Dear "unregistered visitor" 8-)

(it would be nice to know at least your name...), thank you for the number of issues you raise.

I will attempt to *briefly* address at least some of them. Of course I don't expect my answers to be comprehensive or exhaustive.

You wrote:
"My first thought is, what would Srila Prabhupada think or say about this if it were presented to him?"

Good point, I think you are bringing up a key element, direction or guideline for any discussion on innovations or on importing ideas and methods that have not have not **directly** been introduced by our Founder-Acarya.

That's why we are trying to analyze mainly the principles (we are really not too concerned with their terminology and theology here): do they tally with the principles presented by Srila Prabhupada? Some certainly do, for instance the emphasis on bringing new people to God consciousness or the importance of regular, ongoing good association with like-minded people for spiritual purposes.

You also wrote:
"This would only work I think in a "village" or small rural type of setting."

Actually this intensive and extensive expansion would most likely happen in populous urban areas, where many candidates for group-membership live. A small-village setting is more adequate for another approach, the one with a temple or center replicating the schedule and functions in bigger temples, with the attempt to involve more and more people of the village in serious spiritual life.

You also wrote:
"there would have to be more detail about where one might begin to get an initial 12 assuming we have the leader?"

Yes, every situation will be different, of course in this "preaching is the essence," cultivation and developing close relations with people in general will be the answer on how to recruit new members in the group, following in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada, who came alone and then attracted so many young people around him.

In different circumstances the approach will be different. In some place the potential members might already be regular visitors of the temple, in other circumstances the effort will start from a more basic level, perhaps with family members and neighbors.

You also wrote:
"it sounds like it would be very complex."

Yes, everything that grows will eventually become massive, but if there are certain crucial ideas in the management and supervision, the whole thing can remain manageable, like in the Nama-hatta structure of various levels of supervision envisioned and applied by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

Things become unmanageable when they expand not organically, and the ratio of caring and personal supervision is lost.

You also wrote:

"what does this do to the ISKCON temple models established? That is, assuming I and my 12 "daughters" meet at some hitherto location, what takes place then? Bahjans, sankirtana and praching from gita and Bhagavtam? I'm just asking here not being critical."

Yes, I appreciate your points. If you are asking yourself these questions many others might ask them to.

Yes, the life in the small group would remain centered on chanting and Krishna-katha, with specific time-allotment for specific activities (like taking prasadam, discussing sadhana, singing together and so on),

You also asked:
"a mechanic . . . I told him I would get him a Bhagavad-gita and he seemed very pleased about this. I assume he would be one of my "daughters.""

In G-12 and in systems that we use in ISKCON (say the Counselor System or the Bhakti-vriksha Program) there should be a specific level of commitment at which to accept the person as a regular member or whatever.

Actually in G-12 'mother' and 'daughter' does not refer to individuals but to groups: mother is the original and daughters are those created by the members of the mother group. Other words they use for mother and daughter is alpha cell and beta cell.

You then wrote:
"And then what? Do we meet at his place? My place? ISKCON temple?"

The meeting place is flexible; the main thing are the ingredents of the meeting, that should optimize the use of the time together for everyone's growth.

And you also asked:
"I guess I'll have to rely on my first daughter (my mechanic freind?) to get more daughters or does he become a leader in turn? I guess so, right?"

As I explained 'daughter' refer to the single associate but to the derivative group. And, yes, ideally every new devotee should become a reference point for others. This will help his personal development, his commitment and will assist in helping the suffering humanity. Of course things shouldn't be done impatiently or immaturely, otherwise some big problems would follow.

You also wrote:
"At any rate, not a bad concept in the mind but will it work practically in real life? Is it being applied successfully and if so, where, who and how is the cell mutating? How fast?"

We have already posted several references (some supporting and glorifying the system, other criticizing it) in the section "G12 Discussion and Resources" (on the right column of the home-page of namahatta.org. These were probably posted after you wrote your comment. I invite you to check them out.

You concluded:
"These things should be analyzed and discussed more. Hare Krsna."

Yes, and that's why we are discussing them. We have no intention or attraction to blindly jump into this G-12 thing and therefore we want to thoroughly analyze it.

Thank you for being the first to comment!

Your servant, Kaunteya Das

Hare Krishna Govardhan Giri Prabhu, thank you very much for your comments.

I found your posting interesting and instructive (of course I developed the curiosity to know where are you preaching...)

You asked:
"Can we do this with an existing nama hatta group ? What are your thoughts on this ?"

Before saying yes or not or maybe, I would like to know better the situation of the Nama-hatta group and also what aspects of the G-12 approach are you thinking to apply. I am not in the position to really saying much before I am aware of more details.

You also wrote:
"We have tried the Bhakti Vrksa groups but somehow could not get it off the ground."

Well, this comment prompts me to request you for more details:
What did not work in the implementation?
What were the major obstacles?
Why do you think the Bhakti-vriksha method did not produce satisfactory results in your place?

You also wrote:
"This idea might be better because the original group remains unchanged."

It seems that one major challenge in applying Bhakti-vriksha was the division (multiplication) of the groups? It appears that you are attracted to the flavour of stability in relations in the group that the G-12 system provides. Yes, this is what I see as the main difference, that the groups don't divide: the members remain connected to the same group servant-leader. This seems to offer an attractive alternative to some devotees, but we need to discuss it in depth, to foresee the implications and the possible developments.

You also shared:
"Presently I am doing a weekly home based program with an attendance of around 30-35 people. What I have done is to split them into 5 groups of 6 people each - we call them working groups. The idea is that each of the group leader communicates with 6 people and takes care of them, while I serve the 5 people in terms of advice and inspiration."

This sounds interesting and I would like to hear more about this approach. You said that Bhakti-vriksha did not work, but it seems that in what you are doing there is similarity with the role of upachakra-pati (or sector supervisor)--that you are doing in relation to the 5 groups. What the five working groups do when they meet?

I am sorry if I am offering more questions than answers.

Maybe someone else (perhaps someone who knows better your situation) can comment with more knowledge?

Your servant, Kaunteya Das