cRimAl

I understand, but think about sports for a second. You can't just take up a sport (even though it will prove to be good for your health) and go all the way, there has to be a begin point where you take things slowly and then you build it all up gradualy. That's pretty much what I meant with the 'dangerous' part. Pranayama is mainly practiced in certain asanas and when your body (and lungs) are not used to this kind of practice it can prove to be dangerous in that way that it can cause you great physical pain... And I believe that this is especially the case in this 'new age' area: I think that you are overestimating people when you claim that even new agers know this. We are in an age where information has been spread all over the globe...so ancient wisdom is suddenly revealed to people who have been living entirely different since a very long time in history. That can be dangerous. (Just think about certain drugs *or what they can arise* and how they are being used in this chaotic modern world.) Anyways, my point being is that people do have access to the more advanced ways of pranayama and there will be people trying this out, afterall, how many sadhu's haven't 'testified' about the siddhi's one can attain by pranayama or yoga and somehow I do think that there will be people out there trying to hold their breath etc etc without really knowing what they are doing. And about the kundalini: I think that there are more ways of awakening the kundalini force than by pranayama...I even believe that it can be awakaned without even doing any kind of exercise. Why ? How ? Of that I have no idea but I'm convinced that it has happened before. This all said: I also wouldn't want to discourage anyone in doing breathing exercises or yoga because it 'could' be dangerous. Life in the crazy world is way more dangerous on a daily basis: polution goes beyong our worst nightmares, the planet's being raped 24/7, people are exploited 24/7, they are being programmed by other people that only have their own best interest in mind, our food is being grown in poluted ground or worst slaughtered with the excuse that it is so nutritional and that besides that it is our instinct, kids are taken away their innocence because it's profitable etc etc, now THAT is dangerous and health and mental threatening...so I strongly encourage every (positive) action that will uplift the human spirit and make it transcend the mess that we're in.

All very erudite stuff - but nevertheless opinions of others. I stand by my own experience and I dont find any damage in my kids I must say. I would have been interested in the expereince of other people not just cut and paste jobs- no offence meant to anyone . I have to agree. We decided consciousely to not have cable so that we wouldn't have to be confronted with society's s*%# but we do have a vcr and I have to say that my son learned a whole lot by watching movies. ofcourse, I'm quite aware that Disney is a very corrupt company and you will find the occasional brainwashing attempts in their movies but all in all I really think that they have been educational for my son...and besides, I don't want to shelter him from the world...i want to guide him but I don't feel like I have the right to shelter him or to make decisions in his place. Anyways, this is about TV. Personaly I think that cable tv sucks, but I really enjoy the occasional blockbuster.

What i think is scary is that there were (at least some) devotees fighting in Iraq.

Crimal, Pranayama is not dangerous for health. Matter of fact, a lot of regular people who have used it, in other words they were not yogis and did not have extensive training how to employ its energy, healed stubborn illnesses. Maybe you mean Kundalini? Because pranayama is part of the process to raise the kundalini, and it can be VERY dangerous to prematurely raise the kundalini, especially when a person doesn't know what they are doing. But that is a different process then some simple breath work. Actually no, I do mean pranayama. It can be dangerous in that way that people who aren't used to using their lungs in that way can do serious damage. Holding the breath for and so on needs to be practiced very carefuly and it's favorably to learn it under the guidance of a skilled yogi. But yeah, kundalini is a whole other story...and I also believe that kundalini can be awakened (by accident) without the heavy practice that it normaly takes.

I heard that pranayama could also be very dangerous for the health. Apparentely it can be somewhat dangerous to try to master this by yourself.

Apparentely this already got discussed here. http://www.audarya-fellowship.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=hinduism&Number=64906&Forum=All_Forums&Words=Sunanda&Match=Username&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=64890&Search=true#Post64906

Personaly I think that this "no prasadam no krsna, avoiding it is a nonsense and an offence" is big nonsense ! Do you really think that Krishna would like a person less because he/she is not indulging in prasadam ? That sounds very very wrong ! Krishna is our friend, NOT our enemy.

(of course i am simply expressing my ideas on the subject not objecting to you) I understand, and the idea's or feelings rather that I was expressing were ofcourse based on experiences from my own life.

Very true. Anyways, I was just wondering why these things would be considered as being 'marginal'. I see now that you were talking about the 'guests' case in particular. Though i must say: I agree with you that was is not what we should be after BUT here I will also ask: have you ever lived together with a person that mocks KC, that makes you feel bad about who and what you are ? That's also war, a mental war and a very harsh one indeed. i'm not at all advicing persons to go to war with their husband cause I know at least three couples where only one person is a devotee and it works...the thing is, if there's no mutual respect then it just won't work and then I don't think that the devotee should ignore him/her own feelings and wishes. Afterall, it's beneficial for a person to go on the path of KC, so why throw away something beneficial ? I do agree that quarrels will make your mind like an ocean during a hurricane but avoiding them at all costs is also not the way to go in my humble opinion.

"according to this time, this place and this circumstance definitely YES!! if one can chant his mahamantra rounds keeping peace in the family with the hope, sooner or later, to bring everyone to krsna consciousness with his behaviour and example, there's no need to put on quarrels for playing bhajan, lighting incense and so on." chanting hare krishna contains all the practices of krsna consciousness... sravanam (=hearing bjakan) is surely included, chanting is a bhajan!! I don't get that...I would say that in this time and age listening to bhajans is something that we should do. Myself, I really don't want to listen to much else except for bhajans because all the rest takes my mind to different places that I don't want it to go to. Music influences you so why not listen to something that infuences you positively. And yes, chanting hare krishna is a bhajan but I don't think that in this 'time and age' it is possible for everyone to chant the whole time...not everyone is living in a temple... So yes, during the day I like to listen to bhajans, during lunch at work i listen to bhajans and it relaxes my mind... I do agree with you that behaviour can also change people around you but I don't see why listening to bhajans or lighting incense would be 'marginal'. Hare Krishna CrimAl

I would like to give you some advice but unfortunately my marriage didn't survive my passion for krishna consciousness. I'm not gonna go in all the details here but I will say that another person was then send to me that understand me completely...we are now looking into spending the weekends at the temple to help out and the future looks very krishan concsiouss indeed. Actually, I do have some advice: show your kids and your husband the beauty of krishna concsiousness instead of the doctrination people alwats choose to see...show him how it can uplift people's spirit and turn them into better people. And if he really keeps putting you down then please ask krishna what you should do as He will always guide you. Radhe Radhe cRimAl

yamaraja's tattoo's are awesome. I can't see what would be negative about putting devotional tattoo's on your body...it's just another way of honoring krishna...