Pranada Comtois, the award-winning author of the Bhakti Trilogy, will be conducting an online seminar titled “Basking in the Rays of the Benediction Moon: 7 Keys to Experiencing the Full Potency of the Hare Krishna Mantra.” This seminar will focus on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Siksastakam and offer valuable guidance for devotees seeking to enhance their chanting practice. The seminar is scheduled to take place on consecutive Thursdays from January 9 to January 30, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm EST, hosted on Zoom.
As the title suggests, the seminar will explore seven transformative effects of chanting and provide a deeper understanding of the transcendental qualities that accompany chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.
In a recent interview with ISKCON News, Pranada shared her deep connection to the subject, saying, “Personally, I am moved by Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s novel insight about how the stages of chanting that Sri Caitanya describes in his Siksastakam correlate to Sri Rupa Goswami’s delineation of the stages of development of pure love of God. This is absolutely brilliant and reveals a deep illumination on both contributions, and we’ll consider this deeply. Our chanting will be enlivened by exploring the correlation between the glories of chanting the maha-mantra and the stages of development of prema, pure love for Krishna.”
This four-part seminar is the second in Pranada’s “Growing Bhakti” series, which aims to address the need for people who have some familiarity with bhakti, or Gaudiya Vaishnavism, and are at a stage where they are taking up a practice. It follows her first seminar, which was in three parts and titled “The Month of Kartika: Its Significance, Glories, and Observances.”
Both seminars are designed to offer structured guidance to help participants engage more deeply with the principles of bhakti. Drawing from her interactions with devotees in Europe and North America, Pranada Comtois noticed that many newcomers to bhakti need help finding resources that simplify complex concepts. To address this, Pranada crafted the seminar and said, “I’m interested in offering content for a Western audience that helps people enter the complex, exciting world of Bhakti. The Bhakti philosophy is very sophisticated and expansive, and making sense of it takes some time. People I’m speaking with often tell me that they can’t find information that is relatable to them, and they don’t understand so many things.”
Seminars like “Basking in the Rays of the Benediction Moon” are vital for reminding practitioners of Krishna Consciousness about the significance of the Holy Name. As Pranada explained, the simplicity of the practice can sometimes lead to a lack of appreciation for its power. She pointed out, “Because the practice is so easy, we can be deceived about the power of the Names and not take the practice with as much seriousness as it deserves. This indifference is dissolved—at whatever stage of the practice we are in—when we’re grounded in the philosophy and theology about Krishna and His holy name.”
Looking ahead, Pranada shared that she has a long list of seminars she hopes to offer, time and health permitting. The success of her previous seminar has motivated her to continue developing content that helps devotees progress in their spiritual journeys.
The seminar will also feature opportunities for participant engagement, including time for questions, comments, and discussions, creating an interactive experience for all attendees. Handouts will be distributed to participants prior to the classes after they register.
For more details and to register for the seminar, click here.
To learn more about Pranada Comtois, please visit her website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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