Krishna Consciousness Records

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna devotees, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, ki jaya!

 

This topic is an invitation for those of us that are doing our best efforts in order to practise the teachings from Srila Prabhupada in our daily lives.

 

So let us post here our own records of KC performance.

 

For example, these are mine during this month:

 

Oct. 4, Afternoon,

 

I chanted Kirtana 40 minutes and read one verse of Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 1, Chapter 19, Text 14) and chanted 7 japa rounds of maha-mantra.

 

***

 

Oct. 7, Night,

 

Kirtana 30' OK... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.15, OK... 11 japa rounds OK.

 

***

 

Oct. 10, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.16,... 8 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Oct. 11, Night,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.17,... unfortunately I couldn't chant japa rounds because I was feeling very tired.

 

***

 

Oct. 16, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.18,... 16 japa rounds.

 

Jaya Krishna! It feels great when you can chant 16 rounds in one day because that's exactly what we are supossed to do everyday. However, somehow, it can't get accomplished everyday.

 

***

 

Today, Oct. 18, well, I came to the Internet at 7 pm, I was just going to print some sheets for my job and then go home to do my KC program but time flew by and now it's 9:18 pm so I won't be able to chant kirtana and so on in order to avoid disturbing the neighbors, you know? But I can sleep early and wake up early to do my program in the morning, that would be great.

 

***

 

Regarding the 4 regulative principles I'm doing the best I can everyday, as well as putting on tilaka by using water instead. Regarding Ekadasis I am not doing it lately because few months ago I got very very sick from my stomach so I don't know when I will be able to do Ekadasi again.

 

So what about your own records devotees? Would you like to share your KC performances here in this topic? I hope so. Hare Krishna.

 

 

[Guest guest]

why you make other things if you have not chanted 16 rounds?

 

chant your full rounds then do kirtan if you have other time

[Guest guest]

Don't know who started it but I have always heard just chant the same number of rounds each day like 8 or whatever and gradually increase. It's better than chanting 16 one day and none the next.

[Guest guest]

i do 16 rounds most days. One day last week i had a lazy day and did 8.

 

i just get them done...but sometimes i worry that maybe i'm not concentrating enough...i've only been practicing for 9 months, and one devotee told me it can take 10 years for one to experience anything siginificant in the chanting process...

 

how does one keep the faith?

[Guest guest]

Chanting calms me and centeres me. If I don't chant I am a mess. When I focus my mind constantly on Krishna everything just falls into place. It has taken me a while to realize this. It took people looking at me and saying Your not chanting lately are you? They can just tell.

So, try to just keep chanting and keep Krishna as your focus for everything you do.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!I offer my humble obeisance unto him.

 

It is very nice that you are sharing your performance with everybody. It is good to see people chanting Krishna's name which otherwise would not have happened, if not for Srila Prabhupada!

Clearly enunciates Prabhupada's greatness. I would like to thank you Prabhu for your sharing.

 

If i have to say something about my performance, not so enliving, I chant 8rounds a day as my present goal. I do not read any books. I used to but not at the moment. I listen to Krishna lectures regularly to keep myself motivated.I fast on Ekadasi and offer food the next day to Krishna. Though I chant 8 rounds per day, I am not regular and sincere. So my immediate goal is to become sincere and chant constantly.

 

In comparison to my performace, you are way ahead and doing better. Hope you continue your service and bless me in mine.

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[BruzWayne]

Guest: --why you make other things if you have not chanted 16 rounds?

 

chant your full rounds then do kirtan if you have other time.

 

***

 

Hare Krishna Guest, I hope that I'll be chanting 16 rounds a day every day one of these months, in the meantime I'm doing what I can. Hare Krishna.

 

 

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna, anand. Very nice comment. Congratulatios for your 8 rounds chanting and for fasting during Ekadasi. I'm planning to fast during Ekadasi again starting January 2005, when my stomach will be completely recovered and ready for this sacrifice again.

 

Hare Krishna.

[BruzWayne]

My last bhakti yoga programs,

 

Oct. 20, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.19,... 4 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Oct. 22, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.20,... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Oct. 23, Night,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.21,... 5 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Oct. 27, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.22,... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Hare Kishna.

 

 

 

 

[BruzWayne]

I wrote "Hare Kishna." Should read, Hare Krishna.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

All glories to Srila PRabhupada!I offere my humble obeisances unto Him!

 

Where is our Vaishnava etiquette. WHy are we criticising a devotee for not chanting 16 rounds when we should appreciate him for chanting the rounds he is.

As far as I know as Vaishnava etiquette, we should not even ask a devotee "why he or she did not come to the temple yesterday" becasue that will force him/her to say something other than the truth.We should be so concrened for fellow devotess that we should not even make him/her embarrased by such questioning.If that is Vaishnava etiquette,clearly none of us is following.

So,hope we all chip in with encouraging words for each other so we all can chant God's name perfectly. Alas, who is perfect? That doent give us the right to criticize?

Hope we have constructive comments!

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Guest guest]

and one devotee told me it can take 10 years for one to experience anything siginificant in the chanting process...

••not true.. it can be less or more depending from sincerity

 

how does one keep the faith?

••sincerity

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna Guest, I hope that I'll be chanting 16 rounds a day every day one of these months, in the meantime I'm doing what I can. Hare Krishna.

 

i have recommended to chant 16 rounds because i have read that you use much time for other devotional practices

 

if you have two hours do not chant 8 rounds and one hour kirtan...chant simply 16 rounds

 

in my opinion it is much more essential

[Guest guest]

it is not a criticism... it is a practical advice..

 

if you chant less rounds and do some kirtan.. better to chant full rounds and no kirtan

 

the effort and time is the same... the result is hugely better

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna, devotees. I appreciate the points of view from both of you (Anand and the guest).

 

Anand is right by quoting Vaishnava Etiquette, "A pure devotee finds no fault in nobody."

 

On the other hand, the guest is right when saying that we should chant 16 rounds a day. If Srila Prabhupada were still among us he would encourage us to do our daily chanting of 16 rounds.

 

So now let me share with you my last records,

 

Oct. 29, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.23,... 5 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Oct. 30, Night,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.24,... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Oct. 31, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.25,... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Bhakti yoga in October 2004 = 12 sessions total.

 

***

 

Nov. 1, Night,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.26,... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Nov. 6, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.27,... 16 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Nov. 7, Night,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.28,... 16 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Today, I'm performing Ekadasi partially because I am not eating grains at all, however I ate fruit milkshake at 1:47 pm local time and I'm planning to eat some vegetables and fruit in a few minutes. I'd like to do complete Ekadasi again, that is no food and no water all the way until the next day, but I'll take it easy for a while and just do the fast from grains. So I'm leaving the internet and getting ready for my bhakti yoga program in the evening/night. Hopefully I'll chant 16 rounds or more today.

 

Hare Krishna.

[Neal]

PAMHO! AGTSP!

 

BRUZWAYNE,

 

I think it is awesome that you are so stoked and commited to your bhakti practices.

 

On chanting, when I first started japa, I was told by devotees that to chant however many rounds would be fine, and try and have at least a minimum number you could commit to completing everyday, like 4 or 8, etc...

 

I was also told that it is best to do the minimum round commitment early in the morning, as this time is the best time for us to chant/meditate, as it is very peaceful and the mind is rested and not yet cluttered with the days going-ons... I myself have always been an early riser and appreciative of the mornings calm, so this was comfortable for me. besides, all I was doing in the mornings prior was read and drink coffee... I found that a good couple hours chanting left me more alert and awake than Starbuck's ever could.

 

Early on I was also given a copy of Srila Prabhupada's Japa tape. This helped me (still helps me, always will help me..) to keep focused...as my mind wanders off, I pull it back by listening to Srila Prabhupada and the assembled devotees chant. Listening to myself chant... It is the next best thing to actualy going to the temple and chanting with them.... as time went on, that is just what I would do... I would drive over to the temple at 4:30am and chant with the bramhacaris. This helped me to increase my rounds to 16. I would do my 8 rounds, then there'd still be an hour and a half before the morning program stared, so I'd just keep chanting.

 

As the day progresses, I would get more chanting done, but if it was done while working or walking or while not paying attention, really, but like having the mantra just playing through my head like a song that I am singing along to, I would not count these... but if I got home later and had time, I would chant more rounds... I think it is cool that you are performing kirtana and reading SB... Keep it up!

 

I think it is nice to share our experiences with KC, esp. early on... It helps keep it interesting and fresh, as it should remin for the rest of our stay here on this planet.

[Neal]

BRUZWAYNE....

 

Where are you located? is there a temple or devotees around?

 

All my regards to your spiritual well being.

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna, Bhakta Neal. It's real good to read about your own progress in chanting japa. I am doing my best efforts to keep up my bhakti yoga program, unfortunately right now I'm facing a complicated situation related to unexpexted circumstances that are creating a blur in my mind so first I have to find the solution to this problem and then come back to my yoga program. I'll describe this problem in another topic and then return to this topic to keep writing my KC records. Regarding my location I am living in a city of 700,000 inhabitants; it is an international tourist destination so here you can find all types of maya clutches, that is many places where people can eat meat and fish and eggs and lots of distractions that can make difficult to practise yoga. Actually, I guess that I must be the only person that knows about Prabhupada and that's trying to follow his teachings in this city where there is no KC temple nor KC people at all. Why I'm here? It's funny, because I am working in time share business in order to make some lakshmi in order to meet a KC woman and consider KC marriage with she, however I'm not lucky yet with lakshmi and time keeps flowing. I'm 38 already so I only have 12 more years to get this goal because at 50 years old the man must renounce to married life and family life and do devotional service without material affairs. So I may not get married at all with a KC woman, which seems better for spiritual progress, after all Prabhupada says that marriage is an entanglement.

 

Therefore, the main goal is doing bhakti yoga with or without a KC wife. Besides there are no KC women around here thus I'm quiet a loner. My present goal is to save enough money in order to buy KC cd's and tapes and the whole collection of Prabhupada's books like the complete series of Srimad Bhagavatam because I only have one book and I almost finish it, so this goal will keep me busy for a while.

 

When would I approach a KC woman in one of the KC temples or Bhakti Vriksha groups in order to consider marriage? Only if somehow I make enough lakshmi to go for it, say like having my own home and car and business and some 200,000 USA dollars in the bank. If not, then I rather continue living single practicing KC on my own.

 

The name of my city should be Maya City because too much maya over here.

 

Well, pleased to meet you. Hope to write my records again as soon as I clear my mind from the bad circumstances I'm facing now.

 

Hare Krishna.

[Bhaktaneal]

Hari bol!

 

BruzWayne,

 

Please accept my humble obeinces!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

Likewise, it is a pleasure to make your aquaintence... I am sorry to hear that you are distracted from your sadhana... I pray that you will find the strength to continue on with your devotional practices never-the-less... infact esp. when faced with trying circumstances... perhaps you will find that maya becomes just a little easier to untangle from as we stick to our commitments.

 

It sounds like you are in an isolated place... perhaps you can attract others who are like minded. You will be amazed how many devotees there are all over the world. Recently, while visiting my father in a small town in Hawaii, I was saddened by thinking I would be out of the reach & association of devotees, and it turned out that there were many...

 

All my best... hope this finds you in great health and happiness!!

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna Prabhu Neal, I appreciate your comment. My last bhakti yoga program was...

 

Nov. 8, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.29,... 11 japa rounds.

 

***

 

That night I couldn't complete 16 rounds, I only did 11, actually I felt asleep with my japa beads on my hand, when I woke up in the morning I realized I did only eleven rounds. Then the bad circumstances situation got heavier inside of my mind. The facts about this problem have been erased from the forum, it seems that it is a subject that goes beyond discussion in this web page so I'll have to solve it on my own. It is getting better but very slowly. Too many mixed emotions to handle but such is life. Today I was in the mood to do my bhakti yoga program but somehow I couldn't, hopefully tomorrow I'll do it. I'm glad that you found some devotees in Hawaii. Here in Maya City I haven't been that lucky yet. Thank you for reminding me that it is due to maya that we fall down from the path of yoga. At least I'm not taking shelter in bad habits like drinking or smoking in order to escape from my problem, nevertheless I had to take some aspirins already to handle headache. It must be my own karma claiming its price, and the only thing we can do in order to reduce the effects of karma is keeping up our chanting so I better take it easy and cool my mind to have new energy to do yoga again. It won't be long, Krishna never lets down His devotees, so it's just a matter of time.

 

Hare Krishna.

 

 

 

[BruzWayne]

By the way Neal, the page Krishna.com is very nice. It's funny, as I was watching the animated card about Krishna lifting up Govardana Hill, I remembered that when I was a child I used to ask my parents why God wasn't showing himself in the television, and guess what, now that I am seeing Krishna lifting up Govardana Hill in the screen of a personal computer I realize that it was just a matter of time to see God in a screen. It's like a desire that I had long time ago coming true. If wishes can come true after some time then we better be careful with our wishes, right?

 

Hare Krishna.

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna devotees, here I am writing

 

My last bhakti yoga programs,

 

Year 2005

 

Jan. 1st, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.36, ... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 3, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.37, ... 4 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 5, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.38-39, ... 2 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 6, EKADASI ok, fast from grains and beans.

 

***

 

Jan. 9, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.40, ... 1 japa round.

 

Now I finished reading this volume of Srimad Bhagavatam and I don`t have more volumes so I'm going to save enough money in order to get the whole collection of 18 volumes of Srimad Bhagavatam and as well the whole collection of KC cd's in order to stop listening to karmi music by replacing karmi cd's with KC cd's.

 

***

 

Jan. 12, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.1, Plates 1-6, ... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 17, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 40'... Bh.g. Illustrations, Ch.2, Plates 7-12, ... 9 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Well, hopefully I can take my chanting of japa rounds up to 16 rounds a day, and maybe 64 rounds on one special day.

 

Hare Krishna, let's keep up our bhakti-yoga programs.

 

 

 

[BruzWayne]

And these are my bhakti yoga programs between Nov.8, 2004 and Jan.1st, 2005.

 

Dec. 21, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.30, ... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Dec. 22, Morning,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.31, ... 6 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Dec. 25, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.32, ... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Dec. 26, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.33, ... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Dec. 29, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 30'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.34, ... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Dec. 30, Afternoon,

 

Kirtana 40'... S.Bh. C.1, Ch.19, T.35, ... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Hare Krishna.

 

 

 

[BruzWayne]

Hare Krishna devotees, here I am with updated records,

 

Jan. 18, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.3, Plates 13-15, ... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 19, Morning,

 

Kirtana 40'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.4, Plates 16-19, ... 7 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 20, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.5-6, Plates 20-25, ... 16 japa rounds.

 

This day was a great achievement, 16 japa rounds! cool, don't you think?

 

***

 

Jan. 21, Whole day,

 

Ekadasi (fast from grains and beans).

 

***

 

Jan. 22, Morning,

 

Kirtana 40'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.7-9, Plates 26-32, ... 2 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 23, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.10-12, Plates 33-39, ... 2 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Well, so far so good. Regarding my job it is about sales, so some days I'd be doing fine and some days not so good, my income is commissions only -no salary- but the main thing is that I must try to work doing Karma-yoga, that is working for Vishnu and renouncing the fruits from work, that is working without attachment to the results from work. Sometimes it's not easy because anxiety comes by but if I fix my mind on chanting the maha-mantra while I work then things can get better. I'm not making too much lakshmi, just enough to pay my rent and basic expenses, however Sri Isopanisad mentions "tena tyaktena buhnjitha," each one receives his asigned quota from Krishna.

 

There are two karmi activities that I feel that I must quit, one is going to the karaoke because the songs that we can sing there are just sense gratification songs (except for a few God inspired songs like My Sweet Lord form George Harrison for example) and also they serve alcoholic drinks in the karaoke so even though I don't drink nor smoke anyway there are persons doing that while singing songs and it's not recommended that Krishna devotees go to non-devotional places, so it seems that I'll have to quit the karaoke, pretty bad because it's a nice way to release some stress, what do you think devotees?

 

And the other thing to quit is singing and listening to karmi music at my own home, like rock/pop/music from groups like Def Leppard, Cold Play, Dido, Mana and some others. So lately I've been listening only to Hare Krishna music.

 

Tonight I have to make a decision, stay home and do my KC program or go to the karaoke to put away some stress from work because today is my day off, what will I do?

 

I'll tell you later. Hare Krishna.

 

 

 

[BruzWayne]

On January 24 I was able to defeat my sense gratification desire of going to the karaoke so I stayed home and did my KC program and I also quit already listening to karmi music at home, only KC music, except for one tape of classical music and one rock cd That I use in order to do some personal exercise, but that's all, and as soon as I buy more KC cd's I will surely replace these ones too. So these are my last KC records,

 

Jan. 24, Night,

 

Kirtana 40'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.13-15, Plates 40-43, ... 2 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 25, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, Illustrations Ch.16-18, Plates 44-51, ... 2 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 28, Morning,

 

Kirtana 40'... Bhagavad-gita, Introduction, pages xix-xxvi, ... 3 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 29, Night,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, Introduction, pages xxvii-xxxv, ... 7 japa rounds.

 

***

 

Jan. 31, Morning,

 

Kirtana 30'... Bhagavad-gita, The Disciplic Succession, ... 1 japa round.

 

***

 

Well, my bhakti yoga programs are doing better, hopefully my job results get better too because I haven't had luck in sales lately and I'm almost out of Lakshmi. I wish I knew why suddenly Krishna takes away all of my money. Is it some kind of a joke?

 

Hare Krishna.