Every culture has its own traditions and beliefs that have been perpetuated for generations. Living in a changing world makes preserving traditions quite hard especially because most people tend to rationalize everything. So the Hindu traditions for example might seem stupid for those who don’t understand their meaning.
But did you know that some of these traditions can actually be explained through science? Discover more about the explanations that are behind 7 of the most popular Hindu traditions and understand better the world around you. Take a look!
7 Hindu Traditions and Their Explanations
1. Indian women wearing toe ring – it is sexy, mystical and it differentiates the married women from the single ones but these are not the only reasons why Indian women wear toe rings. These rings are worn on the second toe which it is said to contain a nerve connected to the uterus, passing through the heart. Through this, the uterus becomes stronger by regulating the blood flow in the organism. And since silver is a great conductor of energy it will absorb the bad energies from the body.
2. Prostrating before elders and parents – prostrating is the action of touching the feet of parents, teachers or beautiful souls. This ritual is done every day or on big occasions like beginning a new task, festivals birthdays, etc. In return, the elders bless those who perform this ritual by placing a hand on or above their head. This exchange of energy increases its flow and establishes a connection between the two persons. The nerves that start from the brain end in the fingertips of the feet and hands. So when the fingertips of the hands are joined with the ones of the feet, a circuit forms and the two bodies exchange energy.
3. Sitting on the floor while eating – it is not enough to just sit on the floor and eat. For this tradition to be performed correctly you have to adopt the ‘Sukhasan’ position before eating.This is a position popular among the Yoga practitioners and it implies keeping the legs crossed in a ‘half lotus’ pose. This is meant to bring calm in the body and help in the process of digestion by sending the right signals to the brain and preparing the stomach for digestion.
4. Fast – most Indians fast on special occasions or when they want to purify their souls. During these days they choose not to eat or they just eat some fruit or simple foods. The belief behind this practice is related to the fact that people spend a lot of time processing and cooking food. Some foods can also affect the body by making people violent or irritable. Through fasting the amount of acid contained by the body lowers and the waste gathered by eating complex food is eliminated, cleansing the body. Fasting can also help cultivate control over the senses and guide the mind towards obtaining a peaceful balance.
5. Tilak on the forehead – this sign is normally placed between the 2 eyebrows where it is believed to be a major nerve point which emanates electromagnetic waves. The Tilak prevents the body from energy loss and it helps it control the levels of concentration. By pressing these strategic points on the forehead the blood flow towards the face muscles increases.
6. Feet and hand painting with henna/mehendi – this ritual is done especially during weddings when people are stressed and need something to calm down. Mehendi is also a medicial herb that can prevent stress by cooling the body and keeping the nerves relaxed.
7. Lighting a lamp – almost all Indian homes light a lamp at the altar of the Lord. Why? Because light is the symbol of knowledge, while darkness stands for ignorance. And while the Lord is considered ‘Chaitanya’ (the knowledge principle) Indians in fact worship light as the Lord. By attributing these symbols to light and darkness it can be said that knowledge eliminates ignorance just like light replaces the darkness.
These Hindu traditions provide a gate towards the Indian culture. To respect others means to respect yourself, therefore people should try to be more tolerant and accept the differences that make this world wonderful.
Have you ever visited India? What other traditions have you noticed?
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Dana