The second book in our book club series is Eat, Pray Love. Is it a Hindu book? Not exactly, but it is very relevant to the experiences of non-Indian Hindus. The author has a Hindu guru (whose identity has been rather easily found out by those familiar with the world of Indian gurus). Julia Roberts after playing the author in the movie, claimed to have become a Hindu. So I think it will be worthwhile to examine the experiences and... Read more
A friend of this blog who is both a non-Indian Hindu like me and also gay has written a heart breaking essay about his experiences of homosexuality and Hinduism. It’s a must read! Empty Without Empathy He urges us to have compassion for others and acknowledge their hurts even if the material world is not the ultimate reality. He asks us not to distance ourselves from the suffering of our friends and neighbors with philosophical platitudes. It is my own... Read more
Too often I feel like we fall into the mindset of seeing the world the way Christianity has dictated and we’re playing on their field. We explain and justify our beliefs and rituals through the lens of how Christianity sees them. I refuse to play that game. I refuse to live my life based on what Christianity deems good or bad. Let Christians see the world the way their religion explains it and let us see the world how ours... Read more
If you’re outside America you’ve probably heard that our health care system sucks. Since I’ve told you about how we’re encountering fertility issues in trying to expand our family, I thought you might be interested in hearing the saga of how the American health care system is fighting against us. This is one personal and true story. There are many other stories of people getting screwed over by the American health care system and it could be so much worse.... Read more
For Navratri this year (2014), October 2nd is the day to worship Saraswati… Saraswati (Saara-swa-ti) is the Goddess of art, music, philosophy, creativity, wisdom and learning. She is the consort of Brahma. Why Worship Saraswati* Stories * Symbolism * Holidays * How She Is Worshiped * Mantras and Bhajans Why Worship Saraswati It is good to pray to Saraswati before tests or when seeking to become knowledgeable about something new. She gives blessings to people in pursuit of knowledge or creative pursuits. She can free one from lethargy and... Read more
I missed a few days of posting last week, did you notice? The reason is that we’re in the process of moving and it’s an extremely hectic time! Last week there were some days we didn’t have Internet and other days we didn’t have computers (they were still in boxes). But now I’ve got my new home office set up and Internet at the new house. I should be able to get back onto schedule! As we move in, part... Read more
The second book in our book club series is Eat, Pray Love. Is it a Hindu book? Not exactly, but it is very relevant to the experiences of non-Indian Hindus. The author has a Hindu guru (whose identity has been rather easily found out by those familiar with the world of Indian gurus). Julia Roberts after playing the author in the movie claimed to have become a Hindu. So I think it will be worthwhile to examine the experiences and... Read more
Today is the first day of Navratri 2014. I’d like to point out that my little puppy dog decided to participate this year and added her bone to my golu display: Here’s the whole Golu… This year I didn’t have a chance to put on a whole theme and make a village scene, etc. We just bought a house two weeks ago and I’ve been super busy getting it ready to move in! (Which happened yesterday!) The Madam Alexander bride... Read more
In honor of Navratri… Parvati is a family Goddess, known for her wifely devotion to Lord Shiva. She has many other names and aspects. Often Durga, Shakti, and Kali might be considered other forms of Parvati. Why Worship Parvati * Stories * Symbolism * Holidays * How She Is Worshiped * Mantras and Bhajans Why Worship Parvati? As a Goddess of family and love, she is the one to turn to for help with marriage, parenting, and fertility. She has remarkable strength and determination. Some say that a worship of... Read more
Golu/Kolu doll displays for Navratri are a South Indian thing and I’ve become connected to the tradition because nearly all the other Hindus I know are South Indian and most of the communities are participate in are South Indian. I love this tradition. I love having something to collect and a purpose for it. I love thinking up themes and displaying my collection. I look forward to someday sharing this tradition with my children and having them help me pick... Read more
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