You are said to be indulging in philosophy whenever you set your mind to a systematic investigation of the nature of the world, selfhood, values, human good, the sources of knowledge, and the limits of human reason.
Philosophy attempts to explain what cannot be explained by science. However, it differentiates itself from faith and religion in its approach: constantly questioning rather than accepting a certain truth.
The Paradox of Indian Philosophy
Indian philosophy is often mixed with faith and religion because it is rooted in the authority of ancient, sacred texts. But the paradox—and the originality—of Indian philosophy is that although it respects these ancient texts, for centuries commentators have interpreted them with such creativity that the philosophy has progressed enormously with time.
The very vastness of those ancient texts, called the Vedas, allowed authors to select any portion for their authority, leaving ample room for original thought. Contemporary Indian philosophers are well versed in both Western and Indian thought, contributing to this interpretive creativity. The Vedas provide such a rich list of philosophical ingredients that philosophers can constantly upgrade them to be suited to prevalent times. In fact, there are many schools of thought within Indian philosophy.
Those commentators have also constantly encouraged questioning. They subjected their doctrines to rational analysis and justification, trying to give answers that rely as much as possible on logic. Strenuous attempts are made to show with logic and rationale what faith implicitly accepts.
While in the West, philosophy is more of an intellectual exercise in search of the truth, in India, philosophy is more of a way of life. Although there is a strong truth-seeking strand in Indian philosophy, the truths sought are always ones that relate to the way we ought to live.
Therein lies the answer to "Why Indian philosophies?" They offer a wealth of inspiring thoughts and wisdom to help us make sense of our existence and to live our life with more peace and happiness. And if, after a sincere attempt to explore, they do not serve you, one must not hesitate to give them up either.