Swami in city to talk about love

Swami Janananda Goswami in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Craig Baxter
Swami Janananda Goswami in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Craig Baxter
Love is the essence of life, a visiting Hare Krishna swami said in Dunedin yesterday. His Holiness Janananda Goswami is in the city to give a series of talks entitled ''All You Need is Love''.

''The qualities in all of us are the same. It's just that our energy gets deflected and comes out in different ways,'' he said yesterday.

''Love is the actual nature of the very self. An essential characteristic in each of us is the need to love and be loved. The emotional characteristics of every person are the same. Every one of us has the same basic qualities. We are all equal in the eyes of the supreme lord.''

The 64-year-old Swindon-born swami has travelled throughout the world since 1972, spreading the message of Krishna consciousness.

''There are crazy things always going on in this world; like the misuse of energy. One of the things we're faced with is a lot of depression, particularly in the Western world. It is born of not expressing the true nature of the self and a misunderstanding of who we are,'' he said.

''Real life is experienced when we understand that we all have the same source of quality. The source of Krishna consciousness is to live our life, or lives, in a way to understand more deeply the nature of self.

''That's when real love begins. The great personalities in this world have unending love. We see that in Jesus Christ, Buddha and Krishna. They are all agents of the supreme lord.

''Real love is not based on any material considerations. Material things come and go. The more we understand our spiritual identity, the less fear interferes. There's nothing to be afraid of. This is not our ultimate situation. Human life is a great opportunity to realise, deeply, our true spiritual nature,'' he said.

''It's just like gold. Gold has value wherever it is unearthed, or comes from. It's the same with spirituality. There is no competition in the world of truth. It doesn't matter where that truth came from.''

Swami Goswami held a talk at the Otago University Students' Association recreation centre last night and will host a second talk at the venue at 7pm today. He leaves Dunedin tomorrow for Wellington.

nigel.benson@odt.co.nz

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