Re: Counsellor Recruitment; invitation for applications from prospective candidates

Dear devotees,
Please accept our most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
This is an open invitation for applications from those who are eligible and wish to become counsellors for the ISKCON Phoenix yatra.

For the last few months a working committee has been delineating the specifics of the project; we are now ready to nominate counsellors and officially launch the system.

What’s it all about?

A counsellor system is essentially an arrangement whereby a more senior and experienced vaisnava offers his/her guidance, support and care to a junior vaisnava in a regular and focused manner (e.g. weekly, fortnightly or monthly meetings).

The junior vaisnava participates voluntarily and agrees for his/her engagement in daily devotional activities (sadhana) as well as his/her service to be monitored and followed up by the counsellor.

What you will be helping to create by becoming a counsellor?

● nityam bhagvata sevaya: When devotees develop steady and quality engagement in sadhna bhakti, tangible advancement and purity results. Strong devotees make for an enthusiastic yatra.
● Counselees feel sheltered and cared for, and therefore become naturally inspired to push forward the movement as well as care for other devotees.
● Counsellors are engaged as spiritual guides; this allows them to access their experience, realizations and insight from having served in ISKCON over the years, and share the same with their counselees for their benefit.

How does it work?

● The counsellor meets with his/her group of counselees at least once a month (ideally fortnightly or weekly) at an agreed location.
● Generally grhasta counsellors work as a husband and wife team to counsel the group.
● Format of meetings: (bhajans, vaisnava appreciation, discussing philosophy and chanting, reviewing sadhna charts etc)
● Counsellors take care to advise their counselees regarding such matters as how to be ideal brahmacharis and grhastas etc… by keeping Krsna in the centre, how to maintain proper devotional standards at temple or at home, how to balance economic and social responsibilities with spiritual vows etc
● Besides the meetings, the counsellors maintain personal touch with their counselees to ensure their welfare
● All counsellors are members of a Board of Counsellors, which meets monthly to discuss issues of importance with regard to the counsellor system and enables counsellors to also provide support to each other

What is expected of me?

● Committing to fill up a weekly sadhna chart and having it reviewed by your counselees; and vice versa
● Being a friend and guide in Krsna Consciousness, and having genuine concern for the welfare of devotees
● Committing to foster warm personal relationships and a spirit of love and trust amongst devotees based on Krishna Conscious principles
● Following a 1-day induction session on the counsellor system, the qualities, duties and responsibilities of the counsellor, and communication skills.
● Attending all the Board of Counsellors monthly meetings.

How is a counsellor appointed?

Applications will be reviewed by the Working Committee (which will become the Board of Counsellors after the recruitment process) and applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.

The same will be determined on the basis of the following criteria:

The counsellor must:

● Be an initiated devotee
● Be actively involved (doing practical service regularly and attending programs)
● Be a devotee who has been in active Krishna consciousness within ISKCON for a reasonable length of time.
● Have good understanding of the philosophy and practice of Krishna consciousness.
● Be able to give balanced counsel based on Krishna conscious principles according to time, place and circumstance.
● Not be prone to taking extreme and controversial positions on issues.
● Be willing to extend himself/herself to help others. In other words, should have a spirit of sacrifice.
● Be compassionate and have genuine concern for the welfare of devotees.
● Be a good listener.
● Be a mature, sober and stable individual.
● Demonstrate good standard of sadhana, etiquette, behaviour, service and commitment to the mission.
● Be properly situated in his/her own asrama and in good spiritual standing.

NB: While the authority of making decisions on counsellor applications is the sole reserve of The Working Committee (later the Board of Counsellors), feedback may be provided to an unsuccessful applicant if he/she desires so.

What happens after my application is accepted?

Successful candidates will be invited for a 1-day induction session on the counsellor system as mentioned above on Sunday 20th September 2009 at 11.00am at Vrndavan Garden, Phoenix. The future counsellors will receive some basic training and a Counsellor Introductory Pack.

Following the induction session, individual counsellors as well as husband-wife teams will have their names and contact details advertised and will be contacted by those devotees who wish to become their counselees.

Counsellors will also start meeting as a Board.

How to apply?

Counsellor application forms are available in the office or you can request one to be sent to you by email (thepeaceformula@intnet.mu) or click here to download, print and fill out.

Completed forms can be submitted in the office, to the Counsellor System Co-ordinator, HG Acharya Ratna Das or to his email address given below.

Please note that the deadline for applications for a first batch of counsellors is Friday 11th September 2009 at 12.00.

For any queries about the counsellor system or the application process, please contact HG Acarya Ratna Das Prabhu (Counsellor System Co-ordinator) by email on thepeaceformula@intnet.mu or by phone on 251-5208