Modern Hinduism It's based on an ancient and complex religion, but the lecture series on meditation this month by Swami Bhaskarananda is intended for the busy modern person, and "I dwell on practical things.
Swami Bhaskarananda teaches
the art of spirituality in
secular activitiesBy Mary Adamski
madamski@starbulletin.com"I teach the art of spirituality in secular activities," said the Hindu teacher, who heads the Seattle teaching center and retreat facility of Vedanta Society of Western Washington.
"All the experiences we have are in our minds. We can't escape from our minds; we carry them with us ... all our worries, our anxieties. We can learn how to control one's mind, how to concentrate one's mind.
"Everyone can be helped by meditation, in secular activities or spiritual activities," said the 70-year-old teacher. "Why Meditate?" is the topic of his talk at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at the YWCA of Oahu at 1040 Richards St. The free series sponsored by the Vedanta Society of Hawaii will continue on successive Sundays on "Techniques of Meditation," "Overcoming Obstacles to Meditation" and "Reincarnation."
"It is easy to concentrate on something pleasant: beautiful music, a beautiful sight, pleasant experiences. But when the need is for concentration on something that is not pleasant and yet it is beneficial ... meditation is an acquired ability."
Bhaskarananda is a monk in the nonsectarian Ramakrishna religious order, which he said is not a sect, not involved in observing rituals, and "we do not indulge in healing; we leave those things for others. We are more interested in creating healthy minds."
A native of India, he has been in the United States since 1974. The Seattle center is one of 15 U.S. centers in the tradition founded by 19th-century Swami Vivekananda who, he said, was the first Hindu to have a following among Westerners, including American author Ralph Waldo Emerson. Bhaskarananda is the author of two books, "The Essentials of Hinduism" and "Meditation: Mind and Patanjali's Yoga." He lectures in the United States, Canada, Europe and elsewhere, including annual teaching visits to Hawaii.
The teacher is active in ecumenical activities, a past president of the Interfaith Council of Washington State and an interfaith partner in the Church Council of Greater Seattle."In our tradition, religion is being and becoming, not just faith in another world," he said. "Religion is what is loving, nonviolent. If a person is loving and nonviolent, that is his religion. But if he is violent and full of hatred, that is his religion.
"All of us have perfection. We already have it in us waiting to be manifested. God is present in you and in me, but not always particularly manifest. In a bad person, it is not particularly manifest. A saintly person is he or she in which that divinity is manifest."
Bhaskarananda said: "The purpose of each religion is to manifest that divinity. We believe that many paths lead to the same divine truth." He said he is often invited to lecture about other religions and "the commonalities that exist among them. To promote understanding is one of my main purposes.
"Half of our membership are people with a Christian background. They don't give up Jesus Christ.
"If you boil down religion, you come to know that the origin of spirituality is no other than selflessness. A good spouse makes willing self-sacrifice for his spouse. The same is true of siblings, of parents. Living in society, we have to make some self-sacrifice. Without it, existence of society is not possible."
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