This is a nice overview of Hinduism. Of course, in only 23 minutes, much could not be covered. I could not help wishing some things were explained, for example, Vedic cognition. However, there is so much to say that it could not possibly all be covered.
I enjoyed it and believe that you will too!
A great saint was once asked why the universe manifested. He responded by saying, “It didn’t.”
Everything is Oneness, Consciousness. There is no “other.” When the oneness of Consciousness became conscious of itself, it was perceived as ‘other.’ This is called “Maya,” illusion, the illusion of separation. Inherent in the nature of separation is some discomfort, some pinch, a longing to unify, i.e., to come back into balance, to return to oneness. It is the power of Maya that created this universe and compels it to move. It is the gravitational force that returns all to oneness that keeps the universe in motion. That force is called Shakthi.
Shakthi is everywhere. Shiva is Consciousness. Shakthi is the consort of Shiva… the power that compels the universe to move. The entire universe can be viewed as the dance between Shiva and Shakthi, the male and female principles.
I was asked questions along the lines of:
Q: I heard someone at Mount Soma say that this is a Vedic center and has nothing to do with Hinduism, and the two have no connection. I feel that is false. Would you explain this?
To which I respond:
A: I essentially agree with you. It boils down to definition. The Veda is Nature. All religions relate to Nature with varying degrees of clarity. I like to say that when the Master speaks, it immediately ceases to be what the Master said and becomes what the listener heard, and therein lies the birth of religion… echoes of Truth perceived to be Truth. Adi Shankara said the knowledge must be purified generation after generation.
Knowledge, real KNOWLEDGE is not contained in books. It is contained in the awareness of the Enlightened… the Seers. Religions… all religions… are only echoes of Truth. When the subtlety is lost, a great deal is lost… like a musical instrument out of tune. It is the task of every generation to retune the instrument. The closer you are to Truth, the more powerful you become. The more powerful you are, the greater the damage that can be done. If you are going to run off the road, better to do it in a child’s wagon than in a Porsche. See? It is gratifying that even the Hindu community is rising up in response to my words in agreement that the superstition and distortions of Truth must be purified out.
Personally, I would not say that Mount Soma has nothing to do with Hinduism or any other religion for that matter. It has everything to do with the essence of every religion. The similarities with Hinduism are obvious and need not even be stated because they are so obvious. However, as with many things, the subtle difference makes all the difference. So, it is extremely important to be very attentive to the subtle difference and not allow things to get blurred. As I say, a cell phone must be built exactly right to work. Rearrange one diode or transistor and it does not work properly. When principles of Vedic technology are discarded as old fashioned or unnecessary, it can compromise everything.
Q: To the best of my understanding, Vedic is based on Vedas alone and it later evolved into what is now called Hinduism, which is what’s known as the “Upanishads.” Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita which is part of the Mahabharata) is not part of the 4 Vedas, as it came much later. Please talk about this, if you would.
A: The Veda is eternal, regardless of when a particular aspect of it was cognized. The structure of the Veda is a profoundly beautiful topic. I intend someday to offer a course on that… what the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Upanishads, Mantras, Brahmanas, Upangas, Itihasas, Puranas, etc. are. But right now, I am primarily focused on conveying the basics to the world.
I am opposed to faith. I do not just have faith that 2+2=4. I know it. Without knowledge, notions have no firm foundation. We are fortunate to live in a time when, if we just take a step back and think for a minute, we can assimilate what humanity has learned in a manner that reveals the deepest mysteries of life and existence. Our spiritual and rational sides can then come together as a unified whole. The kite that is our soul is stabilized by the tail of our mind. We attain real knowledge.
It is humbling that for so many generations, people have adhered to deep inner convictions without a clear rational understanding of their basis. Humanity’s shift to a rational orientation has put spirituality into question. Spirituality made no sense. As a result, many adults as well as the younger generation have rejected it. At first glance, this seems most unfortunate. However, it carries with it a great boon: the demand to make sense of spirituality. Fortunately, we live in a time when science is able to do that… if once again, we just are willing to take a step back and think. What follows is a brief overview of that knowledge. Of course, any overview of such a profound topic will trigger many unanswered questions and confusions. Unaddressed or misunderstood, those things could, if you are not careful, cause you to reject the overview. So I only ask that your doubts and questions be expressed with the same level of humility and sincerity with which this overview is offered.
Einstein said that all existence is born of one and only one thing… The Unified Field. Many modern physicists believe that field is nothing other than pure Consciousness, out of which all else is born. Before existence, Consciousness could only be conscious of itself… there was nothing else. When Consciousness became conscious of itself, it viewed itself as ‘other’. In that moment, duality was born. Consciousness aware of those two things, birthed a third thing, and so on, to infinity. In other words, Consciousness interacted with itself over and over again to create what modern science refers to as the quantum mechanical realm… the fabric out of which all things emerge. It is geometrically precise and structured…like a crystal or snowflakes. Many superimposed patterns can be seen in the structure of a snowflake. The Vedic term for each of those structures within the quantum mechanical realm is ‘Yantra’.
Now, who are you? You are made of electrons, protons, molecules, cells, tissues, etc. However, YOU are a personified being. That is what you relate to. That is the ‘who’ of who you are. Similarly, those Yantras have a personified correlate. That is ‘who’ they are. At the same time, on the Unified Field level, they are all the same one thing. Now, simply substitute the personified word “God” for the inanimate phrase “Unified Field” and you’ve got the essence… the overview. In other words, each Yantra is another face of the one God.
This is just an overview, an introduction. Where it leads is beyond imagination. But you must be willing to take it step by step and not get frustrated or confrontational when things come up that you at first do not understand. I invite you to move forward, past this very brief first step. Rest assured, at no step along the way will I ask you to have faith. It has to make sense. I want you to understand.
The five-day Hanuman Installation ceremony ended in magnificent form!
I leave it to all those who were in attendance to post their experiences in the ‘comments’.
To see the pictures CLICK HERE … Enjoy!
