Paul Rodney Turner's Blog

Considering the fundamental reason for being a vegan is to respect all life, I find it incredibly odd and disturbing that some vegans do not like children.

Some will go so far as to have operations to guard against accidently producing a baby. "It is better to adopt," they'll sometimes say. Or "We need to reduce the population, not increase it."

It is not just that they feel they cannot manage a child, it is that some vegans vehemently protest other vegans that want to have children, to the point that they want to shame them for their decision.


The hypocrisy couldn't be any harsher -- peace-loving vegans, directly hating on other peace-loving vegans and innocent babies.

Something is wrong with this and I think I know what the problem is.

A theme within the vegan community sheds light on this anomaly -- atheism.

Sadly, many people today, including many vegans, have lost all faith in religion and with that, any sense of spirituality and have thus turned to atheism to explain away the madness and cruelty of the world we live in. Ironically, a new "religion" known as Scientism has taken the ultimate position of authority and with that, a new brand of atheism has emerged, complete with a scientific explanation for everything. Of course, that is what they claim.

The scientific model of creation falls short in so many ways, starting with the fact that 96% of the "known" universe is actually unknown and conveniently explained away as "dark energy" and "dark matter." On top of this, no scientist has yet to give an adequate answer as to why life (symptomized by consciousness) can never be produced from dead matter.

The chaos theory that life somehow arose out of nothing is just plain stupid, but that is what is being taught in the modern education system, simply because religious literature and religious scholars have not done a good job in providing a provable alternative.

In a worldview demanding empirical evidence, it is ironic that while demanding evidence of God, we whimsically accept all kinds of things without solid evidence, such as NASA's images (not photos) of earth, which they openly state are just composites and CGI renderings, or that our universe came into existence some 14 billion years ago! I mean, how can anyone honestly prove that? Or what about the distances of stars and galaxies, some believed to be thousands of light years away, all calculated using one of two imperfect methods: Parallax or color spectrum. And yet, the public happily accepts the words of the Scientism "gurus" who are constantly changing their opinions, thus rendering textbooks outdated and irrelevent every few years.

So I believe it is atheism and the rise of Scientism that is at the heart of some vegan's dislike for children. You see when you see the world as nothing but a random accident with no divine intelligence, then the whole intimate act of procreation loses its purity and meaning.

According to many spiritual traditions, the intention of the parents is what attracts a particular soul to the egg of the mother. In other words, as parents, we have a direct say in the kind of soul we wish to invite into our life. While the formation of the body is directly related to the DNA makeup of both parents, it is their consciousness and intention that decides what soul will actually inhabit that new body.

What this means in a practical sense is that if you are vegan because you want to make a better world -- a world free of violence and inhabited by caring people, then why wouldn't you want to bring another awakened soul into this world -- a soul like you, who wishes to carry on their service to humanity and fight for the rights of animals?

According to the ancient Vedic texts, there are 8,400,000 species spread throughout the universe and of this group, there are 400,000 human forms. We have been wandering throughout this universe experiencing all kinds of bodily forms as our consciousness evolves. Once we reach the human form, we have the greatest chance for self-realization and transcendence. However, it may take many, many human lifetimes to become fully aware of our spiritual divinity. An essential part of this evolution of consciousness requires unconditional service to others and the need to purify the mind and senses of lust, greed, and anger. Obviously, killing animals is diametrically opposed to enlightenment.

When a soul is unsuccessful in their attempt for self-realization and purification, they are given another human form and specifically placed into a family where they can continue their spiritual evolution. Contrary to what most people think, people are born into wealthy and conscious families because of past pious activities. This is the law of karma.



So when couples procreate, they actually have the ability to attract an enlightened soul into the womb of the mother. This is the intangible part of sexuality that is misunderstood. Just like consciousness and intention are an important ingredient when preparing a meal, similarly, our consciousness and intentions are a critical component in attracting an enlightened and/or pious soul into our family.

I believe that if vegans understood this, they would be much more inclined to have children to help them in their noble efforts to make a better world and carry on their legacy.

That is exactly what my wife and I thought when we decided to conceive our son, Bhimal in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. And it was the best decision we ever made. We are over the moon with our vegan baby. I encourage all vegans to make more babies! The world sorely needs more truth and compassion warriors.

Paul, Juliana, Bhimal and Balaram the bull at Juliana's Animal Sanctuarywww.julianasfarm.org 

Considering the fundamental reason for being a vegan is to respect all life, I find it incredibly odd and disturbing that so many vegans do not like children.

Some will go so far as to have operations to guard against accidently producing a baby. "It is better to adopt," they'll sometimes say. Or "We need to reduce the population, not increase it."

It is not just that they feel they cannot manage a child, it is that some vegans vehemently protest other vegans that want to have children, to the point that they want to shame them for their decision.

The hypocrisy couldn't be any harsher -- peace-loving vegans, directly hating on other peace-loving vegans.

Something is wrong with this and I think I know what the problem is.

A theme within the vegan community sheds light on this anomaly -- atheism.

Sadly, many people today, including many vegans, have lost all faith in religion and with that, any sense of spirituality and have thus turned to atheism to explain away the madness and cruelty of the world we live in. Ironically, a new "religion" known as Scientism has taken the ultimate position of authority and with that, a new brand of atheism has emerged, complete with a scientific explanation for everything. Of course, that is what they claim.

The scientific model of creation falls short in so many ways, starting with the fact that 96% of the "known" universe is actually unknown and conveniently explained away as "dark energy" and "dark matter." On top of this, no scientist has yet to give an adequate answer as to why life (symptomized by consciousness) can never be produced from dead matter.

The chaos theory that life somehow arose out of nothing is just plain stupid, but that is what is being taught in the modern education system, simply because religious literature and religious scholars have not done a good job in providing a provable alternative.

In a worldview demanding empirical evidence, it is ironic that while demanding evidence of God, we whimsically accept all kinds of things without solid evidence, such as NASA's images (not photos) of earth, which they openly state are just composites and CGI renderings, or that our universe came into existence some 14 billion years ago! I mean, how can anyone honestly prove that? Or what about the distances of stars and galaxies, some believed to be thousands of light years away, all calculated using one of two imperfect methods: Parallax or color spectrum. And yet, the public happily accepts the word of the Scientism "gurus" who are constantly changing their opinions, thus rendering textbooks outdated and irrelevent every few years.

So I believe it is atheism and the rise of Scientism that is at the heart of some vegan's dislike for children. You see when you see the world as nothing but a random accident with no divine intelligence, then the whole intimate act of procreation loses its purity and meaning.

According to many spiritual traditions, the intention of the parents is what attracts a particular soul to the egg of the mother. In other words, as parents, we have a direct say in the kind of soul we wish to invite into our life. While the formation of the body is directly related to the DNA makeup of both parents, it is their consciousness and intention that decides what soul will actually inhabit that new body.

What this means in a practical sense is that if you are vegan because you want to make a better world -- a world free of violence and inhabited by caring people, then why wouldn't you want to bring another awakened soul into this world -- a soul like you, who wishes to carry on their service to humanity and fight for the rights of animals?

According to the ancient Vedic texts, there are 8,400,000 species spread throughout the universe and of this group, there are 400,000 human forms. We have been wandering throughout this universe experiencing all kinds of bodily forms as our consciousness evolves. Once we reach the human form, we have the greatest chance for self-realization and transcendence. However, it may take many, many human lifetimes to become fully aware of our spiritual divinity. An essential part of this evolution of consciousness requires unconditional service to others and the need to purify the mind and senses of lust, greed, and anger. Obviously, killing animals is diametrically opposed to enlightenment.

When a soul is unsuccessful in their attempt for self-realization and purification, they are given another human form and specifically placed into a family where they can continue their spiritual evolution. Contrary to what most people think, people are born into wealthy and conscious families because of past pious activities. This is the law of karma.


So when couples procreate, they actually have the ability to attract an enlightened soul into the womb of the mother. This is the intangible part of sexuality that is misunderstood. Just like consciousness and intention are an important ingredient when preparing a meal, similarly, our consciousness and intentions are a critical component in attracting an enlightened and/or pious soul into our family.

I believe that if vegans understood this, they would be much more inclined to have children to help them in their noble efforts to make a better world and carry on their legacy.

That is exactly what my wife and I thought when we decided to conceive our son, Bhimal in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. And it was the best decision we ever made. We are over the moon with our vegan baby. I encourage all vegans to make more babies! The world sorely needs more truth and compassion warriors.

Paul, Juliana, Bhimal and Balaram the bull at Juliana's Animal Sanctuarywww.julianasfarm.org 

1994 during my travels through the Former Soviet UnionWhen I started my non-profit management career back in 1989 at the New Gokula Farm in the Hunter Valley, NSW, I had absolutely no training or experience when it came to fundraising or public relations. I learned the hard way - trial and error with a little help from friends and books.

The amazing thing was that I was rather successful with just being enthusiastic and sincere. I got to meet with mayors, senators, presidents of companies, along with getting a handy amount of media attention. It was raw enthusiasm matched with good timing that got me most of my success.

Of course, back then I was a monk, with little responsibility other than getting up early to do my meditations and temple duties. I had a lot of time to dedicate and I enjoyed the journey as I used my Mac Plus computer and Aldus Pagemaker to design marketing materials.

Fast forward to 2017, a helluva lot has changed.

I am now married for the 2nd time and have a little one-year-old boy and 80 rescued animals under our care at my wife's animal sanctuary. You could say, life is a lot more complicated. But I do enjoy the challenge and with that comes greater expectations and hope. My visions are much grander and I still have the same optimism I had some 30 years ago.

Back then, I focused a lot on grant applications and this enabled me to get clarity on what exactly I wanted for my charity. I was able to get many small grants back then for my humble food distribution project, Hare Krishna Food for Life Hunter Valley. With these small successes, in 1992, I decided to shoot for the stars and apply for the Bicentennial Fund for a $750,000 grant to fund the entire farm project I was living on.

I called the project, Krishna's RAY of Hope. The RAY stood for Rural Accommodation for Youth and the focus of the project was to create a place where youth, particularly those that were in some way challenged or unemployed to come to the farm and learn basic agrarian skills, along with yoga, meditation and to grow food for our Food for Life project.

I spent at least a month putting together a 40-page proposal outlining every aspect of this project and to bolster the presentation I would visit prominent leaders in the community to get their endorsement. Proposing such a bold project in a small country town caught the attention and respect of everyone that I met. As a result, I was able to get support from the local mayor, regional minister and even the famous Bob Carr, who was campaigning for the Premier for New South Wales.

Some of my friends on the farm did not understand my intentions and thought I was going to bring bad elements to the farm. But the reality was quite different. My intentions were simply to market the farm project in such a way as to get the government to support it financially. All I was doing was repackaging it as community service project and not as a religious one.

Despite the negativity and fears from some, I submitted the application anyway. During the vetting process, I decided to call one of the people I knew who was on the grant committee. She told me, "We are actually discussing your project right now and are so impressed by how much support you have for it." I was thrilled to hear this and thought we really had a good chance to secure the grant.

In the end, however, we lost out by one vote! But we forever changed the minds of those on the committee with our vision and determination.

About a year later, I put together another proposal that was a dialed down version of this one. In my research for relevancy, I noted that all the media were talking about the unemployment rate and had a spark of inspiration to match this social concern with another innovative project. I found another government agency offering grants to projects with innovative programs for youth. I proposed to create a program to employ chronically unemployable youths to grow organic vegetables on our farm to supply our local Food for Life project. This pilot project would initially take 10 people and while they worked on our farm, we would also provide them breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It just happened, however, that soon after submitted this application, my life took a whole new direction when I was asked to move to the United States to set up the headquarters for Food for Life. Amazingly, we won the grant for $130,000! But I had to leave the project in the hands of others to manage. It all went fine, but I was now off on a new adventure, that in the next 30 years would take me to 70 countries around the world, lecturing on the philosophy of Food for Life and training volunteers. During this time, I shared my public relations experience and inspired a whole generation of other monks to start their own Food for Life project.

Now that I am settled in Colombia, South America with my new wife and child, I am revisiting my roots with grant writing and social entrepreneurship again and enjoying the research and networking it affords. With the power of social media, it is much easier to reach the decision makers and those in the know and there is a wealth of really good information too if you search for it.

I have come to realize that essentially I am a humanitarian with great business ideas and to be successful, I need to surround myself with smart business people and marketers.

Along with the grant writing, I am working on some fabulous business ventures that are all tied to benefit both Juliana's Animal Sanctuary and Food for Life Global. That is my passion now -- to make lots of money to fund the things I really care about.

One of these ventures is called OM CORPS and will revolutionize the cause-related marketing space. If you are interested in learning more, please write me at pturner@ffl.org for an executive summary.

Another is to develop the brand Food Yogi and to bring out a line of products that match the mission of Food Yoga.


Finally, our vision for my wife's sanctuary is to take it well beyond just a charity project where animals are rescued and cared for but to compliment it with a variety of cause-related ventures and to target the 2 trillion dollar wellness tourism market with a unique healing experience to help the project become financially sustainable, above collected donations.

If you would like to learn more about the Food Yoga Academy, Retreat, and Sanctuary , please contact me for an executive summary.

2016 has got to go down as one of the craziest years of our times.Instead of regurgitating all that was wrong with 2016, I will highlight just a couple of things and then look at the positives and how this is tied to the numerology of the year.

One thing that stood out to me about 2016 was how the people stood up to their leaders -- the Globalist -- which were highlighted by Brexit, the June 23, 2016, referendum whereby British citizens voted to exit the European Union, and then followed by the election of Donald Trump to be president of the USA. Before I go any further, I am not endorsing any political party, but the fact that Trump won showed clearly that the people were not believing the traditional media outlets who all unabashedly predicted Clinton to win in a landslide.

If there is one simple way to describe 2016, it would be that it was the year of the citizen journalist. The year that the individual's voice became louder than traditional media foghorn. And this rise of citizen journalism was all predicted as far back as 4 years ago in this TED talk.


Another report on this phenomena was reported by The Seeker Daily


But with the volume of these citizen journalist being turned up, the traditional media outlets like CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, etc, were not going to go down without a fight, and sure enough, we saw 2016 end with the "fake news" narrative headlining everywhere and the Obama administration and the frustrated democratic party blaming Russia for hacking the elections and being responsible for "fake news" that swayed the American voter.

Of course, none of the allegations against Russian government has ever been proven, but a lack of evidence is not going to stop traditional media and the power structure from running with the misleading narrative. "Fake news" was the perfect way to misdirect the public away from the real facts of the matter, that Clinton campaign manager, John Podesta was the victim of a phishing attack and his emails revealed some rather sordid practices of the Clinton Foundation and the leadership.


Going after "Fake news" was also the perfect set up for introducing more legislation to restrict free speech and Obama quietly did just that on Christmas eve.

Like him or love him, Alex Jones has revealed one thing we cannot deny -- there is indeed an information war going on and it behooves every person to be aware of how the information they are being fed by traditional media is spun and sometimes fabricated (read: fake) to fit a globalist agenda.

So in terms of numerology, 2016 was a Year 9. What does this mean?
There is a constant cycling of 9 years in numerology. The 9th year represents the end of a cycle and it typically introduces major changes in our lives. A year 9 can be the year when we reap the fruits of our labor from the last 8 years, and it can also mean an ending of something not wanted anymore.

As we enter 2017, we are greeted by the energy of a Year 1, which is represented by the Sun. The sun is the life giver, the energizer, and source of rebirth, so a year 1 represents a new beginning and there is every chance that 2017 will be a year of renewal and a discarding of old paradigms.

The way I see this is that with the rise of citizen journalism, we have seen a growing distrust of traditional media and the globalist narrative. People all over the world are feeling more empowered with knowledge and are asserting it. This fight for the ears of the people is not over, but for sure, the rise of the independent researcher/citizen journalist is changing the narrative and with that, it is changing the paradigm of how we see this world.

The fact is we are constantly being lied to
From birth, we are told that we are nothing but a physical body -- a lie. Through school, we are told that we have to identify ourselves by the bordered land we are born on -- a lie. Throughout our adult life, we are told that we are to just serve the authorities because they know better -- a lie.

We are eternal souls. We are not this body. The land we are born on is Earth, so from a purely physical perspective, we are Earthlings. All the isms of the world are mental prisons to keep us bound and limited. Similarly, the governments of today are controlled by corporations and a corporation by definition does not serve the people, it serves itself and its shareholders. A real government of the people is meant to serve the people, not abuse and exploit the people, as we are seeing all over the world.


2017 will be a year where the citizen journalist becomes even more powerful and the voice of the people much louder than the traditional media. These are revolutionary times we now live in. There is a massive shift in power and shift in consciousness taking place.

Pizzagate
Probably the craziest story to emerge in 2016 was Pizzagate. The circumstantial evidence surrounding the allegations are overwhelming and anyone that takes the time to independently investigate this story will come away very unsatisfied with the traditional media's narrative that this is all a hoax.

Before you write this off, take a moment to watch these two videos.





Before you dismiss Pizzagate as a hoax just because it is being presented by a citizen journalist, think about all the coincidences and circumstantial evidence here. Also, keep in mind that all of this is based on emails leaked by Wikileaks that has a 100% track record of accuracy, and that no one in the intelligence community is denying the validity of the emails that are at the source of this investigation. 
Also, keep in mind that a worldwide network of pedophilia and Satanic sex rituals involving children is real and not fake, as this thorough investigation by 60 minutes Australia did many years ago. 
And there is this testimony by former FBI Chief Ted Gunderson


Let's pray and hope that 2017 ushers in a renewal of love and respect for each other. A year where the voice of the individual, especially the children of this world is heard loud and clear. For too long, demonic forces have ruled over the airwaves of our media and our consciousness. Break free from this prison of the mind and listen to your heart. Do your own research and do not just accept what a digital box in your home tells you is truth. 
George Orwell wrote in his classic book, 1984: “In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act”.

Some of my favorite citizen journalists are:
David SeamanWe Are ChangeHigh Impact FlixThe Corbett ReportTrust Your GutSeeker DailyBig ThinkReality Calls

Praise goes a long way.

We need to work harder to see the good qualities in others and let them know how much we admire and appreciate them. We've become accustomed to finding faults in others, because it takes the focus away from our own faults. This is the same reason why bad news sells. By focusing on the suffering, pain and misfortune of others, we take the focus away from our own shortcomings, which makes us feel better for the moment.

But if we take the time to praise others and look for and highlight the beautiful qualities they possess, we enrich them with self-confidence and encourage them to be the best they can.

Simultaneously, we will also feel enriched seeing the happiness on their faces. To serve and please another is the innate quality of the soul. It is what gives us life.

Service is like breathing. We need it, and yet, foolishly we hold our "breath" and pretend we are independent like a stubborn child seeking attention. We are interdependent spiritual beings and unconditional loving service is what defines us. Praising another person is another form of service.

Praise goes a long way.

We need to work harder to see the good qualities in others and let them know how much we admire and appreciate them. We've become accustomed to finding faults in others, because it takes the focus away from our own faults. This is the same reason why bad news sells. By focusing on the suffering, pain and misfortune of others, we take the focus away from our own shortcomings, which makes us feel better for the moment.

But if we take the time to praise others and look for and highlight the beautiful qualities they possess, we enrich them with self-confidence and encourage them to be the best they can.

Simultaneously, we will also feel enriched seeing the happiness on their faces. To serve and please another is the innate quality of the soul. It is what gives us life.

Service is like breathing. We need it, and yet, foolishly we hold our "breath" and pretend we are independent like a stubborn child seeking attention. We are interdependent spiritual beings and unconditional loving service is what defines us. Praising another person is another form of service.

October 16, 2013 - travel diary in Brazil.

My hosts in Brasilia had to work on the day I was to fly out so they left me on my own in their apartment. It was very kind of them and they were really nice hosts, however, I soon realized that I was on my own to get to the airport that night. And as any English-speaking person knows, nothing even slightly complex is easy to do in a non-English speaking world.
Fortunately, I did have Internet and I quickly call upon a local friend on Facebook to call a taxi for me. She tells me that they are coming, but as the time approaches to my leaving to make the flight, the anxiety begins to churn in my stomach. That is a strange thing about flying; no matter how early you plan to be at the airport you still get the dreaded churn. I try to relax myself and just wait. No one is coming and all taxis seem to be just passing by. None are looking for an Australian tourist. Finally it is getting too close to the cut-off point, so when I see the next taxi I wave my hand, half-hoping that he is the one that has been called for me. Well, he also drives on, but then a taxi appears from the other side. I am not sure now if this is the guy that was called for me, or is the same guy I waved at and who has now circled the block the come to me.  I get into the taxi, a bit apprehensively. I say, “International Airport” in the best Spanish accent I can do. He understands with a “Sem” and we are off. But then all the way to the airport I am still wondering if he is the guy that was called for me and who had agreed to the set price of $50 Reias (US$25). I am anxious and wonder if I am going to have a fight with him at the end of the ride over the fare. The broken conversation and arguments continue inside my head. They don't stop until we finally arrive at the airport. I then wonder, “Is this the International airport?” In Sao Paulo there are three airports, but fortunately for me there is only one in Brasilia.
He hands me a bill for $60, I tell him, “No, I telephone, they tell me 50” (drawing the number in the air). He looks bewildered and makes some sound. I repeat the same and he finally gets it and agrees! “Sem.” I then hand him a $100 note but he has no change. He takes my bags out of the car and puts them on the curb. I then have this fear scenario running through my head that he will just take off with my $100 bill, calling out “Gringo”. But he finds another taxi driver and gets change. He hands me my change and we part ways. I made it! The first stage complete; now for the plane.
I walk through the huge terminal looking for my airlines. Hang on a minute, what is my airline? I have no idea. Someone else booked my ticket. All I know is that the flight is GE 1693. I ask a man, he calls over a friend who then explains to me that it is GOL airlines and then directs me to the right ticket counter.
I approach the counter with two overloaded bags. The one that always goes underneath is always maxed at 25kg, but so too is my “carry-on roller bag.” I sneakily push that to the side and then thrust the big silver one on the scale, all the while smiling. The ticket lady understands a little English. Yeah! With a “help-me” face, I tell her, “Can you please upgrade me to business class. I am very tired. I work for charity.” I keep smiling and she says, “in the first plane there is no business class.” I tell her that her English is good. She appreciates that and smiles back. We have some rapport going on here. It appears that she feels good about me and gives me a seat up the front. I assume that they are business class seats. I am really happy and boast about it on facebook. The reality is far different. We are flying on a 737 to Sao Paolo and then again on a 737 to Santo Domingo. The so-called business class is actually just 1 inch more leg-room and a curtain dividing you from the riff-raff.
I am told that my boarding gate is H. “Just go down the stairs after security,” she says. We part ways. I have some free wifi upstairs but it doesn’t seem to work downstairs. I stay upstairs for my most of my wait. I am like 2 hours before the flight, after check-in. I have no idea why I worry so much before flights. Anyway, I am chatting with my fiancé and others on Facebook, while the clock ticks away. I think, “I better go downstairs to see on my gate and the status of the plane. I am sacrificing Internet, but a man has to do what a man has to do!” On my way down I notice a place where I can actually eat! Hallelujah, there is a place that sells baked potatoes. Everything else I have seen thus far has been pastries and candy.
Travel note: Do not expect to get any decent food at the Brasilia airport if you are vegan.
I approach the counter and try to explain to the lady that I want a baked potato with olive oil and salt. I am vegan, so I don’t want all the butter and cream and extras on my spud. She is like, “blah, blah, blah”. I don’t have a clue what she just said to me, and of course she can’t understand me. Another lady hands me a menu and points at something with mignon or fillet. I don’t know much, but that seems fish or meat. “No Obrigado,” I tell her. (yes, I learned how to say thank you in Portuguese!). I look frustratingly, as others make their order and move happily on their way. I try to text my fiancé, who speaks Spanish, but the Internet is bad down here. I have to now lug my bags upstairs to get Internet and then ask her to write in the chat window, “I want a potato with olive oil and salt.” She does and I race downstairs to show the lady. She understands! She gives me my baked potato with a small container of olive oil and 6 small bags of salt. I am like, “lady, I wanted some salt, but I don’t want to have a heart attack!” I then ask, “Do you have pepper?” They look at me confused. “Pepper, you know, salt, I mean sol and pepper.” They are still bewildered. I am waving my hands to indicate that salt and pepper are like bread and butter. They still have no idea what the hell I am talking about. Then a customer chimes in, “I think he means, pimento”. “Sim, Pimento. Ok!” The lady then hands me a bottle of hot sauce. I am like, “Erm, do you know the powdery stuff?” She says, “what?” “Ok forget it, hot sauce it is. I sprinkle hot sauce all over my potato, pay for it and am soon on my way with dinner!
I sit down to eat at Gate H but then notice it is getting rather close to boarding time. It is now 9:05 and the plan is scheduled to fly at 9:32. I am eating as fast as I can, considering this spud just came out of a 250 degree oven and has hot sauce all over it. This is killing me. I am so hungry, but the sauce is so darn hot, and I am now worried about missing my plane. But I am at Gate H and people are still waiting around and the sign on the board is for another flight, so surely we are the next one. I just need to relax and enjoy this potato. My intuition now chimes in, “No, something is wrong. Grab that potato and go over and ask the guy at the counter if this really is the correct gate.” My tickets says Gate H, the lady at the ticket counter said it was Gate H, but then he says, “No, it is Gate 9 upstairs.” What!!!! I race upstairs and across the terminal. Gate 9 is on the other side of the terminal. I am tired, hungry, anxious and now possibly going to miss my flight. I look at the flight board, and my flight is boarding now! I finally find Gate 9, there are people around, but they too are waiting for another flight. Everyone else on flight GE1693 are sitting in their seats. I approach the counter; the lady waves me in. I am the last to board. And you all thought traveling around the world is so damn easy.
I settle in with my potato in hand and eat dinner while the plane prepares for take-off. Our flight to Sao Paolo will take 1.5 hours. Every time before take-off and landing I say a prayer to Lord Nrsimhadeva, the Lion God to protect everyone on the plane. I try to sleep to no avail and finally, we land safely in Sao Paolo at 11pm.
I now have to wait for my next flight leaving at 2.20am. I am already exhausted. I try my best to whittle away the time at the magazine shop where I spot a whole section of English magazines. I find a Popular Science and am intrigued to read an article on the quest for finding a particle of dark matter. Billions upon billions are being spent on this search, but just like the so-called noble quest to cure cancer by pharmaceutical companies, this too has the smell of scam, because the reality is that dark matter is an energy form that is beyond measurement; totally invisible to mundane instruments. The only reason that scientist know it exists, is because, this strange “nothingness” is influencing things that they can measure. In other words, just like we cannot see our intelligence or mind, but know that they exists by the symptoms they produce and the influence they have on the world around us. For decades scientists have been boggled by the problem of what is filling all the space in the universe? Conveniently they now refer to it as dark matter and dark energy. Translation: We don’t have a clue what it is, but we know there is something out there. Of course, from the Vedic perspective, it is spiritual energy, a higher frequency of energy beyond mundane sensual perception.
Ok, back to the airport.
Another hallelujah moment awaits me, Starbucks! They have Internet and they also have soy milk. I order a Venti hot chocolate with soy milk. I am really happy now. I catch up with friends online and confirm that someone will be there to pick me up at the airport in Santo Domingo tomorrow morning. My time finally runs out and I must board the flight. I again have a window seat because on any sort of long flight, the window is better for resting your head. Unless you have one of those stupid looking neck pillows, which I did travel with once, but then gave up on because they are so impractical.
We take off on time and I immediately try to go into sleep mode. I mean it is like close to 3am now and I have not slept a wink. Despite my attempts to twist the tiny airline pillow into places to support my neck and head, nothing seems to work. The plane is packed so there is no question of finding three empty seats. Although, on my way to the bathroom I did notice one lucky guy scored an entire exit row to himself. Now that is just not fair! I begrudgingly return to my seat. 
I try and try to sleep to no avail. Then in a half conscious stage I hear the lady announce that we are descending, but right then my body decides to go into deep sleep mode. I am like dreaming and having a great old time, but then I hear her voice, “Sir, Sir,” as she wiggles my arm. I don’t move. I am gone, but I can hear her voice. My body is totally resisting any disturbance. It has had enough of this bullshit. She continues, “Sir, Sir, we are landing,” this time grabbing my arm. My body is like, “No way, sister, we are staying down for the count.” At this stage I am now aware of what is going on and I try to will my body back to full consciousness, but it is so disconnected at this point, it is like moving a dead body. I am actually now half in an astral state. It is not easy. Finally, after more tugs of my arm and my urging, my body complies and awakens. I lift my seat up and with eyes still closed and prepare for the landing. At this point, I don’t want to see or talk to anyone. I don’t give a shit what my hair looks like or if my face is all contorted from the sleep state. I grab my bags and leave the plane following everyone one else.
Unbeknown to me, most people on this flight are catching a flight to Miami, and only a few of the passengers head for the baggage claim area. I get my bags and proceed towards customs. The lady waves a paper, expecting me to produce the same kind of form filled out. I know I filled one out on the plane, but I have no idea where it is now. She can see I am half asleep and mentally fried and says, “Ok just go.” Can you imagine that ever happening in the USA? No custom form and just waved through! Welcome to Santo Domingo, bitches.
Ok, so with bags in hand I exit to the meeting area, praying that someone there has a sign with my name on it. There is no one. I move slowly scanning the area, but there is no one. I absolutely hate that experience. Frustrated, tired and so over this sort of thing I leave the terminal to wait outside. But again after 5 minutes there is still no one. I then return to the terminal and look for wifi. I find a place, but unless you buy a drink you don’t get wifi. I give the lady a puppy dog face and she begrudgingly agrees to put the password in my phone. She does, but it doesn’t work. I now wonder if she is still bent on selling me something for the actual password. I did not have any local money, so I gave up and went back outside.
As I leave, a hoard of taxi guys talk to me, but I have no idea what they are saying and move on. They look at me like, “We are talking and you are ignoring us.” And I am like, “Why are you making sounds with your mouth? I am busy waiting for my ride, so leave me alone.” I begin to wait and wait, and wait. 20 minutes, then 30, then 40, then 1 hour goes by. It is clear now that no one is coming for me. I am so tired of this experience. It is not the first time and I hate it even more every time it happens. In fact, I would actually prefer not to take 1 million dollars in exchange for someone picking me up on time at the airport. It is that important to me. I am musing this is not Sao Paolo where traffic is hell and you can just use that as your excuse for being late. This is Santo Domingo, an island where people ride bikes. There are no traffic jams here. Where are you!?
I grab my bags and try the café that has wifi again. This time I go the cash machine and get $100 (peso) out. I return to the café and without even saying anything the lady says, “The problem is with your phone. It was the right password,” as if to intuit what my motive was in returning with cash. This time I use my laptop and the password works. Hallelujah!. I sit down and immediately text a message to one of the FFL coordinators in Haiti, “No one is here. What is wrong?,” I write. He texts back, “I will call now.” He then tells me that some people left hours ago to get you. I say, “BS I have been waiting for over 1 hour. Finally, after another 20 minutes I see a sign shoved in my face, “PAUL TURNER”. I am relieved but still very pissed at why they are so late. I ask them, “What happened? “Oh we were not told of your 8:30 arrival and we had some other things to do.” “What? Other things to do?” I want to scream, but I keep a relaxed look on my face and thank them for coming. I then hear from the person that organized my pick up that they had assumed that I would take 1 hour to get through immigration, so he had not stressed my arrival time.
Rule #1 when welcoming a guest to your country: Be on time to get them at the airport. No excuses. Just be there waiting at the time the plane actually arrives. You can never judge how much time customs or immigration will take, because there are too many variables. So just be there at landing.
Rule # 2: Always have a bottle of water to give your guest. Planes dehydrate you like a potato chip, and your body needs water badly. Make sure the water is room temperature.
Rule #3: Assume that your guest is tired and is not interested in complex conversations or hearing about your problems. Just play some relaxing music have small talk and get them to a place where they can wash and settle down.
I finally arrive at the humble temple of the ISKCON society in Santo Domingo. It is now 10:30am and I am still super tired, spaced out, thirsty and hungry. In other words, I feel horrible so just close the door and leave me alone for a bit.
My guests brings me 2 delicious coconuts to drink and I then lay down to try and rest on an old mattress with no sheets. All I am thinking now is, “bed bugs.” I surrender to sleep and lay down, but within minutes a tiny dog nextdoor starts barking, and barking and barking. “Please give me a shot gun!” No, I didn’t think that, but seriously, “Shut up. I want to sleep!”
My guests then brings me breakfast -- a strange combination of watermelon with the rind still in tact, strips of cheese and boiled plantains. I’m like, “Seriously?” I eat the few pieces of watermelon and try to sleep again. But that little asshole dog just won’t stop. I finally give up and go to sit in the temple room. At least it is quite, but really I just want to sleep. I try to use the toilet but it doesn't flush. I learn later that you have to use a bucket of water. Oh and ladies, you can forget about the tissue paper. It ain’t happening. Here you just man up and shake it off.
I decide to take a shower, but the plumbing here must be like 100 years old. I first wash my face but then worry that I may catch something. The shower is a rusty pipe hanging from the wall. There is no showerhead and it is of course cold water. I get in and soap up as the huge plastic bucket collects the water from the pipe. I then look at the plastic container I am supposed to use to scoop the water to bathe myself, and notice it is covered in mold. In fact, there is mold everywhere. Now I am really freaking out. I throw the entire bucket of water over myself, dry off and get the hell out of that germ-infested room.
No one speaks English here so I can’t ask for anything. I try to explain to my guests about the dog and the fact that I just want to sleep, but he just keeps talking in Spanish. Even after I politely explained to him that I don’t understand, he keeps talking. Of course, he can’t understand what I just said either. It is hopeless. I smile and walk away.
And this, my dear reader, is what a typical travel adventure looks like in between all the nice beaches and waterfalls that I sometimes come across. It is not all so easy, and frankly, I am really tired of it. I just want to be in my own bed.

Too many people these days use Facebook's timeline feed as their primary source of information. Although the idea is convenient it fails dismally on credibility.

For one thing, our newsfeed is based on past likes and our faith in our network of friends to share news of value. The problem, however, is that this means the source of our news is skewed by our past subjective preferences and the value of our friend's subjective judgment on what is valuable to them. It does not in anyway guarantee you will get the truth or objective journalism.

We've all been subject to sharing a sensational post that seemed just too good not to share, only to find out later on that the story was totally fabricated, once a friend pointed out a link to a Snopes assessment.

Apparently, Facebook has declared war on misinformation, although the skeptic in me feels that this too is misinformation as Facebook has much to gain with viral posts -- more eyeballs on Facebook.

It seems to me that this recent presidential election is no exception and the mudslinging done by both Clinton and Trump was amplified by passionate supporters and a host of professional Internet Misinformation artists knit-picking quotes and sharing left and right-wing spin. Sometimes, the posts were just pure "hearsay," resulting in things like "Trump hates all Latinos and LGBTQ people" and "Clinton is a Satanist," becoming accepted in social media circles as absolutely true.

After the election, we're now witnessing some really hostile and abusive behavior both on and off screen. But again, the hidden hands behind the curtain (those engaged in manipulating public opinion) are continuing to spin and stoke the fires of controversy and division.

For example, the demonstrators outside of the Trump tower stating that Trump is not their president. In a healthy democracy, this is a good thing, but, what is not clarified here is that the 2000 or so protestors represent just 0.004% of the New York population. Not very significant by any means.

It is interesting to note that some of the anti-Trump protests in the US have been organized by groups that were sponsored by Clinton sympathizer and billionaire George Soros.

The bottom line here is that it is too easy to be swayed by information manipulators that rule over the news channels. We have to do our own objective investigations and make our minds up.

All the fear that is permeating the Internet now after Trump was elected is being stirred and fueled by the people that want to continue keeping us divided, powerless and ignorant. "Divide and conquer" is the most basic rule of warfare and believe me, what we are seeing today, both on and offline, is a real war on consciousness.

The ruling elite, made up of the most powerful corporate leaders of the world, would like nothing more than to keep us in the dark and fighting amongst ourselves so that they can continue selling us things we don't need, and a set of mental constructs that will keep us consuming and running like mice on a treadmill.

I have been minimized for expressing these opinions on Facebook when my intention is to help my friends stay awake and objective. I decided to take a break from Facebook until things settled down.

I humbly encourage people to do their own research and not just accept the so-called "facts" of a matter. History is HIS STORY and you can be sure that the self-interested rulers of this world are very much in the game of writing the story.

Remember, you and I are eternal souls -- sparks of God's splendor and nothing and no one can harm us unless we give them the permission to do so. Body consciousness is the biggest hurdle to self-realization and as long as we identify ourselves as Republican, Democrat, Indepent, black, white, Latino, Muslim, American, etc, we will continue to remain caged by a false ego that will keep us bound to this material vibration.

Russell Brand had some illuminating thoughts on Trump's victory. "With Donald Trump [being elected] it is now no longer possible to ignore that real change is required."


An interesting report on Media bias (University of Pennsylvania senior Jack Beckwith and friend Nick Sorscher launched the website Data Face last October. They assembled a team of three “data journalists” who investigate topics in music, politics and sports. …[One such topic was] how positively (or negatively) the media has treated each 2016 presidential candidate. All of their articles rely on data that they collect themselves and present in interactive visualizations.)
AddendumIt seems to me that much of the fear is being promoted by the left-wing media, including the New York Times.

I came across this interesting article. Yes, it is on Fox News but the facts are undeniable. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/17/dems-media-skewing-trumps-record-on-lgbt-issues.html

Finally, a scholarly article about how the Government and the media uses fear to control the masses.

http://www.independent.org/publications/article.asp?id=1510

Too many people these days use Facebook's timeline feed as their primary source of information. Although the idea is convenient it fails dismally on credibility.

For one thing, our newsfeed is based on past likes and our faith in our network of friends to share news of value. The problem, however, is that this means the source of our news is skewed by our past subjective preferences and the value of our friend's subjective judgment on what is valuable to them. It does not in anyway guarantee you will get the truth or objective journalism.

We've all been subject to sharing a sensational post that seemed just too good not to share, only to find out later on that the story was totally fabricated, once a friend pointed out a link to a Snopes assessment.

Apparently, Facebook has declared war on misinformation, although the skeptic in me feels that this too is misinformation as Facebook has much to gain with viral posts -- more eyeballs on Facebook.

It seems to me that this recent presidential election is no exception and the mudslinging done by both Clinton and Trump was amplified by passionate supporters and a host of professional Internet Misinformation artists knit-picking quotes and sharing left and right-wing spin. Sometimes, the posts were just pure "hearsay," resulting in things like "Trump hates all Latinos and LGBTQ people" and "Clinton is a Satanist," becoming accepted in social media circles as absolutely true.

After the election, we're now witnessing some really hostile and abusive behavior both on and off screen. But again, the hidden hands behind the curtain (those engaged in manipulating public opinion) are continuing to spin and stoke the fires of controversy and division.

For example, the demonstrators outside of the Trump tower stating that Trump is not their president. In a healthy democracy, this is a good thing, but, what is not clarified here is that the 2000 or so protestors represent just 0.004% of the New York population. Not very significant by any means.

It is interesting to note that some of the anti-Trump protests in the US have been organized by groups that were sponsored by Clinton sympathizer and billionaire George Soros.

The bottom line here is that it is too easy to be swayed by information manipulators that rule over the news channels. We have to do our own objective investigations and make our minds up.

All the fear that is permeating the Internet now after Trump was elected is being stirred and fueled by the people that want to continue keeping us divided, powerless and ignorant. "Divide and conquer" is the most basic rule of warfare and believe me, what we are seeing today, both on and offline, is a real war on consciousness.

The ruling elite, made up of the most powerful corporate leaders of the world, would like nothing more than to keep us in the dark and fighting amongst ourselves so that they can continue selling us things we don't need, and a set of mental constructs that will keep us consuming and running like mice on a treadmill.

I have been minimized for expressing these opinions on Facebook when my intention is to help my friends stay awake and objective. I decided to take a break from Facebook until things settled down.

I humbly encourage people to do their own research and not just accept the so-called "facts" of a matter. History is HIS STORY and you can be sure that the self-interested rulers of this world are very much in the game of writing the story.

Remember, you and I are eternal souls -- sparks of God's splendor and nothing and no one can harm us unless we give them the permission to do so. Body consciousness is the biggest hurdle to self-realization and as long as we identify ourselves as Republican, Democrat, Indepent, black, white, Latino, Muslim, American, etc, we will continue to remain caged by a false ego that will keep us bound to this material vibration.

When I was a monk, one of the favorite things we looked forward to were the cauliflower pakoras at the weekly Sunday feast. Pakoras are a traditional part of North Indian cuisine and are deep fried battered vegetables, usually cauliflower, onions, peppers, or potatoes. The North America (non-veg) equivalent of pakoras are "Buffalo wings" and "KFC drumsticks". Recently, someone in the vegan community created a vegan version of buffalo wings and a vegan ranch dressing. But although it was a nice alternative it really cannot compare to a traditional pakora or a KFC drumstick. The recipe I am going to share here is not meant to be a fake meat version of KFC's drumstick but more of a KFC-version of a traditional pakora, and it is based on the actual KFC recipe. Enjoy!Prep: 10 minutesCook: 10 minutesMakes: 8 servings1 cups all-purpose flour1 cup chickpea (Garbanzo) flour 1/3 cup rice flour2/3 tablespoon salt1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves1/3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves1 tablespoon celery salt1 tablespoon ground black pepper1 tablespoon dried mustard powder2 tablespoons paprika1 tsp of coriander powder2 tablespoons turmeric1 tablespoon ground ginger3 tablespoons ground white pepper1/2 cup vegan yogurt1 Tbsp flax seed oilWater to make batterCut one whole cauliflower into florets with a long stem. Oil for deep frying1 Mix the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and spices; set aside.2 Mix the yogurt and flaxseed oil together in a separate bowl until combined.3. Add yogurt/oil mixture to flour and then while whisking, add enough water until you get a slow-running batter. 4. Cover and place batter in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.5. Meanwhile, steam the cauliflowers for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain.6. Add oil to a large, deep saucepan or wok to reach a depth of 8cm. Heat to 170°C over high heat (when the oil is ready a cube of bread will turn golden in 20 seconds). Add cauliflower to the batter and stir to coat. Add half the cauliflower to the oil. Cook for 3 minutes or until crisp and golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining cauliflower, reheating the oil between batches.7. Place the cauliflower in a serving bowl. Top with fresh coriander and season with salt. www.FoodYogi.org