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ISKCON & I.C.C.E.
The Journey of Self Discovery (JOSD) is a course specifically aimed at introducing spiritual science to new practitioners. It provides an open and welcoming space, where anyone who is keen to embark on their spiritual journey can gain access to the timeless wisdom of the Vedic scriptures, in the joyful and inspiring company of other spiritual enthusiasts.
FOUNDER OF ISKCON
SRILA PRABHUPADA
The first piece of real estate that Srila Prabhupada was able to obtain was a small storefront in New York’s Lower East side. He wished to open a spiritual centre there. At the time he only had the funds to afford the first month’s rent. He had a few young followers then. When they asked him what they should name the centre, he said, “International Society for Krishna Consciousness”. His followers were dumbstruck. Here was a man who did not know how he was going to pay the rent for the next month. All he had was a storefront. Yet he wanted to call this centre an “International” society. They enquired. Srila Prabhupada replied, “We already have temples and devotees all over the world. There is only one thing that separates us – time!”
Pharmacist by profession, Srila Prabhupada came to the United States of America with a vision. Under the instructions of his guru, he left India at the age of 69 to take his philosophy to the world. He also suffered two heart attacks on the ship while traveling from India to the USA. Landing in a strange foreign country with just 7 dollars in his pocket, he established 108 temples all over the world within a span of 11 years.
One of Srila Prabhupada’s greatest contributions was his books. He is well known for his scholarly translation of sacred Sanskrit texts which were studied, their knowledge passed through the generations in disciplic succession. His books are still widely studied by all who wish to follow in his path and serve as a guide and reference for all his devotees who aspire for spiritual elevation.
While he circled the globe 14 times bringing Krishna Consciousness to people on six continents, he also returned to India several times sparking a revival and interest in the ancient tradition followed by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. When we hear about the story of Srila Prabhupada it can sometime feel like the world conspired to manifest his vision in those 11 years. And it did. So much so that his disciples were left dumbfounded as things fell in place like a jigsaw puzzle. It was an extraordinary feat. And it was achieved by a man who was no less extraordinary.
WHAT IS JOURNEY OF SELF DISCOVERY?
Trees provide shelter and keep the air clean. They are a source of food to animals and insects. At the same time, they are strong enough to withstand the vagaries of the weather. But a tree is not grown in one day. A tree grows from a seed into a sapling that is sensitive and susceptible to the elements. It is nourished in the right environment. Watered at the right time. The end result is a healthy and strong being that thrives effortlessly in its environment while giving back to nature.
Similarly, the spiritual journey is also a step-by-step process. Just as a tree’s strength or an athlete’s fitness is progressively acquired, the path to real self-realisation involves practice and steady progress. It needs to be cared for and nourished until it eventually blossoms and becomes a boon not just for us, but for society as a whole.
The Journey of Self Discovery course creates the foundational platform upon which we take the next step to deeper spiritual knowledge about ourselves and the world. It enlightens us about the way the world works and why it works so, on topics that seemingly have no explanation. At the same time, it clarifies the basic and fundamental questions we may have so that they are no longer a distraction if we choose to explore the depths in detail.
The course is organised into four modules, beginning from the quest of human life to understanding why we experience the kind of circumstances that we do. The second module focuses on spiritual evolution, moving out of fear into love and eventually to seeing inward, which is the subject of subsequent modules.
The tiered approach to spiritual knowledge is intended to benefit interested participants and ensure that you get the maximum benefit out of your time in every session. As all good and essential things should be, the Journey of Self-Discovery sessions are free to attend for your benefit. All we need to know is that you are interested.
WHAT IS BHAKTI YOGA?
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain, American writer
Each and every one of us is looking for the answer to the question ‘Why?’ at some level or the other – either consciously or subconsciously. Some of us actively pursue avenues that we hope may lead us to the answer. Others merely experience the lack of purpose in life as unhappiness, dissatisfaction or a lack of fulfillment despite our earnest endeavours for happiness.
So, why is it that this question regarding the purpose of our existence has continued to possess humans across the planet, irrespective of nationality, ethnicity or gender, even going back to antiquity? It is because all of us possess that innate wisdom within, which is beyond our physical selves, that tells us there is something higher than the mundane pursuits of our existence.
Ancient Vedic wisdom very elegantly lays out the various means to achieve what we seek. The most celebrated of all such means is the path of “Bhakti Yoga” – The Science of Loving Devotion. The various practices defined in Bhakti Yoga methodically bring us to the platform of knowledge about our selves and all of creation, step by step. It teaches us the all important lesson of how to love for the sake of love, without ulterior motives. It guides us towards the essential qualities that we need to develop for self-realization, and then shows us how to transcend all of them to achieve perfection. Ultimately, Bhakti Yoga brings us that ever-lasting sweet bliss, that is greater than anything we could have desired.
Bhakti Yoga is not just a path, it is an experience that mere words cannot describe. As they say, ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’
Courses We Offer
ISKCON Centre for Culture and Education offers a myriad of courses that offer a systematic and scientific discourse on practical spirituality, with a keen emphasis on interactive participation and friendly atmosphere. The different courses cater to people from all walks of life and all stages of spiritual development, right from beginners to the more advanced levels.
OUR PROGRAMS
WOODRIDGE PROGRAMS
64 KENTWOOD DRIVE, WOODRIDGE
FRIDAY, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
LOWER HUTT PROGRAMS
45 KNIGHTS ROAD,
SENIOR CITIZEN HALL,
QUEENSGATE MALL, LOWER HUTT
SATURDAY, 5 – 7 PM
SENIOR CITIZEN HALL,
QUEENSGATE MALL, LOWER HUTT
SATURDAY, 5 – 7 PM
UPPER HUTT PROGRAMS
33 FOREST ROAD,
PINEHAVEN, UPPER HUTT
FRIDAY, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
PINEHAVEN, UPPER HUTT
FRIDAY, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
GRENADA VILLAGE PROGRAMS
187 MARK AVENUE
FRIDAY, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
FRIDAY, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Our Team
We gather to make our commitment to become free from suffering, help people with their spiritual growth
and provide a safe and friendly space for nurturing holistic well-being.
HG Ambarish Maharaj Das
One of the leading members of the ISKCON community in Wellington, HG Ambarish Maharaj Das originally hails from Pune in Maharashtra, India. With an avid interest in spirituality, he had read multiple books and had heard from many speakers on spiritual topics, but, only when he read Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is, was he inspired to take to the spiritual path seriously. After moving to Wellington in 2008, he was introduced to his spiritual guru, HH Vedavyasapriya Swami Maharaj, a direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada and one of the most inspirational leaders in the ISKCON worldwide community. A visit to the holy city of Vrindavan in India inspired him to serve his Guru and commit to the principles of Bhakti Yoga and he received formal initiation in 2011.
Ambarish Maharaj Das conducts numerous courses, seminars, lectures and retreats on spiritual topics from Vedic scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam and serves as the instructor for the Bhakti Sastri course in Wellington. He and his wife, HG Anang Manjari Devi Dasi, are the backbone of the vibrant spiritual community in Wellington and together they started ISKCON Centre for Culture and Education in 2018, which caters to the spiritual needs of the community in the Wellington region through various weekly programs, festivals and spiritual retreats. He also serves as a member of the national council of ISKCON at New Zealand level.
He possesses a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from one of the premier institutes in India. A top student in his University days, he currently works in a managerial position at the Ministry of Social Development (part of New Zealand government). His previous work experience includes prestigious companies like Spark, HP, British Telecom, L&T and Infosys.
Apart from his full-time work with MSD, he aids his regular practice of Bhakti Yoga with a focus on the study of Vedic scriptures. He also personally mentors and guides new practitioners of Bhakti Yoga and is deeply committed to sharing its wisdom, principles and practices with anyone who is keen to learn about this ancient spiritual system.
HG Anang Manjari Devi Dasi
Every community needs a loving and nurturing hand to thrive – HG Anang Manjari Devi Dasi not only provides this love and nurture at the ISKCON Centre for Culture and Education, but also organises and manages all the weekly programs, events and festivals throughout the year. Along with her husband, HG Ambarish Maharaj Das, she moved to wellington in 2008 and was introduced to her spiritual guru – HH Vedavyasapriya Swami Maharaj, a direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada and one of the most inspirational leaders in the ISKCON worldwide community. She was formally initiated into the Bhakti Yoga tradition by him in 2011. Anang Manjari Devi Dasi is renowned for her exceptional cooking skills, preparing and serving wonderful prasadam to the devotee community in Wellington. She has been overseeing the devotee welfare aspect of the centre for a number of years and conducts educational training for the youngest Vaishnavas in the community through children’s value education, sloka recitation classes etc. She also conducts the ISKCON Disciples Course in Wellington for devotees aspiring to take formal initiation. She possesses a master’s degree in electrical engineering from one of the premier institutes in India. Her work experience is rich and varied, ranging from lecturer in engineering courses to software development and also teaching religious studies in the UK. She currently devotes herself full time to the development of the centre and is committed to expanding the reach of Bhakti Yoga to help as many souls as is possible.
HG Bharadwaj Rsi Das
Bharadwaj Rsi Das has been serving the Krishna Consciousness movement for the past 4 years and has recently completed ISKCON’s Bhakti Sastri course. He has taken spiritual initiation in 2018 from his spiritual master, His Holiness Vedvyasapriya Swami Maharaj. He has been managing the media content for ISKCON Centre for Culture and Education on social media and the website and also participates in event promotion and communications for the centre. He also conducts a Journey of Self Discovery program in Upper Hutt. He has done his Electronics & Communications engineering degree (BEngg) from Andhra University, India and obtained his masters in technology (MTech) from the prestigious National University of Singapore. Over the past 24 years he has worked in India, Singapore and New Zealand in various IT and project management roles. He is currently leading International Payments and Trade Finance areas at Bank of New Zealand. Bharadwaj Rsi Das has been married to Anuttara Devi Dasi for the past 18 years and they have two boys aged 16 and 10. He plays badminton to keep physically fit and practices mantra meditation for 2 hours every day.
HG Kirtivanta Das
Kirtivanta das was introduced to Krishna Consciousness in 2005 by his younger brother HG Nrtya Gopal Krishna das. He received initiation in 2018 from HH Vedavyasapriya Swami Maharaj and has been sincerely following the Bhakti process, having recently completed his Bhakti Sastri degree. He is one of the core members and contributor to the activities of ISKCON CENTRE for CULTURE and EDUCATION, aka Journey of Self Discovery. He was brought up in the Lower Hutt community, and has a qualification in Business Computing. He has worked for many reputable companies in NZ such as Spark, and ACC. Since 2006 he has been working for a multi-national organisation, Insurance Australia Group (IAG). He has done many technical and Leadership roles in his career and is currently Leading an IT support team. He also enjoys playing the occasional game of cricket with his 10 year old son.
HG Mantramulam Das
Mantramulam das started his spiritual journey in 2015 in Wellington, NZ. He subsequently received initiation from His Holiness Vedavyasapriya Swami Maharaja in 2018. He has been managing the accounts for Journey of Self Discovery Trust since it’s inception and has also recently completed his Bhakti Sastri degree. He has a Master of Computer Application degree from Mangalore University, Mangalore, and currently works as a Technical Lead with the Ministry of Social Development in Wellington. Prior to moving to Wellington, he was working with IBM India Pvt Ltd in Bengaluru. Apart from his full-time work and service commitments at ISKCON Centre for Culture and Education, he is interested in studying the Vedic principles of Deity worship and enjoys spending his free time with his wife and two young daughters.
