MAY DAY 2011 MARCHES AROUND THE WORLD

WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
PEACEFULLY CELEBRATE LABOR DAY

www.ibtimes.com/articles - Thousands of demonstrators gathered at May Day marches around the world, which took place in cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Paris, Berlin.  In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers’ Day, or Labour Day, a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by communists, anarchists, socialists, and activist groups.  The commemoration of May Day as International Workers’ Day received its inspiration from the United States, going back to the 1886 Haymarket affair, when police opened fire on striking workers and 4 people were tried and then publicly hanged for their political beliefs.  The corporatist U.S. successfully tried to void May Day of its symbolism for the worker rights about 50 years ago, and the United States are one of the countries where today no bigger demonstrations take place.

So, today the Labour Day was observed in many parts of the globe to pay tributes to the martyrs of Chicago, who laid their lives for the rights of labourers, but May Day is also a traditional holiday in many cultures.  May Day is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. May Day falls exactly half of a year from November 1, another cross-quarter day which is also associated with various northern European festivals such as Samhain. May Day marks the end of the unfarmable winter half of the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it has traditionally been an occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations.

From Hong Kong to Indonesia, Moscow to Paris, protesters marched and rallied in largely peaceful demonstrations for international Labour Day around the world.  We should add “bhakti” to our everyday activities; that is to execute labors under the appointment of, and in the interest of, a higher plane: the Guru and Krishna.  All our actions must have that upper connection.  Our daily work should not be independent, but we must accommodate our ways to earn a living to that higher plane, avoiding self-centered interest, in order to correct our rebellious and capricious nature.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

Our real cause, the purpose of our lives, our satisfaction, and our existence will be found within the universal wave of the Absolute. That is Krishna consciousness, the most universal, fundamental wave. We have to catch that wave. Our goal, our satisfaction, the fulfillment of our life is to be found only there, in that plane, not in this superficial plane of nationality or family interest or social service. All these are provincial interests. ... In a nation, so many workers may be failing to follow the proper rules for production, and that is bad, it is disorder. The product will be bad. However, to go on strike won’t produce good results either.  No work, that is also bad. To work in the interest of the country, only that is good.  From our local, separate interest, we must go to the universal interest, to the interest of the Absolute.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“Follow the Angels” - ‘The Path of Dedication’
Part One: “The Krishna Conception” - “Sraddha is the Minimum Demand”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/FtA.html