"Death also always makes me contemplate three things: 1. The privilege of community; 2. Whether I've sufficiently upskilled my children at life so they'll be OK if I died tomorrow; and 3. Hinduism. All three of these things community, debilitating anxiety and religion are gifts from my family. I know it's not cool to talk about religion. Throughout human history, we've used it to justify mass murder, colonisation and its related crimes."
"Sohum means I am that. It means I am divine. The word signifies oneness with the universal divine I am one with the ultimate reality. Shankari Chandran: In western thinking, duty is seen as a burden' My parents taught us Sohum as part of our meditation training. When I say training I am understating my parents' admirable efforts, and I am overstating the outcome of these efforts on me. I was a poor student of Hinduism and a very distractible child."
A recent family death prompted grief and reflection on community, parenting preparedness, and Hinduism as enduring gifts from family. The Hindu mantra Sohum is presented as a source of consolation, meaning “I am that,” signifying unity with the ultimate reality and a reminder of inherent divinity. Parents taught Sohum through disciplined meditation practices at a family shrine, using a lamp, focused attention, slow deep breathing, and guidance to empty the mind. Childhood distraction and imperfect practice contrasted with persistent parental efforts to instill calm, breath awareness, and spiritual grounding.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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