The January-February-March 2010 issue is unusually rich and , full of compelling articles. So, whatâs inside it?
1. The 21st centuryâs first major Hindu migration
Itâs a little-know story, full of bad policies, forced resettlements, decades of right denied and spirits not broken. Follow the whole tale as some 60,000 Hindus, chased out of their native Bhutan, end up in refugee camps in Nepal for 19 years. Finally, they are offered a permanent home in the USA and elsewhere. Their arrival is seen as a major and positive event that will enrich Hinduism. Their challenges in the US are monumental, but after what they have been through one senses they will thrive, if Hindu communities continue to help them.
2. The mystical power of giving
âGiving has the power to draw spiritual fulfillment and wealth into your life,â explains publisher Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami in his editorial. He shares with us mystical laws about givingâthe merit that accrues according to what, to whom and how we give. He provides a precious guideline for deep satisfaction and a happy, abundant futureâin this life and future ones. Donât miss it.
3. Hinduismâs early ambassador â and with such grace
While Mahatma Gandhi was still a young man with a dream, American dancer Ruth St. Denis had set up her stage in Paris/New York/London. The audience of the 1920s and 30s was taken inside a Hindu temple to witness a dazzling puja to Radha. Then it happened: the murthi began to move! Radha flowed out of the sanctum and performed the dance of creation. The audience was mesmerized. Not only had St. Denis just invented modern dance, she had brought out the Goddess from within herself for all to see. For the West, it was all new and wonderful. Discover how St. Denis built an early bridge of dance between the East and the West.
4. Leadership training, Hindu style
A graduate gives us a glimpse into Chinmaya missionâs 2.5-year acharya training course. It is a rigorous study in Vedanta, consisting of an exhaustive study of Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures. Participants learn puja, go on pilgrimage, perfect meditation and are expected to demonstrate positive inner transformation. âWhat changed was my vision of life and its purpose,â concludes the author.
5. Is YOGA inseparable from Hinduism or can it stand alone?
Itâs a hot debate today, one that surfaced at the worldâs largest interfaith meeting recently in Melbourne, Australia. This 18-page article on Ashtanga Yoga is our answer. Yoga is one of Hinduismâs six great philosophies and guides our soulâs evolution from ordinary to illumined consciousness.These luminous teachings of all eight limbs of Patanjaliâs yoga, fully illustrated to especially appeal to youth, are offered with clarity and simplicity.
6. Wow, those American Hindus can write!
Three Hindu-American youth share the trials of growing up in the good-old US of A, pulled asunder by seemingly irreconcilable worldviews, torn between family and peers, between who they are and who they want to be. Each tells how he or she ultimately did find a way to bridge the gapâthrough courageous introspection, insights and creative decisions about how to live. If you want to really understand what kids face out there these days, these award-winning essays are the place to begin.
7. Silk, so soft. So cruel?
Thatâs right, Hinduism Today takes on the big issue of ahimsa silk, guiding you through the entire fascinating silk-cultivation process and asking if there is such a thing as silk that does no harm. Looking to buy your next sari? Read this article first.
8. More is better
To all of the above, add our usual mix of humor and wisdom in Quotes & Quips, a new Hindu on Obamaâs committee and the who-would-have-ever-thought story in Newsweek explaining how Americans are all becoming Hindus in their thought and belief systems.
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