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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 28, 2017 5:03:20 GMT -5
What role does faith play in health and/or healing?
Rev. RICK REED, a senior pastor at the Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa says, " This question is an intensely personal one for me, as I was recently diagnosed with cancer. Being told you have cancer is a sobering experience. It’s also a clarifying one. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen more clearly than ever the role my faith plays in health and healing. Sickness and death have been sad realities since our first parents chose to disobey God. We now live in a fallen world where none of us are exempt from suffering. ... As I begin cancer treatment, I have faith that God can heal me — by miracle or medicine. I’m grateful for the skilled and caring medical help I’m receiving, but my ultimate trust is in the God who promises eternal life to all who put their faith in Jesus (John 3:16). God has already given me renewed spiritual health; I can trust him with my physical health." I agree that certain experiences had bring forth moments of putting their faith in another be it God, Jesus the universe or their moms  . Faith can have a part to play in healing for sure . About 10 years ago a group of family and friends went to see a psychic surgeon and only me and my mum really believed in it (as we both are healers and work with energy) whereas the others were open minded enough to go but not really sure . For them it was more something different to try and a day out for them . Only me and my mum noticed a dramatic change after the surgery . From your point of view, if you get cancer/kansr, what will you do? heal yourself? By what means? Will it work? How many patients with cancer/kansr you tried to heal? Were they cured? |
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Post by tenka on Jan 28, 2017 7:49:09 GMT -5
I agree that certain experiences had bring forth moments of putting their faith in another be it God, Jesus the universe or their moms . Faith can have a part to play in healing for sure . About 10 years ago a group of family and friends went to see a psychic surgeon and only me and my mum really believed in it (as we both are healers and work with energy) whereas the others were open minded enough to go but not really sure . For them it was more something different to try and a day out for them . Only me and my mum noticed a dramatic change after the surgery . From your point of view, if you get cancer/kansr, what will you do? heal yourself? By what means? Will it work? How many patients with cancer/kansr you tried to heal? Were they cured? Well because of my background and influences so to speak my first port of call would be with myself . I have been working with healing energies for 25 years . This subject to me is as deep as the ocean so I am not going to cram it all in, butt I would say having an understanding of why one attains an illness in the first instance is part of the parcel . If you tie that in with what the outcome is then you are somewhat there . What I mean is that your time is up when your time is up . No-one is taken prematurely from this worldly experience . You see in regards to healing, it depends on many self contributing factors and that's why it appears for some that a particular healer is either crap or godlike . The psychic surgeon I saw was the real deal for me and my mum , butt wasn't for my brother in law or my step dad as an example . At the end of the day it is only ever about you, butt one's life journey can bring others into our lives when needed or when planned . If a cancer patient goes into remission or passes over to the after life will be as it should be . Having faith or not it Jesus or Santa will be as it should be .. either way whatever the outcome will be the same as it always was going to be . My own experience of healing peeps with Cancer has been a mixed bag, some are walking around still whereas one of my best mates died from it only 6 months ago . He found out he had cancer a few months before passing . He was an amazing fella, he kept sending out his prayers to those around him until he had no more strength to do so . His time was up .. he has been back since by the way and he said that the spirit world hasn't disappointed him as yet . |
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 28, 2017 8:08:27 GMT -5
From your point of view, if you get cancer/kansr, what will you do? heal yourself? By what means? Will it work? How many patients with cancer/kansr you tried to heal? Were they cured? Well because of my background and influences so to speak my first port of call would be with myself . I have been working with healing energies for 25 years . This subject to me is as deep as the ocean so I am not going to cram it all in, butt I would say having an understanding of why one attains an illness in the first instance is part of the parcel . If you tie that in with what the outcome is then you are somewhat there . What I mean is that your time is up when your time is up . No-one is taken prematurely from this worldly experience . You see in regards to healing, it depends on many self contributing factors and that's why it appears for some that a particular healer is either crap or godlike . The psychic surgeon I saw was the real deal for me and my mum , butt wasn't for my brother in law or my step dad as an example . At the end of the day it is only ever about you, butt one's life journey can bring others into our lives when needed or when planned . If a cancer patient goes into remission or passes over to the after life will be as it should be . Having faith or not it Jesus or Santa will be as it should be .. either way whatever the outcome will be the same as it always was going to be . My own experience of healing peeps with Cancer has been a mixed bag, some are walking around still whereas one of my best mates died from it only 6 months ago . He found out he had cancer a few months before passing . He was an amazing fella, he kept sending out his prayers to those around him until he had no more strength to do so . His time was up .. he has been back since by the way and he said that the spirit world hasn't disappointed him as yet . I kept this phrase in my heart, " That there are only three essential things in this world. Someone to love. Something to do. Something to hope for. " If you love God, you will do anything for this love of God to nurture, maintain and grow that this love reaches to the heavens and knock on the heaven`s door. Because God is love he opens the door and lets you come inside. God is all-merciful. When God sees you suffering, He comforts you, heals you and cures you. but if God who is love wants you immediately to come home, he gives you a heart attack or cancer. So, you know it`s also God who gives you good health and diseases. But because of your devotion and love, he gives you wisdom to know things never before you imagined it`s there all the time. He gives you a happy family. He gives you children who are responsible an asset to the community. Something to do is that longing to please God because you love Him. So you go on a mission. Advocating love of God and Krsna consciousness. You find pleasure and happiness in it. So, you love what you are doing. This is the right path. Because you love and care what you are doing. There is no pressure or anxiety. Something to hope for is when your sincere prayers for healing your patients is answered by God. When a patient comes back to me and says, " Doctor, I am healed. Thank you. " I always tell in return, " Praise the Lord! " This feeling of joy knowing your treatment succeeds because God assisted in the healing process strengthens and solidifying your faith in God`s love and goodness. |
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 28, 2017 19:01:13 GMT -5
Tulasi Devi Cures Devotee’s Cancer
By: Madhava Smullen on Feb. 26, 2011
Today, at 69 years old, Chaitanya Prema Dasa is a robust, healthy devotee, visiting the Potomac, Maryland ISKCON temple every Sunday and working at the Pentagon, where he has served for twenty-five years in the Department of the Defense Inspector General. He keeps a small altar with Srila Prabhupada and a large, beautiful picture of Lord Krishna in his office, so that his boss and co-workers see the Lord every time they have meetings there.
Seeing him, you would never guess that back in 1997, at age 55, Chaitanya Prema was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—or blood cancer—that had already reached stage four.
The disease spread to his bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. His white blood cell count was high.
“The only thing we could do was to pray nonstop,” says his daughter Jahnavi Dasi, who is now doing her PhD in microbiology and holds weekly Krishna conscious programs at the University of Maryland. “I was so worried, I couldn't let go of my beads. I chanted all the time because I was extremely scared.”
Chaitanya Prema’s doctors wanted him to undergo chemotherapy, but Jahnavi was apprehensive. She knew that radiation treatment not only killed the cancer cells, but also burned, scarred and damaged healthy cells in the bone marrow and gastro-intestinal tract, and could cause tissue and organ damage. They could even destroy our immune system’s defence cells, known as Natural Killer Cells. In fact in the past, two of her family’s friends had gotten chemotherapy for their cancer, seen remission initially, and then died two years later when their cancer returned more aggressively than ever before.
Jahnavi asked the doctors if, instead of doing chemotherapy, they would let her try to boost her father’s immune system by natural means to fight the cancer. She had beeen inspired by the movie Lorenzo's Oil, a true story about parents who were determined to save their son from an incurable brain disease. She felt that there must be powerful medicines out there that had not yet been discovered or become mainstream.
“I’ll monitor his blood counts the entire time,” she said. “And we’ll always have chemo to fall back on.” All of her father’s doctors—the oncologist, the surgeon, and primary care physician—were upset with her, and told her she was making a big mistake. But Jahnavi felt sure there was a way.
Then, on the holy night of Gaura Purnima 1998, Jahnavi dreamt that she was in the Potomac ISKCON temple, looking into a miscroscope. Through it, she saw Tulasi Devi, the personification of the famous sacred plant, telling her father’s Natural Killer Cells to eat the cancer. When she straightened up, she saw Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, the spiritual grandfather of ISKCON’s founder Srila Prabhupada.
“Don’t take your spiritual dreams lightly,” he said. “Tulasi Devi is the cure.”
As soon as Jahnavi woke up, the tightness in her throat and the fear in the pit of her stomach that had been there for so long faded away. Now she knew what to do.
Jahnavi began to research Tulasi, also known as holy basil, or by her botanical name Ocimum sanctum. She found and read many studies from around the world explaining that Tulasi (as well as turmeric) was very powerful and rich in antioxidants that kill cancer. She also read that the sacred plant contained a phytonutrient called ursolic acid, which has been found to cause the programmed cell death of human leukemia cells. This she was excited by, since her father’s cancer, like leukemia, was blood-related.
The studies she read were done by major Universities and published in prestigious medical journals. There was a November 2006 study done at the Center for Cancer Biology in Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; a 2009 study done in Texas and published in the International Journal of Oncology; an October 2009 study conducted at the College of Oriental Medicine in Seoul, South Korea; and a June 2010 study published in the medical journal Food and Chemical Toxicology.
They all showed how Tulasi causes cancer cells to self-destruct, and repairs damaged DNA by activating MGMT repair protein. They also proved how holy basil is radioprotective, and increases the activity of Natural Killer Cells.
Jahnavi contacted devotees in Hawaii, who FedExed her large boxes full of Tulasi Manjari garlands offered to the Deities. It wasn’t unusual for them to have giant Tulasi plants growing everywhere on their property, or to be making such large quantities of Manjari garlands—the same is true for many temples located in warm climates.
“I began to get my father to eat several Tulasi leaves a day, and then to munch on the Tulasi Manjari garlands,” Jahnavi says. “I also mixed the dried Tulasi leaves with honey. He loved it!”
Along with Tulasi, Jahnavi also added many natural foods and supplements to her father’s diet to help boost his immune system and Natural Killer Cells to fight the cancer.
“I started giving him carrot juice, wheatgrass or spinach green juice daily, which are all high in phytonutrients,” she says. “We switched to a low fat diet, with whole grains, unrefined sweeteners, spring water, and organic foods. We also made sure to avoid fried food, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.”
Jahnavi also gave her father ginseng, and ten grams of Vitamin C a day.
“Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling made many studies showing how vitamin C is one of the key nutrients that are needed to give the patient's body cancer-fighting ability,” she says. “He describes how when he gave one patient with an inoperable brain tumor ten grams of vitamin C every day, her tumor shrank in eight months. This daily dose of Vitamin C was also found to significantly increase the life span and enhance the quality of life in 100 terminal cancer patients.”
In addition to the Vitamin C, Jahnavi started giving her father 500 mg of Vitamin B3 three times a day and 25,000 IU daily of Beta Carotene and Vitamin E, as well as B complex, Selenium Zinc, and Coenzyme Q10.
Adding to his treatment, Chaitanya Prema also absorbed himself in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and meditating on God.
Within only six months, he showed marked progress. Eight months after starting his new regimen, repeated CT scans and blood work demonstrated that his body no longer showed any signs of cancer.
“It was all by Lord Krishna and Srila Prabhupada's mercy,” Jahnavi says. “Tulasi Devi is our hero!”
She explains that all types of cancer grow due to deficiencies in the immune system, and that the way to defeat cancer is to strengthen the immune system.
“The immune system can be compared to the police department, and cancer cells of any kind to criminals,” she says. “If we have weak police officers that are thin and malnourished, then how will they fight the criminals? But if we have lots of strong, powerful policemen (Natural Killer Cells) that outnumber the bad guys (cancer cells), then the policemen will defeat them. No more criminals—no more cancer.”
Following Jahnavi’s footsteps, we can boost our immune systems by taking vitamins and nourishing foods such as fresh fruit like grapes, blueberries, acai berries and pomegranate, which are are loaded with phytonutrients that have anticancer properties. Eliminating toxic overload on our immune systems is also a must, including unnecessary over-the-counter drugs, chemical additives, artificial colors, and MSG in foods. Keeping away from second-hand smoke, pollution, and intoxicants also helps to relieve the burden on your “police officers” so that they can be at their optimal strength.
Keeping a positive mindset helps, too. Jahnavi believes in the therapeutic power of hope, and feels that enhanced hope has a considerable positive impact on the immune system and can contribute to a much more favorable outcome in the fight against cancer.
“Our immune system is there for a purpose,” Jahnavi says. “It's designed to kill cancer before cancer can spread. So let’s give it a boost.”
And of course, one of the biggest boost-givers is Tulasi Devi, the sacred plant and beloved servant of Lord Krishna.
“It’s been fourteen years now since my father’s cancer went into remission, and to this day, he’s still cancer-free—and he still takes his Tulasi leaves every day!” Jahnavi says. “We pray that our story can help others with cancer, too. Remember, there is hope. After all, anything is possible by the power of Lord Krishna, and his miraculous servant Tulasi Devi.”
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 28, 2017 22:15:01 GMT -5
Cancer or Krsna? by Yugavatara Dasa
As I was running around with my cousin Ranjeet to arrange for the maiden satsanga program in my hometown, my grandmother observed us with visible irritation on her face. Every day she would advise us that we should practice this age-old devotion to Krishna once we become old. This philosophy, however, did not appeal to us youngsters because we never saw any old person practicing devotion to Krishna. Everyone old and young was absorbed in television, sports, movies, etc. Srila Prabhupada’s books had convinced us that youth is the time to practice Krishna consciousness, not old age. We must practice devotion to Krishna today because tomorrow we may die. Never plan to surrender to God at the eleventh hour; we may die at 10.30. Srila Prabhupada would ask, who is young and who is old. A young boy who is destined to die today is actually older than an old man who will live for ten more years. The terms young and old are quite confusing and misleading in this unpredictable world, as anybody can become a victim of the three-fold miseries at any time.
The Appearance of “Cancer”
My grandmother was next in queue to suffer the onslaught of this world. She had a small swelling in her neck, which was diagnosed as cancer. Doctors referred her to a cancer hospital. Since my elder sister, Aparna (now Ananga Gopi Devi Dasi) and I are doctors, we were called to make all the arrangements. We thought that as doctors one of our prime duties was to treat the soul. I handed sacred japa beads to my scared grandmother and told her to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. We told her the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita (18.66), which states that one should surrender unto the Supreme Lord Krishna. He will deliver us from all sinful reactions. Diagnosed with cancer, my grandmother was shattered. In this stage, one realizes the futility of worldly happiness. The movies, media, television nothing seems to give solace due to the fear of impending death. My grandmother realized the emergency to take up to Krishna consciousness. Not only she, but also my grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins twenty family members started chanting. Seeing all of them chanting, I realized that Krishna had entered our home in the form of cancer.
The Divine Hospital Stay
By the time we reached the hospital, my grandmother was chanting eight rounds. My elder sister stayed with her all the time. She kept on reciting the wonderful philosophy of Krishna consciousness: the impermanence of the material body and the eternality of the spirit soul; how there is life after death, which depends on our consciousness cultivated during this lifetime; the law of action and reaction, etc. All this was soothing my grandma. She had become deeply appreciative of the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. She lamented that she should have been convinced about the philosophy earlier.
On the day of surgery, she was taken to the operation theatre. Lying on a stretcher, her hands raised like Draupadi, she was loudly chanting the maha-mantra. My eyes filled with tears, and I thought, “She was just introduced to devotion at the homosexual end of her life. Will Krishna give her another chance to taste the nectar of Krishna consciousness?”
The Disappearance Of Cancer
The surgery was done. The tumor turned out to be benign; the previous diagnosis was wrong. How wonderful Krishna is: He came in the form of cancer, blessed the whole family with devotion, and granted a second chance to my grandmother. As we were about to leave the hospital, the cancer surgeon came near my grandmother and said, “Grandma, you don’t have cancer. Just relax now and enjoy life.” But my grandma was already enjoying the blissful life of Krishna consciousness. I cautioned my grandmother and instructed her not to be deluded by the doctor’s advice. She might have escaped death this time, but one day she will have to face it. We all have to face it.
In a chicken shop, a chicken sometimes escapes death when it weighs less than what the customer demands. When the chicken is put back in the cage, it foolishly thinks, “I have escaped death.” But for how long? After a few hours another customer who wants a smaller chicken comes, and the previously escaped chicken is then slaughtered. Our occasional escape from death is like the chicken’s death-escape temporary and short-lived.
In ISKCON Hospital
My grandmother and uncle returned to Pune. They remembered the grace of Krishna, and all of them started visiting the ISKCON temple in Pune. By the time my grandmother left the hospital she had started chanting 16 rounds. Senior devotees at the temple Jayadeva Dasa and Satyavati Devi Dasi guided her further. Now she had begun her new treatment of getting rid of the disease of materialism at the ISKCON temple, which is like a hospital. Devotees in the temple are like expert doctors who remove the cataract of illusion and grant us spiritual vision. My grandmother started following the spiritual diet of prasada and started regularly consuming the medicine of the holy name.
A year later her name was recommended for initiation, the ceremony in which one accepts a bona fide spiritual master. This is a special moment in every devotee’s life as this marks a solid connection with Krishna. When she visited Mumbai to receive initiation, she learned that her cancer doctor, who had told her to relax, had died of a heart attack at the age of 45. But she remained fearless because she had taken shelter of Lord Krishna.
When her name was called for initiation, we saw her swiftly getting up and prostrating before her spiritual master. But none of us could see what happened next as our eyes were loaded with tears. Then we heard her spiritual master saying, “Hirabai, from today onwards your spiritual name will be Hamsarupa Devi Dasi.”
(Hamsarupa Devi is now in her eighties. Despite her advanced age and physical weakness, she chants her 16 rounds of japa early in the morning.)
Yugavatara Dasa is an associate professor in Anatomy in a medical college in Mumbai. He is a regular contributor to BTG.
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 29, 2017 17:28:36 GMT -5
Is there any research done on Hare Krishna mantra chanting techniques and its impact on stress levels, brain waves, aura, chakras?
The Maha-Mantra Research Project
by Dhira Govinda Dasa
ALTHOUGH I HAD done some preliminary theoretical work on researching the effects of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, I wasn't sure I wanted to pursue the research for my doctoral dissertation. I thought it would be too difficult to gather subjects and perform the study. I considered doing something easier for my dissertation, and then, after obtaining my Ph.D., I'd research Krsna conscious topics. But my academic advisor, Dr. Neil Abell, encouraged me challenged me to research the maha-mantra. He is a yoga teacher, and throughout my Ph.D. studies he guided my efforts to incorporate spirituality into my scholarly pursuits.
A first step in planning research is to review the literature on the topic. I found that although hundreds of studies had been done on spirituality and spiritual practices, including yoga techniques such as chanting mantras, there had been no research on the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, even though it is the mantra most recommended in the Vedas for spiritual realization in this age:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Brhan-naradiya Purana)
I felt encouraged to break ground in researching the effects of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. During the spring of 1998, I conducted a pilot study on the effects of the maha-mantra on stress, depression, the three modes of nature (goodness, passion, and ignorance), and some other mental-health indicators, such as verbal aggressiveness and life satisfaction. The study involved five participants, and the results were encouraging; they were largely consistent with Vedic theory. But the study had shortcomings. One was the small number of subjects. Another was the lack of a control group. So the design of the research was insufficient to conclude scientifically that the changes in the subjects were due to chanting. The weather, the passage of time, or any of innumerable factors unrelated to chanting Hare Krsna could have caused the changes.
Three Test Groups
Still, the results of the pilot study justified a more rigorous investigation. So I formed an experiment involving three groups: a maha-mantra group, an alternate mantra group, and a control group. The control group merely completed the packet of questionnaires and did not chant.
Though including a control group increased the validity of the research design, it still left open the explanation that any mantra, or any combination of sounds, would produce the same effect as the maha-mantra. Srila Prabhupada often emphasized that the vibration of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is not a material sound. So the experiment had to compare the maha-mantra with another combination of sounds. I contrived a combination of sixteen Sanskrit syllables to serve as an alternate mantra. The syllables were arranged in the same pattern as the maha-mantra, to preclude the explanation that the effects of the maha-mantra were merely due to such things as regularity of breathing or the symmetry of the syllables.
Participants in both chanting groups chanted three rounds each day for 28 days. (One "round" is 108 mantras counted on beads.) All groups completed the surveys three times: on the first day of the experiment (pre-test), after the last day of chanting (post-test), and 28 days after the final chanting day (follow-up). The survey packet included the Vedic Personality Inventory (to measure the three modes of nature) and standardized measures for stress and depression. Two research assistants and I kept in touch with all subjects to ensure they adhered to the guidelines of the experiment.
The subjects volunteered in response to newspaper ads. Though the three groups started with an equal number of subjects, 24 from the maha-mantra group completed the study, as did 19 from the alternate mantra group, and 19 from the control group. (The greater number in the maha-mantra group is some indication that those who chanted the maha-mantra derived greater benefit from the practice than those who chanted the alternate mantra.)
For the period from pre-test to post-test, statistical analyses revealed for the maha-mantra group compared with the other groups a significant decrease in stress, depression, and the mode of ignorance, and a significant increase in the mode of goodness. These results held even after considering the variables of age and gender. The analyses of the period from pre-test to follow-up for the maha-mantra group showed a significant decrease in depression and increase in the mode of goodness, though the other variables were not statistically significant.
The results were consistent with the teachings of the Vedic literature, which states that chanting the maha-mantra will increase one's qualities in the mode of goodness and diminish the effects of the mode of ignorance, such as depression, and the mode of passion, such as stress. Why didn't the mode of passion change significantly in the period from pretest to follow-up? Vedic theory describes the mode of passion as the intermediate mode between goodness and ignorance. So I hypothesized that for the maha-mantra chanters some of the passion converted into goodness, and some of the ignorance became passion, and thus the overall passion level did not change. We can also understand from the Vedas that the positive effects of the maha-mantra would diminish when the maha-mantra group had not chanted for 28 days. That explains the less significant results at follow-up.
Appreciation from Students and Teachers
During the oral defense of my dissertation, a lively discussion about the study and its implications for integrating spirituality and social science ensued. After the defense, several professors and graduate students told me they felt inspired by my presentation. They said that spiritual practices are important to them and they've wanted to incorporate them into their academic endeavors. They found encouragement in the boldness of my dissertation.
One member of my dissertation committee was Dr. Walter Hudson. A renowned empiricist in the field of social work research, he helped me enormously in designing the Vedic Personality Inventory and in formulating the design and analysis aspects for the maha-mantra study. Dr. Hudson passed away a few weeks after the defense. During his final months he spent long hours reviewing drafts of my dissertation, including descriptions of the philosophy and glories of Krsna's holy name, and thus he received eternal spiritual benefit.
Dr. Abell, my academic advisor, described the project as very innovative. He said that the study is of a sufficiently high standard that he can show it with confidence to any colleague in academia. He was particularly impressed with the "intellectual courage to take a personal, spiritual inspiration and translate it into research and practice that adheres to the best principles of practice research." He also commended the tenacity required to challenge my spiritual beliefs by "running them through the mill of Western science."
Of What Value for Devotees?
One may ask whether such research has any relevance for devotees of Krsna in their own spiritual lives. Do we need science to convince us to chant?
Science involves logic and experimentation. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami wrote, "If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful." We receive the maha-mantra through the mercy of Lord Caitanya, and its efficacy is not dependent on any logical process. Still, if we honestly apply tools of analysis to the chanting of Hare Krsna, our faith in Krsna's names and appreciation for them can increase.
Krsna says that we can directly experience the effects of the practices of bhakti-yoga, including the chanting of the maha-mantra. So applying techniques of logic and experimentation (experience) to the study of devotional life is consistent with Vedic injunction. Further, such application, in accord with Srila Rupa Gosvami's principle of yukta-vairagya (using everything in Krsna's service), can serve as an effective means to present Krsna consciousness to today's educated people, who place their faith in the methodologies of science.
For devotees of Krsna, effects such as decreased stress and depression are merely tangential to the main goals of chanting Hare Krsna, which are to please Krsna and develop love for Him. Still, by demonstrating the benefits of chanting Hare Krsna in areas most people consider important, we can attract many people to Krsna, who is all-attractive.
This study is only a beginning in establishing the efficacy of the maha-mantra in terms of modern research. For instance, a future study could be conducted with mental-health patients, using the maha-mantra as part of their therapy. Much further research awaits the Vaisnava social scientist, not only in examining the maha-mantra, but in investigating all facets of the Vaisnava way of life.
Thoughts from a few participants of the maha-mantra chanters group…
"Although I'm not really a religious person, I was always intrigued when I saw the Hare Krsnas singing and giving out food on the campus. It was very interesting for me to participate in this study and to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, because I developed a deeper understanding of the culture and practices of the Hare Krsna devotees."
Jeremy Deleplane
"I felt the chanting was a way to really get centered. Also, I would do my chanting at the end of the day to help me get relaxed. If I had chanted in the morning, I think it would have helped me focus."
Shawn Stokemer
"The chanting reminds me of people who do the rosary, like my grandmother. I'd never understood the whole idea of rosary beads, but this helped me to understand. It's the same sort of chanting. I got a set of beads for my brother and taught him to chant too."
Wendy Zilkowski
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 29, 2017 23:29:07 GMT -5
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting of the holy name of ONLY Lord Hari. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” (Brhad Naradiya Purana)
harinama para ye ca ghore kali-yuge narah
te eva krtakrtyasca na kalir badhate hi tan hare
kesava govinda vasudeva jaganmaya
itirayanti ye nityam na hi tam badhate kalih
“In this dark age of Kali-yuga, sincere devotees of the Supreme Lord Krsna should leave aside all other means for liberation and take full shelter of the holy name. This is their real responsibility and duty. There is unlimited bliss in chanting the different names of Krsna: Hari, Kesava, Govinda, Vasudeva and Jaganmaya. For one who chants constantly with unflinching faith, he remains unaffected by the reverses of Kali-yuga, because his heart has become purified by chanting.” (Brhan-naradiya Purana
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 30, 2017 17:11:28 GMT -5
EFFECTS OF THE HARE KRSNA MAHA MANTRA ON STRESS, DEPRESSION, AND THE THREE GUNAS
Name: David Brian Wolf Department: School of Social WorkMajor Professor: Dr. Neil Abell Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Term Degree Awarded: Summer, 1999 The author conducted a 3-group study on the effects of chanting the hare krsna maha mantra on stress, depression, and the three modes of nature- sattva, rajas, and tamas- described in the Vedas as the basis for human psychology. Sixty-two subjects, self-selected through newspaper advertisements in a Southeastern university town, completed the study. Average age was 24.63years, with 31 males and 31 females participating. Stress was measured with the Index of Clinical Stress, depression was measured with the Generalized Contentment Scale, and the modes of nature, or gunas, were measured with the Vedic Personality Inventory. Subjects were tested at pretest, post test, and followup, with testing times separated by four weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to a maha mantra group, an alternate mantra group, and a control group. Subjects in each of the chanting groups chanted their mantra approximately 25 minutes each day.The researcher concocted a mantra as the alternate mantra, though subjects in the alternate group thought it was a genuine Vedic mantra. Primary hypotheses of the study were based on Vedic theory, and stated that the maha mantra group would increase sattva, and decrease stress,depression, rajas and tamas, significantly more than the other two groups. ANCOVA results,controlling for gender and age, supported these hypotheses at p<.05 for all dependent variables except rajas, with effect sizes (eta2) for the four variables whose results supported the hypothesis ranging from .21 to .33. The author suggests that the maha mantra has potential for utilization in clinical areas similar to those where other interventions of Eastern origin have been successful,such as treatment of stress, depression, and addictions. Further, it is recommended that the mahamantra be integrated into a spiritual approach to client care in social work and related fields.Suggestions for further research include applying path analysis to the data of this study to ascertain causal relationships, and application of Hierarchical Linear Models to the data to combine single-system analysis and group analytical methods for extracting the maximum amount of information. Additionally, further studies on the maha mantra are warranted, with various populations and in various settings. CHAPTER 1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND This dissertation focuses on a group experiment that was conducted on the effects of chanting the hare krsna maha mantra , a mantra emphasized in the literature from ancient Indiafor its efficacy in relieving stress, depression, and other mental health disturbances (Prabhupada,1976). Therefore, chapter 1 presents some basic theoretical concepts, derived from the EasternVedic literatures, necessary for understanding the process of chanting mantras. chapter 2 containsa review of the literature on spiritual interventions, a term which will be defined in chapter 1. TheVedas describe the Hare Krsna maha mantra as a spiritually-based intervention for psychological upliftment (Prabhupada), and therefore it is appropriate to study related theory and literature on spiritual approaches to mental health improvement. Considering the person-in-environment orientation of the social work profession,spirituality and religion must be acknowledged and respected by social workers, as these factors are an integral part of practically every human culture, and they frequently play a central role in the lives of many people. Canda (1988) emphasizes the importance for social workers to takeinto account the spiritual needs of clients so that the fullness of the clients’ human dignity and potential is recognized and respected in all helping situations. He asserts that spirituality is a basic aspect of human experience, both within and outside the context of religious institutions,and that it therefore should be explored more fully through social work practice, research, and theory building. In the United States, Gallup Poll data consistently show that approximately 95%of the population believes in God, and about half the population is actively religious on at least a weekly basis (Paloutzian & Kirkpatrick, 1995). As the following literature review will show,religious and spiritual dimensions are among the most important cultural factors structuring human experience, beliefs, values, behavior, and illness patterns. It is justifiable, therefore, for helping professionals to consider the religious and spiritual components of clients’ lives in attempts to serve the client population. Bullis (1996) writes “Traditionally, social work literature has reluctantly addressed religion’s or spirituality’s impact on clinical practice” (p. 6). He attributes this to the historic rift between the religious and psychoanalytic movements, the alleged atheistic orientation of social workers, and economic, political, and professional competition between religious professionals and secular social workers. Bullis continues “For the most part spirituality in social work literature is conspicuous only by its absence” (p. 6). If a multicultural perspective is to be more than a facade for social workers, the phenomena of religion and spirituality must be genuinely appreciated. The term “genuinely appreciated” is emphasized herein, since Western approaches to diversity sometimes involve a patronizing pseudo-respect meant to veil a proselytizing mission that seeks to undermine long- held spiritual and religious beliefs and replace them with a relativistic viewpoint. Bellah et al.(1991) relate excerpts from a talk given a few years ago by a student speaker at a Harvard University graduation:There is one experience that I believe we have all acquired during our career at this fine institution, and that, ladies and gentlemen, in a word, is confusion. The freedom of our day is the freedom to devote ourselves to any values that we choose, on the mere condition that we don’t believe them to be true. (pgs. 43-44) So, for social workers, whose profession has roots in spiritual and religious humanitarianism (Dolgoff, Feldstein, & Skolnik, 1993), it may be a good idea to objectively examine the literature on spirituality as it relates to the many facets of social work. To reject such literature as being non-scientific due merely to its content, without consideration of its methodology and substantive results, may be considered dogmatism. Literature Categorization This paper will address the topic of spiritually-based interventions in the helping professions, with a focus on the relevance of such interventions to the field of social work.Writings in this area will be classified into the following categories: general relevance of spirituality and religiosity to the helping professions; measurement of spirituality; and spiritual interventions. General relevance of spirituality and religiosity to the helping professions includes research pieces that investigate correlations between spiritual and religious factors and variables such as delinquency, management of HIV/AIDS, hospice work, depression, self-esteem, and alcohol and drug use. Most of these studies incorporate quantitative designs, though there are afew qualitative pieces and some articles that primarily provide commentary on the topic.Measurement of spirituality includes research articles that attempt to define and measure the construct of spirituality utilizing psychometric procedures. The spiritual interventions section contains studies and literature reviews that examine the effects of an intervention that is purported to be spiritual in nature. These studies focus on spirituality as a specific intervention that produces effects on pre-defined dependent variables, whereas the general relevance articles deal only with correlative relationships. The general relevance of spirituality and religiosity to the helping professions category will be subdivided into two major sections- commentary and empirical research. The spiritual interventions category will also be subdivided into three sections- empirical quantitative studies, empirical qualitative studies, and literature reviews. This classification scheme is presented in Figure 1, and will be further explained in the section entitled summary of literature classification. General relevance and measurement articles are presented as supportive material to illustrate the importance and practicality of the spiritual component to the helping professions.Articles in the spiritual interventions category will be comprehensively analyzed and presented in Appendix A. Components of these research articles, such as theory, design, measurement and results, will be summarized and synthesized, and the literature in the field will be reviewed and integrated with attention to gaps in the research. Spirituality and Religiosity Bullis (1996) states that “spirituality refers to the inner feelings and experiences of the immediacy of a higher power” (p. 2), while religion refers to the “outward form of belief including rituals, dogmas and creeds, and denominational identity” (p. 2). Thus, the concepts are related, though not interchangeable.To further explain, we will refer to Vedic philosophy, which constitutes the orientation of the author, as well as the basis for several of the interventions described in this paper. According to the Vedas, “spiritual” refers to an energy that is transcendental to gross and subtle forms of matter. Matter has gross forms, such as earth, water, air, and space, and subtle forms, including mind and intelligence. Spiritual energy is distinct from all these forms of matter. “Religion”refers to rituals, procedures, or institutions that are meant, at least in principle, to facilitate access to spiritual experience. Obviously, there are religious adherents who are not very spiritual, and spiritual persons who do not manifest religious observance (Prabhupada, 1976). Though religion is not synonymous with spirituality- some might claim it is antonymous-studies on religiosity are included in this work because in the literature and in theory it is closely connected with spirituality and spiritual interventions. According to the Srimad-Bhagavatam (Prabhupada, 1976), religion is meant to elevate one to a platform of spirituality, beyond sectarian conceptions that are based in worldly designations. An example of such a conception is nationality. According to the Vedas, the self is a spiritual particle that is encased in a subtle and gross material body. If this body is born in America, then one may think “I’m American”, if born in Australia, one may think “I’m Australian”, etc. However, these designations have no inherent connection with the spiritual self, only with the material covering. To further explain, if I’m riding in a Toyota, it would be a mistake to therefore conclude that I’m Japanese. Tomorrow I may ride in a Volkswagen, and then, based on bodily misidentification, I’d consider myself German. Similarly, our bodies are material vehicles that have a purpose and should be cared for properly, though it is illusion to consider the body to be the self. For further clarification of the distinction between the body and the non-material self, one may ask oneself “Who is it that is thinking ‘I am the body’ or ‘I am an American’”? The entity that is thinking is different than the body. Clearly, much of what passes as religion in the world today does not qualify as religion based on the definition of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Still, religious institutions and practices continue to serve as a major vehicle for people to achieve spirituality. In the literature review that follows,this will become more evident. Therefore, many findings correlating religiosity and attributes of well-being are included in this paper. www.scribd.com/doc/102998827/Effects-of-the-Hare-Krsna-Maha-Mantra-on-Stress-Depression-And-the-Three-Gunas( To be continued )
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 31, 2017 17:47:51 GMT -5
Epistemological Justification for Empirical Study of Spiritual Interventions
Dawson (1997) asserts that spirituality cannot rightly be subsumed under empirical science. That is, spirituality should not be reduced to a conception that is subject, for instance, tothe laws of thermodynamics, or is contingent on Einstein’s equation that relates energy and matter. This would be scientism, whereby spirit loses its transcendence to matter and becomes subservient to empirical epistemologies. Dawson maintains that spirituality is a type of energy,but one not subject to empirical laws. Since this paper examines spiritual interventions, and the author does not views spirituality as merely a component of material science, it may be questioned why we are investigating positivist research on spiritual topics, and why such research has been and should be conducted. In response, it should be understood that science consists of knowledge that can be reliably verified by systematic procedures of observation. Science is not necessarily limited to material subject matters. There are procedures employed in spiritual interventions that yield results that can be reliably assessed, and these procedures can be conceived as the basis for a spiritual science (Prabhupada, 1976). Empirical methods can be, and have been, extensively applied in the evaluation of spiritual science and the effects of religious practice on psychosocial well-being. In fact, according to Levin, Larson, and Puchalski (1997), writing on the field of medicine, research on spiritual and religious factors is as sophisticated as any other area within epidemiology, and findings have been subjected to greater scrutiny than most research. Material Science and the Vedas
Keefe (1996) comments “In the last thirty years, meditation began its marriage to the rational-empirical tradition of Western science. In this most recent alliance it is being tested,objectified, stripped of its mystical trappings, and enriched with empirical understanding” . Most of the meditative methods that are being tested, and that will be analyzed in this paper, are based in Vedic theory and practices. This illustrates how a spiritual theory with concomitant praxes can be dovetailed with empirical science. Empirical support for these methods, in areas such as decreasing depression, stress and substance abuse, may strengthen the scientific basis of Vedic theory. Though the ultimate goal of Vedic science is realization of our spiritual nature, there is avast material component in Vedic science. Vedic material science is based on the three gunas, or modes of nature-sattva, rajas, and tamas. Characteristics of each mode are extensively describedin Vedic literature, and these descriptions form operational definitions for experimental science.For instance, a characteristic of tamas guna is depression, whereas sattva guna is symptomized by a feeling of happiness (Dasgupta, 1961). According to Vedic theory, practice of a meditative process, such as chanting of certain sound vibrations, will diminish the effects of tamas, and augment the influence of sattva. Thus, guna theory is conducive for empirical investigation, in this case by standardized psychometric tools for assessment of depression and happiness. Much work needs to be done, however, to further operationalize Vedic concepts and formulate and implement research designs. Assumptions Derived from Vedic Theory
Before concluding the introduction it is appropriate to elaborate on Vedic theory,especially as it relates to social science, because this is the world view of the author, and the reader will therefore be better equipped to critique and understand this paper with an appreciation of Vedic concepts. This presentation is not meant to be a comprehensive defense of Vedic assertions. The main purpose is to acquaint the reader with the beliefs of the author, and to prepare the reader for what follows. This explication of Vedic philosophy will use as a framework Burrell’s and Morgan’s (1979) four criteria for assessing a social science theory.These criteria are ontology, epistemology, human nature and methodology. Ontologically, social science approaches can be placed on a continuum with realism and nominalism at the extremes. Nominalists deny that social structures are real, and assert tha treality is a subjective phenomena, while realists insist that social structures exist as empirical entities (Burrell & Morgan, 1979). For Vaisnavas, adherents of Vedic philosophy and culture,creation, consisting of material and spiritual aspects, is real. This realism is countered, however,by the understanding that persons in material consciousness, who comprise almost everyone in this world, falsely perceive reality according to the illusory conceptions that pervade their mind and intelligence. The Vaisnava social scientist, therefore, acknowledges the importance of subjectivity in studying and interacting with people, since subjective understandings are the subtle force that drives human interaction. Another caveat to regarding Vaisnavas as realists is the theological notion that reality is a manifestation of the consciousness of God. In this sense,Vaisnavas may be considered as radical subjectivists (Prabhupada, 1975). Epistemologically, social scientists can be placed on the continuum from anti-positivism to positivism. Positivist epistemologies, which dominate the natural sciences, search for regularities and causal relationships in the social world. Anti-positivists prefer to view socialscience as a subjective undertaking, and concentrate on comprehending the experience of theindividual, rather than discovering objective laws governing interaction (Burrell & Morgan,1979). Vedic epistemology includes a branch, called anumana, that is equivalent to the process of modern empirical science. Anumana involves acquiring knowledge through sensory observations that are then processed, analyzed, and organized into theories by the mind and intelligence.These theories are then tested by further observations. Though the Vedas accept this as a possible approach to knowledge, they also describe the shortcomings of this system. A major drawback of this method is that it is based on the mind and senses, which are imperfect in several ways. For instance, our senses make mistakes, and thus we have erasers on pencils. The senses are susceptible to illusion, and therefore we may confuse a rope for a snake. Additionally, our senses are very limited. Though we can’t see what’s happening two inches behind our head, and have a difficult time remembering what we were doing at this time two weeks ago, we conjecture, based on empiric data, what happened thousands of light years away, billions of years ago (Gosvami,1977). The Vedas describe knowledge as innate to the self. This knowledge is covered, and Vedic social science seeks to extricate the self from this covering. Towards this goal, positivist and anti-positivist approaches may be used, though utilization does not negate inherent flaws of a method (Prabhupada, 1975). With regards to this dissertation, there is no internal contradiction in studying and discussing Vedic concepts and methods using positivist approaches. Empirical methods are condoned by the Vedas, though the Vedas also critique them. Several other epistemological systems, along with their uses and deficiencies, are also elaborated in the Vedic literatures. Exposition of these systems is beyond the scope of this paper, and this short presentation is included to justify the use of empirical methodologies within a Vedic context. Voluntarism versus determinism forms another debate amongst social science theorists. Voluntarists accept the free will of the human being, whereas determinists believe that a person’sactions are caused by environmental factors (Burrell & Morgan, 1979). Vaisnavas view the self as possessing free will. However, the capacity for self-determination, which stems from the spiritual entity that is the actual self, is covered by the material energy. To the extent that the self is covered by the modes of material nature, or gunas, free will cannot manifest. Thus, the human situation involves a mixture of deterministic and voluntaristic forces. Circumstances of birth provide boundaries, within the material sphere of activities, for the self, though free will remains active. A Vedic social worker assists the self to make the best choices from available options(Prabhupada, 1976). Methodologically, social science research techniques include qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative techniques tend to be compatible with realist, positivist and determinist approaches (Heineman, 1981). From the Vaisnava vantage point, quantitative techniques are increasingly useful as the object of study possesses less consciousness. Thus, a positivist,quantitative research design would be more effective studying rocks than animals, and less effective when studying human beings, due to the relatively high degree of consciousness in humans. Consciousness means free will, and consciousness is considered to be a symptom of the spiritual energy. When free will enters the equation, predictive capacity of the scientist decreases.Hence, social sciences are less exact than hard sciences such as chemistry and physics. Still,material nature covers the free will of humans to a large extent, and therefore the Vaisnava social scientist can utilize quantitative methods for researching social interaction and the activities of the mind and intelligence (Prabhupada, 1976). By employing quantitative approaches, the social scientist is implicitly expressing deterministic assumptions about the person(s) being studied.The following section examines selection and classification procedures for analysis of research articles on spiritual topics. Scope of the Present Study
Considering the concepts described above, we will study the effects of the maha mantra on variables such as stress, depression, and the three gunas. Prior to discussing the experiment on the maha mantra, there will be a literature review on correlations between spiritual and religious factors with indicators of mental and physical health, and on the effects of spiritual and religious interventions. This literature review will also include a discussion of the literature on psychometric attempts to measure spirituality. After the literature is reviewed and synthesized,the methodology for the group experiment on the maha mantra will be discussed. Then, in chapter 4, results from the maha mantra study will be analyzed, with regards to differential effects on dependent variables between persons who chanted the maha mantra and persons who chanted an alternate mantra, as well as with persons who did not chant any mantra. Additionally,a single-system design pilot study of the maha mantra, which was conducted prior to the group experiment, will be described in the appendices. Chapter 5 will discuss the results of the group study, especially as they relate to the theoretical presentations of this chapter, and the literature review of chapter 2. www.scribd.com/doc/102998827/Effects-of-the-Hare-Krsna-Maha-Mantra-on-Stress-Depression-And-the-Three-Gunas(To be continued )
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Post by krsnaraja on Jan 31, 2017 23:00:27 GMT -5
The Wonderful Effects of Chanting Hare Krishna
August 29th, 2007
By Sivarama Swami, from an article in the Hungarian “Back To Godhead” magazine last year.
The names of the Lord””Hare, Krsna, and Rama””are invested with His full potencies. Singing God’s names, therefore, is to contact Him through the medium of transcendental sound. Thus, the effect of chanting is the same as the effect of directly associating with the Lord. The following beautiful verse, written by Lord Caitanya, describes the seven effects the Hare Krsna mantra has on chanters.
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
“Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krsna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.” (Sri Siksastaka 1)
Although many books have been written explaining the theological implications of this verse, the following is a simple summary of the seven effects of chanting Hare Krsna:
(1) The chanting of Krsna’s name is a purifying agent that cleanses our hearts of envy””the root cause of our descent to this world””and other bad qualities we have since acquired like lust, greed, and anger.
(2) As it purifies the heart, Krsna’s name also protects sincere chanters from any further contamination from the worldly energy and those effected by it.
(3) Chanting awakens pure devotion to Krsna, the soul’s dormant propensity to serve the Lord with love; and further chanting revives the loving devotion that qualifies one for the greatest good fortune””Krsna’s association.
(4) A result of acquiring devotion is that devotees become illuminated with spiritual knowledge. Further chanting matures that knowledge into realization, which in time reveals devotees’ original position in one of the five relationships with Krsna.
(5) As much as the heart is relieved of unwanted habits, to that degree we become devoted to Krsna; as much as devotion is firmly fixed in our hearts, to that degree we acquire realized knowledge; and as much as the heart is illumined by both devotion and knowledge, to that degree we taste spiritual happiness. In this way the ocean of bliss swells.
(6) Chanting frees conditioned souls of the illusion of identifying themselves with their body and mind, and establishes them in the cooling reality that they are eternal spiritual entities.
(7) When devotees finally achieve the perfection of chanting, they taste the full nectar of loving devotion to Krsna””a nectar that makes the bliss of liberation seem insignificant.
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Post by krsnaraja on Feb 1, 2017 3:00:59 GMT -5
The initial result of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra is summarized by Srila Prabhupada in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita: "We have practical experience that any person who is chanting the holy names of Krsna (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) in course of time feels some transcendental pleasure and very quickly becomes purified of all material contamination."
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Post by krsnaraja on Feb 1, 2017 8:21:04 GMT -5
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND SYNTHESIS
Selection Procedures Four databases- PsychInfo, Medline, PsycLIT, and Sociofile- were searched for this systematic research synthesis. In these databases, the following keywords, alone and in combinations, were used: meditation, mantra, prayer, faith, spirituality, religion, health, stress,anxiety, depression, and social work. Klein and Bloom (1994) delineate five major types of articles in the social work literature- empiricism, technology, conceptualization, valuation and commentary. Of these, the empiricism, technology, and commentary categories are relevant to the classification system of this paper. Empiricism, according to Klein and Bloom (1994):refers to activities of engaging the world and people in it by means of the five basicsenses. The empirical component includes planned actions to observe and measure social events in laboratories, clinics, or community settings- what would be termed‘research’ or ‘evaluation’ in the current literature. The categorization scheme of Klein and Bloom (1994) will be further described in the categorization overview section of this chapter. For now, the categories are introduced to help the reader understand the discussion of selection procedures that follows. For the general relevance of spirituality and religiosity to the helping professions category, commentary and empirical research articles that examined the importance of spirituality and religiosity to fields such as social work, mental health and medicine were sought. There are many such articles, and the 43 pieces chosen for inclusion inthis section are by no means exhaustive. The main point of the general relevance section is todemonstrate that spirituality and religiosity are considered important factors for helpingprofessionals. Therefore, variety in articles was stressed to illustrate the pervasive nature of thesefactors. If several articles covered the same topic, the most recent ones were chosen forinclusion. The main criterion for inclusion was diversity, with respect to population andprofessional area. For example, the studies selected examine the role of spiritual and religiousfactors in areas such as chronic illness, life satisfaction, attributes of caregivers in Alzheimer’sdisease, death depression and anxiety, predictors of mortality, alcohol and drug use, managementof HIV/AIDS, depression, delinquency, self-esteem, crime, hospice work, coping with war,general well-being, coping with a chronically ill child, resolving childhood abuse issues, suicide,and dealing with illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Populations studied include adolescents, African Americans, elderly, long-term hospital inpatients, burn patients, mental health clients, suicidal persons, and hospice workers. Articles in the measurement of spirituality section (see Figure 1) focus on quantitative empirical research on the measurement of spirituality. These studies focus on attempts to directlymeasure spirituality, rather than correlates of spirituality, such as general well-being. Threespirituality instruments are analyzed. The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) is the most widely researched and utilized tool in the field, and is based on Judeo-Christian psychological theory(Ellison & Smith, 1991). Based on Vedic guna theory, the Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI) is the guna scale that has been most extensively analyzed with psychometric methods (Wolf, 1998).Hatch, Hellmich, Naberhaus, and Berg (1995) have developed the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale (SIBS), which is an attempt, derived from dissatisfaction with the SWBS, to assess spirituality without Western bias. Articles in the spiritual interventions category constitute the main topic of this literature review. Included are articles that examine interventions that purport to be spiritualin nature, with regard to their effects on dependent variables such as depression, stress, andsubstance abuse recovery. This review focuses on the content of the interventions, as well as themethodological rigor of the studies. The prime selection criteria was diversity that reflects the heterogeneity of interventions and methodologies. Using this criteria, articles investigating theeffects of Western-style prayer, Alcoholics-Anonymous non-sectarian spirituality, social workcommunity interventions, and Eastern-style meditation were chosen. Only in the area of Eastern-style meditation were there many articles, necessitating further selection criteria. Delmonte(1983) and Delmonte and Kenny (1985) conducted literature reviews on Eastern-style spiritualinterventions, and these reviews are included in this analysis as a summary of research in thisarea prior to 1985. For research on Eastern-style interventions since 1985, selections included studies with a variety of research techniques, especially with regards to qualitative and quantitative approaches, and studies that investigated a range of interventions, such as mantra-based, Buddhist, and physical yoga techniques. Categorization Overview
Except for the commentary articles in the general relevance category, all literature classified in Figure 1 fits the definition for empiricism given by Klein and Bloom (1994), which is presented above in the section on selection procedures. For the specific purposes of this paper,general relevance, spiritual interventions, and measurement of spirituality categories have beendifferentiated. For the general relevance category, commentary and empirical research sub-categories have been created, and for the spiritual intervention category, empirical quantitative,empirical qualitative, and literature review sub-categories have been created. In the measurementcategory, all pieces are quantitative and meet the criteria for technology pieces, as defined byKlein and Bloom (1994). “Technologies may be mechanisms or procedures that extend empiricism in a research sense... or the tools that one may bring to bear in a given practice setting.” (p. 422). According to Klein and Bloom, quantitative empirical articles use standardizedempirical methods such as descriptive research and bivariate and multivariate analysis, andqualitative empirical studies include case studies, ethnographic methods, and community caseillustrations. The literature reviews in the Spiritual Interventions section examine empiricalstudies, and have been placed in a separate sub-category. Commentary articles refer to:statements that describe, critique, or comment on empirical, technological, conceptual,or valuational activities....Commentary represents participation in public discussion of the issues of the day. These discussions provide the foundation on which to developother components of the applied social science. (p. 423)The articles in the commentary section of the general relevance category fit this description. In the general relevance of spirituality and religiosity to the helping professions category there are 8 commentary articles and 35 empirical research articles (see Figure 1). Each categoryis divided into sections according to field of practice, such as social work, medicine, and mentalhealth. All these pieces address the influence of spirituality and religiosity on the helpingprofessions in a wide variety of fields and populations, as described above. Social workers areactive in all of the environments and with all the populations included in these articles.Therefore, social work researchers, administrators and practitioners will benefit by noting thecontents of these articles. For example, several articles deal with health care, a field in whichmany social workers are employed. With an understanding of the spiritual and religious factorscommon to this setting, social workers will be better equipped to assist clients in coping withtheir situation. Similarly, studies on the correlation between spirituality and religiosity and delinquency can help social workers in case management, on individual, familial, and communal levels, with families and communities that struggle with juvenile delinquency. In the measurement of spirituality category there are five articles, all technology pieces, presenting various psychometric strategies for measurement of spirituality according to different orientations (e.g., Vedic, Western). These articles are included because it issometimes suggested that spirituality is not the domain of science, since spirituality cannot beoperationalized or measured. Here, however, are attempts at such operationalization and measurement, following accepted psychometric procedures. There are 15 spiritual intervention pieces. Among these, there are ninequantitative studies, four qualitative studies, and two literature reviews. The literature reviewsdeal with Eastern-style interventions, such as mantra chanting and meditation, as do five of thequantitative pieces and three of the qualitative articles. One quantitative study evaluates prayer tothe Judeo-Christian God, and two quantitative articles examine effects of a 12-step program.There is one quantitative study that investigates a variety of spiritual and religious interventions,and one qualitative investigation presents a model for social work with religious and spiritualcommunities. These 15 pieces are the focus of this literature review, and will be analyzed. Not all articles in this section provide evidence for the potential importance of spirituality and religiosity, though the great majority of them do. Selection of empirical research articles inthis category was based on title, to check for substantive area and population, and date, asdescribed above. That is, results were not analyzed prior to selection. This methodology wasincorporated to reduce selection bias. Commentary articles in this category were selected after the empirical research articles, in order to provide some theoretical framework that bridged a variety of fields, including social work, nursing, medicine, psychology, and psychiatry. Though more than the eight commentary articles included herein were found, none of these articles argued for the unimportance of spirituality and religiosity, and thus the tenor of the commentary articles can also be considered representative of the literature. www.scribd.com/doc/102998827/Effects-of-the-Hare-Krsna-Maha-Mantra-on-Stress-Depression-And-the-Three-Gunas(To be continued ) |
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Post by krsnaraja on Feb 1, 2017 18:44:20 GMT -5
In the preparatory phases of droning, the specialist encounters true serenity, and alleviation from undesirable drives and propensities. As one creates more acknowledgment by droning, one sees the first, profound presence of the self, and one can comprehend one's association with the Lord.
The author of the Hare Krishna development, Srila Prabhupada, pleasantly clarifies that: "We have functional experience that any individual who is droning the sacred names of Krishna (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Hare) at the appointed time course of time feels some supernatural delight and rapidly gets to be cleansed of all material defilement."
iskcontvonline.com/
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Post by krsnaraja on Feb 1, 2017 19:08:22 GMT -5
" Everyone knows that a happy life requires good health. Proper diet, adequate exercise, and sufficient rest are necessary to keep our bodies strong and fit. If we neglect these demands, our bodies become weakened and resistance wanes. Highly susceptible to infection, we eventually become ill.
More important, but less well known, is the inner self's need for spiritual nourishment and attention. If we ignore ourspiritual health requirements, we become overwhelmed by negative material tendencies like anxiety, hatred, loneliness, prejudice, greed, boredom, envy, and anger.
In order to counteract and prevent these subtle infections of the self, we should, as recommended in the Vedic literatures, incorporate into our lives a program of self-examination and steady inner growth, based on spiritual strength and clarity of thought.
The transcendental potency necessary for developing complete psychological and spiritual fulfillment is already present within everyone. It must, however, be uncovered by a genuine spiritual process. Of all such authentic processes, India's timeless Vedas tell us that meditation on the Hare Krsna mantra is the most powerful. "
Dr. Daniel Coleman, associate editor of Psychology Today and author of The Varieties of Meditative Experiences.
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Post by krsnaraja on Feb 1, 2017 19:24:12 GMT -5
Knowledge of the Self
By Dr. Daniel Coleman, associate editor of Psychology Today and author of The Varieties of Meditative Experiences, after studying the meditational techniques of members of the Krsna consciousness movement, said, "I found the Hare Krsna devotees to be well-integrated, friendly, and productive human beings. In a culture like ours, in which inner, spiritual development is almost totally neglected in favor of materialistic pursuits, we might have something to learn from their meditational practices."
The Vedas state that consciousness is a symptom of the soul. In its pure condition, the soul exists in the spiritual world; but when it falls down into contact with matter, the living being is covered by an illusion called false egoism. False ego bewilders the consciousness, causing us to identify with our material bodies. But we are not our material body. When we look at our hand or leg, we say, "This is my hand" or "This is my leg." The conscious self, the "I," is therefore the owner and observer of the body. Intellectually, this fact is easily understandable, and by the spiritual realization that results from chanting, this truth can be directly and continuously experienced.
When the living being identifies with the material body and loses awareness of his real, spiritual self, he inevitably fears death, old age, and disease. He fears loss of beauty, intelligence, and strength and experiences countless other anxieties and false emotions relating to the temporary body. But by chanting, even in the early stages, we realize ourselves to be pure and changeless spirit souls, completely distinct from the material body. Because the mantra is a completely pure spiritual sound vibration, it has the power to restore our consciousness to its original, uncontaminated condition. At this point, we cease to be controlled by jealousy, bigotry, pride, envy, and hatred. As Lord Krsna tells us in Bhagavad-gita, the soul is "unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval." As our false bodily identification dissolves and we perceive our true transcendental existence, we automatically transcend all the fears and anxieties of material existence. We no longer think "l am American. I am Russian. I am black. I am white."
Attaining real self-awareness also gives us the ability to see the spiritual nature of all living beings. When our natural, spiritual feelings are awakened, we experience the ultimate unity of all life. This is what it means to become a liberated person; by spiritual realization we become free of all animosity and envy toward other living things.
This higher vision is explained by Srila Prabhupada in the Transcendental Teachings of Prahlad Maharaja. "When a man becomes fully Krsna conscious he does not see, 'Here is an animal, here is a cat, here is a dog, and here is a worm.' He sees everything as part and parcel of Krsna. This is nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita, 'One who is actually learned in Krsna consciousness becomes a lover of the universe.' Unless one is situated on the Krsna conscious platform, there is no question of universal brotherhood."
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