Food
Food is an important part of Vaishnava culture, with cooking is considered one of
the fine arts. Since Vaishnavas are natural vegetarians and their culture is Eastern,
their cuisine contains an abundance of spiced vegetable dishes and exotic flavors.
As in many cultures, cooking is an important part of Vaishnava hospitality – as
anyone will know who has visited a Vaishnava temple (especially during festivals).
Srila Prabhupada, the Founder of ISKCON also loved to cook. He used his considerable
culinary skills to make delicious preparations for the visitors who came to see
him and also taught others how to cook.
Meditation
Although the process may vary, the practice of meditation is both an important ingredient
of spiritual practice in many of the world's spiritual and religious traditions.
In the Vaishnava Hindu tradition the most common form of meditation is mantra meditation
– the chanting of sacred sounds. This practice has been developed in India for thousands
of years.
Mantra meditation has been found to be an extremely effective way of supporting
the development of good character and spiritual Values, and in achieving the ultimate
goal of liberation. It can also help to reduce stress and bring about a general
sense of well-being (mental, physical, and emotional).
According to Hindu tradition, there are three ways of engaging in mantra meditation;
(1) Silently within one’s mind, (2) Softly for one's own hearing, and (3) Together
with others with musical accompaniment.
The most important mantra that Vaishnavas use in meditation is the maha-mantra,
which is made up of Sanskrit names of Krishna. The maha-mantra is as follows:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare (pronounced ha-ray) refers to the pleasure energy of the Lord. Krishna means
“the most attractive person.” Rama means “the reservoir of all pleasure.” As the
names imply, spiritual practice is meant to be both a pleasurable and joyful experience.
In the Vaishnava tradition there are different mantras chanted on different occasions.
Two of the more common ones are:
om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
And
sri-krishna-caitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara
srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
The early morning hours are considered the best time to meditate since they tend
to be more peaceful and distraction free. However, there are no hard and fast rules
for chanting – it can be done at any time and in any place.
Music
The practice of coming together to sing sacred sounds, mantras, prayers, or names
of God exists in most religious and spiritual traditions. Kirtan is an ancient form
of musical meditation from northern India, which is practiced by Hindus and Sikhs
alike. When done with concentration it is an effective form of Meditation.
Such meditative music is a central part of daily life for Vaishnavas, whether at
home or during community gatherings.
Values
Vaishnavas believe that the type of activities one performs affects one's state
of mind, so one can elevate consciousness by elevating the nature of activity. An
activity is thus considered spiritual if it helps to purify the consciousness and
direct it towards God.
In this light the regulations of spiritual life are not restrictions but are ‘regulative
principles of freedom’ – tools for advancing personal development and spiritual
consciousness.
The four basic guiding values:
Cleanliness: Of body, mind and soul
Mercy: To help others (materially as well as spiritually)
Austerity: To take only what we really need, without greed or violence.
Truthfulness: An honest deed is the best gamble in the world and a sure winner.