Hinduism

The Sri Yantra or Sri Chakra as it is sometimes called is an important symbol from the Hindu Tantric tradition. The Sri Yantra is also know as the "great object" or the "Mother of all Yantras"...

Vedic mathematics is an old Indian mathematic system derived from the ancient Indian religious text called the Vedas. It is based on 16 aphorisms, called sutras, called the Sulbasutras.

A yantra (yahn·trah), also known as a mandala, is a geometric design or a magical diagram. It's used to aid in an individual's focal point during meditation or inner connection with God....

Mahalakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu. Lakshmi is one of the three major goddesses in Hinduism, along with Saraswati and Parvati. She is...

Shivji is one of the trinity of gods in Hinduism, known as the Trimurthi. The three main gods are Vishnu, Brahma and Shivji. These gods represent, respectively, creation, maintenance and...

In Taoism, Chi is believed to be the life energy that flows through all living beings. The "reverse the Chi" exercise is an alternative practice within the microcosmic orbit exercise of Taoist Chi...

Jyotish matchmaking is based on Jytotish astrology also known as Vedic, Indian or Hindu astrology. Similar to other systems of astrology, Jyotish astrology looks to celestial bodies such as...

Every culture has its unique form of greeting. It is a universal human need to acknowledge each other in some way. In Japan, it's bowing; in America, it's hugging or hand shaking. "Namaste" is a...

A Yantra is a fantastic geometric design that combines an interlocking pattern of specific elements such as dots, triangles, lotuses, squares, circles and stars that is used as a tool for...

Namaste is one of the few Sanskrit words commonly known outside the Hindu world. Those involved in yoga, Eastern spirituality and the New Age movement use it as a greeting and blessing.

Goswamis are renounced teachers in the religious traditions of India. The title "goswami" comes from two words: "go," meaning senses, and "swami," meaning master. Thus goswamis are meant to be...

Singing bowls are known by different names like Himalayan Singing Bowls, Rin and Japanese suzu gongs. They are popular in homes, temples and gardens all over the world, and can be a variety of...

Sidh,i or Yogic Flying, is an extension of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Sidhi techniques are meant to be practiced after a TM session. TM prepares the individual's mind and body for the...

God is spiritual but our eyes are material so how can we see Him? The eyes must be tinged with the salve of love. To love Him we should relinquish all other attachments to this material world as...

Reportedly the restorative effects of the beads known as rudraksha are enhanced when they are worn with metal such as gold or silver. Perhaps this has contributed to the growing popularity of...

Sunday morning sermons should engage the heart, mind and spirit! Too often sermons are boring, dull and irrelevant to the lives of contemporary people of faith. But it doesn't have to be this...

Rama Navami is one of the most widely celebrated of Hindu festivals. It involves festive parades and ceremonies, and it brings together people from all walks of life in a devotional celebration...

Hinduism is known as sanatana dharma or way of life in Sanskrit, India's ancient language. The Hindu way of life evolved over the centuries, giving birth to a unique culture of art, music, food,...

With health care prices increasing, consumers often turn to alternative medicines to cure their physical, psychological and spiritual ills. One remedy from Eastern culture entails the wearing of...

The Gayatri Mantra is a universal, non-personal prayer beseeching the Almighty to lead all beings onto the righteous path and bless us with enlightenment and realization of the Supreme Truth. It...

Do you know about your energy wheels and what you can achieve by working with them? Most people you talk to might turn their head at alternative medicine, but it is a smart thing to look into....

Transcendental Meditation is a movement based on the Hindu discipline of meditation, under the auspices of the Vedic tradition. This discipline is meant to quiet the mind and promote clearer...

In a country with innumerable sacred sites, people and animals, India's Ganges River is a stunning 1500 miles long holy place of ancient worship. Imagine that the Ganges flows with the same...

Shiva is one of the major figures of Hinduism. The name Shiva means kind or gracious; as a proper name, it means "The Auspicious One" or "The Supreme One." In his centuries of...

To understand the Hindu mind and conceive of Hinduism's spiritual traditions, you must first study its symbols. Hindu motifs hold the secrets of ancient India and the power of the Hindu faith,...

Many people wonder how to unlock their mental potential. Everyday there are new pie-in-the-sky systems coming out on the Internet and infomercials that promise to unlock a person's mental prowess....

Wondering how to meditate and why meditation is required for spiritual growth? Do you wonder why people meditate and for what reasons? I will give you a few pointers to answer these questions.

Lakshmi is the Hindu Goddess of good fortune. During Diwali, the Festival of Lights, devotees worship Lakshmi in her eight forms, called Asta (eight) Lakshmi.

In the Hindu traditions, Shakti is the feminine form of divinity. Shakti is worshiped as Devi, or goddess, and as the Mother, who manifests cosmic energy. She is the energy that invigorates all...

Hindu kirtan, also called bhajan, is to glorify God by singing mantras or devotional hymns. Kirtan is an important part of Hindu devotion (Bhakti).

California is the resting place for many famous people, including a portion of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes. The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake & Shrine was created in 1950 and contains a natural lake...

A Hindu sadhu is a person who renounces all life in the world. A sadhu may be a sannyasa, one who has reached the fourth stage of Hindu life--an ascetic who has studied, been a parent and a...

The Sanskrit term Sadhana translates as "means to attainment." For Hindu traditions, what is to be attained is moksha, or liberation from illusion that causes the cycle of rebirth. Sadhana is Puja...

Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world. A Hindu tradition, it is held four times every twelve years and rotates among the four locations: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasi....

Pilgrimage in Hindu traditions allows pilgrims to spend time in sacred places, experiencing a sense of communion with spiritual ancestors on holy ground. Hindu faithful make pilgrimage to honor...

Gayatri Mantra, first referred to in the Vedas, the oldest Hindu scriptures, is a hymn to the Sun-God, the Goddess Gayatri and to the Mother-God who vitalizes all life. Consisting of four...

The Five Duties are daily Hindu obligations to affirm on a daily basis one's devotion and commitment to the Hindu tradition of one's choice. The Five Duties serve as daily opportunities for peace,...

Changing religions is a serious step that should be taken with great thought and a prayerful approach. The Hindu traditions recognize the spiritual depth of a decision to convert to Hinduism....

Ahimsa, a Hindu concept, is commonly understood to mean non-violence. Ahimsa really means non-injury and pure love. Famous practitioners of Ahimsa are Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yantras are vedic power symbols that are believed to be microcosms of the universe, with focal points that peer into the absolute. Devotees perform puja (worship) to the deva (god) or devi...

Hindus and Buddhists chant the sacred AUM, the vibrations of the Universe. Instructions for chanting AUM date back to the most ancient Hindu sacred texts. Shiva, Brahman, Vishnu, Sri Krishna and...

Vishnu, one of the three in the triune Hindu Godhead (Brahman, Shiva and Vishnu), is worshiped as the Supreme God, as his consort, Lakshmi and as any of his nine avatars. There are many forms of...

Advanced offering to Krishna refers to a procedure to offer food (prasadam) to Krishna. There are procedures for beginners in which food is offered with simple and silent prayers. Devotees may...

Vedanta Vesper service is known as arati, which means "light" in Sanskrit. Vedanta Vespers is a focused time for meditation and for offering five items to the Lord as symbols of the unity of the...

Puja is a form of Hindu worship. Puja to Krishna follows Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad Gita that Bhakti Yoga, which is the path of devotion, is the highest and fastest path to...

Prasadam is food offered to and spiritualized by a god in the Hindu tradition. The god to whom the food is offered depends upon which god the worshiper is devoted to. Prasadam is vegetarian,...

The Vedas are the most ancient Indian sacred teachings. Known as sruti, they are received teachings that were heard. It is believed that the Vedas existed in the mind of God before they were...

Vaishnavites, those who follow the Vedanta path of Vaishnavism, perform devotion (bhakti) to Lord Vishnu. Vishnu devotees may also worship Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, or Lord Rama, the...

Karma means action. Karma Yoga is the path of selfless service, actions offered to God. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna teaches the warrior, Arjuna, that one must perform one's duties without...

Hindus offer prayers in the morning, afternoon and evening. Hindu Early Morning Prayers (Karaagre Vasate) invoke the Divine and prepare the person for the coming day by offering the actions of the...