Visit to A Hindu Temple

A student from the Vedic Healers Ayurveda Basic Course wrote this post about her personal experience of visiting a local Hindu temple. In Ayurveda we talk about the circle of life and she was interested in quantum physics linked to the Trimurti in Hindu beliefs. Ayurveda helps us understand life and how everything in nature supports each other. Ayurveda's idea of PanchMahabhut, which means the five elements, is very relevant today in today's world, which is full of conflict, we need to remember that we all live together on Earth. If Earth is in danger, it affects everyone.

The philosophy of Sanatan Dharma, is about living together peacefully while respecting Ecosystem of Mother Earth. Read her temple experience

This Saturday I went to the Hindu temple called Shani/Shiv Temple near my house. I was a

bit afraid of going alone so I took my husband with me. But when I walked in, I realized that

the fear was unnecessary. I went in the morning time it was very quiet and peaceful place. I

walked in and I saw a big statue of Shiva. Shiva was placed a bit outside so we thought we

didn’t have to take off our shoes, which was wrong. A man kindly came toward us and told

us to take off our shoes at the stairs and go inside the temple before praying to Shiva. How

thoughtful that was! What he did, made me feel that I’m welcomed.

It was a small local temple, and the temple’s name was Shani/Shiv but many other Gods

were placed. Including Shiva, there were 12 Gods and Shiva Linga. They were all dressed

beautifully and treated equally as if it was normal.

I didn’t know the proper way to pray so I sat in front of the God and joined my hands and

prayed. I watched how the others do. One was just standing and joining their hands. One

was sitting down and bowing their head. One was placing flowers. One was with the head

priest chanting. It seemed like they were praying in their own way as usual. There was a

water around Shiva Linga and everybody was praying in their own way here too. One was

putting the water on the Shiva Linga. One was touching Shiva Linga and themselves so

that the God may bless them. Everybody in the temple looked very natural. It was an

ordinary behavior for them.

Coming to the temple and being with God seemed to be an everyday life for them. It was

Saturday morning but people were coming in and out constantly. Many were with families

and some were even taking photos as if they were a tourist. I was surprised how close the

Gods were to them and how loved the Gods were. In Japan our Gods are not dressed

lovely and drawn pretty. In Shintoism we can’t even see the God. We just pray to the shrine

where the God sleeps. That make us feel the God is very special and not close to us. But

here, God is completely adapted in their ordinary lives, and loved as if the God was the

member of the family. The way they talk to the God was like me talking to my deceased

grandma through the grave.

Through this visit to Hindu temple, I found out that Hindu has very deep depth which

accepts everything in the world. Hindu is opened to any kind of people any time. And it

stands always nearby with us. Being with God is as close as being with friends, family,

nature. It’s it just an everyday life.