Krishna Consciousness - A Philosophy for Everyone

The philosophy of the Hare Krsna movement is a non-sectarian monotheistic tradition. It may be summarized in the following eight points:

1) By sincerely cultivating an authentic spiritual science, we can become free from anxiety and achieve a state of pure, unending, blissful consciousness.

2) Each one of us is not the material body but an eternal spirit soul, part and parcel of God (Krsna). As such, we are all interrelated through Krsna, our common father.

3) Krsna is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all-attractive. He is the seed-giving father of all living beings and the sustaining energy of the universe. He is the source of all incarnations of God.

4) The Vedas are the oldest scriptures in the world. The essence of the Vedas is found in the Bhagavad gita, a literal record of Krsna's words spoken 5,000 years ago in India. The goal of Vedic knowledge--and of all theistic religions-- is to achieve love of God.

5) We can perfectly understand the knowledge of self-realization through the instructions of a genuine spiritual master--one who is free from selfish motives and whose mind is firmly fixed in meditation on Krsna.

6) All that we eat should first be offered to Krsna with a prayer. In this way Krsna accepts the offering and blesses it for our purification.

7) Rather than living in a self-centered way, we should act for the pleasure of Krsna. This is known as bhakti-yoga, the science of devotional service.

8) The most effective means for achieving God consciousness in this age is to chant the holy names of Lord:

To learn more about worshipping at home and incorporating the philosophy into your daily life continue reading by the links below.

On Chanting Hare Krsna - essay by Srila Prabhupada

Setting up your altar - How to worship Krsna in your home

Eating Spiritually: Prasadam - the Karma Free Diet

Preparing and Offering Prasadam - How to Offer Vegetarian Food to God

Everyday Living: The Regulative Principles - Moral Principles to Live By

Practical engagement in Devotional Service - Doing Everything for Krsna