12 years as a Devotee in an Iskcon temple in Guyana

May 17, 2023 

Houston texas

My experience as a devotee in ISKCON Temple.

I lived over 12 years as a full time devotee in the international society for krishna consciousness. ( ISKCON )

I served as a  bhramachari ( single male ) and was asked to do temple duties . Living in a temple could be quite challenging for anyone who is used to doing  other responsibilities on the outside of  the temple we would wake at 3:am take a shower get dress in temple clothing, put on tilak  (auspicious markings on the body) and beginning to chant our daily quote of prayers on japa beads.

We would then attend our morning program which starts at 4:30 am and lasts for an hour. We then would go back to completing our 16 rounds of chanting on japa beads which consist of 108 links . Some of the other devotees would have other chores while those who finish the chanting would study the holy literature such the Bhagavad Gita etc .

At 7:30 am everyone would gather for a morning lecturer on one of the sacred books.

That lecturer would compete in 1 hour with a question and answer period. The devotees would then assemble to honor the food ( prasadam ) which was first offered to deities. After which every member would have their allotted assignment of day's work .

My main service would be going out around the various villages to sell our religious magazine, Incense,sweet oil, religious photographs, and religious songs on tape. And that i did throughout my stay living in an Iskcon temple .

Now i would like to mention one of the policies in the temple was, after 1 year you become a first initiate then after the second year you would be recommended for second initiation . As for me it stopped at the first initiation. Until I left after I got married I never was recommended for my second initiation.