Marketing the Sacred

A range of sacred materials has now entered a very tenuous place in their introduction into the US and other countries. They are being bought and sold strictly as commodities without proper respect for the power and history. Rudraksha seeds, for example, have long been revered within the Hindu tradition for their profound subtle abilities to still the mind, amplify the effects of mantra repetition and far more.

But as they become popular in Western culture and enter the mainstream, they are marketed as magical trinkets.

Especially to those who worship Shiva, they are the body of Lord Shiva, not symbols. They are sacred objects and deserve to be treated as such. In addition, each rudraksha, depending on how many ‘faces’ or divisions it has, will have specific properties that can benefit those who wear it. Smart seekers are starting to realize they have much to gain by wearing the right one (or ones) for their unique spiritual journey. However if these rudraksha ‘species’ are not described accurately, how can we find the right ones for each of us? Merchants who sell them online bear a real responsibility to convey authoritative information about these powerful organic ‘gems’.

Case in point : recently I found a new site offering malas and rudrakshas as glib, “sexy” style accessories. Photos of airbrushed teen models and shirtless men parade on the site pages sensuously draped with……..japa malas?

Sorry, but the pretty boy/girl models on the site don’t look like anyone I see wearing malas. I was waiting to find shots of mature, contemplative people rather than a bunch of mostly teenagers dressed up (or undressed) to portray simple vanity. The site calls malas “accessories” and rudrakshas “lucky charms.”

The culprit of course is greed and its vehicle, marketing. The symptom is shallowness. No distortion is too great for the person trying to make money. Mantras, yantras and rudraksha seeds are the new Wild West of energy self-enhancement, a late blooming extension to what once was the New Age.

I ask : Can we raise our sights a bit? These items are tools in a massively rich and complex language at the confluence of yoga, ayurveda, Hinduism and vedic astrology (all of which derive from the Sankhya philosophy embedded in Vedic culture, but that’s for another article). Taken together, these cultural elements form a true “science of enlightenment” when presented authentically. Injecting the motives of sex and vanity is both distracting disrespectful.

The fabio/barbie site is rich with examples of overzealous marketing. One is their description of the important 9-mukhi rudraksha……

…..It destroys bad habits and opens the heart to the power of the Divine. Suggested for spiritual seekers and devotees of Maa. Its power comes into play whenever negativity starts attacking, boosting the wearer's protection circles. It helps eliminate injustice and cruelty. Furthermore, it is said to protect those who are prone to fatal diseases of a mysterious nature…..

How wonderfully flowery – but what is the source of any of it? My answer : there is none, it’s fabrication. In reality, rudrakshas have been known for thousands of years as energy medicines with very specific effects. Compare with the actual scriptural basis of the same 9-mukhi seed…….

Paradoxically, it grants both bhoga (material gains) and moksha (spiritual liberation), unlike any other known sacred material, as described.

The 9-mukhi is considered to be the body of Goddess Durga (also called Shakti). All rudrakshas are the Eyes of Shiva, but worshippers of the feminine Shakti should wear this rudraksha. A sense of security arises, as if always being with the Mother. It increases self-discipline and fearlessness in the world, while also granting increased devotion and eventual salvation. Durga blesses the wearer with dynamism and energy focused on dharma, leading to success. In Vedic Astrology, only the 9-mukhi is said to appease the effects of all nine grahas (planets).

Ruling planet : Rahu (Dragon’s head)

Medicinal : intoxication, addictions, compulsive behavior, worries, fears, phobias, most psychological and psychiatric disorders

Mantras : Om Hreem Hum Namah and Nav Durgayai Namah

Setting : gold or silver

Day to begin wearing : Monday

That’s a lot of information, yes? Amazingly, there is much more to know about this one seed, just as there is about all the spiritually-potent materials described in the Vedic scriptures. These texts form a vast magical database of the energetic use of materials, with which we can relieve suffering, fulfill virtuous desires, and move all souls toward their final goal, which is liberation.

So I ask you, what more could we want? What higher objectives even exist to embrace? For those who learn and apply what lies in the Vedic treasure chest, the higher planes open. The material world loses its attraction in favor of an inner reality that is, ironically, far greater. There, the attraction to marketing hype just dies. Airbrushed teen models wearing “spiritual accessories,” for example, simply miss the point.