Some Common Challenges Internal

* Thinking family duties are a hindrance rather than part of the process
* Thinking that family life means that spiritual life will automatically decrease
* Thinking that a family’s spiritual program has to be identical to that at a temple (usually too long and complex to do at home); the “all or nothing” mentality
* Lack of enthusiasm esp. regarding sadhana; feelings of hopelessness

Helpful attitudes

* If I believe something is important, then I’ll find a way to do it. Krishna will help.
* It’s not necessary to structure my family’s spiritual program exactly like that of a temple; we can be creative
* Creativity and flexibility in general (home-based business, part-time work, ways of including the children in taking responsibility for part of worship, and so forth) can solve many seemingly insolvable problems of integration
* Family life and spiritual life are not in opposition but support one another. Challenges, if met responsibly, help our spiritual growth.

Some Common Challenges External

* Work and/or school schedules which make regular spiritual practices at the same time each day difficult
* Not having good devotional means of recreation and therefore going for mundane sources of entertainment

Practical ways to integrate spiritual practices by having programs in the home:

* Having a scheduled time (which includes regulated sleeping)
* Set up a special place, such as an altar and temple room
* Encourage full family participation (not leaving the children sleeping; both husband and wife participating)
* Ask, should there be rewards/consequences for participation by the children?
* Consider together with other families
* Eliminate disturbances (such as TV or activities that tend to keep people up late)
* If a family generally has a home program, consider a weekly scheduled temple

Practical ways to integrate spiritual practices by attending temple programmes:

* Attend temples that have a program adapted to the needs of working families and school-attending children.
* Are there temples that have a room for mothers with small children?
* Establish a place in temples for toys, colouring, etc. for small children.
* Is there a welcoming attitude on the part of temple leaders?
* Co-operate with other families, who want to establish family-friendly facilities.
* If such facilities don’t exist, try to constructively address such needs.

This is an excerpt from the GVT course, Strengthening the Bonds that Free Us