i want to adopt hinduism.

[Aanandinii]

Namaskar,

I agree, Fem-Phoenix ji, it is the same for me. I never "converted", I have always held these beliefs and nothing changed. It is more like I finally found home.

I hear this entirely from Indian Hindus, in fact it's funny that I have friends from many faiths who have expressed their joy that I have found my path finally, but even those Hindus who are good friends have made an observation in this direction. This is why I find it curious, I would half expect it coming from my friend in the Boston Church of Christ, but not from my friend who I count almost as a sister and who was the one to take me to Mahakaaleshwar to begin with. And yet their positions are entirely reversed. This is fascinating to me, and completely non-intuitive. This is not to say that my good Shaivite friend is not happy, once we got past that initial statement she is ecstatic for me. And in her case she really only meant you either feel it or you don't, you don't "convert" in the Abrahamic sense. But I do not get that feeling from all people who make the statement.

Thank you, Sudas ji, that is good background behind this. It makes sense, and also adds some dimension to my feeling that there are various meanings behind the observation. I suppose given the history of western colonialism practices I should not be surprised, but I still find that I am a bit.

Thank you for sharing your experiences as well, EM ji. Recently a lady at the Temple I have been worshiping at asked if I was Indian, and when I said my heritage was European she observed that she had only ever met one other western Hindu. I told her - and I believe this - that we may be few but numbers are growing. Perhaps one day we won't be so surprising and uncommon.

~Pranams

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste,

Personally to me it doesn't even feel like a conversion, but rather a realization. A conversion implies a change in beliefs, whereas I didn't have to change my belief system to embrace Hinduism. I have learned many things and grown in the process, but I don't feel like I have changed from one belief system to another, but rather that I am discovering what it is that I have always been. If that makes sense.

Aum Namah Sivaya!

Vannakkam: This was true for myself as well. I didn't know there was a religion that matched my existing beliefs, although they were few and far between that would be classified as 'religious'. Most of it was just like a big empty box waiting to be filled with something.

But your and Anandini's comments highlight why HA differentiates between converts and adoptives. It may seem like nothing to others, but when you take a closer look at it, especially to do with how a person thinks about religion, it's significant.

Aum Namasivaya

[LightofOm]

Namaste,

I would like to humbly add my input.

I feel like many religions (especially the Abrahamic religions) stress conversion because they see everything as separate. It is always "us vs. them". This is why we see so many atrocities in the name of religion, because it is always about "our team" and not about the whole. This way of thinking is highly problematic; it is always about me, me, me. This reminds me of a quote from Pramukh Swami Maharaj that I found interesting:

"To root out inner pollution, one has to uproot 'I'ness and 'Mine'ness from one's soul. Mandirs inspire one to eradicate such pollution."

And don't they? I feel like when I humbly enter the mandir I cannot help but feel the presence of God, the energy of peace and the feeling of oneness.

What personally drew me to Hinduism was just that: the oneness. There is an all-inclusive train of thought which pervades Hindu teachings. That is because, in Hinduism, we recognize that God is ONE and that many individuals taught God consciousness throughout history. It's not that Lord Jesus Christ was the only one who taught God consciousness, or that Muhammad was the only one, or that Lord Krishna was the only one (and that if you don't follow this one or that one you will suffer). No, there were many who taught this way of life, and still there are many who continue to teach it.

So, to me, it is not about the religion you follow. It boils down to the essence of the teaching. The teaching reveals the nature of the true self and it is scientific at its root. And there is no right or wrong way, it is either you understand the teaching or you don't. And if you don't, that's okay! We do not scorn others for having less understanding. I believe that in due time all will eventually come to full realization anyway. So there is no need to scold or look down on others, as we see many other religions doing. We should simply take people for where they are at and say no more. This Sanatana Dharma is about peace, it does not propagate hatred. This is why it is so beautiful in comparison to other religions.

So Hinduism simply teaches us about the nature of our true self. It is not about conversion, but about self-realization. And anyone from any race, religion, gender, creed, age, etc. can take up this path and experience its beauty. I am very glad that you have decided to adopt this way of life OP.

Om Namah Shivaya

LightofOm

[fem_phoenix1109]

But your and Anandini's comments highlight why HA differentiates between converts and adoptives. It may seem like nothing to others, but when you take a closer look at it, especially to do with how a person thinks about religion, it's significant.

Aum Namasivaya

Namaste Eastern Mind,

What is HA and how does it differentiate between converts and adoptives?

Pranam.

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste Eastern Mind,

What is HA and how does it differentiate between converts and adoptives?

Pranam.

Vannakkam: Sorry. Himalayan Academy. Somewhere in your study you'll encounter it.

But here's an analogy. If you ask a higher level athletics coach, say in basketball, which they prefer, a good athlete who knows nothing about basketball, or one who's had very poor coaching in basketball, they'll choose the first one every time.

In the second case you have to undo a bunch of stuff, whereas in the first case it's all fresh. Same thing with driver education, etc.

Aum Namasivaya

[fem_phoenix1109]

Namaste, and thank you for clarifying. I am actually very familiar with the Himalayan Academy, the acronym just didn't click for some reason!