From age 18 to 25 (I am now 27) I have been in the Hare Krishna cult/Iskcon. After a serious mental episode (not directly tied to the cult experience) I realized that they were indeed a cult and that I was a fanatic follower, so I left officially. I founded the group exHareKrishna on here.

But many aspects of hindu culture still stayed with me and help me every time in times of depression. Many of my interests are still tied to it, although I don't want to visit a hare krishna center nor associate with their devotees anymore.

In the cult, they had strict rules for devotees who wanted to be considered as serious, such as no intimate relations outside of marriage. Even dating was looked down upon. The most "pure" way would be to contact the elders and for them to help arrange an engagement with a devotee of your choice. Or their choice. I followed this, never got to the engagement stage though.

Anyways. Now I am 27, I have been on dates after leaving the cult but felt like, even though the people I met up with were really kind and genuine, I just couldn't really relate to them.

This has gotten better as the years went by but still, when it comes down to shared interests... I just don't really share any with people because in the cult they urged you not to engage with the "materialistic" world, and so I am naturally not fond of movies or clubbing or drinking, even after leaving those mindsets.

I am starting to seriously consider going to a different, hopefully more open minded, hindu temple, but I am not really religious anymore either. 🥴

​

Can anyone relate?