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Katwoman973

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About Katwoman973

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  • Biography
    Namaste,
    <br />
    <br />I am 28, and from Milwaukee, WI. My screen name may be confusing to some the name stems from my studies of Native American Spirituality and my deep connection with White Tiger and Black Panther.
  • Location
    Milwaukee, WI USA
  • Interests
    spirituality, meditation, spiritual growth, transformations
  • Occupation
    Healthcare/Reiki energy worker
  1. Has anyone ever used silk tofu or soy milk (or even rice milk) to prepare ice cream?? I'm starting to cut down the dairy in my diet, and am looking for different alternatives. Namaste, Kenyatta
  2. I find myself "talking" with God all the time. Not always just when I want something, but especially if I have something that I need help working out. Like when one talks to a best friend about something that is bothering them. I find that speaking the worries or needs out loud somehow helps me work them through. (Now, if anyone walked past my window they'd probably think I was crazy, but.... so be it!) This is especially true when I can&#8217;t quiet my mind in meditation or chanting mantra, sometimes I just have to verbalize what is on my mind to get it to hush! As far as public worship, being brought up in the Christian religion there is a saying that still rings true to me today (something along this line...not a perfect quote) that when many gather to pray great things happen. (Not trying to spark another religious debate, just trying to put a point across) That tells me that when individuals come together, coming from the heart and praying chanting or even just hoping for the common good of something, someone or all it raises the consciousness level even higher. It matters not what their religious background, or even if they are praying in the same language, it is (to me) the fact that they are gathered together for a common goal coming from their heart, which is the Divine Center. Where one person can most definitely improve things on one level, many can move mountains! Look at what happened after the 9/11 events, it wasn&#8217;t just American communities coming together to pray, people all over the world shared in the pain America was feeling and offered whatever spiritual help they could in the best way they knew how. I still get tears in my eyes thinking about the different pictures from all over the world crying out to God (again, whatever name given) for support, strength and help. I don't think anything that brings one closer to God (no matter what name you may call God by) can ever be considered "wrong"; asking for aid along one's path is both humbling and necessary. As for myself, when I ask God for something I always try to remember to add "if it is for my higher good, and/or the higher good of all" and not get greedy with the requests. (and remember to say THANK YOU!) Ok, I think I've rambled enough.... great topic, thanks for introducing it! Namaste, Kenyatta
  3. I grew up in the Christian faith, and think most of the closed mindedness comes from basic lack of knowledge (and lack of desire for that knowledge) of other cultures and religious practices. Many are ignorant of the positive sides of all other religions, because we are taught to "convert the world". I myself have now taken the view that I don't know what way is "right or wrong" and how could I dare tell God that I'm going to fight for this or that way because it's THE way. The best I can do is follow my own path as best I can and if it helps someone along the way so be it, if not it's no big deal, because it is MY path. Each person has to follow their own path, many organized religions don't want to promote that, I believe because it gives the very human side to religion a sense of control. Instead of finding the inner importance, it is sought outside the self. I honestly don't believe that it is truly hate...it is fear, as well as the ego self of a person fighting to say "I'm right" (no matter how holy they think this is, it seems to me that it does come from the ego and not the heart). I can rarely discuss my own spiritual path with my mother, because she is so scared that I will be "lost", I just accept that we have different views, she has to worship the way that brings her closer to God, and I have to do the same. I hope as human beings we can all start thinking along this path instead of trying to prove one way is right or wrong. Namaste, Kenyatta
  4. I agree with a lot of what has been said here, many people today are finding that money does not equal happiness. Growing up in the US all of my life, I was told get a good education and good job and make good money and you will be happy. Well, I have education, I have a pretty decent job, and I have all the "stuff" that goes with it, I own my own home, have a new car, and while I'm not rich by any means, I'm neither poor, but...I'm not happy. I will be 30 soon, and have started looking back at my life and wondering what have I truly accomplished....I have all the material things I wanted, but I'm truly not happy. How do I find the happiness I seek Now, it's a matter of how do I balance the growing need to devote my time to more spiritual matters, while still paying the very real material bills! I'm getting better at not worrying about what others think of my progress (which is the way I see it, and all that I believe truly matters), my life and the way I live it has to be between me and God. Too much of my life has been lived according to what "others" feel I should be doing or saying or Be-ing. I would love to visit India, and am trying to learn more about it's culture, but I believe that no matter where you "move" to if you aren't connecting with that inner peace, and inner happiness you will never find your "home". That is the difficult part of my journey. I could probably move to a different location, but for me, if I'm not settled within, my outer surroundings don't matter. I hope that our selfishness as human beings can be made into a positive selfishness.... what I mean by this is that we start worrying about the right things, the internal things, not how much we have or can get, but worrying about our own part in the Spiritual awakening of the whole. In one of the earlier posts, I see where someone expressed that westerners are more caring of each other, while sometimes this is true, the US is very much of a material mentality. For all the help we seem to give, a lot of people "give" for the wrong reasons as well. I believe that until we start focusing on more of the spiritual as a whole, no matter where we live we will find the unrest that plagues us. To me, no geographical location is "better or worse", it has to come from within. Namaste, Kenyatta
  5. This may sound like quite a naive question to some, but if we're all souls and all part of the same whole just in this physical body for a time isn't this whole debate irrelevant? Shouldn't we be (according to ANY Holy scripture) loving, respecting and caring for each other no matter what the outer body looks like because we are focused on the inner God-self and soul? Taken in that context it should not matter if our outer body is black or white, male or female, blond or redhead, correct? Each of us should respect love and honor every person we come across in the same manner, because each person, in fact each thing, is another part of us. If we disrespect anyone else or anything else due to it's outer "trappings" are we not disrespecting ourselves? I guess I just wanted to see other's point of view, because this is a debate I see in anything from my sports groups to my spiritual groups....women Vs men. Shouldn't it be women AND men, each has it's unique gifts from God which are meant to be shared during this (and other) lifetimes and each follows her/his own path as God intends. Respect and love should not be given to the outer trappings, but the inner soul which connects us all. As for the "trying to be" (like men, or more modern, or more beautiful) isn't that part of the world of maya? We are all trying to be-something, instead of just learning to BE. If we learn to just BE, and BE from our hearts then again, the outer trappings become irrelevant. I don't mean to offend, or put down anyone's point of view...but as a woman, sometimes these debates get tiring, because I want to be respected for the whole being I am, not just because I am a woman, or of a certain race, or even because of the country I come from. Love and respect me for the be-ing you see and FEEL inside, not my outer trappings. Just the meanderings of a mind... Namaste, Kenyatta
  6. Namaste, I had a quick question about posting pictures. I wanted to change my picture to a different one, and have tried uploading it twice and it doesn't switch over. Are we only allowed to select one picture, or is it just that the file is too big? (It did notify me when I tried to upload the wrong type of picture at first). Thanks, Kenyatta
  7. Thanks for reviving this, and thanks also for everyone who has contacted me one on one, or via posting (on this and other threads). I have been given some great information to follow, but still have questions about the different things which were in the kit I purchased. I am using that which I know how to (in accordance with some of the reading that I've done since posting), but am still unclear on other things. I was wondering especially what to mix with the vermillion (I hope I spelled this right) for Tilka application....I have a couple of friends who would like to celebrate with me, and would like to offer this as part of our worship. Again, any and all help would be appreciated. Blessings, Kenyatta P.S. "Third Eye" in my first post was referring to the chakra the Tilka is applied to, I didn't know how else to word it.
  8. Thank you for the reply!! Sometimes I feel kind of silly asking questions that many others know just from doing things on a daily basis. I have to say, though, that I'm finding many more people open to share and give out answers without looking down on me than I did when I "converted" to a different religion before. I still don't know what my "official" path is, but I definitely want to live my life on a path that is closer to God! Again, thanks. Namaste, Kenyatta
  9. Thanks so much for sharing this, it was beautiful! Namaste, Kenyatta
  10. Namaste, I have been making a little sacred corner in my home, and would like to do my daily morning and evening worship there. Does anyone know of any good books that describe different home puja guidelines, and lists what is needed as well as how to use the necessary supplies. /ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif I purchased a puja "kit" made by NIRAV at the Indian Grocery store today, and am familiar with some of the items, but some I'm not sure of. There were 4 Different powders that I'm assuming are for Tilka (pinkish red, red, white and a small orange) but wasn't sure what to mix the powder with (if anything) to help apply it to the 3rd eye. If anyone has purchased this kit and is familiar with it please let me know! Any help would be appreciated. Be patient with me....I'm still learning /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif Kenyatta (For those that responded to this post in the old setting....) The Deities that I have been asking from assistance from are Goddess Gayatri, Goddess Saraswathi, Rada Krishna and recently Lord Ganesh (not all at the same time, I offer different mantras or prayers at different times of the day, or days of the week to each.) The question at hand is how to use the different objects in the kit correctly, I know my heart is in the right place. Again thanks....
  11. I just wanted to thank you all for your help and advice. Especially the list of "generic" guidelines. I was completely clueless when they brought around the liquid! Luckily there were a couple of people before me so I was able to watch them. I also realized I forgot to add my name to my first post! Again, thank you, and I will be investigating all books and websites. Namaste, Kenyatta
  12. I attended my first service at a Hindu Temple today, and felt COMPLETELY out of place. I was praying that I didn't do something disrespectful out of ignorance of "custom". Does anyone have suggestions for a good book that I can pick up that gives the details on different services, what they are for, and how one should act (or what one should do) during a service? I enjoyed the experience, and the people were exteremely nice, but I'd like to be better prepared next time I go so I can be more fully a part of the services.
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