Idol worship/Temple worship
This is a continuation from Psychology of Hinduism - Part I
Everyone in this world is unique. Each one of us have various degree of ability to focus our minds, and majority would find it very difficult.
If you consider the process of worship itself , its normally a combination of praising god and asking for favors (which I do find bizarre for, since god is all knowing, we don't need to ask, he knows what to give and when to give, also the idea of praising god, somehow conjures up an image of a egoistic personality - perhaps a different topic).
In this context, I find that for an average person like me having an external object to focus my attention on, in an environment where multiple senses are engaged - eg colorful decorations drawing my eyes, pleasant smells induced by camphor, incense sticks engaging my olfactory sense, and ringing of bell, and drums engaging my ears, and reciting rhyming mantras helps me focus, makes me feel good and connected to the divine.
At that moment, and with a folded hand, I tell myself, there is god, and he will take care of me, and I surrender to his will. I externalize my troubles, I take comfort in the fact that I have highlighted my troubles (In theory, god being all knowing, should already know my issues, that's a different topic), and issues that plague my life to someone more powerful than me. This to some extent, makes me less anxious, reduces my stress a little bit, and I am filled with positive feeling.
A similar feeling I would get when I discuss my problems with some of my friends who listen and perhaps help me see the positive in the situation at hand and I know I have some way of dealing with the issue.
To me the feeling I get is hope. A hope that things will be all right, I need a support structure to have hope. That at a subconscious level makes me react in certain way, that helps me make things alright or adjust to what is happening.
A similar thing happens, when I keep asking for something or the other in front of a holy shrine. I keep asking "god give me this" "give me that" - This and that can be, Strength to deal with things, Strength to do the difficult task, Love, happiness, money, job etc....etc....If I keep asking for it day in and day out and deep within me want it badly, it happens. Try this for a month, in front of a mirror, Say out the words " I am happy, I am successful, I feel very good", and believe in what you are saying, you will feel a difference in the way you feel. What happens here is a form of auto suggestion. The more you say it, the more you will believe it, and it gets embedded in subconscious level, and at a conscious level you will do things differently, and therefore see better results.
In the next part, I will explore "donating money to god".
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8 comments:
d gtg
what all u have said is sensible. perhaps a time will come when u realise that u can achieve all the things that u said by performing ur desdained duties and enjoying the positives of the present and the past and forgetting the negatives of the past. a sloka from the gita comes to my mind. " karmanyevaathikarasthe mma paleshu kathaachanaa." - i.e., do thy duty; fruit is not thy concern.
I think the last part of your discussion is very much inline with secret by Rhonda Byrne - It states that everything one wants or needs may be accomplished by believing that one will receive that outcome, repeatedly thinking about it, and maintaining positive emotional states to "attract" it. (source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_(2006_film)).
It was said much earlier - 'Agar kisi ko sache dil se chaho to, tumhe usse milane ke liye sare kayanat kosish me lag jate hain...'
Interesting points Sujatha.
However, its not the kayanat that makes it happen, but ones own subconcious. :)
Appa,
I am perfectly okay to do my duty. But I would prefer to define my duty, rather than others defining it on my behalf :)
I will ask two questions ..Pardon mistakes if any in my Tamil-English
1. "Kadavul Kadandhu ull erupavan" (Aham Brahmasmi) - aga neenga kadaula?
2. So for your own success and failure you are responsible - if above is true?
3.Thirumoolar nu nenai-kiren avar sonadhu
"Manam adhu semaiyaanal Mandirangal Jabika vendam "
Manam yenbathukum Kadavul kum yenna sambandham ?
Hari,
Kelvi kekrathu romba easy.
Bathil solrathu kashtam
(Its easy to ask questions, answering them is the difficult bit)
Will respond...As soon as I gather my thoughts.
Siding with you, on this one - "makes me less anxious, reduces my stress a little bit, and I am filled with positive feeling..." Prayers SURELY do that to me!!!!!
@Hariharasudhan.D
I have thought about your questions. I guess the answer is, an emphatic yes for first question.
The function of God, is creation, protection and destruction. I can create, protect, and destroy. Therefore, I am God.
For the second question, the truth is there is no success or failure, just "there is".
There is just Stimuli and Response. Success or failure is mearly a "judgement" on the response based on expectations. I can manipulate Success or failure by throttling expectations. Accepting the result "as is" the ideal state of mind.
முயற்சி தன் மெய் வருத்த கூலிதரும் - even that has an element of judgement, therefore an implied expectation.
For the third question:
God is as real as one's mind (conciousness) - thats the relationship as I see it.
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