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Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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Year of the Ashram
Current mood:  ecstatic
Category: Life
Greetings my dear friends!
It has been quite a while since I have had time to post a blog and many many things wonderful things have been happening.
Most importantly, I am super excited about the Year of the Ashram!
I have recently moved to Santa Cruz, California and into my Guru's ashram here! This is a change that for over seven years I have prayed for. It is a great pleasure and honor to be living dreams manifested and every day here I am in bliss at the magnificent glory of my Divine Master Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj and His beautiful devotees.
I will do my best to post more as soon as possible but for now I ask that you keep updated by checking SevaAshram.org and invite you all to make a tax deductable donation to our Development Fund. Every contribution no matter how small or large will help us in the development of this Authentic Vedic Temple here in the beautiful hills of Santa Cruz (and will also eternally benefit you spiritually!).
Anyway, Love to All of you beautiful soulz!
Sincerely,
Shambhunath Dasa aka Sasa Hasid RA
1:59 AM
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Monday, February 05, 2007
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Garden of Hope: Autobiography of a Marriage
Category: Writing and Poetry
Click Here to Purchase a copy of my fathers new book - Garden of Hope: Autobiography of a Marriage 
Garden of Hope: Autobiography of a Marriageby Maryanne Raphael & Lennox Raphael (Hopewell Publications, ISBN 1933435089, trade paperback, 228 pgs) A frank, endearing memoir of two star struck lovers who travel the world and Jim Crow America, a black-white couple coping with the realities of daily life and mental challenges for ten years in Rio and other places during the dynamic sixties.
1:59 AM
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Friday, June 30, 2006
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"CHUPA CHUPA - ODE TO BABYLON" IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
Current mood:  accomplished
Category: Music
Dear Friends and Family, I am happy to announce that I have been working hard to complete my CD and I am finally done. "CHUPA CHUPA - ODE TO BABYLON" IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE. Includes all the songs in this profile plus many more never available to the public. This is a full length, limited edition CD with over one hour of music. Buy your copy today! Leave me a note with the name you would like it dedicated to and I would be happy to personally sign your copy. Please allow 3 to 4 weeks for delivery.
7:41 AM
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Monday, March 27, 2006
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Sri Govinda Blesses the World thru Olympics Broadcast
Category: Sports
Jaya Jaya Sri Sri Guru Gauranga!
Great video... greater soundtrack!
http://www.grebenkina-azroyan.com/video/Torino_2006_hi.mov
Haribol!
2:27 PM
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Tuesday, March 07, 2006
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Performing Live
Category: Music
I have always had a "love/hate" relationship with performing live. As a composer I am very particular about the exact arrangement of sounds and that is why I love to build in the studio. On the other hand, being raised on stage in the Theatre, I am a natural performer. And I LOVE to Perform Live!
Another major issue for me is the "band" thing.... arghhh... so much ego "can't we all just get along and serve the song!?". My music is actually composed for a small orchestra, so to I need to scale the arrangements back. Maybe a five piece, I'm not sure.
Drums
Bass
Guitar
Keyboard
Violin, Viola or Cello
Anyway, to make a long story short, I am looking for musicians in LA. Anyone who knows someone please let me know.
Love God & Live!
RA
12:46 PM
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Wednesday, February 22, 2006
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Life in LA....
Ok. It's been a long time since I have posted a blog....
In PR I was surrounded by Trees. In LA I am surrounded by People. In PR I had to hike to get to my nearest neighbor but everyone knew each other. In LA the neighbors are everywhere (above, below, to the left, to the right... etc...) but barely anyone knows anyone else. In PR I lived in a huge wooden house with a 100 acre back yard. Here in LA I live in a small concrete apartment with no backyard.
With all that said..... I'm loving it here in LA, CA! I have truly been blessed. Since before my arrival the Divine Couple in all Their Glory have Mercifully guided me exactly upon my path. All is Well.
My deepest respects and love go to my dear friend and soulsister Sarah for greeting me with open arms here in LA when I really did not know anyone. She immediately connected me with her network of friends and associates and welcomed me into her home and heart. Wow! "A friend in need is a friend indeed".
In PR I was online almost all day every day. Here in LA I rarely go online... which is probably a good thing. But I do love all of the beautiful people I have met online in the last 6 months or so. Bless you all...
Lots of Love!
RA
ps: I just recently joined an online community called Tribe.net http://people.tribe.net/hasidra check it out. If you're a member then hit me up. If you are not a member then maybe you should consider joining... it seems pretty cool and I have met some very quality people who are members.
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Saturday, November 26, 2005
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Race Problems and Trancendence
Category: News and Politics
This is a comment I posted on a beautiful blog posted by Effecctive entitled "Race Problems go Unresolved when they go Unadmitted". Please read the original blog.
-------------------------------------------------
Beautiful piece of writing. It is truly important to discuss these sensitive issues. How can a wound heal if it is never attended?
I was born and raised in Trinidad and I remember being shocked by the blatant racism in Amerikkka when I moved here. My family moved to Gainesville, FL and the racism there was as thick as thieves.
Klu Klux Klan rallies were common place and I remember looking at that beautiful big tree on Main Street with the strong long branches, curious to note that it sat dead center in a park called Lynch Park.
I am very fond of the work of Dr. Francis Cress Welsing ("The Isis Papers") and I am grateful to her for pointing out that the global system of white-supremacy is a mental illness which afflicts all people on planet earth in all areas of human activity. Indeed we, "non-white" comprise the vast majority of the planet's population and it is only thru our own mental slavery that this despicable legacy is perpetuated.
I am of the opinion that, in terms of race issues, things have gotten a lot worse simply because it has stayed the same but so many people think that it has gotten better. This has allowed deep racism to become invisible to the common eye and therefore accepted in mainstream society.
I pray that thru spiritual awareness we, individually and as a planet, can come to the understanding that we our not these physical bodies. That the phisical body is the vehicle of the soul and that the soul of all living entities are of equal caliber. It is only thru spiritual ignorance that we remain fixated upon temporary physical distinctions and discard the great gift of this human body... the potential for self-realization.
For peace to reign it is ultimately necessary to destroy at the root the philosophy of materialism. To paraphrase Emperor Sellasie of Ethiopia, "until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is utterly and completely abolished and abandoned there will be war."
The qualities of a trancendentalist are clearly described in the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 6 Verse 8 - 9:
"One who is always internally satisfied by dint of scriptural wisdom as well as by direct realization, who is always situated in divine consciousness, who is sense-controlled, and who has the vision of equality for a lump of earth, a rock, or gold, is known as a yogi qualified for self-realization.
And know that superior to one with equal vision for earth, rocks, and gold, is the yogi who is capable of viewing with equipoised intelligence all living beings - a natural well-wisher, an affectionate well-wisher, an enemy, an indifferent person, a mediator, one detestable, a friend, a saint, and a sinner."
Keep sharing these jewels star.
Love God & Live...
Hasid RA
9:42 PM
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Thursday, November 24, 2005
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Gender & God
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my Spiritual Master Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj and I thank all of you for allowing me to discuss these matters.
Our tendancy as embodied souls is to falsely identify with our bodies. We think "I am man/woman, I am american/indian, I am old/young" etc. etc. These are all false and temporay designations that are products of our mental delusion and must be trancended. We are eternal spirit souls.
Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 17
avinasi tu tad viddhi, yena sarvam idam tatam
vinasham avyayasyasya, na kascit kartum arhati
tu - But; viddhi - know that; tat - the soul; yena - by whom; idam sarvam - the entire body; tatam - is pervaded; avinasi - is indestructible. na kascit - No one; arhati - is able; vinasam kartum - to bring about the destruction; avyayasya asya - of this imperishable soul. "Know that the soul who pervades the entire body is imperishable. He is unchangeable and everlasting, and no one can destroy him." The english language is NOT the best language for describing or undertanding high spiritual concepts. There is simply a lack of words that describe these things. There is also a gender distinction directly built into the pronouns: he/she, his/hers, himself/herself, etc. This is an inherent aspect of the english language.
Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He is masculine. He is the Predominator. Radha is His Supreme Lover and Perfect Counterpart. She is the Predominated. The proper way to address the Divine Couple is Radha-Krishna. Although our ultimate goal is to serve and please Krishna, there is no way to do so without going thru Radha. It is thru Her service that Krishna can be pleased. The devotees headed by Sri Guru manifest from Radha and it is by serving the devotees that we can please Krishna. The only thing more Powerful the Power itself is Love. Even Absolute Power becomes powerless in the face of Love. In that way Radha assumes supremacy as Krishna falls hopelessly in Love with Her. These higher concepts can only be understood by Divine Revelation but they can be generally understood as a Loving Divine Dance. Although the soul is without gender, it can be understood that we spirit-souls manifest from the "feminine" aspect and the Krishna is the "masculine". "Oh Bharata, material nature, known as pradhana, is the womb into which I cast the seed (in the form of the individual soul which is born of the marginal potency). From that place, all beings headed by Lord Brahma are generated.
O Kaunteya, Brahman personified as mother nature is the progenitress of all the various bodies born witin all species of life, headed by demigods and humans - and I (as the causal consciousness) am the seed-giving father." Bhag. Gita Ch. 14 : V. 3 - 4
Thank you for reading this and I implore all to take this human birth to understand the science of the soul. Let us be careful not to be distracted by temporary material designations. Sincerely, Shambhunath Dasa
8:20 PM
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Tuesday, November 08, 2005
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What Your Inner Heart is Searching for Does Exist!
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Dive Deep Into Reality
To find the key, the clue to the proper world where life is worth living, you will have to dive deep, not into the plane of body and mind, but into the plane of soul. You will have to dive deep into the reality that is within you. It is not a foreign thing, but the soul is within everyone, even the insects and the trees. So, we have to rise to the plane of soul. Eliminate both your physical and mental encasements and find out your own self.
''Come Home Dear Friend''
Where are you? Who are you? What is the real nature of this world? In the Koran, the Bible, the Vedas and in every other Scripture, a hope and a hint has been given about the life of reality. There is another world which is eternal and we are requested to enter there. We are children of that soil. It is only our bodies and minds that are children of this soil which comes and goes, which is created and then dies. We are in such an area. What is to be done? You must try to get out. The saints inform us, ''Come home dear friend, let us go home. Why are you suffering so much trouble unnecessarily in a foreign land? The spiritual world is real; this material world is unreal: springing up and vanishing, coming and going, it is a farce! From the world of farce we must come to reality.''
Awake! Arise!
There is a Zone of nectar, and we are actually children of that nectar that does not die. It is for this reason that the ancient Scriptures, the Vedas, come into this world and implore us, Srnvantu visve amrtasya putrah: ''O you sons of nectar, sons of the nectarine ocean sea: please listen to me. You were born in nectar; you were born to taste nectar, and you must not allow yourself to be satisfied by anything but nectar. So, however misguided you may be for the time being, awake! Arise! Search for that nectar, that satisfaction.'' The Vedas tell us, ''Om!'' Om means a big ''Yes!'' ''What you are searching for - that is! Don't be disappointed.'' The common search of all your hearts is existing, and your thirst will be quenched. By your constitution you are meant for that and you deserve that, so don't be afraid; don't be cowed down. It is already given in your being, and you can never be satisfied with anything else. So prepare yourself, to receive that long missing nectar in its full form and quality. Awake! Arise! Search for your fortune and you cannot but have that. It is your birthright. It is the wealth of your own soul. So you have no other business, no other engagement but the search for Sri Krishna: Reality the Beautiful.
The Lord's Promise
(And it is that Sri Krishna, God Himself, who came and urged His
dear friend Arjuna:)
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me
(Srimad Bhagavad-gita 18.65)
''Think of Me always, and become My devotee. Worship Me and bow down before Me. In this way you will certainly come to Me. My dear friend, I promise you on oath, I am speaking the truth. I am everything. Try to come to Me. I am the goal, the fulfillment of life not only for you, but for everyone. From the absolute consideration My position is such. I won't deceive you. You can believe Me. I promise that I am so.''
Bhagavad-Gita: ''Cure Thyself''
Many years ago, a German scholar expressed his opinion that the Bhagavad-gita is the highest spiritual literature because it clearly advises us not to try to correct our environment. The key to the advice of the Bhagavadgita is: ''Cure thyself.''
The cause of our disease is not outside us, but within us. A saint of the highest platform sees that everything is alright. He finds nothing to complain about. When one can see that everything is good and sweet to the furthest extreme, he comes to live in the plane of divinity.
Actually, everything is divine. It is all the grace of the Lord but we can't see it; rather, we see the opposite. The dirt is in our eyes. We are diseased, and if the disease is cured, we shall find that we are in the midst of a gracious world. Only the coverings of desire deceive us from having a real estimation of the world. We have to think that God's will is everywhere. Even a blade of grass cannot move without His sanction. Every detail is detected and controlled by Him. The pessimism is within us.
Our tendency at present is to cure what we see on the outside. We think, ''I want everything to follow my control, my sweet will. When everything obeys me, then I will be happy.'' But we must take the opposite attitude. Lord Chaitanya* has advised us that we should create no resistance against the environment. Still, if some undesirable things come towards us, we should tolerate those things with our utmost patience. We must practise forbearance to the extreme. We shall honour everyone; we will seek no honour.
(The above excerpts are from ''Search for Sri Krishna, Reality the Beautiful'' by His Divine Grace Swami B.R. Sridhar)
*Footnote: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: Lord Krishna Himself
who appeared as a perfect devotee in Sri Nabadwip Dham,
West Bengal, in 1486.
INDIA ¤ UK ¤ USA ¤ MEXICO ¤ VENEZUELA ¤ ITALY ¤ RUSSIA ¤ GERMANY ¤ HUNGARY ¤ AUSTRALIA ¤ MALAYSIA ¤ SINGAPORE ¤ SOUTH AFRICA ¤ ECUADOR ¤ BRAZIL ¤
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.SCSMATH.COM
8:27 PM
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The Lost Art of Metaphor
Category: Writing and Poetry
The Lost Art of Metaphor Often I wonder if poetry is an art of yore. It seems sometimes that people in general do not listen to lyrics. And even when they do, they cannot understand the simple art of metaphor.
met·a·phor
n. - A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison.
- One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol..
For instance, I composed a song called “Chupa Chupa” (which is Spanish for “Suck it, Suck it”). The poem is composed in such a way as to lead the listener to think that it is a song about sex, bacchanal and debauchery, and indeed it is. But not in the way expressed explicitly. Practically the entire song is written in metaphorical terms. In actuality the song is an Ode to Babylon... investigating our love/hate relationship with that which we know to be evil...
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. The Holy Bible – King James Version - Revelations 17:04-05 Throughout the song I intersperse allusions to the real meaning thru the use of political/social commentary, and in the final verse the real meaning is quite explicit. Still, so many even after hearing the entire song, just don't get it… Below is the entire text of the song so you can see for yourself. It is best read while listening to the song which can be downloaded from my profile.
Note: the lyrics are written in Spanglish, the official language of Puerto Rico. I would love to read opinions…. Thank you,
Hasid RA
--------------------------------------------- CHUPA CHUPA
==============
Lyrics and Music by Hasid RA
Reprinted with Permission
All Rights Reserved
Chorus:
I love the way you move them hips
That freaky way you lick them lips
It’s enough to drive a nigga buck wild
If you don’t like it Chupa Chupa suck it suck it
Verse 1
Nena you a neck breaker when I see you sweat
On the dance floor baby let me get some more
Some of that skin tight make a thug feel right
Hot touch, incense, red wine, candlelight
Make your body move grind grind to that bass line
Flip it up bounce it break make the earth shake
Relax let your hair down kick your legs up
I’m a keep you wet till I’m fed up
Cause I just can’t stand to see
A dime like you pass a man like me
Without a touch of generosity but
M. O. B. is how we live
So just don’t expect any more than I give
Then you can chill wit a nigga build with a nigga
Make a hundred Mill with a nigga
But you just can’t fade me girl
Figured out that these devils are trying to kill me girl
And ever since I’ve been clutching triggers
Keeping a close eye on competition
I’m a souljah on a mission pray the world listen
Closely, most these rap hoes straight pussy…
So show a little bit of love to a Real Thug
Chorus:
I love the way you move them hips
That freaky way you lick them lips
It’s enough to drive a nigga buck wild
If you don’t like it Chupa Chupa suck it suck it
Verse 2
Girl you got some beautiful lips
Sing for Papi let me feel the flick
Of that tongue ring
Lick it till I cum sing
All night long if you want to
Its your world baby boo
Do your thug thang bitch
Cause you the kinda girl I can’t pass up
Put your face down in the bed and put your ass up
We go ride till the sun rise
So open up wide, let me get between them thick thighs
Negra, morena, blanca, cual quiera
El color del piel, a mi no importa
See I’m a love you just like the next preciosa
Hope you ain’t afraid of some ruff sex
We could take it slow
Sip a little yak puff some indo
Keep a brother warm in this cold world
Cause baby I’m a freak for your nature
Dejame tocar te in every secret spot
I’m a make sure to keep ya body hot
So when I pull up to that Spot cum running
Best believe them devils run fast wit my gun in
Hand one strong Black Man saying “fuck it”
If you don’t like it chupa chupa suck it suck it
Chorus:
I love the way you move them hips
That freaky way you lick them lips
It’s enough to drive a nigga buck wild
If you don’t like it Chupa Chupa suck it suck it
Verse 3
These crooked devils try to keep a Real Thug down Constantly
that’s why we scream “Fuck Illuminati”
All this cheap talk about terrorism while this whole Black World
Is livin in a jail cell. See what’s given?
We’ve been slaving for centuries to build this nation
Now they act like they scared of reparations
It’s a Fucked up situation no one cries for the Children
Seems like they're anxious to kill em
Bombs Over Bhagdad, Afghanistan, Palestine
Tell me who go pay for these crimes
We at War on five levels: Economic, Biological
Chemical, Psychological warfare
But it’s just a part of the Spiritual, who the fuck cares?
You speak the truth they try to kill you
So buy the album, study them tracks and
Tell me if I’m bullshitting
Or is it just as I’ve written
This your brother Hasid
Represent that Hard Core Reality
Recognize and respect it don’t get mad at me
I only know one way to be and that’s legit
So if you're hating on that eat a dick Chupa Chupa
Chorus:
I love the way you move them hips
That freaky way you lick them lips
It’s enough to drive a nigga buck wild
If you don’t like it Chupa Chupa suck it suck it
5:29 PM
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