Mail Archive
[Prev][Next][Alpha][Date]
Re: Meditation
>Is it possible to meditate properly while living a western lifestyle?
>Wearing and robe and shaving one's head would draw uninvited attention
>to a westerner, especially women. Can one reconcile ones heritage with
>proper meditation or must one leave the community they live in?
>Thank you,
Dear John
Hello. Hare Krishna!!
Yes. It is possible to practice Krishna consciousness in any position. One
doesn't have to wear any special clothing or shave his head. That is the beauty
of Krishna consciousness. You can chant Hare Krishna anywhere: walking along
the street, sitting on a bus, anywhere... As far as leaving the community you
are living in, Lord Caitanya does not recommend that, He says that one should
stay where he is and simply practice Krishna consciousness.
Of course as you make advancement in Krishna consciousness you will want to
assocate with other people who are also interested in Krishna consciousness, so
there needs to be some place, an assocation of devotees of Krishna, so we can
go there and hear about Krishna and talk about Krishna. So that is why His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada established the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness. A community of pure devotees all striving to
serve Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead...
But anyhow you can practice Krishna consciousness anywhere, however, for other
systems of meditation and yoga it is not so simple. For example the
astanga-yoga system (hatha-yoga) is described by Krishna in the sixth chapter
of the Bhagavad-gita and there are so many prerequisites and requirments for
successfully practicing it. You have to go to a sanctified holy place -- the
middle of a big city is not possible, you have to sit in a very particular way
facing a certain direction on kusa grass covered with deer skin. Then you have
to sit peacefully, half close your eyes and chant the holy vibration of omkara
(AUM)... So it is not possible for most people. In this age Krishna
consciousness, chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Have you read any of the books of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada?
Looking forward to hearing from you again.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy.
Madhudvisa dasa
Alphabetical Index |
Date Index
[Home]
[Index]
[Articles]
[Prabhupada]
[Krishna]
[Archive]
[Links]
[Feedback]
madhudvisa@krishna.org
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy! All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!