Hello everyone. I am new to this forum. Taking a comparative religions class last semester opened my mind to Hinduism. I would like to explore it more. I also find the Indian culture fascinating. I have a question for this group. Are most of you of Indian decent or are you from a different religious beginning and recently discovered Hinduism?
Well I'm Irish. I was raised a Catholic but early in my teens I realised that I didn't agree with or believe alot of the church's teachings. So I began looking at different religions and found myself being really drawn to Hinduism. Looking at the different gods and goddesses was both comforting and exciting. I have a little toy statue that has been my good luck charm since I was a kid which has a man that turns into an elephant depending on which way you stand him. And he looks and reminds me so much of the god Ganesh. I've read somewhere that Ganesh is meant to help guide people in spiritual practices so I can't help wondering if maybe he was guiding me...? Also on the day that I decided yes I want to learn more about this and pray to these gods I found myself being drawn to the goddess of knowledge and the arts, Saraswati. It turned out the next day was the date of a festival in her honour and that the colour associated with it was yellow (my favourite colour) I like to think that was a sign I was on the right path. And even though I am still learning about it, just praying to the gods, meditating and reciting mantras is enough to give me great peace. I think it is worth learning about even if the paths not for you, it's a fascinating study. Peace and love.
I was born into it. But true spirituality walked into my life at age 1, when a great master named Swami Chinmayananda came in contact with my family. Haven't looked back since.
I met some people from Krishna Consciousness when I was 17 and I sent a lot of time talking with them, since then my interest has grown.
I was raised catholic in the united states and Catholicism was actually a major part of my life at a time and in very spiritual way that makes sense to me as I look back on it. I faced problems with that religion though, but at one point I eventually grew out of it. I opened my eyes even broader and began studying all religions as truth as well as everything I could muster with science. I seeked to figure out life, the eternal quest at a young age. I began experimenting with LSD and my perceptions about perception were completely altered. At this time I was also studying with some local Theraveda Buddhist monks at temple, we practiced service, walking meditation, chanting and sitting meditation. After some point in all of those studies something happened that has completely changed my life since. Subtly over a period of time while I was a freshmen in college I began experiencing stimulation in the AJNA chakra or third eye. I became fascinated at what I had come to be experiencing and have spent the time since meditating this great power. Strangely it was near this time that a friend of mine brought me to a small ashram and I began attending darshan whenever possible with the guru. I have now spent roughly a year a half attending this ashram and helping with food service projects. It was through this ashram and guru that I met my guru and have advanced greatly in his honor. Hinduism has had a wonderful influence on my life in so many ways. It also has effected it in some negative ways, the shock of my parents who fear such great things of this decision based on their own beliefs. But I'm happy to say they have slowly become more understanding. As for Sanatana Dharma, study and seek GOD no matter which way. GOD is the TRUTH not a name so regardless of how you choose to sing your songs, believe in TRUTH, Believe in What truly is SHIVA, not the name itself. GOD is no symbol.
well my dad raised my family catholic i mean very CATHOLIC it was everything to my family ,but me i hated church i didnt belive. well i have a family of my own an my bf was well nothing(from the uk) didnt belive in anything but one day we was on one of are weekends to nowhere an some ppl from Krishna Consciousness were walkin an singing around are van an well they blew are mind it was like just opening your eyes to see the world as it is
Well...the caste system and un-touchability are pretty trippy you have to admit..... You must have had some knowledge of hinduism circulating in the back of your mind before you took acid. It doesn't turn people onto this in a kind of 'default' mode.
I hope you do realise though that the caste system and the concept of the 'untouchables' are not discriminatory? Because if you do think it's aim is to promote discrimination, you've been lied to .
I don't really know what you mean. The caste system is probably one of the most discriminatory social systems on the planet. It's aim is to maintain a strictly hierarchical social order with no mobility between classes. It's not a question of me being lied to - one has only to look at what goes on in India - major discrimination and abuses of human rights, mass conversions to Buddhism and Islam by low caste members and dalits in an attempt to get out of the system. Really it's a very rigid and unjust thing. And it's no use to say 'it wasn't meant to be like that' - fact is it is like that, and no amount of disclaimers will change it.
No my brother you don't understand. You see, the caste system in practice in India is not the caste system in Hinduism. The one in India is a corrupt system used to discriminate against people. I agree with you that it is unjust. My point was that the caste system in Hinduism does not promote inequality among any of the castes as it is not meant to divide people, but to show people the reality of the world. For example, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas AND Sudras are all interdependent and one cannot be without the other. They are all equally important to the world and they are all needed in order for the world to function. So what I'm saying is that the caste system in practice in India is not the Hindu caste system and therefore Hinduism cannot be blamed for this as the Hindu system does not promote inequality or discrimination in any way .
I'm very often wrong Dilip....that's the truth of it. But here it's not only my opinion. It seems to me that the leading sages of India have for quite some time spoken against the caste system. Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo - names such as these come to mind. In the case of Vivekananda, when I read his biography, I was impressed by the story that when he was traveling to Brindaban, he saw a low caste person sitting under a tree smoking a pipe. Vivekananda asked the man to share it with him, but the man refused in horror, saying it would pollute a high person such as V. obviously was to share a pipe with a lower caste person. But Vivekananda was very insistent, and enjoyed a smoke before he travelled on to his sacred destination.
Hare Krishna! Originally from BBB.... "I'm very often wrong Dilip....that's the truth of it. But here it's not only my opinion. It seems to me that the leading sages of India have for quite some time spoken against the caste system. Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo - names such as these come to mind. In the case of Vivekananda, when I read his biography, I was impressed by the story that when he was traveling to Brindaban, he saw a low caste person sitting under a tree smoking a pipe. Vivekananda asked the man to share it with him, but the man refused in horror, saying it would pollute a high person such as V. obviously was to share a pipe with a lower caste person. But Vivekananda was very insistent, and enjoyed a smoke before he travelled on to his sacred destination" Dear BBB, It is your humility and just that very often you think often you are wrong. I emphasise that in this issue you are absolutely right. Caste system was made to be something else and in reality over the years and decades it has turned out to be what it is today- A shameful and vulgar picture of discrimination of our own reflections in other human forms. Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudras are classifications of classes of people only by their professions. Disparity of profession was there but it was more for the purpose of identity and not to look down upon one another. How and when these four classes got divided into so many other castes and tribes God alone knows. It only proves that all our past teachers were not above all Gunas and as enlightened as thought to be. Doubts, cruelty, hatred and what not has messed up and ruined the caste system. Swami Vivekananda and all other great Yogis tried their best to eradicate or alleviate the misery but I am afraid they all failed. Caste related matters and problems have come to a worse head, very shameful. It is a pitiable condition. Solution ? To exorcise mustard seeds are used but what do you do if the seeds themselves contain the evil spirit ? We can only protest, try our best and hope for the best that though ages have gone by, some day will come when will learn to live peacefully and happily with respect and love for all. Love, Dilip.
I took a Bharatanatyam dance class for fun, and it pulled me into the culture. Since then, I've done a lot of soul-searching (if you will) and have come to the conclusion that Hinduism was something I wanted to delve further into.
I was born into, but the real hinduism is only about one god, the supreme being, he states that you should believe in krishna himself, instead of his avatars, but god is everywhere and anywhere, the idols in the temples are just stones, they are only there to help you concentrate on god... for the caste system, you have to be born into it..Im in a merchant class, like goldsmith, back in the days people only did what thier ancestors did, like if you were a goldsmith(my caste) we would only make jewelery, things stay organised that way....but most of us Indians dont really care for it anymore... the caste system isnt really part of hinduism
