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You are invited to join us!!
THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES is a 3-year study program validated by the University of Chester which offer a broad and yet profound understanding of Vaisnava heritage, culture and theology…(Read more)
DIPLOMA IN VAISNAVA LEADERSHIP AND MISSION is a program designed specifically for those striving to contribute to ISKCON leadership and missionary work in all its aspects from a Vaisnava point of view….(Read more)
TRANSCENDENTAL ART SEMINAR is an intensive biennial art program where, during at least 6 hours of the course daily, one can get a complete experience of art and producing a painting, as well as hints on how to have a deeply spiritual experience while doing it…(Read more)
Transcendental Art Seminar is an intensive biennial art program where, during at least 6 hours of the course daily, one can get a complete experience of art and producing a painting, as well as hints on how to have a deeply spiritual experience while doing it. All levels of advancement are welcome. This year the dates are September 1-14.
"All I can say," said Krishen Kanadia (from London, UK, participant of the seminar in 2013), "is that the experience was very sacred, something to treasure. To meet the devotees who had preached to me through their artwork felt surreal, and they were supportive. A rich, fulfilling, inspiring experience. And a great way to meet other artists involved in Krishna consciousness. This is no exaggeration: these two weeks have been one of the biggest highlights of my spiritual life. The teachers showed us how to meditate on Krishna all the time in developing our paintings."
Reflecting upcoming Bhaktivedanta College event in September Dhriti dasi (teacher) said: "We invite all devotional artists and those desiring to explore this amazing devotional art to join us for this two week intensive course. We will delve into the practical points of executing a painting, and then using those tools to paint and express our devotional vision."
Teachers: Ram Das and Dhrti, based in California, are disciples of Srila Prabhupada, famous and celebrated painters of the BBT for decades. Their art is admired by devotees and the public alike. It is our great honor that we will be able to host these artists for the second time whose fine works can be found in almost any canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhaktivedanta College invited these artists to offer their seminar in 2013 (previously hosted several times by the BBT in Vrindaban, India), and the teachers' high level of expertise won over the students.
The ISKCON Studies Institute cordially invites you to attend its upcoming conference at Radhadesh (Belgium) from May 22-24, 2015.
The ISI Conference 2015 features an outstanding array of academic scholars from around the world, who will gather to present their research on this year's conference theme- Devotional Ethics, Community, and Practice in Caitanya Vaisnavism.
The 2015 conference schedule is finalized and a list of speakers and presentation topics is included below. Presentation abstracts are also available HERE.
Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible by completing and submitting the following online form HERE. The deadline for registration is 30April 2015.
The ISKCON Studies Institute is committed to cultivating scholarly discussions in conference forums that cherish a devotionally respectful and academically rigorous ethos meant to foster critical thinking in relation to concerns of ISKCON and its broader cultural, religious, and intellectual environments.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference. For further questions and inquiries, please write to
Mahalaxmi is a graduated Student (BA from Chester) at the Bhaktivedanta College, Radhadesh. She received her title in 2013.
What did you do after graduating from Bhaktivedanta College in 2013?
"I went to Vrindavana and took Bhakti Vaibhava courses there, and it was great.
After that I came to Belgrade, where I am now working on opening a cultural outreach center called Bhakti Hub. I also organized a Bhakti Shastri course here, and I co-run two new sangas here."
Are you planning to stay in Serbia?
"I do not have fixed plans to do that. We will see how the services here go. It takes time to seriously try, so I am taking that time here."
Do you remember your time at Bhaktivedanta College?
"Yes, I do. Especially the conversations. That was a time of intense
philosophical exchange with some wonderful devotees, and I really miss that. I even missed it in Vrindavan while doing Bhakti Vaibhava, simply because that was something different. In our classroom in the college, there was a very special atmosphere, because we could and we did ask and discuss any question.
We were very open-minded and broad-minded, all the while keeping our devotional goal and identity in mind. This atmosphere was created by our teachers. They were not at all afraid to dig beneath the surface, to poke, to disturb, and to test the limits and depth of our understanding. We had to grow.
And the group, the students, had bright intelligence. They were not afraid to ask questions. We never played a false humility or an artificial shyness. Our courses were varied and interesting. There were so many topics: the very important topic of the significance for the development of ISKCON, the world situation and our place in all that, and we went into great detail with some of them. At moments it was so brilliant, you wanted to clap.
And we all did service together and lived together, and there was a lot of joking and a lot of chanting. So it was a good balance. It was a very dynamic time.
If you ever do Master's course, I am coming."
We are happy to announce the 2015 Communications Seminar to be held in Radhadesh, Belgium from 30th May till 2nd June 2015.
In 2015 we are having an international seminar since we are planning to invite devotees from other continents to discuss important issues and international strategies. The seminar will be followed by a communications course from the 3rd of June till the 6th June. The course will be given by HG Anuttama prabhu.
The main topic for this year's seminar is "Preaching, Undue Inluence, Conversion and Religious Freedom". There will be several experts on the topics as well as Senior Devotees like Anuttama, Shaunaka Rsi and Gauri prabhus.
We will discuss 50th anniversary plans and other strategic plans for ISKCON worldwide.
There will 15 minutes reports by national representatives on (only) communications achievements and challenges.
There will be an outing in Belgium and Brussels with interaction with NGO's or European Parliament, Interfaith visit, harinam, lunch, shopping.
The price will be subsidized and will be only 100 Euros for the seminar and 100 euros for the course including food, shared rooms and outing. If devotees come to both it will be only 180 Euros.
Please register with Nanda Priya dasi.
Looking forward to seeing you end of May.
What is the purpose of the new Kirtan Course at Radhadesh and what is it`s significance for devotees?
Krishna Kshetra Swami: Kirtan is our most essential activity. We have sravanam – hearing and kirtanam – chanting or glorifying the Lord. This is the movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in late 15th, early 16th century Bengal. He spread the chanting of the holy name, especially the Hare Krishna mantra all over India and it`s now being spread all over the world. In order to help facilitate this spreading process, musical ability in the practice of kirtan, following the tradition of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Bengali kirtan is very much wanted. Srila Prabhupada himself had some of his devotees actually rehearsing, practicing together. His intention was that they then travel worldwide and perform kirtan in an attractive way. So the Kirtan Course is a beginning attempt for Krishna devotees in the West to get some systematic training in this very nice tradition. It has run for the first time this summer in Radhadesh, Belgium with 10 to 12 students, devotees staying for a period of seven weeks, engaging fulltime in practice with resident teachers who are very qualified in their own musical practice of singing, playing instruments, especially mridanga, karatals and harmonium.
In addition to the regular teachers who were there keeping everyone engaged throughout the day, there are visiting teachers. I was asked to be one of those visiting teachers for a period of five days and my function was to give a kind of overview of different elements of Indian music in the broadest sense. So we spent some time looking at the ancient Vedic tradition, out of which classical music comes. Then we considered north Indian and south Indian music, we played some samples of the different styles. We also looked at some of the folk traditions of Indian music including dance, the Rajastani practice and Kerala, some dance drama from Kerala. Then we spent time focusing more on the area of the tradition that we follow, the Bengal tradition, where we focused also on different famous poets and saints of the bhakti tradition widely understood – that means across from South India to North, from the Alvars to Mirabai, to Tukaram and Surdas and so on – in order to give a very broad picture of the wider and extremely rich tradition of Indian music.
Next Kirtan Course: read more and registrations
It seemed that for a first time the venture was quite successful. The response of the students was very positive and these were a broad variety of students. Some older, some younger. Some with more experience, some with less experience in music. I was told several times by the local teachers that the group, as a group, had worked very well together. They were all very happily studying, learning, experiencing and practicing together. They all felt challenged, whether they were beginners or more advanced, to progress from whatever position they were. So, I think all in all it`s very promising and we`re looking forward to this program expanding in the future.
Monday 24th – Friday 28th January 2014
Facilitator: Yadunandana Swami
Cost: 79 Euros, excluding meals and accommodation*
This six-day intensive course is highly participatory and suitable to a broad spectrum of devotees with a wide range of teaching experience. It is particularly appropriate for devotees involved in training. Preachers, managers, gurukula teachers, communications specialists and others interested in systematic training and education will also find it of immense value and interest.
Students will be taught mainly in groups, with a focus on interactive, reflective and experiential learning. The tutor uses short, interactive lectures backed with PowerPoint Presentations and extensive use of flipcharts. There will also be opportunity for individual reflection, peer learning, pair work, role play, and group tasks followed by diverse means of feedback. Learning is reinforced by the tutor modelling and exemplifying excellent teaching/facilitation skills. Personal mentoring and group mediation are used as needed.
The features of this course are as follows:
For bookings, please contact Mangala Candrika Dasi
Email: email@example.com or tel: + 32 86 32 32 77
* Please make separate arrangements with the Radhadesh Guesthouse.
Contact them through email on: firstname.lastname@example.com
Meals are available at either the Radhadesh temple or the Restaurant.
Written by: Madhava Smullen from ISKCON News.
Video done by: Gour Govinda & Suravarya.
Eleven select international students immersed themselves full-time in ISKCON's first systematic kirtan course for nearly two months this summer, from June 30th to August 21st, at Bhaktivedanta College in Radhadesh, Belgium.
During this time they studied the theology behind kirtan, the proper mood and way to perform it, and its history and tradition, and took practical lessons in how to skillfully sing and play instruments to glorify the Lord.
The course was born out of Bhaktivedanta College's desire to offer something beyond its usual academically accredited courses.
"We all know that ultimately systematic philosophy must give way to a personal experience," says the course's spiritual director Sacinandana Swami, who is renowned for his international Japa and Kirtan retreats. "The essence of Bhakti cannot be had by theoretical teaching; only by practical experience. Kirtan is that experience."
Another key reason for offering the course was that kirtan is prescribed in Vedic scriptures as the yuga dharma, or the path to spiritual perfection in this age.
"ISKCON has many courses where good systematic training is offered," says Sacinandana Swami. "But a course that taught the yuga dharma was yet to be designed and given."
With this in mind, Bhaktivedanta College Director Dinadayal Das and college graduate Manu Das devised a curriculum and brought Sacinandana Swami on board.
Although a larger audience attended select sections of the course, just eleven full-time students were chosen to participate in the entire program, so that each could have personal tutoring from teachers, particularly during practical music lessons.
Although the group was small, it was highly diverse. Hailing from the USA, Spain, Germany, Denmark, the UK and Russia, students ranged in age from 17 to 36 and in background from temple devotees to working professionals. Most importantly, all were eager to learn.
They were in luck, with an extremely busy schedule packed with learning and practical kirtan experience from morning till night.
Every day at 10:30am, after the traditional temple morning program and breakfast, students would learn the theology and history of kirtan from five highly experienced visiting teachers. Each visiting teacher's seminar ran for three hours per day and lasted one week.
Sacinandana Swami set the mood of the course with his seminar on the Theology of the Holy Name, based on the book Harinama Chintamani by Vaishnava saint Bhaktivinode Thakur. In it, he covered the secrets of attentive chanting, how to move past offensive chanting, how to enter into a relationship with the Holy Name, and the lessons we can learn from Srila Prabhupada's amazing relationship with the Holy Name.
Sacinandana Swami's seminar also included "discovery lectures" in the mornings, as well as experience-oriented workshops, lila kathas and kirtans.
Next Kadamba Kanana Swami, a regular teacher at Bhaktivedanta College, discussed the historical mileu kirtan rose from and delved into the biographies of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to look at how he organized his kirtan parties and what melodies and mantras he used. He also covered the kirtan of Chaitanya's followers, such as Narottam Das Thakur and Srinivas Acharya.
After him, travelling kirtaniya Jahnavi Harrison connected her audience with Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur through prayer, studying his life, and learning and singing his songs, which she says provide guidance and nourishment to every spiritual seeker.
Next Bhaktivedanta College Dean of Studies Krishna Ksetra Swami explored the Chaitanya Vaishnava musical tradition against the wider backdrop of India, teaching students how to explain this rich tradition to others, and playing and discussing relevant samples of music.
Finally former Bhaktivedanta College theology course director Mahendra Das enriched students' personal appreciation of and commitment to chanting the Holy Name by discussing how the core Vaishnava scriptures describe it as the basic practice in achieving the goal of life.
Kirtan authorities Lokanath Swami, Bhakti Charu Swami and others also surprised students by showing up to spend time speaking Krishna Katha and doing kirtan with them.
In the afternoons, students would take practical lessons in kirtan with resident teachers, most of whom were College graduates and second generation devotees. From Krishangi-lila, they learned vocals and harmonium, from Surabhi Kunja, kartals, and from Balarama Nityananda, mridanga.
"It was very personalized, with students getting personal tutoring in addition to their lessons according to their individual level of knowledge and advancement," says course manager Dinadayal Das.
After the music and vocal lessons, students also spent two hours every evening doing kirtan before Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath, the presiding Deities of Radhadesh.
"In that way, they could engage themselves from 4:30am until the last darshan in front of Radha-Gopinath at 9:00pm – pretty intense!" Dinadayal says.
As a result, the participants began to bond together after just a few days. "Chanting the Holy Name for a long amount of time binds devotees together, because everyone is there for a spiritual experience," comments Sacinandana Swami.
By the end of the course, students had not only bonded but had had deeply life-changing, transformative experiences. Some began organizing regular evening kirtans in their home communities. Some travelled straight from the course to Varshana, India, for another retreat with Sacinandana Swami. Others who had been new to Krishna consciousness switched to a spiritual lifestyle. And still others took a break from their jobs to travel and spread the Holy Name.
"You don't often see such a positive change in people in such a short amount of time," Dinadayal enthuses. "Their hearts were so much changed they wanted to really do something spiritually profound."
Next year's Kirtan Course at Radhadesh has already been scheduled for June 29th to August 28th 2015 – ten days longer than this year's — and kirtan singer Madhava has been added to the roster of illustrious visiting teachers. Many have already registered.
Sacinandana Swami is excited about the effects the course could have.
"In the old times, in Europe at least, the central object in every cultured house was a piano," he says. "People would gather in the evenings and sing together. But the modern entertainment industry has stolen the music from the lips and the hearts of the people. Kirtan gives them back the music of the soul. And everyone enjoys it! That's how our movement can spread in leaps and bounds – through the yuga dharma. We want to empower people to do that."
Next Kirtan Course event: read more and registrations
Written by Abighail Rocchi.
(Published in Krishna-katha magazine, March 2014)
What made me decide to take this step was no single event. It was the culmination of a process of reflection that I've been having for quite some years actually. I was cautious because we have seen in ISKCON's past what you might call sannyasa casualties, and I didn't want to be a part of that statistic. So I thought it was better to wait and make sure. I also felt that since Srila Prabhupada gave sannyasa to senior devotees, he had a purpose for this and I want to respect that purpose and, I think, to expand my service by making this commitment. And in one sense people say I'm already a sannyasi. That may be the case, but I'd like to have it confirmed. And since it's Krishna's arrangement that there are four ashramas, I thought, "Let me also take advantage of the ashrama." All of the ashramas are meant to be supportive for devotional service, so I also see the sannyasa ashrama as a means of support for my spiritual life and also as a way for helping others in their spiritual life.
Good! I feel like it's a good move. Time will tell, but I think it will be good. All the indications are positive. All the senior devotees that I have consulted were very positive, the GBC was very positive, and even the astrologers say it's positive.
If it's a change let's hope it's in a positive way. But I don't have any specific plan to make some specific change. I hope that I can inspire devotees more, and I think that is facilitated by the ashrama.
As I began two years ago to sort of step back from regular teaching in universities so I could focus on Bhaktivedanta College, that is still my program. I do plan to continue doing the writing and research that I do, and I think the sannyasa will not be affected. Or that the sannyasa will affect that, one way or another. I hope that I can continue without distraction.
Yeah, that's what they call me. What does that mean? We're still trying to figure out what that means [laughs]. We are still trying to figure out what it is that we are trying to do at Bhaktivedanta College. The College is still very young and it has a lot of potential. The Dean of Studies means an emphasis is put on attention to academic quality, overseeing the classes offered to be sure they have a high standard of content and teaching delivery. It also means being connected with the teachers, and seeing that we are all on the same page. We also have to be sensitive to our position with relation to our accrediting institution, Chester University. As long as we want to have that accreditation, we have to follow various requirements that they give. These are the general areas, and then also trying to understand how to facilitate students' learning, how can they better receive what we are trying to offer, and whether what we're trying to offer is what they need.
Right now its significance for ISKCON generally is rather minimal, and that is something we hope to change. We would like that Bhaktivedanta College is recognized by the wider Vaisnava community as a significant resource for communities to send students to. They can become qualified to go back into their communities as nicely trained and nicely educated leaders. That's our idea. Again, we are still a quite young institution, and it could take some time before that happens. We are working on it.
Yes, this is indeed the first of two volumes that have been contracted by an academic publisher in America – Columbia University Press. Initially we proposed to them only this first book, and we proposed it as what we called a companion volume. It would be a companion to the Srimad Bhagavatam for people to appreciate better the Bhagavatam through these articles. There are twelve articles given through twelve different themes, important ways of understanding or entering into what for most people is very foreign material. So, the publishers looked at our proposal and they liked it, but they said: "Where is the Bhagavata Purana for which this book will be the companion?" We might have answered: "Well, it's already there – Srila Prabhupada's multi-volume Bhagavatam." But they didn't want that, they wanted a one-volume book, so actually they proposed that we ourselves make an abridged Srimad Bhagavatam. We took this as Krishna's mercy and that's what we're working on now, which means that we are doing our own translations from the Sanskrit – selected passages from the Bhagavatam with connecting paragraphs to give it continuity. And then these two books will be a set. They'll go very much together, and they're being marketed for classroom use in universities in English speaking countries. We hope these will have some positive impact.
These two books combined constitute what we consider phase one of a four-phase, or maybe it's even a five-phase research project that we based in Oxford called The Bhagavata Purana Research Project. With this we want to apply all the contemporary methods of academic study of such literature and in effect become the authorities in the academic world on the Srimad Bhagavatam. So, that's a longer term project – maybe a lifetime project.
Well, the language is different, and I don't speak Chinese, so we always had translation. It was a nice opportunity to meet some professors and some of their students. We had very nice reception. People are appreciative, because they want to know something about Indian philosophy and religion. This is kind of exploratory work that I am doing, to see how can we develop something more solid, something more substantial, to get something going in the academic world in China. The big obstacle for me is language, because to learn Chinese takes a whole lifetime, and at my age it's not going to happen. So I'm just trying to explore what can be done, and maybe others will take it up. There are some good prospects, but right now things are still in the beginning stages.
I was in Mayapur in early 2014. We had quite a large gathering called ISKCON Leaders Sanga. There were some 800 leaders from around the world. Two years ago they had this and it was half that number, around 400 devotees. The focus is on what they call strategic planning, and I think there are a lot of good initiatives going on. I suppose in one sense you could say there's everything there on that level, it's being taken care of, devotees are becoming engaged in different ways. They had many, many seminars, many of them were focused on one or another sort of outreach and that's as it should be. I guess my thought when I was there was where is the seminar on "inreach"? What about going inside? What about aids for devotees to more deeply cultivate Krishna consciousness? And of course we see that such things are going on. In recent years we have japa retreats, especially by Sacinandana Swami and Bhurijan Prabhu, and others have developed these retreats. I think that's a very good sign, very necessary and devotees feel that need. I think there's also a need for more systematic education projects. Shastric education is there. But how many devotees are actually getting that? I think it is still a very small percentage of the wider population of devotees. So I think there could be more of all the good things for more devotees.
I guess one starting point is to recognize that conflict is going to be there because we are individual human beings. Prabhupada said that having different opinions is not a bad thing. It shows that we are persons, and as personalists, there can be differences. Sometimes we become too quickly anxious that if there are different opinions, then something is wrong. But I would sometimes think, Well, can't we just have space for the different opinions? Do we have to come up with only one opinion about this particular issue or can we have different approaches? We talk a lot about unity in diversity. Some anxiety I think is there, whenever we encounter some conflict. Usually the problem has to do with communication. We're not very good at communicating and listening. It's not such a complicated thing to improve communication, it takes a little time, takes a little humility, patience. It means actually listening to the other person and actually exploring where there may be some truth in what they're saying, even if we may disagree. It takes a few basic communication skills, which we don't have to invent ourselves. Others have done so much in these kinds of practices. We can take advantage. I think also to allow ourselves to be in a state of uncertainty. Usually when some issue comes up, we're in anxiety because we need to come to some conclusion – it's either like this or it's like that. It seems to me that the more beneficial position can be: "Well, we have different opinions about this, so let us reflect. Let us not rush to conclusions." One reason we think we need to have single conclusions is, as an international mission, we value uniformity and that's natural, because we think if new people are coming, and they hear this opinion and then that opinion, they'll become confused; their confusion may lead them to give up the process. Well, maybe that's so. Or maybe they'll appreciate that we have allowance and space for different opinions. That's another possibility. That we don't all become like automatons – we all say the same thing and think the same thing and do the same thing, all the time the same thing. That could not be very attractive for many people.
The third Annual Educational Conference took place at the Bhaktivedanta College in Radhadesh in period from May 2 to May 4 . Unlike previous years, the Conference this year will have a regional European focus.
The aim of this year's Conference is to consolidate our educational efforts and come together to devise a future strategy for expanding ISKCON Education in Europe and materialize its vision cooperatively.
Report prepared by Anasuya Dasi
Her Grace Urmila Devi Dasi urged all participants to think about what their goals are, especially their goals related to education. Since all participants are somehow engaged in education, what would education in one's own city or yatra look like in its perfected form? Urmila Devi Dasi warned us regarding the dangers of focusing on the negative. When we feel that our needs are too big or too many, our project seems impossible. However, a lot of what we need actually already exists. It is more a matter of connecting with what is already there. Drawing our attention to some of the issues that make it feel impossible, Urmila Devi Dasi mentioned that, in ISKCON, we often simply don't connect with others. Relating to her own experiences of connecting, she explained that these connections can be very enlivening and practically helpful. In Mumbai, for example, many devotees sat in one room to talk about school administration, sharing resources, sharing human resources, sharing experience, etc. Sometimes, resources can be obtained from people who are not at all engaged in education. Maybe someone else has done it in a different way or language, but that does not mean it cannot be used for our own project. Have we looked outside of ISKCON for resources, such as Gaudiya Math, Christian Church, or the secular world? There was a time when ISKCON looked down on academics or non-devotees. However, Urmila Devi Dasi explained that she has received resources of good quality for free by professionals outside of ISKCON, especially from educators.
The kind of people we need to connect with are people with "people networks", some people simply know a lot of people. All one has to do is find that person and one is connected with that whole network. Then there are people who are resource persons. Urmila Devi Dasi called these "the cosmic librarians". One has to build a collection of resource people, because they tend to collect within their own field. At the same time, we also need to go beyond that and be able to look at the Ministry. It would be wonderful if it could function as a resource and information centre.
Maybe the Ministry can also provide validation and support. This can sound scary, but there seems to be a need for such validation, since many devotees ask about the quality of different education projects. Without a procedure for validation, how can we provide an answer based on more than just our own feeling or experience? For now, this question usually gets answered through gossip. Yet, we are all a little nervous about being evaluated like this by a neutral party. However, it would be healthy to learn about our areas of strength, and our challenges from a professional and neutral perspective. In this way, the Ministry can aid the different projects.
In conclusion, Urmila Devi Dasi asked all participants to make a list of their needs for their projects, so that everyone is prepared for the sharing exercise later on.
Yadunandana Swami first expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the Conference. Even though not many educators could make it, due to the late notice, Maharaja was very happy to see it happen. He stressed that quality is at least as important as quantity.
Maharaja asked the audience how many temples ISKCON has worldwide. And compared to that, how many colleges, primary schools, or secondary schools do we have? To find an answer to how we could change this, Maharaja looked to the Jesuits. Maharaja gave an account of how St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the "Company of Jesus" (Jesuits). Ignatius first studied at university in order to prepare himself for his mission. He started a College twelve years after founding the Jesuits with some of his friends. Today, there are 231 Jesuit universities, 462 secondary schools, 187 primary schools, 70 technical institutes worldwide, and nearly 3.000.000 students. The main purpose of the Jesuits is the salvation of souls, for which they primarily use education. In establishing themselves worldwide, they did not try to impose their own cultural values, as the Europeans did. They transferred their values in a way locals could relate. One of the pioneers in China dressed as the Chinese scholars and learned the language and taught in a relevant way to locals. Sometimes, the Jesuits were persecuted because of the ingenuity they used to adapt to embrace a changing world.
Yadunandana Swami connected the example of the Jesuits and the way they connect education with missionary work and community development, with what ISKCON could do. The Jesuits network with the communities and thus reach out through education. How much is ISKCON doing this? We see the example of His Holiness Sivarama Swami, who has made steps to integrate the mission into the community through education. Now, also the Goloka foundation is taking initiative in this direction, but it needs to be developed more. Maharaja concluded by saying that systematic education is essential to preserve Srila Prabhupada's legacy. As long as ISKCON does not develop a sound, concrete, and practical educational strategy, ISKCON's missionary work and Community development will remain incomplete.
Krishna Kshetra Dasa started off by having the group brainstorm about what kind of associations we make with "relevance", and he suggested two overarching principles in finding relevant ways to teach sastra, Religious Reading and Life Writing. Paul Griffith contrasts "religious reading" (repeatedly going back to one's reading and finding new lights as one does this) with "consumer reading" (looking for what one can get from the reading and never reading the same material again). Many educators want to instil this notion of reading in students. However, it will not make sense unless we find how the reading is relevant. Sometimes, in consumer reading, we end up losing the point. There used to be a culture of reading and remembering philosophy, lila, and so on.
One starts with reading the story, sravanam. Then, with sravanam comes some kind of remembering, retention of the content, mananam. As guide, you can draw out some hypothetical questions. This means, creating some discussion where the students think about what would I do or think if I were there. Discussion can inspire interesting topics and bring out incomplete knowledge about the situation. It depends on the age of the students how much of this can be articulated. Further mananam is to identify which part of the lila one likes or dislikes, identifies with, would like to relate to others, etc. The last part of this process is called nidhidyasanam, internalizing the story.
At this point, Krishna Kshetra Dasa explained the second of the two principles, namely Life Writing. This is any kind of writing about life, like a journal or a blog. The two principles combined, religious reading and life writing, could bring a very rich and powerful experience that brings one to realisation. For example, one could write a few lines of dialogue in case you were the demon, or any other member of the story. Writing dialogue can be great fun and then of course be performed as well. For younger students, it might be more interesting to perform. After this, one can relate this again to one's present life, or particular situation. To recount in the third person can be easier than in the first person. Otherwise, it might be too confessional. That detachment may help to think about oneself as an observer. And then relate that again to the original story.
Raghupati Dasa commenced his presentation by expressing his appreciation that, after fifteen years of silence, the yearly education conferences are taking place again since 2012. After a brief introduction to the topic he wanted to discus, Raghupati Dasa asked the participants to reflect upon the kind of teacher they think they are. The possible answers he provided for this exercise were: law enforcer to the potentially criminal, carer to the vulnerable, salesperson to potential buyer, preacher to the sinful, sheepdog to sheep, website to surfers, gardener to plants, and tour guide to tour bus. Several issues came up while reflecting upon this. This role depends on the audience one has. We sometimes take more than one role, different roles for different individuals in the audience. Raghupati Dasa continued on to say that also one's dress and environment help determine the kind of role one takes. There are many external identifications one accepts according to one's roles.
Next, Raghupati Dasa asked the participants to answer the following questions in relation to what teaching and learning mean for themselves, in pairs: What do you believe? What do you feel strongly about? What are your priorities? What is your instinctive feeling? Raghupati Dasa then explained the Kolb cycle, going from having an experience to planning the next steps. He also urged the educators among the participants to become learner centred in case they were teacher centred. Instead of being teacher centred, we should be learner centred. To encourage this, Raghupati Dasa gave some examples for making the teaching/learning experience more interactive, and asked participants to share what they will do to create a new learning environment in their classroom.
Dina Dayal Dasa introduced us to the online learning program of Bhaktivedanta College Radhadesh. Since many of the participants were already familiar with online education, he presented some of its history, in general and at Bhaktivedanta College.
The first time any course was offered anywhere online was in 1989, with eight graduates. In 2011, 355 000 students graduated online. At Bhaktivedanta College, we had 26 online students in 2011, and 186 online students in 2014. The main differences with offering courses onsite are in Place, Time, and Interaction. Speaking from personal experience, Dina Dayal Dasa, warned against overloading one's students. Students get frightened by work-overload and tend to leave the program. Furthermore, one should not overlook the importance of real-time contact between tutors and students. At the same time, his experience is to guard against too much personal e-mail interaction with one's students, he feels it is better to push forum discussions. Nevertheless, daily reminders or small motivating messages are good to keep students on track. Challenges in teaching online are mainly in regards to the difference in time zones between and with students, and the lack of personal contact with students. The tutor tends to spend a lot of time with students individually, addressing their often synchronous questions through personal e-mails. Additionally, it also seems harder to engage silent students, or know how they are doing. Through the medium of webinar classes, where there is direct contact between all attendees, part of this issue can be resolved. Students have expressed challenges regarding self-discipline due to a lack of support and association with peers, which is naturally there when students reside on campus.
Regarding the amount of students, Dina Dayal Dasa explained that if one has masses to appeal to, one easily gets clients. However, what Bhaktivedanta College offers is not for the masses. However, we experience that when there is some endeavour in marketing, the results come. Students who get attracted to Bhaktivedanta College Online Courses (BCOC) are mainly female, married, in their late thirties, with children, often from the USA, living in big cities, middle class, and initiated.
Matsyavatara Prabhu and Ananta Deva Dasa introduced us to the Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta (Ananta Deva Dasa introduced us to the Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta (CSB), which has a huge impact, especially in Italy. It was founded by Matsyavatar Dasa (ACBSP) in 1995. It is a non-profit cultural institution, recognized by the Italian Government. Its Academic Department of Traditional Indian Sciences collaborates with several Universities, Institutes, Colleges and researchers worldwide. However, its degrees of MA and PhD are not yet accredited. The degrees they offer stand on their own. Their program is meant to build a cultural and spiritual bridge, a bridge of language and civilization between two worlds, the Western one with its major representatives and the one of the Great Vaisnava Acaryas, by trying to fulfill one of Srila Prabhupada's main requests, the spreading of Krishna Consciousness in lay society through culture, organizing public events and Courses in universities, hospitals, cultural centers, economical, scientific and artistic institutions. It is therefore aimed at the general public, not only specifically at those who have already made a religious commitment. CSB Courses have already lead hundreds of people to the study of Krishna Bhakti and of Srila Prabhupada's books and dozens of them to undertake initiation life in our Guru-Parampara. CSB is introducing Srila Prabhupada's teachings in important cultural institutes and university faculties through hundreds of lectures and conferences all over Italy, explaining Gaudiya Vaisnava Philosophy, Psychology and Spirituality in a scientific language that also scholars can appreciate and feel comfortable with.
CSB organizes seminars (generally two-day seminars) all over Italy. These seminars are attended by 50-90 people each time and are dedicated to an intensive study of Vaisnava tradition and Srila Prabhupada's teachings in all their sociological, psychological and philosophical aspects. However, it is especially through the residential seminars, generally attended by two hundreds people each time and offering a full and intense week of study and sadhu-sanga, the participants get the chance to taste practically the main aspects of sadhana bhakti: mangala arati, japa, Srila Prabhupada's books, prasadam and so on. During these retreats many people have started their spiritual practices and have became devotees.
Maha-vidya Devi Dasi introduced us to the importance of the oral aspect of teaching. She asked the attendees to meditate on the importance of how one addresses someone in terms of enhancing personalism. For example, buying some stamps at the post-office. In the West, we have procedures for everything, we do not encounter the persons behind the procedures, we encounter the procedures. In India, there is no such thing as procedures. You are just constantly dealing with the particular person and their mood. In this context, Maha-vidya Devi Dasi looked at our education and teaching, because it is easy to get stuck in procedures as well for Westerners. But we have to remind ourselves that we are dealing with a person. We have to come back to the personal level.
Maha-vidya Devi Dasi then gave the example of Plato, how all he left was dialogue, an oral act. According to Plato, wisdom can only happen through dialogue. Looking at the Vaishnava tradition, we can recognize the same in the Srimad Bhagavatam. The invention of letters is, for Maha-vidya Devi Dasi, one of the greatest inventions. Letters are a support for memory. The first written testimony of European civilization is receipts, for sheep and wine. These are not really very important to remember. What was important to remember, was kept in the heart. Plato was mostly concerned with "sophia", wisdom. However, wisdom is only possible when the subject is properly understood. Even when there was extensive literature, they read it aloud in the circle of students, and then discussed. Derveni Papyrus, X 1-8, said:
"For it is impossible for one who does not utter to say; and (Orpheus) deemed say and utter the same thing. Say and teach have the same sense; for it is impossible to teach without saying the things that are taught by means of words; and teaching is deemed to be a kind of saying. So teach was not distinguished from say and say from utter, but utter, say and teach have the same sense."
From the Caitanya Caritamrta (Antya 7.53), we learn that one has to serve a pure Vaishnava in order to understand transcendental topics. It is difficult to grasp the meaning and context of the narrative without someone's guidance. Maha-vidya Devi Dasi questioned whether we actually know what the popular term "realised knowledge" means. Kala-desa-patra (time, place, and circumstance) is the main consideration for applying book-knowledge. Nobody could find his way on his own according to time, place, and circumstance. In our own practice and lives we can see that personal adjustment is constantly needed.
In conclusion, Maha-vidya Devi Dasi encouraged the attendees to reflect on the elements that could enhance our attitudes and understanding while trying to convey messages.
Bhakti Rasa Dasa expressed his gratitude and happiness for being able to attend the conference. He addressed the group on the subject that he discusses in his PhD application, namely dharma in the vehicle of the Indian epics. Bhakti Rasa Dasa explained that an important part of his research work is determining who Dharma is as a person, and which dharma is discussed when. Dharma is multi-layered and can be described differently by various translations of the word. One of the questions Bhakti Rasa Dasa wants to address is whether this pre-secular idea of dharma can contribute to the post-secular idea. In order for dharma to be relevant in the post-secular era, one also needs to consider what is accepted as religious education in different countries. Do we look at Ramayan, or Mahabharat, or the Puranas? What combination is best suited for western colleges and university audiences? Since this is the audience Bhakti Rasa Dasa has in mind, it is important for him to focus on them in determining how to present his subject. He also wants to find contemporary ways to present these epics, so that the principles presented are relevant and can be applied in students actual lives.
After thus introducing his topic, Bhakti Rasa Dasa then took the audience on a journey, a short listening experiment. He presented a five-minute segment of radio, which was broadcast earlier this year on BBC4. It was a section of Ramayan, set in modern India. The approach of the writers and readers was neutral regarding the divine identity of the characters. After listening, the attendees were requested to write about which features of dharma could be illustrated through such hearing experiences, and whether or not they found this presentation of Ramayan at all acceptable.
Speaking in name of the Ministry of Education, Ramgiridhari Dasa brought an enlivening and encouraging mood to the conference. There are more than two hundred and fifty thousand children in our movement, but not even 5% of our children attend our own educational institutions. During a meeting of the ministry in October, the members of the ministry decided to again take on the name Srila Prabhupada had given the ministry, namely Ministry of Education. The first concern of the Minister of Education, Sesa Dasa, is to set up a team to do strategic planning. During the many brainstorming sessions that already took place, the ministry set up a framework for how the ministry can globally function more efficiently, and determined three goals for the near future. Firstly, we need to consolidate the identity of the Ministry through one on one meetings with, and conferences such as this for educators in ISKCON. Secondly, we want to connect educators and educational initiatives worldwide. Ramgiridhari Dasa invited all attendees to contribute towards this. And thirdly, to provide some supervising support for the development and execution of educational plans and projects. It is not the intent of the members of the Ministry of Education to interfere, but to facilitate. The most important way to facilitate now is to dig up the jewels in our own backyard, to bring educators and their resources together.
After this short but powerful presentation, Ramgiridhari Dasa asked for input from the attendees regarding whom could be asked to become the European regional representative for the Ministry of Education. At first the discussion focussed on which countries are included in "Europe". The discussion then moved towards the qualifications needed for being the regional representative. Funding, and support from the GBC were also hot topics, and specific suggestions of candidates for the role of regional representative were made. This discussion continued the next, and last day of the conference. Plus, the different attendees shared their own needs and offers in regards to their education projects or plans. This was found to be an inspirational and practically very useful session. The process of sharing resources among educators and educational institutes that the Ministry of Education has as one of its goals had successfully started.
Ananta Deva Dasa elaborated upon Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta (CSB). He explained in more detail what their BA, MA, and PhD programs entail and what courses they have developed for these spiritual degrees. He also expressed the desire to see these degrees accredited by established universities, so that they may also receive recognition by society at large. While most students attend these courses with the aim of self-improvement, and not to obtain a degree, it would still be advantageous if these degrees received some accreditation. Several attendees of the conference expressed their amazement at the vastness and depth of CSB, and their appreciation for having carved out a career path within ISKCON. Independent of accreditation, CSB is offering something important to ISKCON, and society at large. Attendees wondered if this model could be replicated in other countries.
His Holiness Yadunandana Swami presented the education institute he is setting up in Spain, mainly in Nueva Vraja Mandala. The farm is becoming a wonderful place for sanga and education, whereas it was up for sale until recently. Sastric courses and weekend retreats have been the main focus of the institute. Moreover, now the organizers are thinking of organizing festivals as well, since the Spanish love festivals. So far, there are not many students for the residential courses, but even those few students give life to a place that would otherwise be empty. For half of the planned courses there are enough applicants, the other half we have to cancel. Many of the courses on offer this year are designed based on the needs expressed by the local leaders. The concept is working out well and we have started to offer similar courses in other Spanish city temples, such as Madrid, Malaga, and Barcelona. The courses are tailored to the local needs of those temples. The desire is to ultimately reach out to all of the fifty ISKCON centres in Spain.
Building on Maha-vidya Devi Dasi's discourse on the invention of letters and the need for personal communication, Urmila Devi Dasi gave a presentation on metaphors and the power of stories. She started off by giving the example that some powerful and very qualified devotees were quarrelling and thus not being very effective in their service. Urmila Devi Dasi addressed the problem by narrating a metaphor, when people do not row a boat in harmony; they go in circles and get nowhere. Instead of addressing what each person was doing wrong, this metaphor effectively addressed the issue without hurting or offending anyone. Urmila Devi Dasi explained different scenarios in which people come to us for guidance, or help, or we feel the need to help someone without being solicited by them. These different approaches to helping someone are efficient in different ways for different scenarios. Metaphors can be a useful tool in most of these approaches. We can also see that they are present in Krishna's pastimes. Aside from Krishna being a real person and the pastimes having actually happened, there is also a metaphorical understanding for, for example, the demons. Metaphors bypass the false ego, and engage people. One goes into a light trance. The deeper the trance, the more the mind sleeps and the intelligence becomes more active. Stories can turn over culture. As one is exposed to stories, sometimes in the shape of movies, stories change people's opinion. Opinions do not change because of logic or facts. Abortion, homosexuality, the ecological movement, all these paradigms change through stories, very quickly! Another interesting phenomena is that when you are listening to a story, your body is also active, you are practicing the values and behaviours portrayed by the characters in the stories. That is why the media is full of stories.
The idea that fiction is not true and non-fiction is true, is false in Urmila Devi Dasi's opinion. Some fictional stories that did not happen in time and space teach truth, and the other way around. Scripture is also full of stories. The frame of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam are stories. Srimad Bhagavatam is a good example of how to use metaphors or a story within a story, within a story. Layering stories is one of the most powerful ways of using a metaphor, because it even further removes the story from the person you are talking to. Thus, it is even less threatening. One can either look for a true historical story, or create one's own metaphor. Acaryas regularly use stories and metaphors. The reason we all enjoy stories is because Krishna enjoys them too. Rasa is made of stories.
Sesa Dasa, the ISKCON Minister of Education, thanked all organizers and participants to the Education Conference 2014. He said he had given up hope that it would happen this year, but then Urmila, Maha-vidya and Ramgiridhari bravely stepped forward. He felt that a difficult page has been turned for the Ministry of Education, the conference was not put off anymore when the organization became difficult. Uniting educators and education projects is important for the entire society. Sesa Dasa is now on the executive committee of the GBC, and sees that there is a great need for an educated body of devotees. For several issues it has become clear to Sesa Dasa that, in order to understand these issues, in order to analyse them and solve them, we need an educated populace. We will not be able to do it if the devotees are not educated. You think education is expensive, try ignorance. Things will be perpetuated that will hold us back. Therefore, he wants to encourage educators and managers. We need to be able to send our people for training and education. Not that we just educate outsiders. Sesa Dasa truly hopes that these conferences can inspire and encourage those in the field.
Thank you, Maha-vidya Devi Dasi, for inviting and informing attendees. This gave us hope to take it up. Thank you to all participants for coming and sharing. Thank you, Urmila Devi Dasi, for putting together a program and organizing the speakers. Thank you, Sridama, for organising the arrivals and funds. Thank you, Sesa, for donating 1000 dollars for this conference.


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Grupo Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad
Plaza Mayor square in Cáceres
Cáceres city walls
- Autonomous region:
- Extremadura
- Province/Island:
- Cáceres
World Heritage, a certification granted by UNESCO.
More than ten towers dominate the historic quarter of Caceres, delimited by Arab walls. Cobbled streets marked by medieval, fortified homes and Renaissance palaces make up the most beautiful sceneries in this city, which was declared World Heritage. The local history is closely related to one the historic, peninsular routes: "Vía de la Plata" (the Silver Route), a Roman road that linked Seville and Astorga, used by the pilgrims who were headed to Santiago de Compostela. Pork products and shepherd recipes are the fundamental elements of the rich culinary tradition of this region, the dishes should be served with some of the excellent wines from Caceres.
Originally called Norba Caesarina, the city of Cáceres was founded by the Romans in 34 BC. However,it was not until the arrival of the Moors (12th century) that the city enjoyed its era of greatest splendour. A century later, the city would pass into Christian hands upon its reconquest by Alfonso IX of León. In the 15th century Isabella I brought an end to the continuous power struggles between the local nobles by ordering the cutting-off of the tops of the towers of their respective house-fortresses. Thereafter the city experienced an economic boom, mainly brought about by its active role in the discovery of America. The walled part of Cáceres, the majority of which is Almohad, preserves to this day its Medieval defensive towers such as those of Bujaco, Yerba and del Horno, all 12th century constructions. The gate known as the El Arco de la Estrella affords access to the area of the city enclosed by its wall. This entrance, the work of Manuel de Lara Churriguera, was built in the 18th century to replace the previous Puerta Nueva, which dated from the medieval period. Once inside the medieval quarter, there are palaces and ancestral houses to be seen at every turn, which can be easily identified by the presence of family coats of arms. The Plaza de Santa María is surrounded by several palaces. One of these is the Carvajal palace, which was built between the 15th and 16th centuries, later to be refurbished in the middle of the 20th century. At the centre of its picturesque, Renaissance courtyard there stands a thousand-year-old fig tree. Beside the house stands a 12th century round tower built by the Moors. The palace currently houses the Cáceres Tourist, Craft and Traditional Culture Board. The square is completed by the Mayoralgo Palace (16th century), the biggest in the city, with its interior stone, pointed-arched courtyard and the Episcopal Palace. The latter has two façades, one dating from the 13th century, with a foiled arch at its entrance, while the other Renaissance façade is adorned with bossage arching. The whole is presided over by the 15th century, Gothic Santa María Pro-cathedral. The church is made up of three naves covered by rib vaults. Worthy of special mention is its main altarpiece with stalls, built in the Plateresque style. This work by Guillén Ferrant and Roque Balduque is made of non-polychromed cedar and consists of priceless sculptures and reliefs. Apart from the tombstones and Baroque altarpieces in its side chapels, you should not miss the image of the Cristo de los Blázquez, also known as the Cristo Negro ("Black Christ") which, tradition has it, brought death to all those who looked at, or touched, it. In the neighbouring San Pablo square stands the 15th century Cáceres-Ovando House. Attached to the building stands the Cigüeñas Tower, which is the only tower that Isabella I allowed to preserve its battlements. Notwithstanding, one of the most beautiful examples of Cáceres architecture is the 15th century Golfines de Abajo Palace, with its outstanding 16th century Renaissance façade, not to mention the superposition of Gothic and Mudejar features, as well as its 17th century Plateresque cresting. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella are said to have stayed here in this fine building on one of their visits to the capital. The San Mateo square is home to the Paredes Saavedra House, which dates from the 15th and 16th centuries, the House of Lorenzo de Ulloa (15th century), and the House of the Veletas. Built at the end of the 15th century over the old Almohad fortress, this palace was rebuilt at the beginning of the 18th century. Its Baroque façade is one of the building's most noteworthy exterior features, not to mention its pinnacles (colloquially referred to as "weather vanes") that crown its top. An excellently preserved cistern from the old Spanish-Moorish fortress, which could possibly have come down to us from the 12th century, is to be found inside, underneath the courtyard. Today the building serves to house the Cáceres Museum that has a collection of archaeological pieces and ethnographic artefacts on display to enable the visitor to get to know the history of the province. San Mateo church (16th century), which stands in the square of the same name, is built over the city's old main mosque. It posesses an oustanding Gothic façade. Outside the walls, there is a magnificent flight of steps that leads down to the Plaza Mayor, which is notable for its numerous towers and the Balbos Forum. Nearby stands the Godoy Palace (16th century), a Renaissance building with a beautiful corner balcony. Beside it we have the Santiago church, founded by the order known as the "Fratres de Cáceres", a precursor of the later Order of Santiago. Several other artistic features have been added in the course of time to its original Romanesque structure, from among which the Berruguete altarpiece deserves special mention. On leaving the city, on the highest peak of the neighbouring Sierra de la Mosca Mountains we come across the Nuestra Señora de la Montaña Church, which houses a Baroque altarpiece. Under the church you can visit the cave where the veneration of Our Lady of the Mountain began, who was to become as of 1688, the patroness of the city. To round off the visit, this area provides the visitor with some of the best panoramic views of this monumental city and its outskirts. Gastronomy and the outskirts Cáceres cuisine revolves around pork and its by-products. Shepherd recipes are undoubtedly the most popular traditional dishes throughout the entire province: lamb and goat-kid stew, migas (chorizo sausage, bacon and bread), etc. Other traditional dishes include sopas canas (with milk, bread, oil, paprika and garlic) and "ropavieja" (meat in a sauce with egg and tomato). All of these specialities can be accompanied by a glass of Cáceres wine, the quality of which is guaranteed by the Ribera del Guadiana Designation of Origin label. There is wide variety of desserts on offer, including sheep's, goat's and cow's cheese, not to mention the excellent confectionery, originally a monastery speciality, of which the delicious sweets from the San Pablo convent are an outstanding example. The old Comendador de Alcuéscar Palace, also known as the Marqueses de Torreorgaz Palace has been refurbished and converted into a Parador Hotel, which has seen it become one of the best hotel establishments in the capital. It is one of the most outstanding buildings of the "old", monumental Cáceres, which originally dates from the 14th century, but which was later refurbished in the 15th and 17th centuries. Cáceres province possesses a host of interesting routes to be discovered by the visitor. One of these, called the Vía de la Plata, takes us along the ancient Roman road that joined Sevilla and Astorga, and which later on was used by the pilgrims as they made their way to Santiago de Compostela. On taking this route we can also visit, in addition to Cáceres, Plasencia, the second most important city in the province. Indeed, its city walls conceal an important artistic heritage. The Plasencia Parador Hotel is situated in a 15th century convent in the monumental heart of the city. To the north of the province, in the district of La Vera, we come across Hervás, a town that possesses one of the best preserved Jewish quarters in Spain, and Valverde de la Vera, a site that has been declared to be of Historical-Artistic interest. At Jarandilla de la Vera, beside the Yuste Monastery, you can spend the night at the Parador Hotel, which was originally a Medieval castle-palace. To the east of the capital Trujillo the home of the conquistadors of Latin America is worth a visit. There we can visit the old Santa Clara convent (16th century), which has now been turned into the Trujillo Parador Hotel. Guadalupe is only a few kilometres away. This Historical-Artistic town is home to the Guadalupe Monastery, a Gothic-Mudejar building that has been declared to be a World Heritage site. Guadalupe also has its own Parador Hotel, which is located in the the old facilities of the San Juan Bautista hospital (15th century). Lastly, the Monfragüe National Park is just one of the numerous natural treasures to be found in Cáceres. An area of extremely varied landscape, it has been declared to be a Special Bird-Protection Area.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Create with patterns Photoshop fills provide an array of creative options for generating custom backdrops, picture frames, and even life-like trees. Learn how to use scripted patterns. (Watch, 9 min) FromAndy Anderson Browse all tutorials Hide all tutorials Helpful links Help with download & install How do I launch my app About this tutorial Added 01/13/2014 By Andy Anderson Andy Anderson More on this topic Filling and stroking selections, layers, and paths


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Girls' Swimsuits
Product Selection
Girls Swimsuits in Bright Colors & Designs
Girls and young athletes can enjoy the water with DICK'S Sporting Goods large selection of girls' swimsuits from top brands like Speedo, TYR, Dolfin and Nike.
DICK'S carries racing and training swimsuits, active-sport and lifeguard swimsuits as well as technical suits in a variety of colors and styles to suit her team and personal style. Girls' swimsuits are offered from size 7 to 28.
At DICK'S, you'll find a wide selection of girls' swimwear, such as one and two-piece swimsuits, technical swimsuits for competitions, girls board shorts, water shoes and accessories like swim caps and goggles. Vibrant colors and striking patterns colors are available for many styles.
Buying Tips
From competitions to surfing or casual swimming, our selection of girls' swimsuits comes in a variety of shapes and styles. If your little girl swims competitively, consider racing suits made of nylon, lycra or spandex. These suits resist chlorine, cut down on drag and provide comfort and mobility.
For the very serious swimmer, consider a technical swimsuit for girls. With a body-hugging design and water-repelling components, these suits are built for tough competitions.
DICK'S Sporting Goods also offers warm-up suits to keep your swimmer warm in between events or to and from practice. These jacket and pant combinations allow for easy changing and many styles accommodate headphones so your young athlete can listen to her favorite tunes.
Expert Advice
When choosing a girls's swimwear for the competitive swimmer, choose a suit constructed of chlorine-resistant fabrics. These fabrics prevent sagging and fading and are built to withstand long hours in the pool.
For the young girl who likes to surf, rash guards offer protection from the sun's rays as well as prevent board-rash and chafing. Available in long or short sleeve styles, rash guards provide protection in both warm and cool weather.
When purchasing accessories like goggles or swim caps, consider the type of activity she will be doing. Competitive swimming requires streamlined goggles that cut down on drag and won't fall off when diving. Casual swimmers can choose goggles with a wider lens and thicker straps.
- Crocs Clogs
- Girls' Board Shorts
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- Under Armour Girls' Swimsuits


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How to tweak settings on your webcam
Aug 28, 2013 2:37 PM -
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BELLEVUE, Wash. -- The Washington State Patrol will be out in force Friday as rains return to the morning and afternoon commute after a nearly unbroken string of 80 dry days.
KING 5 Meteorologist Rich Marriott predicts steady rain for the morning commute. That will turn to off-and-on showers in the afternoon, with more rain extended through the weekend. High temps are expected to be in the mid to upper 50s. Latest forecast
Things will stay wet in the lowlands through the weekend, but the mountains are expected to take a pounding with 5 to 10-inches of rain and 3 to 5-inches along the coast. Rivers will rise, but because they are so low now, there shouldn t be any river flooding, said Marriott.
Urban flooding is another story. Leaves blowing off the trees could block storm drains, leading to standing water in some places. It s a good idea to check the drains in your neighborhood and make sure they are clear.
Winds could also be a factor up to 30 mph in some neighborhoods this weekend. They could be even stronger Monday as a system moves in from Vancouver Island. Because of new growth and leaves on trees, that could bring down limbs over roads and on power lines.
State Patrol to watch for aggressive drivers
And the Washington State Patrol is getting prepared. In King County alone, WSP plans to have at least 130 troopers on duty Friday in a 24 hour period, including car, motorcycle and special unmarked units dedicated to nabbing aggressive drivers.
This is going to be treacherous, both in the morning and at night, said Trooper Jonathan Lever, a nearly 22-year veteran of the state patrol who s spent years on the eastside.
He s referring to a number of hot spots such as eastbound I-90 heading downhill toward the interchange with I-405.
Rain always brings more accidents, but Lever said several factors could make make Friday's commute a nightmare. The oily film building up on the roads that, when exposed to moisture, turns slick, and second, drivers are out of practice. There'll be a mix between drivers being cautious and more aggressive drivers who cast any caution to the wind.
And they re going to take risks that they shouldn t take, and that makes for a really bad situation, said Lever.
Remember that if you see a downed power line, you should assume there is still electricity getting to it. Do not touch it.
You can get the latest conditions anytime with the Seattle Weather app.


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Step 6: RSVP FOR REQUIRED POLICIES AND RESOURCES ORIENTATION
The Student & Program Services team will also present in-person Policies & Resources Orientation Sessions in August. These all-program sessions are designed to give you important information that you need to know just before you begin courses as well as orient you to important policies, procedures, and resources at Wagner and NYU. These sessions, held at Wagner (295 Lafayette Street at Houston Street), will be one and a half hours long and include time for questions.
Participation in one of the Policies & Resources Orientation Sessions is mandatory. If you cannot attend the session, you must contact Student & Program Services as early as possible.
Please RSVP at: Getting Started -> Advisement and Registration


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- Year Introduced: 2007
- Recommended Use: casual
No reviews written for this product
I absolutely LOVE this perfume! I definitely love wearing it when I am feeling happy (anytime) because it goes right along with my mood. It is subtle, but smells delicious and wonderful. It has a very sweet, fresh smell. I discovered it once in a mall, and had to go through some hoops and bounds to get it via internet, but I was going to keep trying because it is worth all of my effort!! I thought the 3.3 oz would be too big, but because I am using it so much, I think I'll be buying more before I know it!!! I love it so much!!!
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Burberry Brit Sheer is great for the summer! fresh and clean.
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Burberry Brit Sheer is amazing when I ordered from here I was kinda scared after reading reviews but it was shipped faster then the expected date and it's smells lovely.
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The Burberry Brit tester is just as good as the retail bottle -- so why spend the difference? The only bummer is the plastic cap that comes with the tester bottle was broken in the shipping so now I can't carry it in my purse. Other than that -- this bottle is just as good as the retail bottle.
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I'm drawn toward lighter scents, and Burberry Brit Sheer is great! I wear this fragrance anywhere and everywhere. It's great for work, going out, daytime, beach, whatever. The scent is light, a cross between flowery/citrusy/natural/outdoor. I layer it up a little more if I'm going out for the evening or just use a dab during the day at the office. I would definitely recommend, and want to try out more Burberry scents as well!
Written by Jennba on August 22, 2013Read Review details ►


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One more step to get low fare alertsPrivacy Policy
Thanks for signing up!
You'll hear from our Dealhounds as soon as we find new low fares from:
West Palm Beach, FL (PBI)
All mandatory taxes/fees are included in the price. Tax-inclusive fare may be a few dollars higher or lower depending on the airport you connect through, if any. Baggage fees, if applicable, and other optional fees are not included.
Our Dealhounds found this airfare using flexible date search. This means we searched a range of dates to find you the best price.
Reviews for Atlanta to West Palm Beach (ATL-PBI)
"Lack of Consideration for Passengers"
Flight from Atlanta to West Palm Beach
- Airline:
- Delta
- Round Trip
- Number of Stops:
- No stops
- Date of Flight:
- November 2010
- Seat Class:
- economy
On this flight, I was "told" to move to accommodate a handicapped passenger by the person boarding the passenger. The passenger was assigned a middle seat in a row of three. He needed assistance and should have been placed in a window seat of two, but not in a row of three.
I assisted the passenger with his tray, his beverage (was actually just handed his water because he requested a bottle of water), and with his catheter bag. The cabin crew never checked on him and the other passenger in the window seat and I were pretty much stuck the entire flight. To exit when the flight landed, we had to crawl over him to leave the aircraft.
I had no concerns with helping the passenger, even moving my seat, but it was not necessary to place him there. They were boarding other standbys and could have accommodated everyone nicely if they cared. The seat they placed him in was only available the night before because my husband had to cancel his travel plans.
Flight from Atlanta to West Palm Beach
- Airline:
- Delta
- Round Trip
- Number of Stops:
- No stops
- Date of Flight:
- September 2010
- Seat Class:
- economy
Great to have the alerts so that it's easier to know when to book. West Palm is a wonderful airport to go into because it is small, not that busy and very nice.


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This guide will walk you through
- downloading the latest source code from the trunk of a plugin
- building the plugin
- creating JIRA issues
- modifying the plugin source code
- deploying the plugin to an internal repository for use within your company
- creating patches and attaching to JIRA
- applying patches retrieved from JIRA
Known Issues
Single Artifact can not be available on multiple repositories
See http://www.nabble.com/forum/ViewPost.jtp?post=7884079&framed=y&skin=177, a single artifact can not be available on multiple repositories.
The workaround is to install mvnproxy and include in the configuration all internal repositories.
This way mvnproxy will aggregate all the configured repositories regardless of what actual repository was requested. That is, even though an artifact from central was requested, mvnproxy will return any matching files found for all the repositories that are configured within mvnproxy.
The previous workaround was to suffix "-i" to the artifactId, which is a broken workaround as this makes a duplicate copy of the artifact with a different name and will cause two potentially incompatible libraries to be on the classpath. If you see any references to this workaround in this document please make corrections.
Long file names on Windows
Previous versions of this document recommended a naming convention like -INTERNAL-r<svn rev>-p<Patch Num>-p<Patch Num>... The problem is that this causes very long file names on windows and then when you run maven the java will fail with a general protection fault. Please ensure you dont use long version values.
Downloading the latest source code from the trunk of a plugin
Maven uses Subversion as it's source control repository. The base subversion repository is located at http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/maven. Within this structure there are a number of different directories of useful files:
- http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/maven/plugins/trunk - all maven plugins
- http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/maven/sandbox/plugins - sandboxed maven plugins (ones that have not been promoted into common use)
- http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/maven/components/trunk - the maven core itself
- http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/maven/shared/trunk - shared components (e.g. maven-archiver)
- codehaus plugins - see their respective web pages for their location, the general format is svn.codehaus.org/project/trunk
Using your favourite subversion tool, check out the plugin you want (e.g. http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/maven/plugins/trunk/maven-assembly-plugin)
Building the plugin
Maven developers try to ensure that the trunk always builds and to build your own copy use
mvn package.
However because the plugin may be using snapshot versions of other plugins, you will need to ensure you have setup your environment correctly to obtain any dependencies from the snapshot repositories. See the Maven Development Procedures for more details on how to configure your environment. You may also want to read Guide to Testing Development Versions of Plugin and
Guide to Plugin Snapshot Repositories (this guide contains the codehaus snapshot repository setup)
Here are the profiles in use from following the advice above:
<profile> <id>apache</id> <repositories> <repository> <id>apache.snapshots</id> <name>Maven Snapshots</name> <url>http://people.apache.org/maven-snapshot-repository</url> <releases> <enabled>false</enabled> </releases> <snapshots> <enabled>true</enabled> </snapshots> </repository> </repositories> <pluginRepositories> <pluginRepository> <id>apache.snapshots</id> <name>Maven Plugin Snapshots</name> <url>http://people.apache.org/maven-snapshot-repository</url> <releases> <enabled>false</enabled> </releases> <snapshots> <enabled>true</enabled> </snapshots> </pluginRepository> </pluginRepositories> </profile> <profile> <id>codehaus.org</id> <repositories> <repository> <id>codehaus.org</id> <name>CodeHaus Snapshots</name> <url>http://snapshots.repository.codehaus.org</url> <releases> <enabled>false</enabled> </releases> <snapshots> <enabled>true</enabled> </snapshots> </repository> </repositories> <pluginRepositories> <pluginRepository> <id>codehaus.org</id> <name>CodeHaus Plugin Snapshots</name> <url>http://snapshots.repository.codehaus.org</url> <releases> <enabled>false</enabled> </releases> <snapshots> <enabled>true</enabled> </snapshots> </pluginRepository> </pluginRepositories> </profile>
Creating JIRA issues
Find the project for the maven plugin at http://jira.codehaus.org/secure/BrowseProjects.jspa.
Before you create a new JIRA issue you should confirm that there is no existing issue already available.
If one already exists, check what other people have suggested for a suitable solution. If there is a patch already, try using that before making your own modifications.
Modifying the plugin source code
The first step should be to create a unit test.
After the unit test has been created modify the code to pass the unit test.
Once the unit test is passing you can then build the plugin and attempt to use it locally via
mvn install. You should check that the plugin works as expected in your project.
Creating patches and attaching to JIRA
In the root directory of the plugin you have been modifying use
svn diff > ../JIRA COMPONENT-JIRA ID-patch.txt e.g.
svn diff > ../MASSEMBLY-118-patch.txt.
Find the JIRA issue you previously created and click the
Attach file link on the left side under the
Operations links. In the comment text area provide a brief description of the patch contents and anything of interest that should be pointed out.
Applying patches retrieved from JIRA
You will need a
patch program. Unix should come with patch out of the box. On Windows your choices are to use Cygwin or GNU Patch.
In the root directoy of the plugin run
patch -p0 < PATCH FILE e.g.
patch -p0 < ../MASSEMBLY-118-patch.txt. The
-p0 says to patch that there are no leading paths that need to be stripped from the patch file. In general you won't need to modify this, but if you do look at the
patch file for lines like
Index: FILE and work out how many path elements should be stripped and use that number as the option to
Deploying the plugin to an internal repository for use within your company
If you have an internal repository that is used by your company then you will want to deploy your patched versions to this repository until your patches have been applied to the plugin. If you don't have an internal repository you should consider setting one up, see Using Maven in a corporate environment for more details.
Before you start, ensure that your pom file does not depend upon any
SNAPSHOT versions, if it does then for each
SNAPSHOT version you will need to checkout the trunk for that artifact, build it and then follow the steps below to promote it to an internal release, otherwise you won't have any control over the build process.
Make the following changes to the
pom.xml file after making a backup copy.
- Set the version to be
-INTERNAL-r<svn version>instead of
-SNAPSHOT. See Better Builds with Maven (June 2006) page 61 for an explanation of how version numbers are compared. e.g. if the version is
2.2-SNAPSHOTand the subversion repository when you checked out the plugin was at r485327 then set it to
2.2-INTERNAL-r485327. Note: When the plugin is officially released as
2.2the released version will be considered newer than your patched version and supercede it. You will need to check if your patches have been applied in the release and if not then follow these instructions again. By including the patch numbers in the version id it will help you identify immediately what needs to get checked.
- Modify the description to include exactly what revision of the version repository the build is from and also if any patches (include links) that have been applied. You will need this information later when you try to work out what was in your internal release and when new releases occur what you need to do to back port and get a working internal release again. e.g:
- Add a distributionManagement section (or overwrite the existing section). As this is an internal release it will go to your internal_plugins repository, if you forget to do this you will be attempting to release into the maven repositories which you don't have access to.
- Include the maven-source-plugin so that the source jars get created as part of deployment, there appears to be no profile available in the parent hierarchy to enable this.
- Remove any snapshot repository definitions. These are in the
repositoriessection and contain an enabled
SNAPSHOT dependencies need to be internally released by following the above instructions. The dependency version is then changed from
-SNAPSHOT to
-INTERNAL. This can be quite a long process of chasing the dragon's tail.
You will need to also chase parent definitions that are a
SNAPSHOT version. Since you only need the pom definition use
mvn -N to avoid recursing into the module directories (which you don't care about and don't need to checkout). Parent poms are located one directory above the current pom, unless there is a
relativePath declaration.
Each dependency and parent pom that is promoted to
INTERNAL needs to be deployed to your internal repository via
mvn deploy, you must do this depth first so that the pom you are deploying has no
SNAPTSHOT dependencies.
Once all dependencies and parents have been deployed you can now deploy your changes to the plugin to your internal repository via
mvn deploy.
2 Comments
Instead of using a new version, it is more correct to put your patched plugin under your ouwn groupId, like com.mycompany.plugins
Placing the patched plugin under a new groupId was the way I first started doing this.
I can't recall the issues properly but one was:
- when you want to use a new release version it requires changing the parent pom (new groupId and new versionId) and all child poms (new groupId). With this way you only change the versionId in the parent pom.
A benefit of doing it under a new groupId is that you don't run into the problem where Maven resolves artifacts to one repository only (and the last one wins). So unless you have mvnproxy in the way to fix this issue you have problems. I'm not sure I've got around to raising a bug report against that yet.


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JON CARDINELLI writes of all the opportunities the Springboks have spurned in 2012, the missed goal-kicks have proved most costly. It bodes badly for a close contest with the All Blacks.
There is good reason to feel encouraged and inspired following Saturday's performance at Loftus. The Springboks were at their fearsome best as far as uncompromising physicality and defence was concerned, and they also added another element to their game. With the introduction of Johan Goosen, they now pose a realistic attacking threat.
I'm not sure what point Heyneke Meyer was trying to make after Saturday's match when he lamented the missed try-scoring opportunities. The Boks converted five of eight try-scoring chances, and that is a good return in Test rugby, especially in a competition as defensively-oriented as the Rugby Championship.
It was also the first time the Boks had managed to put five tries past top-ranked opposition since they thumped the Wallabies in September 2010. Mission accomplished. Right?
I understand that Meyer wants people to realise that these tries are the product of a game plan that has been in place since the first Test of 2012. What's changed is that the Boks are starting to execute efficiently.
Meyer is right to say it will be tougher to score tries against the All Blacks, but I cannot understand his lack of concern regarding the goal-kicking.
He has always placed an emphasis on goal-kicking, and that hasn't changed since he became the Bok coach. It was the reason Morné Steyn was backed for as long as we was, as Meyer believed Steyn had the ability to win matches. If Steyn could come through a bad patch of form, he would be an asset to South Africa once more.
But Steyn has struggled consistently this season, and has left Meyer with no choice but to pick someone else. That someone has proved a revelation, unlocking attacking strengths that most South Africans believed non-existent. But as good as Goosen has been for the Bok attack, the problems in front of goal have continued.
Goosen went into the Pretoria Test with an ankle injury, and this affected his goal-kicking. The responsibility was then passed to Ruan Pienaar, who succeeded with three from seven attempts. In total, the Boks were successful with three from nine attempts. It's just not good enough.
The Boks aren't going to score five tries against the world champions. The South Africans are capable of beating the All Blacks, and recently showed in Dunedin that they have the forwards and the defensive structures to match the New Zealanders. With Goosen at 10, they will have a flyhalf who can ask attacking questions, but they won't run riot as they did in Pretoria.
The simple truth is that these clashes are always close contests. One kick can win the game. The Boks didn't take their chances in Dunedin, leaving 21 points on the park through wayward goal-kicking. They can't afford to make the same mistake when they host the All Blacks in Soweto this week. They can't afford to miss one kick, let alone seven.
The All Blacks arrive in South Africa having already won the Rugby Championship. Will that detract from their motivation, will it make them easier to beat?
They arrived in 2010 for the final game of the then Tri-Nations, and still managed to edge the Boks in front of nearly 100 000 fans at Soccer City. The Boks must take nothing for granted. They must take every opportunity.
Their recent goal-kicking form doesn't inspire confidence, and Meyer must treat this as a matter of urgency.
Frans Steyn injured the same troublesome ankle in training last week and was forced to miss the Pretoria Test. I wouldn't be surprised if he was ruled out of the Soweto finale, or at least excused from any kicking duties.
Goosen's own ankle problem stopped him from kicking last Saturday. Will it be that Pienaar is asked to continue this week? If so, he will need to be far more accurate.
Meyer claims that Pienaar 'stepped up' at Loftus Versfeld, but the reality is that Pienaar missed four kicks (10 points), while Goosen missed two (six points). That's a total of 16 points that went begging. That's more than the total of the three tries that Meyer lamented.
The Boks have been poor in this department over the course of the competition, converting just 19 of their 37 shots on goal (a record of 51.3%). It's unsurprising that wayward goal-kicking prevented them from edging Argentina in Mendoza, as well as winning the Test in Dunedin.
Morné Steyn has goaled 13 out of 20 (65%), which is a poor return for a first-rate international kicker. Some of the individual penalties that he's missed have also been crucial ones.
One more goal in Mendoza and the Boks may have avoided an embarrassing draw. More success in Dunedin (Steyn kicked one out of five on that occasion) and the Boks would have recorded a famous victory.
Had Steyn converted these kicks, we may have seen the Boks still competing for the Rugby Championship crown at this late stage, rather than just playing for pride. But then Steyn is not solely to blame for the Boks' erratic and unreliable goal-kicking, as the other goal-kickers haven't been any better.
Frans Steyn is viewed as a freak, even in Test rugby circles, due to ability to convert long-range penalty attempts. But his stats in the 2012 Rugby Championship don't make for impressive reading (two from six) and bring the overall goal-kicking average down.
Goosen has converted one from four attempts, and Pienaar three from seven. Last Saturday was the first time Pienaar kicked in the Rugby Championship. His two from four return in the first half was enough to keep the scoreboard ticking, but in a closer contest perhaps the kicks he missed would have been scrutinised as bad misses.
What sort of form is Pienaar taking into a tight clash with the All Blacks? Meyer claims that kicking coach Louis Koen will address the problems in the build-up to Saturday's game, but the stats over the course of this tournament, of all four kickers used, don't inspire any more confidence in Koen than they do in the kickers themselves.
The All Blacks are the benchmark, and history will show that South Africa rarely beats New Zealand by outscoring them in terms of tries. It has so often been the case that goal-kicking edges these massive match-ups, and in that respect Pienaar, or whomever takes on the responsibility, will have a decisive role to play this coming Saturday.


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Suspended Lions coach John Mitchell will stay in South Africa regardless of the outcome of his disciplinary hearing.
Mitchell was suspended in June when Lions players complained to management about his coaching style. The Lions have postponed his disciplinary hearing several times, but it is likely that Mitchell and the Lions will part ways.
Speaking to New Zealand's Radio Sport, the former All Blacks coach said that he had no intention of returning to his home country just yet. He may give coaching a break, but Mitchell hopes to continue working in South Africa.
'I really enjoy South Africa. I've been coaching professionally now for 18 years and it might be time to do a bit of media work and impart my knowledge on to other coaches and then pick the right place to go into,' he said.
Mitchell added that he had learned a lot from his experiences at both the Western Force and the Lions. Both tenures were cut short prematurely.
'Since the All Blacks I've been in two extremely different jobs, I guess. I developed a new club [Western Force] in Australia and gone to a place which was obviously very negative and toxic when I arrived and obviously needed a rebuild… there's a learning [there], the next job I go into will have to a have a very good structure as opposed to trying to, I guess, micro-manage in an organisation which needs a lot of help.'
Mitchell also told Radio Sport that he has a good case against the Lions.
'Unfortunately I'm in a situation that's uncontrollable. The Lions are obviously in a very difficult situation in professional rugby, and I've been put in this position and ultimately that's my responsibility.
'The truth always comes out. I'm in a very good position, I've just got to trust the process.'


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Chris Rock's comedic exploration of the way hairstyles impact the black community.
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