In the response to "Invisible Hare Krishnas" and "Publicly Representing ISKCON", I'd like to comment. It is true, that Harinam has taken a back seat, we see it all around different ISKCON communities, but the wonderful thing is that we have the ability to go out there and do harinam. There is nothing stopping us but our minds.

 

There may be politics, controllers, sentimentalist, fanatics, "fringies", innocent, enthusiastic or confused members among us in this Sankirtan Movement...and that includes all of us to some degree, but the amazing thing is...we can pick up the mrdangas and karatalas and sing the names of God in the streets, just like Lord Caitanya wants us to. We just have to want to do it.

 

My husband and I and a dear devotee friend of ours, we go out on harinam in a small town in New Zealand. The response is lovely. People smile, do a little dance, we do a few books, have a laugh and feel joyful afterwards. We are going to start a small chanting group soon... if we can do it, anyone can!

 

Yes, it is sad about how things are not like the old days, but we don't live in the old days anymore… we live in 2011 and we need to get proactive to save ourselves and to spread the love to others.

 

Yes, there is politics in some temples...so what! Take Prabhupada's books, take your instruments and chant! Why must politics stop our ability to chant and spread the Holy names around? The Holy Names are not owned by anyone...just chant! :)

 

A lot of people around here, they don't even know what a Hare Krsna is and the other day a man came up to us and said, "Hey! where have you guys been? I saw you guys in the 80's last! Glad you are still around!"

 

A man came running towards us one day and said, "Do you guys have that...that...um....as it...um as it is book?"

 

Yep, he wanted a Bhagavad Gita As it is!

 

Yet another man came towards us one day and he was a big guy with tattoos and had a kind of angry expression on his face. By the time he got to us, he smiled and said, "Hey! I met our head honcho guy...you know...your main man." Since my husband got initiated in the 80's he assumed this guy met one of the then ISKCON Zonal gurus, but the man said "No, the Indian man, very humble man. He was very humble."

 

We showed him a picture of Srila Prabhupada and he exclaimed, "Yes! That's Him!"

 

So, there are special people out there, people Lord Caitanya and Prabhupada need to touch through the Holy Names, through the books.

 

There may be so many things about our society that we can't understand. Why who did what and why things are the way they are. We may never learn the answers. But the International Society of Krsna Consciousness is Lord Caitanya's MOVEMENT... we have got to MOVE along with it. It will move with or without us.

 

If a certain group of people think they own it...well, guess what, they don't! If you can't fit into the mainstream devotee circles, start a circle you can fit into and chant chant chant. :)

 

None but ourselves can free our mind.

 

All glories to the Sri Krsna Sankirtan, which cleanses the heart!

 

Just pick up your Mrdangas and Karatalas and chant, oh descendants of Prabhupada!

 

All glories to all the devotees of the Lord!