Which do you most identify with? (more inclusive poll - 54 options)

[Kleine Scheiße]

Voted Hindu/Vaishnavism. I am not ready to embrace the label totally in day-to-day dealings, and I am still exploring all my options, but the Vaishnava dharma is where I feel most comfortable as of now in my spiritual journey.

I'm also influenced by some sects of Christianity. I have a very specific religious outlook that probably doesn't fit entirely into any one tradition.

I was raised agnostic much to the disdain of my grandmother. My father has never centralized on one faith, and has alternately described himself as an anti-theist and a "Lutheran in name only".

[Kleine Scheiße]

Hinduism - Smartism

[Kleine Scheiße]

Considering moving my vote from Hindu - Smarta to Hindu - Other. My personal behavior is not as closely aligned with my faith as it really should be to claim any real lineage, but I wonder if I might be suffocating my own practice by enforcing upon myself this expectation for some "Zeal of the 'Convert'" dramatism which may not ever come. Nor would such even be necessary, and I know this, but will it ever feel like "enough?"

It is apparent that it doesn't have to feel like enough to be enough; and it is apparent that there is no need to alter my practices, beliefs, or behaviors to suit anyone's preferences or definitions toward any facet of "identity;" but it is not apparent that my actions do well by "Hinduism."

I try; I am young; I have only been involved with Hinduism for just over four years, and I did not start calling myself a "Hindu" until year four. I suppose I could be doing worse (read: less authentic, less respectful, less productive), but at the same time there is so much more that I could be doing. I'm sure some born into the tradition feel much the same way, minus the "only been involved with" plank. It is difficult to hide from the perception, however, that they have far more right to approach the subject in such a way than I. Perhaps it is so and I shouldn't think about it too much; perhaps it is and I should. Perhaps it is not so and I need to think more to realize this; and perhaps it is not so and why concern myself? In all reality, the answer is "all of the above," which rightly raises even more questions. What luxury to have the opportunity to marvel therein.

None of these labels have inherent meaning unto themselves, and this may as well be semantics for some, but it may be a little while before I'm totally comfortable incorporating that particular reality into my personal psychological broach of this topic.