Tattva-viveka
CH's Ten-Year Anniversary
Vrindaranya Dasi - July 17, 2006 7:59 pm
Citta Hari moved into the temple ten years ago today. He is currently working on the foundation for the new temple (literally in the trenches) with Guru-nistha in 100˚ plus weather. All glories to Citta Hari Prabhu's service!
Nanda-tanuja Dasa - July 17, 2006 8:54 pm
The first person who greeted me when I came to Audarya for a first time was Citta-hari. Tall, kind smile, strong hands. During same visit I’ve heard him mooing replying to Raga, he told me "I’m learning to be a cow for next life", and I thought to myself, what a sweet guy! I should stop myself from over-glorification 
of a fellow devotee, but Citta-hari is a very balanced person, has great sense of humor, expert craftsmen and mridanga player. I’m very proud to call you a friend! Congratulation with your anniversary, guru-bhai, and, yes, I will be coming soon to snore in your yurt and ruin your beauty sleep!
Citta-hari -- he is taking away the heart of everyone!
Hari Bhakti - July 17, 2006 9:36 pm
O, I remember the day well. What a pleasant suprise it was to find out that underneath his hippie garb was such a talented, earnest and gracious person.
Citta Hari, thank you for your 10 years of service to our beloved Gurudev. You continue to be an inspiration, I feel lucky to call you a friend and brother.
Madangopal - July 17, 2006 9:40 pm
A great sense of humor... I fondly remember my limited association with him in the kitchen this last March. I never imagined he would be so funny! Yet also very sober. What a good balance. Guru Maharaj attracts, and by his association creates such great people to be around.
Guru-nistha Das - July 17, 2006 10:13 pm
Congratulations!
It's a great inspiration for me that some people, rare as they may be, can stick to the ashram life and to constant practice and service.
(but don't think i'll spare you even a tiny bit at the construction, although this might be your special day! 
)
Citta Hari Dasa - July 18, 2006 3:28 am
Thank you all for your kind thoughts. I has been a wonderful journey to this point and I honestly feel like I have barely begun. The best is yet to come, without a doubt. I look forward to the 20 year announcement now.
See you then!
Bijaya Kumara Das - July 18, 2006 4:53 am
Fond memories of the intiation of Bhumi and Dharma. Many others for sure and many more to come.
Love ya brother. Keep up the great seva and hope you can take me along when you ascend.
Mathura-natha Das - July 18, 2006 10:50 am
I was blessed to meet CH during the Finland retreat and I stand in line in glorification. And prabhu, how about some King Diamond?
Gaurangi-priya Devi - July 18, 2006 1:35 pm
Congratulations Cittahari Prabhu! I have to say that before meeting you I was a bit scared of your personality from some TV postings, but after meeting you in Audarya I have to say that you are one of the kindest most balanced brahmacaris I have ever met. It is obvious that you are well situated. Thank you for all your hard work making Audarya what it is today and what it will be in the future.
Shyam Gopal Das - July 18, 2006 4:27 pm
Thanks, Citta Hari!!
Bhrigu - July 18, 2006 7:37 pm
Congratulations, Cittahari! I admire your dedication to Guru Maharaja and to Audarya. You are most certainöy one of the pillars of his work.
Babhru Das - July 18, 2006 9:14 pm
Let me join the chorus here. Citta Hari's years of dedication to intense service do inspire us all. Thank you so much for your example and for all you do for Swami and, therefore, for all of us and the rest of the world.
Vinode Vani Dasa - July 19, 2006 5:50 pm
I have always looked up to Citta Hari as an older brother, and he has always treated me with kindness and affection. This is my first post to Tattva-viveka, and I'm proud that it is in glorification of such special person. Citta Hari and I in fact joined at nearly the same time, so I guess this is my ten-year anniversary of my good fortune in meeting him as well. Good luck in the 100 degree heat! (I can sympathize, living here in Austin, TX.)
Vinode Vani dasa
Caitanya-daya Dd - July 20, 2006 1:50 pm
Dandavats to you, Cittahari Prabhu. You are an inspiration to me, definitely. I chide you for being a country boy, but it is an admirable quality! Thank you for your service to Guru Maharaja.
Was it really that long ago that i met you and Vrndaranya in baltimore? I guess not so long ago ... 2002? 2003? Can't remember now, but it doesn't matter.
Thank you again.
Syamasundara - July 21, 2006 1:26 pm
My first reaction was, Oh then it's my tenth anniversary, too! Then it struck me that I am not living in the ashram anymore. I said struck and not occur because it's always funny for me to realize that, although I know the truth to be that by now I couldn't resist more than two weeks at Audarya.
So, congrats for remaining ten years, especially in spite of at least two occasions, that I know of, in which you almost lost it.
By the way, nobody forget Vrndaranya is the only one left around of those who knew GM 15 years ago.
Swami - July 21, 2006 2:14 pm
I have always looked up to Citta Hari as an older brother, and he has always treated me with kindness and affection. This is my first post to Tattva-viveka, and I'm proud that it is in glorification of such special person. Citta Hari and I in fact joined at nearly the same time, so I guess this is my ten-year anniversary of my good fortune in meeting him as well. Good luck in the 100 degree heat! (I can sympathize, living here in Austin, TX.)
Vinode Vani dasa
You should try to post more often.
It is still quite hot here!
Sridama Dasa - July 21, 2006 3:15 pm
Congratulations! How's the sand bag coming?! 
Vrindaranya Dasi - July 21, 2006 4:42 pm
Thanks for remembering me, but this isn't true. There are many devotees around who joined before me.By the way, nobody forget Vrndaranya is the only one left around of those who knew GM 15 years ago.
Vinode Vani Dasa - July 21, 2006 7:54 pm
You should try to post more often.
It is still quite hot here!
It is one of my goals, but it is hard to know where to begin! Any suggestions?
Citta Hari Dasa - July 21, 2006 8:16 pm
Vinode Vani said:
Good luck in the 100 degree heat!
Thanks! We need it. It's 104º in my yurt as I write this.
My first reaction was, Oh then it's my tenth anniversary, too! Then it struck me that I am not living in the ashram anymore. I said struck and not occur because it's always funny for me to realize that, although I know the truth to be that by now I couldn't resist more than two weeks at Audarya.
So, congrats for remaining ten years, especially in spite of at least two occasions, that I know of, in which you almost lost it.
By the way, nobody forget Vrndaranya is the only one left around of those who knew GM 15 years ago.
Uh. . . gee, thanks . . . I think.
Sridama:
Congratulations! How's the sand bag coming?!
Heavier. Both it and the sled are waiting for you. 
See you on Radhastami.
Sridama Dasa - July 21, 2006 10:24 pm
Heavier. Both it and the sled are waiting for you.
I CAN'T WAIT!
Swami - July 22, 2006 1:16 am
It is one of my goals, but it is hard to know where to begin!
Well, read regulary that which interests you and don't be shy to express your own opinion. BTW, are you still seeing notes? The entire Bhagavatam is said to be an explanation of the notes of Krsna's flute!
Syamasundara - July 22, 2006 6:50 am
Thanks for remembering me, but this isn't true. There are many devotees around who joined before me.
Yes, but by"around" in this thread I thought it was meant in the ashram.
Actually while writing that post I thought a lot about what it means to live in an ashram rather than another, how advantageous one ashram is compared to the others (I don't mean monasteries, but brahmacarya rather than garhasthya, etc), how relative all this is when our psychology is taken into account, and how supremely independent and powerful bhakti is in all this. We should probably start a thread about these topics, that, although well known, would be a good exercise to discuss.
For various reasons I have been thinking a lot about Bhaktivinoda Thakura for the last couple of months, how he was a grhastha, his songs. Two weeks ago I realized the meaning of "grhe thako, vane thako, sada hari bole dako, sukhe duhkhe bulo nako vadane hari nama bolo 're!" (Whether at home or in the forest, always call "Hari!" In joy or sorrow never forget to have hari nama in your mouth.)
I've had a lot of insights that I'd love to share, but due to my living situation I was too overwhelmed with worries to gather my thoughts and write. At the same time, this intense period of worries and hopes, that feels like I am being squeezed through a sandglass, that sure looks like just a funnel from here, is probably the cause of my insights. Good and bad are really so relative.
By the way! By the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, I got hired by Club Mediterranee, which is the job I was hoping to get, because after taxes, housing me and feeding me, I will still have a bunch of money to put aside and one day come back to the West Coast.
Still I won't be able to share my realizations (leaving next week for some village in Sicily until the end of Oct) as I doubt I'll have easy internet access.
Maybe I should take advantage of it this Saturaday morning, guarding the reception of an insurance company all alone for five hours.
Vinode Vani Dasa - July 23, 2006 2:41 am
Well, read regulary that which interests you and don't be shy to express your own opinion. BTW, are you still seeing notes? The entire Bhagavatam is said to be an explanation of the notes of Krsna's flute!
I will. And I've been trying to hear notes more than see them these days. "Seeing" notes seems to miss the point!
Swami - July 23, 2006 3:11 am
I will. And I've been trying to hear notes more than see them these days. "Seeing" notes seems to miss the point!
Yes, trying to see Krsna rather than hear about him and learn how to serve him is really missing the point.
Jananivasdas - July 24, 2006 8:47 am
CH is a hyvä jätkä! 
Tadiya Dasi - July 31, 2006 10:31 am
Congratulations, Citta Hari!
It was nice --and inspiring--to meet you in person! Your service-attitude amazes me. I wish you all the best on this special occasion 
.
Krsangi Dasi - July 31, 2006 2:25 pm
Back from the summer cottage and safely in front of the computer again, I'd also like to say something about Citta Hari. You all know Citta Hari the builder who pulls up redwood trees with his bare hands, splits them into boards with his teeth and then puts a house together using his knuckles as a hammer. But you may not know Citta Hari the writer, our yoga magazine's reliable columnist who sits down after a long day in the sun, takes out his notebook and fills it with words of wisdom.
I'd like you all to read, as an example of his writing skills, an answer he gives in our new issue (that's hopefully going to the printer next week) to a question about progressing on the path of yoga. (Citta Hari, I hope you won't mind me posting this! ) I especially like the last sentences, these questions hit right home with me.
***
How do I cope with the advancement being so slow, the feeling of not getting anywhere?
To give a general answer without knowing a person's specific exercise/injury history I can only say that we have to be patient. We must bear in mind that a healthy body takes time to develop. It is a lifestyle, and the benefits of such will not show up all at once. Consistency on a daily basis will add up over time; learn to think in terms of years instead of weeks or months. Then the progress you make will be stable and long-lasting. This is a more balanced approach, rather than the typical Western approach that tends toward quick gains in the short-term but often ends in backsliding in the long term. The body responds very well to gentle, consistent, and progressive exercise, which yoga is. If we are in a hurry (which is exactly what yoga teaches us to not be!) then we will feel some frustration that we are somehow not progressing fast enough. Part of yoga is examining such mental constructs: why do I think I need to "get somewhere" in my practice in the first place? Why can't I just be here where I am, and allow the process to unfold me like a flower blooms in the sunshine? Why am I so competitive with myself?