The Courage

It takes courage to survive this world.  These days, religion is less popular because people feel they can't be religious and have a good time.  But this comes from flawed logic.  They assume that since Christianity was the prevailing religion of Europe and they assume that white people are the master race, that if Christianity is dying all religion is dying.  But this is not an accurate use of logic.

There are other religions, systems, and worldviews out there.  I myself am not a practicing religious person but realize that religion civilized humanity and was the driving force behind law and ethics.  It started with Abraham the first Jew who was monotheistic, nonviolent, and monogamous when a time when men were lawless barbarians.  Then Jesus came a long and reworked the Hebrew tradition in his own way.

But there is also the religion of the east, of India, a nation that spawned Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.  All three religions are valid, real, and worthy of study.  Hinduism became popular in South Asia, Buddhism spread to East Asia, and Jainism stayed small because of its unrealistic nature.

Buddhism is about monastic discipline and finding enlightenment.  Jainism is about nonviolence, veganism, and avoiding doing all evil.  But Hinduism seems to have the most potential.  Yoga is the mystical aspect of Hinduism and Hatha Yoga is just one aspect of it.

In India, education if the youth is very important.  Children should be educated in diet, wrestling, hatha yoga, and sex education.  As you progress, you should learn a skill and take 20 years to master it.  If you start judo at the age of 8, by the time you are 28 you will be a World Champion.  It takes 20 years of daily practice to master anything.  I am just using judo as an example. 

As you go through young adulthood, middle age, and old age, you should work and play and love in harmony.  By the time you are really elderly, you should leave the world of men and retire to nature to find God.  To die with contentment is victory.

So it takes courage to live, and you don't actually have to knock anybody out.  That doesn't make you courageous.  A good man is instructed by his father, teachers, and rabbi or priest and does the right thing because he must do it.  This is one of the essential teachings of Hinduism, duty.  That life is not a free for all or orgy, that you must do service before you get to the fun part. 

Real courage is about doing the right thing with enthusiasm and getting the right result.  The main holy book of the Hindus is called, 'The Baghavad Gita' and summarizes all Hindu philosophy in one book of 18 chapters.  Chapter 7 is a summary of the summary.  In it, a Charioteer instructs and Archer on the nature of duty, success, the meaning of life, a man's role in society, vice, virtue, courage, and excellence.  It is one book that summarizes a thousand books.

So instead of debating on Evolution vs Christianity, or going to the next Tinder date, or watching MMA at the local bar, I suggest picking up a copy of this book and reading it for yourself.  Even if you understand one line from this book, it will enrich your life and help you live better. 

Hinduism and Yoga is not about morality.  It is not about worship.  It is about lived religion, about living a good life and dying a good death.  It has tremendous potential.