To Michael about Shiva Puja

[Guest guest]

Michael wrote:

 

....It is sad that in these human bodies, some of us have chosen to do

many things the hard way. This is the case with Shiva Puja for me. I

intend to do Shiva Puja as soon as possible, if not SOONER! So, I

have the Shva Puja (Beginners) book that DeviMandir kindly sells

through the web site, but the problem ("situation" rather) is that I

can't find the book. When I find the book, I will gather the

materials and do the puja...

Dear Michael ~ well, of course, I know you are referring to a different

human body issue than the one I have (which is that I'm very ill), but whether

it's one or another, I believe we all have our own struggles, some perhaps more

than others. I thought I would never be able to do a puja, as I am not able

to sit up long enough even to just read one of the books. I missed reading

several digests, which I consider to be part of my sadhana, because I had to

drive our car to a town an hour away (the furthest I've driven in probably 2 or

more years) so my hubby could turn in the UHaul that he had gotten in Oregon

to bring our stuff back to NM (new house ... moving out of trailer). I had to

go to bed at 6:45; I was too tired, in too much pain, etc., to stay up. And

so I "lost" my digests. :::sigh::: To relate to your "barrier," which, from

the enthusiasm that is so clear in your post, will surely be quickly left

behind (because you will find your book), some months ago, I think there was a

group sankalpa, but I'm not sure.

I didn't have the big Shiva Puja book, but I had the little one. So I took

it out, and I reclined on my pillows in my bed (as I had asked Swamiji about

and he had said this was okay for me).

I didn't have anything but the book, but I was able to do the entire puja.

This meant a lot to me ... just that I could do the recitation. And I did, as

has often been recommended, which was to take the materials from within my

heart.

 

When I saw Swamiji and Maa for the first time, on the bank of a river in

Colorado, where Swamiji and Maa were going to do a puja, before the puja

started, Swami gave some brief instructions, which included the taking of items from

the heart. I especially remember how powerful and sweet this felt to me

during all the eta ganda pada pushpes ... the feeling of drawing flowers from my

heart and offering them to each of the Dieties ... was indescribable.

Luckily, when it came to rice to throw in the fire, Swamiji and Maa had brought

plenty and plates were passed around so that we could all have the experience of

throwing the rice, and our karma, into the fire.

 

In the book, "Sahib Sadhu," there are a number of times where Swamiji does

puja with whatever simple items are at hand, even if it is only the leaves of a

tree, as when he sang the rain the village needed so badly. And they really

got a lot of rain ... so much that they all ran away, up a hill to be out of

the way, and then the realized Swamiji was nowhere to be seen. So a few

hearty souls went back to the village and looked and looked. Finally they heard

chanting, so they went further and looked up. And there was Swamiji, sitting in

the top of the tree, still chanting the Chandi. This is one of my very

favorite stories about Swamiji. : )

 

My hope is that when I'm settled in my new home, I can collect the materials

for puja ... but I know in my heart that it is the intent and frame of mind

that really matter. Also, I live in a tiny town in southwestern NM, and there

are no Indian stores here, so collecting some of the materials may be a real

challenge.

 

Please don't take what I have written as ... something somehow critical ...

because it isn't. Your intense enthusiasm for the puja comes through so

clearly in your post. I guess I am saying that, for me, I doubt the circumstances

will ever be "perfect" in all ways for doing a puja, but I have learned that

the Divine Mother is more interested in our enthusiasm, our devotion, and our

intent, all of which you show in your writing. When you find your book,

collect the items, but think, as I do, of Swamiji's teaching, that we don't need

the prescribed materials to do the puja. You can do it any time. Jai Maa ,

Jai Swamiji ~ Linda