Answers to two questions that have come up

The Siddhartha I refer to is Hermann Hesse's novel named [I]Siddhartha[/I] which I read shortly after leaving ISKCON. In it, a young brahmin named Siddhartha and his friend Govinda join a band of wandering ascetics. They travel with them for years and Siddhartha becomes a great ascetic but feels dissatisfied with the results. They meet the Gautama Buddha. Govinda becomes his disciple, but Siddhartha cannot. He goes and becomes the disciple of Kamala, a high class cortesan. After slipping into a life of debauchery, he leaves everything and becomes a ferryman, watching the river flow and following the middle way. I strongly identify with this archetype.

Why I quickly took up meat eating after being a vegetarian for so long? If I were to break my guru disciple relationship with ACBS, I felt I had to break his rules. I was also very yinned out as a sannyasi. I felt I needed grounding and to strengthen myself physically and mentally. I needed to bring out more of my Sun/Mars spiritual warrior nature and learn to fight back more. It helped to lower the openness of my consciousness so that I could better deal with the hard struggle for existence in the material world. It's sometimes a kill or be killed world, and I decided which end of that equation I was on. Who's afraid of a vegetarian who won't even kill and animal?

I gave up eating red meat a couple of months ago. I have always believed that a vegetarian diet is the best possible diet for humans in an ideal world. However, we do not live in an ideal world. I did what I did to survive as best I could in the real world I lived in.

Looking at it in Christian terms, Jesus said it doesn't matter what you put in your mouth, but what comes out of it. He was against the purity codes which separated the priests and Pharisees from the rest of the people. I also look at it as being part of the corporate sin of the world and being a sinner as we all are and needing to depend on Radha's grace to get me through.

I have reclaimed my Western heritage and culture and now try to adapt the devotional teachings I learned from my revered gurus to the world as it is for me now.

Discussion forum

I started a topic on this forum for discussion of my autobiography Gaudiya Repercussions -> Saffron: An American Siddhartha. Feel free to join in.

Autobiographic manuscript now on-line

I have just added the unfinished manuscript of my autobiography Saffron, An American Siddhartha, by Steve Bohlert / Subal Das to my website. My wife and I have decided that finishing this book is my number one project at this time. I have been getting good feedback on it already from the internet.

Rules and regulations

At certain times, I have given up all external Gaudiya Vaishnava practices. I have always remembered Radha Krishna, been a surrendered soul and engaged my life in devotional service following the path life has given me. I have broken all the four regulative principles, although I have little attraction to gambling and have been happily married in a monogamous relationship for eighteen years. I recently gave up eating red meat and drinking, although I had a little wine the other night when friends came over for dinner.

I'm an American and adopted an American mainline Christian clergy lifestyle for many years. That included meat eating and drinking. Since moving to Hawaii and having my yurt up, I am living a lifestyle much more conducive to Gaudiya practices, I'm much happier, have less stress and have new pleasures to engage in. I am more of a rajarshi than a brahmin, but am basically a casteless vaishnava.

Letters from my guru

A fellow devotee has just post a collection of letters from my initiation guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami to me, my first wife, Krishna Devi and her former husband who she left me for, Dinesh. Protect A Cow: Letters from Srila Prabhupada to Subala, Krishna devi and Dinesh from 1967-74 These letters will be very helpful to me in working on my autobiography, Saffron: An American Siddhartha, the manuscript of which I will post to my website shortly. It is far from finished, but some persons are asking to read it, so I am making it available soon. I have not read these letters in over thirty years and many of those to Krishna Devi and Dinesh I never read. It should be quite interesting for me also.

The necessity of speaking out

“However, consider the following point. Although to criticize mere external variations amongst the religious systems is worthless, if people do see a real fault, they should not blindly accept that fault. If they attempt to correct the fault in the proper way, this is beneficial.” (p 10)

All the years I was in ISKCON, 1967-74 & 1980-81, I tried to keep the movement on a spiritual path rather than a more business oriented organizational path. This division was there from day one. The business, organizational types won with the support of Swamiji who came from that same background and had Gaudiya Math as his model.

When Swamiji emphasized tangible results as what he wanted from me rather than spiritual practices which included chanting sixty-four rounds, writing and preaching, I decided it was time to go. More temples, more devotees, more books distributed, not how are you progressing on the path to pure love of God was the standard. “Work now, samadhi later was the slogan.”

I was also critical of the church when I was in it. The challenge there was to get the members to take the teachings of Jesus seriously and apply them in their daily lives.

It is the duty of the members, and especially the leaders, of a faith tradition to try to reform that tradition when it goes off the path. I worked within ISKCON as long as I could until I left in 1981 with goons coming to get me. I worked with the church until 2002 when I realized these people don’t want what I have to offer; I’m going elsewhere.

Now, I am outside all organized religion. Yet, I am still a spiritual leader with a responsibility to point out the pitfalls of organized religion to seekers so that they are not chewed up and spit out by the machine. I have given up trying to reform organizations just as I have given up on the government of the U.S. I have dropped out and am doing my own thing. I invite others to join me. Jai Radhe!

Universalist spiritual views

“It is imperative that the people of a specific country give proper respect to their native saints, but no one, although they may hold a particular belief for their spiritual progress, should go to other places and preach that what their teachers have taught is superior to all other teachings. This gives no benefit at all to the world…Each country has its particular religious rules concerning proper dress, food, purity and impurity…it is only natural that the various religions will appear quite different. However, it is improper and detrimental to argue over these differences…Pure love is the eternal function of the soul. Although the above mentioned five differences may exist amongst the many religions, the only real religion is pure love.” (pp 8-10)

It appears that Bhaktivinode was a universalist in his views. He says as much in “The Bhagavat” also. I am an eclectic universalist as well. I got to experience Gaudiya Vaishnavism in its homeland of India for three years. I very much imbibed it and lived as much like an Indian sadhu as an American could. Upon returning to the West, I sought to present the teachings in a way that would appeal to Westerners. This was especially true after leaving ISKCON.
I thought about how successful we were in India appealing to Vaishnavas to support their native religion. Back in the U.S., I thought I would try to teach love of God in an American format, Christianity, the dominant religion. Being in a progressive denomination like the United Church of Christ (UCC), I was able to do that to a degree. Unfortunately, most of the local churches are not as progressive as the national church or many of the professional leaders.

The UCC is good about not trying to convert people. It is very ecumenical and interfaith. They send missionaries to other countries, but mainly to do good works and be in solidarity with the people and local religious leaders regardless of their religion. Of course, those without a religious faith or those who want to change faiths are welcome.

I found that the lay Christians I worked with in general did not have as deep a commitment as their Hindu counterparts in India. Also, the non-dogmatic, non-hierarchical, decentralized structure of the UCC gave the clergy little power and leaves them at the mercy of the local congregation. After being run out of three congregations in eleven years, I said, “Enough.” However, I did reintegrate myself in Western culture and learned how religion is practiced and understood by educated, progressive mainline clergy.

There has to be a way to integrate some of these principles with Sri Chaitanya’s teachings so that we can learn to develop our love without having to completely change the way we eat, dress, wear our hair, etc. The zealous, evangelical fundamentalism that ISKCON has been guilty of is not the only way to organize a religion. There are much better models out there.

I feel I have attained a balance in my life. Since leaving the church three years ago, I have deepened by Radha Krishna devotional practices, but I definitely live a Hawaiian lifestyle. I’m sure many of you are also finding a balance within your lives that works for you. This is the hope for the future, that an indigenous Radha Krishna devotional practice may develop and thrive.

Religious diversity and respect

“Although people in various countries on various continents have a wide variety of natures, the underlying principal nature is one—only the secondary characteristics are of great variety…Therefore, the idea of God of various people, although basically similar, will differ in the details…This gives rise to variety in the mode of worship of God. Considering the matter objectively, there is no harm in secondary differences. If there is agreement concerning the essential nature of God and His worship, there should be no obstacle in attaining the same result.” (p 8)

It is this kind of broadness of spirit that allowed me to function in New Age, Sufi, Christian, and other faith traditions without having to change my basic beliefs.

When I was still a relatively new member of the United Church of Christ (UCC), I asked our interim pastor Ross Knotts, who was an old United Methodist minister, how I could be a Christian when John 14:6 says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I told him I was a devotee of Krishna and that Swamiji used to say, “Christ, Christos, Krishna, what’s the difference?” Ross replied, “If Christ equals love and Krishna equals love, then Christ equals Krishna.” And so, love is the way by any name you call it. Krishna, Jesus, Chaitanya, all taught love of God according to time and circumstance and the ability of the people to understand and accept.

When I joined the church, my pastor said I just needed to agree with the spirit of the Statement of Faith. I didn’t need to agree with each and every specific detail. There was no dogma or creed. We were all free to believe as the spirit lead us.

“The UCC therefore receives the historic creeds and confessions of our ancestors as testimonies, but not tests of the faith…It affirms the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in purity of heart before God…In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity. The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view, nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.”

These kind of beliefs allowed four denominations to come together as one. These kind of beliefs allowed me to function within the church as ordained clergy and still be devoted to Radha Krishna within my heart. I think Thakurji would agree with these principles and his followers would benefit by following an adapted version of them also. The number of splinter groups among his followers, even on this island, are many. I feel alienated from them all by differences over disciplic succession and style of devotion. It would be nice if we could be more unified in an independent, decentralized, non-hierarchical way that respects the beliefs of all.

The case for spontaneous love

Let me begin by offering my obeisances to my Prabhuji, Sri Lalita Prasad Thakur, his father and guru, Sri Bhaktivinode Thakur and all those who led me on my spiritual path. My thanks also go to Bhanu Swami for his translation work and Kesidaman Das for his editorial and publishing work in putting out such a fine edition of Sri Chaitanya-Shikshamrita by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur.

My initiator guru, who I followed for eight years, is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. He took me down the path as far as he could, but even in those days, 1967-74, I looked to the writings of Bhaktivinode as the well-spring or touchstone from whence it all comes to those of us in the West. I viewed him as a grand-father type figure. Your grand-father may tell you things your father doesn’t want you to know.

Prabhuji also was a grandfather figure to me. He told me many things Swamiji did not want me to know when he initiated me into the real disciplic succession of Bhaktivinode and the practice of developing the eleven moods of a maidservant of Sri Radha in 1974. In those days, there were very few of Bhaktivinode’s books available in English. I am very grateful that they are available now.

Prabhuji told me to preach in the West, and I follow his order to this day. I present the post-modern, thinking person’s version of Bhaktivinode’s teachings as he appealed to thinkers of his day.

“Those people who gain natural satisfaction by worshipping the Lord without the motives of fear, desire, or duty are engaging in worship with raga, natural attraction. Raga is defined as the tendency of the mind to become spontaneously attracted to an object immediately upon seeing it, without intellectual processing. Those who become attracted in their hearts as soon as they think of the Lord are worshipping the Lord according to raga. Those who take to worship of the Lord from fear, desire, or duty are not on such a pure level. Those who worship the Lord according to raga are the real worshippers.” (p 5)

Before I met Swamiji, I was spontaneously attracted to Radha Krishna through reading a book of Krishna love poetry, the Bhagavad Gita and hearing Allen Ginsburg chant. I suspect many other disciples were spontaneously attracted also. Yet Swamiji taught us to follow the rules and regulations of vaidhi bhakti and to be motivated by fear, desire or duty to do things we were not spontaneously attracted to doing.

When I lived in Vrindaban and studied with Dr. Kapoor, Gaudiya Math devotees and others, I learned more and more of the spontaneous path of devotion that most Gaudiya Vaishnavas follow. Swamiji did everything he could to dissuade me and others from following the spontaneous path. He was more concerned that we spend our time and energy developing his organization, ISKCON. As ISKCON became more successful and more corrupt, I left in December, 1974.

Since then, I relied on my spontaneous attraction to Radha Krishna to guide me. I stripped away rules, regulations and Indian cultural externals in an attempt to preserve the core spiritual truths of devotion. Today, my devotion remains strong and I endeavor to adapt these sublime teachings to my present circumstances.

The Path of Love on-line

I have just started a new topic on the web forum, Gaudiya Repercussions in which I lead a discussion of The Path of Love based on Sri Chaitanya-Shikshamrita by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. Gaudiya Repercussions -> The Path of Love I invite you to follow this discussion. I will also post my opening comments here.

Come see me at the Pahoa Sunday Market

Starting next Sunday, I will have a booth at the Pahoa Sunday Market at which I give persons a chance to stop by and meet me. I am available there for spiritual guidance and life coaching which includes the option of using sidereal astrology and/or the Zen Tarot. My availability for wedding ceremonies can also be discussed.

I am also planning an on going series of devotional yoga classes based on the teachings of the 15th century saint and incarnation, Sri Krishna Chaitanya as presented by Bhaktivinode Thakur, the Bengali devotional giant who first introduced Chaitanya’s teachings to the West. His book, Sri Chaitanya-Shikshamrita, forms the basis of the teachings. They are presented in a way that is easily understandable and applicable to our lives here and now. This is a practical and uplifting means of realizing our relationship with God and entering into the transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krishna, the divine couple. The path is simple yet sublime. Love is the answer.

Cold in Hawaii

Well here I am in my yurt in Hawaii at six a.m., and I'm freezing my butt off. It's probably around sixty degrees out, but it seems colder. Living here, the blood becomes thinner as one gets used to temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s during the day. I've been up since five. I usually dress warm and just tough it out, but this morning I decided to try a packet of instant coffee and Asian mushroom that is supposed to be better than ginseng. A minister friend of mine in Michigan sent me some samples. She's selling it on the internet. It warmed me up a bit an gave me a buzz at least. I'm still waiting for sunrise and a good hot breakfast.

The yurt has four large screened windows which we keep open all the time. There are clear vinyl windows, but they're too much hassle to put on and off. We're going to get heavy window coverings, but haven't yet. Also, we consider getting a wood or gas stove. We live at 1,000 feet elevation and there is high humidity, so the cold goes deep. It reminds me of winter in Vrindaban, only there it got down into the forties at least. It's also similar to San Francisco Bay area weather.

We just love living here in our yurt in spite of whatever inconveniences there may be. It's all worth it to live in paradise and the simple living is conducive to our spiritual progress. This is why we moved here. Our vision is certainly manifesting very nicely.

My Perspective

To remember Radha Krishna always and never forget them is the purpose of following the rules and regulations of regulative devotional practice. Once one attains this realization, “the devotees reject a rigid, fanatical adherence to the injunctions and prohibitions and according to their individual qualification give up some of the injunctions and begin to practice some items of devotional activity that were prohibitions previously.” Sri Chaitanya Sikshamrita, p 49.

I resigned my position as a renounced leader of ISKCON and disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in December, 1974 due to the large scale unethical practices that were going on in the name of Krishna consciousness. ISKCON was the support system that allowed me to live a renounced devotional life and preach throughout the world.

I was and I am still a disciple of Srila Lalita Prasad Thakur, my siddha pranali guru who told me to return to the West and preach. I never gave up my love for Radha Krishna or my basic beliefs. I reintegrated into a Western lifestyle, eliminated unnecessary or undesirable Indian cultural externals and sought alternative means of preaching The Path of Love.

This led me to a three year, seminary education with an ecumenical group of progressive Christian seminaries in the San Francisco Bay area, The Graduate Theological Union. In 1991, I received a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained in the United Church of Christ.

I was the pastor of three Midwestern churches from 1991-2002. I found Christian beliefs to be compatible with my beliefs: God is love, love God and your neighbor, show this by working for peace, justice and the integrity of creation, etc. I taught persons to be disciples of Jesus and to live as he lived. Therefore, I say, “Realize your full potential, live life abundantly and love extravagantly.” as well as, “Love is the answer.” When I described my spiritual life, I said I practice the presence of God. For me that meant Oming and remembering Radha Krishna.

In the last three years since I left the church, I revived my devotional practices that were so abruptly interrupted in 1974 and am continuing from where I left off only in a manner that is conducive to my life now.

I have also not changed what I believed in the church. My Christian beliefs and my Radha Krishna beliefs live in harmony within me and are both part of the eternal religion, The Path of Love. They complement one another. Christianity is more incarnational and Radha Krishna devotion more transcendental.

And so, in my ministry, I am Steve Bohlert, M.Div. / Subal Das. In churches I can preach and teach from a Christian perspective, and on my own, I can teach devotion to Radha Krishna. I am able to minister to a wide range of persons due to my wide range of personal experience.

I feel I am especially well positioned to help other former members of ISKCON and similar organizations. I know the pain, anger, sense of betrayal, etc. that devotees go through when their guru or guru’s organization does not live up to what it should be. I’ve lived a long, full life and made peace within myself. I help others to do the same.

I'm now resuming my ministry in Hawaii

I’m back. After camping out on our land for seven months while building our home, we are now comfortably situated in our thirty foot diameter yurt. We have telephone service, so I am now able to be on the internet at home rather than needing to go to an internet café eight miles away. We don’t have electricity, so I power the laptop and printer off of our vehicles. At night, I work by oil lamp light.

While I still have some finishing work to do here at home, I am now launching my new ministry here in Hawaii. My wife, Geraldine (Jahnava), and I are working on my autobiography, Saffron: An American Siddhartha, which has been twenty years in the making. I will post the manuscript on my website. We’re also planning for me to teach classes at a yet to be determined location. The yurt is set up to host smaller, more intimate meetings along with office space for me to meet with my clients.

I will have a full ministry of spiritual teaching, life coaching, weddings and networking. I am updating my PR materials and website. Check for further updates: www.stevebohlert.com. Aloha.