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Recently I read the article оf Hari on the theme of “Community” and it comes on my mind some theoretical observations. Because, when we speak about Community, it means that we speak about Society, with his particular conditions, and all of people would like that this Society will be Perfect Society. Therefore, I would want to share with you some of my reflections on the following theme: “Perfect society and his development”.

Analyzing my conscious life I think that the research of the Perfect Society did push me in my time to be joined to one or another group of people and this selection was natural internal agreement with my persuasions at that moment of time. But, is this the part of human nature to be a part of what either Society or this altogether only the consequence of personal imperfection? Probably that the majority of people are the part of what either organization or they would want it to be. However, for simplicity let us take a man as one social being. In this connection it is possible to divide all existing societies or groups of people, on two basic models: the societies with the internal and external development, in other words “here and today” or “there and later”.

For example of society with the external development, i.e.: “there and later”, are all societies moved by any great idea and by an example of this society is well known Communist dictatorships, which called people to accomplish exploits or to sacrifice their lives for the bright idea of universal prosperity, which any minute now must begin. The head of this society becomes, as a rule, acknowledged by all leader of which he conducts all to the global happiness and looks far forward, without noting often the people under his feet. Its maximum development this society achieves when it absorbs by itself all others societies. By many who participates in this forum, is known another example of a society of such type, this is Hare Krishna movement. They asserted, and they probably continue to assert that it is necessary to heavily work today and to accomplish asterities; tomorrow they built the biggest temple in the world; and after tomorrow it will be samadhi and universal prosperity, that also was finally the result of dissatisfaction and disappointment on “today” for many. Problem to Hare Krishna consists also in their confidence in the fact that those who leave from the movement they will be remplaced by those who will arrive instead of them, and they apply many efforts for that. This is one of the most noticeable signs of extensive society. However, would not be desirable to stay for long based on this example since this is not the purpose of this article. So here if we sum up this extensive model, then it is possible to isolate its basic signs: the priority of a quantity above the quality and rapid development of this social model.

So here is the second type of society this intensive model, i.e.: “today and here”. This type includes all societies constructing during the development the ideal relations between its members and which obtain pleasure from the contact with each other. In this case one small society never will develop into one universal society, since it is based on the attraction of the personal qualities of its terms, but it can reach its maximum development through the multiplication. It could be created many other societies with the same pursuing ideas around any of another leader. I think that to this type of societies they relate all clubs on the interests, regardless of the fact does relate this to the spiritual life or not. Thus, intensive method this is the priority of quality above a quantity, although the social system will be developed slowly.

If we compare these two social models with … the soap bubbles so that it would be more easily visualize, then advantage of intensive society in comparison with the society of external development consists in the fact that if one bubble breaks, then other bubbles will remain, in another case if one large bubble breaks, then can disappear idea. So for example it occurred with the ideology of communism, although idea itself “from each on abilities, each on the needs” very humane, and if we take in the calculation and today's crisis, then unknown which will occur tomorrow with the system of capitalism.

If we analyze these two models that it will be possible to isolate several general criteria such as: 1) the correspondence to personal searches and 2) if we greatly simplify, ideal human relations; moreover these two qualities must be simultaneously. Unfortunately in the material world it is not possible to say two different things simultaneously that something must be on the first place and that something on the second, indeed if somebody is drawn only by idea disregarding of the quality of people, then he, as a rule, becomes victim, and if man is drawn only by the society of “good people”, to its not corresponding interests, then he will soon bore to it and he will leave it.

So here, to what all this I do bring, and to that is the Perfect Society part of one of the models mentioned above or this combination of two types together? But if we, all after all, assume that the Perfect Society is harmonious combination of these two models, but in that case appears the next question: Possible whether to harmoniously connect two such different models of society? The solution of this problem supposed to be in the creation of hierarchy, and this means that it appears the need of constructing the class society. This society where one class does not create material values, but another class is occupied by their creation, and based on their perfect interaction, but this stage can begin not very soon.

This altogether only brief and is faster schematic reflection on the theme “Perfect society and its development”, which is represented much more complexly since it includes some special cases. I nothing said about development as however not about establishing of this kind of society, but I hope greatly that this article will cause in your interest and desire to share with your reflections on this subject.

It is very interesting topic. You wrote about it very good. I will try to tell my opinion as far as my bad English will allow me to do it.
I think that such thing as "perfect society" doesn't exist as well as "perfect people" don't exist. Therefore this idea of creation of some perfect society is illusional in principle. People create some societies or groups because it helps them to solve their life's tasks and usually it happens naturally as well as people create their families naturally as continuation of their close relationships. Very rarely somebody marrys in order to create a perfect family.If to continue this analogy with marrige there are examples when people try to correspond to the model of perfect family, for example, vedic family. But it is successful in very rare cases only when there is also love and good relationships between this people. If people are together because they are necessary one for another and there is internal bonds between them they can create external rules and laws for their life which can change when it will be already not actually or when people will change. Such union of people can really help them to grow and to develop, but this union can disintegrate when it will exhaust itself, and it will be normally. All we were in the society where principles and ideas were more important than a personality of man, and now we can try to create such union where we will be interesting one for another. We should be ready that this society will less numerous, less grandiose and magnificent and ,may be, it will be short-lived, but in such society people will be more happy. We can be bored in such society as much as we are dull people.

Continuing the idea of my previous article, I would like to stop at the theme about the perfect society, using one particular example. I think that this theme one of the problematic, both for those who would not like about this to recall and for those who try to avoid it by every possible ways.

I previously ask about forgiveness before all Divine Personalities for the possible insults, which can be allowed by me in the course of this analysis. Also, I understand that there are more competent people on this question; therefore I will speak not about the facts, but rather about the construction as it is presented to me. I want also to emphasize that everything that I will say further, it is only my assumptions and it is not necessary to think about them too seriously.

So, the theme is: “Why the model of the perfect society left by Srila Prabhupada, as a mechanism of social formation, could not develop into the perfect spiritual society?”

In reality, the model of the perfect society exists among many companies in the world of those not of completely connected with the spirituality. It includes the intensive and extensive models together and it is possible to depict schematically in the form of the “SUN”. Certainly, this model of society, it would be ideal for any spiritual movement, and Prabhupad set up base for its existence in ISKCON.

I think that no one of the readers of this forum not necessary to prove the fact that Hare Krishna Movement, in that form in which it exists from the moment of departure of Prabhupad to the present moment, did not become the perfect spiritual society, only because it did not, first of all, become spiritual movement. But anyway, I will allow for myself few remarks to make. Organizational structure of ISKCON consisted of: spiritual council as the superior body of society, responsible for the spirit of society and which develops strategic purposes; management structure and the executors. Problem appeared in the fact that spiritual council without having proper qualification, in view of subjective either objective reasons, it was not always capable to approach the solution of problems from the spiritual positions, which in the final way came to simple management or common sense. Therefore those people, that they fought for the spiritual solution of problems, in the final way proved to be in the minority by simple voting. This led to the fact that spiritual council lost its destination and therefore model of ISKCON, was changed for the extensive model, that it is possible to depict schematically as “rays going from nowhere from”, that it is especially absurd for the spiritual society, because it gives some impersonal aspect.

I never believed in the fact that the spiritual life can be compared with highway, once after achieving on, should only press to the gas and whom car is more rapid ( it means member of GBC, the temple President, the main pujari and so on) there will be the first in the desirable purpose, i.e., of loving devotional service for Supreme God on the spiritual planets. Certainly, it is necessary to eat prasad, to chant Hare Krishna and to read the books of Prabhupad, however, to preach about the possibility of achieving the perfection by mechanical way turns it into the usual materialist concept, which until now exists in ISKCON and thoughtlessly preached.

If any transcendent knowledge consists of three components: such as introducing, development and perfection, that possible to designate for simplicity as beginning, middle and end, first does appear a question; is this Vedic knowledge came to us in its original form, and if no that why? If we make attention on the fact that in his books Prabhupad tells only about sandhana-yoga and prema bkhakti, then it is possible to assume that Prabhupad took out intentionally the middle part of knowledge or component connecting between beginning and end, because indeed in order to know the Perfect Personality, necessary to become for yourself as much as perfect. Probably, he saw that one of the motivations, especially for the western people, there was the desire to appear better than others by any price and if Prabhupad would leave entire knowledge, then that who the first obtained to it access, could manage it against all the rest, because in the temples of Hare Krishna even today the devotional love for Krishna exists together with the indifference to others, so it was very probably.

Today, the leaders of Hare Krishna continue to think that they possess the complete knowledge for achievement of perfection or that they already reached; however, if they do not have the middle part, they cannot know anything about the end of knowledge; that’s why all their stories about the ecstatic pastimes of Sri Krishna are only sad imitation. They expose their ecstatic emotions, but this rather is similar to the stories of passenger, who did not have time to rise onboard the passenger ship, about its made journey. This can be compared only with one of ten insults of the Holy name, where discussed about the narration of the glory of Holy name to unbelievers, moreover in this case unbeliever and teller they are presented by one and the same person.

Prabhupad managed very wisely, he did dismantle this highway twist on the middle and was placed some indications plate with the inscription “deviation” and which did come out? Appeared those which turn on the “deviation”, those that stopped before the reparation barriers in awaiting when the road will be remake and those that dashed to the breach, after breaking all barriers in their way, in the hope of flying so far on their cars that to reach another edge at the high speed. With those who wanted to fly so far I think everything is clear, with those who decided to wait looking for the watch is also clear, it means that to reach final knowledge will be able only those who turn out from the highway and drive or even went on the deviation, but even in this case there is no guarantee that they will find one proper way.

However, Prabhupad spoke that every of his followers must the first five years read only his books. What does it mean? This is like an example with the glass of water, which is to half of empty. Somebody can say that it is to half of empty while another person can say that it is to half complete and both of them will be right. Therefore, this phrase of Prabhupad can indicate that after the first five years should be read another books. What these are such books? You can make attention on commentaries of Prabnupad left in his books, in them there are many allusions for those who are intelligent, sincere and determined. Actually, this is entire theme for the large conversation, which must begin with yourself first.

From this moment that deviation itself along the small paths begins. There you can find probably some indications plate with the inscription that you should go over there or it can be no one, but one way or another, those that will be encountered THERE, they immediately recognize each other and will shake the hands or even they could to embrace each other joyfully.

… and only then will begin all these ecstatic stories about the pastimes of Lord Krishna described by Srila Prabhupad.

An interesting analyses to which I would like to add also my 'two pennies worth' one if I am allowed too. First off all I would say that A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami was a man like me and you, a little wiser of course also due to his age and his great life experiences, as well as his great spiritual insight and scholarship, but I see no reason whatsoever that I could not have also this spiritual abilities present in my own spiritual being. The reason that ISKCON is and was a complete failure in regard to developing and presenting itself to the world as that perfect society it was envisioned by Prabhupada and his followers is, that this society if it can be called as such, tried to disconnect itself from the outer world or the society of people at large. ISKCON and the members of this society lived in a kind of dream world of their own, always looking or dreaming to one day become the outside world themselves when all the people 'from outside' would all become one day 'devotees of Krishna' and 'members' of this 'our ISKCON'. And that dream continues and will continue forever for those who somehow or other feel a connection to this 'dreamy society' and its concept and philosophy of life. If this is what Prabhupada envisioned I cannot really say but that is what my experiences with that society and my more than 20 years firsthand involvement in it are.

Christianity from its beginning tried the same strategy and always dreamed to capture the whole world and its "fallen souls" for Christ of course... The dream of this Christian concept bursted when the Bizantine Empire and its capital Constantinople, now Istanbul, was conquered by the Muslim Ottomans. When this dream will burst for ISKCON, God, Radha-Krishna knows. At least I had been awakened by now from it somehow and thats also due to all the wanderfull people and their spiritual insight here on Harimedia Forum.


• Photos: Constantinople and Byzantium. / 2

"When the Roman Empire was declining, the emperor decided to divide the empire in half because he thought that it would make it easier to govern. Later on, while civil war ravaged the western half of the Empire, the eastern half of the empire was pretty stable and so Emperor Constantine decided to create a new capital at the former Greek city of Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). When the western half of the Roman Empire fell in 476, the Eastern half survived and thrived. This Eastern half of the Roman Empire later became known as the Byzantine Empire."

"Since the Byzantine Empire had once been part of the Roman Empire its peoples were also Christians. However in 1054, there was a dispute over the worship of icons. The Christian authorities in the Byzantine disagreed with Rome and did not believe that it was proper to worship icons. As a result the first split in Christianity occurred, with the West continuing to practice Catholicism and the Byzantines practicing Eastern Orthodox. Later divisions of Christianity would come about with the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the 1500s." (more)

Dear Harsi, thank you for your comments. I did understand your thought in the comparison with early Christianity, but who knows, may be what do you speak about will appear in the future?

But I think that with Christianity, in general sense, all so unambiguously, because this was originally planified as a machine of political suppression, which profited religious and philosophical confusion at that moment of time. I think that to you is well known this history of his creation, but I permit to myself only to remind about one moment, about his tradition. Christianity was ordered by emperor Constantine lived in 3 centuries of new era for the finding of the increasing authority by the name of Gods representative . The executors of this order became Eusebius Pamphila, one armenian bishop from Kesarei and someone Irineus. At that moment of time, there was a large volume of the most different ancient knowledge, which freely circulated and gave life for many different philosophical flows. In this, there was the basic idea of emperor Constantine, in order to declare Rome the possessor of the only "truth" knowledge for the abolition of the entire remaining, of course, into the name of rescuing of the World. For this purpose was convoked certain Nikey Cathedral (I am not sure for english version) and in the presence of 318 bishops were selected true studies. After prolonged considerations they approached the final procedure, the canonization of studies, appeared this approximately so (from the recollections Pappus of Alexandrine). "In the evening that day all studies checked against the truth were disorderly decomposed on the floor before the altar and all bishops turned themselves to the Lord with the prayer so that during the night all true writings would place on the altar and so that all false they would remain to lie on the floor. So everything occurred!" No one knows it did place those studies on the altar by Lord himself or by anybody else, but fact remains fact. That the most surprising in this history, so this is the force of persuasion. Someone said in his time, or more precisely 2000 years ago, that truth ONLY here and this remained the standard of all "truth" for the duration of entire this time without the right to the mistake. I think really that once actually existed and functioned this mystical practice of address behind the God solution, whereas indeed there was a Vedic offering of horse, but in the case with the Nikey Cathedral this became farce since from the words of the same Pappus of the Alexandrine of " with exception of emperor Constantine and Eusebius Pamphil, all bishops were the assemblage of illiterate simple beasts, without any understanding" ; therefore no spiritual miracle occur naturally it could. This way appeared to the world one new religion in which it is possible to recognize; a symbol of Madone with a child, undertaken from Egypt, and the arch of the laws of the morals, such as " an eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth" undertaken from Babylon, and the idea of first-born sin the undertaken from Kaldu people, and system of worship in the temples from Buddhists and the name of all this - Christianity. There is no necessity to speak that after this Cathedral they were anothers on which something was withdrawn from the fact that was remained, being declared every time as "absolute truth" and being guided by the same "spiritual inspirations" of rescuing of the same World.


What concerns to Hare Krishna, that his tradition is more obvious and is easily examined through the texts on Sanskrit and of course his cultural, social and political meaning was quit different from Christianity. But a question is, from what time this lost "middle" part is not transferred by written form and if it was transferred that by which manner? To me is recalled in this connection this legend about the 13 crystal skulls, whose origin and especially method of production remain complete riddle for the contemporary science, from which it was found only 12. Legend says that as soon as it will be revealed 13 skull, the humanity will find some high rescue knowledge. Many researchers do deal with the search for this 13 crystal skull, but may be it doesn't exist at all? Does can the role of 13 skull is prepared to usual human and there remained only find to which one precisely? Indeed, someone must this appeared knowledge to obtain in order to transmit its to entire humanity. I think that analogic situation can be, also, with the Vedic knowledge, indeed it will be sufficient probably to find the lost "middle" part in order to restore the entire knowledge.

An interesting story which explains many things. You wrote before: "Today, the leaders of Hare Krishna continue to think that they possess the complete knowledge for achievement of perfection or that they already reached; however, if they do not have the middle part, they cannot know anything about the end of knowledge; that’s why all their stories about the ecstatic pastimes of Sri Krishna are only sad imitation."

Lately I think often what was actually the reason and the inspiration which I followed all the years I was in the association of the devotees in their ISKCON society. And I came to the conclusion that I really believed or should I say I was somehow convinced by that what I was reading in Prabhupada's books that by following this so called regulative principles, chanting my rounds, study the "shastras", guru puja, etc., all that stuff some of us where also "following" or trying to follow there before, would finally bring me to the point where I would indeed realize my spiritual self as spirit soul, as being distinct from my body and mind. And by doing this "bhakti-yoga process" as it was called and understood by many of us come somehow in contact "intuitively" or "mystically" with the Supreme Soul, the Divine Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But somehow it didn't worked out for me after following it more or less strictly for more than 20 years. Did it worked for you or anyone else of our readers on this forum?

Anyhow, somehow I have the impression that either did I understood all this knowledge, this "bhakti-yoga" or "devotional service" as understood by Prabhupada, and those who followed his interpretations of the "shastras" and "spiritual knowledge" in a wrong way, have more patience with this which should suppose to bring me one day to my expected results, (After all some munis and yogis, even bhakti-yogis needed so to speak also a few thousand years for it if they happened to live so long...) or I should take it rather as another puzzle of knowledge which may fit in the great image or mysterious spiritual knowledge of understanding myself as spirit soul and my origin, the supreme soul and try to further search or research this subject.

As a spiritual searcher I am my own center of knowledge or its depository and follow my own conclusions instead of simply trying to follow more or less blindly, without any background information or questioning, some conclusions or teachings of someone else, the "guru", "sadhu", "shastras" or whatever of this flowery language one would like to use to describe this educative process (this jnana and vijnana...) and the persons who are teaching it, or deliver some knowledge in this direction. Thus taking this knowledge or information I may find somewhere, I may get from someone else, or "invent" or come to know through myself, as a or that "missing puzzle" of information which may fit in the great picture or the overall search or research of my spiritual discovery and "follow" that which inspires, fits or convinces me in some way or another. We are after all different characters although in our spiritual essence we are supposed to be all one and the same. What do you mean or is your understanding of the "missing middle part" of knowledge?

Dear Harsi, thank you for this smart comment. I understand very well what are you speaking about, because it was a subject of my long reflexions and I wish to share with you my personal opinion about all of it.

I think that as soon as we accept this fact that the spiritual soul is distinct from a rough material body, that the soul falls outside from the limits of 3 dimensions and that it is not subject of material decomposition, we automatically pass from physics laws to metaphysics laws, that means to mystics. I do not wish to repeat that everyone for certain knows or will know, but I wish to tell only, what even that part of knowledge where is told about ability to use subtle material energy, is also a part of this general mystical knowledge. It serves as the help in transition to one more elevated step which is intended to learn finally to "see” and "hear" Krishna, because after all, it is four magicians have tracked a way of a heavenly star and coming from Chaldea have found the house in which Jesus Christ was born and declared his appearance. Position of ISKCON which is surprising thereupon confirms that the soul is distinct from a body and at the same time they reject any mysticism. Following their logic it turns out that the spiritual soul is material. Sometimes they say that the mysticism is accessible only for great acaries, and all the others simply have on it no right, because it becomes «sentimentalism». It turns out that follower of Krishna should not "feel" anything because he «is not able to feel», but should follow and operate thoughtlessly. The results of such ideology we can observe today in Islam, in spite of it has very nice spiritual tradition. The Hare Krishna of today find quickly the answer to a question about their true nature, and even know its size, 1/10000 tips of hair, but refuse to recognise this material world with all its objective laws as though it did not exist at all. The material nature and our material body can become the perfect car on the way of achievement of perfection.

May be such position of the leaders of Hare Krishna is not random? Could mysticism be dangerous to them? Absolutely, as soon as one will start to speak on behalf of God then it will be found out appears that all these «spiritual leaders» are ordinary cheaters. Also what they then will undertake? They will get rid of him by all possible means. All it is very similar to a situation present in Christianity throughout already many centuries and which has found reflexion in Dostoevsky's prophecy in the novel «Brothers of Karamazov» in the chapter under the name «Great Inquisitor».

All to what is reduced spiritual practice of Hare Krishna currently is a process of purification at the most rough level or process of unconscious purification. It is necessary to notice thereupon that the most different people joined the movement. I personally saw many people for which Bhagavad Gita was probably the first book in their conscious life that frequently was also the indicator of their level of the general development as persons, while their lexicon was limited to words "yes", "no" and «Hare Krishna». I don’t want to say that they were bad persons, but it is necessary to stop to deceive ourselves that "nonsense" is an indicator of holiness and that "ignorance" is an indicator of advanced person. The word “guru” means possessing of knowledge and what kind of knowledge possess the guru from Hare Krishna if for them sadhana yoga and samadhi this one and the same.

Actually the role of the spiritual master as object for worship is necessary only for this process of unconscious purification where the adherent remains all this time in a passive condition as the pure executor or as the consumer. At a following stage the spiritual master, working individually with each disciple, can open to him another spiritual master who will unmistakably specify it the further way. Having learnt to ask him questions, we can find the higher perfection of a life - never to make any mistakes. Is it mysticism? Certainly. Is it error of Prabhupad? I think that Prabhupad was one ingenious person, but he had another purposes.

Devendra wrote:Position of ISKCON which is surprising thereupon confirms that the soul is distinct from a body and at the same time they reject any mysticism. Following their logic it turns out that the spiritual soul is material. Sometimes they say that the mysticism is accessible only for great acaryas, and all the others simply have on it no right, because it becomes «sentimentalism». It turns out that follower of Krishna should not "feel" anything because he «is not able to feel», but should follow and operate thoughtlessly. The results of such ideology we can observe today in Islam, in spite of it has (being a) very nice spiritual tradition.

Indeed an interesting description of a society of people whose leaders "preach" and propagate the "cult of devotional service" (bhakti pracāriyā) as that "spiritual remedy" for solving in some "mystical," magical way that cannot be scientifically tested, the underlying problems of our life. The question is just if this "cult" and the way it is understood and practiced in this society is indeed the right understanding of a spiritual attitude that supposed to be inherent in everyone of us and that powerfull spiritual remedy for healing the "material disease" that is supposed to affect us, so called "fallen souls", or is it rather causing in the way it is understood and applied or practiced more problems and complications than it is expecting to solve...?




- Jayapataka Swami worshipping in a staunch "devotional attitude" the deities of Radha Krishna in the Chowpatty Temple, Oct. 2008


Some people like Janananda Gosvami often bring their society in connection with Sri Caitanya and propagate their spiritual understanding and their spiritual practice as a way of purification of the "fallen souls" of this world. On the Internet one can read: “The Krsna consciousness movement is chiefly engaged in chanting the maha-mantra all over the world: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra to give everyone a chance to hear Krsna’s holy name, for simply by hearing Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, one becomes purified (ceto-darpana-marjanam...).

So do I really have to get "purified" in the way it is understood by this people or do I rather have to understand myself and my spiritual being and needs in my own individual way? What does it really mean to get purified? Purified by what? The wrong understanding of myself, but do I need for doing that any organized and structured form of a society and religious practice or rather the desire to listen more to my "inner being" the "Lord within" wherefrom I may get also the right knowledge and guidance in life.

In other words I feel the need to empower myself on how to embark on this my own individual spiritual journey to my spiritual self and the Supreme.

On the Internet one can read in regard to empowering someone: "If you want everyone to succeed-not fail you have to encourage or provide a person with the means or information to become involved in solving his/her own problems. The author, a manager of a team of people, writes "As I made the transition to management, I found that the most important aspect of my role was not to just lead a team, but to learn how to manage the team through empowerment, giving people the responsibility to make their own decisions."

"Empowering your team members to make their own decisions and take responsibility for their actions accomplishes many things. Quite simply, and most important, they will be happier and more productive team members. There is also a sense of self satisfaction for individuals when a manager trusts them to make decisions on their own. And this also leads to tasks at hand getting done in a more timely manner and, most often, done right for the first time. The manager has lots of responsibility in making sure that everyone on the team is set up to succeed. And it is contrary to the nature of many managers who want total control to cede any part of it to those whom they manage.

Define roles and responsibilities: One of the most important aspects of managing by empowerment is making certain your team members understand their roles and responsibilities. It's vitally important for success that everyone on your team understands what is expected of them. While you might think that's pretty easy, you would be amazed.

A list of the dos and don'ts. Duties and responsibilities: This can be done in a couple different ways. First and most often at the start of a new year, you should meet collectively with your team (or individually) to define the goals for the year. Then define what the team's goals are in order to support this goals. Doing this requires one other important aspect of managing - sharing information. Share information on the performance, etc., with your team. Don't share information on an individual "need to know" basis. This creates silos within a team, and other team members feel left out. Throughout the year it's also important to make sure if any goals of the company or team change, that this information is communicated to the team. And then make the required changes to roles and responsibilities within the team.

Manage to strengths and develop weaknesses

Now that you have defined roles and responsibilities, the next step is to understand how to get the most from individual team members. In order to do that, you have to understand each team member's strengths and weaknesses. Some might think that this should come before defining roles and responsibilities. But often it's not that easy to do. As a manager, it's your responsibility to identify, discuss and manage both the strengths and weaknesses of an individual. More important, you must manage that team member's strengths and work together on those areas that need improvement. You want everyone on your team to succeed-not fail.

Set individual goals

Goals for each team member now should be set. While it's vital that everyone understands your team goals, each individual should also have a set of goals so that his or her performance can be monitored and reviewed. But don't wait until the end of the year to monitor and discuss performance concerns. As stated above, it's the manager's responsibility to work with the team member throughout the course of the year. It's an ongoing responsibility of the manager. In essence, it is the manager's responsibility to become a mentor. Mentoring, from my perspective, is a long forgotten responsibility of an effective manager.

Mentoring is most often associated with an older person taking a younger person under her wing, but when egos are checked at the door, a manager can mentor a team member of any age. And in the long run, the payoff is twofold: The team member becomes more valuable to the company or society as he grows, learns new skills, takes on additional responsibilities, and feels better about himself. As a manager, it is now time to sit back and relax. Right! Actually, now comes the hard part. You've given up control. You've given complete responsibility to your team members to make daily decisions with respect to their roles, responsibilities and goals. You've empowered them!

You probably wish it were that easy. It's not. Because now, as a manager, the most important aspect of empowerment comes into play. Your need to understand that your team members can never make a wrong decision. Why? Because you have empowered and given them the responsibility to make day-to-day decisions on their own. As a manager it's important to never say, after empowering your team, that they are wrong or have made a bad decision. When adjustment or direction from you is needed, it's better to say, "I would have done that in such-and-such a different manner." That way, poor decisions become learning experiences, not demoralizing (undermine the confidence or morale of a person) experiences. In this way over the long term, the team member will become more confident in his decision making as he begins to look at things differently. And quite possibly he will understand how you, as the manager, might make a particular decision.

The team member responsibility

Not all of the responsibility lies with the manager in the empowerment method of managing a team. Team members have a responsibility too. It's their responsibility to ask questions if a scenario arises where they are completely flummoxed as to what to do. It's also their responsibility to continually inform the manager of their progress with the tasks at hand and goals toward which they are working. By keeping an open dialogue and communicating progress or delays, there will never be any surprises for the manager.

If it were really only this simple

If managing a team of people was as simple as I've made it out to be, every manager would be a great one. But it is not this simple. We are all human; we have other work issues to deal with; we have faults, egos, and lives outside of work that may make it hard to become an effective manager through empowerment. Let's face it, it may not just be in the manager's human nature to want to give up control. I've been fortunate. After many years of managing people, and never believing that I was the best I could be, I continued to learn and evolve. So, what kind of manager are you? And can you be an even better manager than you are today? Look in the mirror and decide for yourself." (more)

I think that you changed your comment or made some addition to it. That's why I reply now on your first version of the comment and later on the rest of.

I would like to share with you of my considerations against renounced order of life. As one German philosopher of Koenigsberg said, but not Kant I do not remember accurately, that if one who preaches the truth, follower of which he is not, he becomes the bitten enemy of this truth. But here arise the following question: “What is sanyasa as the renounced order of life?”

Following the description of sastres, sanyasi - this is that person, which renounced from the possession of any material property, except loin bandage and jug for the water, he was capable to control his desires and impulses, and he feeds only by offerings, but if there is it does not then anything eat, and in order to be not attached to the comfort, do not remain more than three days under one and the same tree. Amazingly to look at this “caste of sanyasis” in ISKCON, which follow completely opposite logic. First, they have nothing that can be named material luxury. Then they become members of ISKCON and take sanyasa. And how you do think, from what renounces that who does take sanyasa in ISKCON? You will be surprised, but I think that he renounces from the poverty! Oh yes, this is not simply at all and not everybody could achieve it, but THEY CAN. Suddenly, he becomes the possessor of personal servants or maidservants, well-off life in any palace or the owner of any real estate, countless worshippers and certainly his food ration is not limited to pasturage grass or fruit fallen from the tree. Yes, this is real royal life. But can this life lead to the excesses? It is probable that yes. But to what they can lead these excesses? To the fact that “sanyasi” becomes forced to lie about the fact that he does not have them at all.

But they found to themselves justification and they claim themselves by the fact that they are not simple sanyasis, but “sanyasis for the preaching”. I wish to remind that this term was never existed, but was introduced by Prabhupad taking into account the time, the place and the circumstances of that time and his mission, but this time already had long ago been ended. Because if not, then it will be possible to justify those, who will declare themselves once as “sanyasi for the eating”, either “sanyasi for the sleeping”, either “sanyasi for the possession of car”. I clear understand that there are possible and another varieties of “renounced” people, but I do not want to speak about that, what I do not know.

Recently, I was looking one terrible TV program about one Catholic shelter for the orphan children in Ireland. That occurred there, is not only enter into the framework of the Catholic religion, but also in understanding of human race in general sense. As one of that survived from this shelter recalls, that this was the present concentration camp for the children, where they were beaten up each day, and those, who did not maintain tortures, they buried secretly directly in the territory of this shelter. He also said that for them the most long-awaited day it was Christmas, because these “brothers” did not rape the children during this day. I even do not have any words in order to qualify this abomination.

However, it would be interestingly and it can be very useful to try to trace the mechanism of the appearance of this disease as pedophilia. Attempting to explain this phenomenon from a scientific point of view, and indeed for this to them they pay, doctors assert that this is the variety of the mental disorder, whose nature is not completely studied. But give let us to focus our attention on the category of people most frequently exposed in pedophilia and we will see, that they are in essence of politicians and the priests. It would seem, there is nothing in common between them, but this is only at first view. They is united by the fact, that these people lie most of all and more frequent than all. The Lie became for them the necessary tool for the survival and for retaining its position in the society or in other words the Lie for them became the Truth. For example, when politician declares before his voters that he is the servant of people and that he will do everything so that in his country would be guided the validity, then the Lord locating in the heart tells him that only what you want in reality, it is to steal as much as possible money and politician knows about this. When priest preaches about the eternal life for those who will accept Christ, then the Lord locating in the heart tells him that you even do not believe in my existence, because if you would believe, then as you could make such terrible acts and priest knows about this. This inaudible dialogue occurs each day in the life of these people, and this indicates a constant confrontation between two opposite energies, such as the Truth and the Lie or between the will of God and the desire do not hear it. Certainly, such cases occur not only with the politicians or the priests, but probably with all kinds of people for whom improvement in the lie became regularity. I do not know if they were the cases of pedophilia in ISKCON, but at least they have all necessary things that to be involved in. Certainly, this explanation of pedophilia can to appear by not entirely convincing. However, it is not less improbable than those forms of life, as it is written in sastras, that they appear from the perspiration, which at first view seems completely improbable and if this nevertheless that case, for treating this disease for them will be not required any medical assistance, but is rather … priest.


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Don't forget to clean a peel before eating.

Greetings from Nuremberg.


You are right I added to my comment the text about management. Encouraging people to do what they may want or have to do by empowering them to do it on their own with their own power and abilities. I find that is what a guru or spiritual teacher should also do. Empower one by giving one the knowledge one needs to know in life, but also the freedom to come to more informed and conscious conclusions and realizations on ones own.

I agree with the author of the essay on Management who writes:
"Empowering your team members to make their own decisions and take responsibility for their actions accomplishes many things. Quite simply, and most important, they will be happier and more productive team members. There is also a sense of self satisfaction for individuals when a manager trusts them to make decisions on their own. And this also leads to tasks at hand getting done in a more timely manner and, most often, done right for the first time. The manager has lots of responsibility in making sure that everyone on the team is set up to succeed. And it is contrary to the nature of many managers who want total control to cede any part of it to those whom they manage."

Somehow a disciple or pupil is also a "team member" in the "team" of the spiritual teacher or mentor. And a spiritual teacher is somehow also a manager of life namely teaching one how to rightly manage ones life in the sense of giving to it a certain purpose and direction. People everywhere are seeking out knowledge in all kinds of books written for that purpose. In this way a spiritual teacher and his teachings or his books are fulfilling also a social role and can be an important need and necessity in a society. In my opinion it doesn't matter if such a spiritual teacher or mentor is a "sannyasi." This role belongs to the tradition coming from India which Nityananda prabhu anyway considered somehow unimportant for the time in which we live. You may know the story where he broke Sri Caitanya's danda stick. On the Internet one can also read about this story: "The sweet is Bargi Kheer, a nectar pudding in which broken pieces of vermicelli float about, reminiscent of the pastime in which Nityananda broke Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s danda into three pieces and tossed it into the River Bargi."

Lieber Harsi, Entschuldigung dass kann ich nur jetzt dir antworten. Ich war sehr bei deine Grüsse aus Nüremberg angefassen. Ich wünsche dir auch meine besser Begrüssung aus Marseille überreichen und mache ich viele Erfolg für eines schön foto zu finden. Ich glaube mehr frei Zeit bald haben und dann werde ich eine Antwort dir zu schreiben. Viele Dank noch ein mal und bis bald!

I would like first of all to address this article to Hari, who is the leader and former of this virtual society and for sure, who has own vision of its development. I have only hope that all these ideas could be useful to him, because I don’t know any other leader who could be a head of really spiritual movement. I wish to make in advance my excuse before Hari if I already took too much of courage puting forward these ideas, but I hesitated a lot.

I have paid attention that the majority of participants of this forum or people anyhow familiar with vedic religious tradition or were krishnaits, many of which could even today continue to follow spiritual principles introduced by Prabhupad.

One of the most discussed themes at a forum is a theme of sects and experience told by many is connected anyhow with movement of Hare Krishna. It only means that there was a problem which is not resolved till now, namely how so has occurred that this movement has lost the spiritual appointment. It is the big and bitter enough experience as for a society as a whole, and everyone, after which concept of God and a spiritual life can loose their existence. I know that many prefer to look ahead and not to turn around back, but there is a big risk that in the future can occur the same if correct conclusions from past experience are not drawn. I already wrote the reasons in this respect in the previous articles, but now I would like to stop only on one moment, namely on possible development of this virtual society formed at the initiative of Hari.

It seems to me that the incorrect interpretation of the comments of Prabhupad, it became one of the reasons for the subsequent degradation of entire movement and re-reading today again his books I ask the question that, as this could be possible that I did not note this earlier. Today very difficult to say how were written these books. Was this made in the state of the transcendent ecstasy, when not always possible to comprehend the information transferred through ourself or Prabhupad presented his point of view, it is unknown today. Did he place voluntary these filters or not; it is also unknown, but it is now understandable the fact that they there are present. Moreover this is not that level of filters, that protect some mystical knowledge, capable of subordinating to themselves the entire world to its follower or anything in this spirit, but only those that they would allow each and everyone to find happiness and harmony, being in this very material world.

Many persons on the forum ask the question about further development of this virtual society and the diverse variants of the construction of some new spiritual society are proposed; however, I am convinced that there is no need for creating one additional the same society since this society already exists by name of ISKCON. All that from us is required, it is to make this society free from this band of rascals and to restore the spiritual principles. How it can be called spiritual, if from the very beginning it is built on the principles of corruption. I will give altogether only one example; the necessary spiritual quality of candidate for obtaining the initiation is… the knowledge of by heart 10 verses from Bhagavad Gita, which is in general feasible for any atheist, to what in the final way occurred. However, there were much those, who obtained initiation without knowing even 10 verses, but they knew and used the arrangement of those personalities on whom it depended their recommendation to the initiation and this it occurred the decisive argument. In reality, this is not single example, but principle lying at the basis of all social and cadre changes in ISKCON until today and this principle is called corruption. Probably, a similar principle of organization is inherent for many, if not for all spiritual movements or religions, but then question arises, but they do have the right the same to be called.

Another reason of the degradation of this movement, which issue from the first, is the absence of information about the lost middle link or its intentional concealment. This knowledge about Nature, about the concealed possibilities of Man, about the Beauty would allow each follower to become, first of all, harmonious and happy personality, and only then to raise to the mountain of pure devotion, because it cannot be renounced from wealth if you do not have it.

Below I present, some kind, the activity plan for achievement of this purpose, which with its successful development can create the parallel with ISKCON structure, capable at the convenient moment replace that existing, but with positive sign. We must give to understand to those people, which depart today from to Hare Krishna, that this is the problem of concrete personalities, but not philosophy as a whole.

Thus:

1. Status
It is necessary to create association in order to make possible to each participant in this forum to become the official member of this virtual society. The annual membership payments, which can have symbolic nature, but so as to they would make it possible to finance broadcasting and other programs outlined by council.

2. Council
Their spiritual and personal maturity must be basic principle for the Council members. Each new membership of this council must be elected by the unanimous agreement of its already acting members. The production of the tasks of society serves as the task of council.

3. Spirit
The basic values of this council and entire society must be love, truthfulness and brotherhood, the fact that many of us searched for in “spiritual societies” but so they did not find. I do not know, there was Prabhupada against such interrelations in ISKCON, but on the present day they are directly opposite.

4. Purposes
Purposes can be both spiritual and social. To the spiritual purposes can be referred the improvement of spiritual practice. To the social purposes, preaching of the Vedic principles of life both in the construction of family and entire society.

5. Means
Certainly, means there can be much and this will be the task of council determine them. It seems to me that the creation of virtual newspaper or blog would be one of the means both for the preaching of Vedic knowledge and for the disclosure of spiritual materialism. Working name of this newspaper can be for example “Hare Krishna Today” or any other.

6. Trade Union
The creation of the chamber of business members of which could at the international level help each other in the realization of commercial projects.

I excuse ones again before Hari for all these uninvited initiatives.