Hare Krishna Prabhu ji
Hare Krishna Mata ji
I had begun chanting one round a day, one and half year back. I chant a night before going to bed. However I have not been able to increase my rounds. I am surrounded, among freinds and colleauges who are meat eaters. Though I have left it and I do not consume alcohol like I used to do before (once or twice in a month); still there are times I have them and I have to skip chanting on those nights. Further, in the ups and downs of life I feel when I am stress free and things are going on smoothly, I chant. But whenever circumstances become tough, be it professionally or socially, I tend to skip chanting as I am always stressed and start to seek solace in mundane things like trying to solve the problems myself, oversleeping, quarell. I also spend lot of times on astrology when faced with tough scenario. During stress the past bad habits like drinking also come to fore.
What should I do? My questions are:
1. How to increase my rounds? I know that the time before sleep is not the ideal time for chanting and I should chant in early morning. However I have hobby of running and whenever I get up early I go running.
2. My family members are vegetarian. One my kids though likes to eat nonvegetarian. She is very young. I am in dilemma. Though she is very much attracted to Sri Krishna, probably as much as me, but being a child she wants to explore nonvegetarian food. I am dilemma what should I do?
3. Why do I deviate from chanting when circumstances are tough around me? What explains this? Am I thinking I am the doer and will solve the problems myself? Or it is normal for a neophyte to go through such phase?
4. I have been able to control craving for nonvegetarian food and alcohol. How should I control anger and lust which are too difficult to surpass?
Thank you in anticipation
Your servant
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