"...I pray that You will stay by me and protect me and save me. " The best way for me to assure myself of Your company and protection is to chant Your names. I ask You to please remind me to regularly chant and to do so in a humble state of mind, keeping myself lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and ready to offer all respect to others without expection any honor for myself. "--Page 4 of cover.

In Conversation with Srila Prabhupäda: Contexts and Contemplations represents Srila Prabhupäda’s “living moments” in dialogical exchanges with me in particular and generally with other disciples, followers and well-wishers. In many ways these conversational moments create new ways of understanding issues. Recollecting these conversations allowed me new ways of continuing with my spiritual quest, inspiring me to continue with my work.

Japa Affirmations is the result my facilitating japa workshops and retreats worldwide for the past 15 years. I found that by taking the most important principles of the japa workshop and turning them into affirmations, devotees were immediately able to connect with the holy names on a deeper level of prayer, a deeper level of meaning, and on a level in which japa becomes more of a relationship than a process.The 20 affirmations in this book will put you in the optimal state of consciousness for good japa. By first entering the "chanter's mood" before you begin your japa, the quality of your chanting automatically improves. Because chanting is not factually done by the lips, but by the heart, Japa Affirmations aims to connect you with the "heart" of japa.These affirmations are helping devotees overcome the wandering mind, distractions while chanting, boredom, lack of taste and other problems typically associated with bad japa. Devotees using this book are telling me that the affirmations are really helping them improve their japa.When you enter more deeply into your daily chanting you start to look forward to your morning japa, give it the priority it deserves, and reap the unique and amazing benefits that only good chanting can offer.Chanting is the essence of bhakti. We owe it to Krsna to improve our connection with him.