Re: Shiva Bhaktaa
Namaste Amala,
Count me in as someone like yourself. Well, in a ways. I am also a Shiva bhaktar, but I cannot call myself a Saivite, mostly because I have not yet undergone formal conversion and have never been inside a Saivite temple or retreat as yet to perform worship. It's really up to you. The lack of a Smarta forum on HDF is probably due to the fact that a non-denominational devotee has his/her choice of any of the forums to start a thread on. In such a case, they have the best of everything.
I am inclined to think like realdemigod and EM in this. Sectarian labelling acts as a signpost for me on what modes of philosophy and worship I am most likely to find attractive, but I wouldn't say they define the devotee. Something I have found in my years studying and practising Hinduism is that it isn't as black and white a picture as you'd find within Christianity where there is an important distinction between identifying yourself as being either Catholic or Protestant.
Om namah Shivaya
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye namah
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu
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