Zoroastrianism - more detail

What do Zoroastrians believe?

Dualism – good against bad
Zarathushtra saw the world as a theatre of conflict between two opposing mainyus (moral spirits). These are Spenta Mainyu (the spirit of goodness) and Angre Mainyu (the spirit of evil). Ahura Mazda gave people complete freedom to choose between these two forces.

Amesha Spentas
Zarathushtra taught his followers that Ahura Mazda created the world around the six spirits known as Amesha Spentas:

Vohu Mano Spirit of the good mind
Asha Spirit of truth and right
Khshatra Spirit of holy sovereignty
Spenta Armaiti Spirit of benevolent devotion and love
Haurvatat Spirit of perfection and wellbeing
Ameretat Spirit of Immortality

The Amesha Spentas influence everything in our world and our lives. Each person possesses Vohu Mana – the spirit of the good mind. This spirit enables human beings to understand Asha and to judge when their lives deviate from it.

Zoroastrians believe that acting in accordance with Asha is the ideal way to live.

Zoroastrians strive for:

Humata - good thoughts
Hukhta - good words
Hvarshta - good deeds

They believe that by thinking good thoughts, they are inspired to speak good words, which – in turn – lead to good deeds. This belief lies at the heart of the Zoroastrian faith.

Renewal
Zoroastrians believe that the collective good acts of humanity will slowly transform the imperfect material world into its heavenly ideal. This is known as the frasho kereti or making fresh – in other words, renewal. At the end of time, everything and everyone will be purified – even the souls in hell, which is not eternal.

The consequence of right actions is khshathra vairya (ideal dominion). An individual who possesses Khshathra Vairya reaches a state of wellbeing called haurvatat. On dying, the person enters a state of immortal bliss known as ameretat.

Life after death
Zoroastrians believe that after death, a person’s soul is judged by God according to whether it did more good or evil on earth. Those who chose good over evil go to what Zarathushtra referred to simply as the best existence, or heaven. Those who chose evil go to the worst existence, or hell.

Heaven and Hell are not physical places. Instead, they are described as timeless states of consciousness – either a state of oneness with Ahura Mazda, or separation from him.

Zoroastrians also believe in the progress of sacred time, and that time will eventually end.

Zoroastrians do not believe in karma or reincarnation.

Wider influence
Zoroastrian ideas of good and evil, heaven and hell, sacred time, and angels have significantly influenced Judaism and Christianity over many centuries of contact between the faiths in the Middle East. Zoroastrianism has also influenced faiths as diverse as Islam and Mayhan Buddhism as well as Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle.

Nature and the environment
Nature is central to Zoroastrianism and understanding the interdependence of human life, the seasons and the elements lies at its core. Many important Zoroastrian annual festivals are in celebration of nature: New Year on the first day of spring (March 21); the water festival in summer; the autumn festival at the end of the season; and the mid-winter fire festival.

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Zoroastrian diversity

There are two main groupings the of Zoroastrian faith. Of these, the Parsees – especially those from East Africa – tend to be more orthodox than Zoroastrians based in Iran. Separated geographically by centuries of history, the two groups are working to harmonise their interpretations.

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How Zoroastrianism developed

Zoroastrianism was established by Zarathushtra. No one knows exactly when Zarathushtra lived. Zoroastrian tradition says he lived around 600 BCE, but this date is thought by modern scholars to be far too late. Currently, the estimate is that Zarathushtra lived anywhere from 1500 to 1000 BCE.

A former priest, he lived in solitary meditation and received his first vision at the age of 30. He lived for another 47 years, teaching belief in a single God – the source of truth.

Zoroastrians are mostly of Persian origin, though the break-up of the Soviet Union revealed isolated groups in Central Asia and Armenia. In the 10th century AD, groups of Zoroastrians left Persia and settled in Gujarat, western India, where they became known as the Parsees, derived from Pars – the ancient term for Persia.

From India and Iran, Zoroastrians have spread all over the world with communities in England, Australia, Canada, the United States and elsewhere.

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Zoroastrian leaders

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How Zoroastrians worship

Prayer/Worship
When it comes to worshipping, Zoroastrians divide the day into five gah (watches):

Havan Sunrise to noon
Rapithwan Noon to 3.00pm
Uziren 3.00pm to sunset
Aiwisruthrem Sunset to midnight
Ushahen Midnight to sunrise

Where possible, Zoroastrians use a dedicated prayer room with a fire burning in an urn. They prepare for prayers by washing their hands, face and other uncovered parts of their body. If they do not pray in a Fire Temple, Zoroastrians are obliged to have an oil lamp burning in their household everyday. They untie their kushti and hold it before a source of light (sun, fire or artificial light). They say two prayers: the Ashem Vohu and the Ahunavar.

The symbolism of fire
Zoroastrians always pray in the presence of an eternal flame, which they carefully tend with sandalwood and frankincense, keeping it burning in a silver urn in the inner sanctum of every Zoroastrian temple. Some fires in modern Iran are reputed to have been burning for about 2000 years.

Contrary to some beliefs, Zoroastrians do not worship fire itself.

Rather, they revere fire as a visible symbol of the inner flame that burns within each person.

Diet
Although Zoroastrians are not obliged to follow any rules on diet, many avoid pork and beef while a significant number are vegetarian. This maybe through personal choice, or out of respect to the other religions of India and Iran.

Dress
At all times, Zoroastrians are obliged to wear the sudreh and kushti.

Sudreh Sacred white shirt made of muslin or cotton. Symbolises purity and good deeds
Kushti Sacred cord woven from 72 threads of fine lamb’s wool. Symbolises the 72 chapters of the Yasna or Act of Worship. Worn over the sudreh

Fasting /celibacy
Zoroastrians believe that fasting and celibacy weaken people’s power to fight evil. As a result, they believe in neither. Instead, Zoroastrian ethics encourage an active, industrious, honest and charitable life lived in moderation.

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Zoroastrians in the UK

Zoroastrians first came to the UK in the early eighteenth century. The country’s first Indian business – Cama and Company, established in 1855 – was run by a Parsee family. Elected in 1892, the UK’s first Indian MP, Dadabhai Naoroji, was also a Parsee.

Although there are small numbers of Zoroastrians elsewhere in Britain and Europe, the London headquarters of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (Incorporated) is the focus for most Zoroastrian activity in the UK. It also houses the UK’s only unconsecrated Zoroastrian place of worship.

There are area groups in some parts of the country. Their secretary, chair or president is usually the most appropriate contact.