1. Hinduism

2. The world’s oldest religion
Key texts include the Vedas and the Upanishads (Rig Veda is the oldest)
No one supreme deity, no set form of worship, Hindus share a common world view about how to liberate one’s soul from every day existence. They refuse any single interpretation of reality. There is no congregational worship or a particular day of worship.

3. BRAHMAN = supreme universal spirit
Brahman is broken into three main parts
BRAHMA (created the world)
VISHNU (sustains the world)
SHIVA (destroys the world)
Each person has an individual soul (ATMAN)

4. BRAHMA

5. VISHNU SUSTAINS THE WORLD FOR 432 MILLION YEARS
ONE OF THE TWO MAIN GODS WORSHIPPED BY THE MASSES
PROVIDES COMFORT AND GUIDANCE FOR HUMANITY

6. SHIVA DESTROYS THE UNIVERSE AND THE CYCLE BEGINS ANEW
ONE OF TWO MAIN GODS WORSHIPPED BY THE MASSES
THIRD EYE OF HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS
DRINKS MAN’S SINS

7. REINCARNATION UPON ONE’S DEATH, HIS/HER SOUL IS PLACED IN ANOTHER BODY
THE CYCLE IS GOVERNED BY KARMA (ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES) WHICH DETERMINES WHICH STAGE IN THE CASTE SYSTEM THE SOUL WILL REAPPEAR.
ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BREAK THE CYCLE – STAGE KNOWN AS MOKSHA.

8. GANGES RIVER SACRED RIVER TO HINDUS
BELIEVE ITS WATERS HAVE HEALING POWER
MANY TAKE PILGRIMAGES AND SAMPLES HOME

9. SACRED COWS

10. SACRED COWS YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE TO MAN
PROVIDES MAN WITH FOOD AND MILK
PROVIDES MAN WITH FUEL FOR FIRE
CREATED BY BRAHMAN ON THE SAME DAY AS THE BRAHMINS
SYMBOL OF MOTHERHOOD