{"id":24161,"date":"2021-05-01T01:10:59","date_gmt":"2021-05-01T05:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=24161"},"modified":"2021-05-17T12:50:36","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T16:50:36","slug":"goodgod-43","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2021\/05\/01\/goodgod-43\/","title":{"rendered":"GoodGod!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b><span lang=\"en-US\">Meet the Gods: <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Krishna<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b><span lang=\"en-US\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24162\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod1.png 512w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod1-300x219.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #202124;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Krishna<\/span><\/span><b> <\/b><span style=\"color: #202124;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">is a major deity in Hinduism, one of the most popular and widely revered. He is worshipped as the eighth <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #424242;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">incarnation or <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #202124;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">avatar of Lord Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. He is <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #424242;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">the god of love, compassion and tenderness. Hindu mythology portrays him as a prankster, gentle lover, universal supreme being and child-like God. <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #464646;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">People consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all in one.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #464646;\"><span style=\"font-family: Lucida Grande, serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24163\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"251\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod2.png 520w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod2-300x157.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #464646;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He\u2019s influenced Indian life and culture \u2013 not only its religion and philosophy, but also its folklore, painting, sculptures, literature, music, dance, poetry, and mysticism. He is believed to have lived for 125 years. Scholars believe he lived on earth between 3200 and 3100 BC.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #464646;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The details of his birth are many and long. <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #424242;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">To keep a prophecy from coming true<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #1a1a1a;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, the wicked king of Mathura killed each of his sister\u2019s children, but Krishna survived. The son of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #424242;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Queen Devaki and King Vasudeva, h<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #1a1a1a;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">e was born at midnight and switched with another newborn and raised by another couple across the river. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #1a1a1a;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">As a child, Krishna is depicted crawling or dancing with joy, holding a ball of butter in his hands. As a divine lover \u2013 his most common representation \u2013 he is handsome, with blue-black skin, wearing a yellow loincloth, crowned with peacock feathers, and playing the flute. It\u2019s said his music prompted women to leave their homes and dance ecstatically with him in the moonlight. In addition to pranks, Krishna performed many miracles and killed many demons. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #1a1a1a;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Krishna\u2019s birth is marked by <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #464646;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Janmashtami,<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #1a1a1a;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> a major festival in India and around the world. A Festival of Love in the spring celebrates the eternal and divine love of Krishna and his consort, Radha, who is worshiped as the goddess of love, <\/span><\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">tenderness, compassion and devotion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Among the wisdom he expressed were the role of karma, humbleness, mindfulness, that there is always a cause, sacrifice, the importance of trusted friends, reducing desires is the key to happiness, and happiness is a state of mind, which has nothing to do with the external world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24164\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod4.png 520w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod4-300x202.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">According to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: Lucida Grande, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/krishna.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">krishna.com<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, \u201cIn the transcendental world also Krishna reciprocates with His pure devotees just as the devotee wants Him. One devotee may want Krishna as his supreme master, another as his personal friend, another as his son and still another as his lover. Krishna responds to all the devotees equally, according to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world also the same reciprocations of feelings are there\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Devotees in both the material and the spiritual world render personal service to him, deriving transcendental bliss from personal, loving service to the Lord. A devotee\u2019s enjoyment comes from seeing Krishna happy. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">That can mean chanting the mantras (called Brahma Muhurat) between 4am and 6am. Before doing so, bathe and sit before a picture of Krishna and chant 108 times while counting the beads on a tulsi mala.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201c<span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The more everyone makes spiritual advancement the more everyone is empowered, the more everyone is happy in that state, the more Krishna is happy. So that should be our happiness. Then there is no envy or jealousy. Because we are flooding the world with the pure vibrations of selfless devotion, Krishna is actually manifesting Himself in the holy name through us into the whole universe when we chant in that spirit: \u2018Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare\/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,\u2019\u201d Radhanath Swami Maharaj writes in an 2018 article published in The New Indian Express. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Lucida Grande, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24165\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"451\" height=\"254\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod3.png 465w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/goodgod3-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Individuals who wish to celebrate Janmashtami need only to meditate on Krishna. Because Krishna appeared at midnight, generally devotees fast until then, spending the time chanting, learning more about Krishna, singing devotional songs. and offering him nice things. At midnight, it\u2019s time to honor the food offered during the day. You might also bathe a statue of Krishna in milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and fruit juice. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>***<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Lynn Woike<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20916\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"206\" height=\"274\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thewitchonwheels.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>thewitchonwheels.com<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thewitchonwheels.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20917\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike2-300x240.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike2-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike2.png 488w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">All my life I have known magic was real. As a child, I played with the fae, established relationships with trees and \u201cjust knew things.\u201d In my maiden years I discovered witchcraft and dabbled in the black-candles-and-cemeteries-at-midnight-on-a-fullmoon magick just enough to realize I did not understand its power. I went on to explore many practices including Zen, astrology, color therapy, native traditions, tarot, herbs, candle magic, gems, and, as I moved into my mother years, Buddhism, the Kabbalah and Reiki. The first man I dated after my divorce was a witch who reintroduced me to the Craft, this time by way of the Goddess. For 11 years I was in a coven, but with retirement, I have returned to an eclectic solitary practice. When accepting the mantle of crone, I pledged to serve and teach. This is what I do from my skoolie \u2013 a 30-year-old school bus converted into a tiny house on wheels that I am driving around the country, following 72-degree weather, emerging myself into nature, and sharing magic with those I meet. Find me at <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/thewitchonwheels.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">thewitchonwheels.com<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, Facebook and Instagram.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-20918\" src=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike3-225x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike3-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/lynn-woike3.png 464w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meet the Gods: Krishna &nbsp; &nbsp; Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism, one of the most popular and widely revered. He is worshipped as the eighth incarnation or avatar of Lord Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. He is the god of love, compassion and tenderness. Hindu mythology portrays him as a prankster, gentle lover, universal supreme being and child-like God. People consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all in one. &nbsp; &nbsp; He\u2019s influenced Indian life and culture \u2013 not only its religion and philosophy, but also its folklore, painting, sculptures, literature, music, dance, poetry, and mysticism. He is believed to have lived for 125 years. Scholars believe he lived on earth between 3200 and 3100 BC. The details of his birth are many and long. To keep a prophecy from coming true, the wicked king of Mathura killed each of his sister\u2019s children, but Krishna survived. The son of Queen Devaki and King Vasudeva, he was born at midnight and switched with another newborn and raised by another couple across the river. As a child, Krishna is depicted crawling or dancing with joy, holding a ball of butter in his hands. As a divine lover \u2013 his most common representation \u2013 he is handsome, with blue-black skin, wearing a yellow loincloth, crowned with peacock feathers, and playing the flute. It\u2019s said his music prompted women to leave their homes and dance ecstatically with him in the moonlight. In addition to pranks, Krishna performed many miracles and killed many demons. Krishna\u2019s birth is marked by Janmashtami, a major festival in India and around the world. A Festival of Love in the spring celebrates the eternal and divine love of Krishna and his consort, Radha, who is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion. Among the wisdom he expressed were the role of karma, humbleness, mindfulness, that there is always a cause, sacrifice, the importance of trusted friends, reducing desires is the key to happiness, and happiness is a state of mind, which has nothing to do with the external world. &nbsp; &nbsp; According to krishna.com, \u201cIn the transcendental world also Krishna reciprocates with His pure devotees just as the devotee wants Him. One devotee may want Krishna as his supreme master, another as his personal friend, another as his son and still another as his lover. Krishna responds to all the devotees equally, according to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world also the same reciprocations of feelings are there\u2026\u201d Devotees in both the material and the spiritual world render personal service to him, deriving transcendental bliss from personal, loving service to the Lord. A devotee\u2019s enjoyment comes from seeing Krishna happy. That can mean chanting the mantras (called Brahma Muhurat) between 4am and 6am. Before doing so, bathe and sit before a picture of Krishna and chant 108 times while counting the beads on a tulsi mala. \u201cThe more everyone makes spiritual advancement the more everyone is empowered, the more everyone is happy in that state, the more Krishna is happy. So that should be our happiness. Then there is no envy or jealousy. Because we are flooding the world with the pure vibrations of selfless devotion, Krishna is actually manifesting Himself in the holy name through us into the whole universe when we chant in that spirit: \u2018Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare\/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,\u2019\u201d Radhanath Swami Maharaj writes in an 2018 article published in The New Indian Express. &nbsp; &nbsp; Individuals who wish to celebrate Janmashtami need only to meditate on Krishna. Because Krishna appeared at midnight, generally devotees fast until then, spending the time chanting, learning more about Krishna, singing devotional songs. and offering him nice things. At midnight, it\u2019s time to honor the food offered during the day. You might also bathe a statue of Krishna in milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and fruit juice. *** About the Author: Lynn Woike thewitchonwheels.com All my life I have known magic was real. As a child, I played with the fae, established relationships with trees and \u201cjust knew things.\u201d In my maiden years I discovered witchcraft and dabbled in the black-candles-and-cemeteries-at-midnight-on-a-fullmoon magick just enough to realize I did not understand its power. I went on to explore many practices including Zen, astrology, color therapy, native traditions, tarot, herbs, candle magic, gems, and, as I moved into my mother years, Buddhism, the Kabbalah and Reiki. The first man I dated after my divorce was a witch who reintroduced me to the Craft, this time by way of the Goddess. For 11 years I was in a coven, but with retirement, I have returned to an eclectic solitary practice. When accepting the mantle of crone, I pledged to serve and teach. This is what I do from my skoolie \u2013 a 30-year-old school bus converted into a tiny house on wheels that I am driving around the country, following 72-degree weather, emerging myself into nature, and sharing magic with those I meet. Find me at thewitchonwheels.com, Facebook and Instagram.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":210,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10004],"tags":[11188,10013,10229,12110,12213,10895,12217,10368,13004,13005,10640,10112,13003,13002,10227,10098],"class_list":["post-24161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-monthly-columns","tag-dance","tag-folklore","tag-god","tag-hindu","tag-india","tag-karma","tag-krishna","tag-life","tag-literature","tag-mysticism","tag-myth","tag-mythology","tag-painting","tag-philosophy","tag-poetry","tag-religion"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/210"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24161"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24326,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24161\/revisions\/24326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}