Guru or Complete Idiot?

[bcholmes]

I'm reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism at the moment. And I'm enjoying it. I've been meaning to understand Hinduism better for a while, now.

My interest in Hinduism has to do with the hijras and the relationship between the hijras and the gallae. (Also, the relationship between Cybele and Durga is kinda interesting). But I've also run into other interesting relationships reading this book.

One of the things I've found quite interesting is the Hindu concept of the soul, and its similarity to the Vodou concept of the soul. Wade Davis talks about the four parts of the body/soul in The Serpent and the Rainbow:

• The corps cadavre (the physical body)
• The nanm (the energy that moves through the body)
• The gwo bon anj (the personality, experience, thoughts, emotions, creativity)
• The ti bon anj (the higher life force -- the part that's the source of conscience and ethics)

And this is very similar to the soul in Hinduism:

• The anna maya kosha (the physical body)
• The prana maya kosha (the energy that moves through the body)
• The mano maya kosha (the thought energy)
• The vijnana maya kosha (the higher intellect -- judgment, conscience)
• The ananda maya kosha (mystical/spiritual awareness)

The difference is the fifth part of the soul. I have a vague recollection of one of Serge Kahili King's earlier books having a similar break-down, too. Must go find it...

Things that make ya go hmmmm....