Sunday 10 March 2013

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

You Walk Into The Room
 
Mayapura, West Bengal
 
You walk into the room and you are struck with rich turquoise and soft mustard tones. It can be a trite deceiving. Except for the marble floor under your feet, what's above you as a ceiling and surrounding you as walls is a mere construction site. The ambient colors mentioned above is actual plain cloth stretched to a flush flatness, wrapped around edges to form pillars and punctuated by ornamental light fixtures on the ceiling.
 
This is our room for assembling. Sannyasis and gurus from around the world converge here to discuss what's important such as in a spiritual society who or what are your lines of authority. If there is a plural to that how do you approach and balance the various authorities in your everyday life. What resonates from the pondering this subject is the word "co-operation."
 
If we look to the Latin root of the word "co-operate' we would find something like "co" means two while the rest means to be open. Hence you have a word that is best described as forces coming together being open with each other. It is a kind of synergy and harmonization. It's a word our guru, Srila Prabhupada, used to emphasize a need.
 
There is also the concept of "unity in diversity" another term embraced by our master. There are a host of monks in a room and we're all different in natures but united as one culture.
 
Here's something that demonstrates differences, though. It's common for me to go into a room (and I'm usually on time for a session) and I'll proceed to open a window for air. Five minutes later someone comes and closes it not knowing I had just taken care of my need. However, the other swami who adjusted it has another need to protect himself from the cold. Somehow or other we are in the same room- united.
 
8 KM

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