Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: "Trendy" Spirituality

  1. #1
    Join Date
    March 2014
    Location
    USA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    67
    Rep Power
    874

    "Trendy" Spirituality

    Namaskar,

    I have noticed that there has been a resurgence of "trendy" spirituality recently in the West.

    The first wave started in the 1960's with the advent of LSD coupled with the teachings of "trendy" pioneers like Timothy Leary and Ram Dass. I feel like that first wave died out around the mid-1970's. Now, at least in my experience, I have noticed a resurgence of the "trendy" spirituality movement. In my opinion, the resurgence began around the mid-1990's during the rave scene boom and the first human studies with psychedelic drugs, like DMT. This was also the time period when shamanic ayahuasca sessions in the Amazon rainforest began to grow in popularity. Recently (within the last five years), I'm seeing a lot of popular art and music depicting sacred geometry, third-eye openings, and even Hindu and Buddhist gods/goddesses. I've also noticed a lot of younger people wearing om T-shirts, rudraksha beads and bracelets, and other spiritual attire. It seems to me like these things are become very "trendy" again in the West.

    I personally think these things should be kept a bit more sacred and revered rather than used in a "trendy" way. Also, I've noticed that a great number of these younger, "spiritual" people are still indulging in meat-eating, intoxication and rampant sex. However, at the same time I believe some spirituality is better than none and I would rather see young people at least somewhat interested in spirituality and God rather than full blown atheist.

    So, are the masses really awakening or is this just another trend that will die out in a few years? What is your opinion on all of this?

    Pranams,
    LightOfOm
    ॐ मृत्युंजयाय रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय शम्भवे l
    अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

    Sanātana Dharma Worldwide

  2. #2
    Join Date
    July 2012
    Age
    52
    Posts
    2,088
    Rep Power
    2640

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    Namaste,

    As the West becomes more and more aware of Eastern - especially Hindu gods, there are some incidents such as the recent one where a company printed Lord Shiva's images in womens' pants and Lord Ganesha images in bedding. Immediate protests have curbed such representations from furthering. I think that not many people are thinking from 'karma' perspective and are not aware of it, and are thinking plainly in terms of such representations being similar to wearing, for example, the American flag on the sandals. Nevertheless, I do believe Hinduism is picking up slowly in the West, but I am skeptical it will ever be in a massive number to replace other religions in place.

    Regards.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

  3. #3
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    Quote Originally Posted by LightofOm View Post
    Namaskar,

    I have noticed that there has been a resurgence of "trendy" spirituality recently in the West.

    Pranams,
    LightOfOm
    Vannakkam: Yes there could be some trendy 'spirituality', but once ethics are abandoned, then it's definitely not Hinduism.

    Aum Namasivaya

  4. #4
    Join Date
    March 2014
    Location
    USA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    67
    Rep Power
    874

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    Namaskar,

    I completely agree, and in fact, that's what I was saying in my original post. I was noting the fact that it has become a very trendy thing to act "spiritual" nowadays, but it is not in any way Sanatana Dharma. This type of thing has become a bit of annoyance to me, but no big deal. We must continue on the path and let people do what they will.

    Pranams
    ॐ मृत्युंजयाय रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय शम्भवे l
    अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

    Sanātana Dharma Worldwide

  5. #5
    Join Date
    September 2006
    Age
    71
    Posts
    7,705
    Rep Power
    223

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~
    namasté
    Quote Originally Posted by LightofOm View Post
    I personally think these things should be kept a bit more sacred and revered rather than used in a "trendy" way.
    How does one accomplish this ? The only way I know is to uplift my self the best I can. It is though this method that the 'many' get influenced without even knowing about it.


    iti śivaṁ
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  6. #6
    Join Date
    March 2014
    Location
    USA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    67
    Rep Power
    874

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post
    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    How does one accomplish this ? The only way I know is to uplift my self the best I can. It is though this method that the 'many' get influenced without even knowing about it.


    iti śivaṁ
    Namaskar,

    Yes, you're correct, all one can do is uplift himself and in turn that will help others. However, that wasn't really what I was trying to discuss. I was asking what everyone's opinion was on the growing popularity of these trends. Do you think it is helping people get closer to the light or not?

    Regards,
    LightOfOm
    ॐ मृत्युंजयाय रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय शम्भवे l
    अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

    Sanātana Dharma Worldwide

  7. #7

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    Pranams,

    I have also noticed this in some groups LightofOm. You have accurately described the time lines and the influences. I have followed some really good topics, but one thing I noticed is that everyone wants to do some individualistic approach, mainly because they are tired of previous efforts within groups and religions of the past, which is understandable. Most people in the west now want to be more known as spiritual rather than religious, they take bits and pieces from many traditions and make their own version. I can admire in some ways their efforts to make a sincere effort to walk the path alone and look for the spirit that is within rather than take a teaching as laid down by others, they only need some guidance to find the right balance.

    Ultimately many of them as they express feel that they do not have the real connection and can become isolated. The broad spectrum of what they are into is certainly interesting, I would say with some of the comments I have read I certainly learned something from them. They are fed up with controlled society and they want to be free thinkers and not tied to any one belief system.

    Many of them do take DMT and Ganga, something which not all Hindus should look down upon as Soma juice was a type of hallucinogenic and has some roots in vedic ritual and what to speak of some Shaivites who smoke Charas, within any society you will have conservatives and then people who like to live outside of social norms, in fact India in some of ascetic traditions were non conformists to social norms because they aspired to something greater, Hinduism is a very broad range, not easily defiined, because ultimately it transcends everything, and has been practiced in an unlimited variety, in one sense its a totally different dimension from anything else that has been displayed in human history, so lets not limit it to just our standards of normal conservatism. Also many of them look upto to the South American Shamanic tribes, this is also an ancient culture and should not just be written off as drug culture. Lets not be to hard these people, because they have been thrown into social conditioning which has been forced on them by media propaganda, and corrupt leaders that have just used people as commodities, misguided they maybe, but ultimately they are victims of a failed society and they have had enough.

    It is just a shame that modern societies, especially America and Europe are so tightly controlled by governing commissions, and people have very little chance to actually express in daily life their ideas. I did get the feeling that many of the people who had the most recent rising, which they termed as an awakening were very sincere but did not have the right environment to support their growth or the right cultural surrounding and role models. But Rome was never built in a day and at least some seed was planted in their awakenings, and I am sure it is the start of many peoples journeys and time will ultimately guide them at some point in the future, so it can only be a good thing.

    Many do not post now, due to fear of the these groups being infiltrated by people who do social studies on human behavior patterns, all with some sort of cynical agenda. People are seeing through the superficial and oppressive system they have been thrown into, they question everything, political systems, educations systems, environmental issues and social and religious tendencies. Weather they arrive at Hinduism is another thing, but for me personally I can only applaud many of their sincere efforts to question many things without fear.

    Ys

    Md

  8. #8
    Join Date
    September 2006
    Age
    71
    Posts
    7,705
    Rep Power
    223

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~
    namasté
    Quote Originally Posted by LightofOm View Post
    Namaskar,
    I was asking what everyone's opinion was on the growing popularity of these trends. Do you think it is helping people get closer to the light or not?
    My opinion: When at night the stars come out, they do the best they can to illumine the sky. This is like the trends you mention - good attempts.
    Yet with the rising of the sun, even before its coming up over the horizon the darkness of night is consumed by this light. This is what I think can occur. That one gets started on a trend and then the sun rises in them, and some good comes from it. Yet for many, they still cling to the night.

    iti śivaṁ
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  9. #9
    Join Date
    March 2014
    Location
    USA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    67
    Rep Power
    874

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    Pranams,

    Beautiful post yajvan! Very eloquent and articulate. I'm going to remember that one.

    With love & light,
    LightOfOm
    ॐ मृत्युंजयाय रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय शम्भवे l
    अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

    Sanātana Dharma Worldwide

  10. #10

    Re: "Trendy" Spirituality

    I believe that this 'trend' , is a good thing because it might make the other People more aware of hinduism or it might even awaken their interest to deal with it. And about the people who wear shirts with images of the gods or om printed on them : this could also spread the interest, and the person could even be regarded as a form of 'silent missionar' helping to spread our faith.
    "... And you will Come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that ' s imagined , all unconceivable. Just let the light touch you, let the words spill through, let them pass right through, bringing out our hope and reason.


    We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. PHILOSOPHY, SPIRITUALITY AND YOGA - by Sri Chinmoy
    By SuryaVedanta754 in forum Bhakti & Karma
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 17 August 2014, 06:41 PM
  2. Replies: 6
    Last Post: 21 April 2011, 09:25 AM
  3. We & Spirituality Advocates
    By jasdir in forum On Dharma
    Replies: 30
    Last Post: 19 November 2010, 10:04 PM
  4. What makes a person unfit for spirituality?
    By kshama in forum Bhakti & Karma
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 21 December 2009, 01:09 PM
  5. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 16 June 2009, 03:25 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •