The cow, a revered animal in Hinduism It represents Mother Earth, as it is a source of goodness and its milk nourishes all creatures. Krishna, a central Hindu deity, is often portrayed in stories recounting his life as a cowherd and referring to him as the child who protects cows.

cow

In Hinduism, many things are considered holy. Hindus not just worship idols of Gods and Goddesses, but also consider some objects as very sacred. Fire, wind, sun and soil are considered holy in Hinduism. Rituals that might look strange to other people are respected and considered sacred in Hinduism.

Millions of Hindus revere and worship cows. Hinduism is a religion that raises the status of Mother to the level of Goddess. Therefore, the cow is considered a sacred animal, as it provides us life sustaining milk. The cow is a symbol of the divine bounty of earth.

Scholars have known for centuries that the ancient Indians ate beef. After the fourth century B.C., when the practice of vegetarianism spread throughout India among Buddhists, Jains and Hindus, many Hindus continued to eat beef.

Here are some of the key beliefs shared among Hindus:

• Truth is eternal.
• Brahman is Truth and Reality.
• The Vedas are the ultimate authority.
• Everyone should strive to achieve dharma.
• Individual souls are immortal.
• The goal of the individual soul is moksha.

Yoga should not be performed in a state of exhaustion, illness, in a hurry or in an acute stress conditions. Women should refrain from regular yoga practice especially asanas during their menses. Relaxation techniques and pranayama can be done instead. Don’t perform yoga immediately after meals.

However, in a recent study yoga caused musculoskeletal pain – mostly in the arms – in more than one in ten participants. He added: “We also found yoga can exacerbate existing pain, with 21 per cent of existing injuries made worse by doing yoga, particularly pre-existing musculoskeletal pain in the upper limbs.

Nevertheless, what is certain is that ancient Vedic culture, which lays claim to being the first written spiritual tradition in the world, is much older than the loosely formed religion, Hinduism, that sprang from it. The spiritual practice of Yoga was part of Vedic culture long before Hinduism.

9 Benefits of Yoga

• Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.
• Yoga helps with back pain relief.
• Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.
• Yoga benefits heart health.
• Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.
• Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.
• Yoga helps you manage stress.
• Yoga connects you with a supportive community.

“Yoga is a Hindu spiritual exercise,” said the priest, Father John Chandler. There are different forms of yoga, she says, some of which are more overtly religious than others. Hare Krishna monks, for example, are adherents of bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion.