SANATANA DHARMA AND THE MODERN WORLD

Won't A Person Lose their Western Identity by Becoming a Hindu?

Becoming a Hindu is not taking on an exclusive religious belief that cuts one off from other points of view. It is a means of opening up to the universal and eternal tradition (Sanatana Dharma).

We should ask, are we really Westerners (or Easterners) for that matter? We are human beings first of all and the legacy of all humanity belongs to us. Identity is something that we are going to lose anyway. Identity is what blocks our understanding of the Eternal. Our true identity is in Consciousness, not in any cultural association.

We should adopt whatever furthers our spiritual life, not just meditation practices but all forms of culture, language and behavior, wherever we may find it. Whatever we take out of this attitude is not a divisive identity but a way of action in harmony with the universe. Should people recognize their connection with Sanatana Dharma and its great stream of teachers and teachings, it can only be good. It will strengthen our true identity in the Self and not cause us to lose anything that really belongs to us.

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