Interviewing @mangalavara

[JustGeorge]

Hi @mangalavara !

Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.

You and I have talked a bit throughout our time here, and you have certainly had a winding and interesting religious journey.

Tell us, where did your interest in religion begin?

 

[mangalavara]

Hi @mangalavara !

Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed

Namaskāra.

Tell us, where did your interest in religion begin?

My interest in religion began at my local public library in a semi-rural area when I was 12 years old. Before that time, religion to me was just a small aspect of life somewhere in the background. Although my parents are Christians, especially of a more American variant of Christianity, they never required that I too be a Christian. This was due to their view that being a Christian is a deeply spiritual matter that is not up to the human being but to God. It is no surprise then that religion was not in the foreground of my life back then. When I was 11, I watched a program one night on TBN that concluded with a prayer for personal salvation. I prayed along with the host and thereafter thought myself ‘saved,’ which simply meant that I would enter Heaven in the hereafter. Nonetheless, I did not see that as something terribly important.

Religion became much more interesting to me when I was 12 and going on 13. While I was at the library one day, I met a man there in his 30s who called himself an evangelist (it even said that on his business card). We were using two of the public computers and I noticed that he was working on a personal website. That really got my attention because I also had a personal website at the time. So, we traded URLs and later visited each other’s websites. One or two days later, he replied to an email that I had sent him. In his reply, he expressed his spiritual outlook on my website, from what I recall. The email led to us not only communicating by email but also in person. He got me to question my ‘salvation’ and seriously doubt it.

After the doubt, I wanted to really be ‘saved’ due to how compelling his words were to me. So, we said a prayer for personal salvation one day. I don’t recall how exactly it happened, but later on, he got me to doubt my ‘salvation’ again. That or something else influenced me to develop an interest in what the evangelist was focused on ‘exposing’ in his ministry: Satanism and Wicca.

With access to the internet at the library, I visited the websites of the Church of Satan and the First Church of Satan. Learning the basics of Satanism was exciting to me at the time because I was an American kid turning 13 and suddenly attracted to things against the Christian norm. During my teenage years, I identified as a Satanist but sometimes as a Wiccan (as in Neo-Wiccan). At 16 or 17, I became interested in Western Esotericism and started learning about Hermetic Qabalah and Golden Dawn ritual magic.

Finally, when I was 18, I became more interested in world religions. In Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Daoism, and Catholic Christianity, I perceived beauty that I did not perceive in my previous interests. One day, when I was at the local Borders bookstore, I saw behind glass a product that contained two things: a japa mālā of 108 beads with a yellow tassel and a short book about prayer beads in different traditions. It called to me and I bought it. The mālā, of a light color, had a wonderful sandalwood fragrance that I still remember. The pictures in the book were of some of the sacred art of different religions, and there was introductory content about prayers and chants. I remember reading about the Rosary of Catholicism, the 99 Names of God in Islam, and the phrase Jai Mā in Hinduism. Sadly, I got rid of the product within three years. I say ‘sadly’ because it was the first thing that resonated with me as someone who appreciates world religions and whose spirituality is primarily one that involves nāma japa (the repetition of divine names), reciting ślokas (verses), and holding a mālā of 108 beads.

At the beginning of my interest in world religions, I ‘tried out’ Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism without any real association or formal conversions. (The lack of real association was due to lack of transportation of my own and living far from almost anything non-Christian.) I also ‘tried out’ Islam and met many Muslims. What I liked the most about those religions was the similar spiritualities. At that time, I bought and read many books.

Now, everyone knows where my interest in religion began. I realize that I have said much more though.

 

[JustGeorge]

Namaskāra.



My interest in religion began at my local public library in a semi-rural area when I was 12 years old. Before that time, religion to me was just a small aspect of life somewhere in the background. Although my parents are Christians, especially of a more American variant of Christianity, they never required that I too be a Christian. This was due to their view that being a Christian is a deeply spiritual matter that is not up to the human being but to God. It is no surprise then that religion was not in the foreground of my life back then. When I was 11, I watched a program one night on TBN that concluded with a prayer for personal salvation. I prayed along with the host and thereafter thought myself ‘saved,’ which simply meant that I would enter Heaven in the hereafter. Nonetheless, I did not see that as something terribly important.

What do you think urged you to make that prayer?

Religion became much more interesting to me when I was 12 and going on 13. While I was at the library one day, I met a man there in his 30s who called himself an evangelist (it even said that on his business card). We were using two of the public computers and I noticed that he was working on a personal website. That really got my attention because I also had a personal website at the time. So, we traded URLs and later visited each other’s websites. One or two days later, he replied to an email that I had sent him. In his reply, he expressed his spiritual outlook on my website, from what I recall. The email led to us not only communicating by email but also in person. He got me to question my ‘salvation’ and seriously doubt it.

After the doubt, I wanted to really be ‘saved’ due to how compelling his words were to me. So, we said a prayer for personal salvation one day. I don’t recall how exactly it happened, but later on, he got me to doubt my ‘salvation’ again. That or something else influenced me to develop an interest in what the evangelist was focused on ‘exposing’ in his ministry: Satanism and Wicca.

Interesting that he prayed with you, and then wanted you to express doubt later. Why do you think this was?

And funny that the thing he was trying to 'expose' was what you formed an interest in.

With access to the internet at the library, I visited the websites of the Church of Satan and the First Church of Satan. Learning the basics of Satanism was exciting to me at the time because I was an American kid turning 13 and suddenly attracted to things against the Christian norm. During my teenage years, I identified as a Satanist but sometimes as a Wiccan (as in Neo-Wiccan). At 16 or 17, I became interested in Western Esotericism and started learning about Hermetic Qabalah and Golden Dawn ritual magic.

What kind of Satanist were you? I'm not familiar with the Churches you have listed.

What kind of Wiccan were you?

What did you think of Ceremonial Magic? Did you work with it much?

Finally, when I was 18, I became more interested in world religions. In Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Daoism, and Catholic Christianity, I perceived beauty that I did not perceive in my previous interests. One day, when I was at the local Borders bookstore, I saw behind glass a product that contained two things: a japa mālā of 108 beads with a yellow tassel and a short book about prayer beads in different traditions. It called to me and I bought it. The mālā, of a light color, had a wonderful sandalwood fragrance that I still remember. The pictures in the book were of some of the sacred art of different religions, and there was introductory content about prayers and chants. I remember reading about the Rosary of Catholicism, the 99 Names of God in Islam, and the phrase Jai Mā in Hinduism.

I love that you really experimented around with what you chanted. What experiences did you take away from that?

Sadly, I got rid of the product within three years. I say ‘sadly’ because it was the first thing that resonated with me as someone who appreciates world religions and whose spirituality is primarily one that involves nāma japa (the repetition of divine names), reciting ślokas (verses), and holding a mālā of 108 beads.

Well, what did you go and do a thing like that for?

At the beginning of my interest in world religions, I ‘tried out’ Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism without any real association or formal conversions. (The lack of real association was due to lack of transportation of my own and living far from almost anything non-Christian.) I also ‘tried out’ Islam and met many Muslims. What I liked the most about those religions was the similar spiritualities. At that time, I bought and read many books.

What similarities have you noted?

 

[mangalavara]

What do you think urged you to make that prayer?

The urge to say the prayer recited by the host of the program was probably inspired by two things. The first thing was that the message of the prayer was a message that I associated with my Christian parents. Being 'saved' would have helped me comprehend the spiritual concepts that they sometimes told me about. The second thing was that the idea of being 'saved' would have given me certainty about life after death. Those were very likely the reasons that I said the prayer that night.

Interesting that he prayed with you, and then wanted you to express doubt later. Why do you think this was?

First, I would like to mention that regarding what happened between the evangelist and me, I don't think he had any bad intentions. From what I can recollect, he associated my taste in music back then with being non-Christian. At the time, I liked the genre of nu-metal and I placed it in the foreground of my life. (This is something that kids do with music genres and musicians whom they admire.) As long as I was a fan, I was not really saved according to the evangelist. This is what I recall.

What kind of Satanist were you? I'm not familiar with the Churches you have listed.

From what I remember, I liked the ethics of LaVey's The Satanic Bible while believing in a literal Satan who I equated with certain deities of polytheistic traditions. As many people know, the Church of Satan was founded by LaVey. The First Church of Satan though was founded later on by a man who was known as Lord Egan. For him, being a nontheistic or theistic Satanist was not an issue. From what I recall, there was more of an emphasis on individualism, a non-dogmatic way of thinking, and the like. Such things actually went over my head at the time.

What kind of Wiccan were you?

During the brief periods of time when I thought of myself as a Wiccan, I was basically a Neo-Wiccan of the solitary, eclectic variety. My practice was mostly informed by DJ Conway's Celtic Magic, and The Witches' Almanac.

What did you think of Ceremonial Magic? Did you work with it much?

Ceremonial Magic was a practice that I had perceived as being more advanced and 'up there' than what I knew as witchcraft. I liked doing the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and the Middle Pillar Ritual every day, and I always tried to improve my visualization, movements, and vibration of the Hebrew names and phrases used in those rituals. The whole time, I did not understand the purpose of Ritual Magic, Ceremonial Magic, or whatever one wishes to call it. Although I was able to tell people about some occult correspondences and meanings of Hebrew letters, I was incredibly ignorant about the real purpose of Ritual Magic and any of its underlying philosophy. In retrospect, I was just a dabbler.

I love that you really experimented around with what you chanted. What experiences did you take away from that?

I hardly experimented with chanting at the time when I possessed the mālā and book about prayer beads in different traditions. I perceived that that kind of spiritual practice in different traditions was beautiful, and I personally found it interesting and appealing. How exactly to do it was unknown to me. One day, I looked on the internet for instructions for praying the Rosary, but I did not possess an actual rosary to use. I remember reading something about monks praying 150 Paternosters. It was a simple practice. So, I made a rosary consisting of a small black cross and 50 black beads around it on a hemp cord. Then, on an overcast Sunday in autumn or winter, I put on my trench coat, looped my rosary around a beltloop, and went to the local park, which was empty. I tried to say 150 Paternosters, but I found that I did not have the patience to actually do it. Later, when I first became acquainted with the Bhagavad Gītā and the Upaniṣads, I began to really experiment with that type of spiritual practice.

Well, what did you go and do a thing like that for?

I cannot remember.

What similarities have you noted?

The similarities that I noticed most in various world religions were a focus on something transcendent, the performance of daily prayers in older languages, and the practice of repeating phrases or divine names in those languages. One other thing that I noticed the most was sacred art. Looking back at that time, I realize that when I gazed at imagery of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Buddhas, bodhisattvas, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and Catholic saints, they all evoked the same general feeling within.

 

[JustGeorge]

The urge to say the prayer recited by the host of the program was probably inspired by two things. The first thing was that the message of the prayer was a message that I associated with my Christian parents. Being 'saved' would have helped me comprehend the spiritual concepts that they sometimes told me about. The second thing was that the idea of being 'saved' would have given me certainty about life after death. Those were very likely the reasons that I said the prayer that night.



First, I would like to mention that regarding what happened between the evangelist and me, I don't think he had any bad intentions. From what I can recollect, he associated my taste in music back then with being non-Christian. At the time, I liked the genre of nu-metal and I placed it in the foreground of my life. (This is something that kids do with music genres and musicians whom they admire.) As long as I was a fan, I was not really saved according to the evangelist. This is what I recall.

I'm glad his intentions were good.

I've often met folks who assume one isn't religious based on music tastes. Do you think some music is incompatible with certain faiths, or that music influences spirituality?

From what I remember, I liked the ethics of LaVey's The Satanic Bible while believing in a literal Satan who I equated with certain deities of polytheistic traditions.

Which deities would those be?

As many people know, the Church of Satan was founded by LaVey. The First Church of Satan though was founded later on by a man who was known as Lord Egan. For him, being a nontheistic or theistic Satanist was not an issue. From what I recall, there was more of an emphasis on individualism, a non-dogmatic way of thinking, and the like. Such things actually went over my head at the time.

If those ideas went over your head at the time, what drew you to them?

During the brief periods of time when I thought of myself as a Wiccan, I was basically a Neo-Wiccan of the solitary, eclectic variety. My practice was mostly informed by DJ Conway's Celtic Magic, and The Witches' Almanac.

I have that Celtic Magic book.

Ceremonial Magic was a practice that I had perceived as being more advanced and 'up there' than what I knew as witchcraft. I liked doing the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and the Middle Pillar Ritual every day, and I always tried to improve my visualization, movements, and vibration of the Hebrew names and phrases used in those rituals. The whole time, I did not understand the purpose of Ritual Magic, Ceremonial Magic, or whatever one wishes to call it. Although I was able to tell people about some occult correspondences and meanings of Hebrew letters, I was incredibly ignorant about the real purpose of Ritual Magic and any of its underlying philosophy. In retrospect, I was just a dabbler.

Not understanding what you were doing, do you think it had any effect on you, looking back?

I hardly experimented with chanting at the time when I possessed the mālā and book about prayer beads in different traditions. I perceived that that kind of spiritual practice in different traditions was beautiful, and I personally found it interesting and appealing. How exactly to do it was unknown to me. One day, I looked on the internet for instructions for praying the Rosary, but I did not possess an actual rosary to use. I remember reading something about monks praying 150 Paternosters.

I'm unfamiliar with this.

It was a simple practice. So, I made a rosary consisting of a small black cross and 50 black beads around it on a hemp cord. Then, on an overcast Sunday in autumn or winter, I put on my trench coat, looped my rosary around a beltloop, and went to the local park, which was empty. I tried to say 150 Paternosters, but I found that I did not have the patience to actually do it. Later, when I first became acquainted with the Bhagavad Gītā and the Upaniṣads, I began to really experiment with that type of spiritual practice.

I love how you remember the weather, and your attire. Why do you think this experience stuck out so strongly, or is your memory generally just that detailed?

How did your chanting experiences begin within Hinduism?

I cannot remember.



The similarities that I noticed most in various world religions were a focus on something transcendent, the performance of daily prayers in older languages, and the practice of repeating phrases or divine names in those languages. One other thing that I noticed the most was sacred art. Looking back at that time, I realize that when I gazed at imagery of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Buddhas, bodhisattvas, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and Catholic saints, they all evoked the same general feeling within.

Do you still have these feelings evoked by looking at the artwork of various religions?

 

[mangalavara]

Do you think some music is incompatible with certain faiths, or that music influences spirituality?

My view is that any music, like anything else, has one of three dominant qualities: sattva, rajas, or tamas. In Classical Indian philosophy, these three qualities categorize natural phenomena, behavior, thinking, etc. Sattva can be translated as 'purity,' rajas as 'passion,' and tamas as 'darkness.' If sattva is predominant in a musical composition, the listener might feel elevated, which I think would be a good influence in one's spiritual life. On the other hand, if tamas is predominant in a musical composition, the listener might feel sunken, which I think would be a negative influence in one's spiritual life. The more sāttvika we are, meaning the more endowed we are with sattva, the more aligned we are with that which is supernal or divine. For this reason, I believe that music, like many other things, can influence one's spiritual life.

Which deities would those be?

Some deities that I recall equating Satan with were Enki, Pan, and Gwyn ap Nudd.

If those ideas went over your head at the time, what drew you to them?

The ideas of that institution simply sounded new and cool to a young teenager.

The topics of Satan and Satanism are topics that I don't wish to discuss any further, by the way.

I have that Celtic Magic book.

I had the feeling that you do.

Not understanding what you were doing, do you think it had any effect on you, looking back?

My performance of Golden Dawn rituals and Hermetic Qabalistic work gave me a taste of something supernal back then. That was the only effect that I recall.

I'm unfamiliar with this.

According to an article on Wikipedia about Paternoster beads, it was a practice in the Middle Ages for illiterate individuals to pray the Pater Noster or 'Our Father' (also known as the Lord's Prayer) 150 times if they were unable to say the 150 Psalms.

I love how you remember the weather, and your attire. Why do you think this experience stuck out so strongly, or is your memory generally just that detailed?

My memory is not very detailed. I have the feeling that that experience is easy for me to remember because it represents the transition of my interest from Satanism, Neopaganism, and Western Esotericism to orthodox religious traditions.

How did your chanting experiences begin within Hinduism?

At my local mall back then, there was a bookstore called B. Dalton Bookseller. It was there that I purchased a translation of the Bhagavad Gītā for the first time in my life. (It was the translation by Barbara Stoler Miller.) Reading that particular scripture made me interested in other Hindu scriptures. Soon, I purchased a copy of Easwaran's [abridged, I think] translation of the Mukhya Upaniṣads.

One thing that I had read about in the Upaniṣads was the practice of meditating on the syllable Om in order to realize Brahman. Trusting what the Upaniṣads teach, I began a sādhanā or spiritual practice of sitting down in a comfortable posture, closing my eyes, and mentally intoning that syllable with each breath, in and out. Just a little while afterward, I found a digital publication by a swami that explained in detail how to meditate on Om. What the publication taught was basically what I was doing. I meditated every night for 15 to 20 minutes in that manner. It was a practice that I kept doing for about a month. It was not the only practice that I got into though.

I found out about the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahāmantra thanks to my interest in the Bhagavad Gītā. Listening to audios on the internet of people chanting and singing it got me to chant it. (Back then, my pronunciation of Sanskrit was rather imperfect. I didn't know that the ṛ, ṣa, and ṇa sounds in the name Kṛṣṇa were made by positioning the tongue a certain way.) I did not use a mālā to keep track of the number of times that I said the mantra because I no longer had the one that I had mentioned in post #2. One day, when I was at the local Borders bookstore, I found a wonderful product in the Hindu religious books section. It was a box that contained items for pūjā (ritualistic worship), cards with colorful images of various deities, two wooden mālās, and a CD. The product was an ISKCON one. I started chanting the Mahāmantra on one of the mālās. Later, I found out about Rāma nāma (the name of Rāma), and I started chanting it on a mālā much more than the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahāmantra.

Do you still have these feelings evoked by looking at the artwork of various religions?

That feeling is evoked very, very little these days when I look at the sacred art of different world religions. Now, when I look at images of Śiva or Śakti, I feel something greater than beforehand. My view is that this is the case because of what I am spiritually invested in.

 

[JustGeorge]

My view is that any music, like anything else, has one of three dominant qualities: sattva, rajas, or tamas. In Classical Indian philosophy, these three qualities categorize natural phenomena, behavior, thinking, etc. Sattva can be translated as 'purity,' rajas as 'passion,' and tamas as 'darkness.' If sattva is predominant in a musical composition, the listener might feel elevated, which I think would be a good influence in one's spiritual life. On the other hand, if tamas is predominant in a musical composition, the listener might feel sunken, which I think would be a negative influence in one's spiritual life. The more sāttvika we are, meaning the more endowed we are with sattva, the more aligned we are with that which is supernal or divine. For this reason, I believe that music, like many other things, can influence one's spiritual life.

Thanks for explaining this!

Would you say you try to stay mindful of the gunas with choices other than just music?

Some deities that I recall equating Satan with were Enki, Pan, and Gwyn ap Nudd.



The ideas of that institution simply sounded new and cool to a young teenager.

The topics of Satan and Satanism are topics that I don't wish to discuss any further, by the way.

Got it, moving along! (Feel free to move me along at any time if I get on non-preferred topics.)

I had the feeling that you do.



My performance of Golden Dawn rituals and Hermetic Qabalistic work gave me a taste of something supernal back then. That was the only effect that I recall.



According to an article on Wikipedia about Paternoster beads, it was a practice in the Middle Ages for illiterate individuals to pray the Pater Noster or 'Our Father' (also known as the Lord's Prayer) 150 times if they were unable to say the 150 Psalms.

Good to know, thanks for the info!

I can see why that would be hard to get the concentration for.

My memory is not very detailed. I have the feeling that that experience is easy for me to remember because it represents the transition of my interest from Satanism, Neopaganism, and Western Esotericism to orthodox religious traditions.

Do you feel this transition was an important time in your life? Approximately how long do you think the transition lasted?

At my local mall back then, there was a bookstore called B. Dalton Bookseller. It was there that I purchased a translation of the Bhagavad Gītā for the first time in my life. (It was the translation by Barbara Stoler Miller.) Reading that particular scripture made me interested in other Hindu scriptures. Soon, I purchased a copy of Easwaran's [abridged, I think] translation of the Mukhya Upaniṣads.

Ah, I remember B. Daltons.

I have some works of Easwaran's. I feel grateful for them; they helped me during my own personal transitions.

Sometimes coming into Hinduism can be difficult for those who grew up in the Western world. Did you have any such challenges?

One thing that I had read about in the Upaniṣads was the practice of meditating on the syllable Om in order to realize Brahman. Trusting what the Upaniṣads teach, I began a sādhanā or spiritual practice of sitting down in a comfortable posture, closing my eyes, and mentally intoning that syllable with each breath, in and out. Just a little while afterward, I found a digital publication by a swami that explained in detail how to meditate on Om. What the publication taught was basically what I was doing. I meditated every night for 15 to 20 minutes in that manner. It was a practice that I kept doing for about a month. It was not the only practice that I got into though.

That sounds like a beautiful practice. Why did you only continue a month? What positive(or negative) results did you notice?

I found out about the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahāmantra thanks to my interest in the Bhagavad Gītā. Listening to audios on the internet of people chanting and singing it got me to chant it. (Back then, my pronunciation of Sanskrit was rather imperfect. I didn't know that the ṛ, ṣa, and ṇa sounds in the name Kṛṣṇa were made by positioning the tongue a certain way.) I did not use a mālā to keep track of the number of times that I said the mantra because I no longer had the one that I had mentioned in post #2. One day, when I was at the local Borders bookstore, I found a wonderful product in the Hindu religious books section. It was a box that contained items for pūjā (ritualistic worship), cards with colorful images of various deities, two wooden mālās, and a CD. The product was an ISKCON one. I started chanting the Mahāmantra on one of the mālās. Later, I found out about Rāma nāma (the name of Rāma), and I started chanting it on a mālā much more than the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahāmantra.

That sounds like a really cool product!

Yes, some of those mantras can be tricky if you are not familiar with Sanskrit...

How many years have you considered yourself Hindu? During that time, what are some of your favorite mantras you've worked with?

That feeling is evoked very, very little these days when I look at the sacred art of different world religions. Now, when I look at images of Śiva or Śakti, I feel something greater than beforehand. My view is that this is the case because of what I am spiritually invested in.

That makes sense! If you've got a favorite image of Shiva or Shakti, feel free to share it with us!

How do you feel looking at artwork of the other Hindu deities?

In our time at the forums together, I've noticed you've changed your focus from the major Hindu sects from time to time(Vaishnava, Saiva, Shakta, for those reading). I appreciate that in a way, because I've learned a lot from your journeys(Saura Hinduism and some of the teachings in the Indonesian Islands were some things I found terribly interesting). How do you choose which deities you work with for a time? Or, do they choose you?

 

[mangalavara]

Would you say you try to stay mindful of the gunas with choices other than just music?

Yes, I try to be mindful of the predominant guṇa of many things.

Do you feel this transition was an important time in your life? Approximately how long do you think the transition lasted?

Regarding the transition in major interest from Satanism, Neopaganism, and Western Esotericism to orthodox religious traditions, I think it was a brief transition. It was definitely an important transition, one that I should not go into details about on this site.

Sometimes coming into Hinduism can be difficult for those who grew up in the Western world. Did you have any such challenges?

The only challenge that I have experienced so far as someone from the Western world who came to Hinduism is that it is a vast topic with a vast amount of scriptures, philosophies, customs, and ways of doing things. Additionally, all the choices that one has within Hinduism can be overwhelming, especially if one is like me in that one likes to keep options available and cannot easily commit to something.

I am ashamed to admit that I have only visited one Hindu temple, and that was when I was 19 or 20 years old, which was over a decade ago. During Covid, I interacted online with some members of another temple while viewing the livestreams of the temple services. I have to mention those facts because whenever I visit a temple in the future, I could possibly meet one or more challenges in addition to support that I would receive.

That sounds like a beautiful practice. Why did you only continue a month? What positive(or negative) results did you notice?

At that time, I was 19 or 20 years old. As to why I kept up with meditation on Om back then for only a month, I cannot remember the reason. Considering that that was long ago, I cannot remember any positive or negative results. One thing that I do remember though was a mystic experience with the practice that I have not forgotten.

How many years have you considered yourself Hindu? During that time, what are some of your favorite mantras you've worked with?

Since March 2021, I have counted myself a Hindu. My interest in Hinduism reappeared in the summer (Northern Hemisphere) of 2020.

The Mahāmantra of the Kali-Santaraṇa Upaniṣad, another well-known Viṣṇu mantra, and the praṇava are the only mantras that I have really 'tried out.' Chanting mantras, especially Vedic or Tantric ones, is not something that I do in my spiritual practice at this time. This is because if an individual desires the fruit of a mantra, they have to obtain the mantra from a qualified guru. This is stated in the Śiva Purāṇa. Moreover, from what I understand, chanting some Tantric mantras is dangerous and requires a kind of supervision from the guru who gives the mantra to the disciple. I do say simple nāmamantras (an example is om sarasvatyai namaḥ) a few times though when paying homage to deities.

If there is anything that I spend time chanting, it is the name of Śiva. The scripture that I have mentioned above, the Śiva Purāṇa, does not state any prerequisites for chanting any of his names. It just acclaims the practice and lists its benefits. One of its benefits is mukti, liberation from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. So far, using a wooden mālā, I have been chanting the name a minimum of 1,080 times on a daily basis for almost four months.

How do you feel looking at artwork of the other Hindu deities?

When looking at sacred images and art of Hindu deities other than Śiva and Śakti, I feel elevated and good.

If I may add, something that I dislike is the frequent use of AI-generated art of our deities these days. A lot of these renderings of deities have details all wrong, and some of the features are grotesque. Those images are frequently posted on the Rajshri Soul YouTube channel. I wish that whoever is running the channel would post actual art of our deities and stop with the AI-generated images.

In our time at the forums together, I've noticed you've changed your focus from the major Hindu sects from time to time(Vaishnava, Saiva, Shakta, for those reading). I appreciate that in a way, because I've learned a lot from your journeys(Saura Hinduism and some of the teachings in the Indonesian Islands were some things I found terribly interesting). How do you choose which deities you work with for a time? Or, do they choose you?

As someone who is a new Hindu, I have been looking for my place within Hinduism. So, I wouldn't say that I have been on journeys within Hinduism. It is a single journey. Hinduism, as I had mentioned earlier, is vast. Thus, for a person in my situation, it is probably normal to try out different traditions.

Every time that I was pulled to a deity, it was because the deity was suddenly very attractive. It might be a good thing to find many of them attractive and wonderful, but it can be disadvantageous. In his book on bhakti yoga, Swami Vivekananda states that the practitioner has to choose one deity and remain committed to that particular deity otherwise there will not be any progress on the path of devotion. So, for instance, if tomorrow Nārāyaṇa is suddenly the most attractive and enchanting god to me, it does not mean that I should attempt to become his devotee. I have to remain committed to my practice of devotion to Śiva.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yes, I try to be mindful of the predominant guṇa of many things.

In one of Easwaren's works(I think one in his Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living series), he mentions sometimes a person who has a problem with tamas will have to work to develop rajas before they can access sattva. Have you found this true at all?

Regarding the transition in major interest from Satanism, Neopaganism, and Western Esotericism to orthodox religious traditions, I think it was a brief transition. It was definitely an important transition, one that I should not go into details about on this site.



The only challenge that I have experienced so far as someone from the Western world who came to Hinduism is that it is a vast topic with a vast amount of scriptures, philosophies, customs, and ways of doing things. Additionally, all the choices that one has within Hinduism can be overwhelming, especially if one is like me in that one likes to keep options available and cannot easily commit to something.

There really is a lot!

What were some of your first fields of study within Hinduism? What customs have you adopted? Have you tried any customs or practices that didn't work so well?

I am ashamed to admit that I have only visited one Hindu temple, and that was when I was 19 or 20 years old, which was over a decade ago. During Covid, I interacted online with some members of another temple while viewing the livestreams of the temple services. I have to mention those facts because whenever I visit a temple in the future, I could possibly meet one or more challenges in addition to support that I would receive.

What's kept you out of the temples?

You attend a Buddhist one now on occasion, don't you?

At that time, I was 19 or 20 years old. As to why I kept up with meditation on Om back then for only a month, I cannot remember the reason. Considering that that was long ago, I cannot remember any positive or negative results. One thing that I do remember though was a mystic experience with the practice that I have not forgotten.

If you'd like to share the experience, I'd love to hear it!

If you're not comfortable, that's okay, too.

Since March 2021, I have counted myself a Hindu. My interest in Hinduism reappeared in the summer (Northern Hemisphere) of 2020.

What brought it out?

What event made you decide that you were now a Hindu?

The Mahāmantra of the Kali-Santaraṇa Upaniṣad, another well-known Viṣṇu mantra, and the praṇava are the only mantras that I have really 'tried out.' Chanting mantras, especially Vedic or Tantric ones, is not something that I do in my spiritual practice at this time. This is because if an individual desires the fruit of a mantra, they have to obtain the mantra from a qualified guru. This is stated in the Śiva Purāṇa. Moreover, from what I understand, chanting some Tantric mantras is dangerous and requires a kind of supervision from the guru who gives the mantra to the disciple. I do say simple nāmamantras (an example is om sarasvatyai namaḥ) a few times though when paying homage to deities.

If there is anything that I spend time chanting, it is the name of Śiva. The scripture that I have mentioned above, the Śiva Purāṇa, does not state any prerequisites for chanting any of his names. It just acclaims the practice and lists its benefits. One of its benefits is mukti, liberation from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. So far, using a wooden mālā, I have been chanting the name a minimum of 1,080 times on a daily basis for almost four months.

1,080 times! Wow! How long does that take?

What effects has it had on you and your life?

When looking at sacred images and art of Hindu deities other than Śiva and Śakti, I feel elevated and good.

If I may add, something that I dislike is the frequent use of AI-generated art of our deities these days. A lot of these renderings of deities have details all wrong, and some of the features are grotesque. Those images are frequently posted on the Rajshri Soul YouTube channel. I wish that whoever is running the channel would post actual art of our deities and stop with the AI-generated images.

I haven't seen these art pieces, but I can see your point.

As it is, I don't think computers can get everything right. (And I'm okay with that.)

As someone who is a new Hindu, I have been looking for my place within Hinduism. So, I wouldn't say that I have been on journeys within Hinduism. It is a single journey. Hinduism, as I had mentioned earlier, is vast. Thus, for a person in my situation, it is probably normal to try out different traditions.

I would agree, and can relate.

Every time that I was pulled to a deity, it was because the deity was suddenly very attractive. It might be a good thing to find many of them attractive and wonderful, but it can be disadvantageous. In his book on bhakti yoga, Swami Vivekananda states that the practitioner has to choose one deity and remain committed to that particular deity otherwise there will not be any progress on the path of devotion. So, for instance, if tomorrow Nārāyaṇa is suddenly the most attractive and enchanting god to me, it does not mean that I should attempt to become his devotee. I have to remain committed to my practice of devotion to Śiva.

I read that book, too.

What made you decide upon Shiva?

 

[mangalavara]

In one of Easwaren's works(I think one in his Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living series), he mentions sometimes a person who has a problem with tamas will have to work to develop rajas before they can access sattva. Have you found this true at all?

The idea that one must move from tamas to rajas and finally to sattva in order to transition from tamas to sattva is an idea that I have intuited lately. In my life, I am tamasic when it comes to keeping my apartment optimally clean. In order to be sattvic about keeping my apartment optimally clean, which would probably mean cleaning with delight, I would very likely have to get rajasic about it at first. Basically, I would have to motivate myself, be more energetic, and get to work. In the end, when being sattvic about it is reached, cleaning more regularly would not be a struggle.

What were some of your first fields of study within Hinduism? What customs have you adopted? Have you tried any customs or practices that didn't work so well?

Different schools of Vedānta philosophy were my first fields of study within Hinduism.

Regarding customs that I have adopted, there are a few. Eating and drinking is done only with the right hand. Cleaning after using the toilet is done with water and using the left hand. When entering a temple, I touch the floor and then my chest. If there are any other customs that I have adopted, I cannot recall them at the moment. It can also be said that shoes are not worn at home, but this is something that has been a rule my whole life that my mother enforced, which I highly appreciate. So far, I have not tried any Hindu or Indian customs or practices that have not worked well for me.

What's kept you out of the temples?

You attend a Buddhist one now on occasion, don't you?

What kept me out of Hindu temples in the US was physical distance. I always lacked my own form of transportation and did not want to ask my Christian parents to take me to a temple. My father told me once that he wouldn't mind, but I had to turn down the offer because I would not want for him to feel uncomfortable or out of place in one. Now, I live in a different country across the Pacific. There is at least one Hindu temple in a different region of the country, and I am considering checking out the temple someday. Getting to it and back home would be very easy because public transportation here is amazing.

Yes, there is a Buddhist temple here that I visit occasionally. Although I don't attend any services at the temple, I go there to pay homage to the Buddha and bodhisattvas and to meditate in a serene environment. It is something that always makes me feel refreshed.

If you'd like to share the experience, I'd love to hear it!

There was consciousness boundless and serene. That was the mystic experience that I had over a decade ago while meditating on the sound Om.

What brought it out?

Before I became interested in Hinduism again, I was an adherent of Christianity for some time. What brought out or rather revived my interest in Hinduism was that I found a Christian worldview and spirituality to be unsatisfactory to me. Because I am aware that a Christian worldview is a wonderful worldview to many individuals and that a Christian spirituality is fulfilling to many individuals, I will not explain why I found those things unsatisfactory.

What event made you decide that you were now a Hindu?

Just before deciding on Hinduism, I did a little bit of research on the Vedantic concept of the transmigration of the soul, the concept of karma (something really misunderstood by Westerners), and the caturpuruṣārtha or four goals of human life. Thinking deeply on those things for several nights and during walks helped me realize that a Vedantic perspective on our major goals as human beings; what we truly are, metaphysically speaking; and why we are born into certain families, places, and situations is a perspective that wonderfully makes sense of life, the world, and everything. That particular realization was a major factor behind finally counting myself a Hindu. Another factor was my memory of the mystic experience from meditating on Om many years back, something that I ignored for a long time.

1,080 times! Wow! How long does that take?

What effects has it had on you and your life?

It usually takes 21 to 30 minutes for me to repeat the name of Śiva that many times with the aid of the mālā.

When it comes to effects that my spiritual practice of Śiva-nāma-japa (repetition of the name of Śiva) has had in my life, there are a few so far. I continue to be calm and collected as an individual. There are less negative thoughts in the mind. There is more gratitude. There is a subtle awareness of Bhagavān (the Lord) during waking hours. Further, the mere thought of picking up the mālā to do Śiva-nāma-japa puts me in a momentary state of peace and relaxation.

I trust that this particular spiritual practice will lead to realization of Brahman just as planting seeds and allowing them to be nourished in their soil will eventually lead to the blooming of flowers.

What made you decide upon Shiva?

Śiva sits in meditation away from worldly things. At the same time, he is a 'family man.' His name can be translated as 'the Kind One' or 'the Favorable One.' He is easily pleased. He is so easily pleased that many individuals have been liberated after unknowingly performing one of his rites. Such a being is a being who I love to adore and think about.

 

[JustGeorge]

The idea that one must move from tamas to rajas and finally to sattva in order to transition from tamas to sattva is an idea that I have intuited lately. In my life, I am tamasic when it comes to keeping my apartment optimally clean. In order to be sattvic about keeping my apartment optimally clean, which would probably mean cleaning with delight, I would very likely have to get rajasic about it at first. Basically, I would have to motivate myself, be more energetic, and get to work. In the end, when being sattvic about it is reached, cleaning more regularly would not be a struggle.



Different schools of Vedānta philosophy were my first fields of study within Hinduism.

For those reading who may not understand Vedanta, could you explain a bit?

Regarding customs that I have adopted, there are a few. Eating and drinking is done only with the right hand. Cleaning after using the toilet is done with water and using the left hand. When entering a temple, I touch the floor and then my chest. If there are any other customs that I have adopted, I cannot recall them at the moment. It can also be said that shoes are not worn at home, but this is something that has been a rule my whole life that my mother enforced, which I highly appreciate. So far, I have not tried any Hindu or Indian customs or practices that have not worked well for me.

Has your religion changed what you eat at all?

What kept me out of Hindu temples in the US was physical distance. I always lacked my own form of transportation and did not want to ask my Christian parents to take me to a temple. My father told me once that he wouldn't mind, but I had to turn down the offer because I would not want for him to feel uncomfortable or out of place in one. Now, I live in a different country across the Pacific. There is at least one Hindu temple in a different region of the country, and I am considering checking out the temple someday. Getting to it and back home would be very easy because public transportation here is amazing.

I like how respectful both you and your father are of each other's religions.

I'm glad public transportation is better where you are. You've been in a different country than that of your birth for awhile now; how are you adjusting?

Yes, there is a Buddhist temple here that I visit occasionally. Although I don't attend any services at the temple, I go there to pay homage to the Buddha and bodhisattvas and to meditate in a serene environment. It is something that always makes me feel refreshed.

What sect of Buddhism does the temple you visit follow?

There was consciousness boundless and serene. That was the mystic experience that I had over a decade ago while meditating on the sound Om.

It sounds beautiful.

Before I became interested in Hinduism again, I was an adherent of Christianity for some time. What brought out or rather revived my interest in Hinduism was that I found a Christian worldview and spirituality to be unsatisfactory to me. Because I am aware that a Christian worldview is a wonderful worldview to many individuals and that a Christian spirituality is fulfilling to many individuals, I will not explain why I found those things unsatisfactory.



Just before deciding on Hinduism, I did a little bit of research on the Vedantic concept of the transmigration of the soul, the concept of karma (something really misunderstood by Westerners), and the caturpuruṣārtha or four goals of human life. Thinking deeply on those things for several nights and during walks helped me realize that a Vedantic perspective on our major goals as human beings; what we truly are, metaphysically speaking; and why we are born into certain families, places, and situations is a perspective that wonderfully makes sense of life, the world, and everything. That particular realization was a major factor behind finally counting myself a Hindu. Another factor was my memory of the mystic experience from meditating on Om many years back, something that I ignored for a long time.

Why did you ignore it?

For those reading, can you lay out the four goals of life? How do you work to achieve them?

It usually takes 21 to 30 minutes for me to repeat the name of Śiva that many times with the aid of the mālā.

When it comes to effects that my spiritual practice of Śiva-nāma-japa (repetition of the name of Śiva) has had in my life, there are a few so far. I continue to be calm and collected as an individual. There are less negative thoughts in the mind. There is more gratitude. There is a subtle awareness of Bhagavān (the Lord) during waking hours. Further, the mere thought of picking up the mālā to do Śiva-nāma-japa puts me in a momentary state of peace and relaxation.

I hope this practice continues to be a positive influence on you.

I trust that this particular spiritual practice will lead to realization of Brahman just as planting seeds and allowing them to be nourished in their soil will eventually lead to the blooming of flowers.



Śiva sits in meditation away from worldly things. At the same time, he is a 'family man.' His name can be translated as 'the Kind One' or 'the Favorable One.' He is easily pleased. He is so easily pleased that many individuals have been liberated after unknowingly performing one of his rites. Such a being is a being who I love to adore and think about.

I love that family man aspect of Shiva, too.

 

[mangalavara]

For those reading who may not understand Vedanta, could you explain a bit?

Sure. Vedānta is one of many Hindu philosophies. It is based on the mukhya or principal Upaniṣads, which are some ancient philosophic scriptures attached to the Vedas, which are themselves the oldest Hindu scriptures. In addition to the Upaniṣads, Vedānta philosophy is also based on another text known as the Brahma Sūtras as well as the Bhagavad Gītā. Considering that these three texts—Upaniṣads, Brahma Sūtras, Bhagavad Gītā—require interpretation, there is a variety of schools of Vedānta. The one that is most heard of in the West is Advaita Vedānta, which, in short, teaches a non-dualistic interpretation of the three aforementioned texts.

From what I understand, Vedānta philosophy in general is concerned with three concepts: Brahman, Ātman, and jagat. Respectively, these concepts are the Absolute, the Self, and the universe. Attempting to explain them as they are understood within Vedānta to someone who is completely unfamiliar with that philosophy (and Hinduism in general) would be difficult for me. It would not even be my prerogative to do so anyway. This is all that I can say about the philosophy called Vedānta.

Vedānta, by the way, is also another name for the Upaniṣads. So, if a person were to say, 'I have read the Vedānta,' that person means they have read the Upaniṣads. In my previous post, when I mention a Vedāntic perspective on things, what I mean is a perspective informed by the Upaniṣads and nothing more.

Has your religion changed what you eat at all?

Yes. I do my best to avoid garlic as its predominant quality is tamas.

I would like to say that Hinduism made me a teetotaler, but I became a teetotaler before becoming a Hindu. How long, I don't remember.

You've been in a different country than that of your birth for awhile now; how are you adjusting?

My adjustment is easy, really. In Korea, there are no garbage bins in public and anything that is not general waste must be recycled. I am used to removing stickers and tape from cardboard boxes, washing out plastics, etc. When somebody bows to me, I bow to them in return. When it is appropriate or right, I bow to the person first. There are only a few words and phrases that I use when interacting with Koreans outside of work. In addition to those things, I really like the safety and conveniences here.

What sect of Buddhism does the temple you visit follow?

Considering that this is Korea, the branch of Buddhism that it adheres to is most likely Mahāyāna. It is evident, of course, that the temple adheres to Mahāyāna because it contains iconography of bodhisattvas.

Why did you ignore it?

The experience was ignored because I was a seeker. I wanted to find the truth even if the truth in its entirety was outside of Hinduism.

For those reading, can you lay out the four goals of life? How do you work to achieve them?

Hindu texts such as the Mahābhārata and Purāṇas mention four goals of human life. The first one is dharma. It is high things such as duty, virtue, the right way of living, and even religious practices. The second goal is artha. It can be translated as 'wealth' or 'prosperity.' The third goal is kāma. It is sensual and emotional fulfillment. The fourth goal is mokṣa. Also known as mukti, it means 'liberation.' Liberation from what? Liberation from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

When it comes to achieving dharma, this can be done by becoming familiar with what dharma is by reading texts that explain it. They are called dharmaśāstras. (The one that I like is the Yājñavalkya Smṛti.) From my perspective, dharma is the most important human goal because it influences how we pursue artha and kāma or prosperity and pleasure, respectively. How do we pursue artha and kāma (if we are householders, of course)? We do it in ways that are not contrary to dharma. As to how we pursue mukti as either householders or renunciates, there are so many ways to do it within Hinduism.

The easiest way to attain mukti or liberation, in my opinion, is to be devoted to the practice of nāma-japa, the repetition of divine names. The Śiva Purāṇa teaches that the noblest means to liberation is the japa of the name of Śiva. Similarly, the Padma Purāṇa teaches that the japa of the name Rāma, the highest name of Viṣṇu, will result in liberation. Further, the practice of bhakti, that is, devotion to the deity who we believe is the Ultimate Reality, is said by many to be the easiest and most enjoyable means to liberation. The Śiva Purāṇa states that bhakti is satpreman, genuine love and affection toward Śiva. Those who practice bhakti toward Śiva will obtain bhukti (prosperity and pleasure) and mukti (liberation).

 

[sun rise]

Vedānta, by the way, is also another name for the Upaniṣads.

My mind boggled when I read this because I had the ignorant impression that the Upanishads came first and Vedas afterwards.

The word Vedanta literally means the end of the Vedas--the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus.{1} Sometimes in the West by the Vedas are meant only the hymns and rituals of the Vedas. But at the present time these parts have almost gone out of use, and usually by the word Vedas in India, the Vedanta is meant. All our commentators, when they want to quote a passage from the scriptures, as a rule, quote from the Vedanta, which has another technical name with the commentators--the Shrutis.{2} Now, all the books known by the name of the Vedanta were not entirely written after the ritualistic portions of the Vedas. For instance, one of them--the Isha Upanishad--forms the fortieth chapter of the Yajur-veda, that being one of the oldest parts of the Vedas. There are other Upanishads{3} which form portions of the Brahmanas or ritualistic writings; and the rest of the Upanishads are independent, not comprised in any of the Brahmanas or other parts of the Vedas; but there is no reason to suppose that they were entirely independent of other parts, for, as we well know, many of these have been lost entirely and many of the Brahmanas have become extinct. So it is quite possible that the independent Upanishads belonged to some Brahmanas, which in course of time fell into disuse, while the Upanishads remained. These Upanishads are also called Forest Books or Aranyakas.

Vedanta Philosophy -- Vivekananda

 

[JustGeorge]

Sure. Vedānta is one of many Hindu philosophies. It is based on the mukhya or principal Upaniṣads, which are some ancient philosophic scriptures attached to the Vedas, which are themselves the oldest Hindu scriptures. In addition to the Upaniṣads, Vedānta philosophy is also based on another text known as the Brahma Sūtras as well as the Bhagavad Gītā. Considering that these three texts—Upaniṣads, Brahma Sūtras, Bhagavad Gītā—require interpretation, there is a variety of schools of Vedānta. The one that is most heard of in the West is Advaita Vedānta, which, in short, teaches a non-dualistic interpretation of the three aforementioned texts.

From what I understand, Vedānta philosophy in general is concerned with three concepts: Brahman, Ātman, and jagat. Respectively, these concepts are the Absolute, the Self, and the universe. Attempting to explain them as they are understood within Vedānta to someone who is completely unfamiliar with that philosophy (and Hinduism in general) would be difficult for me. It would not even be my prerogative to do so anyway. This is all that I can say about the philosophy called Vedānta.

Thanks for explaining!

Vedānta, by the way, is also another name for the Upaniṣads. So, if a person were to say, 'I have read the Vedānta,' that person means they have read the Upaniṣads. In my previous post, when I mention a Vedāntic perspective on things, what I mean is a perspective informed by the Upaniṣads and nothing more.

Ah! I hadn't heard of this.

Yes. I do my best to avoid garlic as its predominant quality is tamas.

Interesting. I'd heard it placed as a rajasic food at times as well, alongside onions.

I would like to say that Hinduism made me a teetotaler, but I became a teetotaler before becoming a Hindu. How long, I don't remember.



My adjustment is easy, really. In Korea, there are no garbage bins in public and anything that is not general waste must be recycled. I am used to removing stickers and tape from cardboard boxes, washing out plastics, etc. When somebody bows to me, I bow to them in return. When it is appropriate or right, I bow to the person first. There are only a few words and phrases that I use when interacting with Koreans outside of work. In addition to those things, I really like the safety and conveniences here.

Sounds like a healthy way of dealing with waste.

Does Korea feel like 'home' yet? Do you think you'll stay long term?

Considering that this is Korea, the branch of Buddhism that it adheres to is most likely Mahāyāna. It is evident, of course, that the temple adheres to Mahāyāna because it contains iconography of bodhisattvas.

Makes sense.

The experience was ignored because I was a seeker. I wanted to find the truth even if the truth in its entirety was outside of Hinduism.

This interests me. What do you think caused you to set aside this, rather than view it as part of the truth?

Truth is a word I see tossed around a lot on the forums. What is your take on 'truth'?

Hindu texts such as the Mahābhārata and Purāṇas mention four goals of human life. The first one is dharma. It is high things such as duty, virtue, the right way of living, and even religious practices. The second goal is artha. It can be translated as 'wealth' or 'prosperity.' The third goal is kāma. It is sensual and emotional fulfillment. The fourth goal is mokṣa. Also known as mukti, it means 'liberation.' Liberation from what? Liberation from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

How do you feel you live these goals out, currently?

When it comes to achieving dharma, this can be done by becoming familiar with what dharma is by reading texts that explain it. They are called dharmaśāstras. (The one that I like is the Yājñavalkya Smṛti.) From my perspective, dharma is the most important human goal because it influences how we pursue artha and kāma or prosperity and pleasure, respectively. How do we pursue artha and kāma (if we are householders, of course)? We do it in ways that are not contrary to dharma. As to how we pursue mukti as either householders or renunciates, there are so many ways to do it within Hinduism.

The easiest way to attain mukti or liberation, in my opinion, is to be devoted to the practice of nāma-japa, the repetition of divine names. The Śiva Purāṇa teaches that the noblest means to liberation is the japa of the name of Śiva. Similarly, the Padma Purāṇa teaches that the japa of the name Rāma, the highest name of Viṣṇu, will result in liberation. Further, the practice of bhakti, that is, devotion to the deity who we believe is the Ultimate Reality, is said by many to be the easiest and most enjoyable means to liberation. The Śiva Purāṇa states that bhakti is satpreman, genuine love and affection toward Śiva. Those who practice bhakti toward Śiva will obtain bhukti (prosperity and pleasure) and mukti (liberation).

I've heard similar importance placed on nama japa.

Out of the different branches of yoga, do you consider yourself primarily a Bhakta?