Harmony and Balance from Hindu perspective

[ShivaFan]

Define harmony and balance from the Hindu perspective? Describe your activities, perhaps daily, that are Hindu and provide harmony and balance to you or your family? Is harmony and balance even import to you as a Hindu?

What Hindu words do you associate with harmony and balance? What ARE these to you? What degrades your harmony and balance, what is the best way to restore harmony and balance?

Are they "birds of a feather" that are together?

I have my own perspective, but I am curious about yours first.

 

[StarryNightshade]

I can't really define harmony and balance from a "Hindu perspective", because there probably aren't clear cut universal definitions.

However, to me, "harmony" is the sense of non-duality I feel in regards to my self and everything around me. Knowing that there is this essence is which everything is bound and connected.

"Balance" could be similar to the 8 Fold Path/middle way from Buddhism. To realize that too much or too little of any given thing has the potential to be negative.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Following one's dharma and following the buddhist 'Eight-fold path' is the same to the last letter. For me the most important thing is my family. I will post more as the topic develops.

 

[Vinayaka]

Tough question.

From my personal POV, it has to do with whether of not you're basking in Ganesha's presence. He is the one that I beseech for harmonious conditions on this plane, this world. If He's there, then it's all good.

I've also noticed that at our temple, the more He seems invoked, the stronger the shakti, the better everyone gets along.

But this is just the take of a bhaktar.

 

[ShivaFan]

This is exactly my "simplistic" (per others) approach... For me, I need to find that harmony and balance or I go crazy.

And what works for me is those simple Hindu acts. When I light my incense every morning in front of a small Ganesha, and then the fragrance fills my surroundings, it indeed gives me calm to find balance.

Then as a calm person, I find harmony in my family. Which is really important to me because if I didn't balance myself with accepting where I am and how lucky I am, I would be a firecracker. Literally, this is what makes me civilized.

When I put vibhuti on my head - the world "cools down". You see? Now I am a very simple person. My Hindu friends and even non Hindus say, "you are a very simple person". That is what Hinduism gives me, too. Simplicity. I like it.

If it were not for my Hindu wife, I would be dead by now.

When I sit in a Temple, then there is a natural harmony. I balance myself by the murti. The energy is there.

Dharma is also balance.
Yoga is also balance.
The presence of both in "the air" by murti is harmony. With my family and with each day.

 

[punkdbass]

I think equanimity is very important within both Buddhism and Hinduism. I have only recently begun "trying out" more practical elements of Hinduism.

I find meditation, silent japa, and reading Bhagavad Gita or stories about Krishna helps give me perspective and balance. I plan on visiting some Hindu Temples once I get back to school, hopefully this will help me decide whether or not I want to commit to Hinduism, for I've been exploring many faiths for several years now.

Honestly, silently repeating the Hari Krishna mantra has been very helpful for me. I'm starting to see now why so many spiritual teachers stress the power of mantras. The recitation of God's name helps to arrise/cultivate all of the positive spiritual qualities you've learned to associate with God throughout your spiritual journey.. but it's a technique that can literally be done at any time of day, so it's an incredibly practical spiritual technique.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Harmony and balance, I think, are related to self awareness. It's hard to know whats 'out of whack' if your mind is in a million different places. So maybe meditation is a way to achieve balance or at least to see what needs fine tuning.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram shivafan ji

What Hindu words do you associate with harmony and balance? What ARE these to you?

Dharma if followed properly , as that which supports brings harmony , that is the correct conditions for one to furter ones spiritual understanding and ones love of God .
Prema , Love of God a itself brings harmony and ballance to our lives as it brings awareness that each living being is part and parcel of God .

Ahimsa , nonviolence brings harmony as without violence everyone is free to love without fear .

Tollerance that takes and gives , true tollerance dosent just endure , it underatands and forgives .

and Humility that dosent stand loftily above others but gives importance to others and takes the lower possition oneself .

Dhana , giving , giving in charity , giving out of love , giving of wisdom , giving of support , giving of freindship

prehaps it can be best approached through the underatanding of ...
Kama , Artha , Dharma and Moksha , ..

Kama , being pleasure , but the truest bringer of pleasure is that of spititual knowledge as pleasure of the sences brings only temporary joy love of God brings everlasting joy , ....
Artha , not the Artha of wealth and power alone , but the Artha of Nobility , the Artha whos wealth is Wisdom and who's nobility shares , ...
Dharma , as in that which supports as does a good King , a father or a mother , ....and a true freind , ...
Moksha , liberation that which free's us not just from the cycle of birth and death , but from ignorance , from greed and from self cherishing , ....

just some , ...I shall enjoy thinking about words today , ....

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yes, Punkd. I credit SrimadBhagawadGita, Sri Rama Charit Manas and SrimadBhagawat Purana for balance and harmony in my life. One verse of Gita, one verse of Rama Charit Manas, and a story from Bhagawat Purana is enough to bring balance and harmony in life. We are fortunate that we can read and understand Sri Rama Charit Manas since it is in Awadhi language which is close to Hindi but difficult for those who do not know Hindi well. I do not think translations can do justice to that beautiful book.

 

[Asha]

Namaste Prabhus

My chosen words that bring harmony ?

trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna amanina mana-dena kirtaniyah sada harih

"One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord." (Adi-lila 17.31)

But of course one who holds this state of mind is also a kind friend to all and Harmony will obviously surround him .

Jai Shree Krishna

Asha

 

[ShivaFan]

Wow! LOT'S of good info from every single reply, here! All of them knocked me out of my seat! I really needed help on this right now since I have literally taken vacation time for a week to submit appkications, scores/grades, reponses, gathering transcripts, money spent, endess stress and checking online portals, for my daughter's university applications... Been so busy, this really takes me off balance and the harmony which is normally very good is sort if putting me and my family on edge and stress. But all of these replies have helped!

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram Shiva fan ji

sorry to hear you are under stress at the moment , but what a good Father , .......recomendations for stressfull situations , ....some times when I have a realy heavy work load I put bhajans on my computer and I just set to work like none of this work has any personal conection to me , I just have to do my duty and sort this mess out as soon as possible so that everyone can be happy and have no worries , ...and remember in the Gita Krsna says , ....''I will carry what you lack '', so he is saying trust me and I will support you , ..just like you are supporting your Daughter and your wife , so Krsna or Shiva he will support his devotee you just have to surrender and he will do the work for you with your hands , ....

so please remember ''Chant and be happy''

 

[Aupmanyav]

Why worry, ShivaFan. Prapatti, give your worries to the Lord, keep fun to yourself. I always did that.