Of all the things I could think to write today, none feels right in light of the jury verdict that we got yesterday in America. It’s moments like this that make me think I was horrified enough when young Trayvon Martin was killed in the first place. A child out buying some candy. Shot and killed…why? Because he existed? That someone might mistake you for a criminal because you are walking around outside your home is a fear that no... Read more
I’m going to be talking about the new Star Trek movie: Into Darkness today, so if you haven’t seen it, you might want to skip this post. I enjoyed the movie very much and I think there’s a lot of good to say about it. The actors captured their roles so well in this and the movie before it. But there was one thing that really leapt out at me. There’s a character whose name is Khan Noonian Singh and... Read more
I wonder sometimes what it is like to grow up somewhere other than America and what America looks like from these other places. I see it occasionally through other eyes and it seems like too many people see it as a big lump of everything that is wrong. I get comments sometimes along the lines of “You Americans are so lazy” or “You Americans have no morals.” And I look over my right shoulder. Over my left. Who is this... Read more
Sometimes I feel like I’m rushing through life stages. Things got a little crunched because it took me a lot longer than I expected to find a life partner. Now I’ve found the perfect man for me. He is so very good to me and we see eye to eye on nearly everything. I used to think when I was younger that I would want some years with my husband to just enjoy each other before we had kids, but... Read more
Yogananda has been the gateway into Hinduism (or at least Hindu philosophy) for many westerners. It was in 1920 that he came to America to speak at a religious council and founded his Self-Realization Fellowship. People continue to find his teachings through his book Autobiography of a Yogi. Background He was born in 1893 in India (Uttar Pradesh, to be specific). He graduated from college and then became a disciple in a monastic Swami order. At 27 he went to... Read more
This is a phrase I used to hear a lot from my parents growing up. There is this idea that if we can trust the universe and relinquish our fears and worries to it, God will make sure we have what we need. I’m not sure how I feel about this, but it is a good practice, I think, to try to turn over control to the Atman (our greater Self/ultimate consciousness). I’m not sure it works for everything, but... Read more
In response to my post about why I am called the “white” Hindu, someone linked this hilarious skit about white people who take trying to be South Asian too far… I had to laugh out loud even though, yeah, I do recognize myself in her (and I haven’t even got the excuse of an Indian husband!) After cringing and laughing, I started to think (as I often do) and I wondered what is it about this behavior that makes us... Read more
This is an issue that I have to remain constantly aware of. It’s not a concept I was at all familiar with until after I began blogging. Luckily I have some good friends who have helped me understand what cultural appropriation is and who keep me honest if I veer into it. I’m sure there are some who think that I should not be a part of Hindu culture. (Let’s forget “could not” because I already am doing it!) The... Read more
This one falls into the category of what it’s like to practice a religion that your extended family does not. I’m lucky that a lot of my family and extended family know a fair amount about India and Hinduism. I have some extended family who are Hindu and some family married in that are Indian. But still, there are many family traditions that come through a Christian path. One side of my family was Catholic and the other side was... Read more
Avatars are not just a cartoon show or a movie or a video game persona. The word “Avatar” comes from a Sanskrit word that means “descent” and it refers to when a deity manifests in an earthly embodiment. Some believe that there is no limit to possible avatars and God will be born in the world whenever there is a severe need. People with this belief may see Jesus as an avatar, as well as many other respected spiritual teachers.... Read more
The White Hindu
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