Practices Flashcards
Puja
The Hindu word for prayer and devotion
Bhakti
The practice of showing love and devotion to Brahman
Murti
A statue or image of a deity used in worship
Shrine
A sacred place in the home used for worship
Mandir
Hindu term for temple
Arati ceremony
Ceremony where Hindus wave candles over deities then over themselves to bless themselves
Havan ceremony
Ceremony where Hindus throw wood, flowers and fruits into a fire which purifies them and the environment
Darshan
Hindus spend time contemplating in front of a deity to meditate and free their mind and focus on Brahman
Japa/Mantra
String of beads for chanting/The chanting itself
Bhajan/Kirtan
Singing hymns/Dancing to show commitment to Brahman
Guru
A teacher that gets rid of spiritual darkened and gives spiritual light
Ashram
Holy house where guru teaches his followers
Sadhu
Gives guidance to people at pilgrimage
Sannyasin
A holy man or man or women who is converted to aceticism before death
Swami
A holy man or woman who teaches the scriptures to others
Pilgrimage
A journey to/around a sacred place or a place of religious importance
Pilgrim
A person who goes on a pilgrimage
Circumambulation
Walking around a holy site, often whilst chanting or praying
Celibacy
Giving up sexual activity whilst on pilgrimage to show commitment to God
Penance
Doing something to make up for something to get rid of bad karma
Varanasi
A holy city made by shiva - Hindu pilgrimage
Ghat
Steps into river Ganges to bless eachother
Kumbh mela
Takes 12 years to complete, 1 pilgrimage every 3 years to 4 different sites
Haridwar
1st year of Kumbh Mela - situated on the river Ganges
Uijain
2nd Kumbh Mela pilgrimage - Based on the River shirpa
Nashik
3rd Kumbh Mela pilgrimage - Based on the river Godavari
Prayaga
Final Kumbh mela - where all three previous rivers meet
Himalayas
Where Hindus believe shiva lives - sacred to Hindus
River Ganges
Sacred to Hindus as they believe it blessed the atman
Yoga
The spiritual path a person takes through life, to connect with Brahman
Karma yoga
Path of selfless actions - being charitable
Astanga yoga
Path of meditation - focusing on breathing and positives
Bhakti yoga
The path of devotion - focuses on worship of a single deity
Jnana yoga
Path of knowledge- strict path that encourages Hindus into asceticsm
Festival
A religious celebration usually remembering a particular event or deity
Diwali
Hindu new year festival in November/October, celebrating the deity Lakshmi and the story of Rama and Sita. Festival of light
Rama and Sita
Story of demon ravana taking Sita
Dharma
Righteousness and virtue
Adharma
Unrighteousness and ignorance
Diwa lamps
Lamps from Rama Sita story - used in Diwali
Lakshmi
Goddess of wealth and prosperity
Rangoli patterns
Chalk patterns to welcome Lakshmi into the home
Holi
Hindu festival in the spring celebrates good overcoming evil in the story of Prahlada
Narasimha
Avatar of Vishnu, half lion half man, saved Prahlada from fire
Holika
Evil sister from holi story, tried to kill Prahlada
Kama
Living life to the full responsibly
Stewardship
The belief that the world belongs to God and humans must care for it
Sustainability
Using things so they future generations can use it aswell
Banyan tree
Important to hindus as it presents prosperity and Krishna died under one
Langur monkey
Same monkey as hanuman - believed to have been the monkey from heaven
Goshalla
A cow sanctuary where old and sick cows are cared for
Tree hugging
A form protest where people link arms around a tree to stop it being cut down
Vrindavan forest project
Try’s to stop people cutting down trees
Social justice
Ensuring society is fair for all people
Inclusion
Ensuring that all people are equally valued and included in society
Dana
Giving- family, society, world, god
Sewa
Selfless service/action
