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What religions and paths do you mix?

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I'm not too sure. Do you have any advice?

Don't. As Jainarayan said, it's not necessary.

However, if you're really set on it, study it thoroughly for at least 5 years. Try to pinpoint down to one sampradaya so there is no confusion or conflicting concepts. Go check out all your previous religions in a sincere way to see it you really want to do this. Then give it a bit more time to sink in.
 

Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Are you talking about a Hindu naming ceremony (namakarana), initiation (diksha), or something else? Just curious.

Religious conversion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://www.himalayanacademy.com/view/how-to-become-a-hindu

Those links are part of a Google search on 'conversion to Hinduism'. In a nutshell, there is no need for any formal conversion process. You start thinking, living and worshiping like a Hindu.

Thank you for your advice! I will indeed take it to heart. I'm referring to the both name-changing and the initiation.
 
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Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Don't. As Jainarayan said, it's not necessary.

However, if you're really set on it, study it thoroughly for at least 5 years. Try to pinpoint down to one sampradaya so there is no confusion or conflicting concepts. Go check out all your previous religions in a sincere way to see it you really want to do this. Then give it a bit more time to sink in.

Thank you, friend.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Thank you for your advice! I will indeed take it to heart. I'm referring to the both name-changing and the initiation.

So if and when that time comes that you might feel ready for such a thing, I can probably advise. But for now, its more exploration I would think. :)
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Very very few people do it. Some take on a religious name, and they use if for religion, but don't take it that final step of legally changing it. As far as I know ISKCON is still like that. They have 'spiritual names ending in dasa or dasi, but the passport still says Abraham Smith.

Others have changed, and than gone back, even after several years. So although it may sound like the 'cool' thing to do, it's like marriage ... a lifetime commitment. I actually don't know anyone who has done it on their own, without a lot of study. Even scholars like Dr. David Frawley, (Vamadeva Shastri) still retained his original name, despite being accepted in the Hindu community world wide as a scholars and representative.
 
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Sundance

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Very very few people do it. Some take on a religious name, and they use if for religion, but don't take it that final step of legally changing it. As far as I know ISKCON is still like that. They have 'spiritual names ending in dasa or dasi, but the passport still says Abraham Smith.

Others have changed, and than gone back, even after several years. So although it may sound like the 'cool' thing to do, it's like marriage ... a lifetime commitment. I actually don't know anyone who has done it on their own, without a lot of study. Even scholars like Dr. David Frawley, (Vamadeva Shastri) still retained his original name, despite being accepted in the Hindu community world wide as a scholars and representative.

Dearest friend Vinayaka,
Very wise words! Those people whom you describe remind me of the hippies in the 60s who were so for the fad, the 70s rolls around and they were back to business suits and short hair. I utterly refuse to be thus! If I'm going to do something with religion, I'm going to stick to it!
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Dearest friend Vinayaka,
Very wise words! Those people whom you describe remind me of the hippies in the 60s who were so for the fad, the 70s rolls around and they were back to business suits and short hair. I utterly refuse to be thus! If I'm going to do something with religion, I'm going to stick to it!

I legally changed my name in 1980, and haven't changed it back ... yet. :) But it was at least 5 years of intense preparation work, not some weekend whim.
 

vaguelyhumanoid

Active Member
Heathenry and Taoist philosophy are my biggest religious influences, though I've only recently started delving into the former. The Taoist outlook and the wisdom of Odin blend surprisingly well. I'm also intrigued by some concepts and divinities from Hellenic and Celtic traditions, though I haven't explored those paths much. Other influences on my religious framework and worldview include witchcraft, Tarot and empiricist philosophy (one of these things is not like the other). Last but not least, anarchist philosophy is a huge part of my life, and I'd consider my political and religious views to be two quite closely connected sides of my overall philosophical outlook and set of values.
 
Aset Ka, Chaos Magick, Wicca, Transcendentalism, Druidism, Hereditary Witchcraft, Taoism, Luciferinism, and Dyanstic Egyptian Pantheon.
 

EverChanging

Well-Known Member
Primarily my spirituality centers around receiving the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. In addition to my devotion to the Eucharist, flowing from the Eucharist and pointing back to it, I practice my own rites of offering that grew out of my experiences and spirituality. In a sense they are an expression of the esoteric (inner) side of my Christianity.

It's difficult to categorize all the ideas I'm influenced by, but I'll give it a shot. In no particular order:
-Postmodernism
-Buddhism
-Atheism and agnosticism
-Philosophical Naturalism/Materialism
-Secular Humanism
-Panentheism
-Neopaganism
-Monotheism, polytheism, monism, and animism
-Christianity

To some degree I am also influenced by Discordianism.

Within Christianity I practice much like an Anglo-Catholic and am on the roles of the Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church and haven't quite decided between them yet. My Christian influences in this order are:
-Anglicanism (especially Anglo-Catholicism)
-Lutheranism
-Roman Catholicism
-various influences and informal connections to the Independent Sacramental Movement

Overall I'm simply a Christian. I don't really mix and match religions, but many ideas from various religions and fields of thought nevertheless influence my theology. All my non-mainstream rituals and devotions are my own and largely Christian in structure and content although they sometimes involve devotions to beings that only I know. If I decided to be actively involved in a non-Christian religion I'd probably choose Buddhism.
 
Right now I'm still thinking, but as of now I got to say I mix up Asatru/Heathenry((I use to be a Heathen and I still keep some beliefs from the Nordic religion)), Buddhism((Some Buddhist ideas are interesting to me)), Agnosticism((I don't really worship any god, but I'm not closed to the idea of one or many existing)), and Protestant Christianity((I do believe in eternal peace after death, and was raised Protestant, well, Baptist, but that is a Protestant branch)).
 

Baladas

An Págánach
I am a Daoist as well as a Pagan (mainly Celtic).
I am influenced by Chan/Zen Buddhism and Druidry, as well as other traditions.
 
Christian Wicca

I was always a Christian and a practicing Witch that is very Wicca friendly, so making a long story short, I am happy where I am haha! ;)
 
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