My name is Chaitanya das, my other name is Charles Robinson. Chaitanya das is the name given to me by my spiritual teacher, my dear friend, Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda.

I have been dealing with advanced prostate cancer now for almost 20 years. In my blog I want to talk about how being diagnosed with cancer affected me, and how in the years since, I have come to not only understand but experience who I am through meditation and the philosophy behind it. This has also helped me understand my relationship with others, and also my relationship with the Supreme Soul, who is beside not only me, but all living beings, always.

With a diagnosis of advanced cancer comes fear. The fear of pain and suffering. The fear of death and dying. As well as being worried about dying we also worry, and are fearful, for our loved ones we will leave behind. We are attached to many things in this world and every one of these attachments accentuates our fear of leaving this world. But this fear can be overcome.

So from time-to-time in this blog, I’ll try to unpack as best I can some of the many lessons and insights from the Vedic literatures such as the Bhagavad Gita and the great sages of Vedic history that I have come to appreciate by hearing from my spiritual teacher Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda.

During my life one of my interests has been vintage guitars - guitars that were made pre 1940’s. I have undertaken a great deal of research into different makers of vintage American guitars, particularly H.A. Weymann and Son. This is an interesting label and I’d like to share some little known facts about them as well as some other early vintage ‘parlor’ guitars that have come my way.

Thank you and Namaste

(I welcome and encourage comments and questions on all blogs).

An easy way to navigate this site is by using the POST INDEX.

This is Jane again.  We could not believe that by the time notifications went out about the last post we had already exceeded the goal we needed for the surgery so I stopped the fundraiser.  We were blown away but did not want to accept more than we needed.

So thanks to all who tried to donate but could not.  Charles goes into hospital tomorrow for about 2 weeks and I am much relieved.  Hopefully I will have time to keep you updated.

All the very best

Jane

Hi, this is Jane, Charlie’s wife.  No doubt if you are a regular subscriber to this website you will have noticed Charlie has been relatively quiet lately with his posts and also at answering emails and comments.

You will know that he has been dealing quite successfully with prostate cancer for the last 22 years but late last year he was also diagnosed with bladder cancer.  Since then he has had a round of chemotherapy and some immunotherapy, however this has proved unsuccessful.

Now he has been presented with an option of a cystectomy operation – removal of the bladder (and the cancer)  and replacing it with an artificial external one.  Charles and the doctors agree this is his best chance to stop the cancer spreading. This is booked in for next week and is a serious operation that takes 6 hours plus.  It is tribute to Charles’ 73 year old general health that the surgeon thinks that he is up to the ordeal.

The surgery has hit us like a thunderbolt.  After 23 years of keeping ahead of the medical bills,  we now are facing  these new surgery bills.  Even though we have private health insurance our finances have been drained over the years and with this operation we will be out of pocket about Australian $13,850 or US$8,960  Money we do not have.

I have set up a “Go-Fund-Me” page where Charles’ many friends and relatives  can contribute to this amount if they want, no matter how small:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-pay-for-my-husbands-urgent-cancer-surgery?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Obviously there is no pressure to do this, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my message.  Any help you can offer will be so very appreciated,  and every dollar will go towards the medical costs .   We are hopeful Charles will come through this as he has many times before, and continue on with his family , friends and website!

All the best and good health to all,

Jane Robinson