Recently I was at a program in Tennessee in which a devotee said that environment is more powerful than willpower. He later told me how his environment at work was not at all conducive for Krsna conscious. He felt he could be Krsna conscious at home, but not at work.

If you are like me – or for that matter everyone I’ve ever met - you resist negative things. When others tell you what they don’t like about you, point out a mistake you made, criticize you, etc., you probably get defensive.

If the world is not Krsna conscious, we need to look at ourselves. Whenever devotees made excuses and told Prabhupada that people were not receptive or that they were difficult to preach to, Prabhupada always said that the problem was not with the people they were preaching to; the problem was with us.

Since the new year is around the corner, it’s natural to talk about new year’s resolutions. You might be thinking about doing something you’ve put off or making some changes for the new year.

If I wrote a newsletter telling you how to double your money in ten days, would you be interested? Of course you would. Well if I knew how I’d tell you. But I don’t, so sorry. But I can tell you something better. I can tell you how to double your blessings in ten days. Are you as interested?

Fault finding can be so addicting that some people have to get their daily fix. And it's easily available everywhere. You can get a fix from all kinds of radio talk shows, news magazines, comedians, and TV shows (fault finding sells).

I admit it. I’m addicted. But it’s not my fault. Really, I am innocent. I was simply asked to co-facilitate some japa retreats and workshops and I innocently accepted. And now I’ve become a japa retreat addict. I drop whatever I am doing and go to the next retreat or workshop.

Bad habits don’t die easily. Prabhupada said chanting produces more chanting. But the question is what kind of “more chanting” does it produce? My experience is that bad chanting produces more bad chanting. And if the bad chanting goes on long enough, it pretty much becomes a habit.

What is falldown? Breaking the four regulative principles or giving up devotional service is generally referred to as falldown. Although this is the main focus of this article, the principles I discuss relate to positively dealing with any kind of setback in spiritual life.

In this article I focus on how our degree of commitment to our vows and promises is affected by what we believe is possible for us. I also look at how beliefs affect us in general.

Imagine this scene: After millions of lifetimes you finally make it back to the spiritual world. As you approach the gates of Goloka you are asked to wait because Krsna wants to come and personally greet you. You are getting more excited at every moment...

"Nish, nish, ram, ram, nish, nish, ram, ram." Prabhupada once imitated how we sometimes chant without focus, without concentration, without proper pronunciation – how we chant when we don’t feel like chanting.

The following is an excerpt from an unfinished book about my life in Krsna consciousness. It details the history of how big book distribution began in Iskcon, a history which has not been chronicled in any Iskcon publications. The scene takes place in Vancouver, Canada, November of 1971

I had built up such resentment inside me that I had become reluctant to give myself fully to Iskcon. I lacked the enthusiasm I used to have. I was more cautious. I was becoming more concerned about my well being than Iskcon’s. I moved more to the sidelines. I was being held back by a lot of pain, hurt, frustration and anger. I was afraid to step too far forward again. I had enough.

1.Preaching without trying to understand people's needs and interests 2. Continuing to speak without determining if people are understanding or accepting what you are saying 3. Not paying attention when people talk 4. Interrupting people when they talk

To not manage through a temple board i.e. to think you know everything and don't need input from others or to cancel or not hold meetings because you don't believe in or like meetings.