The VFA Mission

THE VFA MISSION

The Vedic Friends Association (VFA) is an international body of people who have embraced the Vedic culture or deeply respect the Vedic vision and way of life, including its systems of yoga, meditation, pranayama, languages and literature, Ayurveda, astrology, vegetarianism, forms of worship and spiritual knowledge.

The VFA is committed to the promotion and preservation of Vedic heritage, civilization and culture.

PROCLAMATION

We invite all people who appreciate or practice yoga, meditation, Eastern philosophy, and other aspects of India's religious spiritual culture to please join us in our support in preserving and protecting India as the homeland of a dynamic and thriving Vedic tradition.

THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE VEDIC FRIENDS ASSOCIATION

Briefly, here is what we are doing in the Vedic Friends Association:

The main interest of the VFA is to bring together and unite people from all around the world who practice or want to know more about the Vedic path, and, thus, be a part of a global association.
To especially involve and support Western Hindus and help spread an accurate understanding of Vedic culture and its traditions, and its individual and social benefits.
Network and unite with other writers, authors, lecturers and those learned practitioners in the Vedic arts & sciences who may already be working in a similar way, and provide a list of them who are available for public speaking on Vedic topics.
Develop educational material and new publications for sharing with others the Vedic traditions and philosophy of all areas of interest, and promote the books by our VFA authors.
Assist in preserving Vedic culture and in enlivening people by various means on the real values of Vedic culture, in both America as well as in India. In this way, we can help keep India the homeland of a dynamic and thriving Vedic culture.
Help create a unifying Dharmic social family with respect among all Hindus, Western or Indian.
Develop and have cultural programs or conferences that people can attend to enhance their understanding and participation in the Vedic tradition.

In this way, we are creating an internet community that can expand with time into local communities of people who can share and value Hindu Dharma, and become knowledgeable so that they can also become Vedic Ambassadors in the sense of being not only participants, but also those who can explain and share the Dharma with others.

STRATEGIES

To do the above, the VFA plans to:

1. Update and inform members on news, recent discoveries and findings of ancient Vedic culture relative to archeology, astronomy, astrology, vastu, and other branches.

2. Update members on events and Vedic conferences that they may find interesting, and issues confronting the global Vedic community and suggestions recommended for dealing with them.

3. Encourage people to understand their real spiritual identity and connection to God and His nature through the systems of Karma Yoga (selfless action), Jnana Yoga (Self-knowledge), Dhyana (meditation), and Bhakti Yoga (devotion), which are the core of spirituality and essence of all spiritual paths.

4. Help provide Vedic guidance according to the individual’s needs for spiritual, social and personal development, including connecting them to spiritual teachers who can further them along their path.

5. Encourage good ethical conduct according to Vedic standards of respect for all life.

6. Emphasize the inviolable relationship between Self, humanity, God and nature. In this way, we can adjust our vision of who we are, and refresh and give new meaning to our purpose and value in life, and the resources we all share.

7. Help unify society and the multiversity of cultures and world views with the sacredness that comes from understanding and perceiving our inherent spiritual and social oneness, by showing the similarities of all cultures and their common roots in the Vedic tradition.

8. To provide a platform for voicing our concerns and issues regarding Vedic culture, and exchanging ideas for the means to increase the spread of genuine understanding of the deep Vedic knowledge. Serious VFA members and supporters could go into action in order to move a particular issue along in a more concerted effort.

9. To be a voice for spiritual freedom and advocate individual rights of choice for the process that is chosen for one's own spiritual development. To support the rights and freedoms as outlined in the 1st Amendment of the United States constitution.

10. To be an inspiration to other Hindus and Dharmists by the work we do and have done, as well as by our seriousness, sincerity and dedication we have for the Vedic path.

A FAMILY OF FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES

The VFA is primarily meant to be a family with input from all members. Our focus is on simplicity, voluntary service, and mutual support. Unfortunately, we often see that the larger an organization, the greater the opportunities for the seeds of corruption and dishonesty to take root. Therefore, the VFA is meant to be part of a growing trend toward the non-institutionalized spiritualization of society. The VFA is a network of friends who come together through meetings, gatherings, or the internet, with the interest of staying informed and enhancing respect for God and the higher Self within each of us. Thus, our journey in life becomes an adventure made easier by the encouragement and assistance that comes from such Vedic connections, and through the use of the universal nature of the Vedic teachings.

Anyone can become a friend of the VFA, regardless of race, sex, cultural background, religion, or social status. These are merely temporary labels with which we decorate the body, not our true identity. They should play no serious part in our spiritual journey, or in the minds of the VFA friends and associates. Such distinctions often hinder our ability to understand our true potential, or to assist in seeing each other as equal spiritual children of the same Supreme Being.

In this and other ways, the VFA will help fulfill the basic needs shared by all humanity. These include the need to be appreciated for what one does; for developing oneself into something more than one may be at present; the fulfillment that comes from belonging to a worthy group in which one can participate; and a need to feel that one is complete and whole, and is fulfilling or on the way to fulfilling one’s destiny. The VFA will work to fulfill these needs in all its friends and associates.

The points listed in this document are subject to change as more people become involved and add their input, as our facilities expand, and as we face new issues or challenges. An important consideration to bear in mind is that we are starting this association from the ground up. It may take some time to develop, and we want to make sure that the mistakes of other organizations can be avoided or minimized in this one.