Sampradaya

[Vinayaka]

The concept of sampradaya in Hinduism essentially means 'narrowing down' . Consider the metaphor of a magnifying glass making fire. In order to get that fire, the magnifying glass pinpoints all the light from a 4 inch circle into a 1/8th inch circle. So the heat is intense enough to start a fire.

The fire of bhakti, the fire of intense meditation is attained by this selecting process, called sampradaya, where the devotee reduces it all by selection of specific over general, down to one teaching, one living SatGuru, one meditation style, and often one God.

Another apt metaphor is how in medicine, how, after doctors get their general degree, they specialize, and further specialize, and maybe even further. Then they are so well versed in that particular specialty, they can teach it to others.

Sampradaya is the tradition that absolutely drives Hinduism. Without it, there would be no fire. It is very personal, yet holds respect for all other sampradayas within Hinduism, for the sushumna holds 14 nadis, each one a channel for rising kundalini and the mysticism of separate sampradaya.

Just a rant. Not all Hindus view it this way.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

The concept of sampradaya in Hinduism essentially means 'narrowing down' . Consider the metaphor of a magnifying glass making fire. In order to get that fire, the magnifying glass pinpoints all the light from a 4 inch circle into a 1/8th inch circle. So the heat is intense enough to start a fire.

The fire of bhakti, the fire of intense meditation is attained by this selecting process, called sampradaya, where the devotee reduces it all by selection of specific over general, down to one teaching, one living SatGuru, one meditation style, and often one God.

Another apt metaphor is how in medicine, how, after doctors get their general degree, they specialize, and further specialize, and maybe even further. Then they are so well versed in that particular specialty, they can teach it to others.

Sampradaya is the tradition that absolutely drives Hinduism. Without it, there would be no fire. It is very personal, yet holds respect for all other sampradayas within Hinduism, for the sushumna holds 14 nadis, each one a channel for rising kundalini and the mysticism of separate sampradaya.

Just a rant. Not all Hindus view it this way.

Namaste.

You surprise me. I never knew you had an esoteric side - never heard you talk this way before....wow, Vinayaka is mentioning nadis and kundalini now...I must have woken up in a different dimension today...

Yes, Sampradaya means 'narrowing down'. It groups Hindus together according to specific beliefs and teachings within an ideology. Usually surrounding individual gurus or teachers.

It is like a whole neural network, isn't it? There must be at least a dozen different Sampradayas within Shaivism alone.

Funnily enough though, I could never seem to follow a single one.

Some are just so close in teachings, beliefs and systems that I found it hard to choose.

I don't know which non-puranic school of Shaivism I belong to when there's just a hair whisker between Shaiva Siddhanta and Lingayatism or Trika and Pasupati Shaivism (which probably is the closest to what I believe).

I couldn't decide between atimarga or mantramarga in the end, so I decided just to adopt both and all schools of Shaivism that fell within this whole framework.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Vinayaka]

Necro, we're taught NOT to talk about it. Does that explain something?

I think this information is important to seekers trying to get a handle on Hinduism. Yes there is the wider perspective of the universalist leaning Hindus, also called liberal Hindus some days. That's good too.

As for choosing, when it comes to sampradaya, it is definitely the Guru who chooses. The devotee may writhe the tests of experience, of commitment, etc., but it is the Guru who has the final say.

This differs substantially from mass market Gurus. Sampradayas generally stay small at the core, and may be just one unknown teacher with a band of sannyasins. The mass market ones may have thousands of devotees, but how many of those can phone up the Guru, or send an email, and get a same day response?

The other difference about sampradaya is that is is always a continuous lineage, with each successive Guru passing on the mystic knowledge to a successor. New sampradayas are formed when the Guru passes it on to two successors. Mass market Gurus rarely even appoint successors.

Of course there is a lot of wisdom in reading a book written by a living or deceased Guru of either variety or anything in between. But in sampradaya, it can be one on one. What the Guru says or does can apply to you and you alone. So it can be extremely individualised. Even to the point of shifting the energy from one nadi to another, if it's getting 'derailed'.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

Necro, we're taught NOT to talk about it. Does that explain something?

I think this information is important to seekers trying to get a handle on Hinduism. Yes there is the wider perspective of the universalist leaning Hindus, also called liberal Hindus some days. That's good too.

As for choosing, when it comes to sampradaya, it is definitely the Guru who chooses. The devotee may writhe the tests of experience, of commitment, etc., but it is the Guru who has the final say.

This differs substantially from mass market Gurus. Sampradayas generally stay small at the core, and may be just one unknown teacher with a band of sannyasins. The mass market ones may have thousands of devotees, but how many of those can phone up the Guru, or send an email, and get a same day response?

The other difference about sampradaya is that is is always a continuous lineage, with each successive Guru passing on the mystic knowledge to a successor. New sampradayas are formed when the Guru passes it on to two successors. Mass market Gurus rarely even appoint successors.

Of course there is a lot of wisdom in reading a book written by a living or deceased Guru of either variety or anything in between. But in sampradaya, it can be one on one. What the Guru says or does can apply to you and you alone. So it can be extremely individualised. Even to the point of shifting the energy from one nadi to another, if it's getting 'derailed'.

Why you talkin about it then?

... but not having belonged to any specific sampradaya, I wasn't really taught anything. LOL

All I know is if I can share anything I know about Akka Mahadevi's beautiful Vachanas to Aghori Tantric rituals, to the VBT, I feel pretty much free to do that. I am not bound by specific knowledge.

I take what I like from the various paths in relation to the Divine one, Siva.

This is what makes your teachings different to mine...meanwhile, a voice is saying "just tell him it's Agama Hindu Dharma and leave it rest".

I've had more 'Gurus' than Dattatreya, my friend....I just follow what 'works for me' or more precise backtracking an experience through relative form.

...we need to shift energies from one nadi to the other sometimes, it's called Anoloma Viloma or Nadhi Shodhana and it's a way to clean them out...I haven't done it for a week or so...must go and do it...

Aum Namah Shivaya!

[Shivani Devi]

However, that old Hindu Dharmic side of me springs to life every time here and says "to the Hindu wife, every husband is Guru" so apart from mentioning my endless affection and admiration for Lord Dakshinamurthy who taught Parvati the VBT...I'll continue:

To a 'Hindu wife', husband is guru. Whatever Guru husband follows becomes wife's Guru.

For 17 years I followed my ex-husband's Sampradaya.

He was a disciple of Swami Shivananda of Rishikesh and his Guru was a direct disciple of that one, Swami Chidananda Saraswati of the DLS society.

Now, the DLS Society spawned many of the great 'gurus' of the past century, Swami Satyananda, Baba Muktananda and his guru, Nityananda and many of the current "new-age" Hindu cults of today sprang from these association back in the '90's.

In 2001, I met Swami Chidananda and took mantra diksha, but I never really took it seriously, only to realise some 15 years later, the mantra he gave me and the words he said to me would come back to haunt me.

I know we're not 'sposed to talk about this either, but I'm way past the point of caring. lol

The mantra:

सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
Sarva-Manggala-Maanggalye Shive Sarvaartha-Saadhike |
Sharannye Trya[i-A]mbake Gauri Naaraayanni Namo[ah-A]stu Te ||

Meaning:
1: (Salutations to You O Narayani) Who is the Auspiciousness in All the Auspicious, Auspiciousness Herself, Complete with All the Auspicious Attributes, and Who fulfills All the Objectives of the Devotees (Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha),
2: Who is the Giver of Refuge, With Three Eyes and a Shining Face; Salutations to You O Narayani.

The words he spoke to me: "Siva is known through Sakti".

Only now I can appreciate all that in hindsight.

The DLS - Divine Life Society is a good jumping off point for all those interested in Hinduism..

I pawed over "Lord Siva and His Worship" by Swami Shivananda for months...and months...it became my 'Bible"...

See...I got 'Gurus'...

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Vinayaka]

Yes, its all good.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

Yes, its all good.

Yep, that it is. At least I got to discuss the DLS Society here and I've never done that before. Excellent Hindu resource facility there!

I was also a member of the Theosophical Society as well and approached Hinduism from that angle too, so there was a bit of 'New Age influence', but this didn't really account for much.

Yep...all good.

Jai Shiv Shankar.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste...yeah...so yeah...

I just realised by 'mental association' I'm actually Aghori to my very heart and core - it took Buddha's teachings to teach me that lesson.

This is the part of it all I have been denying for so long now, but only ever hinted at now and then.

This is why I can talk with free abandon and without taboo, have none of my own (I am not a vegetarian and smoke)...I do my own ritualistic practices in total alignment with them....I'm Tantrika, I worship Bhairava, I go into deep trance states, I communicate with the deceased and hang around graveyards to get EVPs...

Who was I ever trying to kid here from the very beginning, right Vinayaka?

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

Now I know it ...I was an Aghori sadhu in a recent past life, who neared enlightenment but he was also pretty much focused within his sacral chakra and hence why I am a woman now (and alone).

I was pretty much born into this and initiated from an early age by Siva himself...it manifested way back in my teen years with the connection to Siva made through His son (the handsome one) who I met during a pilgrimage to Batu Caves once...the re-connection to Siva was made.

It has been on and off like this, my whole life...but I realised I wasn't an ordinary 'Saivite'. I lapped up the words of the Balinese and Javanese 'Dukuns' (Shamans) like mother's milk and became immersed in occult rituals and practices...basically all of them. I was friends with quite a few and learned a lot about Tantra...I was being groomed for succession and I felt it. I also felt an incredible love for Bhairava despite this...it was what made me go to them and listen...

So, I started meditation, reading a lot, doing kriyas and everything else, Patanjali, Swatmarama, VBT, Saundarya Lahari, Adi Shankaracharya, the Spirit of Kashi!!! The love of my life. Yeah, you can see where this was all going...

Then there was the whole symbolism and symbolic reference to the Appearance of Bhairava and Veerbhadra in reference to ego-decapitation and the veneration of Lord Shiva in the form of Adi Guru.

I follow the Left-Hand Path of Hinduism. I worship Shiva within it, Kapalika refined...Aghori.

So that's what I found out just then.

Om Namah Shivaya