The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
by Linda Johnsen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Linda JohnsenEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-11-01
ISBN: 0028642279
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Alpha
Book Reviews of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
Book Review: People, look East!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism is a layman's introduction to an incredibly complex religion. Most Westerners are familiar with Hinduism's most famous and popular offshoot, Buddhism. In the interesting documentary Hippie Masala: Forever In India, it was the European hippies, as opposed to the American ones, who embraced Hinduism and moved to India. Yoga is the most popular expression of Hinduism in the United States. It's Hinduism stripped down to its essentials, or as in the case of bikram yoga, stripped down to its overheated and sweaty essentials.
The Complete Idiot's Guide discusses the sacred sciences, the various Goddess, the denominations (mainly worshippers of Vishnu and Shiva), and important rituals. The chapters have accessible titles such as "Truth is a Many-Layer Cake" and "The Royal Road." It brings otherworldly Hinduism, with its many-limbed deities, down to Earth. The concept of women as THE BRIDES OF CHRIST (Sequel to Spiritual Maternity). Our Lady's Little Library Series. Eighth Edition. isn't that alien to Hinduism. There are several stories of women who renounced marriage to mortal men so they could enjoy marriage to Vishnu or Shiva.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism is hardly idiotic. It sets seekers on the path.
Here's some music to accompanying its reading:
India: inner peace through music and nature sounds
World Is India
India
Yoga
Sky Kisses Earth
In Concert
Breathing Under Water
Yoga Revolution
Get enlightened and seek samadhi. Namaste.
Summary of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism
You?re no idiot, of course. You know Hinduism is a religion practiced worldwide, with philosophies that can offer enlightenment even to nonbelievers. However, its belief system is neither as simple nor as complex as many people think.The Complete Idiot?s Guide® to Hinduism will show you exactly how this religion is practiced and its relationship to Hindu culture. In this Complete Idiot?s Guide®, you get: * The principles behind basic Hindu beliefs, including karma, reincarnation, nonviolence, vegetarianism, and multiple manifestations of God. * The stories of such Hindu gods and goddesses as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Sarasvati, and Kali. * Paths to enlightenment including karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, raja yoga, and tantra yoga. * The Hindu caste system, and the customary importance of women in its society.Hinduism is such a vast, complex, and exotic topic that to boil it down to a few hundred pages--and make it fun--must be the work of a true avatar, in this case Linda Johnsen. In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism, Johnsen covers the history, philosophy, devotions, gods, and traditions of this timeless religion. She takes pains to not only make the material easy to read and understand but to get inside the minds of Hindus, themselves, to make sense of what they believe and why. This sympathetic view is balanced by objective and concrete reporting. For example, she presents discussions of the Aryan Invasion theory, whether Jesus visited India, and a well-documented case of modern-day reincarnation. In addition to introducing each of the different strains of Hinduism and their beliefs, she also gives an overview of the classic Hindu myths. Exotic, yes, but Johnsen succeeds in bringing Hinduism closer to home. --Brian Bruya
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