In Hinduism, Sadhu is common term for a mystic, an ascetic, practitioner of yoga (yogi) or the wandering monks. The sadhu is solely dedicated to achieving the fourth and final Hindu goal of life, moksha (liberation), through meditation and contemplation of Brahman/God. Sadhus often wear ochre-colored clothing, symbolizing renunciation. The lives of Sadhus in contemporary India vary tremendously. Some sadhus live in ashrams and temples in the midst of major urban centers, in huts on the edges of villages, in caves in the remote mountains. Others live lives of perpetual pilgrimage, moving without ceasing from one holy place, to another. Some sadhus are solitary, while others live in large communal institutions. For some, the bonds of sadhu identity, the brotherhood or sisterhood of other ascetics, is very important.
The rigor of the spiritual practices in which contemporary sadhus engage also varies a great deal. Apart from the very few that engage in the most dramatic, striking austerities, standing on one leg for years on end, remaining silent for a dozen years, most sadhus engage in some form of devotional worship, hatha yoga, fasting, etc. The ruggedness of the sadhu life deters many from following the sadhu path. Many sadhus have entered the Guinness World Records for feats of marathon endurance including standing for 17 years, staying in the same place for more than two decades, crawling 1400 km and many similar efforts, in their quest to attain liberation.
Thus, Sadhus are not unified in their practices. Some live in the mountains alone for years at a time, eating only bananas. Others walk around with one hand in the air for decades until the fingers withdraw into a stump. Still others partake in the religious consumption of charas, similar to marijuana and contemplate the cosmic nature and presence of God in the smoke patterns.
There are naked Naga sadhus with thick dreadlocks or Jata. Aghora sadhus may live in cemeteries as part of their holy path. Indian culture tends to emphasize an infinite number of paths to God, such that sadhus, and the varieties that sadhus that exist, all have their place. Some sadhus allegedly practice black magic or herbalism and dispense cures to the local community, remove evil eyes or bless a marriage. For many sadhus, the consumption of cannabis in the form of marijuana, hashish, or the edible bhang is a central part of life. Cannabis is accorded a religious significance by many sadhus and is said to be Shivas Prasad, a form of his grace, and to allow the participation in his being.
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📿🕉📿✨🙏🏻
Bum Bum Bhole ~ Boom Shankar!🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thus, Sadhus are not unified in their practices. Some live in the mountains alone for years at a time, eating only bananas. Others walk around with one hand in the air for decades until the fingers withdraw into a stump. Still others partake in the religious consumption of charas, similar to marijuana and contemplate the cosmic nature and presence of God in the smoke patterns.
There are naked Naga sadhus with thick dreadlocks or Jata. Aghora sadhus may live in cemeteries as part of their holy path. Indian culture tends to emphasize an infinite number of paths to God, such that sadhus, and the varieties that sadhus that exist, all have their place. Some sadhus allegedly practice black magic or herbalism and dispense cures to the local community, remove evil eyes or bless a marriage. For many sadhus, the consumption of cannabis in the form of marijuana, hashish, or the edible bhang is a central part of life. Cannabis is accorded a religious significance by many sadhus and is said to be Shivas Prasad, a form of his grace, and to allow the participation in his being.
🙏🏻✨📿🕉📿✨🙏🏻Bum Bum Bhole ~ Boom Shankar!
🙏🏻🙏🏻
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