​There is great popularity now in the Western New Age movement for "sound healing" and the use of what are marketed as "Tibetan singing bowls" in particular. Miraculous healing powers are attributed to these bowls, but they are not Tibetan in origin and have no traditional ritual or healing use in the East. It is thought by many that when offering bowls were sent to the West, the Westerners who could see little use in making offerings decided to try to strike or ring the bowls to make sound instead. There are certain Buddhists sects which do strike similar bowls as a part of meditation and chanting practice, but the use of these bowls for healing is a modern, Western phenomenon, as are bowls made for singing, which were first imported to the West in the 1970's from India and Nepal. But many people wrongly believe that the use of singing bowls in healing is connected to an ancient healing tradition. Sets of bowls are marketed which are said to be tuned to the different chakras and wild claims are made about their ability to heal various physical ailments. Great healing powers are attributed to the bowls themselves. In reality, such bowls have very little ability to heal physical conditions unless they are used by a gifted healer. While it may be tempting for people to believe that they can purchase an implement which is capable of helping them to facilitate healing for others without the many years of study and difficult inner work that healers traditionally undergo in authentic systems of healing, this is not the case. It is possible to feel the vibrations made by bowls when struck or sung and many people wrongly think that because they can feel the vibrations that healing has occurred. It is possible to feel the vibrations of a lion roaring or heavy music blasted through a large speaker, but this does not mean that healing is occurring. This simply means that a person can feel the vibration. Some vibrations have inherently more beneficial or detrimental energy to them, but most will not counteract the effects of diet and lifestyle which influence a person's health and immunity. 

In general, we should be very suspicious of any tradition which attributes healing powers to the chakras. Though the chakra system has arisen from the Hindu scriptures, no traditional Hindu text has attributed healing power to the chakras and the many texts on Ayurveda make no mention of chakras for use in healing. The use of chakras in healing is a modern Western new age adaptation of the spiritual system of chakras which were used by the ancient yogis to gain access into higher realms of consciousness, not for having effects in the physical realm or body. Neither have the Ayurvedic texts made mention of the use of bells for healing, except within the context of the traditional use of bells as a part of prayer rituals and meditation.  

The bell, called घण्टा ghaṇṭā in Sanskrit, is an important part of every Hindu prayer ritual. Many offerings are never traditionally made without the accompaniment of the melodious ringing of the bell. Bells are designed for ritual use with various auspicious symbols of the Gods and cast in brass and other metals alloys. Some have images of Nandi or Garuda or Mayura or Ganapati or other sacred symbols at the tip of the handle. Some have beautiful designs on the body of the bell also. Every Temple has a large bell near its entrance and the doors to altars are often decorated with bells to ensure that the doors cannot be opened without the ringing of bells. The mystical properties of a chiming of bell has been understood by various religious traditions and many Buddhist and Christian Temples and Churches employ large bells to help drive away dark forces and to open channels into the higher spiritual realms so the people's prayers may be heard. But there is perhaps no tradition which reveres the sacred prayer bell nor which uses bells to the extent of the ancient Hindu tradition. Certain offerings, like ritual bathing of the Deity, offering incense, light, or food are never made without the accompaniment of the bell. My guru taught me about the mystical properties of bells and their use in spiritual practice. ​

God is seen as all-pervasive in the Hindu traditions. Nothing in creation has sprung forth without the grace of the Divine Creator, who dwells in all things. As such, anything in the world is worthy of worship, as a manifestation of the Divine. The sacred bell is seen as especially worthy of worship for its mystical properties to help connect people to the inner realms. So in ghaṇṭā pūjā, we actually worship the bell as a manifestation of God, which helps draw us closer to the Supreme. A simple version of this ritual follows:   ​

ॐ घण्टाय नमः। दिव्यगन्धान्-धारयामि॥
om ghaṇṭāya namaḥ | divyagandhān-dhārayāmi ||
"Om, I bow to the Sacred Bell, and offer fragrant Sandalwood paste."

आगमार्थं तु देवानां घमनार्थं तु रक्षसां।
āgamārthaṁ tu devānāṁ ghamanārthaṁ tu rakṣasāṁ |
"For the purpose of summoning the Divine and to attract all beneficial forces, and to bestow protection by dispelling dark forces," 

कुर्यात् घण्टा-रवं तत्र देवता-ह्वानलाङ्चनं ॥    
kuryāt ghaṇṭā-ravaṁ tatra devatā-hvānalāṅcanaṁ  ||
"I ring the sacred bell as a sign of invoking the Devas."  

For the first mantra, namaskara mudra is held, hands joined with palms facing and fingers pointed upward, and then sandalwood paste is applied to the bell. With the next two lines, the bell is rung. After this, it is common to offer various prayers to dispel negative forces while continuing to ring the bell.  ​

The Vedic tradition does attribute healing properties to various sounds and has traditionally incorporated a vast and complex system of sound healing. One of the four Upavedas or subsidiary sciences stemming from the ancient wisdom of the Vedas is Gandharvaveda, which is a mystical science of sacred music and dance. Gandharvaveda was revealed to the Sages by various spiritual beings who have guided its development, called Gandharvas and Apsaras. According to the Vedas all music has its origins in the sacred musical Ganams or Songs of the Samaveda. Of the four Vedas, the Samaveda is the most melodic and its complex. Its musical hymns are said to be the favorite of the Devas. They are the most difficult to learn to recite properly due to their extremely complex nature and it requires 7 - 9 years of dedicated study to learn. The musical hymns of the Samaveda do not rely upon any instrument except for the human voice. The hymns are composed of the 52 sounds of the sacred Sanskrit language which have been revealed to the Sages and seven swaras or notes combined in various sequences and rhythms for a melodious sound. The sacred hymns of the Samaveda are the oldest form of music, generated by the cosmos itself and they are unrivaled in their power to open channels to the inner realms for communion between people and spiritual beings for the healing of consciousness and the purification of the environment. ​

Gandharvaveda also includes various classical forms of music and dance. Like the sacred hymns of the Samaveda, these mystical traditions of sound healing also require many years of dedicated study to master. Classical Carnatic music incorporates dozens of instruments and relies upon harmonic structures and rhythms which are far more complex and sophisticated than those of Western classical music. Carnatic music is so complex compared to Western music that it is difficult for Westerners to understand or appreciate. Indian classical music has a marked effect upon human consciousness and masters of the system of classical music are capable of producing effects in the world by playing the sacred music. Musicians can make it rain by playing a certain raga or make the rain stop. There are stories of musicians playing specific ragas in order to kill their enemy's armies on the battlefield, who dropped dead where they stood on account of the mystical sounds. Specific ragas can be used to heal disease, or even to cause disease. ​

The classic systems of dance like Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Manipuri are similarly complex and incorporate various mystical mudras or gestures along with various bodily movements designed to have a spiritual effect upon those performing the dance, those who witness it, and the place where the dance is performed. Experts of these classical systems of dance are capable of producing the same sorts of results as classical musicians due to the sacred nature of the practice of dance. But a serious student must find a Guru to empower their studies and then they must dedicate a great deal of time and effort to the study, performing severe austerities for the duration of their study. ​

These are the traditional systems of sound healing in the Vedic tradition which go far beyond the modern new age practice of sound healing in their complexity and scope of practice and application. These sacred traditions can not be learned from a book, but have been traditionally passed down through the ages directly from teacher to student. The student learns the intricacies of the practice from their guru and the guru energizes the practice for the students so that it can bear its results in the world. 


​The musical hymns of the Samaveda do not rely upon any bells or other instruments at all, but use the human voice for their healing effects. The systems of classical music rarely employ bells, but certain traditions like the Panchavadya tradition of Kerala have relied upon certain idiophonic instruments like the Elathalam, a pair of metal cymbals which are struck to produce a sound, as a part of a mystical musical performance. 

The bell has a purifying effect upon the atmosphere and is thought to drive away negative forces. The ringing of bells helps to open channels to the higher spiritual realms and to drive away demonic beings and negative energies. It is said that the melodic ringing of the bell can be heard in the inner realms by the Devas. It is for these reasons also that every ritual is started with the ringing of bells and that certain important offerings are always accompanied by ringing bells. Throughout the world, Christian Churches and Hindu Temples and other places of worship have used bells for their mystical ability to open channels to the inner realms. Many Eastern Buddhists have used gongs in the same way.  ​

Specific fragrant herbs like sandalwood and various resins which are burned as incense have similar effects to drive away negative forces. The essential oils in various fragrant substances have been shown in scientific studies to kill bacteria. But they are also capable of driving away negative energy and malicious spiritual beings. In the mind, negative thoughts distract us from our meditations. Within our own minds, these negative thoughts are like demons, which serve to open channels to the lower astral realm and make us susceptible to demonic forces around us. These thoughts are allayed by the fragrant incense which has an aroma-therapeutic effect to help induce peaceful thoughts and feelings and meditative states of consciousness. If people are cooking foods to offer to the Devas while the rituals are going on, people will smell the tantalizing aromas and begin to salivate. Suddenly, their minds are distracted from their prayers and meditations and focused on their bellies. Similarly, if a person smells a foul odor, their mind becomes disturbed. They feel disgusted and many negative thoughts may arise. It is not safe to be thinking these sorts of negative thoughts while performing rituals designed to open channels to the inner realms. In this case, the negative thoughts will lead consciousness to the lower astral realms where many demonic beings are lurking with an intention to gain access to the physical realm in order to do harm to humanity. To prevent such distractions and negative mental states which can open a person to various negative forces, incense is always burned during Hindu rituals. ​

In the same way, bells are employed to prevent distractions and keep the mind focused upon higher vibrational thoughts, feelings, and realms. The properties of various herbs inherently lead the mind to higher states of consciousness. The melodious sound of a bell has a similar effect upon human consciousness. The chiming of a bell generally does not heal a person in and of itself, but it can help induce transcendent states of awareness when used as a part of one's spiritual practice. Being in a higher state of consciousness can have a healing effect, which is the true gift of any genuine healer. The heightened consciousness of the healer has a healing effect upon others around them. This is why shamanic traditions around the world have all incorporated complex rituals and chanting practices to help the healer access higher realms of consciousness before they attempt healing work. Just like certain smells can cause the mind to become distracted, various sounds can also pull the mind out of meditative states of consciousness. When a person hears an audible sound with the ears, their awareness is drawn into the senses of the physical body. The higher realms are not physical however and cannot be perceived with the senses of the physical body. If a person is meditating in a room and hears a commotion outside, they may be startled. If the mind investigates further, that person may become alarmed or concerned. Suddenly, a person is not meditating but actively analyzing the situation around them. They may be wondering what sort of potential threat is lurking outside and planning routes of escape should a real danger present itself. This is the opposite of meditation, which does not analyze, but simply witnesses with detachment. The white noise of a ringing bell helps to veil any such disturbing noises which may distract the mind in practice. In this way, the bell puts the inner demon of the mind to rest. The sound of the bell can also drown out mental chatter which may disturb a person's meditation. The bell repels outer demons also, by drawing awareness into higher realms of consciousness inaccessible to demonic beings. It should be noted that the sound of blowing the sacred conch shell has similar effects to dispel negative forces, and can even kill bacteria and viruses. The conch is often sounded in puja rituals, but its use is not quite as common as the ringing of the bell.   ​

This is why a bell is often rung at the beginning of a meditation practice, because the sound of the bell which is audible in the higher spiritual realms, helps to draw awareness to those realms. The bell is also rung at the end of a meditation. This is because the bell can be heard in the inner realms, so the sound of the bell can safely guide a yogi deep in meditation back to the physical realm. It is said that it can be very dangerous to disturb a yogi deep in meditation. If that yogi has gone far within and is suddenly jerked from their meditation by some outer commotion, this can be a shock to their nervous system and potentially cause them serious harm. This is why my Guru used to say that if you encounter a person deep enough in meditation that they cannot hear you speak, it is best to leave them undisturbed. However, if it is necessary to try to get the attention of a person deep in meditation, rather than to yell or shake their body, my Guru suggested that a bell be rung. Because the bell can be heard even in the causal realm, the sound of the bell can safely guide a yogi in deep samadhi (spiritual union and transcendental meditative awareness) back to the senses of the physical body. ​

So the bell has an effect to summon the awareness of beings in the higher spiritual realms, whether it is the Devas who we desire to hear our prayers or a yogi deep in meditation. Because the bell connects the spiritual realms to the physical realm, it is held as very sacred in the Hindu tradition. But modern traditions which are not aware of the spiritual realms have tried to understand the sacred nature of the bell by making claims that it has effects in the physical realm. The mystical effects of the bell can only really be understood by those who have performed intense austerities and prayed and meditated a lot. Then it is possible to witness and appreciate the mystical effects of the bell in different spiritual realms.      ​

Today most indigenous cultures have lost their connection to the spirit of Nature to a large extent. They have abandoned the beliefs and traditions of their forefathers in favor of the ways of modern materialism. The people's respect and need for shamans has disappeared and so the shamans whose role it was to connect the people with the Divine forces of nature have vanished. These mystical shamans have been replaced in many cases by money hungry con-artists and drug pushers selling sex and narcotic herbs and other forms of worldly indulgence as an experience of other realms. Their true spiritual traditions having been denigrated and desecrated by the propaganda of imperialists, colonists, and evangelists, many have turned to black magic and find themselves connected to dark forces instead of to spiritual light. Yet the traditions of previous generations of ancestors remains in the form of stories of miracles, supernatural powers, astral travel, unseen forces, possession, hauntings, curses, angels, forest spirits, fairies, elves, dwarfs, gnomes, trolls, ghosts, vampires, demons, aliens, yetis, shape-shifters, mermaids, unicorns, dragons, and banshees. But the people who see these spiritual beings are no more and the shamans who helped the people to navigate the worlds of such spiritual forces have become extinct in much of the world today. Many major faiths have written off such spiritual experiences as heretical or superstitious, and many rational people have come to find the notion of receiving messages from the Universe or hearing God speak to them as delusional. Prayer has been transformed from an experience of communing with spiritual forces around oneself in Nature to a distant cry to an inactive and unresponsive divine Ruler. It is no wonder that many people around the world feel spiritually unplugged and are longing deeply to reconnect with the spiritual ways of their ancestors. ​

The human soul is a force of nature. It springs from the Divine prana which guides all movements in the universe. When we connect with its spirit, we see that we pervade all the universe and that nothing is apart from our inner nature which is one with the Divine throughout creation. The practices and customs which enabled people in the past to experience these spiritual truths have been abandoned by most of the world in modern times in favor of seeking more tangible seeming things in the physical realm. The spiritual traditions have been extinguished though many people profess that religion is a quite important aspect of their lives. They do not experience the spiritual things which are described in their scriptures. For them religion is an intellectual concept which has little bearing on their life or experience. Having become extinguished, their spiritual traditions cannot be rekindled without an active spark shared from one of the living traditions which has maintained its connection to the highest light of God. ​

The practices to awaken this awareness are many and varied within the Hindu tradition. Thousands of years of wisdom have been built upon the realizations and traditions of previous generations and have been passed down through the millennia. There is no other tradition on Earth so ancient, vast and complex. The spiritual path is perhaps nowhere else understood and described in such elaborate detail by any other tradition on Earth. Hinduism is often referred to as the Mother of Religions. It is the most ancient continually practiced tradition in the world, yet it has also maintained an authentic connection to nature. It brings us wisdom of nature and how we fit into it. More importantly, it has maintained an unbroken lineage of awakened souls who from their own connection to Divine forces, can guide and empower the practice and spiritual attainments of sincere seekers. Through the living presence of such masters, the spiritual teachings come to life for seekers, so that they too can experience the sacred in nature around them.                                                                       ​

​There is a concept of Pancha Maha Yajna, five great sacrifices. These are a constant duty for all living people. These are based upon certain Rina (debts) we have to various beings in life. Our lives are not independent. We are reliant on various beings in order to live prosperous lives. Based upon what we take from others, we assume certain debts, which are paid off through the practice of the Pancha Maha Yajnas. The five debts are 1) Pitri Rinam (debt to the ancestors), 2) Deva Rinam (debt to the Gods), 3) Rishi Rinam (debt to the Sages, Gurus and Preceptors), 4) Manushya Rinam (debt to society), and Bhuta Rinam (debt to living beings spiritual beings, nature, the elements and the environment).

Pitri Rinam (debt to the ancestors) We owe this live to our mother and father and ancestors. Without them, we could not be living in the world. We take on a lot of karma from the ancestors which is referred to in the West as genetic inheritance. 

Traditional Practice: Pitri Yajnam - To become free from this debt to our ancestors, traditionally we maintain good relations, supporting our living relatives, and we offer daily pitri tarpanam and monthly pitri tarpanam at home in addition to annual shraaddha and pinda danam and and anyeshti (funerals) for departed ancestors for which priests are hired to perform the complex rituals.

Modern Approach: We can make a daily offering of a brass kumbha of water and a brass bowl of til (black sesame) seeds for our ancestors with any mantras we know offered for the welfare of our ancestors. Annually we can hire priests to perform shraadha and pinda danam or tila homam for our departed ancestors. We can remain in contact with living relatives and help them as we are able, and help ensure that proper funeral rituals are performed whenever a relative passes.         

​Deva Rinam (debt to the Gods) There are many spiritual beings (Devas) whose role it is in creation to assist humanity from the inner realms. Much protection and support comes from the Devas. We have a duty to make certain offerings to the Devas to help facilitate their work. 

Traditional Practice: Deva Yajnam - This offering was traditionally fulfilled by the performance of daily yajnas (fire sacrifices) like aupasanam and agnihotra, and monthly and annual yajnas like darshapurnamasa, chaturmasya and nirudhapashabandha. These rituals required initiation into the Vedas and a vast amount of knowledge to perform. 

Modern Approach: In modern times, it is not practical to accomplish the vastly complex Vedic yajnas. The modern Sages of the Puranas and Tantras have recommended simplified puja offerings. We can perform daily puja of 16 upacharas at home and visit the Temple of our kuladevatas and ishtadevas once a week. Annually we can perform tirtha yatra (pilgrimage) to one distant sacred Temple. We should save money and donate to the Temples we visit according to our ability to help support these sacred sites through which the Devas work on Earth.

​Rishi Rinam (debt to the Sages, Gurus and Preceptors) We have a debt also to the Sages, Gurus and spiritual Perceptors. In ancient times, the Sages were given much respect and society has based itself around the suggestions of the enlightened masters in many ways which benefit the world immensely. Without the enlightened guidance from the Sages, it would be very difficult for us to enjoy lasting pleasure in life or to come to spiritual awareness. Traditionally, this debt is paid by Vedic Study. This means Vedic recitation. Study in this sense is not an intellectual process of reading and thinking about the Vedas, but reciting the Vedas so that the sacred vibration of the hymns can uplifted us to the same enlightened state as the Sage who revealed that hymn. 

Traditional Practice: Brahma Yajnam - traditionally, this yajnam is fulfilled through the practice of Brahma Yajna, a ritual performed by those who have been initiated into the Vedas after the midday Madhyahnikam practice. In the Brahma Yajna ritual, the first verse of each Veda is recited along with various hymns from the Veda a person has been initiated into.

Modern Approach: Listening to the pravachanam (discourses) of the living masters. By practicing the mantras, kriyas, or meditations we have been taught and initiated into by our master. Those who are initiated to recite Vedas can recite what Vedas they know. Those who are not initiated into Vedas can attend a Temple where Vedas are recited or listen to audio recordings of purohits reciting Vedas. We can donate to the acharyas, gurus, and other teachers who help spread spiritual knowledge, especially on Guru Purnima day around July.   

​​Manushya Rinam (Debt to Society) We have a debt to humanity and society. We can not live without the efforts of many people. The people who grew the vegetables we eat. The people who made the materials from which our homes are constructed. The architect who designed and the builders who built our home. The government officials who approved the building plans to ensure our homes are safe for inhabitation. etc. 

Traditional Practice: Atithi Yajnam - This debt to society was traditionally paid by householders by offering hospitality to travelers, students, and sadhus. If any hungry person was seen in the vicinity of the house, it was seen as a householder's duty to feed that person. 

Modern Approach: We can offer food or money to needy people whenever we encounter them. We can donate time and money to various charities which help the underprivileged.     

​​Bhuta Rinam (debt to living beings spiritual beings,, nature, the elements and the environment) We have a debt to all sorts of beings including various spiritual beings, animals and plants without whom we could not survive. We owe a great debt to nature itself and 

Traditional Practice: Bhuta Yajna involved making daily bali offers which serve to satiate spiritual beings in the place we live and hungry animals. We strive to live in accordance with nature causing as little harm as possible to the environment and especially to living beings around us.  

Modern Practice: We can strive to protect the environment by creating less waste and using sustainable forms of energy and clothing and vehicles and building materials. We can reduce harm to animals and to the environment a great deal by adopting a vegetarian diet. Where laws allow, we can make regular offerings of food for animals and spiritual beings. We can donate time and money to charities that help animals and the environment. In many Western countries there are laws prohibiting feeding wild animals. It may be wise to check with local authorities about laws pertaining to this. In most localities it should be at least legal to offer suitable food to birds. Even where laws prohibit feeding animals, it should be possible to appease spiritual beings by pouring offerings of water or milk into the ground for this purpose.   

Several people have contacted Swamiji expressing concern about a few recent articles published by major news sources in addition to several pieces in recent years on NPR which have insinuating that Hinduism is a radical and violent religion posing a threat to the liberty of Americans. ​​

We are disappointed to see several major news sources have recently published insinuations that radical right-wing Hindu organizations are gaining ground in America and posing a threat to the US. These articles either claim or insinuate that radicals are becoming mainstream in Hinduism and that Hinduism poses a threat to Americans' freedom. No fewer than three defamatory articles have been published in the past month by major news outlets with several others published in previous months. 

Huff Post Article
Vice Article
The Intersept Article

​This comes in the Holy month of Ashvin when the Biden administration received criticism from the Hindu community for doing away with the spiritual observance of the Hindu festival of Diwali at the white house. The White House celebration of Diwali was started by President Obama and continued by President Trump. Though Biden hosted the largest celebration of Diwali in White House history this year, he is the first President not to invite a Hindu priest to offer prayers at the White House as a part of the observance of the religious festival. Many Hindus are asking if the Biden administration was trying to de-Hinduize Diwali. Is the message that Hindu Americans are supposed to take from all these events that they are welcome in America so long as they assimilate and leave behind their Hindu culture and identity? Diwali is one of the most important Hindu religious festivals celebrating the triumph of the light of peace and love and wisdom over the dark forces of selfishness, egoism, ignorance, and hatred.

​We find the story written by Rowaida Abdelaziz and published by the Huff Post in particular quite concerning. This article compares Hindu Nationalism to "white national extremism" and implies that violence and hate are the dominant political position of Hindus. The article quotes South Asian historian and outspoken opponent of Hinduism Audrey Truschke “Hindu nationalism is threatening American multicultural values. If you like diversity, if you believe people who are different and who follow different religions should live together and that we are all Americans, Hindutva is a threat to that, and it is growing. It is not going away. It’s likely to get worse.” Hinduism is and always has been a very peaceful and arguably the most tolerant religion on the planet. Hindu scriptures urge people to practice ahimsa (non-injury to living beings) as the highest spiritual ideal, and foster tolerance between faiths by proclaiming "Truth is one. Paths are many." It is the Hindu ideal of nonviolence that inspired Mahatma Gandhi toward the nonviolent resistance of British oppression which led to one of the very few nonviolent revolutions in recorded history. If Hindu Nationalists are working to help return rights to Hindu people to practice their religion that were lost in the time of Colonial rule, this poses no threat to Americans, unless these Americans have a hidden agenda to destroy the Hindu culture and convert the Hindu people to their Christian beliefs and traditions. In practice, the indigenous Hindu people of India have not enjoyed all the same legal rights as members of other faiths for hundreds of years.

These types of fanatical reports may help increase the audience for news outlets, but they also affect the lives of millions of people. It is important that such stories are presented accurately and also delicately with regaurd to the difficult situation of immigrant communities who routinely face a great deal of discrimination and abuse. Hindus in America are an extremely marginalized group, without even considering the numerous challenges faced by Hindus historically in India. Though Hinduism is the fourth largest religion in America today with a population of around 3 million, this is only about 1 percent of the US population. Hinduism as a faith is not generally well understood by the American people. The scholarly writings on Hinduism derive a great deal of inaccuracy from the early Western writings on Hinduism authored by Chrstian missionaries with the intention to demonize the Hindu faith and convert the Hindu people to Christianity. The American education system still tends in many cases to present widely inaccurate and derogatory descriptions of Hinduism. The faith is often inaccurately portrayed in the media in the few cases that it is represented at all. It is shameful to see news outlets publishing stories which will likely serve to increase the many misunderstandings about the Hindu faith without having done their due diligence to evaluate the accuracy of such stories or the hidden agendas of the people they are reporting on. Indian Americans face a great deal of harassment, abuse, and discrimination, for the darker color of their skin, for language and cultural differences, and for their religion.        

These articles which warn of the growing threat of violent and intolerant Hindus in America present a very inaccurate picture of Hindu Americans by leaving out many important details. For example, two of the articles cited above refer to cyberbullying and online threats experienced by Audrey Truschke. The articles state that this is indicative of a growing number of Hindu radicals trying to silence critical scholarship and to force others to adopt Hindu views. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hinduism is undeniably one of the most, if not the most, tolerant religion on Earth today with a long history of welcoming members of other faiths. Unlike Mrs. Truschke's Christian faith, Hinduism does not proselytise and has no traditional methods for conversion. True Hindu nationalists are simply seeking to regain the dignity and rights taken away during Colonial rule of India which are still lacking in many ways. There is no agenda to dismantle, harm, or even influence the peaceful coexistence of other religious traditions. Hinduism sees each religious path as true and valid, and so Hindus feel no need to convert others to their ways. After centuries of governance from foriegn powers that have tried to ridicule, outlaw, and destroy the Hindu faith, many Hindus are understandably in favor of a government which protects their right to exist alongside other traditions which are not always so tolerant. 

​These articles leave out the detail that Mrs. Truschke has a long recorded history of making racist, defamatory, and insulting statements against Hindu people and the Hindu faith.  She claims that her attacks are aimed against a fundamentalist element within the Hindu tradition, but turns around and asserts that fundamentalism and violence are becoming predominent in mainsteam Hinduism and insults Hindu people and Hinduism as a faith. Mrs. Truschke's true motives for her attacks on Hinduism become clear in the light of the work of her husband and father-in-law. Mrs. Truschke's father-in-law is the pastor of the First Baptist church in Monterey, California. He and Mrs. Truschke's husband travel to India as missionaries to try to convert Hindus to their Baptist faith. Mrs. Truschke's image also appears on the church's website.  This is a textbook example of colonization. Mrs. Truschke's tactics are copied from the playbook of the British colonists: spreading disinformation and insulting the indiginous Hindu people of India in order to demonize their faith so that they can be "civilized" and converted to the superior views of the "enlightened" Christians.  When Mrs. Truschke uses insults like referring to Hindus as "cow piss drinkers" she is employing a rhetoric which has been used for centuries by the British colonists in their efforts to denigrate and dismantle the Hindu faith. She makes her own agenda clear to anyone paying careful attention, though the Huff Post clearly did not do their research before publishing this story. Yet Mrs. Truschke presents herself as a liberal and a supporter of religious freedom and many have believed these claims.  It does not matter if we favor the Christian views of the colonial era or the modern day liberal political views of American Christians; whenever one culture presumes that their views, customs, and traditions are superior to those of another culture and they try to impose those views upon the indiginous people of a foriegn country, this clearly constitutes attempted colonization. When this is done so through deceptive means and through the denigration of a people's native customs and religion, this is extremely unethical. Mrs. Truschke's actions speak louder than her words and reveal her true identity as a wolf in sheep's clothing.

These sorts of articles which seem to be trying to educate Americans of the threat Hundism poses do not even tend to get the basic facts about Hinduism right. In a piece for NPR from April 22, 2019, Lauren Frayer, NPR correspondent for South Asia, states that Hinduism is a polytheism. This is not true. There are four major denominations of Hinduism today; Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, and Smartism. All four of these denominations believe in One Supreme Divinity, so are by definition monotheistic. The British Colonists were the first to use terms like "polytheism" to describe Hinduism in an effort to relate the Hindu tradition to the already defamed Pagan traditions of pre-Christian Europe. With critical scholarship on Hinduism and Indian history increasing in America, one would think that such misconcpetions would be quickly identified and eliminated from academic texts. But these sorts of misconceptions remain commonplace, even for Western scholars on Hinduism. The question people should be asking is, how can we trust articles which cannot even seem to get the most basic details correct? The clear answer is that we cannot trust such articles. Unfortunately, the American public does not know enough about Hinduism or Indian history to understand when news outlets are presenting inaccurate or misleading information.   

​We as Hindu Americans have often experienced ourselves and our loved ones being exposed to all sorts of harassment, bullying, threats, and violent attacks and can understand how difficult it can be to face such adversities. We can understand and empathize with the hardships of cyberbullying Mrs. Truschke has experienced. Unlike Mrs. Truschke who has invited this sort of negative attention by insulting people's indiginous culture and religion, Hindu people in America must face these difficulties, without provocation, simply for being different. We admonish the insulting and anti-Hindu statements of Mrs. Truschke. There are simply more kind, more mature, and more effective ways to communicate. This insensitive, hurtful, and slanderous sort of speech is unacceptable, especially when it comes from a respected educator whose race and religious affiliation put her in a position of privilege and these comments are directed toward a marginalized minority community. We also admonish the actions of those who have sent insults and threats to Mrs Truschke. This is an action which makes the perpetrators no better than her. Receiving threats and insults online does not however have any clear correlation to the growth of a radical and violent Hindu element in the US as these articles assert. Cyber bullying as well as threats against college professors are increasingly common. Students are experiencing a great deal of cyberbullying as well. This is an unfortunate element of American society today which is regrettably experienced by many college professors who do not insult other cultures or religions and who have not commented upon Hinduism at all. The use of these alleged threats and insults as evidence for a radical movement in the mainstream tradition of Hinduism is preposterous at best.  

While the assertation that any threats received by Mrs. Truschke are indicative of a growing movement of radical Hindus desiring to strip away the liberty of Americans is ridiculous, the evidence of hate crimes aginast Hindu Americans is clear. The FBI's publication of hate crime statistics shows a general increase in hate crimes against Hindus in America in recent years. The Hindu American Foundation has published a brief history of hate crimes against Hindus in America, listing dozens of documented cases of hate crimes perpetrated against Hindus.  The instances of violence against Hindus in America have steadily increased since 9/11. I, myself, was seized by an angry mob in Time Square shortly after 9/11 when I was on my way to a Temple consecration in Pennsylvania and wearing my dhoti (robes) and tilakam (forehead markings). I was physically detained by a large group of angry men yelling death threats and saved by a bus driver who helped me to escape my attackers and hid me in a bus driver's lounge until I could safely depart the city when my bus arrived. I have heard many countless stories from Hindu people I know, many of whom were not so lucky as I. Most of these cases were never reported to the police - or in certain cases were perpetrated by the police themselves - and so these countless stories will go unrecorded. I have personally witnessed many cases of harassment, abuse, and descrimination - including mocking, insulting, physical attacks, denial of rights, imprisonment, and murder. Hindus routinely experience greater difficulty getting jobs, and being approved for loans or rental contracts, and Hindu organizations commonly experience difficulties to get permits to operate legally due to bigotry. We have shared on our facebook page multiple news articles about Hindu Temples facing discrimination. Our own Temple, after acquiring a property, was told by conservative Christian neighbors that "we had no legal rights because we practiced a false religion." The neighbors filed many complaints with the county and subsequently our permit application to enable us to pray there was denied by the county. Meanwhile our Christian neighbors were permitted to hold regular bible study groups and prayer gatherings without permits.       

​Hindus in India have faced terrible violence, oppression, and persecution at the hand of both Christian and Muslim invaders. They have witnessed the decimation of their cultural identity and the desecration of thousands of their sacred Temples. Today in India, attacks on Hindus by Islamic terrorists are increasingly common. Many Hindus are understandably concerned. There is a small but vocal group of radical Hindus today who speak against Islam and who advocate for violence. Though the frustrations of these people can be understood, their approach is unacceptable. The vast majority of Hindus respect Islam as a valad spiritual path which also teaches peace as their own tradition does. We must be careful not to group a whole religion in with a few radical fundamentalists. We spoke up about this point in defense of the great tradition of Islam after the 9/11 attacks in the US when many Americans became fearful and angry toward Muslims. The refusal of media outlets to be careful to portray Islam as a peaceful religion and to make a clear destinction between radical terrorists and mainstream Islam fueled the ignorance and fear of the American people and helped to increase the anger which lead to many misguided violent acts of rage and retaliation. In the first month after 9/11, 300 instances of discrimination and violence agianst Sikhs were reported by the Sikh Coalition including the murder of two Sikhs in Elk Grove, California whose assailant mistook them for Muslims. This is a good example of the widespread danger inherent to this sort of reporting. In a time when hate crimes against Hindus in the US are increasing, this type of reporting is extremely irresponsible and dangerous. In normal cases, for the most privileged members of society, defamatory remarks can be quite damaging. For underprivileged and marginalized immigrant communities, such remarks can prove deadly. We do not associate mainstream Christianty with radical hate groups like the Nazi Party or the KKK though they were both self-proclaimed Christian organizations. We understand these groups to be radical deviants not representative of the peaceful faith of Christianity as a whole. We must be very careful to make the same distinction when considering the few isolated radicals within the Hindu or Islamic faiths. These radicals are certainly not representative of either faith as a whole. But people are not well educated on these faiths, and the glaring deficiency of the educational system does not help, so reporters must take great care to ensure that the stories they write will not incite hate crimes against innocent and upstanding citizens.    

​In response to these articles, we will be publishing a series of articles about Hindu beliefs and practices with reference to popular Western criticisms of the Hindu faith along with insight into the historical origins of these criticisms. Though we do not have the platform that the Huff Post has given Mrs. Truschke to reach tens of millions of readers, or even the platform that Rutgers University provides to her to spread her hateful comments against Hindus, it is our humble prayer that these articles may help to increase awareness about Hinduism in America and to help to set straight a few of the most common misconceptions about the Hindu faith. When there is ignorance, often people respond with fear and hatred. When there is knowledge, people can be understanding, tolerant, and accepting of the diversity which makes America great. We hope that getting this information out will help increase acceptance of the great Hindu faith, which has contributed so much to American culture, but also help to inspire tolerance, understanding and promote the acceptance of the Islamic faith, the Sikh faith, the Jain faith, the Buddhist faith and all the religious traditions of all religious minorities and immigrant communities. Each of these communities and many others unmentioned have faced horrible abuse and discrimination and today in America struggle to enjoy the rights that white Americans take for granted. May these communities come together, having experienced similar hardships, to support one another in creating an atmosphere of tolerance and brotherhood for all humanity. We encourage Hindu people not to argue with these radicals intent upon spreading hate but to be tolerant, patient, forgiving, and loving in order to show these people the true meaning of our great Hindu faith. Last year, I was approached by the organizers of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference and asked to speak against my Hindu faith. I did not respond. However often we are provoked by malicious forces intent upon spreading hate, we must strive not to respond. For us to repay harassment with punishment can only serve to increase the violence and hate in the world. There is too much violence and hate in the world today. We can only balance this by practicing love and compassion.   

​We should be proud to be Hindu Americans and we must work to educate people about the beauty of our ancient, vast, and influential tradition. We must not be discouraged. The brave Hindus who walked alongside the Great Mahatma Gandhi often faced terrible abuse at the hand of their British oppressors. Yet dharma prevaled. By the grace of God, these fine exemplars of our faith remained calm and peaceful and arose from their beatings free from the chains of colonial rule. Things have improved a great deal for Hindu people since that time, but we are still facing many overwhelming obstacles. I have been insulted, mocked, and physically attacked on numerous occasions for wearing my dhoti and tilakam in public. God gave me strength to alway respond with calmness and compassion toward my attackers. For this reason, and by God's grace, these people were swayed toward a better view of Hinduism. I will happily be beaten many times more if it might help improve conditions for my Hindu brothers and sisters. Because I was born in America to white parents, if I take off my dhoti and tilakam, I enjoy a certain privilege in America which is simply unavailable to most of my Hindu brothers and sisters. I cannot imagine the terror of knowing that such a situation is unavoidable. Yet I implore you all to remain strong and to remain faithful. If we can continue to follow the example of those brave souls who cast off the chains of British rule, and fight to preserve dharma by preserving our own inner peace and spreading peace in the world, understanding of the Hindu faith will increase in America and conditions will assuredly improve.                               

Gananathamritananda Giri
Peethadhipati (Spiritual Director)
Soma Matha Spiritual Center
Schuyler, Virginia 
Nov. 1st. 2022

Before these rituals are performed the bimba is physically cleaned with various substances like mud, and ash, and crushed bananas, and tamarind paste in a ritual called mūrti samskāra. This helps remove physical impurities from the carving and shipping and energies from the stone carver, those who have moved the image, and the priest conducting the rituals. Various other rituals of purification are conducted also. Notably, a series of adhivāsam rituals is conducted, submerging the statue in various substances. Jalādhivāsam is submerging the image in water. Kṣīrādhivāsam uses milk. Pañcagavyādhivāsam uses the five sacred substances from the cow (ghee, yogurt, milk, urine, and dung). Dhānyādhivāsam uses various grains like wheat, rice, barley, sesame seeds, and the nine grains associated with the nine Planets. Ratnādhivāsam uses the nine gems associated with the Planets and along with semi-precious gems and various metals and minerals including brass, copper, gold, silver, mercury, arsenic, sulfur, lead, tin and others. Puṣpādhivāsam uses various sacred flowers and herbs. Śayyādhivāsam involves laying the statue down on a comfortable bed and covering it with blankets. These offerings purify the image and help Divinity to come to dwell within it. Various colorful maṇḍalas are drawn and duly worshiped, and various homa (fire ceremonies) are conducted for a variety of purposes. There are many various rituals performed as a part of the purification and consecration (or reconsecration) of sacred Temple icons which require weeks if not months of preparation and the donation and participation of dozens of people to accomplish. The full range of the rituals is far beyond the scope of this article. ​

The Netronmīlanam ritual itself is begun with Netronmīlana homam, a fire ceremony conducted to empower the ritual and to begin the process of opening channels to the inner realms. Various sacred herbs are used for the homam. Sattvic Ayurvedic herbs with nervine properties help to calm the mind and stimulate spiritual awareness like calamus, brahmi, amalaki, bhringaraj, sandalwood, costus root, spikenard, tulsi, sugarcane, darbha grass, black pepper, kakkola, netrabala, sage, angelica, and turmeric are used. Herbs which are good for eyesight and increase vision and perception in general and used also like triphala, dashmula, bhringaraj, netrabala, ginger, gudduci, licorice, lotus, carrot seed, dill seed, chamomile, and shatavari. Herbs which open channels to the inner realms are also used like turmeric, bhringaraj, brahmi, calamus, sandalwood, agar, camphor, tulsi, shalaparni, cardamom, sweet grass, cedar, juniper, comfrey, and shaileya. Other substances like goat’s milk, honey, limes, pomegranates, bananas, tamarind, and rice pudding (charu) are offered as well. Various gems and minerals are used in the offerings also like gold, silver, copper, diamonds, yellow sapphire, blue sapphire, gomed, cat’s eye, tin, agate, and pearls. Gold, silver, copper, diamond, yellow sapphire, and agate are also used to produce various implements for the rituals also. The homams are conducted with Vedic and Āgamic mantras related to spiritual vision. The netra mantra, “vauṣaṭ” is important and used often in these rituals. During the homam, ghee and honey to be used in Netronmīlanam is blessed and empowered for the ceremony by offering a small portion into the sacred fire. We are further empowering the rituals by conducting a series of homams to be performed after the conclusion of a series of eye-opening practices. ​

Netra means “Eye.” And Unmīlana means “becoming visible, unfolding, or opening of the eyes.” After various rituals to purify the sacred space of the Temple and the images, Netronmīlana homams are performed to prepare for the ritual of Netronmīlanam. The ritual is performed to open channels to the inner realms so that the Devas can see the devotees in the Temple and hear their prayers. It is also performed to heighten the spiritual awareness of the Temple devotees of the sacred presence of the Devas. Normally people have trouble to see the Devas, because they dwell in the inner realms. The Devas likewise have trouble to see and to help the people. There is a veil between realms which obscures communication and interaction. The ritual of Netronmīlanam helps to increase visibility between realms in order to help inform and empower the efforts of the Devas to bless the people, and to increase human awareness of and receptivity to the blessings received.   

​Learn More About The Netronmīlanam Rituals 
Contribute to Support our Efforts to Perform Eye-Opening Practices and Ceremonies  ​

​​Learn More About The Netronmīlanam Rituals 
Contribute to Support our Efforts to Perform Eye-Opening Practices and Ceremonies  ​

When I first met Swamiji, I had been engaged in a Yajnam (fire ceremony) which continued for many months. At that time, I had a fire altar made of brick set up and a space to sleep. I would wake each day and eat a little food and then began making offerings to the fire. When it got dark, I would eat a little more food and sleep. Perhaps once in a week, I would walk around. As I walked, I could see the karmas of the people who passed by. Sometimes I would also see the people's relatives and acquaintances, though they were not physically present. Some people had illnesses; others had problems with their career or relationships. I could see as I passed by, that these karmas were shifting. It was not from anything I was doing, but from the shakti (energy) of the Lord manifesting in the physical realm through the pranas (subtle nutrients) of the ghee, rice, flowers, and herbs which had been offering into the sacred fire. I typically did not will for any of this to happen, but simply observed. Sometimes, random strangers or people that I knew would approach me and tell me of their problems and I would pray for them. But most days I simply sat making offerings into the sacred fire. I did pray that the Lord help the world as He see best as I made offerings and I tried to simply serve as an instrument in His hands for that purpose. It would be revealed to me which mantras and offerings would be most useful at a given time. Sometimes I was aware of specific situations or energies that we were working to mitigate, but many other times there was no such knowledge and I would simply make the offerings I was guided to.

At this time, I was not in the habit of conversing much with people, reading magazines, internet or new papers or watching television. I was very much out of touch with current events and culture. I did not hear about world events, popular music, fashions, celebrities, or politics. Yet one day, I saw a Swami appear beside the fire. He looked to me like I would imagine an ancient sage would look; long beard, beaming grin, thin figure, simple robes and wooden Padukas (sandals).
​
He smiled and said "Come see me," and then he disappeared as suddenly as he had come. I had no idea who he was. I had never seen him before. I noticed he wore the Kavi robes of a Sannyasi (monk).
I said "Wait! Swamiji, I don't know who you are. I don't know where you are. How do I 'come see' you?"
Disturbed by this command which I had no idea how to fulfill, I concluded my offerings and walked away from the fire altar. With no idea what to do, I paced around anxiously and suddenly came across a magazine opened to a page with an ad for a teaching given by Swami Paramanandaji. The ad had his photo, and I recognized immediately that he was the same Swami from my vision by the fire. By some great luck or more likely on account of the karma of previous lives, Swamiji gave several teachings in nearby towns which I had the opportunity to attend. As I approached the event, I could feel Swamiji's shakti for nearly a kilometer. Coming into the physical presence of that Saint was like coming into an supercharged energy field which shook me to the core. Everything felt heavy around him. The gravity pulled down more in that space. I felt I understood why they call such a teacher a "guru" (guru means heavy in Sanskrit). I could feel my body tremble as it was flooded with Divine shakti and I felt the wall of maya tremble. The world shook around me and what was false began to fall away in the presence of the master. As he spoke in Hindi through a translator, I could not really understand his words or those of the translator. My awareness went inward and there was great difficulty to focus on the outer experience of words. As I sat in his divine presence, I felt many deep-seated pains in the body, of which I had been previously unaware. A tightness in the chest, fear in the back, sharp pains in the neck and head... These pains seemed so intense it was difficult to bear. The intensity was so great that at times I feared the physical body could not possibly sustain the experience and that it would surely perish. It was possible in this Saint's presence for me to tap into previously inaccessible sensations. Though his awareness helped guide and stabilize my efforts, it was a definite struggle for me to come to a place of stillness in relation to each of these intense experiences. They came one after another by the dozen, for days as I had the great fortune to be in the presence of this master. Each experience, seemed more intense than the last. But eventually, with great effort, I would come to a place of acceptance of the experience and it would pass. As these experiences passed, I felt as if imposing weights were lifting from my body and I saw brilliant colored lights dissipating from my aura.
​
Later I witnessed Swamiji conduct a surprising feat involving fruit. It was during a subsequent meeting with Swamiji when he had come back to the town where I was living a different year. Swamiji was conducting a discourse after which the attendees were to be invited to come forward to receive Swamiji's blessings. At this point, I knew a few of his disciples who had made arrangements for the event. I heard them discussing the arrangements with concern. They had estimated that only a couple dozen people would attend the event, but as people continued to arrive, the actual number was closer to two hundred. Swamiji had requested that they buy a small amount of fresh fruit for him to give to the people attending the event as a blessing. They bought more than they thought they would need, but it was clear that there were many more people than fruits. They asked Swamiji if they should rush to a nearby store to buy more fruit, because it seemed clear there would not be enough for everyone there.
Swamiji said "Don't worry about it."

When Swamiji's discourse had come to an end, the devotees were anxious about the fruit situation and asked Swamiji if they should change the plan of telling people that he would be giving fruits as a blessing. He instructed them to put the fruits into a few baskets and not to worry. So they did as instructed. I was fortunate to be able to sit close and watch as Swamiji gave his blessings to all the people who had attended the event. Somehow, he gave a fruit to every one of nearly two hundred people from a couple baskets holding several dozen apples and oranges. Quite a few people received two or more fruits, presumably for people close to them who had not been able to attend the event. When the whole event concluded, I rose in respect as Swamiji walked away and watched with devotion until he had departed. After Swamiji had gone, I noticed that there were many fruits still in the baskets and scattered around the place where he had been sitting, many more than had originally been in the baskets of fruits brought by the devotees. Though most people who attended the event had no idea what had happened, I saw some of the devotees who had expressed concerns about the fruit before the event cleaning up afterward. We grinned at each other in acknowledgement.

It was at another teaching Swamiji was giving around the time of this event that I had an amazing experience. I prostrated before the master and as I arose, he grinned radiantly and pointed above my head. Then I saw a bright golden light, which appeared like a large candle flame burning just above my head as if ignited by his gesture. It was warm and bright. The light was so bright in fact that its vision made it difficult to see other things. For about a week I struggled to see with the physical eyes as the inner eye remained focused on the flame growing and becoming brighter above my head. I could not walk around or drive because it was hard to see anything other than that light. I desisted from all scheduled activities, because it wasn't really possible to do much of anything else apart from focusing on this experience. Apart from the difficulty I was experiencing to see things, there were intense sensations as the light above the head seemed to be affecting me. It felt bright and pure and I felt quite differently. I felt that I must come into alignment with its radiance, and also that it was burning away certain attachments and fears. It seemed to have an affect of exposing what darkness was within. As this darkness would come to light, I would experience it acutely. Sometimes I would have to simply sit focusing on what had arisen with dedicated attention until it passed. Sometimes, the physical body would respond as if it was ill as toxins were purged from the body. It was an extremely intense experience, but not unbearable.

Once I felt that I had become somewhat more comfortable with the presence of this light in my realm of experience, I saw it begin to expand. I saw what had appeared like a large candle flame burning above the head descend into my body as if it was bathing my aura. Though it seemed to dissolve into my body, it also remained above the head. Then I watched as the flame above the head began to extend to a greater area. First it seemed to project for several feet, but gradually this increased until it extended hundreds of meters. I noticed that the light seemed to have an affect on other people around also. It appeared to illuminate what darkness was present in them and to feed and sustain what light was there. For some time I felt somewhat self-conscious and concerned that people would be uncomfortable with this experience, but gradually I felt more at peace with it. Every person is affected in a subtle way by the energy of the people they come in contact with. This is simply the way of the world. I reasoned to myself, why should it be any different in this case? I saw that most people seemed to be repelled by this light but a few felt drawn to it. For many it seemed to cause outbursts as it purged what difficulties they were bound to. For others it facilitated healing and a sense of calm.

Occasionally people would approach me and yell at me or physically attack me. To a casual onlooker, this would have seemed random and senseless. I, however, knew they were reacting to the light my Guru had shown to me. Other times people would approach and tell me they could see a brilliant light in my aura and ask for my blessings or advice. For several years, most people simply avoided me altogether and I remained in my apartment meditating for the most part not interacting with anyone. Those who planned to come to visit me would often suddenly become gravely ill or injured and cancel their plans. After some time I became able to somewhat withhold the energy of this light to make it much more comfortable for people to approach, but I have not learned any way to withhold it altogether. Now it is often still much the same, and many people seem to avoid me or to have great difficulty to approach. But a few have become more able to come close so that I can talk to them about the experiences I have had or offer my insight into their lives. Many others have come to help with our efforts to open a temple and teaching center. But the more they help, the more it opens them to this energy. People still often seem to become overwhelmed with emotion and start yelling or crying, or much more often, they simply flee suddenly. For those who feel the emotions as they begin to arise from within them, this process is much easier. For those who can simply observe as they pass, this seems like a great blessing. Many, however, seem to try to make sense of the feelings instead and become confused and begin to make irrational decisions as they act out the emotions which seem to have a grasp on them. Others seem to lack the ability to allow themselves to feel what is coming up for them and they then begin to experience difficulties in their lives which trigger the release of these feelings. Though most do not really seem to understand what is occurring, they often have a sense that their interaction with me has something to do with the experiences they are having. Some hate me for this, and others seem to love me for this. I don't take any of this personally and I do not expect any to remain for an extended period. It is simply their response to the flame that had been ignited in the presence of my Guru.

I view this all as a blessing which keeps me focused on my spiritual practice. Even if I have hired a contractor for a job, I do not expect for them to finish that job. Suddenly people seem to become overwhelmed by this light and seek to distance themselves. I cannot fault them, I myself have often felt a desire to retract from the light which continues to attack all that is impure within me. But I do not have the choice to retract. Something has begun for me which it seems cannot be reversed. Perhaps when I have more completely integrated this light into my own experience, I will develop an even greater ability to withhold it so that others may come close without being so affected. I do not know. I do not care. I do not really have a choice in the matter. All I can really do is watch as things unfold.

Though I do not see the light constantly like when it was first illuminated by the master's presence, I do feel it with me constantly and I am able to see it in my meditation. I am very much aware of its presence which forces me to focus inwardly. I am very grateful for this presence which focuses me. It is an inner companion to me which is not capable of disappointing in the way outer circumstances are. It is still and steady and ever-present, whereas the outer things are temporary and changing.

On the last time I met with Swamiji, I got invited to sit and eat with him. Swamiji did not finish his food. I thought, we must take this food as prasad. I felt a great desire to take the food left behind by the master. His close devotee took the food before I could and as he took it I felt instantly satisfied. After eating Swamiji arose and we stood in respect. As he walked away I felt I would not meet with him again in the physical form in this janma. He got into a car and I expected them to drive Swamiji away immediately. But there was some delay and Swamiji sat in the car for quite some time, maybe 30 minutes or more. I had been silently practicing japa as japa is many times more powerful in the presence of a Saint. So I sat and watched Swamiji in the car and continued my japa. He closed his eyes and meditated with me. Then I saw a light brighter than 10 million Suns like the scriptures describe when they say Koti Surya. It was difficult to look at. To gaze at this light burned away the sense of self. I could not be and gaze at this light. But by Swamiji's grace I was able to look. I saw it first above the sahasrara and then it descended and filled my body and encircled my. Then my senses became still and awareness merged into the light. The light covered my being and I ceased to exist. I felt an overwhelming and intense sense of transcendent bliss. This was the second time I have experienced samadhi. I do not think that the experience lasted long, though there is no way to be certain as I had no sense of time. I came back to awareness of the body and saw Swamiji grin before they drove away.

​The next year Swamiji was scheduled to return to the US, but he had a heart attack and his doctors advised against travel. Some devotees then asked him, "Swamiji you seem to know the past and present and future, did you not know you would have a heart attack?" He said "Yes, I knew heart attack would occur." They looked at him in amazement and asked "Swamiji, we have known you for many year and have seen you heal thousands of people. Why did you not heal yourself?" Swamiji just laughed and asked "Why should I heal myself? Traveling to America to teach is fun. Heart attack is also fun. Why should I second guess the Lord whose will for all is perfect?"
These are just a a few experiences with Swamiji I have been allowed to share. Perhaps in the future, I will be permitted to share even more. I have not seen Swamiji in many years, but he remains within me in the form of this inner light which he had revealed to me. He appears to me and guides me occasionally. I watch his videos lectures with joy and his ashram in Haridwara broadcasts the arti to Swamiji live occasionally. But I my physical contact with Swamiji is extremely limited and I doubt if I will see him again in this lifetime. Long after he has left from his physical body, I will feel that he lives on in me in the form of the light he allowed me to see within. For his ongoing presence in my life, I am extremely grateful.

I am very happy that Yoga has become so popular in the West, but I am concerned about how the practice is changing and the effect that this has on Hindu people worldwide. These views are my own, and I do not claim to express a position that is representative of all the widely varied beliefs of Hindu people. However, I have worked extensively with Hindus throughout the world, for nearly 20 years, serving as a Hindu priest and a teacher of the traditional, spiritual practice of Yoga. I believe that many Hindus I know would share in a general agreement with many of the sentiments of this article, even if they do not agree precisely with each point. Yoga is and always has been a profoundly spiritual practice which has its origins in the Hindu faith. It is a sacred and revered practice to Hindus and an integral part of their faith and culture.
     Many Hindu immigrants in the West have faced major discrimination and persecution on account of their faith. It is not possible in most US cities for openly practicing Hindus, who wear the traditional bindu, tilakams or other religious insignia, to easily find employment. There are many documented cases of Hindus being teased, mocked, or attacked for their cultural and religious differences from the Christian majority. In many locales in America, it is not possible for Hindu organizations to get permits for Temples or Cultural Centers, despite laws that prohibit Cities and Counties from discrimination based upon faith. As a result, many Hindus in the West have stopped the practices which in India kept them connected to their culture and their faith. Even if these practice have not been abandoned altogether, they have been quieted and concealed by most for the sake of a safe and successful life in which they can support their families.
     Yet some of the same practices, which earn Hindus scorn when practiced as a part of their religious customs, have been seen to increase the popularity and marketability of Hollywood stars and musicians. Westerners wearing a bindu on the forehead is one example, and practicing Yoga is another. For Westerners to lightheartedly adopt the same practices, which in their original spiritual context are prohibited by society at large for Hindus, adds insult to injury. It leaves Hindu immigrants with a bad experience of practicing their cultural and religious heritage while simultaneously devaluing it and transforming it into something much more vapid and mundane.
     Even in India, Hindus have faced similar oppression and persecution for centuries by Buddhist, Christian and Muslim invaders. The Christian Rajas outlawed many Hindu practices and they even translated the Hindu scriptures into modern Indian languages with the intent of exposing the inferiority of Hindus customs and promoting their own Christian dogma. The harm of such efforts can not be underestimated as the history and the traditional beliefs and practices of Hinduism are not well understood, even in India, because people are still influenced by the translations of the Christian missionaries. Violent and deceptive means to convert Hindus to other faiths have been used for centuries and continue in India today. I have heard stories of Christian missionaries in India tricking school children into conversion by rigging a school bus engine to fail when triggered. When the bus failed, the children were urged to pray to their Hindu Gods to fix the bus. After these prayers went unanswered, the children were urged to pray to Jesus. Then the driver triggered the engine to start and the children were impressed by the apparent superiority of Jesus and asked to convert. In other cases, Christian organizations have gone to underdeveloped areas lacking modern medical facilities. Using major resources from the West, they build state of the art hospitals and offer affordable health care. When the local medical providers have been driven out of business, these hospitals begin refusing care to all non-Christians and in cases have forced patients to get tattoos of crosses to prove their Christian faith before administering treatments. These acts are nothing short of an atrocity. If people can convince others to convert to their religion by the merits of the religion itself, this is acceptable, but these deceptive and forceful tactics are unconscionable. Yet these practices are allowed by Hindus and the Indian Government in a perhaps misguided effort to practice non-violence and tolerance.
     Ahimsa, or non-violence is extolled as supreme among virtues by Hinduism. This belief inspired a completely non-violent revolution as brave Hindus cast off the oppressive hand of British imperialism through non-violent protest. But it has also lead to Hindus accepting tyranny and oppression in certain cases. Hindus believe that all things are good, because the Lord dwells in all things. They strive to maintain peace and joy in adversity due to the faith that what befalls them is their karma which they must face. But Hindu people must make a conscious effort to stand strong for their faith and culture in positive and non-violent ways or the fate of the Sanatana (Hindu) Dharma, the oldest continuously practiced religion in the world, is uncertain. Western thought and modern science encourages Hindus to view their spiritual tradition as superstitious and silly, and many Hindus are losing faith. This is the modern climate for Hinduism throughout the world. Even if Western Yoga practitioners do not intend to cause harm or to diminish the beautiful spiritual customs of Hindus, when they extract what suits them from the Hindu spiritual tradition while leaving behind the spiritual essence, they are unknowingly reinforcing the efforts of the many Western missionaries, scholars, and rulers who have aimed to causes Hindus to disparage their own culture and religion.                
     To put this situation in perspective for Westerners, one has only to imagine an analogous possibility involving the Christian faith. If Christians were persecuted and their religious practices prohibited by society, but then a practice like Christian Communion was taken out of context and marketed by non-Christians as an exercise routine, this would obviously not be acceptable. I can imagine instructors saying “Stand, sit, kneel. Join the palms together. And repeat.”  This may sound ridiculous, but this is exactly what Westerners have done with the Hindu spiritual practice of Yoga. To me, Yoga is an integral and sacred part of my Hindu religion. I have capitalized the word “Yoga” in every usage throughout this article, in the same way a Christian would Capitalize the name “Christ.” Yoga is not a mere exercise to help people lose weight or to feel better about their bodies. Nor is it a trend to be marketed for profit. Yoga is a spiritual practice revealed by the Holy Sages of my Hindu religion, and it is a tried and tested technique for direct communion with the Divine.            
      I am not at all opposed to Westerners practicing Yoga. The mystical science of Yoga was revealed by the Sages in India for the benefit of humanity. But people who practice Yoga should be aware of its origins, its purpose, and the depth of the practice. If a person uses the practices of Yoga to deepen their spiritual experience, this honors the tradition. But Yoga is not an exercise and the benefits of Yoga are much different than those of physical exercise. If a person is using the practices of Yoga for other purposes, they should not call it Yoga, in respect of the tradition that is held sacred by over a billion Hindus worldwide. Call it exercise. Call it aerobics. Call it Pilates. I would think this would not offend anyone. Most of the poses done in Yoga studios in the West were not even a part of traditional Yoga practice until the 20th century, and most of the poses and practices talked about in the Yoga scriptures are never practiced in Yoga studios. However, if practitioners of this modern exercise, which has drawn influences from traditional Yoga, want to continue using the borrowed Sanskrit name “Yoga,” they should delve deeper into the mystical and spiritual science of Yoga in the traditional ways. The world would be a better place for their sincere efforts.
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1) Stripping Spirituality from the Practice of Yoga
Since the mystical, spiritual teachings of Yoga were first brought to the West in 1893 by His Holiness Swami Vivekananda, Yoga has become increasingly popular. Today, 36 million Americans practice Yoga. But as the popularity of Yoga has increased in the West, the practice has changed. Swami Vivekananda wrote several books in English on Yoga, but he, himself did not teach or practice Asanas (postures) beyond a few simple sitting poses for meditation. In modern Western Yoga classes, the poses are everything and meditation is an afterthought, if it is not omitted entirely. Yet meditation and its benefits are the goal of every other practice of Yoga. In many Western Yoga classes, spirituality is intentionally omitted in order to not offend or to entice a broader range of students to attend classes. Yoga teacher training programs do not go deeply into the spiritual aspects of the practice, and many Western Yoga teachers know very little about the origins and history of the practices, or their intended purpose. This has led to a very different idea of what Yoga is in the West. Everyone has heard of Yoga, but few understand its mystical purpose or that it is inextricably connected to the Hindu tradition from which it arose. I have even given teachings at Yoga studios that have later asked me “Can you speak less about Hinduism? We don’t agree with the Hindu beliefs or practices. Can’t you just leave out the spirituality? ...or if it must be included, could you teach about Yoga from the perspective of a nicer religion like Christianity or Buddhism?” Many Westerners want to strip spirituality from their Yoga practice. This is understandable, because it is hard work that requires a lot of faith and courage to face the inner karmas and mental patterns. But it is simply not possible to strip spirituality from Yoga practice, and for that practice to remain Yoga. The meaning of Yoga in Sanskrit is “Union,” and the goal of Yoga is to realize the Divine within, or to merge one’s awareness into the Divine source. Without this goal and experience, it is not right to call it Yoga.

​ 2. Claiming Yoga is Not a Spiritual Practice
This one is perhaps the fault of many Eastern Yoga teachers who have claimed that the mystical practice of Yoga transcends any particular Religious tradition. In the East, Yoga is practiced by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists, and the mystical practices and beliefs of Yoga are indeed similar to those of other mystical traditions (like the Gnostic Christians, Sufi Muslims, or Kabbalist Jews) . But these traditions all teach the practice of non-violence, and a belief in dharma (spiritual duty), karma (the importance of right action) and reincarnation as a basis for the practice. Many Westerners, have misunderstood the statements of Eastern Yoga teachers and taken them to mean that Yoga is a secular practice which is not spiritual or religious. The traditional scriptures on Yoga are deeply spiritual and inextricably based in Hinduism. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are often cited as a source for claims that Yoga is not a religious practice, but the text is widely misunderstood. Patanjali was a Shaiva Hindu, and he was sent by his Guru, Nandinathar, to South India to convert the people to Shaivism. He consecrated temples to Shiva in Tamil Nadu and his place of Samadhi (burial) is at a Shiva Temple.From the large number of Shaiva Hindus in this area today, it would seem that Patanjali’s mission had been quite successful. The Yoga Sutras clearly state that before a person begins the practice of Yoga, they must practice certain restraints and observances, including Ishwara Pranidhana. Pranidhana means puja (a Hindu worship ceremony) and Ishwara means Lord Shiva. It is not coincidental that Patanjali chose a name of Lord Shiva and not a non-sectarian name for the Lord, like Brahman. The Yoga Sutras were written to as a guidebook for those wanting to practice Pantajali's Shaiva Hindu religion. Though the practice of Yoga may not involve spirituality for many Westerners, it is not right to claim that Yoga is not a spiritual practice. For the Hindu people who religious tradition gifted the practices of Yoga to the world, Yoga is a revered practice and a fundamental sacrament of their religion.

​​3. Focusing Practice Mainly on the Physical Postures
Yoga is a tradition which teaches of eight successive practices: 1. Yama - Restraints 2. Niyama - Observances 3. Asana - Sitting Comfortably 4. Pranayama - Calming the Breath and Mind 5. Pratyahara - Withdrawing the Senses from External Stimuli 6. Dharana - Concentrating the Mind 7. Dhyana -  Meditation and 8. Samadhi - Union with the Lord. Most Yoga classes in America consist almost entirely of the physical postures originally designed to enable a Yogi to sit comfortably for hours of meditation. The Yoga poses were not designed as an exercise routine, and they are not well suited to be used as such. If a person searches the word Yoga in a Google image search, they will mainly find photos of white women doing Yoga poses. What is worse is how most of the major Yoga organizations in the US describe the benefits of Yoga. The Yoga Alliance, which is the largest trade organization for Yoga professionals in America, lists the following benefits of Yoga on their website: Stress relief, pain relief, better breathing, flexibility, improved strength, weight management, improved circulation, presence, and inner peace.  All of these benefits could be claimed of most any aerobic exercise, but the true benefits of Yoga are not listed at all. The physical postures are only one very small component of a much larger system of practices. Ultimately, the practice of Yoga is aimed at Moksha (liberation from the confines of the body, mind, matter, karma, and reincarnation) and Samadhi (experiencing union with the Divine). This is the highest purpose of Yoga practice, to which any other attainments are secondary. Yet the traditional Yoga scriptures list a broad range of mystical and spiritual experiences and powers that can arise from Yoga practice including: levitation, being in two places at one time, the ability to make oneself invisible, making oneself very small or very large, healing diseases at will, knowing the past and the future, knowing the thoughts and actions of others, seeing distant or hidden objects or people, the ability to see and communicate with deceased souls and spiritual beings, being able to move or manipulate matter at will, being able to leave the physical body and enter into the body of others, and being able to transform base metals to gold. These and many more are described as siddhis (mystical powers) that commonly arise from the practice of Yoga, yet none of these are listed by the big Western Yoga organizations. Though Hindus can be proud that Western culture has embraced their tradition of Yoga, it is disheartening to see that Westerners in general have refused to acknowledge the traditional spiritual benefits of the practice, and that the practice has been relegated in the West to the place of a secular exercise routine.

​​4. Practicing Yoga without Yama and Niyama
Traditional sources on Yoga emphasize the importance of practicing certain restraints (Yama) and observances (Niyama) before any of the other practices of Yoga are attempted. The requisite practices of Yama and Niyama are considered critical before the practice of Yoga can begin. These practices are addressed in depth in the traditional Yoga scriptures, but little attention is given to the practice of Asana (postures). For example, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali has 16 verses elaborating upon the fundamental practices of Yama and Niyama, but only one line describing Asana. All that Patanjali says about Asana is, “Sit still in a comfortable position.” It is clear from these texts that Asana practice had very little importance in traditional Yoga. But Western practitioners of Yoga seem to usually omit the important practices of Yama and Niyama and skip to subsequent practice of Asana. The practice of Yama and Niyama is essential to prepare a seeker for the experience which the later practices of Yoga induce. As the process of Yoga begins to reveal the vasanas (karmic imprints) of the mind, it is quite likely that the intensity of thoughts and feelings which begin to purge from the subconscious mind would become overwhelming unless a seeker has been prepared by the dedicated practice of Yama and Niyama. They build the character and experiential knowledge of the process of consciousness going within, which is necessary for a person to have success in the practice of Yoga. The renowned Yoga teacher B.K.S. Iyengar said “The practice of Asana without the backing of Yama and Niyama is mere acrobatics.”  I would go beyond this to say that a person whose practice of Yama and Niyama is advanced is a great Yogi, whether or not they observe any of the other practices of Yoga. A person who claims to be practicing Yoga should sincerely evaluate themselves as to whether or not they are observing these most basic Yoga practices, and they should strive each day to implement them more and more into their lives. The 10 Yamas and Niyamas listed by the traditional texts on Yoga are (Patanjali’s list has only 5 of each):

Yamas (Restraints)
1. Ahimsa - Non-violence in thought, word, and deed. This principle restraint of Yoga is the reason that Yogis traditionally observe a strict vegetarian diet.  
2. Satya - Truthfulness  
3. Asteya - Not stealing or taking credit for the works of others
4. Brahmacharya - Celibacy for the unwed and marital fidelity for the married
5. Aparigraha - Non-possessiveness / Renunciation of property
6. Kshama - Forgiveness
7. Dhriti - Fortitude and Steadfastness
8. Dhaya - Compassion
9. Arjava - Sincerity and Straightforwardness
10. Mitahara - Moderate appetite

Niyamas (Observances)
1. Tapas -  Practicing austerities like fasting, wearing robes (or plain, unfashionable clothes), sleeping on a hard floor, remaining awake for extended periods, practicing silence, etc.  
2. Santosha - Contentment
3. Astikya - Maintaining faith in God, Guru and Scriptures
4. Dana - Charity, Donation
5. Ishvarapujana - Worship of Lord Shiva through the 16 traditional daily offerings
6. Siddhanta Shravana - Listening to recitation of sacred Hymns
7. Hri - Remorse
8. Mati - Mindfulness
9. Japa - Repetition of Mantras
10. Vrata - Observing Holy days, pilgrimages and sacred vows.

​​5. Practicing Yoga without a Guru
Traditionally, no serious student of Yoga would ever attempt practice without the instruction and initiation of a Guru. Practicing Yoga without a Guru is ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. Traditional wisdom warns that without guidance and the energetic support of a living Guru, the practices of Raja Yoga designed to awaken Kundalini will lead a person to the asylum, hospital, or cemetary. The point is emphasized by all the traditional scriptures on Yoga. Yogic philosophy teaches that it is the nature of the ahamkara (ego) to be bound and to bind itself further by its very nature, but that it is the nature of a realized Guru to free the soul from maya (delusion) and karma (actions done out of this delusion). By Guru, what is meant is a realized master, who is uniquely qualified to lead souls to liberation by his (or her) own practice which has lead to a direct experience of the Divine. This does not mean a Yoga teacher who has had 200 hours of training, but someone who has humbled themselves before their own master and dedicated their life to the practice of Yoga through years of effort. Patanjali says in verse 1.26 of the Yoga sutras that before a person begins the practice of Yoga, they must find a Guru who has realized God. He goes on to suggest that a person who has not yet found their Guru can attract the Guru to them by practicing the mantra, “om.”  Though all the texts on Yoga emphasize the necessity of a living Guru, certain modern schools of Yoga claim that realization is possible without a Guru. These schools of thought are founded on egoism and they expose a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of the soul and maya. The Lord reveals himself to sincere seekers through the efforts of the enlightened masters, yet for those who are too egotistical to bow at the feet of a master, realization waits until the soul can mature through the self-centered delusion that the ego can free itself from suffering. It is not always easy to work with a master, because the presence of the master will bring up unresolved karmas and emotions for the seeker to process. But without the blessing of a master, the process of Yoga cannot really begin. It is hard to understand the grace of a master for those who have not experienced it. Hidden doors are opened in the presence of the Guru and things that were not possible despite the best efforts of the seeker become effortless. Should any serious student of Yoga seek a master? Yes. Absolutely. Anyone who is sincere in their practice must admit that grace comes from beyond the veil of maya and the binding force of the ego. There are numerous traditional Gurus teaching various forms of Yoga, and many are traveling the world each year. It is not necessary to go to India to find one’s master. It is only necessary to prepare oneself and to attune oneself to the energy of their master. If a person has not yet found their Guru, they can prepare themselves by practicing the Yamas and Niyamas and follow the traditional suggestion of Patanjali. They can chant “om” and pray to Lord Ganesh, who is said to be embodied by the mantra om to prepare them for their Guru. When a person attempts the practice of Yoga without the guidance of a Guru, they are not only devaluing themselves and their own practice, but also the system of Yoga. When seeking to learn a skill like playing piano, people generally seek an accomplished teacher. But it is relatively easy to learn to play a piano concerto. Most good students could do so within a few years of practice. Realizing the Divine Self is quite difficult, and requires many years of disciplined effort. It is the highest accomplishment possible for embodied souls and the ultimate purpose of human incarnation. People should not take the practice lightly nor should they belittle it by acting as if they do not require the assistance of a qualified teacher.