Visualization Worship:

Learning how to
Connect to God

Roshan Patel
07010206

Abstract. Worship of God is the soul practice of all religions. It is a

means through which followers connect to God to receive
enlightenment. Regardless of their level of devotion many followers
of Hinduism have difficulty ‘connecting to God’. The research found
that their difficulty was caused by a lack of knowledge of the specific
practice of visualization within Bhaktiyoga. The aim of this project is
to use experiential design to educate devotees about visualization and
enhance the practice of Hinduism. “Experience is not only found in
Disneyland, it is inherent in all interaction, fluctuating between levels
of unconsciousness, conscious and meaningful stories” (Battarbee &
Mattelmaki, 2004, p. 337).

This project endeavors to find a design solution to enhance devotional

practice of Hinduism.

Keywords. God, Hinduism, Devotional practice, Values, Emotive

Connection, Experience Generation.

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Introduction
The aim of life in Hinduism is to attain eternal bliss – God. The way to achieve this is to
practice devotion, purify the heart, surrender and become deserving to attain God’s grace,
His bliss. In Hinduism God descended on earth many times in many different forms to
help the souls in their devotion. “God gives practical examples through His acts of grace
upon individual souls during His descensions, hearing which, other souls are inspired to
surrender to Him” (Maharaja, 1996, p.272). In the descension of Krishna though there are
far more of these practical examples and also lovely “pastimes” that help devotees easily
become attached to Him. Pastimes are stories, actions & events that Krishna played out
while He was on earth.

“In the beginning, the devotees mind cannot attain stability through
mere meditation upon a form. It has to take the support of Divine
pastimes in order to engross the mind in the spiritual realm. The Figure 1
pastimes of Krishna are so irresistibly charming, that the devotee’s
mind is forcibly attracted to them” (Maharaja, 1996, p.279).

Krishna assumes two forms for the performance of Pastimes. Radha is the other form and
she is known to be the “soul” of Krishna (Figure 1). The devotee can pick either Radha or
Krishna, or both to worship. The first thing the follower has to do to attain eternal bliss is
to practice loving devotion, Bhaktiyoga towards Krishna and Radha.

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What is Bhaktiyoga
Bhaktiyoga is the name of the most recommended form of devotion to God in Hinduism.
Bhakti means loving devotion, and yoga is practice. Bhaktiyoga is comprised of 5 main
characteristics; Rupadhyana - mental visualization is the 5th and most significant as
displayed in Diagram 1. Diagram 2 shows the nine forms of Bhaktiyoga devotion stated in
Diagram 1
the Bhagavata Purana (a Hindu scripture). They are ordered in an ascending level of
practice.

Diagram 2
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A survey conducted within the Hindu communities of Wellington showed that devotees
have most difficulty in connecting and visualizing God (Graph 1), and reaching the
seventh, eighth and ninth forms of devotion in Bhaktiyoga. These are internal forms as
opposed to sensory, therefore problematic to initiate. Further questions were asked in the
survey to find out whether this was a result of devotees’ lack of value for God or
understanding of Bhaktiyoga practices, and whether the devotees are overtly or passively
following the religion. Graph 2 shows that the majority of the devotees value God first in
their life, then family, health and wealth. Most of the devotees also go to the temple to
connect to God, learn about Him, and then learn how to worship Him (Graph 3). It is very
clear that the majority of Hindu’s go to the Temple for the correct reasons. From graph 1
and observation by going to the temple and attending prayer evenings, the problem is the
lack of the teaching of Bhaktiyoga – specifically Rupadhyana (mental visualization)
which assists all nine levels of devotion and leads to higher states of devotion.
Graph 2
Project Aim Graph 1
This project endeavors to find a design solution to enhance devotional practice of
Hinduism by using experiential design to educate devotees about visualization and
enhance the practice of Hinduism. The solution should also teach key characteristics of
Bhaktiyoga, such as the third one in Diagram 1 – considering God to be your beloved,
son, friend, master and king, so that devotees can strengthen their loving connection, and
achieve their ultimate aim of life.

Graph 2

Graph 3
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How people practice Bhaktiyoga digitally
With the rise of digital technology, people are looking for ways to follow their religion
digitally. Many people watch ‘Little Krishna’ (Figure 2), it won the best animation award
at the Asian Television Awards (ATF) in Singapore and the Golden Cursor. The show is
enjoyed by all ages, and is an excellent introduction to the religion for kids. Each episode
deals with a different adventure in Little Krishna’s life based on the pastimes in Hindu
mythology. “India, with its vast collection of folklore and myths is a treasure trove of
stories, just waiting to be adapted to animation. This is indeed the perfect format for
Indian myths, given that they’re full of fantastical events and creatures” (Pillai, 2009).
Figure 2
There are many Christian based web sites where you can pray online, and also there are
Christian social networking sites with chat forums which help the younger generations
follow the religion. Christianpulse.com is a website which markets it self as “cutting edge
faith” due to its digital themed offerings. Hinduism has also gone online where you can
listen to hymns on Youtube, receive updates from Hindu society’s Facebook pages, and
even perform Hindu rituals online. In Figure 3 we see the popular “arti” worship being
practiced towards a guru on a flash interactive webpage. These digital options although
lack a sense of immersion, a higher level of experience design, through which devotees
can learn to develop a loving relationship with God.

Experience Design Practice

Experience design could be the key to enhancing the emotional connection felt between
devotees and God, and also teaching the devotees how to practice Bhaktiyoga and mental
visualization. Successful experiences are obtained by an appropriate interplay of the Figure 3
Information, Interaction, and Sensorial Design disciplines as can be seen in the Figure 4.
“Experience design is an approach to creating successful experiences for people in any
medium. Includes consideration and design in all 3 spatial dimensions, over time, all 5
common senses, and interactivity, as well as customer value, personal meaning, and
emotional context” (Poggio, 2004). By utilizing all of these features an effective design
solution could be resolved to help the devotees.

Figure 4

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How can Bhaktiyoga be Invoked through Experience Design
Radha and Krishna could be bought to life through animation and interaction. Radha and
Krishna are usually portrayed as a statue or illustrative form in a way that is designed to
engage you (Figure 5). None of the representations (dolls, statues or illustrations) are
engaging on a sensory level though - which is a fundamental facet of experience design.
Devotional songs encourage the visualization of various past times, and also personal
interaction with Radha and Krishna. As devotees have not yet learnt how to visualize, this
idea of bringing them to life and making them interactive will help initiate this
visualization.

Virtual Barber Shop is a Youtube video that is a good example of how sound can give you
an experience. You are instructed to listen to the virtual experience sound though your
headphones while closing your eyes. The 3D sounds place you in a barbershop. The
barber enters the room, starts talking to you, whispers in your ear, starts chopping away at
your hair, and even uses a raiser cutter. The experience feels realistic and excruciating at
times. The technique used in the audio is sound depth, where different sounds are recorded
at different distances from the microphone, to create a sense of nearness and closeness to
the listener. These virtual sound effects could be used to create an environment and
ambiance for where the devotee may experience Krishna and Radha’s presence.

Aromatherapy is a practice which affects the mood, emotions and memories of people.
“The sense of smell is the only sense that is directly linked to the limbic lobe of the brain,
where the emotional control center is located. This is where anxiety, depression, fear,
Figure 5
anger, joy and other emotions come from. This is why a scent of a special fragrance can
bring up memories, moods and emotions” (Kernan, n.d). To the right is a couple of lines
from a Hindu prayer which describes a scene where Krishna is sitting on the banks of a
sacred river in India. It mentions the smell of his hair, food, and the smell of the breeze. If
devotees were able to smell these scents as they think about this prayer, this could aid
their visualization by further immersing them into the scene, and also enhance an
emotional connection within the experience as well.

The interactive aspect of experience design is essentially about story telling and creating,
which is both an ancient art and can be done through a new technology. “Media have
always effected the telling of stories and the creation of experiences, but currently new
media offer capabilities and opportunities not yet addressed in the history of interaction
and performance” (Poggio, 2004). These new interactive media’s could help portray the
intense love Krishna and Radha have for their devotees. If they were brought to life and
Figure 6

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presented in a system such as in interactive video game like Wii or any touch and sensor QUALITY QUALITY IN RELATION TO PROJECT
controlled interface, devotees could directly interact with them, and stories and messages
being portrayed and created could be more personal, inducing emotion as well. This idea • Make people feel they can do Make the devotees enhance their love for God
could be successful because “Products telling ‘stories’, being associated with memories of something better. Empowers people
some sort with ‘built-in meaning’ will then be more successful in inducing emotions in to do something in a better way.
people. People want to buy products that are a part of their life, that share their life and • Improve people’s lives helping to Help them strengthen their relationship and
that they can relate to” (Demirbilek, 2004, p.280). solve existing pragmatic problems practice Rupadhyana - visualization of God
• Make people have an enjoyable and Make them enjoy their experiences with God
fun time during the experience, thus
According to Andre Braz an experience designer, experiences that foster happiness should
making life worth to be lived.
have the qualities in Table to the right. The ultimate aim in life in Hinduism is to attain
• Surprises people in a magic way, Initializing devotees to visualize wonderful
Happiness – Eternal Bless (God), therefore whatever experience is created for the devotee bringing delight to the eyes and interactions with God
happiness should be evoked, and the qualities in the table achieved. making the mind wonder.
• Create an emotional connection Strengthening the emotional connection
Design Development between everyone involved, the between the devotee and God
Five design solutions have been contrived from this research. Many of the design experience itself and the one
solutions originated from the practice of deity worship, a form practiced for centuries by supporting the experience (a brand
many religions. Deity worship is an important practice in Hindu devotion to develop love or a person).

for God. It is number five in the nine forms of devotion (Diagram 2). Glick and Tanis • Make the world a better place to Make the world a better place for the devotee to
live live - because through the experience they
(1997) elaborates on why deities are worshipped in Hinduism;
would have learnt how to do Rupadhyana -
Mental Visualization so that they can visualize
“If you want to love God, you must be able to develop some and interact with Radha and Krishna where
personal relationship with Him… As the devotee renders continuous ever they are, 24 hours a day
and regulated service to the Deity according to the methods
authorized in the scriptures, the impurities of his heart gradually
become cleansed and his natural loving relationship with the Lord
is manifest. Without being able to relate to God in some personal
way there is no question of learning to love Him”.

This is the shared view of many Hindu followers, although it completely oversees the
important practice of Rupadhyana – which creates an intimate personal relationship via
visualization. The methods of worshipping the deities, such as the ones in Figure 7,
involves practices such as inviting the God, offering water, washing His feet, bathing and
clothing Him, and offering flowers and food, alongside praying and reciting mantras. This
ritual based relationship is limiting in terms of developing a relationship with God and
developing a longing to see his Divine Blissful form on one basis; generally people “feel
the presence of God before them or in their hearts only while they are engaged in
devotional practice” (Maharaja, 2004, p265). The highest forms of Bhaktiyoga involve
Figure 7

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practicing devotion with the consciousness that God is always present with you
everywhere. Rupadhyana facilitates this remembrance and consciousness as mental
visualisation can be done 24 hours a day, whilst performing your daily duties. You can
visualise Krishna and Radha sitting, walking, and talking with you wherever you are.

The five design solutions are a Wii console game, a virtual desktop avatar, an Iphone
application, animation & a Holographic deity. The Wii game solution effectively is
designed to replace deity worship, bringing practices of deity worship into the digital
realm. It is an excellent interactive medium through which the devotee can learn to
engage with God in a physical way. The latest hand controller is a glove, which further
enhances the interactive opportunities within the software. You could pick up objects for Figure 8
worship or even touch Krishna. Different levels within the game could be based on the 9
levels of worship, teaching the devotee how to practice Bhaktiyoga.

The virtual desktop avatar is based around interactive virtual reality pets and the nurturing
and caring involved in looking after them. “The object of the (virtual pet) game is to
simulate the proper care and maintenance of a “virtual chicken”, which is accomplished
through performing the digital analogue of certain “parental” responsibilities, including
feeding, playing games, scolding, medicating, and cleaning up after the ersatz pet”
(virtualpet.com). The devotee could learn to care, nurture and remember Krishna, creating
a connection on their computer screen.

An I phone application designed to help the devotees would operate in the same way as
the Wii game or the Desktop Avatar, it could be a game, or even be an Iphone Avatar.
This solution is transportable and sound experience could be Incorporated effectively as
well. The animation idea is based around portraying specific stories being told in Hindu
hymns. It could play along side the devotional songs, teaching the people what to
visualize when they are singing the songs. The final design solution is an interactive
hologram of Radha and Krishna. This idea effectively replaces Hindu deity photos and
statues to engage the followers more in their worshipping. All solutions involve an
animated Krishna and Radha allowing devotees to see how the Gods gracefully move and
interact initiating visualization.

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These solutions were included in the survey to be put to the test. The results showing the
most popular can be seen in Graph 4. The survey sample consisted of twelve 16-25 year
old people, and fourteen 41+ (three people did not specify an option) a good variation in
age, only excluding children. All of the design solutions had been thought to be applicable
to ages up to 60. The holographic deity is the most popular solution. It is attractive to all
ages unlink the solutions, as older (Indian) participants do not use computers, Wii game
consoles, or Iphones. Other options were also not as successful because devotees felt that
they were less immersive.

The Holographic Deity

The holographic deity is the design solution, which is going to be developed and carried
through into production (Figure 9). It will be presented as an experiential installation
simulating a temple environment. Inside will be the deities, a table for offerings, Indian
instruments, and cushions to sit on. The key aspects of the installation are as follows:
Graph 4
Radha and Krishna will be modeled and animated, and projected as a hologram via the
Peppers Ghost method, they will be brought to life. “By incorporating a hologram with
themed environments, props, and dioramas, the content of the hologram is expanded to
create a three-dimensional, life-like experience of any size” (Allen, J (1993). Therefore
inside the temple installation it will feel as if Radha and Krishna are actually present. Just
as Mother Mary statues weep tears of blood, and many Christians’ faith builds strength on
this vision, the worshippers making eye contact with the deities, and reading the deities
loving gestures, will change and evolve their emotions as well. “Emotions are considered
to be the primary source of motivation: they arouse sustain and direct human action”
(Angela & Johnson, 2004, p.263). With this in mind once the devotes engage with the
Radha and Krishna, and a relationship is formed or strengthened, this could help him
further on his devotional path to attaining the Bliss of God.

To create visual interactive experience, various sensors will be connected to the deities
activating different responses from them, making them interactive. An infrared sensor will
be used for the deities to sense when someone enters the room. When someone
approaches the deities, they will be able to look at them, and make personal eye contact. A
force sensitive resister will be used inside the cushions so that when someone sits down
the deities will know where to look and smile in admiration. They will also be used on the
offering table for the deities to know when some has offered something so they can give a
loving gesture. A photo interrupter sensor will tell the deities when someone has picked
up the Aarti tali (plate with Indian candle on it) to perform the light offering worship
Figure 9

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practice. This practice is preformed with a song, which describes all the beautiful aspects
of Radha and Krishna’s form and characteristics. The deities could show off these
attributes while they are being sung. Vibration sensors could be connected to the Indian
Tabla drum, so that if a devotee plays it to a certain level of pressure the deities will
notice, could start to dance in enjoyment. A sound sensor also could be used to measure
the level of sound produced in chanting, when a certain level is exceeded the deities could
show extreme happiness. Thus when the devotees are in the “temple” immersed in
worshipping, their Gods loving, gracious presence their emotive connection towards
Radha and Krishna will increase. It is well known that if you “Tell a person, they’ll forget.
Show a person, they’ll remember. Involve a person, they’ll understand” therefore through
the experience of this installation the devotees will understand how to practice
Rupadhyana Mental visualization.

To further enhance the immersive experience of the deities’ presence surround sound and
sound depth will be used. As the prayers and hymns are playing environmental sound
effects will be too. Speakers near the deities will spread the sound of the deity’s
movements - jewelry tinkling, footsteps and clothes swaying. Other speakers will recreate
sounds of the divine realm such as peacock calls and conch shell horns. Songs and prayers
with Indian instruments will be playing. The deities will respond / mimic the meanings of
these songs accordingly. This experience will stay with the devotees after they have left
the temple installation.

Various scents will automatically be sprayed within the installation. And also objects of
worship such as bells, instruments, flowers etc will be present so that the devotees can
worship Radha and Krishna in a tangible way as well.

Writing on the walls and handouts will have brief messages on how to learn to practice
Rupadhyana mental visualization and its importance in relation to Bhaktiyoga. It will be
communicated that Radha and Krishna are there to help devotees learn how to practice
visualization of their form, and create a loving connection, also that “Constant contact
with this world of form and qualities has made it the nature of living entities, that their
interest is aroused only in an entity with form arid qualities. Hence, God descended on
earth to provide this opportunity for individual souls. Meditating on his divine forms and
qualities, innumerable souls have been blessed eternally.” (Maharaja. 1996, p. 271)

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Conclusion
Research in the paper shows Hindu devotees find difficulty in connecting to God. The
reason for this is the lack of knowledge and practice of the most important aspect of
Bhaktiyoga, Rupadhyana – visualization. This report employed both primary and
secondary sources of research. Various academic papers, websites and books were
investigated to help determine the different levels and forms of worship and how these can
be achieved. A survey designed specifically for this topic was conducted on thirty five
people from four different Hindu groups and produced valuable information. The results
of this survey were analyzed and discussed to help further insight into worship methods of
Hindu practicing New Zealanders. Deep investigation into the philosophy of Hinduism
and devotion as well as new technology and experience design gave rise to 5 design
solutions that can help devotees connect to God through experience. One solution stood
out due to Its immersive experiential qualities, which is the holographic deities. This
resolution brings to life Radha and Krishna in a temple themed installation via animation
and interactive techniques. Information, interactive and sensorial design disciplines have
been incorporated to create an immersive solution that will engage devotees, subliminally
teach how to visualize Radha and Krishna, and teach the essence of Bhaktiyoga. With this
knowledge and developing ability to visualize, devotee's connection with God will
strengthen and they will get closer to achieving their ultimate aim of life, the eternal bliss
of God through his grace. We conclude with a quote by Jagadguru Shri Kripaluji Maharaj,
the supreme archarya (Guru / Teacher) of this age:

"While remembering Radha and Krishna and meditating on their

divine form, chant their name, virtues and past times with tears of
love and longing, and a deep desire to receive their divine vision
and love. Visualize them in your own mind according to your liking.
Visualize them at any age, you may like to take the help of a deity or
picture if needed, and mentally decorate them according to your
desire and choice. Interact with them, see their past times, see them
as your brother, sister, mother, father. But, whatever form you
create in your mind, you must have Divine feelings in that, because
the body of Radha and Krishna are always Divine and Blissful"
Maharaji, K. (n.d).

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Battarbee, K., Mattelmaki, T. (2004) Meaningful product relationships. In MDonagh, D.,

Hekkert, P., van Erp, J., Gyi, D., (Ed.). Design and Emotion (pp. 262-266). London:
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Angela, A.D., Johnson, G. (2004). Emotional intelligence in interactive systems. In

MDonagh, D., Hekkert, P., van Erp, J., Gyi, D., (Ed.). Design and Emotion (pp. 262-266).
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