Nah, I came to realize I never was a Smarta. Something about it just didn't sit right when I meditated on it.
I'm falling somewhere between VisishtAdvaita and Achintya BhedAbheda, but I think closer to Achintya BhedAbheda. We're one with God (Krishna/Vishnu), but we're individual. However, I've become gun-shy of ascribing labels. I'm just following my beliefs. I think the difference between the two philosophies is subtle. Basically it's all panentheism. I'll let God sort out the fine details.
Summary of VisishtAdvaita:
Narayana is the Absolute God. The Soul and the Universe are only parts of this Absolute and hence, Vishishtadvaita is panentheistic. The relationship of God to the Soul and the Universe is like the relationship of the Soul of Man to the body of Man. Individual souls are only parts of Brahman. God, Soul and Universe together form an inseparable unity which is one and has no second. This is the non-duality part. Matter and Souls inhere in that Ultimate Reality as attributes to a substance. This is the qualification part of the non-duality. - Vishishtadvaita - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Summary of Achintya BhedAbheda:
The theological tenet of achintya-bheda-abheda tattva reconciles the mystery that God is simultaneously "one with and different from His creation". In this sense Vaishnavatheology is not pantheistic as in no way does it deny the separate existence of God (Vishnu) in His own personal form. However, at the same time, creation (or what is termed in Vaishnava theology as the 'cosmic manifestation') is never separated from God. - Achintya Bheda Abheda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I was going to reply to your other post of the differences between all the philosophies, but honestly, I got lazy, lol.
About four years ago, when I was studying visishtadvaita vedanta, achintya-bheda-abheda-tattva, dvaita, dvaita-advaita, and shuddha-advaita, they all really were just subtle differences between the two. All four sampradayas were all saying the same thing: panentheism, that the soul and God are separate, and yet share the same qualities, and that God has both impersonal and personal aspects, but that his personality is everything.
Dvaita is from one extreme, saying that the soul and God can never share the same qualities, because God is higher, more powerful, superior, and unlike anything of the soul. Madhvacharya therefore argued this.
Vishnuswami said that the soul and God can become one, united, and that they share the same qualities. Thus the name shuddhadvaita came about, and now it is represented by Pushtimarg.
Both achintya-bheda-abheda tattva are so similar, I can not tell the difference between the two philosophies.
I suggest that you just read around abit of Sri Vaishnavism by Ramanujacharya, Madhva Vaishnavism, Hamsa Vaishnavism by Nimbarkacharya, Pushtimarg by Vallabhacharya, and Gaudiya Vaishnavism by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
In regards to the festivals and holy days, I have no experience of any of the other Vaishnava lineages, except that we all celebrate Ekadashi, which is tomorrow. (Thanks for reminding me... I almost forgot.
). So no grains or beans, and if you also have, no meat, alcohol, or sex. Ekadashi just is a day of trying to remember the Lord, and doing a little more, such as reading Scripture, doing some japa, etc.
And of course, Ekadashi happens twice a month, eleven days after the full and new moon.
Otherwise, Vaishnava holy days may differ according to the sampradaya. For example, we celebrate Sri Gaura Purnima, which is the Appearance Day of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu... since we do believe that He is yuga-avatara and the incarnation of Radha-Krishna.
Because you are Krishna centred, I highly recommend you look up Pushtimarg literature (Krishna as Nathaji, the carrier of Govardhana Hill, and worship of Yamuna-devi), Nimbarkacharya and his Hamsa sampradaya literature (Radha-Krishna), and even Gaudiya Vaishnava literature (Radha-Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu). Eka Sarana Dharma will be of interest as well.
