What is The American Hindu Association?

The American Hindu Association (AHA) is a non-profit organization founded under 501 ( C) (3) to serve Hindus. This Association was established in July of 1998 with the initiative of a few devotees. The devotees attending weekly services are from various ethnic origins such as Canada, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the United States. We welcome everyone to our weekly Bhajan/Kirtan and Satsang programs. If you are interested in joining these Divine services, please provide us with your e-mail address and we will be happy to inform you of all our activities.

What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is the ceaseless quest of perfection of the human personality, at the innermost depth of which is found the truth of God. The sages of Bharath (ancient India) understood the psychology of the human mind and devised methods for an individual to attain this knowledge based on his temperament, background and the time of his existence . This makes the religion very diverse and maybe even very complex if not seen with an open mind. But a sincere aspirant will definitely achieve the purpose if he can think and apply the wisdom of the sages. This is what the religion is all about - Practical application of time tested ancient wisdom. Time and again highly evolved souls enter the realm of our existence to practically guide and encourage us , they could be avatars (divine incarnations) like Rama and Krishna or spiritual masters like Sankara, Ramanuja or in more recent times like Swami Vivekananda ,Swami Sivananda or Mata Amritanandamayi.Bharatavarsha(India) is a spiritual land, many great saints have walked its soil since time immemorial. The lives of these great souls will inspire and motivate anyone aspiring for the knowledge of the truth.

Hinduism is scientific in nature as it is based on the natural laws of the cosmos, revealed in deep meditation to disciplined minds. One can find many links with modern scientific theories in regard to the origin of the universe to what is mentioned in the Hindu scriptures. The statement below by one of the greatest scientists and admirers of Hinduism of our times is basically the Advaita philosophy of universal oneness..

The 20th century scientist Albert Einstein said, "A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space." Einstein believed that our feeling of separation from the whole is just a delusion of our consciousness. In this delusion ,life is limited to our personal desires. Our task is to be free from this limitation by widening our circle of compassion, embracing all living creatures as well as the whole of nature.

The primary mission of AHA is to teach the rich spiritual heritage of Hindu philosophy to devotees of all ages. This Association intends to provide the leadership and resources for the Hindu community, especially among the young generations. More specifically this Association intends to: * Provide services to devotees and children, promoting the awareness of principles and practices of Hinduism. * Organize "Satsang" to support and strengthen Hindu beliefs. * Invite Hindu teachers and scholars to present topics on Hinduism, enhancing our understanding of it.

Devotees hope the AHA will become a larger and more visible community presence, supporting individuals and organizations that: * Demonstrate commitment to the service of humankind above self. * Help younger generations understand the value of Hinduism for their spiritual development and citizenship. * Improve the quality of community life through cooperation and mutual co-existence, fostering mutual understanding and goodwill.

In order to accomplish the mission of this Association, devotees gather once a week for Bhajan/Kirtan, Satsang, and Aarati. Our sessions last about an hour and a half. Most of the Bhajans are in Sanskrit, although we welcome Bhajans in any language. The weekly gatherings are held at "Main Street Yoga", 634 West Main Street, Madison, WI 53703. Besides the weekly Bhajan meetings, AHA also organizes other special activities throughout the year.. These activities include group visits to Hindu Temples, and enlightening talks from well-known speakers.

2. Meditation

3. Bhajans

4. Satsang -(Discussion of certain specific topics with Questions/Answers)

5. Mantras

6. Aarati

Support

All AHA services are free of charge. However, any individual interested in making a tax-free donation can do so by writing a check to AHA. The Association has a policy of spending significant percentages of contributions on programs presented for the community. Besides the regular contribution, any individual can make a special contribution and designate their donation for any new or existing project of their choice. Currently, programs are offered under the following general categories:

1. AHA Educational Fund (Teaching Hinduism to Devotees and other interested individuals)

2. AHA Hindu Festival Fund (To celebrate the Holy days of Hinduism)

3. AHA Building Fund (This is a fund to use for the purchase of a building)

4. AHA Library Fund (To develop a library for Hindu scriptures and other Hindu related books)

Communication

The Association wishes to keep close contact with other Hindu Organizations around the world. Through the Internet, AHA will establish contact with other regional, national and international Hindu organizations and share information with them. The AHA believes that it is essential for Hindus around the world to establish a close relationship with each other, so that we may join together in advocacy for world peace .

This Association is still in the infant stage. It is important for us to organize a core of devotees who are willing to contribute their time and effort promoting activities and informing the community about our services. At this time AHA has a policy whereby all activities are accomplished through the voluntary efforts of devotees. No paid employees will be hired until the Association becomes economically sound. The Association is in the process of accelerating its fund raising activities, with hope that we will be able to acquire a permanent place of our own.