to henny about puja offerings

[Guest guest]

Dear henny ~ thank you so much for sharing all of this. I do remember you

mentioning using water for the milk and yoghurt. Your suggestions are well

taken, and I especially appreciate your thinking of a way I could do this in bed.

(I wonder how many devotees have this type of problem.) I will check the

Shiva Beginner Puja information in the file section. I thought there might be

something there that would help me also.

 

Last night I did my EMS, still turtelling along, and

 

henny wrote:

 

As I understand, it is ok to collect the liquid offerings for the

five-nectar bath in a small bowl and offer that to the deity. I think

perhaps you can take a few drops from this on your finger and

carefully 'wash' the deity with it. I am not sure, but after all, it

is about making God feel welcome, so why should He/She not like this?

Also you can use water instead of milk and yoghurt and honey etc., so

perhaps you could just pour some water in a small cup with each mantra

and visualise the milk etc. The powders can get a bit messy. I believe

you can offer these either on a flower or on the murti/lingam

directly. But in both cases it is best to keep a tissue handy to wipe

the fingers. If I remember correctly, these matters were discussed

during the Shiva Puja beginner's class, and you can find the file of

that in the files section here (bless Nandaji!). There you will find

all sorts ofTher questions answered, about the purification mantras

and also about how to set up an altar.

Please don't be discouraged. You say your method is limited, but

perhaps limitations can also be a blessing in disguise. I'm sure you

remember how Swamiji used to do puja for years with leaves he found.

And how he warns us not to waste time gathering things for puja

instead of doing puja. So perhaps you could take a nice plate or

something, with a flower or something on it representing your ishta,

put it by your bedside, and just pour some water in a small cup for

each offering you read.

But if this is too much for you at this time, perhaps it would help to

think of how in 'Shree Maa, the Life of a Saint', there is the story

of the king and the poor sadhu. Remember how Lord Shiva would not come

to the inauguration of the king's splendid new temple because he was

present at the installation ceremony of the sadhu's temple, who had

built one in his heart? Every time you read the puja, you are building

your temple, whether anyone else can see it or not, and you can make

it as messy as you like:)