits on top of an 800 f
Page 143 and 144:
Lalita Prasad Thakur Lalita Prasad
Page 145 and 146:
Jagadish arranged my airfare to Tor
Page 147 and 148:
However, I was unhappy with the way
Page 149 and 150:
dung and spices in the air as I got
Page 151 and 152:
Chapter 4 NATURAL DEVOTION I took a
Page 153 and 154:
come all by yourself prepared to st
Page 155 and 156:
This is my and Bhaktivinode Thakur'
Page 157 and 158:
Calcutta to Mayapur for cremation t
Page 159 and 160:
pick an age I wanted to be from ten
Page 161 and 162:
new three story building was ready
Page 163 and 164:
On a morning walk in Raman Reti wit
Page 165 and 166:
Devotee: “A sickle, and then a ti
Page 167 and 168:
had no idea who he was so I listene
Page 169 and 170:
Swamiji often used the phrase yasya
Page 171 and 172:
That night, I went to Waikiki. I ha
Page 173 and 174:
Chapter 5 NEW LIFE I moved to Wailu
Page 175 and 176:
“Yeah, but I couldn’t get the n
Page 177 and 178:
As I regained outward consciousness
Page 179 and 180:
along on the low branches from tree
Page 181 and 182:
thing I did because a friend told m
Page 183 and 184:
Jake thought Madhuvisa would be a b
Page 185 and 186:
including Jiva and a few others I m
Page 187 and 188:
work with him, but the time and mon
Page 189 and 190:
ment, decentralization, feminism, h
Page 191 and 192:
The hunters had a hut on the bank o
Page 193 and 194:
morning, I went snorkeling naked wh
Page 195 and 196:
Chapter 6 FOLLOWING A DREAM I left
Page 197 and 198:
"I'll think about it." They perceiv
Page 199 and 200:
I arrived in Baltimore early in the
Page 201 and 202:
They also stayed at the temple on t
Page 203 and 204:
She was working on a video movie of
Page 205 and 206:
It became evident that New Vrindaba
Page 207 and 208:
I regularly took the subway to Manh
Page 209 and 210:
I did sidereal astrology readings a
Page 211 and 212:
It was great going into the forest
Page 213 and 214:
Chapter 7 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST A
Page 215 and 216:
He and I hosted an ecumenical study
Page 217 and 218:
sacrament together. We went to the
Page 219 and 220:
her horoscope. I was amazed at how
Page 221 and 222:
They accepted me in care, and I beg
Page 223 and 224:
Geraldine said, “Oh Ma, it’s no
Page 225 and 226:
vious life. Drinking was commonplac
Page 227 and 228:
One sobbing young female student sa
Page 229 and 230:
On vacation in the Oregon Cascades
Page 231 and 232:
I attended a Religion, Law, and Leg
Page 233 and 234:
sent. Still, they voted to call me
Page 235 and 236:
Geraldine & Steve in front of parso
Page 237 and 238:
prominent church family who died of
Page 239 and 240:
serving there. Two churches interes
Page 241 and 242:
way and don’t have to worry about
Page 243 and 244:
assist the elderly and others to re
Page 245 and 246:
since. It’s the way I preached be
Page 247 and 248:
By the end of the year (1998), Jack
Page 249 and 250:
therefore, many congregations like
Page 251 and 252:
time greats. One of the perks of li
Page 253 and 254:
The Interfaith Dialogue Association
Page 255 and 256:
gay bar with some friends afterward
Page 257 and 258:
handle the meeting and what terms t
Page 259 and 260:
of Wallin United Church of Christ.
Page 261 and 262:
I must admit, I found it refreshing
Page 263 and 264:
We walked to a meeting of this co-h
Page 265 and 266:
I lay my life at your feet. My only
Page 267 and 268:
as the market started to collapse.
Page 269 and 270:
flooring for it. A carpenter and he
Page 271 and 272:
an indigenous Radha-Krishna worship
Page 273 and 274:
I deconstruct and reconstruct the t
Page 275:
with the community and environment.
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An Authentic Life v 1.2 - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

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