A Somewhat Pleasant What If Scenario (Maybe)

Namaste readers! If any of my readers from India are interested in answering this question, I'd like to ask it as a sort of thought experiment.

You probably know by now of my desire to be Hindu, to follow the Hindu faith and culture. That's why I made this blog, after all. However, I know that because I was raised in mainstream white American society, it would be near impossible for me to follow the Hindu faith to the letter, and/or emulate Hindu culture perfectly (not that I need to, I think).But...if I was indeed born in Indian society...raised Hindu...had that sort of life instead...what would be different?

Sometimes I wish that was the case - in a way that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, if you know what I mean. I know I should be happy with who I am. Still...the curiosity of what life for me would have been like, and would be like now, is a burning one.

Would things be better? Worse? Equal out to be the same? What path would I have taken? Would I be in the same position I am in now? Would I end up being the same person?

According to the laws of karma and reincarnation, it's entirely possible that I was Indian and/or Hindu in a past life. But I'm talking about my present life. Would I, or the world, have been different, if my soul found an Indian body instead of my current one, for this life?

I know I must make do with the life and body I have now. But things like this are idle curiosities.

Book Review: Brahma Dreaming

Namaste readers - as promised, here is my book review of Brahma Dreaming, the new graphic novel (of sorts) by author John Jackson and illustrator Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, published by JJ Books.

First off, to better explain the book: it is a collection of Hindu mythology, interpreted through the lens of the author, John Jackson. Therefore the tales within the book are not original creations, as they are mythological tales as old as Hinduism. They are, however, original interpretations, though at this time I couldn't find what Mr. Jackson used as his original source. Being interpreted through a Western lens such as Mr. Jackson's indeed makes these tales easier reading for a Western audience (such as myself). However, as is almost always the case with when tales cross cultures in this manner, some of the authenticity is lost. For many Western readers this won't be that big of an issue, but the reason why it is an issue in the first place is because interpretations can be inconsistent across sources - the events told in Mr. Jackson's versions of the tales here may have things happen differently than the original mythological tales, for one, but it can differ also across different versions of the retelling.

If you're just getting started reading Hindu mythology, however, you could do far worse than Mr. Jackson's versions in Brahma Dreaming. The tales are told with lively prose, great pacing, and a method of organization that warrants reading the book from cover to cover. The organization of the tales is of note here because they are sorted into three categories, "Tales of Creation," "Tales of Destruction," and "Tales of Preservation." These are concurrent with the three main gods of Hinduism, Lords Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, so the tales being sorted into these categories does a lot to help newcomers to Hindu mythology understand not only the chronology of these tales, but their importance. One thing some readers learned in Hindu mythology may gripe over, however, is the length of some of these tales in the book; some of the tales covered in Brahma Dreaming, most notably the tales based on the great Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata, are covered only briefly. However, the most important parts of the two aforementioned epics are covered, for rest assured those two epics are long, and a book like Brahma Dreaming couldn't do those epics justice without devoting multiple volumes to it. Think of the tales of Brahma Dreaming as trailers for movies - their purpose is to get readers interested in Hindu mythology, not be exact replicas of the original tales. If you read Brahma Dreaming, you will be interested to find out more about Hindu mythology.

Of course, part of what makes Brahma Dreaming so special as an introduction to Hindu mythology are the illustrations by Ms. Terrazzini. These illustrations are meant to be interpretations of Hindu mythological scenes rendered in the style of the "Golden Age" of graphic printing in Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To say these are striking illustrations is an understatement, and in this case it's a good thing. The illustrations are definitely a unique spin on what pictorial interpretations of scenes in Hindu mythology have traditionally been like, and they are quite beautiful. It's important to note that these illustrations are black and white, with the occasional splash or highlight of color - those who have read Frank Miller's Sin City comic book series may find parallels.

Overall, Brahma Dreaming serves as a great introduction to Hindu mythology for those interested in it. While it's not comprehensive by any stretch, it does enough to stoke curiosity in its readers to uncover more about these great stories. Brahma Dreaming is available in both hardback and eBook editions.

Brahma Dreaming
By John Jackson 
Illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini
Published by JJ Books
RRP: UK £3.99/US $5.99 

ISBN: 978-0-9569212-8-4

Another Special Request (Or Rather, the Same One Reopened)

Namaste, readers!

Some of you may remember back in the summer of this year, when I made a fundraiser on YouCaring.com to help me with going to an Art of Living course hosted by the Art of Living's spiritual leader, H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (a.k.a. Guruji amongst Art of Living devotees). That fundraiser was not successful, some of you may also recall. But that doesn't mean I can't try again, especially when another opportunity like it presents itself.

In the second-to-last week of December (i.e. the week of Christmas), Guruji is hosting another course in the Boone, NC ashram. And again, in order to attend and benefit from his teachings, I will need help. So that's why I've reopened the fundraiser!

The fundraiser is still set for its previous goal, which I know may be high, but in addition to the course fee, there's lodging and travel. Still, if you're generous enough to invest in my spiritual future, I would appreciate it. And if you can't donate, that's okay - spread the word instead, there might be someone else you know who can!

Anyway, the fundraiser in question is right here: http://www.youcaring.com/tuition-fundraiser/help-phillip-partake-in-an-art-of-living-course-with-sri-sri/69840

Jai Gurudev!

Dreaming Big

Namaste readers! I have some big news for you today. It's not just a dream, it's a reality - I have been approached by JJ Books, based in London in the UK, to cover the release of their upcoming hardback book, Brahma Dreaming.

Written by John Jackson, Brahma Dreaming is essentially a graphic novel of sorts - it's a collection of tales of ancient Hindu mythology (of course as seen through the lens of the author), accompanied by many black-and-white illustrations of selected scenes from these tales. (The illustrator is Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, by the way, if that rings a bell for anyone.) I will be doing a review of this book, so expect that next post. In the meantime, my first impressions of the book are quite positive from what I've read and seen so far!

This is a big moment for me, because this is the first time I've been approached by any publishing company, be they big or small, national or international, to cover one of their books. They approached me first; I had no idea this even existed until they emailed me about it! I never knew my blog would reach that far and wide and be that well received!

Needless to say, I'm excited, and I hope this is a sign of other good things to come for this blog. I may just be hitting the big time! (Well...a bigger time than previously, anyway.)

Again, anticipate a review of this book next post!

To Seek Out New Life

Namaste fine readers. I want to get to know some of you a bit better. I know it's a question I have asked before, to know more about my readers, but I'm trying to fight against my own personal isolation. This isolation is not self-imposed...rather, it comes from a combination of factors, most of which are outside of my control - my inability to afford a car, my social anxiety, etc. Sure, there's the local temple, but again due to lack of said car it's hard for me to get there.

So call it me wanting to seek out new life, or whatever, but I want to talk to the Hindus (or otherwise) who read this blog. Some of you I have encountered already, at least online, but feel free to speak up again if you wish. I'm just going a little stir crazy and need to know I'm not alone...well, I know I'm not. Maybe affirm is the better word.

Please tell me about yourselves!

Learning to Surf

Namaste once more, readers. Sorry for not posting for so long, but my life has actually been quite busy. There have been good things going on, such as the Dustbowl video game convention last weekend. There have been some bad things too, which I won't mention for the sake of my privacy. But suffice it to say, I've been occupied.

Life, I have learned, comes in waves; waves of happy and sad periods. I know the secret to enjoying life is learning to surf these waves so you stay emotionally afloat. I know meditation and its associated spiritual practices can help me do so. And yet...I feel little motivation to regularly do them. For the life of me I can't figure out why. I mean...I know it will help me, but I can't bring myself to do them.

However, keeping in mind one Hindu god has helped me forgive myself of this and other mistakes I've made: Lord Krishna.

It was only recently that I have learned about how as a child, Lord Krishna was quite the mischievous one. Stealing butter (back then, butter was hard to make), stealing clothes, and, well, stealing hearts - he was known as the Heart Thief. (I forget how to spell the Sanskrit term.) Despite his mischievous behavior, people loved him anyway.

Who would have thought He could teach me how to surf the waves of life? If He wasn't perfect, I shouldn't expect myself to be perfect. It seems like some people in my life expect perfection from me...but I know Lord Krishna does not.

I don't know what metaphor to use in this case, but Lord Krishna keeps me afloat somehow. I will have to learn more about Him.

Thoughts During Navaratri

Namaste readers,

Those of you who follow the holy days of Hinduism know that the period of time known as Navaratri has begun recently...so yeah, I'm a bit late in acknowledging that. Sorry! Still, better late than never in regards to writing something on it, I guess.

Before I share my personal thoughts on the occasion of Navaratri, I should probably link to more information on the topic. I will link rather than write on what Navaratri actually is, since, well, there are people more learned on it than I am. Among those more learned are people at the Art of Living, who have written a series of knowledge sheets on Navaratri, which I have just linked to here.

Anyway, these thoughts of mine aren't really related to Navaratri per se...they are tangentially related in that they're about issues of gender and equality, since Navaratri is a period devoted to worshipping the Goddess in Hinduism. But these thoughts of mine take on a certain...profoundness on the nights of Navaratri.

Basically...considering all the inequality, injustice, and oppression women from all over the world face today, sometimes I feel ashamed to be a man, a male, whatever term you want to use. I know some people would say there are evil women out there too, and there are, but systemically, me being a male saves me from more brutality than if I were female. And then there's all the cultural oppression out there, saying women should only be confined to certain roles, meaning I as a male benefit once more.

I hate it. I hate this fact that just because I'm a man means I get to be free from these inequalities. Many men take it as a blessing, well, for me it's a curse, because it means I have the stigma of being born an oppressor, being born a benefactor of a system that excludes the other half...being born evil.

I honestly can't handle it. But as tempting as a sex-change operation is, I honestly don't have the courage to be medically maimed to be free from the male badge. And I honestly know no other way of freeing myself from male privilege, so...I'm stuck.

If I had to ask one question of the Hindu Goddess, be Her in the form of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, et al, it would be: why am I male? Why was I born into a gender that my own personal conscience can't handle being? Sure, the obvious answer is that we're all born into equal parts male and female incarnations, i.e. we've been both over the course of our many lifetimes. But that answer alone isn't satisfactory for me, because why have I been born a male now, at a time when oppression against women is at a peak? Why am I male now, when men are reasserting their privilege and power when they don't deserve it, and representing me when I don't want to be represented that way?

Of course, all this could be my mental maladies acting up again, clouding my thoughts and adding to my delusions. I oppress myself as much as men oppress women these days. Still, everyone with half a decent conscience keeps saying the same thing to me...as a man, I have it better than women. And I don't want it!

What makes it all the worse for me is my inherent programming as a male. My Y chromosome alone means I can never grasp the thought processes and intelligence of women. As a result I keep saying things that are offensive, and I can never grasp how the ways I act hurt women as a whole...because it's the way I'm wired.

Of all the issues out there that personally hurt me, gender is by far the most devastating to my psyche every time I think about it. Discussing it beings an abysmal low emotional period for me every time. And I'll never be free from it...

I'm sorry for the depressing whiny rant here, readers. I just don't know how to...well, take it like a man.