GITA AND SUCCESS

He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions. Bg 4.22


A sincere devotee of Krsna abandons all material sense enjoyment due to his higher taste for spiritual enjoyment in the association of the Lord. That is the great secret of success in Krsna consciousness or bhakti-yoga.

Without purification, one cannot attain success simply by changing dress into the sannyasa order of life.

The leaders of all world states should spread the science of Krsna consciousness so that the people may take advantage of this great science and pursue a successful path, utilizing the great opportunity of the human form of life.

Everyone is dependent for success upon Krsna's mercy alone, and all kinds of spiritual processes are but different degrees of success on the same path towards pure devotional service to God (Krsna).

KRSNA AND BALARAMA LOOKING FOR THEIR COWS

While Krsna and Balarama and Their friends were engaged in the pastimes described above, the cows, being unobserved, began to wander off on their own, entering farther and farther into the deepest part of the forest, allured by fresh grasses. The goats, cows and buffalo traveled from one forest to another and entered the forest known as Isikatavi. This forest was full of green grass, and therefore they were allured; but when they entered, they saw that there was a forest fire, and they began to cry. On the other side Balarama and Krsna, along with Their friends, could not find their animals, and They became very much aggrieved. (Krsna Book)

Similarly, if we don't pay attention to how our devotees are doing and don't invest in them, they might wonder off, and go farther and farther from the association of devotees, being allured by the promises of happiness in this world. And Krsna and Balarama will be aggrieved that we lost them.

So let us protect and nurture our devotees by taking nice care of them, investing our time and energy in them, and thus helping them succeed. I believe this will please Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama very much.

TWO MINUTES OF WISDOM WITH RADHANATH SWAMI (VIDEO)

Recently, Radhanath Swami was interviewed as part of a series called “Two Minutes of Wisdom” on The Huffington Post, one of the most popular and influential on line media outlets today. Previous speakers for the series include Deepak Chopra and other high-profile teachers.

In his two-minute video, Maharaj explains the practice of Bhakti and identifies himself as a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/04/2-minutes-wisdom-radhanath-swami_n_913422.html

ANYONE, ANYWHERE, CAN DO IT

Click to enlarge

The process is very simple. Just keep a picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates. Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates -- Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. One simply has to keep this picture. One can keep it anywhere.

It is not that one has to come to us to see this picture. Anyone can have this picture in his home, chant this Hare Krsna mantra, and thus worship Lord Caitanya. That is the simple method. But who will capture this simple method? Those who have good brains.

Without much bother, if one simply keeps a picture of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at home and chants Hare Krsna, then one will realize God. Anyone can adopt this simple method. There is no expenditure, there is no tax, nor is there any need to build a very big church or temple.

Anyone, anywhere, can sit down on the road or beneath a tree and chant the Hare Krsna mantra and worship God. Therefore it is a great opportunity.

For example, in business or political life one sometimes finds a great opportunity. Those who are intelligent politicians take a good opportunity and make a success of it the first time it comes.

Similarly, in this age, those who have sufficient intelligence take to this sankirtana movement, and they advance very quickly.

Science Of Self Realization

HARRISBURG PRESENTATION

Here you have Bhagavad Gita Success Principles presentation in one place:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0A98410403E4334C

It was done in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA. In August 2011.

HAVING STRUCTURED CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER

Instead of having only spontaneous conversations, for example, over prasadam, we can also have structured conversations where we can help each other succeed in a much more effective way.

These conversations can evolve into regular mutual assistance or mutual coaching.

Now, coaching session is definitely a structured conversation, and the benefit of having it is that participants get a greater benefit from it.

I am not proposing to stop friendly exchanges and spontaneous interactions. That has its place in life. But with adding structured conversations to our interactions devotee association is elevated to a higher level.

The basic principle is helping each other succeed.

In my courses, I ask my students to listen to each other carefully and then create a question that will help the other succeed in working on their problems and goals.

These questions could be:
- What and who could help you achieve this goal?
- What resources and skills do you need?
- What is the deadline?
- What will inspire you to work on this goal?
- Etc.

We can also help devotees change their perspective on things, events, and situations in life. Often a fresh perspective makes a huge difference in what you think, how you feel, what action you take, and what results you get.

There is so much more we can do for each other if we just give up envy and start thinking of each other's spiritual and material welfare. 

SEE POSSIBILITIES

"Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities -- always see them, for they're always there."


Norman Vincent Peale

NEW VIDEO: BHAGAVAD GITA SUCCESS PRINCIPLES PART 5

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

NEW VIDEO: BHAGAVAD GITA SUCCESS PRINCIPLES PART 4

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

NEW VIDEO: BHAGAVAD GITA SUCCESS PRINCIPLES PART 3

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

NEW VIDEO: BHAGAVAD GITA SUCCESS PRINCIPLES PART 2

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

NEW VIDEO: BHAGAVAD GITA SUCCESS PRINCIPLES PART 1

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

JANMASTAMI LECTURE IN HARRISBURG

THE COMPETITION OF HAPPINESS

So transcendental pleasure mean feeling of pleasure through Krsna. Just like the gopis and Krsna. Gopis, when they saw Krsna is pleased, they became happy, and Krsna, when He saw that the gopis are happy, He become happier. Again the gopis see that Krsna is happier, they, again they become more happy. In this way, there is competition of happiness. The gopis see Krsna happier; they feel happiness, and Krsna sees gopis happier; Krsna feels happiness. This word is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta: dui lagi hura huri. This is spiritual competition.

So: "Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure." In the material pleasure, if I see you happy, I am unhappy; If I see you unhappy, I become happy. This is nature. I may say otherwise, but material nature is, if one is put into difficulty, then I become very happy, and if I am happy, others become envious. This is material pleasure. Whereas spiritual pleasure means that when one sees Krsna is happy, a devotee's happy, the other devotee becomes happier. That is spiritual pleasure.

In the spiritual world there is competition, but when one is advanced, the competitor become happy: "Oh, he's so advanced. I could not do so." There is no enviousness. In the material world, if one is advanced, other, who is not advanced, he's envious. This is the difference between spiritual pleasure and material pleasure. It is not difficult to understand.

Material pleasure means if you are happy, I become unhappy; if you are unhappy, then I become happy. This is material pleasure. And spiritual pleasure means by seeing your happiness, I become happy. By seeing... But there is no distress in the spiritual world. Simply by seeing the happiness of other devotee, another devotee becomes happier.

- Srila Prabhupada, Lecture of the The Nectar of Devotion - Vrndavana, November 3, 1972

GITA COACHING COURSE IN CHICAGO

These devotees seem eager to help devotees succeed.


We had a 6-hour course with 30-40 devotees attending, including several youngsters and children.


Here is an excerpt from the Gita Coaching Course Handbook:


Lesson 2: The Qualities of a Coach

1.      A Genuine Desire To Help Others Succeed

Every coachee, by contacting a coach, demonstrates a need to solve a problem or achieve a result. The coach must have the desire and the ability to help the coachee succeed. If you don’t develop this attitude, you will not provide a proper service for your coachees.

2.      Genuine Interest In Others

A coach must be able to focus exclusively on the coachee. A tendency to think about yourself will encourage you to compare coachee’s situation with your own. Focus on the coachee will allow you to empathise with him and show genuine interest in his life.

3.      A Greater Interest In People Than In Things

A coach who is more interested in things than people will be motivated by material gain. This may incur risk of putting your needs above the needs of the coachee – which is unacceptable.

4.      The Ability To Balance Your Own Life And To Put Your Own Issues On Hold

A coach with imbalance and stress in his life is unlikely to deliver successful coaching. His personal issues will deflect attention from focus on the coachee’s issues. To coach effectively, you must come to each session with a clear mind.

5.      Totally Committed To Coachee’s success

Did you ever have a teacher, a leader, a friend, a coach, or an adviser who believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself? One who stayed with you regardless. Not someone who was too soft and permissive with you, someone who gave in to you, but someone who would neither give in to you nor give up on you.

6.      Excellent Verbal Communicator

“Most important is how the man in Krsna consciousness speaks, for speech is the most important quality of any man.” Bg 2.54 P

“… speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and … regularly reciting Vedic literature.” Bg 17.15

The entire coaching process is based on verbal communication. Research has shown that over 70% of normal communication relies on body language (posture and facial expression) for its effectiveness. In telephone coaching this element is removed so what is said and how it is said is of a greater importance.

To be a life coach, you must develop the ability to say what you mean without any ambiguity, to mean what you say with absolute confidence, and the tenacity to repeat a point as often as necessary to ensure it’s clear.

Verbal communication is a two-way activity that involves listening as well as speaking. During coaching sessions, allow your coachee to speak for a minimum of three quarters of the time while you listen attentively.

If your peers, family and friends invariably understand what you are saying in normal conversations, you already have a good grounding in verbal communication skills. If you are frequently misunderstood, or if they have a tendency to talk over you, then you need to develop abilities in this area.

Your coachees might expect you to provide an excellent service and one way they will judge you is by the language you use. Avoid using jargon, familiar or trendy language as this may negatively affect your relationship.

7.      Confidential

 “… revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, …”  

- Nectar of Instruction 4

Anything can be discussed in a coaching session. Your coachees must gain absolute trust in your confidentiality if they are to tell you about their personal life and the issues that concern them. Only if they have trust in your confidentiality will they be willing to provide you with the detailed information you may need to help them achieve their goals. If at any time you are unsure about whether to reveal any information about a coachee – don’t!

Think how you would feel if your confidential information was being passed to others. Never assume that the coachee won’t mind. This means, for example, that you never mention coachees’ names to any third party without their consent and that you keep any notes about coaching sessions securely. If you keep them on a computer, ensure they are password protected.

It’s important that what you say to the coachee and what you do with that coachee match. For example, it is no good to say that you observe complete confidentiality in coaching sessions and then use examples of other coachees in the session. Your actions must match your words.

8.      Neither Judgemental Nor Critical

“… whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.”

- Nectar of Instruction 5

Coaching is about where your coachees are now and where they want to be in the future. Consider that their perception of their current situation may be totally different from yours.

As a coach it is your service to encourage and motivate your coachees to take the action that will move them forward, from where they are to where they want to be. To undertake this role you must not be judgmental or critical, as these traits will limit your coachees rather than empowering them. Your role includes helping them evaluate the steps they are taking and the progress they are making, but you will not judge or criticize them.

Always respect your coachee’s free will. Don’t try to impose anything on them or control them.

9.      Explorer And Provider Of Options

 “For a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything is possible …”

SB 5.1.35 P

As a life coach you are a catalyst or facilitator. Part of your role is to help coachee think for himself and find his own solutions, sometimes with the help of others.

Another part of your role is to be able to discover a variety of possible options to your coachees. Your service is to, together with the coachee, discover all the available options, those suggested by the coachee, by others, by yourself and including ones that the coachee may be avoiding. Some of these might come from your insight into their situation, gained because you are removed from their everyday concerns, worries or fears which may be limiting their vision.

Next, you encourage the coachee to select for himself, from the options, the one or more that will move him forward. By letting the coachee select the option, you are giving him the added incentive that comes from having chosen this route for himself.

You are there to help your coachees to do things, not to do those things for them, and to expand their horizons and facilitate the empowerment that comes from the freedom of choice and a higher connection.

10.     Committed

“I have got always time to answer the letters of sincere souls because my life is dedicated for their service.”

- Srila Prabhupada, Letter to Christopher, Montreal 13 July 1968

One of the favourite coaching principles is, “If you continue doing what you are doing, you will continue getting what you are getting”. This means that a coachee, who is in a situation that no longer serves his goals, must change something in order to change the results. Your commitment to encouraging such change is paramount to the success of your coaching. You will encourage your coachee to define the actions that will move him forward and then to take those actions. You will seek your coachee’s commitment to take the necessary action and you will be committed to ensure, with friendly firmness and positive encouragement, that he does take such actions.

WHY HURRICANE?

Srila Prabhupada explains:

When there are natural disturbances like blowing cyclones, too much heat or snowfall, and uprooting of trees by hurricanes, it is to be understood that the demoniac population is increasing and so the natural disturbance is also taking place. There are many countries on the globe, even at the present moment, where all these disturbances are current. This is true all over the world. There is insufficient sunshine, and there are always clouds in the sky, snowfall and severe cold. These assure that such places are inhabited by demoniac people who are accustomed to all kinds of forbidden, sinful activity.

SB 3.17.5 Purport

Daivika, painful condition created by the demigods. Just like there is hurricane all of a sudden. So many trees falls down, sometimes cottages devastated, overflood, excessive rain, overflood, famine, pestilence. You have no control. You cannot control. You can simply say, "In future." That's all. But there is no control.

Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.6, Mayapur, 21 June 1973

When one attains self-realization, the brahma-bhuta [SB 4.30.20] stage, one knows that whatever happens during his life is due to the contamination of the modes of material nature. The living being, the pure soul, has nothing to do with these modes. In the midst of the hurricane of the material world, everything changes very quickly, but if one remains silent and simply observes the actions and reactions of the hurricane, he is understood to be liberated. The real qualification of the liberated soul is that he remains Krsna conscious, undisturbed by the actions and reactions of the material energy.

SB 6.12.15 Purport

Krsna held up the great Govardhana Hill in one hand for seven continuous days and saved all the people of Gokula from incessant rain, hurricane and hailstorm.

Krsna Book 43: The Killing of the Elephant Kuvalayapida

WHERE I AM IN CHICAGO?

View Larger Map

This is where the beautiful Deities Kishore Kishori reside:

Patraka Prabhu gave me a wonderful reception here in Chicago, but I am worried about the devotees in New York, as the hurricane Irena approaches New York. They are not far from the ocean.

CHICAGO BLUES

Haribol from Chicago!

Click on the black arrow and then on MORE (at the right side) and then on AUTOPLAY.

Sri Sri Kishore Kishori Temple on Prezi

TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK IN NEW YORK

This is where Srila Prabhupada started harinama in the West.

I just visited this park and the 26 Second Avenue storefront temple - the first temple Srila Prabhupada started in the West.

NICE NEW YORK DEVOTEE PROJECT

INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES

http://www.sanctuaryguestsuites.com/ics.html

Interfaith Community Services aims to establish “healing centers and retreat centers to care for people in such a way that they may experience a greater awareness of the loving goodness of God and (again) be inspired to a life of service to the Lord.”

VYASA PUJA OFFERING

This is 2011 Vyasa Puja offering to Srila Prabhupada by his disciple Badarayana Prabhu, from New York:

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

I am a most fallen, wretched and unfortunate soul, yet I know that your love is all encompassing. It embodies unconditional compassion, acceptance, forgiveness and encouragement. Thus I can continue to go on in hopes of one day being able to attain your favor and thus the grace of Sri Sri Radha Govinda, Radha Shyamasundara, Radha Murlidhara.

I have seen so much that is wonderfully unified in your mission and so much that is marred by divisiveness and fault finding. Those whom I truly admire emphasize the good qualities of all devotees in their endeavors. Sometimes it may be necessary for the mission to point out what appears to be deviations from Srila Prabhupada's directives. However, those that I admire do so with utmost care and caution, always desiring to understand the true intent of the persons in question.

After all, we are dealing with Vaisanavas, who are VERY dear to the Lord. Utmost caution, care and humility is the safe haven. If the message is given in this way, with due respect, then the other parties may have an open heart to hear how they could better serve your mission, Srila Prabhupada.

I pray that you may inspire us all to go deeper and deeper into this mood, so that your mission may remain strong and unified by bonds of love and respect. Then we will have the potency necessary to truly inspire a revolution of consciousness in the impious lives of a misdirected civilization (your words from the Srimad Bhagavatam introduction).

What unified your mission when you were on the planet in your vapu form? The mood was to please you. What pleased you - what did you emphasize - how did YOU spend your time? As Radhanath Swami recently said in a lecture; "when you go into a beautiful building, who inquires: "How wonderful a foundation there is here?" Few people would think of this. Yet without that strong foundation, everything else would not last long at all.

Your spent you time, hours a day, in the pre-dawn darkness, translating and writing your Bhaktivedanta purports. You were instructed by your beloved Guru Maharaj to write books and preach in the English-speaking countries. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said to you: "If you ever get money, print books." You fastidiously followed his directive. After establishing the ISKCON society you devoted you time tirelessly to this endeavor. The BBT grew and expanded.

All over the world devotees were working in different capacities to maintain the temples nicely as outposts to print and distribute your message, the message of the Bhagavat.

The money that came into the BBT was loaned out, $20,000 here, $50,000 there, $5,000 somewhere else - for what? To open and build temples and farm communities  all over the planet.

Your disciple Adi Deva recently told me that the BBT loaned the boldly artistic  and innovative ISKCON F.A.T.E. preaching project $40,000 to get off the ground. The movement was built upon the BBT. It became the strong, solid foundation that everything else rested upon. Who can dispute that?

Ramesvara has direct experience of seeing this happen in real time. He wrote the checks.  Paris temple, New York temple, German temple, on and on. Of course there was the spiritual standard of purity which you demanded of us, and the myriad of projects that were simultaneously being enacted to establish Krsna Consciousness in the western world, such as Deity worship, varnasrama etc....Yet your heart was in the BBT. You said "ISKCON is my body and the BBT is my heart". Profound.

So what does that mean for most devotees, who are unable due to circumstance to directly engage in this aspect of your mission? My realization is that your legacy is up to your followers to ensure. We must, as your followers, see to it that the foundation is always strong and intact.  

If there is a crack we must fix it with great care and attention. So we can inquire from our leaders, "How is this most heartfelt desire of our beloved Srila Prabhupada, being increased and made more wonderful, so the conditioned souls can come in contact with the pure devotee and disciplic succession more and more and more?"  

We must encourage others in leadership positions and otherwise to make this foundation a priority. Not that it must be done like it was 30 years ago. Innovate, get creative and inspired to fulfill Srila Prabhpada's desire of contacting countless souls through his books. Do something small or something big, do anything, and see how the mercy flows. "This is our most important welfare activity", Prabhupada writes, "the greatest gift to human society."

This principle unified the mission previously. Now there are sooooooo many missions. Nothing inherently wrong with that. However if they are not unified by a common thread, which is this strong foundation, then we become a disenfranchised movement.  

Kirtan is now taking the center stage, as it should. It is the yuga dharma.It is all attractive. But kirtan alone, perfect and complete in and of itself being non-different from Lord Krsna, will not be reach its full potential panacea effect against the ills of Kali yuga, without the torchlight of transcendental knowledge to clear away misconceptions. Hearing AND Chanting. The two together, kirtan and transcendental knowledge, are insurmountable super heroes that Kali's forces will not be able to withstand.

Srila Prabhupada, I pray that we all may be encouraged to deepen our commitment to your instructions daily, to working conjointly with love and respect, to perfecting each and every one of our individual visions of service to your mission.  And I pray that we may each take responsibility for the work which you dedicated life and soul for, your Bhaktivedanta purports.

Let us find ways and means to work together to ensure that this distribution of transcendental knowledge in the form of your books is going on in a more wonderful ways, year by year. That was the standard in your time here, and it must be the standard for all time if we are to change the course of history.

Begging to be a small fly on your pen or typewriter in some other universe and a menial insignificant instrument of your mercy,

Badarayana das
New York City
Initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1973. in Denver, Colorado, USA

PS You may visit his links here:

http://astronautsofantiquity.com/v2/

http://www.sanctuaryguestsuites.com/

CREATIVITY LATE IN LIFE

No more excuses ...

Creativity Late in Life

"When the mind is challenged, the brain biologically responds in positive ways, regardless of age." 

COOL Q&A ABOUT BHAKTI YOGA

Click on this link to read nice Q&A about Bhakti Yoga:

http://www.krishnanyc.com/faq.html#16

FIRST TIME IN NEW YORK

I am visiting the place where Srila Prabhupada started Krsna consciousness in the West:

Click on this address for more info:

26 Second Avenue, Manhattan, New York 

TIME TO INNOVATE

I-Squared

View more presentations from Mitch Ditkoff

PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT

To determine your life mission and purpose, get a clear sense of what is important to you and what gives your life meaning and significance by answering these questions:

WHAT DO I WANT TO BE?

- What kind of person do I want to be?

- What kind of devotee, spouse, friend, parent, co-worker?

- What roles do I want to play in life or in society?

WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

- What is it that I love doing?

- What am I good at doing?

- What needs can I serve in society?

- What does my conscience tell me to do?

- What is life asking of me? 

WHAT DO I WANT TO HAVE?

- What do I want to have within (thoughts, feelings, desires, attitudes, qualities, health, etc.)?

- What do I want to have without (results, resources, finances, conditions, reputation, influence, time, experiences, etc.)?

You may also use an online Mission Statement Builder here:

www.franklincovey.com/msb

READ THIS WONDERFUL BOOK

Click on the title to read the review of "Miracle on Second Avenue" by Mukunda Goswami. 

SRILA PRABHUPADA

Srila Prabhupada was first and foremost someone who truly cared, who completely sacrificed his own comfort to work for the good of others.

- Mukunda Goswami

FOREWORD BY KEN SHELTON TO A LEADERSHIP BOOK BY BHAKTI-TIRTHA SWAMI

Visit Bhakti-tirtha Swami's website at:


btswami.com


It is full of audio seminars, photos, videos, etc.


FOREWORD BY KEN SHELTON TO ANCIENT WISDOM FOR MODERN TIMES (LEADERSHIP FOR AN AGE OF HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS NO 2), A BOOK BY BHAKTI-TIRTHA SWAMI

The Master As Servant

Ken Shelton is the Editor-in-Chief of the Executive Excellence magazine (www.eep.com), and the author of Beyond Counterfeit Leadership

One of the great “Spiritual Warriors” of our time, His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami Krishnapada, has done it again! His new work on leadership—one of about 10,000 titles on leadership to be published in recent decades—sets a new standard, expressly because it explores the spiritual dimension in ways that popular gurus like Stephen R. Covey (Principle-Centered Leadership), Kevin Cashman (Leadership from the Inside Out), and Ken Blanchard, (Situational Leadership) have not done.

While the topic of Servant Leadership has certainly been explored before, most notably by Peter Block in Servant Leadership and by Robert Spitzer in The Spirit of Leadership, Swami plumbs the spiritual depths and the spiritual roots. “The true servant leader,” he writes, “assesses the primary needs of his followers and compassionately serves them, having a profound understanding of the highest good beyond material requirements and servicing the soul, the real identity, of each and every individual.”

His profound insights, largely based on ancient India’s Vedic literature, will assist readers in their work life and their leadership of others. His principles have universal application. For example, by defining leadership in terms such as “actions that attract followers” and “standards set by exemplary acts” that others wish to pursue, Swami helps us see that leaders set examples and patterns for us to follow, whether those paths be in political, economic, academic or social realms. Indeed, in a world of tabloid heroes and skin-deep virtues, Swami provides us laser-accurate core values. He gets to the bedrock, the absolute essence of authentic leadership. This is a guidebook for personal and professional integrity, the most significant issue of the century.

In his revealing work, Swami examines various forms of what I call “counterfeit leadership,” and shows how to detect authentic leadership. “The ability to recognize good leadership,” he writes, “is almost as important as good leadership itself.” Since not everyone recognizes great messengers when they appear in human form, Swami advocates teaching how to recognize great teachers and leaders “to distinguish the bona fide from the deviant.”

Real leadership is often hard to detect because of the rules and biases built into social, academic, and professional systems. Hence, we are short on leadership, long on counterfeit. Our coffers are filled with pyrite, and our offices are filled with pirates.

In his book, Swami explores the characteristics of authentic leadership. He reveals that true leaders share at least 10 common traits:

1. They love people and are sensitive to their  emotions and needs

2. They help people feel happy and secure

3. They create lasting value at all times

4. They are philosophers—they seek to convey ultimate abiding truth

5. They lead from the inside out, knowing that character is power

6. They are principle centered

7. They are powerful visionaries

8. They keep everyone engaged according to their propensities

9. They are experts at delegation and empowerment

10. They are servant-leaders who leave behind a culture of enduring excellence.

This is not the Tom Peters brand of here-today, gone-tomorrow excellence. Having been in search of excellence all his life, Swami has found more than a few secrets. He notes: “Improper leadership cause imbalances and crises in the lives of people. Under proper leadership, people are showered with adequate food, health and wealth.” On the other hand, when leaders are weak, people are weak. “It is then a matter of the blind leading the blind. Society becomes a venture of tremendous speculation, frustration, and diminishing returns.”

Those of us who deposit time, trust, money, and other forms of investment in leaders and their organizations always like to see at least a modest return on our investment. For this reason, Swami also sees leadership from an accounting point of view, calculating ROI. He suggests that when people invest resources and energy in someone or something, they expect a proportionately valuable profit. The best leaders deliver.

On the issue of power, Swami sees both the upside, “Power is wonderful when used properly,” and the downside: “But, when used improperly, power is a tremendous deficit. When leaders try to gather opulence unto themselves we have an unhealthy situation. In a society of people who manipulate others to gain power, people lose their focus on the soul.”

Bottom line, says Swami, the leader of high conscience creates a culture that stimulates people to do the right thing in the right way and the right time. That’s his idea of “visionary” servant leadership providing spiritual leadership to heal the ills of a material society.

So, if you care about making a meaningful contribution with your life and work, I suggest you adopt Swami’s principles of visionary servant leadership and apply them to your situation. Should you choose to do so, I suspect that your leadership will take on a whole new dimension. People will take you seriously and want to follow you. They will gladly sign up to help make your vision of great good a reality for the benefit and blessing of many, perhaps millions, of God’s children on earth. Sounds like the real deal—the spiritual warrior rides again!

Ken Shelton

Editor-in-Chief of the Executive Excellence magazine (www.eep.com)

The author of Beyond Counterfeit Leadership

REFLECTIONS INTERVIEW

Click the title for an interview with Akrura dasa for the Reflections online magazine. It is under "Devotee Spotlight".

SPIRITUAL WARRIOR CHECKLIST

By Bhakti-tirtha Swami

Consider the following list to be your official spiritual warrior checklist, and do not leave home without it. 

This list supplies attributes you can aspire to, and a barometer to measure your progress. 

Use this checklist to see where you stand in your spiritual warriorship. 

Pay close attention to each item, and honestly evaluate your mastery of them.

Vigilant application of spiritual warfare may prove to be our very lifeline as our planet is gradually overtaken by negative forces. 

Each item is critical to the success of your endeavors; so by all means, do not take this checklist too lightly, because as with any battle, the unarmed
opponent is bound to meet with destruction. 

1. Sense control and mastery of the mind

2. Humility

3. Fearlessness

4. Truthfulness

5. Compassion and pridelessness

6. Material exhaustion and disinterest in material rewards

7. No idle time

8. Patience and selflessness

9. Firm faith

10. Perseverance

11. Curiosity and enthusiasm to learn and grow

12. Surrender to divine will

HE DOES NOT HESITATE

He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.

- Bhagavad-gita As It Is

A sincere devotee of the Lord avoids material sense enjoyment because he has a higher taste for spiritual enjoyment in the association of the Lord. That is the secret of success on the spiritual path.

The executive heads of all world states should arrange to spread the science of Krsna consciousness so that the people may take advantage of this great science and pursue a successful path, utilizing the opportunity of the human form of life.

Everyone is dependent for success upon Krsna's mercy. Personal effort is not enough.

A Krsna conscious person or a devotee of Krsna is above duality because he does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Krsna. Therefore he is steady both in success and in failure.

ALWAYS STEADY

If, somehow or other, we are able to understand the subject matter of the soul, then our life will be successful.

One percent done in Krsna consciousness brings permanent results, so that the next beginning is from two percent, whereas in material activities without 100 percent success there is no profit.

Krsna says to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita:

Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Bg 2.48

Therefore, we should spend all energies working in Krsna consciousness, and that will make our life successful. 

When our life is dedicated in the service of the Lord, we don't need to become angry even when our attempts are unsuccessful. 

Success or no success, a Krsna conscious devotee is always steady in his determination.

KRSNA WANTS OUR AFFECTION

Lord Krsna engaged for a long time in talking with Sudama Vipra about their past association. Then, just to enjoy the company of an old friend, Lord Krsna began to smile and asked, "My dear friend, what have you brought for Me? Has your wife given you some nice eatable for Me?" While addressing His friend, Lord Krsna looked upon him and smiled with great love. He continued: "My dear friend, you must have brought some presentation for Me from your home."

Krsna Book 81: The Brahmana Sudama Blessed by Lord Krsna

YOU CAN STOP, THINK AND CHOOSE!

1. What is your first reaction when someone teases you?

2. What do you do when one of your friends is rude to you?

3. How do you react when you lose a sports game?

4. What do you do when you forget to bring or do something important?

Many of us react emotionally and immediately to those situations; however, when we get in a tough situation, we can just “push pause.”

Remember the function of the pause button on a TV or MP3 player - it allows us to take a break and come back exactly where we stopped.

Proactive people learn to pause, get control, and think about how they want to respond.

HOW CAN I HELP SOMEONE WITH A GOAL?

stephencovey.com Thank you for your willingness to help your friend reach their desired goal. There's no substitute for a loyal support system when it comes to providing valuable encouragement, affirmation and accountability to help each other charter new ground. Here are some ideas for you to consider as you help your friend achieve the most important things in their lives:

REVIEW PROGRESS Review daily goal progress Read goal journal Review learning progress and learning journal and activities ASK QUESTIONS What is the biggest obstacle you have encountered in trying to reach your goal? How do you feel about the progress you have made so far? Have you discovered anything new through this process? What differences have you seen in yourself? How has your progress impacted your life? How has having a goal affected your life? PROVIDE AFFIRMATION Provide encouragement. Let them know you believe in them and their ability to achieve their goals. Give meaningful feedback. Ask how you can help. Ask how you are doing as a support member.

READER COMMENT

I have been reading your blog post regularly and is really inspired; always hankering for more nectar for you have made my many doubts cleared.

Mohnish Goel, ISKCON Youth Forum, Punjabi Bagh (Delhi)

SHARPEN YOUR LEADERSHIP

Managers make things happen. Leaders make people happen.

Managers grow money and buildings. Leaders grow people (who also give money and buildings).

If a leader opens his heart to people, sincerely cares about them, and helps them succeed, many will give not only their money, but their hearts and lives to the process and the mission of Krsna consciousness.

Therefore, I believe that Devotee Care And Guidance is a spiritual and economic competitive advantage of ISKCON. And thus it deserves much more attention, time and energy.

APPRECIATION

Your appreciation for the service of your God-brothers is very much laudable. This is actually a devotee's business that everyone should appreciate the value of other devotees.

Nobody should criticize anyone. Because everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord, according to one's capacity, and the thing is, Krishna wants to see how much one is sincere in rendering Him service. Materially we may think that his service is greater than his, that is our material vision.

Actually on the spiritual platform, the service rendered by a calf to Krishna and service rendered by Radharani and Her Associates, to Krishna, there is no difference. Krishna is so kind and liberal that everyone's service, when it is sincerely offered to Krishna, He accepts.

Srila Prabhupada, Letter to Tamal Krsna, August 19, 1968

LACK OF TIME OR PURPOSE

Some people I coach come to me and say they have time management challenges.

When we look a bit deeper at what is going on in their lives we often find that the problem is not time, but the clarity of purpose.

Once you choose what is the purpose of your life or what is your mission, it is easier to be clear about your priorities.

Once you know your priorities, it is not so hard to put first things first.

And the first things are not things at all. First things are usually persons - persons that we love.

SELF-IMPOSED

I find that most obstacles to our happiness and success in any area are self-imposed.

As difficult as the obstacles may seem, most times they are really put there by ourselves.

EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS

Krsna's Mercy + Great Thinking + Great Action = Extraordinary Results

NARROW YOUR FOCUS

Q: If you would focus on one or two most important things in Helping Devotees Succeed by Gita Coaching, what would they be?

A: It would be to inspire and teach them to ask themselves and others better questions in any situation and to help them see everything in life through the eyes of the Bhagavad Gita. These two habits will vastly improve their thinking and action in any situation, and thus improve their internal and external results.