On this page, we explore the common daily Hindu practices. Spirituality is the basis of these discussions.
We recommend that you first read the articles in spiritual foundation. Follow it up with the daily practices topics
The topics of “dissecting orthodoxy” and “diverse perspectives” are standalone and have their own sections (see menu). On the enroll page, one can register for spiritual classes and sessions. These sessions are for kids and adults. And, finally don’t forget to become a member.
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Spiritual Foundation Articles (recommended to read these first)
- 1. Interpreting Religion, Tradition, and Spirituality
We communicate through words. Each word has a visual and phonetic characteristic to it. The mention of an “elephant” brings out a name and form in your… Read more “1. Interpreting Religion, Tradition, and Spirituality” - 2. Deity or Divinity – Who to Worship?
The Hindu religion has a multitude of gods or deities, roughly 33 million gods. What is the need for so many gods? Are all these gods representing… Read more “2. Deity or Divinity – Who to Worship?” - 3. Om and its significance
Upanishads and Gita, ring in unison at “OM” being the primordial sound of this entire universe. The vibration of OM is the source of manifestation. Chanting OM… Read more “3. Om and its significance” - 4. The Five-Step Practice
A set of five activities can summarize the daily Hindu practices. Termed pancha kala kriya, this set of activities is all that a practicing Hindu needs. pancha… Read more “4. The Five-Step Practice” - 5. The Scriptures to follow
Hindu religion prides on flexibility through the variety of scriptures compiled over thousands of years. These were before the Gregorian calendar. There are scriptures associated with the… Read more “5. The Scriptures to follow”
Daily Practices Articles (recommended that you first read the spiritual foundation articles)
- 101. The Simple Morning Worship Ritual
A worship ritual in the morning can be simple yet authentic and fit the busy schedule of today’s life. Let us review the steps leading to the… Read more “101. The Simple Morning Worship Ritual” - 102. Waking Up
Each day brings a wave of hope and an opportunity to lead a purposeful life. The day presents an opportunity to press the reset button on all… Read more “102. Waking Up” - 103. Divinity during Morning Ablutions
The joy of interacting with individuals on spirituality is boundless. It is a two-way street, I share the learnings from our scriptures, and I learn from others.… Read more “103. Divinity during Morning Ablutions” - 104. Morning Ablutions – Handling of the Sacred Threads (Yagnopaveetham or Mangalasutram)
Understanding the sacred threads: At the age of seven, boys undergo an upanayanam or a thread ceremony ritual. This ritual signifies a transition point in a boy’s… Read more “104. Morning Ablutions – Handling of the Sacred Threads (Yagnopaveetham or Mangalasutram)” - 105. The Morning Invocation, Sandhyavandanam – is it necessary?
Across the various traditional beliefs and the dictates of theism, a morning invocation is often stressed as a practice to follow. In Hindu practices, it is Sandhayvandam.… Read more “105. The Morning Invocation, Sandhyavandanam – is it necessary?” - 106. Offerings during worship – flowers, fruits, water, and much more. Are they really needed?
The worship of a deity can be an external or internal action. In external worship, a deity or vigraha provides you with a semblance of comfort. It… Read more “106. Offerings during worship – flowers, fruits, water, and much more. Are they really needed?” - 107. The Lighting of the Lamp
Why should one light a lamp and what does it signify? In the Upanishadic times, spirituality was the focus. It was all about recognizing who we are… Read more “107. The Lighting of the Lamp” - 108. Naivedyam and Prasadam
The significance of offering naivedyam and receiving prasadam. As a child, I went to temples to enjoy the sumptuous food served at the end of a ritual… Read more “108. Naivedyam and Prasadam” - 109. Performing Aarathi
It is a common practice for a morning or evening worship ritual to end with an aarathi. This is the practice of having a small silver or… Read more “109. Performing Aarathi” - 110. Significance of a bell during worship
ganta nadam or sound a bell is a recommended practice and falls in the category of ijya (engaging in the mode of worship) Hindu practices, temples, and… Read more “110. Significance of a bell during worship” - 111. Time for contemplation
Contemplation is a recommended practice and falls in the category of svadhyaya (engaging in the mode of seeking). The fourth step of pancha kriya kala is to… Read more “111. Time for contemplation” - 112. The evening discipline
The evening discipline is a recommended practice and falls in the category of yog (body-mind connection). The final step of pancha kriya kala is to take a… Read more “112. The evening discipline”