Apparently due to some shift in the Earth’s position shit, a thirteenth sign called Ophiuchus or some such has been added and every sign’s dates have been changed. I’ve turned from a Gemini to a Taurus overnight. It just feels a little weird but apart from that I don’t really get affected by these things. I don’t think I believe in these things. Apparently the only reason that the number of signs initially was 12 was because Ptolemy was a very geometrical man and didn’t think 13 was a very symmetrical number. And according to Hindu astrology, we are all unique and cannot be clubbed together into any “signs.” We’re all free agents and because there are an infinite number of variations of the Earth’s position with respect to the Sun and the moon, we’re unique. Each and every one of us. I read Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago addresses, I found his speeches at the World Parliament of Religions in 1893 on WikiSource and read them all. It was actually pretty nice. He was talking about religious tolerance and universality and Buddhism and other religions. His main thing though was a long paper he presented on Hinduism there, like the seminars that happen at our college through which most of us sleep. It was amazing though, in the sense that it didn’t talk about Gods or Godesses, barely took any names. It was so philosophical. It enmeshed religion, science and philosophy all at the same time. It talked about how as opposed to Christianity where people are sinners, Hindus believe that each being is divine and has the God within him. And how the ultimate goal is to realise this God and stop tying down your soul to matter. How the soul is eternal, simply jumping from centre to centre or body to body when one dies. How God was eternal and creation was eternal, even providing a scientific explanation for it. How idolatry was simply the common man’s effort to reach this ultimate goal, his path to higher knowledge and wisdom. It was pretty interesting actually. Who knew I would ever be interested in spirituality and God?!
I think there’s a clear line of difference between religion and spirituality, and a very distinct one at that. I don’t think I’m a big fan of religion. Someone once told me that temples are filled with pretentious people. Some people go to the temple because they truly want to pray but some go because they want to show that they pray. I think that's true. Anyway I don’t like the idea of different religions with different Gods and different beliefs. I think there is a God, yes. I’m not atheistic or even agnostic, contrary to what my Facebook page says. I should change that actually. But I don’t know what the technical term for it is. S put it very succinctly once when I asked her if she believed in God, “I believe in God but I don’t believe in religion.”
I used to be agnostic, hence the Facebook status. But I think I started believing in God because of my NLUD entrance result. To get me in after 2-3 days of study was a miracle. It may be cheesy, but that is my belief. And I don’t pretend to be deep or spiritual or in touch with that side of me, if there is one, but I have a few measly beliefs and hopefully I will stick to them.
I think there’s someone up there who’s looking at all of us. And I think it’s very simple to be “good” in life. I think there are some basic principles which one must obey to be “good.” Simple things, you know, as long as you’re essentially a good person. Sweet speech, respect for those who deserve it, love to your parents and family and so on. That’s why I honestly don’t see anything wrong in premarital sex or homosexuality. It’s just an alternate life choice; it’s simply an expression of love, whether it be love with the opposite sex, love with the same sex or love with animals. Although with bestiality, the whole animal rights issue comes into play so I’m not very clear on that. But after all, wouldn’t one rather see an expression of love than guns and war? The more the love, the better the world. And I’m proud to believe that, however gay it may sound. =P
I don’t know about the afterlife. I don’t know if you go to heaven if you’re “good” in this life or not, but somehow I think it’s important to be “good.” I’m not “good” by my own standards, what with all the foul language and all. But I like to think that I’m essentially a good person, even if that’s only about 75% true.
I don’t like the idea of different religions because too often it leads to conflict. I think spirituality is different. It’s more like, getting to know yourself and trying to be in touch with your inner true self. Getting to know your soul and trying to rise above the everyday, the routine, the worldly. You know, achieving that higher knowledge. Swami Vivekananda says that each one of us has the capability to get in touch with God. Like, actually, get in touch. Hear his voice et al. Because that is the ultimate end. And we also have the capability to realise what our past life was like. If only we let go of matter, if only our soul stops being tied down to the physical, the worldly. I’d like to believe that. It would be awesome if I could hear what God was saying to me. I think that is spirituality. Trying to realise the divine within you. Maybe that IS the core of religion, in particular, Hinduism. To Swami Vivekananda it certainly seemed to be. But to me religion has always implied stories and Gods and idols and rosaries and material things. Swami Vivekananda says these are simply aids to the ultimate divine realisation. But how can you get in touch with yourself by using these things? Religion somehow has always seemed...crude, to me. Layman. Crass.
P.S. The credit for making me think about such things and put them down in writing goes partially to one very good friend, who doesn't read my blog as far as I know, but I'd like to acknowledge him here nonetheless. I would never have got around to penning this down or reading those speeches if it weren't for him, and now I'm glad I did.
Update: Just in case you're interested, click here for the speeches.