It’s been quite some time since I last posted a thread speaking about where I am religiously. I feel compelled to do so.
To summarize it briefly, after years away from it, I’ve decided to re-embrace Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism. Specifically, I’m making the decision to re-acquaint myself with Krishna Consciousness.
To give a bit of background, for my whole life, I’ve been very heavily enamored with Hinduism in general. It introduced me to the concepts of polytheism, the four castes, karma, dharma, reincarnation, moksha. My years of high school were dedicated to exploring more of the basics of it in my goal of understanding them. In that time, I was led to The Bhagavad Gita which, even now, I consider the deepest spiritual text ever written, as it helped me make clear sense out of all of those ideas from a devotionally theistic standpoint and also served as my introduction to Lord Krishna.
In 2014, I was entrenched in a movement in the Hardcore Punk subculture called ‘Straight Edge’. From that movement was born a very religiously devotional style known as ‘Hare Krishna Hardcore’ or ‘Krishnacore’. Drawn in by the Name of Krishna, I checked out bands like 108, Shelter, Cro-Mags, and they blew my mind! These bands pointed me in a musically passionate way towards Krishna Consciousness. Still though, I didn’t know what to do with it.
That same year, I had a dream which would forever cement the reality of Lord Krishna for me. In my dream, I had been awakened by a sudden golden light. Then, a blue figure suddenly appeared. I was afraid because I didn’t know who it was. I couldn’t see it. On top of that, I could barely move. When my vision became clear, I had recognized it. It was Krishna Himself. He began to speak to me. What He said I couldn’t make out, as it had been in a language I couldn’t understand. Afterwards, he gently smiled at me and — as quickly as He appeared — He disappeared, the light with him. I woke up, and for the next few minutes, I chanted “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” on and on and on. This experience was the only instance, before or since, that I had a direct encounter with God Himself in a way I could perceive.
Since then, I knew from experience of the Reality of God. Though, my understanding of God has changed within the last year and some change. Within that time, I’ve come to acknowledge that I’m not a monotheist strictly speaking, but rather a henotheist. I believe in many deities, but I worship one as the single Supreme Being. This is why I couldn’t — in good faith, no bad blood — give assent to a monotheistic religion. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with believing in any such thing, however I simply do not.
So now, I feel as though I’m ready to live out my rekindled Krishna Consciousness. Though, it will require that I gradually re-acclimate myself with a Hindu way of life, and that MOST IMPORTANTLY, I do my best in staying true to it. Thanks for reading. Hare Krishna!
To summarize it briefly, after years away from it, I’ve decided to re-embrace Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism. Specifically, I’m making the decision to re-acquaint myself with Krishna Consciousness.
To give a bit of background, for my whole life, I’ve been very heavily enamored with Hinduism in general. It introduced me to the concepts of polytheism, the four castes, karma, dharma, reincarnation, moksha. My years of high school were dedicated to exploring more of the basics of it in my goal of understanding them. In that time, I was led to The Bhagavad Gita which, even now, I consider the deepest spiritual text ever written, as it helped me make clear sense out of all of those ideas from a devotionally theistic standpoint and also served as my introduction to Lord Krishna.
In 2014, I was entrenched in a movement in the Hardcore Punk subculture called ‘Straight Edge’. From that movement was born a very religiously devotional style known as ‘Hare Krishna Hardcore’ or ‘Krishnacore’. Drawn in by the Name of Krishna, I checked out bands like 108, Shelter, Cro-Mags, and they blew my mind! These bands pointed me in a musically passionate way towards Krishna Consciousness. Still though, I didn’t know what to do with it.
That same year, I had a dream which would forever cement the reality of Lord Krishna for me. In my dream, I had been awakened by a sudden golden light. Then, a blue figure suddenly appeared. I was afraid because I didn’t know who it was. I couldn’t see it. On top of that, I could barely move. When my vision became clear, I had recognized it. It was Krishna Himself. He began to speak to me. What He said I couldn’t make out, as it had been in a language I couldn’t understand. Afterwards, he gently smiled at me and — as quickly as He appeared — He disappeared, the light with him. I woke up, and for the next few minutes, I chanted “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” on and on and on. This experience was the only instance, before or since, that I had a direct encounter with God Himself in a way I could perceive.
Since then, I knew from experience of the Reality of God. Though, my understanding of God has changed within the last year and some change. Within that time, I’ve come to acknowledge that I’m not a monotheist strictly speaking, but rather a henotheist. I believe in many deities, but I worship one as the single Supreme Being. This is why I couldn’t — in good faith, no bad blood — give assent to a monotheistic religion. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with believing in any such thing, however I simply do not.
So now, I feel as though I’m ready to live out my rekindled Krishna Consciousness. Though, it will require that I gradually re-acclimate myself with a Hindu way of life, and that MOST IMPORTANTLY, I do my best in staying true to it. Thanks for reading. Hare Krishna!
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