View Poll Results: How much can religion be practiced?

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  • As a full-time goal to be pursued forever

    7 100.00%
  • A casual activity like every other activity

    0 0%
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Thread: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

  1. #1
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    Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Namaste members,

    Following a fellow member's reply in a recent thread, I became curious to ask this -

    How do you view religion - 1. is it something you would call a joy unto itself - something to be practiced and cherished and dwelt in the experience thereof forever? That is, it is the prime reason for our birth and there is nothing else that is worthy of practice attitude.

    Or -

    2. Do you think religion is an addiction, too much of it is not good, therefore it should be given some time each day but should not be taken more serious than that attitude?

    So this is just a fun poll - please vote and share your thoughts!
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Vannakkam Viraja: I think most of us would be somewhere in between. I personally definitely lean for the first option though. Your question reminds me of the practically derogatory term of my childhood, namely, 'Sunday Christian' when it was observed, (mostly by my atheist father, who often relayed his observations on life to me) how people were religious one morning of the week, but could care less the rest of the time.

    Unfortunately these days there is also the Sunday Hindu, which does mean something entirely different ... Hindus, because of Abrahamic influence, and the days when it was a non-working day, (especially in the sugar diaspora) attend temple only on Sunday mornings.

    If we're hooked on dharma it's indeed 24-7. All acts have religious overtone. Eating is practising ahimsa, for example. Earning a living is purusha dharma, being polite with all acquaintances is community dharma, supporting sannyasin communities, and much more.

    I don't think your average person in the west quite realises the degree of religiousity in the east. I was at a talk given by a Catholic father at a teacher's convention a few years back, and he asked the audience which country's people spent the most time per week directly on religion, as well as the percentage of people considered religious. Nobody answered correctly, which wasn't surprising at all. (I knew it, but am not the kind of person to raise my hand at that type of event.) He finally answered it himself ... "India ... by far."

    Nice reflective poll, I would say. Nandri

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Namaste EMji,

    Your answer is profound -- and so true! Your title itself says you are a 'bhaktar' so no wonder you voted on the 1st choice -- that is giving a very involving role to religion in life.

    I have to tell you that many people think that religion should not be practiced beyond a 'certain limit' for religious time, religious thinking and so forth, without realizing the true potential of religion to shape ourselves into profoundly contributing and charismatic (for lack of better words) personalities. I loved the following quote from you:

    If we're hooked on dharma it's indeed 24-7. All acts have religious overtone. Eating is practising ahimsa, for example. Earning a living is purusha dharma, being polite with all acquaintances is community dharma, supporting sannyasin communities, and much more.


    For example, I see a psychiatrist once in 6 months. She, for not having too much to talk about, questions each time on how I spend my time at home, since she knows I am (currently) a homemaker. About an year ago, I told her that I am somewhat spiritually inclined and like to pray for an hour each day, and at other times when I feel really bored and having nothing to do, listen to religious discourses and read religious books or go to temple. She became very concerned that I am spending my time in what according to her was 'too much spirituality which is not good like too much of anything' and started lecturing me how I can do voluntary work and other things to occupy my time without 'getting too spiritual'. I appreciate her advice on voluntary work but did not quite like her opinions on 'too much spirituality'. Our Hindu scriptures claim that pursuing Moksha is one of the loftiest goals in life... even if not for moksha, every deed that we do, as you put it in the quote above, really is worship of the true self - that atman - that is inside each one of us.

    Even there are instances of profound bhaktas such as Chatrapathi Shivaji, Kulasekara Azhwar, Thirumangai Azhwar, and many like them have been very successful kings but otherwise were great spiritualists. It is said of Shivaji Maharaj's spiritual glory that once when he was attending a spiritual discourse by Sant Tukaram Swami, that the place was surrounded by Muslim army but eventually it turned out, when soldiers got into the place, everyone in the audience looked like Shivaji himself! Such was his spiritual greatness! (and of many others like this...).

    I think that personality is like a seed and spirituality is both like the nourishment that makes it grow in the right direction as well as the weed control that saves the growing sapling from undue disturbances!

    I appreciate your participation in the poll. And a sincere thank you!
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Vannakkam: Silly psychiatrist! Fortunately not all of them are like that. Lots of serious Hindus do a ton of sadhana ... daily, plus other stuff. I had a Tamil acquaintance actually tell me about the same thing... "You're volunteering too much." I felt like saying, "And you're putting your nose into other's people business too much," but I didn't. I'm trained to bite my tongue, but he obviously wasn't. He spends his free time playing bridge with the British.

    Ganga (my wife) is a homemaker too. Yes we put a lot of time into religion. But for us it's fun. Not fun in the western way, but definitely rewarding.

    My Guru once quipped, "Yes Hindus have a great psychiatrist. His name is Ganesha!"

    I'm glad to hear you put a lot of time into it. What better music in the car, than bhajans. I used car time to memorize names of God. Sure beat the radio nonsense.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Namaskar Virajaji,

    What an interesting poll!

    I would agree with you and EMji that it is the first. My first reaction was also that there is a middle ground for most people, and I would probably fall there too. I have a daily sadhana but I don't practice as much as I would like, and I still have so much to learn. But the more I think about it, I realize all the things I do and enjoy pursuing have always had a lot to do with my spirituality and faith. Music and the arts put me in a meditative state where I can soar with the music, and I usually play or make things to honor the Divine and the beauty of the creation around us. I study to better understand the creation around us and to further my own progress. Any work I have ever done for any good period of time has been work that helps others, (hopefully especially those who need the most help), and betters society - this is the kind of work I can truly enjoy and throw myself into. If there is no connection to the Divine for me, then I usually get bored and don't bother. Interestingly, those that I know who are truly devout in most belief systems seem to take more enjoyment in everything they do.

    I'm sorry to hear about the doctor you're seeing. I hope her skill makes up for her spiritual tact.
    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    What better music in the car, than bhajans. I used car time to memorize names of God. Sure beat the radio nonsense.
    I do this too! I've been learning Stotras and Bhajans both in the car and on my MP3 player when I'm on public transport and working.

    ~Pranam
    Last edited by Aanandinii; 19 March 2015 at 08:38 PM. Reason: Rephrase an unweildy sentence
    ~~~~~
    What has Learning profited a man, if it has not led him to worship the good feet of Him who is pure knowledge itself?
    They alone dispel the mind's distress, who take refuge at the feet of the incomparable one.
    ~~Tirukural 2, 7

    Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    I'm trained to bite my tongue
    EM, you are a kind soul and must have done this quite a few times in your life. I worry about all the bite marks on your tongue.

    Pranam.

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Dear Aanandinii ji,

    Thank you for the reply. Your saying that if you do not find a connection with the divine in some way, that you will not have interest in that work sounds like me to myself.

    I too consider my overall spiritual practices to be in the middle ground too -- for I know some people who, along with working a full-time schedule, do homas everyday for an hour and a half! But the thing is that, to us, spirituality is the reason why we participate in many activities, shows to me that spiritualism certainly plays a very important role for us. For example, I dislike visiting bars, clubs, casinos, etc, but I enjoy visiting places of natural beauty for tourism because it makes me think all the more about god.

    So that way, I am able to connect with what you are saying very much. I truly appreciate your involvement in helping others! There is nothing more uplifting than that! I remember when my (late) grandmother was ridden with stroke (long time ago) I served her by the bedside for 6 months. At the end of this period, I felt so changed and moved, it was soul uplifting.

    By the way, why is no one from the other side -- to whom spirituality must be casual and nothing else -- are responding at all? I'm surprised. For one, it can be argued that spirituality might build fanaticism if not guided by the right people, may motivate one to join in cults and do undesirable things, may occupy all of your time that you won't be productive otherwise, etc... :-) Just exclaiming aloud because offlate I am exposed to people who view spirituality in such a light.

    Thanks,

    Viraja
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Namaste Virajaji,
    Quote Originally Posted by Viraja View Post
    For example, I dislike visiting bars, clubs, casinos, etc, but I enjoy visiting places of natural beauty for tourism because it makes me think all the more about god.
    Me too. Though these days I don't often get the time to go much further than my garden and local trails. So this weekend we have decided it's about time we got away from civilization for the weekend. I'm heading up to a small lodge in the north of the White Mountains as I write this. No TV, no internet, not even sure my phone will get a signal. So happy!

    Your Grandmother was lucky to have you. I felt much the same after caring for my Grandfather.

    By the way, why is no one from the other side -- to whom spirituality must be casual and nothing else -- are responding at all? I'm surprised... :-) Just exclaiming aloud because offlate I am exposed to people who view spirituality in such a light.
    No worries, I'm sure someone will be along soon.
    I am really happy to see the poll results so far though.

    ~Pranam
    ~~~~~
    What has Learning profited a man, if it has not led him to worship the good feet of Him who is pure knowledge itself?
    They alone dispel the mind's distress, who take refuge at the feet of the incomparable one.
    ~~Tirukural 2, 7

    Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Namaskar,

    The spiritual quest is all I really have, everything else is just "fluff". Religion is most definitely a joy unto itself and something that should be practiced and pursued forever, as a full-time goal. However, I think there comes a time when it is no longer something that has to be practiced, it just IS.

    For instance, I find that the deeper I go, the more my desires change. I used to desire to go to the bars, clubs and casinos, but like Viraja said, I dislike those places now and I rather enjoy visiting places of natural beauty that help me to focus my mind on God, on Self-Realization. Sure, at the onset of my spiritual journey it felt like I was swimming upstream. Meditation was hard, abstaining from indulgence in the wrong things was hard, everything in the practice was just downright hard. But as I learned and grew and began to blossom into the spiritual being that I was meant to be, everything just began to flow naturally from the heart. I didn't have to think about practicing meditation or having to abstain from certain things anymore, I just instinctively did it. At that point the religion isn't necessarily something you practice, it is just a part of who you are. I think that is the ultimate goal.

    I am still growing and learning and I am not trying to say that I have reached the end. But I feel like I know what the end should look like. It shouldn't look like you are trying anymore...it should just be there, naturally. I feel that most of us here on these forums are headed towards that state of being, and that brings me much joy. This is an outstanding community here.

    Pranam.

    ॐ नमः शिवाय,
    LightofOm
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    अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

    Sanātana Dharma Worldwide

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    Re: Religion - a joy unto itself (or not)?

    Vannakkam: Since bars and taverns have been mentioned, I thought I'd tell of an 'Ah ha!" moment on my youth. I was sitting in the local small town tavern with friends, most likely on a Friday night. It was like, "Hey, I've seen this movie before ... maybe 50 times." I left right then, and drove home to play a game of cards with my parents. That was more fun, and a heck of a lot clearer. I think I was 19, maybe 20 at the most. In the last 40 years I've probably entered bars less than 20 times. Just social things like a casual staff get-together on the last day of school, after work. Nothing against that, but surely there are more productive things to do. It just seems so ... boring.

    So its a totally different paradigm we live in. A lot of people would think a long festival would be boring.

    Aum Namasivaya

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