International Society For Krishna Consciousness

UnrestrictedThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, is no stranger to controversy. Over the years, it has been a relatively unknown and commonly misunderstood spiritual movement. Perhaps under more scrutiny than the movement itself, are the small communities across the country, which aim to sustain and expand the ISKCON lifestyle. The failure to understand the purposes and intentions of these communes fuel existing misconceptions and exacerbate negative social stigmas.; Whether ISKCON’s philosophies are relatable or pragmatic is not the focus of this project. Rather by uncovering the day-to-day inner workings of one ISKCON commune in Los Angeles, it attempts to outline the community’s basic principles, to discern what attracts its devotees, and to highlight the movement’s social relevance in the United States by correctly identifying its historical origin.; Through time spent in a commune, the piece profiles several devotees from different backgrounds, with various motivations and paths to ISKCON. In-depth interviews coupled with sequential, detailed video cues attempt to conceptualize footage of daily life. These elements try to put seemingly arbitrary yet stringent rules of communal life into perspective, display the nature and spiritual journey of the practicing members, and portray the authenticity of community’s atmosphere. Through personal accounts and additional research, I compare and contrast ISKCON to its more popular counterpart, Hinduism. In doing so, I uncovered a community that dually functions as a spiritual oasis and fine-tuned business model. The devotees daily service within the amenities of the commune serves as a means to evaluate one’s spiritual discipline and fosters camaraderie with one another--all while advancing ISKCON’s broader goals