For those who are still on the fence about yoga and Hinduism. Just for the record Hinduism is not compatible with Christianity.
10 HINDU GODS, GODDESSES AND YOGA POSTURES YOU NEED TO KNOW
Colorful, vibrant, musical, and story-driven, Hinduism is a religion that inspires many across the globe. It is a faith-filled to the brim with gods and goddesses.
In fact, there are over 33 million Hindu gods in total!
There are some you may have heard of: Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh, or Brahma, to name a few.
Maybe you’ve seen a statue of the elephant-headed Ganesh, the god of beginnings and remover of obstacles.
Or perhaps you’ve seen a portrait of the mighty blue Shiva, the god of destruction, slaying a demon.
Maybe you’ve never seen any of them! Regardless of if you are just learning, taking a spiritual pilgrimage to India, or a yoga teacher training, learning about the Hindu gods is exciting and inspiring.
The stories of Hindu gods tell the tales of good versus evil, light versus dark, power, balance, and virtue.
Hinduism in India
Yoga and Hinduism are often practices that go hand-in-hand in the West but are more deeply fused and widely practiced in India. Appropriately so, because India is their birthplace. 80% of the population of India identifies with the belief system and recognizes these major Hindu gods.
Stories of these gods are the foundation of Hinduism. They teach about the values and aims of human life and the path to enlightenment.
Hindu mythology has long been a way to pass down these teachings. Hindus worship the gods and goddesses through devotional prayer and meditation. Many perform this kind of “puja’ (worship) in a shrine.
Shrines are a special place you create for prayer and meditation. For instance, they can be anything from altars, rooms, and even pictures and sculptures.
Worshippers decorate these shrines with offerings. These offerings may include mantra or prayer, incense, and flowers. They can be any kind of precious item- provided the person gives it with love and devotion.
Throughout India, you can see incredibly decorated shrines dedicated to different gods. Statues, images, and buildings are colorfully decorated and often fragrant with flowers, especially during important holidays.
ganesh celebration - 10 hindu gods you should know
Practice for the non-Hindu
You don’t have to subscribe to these religious beliefs to benefit from the beauty of the practice.
For example, you can create a quiet, spiritual space with your favorite items. In other words, any objects that help you to focus your mind and bring you joy.
If you want to tap into these powerful gods and goddesses, you can cultivate a meditation practice with one in mind. You could even have a statue or image of your favorite god or goddess somewhere in your space of practice.
This can help you focus your attention on whatever qualities your chosen figure represents: wisdom, knowledge, peace, or power, for example.
People have many different kinds of objects on their altars that aren’t religious symbols too. For instance, you can use objects like pictures of teachers or a matriarchal grandmother, a rock or seashell from a meaningful place, or a flower that recalls a special memory.
If it serves you, you can combine all of these things into one. The point is to make your space of worship unique to your practice.
Yoga and your Hindu Gods inspired practice
altar shrine yogi aaron 10 hindu deitiesIf you are inspired by these Hindu deities, you can find their energies through yoga. Trying specific postures can awaken those dormant energies that are already within you.
There are plenty of poses linked to the broad range of powers that each deity holds. Some of these postures focus on building strength. Other yoga poses center around building mental clarity.
Each of these postures can help you bring the strength from the gods of Hinduism into your daily spiritual practice.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO PUT YOUR DEVOTION INTO MOTION, HERE ARE 10 HINDU DEITIES AND YOGA POSES YOU SHOULD KNOW
10 Hindu deities you should know
BRAHMA
The first deity of the Hindu trinity, Lord Brahma, is the god of creation. The trinity being, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma contains the entire cosmos and all its creatures.
They say you don’t have to be Hindu to practice these things but then it clearly states that when your engaging in these practices specifically doing the poses with your body you’re tapping into the power of said god or goddess. So if you practice hinduism hen you’re a practicing hindu and no longer Christian.
A man cannot serve 2 masters.....
This is from a yoga Hindu website.
This is why yoga Hinduism is not compatible with Christianity.
Entire article here
With over 33 million Hindu Gods and Goddesses, which ones whould you learn about? Here's our top 10 Hindu Gods and Goddesses you should know before YTT.
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