[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”” background_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”none” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”3_5″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_text]DAY ONE SUMARY – JULY 13, 2015
Some 50 devotees from various backgrounds, cultures and countries participated in the first session of the seminar that is largely promoting the theme of “Sustainability Through Varnasrama dharma”.
The video “What Cows Want” underlined the importance of Mother Cow as central to our lives and how even we as devotees had become largely disconnected with the basis and foundation of the brahminical culture, care and protection of Mother Surabhi thus negatively affecting all spheres of our lives.
After seeing the documentary, devotees broke into groups to discuss and share their realizations. The three groups on the men’s side and the three on the ladies’ side all expressed appreciation of the main theme presented, i.e. the need to protect and to reconnect with mother cow. Many devotees present expressed reservations and concern regarding the position of ISKCON devotees who advocated a Vegan diet, a topic that needed more time to address.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_5″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AnszDcUjPJNtm-6klJLyzQU3vdXkm5S3tGvSdXiBJ1SE.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
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HH Smitha Krishna Maharaja, resident Sannyasi at Almvik Village, hoists the flag for the opening as Hanumanji rises in the sky to create auspiciousness.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]The session ended with devotees filling in a Questionnaire answering some basic questions related to their participation in the seminar.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AhQdzdXjWKMaXekpqxYu8fVehHs32y8WLNXAQgQS7Isn.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
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Day One of the Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival with some 50 delegates from different countries. The 1st of 6 sessions on Sustainability Through Varnasrama.
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Day One of the Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival with some 50 delegates from different countries. The 1st of 6 sessions on Sustainability Through Varnasrama.
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Devotees eagerly watch the boat festival at the Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival organized yearly by Devaki mataji for the pleasure of all the Vaisnavas.
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Sri Sri Gaura Nitai go for a boat ride on the lake as part of the opening ceremony of the 5th Annual Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival so Almvik Village.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”3_5″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_text]DAY TWO SUMARY – JULY 14, 2015
The second day of the seminar was a continuation of the first day underlying some basic Vedic concepts such as “Produce only what you need”, “Use only what you produce”, “First is food” and “Vedic culture is an agrarian culture”.
The first topic discussed the modern trend of increased global urbanization and how that is presenting a real threat to villages and cows, the backbone of a Vedic based culture. The Power Point entitled “Planet in Peril” quoted Mahatma Gandhi and Benjamin Franklin who strongly advocated village life and agriculture as the norm and means for living peacefully and prosperously.
The second Power Point entitled “ISKCON’s Four Movements” explained the four phases Srila Prabhupada had envisioned as early as 1949 for spreading the mission of Lord Caitanya. Srila Prabhupada called the first phase the “Sankirtan Movement” referring to the holy names and books. He coined the second phase as the “Deity Worship Movement”, establishing Deities and Temples. Srila Prabhupada identified the third phase as the “Spiritual Initiation Movement” that deals with the cultivation of various congregations. Finally, Srila Prabhupada referred to the last phase as the “Classless Society Movement” identifying the need to establish a society based on the natural divisions of social and spiritual divisions.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”http://www.srisurabhi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AvaC-hzD_wGNYHrk1QPw7Ts6lJN1MGpB_769kW8ulp9H.jpg” style_type=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
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Speakers at the festival (left to right) include HH Bhakti Raghava Swami, HH Smitha Krishna Swami, HG Hari Sauri Das, HG Madhavananda Das & HG Narayani Dasi.
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HG Adikarta Prabhu all the way from Cintamani Dham in Kentucky. USA, honoring prasadam with HH Bhakti Raghava Swami at the Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival.
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Day One of the Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival with some 50 delegates from different countries. The 1st of 6 sessions on Sustainability Through Varnasrama.
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Om Sri Surabhyai Namah !
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]Reported by: His Holiness RP Bhakti Raghava Swami, from Almvik Village, Sweden.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]