Month 1 as a Hindu.

Where's the beef?

I don't know but I want some!!!

I have to admit that being a Hindu is pretty freaking easy if you remember one basic thing- God is in EVERYTHING.

Hinduism is also a lot more cosmic then I would've imagined, like perhaps my past life actually took place in the future (because time isn't linear). Yea. Doesn't that shit blow your mind? Nacho said that Hinduism seems to have a lot of parallels with his religion (trust me, I will totally make him fill me in more on what he calls "That old time American Indian religion" since I can't technically participate....being a white chick and all).

Giving up beef sucks, I can only eat so many chicken sandwiches, but at least the Giant near my house has bison meat so I don't have to go without spaghetti.

When I'm not just trying to get out of the house on time, I do practice a Puja ritual. I wake up, do some yoga, meditate, shower and then prepare my breakfast setting aside an offering on the fireplace mantle.....So the first time I did this, I was going to give my offering to my little Buddha statue that I got on a trip to Hawaii five years ago....but....Loki hid it somewhere. So I'm running around the house looking for my little Buddha statue (and at this point I am fucking starving because I'm not supposed to eat until I've performed the other parts of the ritual). Dad and Nacho seem to be just loving this, by the way. Then Nacho says, "Does it have to be Buddha?"

No. It doesn't. This is one of the other things I love about Hinduism- their belief that there are many ways to spiritual enlightenment and their tolerance for other religions. Hindus don't believe that their religion is the "right" religion. It is simply the path that they choose to take for spiritual fullfillment (AWESOME, right?!). So after hunting through the house, I found a crucifix with a tiny Jesus on it. So I made my offering to Jesus (and for the rest of the day, my Step Mom kept asking why there was an over easy egg on the mantle and when could she throw it away).

So then, I decided to take the drive up to College Park to check out the DC Metropolitan area Hindu Temple, Nacho agreed to tag along for moral support (and I think it was mostly because he was bored and had nothing better to do). This temple was so beautiful!!!! We entered and saw that we had to take our shoes off before entering the actual temple. So I did....Nacho bitched a bit about how his shoes better not get stolen but he took his shoes off too. Then we walked into the main area and I was blown away by how beautiful it was inside as well. All around were statues of the Gods and at the front was an altar with larger statues of certain gods (like Buddha and Rama). And in the corner was a man playing drums with his hands. He stopped shortly after we walked in, and tried to explain a bit about the temple to us (of course there was a tad bit of a language barrier). Then he stepped upon the alter and handed us each a tiny ball shaped yellow pastry and told us it was an offering for good health and prosperity. Moments later a girl (probably in her late teens), entered a placed an offering of fruit on the altar. "Fuck," I said to myself, "I didn't bring an offering...oh well, next time."

Then we stepped out, a put our shoes back on, pastries still in our hand. As I look at the temple's upcoming events on their bulletin board, I take a bite of the pastry ball thing and then Nacho leans in, "I think you were supposed to offer that to the Gods."

My mouth is full of pastry (it really was quite good), "Nuh-unh!"

"Yea. I think he gave it to us to give to the Gods."

"Well then why the fuck didn't you give it to the Gods?!"

"I don't know...I'm not Hindu."

"Dammit, Nacho!!!! You are supposed to tell me shit like that! Did I just offend them?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"FUCK!"

So...I may have pissed off that drummer guy....I may have pissed off the Gods. I'm still not too sure. But so far I like being Hindu. It's a very beautiful religion....but I totally miss eating beef, but perhaps my body is better off without the red meat? I'm not sure. We will see with this next month. Personally, I think Buddhism is the one that's going to stick with me. But we will see : )