Busting IRONic Myths in the HP Furnace

Busting (IRONic) myths of Spiritual Practice in the furnace of critically heated arguments I've been in or around. 

In light of the latest Himachal Pradesh HC rulings on financial autonomy of temples, and traditional system of temple management and rituals…

When someone seems “spiritual”, does yoga, goes to temples, chants, or says “namaste,” it sparks flying embers.

Why so?

Busting some concrete concepts - let’s see what fly ash is left!

Temples = Prayer Halls

Temples are prayer rooms and worship halls when we think in “modern science”. But lets wonder beyond biology, at least. How well does modern science understand “life”? Is it the blood, the heart, or Krebs cycle, which is “life”.

Ancient knowledge recognizes prana (breath/ energy movements) as life. Due to the activities of devoted followers, a temple is a lively and transformative dwelling for a living Divine entity, or Deity. 

🔥 Temples are bloomeries. 

Temple is Emotion  

It actually shouldn’t be. Temples should give a physical manifestation and practice space. 

But there is psychology to it. See, when you watch a movie, you feel things. Temples have that aspect too, of invoking certain psychological tracks to the true innards. 

Like dressing up for Dev Diwali, Tulsi Puja, Karnataka Rajyotsava, Haryana Day, or Kerala Piravi - you feel festive when you dress festive. That too channels the mindset of festivity to access the merriment within.

🔥 Cinder-ellas don’t doll up just for the “gram” even if they don’t know it!

People Worship for Money v/s A Devotee Doesn’t Need Money 

Those on a spiritual journey do not label things good or bad. But you do need “roti-kapda-makan” before you can pursue spirituality, especially when you are in a female body.

🔥 A Bhakt is not brittle. Roast them and they'll take it as tempering.

Spiritual Life is Dull

You can’t be spiritual without enthusiasm. Followers of the inner path enjoy art, music, movies, travel, martial arts, festivals, and practice. They just fixate on what they enjoy. 

🔥 Devout practitioners ain’t distraught, they are wrought iron at the anvil.

Seekers are at Peace/ look for Peace

Outward, yes, peace helps all.

But spiritual practice is an inward war. It’s when you start sadhana that the phantoms show. 

Sadhakas are called “veeras” for a reason. Fighting the inner you is the battle. Fluxing fate is not easy.

🔥 At the bellows' roar, forge!

Mantras and Meaning

People who chant are often mocked for

(a) not knowing meaning,

(b) looking for meaning in a primitive language, or

(c) believing that sounds will bring money and health.

Looking for the meaning of chants is just food for thought. It is entertainment like reading the heat-tints like a scroll. 

🔥 Being plunged into cold reality quenches spiritual thirst.

A mantra's power comes from its sound and vibrations, not from what we humans decide it means. Science tells us this today—that the universe is basically all about vibrating interactions, not just matter.

The meaning does not actually matter - but sounds do. Modern research shows that the Big Bang sounds like AUM and that pulsar stars sound like the Damaru.

🔥 Spiritual process hammers to forge. There will be sound.

GODS! 

Religious people believe in God or gods. But a believer is just curious about the life that they contain and is creative enough to manifest aspects of life into divine entities - deities.

🔥 Believers are pliable at critical heat, but unbreakable.

Depending on their background and karmic structure, they naturally go from deities to deities. 

But life has several aspects too. Everyone has all these channels. The system has a place for gods we may never even hear about. Depending on tendencies shaped by karma and fulfilling past-life journeys you may go through different sadhanas at different times. 

You’re usually not the driver. Sadhana puts the guru or ishta devta in the driving seat. 

🔥 Baptism of the blade at the darkening pool.

Some people only need one deity, though.

I believe that other deities have entrusted this soul at the altar of one deity, because their karmic structure calls for practice for one aspect.

Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartism, Ganapatya, Kaumaram, Dvaita, and Vishishtadvaita all come from Advaita, for example.

🔥 Annealing oneself to crystallize clarity.  

 Supermarket Spirituality

For Indians, spirituality isn't a side gig—it's the factory setting. The cosmic operating system is already installed; woven into the social fabric through daily practices like school invocations and mindfulness.  However, the path of the genuine spiritual seeker—especially the foreigner who discovers this inner dimension independent of cultural heritage—is one of profound, conscious choice - a massive life upgrade by divine appointment.

🔥 Living the truth of the tool

Spiritual People & Non-Spiritual People

The absolutely most common misconception regarding spirituality is that there are spiritual people and non-spiritual people. And cue the mockery.

Often, seekers of the inner realms develop a “special" feeling of being "better than others".  ("I meditate more," "I eat better," "I am more knowledgeable", “My morals are above yours”). When you tread the sadhana path, demons will arise. Ego is the most counterproductive to true spiritual growth. A veera cuts down these demons with humility. The goal of yoga and spirituality is to dissolve the boundaries of your limited self and experience life as an all-inclusive, unbounded phenomenon. 

🔥 We need inner gleeds, not outer creed!

Often, spiritual aspirants are mocked for not being grounded in reality. ("Head in the clouds," “irresponsible,” "cult doesn't pay the bills," “denying proven science", "holier-than-thou?")

No, if you have a soul, a breathing body, you’re spiritual. If you do not have a body, you’re definitely spiritual!

When do you want to start doing something?

🔥 Strike while the fire is within, for unless you light up when you’re alive. You have little chance at the pyre. 

Flower, gleam and glow...

Change the fate's design...

"Healing Incantation" from Tangled, written by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, performed by Mandy Moore.