Herson Puman

I'm no longer a devotee and was always very doubtful, but I was briefly around during this period. I really liked a lot of the devotees and I think that was mainly about recognising that we / they were generally 'misfits' in society. I think what we had in common was an inability to thrive in a materialistic society that felt like it didn't have much of a heart. Recruiting disenfranchised people is pretty easy and I was glad to try to live a different way. I used to see Rytasha in the temple and used to wonder who the hell she was, it was obvious she came from a very different world to my own. My gut instinct was also to feel warmth to Bhagavan ( or Gurudev). He seemed like a basically nice bloke and his singing voice was very endearing, magnetic and devotional. But unfortunately, the movement was riddled with pride and ego. There was a whole feeling of superiority and the idea of winning people over to the movement was a bit crass. The name dropping was embarrassing as well, as was trying to bring celebrities into the fold. I'm not dissing Hazel O'connor or Hayley Mills, but they made such a big thing out of it. This is the first video I have found of this era and I have to say it brings back some warm but also some sad memories. Many of the male devotees I knew were really lovely beings and I often wonder what became of them. A very few were a pain in the bum as I'm sure I would also be remembered, if at all!

Although I no longer subscribe to this particular world view, I really hope that all the lovely people let down by this movement have found their own individual paths and some peace in life. I don't regret my experiences in iskon, even the negative ones, but I have been totally shocked at the level of violence and corruption that I was so unaware of. Lurve ❤. (ex Bhakta Dave) .

I just checked. She ceased to exist in 2014 (I think)

I have thought for ages, that a Facebook page for old krsna devotees and friends would be a great idea.

I lived at Chaitanya College and attended the Bhakta Course. I met a lot of really nice people trying to live a different way. I often think about the characters I lived with and wonder what they are doing now, I'm pretty sure only very few would still be part of the movement. I had some spooky experiences there and the building was generally thought to have ghosts. After Chaitanya I went to the Manor, but in the end I 'blooped' (left the movement). There were too many inconsistencies for me and a few years after I left, the teacher (Srila Gurudev) apparently got exposed for something. I never became initiated and didn't really ever accept the teachings in a wholehearted way. But my memories of those days are pretty positive, wearing saffron robes, eating prasadam and dancing at 4.00 a.m should never be underestimated! Sending loving thoughts to all the beings who I met on that journey.