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There can be as many Hindu Gods as there are devotees to suit the moods, feelings, emotions and social backgrounds of the devotees. Sri Ramakrishna, a well-known Hindu saint once said this. BOY was he right! There's such a variety of deities to choose from, especially when it comes to magical study and worship. Today's all about Hinduism and it's history, practices, gods, and ideas for worship. **Note: Any information you find here has been from research that I have done personally. If you have doubts or questions about anything I've found, please feel free to follow the links I provide to the original sources and research further for yourself. This is meant to be a collection of knowledge, ideas, and a starting point for deity worship.** BackgroundHindus first believe in a trinity, such as Christianity, that consists of three beings:
Hinduism is a combination of monotheism and henotheism. There's a belief of one God who holds the energy of the entire universe but also have a concept of many deities being apart of one being. Each deity has a specific specialty, duty, or purpose and can be called upon for specific tasks while worshiping a main being. For example, you can worship Brahma but call upon Genesha for help in removing obstacles in your life and bringing about success. Hinduism does involve the belief of reincarnation. This way the spirit can live on and continue to learn about the meaning of life after a body has died. The elements, energy, and chakras also play a large part in this practice. There's a belief of having a balance of energies within and without the body in order to have a fulfilling life. This makes Hindu worship and witchcraft very hand-in-hand; energy work is a major part of witchcraft. Like the Wiccan Rede, Hindus have a system of ahimsa, meaning "the avoidance of violence". If you believe in no harm coming to others in life and religious practices, this could be a match for you. Because of ahimsa, it's not uncommon to see Hindu worshipers as vegetarians. WorshipWorship, or puja (meaning the ritual worship that's taken place), also consists of three different areas and Nine Beliefs (which can be found through this link):
This is a religious practice that's based on individual acts, not communal. So shrines are most likely to be used in your home. However, some countries do have areas where communal worship is practiced. There aren't specific days for worship, like some religions, although certain deities rule over different days of the week. The time of day is more emphasized, as the dawn (4-6 am) is considered the best time for practice and connecting with deities. For holidays, there's a similarity again between Wicca and Hinduism. Both celebrate the solstices, equinoxes, and the coming and passing of seasons. However, many festivals and events center around Surya, the sun god, so research would be needed for celebrating winter festivals. Shiva is honored through the phases of the moon, like the Goddess. The main time of worship of Shiva is the hour or hour-and-a-half before and after sunrise/sunset. ShrinesThis is the central place of worship for Hinduism. If you have a temple near you, you can always visit there for worship. But it's a common consensus to have a shrine in the home as well. Shrines are dedicated to different deities and splayed throughout the home. It's actually not uncommon to see more than one shrine as Hindus believe in each god having their own purpose. The adornment or size of the shrine is irrelevant. As long as it's treated like the spiritual place that it is then you're fine. You can have statues, flowers, an incense burner, or food offerings. Different puja are performed at the shrine, by at least one person, every day. This gives you time to speak to the deities, honor them, and do spellwork. DeitiesLike I've said before, each god or goddess has their own affiliation and practice. Here's a starting list for different beings you can worship:
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