Aditis

Fire rituals and horse sacrifices of the early Vedic people. The Vedic fire sacrifice (yajna) is the central act — Agni the fire god carries offerings to the celestial gods. Barley and horse are the markers.

The historical Vedic religion — fire sacrifice, Soma ritual, Deva worship, caste hierarchy. The direct predecessor of Brahmanism and Hinduism.

Sun worship — Surya as the visible fire of the cosmos. The Gayatri Mantra, Surya Namaskar, and sun temples at Konark, Modhera, Martand. Fire-sun deity from the Rig Veda.

Ancient Persian path of Fire and Purity. Atar the fire priest is the intermediary. Monotheistic worship of Ahura Mazda. Entered India as Parsis.

Monotheistic path of submission to Allah. The desert-fire origins of Arabia — arid, fierce, uncompromising tawhid. Entered through Malabar and Sindh.

The covenantal faith of Israel — fire on the mountain at Sinai, the menorah's eternal flame, the shabbat candles. One God, one people, one law.

The way of Christ — light from fire, the Holy Spirit as tongues of flame at Pentecost, the Easter fire, candle-lit liturgy.

India's materialist and atheist philosophy. Only direct sensory perception (pratyaksha) is valid knowledge. Rejection of all supernatural claims. The wind blows away illusion.

The third Shramana movement — absolute determinism (niyati). All beings go through 8.4 million rebirths fixed by fate. Breath-discipline but strict fatalism.

The science of breath — prana, asana, bandha, mudra. The body is the temple; breath is the fire. Eight limbs leading to samadhi. Air is the medium of pranayama.

The culmination of Vedic wisdom — Brahman is the ultimate reality, Atman is identical with Brahman. Neti neti (not this, not this). The wind of inquiry blows away ignorance.

The "Teaching of the Elders" — the oldest surviving Buddhist school. Anicca (impermanence), Anatta (no-self), Magga (the path). Breath meditation (anapanasati) is central.

The "Great Vehicle" — Buddha-nature, Bodhisattva ideal, emptiness (shunyata). Sunyata is the wind that blows away all fixed conceptions.

The "Thunderbolt Vehicle" — Tantric Buddhism, mandala, mantra, deity yoga. Rapid path to enlightenment using wind and fire (tummo) inner heat practices.

Islamic mysticism — the burning love for God (ishq), sama (whirling prayer), fana fi Allah (annihilation in God). The wind of divine love blows through the soul.

Unity of humanity and all religions — progressive revelation. The "wind of the spirit" bloweth where it listeth. Founded in Persia, now global.