srini_sadhu: I bow down to the Divine in You
srini_sadhu: Om Sang Saraswatyai Namaha!
Janitri Rybacki: Pranams to All...
Shubal Kopp: Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with us in this way, Srini.
nodivision108: Ditto
srini_sadhu: Homa is one of the seven forms of Siddhantachar.
The others are Puja, Path, Nrit, Geet, Pravachan, and Arpan
srini_sadhu: All of these help us go inward and remember God
srini_sadhu: Homa is the abbreviated form of Yajna and means Sacred Fire Ceremonies
srini_sadhu: Yajna comes from the root word Yuj which means to unite
srini_sadhu: In Yajna we strive the unite the fire of knowledge in the ajna chakra with the fire outside
srini_sadhu: Do you have questions or thoughts?
nodivision108: Can you elaborate about ajna chakra and the fire outside?
srini_sadhu: The ajna chakra is in the subtle body in a space that corresponds to the physical location of the space between the eyebrows.
amritagita: What is the meaning or symbolism behind Homa
srini_sadhu: When we unite the inner chakra with the outer fire through focus we remove duality
srini_sadhu: Duality goes away when there is any form of union
Ramya: Raghu -- Today after Chandi Homa, Maa led us in a beautiful song about Agni
Shubal Kopp: Does the fire element have qualities that add particular benefit to creating union?
srini_sadhu: Yes Durga, we will discuss the benefits of homa shortly
Ramya: The song said something to this effect -- Oh Divine Fire, lift my body and make me a light in your temple. The symbolism was that the fire purifies us and makes us become divine light
nodivision108: Srini, I love that you keep answering my questions while I am typing them.
srini_sadhu: Jai Maa Chris
srini_sadhu: Could we discuss the benefits from performing Homa in your experience?
srini_sadhu: Your thoughts?
Janitri Rybacki: to me, it's a huge feeling of contentment
amritagita: I can't say I have performed Homa, except when done by priest at my house for a blessing
nodivision108: Helps straighten my crooked path.
Rich Jewett: I've never actually performed Homa, but I've attended - I find the havan like a doorway when I meet Devi.
srini_sadhu:
srini_sadhu: Beautiful!
Nanda Krishnamurthi: Gauri here says homa is a "Karmacue"
srini_sadhu: We will talk about burning Karma
Ramya: Gauri says it burns karma
srini_sadhu: Homa sends innumerable positive vibrations into the environment, both physically and subtly
Shubal Kopp: Intuitively speaking, I've noticed when sitting by the homa fire that the energy in the atmosphere seems very clear.
srini_sadhu: The Mantras, our bhava and the pure offerings combine to create these vibrations
srini_sadhu: Swamiji says Fire is the purest of the five elements
amritagita: What are things I would need to do one.
srini_sadhu: Water can become impure, so can air and earth
srini_sadhu: But whatever we offer into the Holy fire, the fire consumes but remains pure
Ramya: Raghu - we will come to that very shortly!
srini_sadhu: So Homa evokes for me the feeling of purity
srini_sadhu: How does Homa benefit worshipper?
srini_sadhu: Thoughts?
srini_sadhu:
Janitri Rybacki: i see something beyond the worshipper, it benefits the environment - people, animals, purifies them. So, it must purify the worshipper.
Nanda Krishnamurthi: i correlate homa with something that happened in India a few years ago
Shubal Kopp: The more one offers, the less attached one becomes. One becomes lighter - both not carrying so much and also shining like the fire!
Rich Jewett: It makes life more real than real.
srini_sadhu: Fire is Agni Devata, a very riveting object for concentration. As we offer mantras and offerings into the fire, we focus on the fire as an object of worship.
Nanda Krishnamurthi: it was the bhopal gas tragedy - and supposedly that one of the people that had done agnihotra in his home was saved because of the purifying effect the homa had on his home
Ramya: Thanks Durga!
amritagita: The Lalita Saharanamam says about Divine Mother coming from the Cid Agni Kund
Ramya: Rich - it is so interesting your comment on the intensity of the experience in homa!
srini_sadhu: The other benefit of Homa is that we burn karma
srini_sadhu: Swamiji frequently says come let’s burn some Karma before we begin a session at the fire.
srini_sadhu: How do we burn karma when we offer mantras and offerings at the fire?
srini_sadhu: By focusing on the mantras and the fire, our mind is not in the world.
Ramya: Gauri says - because we are throwing masala in
srini_sadhu: As we continue this practice daily, we transform our minds, our samskaras
srini_sadhu: That is the sense in which we burn our samskaras.
srini_sadhu: We go inward toward God, away from the World
srini_sadhu: This was Swamiji's answer to my question on this
srini_sadhu: On a practical level, Maa says it is good to offer the masala as much as possible into the fire.
Shubal Kopp: I would guess via the acts of (1) letting go and (2) offering so as to let God, we become a love channel.
Janitri Rybacki: what is masala?
amritagita: What exactly is the masala?
Nanda Krishnamurthi: i think having the fire in front of us makes the sadhana more vivid
srini_sadhu: Durga, Swamiji said something similar
Ramya: Masala is the offering we put in the fire.
Janitri Rybacki: thank you
srini_sadhu: He said in Homa when we sit for long it is like offering ourselves to the fire
Nanda Krishnamurthi: easier to focus on the fire than our mental imagination of the deity - imho
Ramya: Masala has seven ingredients: rice, barley, black sesame seeds, and small quantities of milk, ghee, sugar, and honey.
Rich Jewett: Homa makes Divinity more real than our karma, reduces our attachment to samskaras.
Ramya: Yes - Nanda - also as we have to focus on reading the verses, getting the masala and offering at the right time - our mind is more focused.
srini_sadhu: So Homa purifies the atmosphere, increases our focus, burns our kaarma/samskara
srini_sadhu: One more thing
srini_sadhu: It is a form of Tapsaya
Nanda Krishnamurthi: thank you Ramya
srini_sadhu: Especially when you are sitting very close to the fire, it trains our mind to go beyond heat
srini_sadhu: Swamiji has a great class on five fires sadhana that He performed where He explains this
srini_sadhu: In Five Fires Sadhana, you are surrounded by four fires in each direction and the Sun above
srini_sadhu: The Heat dries you out making it an extreme austerity
Shubal Kopp: The notion -- (1) letting go and (2) offering so as to let God, so we become a love channel -- comes from a memory of watching Swami holding an offering - something apparently delicious that Shree Maa had prepared before his face. He had been fasting for days (must've been so hungry!) and sitting before the fire 'til there were blisters on the tops of his toes. He was theatrical to teach us the nature of what he was doing... he looked at the prasad with visible appreciation for it's potential delectability and then gave it right up to Chandi by offering it into the fire!
srini_sadhu: Wow!
Ramya: Thanks Durga for sharing this beautiful story!
Rich Jewett: That's Swamiji!
Nanda Krishnamurthi: In those instances He embodies the deity who is about to consume the goodis,
srini_sadhu: The Ancient practice of Homa is very rare today. We owe deep debt to Maa and Swamiji for keeping this alive
nodivision108: Swami is a gas!
Shubal Kopp: He smiled SO sweetly after that offering... embodying a love channel!
srini_sadhu: Before we discuss some practices related to Homa, something interesting about Agni
srini_sadhu: Divine Fire has seven tongues:
srini_sadhu: Any one know them?
Nanda Krishnamurthi: (Gauri here) It is really a blessing to learn homa from Maa and Swamiji....Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaai Maa
srini_sadhu: The seven are Kali, Karali, Manojava, Sulohita, Sudhumravarna, Ugra, Pradipta
Nanda Krishnamurthi: Kali?
srini_sadhu: Kali is Black and the others are Increasing, Swift, Excellent Shine, Purple, Fearful, and Giving Light
srini_sadhu: In Homa if you look closely you will notice this black element in the fire
srini_sadhu: Any questions or thoughts?
nodivision108: Are other tongues noticeable also?
Nanda Krishnamurthi: What do the tongues mean?
Ramya: Yes Chris and Gauri -- Tongues are characteristics -
Ramya: If you look at the fire - you can see sometimes it is "swift", sometimes "bright", we also see purple color sometimes
srini_sadhu: Raghu had asked about how to do Homa, so could we talk about Homa Viddhi
Ramya: ok
Nanda Krishnamurthi: Yes please!
srini_sadhu: This is a vast topic of which we know little. Rather than expounding on it I wish to list the major topics under it that can serve as an outline for further enquiry.
srini_sadhu: Some of the issues that arise here, are the fire pit and how to construct it, How do we enkindle the fire and what mantras we chant when so doing, what do we offer at the fire, how do we keep it alive and how do we put it out.
srini_sadhu: Please share your thoughts and questions anytime
Nanda Krishnamurthi: How do we keep it alive...i've had problems there/
srini_sadhu: The Mantras for enkindling a fire are in the Hanuman Puja Book
srini_sadhu: In general we offer Masala at the fire. We also offer ghee, pudding and other prasad, and coconuts.
srini_sadhu: When we offer Mantras at the fire we chant each mantra followed by Swaha
Nanda Krishnamurthi: Can one use newspaper?
srini_sadhu: NO!!
srini_sadhu: Swamiji says be aware and keep checking
Ramya: You can put kindling wood or camphor
srini_sadhu: Camphor is the last resort
srini_sadhu: Here we have a blower that gets it started
srini_sadhu: A few cinders and kindling wood is what you need
srini_sadhu: When we offer Mantras at the fire we chant each mantra followed by Swaha
nodivision108: A hollow metal rod can help.
srini_sadhu: We have something similar Chris here at the Mandir
Ramya: Swaha is the wife of Agni. Swamiji was telling us a story about Swaha just a few days ago.
Ramya: In the ancient times, when sadhus offered oblations at the fire, the Gods discovered that Agni Devata was consuming all the offerings and the other Gods were not receiving any of the offerings.
Ramya: To solve this, they created Goddess Swaha. They told Swaha, your job is whenever a devotee offers anything in the fire, Agni will take a portion and the rest Swaha will take and give it to the deity to whom it rightfully belongs.

Ramya: They married Swaha to Agni
Janitri Rybacki: Thanks Ramya! Always wondered about Swaha's meaning.
srini_sadhu: Swa means My Own and Ha means God. So Swaha means “God is my own” or “I am one with God”.
Ramya: Janitiri -- isn't it beautiful -- every time we offer a mantra in the fire we say "Swaha" -- I am one with God or God is my own - each time we affirm this beautiful relationship!
Shubal Kopp: And I always wondered about who did the receiving -- Agni or the deity to whom the homa is dedicated!
Nanda Krishnamurthi: now you know!
Ramya: Agni gets a share and some goes to the deity - what a magnificient creation!
srini_sadhu: Before we begin any Homa, we chant
Om Bhuh Swaha, Om Bhuva Swaha, Om Sva Swaha, Om Bhu Bhuva Sva Swaha
srini_sadhu: We also end the Homa with the same mantras.
srini_sadhu: And then we break our asan.
srini_sadhu: When we put out the fire at the end of Sacrifice we chant the mantras from the Purnahuti pouring a glass of milk into the Fire.
Ramya: Mantras to help set up a homa and do a homa are in Hanuman Puja book and Advanced Shiva Puja book
srini_sadhu: Rig Veda and Yajur Veda contain a lot of the source material for how to do Yajna, implements to use, etc.
srini_sadhu: Is everything OK so far?
Nanda Krishnamurthi: fab-u-lous
Rich Jewett: Of course!
nodivision108: OM
Ramya: Swamiji has also answered questions on the practical aspects of doing homa in the FAQs on the website
Cynkay Morningsong: really good
srini_sadhu: Thank you, we would like to discuss the seventh aspect of Siddhantachar - Arpan
Ramya: We have been discussing sidhantachara - behavior in accordance with scriptures
Ramya: Puja, Path, Homa
Ramya: Now we can talk a little bit about Arpanam - this means offering of service
Nanda Krishnamurthi: As in seva?
Ramya: While "Arpanam" is stated as a specific type of behavior in Siddhantachar, this offering occurs in all the other behaviors and indeed we want it to permeate our every action. We want our every action to be an offering to God, an offering to God's creation.

Ramya: Gauri - if seva is done with pure intention as an offering to God - It is arpan!
Nanda Krishnamurthi: Thanks, Ramya!
Ramya: We do different types of karma - what makes a karma an offering?
Nanda Krishnamurthi: detatchment and intention
srini_sadhu: Remembering God and that we are doing the work for God helps.
srini_sadhu: Maa gave us some beautiful advice on this a few weeks ago
Shubal Kopp: Selflessness.
Ramya: Maa was saying that we should see everybody as God and serve them.
Ramya: How do we do this?
Ramya: She said that if you see someone creating - Think of Brahma, Somebody is taking care of everything -- A form of Mahavishnu. Somebody is giving knowledge - Lord Shiva!
Ramya: So with each person we interact - we relate to a divine Being. As we work we serve the Divine in our brothers and sisters.
srini_sadhu: Maa sees everyone as a form of Thakur or Lord Shiva
Ramya: This helped me a lot!
nodivision108: Remembering that others, like us, are not the body we see.
Ramya: Yes Chris!
Ramya: Durga - how can we become selfless?
Shubal Kopp: As far as skills, patience and equanimity seem pretty useful!
srini_sadhu: Less we think about ourselves, more selfless we become
Ramya: Yes - Thanks! I am learning that we need to be clear on what skills we need and then make a sankalpa - a plan to get them!
Ramya: I saw a quote from Maa which said something like -- Be Free. Leave Selfishness Behind.
Ramya: Thanks Durga!
srini_sadhu: Two things that Maa and Swamiji repeatedly emphasize when doing work, offering service are paying attention and completing work
Ramya: They emphasize - Being Conscious, Aware every moment and finishing our karma.
Nanda Krishnamurthi: paying attention shows respect, Swamiji says
Shubal Kopp: That is, patience and equanimity seem useful for seeing all as Divine. As for selflessness... finding and taking opportunities to conscious plunge one's whole self into the act of offering seems key.
srini_sadhu: Switch off the light, dry the dishes and put them away, clean up before you leave
srini_sadhu: Etc.!
srini_sadhu: Please share your thoughts about offering and how it affects your lives
Ramya: How do we integrate these thoughts in our every day life -e.g. making our actions an offering, being selfless?
Nanda Krishnamurthi: it makes my heart feel full to overflowing and makes me want to smile all the time!
Rich Jewett: It's about focusing, not being distracted, flaky, making something else more important.
Nanda Krishnamurthi:
nodivision108: In "Interviews with Sadhus of India" we are reminded that performance of unselfish action is the way to God.
Ramya: Thanks Rich! Focus -- Making an overall goal and a goal for each day and seeing how far we go - towards our Destination (God)!
Nanda Krishnamurthi: when we act selflessly, it just feel right....like you are walking a straight line!
Ramya: Yes - that is true Gauri - but the key is (at least for me) to remember - remember all the time, every moment make an offering to God.
Ramya: What can help us remember?
nodivision108: Mantras
Nanda Krishnamurthi: I always have Maa on mymind...She walks beside me all the way
srini_sadhu: Breathing mindfully
Ramya: Mantras and spiritual practices help us to remember - and help us make a spiritual life - Thanks Chris!
Nanda Krishnamurthi: I remember Maa saying that if an angry thought comes, one should repeat the mantra until it's gone
nodivision108: Jai Maa!
Ramya: One thing i learnt from Maa is to do each action with a sankalpa - a firm determination - this helps us to be conscious and aware.
srini_sadhu: So spiritual practice is not just the time we spend in the altar in the morning or evening. It goes on the whole day.
Rich Jewett: I love it!
Ramya: To sum up - some things that can help us to lead a spiritual life --
Ramya: 1. Make an overall goal for life - where do we want to go?
Ramya: 2. Make a goal for what we want to do each day. Look at night and check. Learn.
Ramya: 3. Do each action with a sankalpa
Ramya: 4. Be efficient in each action
Ramya: 5. Complete your karma
Ramya: 6. Offer to God!
Ramya: Jai Maa!
srini_sadhu: Final thoughts?
Ramya: Any final thoughts?
Rich Jewett: Thank you so much!
Shubal Kopp: Well, I have a question. Is there time?
Cynkay Morningsong: Thank you
srini_sadhu: sure
amritagita: Thank you, this will help me in my sadhana
Nanda Krishnamurthi: Pranams to our highly efficient teachers!
Janitri Rybacki: thank you for the help here!
srini_sadhu: Please go ahead Durga
Ramya: Thank you Rich and everybody for being part of this beautiful discussion group - it has helped me so much to learn and understand and feel God's presence!
Shubal Kopp: Thank you. It would be fine to hear your response in the chatroom! After a puja the offered food that has been received, embraced/eaten, and blessed by the deity propitiated is shared by worshippers, as 'prasad'. In homa, food offerings are consumed in the fire. Is the ash resulting from the homa akin to puja prasad, or does it have a different significance? What is the difference?
amritagita: I look forward to meeting you all next week at the Retreat
nodivision108: Thank you sweet devotees of Maa for this class. Namaste.
srini_sadhu: My thought would be to explore the root meaning of the word prasad
srini_sadhu: I will get back on that one Durga
Cynkay Morningsong: Until next week...Namaste'
srini_sadhu: If you are coming to the retreat, please email me
Shubal Kopp: Great -- I'll check the online discussion. Thank you.
Ramya: Thank you everybody! Namaste!
Shubal Kopp: Namaste, everyone!
Ramya has left the conference.
Janitri Rybacki: Namaste...

srini_sadhu: Om Sang Sarawatyai Namaha! Let us begin
Alphansa DSouza: ok
srini_sadhu: Today's class is on Homa
srini_sadhu: A very interesting topic
srini_sadhu: We also discuss Arpan or Offering
srini_sadhu: In general we will type a few sentences and then open for discussion
srini_sadhu: Homa is one of the seven forms of Siddhantachar.
srini_sadhu: The others are Puja, Path, Nrit, Geet, Pravachan, and Arpan
srini_sadhu: Homa is the abbreviated form of Yajna and means Sacred Fire Ceremonies
srini_sadhu: Yajna comes from the root word Yuj which means to unite
srini_sadhu: In Yajna we strive the unite the fire of knowledge in the ajna chakra with the fire outside
srini_sadhu: Discussion, questions?
Kalachandra Chandra: Jai dear ones Pranans
srini_sadhu: Namaste Kalachandra!
Alan: What does Yajna include that the abbreviated homa does not?
Ramya: Welcome Kalachandra - Happy Navaratri - we are discussing "Homa" now.
srini_sadhu: I think, Yajna is a elaborate Fire ceremony
srini_sadhu: Homa refers to the act of offering ghee
srini_sadhu: I will clarify with Swamiji
henny_v_i: Is homa the ceremony performed at sunrise and sunset?
srini_sadhu: Examples of elaborate yajnas: Putra Kameshti, Aswamedha, etc.
Ramya: We hear in Scriptures of rishis and kings performing different types of Yagya - for e.g. Sri Rama did Ashwamedha yagya which went on for a long time and related to His empire.
srini_sadhu: You can do Homa anytime.
srini_sadhu: In our tradition
Ramya: Swamiji is doing Chandi Homa now!
henny_v_i: oh, ok, thank you
Alan: Pujas are associated with one or more specific deities. Same with homa?
srini_sadhu: Yes Alan
srini_sadhu: When we do Chandi Homa the deity of worship is Chandi
srini_sadhu: We will talk a little about this later
Ramya: We can also do Homa where we chant the names of a diety - e.g., Kali Sahasranam - we chant 1000 names of Kali at the fire.
srini_sadhu: Yajnas and Homas are becoming rarer in these times compared to the Vedic times
Alan: You mentioned that Yajna is from yuj, to unite. But sometimes people refer to yajna as a sacrifice.
srini_sadhu: That may be the popular connotation
srini_sadhu: The metaphysical interpretation is that we are striving to unite the fire within the ajna chakra to the fire outside
srini_sadhu: Vedic Sacrifices are very rare in this age. So we are very blessed that Maa and Swamiji
srini_sadhu: are supporting and sharing this time-honored beautiful tradition
srini_sadhu: Question for Discussion
srini_sadhu: Why do we do Homa/Yajna, What are the benefits?
Alphansa DSouza: The performance of Homa assists the self purification of those attending, and balances the forces of nature.
The performance of Homa assists the self purification of those attending, and balances the forces of nature.
srini_sadhu: Thank you Alphansa!
kaliananda_saraswati: Purification of self and ancestry
Ramya: Homa sends innumerable positive vibrations into the environment, both physically and at the subtle level - Thanks Kali and Alphanso
Ramya: How does this purification happen? Any thoughts?
Kalachandra Chandra: the self purification in Puja is like in Homa ?
kaliananda_saraswati: not sure
Ramya: Yes Kalachandra - in one way it is the same - the mantras help purify.
Alphansa DSouza: I have heard that One has to swallow a pinch of the vibhuti daily to have a variety of benefits ranging from healing of diseases to spiritual awakening. The kum-kum powder can be used as a pious decoration on the forehead of the devotee, to protect and energize the spiritual eye.
Ramya: The mantras communicate inspiration and meaning - the purest vibrations that mankind has conceived.
srini_sadhu: Every place of worship, fire or altar, create a different focus and bhava
srini_sadhu: Both Puja and Homa aid in sending pure vibrations out into the cosmos
Ramya: Yes - Alphanso due to the potency of the mantras and because the articles of offering have been collected with pure intentions - the ash (vibhuthi) is very precious!
Ramya: Thank you!
srini_sadhu: Thank you Alphansa. I have heard that too!
srini_sadhu: At the end of Homa, Swamiji takes ash from the fire applies it as tilak on all of us as a blessing.
Kalachandra Chandra: I received vibhuti of Chandi Yagna. Can I give a little of this vibhuti to non-devotees or only devotees?
srini_sadhu: Everyone Kalachandra!
Kalachandra Chandra: Thanks!
srini_sadhu: Speaking of Purity, Swamiji says Fire is the purest of the five elements
srini_sadhu: Water can become impure, earth, and air can become impure, but fire can never be impure.
srini_sadhu: Whatever we offer into it, it burns it and remains pure.
srini_sadhu: Divine Fire has seven tongues
srini_sadhu: 1st kali = black
srini_sadhu: Second Karali is Increasing, Formidable
srini_sadhu: Manojava is Swift as Thought
srini_sadhu: Sulohita: Excelent Shine
srini_sadhu: Sudhumravarna: Purple
srini_sadhu: Ugra or Sphulingini Fearful
srini_sadhu: Pradipta: Giving Light
srini_sadhu: Isnt that beautiful that fire has so many divine aspects?
srini_sadhu: Any questions?
kaliananda_saraswati: Not a question but whenever i sit at the fire i feel really transformed. The red embers of fire always seem to appears as Kali's tongue ... and all colours in the spectrum is embodied in the flames.
Ramya: Thanks Kali - that is so beautiful and powerful! Swamiji says that we can visualize our Beloved Diety in the Fire.
henny_v_i: So we could offer our negative thoughts to the fire and it would consume them? Or should we offer positive thoughts to feed the flames?
kaliananda_saraswati: Jai Kali Maa
srini_sadhu: Actually, Henny I asked this question to Swamiji
srini_sadhu: He said only two things to focus on when at the fire, the mantras and the fire.
srini_sadhu: The focus and concentration makes our prayer effective
henny_v_i: Yes, I see how that works, thank you!
srini_sadhu: Fire is Agni Devata, a very riveting object for concentration. As we offer mantras and offerings into the fire, we focus on the fire as an object of worship.
srini_sadhu: Offerings are known as Ahuti in Sanskrit.
Ramya: A major benefit of doing a homa is the ability to focus or concentrate.
srini_sadhu: Are there any other benefits to Homa beside the focus and concentration for the sadhak?
kaliananda_saraswati: it is said that concentrating on the flame of a candle helps the focus
Ramya: You are reading the scripture and offering masala with every verse, and looking at the fire - helps to keep focused on the moment.
srini_sadhu: Swamiji says we burn Karma every time we offer at the fire
srini_sadhu: What does that mean?
henny_v_i: that seeds of behavior get burnt so that they can't sprout again?
srini_sadhu: Very nice Henny.
Kalachandra Chandra: we burn bad karma and we get good karma?
srini_sadhu: Swamiji says
srini_sadhu: By focusing on the mantras and the fire, our mind is not in the world.
srini_sadhu: As we continue this practice daily, we transform our minds, our samskaras,
Ramya: Jai Kalachandra!
srini_sadhu: That is the sense in which we burn our samskaras.
srini_sadhu: We go inward toward God, away from the World.
Ramya: "samskaras" are the seeds that Henny mentioned
srini_sadhu: On a practical level, Maa says it is good to offer the masala as much as possible into the fire
srini_sadhu: That means sitting as close as possible to the Havan
Alphansa DSouza: Masala?
Alan: Srini, you mentioned different bhavas at the fire and at the altar. Can you say more on that?
Ramya: Masala is the offering we put in the fire.
Ramya: Masala has seven ingredients: rice, barley, black sesame seeds, and small quantities of milk, ghee, sugar, and honey.
Alphansa DSouza: ok
Ramya: Every time we say a mantra, we take a little bit of masala in our fingers and offer to fire.
srini_sadhu: Hard to describe Alan. I find it is easier to focus when at at the fire and sit for longer. Something about the fire.
srini_sadhu: Also easier to do tratak on the fire, which is looking at the fire without blinking for a while.
Alan: How common or uncommon is it to do homa at home? Is it mostly done at temples?
srini_sadhu: I would say more common in temples. In my home in India we used to regular Homas though with a priest.
srini_sadhu: Depends on the samskaras of the head of the family
Alan: You mentioned masala as offering, but pure ghee is also offered, right?
srini_sadhu: Yes Alan
Ramya: There is information on how to do homa in Hanuman Puja book and Shiva Advance puja book.
srini_sadhu: We also offer coconuts, pudding
srini_sadhu: Chanting at Fire can be a Tapasya
srini_sadhu: There is a class on Swamiji's Five Fires Sadhana where he talks about this aspect of Homa. I will put it up.
srini_sadhu: So benefits of Homa: Purification of atmosphere, focus, burning of karma, tapasya
srini_sadhu: Some specifics now
srini_sadhu: Homa Vidhi is a vast topic
Kalachandra Chandra: we need to be priest to make homa?
Ramya: No Kalachandra - Swamiji gives us the teachings on how to do it - so we can become priests ourselves!
srini_sadhu: We can start simple to the extent we are capable and our circumstances
srini_sadhu: Rather than expounding on this vast topic I wish to list the major topics under it that can serve as an outline for further enquiry
srini_sadhu: Some of the issues that arise here are: the fire pit and how to construct it, how do we enkindle the fire
srini_sadhu: and what mantras we chant when so doing, what do we offer at the fire, how do we keep it alive and how do we put it out.
srini_sadhu: The Mantras for enkindling a fire are in the Hanuman Puja Book
srini_sadhu: When we offer Mantras at the fire we chant each mantra followed by Swaha
Ramya: Swa means "own" and ha means "God" Swaha means - God is my own or I am one with God.
Ramya: As we offer masala in the fire we say "Swaha"
Ramya: E.g. Om Nama Sivaya Swaha
srini_sadhu: Before we begin any Homa, we chant
srini_sadhu: Om Bhuh Swaha, Om Bhuva Swaha, Om Sva Swaha, Om Bhu Bhuva Sva Swaha
srini_sadhu: We also end the Homa with the same mantras.
srini_sadhu: Discussion about Homa before we discuss Arpan?
kaliananda_saraswati: none from me
henny_v_i: Can you use a copper bowl or something or do you have to make a fire pit?
henny_v_i: I mean for a very small and simple homa...
srini_sadhu: We will discuss this in the club. There is some discussion on the FAQ page of our website
srini_sadhu: I will ask Swamiji.
henny_v_i: thank you, I'll look that up.
Kalachandra Chandra: Good question Henny
srini_sadhu: In India, at Homa we used to use red bricks as the receptacle, but we had mosaic floors
srini_sadhu: The floors never stained after Homa
srini_sadhu: Should we discuss Arpan?
kaliananda_saraswati: yes
Alan: Yes
Kalachandra Chandra: yes
henny_v_i: Yes, please
Ramya: We have been talking of different types of Siddhantachara - Behavior in accordance with scriptures...Puja, Path, Homa.
Ramya: Arpan or offering of service is also one of the behaviors. Others are singing, dancing and discussing (like we are doing now!)
Ramya: Arpanam means offering of service
srini_sadhu: While "Arpanam" is stated as a specific type of behavior in Siddhantachar, this offering occurs in all the other behaviors and indeed we want it to permeate our every action.
srini_sadhu: We want our every action to be an offering to God, an offering to God's creation.
Ramya: We want our every action to be an offering to God, an offering to God's creation.


kaliananda_saraswati: how does this differ from seva?
Ramya: How do we do this? Please share your thoughts and experience
Alphansa DSouza: services during homa?
srini_sadhu: Alphansa could you elaborate?
Alphansa DSouza: what services do you mean?
srini_sadhu: It could be service in the world
Ramya: Kali - If you are doing it for God, it is the same!
kaliananda_saraswati: Thanks
kaliananda_saraswati: paying attention to our every action
srini_sadhu: Swamiji says offering is the attitude that we take from our sadhana (homa, puja) and carry in our actions and interactions in the world
Alan: First step might be to be detached from your actions; no expectations of mundane fruit as a result of your actions. Then your actions might better be transformed into arpanam.
srini_sadhu: Does that help Alphansa?
Alphansa DSouza: So are services outside homa time arpan?
srini_sadhu: Yes Alphansa
Alphansa DSouza: ok
srini_sadhu: Provided we do with remembrance of God and we doing for God
henny_v_i: Our actions, then, will be carried forward on waves of love and devotion
Alphansa DSouza: It is like renewing of the mind
Ramya: We are doing some karma - it may be the same karma but in one case we do it as a "duty" a reponsibility and in another case as an expression of our love and devotion - that is what makes it "an offering" - arpanam
srini_sadhu: Maa says when we interact with people in the world we should try to see them as Shiva, Vishnu, Devi
srini_sadhu: That way when we interact with them and serve them we feel like we are serving God
Kalachandra Chandra: is very beautiful but not very easy, we need many sadhana...
henny_v_i: Yes indeed...
Alphansa DSouza: well said...good idea!
Ramya: Kali mentioned - Respect and attention to every action and that seems to be the key
srini_sadhu: For example, if we see someone has lot of creative capacity think of them as Brahma and serve them
Ramya: When we pay attention to every action, we are conscious and that means we are doing the karma efficiently.
srini_sadhu: When we see some one has aprotective attitude, see them as Vishnu.
Ramya: Kalachandra - you are so right! Swamiji says that our goal is not to just do spiritual practices -- but to live a spiritual life.
henny_v_i: Ah, that is very helpful, Srini! I never thought of it like that!
srini_sadhu: So offering becomes beautiful when we do it for God and do with respect and attention
Ramya: The spiritual practices help us -- remind us -- to lead a spiritual life.
Ramya: Swamiji says that to be a sadhu means to be "efficient" - i once asked Maa what that means - efficient.
srini_sadhu: That really helped me too Henny when Maa said this a few weeks ago
Ramya: She smiled and answered - to do with respect, to do for God - every action, every moment!
henny_v_i: Jai Maa
kaliananda_saraswati: Jai Maa
Kalachandra Chandra: all actions become offering and it is the beautiful goal for us in this week.
Ramya: So how do we live a spiritual life? How do we integrate our sadhana with the rest-of-our-life? Just sharing some things we learnt ....please add and we can discuss more in yahoo_group too!
Ramya: First - Make an overall goal - where you want to do in life. Think about it clearly.
Ramya: Second - make a goal each day. Look at night and check how much you achieved and what you can do better.
Ramya: Thrid - Do each action with sankalpa - that makes us more conscious
Ramya: Fourth - Be efficient in each action - Look for solutions and be enthusiastic!
Ramya: Fifth - Complete your karma
Ramya: Sixth - Offer all to God!
Ramya: Please share your thoughts.
kaliananda_saraswati: i was thinking that one the karma is complete we must try with Mother's guidance not to create new karmas.
Ramya: Thanks for the goal for this week Kalachandra - i will like to join you in this goal!
kaliananda_saraswati: So will i.
srini_sadhu: One of the most frequent teachings that I have received from Maa and Swamiji is: Complete you karma
srini_sadhu: For example, when you wash dishes, dry them and put it away
Ramya: "your karma" - Be it putting away dishes you wash or finishing a project.
srini_sadhu: And do it for the God inside the individual.
Ramya: We become free when we do our karma perfectly
srini_sadhu: We don’t need to come back and do it again
Ramya: All these discussions have helped me immensely to think about Maa and Swamiji's teachings - please accept my gratitude for all your participation - kind thoughts and inspiration!
srini_sadhu: Closing thoughts?
Kalachandra Chandra: this is in the 1 Kashyapa Sutra too
henny_v_i: a verse from one of Maa's songs: 'hang on to the Name with all your might, proceed along your way". That will help us lead a spiritual life
srini_sadhu: May we all be peaceful and happy on the occassion of this Navaratri!
Alphansa DSouza: May God keep my soul eternally safe as I offer my actions, thoughts and minds to the Divine. Jai Maa!
Ramya: Thanks Henny for the beautiful reminder!
srini_sadhu: It has been wonderful talking to you for the last five weeks
Ramya: Thanks Alphanso!
Alan: Thank you Srini and Ramya!
Kalachandra Chandra: Jai Maa! This family and these class is in fact a blessing to me ! Thanks all you
henny_v_i: It has been a privilege to be here; thank you all for sharing your wisdom.
Ramya: Hope to see you all here and online - and in the lap of Divine Mother! Jai Maa!
srini_sadhu: Take care! Jai Maa!
kaliananda_saraswati: Jai Maa and thanks so very much to you all.
kaliananda_saraswati: Pranams
Alphansa DSouza: I have been like a sponge absorbing all your wisdom...thanks to you all again!
Ramya: Thank you! Jai Maa!
Kalachandra Chandra: Happy Navaratri for all you