The beginning of a new year is always a time for hopes on betterment in our lives. We can progress in our lives being more spiritualized, and the way that I go after for my spiritual betterment is by being in association with the names of God. Is that simple. Just by being in touch with the names of God we progress in our spiritual lives. After all, the names of God being in an absolute platform will allow us to be in touch with Him.

This year I am opening my living place for holding weekly meetings, so we can chant the holy names of God. We started the year with a crowded house. After having the place cleaned, and preparing some Gauranga Potatoes for sharing with the invitees, I wait for my friend’s arrival. The first one to show up was Ramalakshana, an old friend who is very dear to me. He is Brazilian and a master on Capoeira, an African-Brazilian martial art. We did not have time to have a personal talk, so the invitees were arriving. The next to come was Kristen, followed by Priscilla. Both are my neighbors living in the same building. Early in the morning I knocked every door in the building inviting the neighbors for our meeting. So, two of them showed up. They did not know anything about Krishna consciousness, and it was the first seed planted in their hearts. They chanted, and honored prasadam. Them the place started to be crowded. Ten more people arrived; amongst them were my dear friend Advaita dasa, and his fiancée Lilayata, and Gopika who helped me to organize our meeting. Everybody was coming in a blissful mood, and they all brought some prasadam, spiritual foodstuff, to be shared with all.

Everything was blissful; the talks, the music, and friendship. The talks and music were centered in the Hare Krishna maha mantra.

The prime spiritual practice for the modern days is the Chanting of the Holy Name of God. The Hare Krishna is specifically mentioned in many Upanisads, such as the Kali-santarana Upanisad, where it is said

hare krsna hare krsna
krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare

iti sodasakam namnam
kali-kalmasa-nasanam
natah parataropayah
sarva-vedesu drsyate

“After searching through the entire Vedic literature one cannot find a spiritual method more sublime for this age than the chanting of Hare Krishna.”