But this year, our temple in particular, has the great fortune of celebrating one most auspicious event: The 50th anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan, the very heart of our community.

These upcoming days on our Vaishnava calendar represent some of the most holy festivals that we as Gaudiya Vaishnavas are particularly blessed to celebrate. I believe most of you have been attending these celebrations for years. For those of you to whom that applies to, a meaningful question arises:

What will be different this time?

We have all experienced the joyous rhythm of a Vaishnava festival: We sing, we dance, an abishek ceremony takes place, beautiful pastimes about their Lordships are being shared, and we conclude with the honour of serving and relishing Sri Prasadam. We meet cherished friends, with whom we share loving exchanges. Thus in many ways, the structure of our festivals is familiar. Yet herein lies a great hurdle on the spiritual path: The risk of following a certain routine mechanically.

The good news is — there is a cure.

What if this time we introduce one ingredient to our personal experience of these sacred daysthat can change everything? What if this time a festival is not just an external celebration or a social gathering but a gateway for inner transformation instead?

The “cure” I am referring to is something known as “Metanoia” in Christian terminology. Metanoia is a Greek term which can literally be translated as “a change of mind” or a „reorientation”.

Why is such reorientation so crucial to our spiritual process?

Because by intentionally shifting our inner focus, our experience of these seemingly familiar events can become the very key to deepening our relationship with God. By the Lord’s grace, what may have felt like a routine can now serve as a sacred turning point.

Perhaps it is a good idea to take a little time before the upcoming festivals to simply reflect on where one stands in one’s relationship with Srila Prabhupada, with Sri Krishna, and with Srimati Radharani. Let us be honest with ourselves. You might even find it will helpful to write down your reflections. In doing so, we may not only observe what is happening in the mind, but eventually even touch the quiet stirrings of the heart.

Let us use this auspicious time to “knock at Krishna’s door” and discover how we can please Him even more through our services — Him and His devotees. The further we walk on the path of Bhakti, our relationships with the divine Personalities we celebrate are meant to become more intimate. So let us ask ourselves:

What is the best possible gift I can offer to the Lord this year?

For someone that may be baking a delicious cake. For another, writing a heartfelt offering of gratitude to Srila Prabhupada. And yet for someone else, the practice of internal reorientation itself may be the most sincere expression of longing for the Lord’s mercy.

I wish you all a most wonderful and transformative celebration of the divine appearances of our Lordships and Their most dear devotee, Srila Prabhupada — without whom we most likely would never have the opportunity to celebrate such glories festivals. He is the very reason this metanoia is taking place in the hearts of thousands of Vaishnavas world wide.

With humble prayers,

Your servant, Harivyāsadeva dāsa, for and on behalf of Goloka Dhama