Posts Tagged Hinduism
Project Conversion: Hinduism:Conclusion
This is it; Project Conversion’s last day of its first month. For 31 days, I have lived and breathed 24-hours a day, seven days a week as a Hindu (Saivite to be exact). The Rig Veda declares that “Truth is One, though the wise call it many names.” This wasn’t an easy road to begin with, as there was much to learn and acclimate myself to, but I did my best and made discoveries about both Sanatana Dharma and myself that will last a lifetime.
I would like to present a short video which captures some of the highlights and footage during my month with this faith. Call it a “Month in Review.” One such video will be featured at the end of each month so that you might glean some of what I’ve committed myself to. I’m no film expert, so be easy on me here. I hope you enjoy this production as much as I did in producing its content.
So there you have it. So many people were involved in the making the first month of Project Conversion a success. Indeed, the remaining months have big shoes to fill, however I have faith that all will be just as enlightening, just as dynamic. As I’ve said before, my goal isn’t an attempt to teach you everything there is to know about any given faith. People spend lifetimes and still come short of the subtleties and nuances of their religion. No, my goal is to pique your interests, to get you hungry to learn more.
Remember, Project Conversion’s motivations aren’t limited to only religious applications. I want to inspire you to look beyond yourself in all walks of life. This is an encouragement--a call to arms against ignorance. Need some examples of how to apply my day-in-the-life-of-another strategy? How about you get to know someone before you spread rumors? Chances are if you make their acquaintance, you’ll be less likely to slander them. Or how about you get to know your political candidates before voting a straight ticket? This practice can be used with anything, and will change how you see everything and everyone. Soon, you’ll no longer be able to ignore that homeless guy asking for change as you walk by, aloof to his plight, and slurp down your seven-dollar gourmet coffee. From now on, you’ll stick up for the ”new girl” at the office with a red dot on her forehead that everyone is gossiping about. It’s about getting to know one another and being slow to draw conclusions.
While attending the local Hindu temple, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a class of teenagers. Toward the end of my last Sunday School session with them, they shared some of the misconceptions about the Hindu faith and Indians in general. Here are but a few to think about. Ask yourself: have you ever thought in this way?
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There are many who believe that Hindus worship cows and tease them accordingly. This is not true. Hindus honor cows and hold them to be sacred because they symbolize sustenance, health, and God’s nourishment. Many Hindus are teased due to this misconception. Think of how Americans honor the bald eagle.
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The red spot between the eyes (bindi) is a tilak (sacred mark) which identifies the location of the ajna chakra (third eye of spiritual wisdom). One of the ladies at the temple told me that she has often been asked if the mark was burned into the forehead of Hindus. Please think before asking such questions.
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No, not all people who come from India are poor. Though there is a high population of poor in India, it is unfair to stereotype any group.
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Indians are NOT Native Americans.
I hope you’ve learned something about the Hindu faith this month. As I spend the last hours of this last day in the faith, I encourage you to look over the site at some of the post to review what I’ve shared. What were your favorite discoveries, what serendipitous discoveries have you made on your own? What misconceptions have been put to rest, and if you’ve developed more questions (I hope so!), have you taken the time to have them answered?
I’d love to hear from you regarding these questions. So as I prepare to depart from this beautiful faith in preparation for a new one (Baha’i) remember that indeed that Truth is one, and like many streams flow into one river which leads to the ocean, so are the avenues toward the divine equally beautiful and full of wonderous adventure.
Now, Lord Shiva begins his dance for me, the Tandava, and the fires of death and rebirth ignite as he prepares to reduce my attachment to Hinduism to ashes. From these ashes I will rise with a new skin, new eyes, and new hymns on my breath as a Baha’i.
Thank you, Sanatana Dharma. I will never forget your lessons. And thanks to all of you who have joined me in this journey so far.
Namaste
Month One: Day 27/Hinduism in Review
When I was a kid I hated to try new things. I was a creature of habit. My parents had to make me try new things. “You’ll love soccer, if you tried it out.”
No thanks. I’ll stick to being anti-social and building forts in the woods.
But Mom and Dad had a mission: to expose me to everything they could so that I might develop into a well-rounded young man. Well, I don’t know if I turned cultivated but I did end up liking soccer.
So what’s my point? Project Conversion is an effort to take the lessons my parents taught me about trying new things and looking through the perspectives of others and apply that to the religious violence and bickering that has our world up in flames today. But instead of preaching about it, I decided to show the world how it’s done by putting my money where my mouth is and living it.
One man. Eleven faiths. One year to practice them all. That’s the mission. To live life in the shoes of another. And it started January 1st, 2011 with Hinduism. As promised, here is my review of the month I’ve lived.
What I’ve Learned/What Misconceptions Were Overcome?
“Truth is one, though the wise call it by many names” –the Rig Veda
When I began planning for Project Conversion, my future Jain Mentor told me that “Hinduism is the United States of philosophy.” I didn’t get it at the time but now I understand. Hinduism, like the US of A, is an amalgam of philosophies and theologies joined by a common religious “genetic” ancestor or goal. That’s what is meant by the above quote from the Rig Veda and arguably the whole meaning of Sanatana Dharma.
As I prepared for my month with Hinduism I felt overwhelmed. “So many gods,” I thought. “So many rituals, traditions, and history. Where do I begin?!” Because I grew up as Christian and was accustomed to only one form of God (Jesus) and one scripture (the Bible), the notion that within one religion I had a choice between different deities and holy scriptures was mind-blowing. Truth, it turned out, wasn’t relative, but a singular goal reached by many, many roads. But time was running out and I had to pick a road fast. I selected Shiva as my deity and thus narrowed down how my month would play out.
Shiva is the third aspect of the Supreme Reality (God), Brahman. As Shiva, we understand the creative and destructive cycles of nature. Shiva also represents the detached ascetic, persistent in meditation on the pervasive reality (the divine Self within and outside of us all), and covered in the ashes of burned sin (ignorance). He is represented by the lingam.
The lingam represents the formless, abstract reality of the divine. In Sanatana Dharma, there is freedom to use representations of the divine (murti) in order to meditate and focus on God, however the aspirant is encourage to develop his devotion to the point where such tools and methods are obsolete, as he reaches moksha, the realized state in which all is Brahman–including ourselves.
There are literally thousands of representations of the divine, each for one or more of its aspects. This is why figures like Jesus, the Buddha, and Krishna are all acceptable as projections of the divine within Hinduism. Each are a way to Truth. When I began this month, I clearly thought that Hinduism was a polytheistic faith due to these various representations. Now I know that, depending on which school of thought a Hindu belongs to, they are either monotheists (God exists as a part of and/or outside of creation and selects manifestations) or monist (the divine is manifest in all of creation).
Freedom of devotion also lends to the highly developed artistic acumen of Hindus in general. Their culture is replete with visual, literary, and musical styles that convey every colorful aspect of the divine. One revelation I experienced with this concept is that while Hinduism has its holy texts (i.e., the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, etc.), spiritual discourse is an ongoing development and the treatises that cover these lessons are held in the same esteem as the rishis (holy men or seers) of time immemorial.
What Would I Do Differently?
For the sake of efficiency, I decided to split each month into four categories: Rituals and practices, arts and culture, social issues, monthly reflection. While this gives a nice introduction into these different aspects of faith, they tend to limit the content I can share about what’s happening with me personally. Let’s face it, if you wanted a scholarly info dump, you could Google the subject and get it anywhere. What makes Project Conversion interesting is that I’m displacing myself for a whole year and living a “day in the life.” Sure, I posted some personal content toward the end and I’ve also kept a hand-written journal of my daily experiences. Going forward, however, I think it would be fair and more beneficial to you if I offered you a more in depth view into my time living as a Hindu, Muslim, Baha’i, etc. So that’s that.
What Am I Taking From This Into The Future?
One of the most amazing results of Project Conversion was how quickly I was able to adapt. If you would have told me two months ago that I would embrace a vegetarian lifestyle I would have asked you what you were smoking and if I could have some. But now…Understand that Hinduism sees the presence of the divine in all life and all creation. This is why the concept of non-injury is so crucial. Sure, it was tough whenever someone at a restaurant ordered a perfectly seasoned and seared New York strip, the scent of which flooded my nose and thrust me into potential blood-lust. But I resisted. I held fast. And now that I know in vivid detail how meat is transformed from terrified animal to slaughtered flesh on a plate…yeah, I’m a vegetarian now and probably for the long haul. But I won’t judge someone who eats meat. To each their own, right?
Meditation/Yoga. I’m a naturally stressed out guy. As a college student, a father, a husband, a writer, editor, and now
in the midst of Project Conversion, it’s easy to see that my head could spin off at any moment. Meditation/yoga–a practice that transcends religious tradition–has become a powerful ally. I am calmer, far more patient, my passion is controlled/guided, and I see the positive in a situation far more readily than in the past. In fact, the results have been so dramatic that I haven’t used profanity(even in thought!) this whole month and even my libido is tamed. Yes, I have a lot further to go, but I like my new disposition and I credit the trained focus of meditation/yoga for that result.
Saying Goodbye
Adopting Hinduism for the month has been like jumping naked into freezing water. However, now that I’ve lived this way for almost a month, I can honestly say I’m going to miss everything. I don’t want to hang up my rudraksha mala. I want to chant the mantras in the limited Sanskrit I worked so hard to learn. I don’t want to stop visiting the temple and taking part in the classes, aarti, and prasad. I’ll miss the cool sensation of bhasma ash drying on my forehead in the tripundra stripes. The wisdom of the Upanishads has seeped into my heart and mind and though I must now move on, those poetic verses uttered so many millenia ago will echo long beyond my first month of Project Conversion. No, I haven’t presented everything there is to know about Sanatan Dharma here, but then again, that was never the goal. My hope is that you learned enough to want to learn more, to no longer get nervous around a co-worker wearing a bindi or tilak, to ask questions and let one speak for themselves before you judge them.
So here’s to everyone who helped me along the way: Hindu Bhavan Temple, Prof. Bharat Gajjar, Meeta Gajjar Parker, The Naik family, Dr. Gupta and her Sunday School students, Dr. Baktri, everyone who emailed me about the faith and the saints old and new who spoke to me through their written words…
Namaste
Project Conversion: Hinduism/Day 22
Namaste everyone, and welcome back to Project Conversion. It’s hard to believe that we are in the final week of Project Conversion’s first month! As stated in the “About” page, each week of every month is split into the following categories:
Week One: Religious Practices, Worship, and Ritual
Week Two: Culture and Art
Week Three: Social Issues/Conflicts
Week Four: Personal Reflection on the Month
In week one I showed everyone how I lived day-to-day religiously as a Hindu, which includes vegetarianism, recitation (japa) of Shiva’s name, mantras, puja (ritual worship), reading of scripture (Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, etc.), and yoga. Week two was all about different artistic and cultural aspects of the faith. This was shown with interviews of yoga instructor/writer/musician Meeta Gajjar Parker, as well as articles on the use of sacred markings called tilak and artistic expressions of Shiva through paintings and sculpture. In week three we explored a few of the social issues challenging the Hindu community today. Professor Bharat Gajjar was kind enough to offer his experience and insight into the world of religious conflict in the form of competitive and epidemic conversions within India and abroad. We also talked about the controversial caste system.
Week four (which begins today) is where I soak in everything I’ve experienced and learned throughout the month and reflect upon the results. What have I learned? What new perspectives have I gained? Is there anything I would change if I could start over? What are my impressions of the faith now compared to the beginning of the month? What (if anything) will I take from the faith into the next month, or even the rest of my life?
These are questions that I will explore over the next few days as we wrap up our month on Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma). The answers to those questions will come toward the beginning of the week, followed a few days later by a short film I’ve compiled with interesting footage and images I’ve gathered during my journey into this ancient, colorful, and dynamic religious/philosophical tradition.
As always, I encourage all of you to express your views, comments, questions, and suggestions along the way. This isn’t just my journey, but one for all of us.
Namaste and I’ll see you soon!
Hinduism/ Week 3: Interview with Professor Bharat J. Gajjar
Day 14: Guest Artist Surprise!
Welcome back to Project Conversion: Hinduism!
Today is pretty special as we celebrate what appears to be a nice alignment of events. January 14th marks the beginning of Makar Sankranti, a time when Hindus celebrate the passage of the sun from the Sagittarius constellation into Capricorn. This event carries on with festivities lasting four days! More on that tomorrow as I visit the local temple for a closer look.
In the meantime, I thought we’d mark the end of our Arts and Culture Week of Hinduism with an art debut by my oldest daughter! She’s six years old, loves anything to do with the visual arts, and swears she wants to be a fashion designer. She gets a big kick out of watching me apply the sacred ash and bindi to my forehead. For Arts and Culture Week, she decided to sketch a rendition of the murti (image) I use for Shiva.
An image of my Shiva murti
My daughter's Shiva
Bravo! Thanks for helping Daddy out and sharing your work with us.
As a highly visual and expressive faith, Hinduism has a rich tradition of artistic depictions of the divine. Shiva himself is replete with color and symbolism. Here are a few samples of Shiva art:
The Nataraja Temple. Possibly the holiest temple to Shiva, it is said to house the eternal dance competition between Shiva and his consort, Parvati.
Large statue of Shiva at Kemp Fort, Bangalore
Shiva's most popular form is that of Nataraja, the Lord of the Dance. This "dance" is one that represents the cosmic cycle of creation and destruction.
I’d watched and listened to this remix before, however once I began Project Conversion and learned more about Shiva’s dance, this video took on a whole new meaning. Watch and listen. One can see the “dance” in motion as stars are born with feiry brilliance, die, and thereafter sow the seeds for the next generation. Enjoy!
Vegetarianism: A Hindu Way of Life.
Around the world, followers of Santana Dharma (Hinduism) are recognized by a few conspicuous traits. One of those is the practice of ahimsa, the concept of non-violence. Because Hindus believe that everything that takes birth, ages, and dies has a soul it is considered a sin to kill animals. Thus the eating of flesh is frowned upon. Of course as with everything in Hinduism, the call for humanity to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle is delivered as a suggestion rather than a command. This is due to the concept of freedom of belief–of choice–within the faith. No, you won’t burn in hell forever for eating meat, but because of the law of karma (action-reaction, cause-effect) and samsara (rebirth or reincarnation), someone who killed a goat in this life could very well end up one in the next.
Each birth (until moksha, or liberation) is viewed as an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of a past life. Being born as a goat then would (in theory) help that soul sympathize with the plight of said creature, thus giving him the chance to erase the effects of his negative karma in the future. The food one selects to eat is also said to fall into one of three categories:
- Sattva
- Rajas
- Tamas
Sattva is the healthy stuff. This includes fruits, vegetables, rice, yogurt, and milk. Each food category is also associated with a type of energy which transfers from the food itself to the consumer. Sattva energy then is described as creating a tranquil, non-aggressive, and balanced person.
Rajas is your hot, spicy foods that are thought to create a passionate, authoritative, and aggressive nature.
Tamas foods include meat and overeating in general. This is the lowest and most negative form of energy and is associated with a sluggish, inactive, ignorant, and dull personality.
As with much of Sanatana Dharma, there are exceptions and variants–even with the concept of the vegetarian lifestyle. The caste system in Hinduism (the original one that resulted from one’s choosing and disposition, not ascription via birth) recognizes a society as being one of four parts: the priests or teachers, the warriors, the merchants, and the workers. Because warriors need to be aggressive and apathetic toward their enemies, it is acceptable and encouraged for them to partake of both rajas and tamas varieties of food.
There are obvious health benefits to living a vegetarian lifestyle. By doing so, you help stop animal cruelty through the butchering process. An animal raised for food often leads a painful, short, and terrified life of darkness and torment. Vegetables also hoard less (if any) unhealthy fats and hormonal additives that meat is notorious for. Eating vegetarian also places less strain on the environment. Eating meat involves feeding animals grain (unnatural in most species) and therefore twice as much land and fossil fuels are consumed in just raising the animals, butchering them, and transporting them through each phase. The vegetarian lifestyle translates into a direct from field to consumer transaction–especially when this includes locally grown produce.
As I mentioned, vegetarianism within the Hindu faith is a choice, not a commandment. Hinduism places a high value on individual choice. Your karma is your own, and no one–not god or your priest–can intrude upon the law of cause and effect. I chose to live as a vegetarian during my Hindu month and I can honestly say that I feel 100% healthier and have a more tranquil, peaceful outlook. In fact, I might just keep this going.
Namaste.
Interview: Meeta Gajjar Parker
Welcome to Project Conversion, Hinduism! For week 2 of each month, I will focus on the culture and arts associated with that particular faith. I had a chance to speak with singer/songwriter Meeta Gajjar Parker about her life as a Hindu and how it influences her craft.
Andrew Bowen: So, who is Meeta Gajjar Parker?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I am a recording artist, Vocalist, Yoga Teacher, Writer and some times a healer. And everyday I learn more about who I am.
Andrew Bowen: That’s a great combination. Did one avenue lead to another or did you wake up one day fully realized in what you wanted to do?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: The only thing I ever knew I wanted to do was sing and I knew I was supposed to serve through my gifts. Everything else just happened though there are no accidents. The path is constantly unfolding and reveling to me where I am supposed to go. I’m suppose to roll with it .
Andrew Bowen: Roll with it. I like that. You have a great voice. Were you trained or is it all natural?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Thank you so much! I took voice lessons but each teacher was very different and wanted different things from me. So I settled by learning how to breathe correctly and applied the technique to everything I wanted to sing. The gift is from God and I treasure it and treat it with great care. So I’d say it is both, trained and natural. The breathing in singing and yoga are the same. Both will get you high on life.
Andrew Bowen: So which served the other? Yoga to singing or visa versa? In the beginning I mean.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: So they are my two favorite things. Both together. I use my voice to raise people’s vibrational frequencies. Frequencies heal, the voice heals and yoga heals. It was song first. The yoga was my secret gift that I could not appreciate full until I was older. Children take yoga for granted because it’s easy for them. Children are natural yogi’s and yogini’s.
Andrew Bowen: Sounds a lot like the concept of Om.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: It is Om. Om is everything in one, yes.
Andrew Bowen: You mentioned your talents as being a gift from God. Do you prescribe to a specific religion or path?And if so, how does it influence your music?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I am a Hindu. And I am a Shivite; I pray to Shiva. I recorded a chanting CD because I sang chants all my life, that is where music and Hinduism were put in the same place, but Hinduism affects my philosophy on how I handle my life and career more than an influence on my singing. So why did you choose to start with Hinduism?
Andrew Bowen: Honestly, because I thought it was huge and would be difficult so I wanted to get the “hard” one out of the way. But now, it’s like slipping into a warm bath. Is the chanting CD part of your healing work?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: That’s really something, I tend to try to get the things I think are hard out of the way first too. A little, but I worked with Dr. Eric Pearl and he attuned my hands to reconnective frequencies. I find healing emotional problems easier than anything else. Also yoga heals. It’s similar to Reiki. Smiles heal too…
Andrew Bowen: Because the deity Lord Shiva is said to have taught yoga to mankind, it seems like a natural extension for you to be so involved in the art. Are most Shivites this way?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I don’t know. I think it is not the deity you choose that brings out your gifts, but what line you got in when they were handing gifts out and your ability to see the gifts you have. Let me tell you why I chose Shiva when I was a little girl, but I am devotee of Lord Shiva completely. My dad said I had to choose and he said Shiva got happy easily, so that sounded good to me. My brother chose Krishna. Then we can fight: my God is better than your God.
Andrew Bowen: Are they not both representations of aspects within the nature of Brahman? Or just good old fashion sibling rivalry?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: They are, but this is what children do
Andrew Bowen: Trust me, with two little ones of my own, I know.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: It would be different if you chose at 18, but children are so close to God. When I was meditating as a child I saw the blue pearl. I only saw it once and never again. My Dad said it’s very rare and people have to be very spiritual to see that.
Andrew Bowen: I think artists in general, especially ones with such talent like yourself, seem to have a form of “third eye” where they see beyond the obvious world. As a fiction writer, I think that’s what attracted me to Shiva. His combination of the concrete and abstract is beautiful. In your experience, are artistic Hindus typically devotees of Shiva?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I never put the two together and generally people do not tell you who they pray to unless you ask them. But this might be worth delving into further. It could very well be. Yes, I agree with you on that. When I write lyrics, they come from beyond and I believe my third eye and physic center is awakened.
Andrew Bowen: Many artists describe a point as they practice their craft as being in a zone of inspiration. I typically experience it as a displacement, where I am only conscious of the story I’m writing as if the “here and now” no longer applies. Is this the same nature with the goal of meditation and realization of Brahman? Albeit to a lesser extent. This is what gave me the impression that Shiva would be close to the artist’s heart.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Yes, I think so. I also go into that zone to write lyrics. I go to a special place and let the music tell me the lyrics.
Andrew Bowen: The lyrics for your music with your group, Exotica….
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Your perceptive is unique on that subject. Yes, the lyrics are deep, or I should say have depth. Cookie the Clown has a story too behind the book.
Andrew Bowen: Indeed. Your lyrics with Exotica seem to speak both to the individual and to a wider audience. A sort of within and without. Is this spread of meaning intentional?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I am trying to up lift with my lyrics, and yes.
Andrew Bowen: As with the chants, are they traditional forms set to new music, or have you blended in new material?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I sang them like me, but the music is traditional. It was recorded in India with Indian musicians.
Andrew Bowen: They are extremely soothing. As I search for mantras in the form of music, I’ve noticed that many are setting these ancient poems to new genres such as electronic, trance, or even hip-hop. Is this a popular trend within the Hindu community or more of a fringe element?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: It’s actually been going on for a long time. The Krishna Conscious movement was doing that in England, and the Beatles brought it into mainstream as well as Madonna.Yes, mantras change the vibrations of people, raising them up. They can change your mood, remove negativity in a room. They serve the same purpose as the mala bead to take your mind off the negative mind chatter.
Andrew Bowen: I can see that. There is a music video on the site, a rendition of the Tandava Stotram which sets the creative/destructive dance of Shiva to verse, and with that version I can clearly imagine this cosmic dance.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I’ll have to check that out! Sounds beautiful! BTW I loved your trailer!
Andrew Bowen: Thanks! I hoped folks would enjoy it.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: I’m sure they will as much as I did.
Andrew Bowen: You mentioned writing as well. In fact, you’ve written a children’s book. Mind telling us about that?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Yes, it’s called “Cookie the Clown.” I worked as Cookie the Clown for 4 years and children kept asking me if I was a real clown and where I came from and I wondered how it would feel to be a real clown and realized that it would feel as different as being a minority. A lot of my inspiration in the book came from my real experiences with the children. So the book is about real clowns that come from a clown country and come and live amongst us. They even have a clown culture and clown abilities and disabilities.
Andrew Bowen: That’s a great plot! Growing up as a Hindu, did you ever feel like a minority in the U.S?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Yes, no one knew what we were. My Dad was one of the first Indians to come to America when others were going to Britain. The kids teased me and hit me for being different. I guess they were afraid of what they didn’t understand. Just like why you are doing what your doing with Project Conversion. Helping people to understand others.
Andrew Bowen: That is exactly why Project Conversion exists. And I’m sorry you had to go through that. Your father had a lot of courage to come to the U.S. alone.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: His brother came first;, it was my grandfather who had the vision. He believed America was the future not Britain.I think he was right. Do you know I’m the first Female Rock singer of Indian descent?
Andrew Bowen: You just ooze coolness Meeta. Really.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: You’re too kind. Thank you !
Andrew Bowen: No problem. You probably get instant feedback with your yoga and healings, but have you heard from any readers of Cookie the Clown regarding whether or not it helped them as a minority, or maybe even a bully who changed their ways?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Nope I have not, most people say that the book lifted up their spirits.
Andrew Bowen: I think children’s stories transcend age. As you say, children are very close to the divine.
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Yes that’s true! Big and little people liked the feeling the clowns gave them..
Andrew Bowen: So it looks like you’re a healer on all levels! It’s truly a pleasure to have met you. Any words of advice for me as I continue my journey through Sanatana Dharma?
Meeta Gajjar Parker: Thank you, and for me to have met you! When you meditate, listen with your heart! Everything you ever really need to know is in there.
To hear more of Meeta’s music, visit her Myspace page. For her band, Exotica, go here. Her children’s book, Cookie the Clown, is also available from Amazon.
Hinduism: Day 1
It’s finally here! Project Conversion began its first day with Hinduism and I must admit, I have much to learn.
The day began at 8 A.M. Traditionally, an observant Hindu wakes before sunrise to perform their morning puja (ritual worship) before an altar bearing one’s personal deity (ishta devatha), or the family deity. This form of worship is called Bhakthi, as devotions are made before images or statues (called murti) of the deity and is the most popular among everyday Hindus. Because I’ve selected Shiva as my deity, my murti includes a small picture of Shiva and a small, oval stone that represents him called a lingam.
*A Shiva Lingam with Yoni base*
*The dude has a trident and wears a cobra for a necklace. Awesome, anyone?*
If there’s anything I’ve learned so far about Hinduism (or Sanatana Dharma), it’s that methods of worship are seldom consistent. One’s puja can be as simple or complicated as you wish. Shiva in particular is viewed as very receptive to all forms of worship, so long as the devotee is sincere. I’m using the method (with some modification) prescribed in this book called “Siva (an alternate spelling) Puja for Beginners.”
My first puja took me half an hour. This isn’t typical for a home puja. I pretty much fumbled through it like a newborn learning to walk and trying to recite the Sanskrit hymns and mantras didn’t help. But hey, I was sincere.
Shiva Altar
Ring bell to begin
Chanting 108 names of Shiva...in Sanskrit!
Performing aarti for darshan--to "see" the divine
Bhasma (sacred ash of Shiva) and the red Bindi (symbol of Shakti)
1) The Vedas are the ultimate scriptural authority
2) The Self (Atman) is One, and is independent of the body, mind, and intellect
3) The doctrine of karma (universal law of cause and effect)
4) The doctrine of reincarnation (the transmigration of the soul)
5) The existence of God as the creator, sustainer, and destroyer, with reference to the world of names and forms
God exists to many people, in different names, and in different forms. What a great concept!
I think that’s enough for now, but I haven’t even scratched the surface. Sanatana Dharma is about more than rituals and worship; it’s a lifestyle. I’ll dive more into those issues the next time we meet. Until then…
Namaste
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