Temple Room Behavior

[Gauracandra 1]

How do you maintain temple room behavior that is respectful without losing spontaneity of individuals in their expression of worship?

 

I've tried to put this question in a positive way. Initially I started to write a "venting" post because of a number of incidents I've seen recently. Truth be told, this is the third draft of this post because each time I felt I was venting too much.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

I hope it wasn't some of those people spinning around during the kirtan knocking over old indian ladies. I hate it when that happens. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[theist 1]

was it the old ladies doing the spinning? Some of dem really got da beat. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

I know what you mean Gaurachandra. The worst I saw was a guy doing cartwheels in a dhoti right in the center of attention...er...I mean kirtan.

 

Wow..I guess he must have been in ecstasy...or something.

[Gauracandra 1]

Yes, its actually been a few instances lately. Just a couple days ago during kirtan this one devotee was making a spectacle of himself spinning around all over the place doing twirls wildly. These two indian ladies, I'd guess maybe in their mid-30s walk into the temple to see the deities and he almost crashes into each SEPARATELY. They see the deities and then as they are leaving he almost crashes into them each SEPARATELY again. I was just embarrassed.

 

So today the problem I had was with these kids (8-10 years old) who think the temple room is a place to play tag. They are running all over the place playing tag. I told them to take it outside and they still kept playing it. Eventually they left. But how is it that anyone thinks its acceptable to play tag in the temple room in the first place?

 

Maybe two weeks back another incident. There was a big kirtan and this kid and these two brahmacharis were playing "monkey in the middle" with the kids jacket while dancing. I'm sorry, but you don't come into the temple to play games. Either get serious or get out. And by serious I don't mean you can't enjoy the kirtan, I mean get in the right frame of mind that you are going to see the Lord.

 

Personally I'm the guy who stands in the back, claps his hands and shuffles his feet. I'm pretty conservative. But I actually love it when there is a rip-roaring kirtan and the devotees are dancing. By comparison I think of Christian churches. These places may be boring but they are very respectful when they enter the church. While I don't want temples to be boring, I do think they need to be separate from the world outside. Play "monkey in the middle" all you want, but play it outside the temple.

 

As for cartwheels and summersaults, I haven't seen that in a temple since the early 80s. It still embarasses me thinking about it. Ok, so I've vented a bit /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

would it be helpful to give the "offenders" a copy of the chapter in Nectar of Devotion which lists "Offenses to be Avoided" ?

 

Hare Krishna

[Kulapavana 0]

sometimes we have to approach such people very, very humbly, and with folded palms ask them to modify their behavior in the temple. as to kids - we need to approach their parents as well.

[Guest guest]

You posting this string has made me smile [at a time i really need it] and that's hard to do right now - also - your point about being "...the guy who stands in the back, claps his hands and shuffles his feet. I'm pretty conservative. But I actually love it when there is a rip-roaring kirtan and the devotees are dancing." - that too would be me - to the point!

 

Thank you for making me smile!

 

Your servant,

 

BDM

[Bhakta Don Muntean 0]

Sorry - that was me - forgot to login...

[theist 1]

When entering the temple room softly ring the bell to announce yourself to the Deities (and also to yourself) that you are entering. Knock softly if a lecture is in progress. Then proceed consciously. One should not even talk while in the temple room.

 

Although I haven't gone to a temple in two years when I do I like to see the temple room as an external manifestation of approaching the Lord in the inner sanctum of my heart where the Lord is eternally present. We are entering the presence of the Lord. This must be done consciously.

 

Parents that don't control their kids and people that chit chat during lectures WAKE UP! People are there to hear about Krsna and not to watch your cute little kids run around or listen to the drone of your gossip.

 

Whew! I too needed to vent that.

[Guest guest]

We had a spinner at our temple for a long time and it is very disruptive. This devotee would start spinning at the first sound of kartals.

We have a big problem with kids at our temple too. They all run around and chase eachother during kirtan running into people. Their moms never say a thing to them either. It is really distracting to others. I am a mom myself so I have a high level of tolerance, but not for that.

I have friends who are 2nd generation devotees, and they tell me how they NEVER would have been allowed to act like that in a temple room when they were kids.

What to do about parents who do not care about their childrens behavior in front of the lord?

Who knows.

[Guest guest]

Is the "spinner" by any chance from the Berkeley temple?

[Guest guest]

But in the same state!

Maybe he was there recently, I don't know.

I am not criticizing him, he really is a very strong devotee, but do you have to do circles for 45 minutes straight?

 

[Guest guest]

>>I am not criticizing him, he really is a very strong >>devotee, but do you have to do circles for 45 minutes >>straight?

 

Exactly, but it amazes me that they can spin for that amount of time and not get dizzy and lose their balance.