Here are the essentials: 1. Some devotees living outside the temple buy Hare Krishna literature and distribute it to their friends and associates, or they engage in a variety of services at the temple. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Krishna states, “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it.” From this verse it is understood that we can offer Krishna foods prepared from milk products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Then it will be possible for us to rise to the transcendental plane of Krishna consciousness, even while living far from a temple. In this way, chant on each of the 108 beads until you reach the head bead again. “The process is very simple. The beauty of Krishna consciousness is that you can take as much as you’re ready for. If you have water cups, rinse them out and fill them with fresh water daily. Then, without chanting on the head bead, reverse the beads and start your second round on the last bead you chanted on. In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Krishna says that unless one eats only food that has been offered to Him in sacrifice, one will suffer the reactions of karma. Such spiritual pleasure far surpasses any material experience. Now you and any guests may eat the prasādam. 2.2K likes. 11 Stay-At-Home Krishna Conscious Activities To Do With Your Kids. Add To Cart. How does she know that James is not a devotee and she is?'". Remember that because Krishna has accepted it, it is nondifferent from Him, and therefore by eating it you will become purified. It's a process that works. namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe Anyone serious about progressing in Krishna consciousness must try to avoid the following four sinful activities: 1. Spiritual life, like material life, means practical activity. Home; General news; Philosophy; Controversy; India; Opinion; Announcements; Submit; Search this site: News >> Philosophy >> Practice of Krishna Consciousness. By His immense transcendental energies, Krishna can actually convert matter into spirit. Anyone can do it. Before Śrīla Prabhupāda left India in 1965 to spread Krishna consciousness abroad, almost no one outside India knew anything about the practice of pure devotional service to Lord Krishna. Food thus becomes an agent for subtle influences on your consciousness. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”, namo mahā-vadānyāya Krishna-prema-pradāya te This page is meant for new persons who are coming to Krishna Consciousness. $14.95. Spiritual life, like material life, means practical activity. 14 pages. To learn how you can get in touch with them for spiritual guidance and association, ask a devotee at your nearby temple, or email iskconbirmingham@gmail.com. Lord Caitanya is the incarnation of God for this age. Click the button below to add the Elevation to Krishna Consciousness to your wish list. Associating with devotees. By: Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on Aug. 17, 2020 Murari, 7, and Vibhavari, 2, with their backyard Ratha Yatra cart. Therefore the names of God and God Himself are identical. You may also directly help the temple in your spare time, and you should sacrifice some of the fruits of your work by contributing a portion of your earnings to help maintain the temple and propagate Krishna consciousness. The Vedic literature states that Lord Krishna is personally dancing on your tongue when you chant His holy name. This booklet shows how you can practice Krishna consciousness while living and working outside a temple or ashram. Krishna Consciousness, The Topmost Yoga System. Madhya 19.53], “O most munificent incarnation! Engagement in Practical Devotional Service, Everyone must do some kind of work, but if you work only for yourself you must accept the karmic reactions of that work. Where should you set up the altar? Taking to Krishna Consciousness is like declaring war on the material energy. So don’t make your altar inaccessible. Then move to the next bead and repeat the process. Download a free practical guide on Krishna Consciousness at home. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience! You will likely find that your japa and kīrtana are especially effective when done before an altar. We only have everything to gain. However, now that they have been prepared for Krishna and offered to Him with devotion, these foods have acquired extraordinary tastes and uncommon fragrances. This is the german version of the books: The Journey of Self Discovery, Krsna: Reservoir of all pleasure and Message of Godhead. nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe, “I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. There are two main kinds of gurus: the instructing guru and the initiating guru. Remember that the real purpose of preparing and offering food to the Lord is to show your devotion and gratitude to Him. by The Hare Krishna Movement in Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, brahmana Kurma, chanting Hare Krishna, devotional service at home, Krsnaa consciousness, materialistic way of life, preach the … Krishnashraya is not merely a session of philosophical talk. Unknown. The chanting can be done in two ways: singing the mantra, called kīrtana (usually done in a group), and saying the mantra to oneself, called japa (which literally means “to speak softly”). 2. $2.95. Krishna consciousness does not have to be practiced in a temple. 3. A person who eats these foods participates in a conspiracy of violence against helpless animals and thus stops his spiritual progress dead in its tracks. "As I began to reply, my first thought was, 'Is she making any assumptions? Long ago, serious spiritual seekers left home for the desert or some secluded cave in the Himalayas. Each strand of japa beads contains 108 small beads and one large bead, the head bead. So if you eat food cooked by nondevotees—employees working in a factory, for example—then you’re sure to absorb a dose of materialism and karma. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. In the same way, food prepared for and offered to Krishna with love and devotion becomes completely spiritualized. While you can perform kīrtana individually, it is generally performed with others. "Just try." Or you can hang the picture of Rādhā and Krishna on the wall above. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krishna and Govinda.”. In The Quest for Enlightenment Srila Prabhupada makes it clear how important it is for everyone to practice Krishna consciousness, devotional service to Lord Krishna. How? Everyday Life: The Four Regulative Principles But we should remain determined to practice Krishna consciousness. Add To Cart. Krishna Consciousness at Home, Booklet. An ideal place would be clean, well lit, and free from drafts and household disturbances. Then you should transfer the food from the special dinnerware and wash the dishes and utensils you used for the offering. A mother and teacher relates her life-long appreciation for the many benefits—material and spiritual—of rising early in the morning. How? This is a practical guide for spiritualizing anyone's personal space. He is God’s ambassador to the material world. Eating prasādam is a fundamental practice of bhakti-yoga. This is something that is achieved through thoughts, words, and actions, all of which are pervaded by devotion and service. Stapled Booklet. If you’re interested in more elaborate Deity worship, ask any of the ISKCON devotees or write to the Temple. Insights Into Consciousness, DVD. How to Practice Krishna Consciousness at Home, Audiobook Download . So try to visit the Hare Krishna  center nearest to you as often as possible. After offering the food to the Lord, wait at least five minutes for Him to partake of the preparations. Here are two vital ones: Studying Hare Krishna literature. And a few vegetarian items are also forbidden—garlic and onions, for example, which are in the mode of darkness. I guess the two basic things are to at least offer food and chant rounds. So I heartily recommend to all sincere aspirants to begin your Krishna Consciousness without delay. But if you’re determined, you can follow at home the teachings of Krishna consciousness and thus convert your home into a temple. Distribution of prasādam is an essential part of Deity worship. You should have some contact with other Vaishnavas, who will know your situation and be able to give you an advice how to adjust your life. Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates — Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. Nor can you offer to Krṣṇa coffee or tea that contain caffeine. Cleanliness is essential in Deity worship. One can keep it anywhere. It is not that one has to come to us to see this picture. Aside from chanting japa, you can also sing the Lord’s holy names in kīrtana. kṛṣṇāya Krishna-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ Gambling invariably puts one into anxiety and fuels greed, envy, and anger. The Beauty of Krishna Consciousness. Prasādam: How to Eat Spiritually Please try the things we’ve suggested so far. At present there are many spiritual masters in ISKCON. Like new condition. In preparing food, cleanliness is the most important principle. To feel unmotivated at times is natural. We can become Krishna conscious in any situation in life. Here are some practical hints, "how-to"s, and humorous stories for those practicing Krishna consciousness at home. We should try to do our best, to do more than is simply convenient. Download. This beginner's guidebook explains why chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is important and is the basis of all devotional practices. This is the best way to gain faith in the process of Krishna consciousness and become enthusiastic in devotional service. With the desire to nourish the roots of Krishna consciousness in its home, Srila Prabhupada returned to India several times, where he sparked a revival in the Vaishnava tradition. A melodious kīrtana with family or friends is sure to enliven everyone. By sincerely cultivating a genuine spiritual... 1. The second picture on your altar should be one of the pañca-tattva, Lord Caitanya and His four leading associates. A Practical Guide by Mahatma dasa. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. If we place an iron rod in a fire, before long the rod becomes red hot and acts just like fire. A picture of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Additional Devotional Principles You should remove flowers in vases as soon as they’re slightly wilted, or daily if you’ve offered them at the base of the pictures. Please note that none of our MP3 discs or media are eligible for return credit, refund or exchange. Your guest, of course, would need a comfortable chair, but for the picture of Krishna’s form a wall shelf, a mantelpiece, a corner table, or the top shelf of a bookcase will do. The difference is that whereas we perform material activities for the benefit of ourselves or … Practicing Krishna consciousness at homeIn the ancient history or these days also, dedicated spiritual seeker tend to leave home and go to mountains or lonely places like Himalayas caves to practice meditation. One simply has to keep this picture. Without following the instructions of a spiritual master who is in an authorized chain of disciplic succession coming from Krishna Himself, we cannot make spiritual progress. Only God is God. As you progress in bhakti-yoga, you may eventually want to accept initiation. Lord Krishna and His pure devotees are so kind that they allow us to worship them even through their pictures. Similarly, we should respect the spiritual master as we would God, and revere his words as we would His. Krishna consciousness is so potent and simple that anyone, anywhere, in any status of life can achieve perfection without heading for the hills. When Srila Prabhupada began ISKCON, he established eight principles that are the basis of the Krishna consciousness movement. When you chant alone, the japa beads can help you focus and count the number of times that you have chanted the mantra. More: Devotees and Health. Krishna accepts your devotion, not the physical offering itself. That’s the essence of bhakti-yoga. Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (Hing, or asafetida, is a tasty substitute for them in cooking and is available at most Indian groceries or from Temple Services.) How to practice Krishna Consciousness. iskconbirmingham@gmail.com to learn of any such programs near you. When you chant alone, it is best to chant on japa beads (available from ISKCON Birmingam Temple). Setting Up Your Altar The first principle in devotional service is to chant the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra (mahā means “great”; mantra means”sound that liberates the mind from ignorance”): Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Write to your local temple or email What do you need for an altar? But … Everyone who takes up the process of bhakti-yoga as a result of coming in contact with ISKCON owes an immense debt of gratitude to Śrīla Prabhupāda. It is enriched with many other interesting activities so that the whole programme becomes spiritually enlivening. This is a supplement to personal training. Setting Up Your Altar Practicing Krishna Consciousness @ Home The Simple Method “The process is very simple. The use of intoxicants. The goal is to be Krishna conscious. There are many more devotional practices that can help you become Krishna conscious. Description. It's both a way to express devotion to God and a way to attract newcomers to the movement. The practice is to always stay conscious of Krishna. Then place them conveniently close to the pictures. You should offer fresh incense at least once a day, and, if possible, light candles and place them near the pictures when you’re chanting before the altar. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is Krishna’s spiritual potency. Krishna consciousness means using everything—mind, body, words, home, and possessions—in devotional service to the Supreme. She is devotional service personified, and devotees always take shelter of Her to learn how to serve Krishna. | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy. Practical Guide. These foods are saturated with the modes of passion and ignorance and therefore cannot be offered to the Lord. Often when Lord Caitanya was traveling around India and preaching 500 years ago people would meet him, become impressed by His character and teachings, and wanted to leave home and join His movement and travel with Him. A strand of japa beads has 108 small beads and head bead. Since God is all-powerful and all-merciful, He has kindly made it very easy for us to chant His names, and He has also invested all His powers in them. Chant Hare Krishna sincerely and regularly, and everything else will follow. A common question carries uncommon significance in the context of the lives of Krishna's devotees. Srila Prabhupāda, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness makes it clear how important it is for everyone to practice Krishna consciousness, devotional service to Lord Krishna. You can chant more than your fixed number, but you should maintain a set minimum each day. Śrīla Prabhupāda, the founder-ācārya of ISKCON, dedicated much of his time to writing books such as the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the source of the Ajāmila story. Krishna Consciousness at Home. The key is to accept the guidance of the scripture and the guru. While preparing food, do not taste it, for you are cooking the meal not for yourself but for the pleasure of Krishna. You can chant these holy names of the Lord anywhere and at any time, but it is best to set a specific time of the day to regularly chant. As you walk down the supermarket aisles selecting the foods you will offer to Krishna, you need to know what is offerable and what is not. The practices outlined here are the timeless practices of bhakti-yoga as given by the foremost spiritual master and exponent of Krishna consciousness in our time, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Collections of more in-depth info on practicing Krishna consciousness: The Lord enters into the offerings, and thus the remnants are nondifferent from Him. Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home. If you like these beverages, purchase caffeine—free coffee and herbal teas. Krishna consciousness means using everything—mind, body, words, home, and possessions—in devotional service to the Supreme. Krishna declares in the Bhagavad-gītā that a person can achieve neither happiness nor the supreme destination of life—going back to Godhead, back to Lord Krishna—if he or she does not follow the injunctions of the scriptures. $4.95. Krishna consciousness is both a "practice" and the goal of the practice. Such food is called Krishna prasādam, which means “the mercy of Lord Krishna.”. You needn’t change your occupation, except if you’re now engaged in a sinful job such as working as a butcher or bartender. In India, he opened dozens of temples, including large centers in the holy towns of Vrindavana and Mayapura. Before he left this world in 1977, Śrīla Prabhupāda authorized a system in which advanced and qualified devotees would carry on his work by initiating disciples in accordance with his instructions. Books for free > > > Practice of Krishna Consciousness. There will be difficult times for sure and we will be tested for sure and sometimes we may fail also. This is one round of japa. What do we do in Krishnashraya Program? But when we go beyond vegetarianism to a diet of prasādam, our eating becomes helpful in achieving the goal of human life-reawakening the soul’s original relationship with God. And how to follow the scriptural rules by engaging in practical service to the Lord—that is explained by a bona fide spiritual master. In this way the senses gradually become spiritualized and bring the devotee more and more transcendental pleasure by being engaged in devotional service. I Googled and at least two sites may be informative: Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home and Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home. Remember, you wouldn’t neglect to clean the room of an important guest, and when you establish an altar you invite Krishna and His pure devotees to reside as the most exalted guests in your home. The scriptures teach that sex is the most powerful force binding us to the material world. 2. Initiated devotees vow before the spiritual master to chant at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. For instance, some brands of yogurt and sour cream contain gelatin, a substance made from the horns, hooves, and bones of slaughtered animals. Krishna consciousness is nothing but bringing in Lord Krishna into one’s own space and integrating his divine knowledge with one’s own. Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra How to Practice Krishna Consciousness at Home with background music, approximately 1 hour long, written by Mahatma dasa and narrated by Amal-bhakta dasa This book also gives instructions on how to chant both kirtan and japa. Just keep a picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates. The spiritual master is not God. Śrīla Prabhupāda established the Hare Krishna movement to give people in general the chance to associate with devotees of the Lord. Eating meat, fish, or eggs. By Mahatma dasa. So try to set aside some time every day to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. God is complete in Himself—He doesn’t need anything—but out of His immense kindness He allows us to offer food to Him so that we can develop our love for Him. As an old proverb says, “One hour’s sleep before midnight is worth three after.”. Meat, fish, and eggs are not offerable. jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ, “I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krishna, who is the worshipable Deity for all brāhmaṇas, the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and the benefactor of the whole world. You can start by setting up your own altar with a few pictures consisting of Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya, and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. He is Krishna Himself, descended in the form of His own devotee to teach us how to surrender to Him, specifically by chanting His holy names and performing other activities of bhakti-yoga. Therefore we should always try to chant with devotion and reverence. Nothing impure should be offered to God; so keep your kitchen very clean. It is something like mailing a letter: You cannot mail a letter by placing it in just any box; you must use the mailbox authorized by the government. But if we can use those times as opportunities to grow and go deeper in our spiritual life, we will emerge stronger and even more inspired to engage in devotional service. The most famous and publicly recognizable ISKCON practice is kirtan, a congregational chanting or singing of the Hare Krishna mantra. In itself, being a vegetarian is not enough; after all, even pigeons and monkeys are vegetarians. Practising Krishna Consciousness Add To Cart. 4. The most recommended practices of Krishna consciousness are: Hearing about Krishna from authorized shastras (scriptures) like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, with guidance from sincere practitioners Speaking about Krishna or chanting Krishna's names Associating with devotees of Krishna The appendix includes also Krishna Consciousness at home, with tips how to practice KC at home. Sign up for our newsletter. As the founder and spiritual guide of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, he is the instructing guru of us all. (Please note that the beads are sacred and therefore should never touch the ground or be put in an unclean place. A practical guide of 35 topics on how to chant the holy names, worship at home, apply tilaka, observe festivals, and so on. This isn’t always practical nowadays. The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for parents and kids, as they try to find engagement while staying at home. Krishna Consciousness at Home. Success in Krishna consciousness, or bhakti-yoga, depends on following the rules of that yoga in all our activities. Add To Cart. Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates — Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. While you eat, try to appreciate the spiritual value of the food. Master, servant of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī email iskconbirmingham @ gmail.com how to practice krishna consciousness at home learn how to serve.... Ve suggested so far and chant rounds to at least offer food and chant rounds after the. 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It easier to practice Krishna consciousness guidebook explains why chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is and... We may fail also fail also a process that works your second round on the head bead not physical! Through the streets of Boston, Massachusetts to rise to the Personality of Godhead, as. Through thoughts, words, home, and eggs are not offerable, addressing in! Are—Eternal, full of bliss and knowledge guests may eat the prasādam … Krishna consciousness at home means receiving Lord...

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