to Linda about nuts and bolts

[Guest guest]

All that I can say about learning to do some of these things is: I

have watched puja being offered on various occasions. I read several

different books on how to do simple aartis and pujas, so I already

had some idea of how these things were done, what they looked like,

even if I didn't always understand why they were being done. It

seemed I had an intuitive understanding about offering light and the

other items to Deity. It just seemed to be the right way to do

things, welcoming Deity into my home, making Him/Her comfortable,

showing love in a concrete physical way. India has these practices

down to a fine beautiful art. I still don't know if I am doing

everything in the absolutely correct way. I have come to have peace

with the idea that maybe I never will. There will always be

refinements or something else I could learn. But I will still keep

making the effort to do it better. I cannot stop every time I have a

doubt to ask Swamiji if I am doing each little thing absolutely

correct. I would have to watch him and watch him closely for a long

time to understand how puja or fire sacrifice are done. And I would

love to do that! You better believe it! But in the meantime I must

continue on as best I can and try to ask him (and you, Devi Mandir

Family) the big questions that I can't seem to get a hold on myself.

 

Om Jai Kali Ma! Om Namah Shivaya!

Kumari

 

, nierika wrote:

>

> Dear Kumari ~ thank you for providing some information on the nuts

and bolts

> that go along with worship.

> This is so helpful for one like me who is still in first grade of

the Devi

> Mandir school. I really like that you said we could use T-lights. I

love

> T-lights ... one, because they come in their own little containers

and don't leave

> melted wax on anything; two, because you can get them according to

how many

> hours you want them to burn; three, because if you have a Dollar

Store near

> your home you can but boxes of 10 or 12 for $1.00, or some places

you can get

> bags or packs of 50 or 100 even more cheaply; and four, because I

just love

> the little dancing lights.

>

> Can you explain how one may have a " standing lamp, " such as you

mentioned,

> and keep it burning for longer periods of time? Very good

information, Kumari.

> Do you know if there is anything in the Devi Mandir Book/Video

store or in

> the files that has more of this " nuts and bolts "

information? Has

> Swamiji ever written about " the nuts and bolts for puja " ? I know if

I do a

> recitation, it will say something like " offer flowers " or " wave

light. " Anyhow,

> just would like to know, and, again, my thanks. Jai Maa Jai Swamiji

> ~ Linda

>

>

> Kumari wrote

>

> Are you filling the resevoir in the oil lamp completely or just

> enough to saturate the wicks?...You can start up the lamp again

> by adding more oil and relighting it, of course. Small candles

are

> another choice, if you don't want the light to go out.

>

> As far as incense is concerned, when my asthma is bothering me I

have

> no problem with lighting the incense, offering it and then putting

it

> out. Make sure the puja room has adequate ventilation and open

the

> windows to air it out regularly. You can even place a small fan

in

> front of the window to blow the smoke outside. This becomes even

> more necessary if you start to do fire sacrifices inside. I light

my

> incense as well as the aarti lamp from the standing lamp which is

> always burning on my altar. (except when there is no one in the

house

> or I am sleeping).

>

>

>

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