Guest guest Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic"">Last night I went to see the people who would be doing their annual firewalking at the Durga Mandir in our township. The people all followed disciplined living for 9 days, some7 days and some 3 days. There was a huge procession of Maa DURGA and Maa KALI and devotees carrying some puja items on their head which the some call “kargam”. The procession was crossing our town and people flocked to see them. All shops became open at 11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic"">9pm and the whole town was doing the Aarti of the procession. 11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic""> 11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic"">I was in my car with my family but then I don’t know this feeling came that I should go and bow in front of the procession and the devotees who were carrying the puja items on their head. I got off my car and headed for the procession. The closer i went I felt this supreme power around me. The aura of divinity and every hair strand of my hands/body virtually standing in excitement! I went I bowed to the devotees and the procession and gave a small donation and then took Aarti of them all. Everyone was singing Durga arti and bhajans and drum beats were going loud. After seeing the strong faith around me, I am now tentatively thinking to take part in the same fire walking ceremony next time. After all, it is faith that takes them over the burning charcoal which is around 12 inches deep. 11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic""> 11.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic"">Anyone has ever taken part in a firewalking ceremony?? 12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">JAI DURGE! 12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:black;mso-no-proof:yes"> 12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">JAY DAYAL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 jay, that sounds like quite a remarkable event in your town ... i had no idea the island had such intense religious activity ... 12 inches deep! i also did not realize the coals were that deeply spread! steve c. , "Jay Dayal" <dayals@c...> wrote: > Last night I went to see the people who would be doing their annual > firewalking at the Durga Mandir in our township. The people all followed > disciplined living for 9 days, some7 days and some 3 days. There was a > huge procession of Maa DURGA and Maa KALI and devotees carrying some > puja items on their head which the some call "kargam". The procession > was crossing our town and people flocked to see them. All shops became > open at 9pm and the whole town was doing the Aarti of the procession. > > I was in my car with my family but then I don't know this feeling came > that I should go and bow in front of the procession and the devotees who > were carrying the puja items on their head. I got off my car and headed > for the procession. The closer i went I felt this supreme power around > me. The aura of divinity and every hair strand of my hands/body > virtually standing in excitement! I went I bowed to the devotees and the > procession and gave a small donation and then took Aarti of them all. > Everyone was singing Durga arti and bhajans and drum beats were going > loud. After seeing the strong faith around me, I am now tentatively > thinking to take part in the same fire walking ceremony next time. After > all, it is faith that takes them over the burning charcoal which is > around 12 inches deep. > > Anyone has ever taken part in a firewalking ceremony?? > JAI DURGE! > > JAY DAYAL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Steve We have massive religious gatherings from time to time IN Fiji within the 300,00 Hindu population. In this month of adhik shravan there are so many religious activities taking place. In the Ashvin month (mid-October sometimes) it will be something remarkable to see especially the large processions of Durga and Kali and Devi bhagwat discourses in nearly every township. We have some very remarkable temples also in Fiji built by the immigrated Indian population. Jai DURGE JAY DAYAL. Steve Connor [sconnor] Sunday, July 25, 2004 2:28 PM Re: FIREWALKING jay, that sounds like quite a remarkable event in your town ... i had no idea the island had such intense religious activity ... 12 inches deep! i also did not realize the coals were that deeply spread! steve c. , "Jay Dayal" <dayals@c...> wrote: > Last night I went to see the people who would be doing their annual > firewalking at the Durga Mandir in our township. The people all followed > disciplined living for 9 days, some7 days and some 3 days. There was a > huge procession of Maa DURGA and Maa KALI and devotees carrying some > puja items on their head which the some call "kargam". The procession > was crossing our town and people flocked to see them. All shops became > open at 9pm and the whole town was doing the Aarti of the procession. > > I was in my car with my family but then I don't know this feeling came > that I should go and bow in front of the procession and the devotees who > were carrying the puja items on their head. I got off my car and headed > for the procession. The closer i went I felt this supreme power around > me. The aura of divinity and every hair strand of my hands/body > virtually standing in excitement! I went I bowed to the devotees and the > procession and gave a small donation and then took Aarti of them all. > Everyone was singing Durga arti and bhajans and drum beats were going > loud. After seeing the strong faith around me, I am now tentatively > thinking to take part in the same fire walking ceremony next time. After > all, it is faith that takes them over the burning charcoal which is > around 12 inches deep. > > Anyone has ever taken part in a firewalking ceremony?? > JAI DURGE! > > JAY DAYAL. Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Hell Steve and Jay and all... I happened to go to a firewalk once. I didn't really expect that I would walk on fire. It was a new year's ceremony. I remember I expected it to be very serious event. But what I saw was that people were singing and so full of the sense that "of course we can walk on fire" that it began to seem normal. Especially the young people were being really joyful and playful even as they crunched through the coals. From where I was sitting, maybe 10 inches away, the heat was nearly too hot for my legs. You know how in chanting, sometimes the mind just kind of relaxes and goes with the repetition of what has been happening? That's what happened. I watched all these people tromping and dancing through the coals and suddenly a woman next to me and I looked at eachother and went. It was like, "Monkey see, monkey do". It felt like I was walking through crunchy corn chips cheese puffs... but what was crunching were the coals! I didn't feel the heat, though. When I got to the other side, I saw a burning coal stuck to my foot. I had felt no pain, just the sensation of walking through the coals. Then when I saw the burning coal, suddenl fear arose and then I felt searing pain. I realized that had been just caused by mind, since the "external" circumstance hadn't changed. So I realized the "pain" was just arising out of a fear or thought. So I let it go and it didn't hurt again, and I just flicked the coal off of me. I experimented with that for a while...picking up coals and being burned, then picking them up and not being burned. Some people really got burned. And I saw a dog run through and get burned, chasing some children. It was so strange. The leader had advised, "don't walk unless you feel safe". I guess that's the "faith as a mustard seed" part. What was amazing is, I have had asthma for much of my life. At the time, I had the sense that, if I could walk through coal, surely I could be healed of asthma. But then my faith waivered and I thought, "well, who am I to choose? If God(dess) wants me to have asthma, she will remove it". And I continued to have asthma and have until now. I felt I had lost an opportunity at that moment, as the natural rules were "suspended" by some kind of faith, but then some kind of unworthy thought, or the idea that I'd best just surrender and not try to be "healed" arose. Now it seems silly...amazing what the mind can do. I still find the 32 names of Durga so helpful. How I long for increased faith! O Ma, grant me great faith I pray! Here is a question...I'd love to hear what you say to the question that arose then...which I have explored much since: "What is the path between action and surrender." O Ma...you are the source and substance of all! Jai Shree Ma! Gina Jay Dayal [dayals] Sunday, July 25, 2004 2:42 AM RE: Re: FIREWALKING Steve We have massive religious gatherings from time to time IN Fiji within the 300,00 Hindu population. In this month of adhik shravan there are so many religious activities taking place. In the Ashvin month (mid-October sometimes) it will be something remarkable to see especially the large processions of Durga and Kali and Devi bhagwat discourses in nearly every township. We have some very remarkable temples also in Fiji built by the immigrated Indian population. Jai DURGE JAY DAYAL. Steve Connor [sconnor] Sunday, July 25, 2004 2:28 PM Re: FIREWALKING jay, that sounds like quite a remarkable event in your town ... i had no idea the island had such intense religious activity ... 12 inches deep! i also did not realize the coals were that deeply spread! steve c. , "Jay Dayal" <dayals@c...> wrote: > Last night I went to see the people who would be doing their annual > firewalking at the Durga Mandir in our township. The people all followed > disciplined living for 9 days, some7 days and some 3 days. There was a > huge procession of Maa DURGA and Maa KALI and devotees carrying some > puja items on their head which the some call "kargam". The procession > was crossing our town and people flocked to see them. All shops became > open at 9pm and the whole town was doing the Aarti of the procession. > > I was in my car with my family but then I don't know this feeling came > that I should go and bow in front of the procession and the devotees who > were carrying the puja items on their head. I got off my car and headed > for the procession. The closer i went I felt this supreme power around > me. The aura of divinity and every hair strand of my hands/body > virtually standing in excitement! I went I bowed to the devotees and the > procession and gave a small donation and then took Aarti of them all. > Everyone was singing Durga arti and bhajans and drum beats were going > loud. After seeing the strong faith around me, I am now tentatively > thinking to take part in the same fire walking ceremony next time. After > all, it is faith that takes them over the burning charcoal which is > around 12 inches deep. > > Anyone has ever taken part in a firewalking ceremony?? > JAI DURGE! > > JAY DAYAL. 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Guest guest Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 gina thank you so much for relating this story in such good detail. yes there is so much to this. and it does relate to sadhana and all we do. there is an envisioning process all of humanity participates in, isn't there? and what do we want to envision ... such a joy as you describe breaks out of the systems of belief in fear, and all of that. pranams, gina, steve , "Gina Sala" <ginasala@w...> wrote: > Hell Steve and Jay and all... > I happened to go to a firewalk once. I didn't really expect that I would > walk on fire. It was a new year's ceremony. > > I remember I expected it to be very serious event. But what I saw was that > people were singing and so full of the sense that "of course we can walk on > fire" that it began to seem normal. Especially the young people were being > really joyful and playful even as they crunched through the coals. From > where I was sitting, maybe 10 inches away, the heat was nearly too hot for > my legs. > > You know how in chanting, sometimes the mind just kind of relaxes and goes > with the repetition of what has been happening? > > That's what happened. I watched all these people tromping and dancing > through the coals and suddenly a woman next to me and I looked at eachother > and went. It was like, "Monkey see, monkey do". It felt like I was walking > through crunchy corn chips cheese puffs... but what was crunching were the > coals! I didn't feel the heat, though. > > When I got to the other side, I saw a burning coal stuck to my foot. I had > felt no pain, just the sensation of walking through the coals. Then when I > saw the burning coal, suddenl fear arose and then I felt searing pain. I > realized that had been just caused by mind, since the "external" > circumstance hadn't changed. So I realized the "pain" was just arising out > of a fear or thought. So I let it go and it didn't hurt again, and I just > flicked the coal off of me. I experimented with that for a while...picking > up coals and being burned, then picking them up and not being burned. > > Some people really got burned. And I saw a dog run through and get burned, > chasing some children. It was so strange. The leader had advised, "don't > walk unless you feel safe". I guess that's the "faith as a mustard seed" > part. > > What was amazing is, I have had asthma for much of my life. At the time, I > had the sense that, if I could walk through coal, surely I could be healed > of asthma. But then my faith waivered and I thought, "well, who am I to > choose? If God(dess) wants me to have asthma, she will remove it". And I > continued to have asthma and have until now. I felt I had lost an > opportunity at that moment, as the natural rules were "suspended" by some > kind of faith, but then some kind of unworthy thought, or the idea that I'd > best just surrender and not try to be "healed" arose. > > Now it seems silly...amazing what the mind can do. I still find the 32 names > of Durga so helpful. > > > How I long for increased faith! O Ma, grant me great faith I pray! > > Here is a question...I'd love to hear what you say to the question that > arose then...which I have explored much since: > > "What is the path between action and surrender." > > O Ma...you are the source and substance of all! > > Jai Shree Ma! > > Gina > > > Jay Dayal [dayals@c...] > Sunday, July 25, 2004 2:42 AM > > RE: Re: FIREWALKING > > > Steve > > We have massive religious gatherings from time to time IN Fiji within > the 300,00 Hindu population. In this month of adhik shravan there are so > many religious activities taking place. In the Ashvin month > (mid-October sometimes) it will be something remarkable to see > especially the large processions of Durga and Kali and Devi bhagwat > discourses in nearly every township. We have some very remarkable > temples also in Fiji built by the immigrated Indian population. > > Jai DURGE > > JAY DAYAL. > > > Steve Connor [sconnor@a...] > Sunday, July 25, 2004 2:28 PM > > Re: FIREWALKING > > jay, that sounds like quite a remarkable event in your town ... i > had no idea the island had such intense religious activity ... > > 12 inches deep! i also did not realize the coals were that deeply > spread! > > steve c. > > , "Jay Dayal" <dayals@c...> wrote: > > Last night I went to see the people who would be doing their annual > > firewalking at the Durga Mandir in our township. The people all > followed > > disciplined living for 9 days, some7 days and some 3 days. There > was a > > huge procession of Maa DURGA and Maa KALI and devotees carrying > some > > puja items on their head which the some call "kargam". The > procession > > was crossing our town and people flocked to see them. All shops > became > > open at 9pm and the whole town was doing the Aarti of the > procession. > > > > I was in my car with my family but then I don't know this feeling > came > > that I should go and bow in front of the procession and the > devotees who > > were carrying the puja items on their head. I got off my car and > headed > > for the procession. The closer i went I felt this supreme power > around > > me. The aura of divinity and every hair strand of my hands/body > > virtually standing in excitement! I went I bowed to the devotees > and the > > procession and gave a small donation and then took Aarti of them > all. > > Everyone was singing Durga arti and bhajans and drum beats were > going > > loud. After seeing the strong faith around me, I am now tentatively > > thinking to take part in the same fire walking ceremony next time. > After > > all, it is faith that takes them over the burning charcoal which is > > around 12 inches deep. > > > > Anyone has ever taken part in a firewalking ceremony?? > > JAI DURGE! > > > > JAY DAYAL. Links > > > > > > Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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