by Tapati A typical Indian-inspired meal at our house I am often asked why I’m still a vegetarian if I left the Hare Krishna Movement. The only way some people can make sense of being a vegetarian for thirty five years is if religious conviction is involved. It is rare to find a vegetarian for health reasons abstaining as strictly. Don’t we all lapse from our commitment to do certain things for our health? Who avoids sugar all the time, even when they’ve made a promise or a New Year’s Resolution? My own Full post …
Archive for November, 2009
No Turning Back
by Tapati Tapati’s altar I was asked recently if I felt there was any hope that I might someday renew my desire to serve and unite with Krishna and engage in kirtan with others of a like mind in a non-denominational, low pressure environment. Following that, I was asked what I missed about the Hare Krishna Movement. Others wondered why I kept my initiated name, Tapati and made it my legal name. I can imagine that my spiritual path seems confusing. From outside it might look like I have worshiped more than one God in Full post …
Things I Loved and Why I Really Loved Them
by Arietty There were a lot of things in my QF days I professed to love.. no I actually loved. Things that were very important to me. Things I built friendships on. Things I was suddenly so completely over that it’s like another person had those interests. I got a bit of a shock when I realized what some of those interests were really about. Two of them stand out because it’s impossible to be in the home or in the church without being reminded of these past loves. 1. Conferences. OH how I LOVED Full post …
Anything you can do, I can do in a skirt!
by Sierra Young women following the patriarchal doctrine of William Branham’s “Message of the Hour” liked to refer to themselves as the “skirt girls.” Skirts and dresses were the only attire sufficiently modest and feminine for young ladies raised in the shadow of the prophet. Hemlines had to fall below the knees – and stay below them when the wearer was sitting down. Hair often besieged the knees from above, making them a kind of modesty battleground that should never, ever catch a gleam of daylight. Tanned knees were the mark of a harlot. As Full post …
A Friend’s Perspective
by Erika Like most kids that are taken out of public school and start homeschooling, and whose families dive head first into patriarchy and fundamentalism, friendships that these kids have end up fizzling out with “old friends” as parents tighten the reigns. Sometimes, friendships are cut off altogether. I found myself in the position of my parents tryng to wean me away from my friends and because many of my friends didn’t understand what was truly happening in our home, they became uncomfortable and confused around us and our parents and eventually, they just stopped Full post …
Will use your book in my college class
Vyckie, I have been reading your posts- actually soaking it all up like a sponge might be a better way of putting it. I am a college instructor and graduate student, finishing up my PhD in sociology at NC State. I have, for the most part, avoided the topic of religion with my students here in the Bible Belt. I just wanted to let you know that when you publish your book I will have my students buy it and read it. I support your endeavor. You do a phenomenal job of explaining the appeal Full post …
Bumpin’ up against The Patriarchy
by Vyckie I am running out of superlatives to describe my experience here in NYC ~ Wow!! just doesn’t really say it, you know? LOL This is the view from my hotel room window ~ it’s the New Year’s Eve Millennium Ball at One Times Square. I slept quite comfortably in the soft, cozy bed ~ all white sheets and a fluffy white duvet. I always avoid purchasing anything white as there’s no way it would stay clean at my house ~ so the bed felt extra luxurious to me just because of all the white. The Full post …
So Much Less
by aussiemama Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 I was so frustrated, I had no idea where I had gone wrong with “Created to Be His Help Meet” but I decided that the problem was definitely with me. The book said so! Any marriage problem could be traced back to the woman. I needed to accept that I as a woman was pure evil and my husband was like a god. So why did the mere thought of that make me feel so uneasy and miserable? So I shifted from “Created Full post …
Michelle says, Never enough babies!
