This is a something I wrote for my own personal blog, I’m just re-copying it here. So, where I say “I say here in my profile” I don’t mean my profile here on Connect, I am referring to my profile there.
I say here in my profile that I am interested in serious Krsna consciousness. What that means to me is knowing where you’re heading and doing everything possible to get there.
This is a something I wrote for my own personal blog, I’m just re-copying it here. So, where I say “I say here in my profile” I don’t mean my profile here on Connect, I am referring to my profile there.
I say here in my profile that I am interested in serious Krsna consciousness. What that means to me is knowing where you’re heading and doing everything possible to get there.
Seriousness to me has nothing whatsoever to do with fanaticism. Fanaticism is brittle, it breaks under pressure. It does not last, it does not endure trials. Seriousness bends, and flows like a steady stream to the ocean, finding it’s way around the mountains and through the cities, still steady on it’s course.
Seriousness to me is also about being very honest about your level of spiritual understanding and working from that level, rather than attempting to be (or seem) more advanced than you really are.
As far as association goes, for me, it’s very important to me to associate with devotees in a serious (again, not fanatical) way, attempting to discuss aspects of Krsna consciousness, and help each other progress.
In other words, I don’t like to waste the opportunity for valuable association by turning things into a “social club”. Also, I don’t like discussing things that really will do nothing to further anyone on the path of Krsna consciousness.
I was talking to another devotee about this recently and they said it’s like making an appointment to go see a Doctor, and then when you get there, you discuss golfing with them, rather than discussing medical topics.
I thought that was a great example. Association with devotees is such a blessing, no one else in the world can help you make advancement in Krsna consciousness. So, I don’t like to waste that opportunity “discussing golf”.
* Navasi’s blog
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Comments
Sun, 05/11/2008 – 17:04 — Snehal
Snehal’s picture
Honest loving commitment
Hare Krisna!!
Seriousness for me is making honest and loving commitment to be in relation with Krisna. And advancement is living upto the commitment in all the odds of life.
As far as association is concerned I feel its a nice way to either recieve or give Krisna’s mercy and love. When one hears from a devotee he recieves His mercy and love and when one speaks he gives Lord’s mercy and love to others. Both situations only give spiritual benifit. I think this point is already discussed on this blog. But I just tried to put it my way.
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Thu, 04/03/2008 – 15:04 — Aruna Locana
Aruna Locana’s picture
Navasi
All glories to Sri Guru and Gouranga !!
I can say thats why I am here , from Brazil trying hard the poor English I have to start a great association with devotees who are really interested on Krsna ´s talk. This is what really means too me . You know as much as I preach or listen to someone preaching I become more and more in love with our Lord Krsna . And as you already said , we do need to connect everything to Krsna in our lives . My goal is to have all these amazing qualities doing this without vaisnava aparadha. So may the Lord Gouranga mood be in my heart so I can see all things related to the Supreme .
Haribol
Aruna Locana
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Sun, 04/06/2008 – 14:43 — Navasi
Navasi’s picture
Aruna Locana 😉
That sounds very good Aruna, you’re making a lot of effort to put yourself in good association so you can make spiritual advancement.
That’s wonderful.
I also like what you’ve said about the more your preach or listen to someone preach, the more you love Krishna.
That’s the process, hearing and chanting about he glories of the Lord.
I wish you success with your efforts, both you preaching and your association, as well as the efforts to avoid offenses.
: )
Navasi
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Wed, 04/02/2008 – 16:19 — Aruna Locana
Aruna Locana’s picture
Seriousness
Well Navasi ,
Hare Krsna ! I do agree with u when u say association needs to be a serious stuff , and we need to take advantage of it . But the only thing is the following, for me sometimes u will find devotees that u can talk about every stuff and also feel spiritually protected and maybe u will find a devotee that only speaks about Krsna cause he cant change topics otherwise he can fall from his/her position. So seriouness if u see the way u are saying can also be a fanatic point , isnt it ?
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Thu, 04/03/2008 – 03:51 — Navasi
Navasi’s picture
Fanaticism
Hare Krishna, Locana,
Yes, that kind of seriousness can sometimes be very fanatical in my opinion. (of course sometimes it is done only for the protection of said devotee, which is of course quite understandable).
This point you are making is exactly why I clearly stated what I meant by “seriousness” in my blog…. I’m copying it here for clarity.
“Seriousness to me has nothing whatsoever to do with fanaticism. Fanaticism is brittle, it breaks under pressure. It does not last, it does not endure trials. Seriousness bends, and flows like a steady stream to the ocean, finding it’s way around the mountains and through the cities, still steady on it’s course.
Seriousness to me is also about being very honest about your level of spiritual understanding and working from that level, rather than attempting to be (or seem) more advanced than you really are.”
So, to me it does not mean that we don’t “talk normally” at all. It means, that whatever we are talking about, it has a direct connection to making some kind of “serious” progress toward spiritual advancement in Krishna consciousness.
Just like, for example, I have devotee family members, some of them are “serious”, some are not. With the “serious” ones, I may talk about some “seemingly mundane” topics, yet the whole Effort we are making is toward becoming more Krishna conscious in the long run.
However, with my “not so serious” devotee family members, those similar mundane topics are not “headed anywhere”, they are just talked about for the sake of the topic alone, with no awareness of where it might be leading spiritually.
Also, I think it’s important to remember that in this blog, I was talking about myself, and what is important to me personally.
It takes a certain amount of time to get to the point in Krishna consciousness where you can talk about any topic at all, and still remain focused on the final outcome of Becoming Krishna Conscious. For me, I am personally busy cultivating that stage, and have made quite a bit of progress on this.
It’s about seeing everything in relation to Krishna. Everything in relation to the spiritual progress of the other people you talk to.
Srila Prabhupad talks very much about how everything can be used in the service of Krishna, everything. It’s all a matter of consciousness.
So, for you, I would say the important thing is to seek out association with those who help you advance spiritually, and also those who you can help advance spiritually.
After making a certain amount of advancement ourselves, we tend to naturally start wanting to seek out those whom we can help to advance, more so than thinking only of our own advancement.
Navasi