Practice Anywhere
Krishna Consciousness at Home
You don't need to live at the temple to live a devotional life. With a little determination, any home can become a place of worship.
Krishna consciousness is a practical activity, guided by scripture and a spiritual master, with a single goal: reconnecting with Krishna. It doesn't require special circumstances — only a determined heart. The practices below are simple to start and deepen with time, wherever you live.
The Heart of the Practice
Chanting the Holy Names
“I can be known only by devotional service.” Chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra — alone as japa, or together as kirtan — is the simplest and most direct practice of Krishna consciousness.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Chant on a strand of 108 japa beads, aiming for at least 16 rounds a day. Early morning, before the day's distractions begin, is considered the best time — but any sincere effort counts.
Create a Sacred Space
Setting Up Your Home Altar
A small, well-kept altar turns any room into a place of worship.
- •A picture of Srila Prabhupada
- •A picture of Lord Chaitanya and associates
- •A picture of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna
- •An altar cloth
- •Water cups and an offering plate
- •A bell, incense, candles, and fresh flowers
Arrange pictures in a gentle triangle, with Sri Sri Radha-Krishna slightly elevated and centered. Clean the altar daily, keep water and incense fresh, and remove wilted flowers promptly — small, consistent care matters more than anything elaborate.
Spiritualized Food
Prasadam: Eating With Devotion
Food prepared with love and offered to Krishna becomes prasadam — mercy you can taste.
Offerable Foods
- ✓Milk & dairy products
- ✓Vegetables
- ✓Fruits & nuts
- ✓Grains
Not Offered
- ✕Meat, fish & eggs
- ✕Garlic & onions
- ✕Caffeinated beverages
Cook with a clean kitchen and dedicated dinnerware, without tasting the food before it's offered. After offering, wait a few minutes before serving — the food is now prasadam, to be honored and shared.
A Foundation for Clear Consciousness
The Four Regulative Principles
Simple boundaries that protect a peaceful, devotional state of mind.
No Meat, Fish, or Eggs
A diet free of violence toward other living beings, centered on foods offered to Krishna.
No Gambling
Gambling breeds anxiety, greed, and envy — the opposite of a peaceful, devotional mind.
No Intoxication
Alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and even caffeine cloud consciousness and cause forgetfulness of Krishna.
No Illicit Sex
Sexual life is restricted to marriage, for procreation, in keeping with a life of self-control.
Bringing It Together
Daily Devotional Life
Six simple habits that turn any home into a place of practice.
Chant the Holy Names
Chant japa on 108 beads — 16 rounds daily is the standard for serious practitioners, ideally in the early morning hours.
Worship at Your Altar
Keep it clean, offer fresh water and incense daily, and remove wilted flowers promptly.
Offer Your Food
Prepare vegetarian food with devotion and offer it to Krishna before eating — it becomes prasadam, spiritualized food.
Read Daily
Set aside time each day to read Srila Prabhupada's books — available at store.krishna.com.
Engage Your Work
Offer the fruits of your profession — writing, art, or any skill — in service to Krishna rather than for self alone.
Stay in Association
Visit the temple regularly and join a home study group to stay connected to the devotee community.
“There is no loss or diminution in this endeavor, and even a little advancement on this path protects one from the most fearful type of danger.”
Bhagavad-gita 2.40
Have questions about starting a home practice? Reach out to Abhay Charan Das or Sravanananda Das— or find books and altar supplies at store.krishna.com.