There is a lasting memory of my early days with the beautiful devotees who introduced me to the joys of bhakti and that was the very personal nature of the dealings with each person who came to the centre
One thing was that I never missed the visit by the individual who became my own Guru Maharaja simply because they would immediately let everyone know in their address books and everyone had an invite.
I was in many ways very much privileged to have come into contact with great personal devotees who were always inspirational and even to today who’s company I miss. But I’m growing concerned about the growing impersonalism that has gripped the movement and has led to my successively missing my own guru maharaja’s ‘s visit.
What is most upsetting is that devotees can happily get in touch with me for so many different reasons but not for this one important event, when I questioned one individual they simply replied “we don’t do that we just put it on our webpage”
Yes when I came into the movement social media was as far advanced as a simple text, website’s were basic as we still had dial up connections and so a very personal connection and invite. Now everything is web based or social media and it has made us lazy.
Invités out? Yes prabhu I’ve posted it on our media outlets it took me ages prabhu but it’s done.
Crazy
As more and more individuals are starting to get disconnected by social media and many are longing at the return of the personal touch. Indeed a personal call or message can make the difference it tells the person you thought of them and indeed you want them their.
In those early days I knew the devotees wanted me their indeed they would impress upon me the importance of being there, now one gets the impression that turn up or not really we don’t care.
It hurt most as I get many personal invites from other religious groups and samprabhia’s and it occurred to me the rush to become modern and a religious movement rather than a movement or as Srila Prabhupada put it a cult for Krishna Consciousness has made it more impersonal than personal.
Courses, forms, committees and no personal invites because well Prabhu it takes to long and I don’t have the time Prabhu has become more important than the individual.
And so as I felt the need to send a quick reply, if you’re not willing to do me the courtesy of inviting me to even see my own Guru Maharaja then please don’t contact me for any other reason.
This is simply a personal thing and I’m sure many would agree if you cannot personally invite but can contact for all other reasons then please I humbly request don’t contact me
But I make this humble request please Yes post on social media but please remember that what is better is the simple personal invite, You will never know how much it would make someone’s day and prove that actually you do care for the individual
It’s a thought I hope you will all ponder and consider