Simple Principles

Introduction
Principles
Foundation
Attitude
Application

Principles
To serve the physical body, emotional mind and the spirit soul
To take shelter of Hearing and chanting
To lead by personal example
To love and serve each other with spiritual purity
To offer education, training and care to each devotee
To ensure that every devotee remains in the movement throughout his life
Introduction

Foundation
Introduction
Perform our “Prescribed Duties”- Eg. Chota Haridas
Follow Vaishnava Etiquette
To try to serve in the mood of Servant of Servant of Krsna (Gopi pada kamala….)

Attitude
Introduction
Grihastas genuinely honor and respect the Renounced order
Preaching in China…Radha Damodar party
Renounced order genuinely honors and respects the Grihasta order
Example: Book distribution, Grihasthas take charge of temple and Brahmacaris do distribution

Application
Introduction
Brahmacaris try to respect everyone women as their ‘Mother’ not as ‘Maya Devi’
Enthusiastically preach to the public and serve the congregation
Everyone including the Temple President’s has to do menial service like mopping floors, cleaning toilets etc.

Need for Grhasta counseling system
Purpose of Grhasta counseling system
Attitude
The Grhasta Ashram
Ashrams

Husband and wife ignorant of Krishna Conscious family life
Misconceptions
Need for Grhasta Counseling System
The Grhasta Ashram

Senior Grhastas to help junior to spiritually grow through dealing with their problems.
Deal with obstacles in a Krsna Conscious way
Educate the couples to adjust with one another
Balance Sadhana and Service with Occupational and Domestic duties
To provide a framework of personal care and attention to each devotee.
Counselors also become advanced by guiding others.
Purpose Grhasta Counseling System
The Grhasta Ashram

The relationship of counselor and counselees not managerial but personal.
Management and the counselors work cooperatively to help each devotee
No enforcement of any rules amongst the counselees.
Be a loving friend and guide
Attitude
The Grhasta Ashram

Functioning of Counselor System

Qualification of counselor
Responsibility of a counselor
Function of board of counselors
Counselor for counselors
Counselee meeting format
Choosing counselor
Training principles for counselees
Functioning of Counselor System

Counselors should have a nice understanding of the philosophy and practice of Krsna consciousness.
They should be able to give balanced advice according to time, place, and circumstance.
They should not be prone to taking extreme and controversial positions on issues.
They should be willing to extend themselves to help others and should have a spirit of sacrifice.
Counselors should be compassionate and should have a genuine concern for the welfare of devotees.
Qualification of Counselor
Functioning of Counselor System

Counselors should be good listeners—they should at least be able to listen to the people they are trying to serve.
Counselors should be mature and sober persons.
They should have been active within ISKCON for a reasonable length of time.
Counselors should demonstrate a good standard of sadhana, etiquette, behavior, and commitment to serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada.
Counselors should be stably situated within their own ashram.
Qualification of Counselor
Functioning of Counselor System

Counselors should be a friend and guide in Krsna consciousness.
They should be an elder spiritual brother or sister and should take personal care of devotees in their group.
They should encourage and inspire their counselees in Krsna consciousness and monitor their progress.
They should provide Krsna conscious training to their counselees.
They should not only counsel their counselees in spiritual matters but also in all personal and domestic matters whenever necessary.
They should look into the overall welfare of the lives of their counselees
Responsibility of Counselor
Functioning of Counselor System

Responsibility of Counselor
Counselor is a Preacher
Preaches exemplarily role model (Quality)
Preaches effectively (Quantity)

Responsibility of Counselor
Counselor is a Mentor and Trainer
Gives spiritual guidance
Train practical skills
Assess and correct
Convey knowledge
Instills in others the value and principles of real spiritual life

Responsibility of Counselor
Counselor is a friend
Cares for emotional well being
Listens to problems and finds best possible solutions
Accessible and open minded
Ensures ongoing personal development of the counselees

Responsibility of Counselor
Counselor is a Manager and Facilitator
Provides manpower for the temple services keeping that as priority
Inspires them to perform practical services

Responsibility of Counselor
Liaison between temple management and Counselees
Ensures a communication flow between those in his care, other counselees group and temple management
Ensures that there is cooperation between those in his care, other counselee groups and management

Responsibility of Counselor
Sadhaka
Chants 16 rounds attentively especially in public
Strictly follows 4 regulative principles
Studying Srila Prabhupada’s books
Attending morning program on a regular basis

Responsibility of Counselor
Psychologist
Basic counseling skills
Knows when and whom to send the counselee to, when the problem is beyond his scope

They meet once a month
Temple Presidents and Brahmacari counselors also attend the meeting
Discussion on Sadhana, reading Prabhupada Books etc.,
Discussing on “caring of devotees”
Managerial policies discussed.
Function of Board of Counselor
Functioning of Counselor System

A very Senior Grhasta elected to be the counselor of all counselors
Counselors also counseled by other counselors
Meeting itself provides counseling for the counselors
Counselor for Counselors
Functioning of Counselor System

Meeting, once every two weeks
One of the counselees gives a presentation on what he / she has prepared
Sharing of realizations
Discussion on improvement of Sadhana, family, Vaisanava Etiquette, etc.,
Regular exams on various topics
Counselee meeting format
Functioning of Counselor System

Announcement on Sunday for new devotees to accept counselors
Change of counselor is alright
Choosing a Counselor
Functioning of Counselor System

Counselees should be ideal grhastas by keeping Krsna in the center.
They should maintain proper devotional standards while at home, in the kitchen, and on the altar.
They should be a proper wife, husband, or parent.
Children receiving counseling should behave nicely, in accordance with the teachings of our scriptures.
Counselees should balance economic and social responsibilities with spiritual vows.
Men should know how to deal with their wives, the wives of other men, and unmarried women.
Training Principles for Counselees
Functioning of Counselor System

Women should know how to deal with brahmacaris, sannyasis, their husbands, and the husbands of other women.
Counselees should have a proper attitude towards the other ashrams and should understand the proper way for grhastas to deal with brahmacaris, sannyasis, and vanaprastas.
Counselees should understand how to deal with family members who are not devotees.
Counselees should know how to relate with materialistic people.
Training Principles for Counselees
Functioning of Counselor System

Children’s committee
Women’s committee
Marriage Board
Housing Committee
Yamuna Kinara (Bank of Yamuna)
The Committees

To train children in Krishna consciousness and engage them accordingly
Once a month a special children’s program conducted by children themselves
(Dramas, story telling, sloka recitation, kirtans, puppet show, etc )
Children’s Committee
The Committees

Look into women issues (problems, services etc.)
Discussion on saintly women like Kunti, Draupadi etc.,
Sharing realizations
Meeting once a month
Women’s Committee
The Committees

Consists of 3 grhasthas couples who assist to find partners
Maintains data bank for boys and girls.
Marriage Board
Various Committees

Yamuna Kinara
Bank run by devotees for the devotees
Devotees can invest and also get loans
Professionally run

Help for accommodation, by searching for a place or financial help
Temporary Shelter in need
Housing Committee
Various Committees

Devotees helping a 60 year old poor devotee for heart operation
Devotees’ help, change of the heart of a Jain fanatic opposing Krsna Consciousness
Examples

Concentrate on genuinely serving the devotees
Develop a spirit of sacrifice
The leaders committed to the caring of the devotees as top priority
Share Love and Trust
Conclusion