sadhu

[guest88]

i found these pics here http://www.behance.net/gallery/Holy-Men/1391017
beautiful

Holy Men
by photographer
Ken Hermann


On my several travels to India and Nepal I’ve been very intrigued by the Sadhus – the ascetic Hindu holy men.
They awoke my curiosity with their way of life and of course  their appearance.
 
The Sanskrit term Sadhu ("good man") refer to people who have chosen to leave behind all material and sexual attachments to live a life apart from society in order to focus on their own spiritual practice. The Sadhus are widely respected for their holiness and sometimes even feared for their curses. They live in caves, forests and temples all over India and Nepal
 
Because the Sadhus lives in the most remote corners of India and Nepal they are very difficult to track down and the best way to get in touch with them is to go to the sacred places or holy festivals of Nepal and India.
 
My idea behind the portraits was to capture the beauty of the Sadhus. I wanted the Holy Men to stand out from the big crowds of the pilgrims and tourist you most often find at these sacred places.  
 
I wanted to give the portraits power and simplicity and to emphasize the spirituality of the Sadhus. Furthermore, I wanted to provide the images with a kind of unreal and almost supernatural look that emphasizes the sadhus’ place in the world
– a place closer to god.

[guest88]

[guest88]

more on site

[yoshi]

_/\_ what beautiful pictures....thank u for sharing <3<3<3

[Jitendra Hydonus]

_/\_ what beautiful pictures....thank u for sharing <3<3<3

i agree yoshi. i have lived alone so many years. i wonder though; How many sadu's do this by choice? Would they feel the same if they found another human being they loved and that loved them?

Jitendra

sadhu defined:

(Hinduism) An ascetic or practitioner of yoga (yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Hindu goals of life: kama (enjoyment), artha (practical objectives) and even dharma (duty).

[flying squirrel]

hey brother Jitendra ! 

my guess is they all do it by choice

and as for

Would they feel the same if they found another human being they loved and that loved them?

they leave no room in their lives for love with another human being
their focus is on God or Guru

[Jitendra Hydonus]

hey brother Jitendra ! 

my guess is they all do it by choice

and as for

Would they feel the same if they found another human being they loved and that loved them?

they leave no room in their lives for love with another human being
their focus is on God or Guru

Interesting Flying Squirrel i wonder what makes them make such decisions? Is it not possible to find human love and God manifesting in another human being? Or is this too a trap?

Jitendra

[flying squirrel]

ask yourself why you follow a Guru ?

yes, could be possible to find human love and God manifesting in another human being

but isn't loving another human being,
even if they posses such qualities as above ~
a distraction to the devotion and meditation practices of one such as a sadhu ?

he cannot have it both ways

[omkar]

ask yourself why you follow a Guru ?

yes, could be possible to find human love and God manifesting in another human being

but isn't loving another human being,
even if they posses such qualities as above ~
a distraction to the devotion and meditation practices of one such as a sadhu ?

he cannot have it both ways

Well said. "Seclusion is the price of greatness."

Renunciation begins within. The term sadhu or swami means just that. An inner renunciation of outer attractions.

The more one is purified by this way of living, seeing and offering all actions as service to God, the more his nature will be changed into that of Divinity.

[yoshi]

ask yourself why you follow a Guru ?

yes, could be possible to find human love and God manifesting in another human being

but isn't loving another human being,
even if they posses such qualities as above ~
a distraction to the devotion and meditation practices of one such as a sadhu ?

he cannot have it both ways

Well said. "Seclusion is the price of greatness."

Renunciation begins within. The term sadhu or swami means just that. An inner renunciation of outer attractions.

The more one is purified by this way of living, seeing and offering all actions as service to God, the more his nature will be changed into that of Divinity.

omkar.....that is beautiful <3<3<3 and so true     (((OM))) happens now.....from reading your post......(((Hugs))) from hOMe happen....<3<3<3


(((Hugs&Love&OM)))
yoshi 

[Jitendra Hydonus]

What interests me is the motivation behind the words and not the words themselves. Are we being reactive in our responses or are we being aware and loving in all circumstances. i am working on this. i mean as much as we talk about inner renunciation we all have been thru relationships of one sort or another. Most of us have found much joy and meaning in these relationships and most of us will be in relationships again. We r often exposed to situations and people that touch r buttons so to speak. At these times we can genuinely see just how much we have renounced and what we r willing to renounce and what we we at times r required to renounce whether we want to or not. Thanks for the input Yoshi, Omar, Flying Squirrel and Eric for starting the thread. It is wonderful to have people to b with like all of u. i do not think i would want to to renounce u and live the life of a sadhu. All though i do think about it and wonder how much i should renounce and how much is meant for me to enjoy as part of the love given to me thru others by God.

Jitendra

[yoshi]

when a soul is reunited with god....'it' becomes deeply 'rooted in god' again......

god like qualities come forth...the soul learns the Love of god,,,and is then able to share this Love with others.....

the Love of god...contains no jealously....possessiveness.....

it is difficult to Love another while soul consciousness is still in illusion/maya.....

for when in maya and loving another,,,,jealously and possessivness can happen.....those, are the sin....those are the 'things' that can keep soul from god.....

sex itself is not a sin....it is the jealously and possessiveness that is the sin....

until a soul is deeply rooted in god...it has the potential to fall prey to those sins.

((Love&Hugs&OM)))
yoshi

[flying squirrel]

sex itself is not a sin....it is the jealously and possessiveness that is the sin....

until a soul is deeply rooted in god...it has the potential to fall prey to those sins.

this is your opinion ?

or SRF line of thinking ?

[Jitendra Hydonus]

when a soul is reunited with god....'it' becomes deeply 'rooted in god' again......

god like qualities come forth...the soul learns the Love of god,,,and is then able to share this Love with others.....

the Love of god...contains no jealously....possessiveness.....

it is difficult to Love another while soul consciousness is still in illusion/maya.....

for when in maya and loving another,,,,jealously and possessivness can happen.....those, are the sin....those are the 'things' that can keep soul from god.....

sex itself is not a sin....it is the jealously and possessiveness that is the sin....

until a soul is deeply rooted in god...it has the potential to fall prey to those sins.

((Love&Hugs&OM)))
yoshi

Anne your theme is similar in your posts from the past. i certainly have 'things' to work on in life. Jealousy and possessiveness have never seemed to haunt me. Have they been something that u have been working on? i have always felt that if something wasn't meant to b then why b possessive or jealous? Y not b happy for someone's happiness if they r indeed happy? We strive to b kind to others and hope for their highest welfare. If we r jealous and possessive we leave ourselves closed off from love from somewhere and someone else.

P/S Flying Squirrel; i do not think any of us r pretending to give SRF's opinions.

Jitendra

[flying squirrel]

P/S Flying Squirrel; i do not think any of us r pretending to give SRF's opinions.

who said anything about pretending ?

let me rephrase, does that comment reflect line of thinking that goes with teachings of Yogananda or other spiritual teachings ?

just wondering, you don't have to jump to defense so quickly !