How the Counselor System can give proper balance to a Yatra

Theme from last year Х ISKCON is the sum of temples and congregations that we can call the “community”. Vision: Х By education and personal relationships, built on care and trust, creating a community, based on common rights and obligations. The goal is to create a spiritual atmosphere. The activities of the community are centered around building a Krishna conscious society and preaching.

Content of presentation 1. Principles of devotee care 2. How it happens in the Counselor System? 3. How it is helping the Hungarian yatra along since last year? 4. The challenges 5. Plans for the future 6. Summary

1. Principles Why do we need a devotee care system ? Х Devotees are most valuable and very rare. Х „The first point is that one must seek the association of persons who are Krisna conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement.” … Association with devotees means association with the Lord.” (Srímad Bhágavatam purport) Х Anyone who is trying to be aloof from this Krishna Consciousness Society and yet engage in Krisna consciousness is living in a great hallucination, for this is not possible. (Srimad Bhagavatam purport)

Why to establish a devotee care system? Х To help create an environment of devotee association Х To serve the physical body, emotional mind and the spirit soul Х To take shelter of Hearing and chanting Х To lead by personal example Х To love and serve each other with spiritual purity Х To offer education, training and care to each devotee Х To ensure that every devotee remains in the movement throughout his life

Other effects if devotees are taken care of nicely Х Counselor System helps to create a support system for practicing KC that will retain people in the community over a lifetime Х Cooperation, spiritual consciousness, enthusiasm, involvement of community will rise Х Devotees will feel their community their home Х Size of community will grow Х Devotees will be happy and satisfied, which is the best form of preaching Х Gives real meaning to preaching

2. How it happens in the Counselor System? Χ In the Counselor System focus is on the individual, on his or her internal development, spiritual needs, relationships, quality of sadhana, etc. Χ The relationship of counselor and counselees not managerial but personal Χ Management and the counselors work cooperatively to help each devotee Χ There is no interest in the relationships, the counselor has nothing to gain then to increase the faith of the counselee Χ With service authority external results are in focus, relationships are different Χ To emphasize service is also necessary to move things forward

Counselor does not have to be so much concerned about how productive a devotee in serving the temple or the community… … but he does focus on the devotee’s internal progress in developing the qualities of faith, humility, generosity, etc.

Proper balance Proper amount and quality of service to expand preaching and move the mission forward Devotee care Sadhana Personal, quality relationships Progress in spiritual life

3. How it is helping the Hungarian Yatra since last year? Χ Started to strengthen and deepen relationships Χ Emotional needs of devotees are better taken care of in a Krishna-conscious way Χ Trust increased towards the temple, less criticism, more involvement Χ More devotees are connected to the yatra through regular association Χ Community information reaches devotees more effectively Χ Team spirit started to form, by devotees serving together Χ Distanced devotees start to come back or are getting favorable Χ By understanding the needs of the community we are becoming more and more family friendly

Short term achievements in community building Χ Sunday feast is organized by the counselor groups Χ Gundica marjana 3-4 times a year with 100 devotees Χ Regular spiritual retreats Χ Overall mood of help, group members helping each other in various ways Χ The community is getting educated through regular seminars Χ Growing MSF day Χ Online broadcasting started in Budapest, at the Farm radio broadcast is available of lectures to connect others Χ More cohesion amongst the leaders of the community Χ More cohesion amongst the temple devotees and the congregation members

Sunday Feast cooking

Growing MSF day

Programs

4. The challenges Χ The greatest challenge is patience; a community is not built up overnight Χ These are ideals I am speaking about, these are not realized in Hungary yet, but we see from small signs, that it is getting its shape Χ These are experiences, from Chowpatty and Ukraine, where the systems are running for a lot longer time (20-15 years) Χ These are ideals, but if we stick to the principles and process, they will come Χ We have some signs and feedbacks, that we are moving in the right direction

Differences between Krisna-valley and Budapest Χ Different composition of community Χ In Krishna-valley there was a lack of organized community life, the Counselor System filled in the gap perfectly Χ In Budapest devotees already have so many “community-outside” relationships that first need to be swapped for devotee association Χ In big cities people live a more busy life Χ Distance factor Χ In KV there was already a group of devotees living together, forming some kind of community Χ In Budapest putting down the foundation, strengthening the system, and involving the devotees will need more patience

5. Plans for the future : Χ Our goal is to have a Counselor System working on a national level, centered around Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara Χ Implementing the Counselor System throughout the country, as the basis of integration of devotees and defining commitment Χ We are merging the Budapest and Krisna-valley system together, bringing them to the same platform Χ Reaching out to satellite centers in the near future all around Hungary

Summary Χ There has to be proper balance in a Yatra between service and personal care for devotees Χ Counselor System fulfills this need by providing help and support, putting emphasis on sadhana, personal relationships, and spiritual advancement Χ Devotees are our most valuable assets - we have to show how much we appreciate them Χ It is our duty to protect the devotees and to provide them with the facility to stay in KC for the rest of their lives

Χ Counselor System works hand in hand with the management in serving the temple Χ Counselor system is for the devotees, Χ it is not a management tool, but helps the management by: Χ giving inspiration and care to the devotees Χ making them more effective in their services also

Thank you for your attention!