Category:Changing Our Consciousness
Theme Analysis
The fundamental teaching of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that the miseries of material life are entirely the result of polluted consciousness. In the conditioned state, every living entity works under the illusion that they are the enjoyer, dedicating their energy to personal sense gratification. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that true spiritual life does not require an individual to stop their worldly duties, abandon their family, or halt industrial progress. The solution is much simpler but profoundly transformative: one must merely change their consciousness from working for themselves to working for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
This internal shift is the actual definition of liberation (mukti). Liberation does not mean that a person's physical body magically transforms or grows extra limbs; it means returning to one's original, eternal consciousness as the servant of the Supreme Lord. Just as a criminal who changes their criminal consciousness is no longer subjected to prison, a soul who changes their material consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is no longer subjected to the blazing fire of material existence. By engaging in the saṅkīrtana movement and chanting the holy names, the dusty mirror of the heart is cleansed, purifying the devotee's desires (bhāva).
If a person successfully changes their consciousness, they become completely insulated from the effects of māyā, even while remaining in the material world. In fact, Śrīla Prabhupāda states that if one's consciousness is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, wherever they are becomes Vaikuṇṭha. Therefore, the ultimate goal of the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā is not to change one's external occupation or sectarian religious label, but to elevate the consciousness from the bodily and mental platforms to the purely spiritual platform. Only through this change of consciousness can humanity achieve true peace, uniformity, and eternal happiness.
- The Core Problem: Material suffering is caused by the polluted consciousness of working strictly for personal sense gratification.
- The Practical Solution: Spiritual life does not require abandoning one's occupation, but simply changing the consciousness to work for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction.
- The True Meaning of Mukti: Liberation is not a physical transformation, but the revival of one's original, eternal consciousness as a servant of God.
- The Vaikuṇṭha Experience: By completely changing one's consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a devotee experiences the spiritual world even while remaining in the material body.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Changing Our Consciousness - From Sense Gratification to Kṛṣṇa.
Pages in category "Changing Our Consciousness"
The following 48 pages are in this category, out of 48 total.
A
- A little movement of the mind can change the whole consciousness. Therefore in India one seriously practicing yoga traditionally remained brahmacari, or celibate
- According to Krsna consciousness movement, you can get out of all sufferings if you simply change your consciousness, that's all. That is Krsna consciousness
- At the present moment our consciousness is that we are working for our own sense gratification. When this consciousness will be changed, that we work for satisfying Krsna, then our lives will be complete. You haven't got to change your work or position
I
- I remain animal, but my advancement is because I am very nicely dressed. That is the standard now. But the Vedic civilization is not. The animal must change the consciousness. He must be trained up a human being
- If one works independently for Krsna, that is perfection. It is very simple. It is not difficult. Simply we have to change our consciousness
- If we agree to work under the direction of Krsna, then our original life is revived. That is wanted. The Krsna consciousness movement means that we are trying to educate people to change the consciousness
- If we are in Krsna consciousness, even if we are in the midst of mayic activities, it will not affect. So everything is there, but if you change your consciousness, then you are safe
- If we change our consciousness to Krsna type of consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, that is perfection of our life. The process is: by chanting Hare Krsna we keep always alive to Krsna consciousness
- If we do not change our consciousness in this life, whatever we do in the name of social, political, religious or communal and national welfare will be the cause of our bondage. This means we have to continue in material, conditional life
- If you change your consciousness that, "I have never been satisfied, happy, by giving service to the maya. Now let me serve Krsna," that is your liberation
- If you change your consciousness to Krsna consciousness, wherever you are, you are in Vaikuntha
- In order to change this consciousness (to satisfy own senses), however, knowledge is required. That knowledge is knowing "I am part and parcel of Krsna, the superior energy of Krsna." That is real knowledge
- In the human form of life, when one's intelligence is developed, one should change his consciousness by trying to understand Krsna. Then one can be liberated
- In the human form, if we change our consciousness, then we become, we can revive our original status. Original status means eternal life of blissfulness and knowledge. That is the original life
- In the material world if our consciousness is changed to Krishna then even here is vaikuntha consciousness
- It is not that because one has to accept the Vedic culture, he has to stop industry or material progress. Not like that. Bhagavad-gita does not teach that. Simply to change the consciousness
- It is prescribed that you can do anything. There is no harm. Whatever your business, or vocation, occupation, you are engaged, that has not to be changed. That has not to be changed. Simply your consciousness has to be changed
- It is the change of consciousness. The same man, if he changes his criminal consciousness, then he's no more subjected to go to the jail. Similarly, liberation means, if you become complete in Krsna consciousness, then you are liberated
K
- Krsna consciousness is an art of changing our hearts by purification from the dust of material desires. We cannot stop our desires because as living entities, desiring is the component part of our constitution. But we can purify our desires
- Krsna is the supreme pure, and if we change our consciousness from material enjoyment to Krsna, we become purified. This is the process recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the process of ceto-darpana-marjanam, cleansing the mirror of the heart
L
- Liberation does not mean that when you get liberation - you have got now two hands - you will have four hands, like that, no. Liberation means change of consciousness
- Liberation means to get out of the blazing fire of this material existence. It is simply change of consciousness, that I am thinking in so many ways. But when you think that you are eternal servant of Krsna, that is your real, constitutional position
O
- One becomes liberated by accepting Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, as master and by changing the mode of consciousness from material consciousness to Krsna consciousness
- One who is engaged in sinful activities cannot change his consciousness. Our real function is to change our consciousness from kasmala, sinful consciousness, to Krsna, the supreme pure
S
- Simply by his changing the rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," that does not make any benefit. Therefore our Movement is Krsna consciousness. We don't talk of any religion. The consciousness should be changed
- Simply we have to change the consciousness, that "I am doing for Krsna, not for my personal." In this way, if we develop Krsna consciousness, then we come to our original consciousness. Then we become happy
- Simply we have to change the consciousness. Everything we are now doing in the matter of sense gratification, we have to prepare ourself, we have to train ourself for the sense gratification of Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness
- Simply you have to change the consciousness, that somebody is working for his sense gratification and somebody is working for Krsna's satisfaction. This is the difference. But after all, you have to work for satisfaction of somebody else
- So if I get out of this temporary creation and be situated in my own position, then there is no more pains and pleasure. It is simply pleasure. Therefore Krsna consciousness means to change the consciousness
T
- The instruction is very simple: that you give up the service of this sense gratification. You just engage yourself to the service of Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. You simply change the consciousness
- The whole Krsna consciousness movement is to purify the bhava. Bhava. That is stated here. Parisuddha-bhava. We are not negativating everything. We are simply changing from material bhava to spiritual bhava. That's all
W
- We are anxious for peace. This is the process of peace; you change your consciousness. Don't accept anything for your sense gratification
- We are going to Krsna consciousness means we are going to our eternal consciousness. We are changing from the temporary, bodily consciousness to the eternal consciousness. This is the sum and substance of Krsna consciousness
- We are teaching our students that practice, this Krsna consciousness, to change the consciousness. When you change your consciousness, you will see yourself, you will see God, everything
- We are trying to change the consciousness of the people so that this preparation will help him to get exactly a body like Krsna in next life, and he may dance with Krsna in rasa dance. That is our propaganda
- We are trying to change the consciousness. Krsna consciousness movement means that, that you earn as much as you like, but the enjoyer should be Krsna, not you. That is Krsna consciousness
- We are trying to push on this movement, change the consciousness. Now our consciousness is polluted, muddy. Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian," somebody is thinking, "I am American," and they are fighting one another
- We have to change the consciousness from material platform, from mental platform, from intellectual platform, to the platform of Krsna. That is our program, Krsna consciousness
- What Krsna speaks, He speaks for all eternity; it does not change. It does not matter what our present occupation is or what Arjuna's occupation was - we only have to change our consciousness