PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF KRISHNA & UDDHAVA GITA

Janamasthmi, the Appearance Day of Krishna, is celebrated this year on August 11th in the West. He first appeared at midnight in a jail cell in Mathura, India as the four-armed Lord Vishnu. His parents immediately asked Him to take the baby form. He came to take care of a number of demons who were killing and harassing saints and sages. Vasudeva, His father, brought Him across the river to Nanda and Jashoda, who raised Him in childhood. The guards had been put to sleep by Divine forces while Vasudeva accomplished his task. He brought a female baby back who was not an ordinary child. When his uncle, Kamsa, tried to kill her, the Divine Mother appeared and told him that Krishna was safe at secret location. King Kamsa was freaked out by Her appearance and wondered when he be able to destroy Krishna. He never could despite multiple attempts to destroy Him. Krishna finally defeated him when Krishna was a teen. Krishna performed many miracles while he incarnated on the Earth in this incarnation, but He still is creating miracles today.

I first heard of Krishna in the 1960's when George Harrison was a Beatle. Harrison had met Ravi Shankar, the famous sitar master, who taught him who to play sitar for the Beatle song, "Norweigan Wood." Ravi had told George about Krishna and the power of the Maha Mantra: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Krishna Hare. Hare Rama, Rama Hare Hare." One day George was in a small plane flying to a gig. The plane started to dive. He remembered the mantra and he started repeating it over and over. The plan steadied and he arrived safely at his destination. This is when he realized the power of Krishna and started to form a life long devotion to Him.

One day I had a visionary experience in 2001 in which I saw a being who displayed a diamond headdress. I asked some people who this being was after describing what I saw. They told me that it was Krishna who appeared to me. Then I started having some interesting experiences with Him.

One day in January I was at the Bird Sanctuary at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. All of a sudden I heard a flute being played, but I saw no one playing it. It was the middle of January and no one would be playing flute in the winter time even in the woods. It was unearthly because the musician playing it was so accomplished that the player was beyond any human musician in ability. When I came home there was a message on my voice mail from my land lord which said a third floor apartment was available now. I wanted a third floor apartment because the second floor was noisy and there was a tenant who walked back and forth above me constantly for two hours every day. This tenant took very heavy steps the whole time. The person who had occupied my second floor apartment previously had moved out because of these problems.

On another occasion I was so poor that my electricity was going to be cut off for non-payment. I walked past a church in South Minneapolis called Lake Harriet Spiritual Community. I heard the flute again. The next day several people at the Vishnu Mandir gave me the money, so I could pay the bill. I then applied for Energy Assistance and received it within a month of applying for it.

Another interesting occurrence happened in the Lake Harriet Bird Sanctuary. A black butterfly kept following me around in the sanctuary. It never stopped for nectar by any of the flowers in the sanctuary. All of a sudden the child form of Krishna appeared to me in a vision. Then the vision disappeared immediately like a rolled up window shade. The butterfly kept following me around the sanctuary. I am sure it was Krishna playing a little game with me, taking the form of a butterfly. Recently I heard Krishna playing his flute again as I woke up in the morning. He is still around making people happy.

A few years ago a friend sent me a number of books for Christmas and one of them was the "Uddhava Gita." Uddhava was a sage and brahmin in the time of Krishna. Krishna told him that He would be leaving the Earth very soon, since He had accomplished His mission as an avatar of Vishnu. Uddhava asked Krishna to meet with him before He left to share His final words and wisdom. Krishna clarified other Hindu texts for him such at the "Gita," the "Vedas" and other Hindu texts. He asked various questions on topics of importance to him. Krishna said that rituals can be hollow. It is how you feel in your heart which matters. It is what you do which matters. He says anything can be abused or misused. He told the story of a sage who was a miser who accumulated wealth. He did not share his abundance with others and then he lost all his wealth. He came to his senses and became devoted to the spiritual path. People started stealing items from him and calling him names. Yet he had learned that money was only temporary and that devotion to God is what matters. He did not strike out against his tormentors. He was realizing that he did not have to resort to negative actions against them. Krishna says it is best to live your own path, not the path of others. All different types of yoga lead to the same destination. Right action and intention is what matters in life.

On August 11th, at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. there will be a free yoga/meditation event at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There will be a classical Indian dancer and singer. This is in celebration of Krishna's Appearance Day. Bring a mat, lawn chair, pillow, blanket or cushion to sit on. It is a social distance event in which we come together in devotion to the Divine Consciousness who incarnates in every age in many different forms and circumstances. The falls are located at 47th & Minnehaha Avenue in Minneapolis across from the Dairy Queen. Cub Foods and Crystal Garden Chinese Restaurant are two nearby healthy places where you can pick up food afterwards. Hope you will join us no matter your tradition. Happy Janamasthmi!

Radhapriestess

JAi SHRI KRISHNA! JAI SHRI MA! JAI SHRI UDDHAVA GITA!