Preview

Hindu Influences in America

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
348 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hindu Influences in America
Discuss some Hindu influences in America.
Hinduism has had an influence in America since being introduced by Swami Vivekananda in 1893, at the World's Parliament of Religions. Religion is a complex component of our lives and it encompasses much more than our own particular traditions or personal experiences. Hinduism has had a reflection on interests around vegetarian concentration, yoga meditation, reincarnation and alternative medical treatments that have become popular in the United States. Hinduism has also introduced words, such as yoga, mantra, and chakra, to name a few, that have been incorporated into the American language as quasi-religious practices.
As Hinduism grows in populations so does the interests in what the religion has to offer. Yoga is used as a relaxation exercise to unite oneself with God or one's true self. Yoga practices have become so popular and widespread that newer populations may mistake them as being entirely American tradition. Mantra is a means of chanting or meditating and consists of a set of sacred words or syllables used to unite one with the deity they represent. These are some of the benefits Americans feel provide them with a newfound faith.
Hindus of Indian descent in America have created a balance between their religion and Indian cultural religion with the pressures to Westernize. Temples have been built in American in the styles of northern or southern India and dedicated by Hindu priests from India. These temples create a place to worship. There is always the threat that modern American traditions, such as eating meat, racial intermarriage, and considerable mobility in society may interfere. The temples welcome the serious seeker of non-Indian descent which speaks well for Hindu hospitality.
The population of Hindu's is continually growing in America. It is believed that Hinduism isn't just a faith but is related to the union of reason and intuition. As most Americans we find new things intriguing by feeling they

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Woodburne, Angus Stewart. The Present Religious Situation in India. The Journal of Religion. Vol 3, No 4. 1923. Pp 387-397. The University of Chicago Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1195078 .…

    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Nt1330 Unit 3 Assignment

    • 2805 Words
    • 12 Pages

    The techniques of Yoga have been adopted by Hinduism as well as by other world religions. Yoga is a system of techniques that can be used for a number of goals, from simply managing stress better, learning to relax, and increasing limberness all the way to becoming more self-aware and acquiring the deepest knowledge of one’s own…

    • 2805 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Religion is the one of the most crucial and predominant factor which holds the country’s population together. The main similarity in religion that both the countries share is most of the residents follow their religion with utmost reverence. The majority of the Americans follow Christianity and they visit churches. Similarly, majority of the Indians are Hindus and they perform religious rituals and visit Temples. There are several other ethnic groups apart from Christianity and Hinduism, prevailing in both the countries and they follow different religions correspondingly. Both these countries religions consist of various cults and each cult may also comprise of a cult leader supported by their followers. In both these countries, the lower sect or lower sub castes were treated very harshly…

    • 2537 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hinduism is believed to have immigrated to America around the late 1800’s. Its influence on America and American culture and its peoples has been pervasive and varied. It was first introduced to mostly Christian America at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair at The Parliament of the World’s Religions by Swami Vivekananda (Guthrie 2). Since that time his descendants have grown so as to include indigenous Americans as well as many new arrivals from all over the world. Hinduism has impacted American culture in the areas of religion, literature, music, and philosophy, and most importantly, in the minds and souls of its American converts. And, in turn, America has also had a profound impact on Hinduism.…

    • 1546 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hinduism is one of the oldest religions still practiced in modern times. Hinduism originated in India, by several civilizations. The civilizations of the Indus Valley and Harappan present the first elements of early Hinduism. Hinduism is also known by the name, Sanatana Dharma, which means the eternal tradition or religion (Knott, 2000, p. 6). Hinduism dates back to as early as 1500 BC. Hinduism does not have a known founder. Hinduism has an estimated 900+ million followers. Hinduism is not limited to the India, but has migrated and emigrated throughout the world.…

    • 1688 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hinduism is the third largest faith in the world with Hindu adherents spanning across the globe. It could be one of the oldest with sacred texts from early as 1700 B.C. Health for the Hindu adherent involves balance of the mind, body, and soul with nature. They have a holistic view with consciousness not being associated with the mind but, with the soul itself. Health can also be determined by actions and deeds therefore past actions cause illness. This is known as the law of Karma.…

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Whatever ideas America chooses to follow will greatly influence the rest of the world as it is an example of a free powerful democracy. Hinduism brought to America has been the driving force behind much of the nation's religious pluralism and moral relativism ideas that can be seen arising in today's issues. Some hinduistic concepts allow for an open mind because people didn't want to change how they worshipped the god(s) their family worshipped when the religion began. So, the religion allows for hundreds of millions of different gods to be worshipped; about 365 million. This way people get to keep their God and they accept that all other ideas of God are possible. People in modern America have adapted this idea of religious pluralism…

    • 218 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Within the health care system of today, many health care providers are introduced to various religious beliefs and practices through caring for those patients and families from different cultures. In order for competent medical treatment to be performed, the health care providers must take into account the religious beliefs of those in our care to deliver good and effective quality of care. This paper will examine this student’s point of view on Christianity and compare it with Native American Spirituality, Hinduism, and Buddhistic…

    • 1643 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hinduism In Modern Society

    • 1740 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Being a Hindu, growing up in a modern society, I have got this wonderful opportunity to research Hinduism in contemporary world. In this essay, I have explored Hinduism not only by juxtaposing it with modern Hinduism, but also with ancient religious practices. Modernity is not simply the western world, or connecting to contemporary and rejecting the old. Modernity, as David Smith says is theorization of modern world and according to modernity self is autonomous, and God is dead. This feature of modernity contradicts present day world. For us, yes we are autonomous, but God is still alive within us, somewhere within our heart, in the air, in water and everywhere. We are not autonomous, we are controlled by the government and our future depends…

    • 1740 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hindu Religion Essay

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hinduism is a very unorganized, complex religion. It does not have a set of straightforward rules like other religions. Many things influence the study and practice of beliefs in Hinduism. However, there is something in common throughout all of these different forms. It is the belief in a higher, supreme power and devotion to concepts like Truth, Karma, and Dharma. Also, the belief in the jurisdiction of the sacred Hindu scriptures called the Vedas. There is many beliefs, teachings, practices, and important holidays.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Yoga and Christianity

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In the article “The Subtle Body – Should Christians Practice Yoga?”, Dr. A. Mohler takes a very dogmatic stand against the idea of a Christian engaging in yoga. However, the majority of the article seems to focus on how Americans (and Christians) have gradually come to accept yoga and are beginning to believe that it can easily be stripped of its Hindu implications. He continuously contrasts today's society to older societies where yoga was a “heathen” practice and totally out of the…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Religious Field Research

    • 2366 Words
    • 10 Pages

    As I thought about this paper, I wanted to explore a religion that I had little knowledge about so I chose Hinduism. In thinking about what little I previously knew about the Hindu religion my knowledge was very limited indeed! In this paper I will discuss what I have done in order to learn more about Hinduism. I will discuss any misconceptions I may have had and how they have changed. Also, I will try to figure out a way to minimize misconceptions.…

    • 2366 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The United States is arguably one of the most religious nations in the contemporary world. In the milieu of a dizzying diversity when it comes to religious expressions, many Americans participate more actively in their religions than virtually any other…

    • 2012 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Growing up as a first generation American Indian, my values and beliefs that come with traditional Hindu upbringing and the culture at my home tend to go unnoticed. All my values and beliefs are characteristic of my parents’ home country, while engaging in assimilation and socialization in this country where I was born and raised. The culture I am referring to here includes the beliefs, ideas, rituals and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation over many years.…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hinduism In America

    • 921 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The world is filled with numerous types of religions, each with its’ own deity and rules of worship. However, little is known about these different religions in America. One religion in particular would be Hinduism. Hinduism in America is highly underrated and more should be known about this fascinating religion. Hinduism became a part of America in the mid-1960s. Hindus from the Caribbean decided to embark on the journey because of political fears and economic uncertainties. As of 2014, 0.7 percent of the American population practices Hinduism. That counts for over two million people and yet, America is still in the dark about it.…

    • 921 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays