My religion and spirituality hubs

67

By spirituality

I've always been fascinated by religion, but brought up agnostically, I never thought I'd actively do something with it, but somehow it just happened that it's the one constant thread in my life for the past 16 years.

I was a teacher of math, of chemistry. My professional life is as a webdesigner, though I also make a decent amount as an online publisher. But in between I've studied theosophy for 15 years and I also went world religion at Leiden University for a few years.

Below is a selection of topics I've studied. I hope you all get inspired.

Buddhism

Of all the religions and spiritual traditions I have studied, Buddhism is the one (except theosophy) that I love most.

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha (Pāli/Sanskrit "the awakened one"), and is classified as an Indian religion. The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. He is recognized by adherents as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering (or dukkha), achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth.

Islamic stuff

Muslims regard their religion as the completed and universal version of a primordial, monotheistic faith revealed at many times and places before, including, notably, to the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Islamic tradition holds that previous messages and revelations have been changed and distorted over time. Religious practices include the Five Pillars of Islam, which are five obligatory acts of worship. Islamic law touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from banking and warfare to welfare and the environment.

Wicca and Paganism

I think it's absolutely fascinating the love many people have for paganism.

Wicca is a Neopagan religion and a form of modern witchcraft. It is often referred to as Witchcraft or the Craft by its adherents, who are known as Wiccans or Witches. Its disputed origins lie in England in the early 20th century, though it was first popularized during the 1950s by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft", and its adherents "the Wica". From the 1960s the name of the religion was normalized to "Wicca".

Judaism

One of the oldest religions in the world, Judaism is very much linked with a people - the Jewish people. However, not all Jews are religiously Jewish.

Theosophy and related

Hubs about the tradition that forms the glue that links all my spiritual interests together.

Yoga

Yoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines that originated in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Within Hinduism, it also refers to one of the six orthodox (āstika) schools of Hindu philosophy, and to the goal towards which that school directs its practices. In Jainism, yoga is the sum total of all activities — mental, verbal and physical.

Major branches of yoga in Hindu philosophy include Rāja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Hatha Yoga. According to the authoritative Indian philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, yoga, based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, comprises one of the six main Hindu schools of philosophy (darshanas), together with Kapila's Samkhya, Gautama's Nyaya, Kanada's Vaisheshika, Jaimini's Purva Mimamsa, and Badarayana's Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta. Many other Hindu texts discuss aspects of yoga, including the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita and various Tantras.

The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings, and is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj", meaning "to control", "to yoke" or "to unite". Translations include "joining", "uniting", "union", "conjunction", and "means". It is also possible that the word yoga derives from "yujir samadhau," which means "contemplation" or "absorption." This translation fits better with the dualist Raja Yoga because it is through contemplation that discrimination between prakrti (nature) and purusha (pure consciousness) occurs.

Someone who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy to a high level of attainment is called a yogi or yogini.

General Spiritual stuff

These hubs are just my contribution to helping promote my spiritual co-workers.

Comments

ramkkasturi profile image

ramkkasturi 2 years ago

I like the OM you have .That should protect you. I would recommend reading Jiddu Krishnamoorty lectures if you have not already done so. Your hubs are interesting. Also Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan has written east and the west which goes into differences in perspectives between the east and west Thanks for the good material

Ramkkasturi

Neil Sperling profile image

Neil Sperling Level 5 Commenter 2 years ago

Every day is an opportunity to grow. Study, practice and share what insights you gleaned. You do them all. Thanks

soumyasrajan Level 4 Commenter 21 months ago

Enjoyed reading about you very much. I think I had very similar path like you. I also researched in Mathematics and related subjects in my professional life and thought and felt about spiritual aspects.

Though never learnt them formally in some school. conversations, books, experiences have been mainly my teachers. You have spent much more time on learning and thinking about them formally. I admire it. I will go through your other articles.

howtosolutions profile image

howtosolutions 3 months ago

Very informative hub you have here =)

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