New to community and Hindu for 7 months

[RebornHindu]

Namaste,

I am a new member of this community and been a Hindu for 7 months now. I converted 7 months ago from Christianity. Is there more converts in the community? I would like to be a active member and willing to take any advice or anything anyone has to offer in expanding my Hindu journey.

 

[ratikala]

Namaskaram ji ,

Welcome , ....please tell us A little more about your self and what attracted you to Hinduism , ....are you already part of a Hindu comunity ?

hope you will enjoy your stay and please do feel free to ask any questions you need , ...

 

[RebornHindu]

Namaskaram ji ,

Welcome , ....please tell us A little more about your self and what attracted you to Hinduism , ....are you already part of a Hindu comunity ?

hope you will enjoy your stay and please do feel free to ask any questions you need , ...

Namaste and thank you for your reply.

I was on Christian because my family was growing up. I never felt it was right for me so I went on my own spiritual journey. I remember I took class in religions and when we crossed Hinduism I was so interested. I did more research and thats when I knew I was ready to switch. I am part of a Hindu community and I am still learning everything. I always have questions too so I am grateful for any help.

 

[Rival]

This DIR is for Hindus only but in view of this being your first post, I just want to say,

Welcome, and may Ahuramazda bless you,

Hope you enjoy our forum

 

[RebornHindu]

This DIR is for Hindus only but in view of this being your first post, I just want to say,

Welcome, and may Ahuramazda bless you,

Hope you enjoy our forum

Thank you very much for the warm welcome. I appreciate it very much.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste,

I am a new member of this community and been a Hindu for 7 months now. I converted 7 months ago from Christianity. Is there more converts in the community? I would like to be a active member and willing to take any advice or anything anyone has to offer in expanding my Hindu journey.

Welcome! =) There are quite a view converts (or as I prefer to term it, Adoptives) on this forum. I'm one myself. I have been practicing for 3 years now. You will find a lot of diversity of thought here but I hope you find it informing welcoming. Search the threads, ask questions - we are all ears!

 

[Corthos]

Just popping in to say Ushta, and welcome! =)

From what I understand, Hinduism has many different schools of thought. Is there any specific kind(s) that you feel drawn to?

 

[RebornHindu]

Welcome! =) There are quite a view converts (or as I prefer to term it, Adoptives) on this forum. I'm one myself. I have been practicing for 3 years now. You will find a lot of diversity of thought here but I hope you find it informing welcoming. Search the threads, ask questions - we are all ears!

wow thanks for your reply,

I will indeed be asking questions and searching the forum. I am currently looking through because there may be a topic already answering some of my questions. I already find it welcoming, thanks so much.

 

[RebornHindu]

Just popping in to say Ushta, and welcome! =)

From what I understand, Hinduism has many different schools of thought. Is there any specific kind(s) that you feel drawn to?

I do feel drawn to Shaivism. I also have a strong love for Lord Ganesh. There are so many I adore.

 

[ShivaFan]

Welcome!

I was not "converted" since I was a Hindu since a child, and probably always a Hindu, nor did I come from a Christian background because my mother was essentially influenced by Buddhism and my father is an "impersonalist" not too far removed from atheism. But my dad did bring us kids and family to visit Buddhist temples in San Francisco when we later moved while still a kid to San Francisco.

However I was born in the West, in Hollywood, California, and grew up Western which includes Hinduism here in California though the Buddhists have had a 100 years "head start" here in California, but Hinduism is mainstream here in my state. I have many "second homes" internationally, but am still the quintessential American Hindu and there are a lot uf us.

But you are in the good old USA so in that we both share. Curious, which State is your residence?

So that is one thing we both share despite our differences, we are both "Western Hindus". At least in that, perhaps we can share insights.

Hope your Hinduism is long term, and there is a LOT of diversity in it, you will know or even some communion will clarify directly to you which is your path in the rainbow of Hinduism. Have you been to a Hindu temple?

Remember - have fun, too! I know this may sound shocking, but may make sense later. And welcome to an adventure.

PS - I love every single Hindu sect, but I do know a bit about most sects, and am influenced by my Hindu wife from India who is Bengali-Gujarati mix and thus there is a Saiva with strong Shakta influence from the East India and also Ganesha from the West India, but my "haunting place" is from the North India (Varanasi), and I have known a lot of those who came from India as Gurus to the West (USA). I love every single "sect", welcome aboard!

 

[RebornHindu]

Welcome!

I was not "converted" since I was a Hindu since a child, and probably always a Hindu, nor did I come from a Christian background because my mother was essentially influenced by Buddhism and my father is an "impersonalist" not too far removed from atheism. But my dad did bring us kids and family to visit Buddhist temples in San Francisco when we later moved while still a kid to San Francisco.

However I was born in the West, in Hollywood, California, and grew up Western which includes Hinduism here in California though the Buddhists have had a 100 years "head start" here in California, but Hinduism is mainstream here in my state. I have many "second homes" internationally, but am still the quintessential American Hindu and there are a lot uf us.

But you are in the good old USA so in that we both share. Curious, which State is your residence?

So that is one thing we both share despite our differences, we are both "Western Hindus". At least in that, perhaps we can share insights.

Hope your Hinduism is long term, and there is a LOT of diversity in it, you will know or even some communion will clarify directly to you which is your path in the rainbow of Hinduism. Have you been to a Hindu temple?

Remember - have fun, too! I know this may sound shocking, but may make sense later. And welcome to an adventure.

PS - I love every single Hindu sect, but I do know a bit about most sects, and am influenced by my Hindu wife from India who is Bengali-Gujarati mix and thus there is a Saiva with strong Shakta influence from the East India and also Ganesha from the West India, but my "haunting place" is from the North India (Varanasi), and I have known a lot of those who came from India as Gurus to the West (USA). I love every single "sect", welcome aboard!

Thank you for your reply,

I live in Maryland. There is a Hindu temple here in Maryland. I have been before but not many times yet. My Hinduism is long term indeed. I am at ease and happy with my decision. I thank you for your kind words and your story. Haha I am having fun so far in my spiritual journey. Only that I am the only one in my immediate family who is a Hindu. My twin sister converted to Islam.

 

[Vinidra]

Welcome! I'm pretty new, too. Everybody here is fantastic, and you should be able to find all the advice your heart could desire.

 

[ShivaFan]

Thank you for your reply,

I live in Maryland. There is a Hindu temple here in Maryland. I have been before but not many times yet. My Hinduism is long term indeed. I am at ease and happy with my decision. I thank you for your kind words and your story. Haha I am having fun so far in my spiritual journey. Only that I am the only one in my immediate family who is a Hindu. My twin sister converted to Islam.

Ha ha! Understood. My brother took after my father and is an impersonalist-atheist but into "tough guys" like biker types and he is a "right-winger", and my sister likes Krishna and Hare Krishna but also American Indian type "gurus" and has gone on many "retreats" into westen states (and California) led by an American Indian. So I have sort of a diverse family, too. Though, probably, outside of my dad's impersonalism, this is normal in California and my sister really is in the "New Age" side of things, I am a Hindu straight up. So you went to a temple, and enjoy and learn!

Just yesterday, I went to a CVS Pharmacy here, and I noticed the car parked next to me had an onyx flying Hanuman holding the hill with the sanjeevani herb hanging from the rear view mirror. Probably got it from a big Hanuman temple (mostly "Western Hindus" there in the hills near Santa Cruz, CA.) so I was going to say "Hi" but the guy never came back to the car after I finished shopping because I wanted to ask where he got the Hanuman from - this was a VERY nice Hanuman.

Enjoy!

 

[Terese]

Hello RH! I'm a convert as well! Well, I wasn't religious previously, so I didn't convert over any religion. Just atheism. It's very lovely to see a new Hindu here! I hope you make lots of posts!

 

[RebornHindu]

Ha ha! Understood. My brother took after my father and is an impersonalist-atheist but into "tough guys" like biker types and he is a "right-winger", and my sister likes Krishna and Hare Krishna but also American Indian type "gurus" and has gone on many "retreats" into westen states (and California) led by an American Indian. So I have sort of a diverse family, too. Though, probably, outside of my dad's impersonalism, this is normal in California and my sister really is in the "New Age" side of things, I am a Hindu straight up. So you went to a temple, and enjoy and learn!

Just yesterday, I went to a CVS Pharmacy here, and I noticed the car parked next to me had an onyx flying Hanuman holding the hill with the sanjeevani herb hanging from the rear view mirror. Probably got it from a big Hanuman temple (mostly "Western Hindus" there in the hills near Santa Cruz, CA.) so I was going to say "Hi" but the guy never came back to the car after I finished shopping because I wanted to ask where he got the Hanuman from - this was a VERY nice Hanuman.

Enjoy!

Wow really? I haven't seen ANYTHING like that in Maryland. No license plates or anything with any of the Hindu Deities. Having a diverse family is a good thing I like to think

 

[RebornHindu]

Hello RH! I'm a convert as well! Well, I wasn't religious previously, so I didn't convert over any religion. Just atheism. It's very lovely to see a new Hindu here! I hope you make lots of posts!

Namaste and thank you for the reply,

I do plan on many more posts! Thank you for the warm welcome.

 

[ShivaFan]

Wow really? I haven't seen ANYTHING like that in Maryland. No license plates or anything with any of the Hindu Deities. Having a diverse family is a good thing I like to think

Well MY license plate has a Hindu theme! But I can't let you know what that is because once it is on the internet, well, there are folks out there trying to hunt me down and relive the past and it is easy to get a cross-ref by the plate to the person. So I don't want to make things too easy. But I can tell you, here in California, we have every single Hindu theme and name of Deva or Devi ALREADY taken and most with the "numbers" stuck at the end, too.

I got mine years ago (California Personalized License Plate), but the one I really wanted was already taken.
I wanted GARUDA, or RAHDA, or SHIVA, or on and on...

But I DID get a good one! (and without having to tag a number in there, see below)...

So if Maryland also has "Personalized License Plates", see if you might be one of the "chosen few"!

The most popular here is California is KRSNA and variations, but you do see SHIVA a lot, and GANESHA variations, LAXMI and so on but you usually have to tag a number in there since they are all taken, i.e. "HAREB0L" (notice the zero?) or "SH1VA" (see the number 1?)...