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Internet Life soul religion

Yoga and Hindu

  BY DAVID HASKIN   

Many Westerners think of yoga as merely a method of relaxation and gentle exercise. But it's more than just a tension reliever for the stressed: It is part of the 5,000-year-old Vedic culture known as Hinduism, which also encompasses the study of nutrition, medicine, astrology, and the worship of God in many manifestations. Hinduism is rushing headlong into the digital age, as evidenced by the dozens of sites dedicated to specific teachers (known as gurus) and practices. We focused on sites that provide an overview for relative newcomers.


Namaste is a generous-spirited site that opens with beautiful Hindu artwork and verse and provides extensive though general information about Hinduism and yoga. The Quotes and Poems section includes brief writings of teachers ranging from Albert Einstein, who discusses consciousness, to the site maintainer's yoga teacher. The other sections take a decidedly non-dogmatic approach: The yoga section, for example, describes the various schools of yoga and reminds readers that "all of them lead to the same goal." The Very Brief Treatise on Hinduism is clear and easy to read. That's no small accomplishment, since Hinduism is chock-full of guiding myths and multiple gods, each of which represents a different aspect of living.

Hinduism Today, sponsored by the school of learning led by contemporary teacher Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, is the Web version of a magazine that claims 250,000 readers. You'll find two years of back issues full of well-written articles here, many of which are contemporary and practical. We avidly read a series of articles by a physician about staying healthy while using the computer and discussions of scripture. This site would benefit from search capabilities. Still, because it covers many Hindu spiritual and cultural topics in easily understood language, it gives Westerners an excellent look at this way of life.

The Hindu Universe is a central information source for practicing Hindus, but it can give the rest of us a thorough, if somewhat advanced, picture of Hindu scriptures, history, and lifestyle. You'll find virtually all the important scriptures, annotated with comments from many gurus; the locations of temples in the U.S. and Canada; a listing of festivals; and information about other spiritual paths, including Buddhism.


Mysticism in World Religions is a little site with a lot to say. Look here to compare Hindu, Christian, Taoist, and Buddhist beliefs on topics ranging from desire to something called "ego death." The structure of this site is uncommonly clear and navigable.

Vedic Culture contains a series of essays about comparative religion and Hindu-related topics. Some are very accessible, but a few will be too dense for newcomers. If you already have some knowledge about Hinduism, this is a good place to further your understanding. Look for a good set of links to related sites. Yoga Paths, a sibling site, quite accurately describes itself as "an overview of different scholars and traditions." It provides extensive detail about several schools of yoga and information about more general Hindu topics. The quality of the information varies from pedantic to clear and instructional. Particularly useful is its extensive glossary of Sanskrit terms related to yoga.
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Tell it the time, date, and location of your birth, and this site will e-mail you a Vedic Astrology chart. Read up on Vedic astrology (also known as Jyotish) and how it differs from Western astrology.

Karel Assmann has laid out clear descriptions of the various types of yoga as well as information about Vedic astrology, his guru, and a good set of links to other Vedic sites. A well designed and informative personal site. 2.5

YogaPlex is a glitzy site that provides useful information for the novice, such as the 10 most important criteria in searching for a yoga center. This site is aimed directly at busy, athletic Americans who wonder, for example, whether yoga can build upper body strength or whether it's OK to do yoga to loud music.

TheBhagvad Gita is one of the core sacred documents of Hinduism, illustrated here with beautiful artwork. You'll find passages here in both Sanskrit and English as PostScript documents, for which you'll need a viewer. While it has no search capabilities, this site is a useful resource. 2.0

The Other Place is a virtual gallery of Hindu art. Beautiful, but not terribly informative.

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Namaste

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The Other Place

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