Simple morning puja?

April 28, 2008

Namaste,

Once again I am in pursuit of puja. I just don't ever feel that I have gotten

this right.

Maybe each time I ask I get better. Maybe not.

Anyway, I am looking for instructions on a simple morning puja.

I am not really a morning person, but I have found great benefits in the past in

maintaining a morning spiritual ritual.

With my recent Shaadi and a feeling of great gratitude toward the divine

Goddess, I'd like

to try again to engage in morning ritual.

When I look up instructions for puja, I find very complicated things that I

think would take

hours, or at least an hour to accomplish. In addition to this I find

instructions that involve

a lot of props, all kinds of things that must be gathered and offered. This

doesn't seem

simple at all.

Then, also, I find guidance to recite long and complicated things that I can't

pronounce

well, and when I try to do so, it takes me forever, so I only do it once and

then the next

time decide not to try.

I believe that if I had something straightforward that I could do successfully

and

repeatedly I would be more likely to keep it up.

Does anyone have any advice?

I deeply appreciate your input and insight.

pr

April 28, 2008

Well, in hopes of getting a discussion going,

I'm dusting off an oldie-but-goodie (2005) from

the Shakti Sadhana e-group's 'Files' section.

This may be more minimalist than what you have

in mind, but it certainly is short enough for

daily practice:

PANCHOPACHARA POOJA

Q: What is Panchopachara?

A: It is the simplest pooja; a pooja requiring nothing - it's all

mudras only. The other poojas are but elaboration of this.

Q: How is it performed?

A: There are two versions of this pooja. I will teach you the

one called jalaadi jalaantam - " starting and ending with

water. " Though the materials are five, the steps are six (in

the other version, it is five materials and just five steps). The

principle in this version is that everything arises from water

and ends in water; which is in consonance with the Vaidik

concept of deluge - that everything starts after a deluge and

ends in a deluge.

Q: And these are mental offerings accompanied by mudras -

are they the same offerings symbolized by various materials

in gross pooja?

A: Yes, exactly. In gross pooja, jalam is water; gandham is

sandal paste; pushpam is flowers; dhoopam is scented

smoke; deepam is the lamp. Okay?

Q: Okay.

A: Good, then we will proceed.

1. So the first step is saying vaM apaathmanaa jalam kalpayaami

- saying this, one shall rub the ring finger with the thumb

from the base to the tip, both hands. My aunt's father-in-

law used to say, " When you rub the ring finger with the

thumb as part of pooja and say 'vam' then water should flow

from the tip of your ring finger. " I said, " It is not possible. "

He said, " It is! " and he showed me. That shows the

concentration needed. As you rub, imagine all the pure and

offerable waters of the world as being offered to the deity.

2. The next step is rubbing the little finger with thumb base

to tip, reciting laM prithivyaathmanaa gandham kalpayaami.

Here we offer the deity all that is sweet-smelling in the

gross world. When you do that you must feel the sweetest

otherworldly smell.

3. Next you rub the thumb from the base up with the index

finger, reciting haM aakaashaathmanaa pushpam kalpayami.

Thus we offer to the diety the best most beautiful and sweet

smelling flowers. You must visualize all of these flowers -

innumerable in number - manifesting out of the tip of your

thumb at the feet of the deity.

4. Next is the index finger, and you say yaM vaaywaathmanaa

dhoopam kalpayaami, " all the best incenses are offered here in

form of sweet-smelling smoke " - and you must manifest the

smoke.

5. Then the middle finger: raM vahnyaathmanaa deepam

kalpayami. The primordial light that first came is offered to

Her and you visualize the darkness of ignorance being

removed by this Divine Light.

6. Then, again, the ring finger, but this time with vaM

amritaatmanaa naivedyam kalpayaami. With that you offer all

that is exquisitely edible and nutritious to Devi; and with

that, everything goes back to its primordial state. Finis. Is

your question answered now?

Q: Yes, thank you!

A: Happy New Year!

NOTES:

(1) The index finger is used to rub the thumb, and all other

fingers are rubbed with the thumb. Use both hands.

(2) The preamble is whatever you usually do before a pooja.

If you have an altar, you might sit and do your usual japa,

prayers, offerings - whatever you do. Then just take a deep

breath and begin. The pooja requires nothing -- not even an

image of the Deity if you can see Her in your mind. In fact,

the whole pooja is an exercise in intense, focused

visualization. With frequent (preferably daily) repetition,

you will find that the imagery does begin to take on an

objective reality, first in your own eyes and later even in the

eyes of third parties. Strange but true! ;-)

(3) We can do this simple Pooja in the temple too.

(4) If you would like to, you can add anjali mudra [i.e. the

familiar palms-together gesture that accompanies

'Namaste'] at the chest, saying Sam sarwapratheekaathmakam

thaamboolam kalpayami namaH , which means " I offer

thamboola (betel leaves) as a representation of everything. "

Then anjali at the forehead- Samastha rajopachaaraan

kalpayami namaH - All Royal diginities are hereby offered

Then anjali over the head - anantha koti namaskaaraan

samarpayaami- I offer infinite namaskaras unto thee also.

Then it will be complete.

, " prainbow61 " <paulie-

rainbow wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> Once again I am in pursuit of puja. I just don't ever feel that I

have gotten this right.

> Maybe each time I ask I get better. Maybe not.

>

> Anyway, I am looking for instructions on a simple morning puja.

>

> [....]

>

> When I look up instructions for puja, I find

> very complicated >things that I think would take

> hours, or at least an hour to accomplish.

> In addition to this I find instructions that involve

> a lot of props, all kinds of things that must

> be gathered and offered. This doesn't seem

> simple at all.

>

April 29, 2008

There is a simple pooja that my second daughter used to offer to devi at theh

age of three or so. (now she is 18)

she will start with vam apaathmanaa jalam kalpayaami of the panchopachaara and

then get impatient and say - all right here are all the fingers. I do not have

time for offering each. Accept it.(that she used to say in a stern serious

voice) (a sort of take it or leave it pooja) and just turn and walk out of the

pooja room.

I think it was accepted by Devi more than all the complicated things I used to

do.

prainbow61 <paulie-rainbow wrote:

Namaste,

Once again I am in pursuit of puja. I just don't ever feel that I have gotten

this right.

Maybe each time I ask I get better. Maybe not.

Anyway, I am looking for instructions on a simple morning puja.

I am not really a morning person, but I have found great benefits in the past in

maintaining a morning spiritual ritual.

With my recent Shaadi and a feeling of great gratitude toward the divine

Goddess, I'd like

to try again to engage in morning ritual.

When I look up instructions for puja, I find very complicated things that I

think would take

hours, or at least an hour to accomplish. In addition to this I find

instructions that involve

a lot of props, all kinds of things that must be gathered and offered. This

doesn't seem

simple at all.

Then, also, I find guidance to recite long and complicated things that I can't

pronounce

well, and when I try to do so, it takes me forever, so I only do it once and

then the next

time decide not to try.

I believe that if I had something straightforward that I could do successfully

and

repeatedly I would be more likely to keep it up.

Does anyone have any advice?

I deeply appreciate your input and insight.

pr

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

April 29, 2008

thank u. But I still hold Lakshmi's pooja more effective - provided you have

child like innocence and belief.

I think Paulie has them in abundance.

msbauju <msbauju wrote:

Well, in hopes of getting a discussion going,

I'm dusting off an oldie-but-goodie (2005) from

the Shakti Sadhana e-group's 'Files' section.

This may be more minimalist than what you have

in mind, but it certainly is short enough for

daily practice:

PANCHOPACHARA POOJA

Q: What is Panchopachara?

A: It is the simplest pooja; a pooja requiring nothing - it's all

mudras only. The other poojas are but elaboration of this.

Q: How is it performed?

A: There are two versions of this pooja. I will teach you the

one called jalaadi jalaantam - " starting and ending with

water. " Though the materials are five, the steps are six (in

the other version, it is five materials and just five steps). The

principle in this version is that everything arises from water

and ends in water; which is in consonance with the Vaidik

concept of deluge - that everything starts after a deluge and

ends in a deluge.

Q: And these are mental offerings accompanied by mudras -

are they the same offerings symbolized by various materials

in gross pooja?

A: Yes, exactly. In gross pooja, jalam is water; gandham is

sandal paste; pushpam is flowers; dhoopam is scented

smoke; deepam is the lamp. Okay?

Q: Okay.

A: Good, then we will proceed.

1. So the first step is saying vaM apaathmanaa jalam kalpayaami

- saying this, one shall rub the ring finger with the thumb

from the base to the tip, both hands. My aunt's father-in-

law used to say, " When you rub the ring finger with the

thumb as part of pooja and say 'vam' then water should flow

from the tip of your ring finger. " I said, " It is not possible. "

He said, " It is! " and he showed me. That shows the

concentration needed. As you rub, imagine all the pure and

offerable waters of the world as being offered to the deity.

2. The next step is rubbing the little finger with thumb base

to tip, reciting laM prithivyaathmanaa gandham kalpayaami.

Here we offer the deity all that is sweet-smelling in the

gross world. When you do that you must feel the sweetest

otherworldly smell.

3. Next you rub the thumb from the base up with the index

finger, reciting haM aakaashaathmanaa pushpam kalpayami.

Thus we offer to the diety the best most beautiful and sweet

smelling flowers. You must visualize all of these flowers -

innumerable in number - manifesting out of the tip of your

thumb at the feet of the deity.

4. Next is the index finger, and you say yaM vaaywaathmanaa

dhoopam kalpayaami, " all the best incenses are offered here in

form of sweet-smelling smoke " - and you must manifest the

smoke.

5. Then the middle finger: raM vahnyaathmanaa deepam

kalpayami. The primordial light that first came is offered to

Her and you visualize the darkness of ignorance being

removed by this Divine Light.

6. Then, again, the ring finger, but this time with vaM

amritaatmanaa naivedyam kalpayaami. With that you offer all

that is exquisitely edible and nutritious to Devi; and with

that, everything goes back to its primordial state. Finis. Is

your question answered now?

Q: Yes, thank you!

A: Happy New Year!

NOTES:

(1) The index finger is used to rub the thumb, and all other

fingers are rubbed with the thumb. Use both hands.

(2) The preamble is whatever you usually do before a pooja.

If you have an altar, you might sit and do your usual japa,

prayers, offerings - whatever you do. Then just take a deep

breath and begin. The pooja requires nothing -- not even an

image of the Deity if you can see Her in your mind. In fact,

the whole pooja is an exercise in intense, focused

visualization. With frequent (preferably daily) repetition,

you will find that the imagery does begin to take on an

objective reality, first in your own eyes and later even in the

eyes of third parties. Strange but true! ;-)

(3) We can do this simple Pooja in the temple too.

(4) If you would like to, you can add anjali mudra [i.e. the

familiar palms-together gesture that accompanies

'Namaste'] at the chest, saying Sam sarwapratheekaathmakam

thaamboolam kalpayami namaH , which means " I offer

thamboola (betel leaves) as a representation of everything. "

Then anjali at the forehead- Samastha rajopachaaraan

kalpayami namaH - All Royal diginities are hereby offered

Then anjali over the head - anantha koti namaskaaraan

samarpayaami- I offer infinite namaskaras unto thee also.

Then it will be complete.

, " prainbow61 " <paulie-

rainbow wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> Once again I am in pursuit of puja. I just don't ever feel that I

have gotten this right.

> Maybe each time I ask I get better. Maybe not.

>

> Anyway, I am looking for instructions on a simple morning puja.

>

> [....]

>

> When I look up instructions for puja, I find

> very complicated >things that I think would take

> hours, or at least an hour to accomplish.

> In addition to this I find instructions that involve

> a lot of props, all kinds of things that must

> be gathered and offered. This doesn't seem

> simple at all.

>

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

May 2, 2008

Oh my gosh, that is adorable!!!

pr

, sankara menon <kochu1tz wrote:

>

> There is a simple pooja that my second daughter used to offer to devi at theh

age of

three or so. (now she is 18)

> she will start with vam apaathmanaa jalam kalpayaami of the panchopachaara

and then

get impatient and say - all right here are all the fingers. I do not have time

for offering

each. Accept it.(that she used to say in a stern serious voice) (a sort of take

it or leave it

pooja) and just turn and walk out of the pooja room.

> I think it was accepted by Devi more than all the complicated things I used

to do.

>

> prainbow61 <paulie-rainbow wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> Once again I am in pursuit of puja. I just don't ever feel that I have gotten

this right.

> Maybe each time I ask I get better. Maybe not.

>

> Anyway, I am looking for instructions on a simple morning puja.

>

> I am not really a morning person, but I have found great benefits in the past

in

> maintaining a morning spiritual ritual.

>

> With my recent Shaadi and a feeling of great gratitude toward the divine

Goddess, I'd

like

> to try again to engage in morning ritual.

>

> When I look up instructions for puja, I find very complicated things that I

think would

take

> hours, or at least an hour to accomplish. In addition to this I find

instructions that

involve

> a lot of props, all kinds of things that must be gathered and offered. This

doesn't seem

> simple at all.

>

> Then, also, I find guidance to recite long and complicated things that I can't

pronounce

> well, and when I try to do so, it takes me forever, so I only do it once and

then the next

> time decide not to try.

>

> I believe that if I had something straightforward that I could do successfully

and

> repeatedly I would be more likely to keep it up.

>

> Does anyone have any advice?

>

> I deeply appreciate your input and insight.

>

> pr

> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it

now.

>

June 19, 2008

Hey Paulie,

I ran across something I think you might like....

Here's a short youtube video showing how to do a simple

puja to the goddess Tulsi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jj2JuOGQRc

Perhaps Mr. Rainbow can play the part of the

dancing/circumambulating devotee. (smile)

If you are interested in growing tulsi, here are

some sources:

Richter's seeds; purple and green sacred basil varieties

(for shipment to the the U.S. and Canada):

http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?

show=list & prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Seeds

Info on growing tulsi: http://www.horizonherbs.com/pilot.asp?pg=tulsi

I grew some tulsi in my yard a few years ago; I found

seedlings at Kmart, of all places. Its physical requirements

don't seem much different from Italian spice basil.

, " prainbow61 " <paulie-

rainbow wrote:

>

> I am looking for instructions on a simple morning puja.

>

> I am not really a morning person, but I have found great benefits

in the past in

> maintaining a morning spiritual ritual.

>

> With my recent Shaadi and a feeling of great gratitude toward the

divine Goddess, I'd like

> to try again to engage in morning ritual.

>

> When I look up instructions for puja, I find very complicated

things that I think would take

> hours, or at least an hour to accomplish. In addition to this I

find instructions that involve

> a lot of props, all kinds of things that must be gathered and

offered. This doesn't seem

> simple at all.

>

> Then, also, I find guidance to recite long and complicated things

that I can't pronounce

> well, and when I try to do so, it takes me forever, so I only do it

once and then the next

> time decide not to try.

>

> I believe that if I had something straightforward that I could do

successfully and

> repeatedly I would be more likely to keep it up.

>

> Does anyone have any advice?

>

> I deeply appreciate your input and insight.

>

> pr

>

June 20, 2008

Dear Sir,

I suggest a simple maorning puja which will fetch positive enery throughout the

day.

Khadga mala sthothram.

Have some flowers / Kumkum / Akshadha what ever it may , offer it to devi

against each nama. As a offering u can offer Dry grapes, Panakam, Any Fruit or

cooked rice which is much more.

tOTALLY IT WILL TAKE 20 MINS , but the amount of satisfaction is enormous...

Thanks