Hinduism For Westerners

More of this Feature • Magnetism of Hinduism! • Bob's Problem • Dr Frawley's Solution • The Universal Tradition • Becoming a Hindu

Join the Discussion "Westerners may continue to find Hinduism strange and mysterious, thanks to a couple of reasons... " ~ LUKE

Related Resources • Hinduism Basics • Be an ideal Hindu • Hinduism not a Religion • Practising Dual Religion

A couple of months ago, I received an email from one Bob H. S. The subject line called out — "Problem!", and I opened it immediately. Bob's problem related to the difficulty in feeling like an unwelcome outsider to the Hindu world, despite trying hard to come into the folds of Hinduism. His letter moved me so much that I want to pass on the rest of it to you:

"Since 1975, I have been interested in Eastern religions…I have explored to some extent the Hindu Tradition ("Sanatana Dharma") by reading, especially the Bhagavad Gita…

The "Marvellous" Gita
"I remember (I am now 69), quite a few years ago, around Christmas, while I was sitting in the living room, my eyes fell on a paperback copy of The Gita, translated with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. I realized that I had not read this universally honoured scripture, and that I "should". So, out of a sense of duty, I began to read. It was not long, but the text had seized my attention, so I could hardly stop reading…Eventually, I began to list my favorite slokas…

Seeking A "Powerful" Religion
"I did spend some time exploring Hinduism by meeting, from time to time, a spiritual teacher of Yoga and Vedanta in New Mexico, USA. My motivations for this study were several:

"I was seeking a religion, which believed in "other powers" perhaps more than Buddhism did. Or that believes in a higher power, which is the source of life, wisdom, grace...

"The Vedantic doctrine of Brahman being the only absolute reality and the "world" as we know it, "maya", or relative reality, if not illusion, struck a responsive chord in me.

"The fact that Hinduism seems to have a path for everyone in the four Yogas... The bhajans and chants appealed to me with their focus and feeling.

"Finally, The Gita, itself, was a great attraction..."

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