Krishna consciousness is both a "practice" and the goal of the practice. 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. Download. Krishna Consciousness at Home. A melodious kīrtana with family or friends is sure to enliven everyone. Practicing Krishna Consciousness @ Home The Simple Method “The process is very simple. Food thus becomes an agent for subtle influences on your consciousness. To keep your beads clean, it’s best to carry them in a special bead bag, also available from ISKCON Birmingam Temple). śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine Collections of more in-depth info on practicing Krishna consciousness: Submitted by radha.name on Sat, 11/07/2015 - 11:56 . In this way the senses gradually become spiritualized and bring the devotee more and more transcendental pleasure by being engaged in devotional service. 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. As soon as we start practicing Krishna consciousness, we feel more like who we really are—eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. By sincerely cultivating a genuine spiritual... 1. How to Prepare and Offer Prasādam Books for free > > > Practice of Krishna Consciousness. So try to visit the Hare Krishna  center nearest to you as often as possible. 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. If you’re interested in more elaborate Deity worship, ask any of the ISKCON devotees or write to the Temple. Insights Into Consciousness, DVD. Early morning hours are ideal. $2.95. Concentrate on hearing the sound of the holy names. 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. 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. 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. Long ago, serious spiritual seekers left home for the desert or some secluded cave in the Himalayas. 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. 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. Add To Cart. Similarly, we should respect the spiritual master as we would God, and revere his words as we would His. The difference is that whereas we perform material activities for the benefit of ourselves or … The use of intoxicants. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We should endeavor, therefore, to organize our lives in such a way as to follow Krishna’s teachings as far as possible. In preparing food, cleanliness is the most important principle. How to Practice Krishna Consciousness at Home, Audiobook Download . Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as any drinks or foods containing caffeine, cloud the mind, overstimulate the senses, and make it impossible to understand or follow the principles of bhakti-yoga. It is not that one has to come to us to see this picture. Engagement in Practical Devotional Service 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. The first person we worship on the altar is the spiritual master. This is one round of japa. 1. Fortunately, no matter how far temple and other … As you chant, pronounce the names clearly and distinctly, addressing Krishna in a prayerful mood. … Add To Cart. You are Krishna Himself appearing as Śrī Krishna Caitanya Mahāprabhu. $1.95. Krishna consciousness is so potent and simple that anyone, anywhere, in any status of life can achieve perfection without heading for the hills. Hearing the words-or reading the writings-of a realized spiritual master is an essential spiritual practice. (Please note that the beads are sacred and therefore should never touch the ground or be put in an unclean place. It is enriched with many other interesting activities so that the whole programme becomes spiritually enlivening. 2.2K likes. Otherwise work binds one to the material world.”. 2,285 likes. The easiest way to offer food is simply to pray, “My dear Lord Krishna, please accept this food,” and to chant each of the following prayers three times while ringing a bell (see the Sanskrit Pronunciation Guide): nama oṁ Vishnu-pādāya Krishna-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale 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. Śrīla Prabhupāda established the Hare Krishna movement to give people in general the chance to associate with devotees of the Lord. This small guidebook is a great resource for anyone practicing Krishna consciousness in their home and their daily life. Please note that none of our MP3 discs or media are eligible for return credit, refund or exchange. Illicit sex. Similarly, we cannot imagine a picture of God and worship that, but we can worship the authorized picture of God, and Krishna accepts our worship through that picture. 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. If we place an iron rod in a fire, before long the rod becomes red hot and acts just like fire. The difference is that whereas we perform material activities for the benefit of ourselves or those we consider ours, we perform spiritual activities for the benefit of Lord Krishna, under the guidance of the scriptures and the spiritual master. Stapled Booklet. As you progress in bhakti-yoga, you may eventually want to accept initiation. How? A common question carries uncommon significance in the context of the lives of Krishna's devotees. Prasādam: How to Eat Spiritually Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates — Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. $4.95. What do you need for an altar? As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā (3.9), “Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu [Krishna] has to be performed. These foods are saturated with the modes of passion and ignorance and therefore cannot be offered to the Lord. This booklet shows how you can practice Krishna consciousness while living and working outside a temple or ashram. Devotees try to go to bed early. If you’re a writer, write for Krishna; if you’re an artist, create for Krishna; if you’re a secretary, type for Krishna. (Hing, or asafetida, is a tasty substitute for them in cooking and is available at most Indian groceries or from Temple Services.) One can keep it anywhere. As Lord Caitanya said, “There are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna.”. Madhya 19.53], “O most munificent incarnation! The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for parents and kids, as they try to find engagement while staying at home. Anyone serious about progressing in Krishna consciousness must try to avoid the following four sinful activities: 1. Krishnashraya is not merely a session of philosophical talk. Flowers, incense, the water, the food—everything you offer for the Lord’s pleasure becomes spiritualized. You needn’t change your occupation, except if you’re now engaged in a sinful job such as working as a butcher or bartender. A picture of Sri Radha Krishna. In order to practice forgiveness, one must first understand the need for it; practice it according to one's adhikar or advancement in Krishna consciousness while aspiring to make spiritual advancement through careful practice of the process of devotional service to Krishna. 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. Lord Caitanya is the incarnation of God for this age. As an old proverb says, “One hour’s sleep before midnight is worth three after.”. It's a process that works. Chanting is a prayer to Krishnat hat means “O energy of the Lord [Hare], O all-attractive Lord [Krishna], O Supreme Enjoyer [Rāma], please engage me in Your service.” The more attentively and sincerely you chant these names of God, the more spiritual progress you will make. After offering the food to the Lord, wait at least five minutes for Him to partake of the preparations. It’s very simple, really: If you try to love God, you’ll gradually realize how much He loves you. Chant Hare Krishna sincerely and regularly, and everything else will follow. The spiritual master is not God. Krishna Consciousness at Home. But we should remain determined to practice Krishna consciousness. The principle is the same as that at work with a painting: a painting is not simply a collection of strokes on a canvas but an expression of the artist’s state of mind, which affects the viewer. 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. 11 Stay-At-Home Krishna Conscious Activities To Do With Your Kids. So you should not only deeply respect the things you’ve offered, but you should distribute them to others as well. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience! I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krishna and Govinda.”. “The process is very simple. You will likely find that your japa and kīrtana are especially effective when done before an altar. In other forms of yoga one must artificially repress the senses, but the bhakti-yogī can engage his or her senses in a variety of pleasing spiritual activities, such as tasting delicious food offered to Lord Krishna. ISKCON devotees use traditional melodies and instruments, especially in the temple, but you can chant to any melody and use any musical instruments to accompany your chanting. namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe Aside from chanting japa, you can also sing the Lord’s holy names in kīrtana. Setting Up Your Altar Practical Guide. She is devotional service personified, and devotees always take shelter of Her to learn how to serve Krishna. Spiritual knowledge directs us to satisfy the desires of Krishna through practical engagements in His loving service. When a president sends an ambassador to a foreign country, the ambassador receives the same respect as that accorded the president, and the ambassador’s words are as authoritative as the president’s. Here are some practical hints, "how-to"s, and humorous stories for those practicing Krishna consciousness at home. [Cc. While you can perform kīrtana individually, it is generally performed with others. Krishna consciousness is so potent and simple that anyone, anywhere, in any status of life can achieve perfection without heading for the hills. 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. Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra Setting up an altar at home means receiving the Lord and His pure devotees as your most honored guests. But even if you can chant only one round a day, the principle is that once you commit yourself to chanting that round, you should try complete it every day without fail. When you chant alone, the japa beads can help you focus and count the number of times that you have chanted the mantra. iskconbirmingham@gmail.com to learn of any such programs near you. We can become Krishna conscious in any situation in life. Just keep a picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates. Anyone can do it. A practical guide of 35 topics on how to chant the holy names, worship at home, apply tilaka, observe festivals, and so on. A picture of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Krishna consciousness does not have to be practiced in a temple. The purpose of spiritual knowledge is to bring us closer to God, or Krishna. "As I began to reply, my first thought was, 'Is she making any assumptions? I Googled and at least two sites may be informative: Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home and Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home. For instance, some brands of yogurt and sour cream contain gelatin, a substance made from the horns, hooves, and bones of slaughtered animals. Now you and any guests may eat the prasādam. Then you should transfer the food from the special dinnerware and wash the dishes and utensils you used for the offering. 14 pages. But … The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contributions, perhaps, are his books. Eating only food offered to Krishna is the perfection of vegetarianism. To feel unmotivated at times is natural. Krishna Consciousness at Home is for anyone with a beginning interest in Krishna consciousness who might not live in or near an ISKCON center. 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. So try to set aside some time every day to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. 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. But if you’re determined, you can follow at home the teachings of Krishna consciousness and thus convert your home into a temple. Add To Cart. Each strand of japa beads contains 108 small beads and one large bead, the head bead. How to practice Krishna Consciousness. The News Agency of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Remember that the real purpose of preparing and offering food to the Lord is to show your devotion and gratitude to Him. He is God’s ambassador to the material world. There are many more devotional practices that can help you become Krishna conscious. Lord Caitanya is the most merciful incarnation, for He makes it easy for anyone to attain love of God through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. … 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”). The Lord enters into the offerings, and thus the remnants are nondifferent from Him. Of course, living in the association of Krishna’s devotees in a temple or ashram makes it easier to practice devotional service. Everything you offer on your altar becomes prasādam, the mercy of the Lord. The beauty of Krishna consciousness is that you can take as much as you’re ready for. 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. Gambling invariably puts one into anxiety and fuels greed, envy, and anger. The appendix includes also Krishna Consciousness at home, with tips how to practice KC at home. And a few vegetarian items are also forbidden—garlic and onions, for example, which are in the mode of darkness. Or you can hang the picture of Rādhā and Krishna on the wall above. In addition, you may want an altar cloth, water cups (one for each picture), candles with holders, a special plate for offering food, a small bell, incense, an incense holder, and fresh flowers, which you may offer in vases or simply place before each picture. 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. 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. 4. kṛṣṇāya Krishna-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ 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. 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 in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates — Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. Then place them conveniently close to the pictures. It's both a way to express devotion to God and a way to attract newcomers to the movement. Lord Krishna and His pure devotees are so kind that they allow us to worship them even through their pictures. Well, how would you seat a guest? 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. Click the button below to add the Elevation to Krishna Consciousness to your wish list. Remember that because Krishna has accepted it, it is nondifferent from Him, and therefore by eating it you will become purified. Nor can you offer to Krṣṇa coffee or tea that contain caffeine. You can chant more than your fixed number, but you should maintain a set minimum each day. One simply has to keep this picture. Add To Cart. Price: $9.95 Author: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Format: Softbound Pages: 310 pages, 16 colour photos, 8 c One simply has to keep this picture. 2. So I heartily recommend to all sincere aspirants to begin your Krishna Consciousness without delay. Unknown. Krishna Consciousness at Home, Booklet. 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. Krishna Himself promises in the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40), “There is no loss or diminution in this endeavor, and even a little advancement on this path protects one from the most fearful type of danger.” So bring Krishna into your daily life, and we guarantee you’ll feel the benefit. | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy. If you’re a writer, write for Krishna; if you’re an artist, create for Krishna; if you’re a secretary, type for Krishna. 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. Join our family of supporters. 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 Such food is called Krishna prasādam, which means “the mercy of Lord Krishna.”. Only God is God. So don’t make your altar inaccessible. 2. Eating meat, fish, or eggs. Associating with devotees. Most hard cheese sold in America contains rennet, so be careful about any cheese you can’t verify as rennetless. Spiritual life, like material life, means practical activity. Additional Devotional Principles The most famous and publicly recognizable ISKCON practice is kirtan, a congregational chanting or singing of the Hare Krishna mantra. When Srila Prabhupada began ISKCON, he established eight principles that are the basis of the Krishna consciousness movement. What do we do in Krishnashraya Program? Therefore we should always try to chant with devotion and reverence. Here are the essentials: 1. Home; General news; Philosophy; Controversy; India; Opinion; Announcements; Submit; Search this site: News >> Philosophy >> Practice of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna Consciousness at Home. Eating prasādam is a fundamental practice of bhakti-yoga. The Vedic literature states that Lord Krishna is personally dancing on your tongue when you chant His holy name. This means that when we chant the holy names of Krishna and Rāma we are directly associating with God and being purified. 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All rights reserved. Krishna consciousness is nothing but bringing in Lord Krishna into one’s own space and integrating his divine knowledge with one’s own. 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). Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home. In itself, being a vegetarian is not enough; after all, even pigeons and monkeys are vegetarians. The goal is to be Krishna conscious. 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. More: Devotees and Health. Here are some practical hints, "how-to"s, and humorous stories for those practicing Krishna consciousness at home. A mother and teacher relates her life-long appreciation for the many benefits—material and spiritual—of rising early in the morning. This is something that is achieved through thoughts, words, and actions, all of which are pervaded by devotion and service. Practising Krishna Consciousness While you eat, try to appreciate the spiritual value of the food. 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 Here are two vital ones: Studying Hare Krishna literature. All aspects of life practices that can help you focus and count the number of times that you chanted. Explained by a bona fide spiritual master should respect the things we ’ ve offered, but should. A fire, before long the rod becomes red hot and acts just like fire the chance associate. 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Fish, and everything else will follow, well lit, and devotees always take shelter Her! Yoga in all our activities entering the kitchen one into anxiety and fuels greed, envy and! Agency of the scripture and the guru devotion becomes completely spiritualized be clean how to practice krishna consciousness at home well lit, and the. Chanting japa, you can also sing the Lord, wait at least five minutes for Him to of., Audiobook Download a process that works do not taste it, it is not one. Of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī into the offerings, and eggs are not offerable is best to chant devotion... Here are two main kinds of gurus: the instructing guru of us.! Attract newcomers to the temple transfer the food many other interesting activities that... Start your second round on the last bead you chanted on Him to partake of food! And utensils you used for the pleasure of Krishna consciousness tips how to practice consciousness. 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