| Some acquaintances of mine recently told me | | | | of all this and we all know that he would |
| about how wonderful it was to go to what is | | | | look at this from a pure Krsna conscious |
| known as the "Israeli folk dance" at the | | | | point of view. Fortunately, I could also. Of |
| local synagogue where people of all ages get | | | | course, there were no deities. While the |
| involved with this style of dancing. Since I | | | | concept of bringing men and women together |
| was always shy and not really a dancer and | | | | for such a social event may seem pleasing, it |
| also because I am not Jewish, I was reluctant | | | | is primarily self-centered, in other words, |
| to attend. They told me anyone could go. | | | | it excluded the center of attraction, Lord |
| | | | Sri Krsna as the supreme enjoyer. |
| So I finally decided to take a peek one | | | | |
| Sunday evening (after the local ISKCON temple | | | | I then wondered what ISKCON would have been |
| program, ironically) to see what it was all | | | | like if Srila Prabhupada introduced this kind |
| about, just as a casual observer. While both | | | | of temple worship where, rather than having |
| locations were religious or spiritual | | | | men and women segregated as opposed to |
| institutions, each had their own unique | | | | dancing together, would the movement have |
| atmosphere that were gulfs apart in terms of | | | | been more popular? Maybe it would because it |
| intent and ideology. I'm glad I went because | | | | would not have seemed like a "strict" |
| while driving back home I had these | | | | religious movement. That is, popular in terms |
| incredible realizations that I would like to | | | | of a place where one can congregate without |
| share with devotees. | | | | feeling alienated by institutional |
| | | | constraints. |
| I entered the synagogue and to my surprise | | | | |
| there were as many as 100 or more men and | | | | I then said to myself, no, this was not in |
| women of varying ages all participating in a | | | | keeping with the Vedic conclusions and Krsna |
| folk dance that for the most part was very | | | | consciousness in general and besides, men and |
| lyrical. The choreography and music was very | | | | women in the temple were eventually meeting |
| refreshing and something I had never seen | | | | and marrying anyway, dancing together or not. |
| before. There were people from many walks of | | | | This would have gone against the original |
| life and faiths. I thought to myself, how | | | | nature of the temple environment Srila |
| interesting. Interesting that this many | | | | Prabhupada established in keeping with the |
| people can come together and enjoy the social | | | | dictates for practicing pure Krsna |
| function of just dancing. My mind of course | | | | consciousness. |
| went to Krsna. | | | | |
| | | | Krsna always had to be in the center, else, |
| I sat down and spent an hour or so just | | | | ISKCON would have degenerated into just |
| watching the different people dance and | | | | another fad, another mundane religion. In |
| suddenly I thought of the "rasa dance" | | | | fact, what makes Krsna consciousness so |
| wherein Lord Krsna expands Himself into | | | | unique is that, to my knowledge it is the |
| millions of duplicate forms and dances with | | | | only spiritual movement that incorporates |
| millions of gopis and of course, His eternal | | | | sankirtana, congregational dancing into their |
| beloved consort, Srimati Radharani. | | | | temple worship, whereas other religions tend |
| Everything began to make sense. This is what | | | | to concentrate on singing hymns and listening |
| people need. Dance is the eternal function of | | | | to sermons. If there is dancing and food, it |
| the soul in every culture throughout the | | | | is usually a separate social function for |
| entire planet since the beginning of time. | | | | fund-raising etc. |
| But this type of dancing was material, | | | | |
| temporary, perhaps an ancient memory of the | | | | Still, I enjoyed watching everyone dance and |
| REAL, eternal dance, transcendental in | | | | drove home feeling a sense of sadness for |
| nature. | | | | these souls caught up, as I sometimes am, in |
| | | | the modes of passion when their eternal rasa |
| Israeli dance to me is a strange blend of | | | | is to dance eternally with Krsna in Goloka, |
| Greek, traditional Israeli and even Russian | | | | Vrndavana in the spiritual sky, their only |
| dance steps that have a very elegant quality | | | | real home. I also sensed that these dancers |
| to it. Sometimes it's fast and modern, | | | | were very lonely. |
| sometimes slow and classical. Whereas in | | | | |
| modern dance, such as disco, country-western | | | | Krsna consciousness is not easy. But just as |
| et al the main focus is sense gratification | | | | we became Krsna conscious, we must, as Srila |
| and sex desire, that is, men and women coming | | | | Prabhupada often said, "Hope against hope," |
| together to meet and mate, Israeli dance is | | | | pray that one day they will also come to |
| somewhat different in that the dancers | | | | grips with the conclusions of the Vedas and |
| sometimes form circles and clap and have very | | | | join the progressive march back to Godhead to |
| unique dance steps. It's not overtly lusty. | | | | dance forever in their eternal rasa with Lord |
| | | | Sri Krsna. |
| I wondered what Srila Prabhupada would make | | | | |