How can we transmit Krishna consciousness to children? Should they be encouraged to do certain practices, like chanting the rounds or getting up early? From a very early age, we must accustom our children to a regulated schedule of devotional activities. To begin with, we can read to them even while they are in the womb. Read to […]
Overcoming pornography: Hope for those who want it.
By Krsnanandini Devi Dasi and Tariq Saleem Ziyad Co-Directors, Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute We’ve been providing marriage and relationship education for over sixteen years. Through our Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute and our work as part of an international Family Vision Team, we help couples handle a variety of situations from financial to emotional to sexual, to spiritual. […]
When the Husband is Not a Devotee: The Grihastha Vision Team Responds
Photo Credits: Nina Paley Sita and Rama An article entitled “When the Husband is Not a Devotee,” written by Sundari Radhika Dasi for The Eight Petals newsletter and published on ISKCON News recently, caused a firestorm of controversy. The article, which you can read along with its comments here, posed the question, “What if a woman is […]
Five Reasons to Get Pre-marital Education
In our society, where divorce is a scary and pernicious reality for far too many couples, one of the wisest and most practical things a couple can do is to get premarital education. Think about it, so much money is spent on weddings these days. For a one day ceremony, couples spend thousands of dollars. […]
The Communication Dance in Relationships
You’ve probably heard this before. Being in close relationships and being married, is like dancing. Couples who have healthy relationships become partners, cooperating in rhythmic or sometimes awkward movements. You figure out how to fulfill your needs and how to move across the landscape of your busy, intertwined lives. You take turns, sometimes one is […]
Sex – ISKCON’s Hot Potato Issue
Recently ISKCON’s Grihastha Vision Team informally surveyed scores of couples and individuals in ISKCON to ascertain some of the greatest challenges in their marriages. Two top challenges emerged: 1. Lack of emotional and or physical intimacy; Absence of closeness, including loving exchanges and struggles with sexual intimacy. 2. Incompatibility and lack of premarital education and/or marriage counseling. No other […]
Have a Weekly Family Meeting
Some things, if done consistently, will promote healthy, spiritual interactions amongst family members. One is having a weekly family meeting. At this meeting, you will hear from all family members, children and adults, about what’s going well and what’s not, choose your weekly family activity (Krsna or other uplifting, educational movies or games, physical activity […]
Am I Marrying the Right Person?
Dear Grihastha Coach , I am engaged to be married in six months. My mother and father approve and his parents approve. We have known each other for about three years. We met in college but did not become interested in one another until about 9 months go. I am an initiated devotee and he […]
How to Balance Maintaining a Family & Giving in Charity?
Dear Grihastha Coach, My wife and I have been married for five years. We have two children and both of us work as computer professionals. She and I were initiated before we were married and in general get along well. Lately, though we are disagreeing more and more about finances. I want to give more […]
Are Feelings Love?
Dear Grihastha Coach, I have a question that I hope you will be able to answer. How does a person know if their feelings are love? You wrote before about infatuation, my question is specifically about love. Sincerely, Wants to know ——————– Dear Wants, Your inquiry, “How do I know it’s love?” is relevant to […]