What devotees value in life

Family
Health
Wealth
God

Why do devotees go to the temple, to:

Connect to God
Learn about God
Learn how to worship God
Sing and play instruments
Listen to the stories about God

What devotees find most difficult

Visualizing

Connecting “Experience is not only found in Disneyland, it is

INTRODUCTION
Understanding inherent in all interaction, fluctuating between levels of
BHAKTIYOGA (loving devotion), is the name of the most
unconsciousness, conscious and meaningful stories.”
Believing recommended form of devotion to God in Hinduism. The
(Florlizzi & Ford, 2000). This project looks into experiential
most significant practice within Bhakti is Rupadhyana,
design and the benefits it offers in creating a personal
MENTAL VISUALISATION of the divine names, forms,
connection and educating people. This project closely looks
attributes, pastimes and associates of the Supreme Lord
Devotees would use the following systems at values as a key factor, which informs decision making.
leading to the deepest states of meditation. To the left is a
to connect to God: Values denote the importance people place on a particular
diagram of the 9 forms of Bhaktiyoga devotion stated in the
Iphone application object, action or behavior. They are a set of parameters,
Bhagavat Purana (Hindu scriptures). They are ordered in an
which reflect identity, providing a context or point of
Wii / Playstation game ascending level of practice. Through a survey conducted
reference for an individual, or group who choose to adhere
within the Hindu communities of Wellington it was found
Virtual desktop avatar to them. The ‘value theory’ helps us understand how, why
that devotees had most difficulty in connecting and
and to what degree people value ideas, actions, objects and
Holographic deity visualizing God, and reaching the 7th, 8th and 9th forms of
people.
devotion. These are internal forms as opposed to sensory,
Animated deity
therefore problematic to initiate. The main reason for this is
By targeting ones values, is a designer able to the lack of practice of Rupadhyana (Mental Visualization)
create an affective design solution specifically that assists all these levels of devotion.
to influence connection, learning and change?

This project aims at facilitating devotees with a design solution that

-
will help them practice Mental Visualisation so that they can strengthen
rren - Dev
e s u
plet e dev
o ot
Recional so their loving relationship with God and attain the higher levels of
Comr wher rships d Scri itations ngs
de ee wo es Go
t lov sly Lectptures
ures
devotional practices. It should also teach key characteristics of Bhaktiyoga
andselfles
so that devotees can achieve their ultimate aim of life - attaining eternal
Go with ociae

Pra ries na
-
n s s

Divine Bliss - God.

sto ivine
tio of as Clo

9 1
So , pasrayer s
ise , p me
d

Surrenderance Listening
ng t t s,
te ate

s o ime
d
stantim

8 2
I

Becoming Chanting Bhaktiyoga is comprised of 5 main aspects these can be seen in the 2nd diagram to the left:
His friend
“As designers, we are now challenged to help companies (organizations) explore and visualize directions for their future offerings – the
Every act is ouoft of

7 9 FORMS of
and divtories,
the Divine Lord

glorieslling the
the service

Thinking to DEVOTION 3 right things to design” (Suri, 2004). This project looks at helping the Hindu religion in designing what devotees specifically need, to aid
namesine

Remembrance
be His servant them in their devotion. Values, Identity, Emotive Connection, and Experience Generation have emerged as the main
s

areas of focus for this project.

Reca

4
6 Service at the
Praying 5 Lotus Feet
A
de ttit Ritualistic rm
th r w ude Worship fo al
e h o a oni d
of inneich f s be m n e CONTEXT DESIGN SOLUTIONS
su r lea ure a n ere ip a o th ll
re att ds n- C r c rsh d t we
nd itu t o wo cte as It is known that “We become committed to those identities To address this problem of the inability to do mental
er de o e u
Performane of dir Gur that best enables us to express our most important self visualization, lack of personal connection and thus
prescribed values” (Erickson, 1995). Therefore all followers of Hinduism the inability to practice the higher devotional
ritual rites
idealy “should” be sharing the same values in accordance to practices, 6 design solutions have been contrived, they
God and life. A survey was conducted to see if the value for are designing:
God and the attainment of divine bliss had to evolve within
the followers in order to help them practice Bhaktiyoga. For – Holographic deities – with subtle movements the deities
the majortiy this was not the case as seen in the graphs Radha and Krishna (Together they are one - God) will come to
above. life and by watching the –Then one can learn to how to
visualize Them. When the hologram is connected to sensors
Radha and Krishna could respond to activities occurring in
When practicing Bhaktiyoga a loving relationship with God front of them. For example people coming near, or hymns
must be developed. Results from the survey (in graph above) being sung. This could trigger an emotive connection within

51
Rupadhyana:
Mental visualisation
of the divine name,
forms, attributes,
pastimes & associates
of the supreme lord.
show that devotees find it hard to connect to God.
“Emotions are considered to be the primary source of
motivation: they arouse, sustain and direct human
Being devoid
of all desires: action” (Angela & Johnson, 2004). A solution to emotionally
righteousness connect devotes to God must be found in order to motivate
wealth sensual them to practice Rupadhyana at the higher levels.
pleasures &
liberation
When designing a product it is said that “Products telling
the devotee, just like the crying Mother Mary.
– A virtual desktop avatar – once again merely watching
the desktop avatar initiates the learning of how to visualize.
The avatar would trigger remembrance, and the devotee
would be able to interact with Him in the different ways
mentioned in the Bhaktiyoga philosophy – thus Bhaktiyoga
can be also be taught through it.
– Wii game – Wii is an excellent interactive medium through

4 2
‘stories’, being associated with memories of some sort which the devotee can learn to engage with God in a physical
with ‘built-in meaning’ will be more successful in way to create a strong loving relationship. It can also teach
Having steadfast BHAKTIYOGA inducing emotion in people. People want to buy devotees how to practice the different levels of Bhaktiyoga
The Bhakti
devotion to one (loving products that are part of their life, that share their life, through stages aswell.
shouldnt be
‘Ananyata’. devotion) and that they can relate to” (Demirbilek, 2004).
diluted by: – The Iphone application, and the Playstation Portable
(If any subject Karma (action) Rupadhyana is about visualising the stories (with build-in game both can teach how to practice Bhakiyoga via

3
apart from God Jana (knowledge)
enters the mind One meanings) of the beloved Lords past times. If a product is interacting with the Divine personalities.
Tapa (Penance)
this is obstructed). should actively designed to share these stories, this would induce emotion, – Animation – An animation of the sweet past times of Radha
serve the Lord in a create a stronger connection, and maybe even aid & Krishna would benefit the devotee by giving the chance to
pleasingway through rela- visualisations for the devotees. see the different persona’s of Radha and Krishna, as well as
tionships of:tranquility,
servature, friendship,
many other aspects which they can translate to their own
parenthood & passionate “Bill Moggridge of IDEO invented a tautology to Mental Visualizations and interactions with Radha and Krishna
love. (Considering Him as encourage communication of ideas through tangible in their head.
your beloved son, friend, media: The only way to experience an experience is to
master or king). experience it” (Suri, 2004). Creating an experience with The last graph above shows the solutions which were most
God could help induce emotion, and impart knowledge that popular from the surey. Generally all the elderly favoured the
could help manifest love and a strong connection holographic deity, and younger devotees favoured the
to God. Iphone application and virtual desktop avatar. From here
further investigation into what is the best product that should
Roshan Patel 07010206
222.431 Massey University be designed in order to solve the issue will be examoined. All
solutions so far require the deities Radha and Krishna to be
TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS PROJECTS PROGRESS PLEASE VISIT: modelled - so modelling in Maya and Zbrush application will

roshanpatelmajor.posterous.com commense.