Preaching to Family members

[Haridham 0]

Well all of you have probably gone through this at one point or another but isnt it the most difficult set of people to talk to Krsna about?

 

I mean we realise the nector and bliss that is associated with Krsna, Prabhupad, devotees, and our pastimes with such personalities and experiances. We want to share our experiances and realisations with the people closest to us because we know they are the ones who deserve it most but unfortunatly it doesnt work both ways.

 

When we preach to other people outside our family, its much easier and people are much more receptive. Its easier to talk to others about Lord Krsna and telling them about the difference between body and soul etc, etc etc.

 

However it just frustrates me when I try to tell someone in my family to try chanting or read prabhupads books or try to have a discussion. Even My family which is basically "Hindu" family would rather watch tv then discuss all this.

 

When I do talk or say something it is met by "whoa, how did he know that" or "ahh thats just head games"

 

I know that when I tell my sister something about krsna consciouss philosophy which defeats her materialistic outlook all I get is "yeah yeah' or "Sure whatever" or even "thats not true" and sometimes even "oh everything Krsna says has two meanings" The last one really bugs me but it shows when people dont want to surrender they will interpret krsna's words to not disturb their desires.

 

 

I was told by a devotee not to preach to family as Familarity(sp) breeds comptemt. Its better to lead by example then talk because they think you are younger then them and dont know much and it also might cause blasphamy or something.

 

Well, I just guess leave it to krsna as when you try to tell someone about krsna who is not ready it just brings disturbances.

 

Sometimes its just frustrating. I mean something so wonderful and easy is right there but people cant understand it.

 

Share some of your experiances.

 

Hare Krsna

[Govindaram 1]

haribol!

 

what you say i can understand with completely, i think we have family's who were seperated at birth..

 

also i feel there are so many factors in preaching KC etc or non-preaching (subtle) hehe..

 

also the way you explain to family members (mum&dad have seen you in nappies and there you are explaining bhakti-yoga!)..

 

also don't forget the lord in the heart..

 

but i feel its an impossible task to understand how bhakti is developed in a person, in the Gita it says about 4 types of ppls come to krishna etc..

 

i am certain a pure devotee can invoke bhakti in a person-but also that person must be sincere and not envious in nature (so much)

 

my personal experience with my family members is that they are quite happy to be materially absorbed, or they are thinking oh when i get old i shall practice bhakti-yoga, WHO KNOWS!?!..my sister doesn't accept much, it's all just like i believe in God so thats enough, also most ppls don't know about Goloka, they just know of 'heaven', time and time again i have seen in srila prabhupada books and tapes that we are NOT these bodies but eternal blissful being..who belong with Krishna..on that note i'll end. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

sorry about the long post..hare krishna! (and the typos)

[Guest guest]

NOtbhing can be obtained by force. SPirituality should grow in a person from within and this comes only by experience and self realisation. By preaching you guys are no way differnt from the fanatic christians. You are making finally sanatana dharma principles like chrisitianity.

[Haridham 0]

Dear guestji

 

Hare Krsna, I think you said something that is very accurate and true. Yes, we cant force anyone to have bhakti. Yes and Bhakti does come from within, however there is nothing wrong with telling people you love the wonders of krsna conscioussness. Nothing wrong with telling people about krsna. Yes it comes from within but unless its given a push it wont come out. I am sure you and I both had/have bhakti within but with me I had devotees come and bring it out. It wasnt through fanatical preaching but rather loving exchanges.

 

I dont feel its wrong or fanatical to tell people about Krsna.

 

The reason I made this thread was to express and share to people who have gone through similar experiances. I mean chanting, feasting, reading prabhupads books, book distribution, getting initiated, association with devotees is the sweetest thing someone can experiance. I mean you can go to the temple everyday if you like but if you dont learn anything and stick to your materialistic ways or just after you come outside from the temple you do your nonsense again whats the point.

 

I just think I have found a gold and I want to share it with someone who has no concept of gold and is rather playing with dirt.

 

Thats what family life is about, its for progressing towards krsna conscioussness.

 

I dont force anything on anyone.

[Gaurasundara 0]

When we hear of the wonderful lilas of Krsna, and the transcendental knowledge that can be gained from Bhagavad-gita, we suddenly get the urge to express these wonderful things to others. Who better to start with than your immediate environment?

Unfortunately it is not that simple. People who you have known all your life suddenly become incredibly patronising. As one said earlier, they have seen you in nappies. They think that what you are going through is just a "phase" that will pass. Funny that, you know, Jesus was right when he said "a prophet is never recognised in his own country."

[Haridham 0]

You are correct sir. Your parents have seen you as a child in your nappies and when you tell them something their mentality is that what is this young buck going to tell me that I already dont know.

 

Yeah, my sister once said it was a phase, funny how that was 6 years ago and I am still chanting and such.

 

I just told her that spirituality isnt a phase, its eternel. Material things are a phase, life after life after life after life.

[Guest guest]

The best way to preach to family members is not to ("preach," that is). In Vedic culture, elders do not expected to be lectured to by their juniors, regardless of philosophical rightness or wrongness.

 

If you really want to preach to family members, be an example of the change you want them to make. They see you more than your friends at the temple, and in that sense they know your likes and dislikes more than your temple companions. If you are cent-percent engaged in devotional service, they will gradually (years maybe) come to appreciate it. But if they see you talking philosophy one day while watching TV sitcoms the next, they won't be impressed, nor should they be.

 

 

[Haridham 0]

yes and no

 

actually my family doesnt understand me or know me better then my devotee friends. I dont go preach hardcore on them at all, they want me to do certain things but I have my own beliefs which i express to them.

 

 

 

actually in vedic culture yes you respect the elders and what not but in vedic culture if someone has some knowledge of the vedas he is to be listend to no matter how old he/she is. Its the lack of vedic culture today in peoples hearts that is the reason they are becoming more westernized and if someone says something about krsna or chants they think you are crazy.

 

 

[Guest guest]

does anybody desire to preach to me? i will truly listen and want to become krishna conscious! ma fam r all meat eaters, drinkers and the environenet i am in is so depressing, only my mother is bhakti person. the rest do it as a ritual, want something or just do it for the sake of it. this material entanglement gets me every time. family memebers will always do what they desire and go by what some other member says, like my mother by my father etc. i long to be this contented kc person, but its 1 spiritual step forward and 50 material steps back! god help me!

 

 

priya xxx

[vanamali 1]

You feel like you are taking one step forward and 50 steps back? Don't worry! Krishna doesn't expect complete change in a day! Just keep talking to Him and calling His name, and slowly but steadily you will improve.

 

The material entanglement is not permanent. In the end it is only you and Krishna. Krishna is waiting for you! Just talk to Him, He will listen. He is your everything, and He is always with you. You can always be happy thinking of Krishna, no matter what the material situation is. Just remember Krishna, just keep thinking of Krishna, and everything will be ok!

 

shrI kRiShNa govinda hare murAre

he nAtha nArAyaNa vAsudeva

jihve pibasvAmRitam etad eva

govinda dAmodara mAdhaveti

 

"Shri Krishna! Govinda! Hari! Murari! O Lord, Narayana, Vasudeva!" O tongue, please drink only this nectar--"Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"