Japa Workshop Day One.

I have just had the privilege to attend day one of the japa workshop here in Dallas and it is wonderful. There is so much could be said but I would just like to focus on one element, the mood. Upon arriving at the program it was immediately noticeable the loving mood that was present amongst the devotees. Mahatma Prabhu and others very intelligently arranged everything that somehow it produced a very loving mood amongst the devotees. The day earlier I had the fortune to meet some of the organizers, Madri Dasi from Minneapolis and Karnamrita's wonderful wife Mother Archana Siddhi. Madri worked diligently to make sure everything went smoothly, and she duly engaged me in service of helping with the transportation and set up.
The elements that Mahatma Prabhu introduced that he stated were essential for getting full advantage of the seminar I found to be in the Upadeshamrita, or Nectar of Instruction. In the fourth verse Srila Rupa Goswami speaks about 6 essential items to develop loving relationships between Krishna's devotees. Dadati, offering gifts. Prati Grihnati, accepting gifts. Ghuhyam akyati prichati revealing ones mind in confidence. Prichati, and inquiring confidentially. Bhunkte Bhojayate Caiva, offering prasadam, and accept prasadam Sad vidam priti laksanam, are the six ways that enhance our loving exchanges between devotees.
So the program started with wonderful prasadam which was lovingly cooked by Mother Sucharya. This was distributed in a very loving fashion, with senior and junior members voluntarily, and spontaneously serving others with second helpings. I was too ignorant to take my opportunity to make advancement by joining in this personal service, maybe I will go for it next time. In groups of two we revealed our minds in confidence and inquired confidentially, we must not be afraid to give up our image and just be humble and just present ourselves in our actual state of consciousness. This is honesty is more attractive then false vigor. Then Mahatma Prabhu at the end of the wonderful session, in preparing of the next day, had us all pray for each other so that we may achieve this goal of chanting with loving attention. He told the story how Srila Prabhupada was sitting once with his disciple Shivananda and turned to him saying, "Please pray for me" Shivananda said, "but who am?" "You are Krishna's devotee and thus He will most certainly hear your prayers." And at last Mahatma Prabhu asked us to share one more gift before we leave. He said that touching the body of the devotee is the perfection of touch according to the Sastra. So must give five gifts before we leave. We must hug five devotees. He had the ladies find five ladies or more and hug each other and the same for the men. I am sure no one just gave only five hugs because everyone was so satisfied and happily in a loving mood. I also got to hug His Holiness Giriraja Swami and Mahatma Prabhu. Jaya! Krishna devotees Ki Jaya!! Japa Workshop Ki Jaya! Gaura Premanande !! Hari Haribol.
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

Ps. Our homework for tomorrow is to chant the best rounds that we ever have chanted in our entire lives, so please pray for me, please
That I may develop my loove for the Holy Name