Sunday, December 26, 2010

The Variety of Religious Experiences I'm having

Twenty years ago, I would've never imagined or appreciated a different way of thinking of, praying to God. Raised as a devout South Indian Iyer, God for me was invoked through mantras and felt as a profound feeling arising from the sheer power of vibrations, the great-problem solver of our life problems. You have a problem, rush to Him and there He is ready with an answer to help you. Years have gone by, and so too the variety of my experiments and experiences with religion !!

God would've expected me to recite the Holy Gayathri Mantra in my puja room, or near a riverbank, or in a temple. Indeed it must've been a sweet surprise to both of us (God and Me :-) ) when I got a chance to recite it right the sanctum sanctorum inside the famous Sultanahmet (The Blue Mosque)  in Istanbul, Turkey!

And this year 2010, here in US, I've seen God more in Church than in temples. As a volunteer and sometimes Usher in the FPC, I've had chances to follow the Christian way of worship, prayers of silence, self-confession, proclamation of love and peace with friends - a unique way indeed to feel God. I also had chance to participate in MahaRudram and Lalitha Sahasranamarchanai in Flushing Ganesha temple, first ever in my life which I missed while all these years in India. God (ok..let me be honest..my favourite Goddess Lalithambika)..She is giving me all these glorious experiences to appreciate Her Creation, Her World of maya, the lessons She wants me to learn, the Happiness/Sorrow She wants me to experience to finally, one day, break away from the cycle of birth and death on earth and try living the life of an astral being on different parts of this vast Universe.She makes me play, love, hope, enjoy peace, be joyful and spread it with whomsoever I may come in touch with. Such is Her magic and such is Her love for me!!