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Odion
12 June 2010, 02:39 AM
Namaste brothers and sisters.

I would like to write you this quick message to say: I am a Hindu. After a long time of searching, I came to my conclusion: I am Hindu. It took some time for me to realize this, because one of the things that I was worried about is being rejected by the community and that I would not be accepted by the community for not being born into it, and that I should go with the religion of my birth (although I grew up without a religion, from two liberal parents, both having their own faiths and not attempting to force it upon me).

I spent most of my time searching between two religions: Sikhism and Sanatana Dharma. It came like a flash when I realized I've been believing in it for a long time. I'm not adhereing to Hinduism because I deny the validity of others to practise their religion or anything, but because I feel, deep down, that Sanatana Dharma is the right religion for me: all the other paths, I get caught up in little titbits of theology. I don't with Sanatana Dharma.

What do you recommend I do now, to start living according to my dharma?

I have yet to find my ishta-deva. I am spiritually attracted to Krishna, Shiva, Kali, Lakshmi and Ganesha - so what path I will go into, I have no idea yet. How do I find out who my ishta-deva is?

So, does anyone have any questions? :)

devotee
12 June 2010, 04:07 AM
Welcome to Sanatan Dharma, Odion ! :)

Keep reading and listening ... & you will slowly know your inclination towards a particular form of God/path. Hinduism is a conglomeration of many paths and it has space for all types of people at different spiritual levels.

You can just start living like a Hindu ... & you are a Hndu .... it should not be difficult. :)


OM

anupj
12 June 2010, 04:55 AM
Namaste Odion,

Congratulations. What are your plans btw? To live like a Hindu, you can start by celebrating hindu festivals, do seva in mandirs(temples) of you choice, etc. but most important for a hindu is his journey towards the truth, which i know you are already up to.

Just wait for experienced people like Eastern Mind-ji, who will reply you sometime soon. and if i am not wrong, then one of our HDFite, SethDrebitko was in a similar situation recently. so you can even contact him.

Pranam

ScottMalaysia
12 June 2010, 07:18 AM
Namaste Odion,

Welcome to Hinduism!



What do you recommend I do now, to start living according to my dharma?


You should start by visiting your nearest Hindu temple. There are quite a number of them in the UK because of the large number of Indian immigrants. Have a shower and put on freshly washed clothes before you go. The thing about Hinduism is that it is about practical devotion to God (bhakti) rather than holding certain beliefs. We don't believe that simply believing and trusting in God is going to save us the way some Christians do. We have to engage in devotional service to God. And that is done mainly by puja (ritualistic worship) and japa (repetition of a mantra). You need to make friends with Hindus at your local temple and ask them for help on performing rituals. You could read all four Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita and still be none the wiser as for how to actually practice the Hindu religion. This is something that is usually learned by Hindus from their parents. So you need someone to show you in the same way. That is why I recommend visiting the temple regularly and making friends with Hindus.

Japa may be the easiest form of devotion for you at this stage. Get or make a japa mala (string of 108 beads with a larger head bead to keep count), sit quietly and repeat a mantra to a particular God that you choose 108 times.

For Shiva, chant Om Namah Shivaya
For Krishna, chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
For Ganesha, chant Om Sri Ganeshaya Namaha or Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
For Durga (form of Goddess Kali), chant Om Sri Durgayai Namaha
I'm not sure of the equivalent mantra for Goddess Lakshmi. Hopefully someone else can help me out.

For puja, you need to set up an altar in your house. Ask the Hindus at your local temple for advice. You can use a bookcase, shelf, table or specially constructed altar (which may be hard to find outside countries with significant Hindu minorities). Get pictures of the Gods that you want to worship on your altar - you mentioned Krishna, Shiva, Kali, Lakshmi and Ganesha. You may also want to get statues instead (polyresin ones are often availble in Hindu shops). For a simple puja, light an incense stick and wave it clockwise around the pictures in an odd number of circles. Always offer anything to Lord Ganesha before offering it to any other God. Once you have mastered this, ask either the members here or the Hindus at your local temple for advice on performing a more complex puja.


I have yet to find my ishta-deva. I am spiritually attracted to Krishna, Shiva, Kali, Lakshmi and Ganesha - so what path I will go into, I have no idea yet. How do I find out who my ishta-deva is?

Most Hindus worship many Gods on their altars. There's no harm in being devoted to a lot of Gods. With regard to sects and paths, most Hindus are not sectarian and do not subscribe to a set of sectarian beliefs, so you don't need to worry about that.

I would also recommend reading the Bhagavad-Gita. You can get a free version at http://www.gita-society.com/

Odion
12 June 2010, 07:25 AM
What are your plans btw?
Good question! At the moment, my plans are to find my ishta-deva and my philosophy, for example, Vaisnava, Saiva, Shakta, etc.


To live like a Hindu, you can start by celebrating hindu festivals, do seva in mandirs(temples) of you choice, etc. but most important for a hindu is his journey towards the truth, which i know you are already up to.

I will try to do as many of these as possible. Is there somewhere better than Wikipedia's and the BBC's that I can find a list of festivals? Wikipedia's are from 2008. :D

How do you advise that I do seva? I know how what seva is, but not how one would do it within a mandir. :)

Eastern Mind
12 June 2010, 07:29 AM
Vannakkam Odion:

Welcome to the faith. I understand completely what you are saying, as do most of the other western adoptives and converts on here. You would be an adoptive because your parents didn't indoctrinate you in any way. It is easier, because you don't have to give as much up. There is far less conflict in the mind. When you regress to an earlier mind flow (subconscious) religiously there is nothing there. Converts, on the other hand, often resort back to early childhood memories (samskaras) and beliefs when they struggle with something, usually without even realising they're doing it.

As far as further refining your search goes, if you go to a few different temples, one day that too will come. SD is primarily a religion of experience, not intellect. In this way you can 'feel' it better.

Try the BAPS Swaminarayan temple, the Highgate Murugan temple, and a few others by searching. Hopefully that will be as obvious as this one was for you.

Aum Namasivaya

Odion
12 June 2010, 07:48 AM
@ ScottMalaysia

Got it, thanks! I'll do my best.

I just came from the mandir, like, less than an hour ago. I enjoyed it, but I didn't really speak to anyone for very long. I'm a quite shy, so I'm not good at approaching people, and I don't know how to tell people there that I'm a Hindu without looking like I've just added it in randomly. :D

I don't know if we have any Hindu shops, here, although I do currently have a murti of Lord Ganesha that my father bought me for my birthday, only I haven't taken it to a mandir or got the priest to chant it to connect it to Lord Ganesha, or anything like that. I'll do that in time. :) Is there a reason why we offer puja to him first?

Thanks for the mantras, I'll be sure to use them. Would the top of a fireplace be an inappropriate place (It's a focal point in the room) or should I put them in my bookcase-y shelf thing?

@EasternMind

Thanks! Is there a major difference in when one is an adoptive and when one is a convert? I've heard converts should sever their ties with their previous religion so they don't cause inner conflicts and such.

I'm glad that I wasn't raised with a faith, in that case! We have three Hindu temples in my city, one that I don't know anything about (other than that in 2006 it upset the local Sikh community for some reason or other :confused:) and one that I don't know the exact location of (other than it's kind of far for me since I have no car)! Hopefully in time I will find it though. :)

Eastern Mind
12 June 2010, 08:09 AM
Odion: Personally I believe there is a HUGE difference. You can see it on here. People like me (I'm an adoptive) who never ever heard of Jesus, for example, deny his existence or don't care. But those who were brought up being constantly reminded of Jesus still hold that concept. They want to bring him along into the new faith, because they can't stand the idea of actually losing him. But that is their right as well.

They also hold that funerals are held in churches, a church is a social gathering place of community, and a ton of other stuff. Then they transfer that over to 'temple' yet a temple isn't that at all. Its no community gathering place. Its a personal space where each individual can make a direst one to one face to face connection with God. it is God's house, not the practitioner's gathering place.

As far as severing ties goes, some people may believe it isn't necessary, but certainly getting rid of previous belief systems is just common sense. Otherwise we have confusion. People who do go through a formal excommunication do so because they believe in the mystical side of religion. During baptism, you are mystically connected to inner guides and beings that help you whether you know it or not. This is especially true in Catholicism and Eastern orthodox faiths. So during excommunication, there is a psychic burning of that connection. (The heat is turned up, as they say.) Similarly an entance rite is used by some to get into Sanatana Dharma. Again, this is mostly done by those who see a mystical side to it. For those who view Hinduism as an intellectual or emotional exercise, or have lost touch with the mystic side, it isn't necessary, why do some meaningless rite anyway?

Of course this is just my personal opinion.

Aum Namasivaya

anupj
12 June 2010, 08:40 AM
Namaste Odion,
to get an idea, how people here on HDF have set up their shrine, see: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=4298 this will give you an idea about what scottmalaysia-ji and EM-ji are saying.

Ganesha ji is worshipped before beginning with anything, there is a reason for this, he is the remover of obstacles. you can read following threads to read more about Ganesha-ji:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=4837
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1559
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1563

about seva, maybe EM-ji can tell you more about how to do it. i suggested it because i came to know about it from EM-ji only, and found that to be a good idea.

about festivals, see: http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/11/hindu-festival-dates-2010.html i hope the dates are right. The nearest two festivals you could celebrate are, Guru Pournima, and Raksha Bandhan. These are very simple festivals to celebrate.

On guru Pournima, you can simply go and meet your Spiritual or any other teacher whom you respect the most, and seek his blessings.

On Raksha Bandhan, you can celebrate the day by being with your sister, and promising any kind of security to her from your side, and if you wish, you can let her to tie a Rakhi on your hands.


but i wanted to know, what kind of a devotee you are? i mean, are you a mystic who wants to question again and again and know about the lord. or are you a Bhakta who likes to sing praises to the lord, and live this life in serving others?? I ask this out of curiosity, i am more of a mystic kind.

and one more suggestion, you can also start practicing Yogic Exercises daily in the morning. I think you can get a training for that very easily. The benefit is that you start living like a hindu, and you also keep your body healthy.

Pranam

ScottMalaysia
12 June 2010, 07:44 PM
@ ScottMalaysia

Got it, thanks! I'll do my best.

I just came from the mandir, like, less than an hour ago. I enjoyed it, but I didn't really speak to anyone for very long. I'm a quite shy, so I'm not good at approaching people, and I don't know how to tell people there that I'm a Hindu without looking like I've just added it in randomly.

You could buy some kumkum powder (a sacred red powder) and put a mark on your forehead when you go to the temple. Dip your right ring finger in the powder and make a short (around 2cm) line on your forehead in line with your nose. This will immediately show everyone at the temple that you are a Hindu, akin to a Christian walking into a church wearing a cross or a Muslim walking into a mosque wearing an Islamic cap.


I don't know if we have any Hindu shops, here, although I do currently have a murti of Lord Ganesha that my father bought me for my birthday, only I haven't taken it to a mandir or got the priest to chant it to connect it to Lord Ganesha, or anything like that. I'll do that in time. Is there a reason why we offer puja to him first?
Ask the people at the temple if there are Indian shops in the area. Look for Indian grocery shops - they often sell prayer items and pictures in addition to the regular grocery items.

We offer puja to Lord Ganesha first because He removes all obstacles from our path in performing the puja.


Thanks for the mantras, I'll be sure to use them. Would the top of a fireplace be an inappropriate place (It's a focal point in the room) or should I put them in my bookcase-y shelf thing?I'm not sure about a fireplace - I'll let someone else answer that. A bookshelf would work, though. It's best if possible to have a separate bookshelf that is only used as an altar and not to store secular books.

@EasternMind


Thanks! Is there a major difference in when one is an adoptive and when one is a convert? I've heard converts should sever their ties with their previous religion so they don't cause inner conflicts and such.Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's organisation is big on this. They want converts to approach a minister of their previous religion and get a "letter of severance" from that religion. However, this is not necessary in the case of Roman Catholicism, where a person is automatically excommunicated from the Church the moment they stop believing in the Catholic faith. I also think that for a Muslim convert to approach his imam and ask for a letter of severance would be a very foolish and unnecessary move which may place his life in danger.


I'm glad that I wasn't raised with a faith, in that case! We have three Hindu temples in my city, one that I don't know anything about (other than that in 2006 it upset the local Sikh community for some reason or other ) and one that I don't know the exact location of (other than it's kind of far for me since I have no car)! Hopefully in time I will find it though. You should check them out when you are free. See if there are any buses going to the temple, or even within walking distance. You'll find that Hindu temples are very varied, because India is a vast country and Hinduism is practiced very differently in different parts.

Here is what a typical South Indian temple looks like:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6EGjAQ-bw7o/SVtZiIFN_SI/AAAAAAAAAa8/F4JnElOlM7o/s400/Twin%20Towers%20033.jpg

And here is what a typical North Indian temple looks like:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6EGjAQ-bw7o/SVtdKeL1OcI/AAAAAAAAAk0/FZItBVPFk2c/s400/SL381030.JPGo

So go to all the temples in your city. You may find that you like one more than the others, or that one provides more activities and classes. Go to all of them and then see which one you like the best.

Ramakrishna
12 June 2010, 10:08 PM
Namaste Odion,

Welcome to Hinduism!

You have been given excellent advice already. As for finding your Ishta Deva, just pray about it and overtime you will see which form of God you are most attracted to. Some people have really specific instances which make them choose an Ishta-Deva, such as a dream. But I think for most people it just comes with experience and overtime they become attracted to a particular deity. Some people don't have an Ishta-Deva at all, and they just pray to several deities equally.

My advice to you is not to be too concerned with specific sects or denominations. I used to be really concerned with sects and denominations until I found out most Hindus don't have one. I think most Hindus have an Ishta-Deva, but most of them don't identify with a specific sect or denomination. For example, my Ishta-Deva is Lord Krishna and most of my prayers are to Lord Krishna, but I also pray to Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and other deities. Most Hindus have an Ishta-Deva that they pray to mostly, but they also pray to other forms of God. Of course, there are also some who fit strongly into a certain denomination or sect and pray solely to one deity. I would identify myself as a Vaishnava leaning Smarta or a Smarta leaning Vaishnava. Or I could say that I'm non-sectarian. The point is that it doesn't really matter and too much emphasis shouldn't be placed on it. We are all Hindus and adherents to Sanatana Dharma. You should take a look at this thread: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=5828

To begin with, you should establish a spiritual practice, sadhana, that you can adhere to. You could start off by simply doing some japa and reading scriptures. Then eventually you can start doing puja and meditation. You should definitely set up an altar. Most pujas are done sitting down, so I don't know if a fireplace would be good. You could set it up on a bookcase. It could be something as simple as that or as elaborate as an entire table or multiple shelves. The point is to have a specific place where you can pray and do puja to build up shakti.

Jai Sri Krishna

ScottMalaysia
13 June 2010, 04:05 AM
My advice to you is not to be too concerned with specific sects or denominations. I used to be really concerned with sects and denominations until I found out most Hindus don't have one. I think most Hindus have an Ishta-Deva, but most of them don't identify with a specific sect or denomination. For example, my Ishta-Deva is Lord Krishna and most of my prayers are to Lord Krishna, but I also pray to Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and other deities. Most Hindus have an Ishta-Deva that they pray to mostly, but they also pray to other forms of God. Of course, there are also some who fit strongly into a certain denomination or sect and pray solely to one deity. I would identify myself as a Vaishnava leaning Smarta or a Smarta leaning Vaishnava. Or I could say that I'm non-sectarian. The point is that it doesn't really matter and too much emphasis shouldn't be placed on it. We are all Hindus and adherents to Sanatana Dharma.

Namaste Odion,

I would also like to warn you about getting involved with highly sectarian groups such as ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), also known as the Hare Krishnas. They are highly sectarian, even though they say that they are not sectarian and are worshipping the same God as Christians and Muslims. They will tell you not to pray to Lord Shiva, Goddess Kali, or Lord Ganesha, because they see them as "demigods", servants of Lord Krishna, who they believe to be the Supreme Lord and God. They are extremely strict, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra 1,728 times a day and devoting all their free time to devotional service. Members are encouraged not to read books or magazines not related to Krishna Consciousness.

Why am I mentioning this? Because in many cases, ISKCON is the form of Hinduism that Westerners become acquainted with. Most Hindus don't proselytize or try and convert people to Hinduism, while ISKCON does. Many Hindu temples in the Western world are ISKCON temples, which exist solely because of the large numbers of ISKCON converts.

Odion
13 June 2010, 05:06 AM
Thank you guys! I'm learning a lot here. Apologies for all the questions, and I really appreciate all the advice!

@Eastern Mind
That's a good point! I wouldn't want to have a church burial thing anyway, although my death is a long way off. I hope...!

Thank you for explaining your take on the rites. I'm not sure about taking one yet, personally, because I don't know enough about initiation ceremonies into Sanatana Dharma, except the Naming Ceremony, and I'd like to keep my name, although I wouldn't mind an extra, spiritual name. Shuddhi is something I don't know enough about to know whether I would want it right now or not.

@anupj
I've been looking through! There are some really beautiful altars!
Oh, so that is why Ganesha is worshipped first! I knew Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, but it didn't click that's why you did puja for him first :-) (thanks to ScottMalaysia here, too)

I will celebrate those festivals -- except I don't know where to get rakhi from. Would any flower suffice, or rakhi only? I do think I a lean slightly more towards the mystic side, but maybe in time I will lean more to bhakti. I have some yoga videos, and I've been hoping to start using them! In time, I will. :)


@ScottMalaysia
Where can I get kumkum powder from? You mentioned Indian grocery shops; shall I check here fore it? Regarding kumkum, may I ask why it is not applied to widows?

Is there a reason for having a separate bookshelf for the altar, besides that it would be disrespectful to do so?

@Ramakrishna
Okay, I won't worry about who my ishta-deva is. I guess He or She will let me know. I've been looking through the thread, it's been an interesting read.

A bit of a problem for me is that my house is tiny, but I'll see where I can find a puja section. I try to meditate whenever I get the chance, except getting left alone long enough to is a gem! As soon as I go for meditation, the whole damn world wants me for something. :D

@ScottMalaysia
Good advice, thanks! I'm lucky enough to know quite a bit about ISKCON, because they were the first access I had to Sanatana Dharma, but I'm not a fan of them personally. May I know some other sectarian groups I should avoid? It was actually a conservative Hare Krishna ranting to himself that led me to learn ISKCON is not for me. Who said whining is not helpful? :D

ScottMalaysia
13 June 2010, 07:42 AM
Thank you guys! I'm learning a lot here. Apologies for all the questions, and I really appreciate all the advice!

@Eastern Mind
That's a good point! I wouldn't want to have a church burial thing anyway, although my death is a long way off. I hope...!

Thank you for explaining your take on the rites. I'm not sure about taking one yet, personally, because I don't know enough about initiation ceremonies into Sanatana Dharma, except the Naming Ceremony, and I'd like to keep my name, although I wouldn't mind an extra, spiritual name. Shuddhi is something I don't know enough about to know whether I would want it right now or not.

A Naming Ceremony (namakarana samskara) is not necessary. I haven't had one, although I would like to at some stage.


@ScottMalaysia
Where can I get kumkum powder from? You mentioned Indian grocery shops; shall I check here fore it? Regarding kumkum, may I ask why it is not applied to widows?

Most Indian grocery shops that sell prayer supplies will sell it. Again, ask the devotees at your local temple if you're having trouble finding it.



Is there a reason for having a separate bookshelf for the altar, besides that it would be disrespectful to do so?

If space is limited, then by all means use the same bookshelf. However, when you set up an altar, you are inviting God into your house, so it's best to have a separate altar used just for that purpose. You should also treat the area around the altar as sacred and not approach the altar before bathing or while wearing dirty clothes. Do not touch the altar (or anything sacred) before showering in the morning.




@ScottMalaysia
Good advice, thanks! I'm lucky enough to know quite a bit about ISKCON, because they were the first access I had to Sanatana Dharma, but I'm not a fan of them personally. May I know some other sectarian groups I should avoid? It was actually a conservative Hare Krishna ranting to himself that led me to learn ISKCON is not for me. Who said whining is not helpful?

ISKCON is the main one to stay away from. Other sectarian groups such as Swaminarayan or Saiva Siddhanta Church (which I think Eastern Mind belongs to) are generally okay. I would also recommend staying away from Sathya Sai Baba movements, which are becoming more common in the West as well. They are not strictly Hindu as they involve teachings and festivals from other religions, and they also worship Sathya Sai Baba as an avatar of God, which is not a standard Hindu teaching.

You may also find some Hindus who believe that conversion to Hinduism is not possible, i.e. you have to be born a Hindu. This is not true and there is no scriptural proof for it, but quite a few Hindus believe it (including TatTvamAsi on this forum). So if you go to a temple full of Smartas, they may not accept you as a Hindu since you're not Indian. There are many temples in India which do not allow non-Hindus in, and they judge Western Hindu converts to be non-Hindus. The Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa, is famous for this.

ScottMalaysia
13 June 2010, 07:51 AM
As far as severing ties goes, some people may believe it isn't necessary, but certainly getting rid of previous belief systems is just common sense. Otherwise we have confusion. People who do go through a formal excommunication do so because they believe in the mystical side of religion. During baptism, you are mystically connected to inner guides and beings that help you whether you know it or not. This is especially true in Catholicism and Eastern orthodox faiths. So during excommunication, there is a psychic burning of that connection. In Catholic and Orthodox theology, baptism leaves an indelible mark on the soul which can never be erased. A Catholic who leaves the Church is an apostate Catholic, but he still bears the mark of baptism on his soul. Excommunication does not and cannot erase this mark. Excommunication refers to excluding an individual from the sacraments and declaring that such an individual is outside the Church. There is no psychic burning of any connection, simply a declaration that so-and-so has left the Church. A person who has been excommunicated can in most cases be readmitted to the Church by confessing their sins to a priest (Catholicism though has a small number of serious sins which incur an immediate excommunication that only the Pope can lift).

Excommunication generally happens automatically (latae sententiae). Only in the most serious cases is someone declared to be excommunicated by a bishop, priest or Pope, and such a person is generally someone who wishes to remain a Catholic but holds some erroneous belief or has performed some gravely wrong or schismatic act.

If you are a Catholic who believes that Hinduism is the truth, then you have excommunicated yourself from the Church. You may want to make a private affirmation of your Hindu faith in the temple by praying to whichever God you wish, stating that you no longer follow Christianity and will follow Hinduism from this point onwards.

Eastern Mind
13 June 2010, 08:35 AM
Vannakkam Scott:

I looked back in my sources and you are correct. Apostacy itself means excommunication. But some mystical people also prefer a more emotional or definitive experience, called closure in many instances. Therefore they go back and get refused communion, which is the duty of the priest present.

I have no such experience myself, and only refer to the 'heat' from friends of mine who went through the experience personally. Of course mysticism is believed by the mystically inclined and not by rationalists or people not having such experiences. I would never argue with someone about something so personal as their own experience. I do believe we are 'assigned' inner beings to help guide us along the way. Once again, this is just a personal belief based on my experience, and others can choose to not believe it.

Some rationalists, BTW, equate mysticism with epilepsy, but as far as I know, i don't have epilepsy, or any other syndrome that might equate science to experiences.

Aum Namasivaya

anupj
13 June 2010, 08:40 AM
@anupj
I've been looking through! There are some really beautiful altars!
Oh, so that is why Ganesha is worshipped first! I knew Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, but it didn't click that's why you did puja for him first :-) (thanks to ScottMalaysia here, too)

I will celebrate those festivals -- except I don't know where to get rakhi from. Would any flower suffice, or rakhi only? I do think I a lean slightly more towards the mystic side, but maybe in time I will lean more to bhakti. I have some yoga videos, and I've been hoping to start using them! In time, I will. :)


Namaste,

if you think you are inclined more to the mystic side, then so be it. and as i have told you before, reading the Bhagavad Gita is the best thing to start with. I personally find a combination of reading BG, Introspection, and Meditation to be the most helpful for a mystic like me. Do not worry, you will also find your path soon.

the rakhi should be available at the proper time in any indian shop near you. Some of my sisters actually sent me an electronic rakhi(an egreeting card) on that day.

Pranam

BryonMorrigan
13 June 2010, 11:33 AM
I'm not sure about a fireplace - I'll let someone else answer that. A bookshelf would work, though. It's best if possible to have a separate bookshelf that is only used as an altar and not to store secular books.

I think it depends on the fireplace. I live in a large, 19th century Victorian mansion, and I use this fireplace in the library as an altar:

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm86/BryonMorrigan/100_0686-1.jpg

Yes, it's a little high up for an altar, but it also ensures that my almost-2-year-old daughter doesn't touch anything on it as well. It's the prettiest fireplace in the house, and one that we do not use as a fireplace. It is used solely as an altar.

Sahasranama
13 June 2010, 12:44 PM
Nice one, you can do agnihotra in the fireplace.

Ramakrishna
13 June 2010, 10:49 PM
@Ramakrishna
Okay, I won't worry about who my ishta-deva is. I guess He or She will let me know. I've been looking through the thread, it's been an interesting read.

A bit of a problem for me is that my house is tiny, but I'll see where I can find a puja section. I try to meditate whenever I get the chance, except getting left alone long enough to is a gem! As soon as I go for meditation, the whole damn world wants me for something. :D


Namaste Odion,

Yeah exactly, a good way of putting it is that you cannot really find your Ishta-Deva, but your Ishta-Deva will find you. Of course you are never "lost" to your Ishta-Deva, but you know what I mean :)

That is a very common problem with meditation. I've heard that the best time to meditate is early in the morning, before the distractions of the day set in. I have never tried that, but a lot of the time I meditate at night when nobody else needs me before I go to bed. I'm planning on doing it early in the morning sometime, though.

Jai Sri Krishna