Miami Yoga meets Yogamaya

Report written by Tamal Krsna dasa brahmacari

After serving Sripad Vana Maharaj on his winter tour of America, I had a few weeks in Miami until he would return from his Brazilian tour. By good fortune, I was able to receive a box of Srila Gurudeva's divine literatures at no cost, via the GVP book-sponsorship program, and was thus able to stay connected to the disseminating flow of Sri Gaura-vani in this world. I have always struggled to distribute books on the street, but according to my own nature and the opportunities presented by providence I had some good success and fun. These are two highlights , both facilitated by our godsister Lasika didi who pilots the Bhakti House, a yoga ashram in Miami Beach:

First, the national television station PBS filmed a segment on the Bhakti House as part of an Arts & Culture in Miami program. I was filmed beside a large portrait of Srila Gurudeva answering the questions what are are yoga, mantra, and bhakti. We gave the whole camera crew mahaprasad and Srila Gurudeva's books.

Second, we were invited to lead a 4-hour module on bhakti as part of a yoga teacher training coursewithin the Jivanmukti lineage, and impersonalist yoga school. We boldly emphasized the infinitely superior charm of the personal conception and illustrated the nine limbs of devotional service as taught by Sri Prahlad Maharaj. Thereafter, we took the entire class (as well as the CEO of the yoga studio) on nagar-sankirtan to the nearby Bhakti House where they witnessed the arati of the Divine Couple and honoured mahaprasad. All of the participants expressed great appreciation, and upon the foundation of that favorable impression, each was presented with a copy of Beyond Liberation and Sri Prema-Samput. This is particularly exciting because these were yoga teachers in training, who in the future will influence their innocent students regarding the meaning of yoga. We pray that the incomparably beautiful conceptions of Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and Sri Gurupad-padma will steal their minds and color their presentation of Vedic philosophy with the rosy lustre of pure bhakti.

(What books remained when I resumed traveling with Vana Maharaj were entrusted to my mother Malati didi, who is very enthusiastic to distribute books in Miami in preparation for Srila Gurudeva's visit there this spring.)