{"id":233,"date":"2011-01-10T22:42:47","date_gmt":"2011-01-10T22:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/projectconversion.com\/?p=233"},"modified":"2011-01-10T22:42:47","modified_gmt":"2011-01-10T22:42:47","slug":"hinduism-week-two-sacred-marks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/projectconversion\/2011\/01\/hinduism-week-two-sacred-marks.html","title":{"rendered":"Hinduism: Week Two: Sacred Marks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hinduism is a faith defined by a rich tradition of artistic fluency dating back for millenia. In light of this, nothing–even the gods themselves–are what they seem. Manifold layers of meaning are embedded\u00a0in everything from a simple hand gesture to an image of Shiva. One of Hinduism’s (and in fact India’s) most popular and best recognized symbols is that of the tilak and bindi.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The tilak\u00a0and bindi\u00a0are\u00a0marks of auspiciousness placed on the forehead between the eyebrows. This\u00a0area is said\u00a0to be\u00a0the location of\u00a0the Ajna\u00a0Chakra where spiritual knowledge and focus is said\u00a0to derive. A cooling effect given off by the drying of the ash, sandal paste, or kumkum\u00a0treats the heat generated in the Ajna\u00a0Chakra by meditation.\u00a0In fact, when a devotee reaches moksha (liberation) the Ajna\u00a0Chakra is the window through which enlightenment is viewed through.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

These marks\u00a0come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. For religious purposes there are three basic forms:\u00a0Devotees of Shiva apply sacred ash (bhasma, or vibhuti) in\u00a0three horizontal\u00a0lines across the forehead called the tripundra, devotees of Vishnu place a fingertip-sized dot of sandal paste on the Ajna\u00a0Chakra (and sometimes a single, vertical line), while worshipers of Shakti or Devi use the iconic red\u00a0sindoor\u00a0or kumkum paste\u00a0for the\u00a0bindi\u00a0spot.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The three horizontal lines of the tripundra generally represent purification, rejuvenation, and destruction. The red talik (or bindi) is the symbol of Shiva's consort, Shakti, and thus the combination of these two signifies their union.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Over the centuries the bindi has served as both a symbol of Shakti, the seat of wisdom\/inspiration,\u00a0and the mark of betrothal. It is a misconception that only married women wear the bindi, however as a wife, a woman bearing this mark has taken up her place as guardian of her family’s welfare and progeny. She is in effect taking on the role of Shakti, the manifestation of power and energy (particularly creative) in the household.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Indian woman wearing the bindi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The bindi in particular has undergone a cultural revolution of sorts over the last century and now also serves as a fashion statement alongside\u00a0its religious counterpart. Bindis\u00a0now use elaborate crystals, gemstones, colored felt, and adhesive paper designs to adorn the foreheads of their wearers. Many celebrities\u00a0such as Julia Roberts and Gwen Stefani\u00a0have been seen wearing the bindi, bringing the ancient mark more and more into the mainstream of pop culture.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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So there is your introduction into the world of sacred Hindu marks. Like all of Sanatana Dharma, there is much, much more beneath the surface of this deep and ancient tradition. Many people\u00a0practice the use of holy symbology in numerous ways, including its very application. Hopefully this intro will lead you delve more deeply into the world of this sacred and beautiful art.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Namaste\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hinduism is a faith defined by a rich tradition of artistic fluency dating back for millenia. In light of this, nothing–even the gods themselves–are what they seem. Manifold layers of meaning are embedded\u00a0in everything from a simple hand gesture to an image of Shiva. One of Hinduism’s (and in fact India’s) most popular and best…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":437,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[16,23,40,233,255,303],"class_list":["post-233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hinduism","tag-andrew-bowen","tag-art-and-culture","tag-bindi","tag-project-conversion","tag-sacred-marks","tag-tilak"],"yoast_head":"\nHinduism: Week Two: Sacred Marks - Project Conversion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/projectconversion\/2011\/01\/hinduism-week-two-sacred-marks.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hinduism: Week Two: Sacred Marks - Project Conversion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hinduism is a faith defined by a rich tradition of artistic fluency dating back for millenia. 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