The 2013 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) began today in Sridham Mayapur, West Bengal, India.
Preceding this year’s meetings was the much anticipated “Sanga for GBCs, Gurus, and Sannyasis,” (SGGS) – five days of meetings between the GBC and ISKCON’s initiating gurus and sannyasis to discuss a variety of issues as well as to introduce to the GBC’s strategic plan.
The GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) organized the SGGS on behalf of the GBC body in recognition of the responsibility each ISKCON leader has toward the devotees under his care and for making sure ISKCON’s outreach remains dynamic into the future. The Sanga also creates an opportunity for the GBC to hear from ISKCON’s senior leadership and foster a shared vision of what Srila Prabhupada wanted for ISKCON and how best to develop it.
The SGGS began on Tuesday with an inspirational reading on the central theme of the Sanga:
Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this Kali-yuga. But, for this Krsna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. (Srila Prabhupada letter, October 18, 1973)
[styled_image w=”300″ h=”199″ image=”http://localhost/igold/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/mini-DSC_0317-300×199.jpg” align=”right”] Then, to help frame the Sanga, Damodara Prabhu from Australia led a vision exercise:
- Describe what an ideal ISKCON would look like thirty-five years from now.
- Who will be leading to this ideal ISKCON and what qualities and qualifications do you want them to have?
- What could you be doing now to help realize this ideal ISKCON?
- What will happen if you don’t do the above?
After taking a few moments to record their reflections, participants met in small groups to discuss their ideas before sharing highlights with the entire Sanga.
As the participants began to speak their vision to the group, a sense of urgency developed. We have to begin whatever improvements are necessary to put us on track to achieve the high standard we know Srila Prabhupada wanted for his ISKCON.
With this urgency in mind, participants were then asked to select one of thirteen topics to discuss in breakout sessions over the course of the next day and a half. The thirteen topics addressed the most pressing issues brought up in a series of surveys sent out by the SPT to all ISKCON sannyasis, initiating gurus, and GBC members over the past year. Some of the topics:
- [styled_image w=”300″ h=”199″ image=”http://localhost/igold/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/mini-IMG_9552-300×199.jpg” align=”right”] Accountability, and how to assess the performance of ISKCON’s leaders.
- The system of becoming guru in ISKCON. Should it be improved? Changed?
- How the GBC can better serve ISKCON.
- Care for leaders. How to make sure our leaders have time for their own spiritual development and that the expectations of them are realistic?
- Succession – our leaders are aging! How to identify and empower the next generation of ISKCON’s leaders?
- The move from a temple-centric to a congregation-centric movement. What should we be doing to support the reality of how our movement has developed?
- Sannyasi deployment – Srila Prabhupada said that sannyasis should travel both to preach and to help maintain purity in the movement. Should the GBC be sending our sannyasis to areas that are in need of help or otherwise off the beaten track?
- Healthy and unhealthy methods of dialogue.
- And an especially popular choice – relevant and relatable outreach.
Each topic was assigned a facilitator, who later presented the essence of his or her group’s discussion to the plenary.
Participants have brought good energy and enthusiasm to the SGGS, and are taking advantage of the opportunity the Sanga provides to discuss topics that matter to them and to ISKCON. The dialogue is inspiring, and, of course, the association (and kirtanas!) are wonderful.
-Prepared by Sraddha devi dasi and Kaisori devi dasi
Please click here to view the photos