Hare Krsna my dear devotees, I hope your spiritual life has been full of realisations and blessed with the nectar of devotee's association and the effect of the Holy Names may be bringing you pure love of Krsna.

Now our Deities have new arati paraphenalia and I got a new picture of Lord Nrsimhadeva and also His oil - it's a real blessing coming from Mayapur. I feel so protected that when I wake up or sleep I offer my prayers to the Lord and ask for protection.
For sure I used to do that but not with this amazing picture was in front of me which inspires me more. Also I got those amazing incense that they make for the temple called Radha Madhava Agarbatti, it seems I am in the temple and not here at home. Actually the idea is to make here become like a real temple for the Lord so He can come and visit us with His loving energy opened to develop a relationship with us.
I also got the same day Srimate Tulasi devi seeds coming from Vrindavan temple, a very nice devotee there sent them to me by mail - the seeds and also a book how to care for Tulasi devi.
It's winter here in Brazil I still didn't grow Her but I am anxious for that, I need to be very careful to keep Her warm and offer a good environment of devotion and care.
Our garden is full of small roses and the basil trees calls everyone's attention because they grow more everyday. Outside the house we have a big night Jasmine which offers small petals that I sometimes pick for the Deities garlands on the weekend. The roses are so sweet and beautiful that even in this cold weather they grow more than they used to in the summer, that is due to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai's presence here - They brought us mercy and awakened the devotion we may develop towards Them.

The menu for tomorrow will be very opulent for the Deities. After bathing Them with yogurt, milk and polishing with lemon and tilaka, we will be offering Carrot Halava, Channa Dhal, Lemon Rice and Banana Lassi. The savories maybe discussed later and we will decide which one is better - maybe some Alupatras which we haven't prepared for a long time.

The main thing in our lives is the nice service we perform to the devotees and Krsna - who is a devotee that doesn't serve? It's impossible to be without service. We were designed for that and as much as we develop this mood the more we will be ready for the Lord's relationship. I got a very nice poem from H.H. Sacinandana Swami Maharaja this week and I would like to share with you:

Don't Trust Me

O my Lord
I think You know that I love only You,
although I pretend to love other people and things.
I think You know that when I am sad
it's because I feel separated from You,
although if I am asked
I would give other reasons.
When I cry, it's always because of missing You,
although my tears carry other names.

I think You also know
that I am only looking for You,
although I seem to be looking for other persons and things.

Yes, I am a divided soul,
searching for something in the east,
while going west.
I am a helpless soul,
forced by some other agent long ago
to play the double life of a devotee and a cheater.

But do You know why I am writing You this?
It's because I want your special mercy.
Don't believe my acts,
don't trust my words,
but look deep into my heart
and You will see Your own beautiful image.

Sacinandana Swami, spring 2009

The Lord is here inside our hearts expecting us to develop a loving and deep relationship with Him, our best tool is japa and the holy names of the Lord which, mixed with service and devotees association, turns into a perfect combination able to destroy our anarthas and prepare the heart to love Krsna purely.
We can come to this stage just by having strong desires for that - by focusing on our aim, we may achieve it by the mercy of Krsna and the vaisnavas who are our guides.

May our lives be always blessed by the pure association of serious vaisnavas who can lead us to pure love of God.

your servant,

Aruna devi