Hinduism Lexicon on B

From backbiting to buddhi chitta.

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In this article, the author share a simple and very powerful way of combining drumming with clearly expressed intentions together forming your own strong prayer. This technique can be used by anyone and adopted to suit your own personal need.

Read more here: » Spiritual Music: Song Alchemy - Drumming for spiritual awakening

From the ancient times, music is something that has put people, in touch with their inner most feelings. Different kind of music works upon different emotions of an individual, and releases the various incomplete emotions leading towards a total healing of body and mind.

Read more here: » Spiritual Healing: Bhakthi Sankeertan - Healing through music

Bhagavan stuti: Open Your Mind With Songs of God

Stuti literally means praise and a stotram is a hymn or song dedicated to God's glory. Is it necessary to praise the Lord? Would He be affected by our praises and does He really need them? What could be the benefits that accrue from singing His glory? From our experiences of dealing with the empirical world, we understand it is natural to appreciate someone who has performed well.

Read more here: » Bhagavan stuti: Open Your Mind With Songs of God

Chanting of mantras and the practice of meditation are time-honoured traditions in oriental religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. Christians use the concept of chanting in a variety of ways in their prayer. The Divine Office or Prayer of the Church is a rhythmic recitation or singing of the Psalms in monastic communities. For a Christian the practice of meditation is the practice of an 'awareness' of God in Christ. Equally, at the heart of the practice of Christian meditation is the essential onslaught on the 'ego' so that we may be completely free from its domination. Prophet Isaiah says (30:15): "In conversion and tranquillity lies your salvation".

Read more here: » Spiritual Practices: Christian Mantras And Meditation

Sound leads to understanding unity and divinity. Hence the importance given to the recitation of the sacred syllable - Om. Whatever the music, if it is spiritually moving, it elevates the spirit and affects positively both mind and body. While good music is highly beneficial, todays cacophony of loud noises in the environment aggravates stress and will eventually destroy us. Remember, sound is a powerful force Ñ it can heal; it can also destroy.

Read more here: » Healing Music: Music For The Soul

MUSIC THERAPY

Music therapy is the prescribed use of music by a qualified person to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals who have health or educational problems.

The idea of music as a healing influence that can affect health and behavior is as least as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. The 20th century discipline began after World War I and World War II when community musicians of all types, both amateur and professional, went to veterans' hospitals around the country to play for the thousands of veterans suffering both physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patients' physical and emotional improvements in response to music led the doctors and nurses to request that hospitals hire musicians. 

For children, illness and hospitalizations disrupt normal living patterns, school and important social activities. Music therapy helps to reduce this disruption by providing sensitive, creative interventions--including playing instruments and writing songs. These interventions also offer acute and chronically ill children the chance to learn, express themselves, interact with family and peers and, simply, relax and enjoy themselves. Even parents and siblings can join the fun and experience the benefits. The power of music is documented: Studies have shown that music can influence heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, pain perception, physical health and well-being. Music is loved by young and old.

(See also: MUSIC THERAPY , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Every material thing - every person, animal, rock and tree on the earth, even Mother Earth herself - has its own natural resonating frequency. The Earth's own electromagnetic field, deep space, and people in a meditative state are all resonating at a frequency of approximately 7.8 hertz. This is called the Schumann Resonating Frequency. In human beings, the balanced interaction of all the frequencies resonating in and through our bodies is what makes us work. When our frequencies resonate in sync, we are healthy.

Read more here: » Healing Music: Healing Through Music

Paneurhythmy, the Sacred Bulgarian Dance of Life, that unites heaven and earth through a series of 28 easily learned movements in a rhythmic circular walking dance.
Personal sharing by Sananjaleen.

Read more here: » Paneurhythmy - the Sacred Bulgarian Dance of Life

Holi:

IN DAYS of yore, there were communities of cannibals in India. They caused much havoc. They threatened the lives of many innocent people. One of them was Holika or Putana. She took immense delight in devouring children. Sri Krishna destroyed her and thus saved the little children. Even today, the effigy or figure of Holika is burnt in the fire. In South India, the clay figure of Cupid is burnt. This is the origin of the great festival of Holi.

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Holi: Hindu Festivals - The Holi Festival

Many factors point at a difficult time ahead with the risk of social, economical, political and last but not least environmental crisis due to the exploration of our Planet. Parallelly, there are many who suggest that we are now on the verge of a transition into a new World, a golden Age.

Read more here: » Spiritual Awakening: Future transitions

Danny Becher share his long experience of the relation between sound and healing and how the practice of Overtones may assist us to build a bridge to the higher spiritual dimensions. The relationship between sound and the Spiritual Dimensions is also explained.

Read more here: » Sound and Healing: Overtones make us listen to the higher dimensions

In 1999, Bennie LeBeau of the Eastern Shoshone tribe began to experience a torrent of dreams and visions. The visions directed him to set in motion the plans for a massive Medicine Wheel Ceremony. The ceremony is set to take place at High Noon on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at more than 20 sacred sites in the American West, and at many other sacred sites elsewhere around the world, including Australia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and the Middle East.

Read more here: » Native American Spirituality: Native American Medicine Wheel Ceremony on May 8th 2004

Andal's Divine Union With Sri Narayana

The Tiruppavai, a 1,000-year-old collection of 30 Tamil songs in praise of Krishna, was composed by Goda when she was barely 15 years of age. It is sung during the month of Margazhi in Tamil Nadu, between mid-December and mid-January. The Tiruppavai is also called Godopanishad because it contains the quintessence of the scriptures.

An incarnation of Bhudevi, Goddess Earth, the consort of Mahavishnu, Goda's appearance was to show us the pathway to God through bridal mysticism - looking upon God as the bridegroom.

Read more here: » Goda: Andal's Divine Union With Sri Narayana

Many people have written me over the years to ask how they can clear a dwelling of negative energy, either in terms of entities or the residual energies of previous occupants, and how to perform a blessing on their home. Following is a very simple house clearing and blessing ritual.

Read more here: » Space Clearing: Clearing and Blessing a Home

Something seems to be seriously wrong with marriage.

During the past 50 years, the rate of divorce in the United States has exploded out of control to its current level of about 50 percent, and it shows no signs of letting up. That is a very sobering trend and statistic. I recently contributed to that number, and it doesn't feel so good, especially when there are innocent children involved. Some people have contributed more than once. Most of them probably feel worse than I do, and wonder where it all went wrong.

Read more here: » Marriage: The End Of Marriage As We Know It

The three fundamental tenets for Jains are: Right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. A pursuit of these goals involves modest living, and prescribed behavior such as non-violence and stringent vegetarianism, and also various rituals and acts of devotion ( puja). The worship of images of mortal teachers or Thirthankaras (divinities) is common among Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains alike, but the approach of the Jains to the Tirthankaras differs from that of the other groups.

Read more here: » Jainism: Right Faith, Right Knowledge And Right Conduct

A personal reflection on God by Sunidhi Chauhan. ”I do believe in the existence of some power which is mightier than all human beings. I like to address Him as God and not call Him by any specific name. For, I do not believe in the narrow divisions of religion. Ultimately, there is one supreme creator and one power.”

Read more here: » Spiritual Inspiration: God and I by Sunidhi Chauhan

Breathing: God Is In The Gap Between Breaths

God is in the breath inside the breath, said Kabir. He showed that anyone can become illumined from within. Osho once explained a sutra from Kabir's song: "Student, tell me what is God?" he asks. He provides the answer: "He is the breath inside the breath."

God is your subjectivity; He is your innerness. Buddha made it a great technique for meditation, watching the breath, because through watching it you will come to know the breath inside the breath. 'Breath' means life. In Sanskrit it is pran or life. In Hebrew,

Read more here: » Breathing: God Is In The Gap Between Breaths

Knowledge of Ancient Indian History and Culture: The Mahabharata contains also the immortal discourse of Bhishma on Dharma, which he gave to Yudhishthira, when he was lying on the bed of arrows. The whole Mahabharata forms an encyclopaedia of history, morals and religion unsurpassed by any other epic in the world.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Ancient Indian History and Culture: Knowledge of Ancient Indian History and Culture in the Hindu Scriptures