The author is a Darlington born/London based writer, actor, comedian and hobo adventurer.

“I’m spending a day with Hare Krishnas next week.”

“Oh, you be careful Leanne.”

“Why?”

“They all take drugs.”

“Have you been reading that Daily Mail again Dad?!”

To be fair, my Dad was not the only one who voiced concern or raised an eyebrow when I told him I was spending a day with a relatively unfamiliar religious group. And everyone begged the question, ‘Why?’

To be honest, I couldn’t say exactly. I knew nothing of the faith, bar that when I worked in an office in Soho many years ago, every evening the ring of bells, drums, singing and chanting would chime through my office windows, as the Tottenham Court Road Hare Krishna group passed by. My colleagues would often make comments, not always approving. I however was envious. There I was, sat in a sterile air-conditioned box, staring numbly at a spreadsheet and battling yet another computer-screen induced headache. And there they were, having the time of their lives, singing and dancing, looking deliriously happy and free of such Western imprisonment. I wanted in.

Six years and a lot of life experience later, I found my opportunity. On one of my other adventures I was told about an all female Hare Krishna Temple in Walthamstow, run by a lady called Kamala. A few texts between Kamala and I were exchanged and it was set that one week later I would visit the house and stay overnight. At first I was ecstatically excited but as the days passed I grew nervous.

“They’re all on drugs Leanne.”

“Isn’t it a cult?”

“What if they try and brain wash you?”

Flippant comments stirred my brain and I began to wonder what I was doing. Bar a recommendation from a near stranger, I knew nothing of these people, the place or the faith. I didn’t even have the address! I turned to Google. As I typed in Hare Krishna, the first suggestion came up: ‘Hare Krishna CULT’. Oh crap.

I started to worry. Should I be going? I had a talk with my gut – a very good friend of late. Surprisingly, Gut seemed ok about the situation; it was Head that was spinning out of control. So I told Head to bog off and find something else to worry about.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/leanne-davis/hare-krishna-for-a-day_b_3372838.html?utm_hp_ref=uk