Hindu Way of Life and Devotional Practices

1. Hindu Way of Life and Devotional Practices 27 September 2013 Religion, Spirituality & Health

2. Topics – Portfolio 17 sep- Introduction to Hinduism • Spiritual Self-Assessment: Circle of Non-violence • Devotion as a Spiritual Practice 20 sep- Teachings & Sacred Texts (pt.1) 24 sep- Teachings & Sacred Texts (pt.2) 27 sep- Hinduism as a Way of Life • Yoga 1 oct- History of Hinduism 4 oct- Ayurveda – the Science of Life • Exploring Spirituality • Circle of Non-violence • Spiritual practice of devotion • Reflections on spirituality of devotion • Yoga as a spiritual practice • Relationships among Spirituality, Illness, Healing & Wholeness • Ayurveda • QUIZ 120 - appleby

3. 4 Stages of Life for the upper-caste male • Student – learn the Vedas; learn archery, medicine, astrology & music • Householder – establish a family; marry, have children; women subordinate to father, husband, eldest son • Forest dweller – as grandparents/elders; leave home, be celibate, retreat to forest, eat wild foods; meditate and perform rituals • Homeless wanderer – Moksha; no further need of rituals; wander alone, practiseyoga, make pilgrimages to holy sites rels 120 - appleby

4. 4 aims of life • Artha = wealth, success • Kama = sensory pleasure – marriage, sex, childbearing & childrearing • Dharma = fulfill one’s specific duties according to one’s caste and gender • Moksha = liberation / release from samsara(cycle of life, death, rebirth) rels 120 - appleby

5. 5 Contemporary Hindu practices • Daily worship • Home shrine for worship – daily rituals of meditation, prayer, offerings of flowers, incense, lights, food, chanting names of God or sacred verses, sing devotional songs • Temple worship – regarded as God’s home – priests to conduct worship – leads in performing ceremonies, chanting scriptures, waves an oil lamp in front of Deity, rings bells, offers flowers, sweets and fruit – which are then given out to the worshipers • Edmonton – Bhartiya Cultural Society and Temple (mandir = temple) • See http://edmontonmandir.com/Gallery-1.htm 120 - appleby

6. Contemporary Hindu practices • Follow dharma • meditation, chanting of mantras, study sacred texts, yoga, fasting • Reverence for scholars, teachers, saints, swamis (celibate holy men), and gurus (teachers who provide enlightenment) • Toronto Sri Durka Hindu Temple – Goddess Durga • See http://www.durka.com/html/photos.html • Deities http://www.durka.com/html/deities.html 120 - appleby

7. Contemporary Hindu practices • Observe the rites of passage (life cycle ceremonies = samskaras) • rituals for ensuring a healthy pregnancy, name-giving, feeding first solid food, head shaving at 1 year, beginning of education (age 4), ear piercing for girls, puberty rites, formal occupational training, marriage, death, funerals & cremation, scattering of ashes, honouring ancestors after death • Initiation rituals mark moving to new levels of education, religious practice and spiritual awareness • students given a personal mantra to chant in one’s daily spiritual practices • See: Devi Temple – Pickering, Ontario • http://www.devimandir.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:religious-services-offered-by-the-devi-mandir&Itemid=63 ; http://www.devimandir.com 120 - appleby

8. Contemporary Hindu practices • Celebrate the holy days • Yearly cycle of ceremonies and festivals • Diwali is the most important • See a Diwali celebration, • Diwali 2012 photos; http://picasaweb.google.com/113658317148170388099/DiwaliShow2012?gsessionid=-lJ_0e-kfSPUOkggJvag9Q 120 - appleby

9. Contemporary Hindu practices • Go on pilgrimage to holy places • Pilgrimage to Sabarimala • http://www.sabarimala.org/the-pilgrimage.htm • http://sabarimala.kerala.gov.in/ 120 - appleby

10. 2012 pilgrimage photo • http://sabarimala.kerala.gov.in/docs/photo2012/ph18dec.pdf 120 - appleby

11. Spiritual Paths • Path of Devotional Faith = Bhakti, puja(homage) • Path of Duty = Dharma • Path of study, meditation, self-discipline = sitting at the feet of a guru, meditation, yoga • Path of Ritual Observation (seasons and life cycles) = Samskaras • Path of Celebration = holy days and festivals such as Holi and Diwali • Path of Pilgrimage = to holy places, sacred sites, major temples 120 - appleby

12. Goal of the spiritual paths Discernment of ultimate reality • Ultimate Reality, Universal Spirit = Brahman • Experience of enlightenment: • one’s soul or spirit = atman • Ultimate reality, unchanging spirit, energy of creation = Brahman • Understanding that Atman = Brahman; Atman & Brahmanare One; Atman & Brahmanshare a common essence • Devotee can become One with the Universal Spirit 120 - appleby

13. Goals of YOGA • Discipline, unify, focus one’s body in order to achieve awareness of one’s Atman, one’s inner soul • Through meditation in yogicposes, one achieves awareness of one’s own consciousness /atman • Yogicmasters reach liberation, enlightenment, Moksha, in life • Guide others along this path 120 - appleby

14. Practice of Yoga • Discipline one’s body, breath, concentration, relaxation and meditation • Goals of daily yoga: • Physical health • Mental health • Social health • Spiritual health • Awareness of the Divine within the person 120 - appleby

15. How to achieve these goals • Love and help all living beings; practice ahimsa(= non-injury, non-violence in thought, word, feelings and actions); develop compassion • Respect life; protect nature and the environment • Peaceful state of mind; overcome negative thoughts and fears • Vegetarian diet; avoid alcohol, nicotine and drugs • Pure thoughts, positive lifestyle • Social responsibility; positive companionship • Physical, mental and spiritual practices • Tolerance for all nations, cultures and religions; practice religious freedom 120 - appleby

16. Spiritual sources of Yoga • Revealed in the Vedas; transmitted orally and then transcribed into written text; and the Upanishads • Philosophical teachings of yoga = Vedanta Shastra • Scientific basis ofyoga = SankhyaShastra • Techniques of yoga = Yoga Shastras • (shastra = knowledge/education) 120 - appleby

17. Yoga = union with the Divine The Yoga Ladder http://hinduism.iskcon.com/concepts/109.htm Paths of Yoga: • Jnana Yoga • Karma Yoga • Bhakti Yoga • Raja Yoga • Hatha Yoga • Kundalini Yoga What is Yoga? Video clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNcx8H7pcMg&feature=channel_video_title ) 120 - appleby

18. 1. Jnana Yoga (knowledge yoga) Jnanameans knowledge. Jnana Yogais the path where reality is discovered throughinsight, practice and knowledge.” Jnana Yogahas four principles: • Viveka– Discrimination(between right and wrong) • Vairagya – Renunciation(liberation from desire for earthly pleasures & possessions) • Shatsampatti - The Six Treasures(withdrawal of the senses and the mind; control of the senses and the mind; restraint from negative actions; to stand above things; to be steadfast and disciplined; to endure and overcome difficulties; faith and trust; determination and purpose) • Mumukshtva - Constant Striving for God(burning desire in the heart to unite with God) http://www.yogaindailylife.org/esystem/yoga/en/170400/the-four-paths-of-yoga/gyana-yoga/ 120 - appleby

19. 2. Karma Yoga (action yoga) • Specifically relates to the concept of Karma, explained in this way: “Everything we do, say or think, gives rise to an effect, which in due time will return to us, in full accordance with this law of consequence. What we call “luck” is the result of our earlier good actions, and what appears to us as misfortune is merely the repercussion of past negative actions. “Therefore, the events of our future do not arise coincidentally, but are actually caused by the effects of our previous and present actions. In this way our destiny is predetermined by our Karma.” 120 - appleby

20. Karma Yoga There are two types of Karma: • Sakama Karma- selfish actions • Nishkama Karma- selfless actions Sakama Karmabinds us to the Wheel of Death and Rebirth. Nishkama Karmais the way to avoid creating new Karma and may even resolve earlier Karma. To offer understanding, forgiveness and help are the selfless actions that liberate us from the cycle of Karma. http://www.yogaindailylife.org/esystem/yoga/en/170100/the-four-paths-of-yoga/karma-yoga/ 120 - appleby

21. 3. Bhakti Yoga (devotion yoga) “Bhaktimeans love and devotion to God - love and devotion to His Creation, with respect and care for all living beings and all of nature. Everybody can practice Bhakti Yoga, whether young, old, rich or poor, no matter to what nation or religion one belongs. “Bhakti Yogaalso includes the worship of a form of God. God is everywhere. God dwells within us and all around us. It is as though we are connected to God by a fine thread - the thread of love. God is Universal love.” 120 - appleby

22. Bhakti Yoga There are two types of Bhakti: • AparaBhakti- egoistic love • Para Bhakti- Universal love “A Bhakta accepts everything that happens to him as a gift of God. There is no desire or expectation, there is simply complete surrender to the will of God. This Bhakta accepts each life situation as placed before him by destiny. There is no resentment, his only Prayer is: “Let Thy will be done”…We cannot attain union with God, without LOVE for all living beings and devotion to God.” http://www.yogaindailylife.org/esystem/yoga/en/170200/the-four-paths-of-yoga/bhakti-yoga/ 120 - appleby

23. 4. Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga) “Rajameans King. A king acts with independence, self-confidence and assurance. Likewise, a Raja Yogiis autonomous, independent and fearless. “Raja Yoga is the path of self-discipline and practice…The eight steps of Raja Yoga provide systematic instruction to attain inner peace, clarity, self-control and Realisation.” http://www.yogaindailylife.org/esystem/yoga/en/170300/the-four-paths-of-yoga/raja-yoga/ 120 - appleby

24. Eight steps in Raja Yoga • Yama- Self-control • Niyama- Discipline • Asana - Physical exercises • Pranayama - Breath exercises • Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses from external objects • Dharana - Concentration • Dhyana- Meditation • Samadhi - Complete Realisation “In this state all duality is dissolved. There is neither day or night, neither darkness or light, no qualities or colour. Everything is one in the Supreme Self. This union of the individual soul with the Cosmic soul is the goal of Yoga.” 120 - appleby

25. 5. Hatha Yoga (force yoga) • Physical poses used during meditation • Stretching, balancing; breathing • Specific schools are named according to the founder of a specific practice • e.g., Lyengar yoga; Bikram yoga; Ashtanga yoga • Most physically demanding of the Yogas • Most athletic • Popular in Western cultures 120 - appleby

26. 6. Kundalini Yoga • Designed to increase and lift spiritual energy • Seven psychic centres are identified along the spinal column – called chakras • Beginning with lower chakras, the practitioner meditates, envisioning the rising and strengthening of spiritual energy - kundalini- throughout the body • Experiences increasing insight and joy • At the crown chakra (top of the head), one experiences profound bliss and unionwith the Divine 120 - appleby

27. Essential Element of all Yoga: Prana Prana = energy, vitality, power • The essence of life • The energy and vitality of the universe • The element that flows within everything that exists There is a similar word in Chinese traditions? Do you know what it is? 120 - appleby

28. Prana Functions of Prana: • Regulates all physical functions – breath, digestion, circulation • Provides link between body, consciousness, spirit and mind • Well-being depends on free flow of prana • Illness indicates blocked or weak prana An individual’s pranais visible to others as an “aura,” as radiating vibrations of prana 120 - appleby

29. Essential Element of Yoga: Mantra Mantrasare words with powerful and vibrating spiritual energy (prana) • Evidence of vibrational, creative power • Man = mind; tra = liberation • e.g., liberate from fear, negativity; move the mind toward truth, consciousness, bliss (ananda) • One’s mantra,given to a disciple from a master,can move one toward the experiences of bliss and spiritual union 120 - appleby