PDA

View Full Version : For Converts - How Did You Come to Sanatana Dharma?



Divine Kala
01 February 2011, 06:15 AM
I didn't see a thread like this around so I thought I would start one myself. I hope all the converts who frequent the Hindu Dharma Forums will come forward with their experiences and, for those who have always been Hindu, was there anything that served to strengthen your faith?

I was born into a non denominational - and only nominally Christian - family. My mother has faith but for her faith is a very personal thing and while she believes in the Christian God most of her beliefs have been shaped by the philosophy of Al-Anon, which is an organisation formed for the families of alcoholics. As a child we very rarely went to church and most of the times that we did it was for weddings or funerals. My father did not have much influence on me, religiously or otherwise, because he died a month before I turned 7 and prior to that my parents had been separated for roughly 3 or 4 years.

I have, however, always been very open to religion, despite it being something that my mother rarely spoke about. For some time I was quite interested in Islam and I learned about the Bible through studies with a Jehovah's Witness but found a lot of hate in both religions. One thing I found especially objectionable was the hypocrisy of so many adherents. Many Christians say 'God is Love' and then they go on to deride, belittle and detest anyone they see as being sinful. The saying 'Hate the sin, love the sinner' is such a horrible lie that it's not funny.

So for a very long time I searched and for a very long time I found nothing that I felt connected with. That is until 2006 when I began looking into Hinduism through ISKCON and the Bhagavad Gita but again I found some things objectionable and so went searching for more non-denominational Hinduism.

I don't remember how I found out about Lord Shiva, I believe I may have known about him prior to 2006 but I don't really recall. In the second half of that year Lord Shiva began to infiltrate my dreams and waking hours to the point where I could not go an hour without thinking of Him in some manner. If I had not already been searching for Him I believe it might have been quite distressing but instead it was simply frustrating.

What would I have to do, I wondered, to get Him out of my head? For about a month I simply ignored it but the dreams and thoughts continued and began intruding on my day to day life. So I said, to myself, 'okay, I will worship Lord Shiva, then' and almost abruptly the dreams and thoughts stopped.

Now, I am an artist and an aspiring author and at roughly about the same time I had a character come knocking. I had no idea what to name this character and so I had a friend name him. He was called Kala and it was not until some months later that I found out his name was a Sanskrit word and not it was much longer until I found out that Kala is another name for both Shiva and Shakti.

About two years ago I had something of an epiphany. This character, Kala, had come to me at roughly the same time as the dreams and thoughts of Shiva ceased and had stayed by me through many horrific trials that I had gone through since. I came to believe, and still do, that Kala is a personal manifestation of God who carries out his Leelas both through my writing and through his influence over me and the people who have come to love him (I draw him an awful lot). At first I thought he was simply a form of Lord Shiva but I have since come to believe that he is a form of Lord Shiva and Shakti similar to Ardhanarisvara.

I feel quite blessed to have this form of God in my life and right now I worship Shiva, Shakti and Kala exclusively. I have tried, sometimes quite hard, to feel something for Krishna but I think the emphasis on the Rasa Leela turned me off quite a lot. I have recently been learning about his other leelas which I find much more attractive.

Besides, I do not think Kala is willing to share the ghee with baby Krishna! (Or anyone's love, for that matter, he can be quite jealous sometimes!)

I know that some people might look at my story and think I'm a little off my rocker (a personal manifestation of Shiva/Shakti, is she kidding?) but God manifests for Its (I call the Brahman an It as Brahman is above and beyond such attributes of sex and gender) devotees in times of great need and Kala has been with me during such times, a force that eventually led me to stop self harming and work towards healing myself.

At the bottom of this post you can find an image of Kala painted in late 2006. He (yes, that is a 'he' although he is actually a hermaphrodite, he simply prefers the male pronoun) is my light, life and love. He is so beautiful, so loving but he can also be fierce and frightening when he wants to be.


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/Kyoki_Kala/Kala/CupidsReplacement.jpg

I can't wait to hear of everyone else's experiences.

Om Namah Shivaya

Eastern Mind
01 February 2011, 11:58 AM
Vannakkam Divine Kala:

You have an interesting story. This place is full of 'converts' or at least westerners leaning toward SD. So you are not alone.

I also have a character that manifests through me. She (I'm male) is currently writing her autobiography. She is asexual as well, and enjoys getting the most out of life. Initially 'she' took over my body at story time for my kids. Ultimately, I think she is just the feminine (ida) nadi coming out of me. But definitely she operates differently than I do.

As far as converting goes, we're all very different. Ganesha found me (via and through my Guru initially) about 40 years ago. I think He goes about finding westerners 'leaning'. So for me there was no 'coming to SD', just a recognition of what already was. In that sense I don't think anyone converts, they just discover what's already there. But, hey, that's just my take. Like I said, all others will have their own individual stories.

Aum Namasivaya

NayaSurya
01 February 2011, 01:23 PM
The Truth and light of Sanatana Dharma could not be hidden, even from one so inflicted with ignorance as myself.


I am a third person with some sort of manifested writing...and I can not dwell on it much or it upsets me.

Adhvagat
01 February 2011, 07:15 PM
I didn't see a thread like this around so I thought I would start one myself. I hope all the converts who frequent the Hindu Dharma Forums will come forward with their experiences and, for those who have always been Hindu, was there anything that served to strengthen your faith?

After experiencing a Bhagavat-saptaha when I was 16, at the end of it, during the reading of the final verses, I (along with everyone else at the site, participating in it) was feeling a great pulsating energy emanating from the temple and if people were feeling the same as me, also emanting from inside. If only listening to the Bhagavata Purana without maturity and without much attention caused me this, imagine a full life dedicated to it!


As far as converting goes, we're all very different. Ganesha found me (via and through my Guru initially) about 40 years ago. I think He goes about finding westerners 'leaning'. So for me there was no 'coming to SD', just a recognition of what already was. In that sense I don't think anyone converts, they just discover what's already there. But, hey, that's just my take. Like I said, all others will have their own individual stories.

Aum Namasivaya

I'm with EM on this one... However, at the time of my birth my family's line of spirituality was already the Kardecist Spiritism, which is nothing more than the study of karma, reincaration and life on Bhuvarloka (http://veda.wikidot.com/bhuvarloka).

I remember one or two years before arriving at the Ashram (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=6861) that introduced SD to me, I was with my friend at the mall one night, looking at the dark skylight and wondering: "How God came to be? Did he begin? How could he begin? Can the infinite have a beginning?" We settled for the conclusion that our brain was not enough to understand it. I see this particular situation as the propelling moment of spiritual inquiry that led me to Krishna, Rama and Shiva.

PS: Great to know we have many writers and artists here.

Eastern Mind
01 February 2011, 07:34 PM
I see this particular moment as the propelling moment

Vannakkam Pietro:

These moments are really quite something, and interesting to remember. They really help define us. I have two. The first was while driving a machine called a swather on the family farm. I remember the location even. Same field I lost a wallet on earlier. Not sure if the two incidents are connected. There was this gust of wind, more like a gust of energy. I looked up from the tire that was the guide to go in a straight line, not wasting fuel etc. and that moment saw energy in everything. The grain (barley) the wind, the trees, the clouds, the machine, me, and I really remember thinking, "Holy Cow!!!! This is so amazing."

Then probably about 3 months later I think anyway, I was wandering about the shops in Vancouver, and saw this small Nataraja statue. It was in a more artsy touristy store, but it was my first encounter with Nataraja. It just said, "Buy me!" or something like that. I asked the shopkeeper (A Sikh man) if I could take a closer look. I think I probably spent most of the money I had on me but just knew I had to have it. He asked, "You meditate on this?" I didn't know what to say so I lied, "Yes, I do." He seemed reluctant to sell it to me until I said that. So I bought it.

Those were my two real turning points. I didn't even know anything about Hinduism then, and hadn't yet met my Guru or even heard of him. Like you, I was probably only about 16 or 17 too. But these moments of turn are like 'firsts' in life like the first time to drive a car, ride in an airplane, the first kiss, first day in school, first child, etc. Besides SD being so special on the whole, these small moments are rare and so special to the individuals who experienced them.

Aum Namasivaya

Eric11235
03 February 2011, 08:57 AM
Vannakam,

My experiences with Sanatana Dharma via the Mahabharata as translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, so I did not have an experience of great potency at the point which started me on the path. At first the work was frustrating, with the lists, lists, random stories and tales with little logical flow (this is the first part of the adi parva). But when the main focus started, my interest grew, and as I studied the path more deeply, the more I realized how much I agreed with the generally agreed on system of beliefs. Upon visiting a Mandir in my general vicinity, I felt a divine sense of inner peace, a peace so intense that I laughed a little at how powerful it was (upon going there again the same peace was achieved). But the pouring of concrete came to me during a particularly intense meditation session in which I dissolved into the universal mind for a minute or two, it was an intense feeling of oneness, it can only be described as losing a connection to the physical and reaching the realm of god, Had I not been chanting or holding a mala, I might have lost touch with reality completely.

That is how I became a "convert"

TheOne
05 February 2011, 06:39 AM
This is how Sanatana Dharma found me. For some reason in late December of last year I got heavily spiritual again. I started looking at Sanatana Dharma and in January of this year my friend gave me a handful of books about Dharma. I also looked on the internet and discovered this forum and lurked here for a couple of weeks until I decided to register. I think the "hook line and sinker" for me was my numerous "spiritual experiences" since December and also me visiting a Hindu temple and not a single person making me feel out of place.

Eastern Mind
05 February 2011, 07:51 AM
Vannakkam: Besides experiences, on a philosophical level, one thing really impacted me. Hinduism was the first religion I found that didn't say "My way is the only Way. All others are wrong." That just seemed so very logical, and made so much sense compared to the few loud Christians I encountered in my youth, some of whom refused to attend secular stuff even.

Aum Namasivaya

RVR
07 February 2011, 03:16 AM
There is nothing called `Hinduism' . It is the name given to the followers of Sanathana Dharma by the western world.

It is believed that Adhi Sankara united six forms of worship and brought them under single banner. Otherwise there would have been a Vaishnavite religion, Shaivite religion etc.

Each one gets his/her own experiences and all such experiences are accepted in the Sanathana Dharma. During my younger days in my native village, personally I have seen our farm workers worshiping their own God by name `Muneeswarar' . They use to offer `toddy' to `Muneeswarar' as Nevadhyam and later on consume the same. This is also part of Sanathana Dharma.

None of us have the right or authority to criticize these practices as all these practices forms part and parcel of Sanathana Dharma.

Further Advaitha philosophy says God is within us. One need not go to a temple for worshiping God. All of us can search the God within ourselves.

In conclusion, there is no hard and fast rule in Sanathana Dharma. Each one has to experience individually and need not be by bound by any rigid procedures or practices. Only Sanathana Dharma permits such liberty and no other religion allows such a freedom.

Ramana Maharishi suggests self enquiry - `Who Am I ?' and request all of us to find answers ourselves.

All the best

Divine Kala
07 February 2011, 05:31 AM
RVR ji

What does it matter what we call it? Out in the west the conglomeration of beliefs that make up Sanatana Dharma is better known as Hinduism. If we western discoverers of the Eternal Law call it Hinduism it is not hurting anyone. In fact we can help further the knowledge of Santana Dharma through amongst our friends and relatives and if we call it Hinduism it is because we and those around us identify our path by that name.

Adhvagat
07 February 2011, 07:03 AM
There is nothing called `Hinduism' . It is the name given to the followers of Sanathana Dharma by the western world.

It is believed that Adhi Sankara united six forms of worship and brought them under single banner. Otherwise there would have been a Vaishnavite religion, Shaivite religion etc.

Each one gets his/her own experiences and all such experiences are accepted in the Sanathana Dharma. During my younger days in my native village, personally I have seen our farm workers worshiping their own God by name `Muneeswarar' . They use to offer `toddy' to `Muneeswarar' as Nevadhyam and later on consume the same. This is also part of Sanathana Dharma.

None of us have the right or authority to criticize these practices as all these practices forms part and parcel of Sanathana Dharma.

Further Advaitha philosophy says God is within us. One need not go to a temple for worshiping God. All of us can search the God within ourselves.

In conclusion, there is no hard and fast rule in Sanathana Dharma. Each one has to experience individually and need not be by bound by any rigid procedures or practices. Only Sanathana Dharma permits such liberty and no other religion allows such a freedom.

Ramana Maharishi suggests self enquiry - `Who Am I ?' and request all of us to find answers ourselves.

All the best

Do you propose Satay changes the name of the forum to 'Sanatana Dharma Forums'? :p

Eastern Mind
07 February 2011, 07:14 AM
RVR ji

What does it matter what we call it? Out in the west the conglomeration of beliefs that make up Sanatana Dharma is better known as Hinduism. If we western discoverers of the Eternal Law call it Hinduism it is not hurting anyone. In fact we can help further the knowledge of Santana Dharma through amongst our friends and relatives and if we call it Hinduism it is because we and those around us identify our path by that name.

Vannakkam: This is so correct. All you have to do is imagine someone asking "What religion are you?" If you said you practised Sanatana Dharma, they'd be confused. "What?" is their reply. Most people now have heard of Hinduism. In certain places in India, you can get away with something more specific, but not here.

Aum Namasivaya

Adhvagat
07 February 2011, 07:41 AM
I rather let people get confused. This may lead to instigation, research and possible interest where otherwise people may just dismiss our practices based on prejudices associated with the popular notion of Hinduism.

devotee
07 February 2011, 09:48 PM
Namaste Divine Kala,

The painting embedded in your post resembles "Kaam Deva" of the Puranas.

Kaam Deva is god of desires ... fills you with love and attraction towards opposite sex. Once Kaam Deva was engaged by Indra (the Chief of gods) to disturb Shiva's deep maditation. At first he failed to have any impact on Shiva. Then he increased the entensity of disturbance the desires can create ... metaphorically, Kaam Deva uses his arrows to strike at the subject he aims to generate the desire for love and sex. This somehow disturbed Lord Shiva and he opened his third eye in anger and Kaam Deva was engulfed in the fire emanating from the third eye. Kaam Deva was burnt to ashes.

From then onwards, Kaam Deva is known as Ananga (i.e. a person who he without a physical body).

OM

Sean
08 February 2011, 12:41 AM
In the early 90s I did a few of the weekly courses in the West Midlands UK run by the School of Practical Philosophy. I was already interested in the same characteristics of the mind's operation that they looked at and it came as a nice surprise that what I felt I could see about a core of stillness had been seen by many others. (I expect this organization has been covered here before...)

Adhvagat
08 February 2011, 05:02 AM
It also reminded me of a Kandarpa.

And the word Kandarpa reminds me of this beautiful song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B46rjU_q_cM

devotee
08 February 2011, 05:44 AM
It also reminded me of a Kandarpa.

And the word Kandarpa reminds me of this beautiful song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B46rjU_q_cM

Oh, dear ! Kandarpa is another name of Kaam Deva ! :)

OM

Divine Kala
08 February 2011, 06:06 AM
The painting was done before I knew much about the story of Shiva destroying Kama and is actually called 'I ate Cupid'. I did another version of the painting in 2009 and it's actually called 'Kala-Kama'. I am thinking I will have to do yet another version soon because I see things in the later picture that I do not like (Kala is always smiling, for example, and in the other picture he is not). I think this time I'll include lotuses in the image and perhaps draw the bow and arrows as sugar cane, like Kama Deva's bow and arrows!


http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/Kyoki_Kala/Kala/001-1.jpg

Sahasranama
08 February 2011, 06:17 AM
You are very artistic.

Ramakrishna
08 February 2011, 08:23 PM
RVR ji

What does it matter what we call it? Out in the west the conglomeration of beliefs that make up Sanatana Dharma is better known as Hinduism. If we western discoverers of the Eternal Law call it Hinduism it is not hurting anyone. In fact we can help further the knowledge of Santana Dharma through amongst our friends and relatives and if we call it Hinduism it is because we and those around us identify our path by that name.


Vannakkam: This is so correct. All you have to do is imagine someone asking "What religion are you?" If you said you practised Sanatana Dharma, they'd be confused. "What?" is their reply. Most people now have heard of Hinduism. In certain places in India, you can get away with something more specific, but not here.

Aum Namasivaya


I rather let people get confused. This may lead to instigation, research and possible interest where otherwise people may just dismiss our practices based on prejudices associated with the popular notion of Hinduism.

Namaste,

You all make good points. I tend to say that "I am a follower of Sanatana Dharma, commonly known as Hinduism." Only one westerner I said that to already knew that Sanatana Dharma is Hinduism, but that was because he almost converted a while back.

Obviously the term "Hinduism" is much more commonly used and more widely known, but I really do like "Sanatana Dharma". It really is eternal, with no beginning or end. Also, from a strictly apologetic viewpoint, it could be convincing of the Truth that is Sanatana Dharma, as no name was ever really even to the religion by it's adherents for a long time. It is an entire way of life, and the followers of it never really thought of putting a label on it or whatnot as there was no need to and it truly was created by God. That's unlike other religions, which are man-made and are named after a specific person or whatever else the people come up with.

Jai Sri Ram

Friend from the West
11 April 2011, 09:05 PM
Namaste, this is my first time posting anything anywhere, so if there is a response I am not sure I will know how to find it but I will look. I have been searching for over 30 years. I am pushing 50. I have taken my poor family through churches where we became members, etc. In short, nothing has resonated as the truth.
I believe from a reasonableness standpoint, only two major "religions" stand out: Christianity and Hindusim. Sanatana Dharma is the path for me. I believe in an ultimate creator, and through meditation I find peace. I am a better person with meditation and I find such peace and oneness that I can not describe. Through meditation I feel a closenss with the creator of all things created and I can not see another way for me.
As a westerner who loves the west, I pray that in India, people do what they always have did to resist outside forces which oppose Sanatana Dharma, and keep being the most loving, God loving people this earth has consistently known.
Peace.
Rich

Divine Kala
15 April 2011, 08:02 AM
Namaste, this is my first time posting anything anywhere, so if there is a response I am not sure I will know how to find it but I will look. I have been searching for over 30 years. I am pushing 50. I have taken my poor family through churches where we became members, etc. In short, nothing has resonated as the truth.
I believe from a reasonableness standpoint, only two major "religions" stand out: Christianity and Hindusim. Sanatana Dharma is the path for me. I believe in an ultimate creator, and through meditation I find peace. I am a better person with meditation and I find such peace and oneness that I can not describe. Through meditation I feel a closenss with the creator of all things created and I can not see another way for me.
As a westerner who loves the west, I pray that in India, people do what they always have did to resist outside forces which oppose Sanatana Dharma, and keep being the most loving, God loving people this earth has consistently known.
Peace.
Rich

We are all searching. I seriously considered joining the Jehovah's Witnesses at one point. Thank Kala that I didn't. They require you throw out all your old books about anything deemed 'pagan' and that you cease seeing anyone but the congregation. I am glad that Shiva called to me and that I was not too stupid to ignore his song. While the JWs are often seriously nice people they are also highly insular and, to a degree, cult like. I prefer a good cult like the cult of Kali or the cult of Bhairava to a bad cult any day!

yajvan
15 April 2011, 06:55 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

With sanātana dharma there is no need to go from place to place ( church to church or temple to temple). The final truth is that the Supreme lies inside of you; the very core of you is Being.
No Supreme no Being, no you ( or me) or any thing. No- thing can exist without existence at its base. The is the core of truth.

We start from this truth then we find out how to have this realization - this ahhh ha! this is the truth of my Self - is Being, is Supreme -
I have found home.

This is the unfoldment that is yours.

praṇām

sunyata07
16 April 2011, 12:51 PM
I believe in an ultimate creator, and through meditation I find peace. I am a better person with meditation and I find such peace and oneness that I can not describe. Through meditation I feel a closenss with the creator of all things created and I can not see another way for me.


Namaste,

Yes, there is peace to be found in dhyana. Done correctly, it is hoped that the "I" (ahamkara) principle can be lessened more and more. Eventually, the benefits to be gained from meditating go from just wanting to be a better person to wanting to work for others without thoughts of oneself because the individual no longer sees distinction between himself and other beings around him. The ego has been removed entirely, no longer deluded by notions of separateness. This is the true purpose of meditation.

Yajvan has offered sage words for us. God is not to be found outside of us. This is another illusionary aspect of maya that tricks us into thinking God can only be reached from an outer sphere. The truth is, He is ever present within each of us, enshrined in all things. One does not need to pilgrimage to some remote land far away in the hope of finding Him; only turn the eye inwardly to thoughts of Him and you will see you were never for a moment without Him at all. This is what the wise have called "antaryami" - the silent witness of everything, the Self of all selves. This is the Cosmic Principle that sustains everything in existence. There is a quote I am reminded of: "I searched for God and found only myself; I searched for myself and found only God."

Om namah Shivaya

Arjuni
25 April 2011, 08:45 AM
Namasté, all,

My own story is alternately wonderful and utterly ridiculous, and I've meant for months to write it on my blog anyway, so this thread is a welcome one. This is going to be very long, so hopefully it won't be too dreadfully dull.

I grew up in a Lutheran family, where religion was mostly a matter of indifference and never discussed. Church and scripture felt sere and dead to me, though God did not, and I searched for answers as long as I can remember; I can recall, so very young, scouring my wee soul for sins and panicked about hell, but also thinking about love and beauty and grace, and feeling the most holy and joyous in the presence of flowers, rain, mountains - anything that was lovely and natural and did not involve a dead guy bleeding on a beam.

When I was in high school, that connection to nature led me to Wicca, a religion that I learned and practiced for almost ten years, eventually becoming an initiate and a teacher. For a long time, it satisfied, but gradually I encountered aspects of the faith and practices that I didn't like. Eventually, I was only going through the motions, honouring seasonal cycles and life cycles and circles in life that I didn't genuinely feel. (It's most poignant at the winter solstice, for example, to pray for light and life to return to the world. It's most silly when this prayer is taking place in New Orleans, where the worst we have to fear during winter is a drop below 40F and/or a lack of fresh okra in the supermarket.)

Wicca seemed right in some ways, but not right enough, lacking both the ecstatic traditions of its roots and a deep wisdom or philosophy all its own for contemplation. While these doubts surfaced, it was around that time that I connected, through my current coven, with a group of Vodou practitioners in New Orleans.

Vodou is like Sanatana Dharma in many surprising ways - I'll write more on this subject, in a different thread, if there's interest - and in Vodou I found a power, joy, and discipline very much missing from eclectic Wicca. It was a practice rather than a faith, requiring action more than belief. I danced, sang, connected with ancestors, learned the pleasure of doing as well as ritualizing, and moved to a new religious "home" in my heart.

Vodou was more right, but not right enough; there was a potential trap inherent in its practice, one I fell right into. The Lwa (spirits akin to Devatās) are believed to have their own specific likes and dislikes...and in satisfying their tastes, whims, and desires, it's possible to serve at one's altars often, get caught up in material items and a cause-and-effect mindset after giving offerings, and completely forget about the Supreme God. This I did.

I grew unhappier and started to lose any sense of wonder or faith, and I began to remember the yoga class I'd taken in university and how I'd felt calm and peaceful in the practice. Hoping to regain some equilibrium by resuming the exercises, I picked up my trusty - if a bit dusty - guide to Śivananda yoga and read through it again. In the "meditation" chapter, I came across a familiar mantra that surprised me anew: Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya. See, I'd chanted this in college, on occasion. The book stated that it was a mantra often chosen by those of an ascetic nature, and I was only 17 at the time and had never heard those words before. But reading through this book at the MUCH WISER and older age of 30, I realised, wait a minute, SHIVA, I've heard that name...was I praying to a GOD all that time without knowing it?!?

(This was after many, many lectures to my Wicca students about how they should never use an unknown language or an unfamiliar God-form for rituals or meditations, without first learning about the words or being! With a pointed, upraised index finger like I actually knew what I was talking about! Hahaha!)

I thought, maybe it would be good to try this mantra again, but this time actually, you know, look up the guy and find out some information about him. I couldn't help but notice that this Shiva dude seemed pretty amazing, and then I wondered if maybe there were recordings of this five-syllabled (pancha-what?)mantra, so I could make sure it wasn't actually pronounced "qr schmolum qwrneyi."

1,593,892,345,878,927 YouTube matches later, I had gathered a small library of Shiva songs that I liked. The stories about him weren't always easy to understand, though, and sometimes they were full of Sanskrit or Hindi words, or required more reading to understand the reading I was trying to do, and trying to juggle various texts I'd get wretchedly confused. (If only there had been oversimplified humour (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HinduMythology) to aid my quest.) Sometimes, even when the plot was comprehensible, it kind of...wasn't, because the tales were referencing points of philosophy and belief that everybody else seemed to already know.

And then handy, helpful YouTube suggested a clip for me from the serial Om Namah Shivay. I adored the series excerpts that I saw, bought the DVDs, and decided to just be a kid for a little while. Instead of seeking Deep Hindu Wisdom That Would Make Me Feel Smart, I took a little while to just watch some beautiful things and feel wonder at God's glory again. I'd watch an episode or two, then go look up the "characters" and read about everything I'd just seen. The philosophy and history of Sanatana Dharma were made much more accessible to me, through a simplified visual presentation that I could grasp and then use as a starting point to gain more knowledge.

I made a small shrine and put Śiva there. I was happy to have Śiva there, and fortunately, He did not seem to mind that I was fairly silly. And I started praying to Pārvatī, too, whose loving grace touched my heart so sweetly, and who also did not seem to mind that I was silly.

The more I read about Sanatana Dharma, the more it seemed that I had been circling this faith for a long time, moving closer and closer, finally finding an exact name for the things I already believed. I began to wonder what truly made a Hindu as opposed to a Canadian girl who likes Shiv, and upon reading that reverence of the Vedas was at the top of the list, I thought, hmmm, I should probably, you know, take a look at those maybe...

So I found Rig Veda translated online and started reading. And reading, and reading, and reading, and reading, and reading...Finally I decided to listen to it chanted (http://www.astrojyoti.com/rigvedamp3part1.htm), and though I couldn't comprehend the words, it was beyond exquisite. I would get teary-eyed just a few minutes in and have to pause the recording. For a little while, I couldn't listen to it at all because I'd just blubber helplessly, and get terribly depressed from longing so much for the words.

The original question was how converts came to Sanatana Dharma, and this was the section of the first post that moved me to reply:
"I know that some people might look at my story and think I'm a little off my rocker (a personal manifestation of Shiva/Shakti, is she kidding?)..."
No, Divine Kala, I don't think you're crazy. (By the way, I wrote a long story called Kāla a month before you joined the forum. Hee!)

Since I was very little, my dreams and imaginings and private thoughts were far more a source of the divine than any church building could have possibly been. The first dream I ever remember having was of a flaming-eyed ram who seemed to stare right through me. As a kid I used to dream of a laughing prince with wide golden arms, who came to help me when I was sad or scared. When I was older I walked in rain as much as I could and dreamed often of storms. And the night before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, I dreamed of wild laughter echoing in my ears while lightning broke my windows and struck spots on the floor all around me; I'd been planning to stay in the city and ride out the storm, but that dream changed my mind.

As a Wiccan, I worshipped primarily Herne and Ra and wore a Thor's hammer for a while; in Vodou I was consecrated to Ogou-Shangó, the warrior-thunderer-king. But I - with a degree in anthropology, no less - had never realised that all of those guys had come from the same place, and never thought I'd be thunderstruck by some ancient text I'd never heard of. (Well, except very briefly in high school World Literature, where they threw that hymn to Ushas at us and then crossed "India" off of the list.) I don't know if I would use the words "personal manifestation," but certainly I knew Him long before I knew what name to call. It was with profound wonder and relief that I finally understood, and a lot of feelings and happenings over many years at last made sense.

Many Vedic hymns later, and some Upanishads to boot, and a lot of dreams and walking around in a happy brainless daze and actually getting hit by a car ("smacked by a moving van," really, but this is why "reverent thoughts" don't mix with "rush-hour traffic"), I decided that I probably had that reverence for the Vedas thing covered and, in fact, did not want to be anyone or anything else except Hindu. Honestly, it was like winning a religion lottery that I hadn't even known I was playing.

So, coming to Sanatana Dharma for me was part funny-story, part love-story, and apparently a lot of self-absorbed, sleep-deprived rambling. But at least I'm happy, happier than I've ever been...and at last done writing. :P

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Ramakrishna
25 April 2011, 11:51 PM
Namaste,

Wonderful story, Indraneela, and everybody else for that matter. As somebody who was born and raised in Sanatana Dharma, I always find it fascinating to hear about how other souls were drawn to the faith in this lifetime.

Jai Sri Ram

Friend from the West
26 April 2011, 04:32 AM
Namaste to all,
I really enjoy this thread. As a newcomer it is welcoming. Indraneela, good and wonderful and anything but dull story. Thanks.
Enjoy and Peace.
Rich



My own story is alternately wonderful and utterly ridiculous, and I've meant for months to write it on my blog anyway, so this thread is a welcome one. This is going to be very long, so hopefully it won't be too dreadfully dull.

I grew up in a Lutheran family, where religion was mostly a matter of indifference and never discussed. Church and scripture felt sere and dead to me, though God did not, and I searched for answers as long as I can remember; I can recall, so very young, scouring my wee soul for sins and panicked about hell, but also thinking about love and beauty and grace, and feeling the most holy and joyous in the presence of flowers, rain, mountains - anything that was lovely and natural and did not involve a dead guy bleeding on a beam.

When I was in high school, that connection to nature led me to Wicca, a religion that I learned and practiced for almost ten years, eventually becoming an initiate and a teacher. For a long time, it satisfied, but gradually I encountered aspects of the faith and practices that I didn't like. Eventually, I was only going through the motions, honouring seasonal cycles and life cycles and circles in life that I didn't genuinely feel. (It's most poignant at the winter solstice, for example, to pray for light and life to return to the world. It's most silly when this prayer is taking place in New Orleans, where the worst we have to fear during winter is a drop below 40F and/or the snowball stand closing.)

Wicca seemed right in some ways, but not right enough, lacking both the ecstatic traditions of its roots and any sort of deep wisdom or philosophy of its own for contemplation. While these doubts surfaced, it was around that time that I connected, through my current coven, with a group of Vodou practitioners in New Orleans.

Vodou is like Sanatana Dharma in many surprising ways - I'll write more on this subject, in a different thread, if there's interest - and in Vodou I found a power, joy, and discipline very much missing from eclectic Wicca. It was a practice rather than a faith, requiring action more than belief. I danced, sang, connected with ancestors, learned the pleasure of doing as well as ritualizing, and moved to a new religious "home" in my heart.

Vodou was more right, but not right enough; there was a potential trap inherent in its practice, one I fell right into. The Lwa (spirits akin to Devatās) are believed to have their own specific likes and dislikes...and in satisfying their tastes, whims, and desires, it's possible to serve at one's altars often, get caught up in cause-and-effect thinking from the offerings one gives, and completely forget about the Supreme God. This I did.

Life got worse as I started to lose any sense of wonder or faith, and I began to remember the yoga class I'd taken in university and how I'd felt calm and peaceful in the practice. Hoping to regain some equilibrium by resuming the exercises, I picked up my trusty - if a bit dusty - guide to Śivananda yoga and read through it again. In the "meditation" chapter, I came across a familiar mantra that surprised me anew: Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya. See, I'd chanted this in college, on occasion. The book had said only that it was an energy pattern chosen by those of an ascetic nature, and I was only 17 at the time, hadn't yet heard anything different - but reading through this book at the MUCH WISER and older age of 30, I realised, wait a minute, SHIVA...I was praying to a god all that time without knowing it?!?

(This was after many, many lectures to my Wicca students to never use an unknown language or an unfamiliar God-form for ritual or complex meditations, without first learning about the words/being(s) in question! With a pointed, upraised index finger like I actually knew what I was talking about! Hahaha!)

I thought, maybe it would be good to try this mantra again, but this time actually, you know, look up the guy and find out some information about him. I couldn't help but notice that this Shiva dude seemed pretty amazing, and then I wondered if maybe there were recordings of this five-syllabled pancha-what? mantra, so I could make sure it wasn't actually pronounced "qr schmolum qwrneyi."

1,593,892,345,878,927 YouTube matches later, I had a small library of Shiva songs that I liked. The stories about him weren't always easy to understand, though, and sometimes they were full of Sanskrit or Hindi words, or required more reading to understand the reading I was trying to do, and trying to juggle various texts I'd get wretchedly confused. (If only there had been oversimplified humour (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HinduMythology) to aid my quest.) Sometimes, even when the plot was comprehensible, it kind of...wasn't, because the tales were referencing points of philosophy and belief that everybody else seemed to already know.

And then handy, helpful YouTube suggested a clip for me from the serial Om Namah Shivay. I adored the series bits that I saw, bought the DVDs, and decided to just be a kid for a little while. Instead of seeking Deep Hindu Wisdom That Would Make Me Feel Smart, I took a little while to just watch some beautiful things and feel wonder at God's glory again. I'd watch an episode or two, then go look up the "characters" and read about everything I'd just seen. The philosophy and history of Sanatana Dharma were made much more accessible to me, through a simplified visual presentation that I could grasp and then use as a starting point to gain more knowledge.

I made a small shrine and put Śiva there. I was happy to have Śiva there, and fortunately, He did not seem to mind that I was fairly silly. And I started praying to Pārvatī, too, whose loving grace touched my heart so sweetly, and who also did not seem to mind that I was silly.

The more I read about Sanatana Dharma, the more it seemed that I had been circling this faith for a long time, moving closer and closer, finally finding an exact name for the things I already believed. I began to wonder what truly made a Hindu as opposed to a Canadian chick who likes Shiv, and upon reading that reverence of the Vedas was at the top of the list, I thought, hmmm, I should probably, you know, take a look at those or something...

So I found Rig Veda translated online and started reading. And reading, and reading, and reading, and reading, and reading...Finally I decided to listen to it chanted (http://www.astrojyoti.com/rigvedamp3part1.htm), and though I couldn't comprehend the words, it was beyond exquisite. I would get teary-eyed just a few minutes in and have to pause the recording. For a little while, I couldn't listen to it at all because I'd just blubber helplessly, and get unbearably depressed thinking I want to sing that too.

The original question was how converts came to Sanatana Dharma, and this is the section that moved me to reply:
"I know that some people might look at my story and think I'm a little off my rocker (a personal manifestation of Shiva/Shakti, is she kidding?)..."
No, Divine Kala, I don't think you're crazy. (By the way, I wrote a long story called Kāla a month before you joined the forum. Hee!)

Since I was very little, my dreams and imaginings and private thoughts were far more a source of the divine than any church building could have possibly been. The first dream I ever remember having was of a flaming-eyed ram who seemed to stare right through me. As a kid I used to dream of a laughing prince with wide golden arms, who came to help me when I was sad or scared. When I was older I walked in rain as much as I could and dreamed often of storms. The night before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, I dreamed of wild laughter echoing in my ears while lightning broke my windows and struck spots on the floor all around me, and I evacuated my bravado-filled "oh, I'll stay, it won't be that bad!' butt after that.

As a Wiccan, I worshipped primarily Herne and Ra and wore a Thor's hammer for a while; in Vodou I was consecrated to Ogou-Shangó, the warrior-thunderer-king. But I - with a degree in anthropology! ("Anthropology: Learning About Man and His Origins, Except for the Part About India") - had never realised that all of those guys had come from the same place, had no idea that I'd be thunderstruck by a weirdly-translated Victorian version of some ancient text I'd never heard of. (Well, except in high school World Lit, where they threw that hymn to Ushas at us and then crossed "India" off of the list.) I don't know if I would use the words "personal manifestation," but certainly I knew Him long before I knew what name to call. It was with profound wonder and relief that I finally understood, and a lot of things over many years at last made sense.

Many Vedic hymns later, and some Upanishads to boot, and a lot of dreams and walking around in a happy brainless daze and actually getting hit by a car ("smacked by a moving van," really, but this is why "reverent thoughts" don't mix with "rush-hour traffic"), I decided that I probably had that reverence for the Vedas thing down pat and, in fact, did not want to be anyone or anything else except Hindu. Honestly, it was like winning a religion lottery that I hadn't even known I was playing.

So, coming to Sanatana Dharma for me was part funny-story, part love-story, and apparently a lot of self-absorbed, sleep-deprived rambling. But at least I'm happy, happier than I've ever been...and at last done writing. :P

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Lakshmidevi
02 June 2011, 11:06 PM
Namaste,

Thank you so much everyone for sharing your experiences. They are inspiring and absolutely delightful to read. It's so fascinating too to read about the diverse backgrounds from which everyone is coming.

My own story can be quite long but I'll try to keep it short.

I was born into a nominally Catholic family. My parents were not religious but as a child I was pretty spiritual. Before I reached high school though I went through some things that made me seriously doubt the existence of God. Plus I believed in reincarnation which put me on the outs from most Christian groups. My older brother at the time was Buddhist and my mom and I took up the practice.

I was a Mahayana Buddhist for 12 years- over half my life when I started to feel like something was not quite right. I longed for a more personal relationship with the Divine. At the time I was also living in India working on a project and definitely did not consider myself Hindu although I did participate in the local rituals. I even bathed in the Ganga which was a really moving experience but I did not know why. When I left India too it was strange for about two months it felt like Ganesh was following me. I was seeing his image everywhere. An airport security worker in Scotland even tried to give me a statue of him.

I didn't really act on any of this and stayed aspiritual (is that a word) for a year. Eventually though something was tugging at me so I just prayed to the universe to show me what the right path was. I didn't know if I should be Christian, Buddhist, Hindu or something else. It was a pretty weird time.

Three weeks later though I had a really powerful set of dreams in one night. In the first dream I was in a Buddhist temple and did not feel complete. In the second dream I was in a church and felt an intense sadness. The third dream though was something completely different. In this dream I met God. I was not granted vision of his form but I knew it was Vishnu and I felt a love so intense that it was almost a tangible substance. It was like floating in amrta. And it was a complete surrender of ego. It was like I only wanted whatever Vishnu wanted of me. When I awoke I cried for having lost that experience.

That dream changed me profoundly and led me to Sanatana Dharma.

Thanks for reading and having this great forum :)

Jainarayan
05 June 2011, 08:22 AM
Namaste fellow Truth seekers.

As I noted in my user bio, I was raised Catholic. Then I converted to Eastern Orthodox Christian. I didn't feel at home in Christianity as it has become. I don't think Jesus (I do think He's a form of God, in a western incarnation though) intended it to turn out the way it has. I don't like the way the west portrays him.

Since I was in high school, however, I was always drawn to Hinduism and India. I always joked that I thought I was Indian and Hindu in a past life. Well, maybe it's no joke. I just always had an affinity for Hinduism. The more I learned about it the more I felt like it was "home". So only now, at almost 54 years old, I'm here.

And the more I'm drawn into learning about it and trying to practice it, the better I am feeling, "warm fuzzies", if you will. Just a colloquial term for peace of mind and a feeling of well-being.