To all Hindu-orientated people

[Cinnamon1991]

Hi,
So last week I lost my mind, now I don't know on which path I belong but since age 11 I always loved the Hindu religion and read quite some books and myths.

I have two questions:
How did you come to the Hindu path and do you honor one (or more) specific deities (did they chose you or how did you know)?

And are there internetsites how a complete puja is done?

Thanks,

Cinnamon1991

[Baobabtree]

So last week I lost my mind, now I don't know on which path I belong but since age 11 I always loved the Hindu religion and read quite some books and myths. I recently had a similar experience in regards to the various Hindu paths themselves , so my heart goes out to you (unless you had a literal mental breakdown in which case my condolences for you are twice as much as they were before).


I have two questions:
How did you come to the Hindu path and do you honor one (or more) specific deities (did they chose you or how did you know)? It came from me studying religions in general about a year ago, and realizing how much my beliefs lined up with Hinduism (which turned out to be more so then my parent's religion). In regards to specific deities, Kali Maa (who's appeared to me in dreams before), Krishna, Shiva,Rama, Hanuman and the Muslim/Hindu saint Sai Baba or Shirdi are very close to me, but I'll worship basically any deity if given a chance to, and I don't really have an ishta deva at the moment.



And are there internetsites how a complete puja is done? I've yet to find any myself. At the moment I just chant in front of my altar, offer bhog, and sing kirtans.

[Cinnamon1991]

I recently had a similar experience in regards to the various Hindu paths themselves , so my heart goes out to you (unless you had a literal mental breakdown in which case my condolences for you are twice as much as they were before).

It came from me studying religions in general about a year ago, and realizing how much my beliefs lined up with Hinduism (which turned out to be more so then my parent's religion). In regards to specific deities, Kali Maa (who's appeared to me in dreams before), Krishna, Shiva,Rama, Hanuman and the Muslim/Hindu saint Sai Baba or Shirdi are very close to me, but I'll worship basically any deity if given a chance to, and I don't really have an ishta deva at the moment.

I've yet to find any myself. At the moment I just chant in front of my altar, offer bhog, and sing kirtans.

Thanks Baobabtree, no I didn't have a literal mental breakdown, I'm just quite confused.

I've read it's quite uncommon Hindu deities show up to you in dreams, and wikipedia says most people choose teir ishta deva, because it's sort of a roll model (and it's one aspect of Brahman so it's not like the polytheistic religions where you have to be chosen by a deity because a deity who didn't choose you, wouldn't listen to your prayers)
so I'd like to know if it would be inappropriate to just 'choose' a deva/devi (I've always had a very big interest in Saraswati, she is the patron of quite some things I enjoy (art, music, reading) but that's not the only reason.

Hmm it's quite strange there aren't a lot of sources which discuss the daily puja. (forgive me for my ignorance, but what are bhog and kirtans?)

[Baobabtree]

Thanks Baobabtree, no I didn't have a literal mental breakdown, I'm just quite confused. Then I can certainly relate.


so I'd like to know if it would be inappropriate to just 'choose' a deva/devi (I've always had a very big interest in Saraswati, she is the patron of quite some things I enjoy (art, music, reading) but that's not the only reason. No, I wouldn't say it's inappropriate, but in the same breath, I'd argue that I (and most other Hindus) have connections which vary in terms of how close we are or aren't to a specific deity. Also, make you sure you look to various myths about deities, or what their iconography symbolizes (this tends to help you see which deities you would and wouldn't have a connection with). For instance, as all colors disappear into black, so does all desire, and anger disappear into Kali (hence her dark black skin).



Hmm it's quite strange there aren't a lot of sources which discuss the daily puja. (forige me for my ignorance, but what are bhog and kirtans?) "Bhog" means food which is being offered to a deity (after the deity excepts it and blesses it, the food becomes prasad), and a "Kirtan" is a song which praises a certain deity.

[WynterWynd]

I don't know if this is what you are looking for.....but maybe

http://www.iloveindia.com/spirituality/puja/steps-of-a-puja.html

[Cinnamon1991]

I don't know if this is what you are looking for.....but maybe

http://www.iloveindia.com/spirituality/puja/steps-of-a-puja.html

I visited that site earlier but it's quite unclear, but thanks anyway :).
I found a really great hindu site, it has quite some rituals and also how one must conduct puja, simple puja's with 5 steps but also puja's wiyh 16 steps. You can ask questions there and the site owner answers them very clearly.
The site is in Dutch so if anyone would like to have a ritual/puja translated, I'd gladly do so.

http://hindoestaans.punt.nl

[Agaliha]

Cinnamon1991,
I'll post more detailed later & see if I can help/add to the conversation.
:)

[Wukong de erzi]

And are there internetsites how a complete puja is done?


http://members.tripod.com/~jennifer_polan/hinduism/puja1.html is probably the simplest online puja I've come across. Not that there are few steps, but they're all described simply.

[Devashra]

Im not a Hindu but i feel very connected and the Thing that brought me to Hinduism are the many Mantras i heard a spiritual radiostation and there were so many mantras i loved i wanted to know where they came from and i found out they were hinduistic, so that was my kind of doorway.

Bye Lhiya

[Anubis RainHawk]

You may be interested in this http://www.sharanya.org/articles/kalipuja/index.php4

[SylverStar]

I was first introduced to the Vedas when I took a history class in college. My interest was short lived though. It wasn't until many years later that I had a white elephant come to me in a meditation. This took me on a search and lead me to Ganesha and Hinduism and I have been with it since than.