Spreading the word

Mike Swanson

Though some in their religion are feeling the effects of a

terror-wary society, the Laguna Beach Hare Krishna members are able

to continue their daily course primarily unaltered.

The ashram in Laguna Beach houses 12 full-fledged Hare Krishna

devotees, married and unmarried, who serve at the Laguna Beach

temple, in existence since 1981.

For these devotees, observing their religion is their only job.

They rely heavily on donations, fund-raisers and spreading the word,

vocally and through literature. This dependence on donations means

more restrictions at airports have put some Hare Krishna groups in a

pinch. But 23-year-old devotee Josh Crawford said the Laguna group

has been affected little.

Since the religion was created in the United States in 1966, the

airport has been widely used to spread the word and collect

donations. But now, the Los Angeles International Airport relegates

Hare Krishnas to small roped-off sections of the airport with little

foot traffic.

“We prefer going to free-speech areas at colleges and

universities,” Crawford said. “Young people ask more questions and

are generally more inquisitive and receptive to what we’re saying.

“Often times in L.A., people just take the book and toss it in the

trash. We’ve had more than one airport janitor give books back to us

in the past.”

Crawford said Sept. 11 marked the dawn of the new stringency at

LAX.

“We’ve been going there since the ‘70s,” Crawford said. “Then they

banned everything. It’s been hard on some temples, but not ours. We

[solicit there], but we don’t survive on it.”

He said books about the religion are always available at the

temple for any donation chosen by interested readers, and at least

one devotee is nearly always at the temple.

The temple, at Glenneyre and Legion streets, is hosting a program

on Sunday -- it will cost $3 -- that consists of music, dancing,

eating and a lecture. It will end with more eating, Crawford said.

“It’s open to everyone,” 22-year-old Jeremiah Thomas said, “and

allows people to get a taste of the culture.”

Crawford also said the war in Iraq hasn’t stirred the Hare

Krishnas to demonstrate specifically against the war. He said they

protest by passing out more books.

“Ultimately, everything belongs to God,” Crawford said. “When

people say, ‘This is my country,’ or ‘This is my oil,’ they don’t

recognize that those are artificial things. The reason there are

conflicts in this world is that people claim ownership of things that

aren’t theirs, then fight over them.”

Crawford was drawn to the religion about four years ago, at 19,

when he was full of questions concerning what made sense. He said

Hare Krishnas were the most capable of answering his questions.

“I was seeking a higher taste,” he said, “higher than material

life -- and it satisfied my soul.”

Born in Los Angeles, Crawford and his family moved to San Juan

Capistrano when he was 10. He said he feels lucky to have been raised

in an open-minded background that encouraged him to seek the truth as

he sees it.

While the temple on Legion Street has been around since 1981, a

Hare Krishna temple first came to Laguna Beach in 1967, only a year

after 70-year-old A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brought word of

the religion from India.

The first temple was in Laguna Canyon. It moved to a site that now

houses Taco Loco on South Coast Highway before finding its current

home.

“Prabhupada recognized Laguna Beach as a chakra of the Earth,”

Crawford said. “He said when he arrived here that Laguna Beach would

be the first Krishna-conscious town, and I think he got it right.

“If we go chanting and dancing around town, people here dance

right along with us. In Laguna, we get interested looks. In places

like Aliso Viejo and Mission Viejo, people aren’t nearly as

receptive.”

* MIKE SWANSON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot.

He covers education, public safety and City Hall. He can be reached

at 494-4321 or mike.swanson@latimes.com.