LettersDo not allow the mind to roam (02/01/14)
LettersTo quit Facebook is good (02/20/14)

I cannot and will not tolerate prolonged bad feelings between devotees in my mission (02/10/14)

Dear _______,

I hope you had a safe journey to ______.

Before continuing let me say how much i appreciate all the service you did for me, especially in improving my health condition.

But now there is serious matter to be aired.

Before leaving ______ I think you made an effort to say goodbye and give your well wishes to just about every devotee involved in the project — but unfortunately you neglected to say even the smallest words of goodbye, well wishes or appreciation to _______ before you departed. Frankly this is not good at all and i find it intolerable, no excuses excepted.

You came to the ______ project over one year ago because _______ excepted the idea of your involvement, a year ago you received second initiation on the recommendation of ______ though you lacked many of the qualifications of a brāhmaṇa.

The past month I heard everyone’s complaints about _______ and I strongly chastised him for his mistakes for which he apologized, felt regret and vowed to move forward having learned from his mistakes. Not only that, but all the devotees also expressed their apologies to either ______ directly or to me for any mistakes and inconveniences that they may have caused.

The whole purpose in my being in ______ these past weeks was to help mend feelings, emotions, etc between the devotees and ______ so that everyone could go to their next service and stage of life with a good heart. In this i think I was successful, except for you who seem to have remained resentful or something (I cannot understand) toward ________. Frankly this does not work and makes me feel very bad and even angry.

You are one of the most bull-headed devotees I have ever met, but that will have to change if you expect to be intimately connected to me and the mission. I am personally wounded that you could not, even in the smallest way, approach ________ with some feeling of love and appreciation…really disappointing.

Today all the devotees and sannyāsīs will be at ______ house for lunch…taking prasādam and sharing loving exchanges. Tomorrow everyone begins a new chapter of their life with only good feeling mutually shared between all the devotees. But you have left ______ and managed to knowingly, or unknowingly, stick a thorn in the side of _______. Other devotees also see you coldness toward him and they too are not charmed by your actions.

So now is the time for you to understand your mistakes and to realize that behind much of the devotee’s dissatisfaction in _____ that you were a catalyst, especially concerning _____. How do I know this? Because the devotees have said as much. This is your fault and I do not see that you recognize this as such.

I would have expected that you would have shown some godbrotherly sentiments towards _______ before you departed, but instead you put yet one more dagger in his heart. Have you no better sense, or are you just a bull-headed mountain man?? Really??

OK, going forward this is what is required – if you expect to be close to me and doing service in any of our projects anywhere in the world and especially in India and at Rādhā-Dāmodara temple in Vṛndāvana — you must find it in your heart to apologize to _______ and extend your affections to him. Otherwise you should just stay in ______.

I cannot and will not tolerate prolonged bad feelings between devotees in my mission. Simply an official apology, a strawman apology, or a make a show-apology will not do. You must find it in your heart to do the right thing and contact _____ on skype or in person and clear this matter up once and for all.

If you cannot truly and sincerely do this then I am afraid that you will have to stay at a distance from the mission.

I have great love and appreciation for you on many levels but the fact is that you have an anartha (knot) in your heart and unless you can resolve that knot, you spiritual progress will remain impeded.

It does not give me pleasure to write this email, but I have to speak up in order for you to correct yourself.

Hoping that you make the right decisions going forward.

With Affection,
Swami Narasingha

LettersDo not allow the mind to roam (02/01/14)
LettersTo quit Facebook is good (02/20/14)