Himalayan Academy - things I don't agree with

[sm78]

I am only highlighting the things I disagree with in the Himalayan Academy. I am doing this with the risk of offending some shishya's of this tradition. There are undoubtly many good things about them. Until I heard about the channeling of the akashic records, I had a very different opinion. How can I not call this new agy?

Yes the Lemurian scroll & akashic library records, I could not reconcile also. As I said, I stopped referring to Himalayan Academy at that point. Its not just the akashic records concept itself, but what he got as history of this planet which did not sink with me. Obviously its all wrong historically, vedic culture (which shares nothing? with temple culture) did not evolve from monasteries or temples. It is very difficult if not outright impossible to argue otherwise. And I don't want to deny evolution like this. Would have very little to say to Bible thumping that way. So yes, this part is sort of difficult and new age-y.

Shum, Color meditation (this not totally new age actually) and sending prayers by burning written prayers in homam are few other things I can't relate to. But he was clear, these were not traditional things but something he discovered, if I know correctly.

Anyway we should stop here probably. Certainly Himalayan Academy had been strongly pro-Hindu and as EM clarified far from business minded. So if we have nothing against these points, beyond that it gets personal, and not good to discuss publicly after a certain point (which we have reached in this thread).

[Sahasranama]

Anyway we should stop here probably. Certainly Himalayan Academy had been strongly pro-Hindu and as EM clarified far from business minded. So if we have nothing against these points, beyond that it gets personal, and not good to discuss publicly after a certain point (which we have reached in this thread).

Sure, I was not out to offend EM or other followers, but I think enough has been said.

[charitra]

Vedas and Upanishads /other hindu scriptures out there are OPEN for ALL hindus to read, it proved an historical blunder restricting their access to only a few communities. All must read them including non hindus. Whenever an interpretational schism surfaces and gets out of hand, only then the experts must step in and resolve the differences amicably. This is evident in the way the Brahma Sutras are structured. The sacred Brhma Sutras were written in a debate form, the debate happening between an “opponent” and an ‘vedantin’, misinterpreting and interpreting respectively a given sloka; chapter after chapter this trend continues. If Brahman belongs to all tehn naturally scriptures belong to all, see any difficulty here?

Himalayan Academy (HA) easily makes one of the best Hindu Ashrams outside India and Nepal . Many hindus of various races and nationalities are grateful that the monks carry out such a wonderful and dedicated religious work in scenic Hawaii. Iskcon has its ways and HA’s Shaiva Siddanta church in Hawaii has its own different ways in promoting hinduism in the west. No wonder many Indian born hindus hold them both in such very high esteem. HA never ever downsized BG in any of those daily newsletter they have been sending us for years. In fact HA strongly objected the recently proposed Russian court case to ban Gita. HA quotes Vedas and other hindu scriptures in all their writings. HA books: I recommend them first to everyone to read. The style is easy to understand and not confusing at all (unlike some written by Deshis due to shortcomings in linguistic skills !!). After getting a grasp then one can expand ones quest by reading actual Vedas and Upanishads. Going straight to these latter books may leave one struggling to discover the inner meaning.

Donations are voluntary and if one doesn’t want to follow their policies one can keep ones money to oneself and still enjoy a lot of the free services offered to all. Literally every worshipper that goes to Tirupathi for venkateswara’s darshan invariably drops his ‘mokku’ or voluntarily promised sum in the Hundi. Special darshans cost you more there today, and this a very old hindu mandir as we all know. All hindu mandirs in USA charge annual membership fee, with a condition that only these ‘members’ will receive regularly all routine info by mail on mandir activities (including periodic colorful booklets) and get to participate in the mandir related elections, holding office etc. However for darshan (worshipping) and for any personalized pujas getting done one need not be a member. No doubt the Mandir belongs to all. So therefore membership is clearly not forced on anyone and it is with an informed consent one agrees to become one. Namaste.

[NayaSurya]

The ignorance in this thread had become profound over the past few days..

Let's just be sure before this gets lost in the ether and for those just up and coming who may come along a read this.

Every temple I know of here in the states, charges.

Let's just use my home temple as an example. One ran by "non mleccha"...

Being Mleccha also refer to anyone who has left Beloved India, perhaps there is no such being in America...or egypt...or even europe. We are all Mleccha after all.

But, anyway...my home Temple is a very traditional temple ran by native Indians and Indians born in the states.

"Please consider membership for the temple. Membership helps us for preserving and promoting our ancient culture, a belief in unity and strength of our community and more importantly your ongoing support to the daily operations of the temple.

Membership cost is $365. If you are interested, please check the above option and one of our temple administrator will contact you for futher payment details.

Again, Thank you for registering as Devotee / Member "

http://www.kytemple.org/Forms/Membership.aspx



That's yearly...for each one of us. It costs a lot to keep a Temple up and running properly...as you all know there are many things which must be done to keep it proper.

Here in the states, you don't have billions of pilgrims coming in to keep the money flowing. And it's hard here...I won't deny the bigotry, racism and hatred which is rampant here. You have to have nads of steel to build one here in the bible belt. Racism stinks. Sadly, it comes from all sides...even here.
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You know what I didn't like about it? I didn't like being told to pick up another culture, but in the same breath being told that our ultimate goal is to loose all this identity(which involves culture).

Politely I left that portion of it in peace and learned fathoms of things from the rest.

For as little as there was to disagree with...the millions of wonderful, positive...and very highly enlightened things they teach...outweigh this other small thing.

You have to weigh the good with the bad.

At the end of the day that's often what I tell a misguided child in this family. When they are being rude, and saying ignorant things. I have to weigh how much of what comes out of their mouth is kind, intelligent and good spirited with what I feel is the opposite. Better be sure you keep a tally if you speak in such a way. Thankfully, here I get a break from that role. I let the universe level the lesson. May Beloved be very merciful upon each and every One.

[sm78]

Being Mleccha also refer to anyone who has left Beloved India, perhaps there is no such being in America...or egypt...or even europe. We are all Mleccha after all.

Yes a brahmin who crosses the ocean looses the right to do the rituals. Even now certain sects particularly the madhva sampradaya follows this smriti dictum. Recently one of the heads of the asta maths was barred from attending a religious festival from another math, because he ventured to america to give a lecture (not perform rituals, that would be more serious) to the american madhva community.

Those who tend to use M-word at the drop of a hat (and I don't think that term is any less derogatory in Indian context as than the N-word or the F-word are in american context) will do well to remember this.

[Sahasranama]

These are prohibitions that were invented much later dharma shashtras and only practiced in south India. Did Rama lose his caste after crossing the sea? No.

I don't use the word mleccha to demean anyone and I respect people from any race, but vedic ritualism is tied to caste.