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ardhanari
13 November 2007, 03:07 PM
If you want some background on me, you can take a look at my introduction here: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2304

I just need to know... is choosing a spiritual tradition important? I have heard that I can never be initiated into Smartism, so that one's out of reach, and since my Ishtadeva is Lord Krishna, Shaivism does not seem to be a good choice...

That leaves Vaishnavism and Shaktism (perhaps... I am flexible in that Radharani is Supreme to me as well). However, both of them are quite large, and it seems that most modern Indian Hindus today, at least in the West, do not belong to any particular tradition and merely say "we worship all the gods."

I would like to help out and do seva at some Hindu influenced organisation, but I feel quite lost and liberal when it comes to Sanatana Dharma. Belonging to religions that called for orthodoxy for the longest time, Hindu Dharma is both unspeakably familiar and structure-wise unfamiliar ground for me.

Umm... Help? :D

Eastern Mind
13 November 2007, 06:38 PM
Welcome to HDF. You asked a lot of questions. A lot depends on where you are in Canada, regarding volunteer work (Seva). Some temples would welcome any volunteerism, others would be more hesitant until trust is built. Many times, all the volunteer stuff is kind of already in place. I know some temples where Sunday lunches are provided, and they're signed up for about a year in advance. Wherever you are, there should be a few temples around. I'd go visit some or all, and get a sense of what they're about. Everybody can use volunteers, its just that its best offered in humility, and you have to keep those promises. No temples like people who 'volunteer' and then don't fulfill the commitment. I live in Edmonton, and do spend time volunteering. I have a niche (landscaping) that many of the devotees at the temple I attend don't really want to do or don't understand, so I've been blessed that way. BTW, I am a Saivite, but do not take any offense to your 'discarding' of Saivism in your intro. Its good to know who you are, and follow that in a true direct way. Just my observances over some 30 years an adoptive of Hinduism. Aum Namasivaya

Yaruki
15 November 2007, 03:29 AM
Try not to feel as though you need to subscribe to a paticlar path, personally I think doing so limits you instead of being open to it all.

ardhanari
16 November 2007, 02:33 AM
Welcome to HDF. You asked a lot of questions. A lot depends on where you are in Canada, regarding volunteer work (Seva). Some temples would welcome any volunteerism, others would be more hesitant until trust is built. Many times, all the volunteer stuff is kind of already in place. I know some temples where Sunday lunches are provided, and they're signed up for about a year in advance. Wherever you are, there should be a few temples around. I'd go visit some or all, and get a sense of what they're about. Everybody can use volunteers, its just that its best offered in humility, and you have to keep those promises. No temples like people who 'volunteer' and then don't fulfill the commitment. I live in Edmonton, and do spend time volunteering. I have a niche (landscaping) that many of the devotees at the temple I attend don't really want to do or don't understand, so I've been blessed that way. BTW, I am a Saivite, but do not take any offense to your 'discarding' of Saivism in your intro. Its good to know who you are, and follow that in a true direct way. Just my observances over some 30 years an adoptive of Hinduism. Aum Namasivaya

Thank you for responding to my post! ^__^

I just felt that my understanding of Krishna's identity as the purest form of God on Earth a little awkward in a Shaivite stance. Otherwise, I know nothing of Shaivism and would like to learn more about it! I already accept Shiva as a mahadeva, a Supreme Form of God, as also Brahma and Vishnu (not as Shiva being a servant of anyone or anything as some Vaishnavites may have it...).

I also realise that I should actually try to remain with a single temple before committing myself to service. On a suggestion by a kind, elder and well-Englished Hindu, I am visiting all the available temples before I can settle down with one that I enjoy the most (aside from the ISKCON temple of course, which I visit for every Sunday Feast).

Yaruki, you are right that I should not ascribe to any particular path. At the same time, I would like to focus on some spiritual tradition or practice that will enable me to develop rather than continue reading books and internet sources of different spiritual traditions. But for your sake, I will try to keep myself open! ^__^

Radhe Shyam!
Ardhanari.

izi
16 November 2007, 02:51 PM
Hey! I used to live at that temple! (Vancouver ISKCON)

I was raised Vaishnavite and then I became enamored with Siva later on...funny, I still think of myself as a wanderer away from my home in Vishpurna (this is my poetical, allegorical way of thinking)

I don't know if denomination is important for you...what does Krsna say to you? I would just meditate on it and see what the supreme says to you....

Of course Krsna would say he is the supreme being...showoff...Siva doesn't even need to say this....he just toasts whole universes with his third eyeball deathglance.

Something to think about...if you constantly challenge yourself to equilibrate conflicting viewpoints ie Krsna as an avatar of Vishnu/Krsna as supreme absolute godhead/Krsna as superior to Siva, you will begin to see the answer is none of what can be fed to you in words...

words are just another symbol for god, they won't show you truth...we have to go look for ourselves.

Traditions can be important or they can be useless. It all depends on your viewpoint, and your life parameters in the system.

ardhanari
16 November 2007, 04:05 PM
LadyHydralisk, thank you for your post!

I realise that I still have much to learn about Sanatana Dharma, and perhaps I was trying to throw the proverbial baby in the bath water. I was trying to speed up a process that never really existed, and strove towards a road that never really was there, lol.

I love Krishna, and I wish to devote most of my time with Him. At the same time, I believe (just as most Hindus out here seem to believe; I think it's a result of Neo-Vedantism) that all forms of God are legitimate paths to the Absolute, the Supreme.

I believe that Radha-Krishna best dwells within my own heart, since He arouses me spiritually, just as Shiva may do to you. To my friend, nothing but Jesus pervades her entire mind-perception, and my Muslim friend sees God as impersonal, yet merciful. To say that one or the other is a superior conception of God is pure blasphemy to me...

Theologically, I do feel more towards Vaishnavism, albeit a liberal form of it, because Radharani, Lakshmi, Krishna, etc. are within this sect, and I adhere moreso to Visishtadvaita Vedanta... otherwise, I guess denominations are not important to me.

Just as you said, all the conflicting viewpoints of who Krishna is, or Shiva, or Brahma, or Vishnu, or Parvati, etc. is pointless and lead nowhere. Although languages may be different, the feeling, message, and emotions are all the same.

Thanks... quite thought provoking. I guess it doesn't really matter what tradition one is in, but rather the practice that one does...

Oy, my brain! Thinking... too much... XD


Hey! I used to live at that temple! (Vancouver ISKCON)

I was raised Vaishnavite and then I became enamored with Siva later on...funny, I still think of myself as a wanderer away from my home in Vishpurna (this is my poetical, allegorical way of thinking)

I don't know if denomination is important for you...what does Krsna say to you? I would just meditate on it and see what the supreme says to you....

Of course Krsna would say he is the supreme being...showoff...Siva doesn't even need to say this....he just toasts whole universes with his third eyeball deathglance.

Something to think about...if you constantly challenge yourself to equilibrate conflicting viewpoints ie Krsna as an avatar of Vishnu/Krsna as supreme absolute godhead/Krsna as superior to Siva, you will begin to see the answer is none of what can be fed to you in words...

words are just another symbol for god, they won't show you truth...we have to go look for ourselves.

Traditions can be important or they can be useless. It all depends on your viewpoint, and your life parameters in the system.

Eastern Mind
17 November 2007, 09:37 AM
I have a different take on choosing a path. I think one should, after looking at several, choose one, and remain steadfast on that one. Kind of like having a guru.... you should only have one. Otherwise there is conflict, and your subconscious has to deal with it. That is not to say you shouldn't respect other sects, or other religions for that matter. Its just better in my opinion to pick one path, and adhere to that when you delve within. If you read all the books, you will find conflict. Then you get this dual vs nondual, Siva vs Vishnu, North style vs South Style, and all of these unnecessary but somewhat minor differences that you still have to sort out. I believe your own intuition, or the God's beckoning you, will direct you to the right path for you. It's not really a choice. You probably already believe what you believe, and its merely finding the one sampradaya that most closely resembles what you already believe.Aum Namashivaya

ardhanari
27 November 2007, 01:43 AM
I have a different take on choosing a path. I think one should, after looking at several, choose one, and remain steadfast on that one. Kind of like having a guru.... you should only have one. Otherwise there is conflict, and your subconscious has to deal with it. That is not to say you shouldn't respect other sects, or other religions for that matter. Its just better in my opinion to pick one path, and adhere to that when you delve within. If you read all the books, you will find conflict. Then you get this dual vs nondual, Siva vs Vishnu, North style vs South Style, and all of these unnecessary but somewhat minor differences that you still have to sort out. I believe your own intuition, or the God's beckoning you, will direct you to the right path for you. It's not really a choice. You probably already believe what you believe, and its merely finding the one sampradaya that most closely resembles what you already believe.Aum Namashivaya

Eastern Mind,
Namaste!


Thank you so much for your post. After the passing weeks and a little bit more, I am finding that Chaitanya Vaishnavism is sufficient for me. Although I have yet to understand whether I am liberal or traditional in my perception of both theology and practice (whether the divinity of Lord Chaitanya was a later addition, the strict necessity of 16 rounds per day, the inauspiciousness of the left side, etc.), the rich amount of resources out there (non-ISKCON including), the pull and heavy attraction to Krishna, as well as the amount of inspiration by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and the variety found in the tradition, make the decision doubtless that yes, I am a Chaitanya Vaishnava and always have been.

Thank you all for your responses! :) May God bless you all.

Haribol,
Kevyn.