{"id":163,"date":"2008-07-01T19:53:49","date_gmt":"2008-07-01T19:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/?p=163"},"modified":"2013-10-08T20:11:54","modified_gmt":"2013-10-08T20:11:54","slug":"parallel-lines-of-authority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/parallel-lines-of-authority\/","title":{"rendered":"Parallel Lines of Authority"},"content":{"rendered":"

Parallel Lines of Authority – Novi Sad, Serbia – July 1, 2008<\/span><\/p>\n

There has been some discussion of late about something called “parallel
\nlines of authority.” This refers to the two lines of authority that ISKCON
\nnow finds itself with: gurus on one side and the GBC-Regional Secretary-TP
\non the other side. Sometimes (often) these two sides give contradictory
\nadvice\/instructions to the regular devotees.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some on the GBC with strong opinions about this. In fact there is
\neven a GBC strategic subcommittee that meets regularly to talk about this
\nmatter and how to resolve things nicely respecting the guru’s relationship
\nwith the disciple but at the same time enacting some legislation that
\n“makes” the guru “toe the line,” if he wants to avoid some disciplinary
\nmeasure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frankly I find the whole discussion humorous and irrelevant, and have some
\nopinions of own about the matter (as I usually do!).<\/span><\/p>\n

I was also asked about the controversy on the second day of my EC seminar in
\nSerbia. So, in order to really bring some detailed analysis into the
\ndiscussion I decided to devote part of yesterday’s seminar on Empathic
\nCommunication (you can listen to it on my website under Empathic
\nCommunication-Serbian seminar-day 3) to this conflict and use the conflict
\nto illustrate several different points about Empathic communication as well
\nas deal with the above subject matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

We previously had some discussion on “domination cultures” in which people
\ndo things because they “have to” do them and their motivation is generally
\nfear, guilt, desiring reward, or some other thing which disconnects them
\nfrom the joy of doing what they are doing. Authority, the use of authority
\nand the method of dealing with authority is discussed in this context.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first thing I did was to define the conflict, and describe the
\nconflicting parties for the attendees at the seminar. On side (sounds like a
\nboxing match) is the GBC line of authority (GBC-TP). On the other side are
\nthe gurus. I also stated that people like me were doing quite well as we
\nhad both positions, so whatever was decided by the GBC really would not
\naffect us (except when we were out of “our” territories).<\/span><\/p>\n

Then on a flip chart I drew two parallel lines from the two sides. I
\ndescribed that what people were concerned about was more appropriately
\ndescribed as diverging lines not parallel lines!<\/span><\/p>\n

Then I dealt with the word “authority” which certainly has its negative
\nconnotations. When I hear the word authority I immediately feel tense and
\nwords such as boss, dictator, etc, come to mind. I do recognize this is
\nbecause of my basic need for autonomy (to be myself, make decisions for
\nmyself). I shouldn’t blame the word for my feelings!<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a need though to define what we mean by using the word “authority.”
\nDo we mean absolute boss? What do we mean? I felt the need to use a
\nsubstitute word for authority and also to define what the authority’s
\nattitude and service is or should be.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did Prabhupada instruct the GBC line to act? How did Prabhupada instruct
\nthe Guru’s to act? What are the responsibilities? What are the priorities?
\nWhat are the mentalities? What is the attitude that should be taken towards
\nsubordinates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is an interesting instruction Prabhupada gave to the GBC side;
\n“Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently
\nthoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and
\naction, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole
\nthing will be spoiled. There must be always individual striving and work and
\nresponsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and
\ndistribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and
\nyou provide.” Letter to: Karandhara — Bombay 22 December, 1972<\/span><\/p>\n

In another letter Srila Prabhupada states:
\n“Without being jolly, one cannot make any tangible progress in Krsna
\nConsciousness”<\/span><\/p>\n

So, in my book to be independently thoughtful and jolly requires that we
\nmeet all of our needs both spiritual and material. By needs I mean basic
\nneeds, not the flickering desires that may enter into our minds.<\/span><\/p>\n

As far as guru’s are concerned Prabhupada said that the guru should engage
\nthe disciple in Krishna consciousness according to the disciple’s
\npsychophysical needs, which is basically the same thing as Prabhupada’s
\ninstructions to the GBC line of authority.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, in other words both lines are encouraged to be facilitators of the
\ndevotees spiritual progress (keeping in mind their physical and
\npsychological needs too).<\/span><\/p>\n

What does this mean practically? That the first priority of all ISKCON
\npersons in authority positions should be to see to the care of those who
\nhave taken shelter of them. Consideration of projects, buildings, money,
\netc, should all come after the caring facilitation and always be in line
\n(never opposed) to the caring empathy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The greatest assets of our society are the people. We often wonder why
\nISKCON seems to have a revolving door in which most of the people who come
\nin end up leaving sometime later. Here is the answer. The priorities of
\nthose in responsible positions were often misplaced.<\/span><\/p>\n

When we accept the paradigms that Srila Prabhupada intended for us to have
\nin relation to gurus and other leaders, we will see that if each is
\nfollowing their respective defined rolls, there will be little room for
\ndisagreements about guidance and if some disagreement arises it can easily
\nbe worked out rather than having to resort to some legalistic undertaking
\nthat doesn’t at all touch the heart of the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is important to take the time to help those who have taken shelter of you
\nrealize their needs, and facilitate them in bringing them in line with their
\nKrishna conscious path as to maximize their spiritual advancement and allow
\nthem to steadily (for their whole lives) make progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also those who are advising a particular individual should take the time to
\nmeet with each other and talk about the real interest of the individual,
\nputting aside their own plans and projects for the moment. In this way the
\nconflict will be resolved easily and lovingly and we will be showing
\nPrabhupada our love through cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n

This reminds me of a story from the Bible.
\nTwo women approached King Solomon to resolve a conflict. Each was claiming a
\nbaby as hers. King Solomon wisely said to them that it was easy to resolve
\nthe conflict. He could simply cut the baby in two and each would have half a
\nbaby. The real mother cried out and insisted the other lady take the baby.
\nThe “so-called” mother said to Solomon that his proposal was very good.<\/span><\/p>\n

He immediately understood that the real mother was one who loved the baby so
\nmuch that she was willing to forgo her own happiness for that of the baby’s.
\nHe then gave the baby to her rather than to the lady who was more concerned
\nwith being right and thus satisfying herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those who care for their dependents are the real authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Parallel Lines of Authority – Novi Sad, Serbia – July 1, 2008 There has been some discussion of late about something called “parallel lines of authority.” This refers to the two lines of authority that ISKCON now finds itself with: gurus on one side and the GBC-Regional Secretary-TP on the other side. Sometimes (often) these read more>><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[41,38,46,30,17,27],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":164,"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163\/revisions\/164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atourcity.com\/bkgoswami.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}