Steve’s Musings



A Vision for Tomorrow

I apologize for the long lapse since my last post. I am going through a period of intense spiritual growth. My wife and I are also discerning the best way to live the rest of our lives considering the present state of social, political, economic and environmental challenges we face. It is a long process, […]


Science and Religion

I don’t believe there must be a conflict between science and religion since they deal with different realms of experience. The conflict occurs when religionists want to take scripture in a literal, fundamentalist manner and present ancient “science” as a competitor to current science or when scientists come from a secular, materialistic perspective and rule […]


Erotic Mysticism

I must admit that at heart I am more of an artist than an intellectual. I play a number of musical instruments from harmonium to electric guitar in a wide range of styles. I also write poetry. I feel that this artistic nature of mine aids my attraction to Radha Krishna since they are mostly […]


Mysticism Today

I was just sitting chanting my mantras and meditating on my gurus, Lalita Prasad and Bhaktivinode. I was thinking about how they were both well placed government servants during their working lives. They also came from a well to do family. It seems they probably received good government pensions when they retired and more fully […]


Jai Radhe!

Today is the appearance day of Sri Radha. This poem is my gift to her. As a gift to you my dear queen of Braja, I lay my life at your feet. My only desire is to be your maid servant. May I always be allowed to behold your beautiful form. May I be allowed […]


A post-modern view

One of my professors said that it is possible to return to a “second naivete” after doing an analytical study of the scriptures and theology. We can still relish the pastimes and chant the names and mantras blissfully. We can still bathe in the ocean of rasa for that is what’s real. That’s what keeps […]


A critical approach to spirituality

I received a very liberal, Christian seminary education at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, CA. I was taught by Christian professors to look at the Bible and teachings of the church using the critical, analytical method. To not accept everything at face value. These techniques were taught to those who were preparing to […]


A day of celebration

Yesterday I received the greatest news, my son John who was training at Fort Bliss, Texas, getting ready to go to Iraq, is being sent home Thursday due to a technicality. Since he served nine months in Egypt two years ago, they cannot force him to serve another full tour in Iraq with his new […]


The Historical Chaitanya

Aug 16 2004, I posted the following on Gaudiya Discussions: For a long time now, liberal Christian scholars and theologians have been doing text critical research of the gospels. There is a group called the Jesus Seminar which has published books in which they have gone through the gospels giving the scholarly consensus regarding what […]


Lord Chaitanya

I have just finished reading Lord Chaitanya by O.B.L. Kapoor. It is an extensive English biography of Sri Krishna Chaitanya who lived in India 1486-1534 CE. He is considered to be the incarnation of Radha and Krishna in one body. This biography, compiled from various original sources by a learned scholar and devotee, Dr. Kapoor, […]