Hinduism/Madeline Burford

What is the human condition? In Hinduism, it seems like the human condition is more than just this life that we are presently living and the afterlife, but the human condition touches all aspects of life through karma. Ultimately, the human condition is moving towards the ultimate goal of Atman, or the innermost essence of the individual. Hinduism seems to have a very optimistic outlook of the human condition in that there are infinite mulligans, infinite redos until one finally becomes enlightened to the essence of the soul and removes themselves from their earthly self.

What is the solution to this condition & How do we move from problem to solution? These questions seem very similar in regards to Hinduism so I will answer them together. The solution or goal is to remove yourself of your ego, to become enlightened in order to become Atman where you are in a state of bliss. A truly enlightened person connects to all humanity and is liberated from the self so that they can best love others and Brama. The solution to the human condition comes through devotion to Brama (the Creator) and through discipline and dedication to the four yogis. There are four different yogis, and, depending on which Hindu you are talking to, these yogis can either be done sequentially, or individually based on each person’s personality. The first yoga is karma where one engages the body into the spirit and the actions you commit can either create positive karma or negative karma in the universe. The cool thing about this yoga is that Hindus believe that the universe is just, that it is sin free and punishment free. This is different from my background in Christianity, where there is no blessing or sin, there is simply a universe that will not let you get away with anything, good or bad. This yoga is all about service to god in every moment of your life. This I really enjoyed because I can connect this back to my faith, where we are called to live our lives as an act of worship, that our actions reflect our faith and our love for our Creator. The next yoga is Jnana where we gain logical understanding through schooling so that our mind can process and connect to god. Then there is Dhyana yoga where one practices the mediation of the heart to connect the heart back to god. Finally, there is Bhakti yoga which attempts to change the motivation of the individual to realize why you are doing all of this. In Hinduism, we move from the problem to solution by the yogas and through any part of religion, for religion is simply what reconnects you to God.

How best to live the solution in our own lives? According to Hinduism, the best way to live this solution is to be accountable in attaining liberation from the self. Accountability is found by asking oneself to step back and assess existence, assess motivations, and assess how you are connecting back to the creator. While I can appreciate the ideas of Hinduism, I enjoyed seeing how different it is from Chrisitanity. Yet, they complement each other so well. We both strive to reconnect with God, through mediation, prayer, action, and motivations. We both try to make sure that our actions reflect God, not ourselves. So the best way to live this solution is to find a way to reconnect yourself with your Creator in devotion and discipline.