NITs, IITs and IIMs and all prominent engineering colleges all over India with the help of the financial support that will come from well wishers like you. I am sending you a brief outline of VOICE training program to give you an idea about the services we offer to youth and children.
If you are eager to share the glory of participating in the Lord’s work like Hanuman, I request you to join the EASY (Enlighten Aimless Suffering Youth) membership scheme and donate at least 10% of your salary according to your will. VOICE is able to continue its preaching activities only because of the financial support offered by EASY members. His Grace Krishna kishore prabhu is the Chairman of our Finance committee and you can contact him at [email protected] and join hands with well-wishers and welfare workers of youth and children by contributing to the EASY scheme.
Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krishna will surely bless you and your family for supporting this selfless endeavor in reforming the lives of youths and children for a brighter India. Hare Krishna.
Yours in service of Lord Sri Krishna,
Radheshyam das, Director VOICE.
Enclosure : (1) VOICE training program
COUNSELING SYSTEM – For Care, Attention and Personal Guidance
Background
The youth preaching (19 to 23) along with Teenage youths (age between 13 to 19) and Study Circle or Bhakti Vriksha programs (age between up to 30) has been growing steadily over the last several years at Pune. It was becoming more and more difficult to give personal attention to devotees. Thus in 1996 a counsellor system was started to train and educate devotees to bring them closer in warm relationships. Srila Prabhupada explained how in the Vedic times, a guru could take care of hundreds of disciples. One guru would teach ten and the ten would teach ten and in this way everyone got personal attention.
The Concept
Technological advancements are making life faster and more stressful. To maintain harmony, people need heart-to-heart conferences with others. Persons need relationships centered on pleasing Krishna. Otherwise we will try to assume the self-centered vortex position and create a circle of materialistic relationships. As Alcoholics anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous provide support and encouragement to addicts trying to give up their addictions, ISKCON centres offer support for the soul endeavouring to relinquish material attachments. The important point in counselling upcoming devotee students is that they feel support in attempting to solve problems.
Purpose of the System
1. To educate and train boys between 14 years up to the age of marriage or joining ashram in the Krishna conscious principles of brahmacari life and further training in the grihasta ashram.
2. To provide an opportunity to learn the practical aspects of the application of KC in one’s life and learn where one fits in the society, gain confidence to go ahead.
3. To verify the progress of the growing youths in terms of sadhana, services, sleep, reading, chanting, relationships with others etc besides training to solve their problems that come in the way of advancement like career, settlement etc.
4. To allocate services, organizing major events, communication of important decisions or policies and keep touch even if one is placed out of station.
5. To provide a formal framework within which personal care and attention can be extended to all devotees so as to make them feel loved, wanted and a part of a wonderful spiritual family.
6. To foster warm personal relationships and a spirit of love and trust amongst devotees based on KC principles.
Who is eligible to join the Counseling system ?
Any unmarried student who is a part of BOYS VOICE, YOGA center, TEENAGE BOYS VOICE or Study Circle program can join the Counselling system provided :
• He has been under the supervision of one of the Counsellors for a period of 6 months or more.
• He should be chanting 8 rounds of Hare Krishna everyday and is planning to become more and more dedicated in the time to come. It is NOT compulsory for even a 16 rounder devotee to choose to become a counselee. He can join the system whenever he feels comfortable to join. It is to be noted that such student’s names will be taken into account in occasions like sending going for yatras, special programs etc only after one becomes a part of this system.
• He should be convinced of the KC philosophy
• One can be aspiring from any of the gurus of ISKCON in good standing.
• He is eager to receive more guidance with respect to vaishnava etiquettes and lifestyle, become more committed to mission by accepting services for Krishna.
• He is eager to become a part of the family of vaishnavas by learning to mould his lifestyle according to ISKCON’s teachings for ultimate purification.
• His ultimate goal is to become a pure unalloyed devotee of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. He is anxious for the association of those who can lead him to that goal. Students who are detected to have joined the system with ulterior motives like job, marriage, debt etc without properly practicing KC lifestyle will be suspended in due time from the system. It should be remembered that this is a spiritual Counsellor system meant for helping sincere souls to advance in the path of KC.
Students joining the Counselor system but do not keep up to the spiritual standards but pay occasional visits to devotees cannot claim to be part of this system.
How does the Counseling system work ?
• The counsellors meet with their respective counselees once every fortnight or at least every month.
• Besides the meetings, the counsellors maintain personal touch with their counselees to ensure their all round welfare.
• The board of counsellors headed by Director, VOICE meets once a month and discusses philosophy as well as practical issues of importance. This is an important policy making body for the preaching.
• From time to time, according to the need, the Board of Counsellors recommends the name of new candidates for the post of Counsellor or Assistant Counsellor.
• The Counsellors and the VOICE Leaders (Acting Manager, Preacher, Branch Manager, Overall Coordinator) all jointly make the final decisions about the future plans and policies of BOYS VOICE, TEENAGE BOYS VOICE, Bvriksha.
How can I get a Counselor ?
• You can get more details about this from the Counselor Co-ordinator.
• Any student, fulfilling the eligibility criteria to join Counsellor system, can according to his choice, familiarity, liking and acquaintance choose one of the following Counsellors. It is to be remembered that it is a two-way process : the counselee chooses the Counsellor and the Counsellor has the freedom to accept a counselee or not.
• The Counsellor can take as many counselees as he can, depending on whether he feels he will be able to take up the task of guiding and caring for all his counselees.
• The students are requested to write five choices and the final list is put up after the Counselors gather in a meeting to finalise the names of students they have chosen.
• The Counsellors list is given for making the choice. Students can choose the above Counsellors up to 23 years of age. After 23 years if a candidate is in Nityananda sabha, they have to choose Congregation counsellors. More guidance regarding this can be obtained from HG Krishnakishore prabhu.
Change of Counselor
There is a facility available for a counselee to change his/her Counsellor, if desired. This may be due to various reasons –inability to open up to his Counsellor, more familiar with another Counsellor due to language, difficulty in meeting timings, more easy access to another Counsellor who comes to VOICE etc. Whatever is the reason, the concerned counselee can approach Counselors Co-ordinators and submit a request for change of Counsellor and the request will be considered.
Brahmacari and Student Counsellors
Rupa Vrinda Counselors Sanatan Vrinda Counselors
1.
Srigurucharan das
2.
Murari das
3.
Ramananda das
4.
Ramnitai das
5.
Sundershyam das
(Counselor co-ordinator)6.
Vamsivadan das
7.
Acharyaratna das
8.
Shyamarupa das
9.
Balagovinda das
10.Chaitanyacharan das
11.Sankirtan ananda das
12.