ISKCON of Richmond

Welcome to the blog site of the Richmond, VA Bhakti Yoga Group. Our community is one of the many thousands of communities that are affiliated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). This site is dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), whose life’s purpose was teaching the world about the ancient spiritual wisdom of Krishna consciousness, or bhakti yoga. About Krishna: When we say “Krishna,” we’re talking about God. Many people – especially outside of India – have never heard of Krishna before. They may think Krishna is a “different God” from the one they worship. But there’s only one Supreme Person, and Krishna is one of His names. The name Krishna literally means “all-attractive.” So, not only is Krishna/God all-powerful and all-knowing, He’s also the most beautiful Person. Why should that matter to us? We’re all parts of Krishna – as drops of ocean water are tiny samples of the ocean. The more we know about Krishna, the better we understand ourselves, and the easier it is to see what our ultimate purpose is. More About Krishna:

• Krishna’s Book—The Bhagavad-gita—Here are Krishna’s helpful hints for humans: How are we supposed to act? How does He recommend we live? What are the guidelines for human life? What things should we avoid? Why are some people so difficult to get along with? What’s the ultimate goal of life?
• About Krishna’s many incarnations—throughout the millennia, the Lord appears many times, in many forms. Here we spotlight some of Krishna’s more well-known avataras (incarnations).
• Krishna’s latest incarnation—Chaitanya Mahaprabhu—The most recent (c. 1486) avatar of Krishna, the greatest teacher and example of Krishna consciousness ever.

About Krishna Consciousness: Krishna consciousness, or bhakti-yoga, means how to act in harmony with ultimate reality—the Supreme Person. Bhakti—“devotional service”—is how the bhakta—“devotee”—and Bhagavan—“God, the possessor of all opulences”—relate. We’re all naturally Krishna conscious. In illusion, we think we’re the center of the universe, and our bodies are our real selves. Krishna consciousness means becoming free from that illusion, and experiencing our true blissful, eternal nature. It’s a process that works. Anyone can do it. Krishna consciousness is both a “practice” and the goal of the practice. The goal is to be Krishna conscious. The practice is to always stay conscious of Krishna. More About Krishna Consciousness:

• Meditation and Yoga—Everything under the sun about meditation, mantras, chanting, and the meditation of chanting mantras
• Faith(s) and Knowledge—What’s the difference between religion and knowledge? Between different religions?
• Spiritual Eating—All about preparing and offering food to Krishna. How is this done? What are the life-changing effects of eating Krishnaprasadam?
• Kirtan/Sacred Sounds—What happens when the power of music is harnessed, focused, and directed towards glorification of the Supreme Person? Something extraordinary.
• Spiritual Masters—How to identify, find, inquire from, and relate to a qualified guru, or teacher of spiritual science.
• Forms of God—Does the Supreme Being have a form? If so, what isit? What’s the difference between worshiping that form and worshiping an “idol?”
• Simple Living—Do God consciousness and a return to a more natural, agrarian lifestyle go hand in hand?
• Holy Places—Do some places on Earth have greater spiritual potency, where anyone can make spiritual benefit just by going there?
• Spiritual Association—An essential ingredient for steadiness in spiritual life. Hear from those who’ve made the quantum leap of faith toward Krishna consciousness, and learn why it’s impossible to make spiritual progress in a vacuum.
• Practice at Home—Practical “how-to”s, stories, tips, tools, and meditations for anyone wanting to practice Krishna consciousness right now, right where they live.
• Krishna Consciousness—A Broad Overview : FAQ-style answers to a wide assortment of questions about Krishna, Krishna consciousness, the nature of spiritual reality, and more.