Beginner Puja – Day 7 – Feedback, Answers for yesterday’s assignment

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Today has been slow – they changed the look of (did you

see that?) and I am fuming - I don’t like too many changes and its

gonna take me a while to get accustomed to the new look, and THEN

they will change it again.. On and on it goes … Nothing is permanent

except change!

OK, I thank you Grace and Rick for submitting your answers to

yesterday’s assignment. Since I got no feedback from anyone else on

this topic, I PRESUME that everyone is well up on sankalpas – and

panchang is old hat and what does it have to do with the price of

bread anyway and we can safely move onto the next topic in the puja.

OK.

The correct answers are

7th Aug 2005 -Shravan mase, shukla pakse, trityam tithau

3rd May 2005 - Chaitra mase, krishna pakse, dasamam (if before sunrise, ekadasam if after) tithau

15 June 2005 - Jyeshth mase, shukla pakse, ashtamam tithau

Both Rick and Grace got them correct. Good job! In addition Rick wrote

out the sankalpa filling in the blanks with his name, location etc as

requested in the assignment.

I hope everyone has these answers down and knew how to arrive at them.

If you are not sure, now is a good time to ask.

Grace brought up a ticklish question – regarding the panchang that is

available in the Files section of the group - Calendar_2004_2005.jpg

under Calendar/

She asks,” is this calendar accurate for Australia or only for the

United States, particularly at the change over times.”

Grace dear, that calendar is valid for California only and I don’t

know what I can do to see that you get one for Australian times. I

used that calendar just to illustrate the use of a panchang.

Can anyone help? Is there any online tool that gives the panchang for

each locality? The Muktimaas and Arjunas of our satsanga – can you

suggest any website?

Until we find such a resource, there are two options that I would

consider if I were in your position Grace

I would either

1) take the California one on faith and use it wherever I am OR

2) I would just specify the Solar Month and Date. So I would say

“Om Adya jambudvipe etce etc .. The Month of March, the 25th day”…

puja Karmaham karishye”

Since my mind would be gnawing at me if I used option 1, I would go

for option 2 knowing that I was giving myself the best option.

Sorry, if this is a bit tame, but I really don’t know how to help more.

Both Linda and Henny are very appreciative of the Q&A and that I am

collating all the questions from everyone and responding in a single

post. Yes, Henny it does involve a little bit of work, but I take

great pleasure and have a deep sense of satisfaction in this task, so

believe me its no trouble at all. I am just very happy when there are

a lot of questions and participation – a sure sign that we are

learning together.

And Hendrika … er sorry Henny, I agree that Shree Maa is inspiring us

with her demonstration of attentiveness and focus with even her

day-to-day tasks. Her undertaking of a sankalpa for each task is a

priceless lesson – one that is not mentioned in a book, but is

learned by hanging around Her and learning about her. How much WE

change in the process!!! I am reminded of this statement that I read

a long time ago “I love you not for who you are, but for what I am

when I am with you”

So Henny, do let us know how it goes for you – You said that you will

try the idea of a sankalpa for a particular household chore that you

dislike. Another effective lesson that I learned is to set the timer

to 15 mins and do the chore for no more than 15 mins.. We are usually

surprised with the amount of stuff we can get done in that time.

But I digress … back to Puja.

Henny’s question on camphor:

“I have a small lump of camphor. Do I put it on a spoon and just hold

a match to it? Should I then wave the light until all camphor has

disappeared? “

Instead of a spoon is it possible for you to get a brass camphor

holder? As someone mentioned, camphor can get hot and spread its heat

to the spoon very quickly.

Yes, you would just need to hold a match to it. You can wave the light

for a few circles – however many you feel inspired that day and leave

the spoon in a safe place so that the remaining camphor may burn out.

Linda had this to say in the subject of camphor “Dear Nanda ~ when

using camphor, my sister makes little twists of cotton ball fibers

that she uses as a kind of wick for the camphor. She lights the wick,

and the camphor lights, and I'm not sure, but I think maybe the wick

keeps the camphor burning longer. Do we need to use such a wick or

can we light the camphor directly. Thank you ~ Linda”

Linda, I have never heard this one before. You could light the camphor

directly without the help of a wick.

On the contrary a wick uses the help of camphor to light quickly. At

the Mandir when we set up the five lights for Arati (more on this to

come later), inorder to ensure that the wicks catch fire, we rub a

few crystals of camphor on them.

Jana had a question on the Achaman (see post

/message/10390 )

She asks “Are we washing both hands in step #4? Or just the right? “

Well Jana, in step #4, we take the drop of water that we have poured

into our right palm and use it as though we were moisturizing both

our hands and then dab with towel. Hope that helped clarifying your

question.

Yes Henny , I will convey to Swamiji your heartfelt thanks for his

answering your question. As you said “He can speak volumes in a few

words

And Swamiji is the “real deal” to use Grace’s (and my) words.

Take care everyone and thank you for your appreciation and

encouragement. More importantly thank you for learning.

Praise be to Maa and Swamiji

Nanda

Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less.

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda, I had to laugh you sounded like me ....I wasn't impressed

with the new site either; change is always a bit tricky...just

when We were getting comfortable. The real pain though was the fact

that it took them five hours to post my question to Karen...and here it

is bed time and still no day 8 unless you are taking a rest day

thinking if 7 days was good enough for you know who why shouldn't it be

good enough for me.

Anyway, thank you I will go looking for sites tomorrow on the

calendar now I understand what I am doing.

Jai Maa and Jai Swamiji

Grace

On 26/03/2005, at 6:37 PM, Nanda wrote:

> Dear All,

>

> Today has been slow – they changed the look of (did you

> see that?) and I am fuming - I don’t like too many changes and its

> gonna take me a while to get accustomed to the new look, and THEN they

> will change it again.. On and on it goes … Nothing is permanent except

> change!

>

>  

>

> OK, I thank you Grace and Rick for submitting your answers to

> yesterday’s assignment. Since I got no feedback from anyone else on

> this topic, I PRESUME that everyone is well up on sankalpas – and

> panchang is old hat and what does it have to do with the price of

> bread anyway and we can safely move onto the next topic in the puja.

>

>  

>

> OK.

>

>  

>

> The correct answers are

>

>  

>

> 7th Aug 2005  -Shravan mase, shukla pakse, trityam tithau

>

> 3rd May 2005 - Chaitra mase, krishna pakse, dasamam (if before

> sunrise, ekadasam if after) tithau

>

> 15 June 2005 - Jyeshth mase, shukla pakse, ashtamam tithau

>

>  

>

> Both Rick and Grace got them correct. Good job! In addition Rick wrote

> out the sankalpa filling in the blanks with his name, location etc as

> requested in the assignment.

>

>  

>

> I hope everyone has these answers down and knew how to arrive at them.

> If you are not sure, now is a good time to ask.

>

>  

>

> Grace brought up a ticklish question – regarding the panchang that is

> available in the Files section of the group - Calendar_2004_2005.jpg

> under Calendar/

>

>  

>

> She asks,” is this calendar accurate for Australia or only for the

> United States, particularly at the change over times.”

>

>  

>

> Grace dear, that calendar is valid for California only and I don’t

> know what I can do to see that you get one for Australian times. I

> used that calendar just to illustrate the use of a panchang.

>

>  

>

> Can anyone help? Is there any online tool that gives the panchang for

> each locality? The Muktimaas and Arjunas of our satsanga – can you

> suggest any website?

>

>  

>

> Until we find such a resource, there are two options that I would

> consider if I were in your position Grace

>

> I would either

>

> 1)      take the California one on faith and use it wherever I am OR

>

> 2)      I would just specify the Solar Month and Date. So I would say

> “Om Adya jambudvipe etce etc .. The Month of March, the 25th day”…

> puja Karmaham karishye”

>

> Since my mind would be gnawing at me if I used option 1, I would go

> for option 2 knowing that I was giving myself the best option.

>

>  

>

> Sorry, if this is a bit tame, but I really don’t know how to help more.

>

>  

>

> Both Linda and Henny are very appreciative of the Q&A and that I am

> collating all the questions from everyone and responding in a single

> post. Yes, Henny it does involve a little bit of work, but I take

> great pleasure and have a deep sense of satisfaction in this task, so

> believe me its no trouble at all. I am just very happy when there are

> a lot of questions and participation – a sure sign that we are

> learning together.

>

>  

>

> And Hendrika … er sorry Henny, I agree that Shree Maa is inspiring us

> with her demonstration of attentiveness and focus with even her

> day-to-day tasks. Her undertaking of a sankalpa for each task is a

> priceless lesson – one that is not mentioned in a book, but is learned

> by hanging around Her and learning about her. How much WE change in

> the process!!! I am reminded of this statement that I read a long time

> ago “I love you not for who you are, but for what I am when I am with

> you”

>

>  

>

> So Henny, do let us know how it goes for you – You said that you will

> try the idea of a sankalpa for a particular household chore that you

> dislike.  Another effective lesson that I learned is to set the timer

> to 15 mins and do the chore for no more than 15 mins.. We are usually

> surprised with the amount of stuff we can get done in that time.

>

>  

>

> But I digress … back to Puja.

>

>  

>

> Henny’s question on camphor:

>

> “I have a small lump of camphor. Do I put it on a spoon and just hold

> a match to it? Should I then wave the light until all camphor has

> disappeared? “

>

>  

>

> Instead of a spoon is it possible for you to get a brass camphor

> holder? As someone mentioned, camphor can get hot and spread its heat

> to the spoon very quickly.

>

>  

>

> Yes, you would just need to hold a match to it. You can wave the light

> for a few circles – however many you feel inspired that day and leave

> the spoon in a safe place so that the remaining camphor may burn out.

>

> Linda had this to say in the subject of camphor “Dear Nanda ~ when

> using camphor, my sister makes little twists of cotton ball fibers

> that she uses as a kind of wick for the camphor. She lights the wick,

> and the camphor lights, and I'm not sure, but I think maybe the wick

> keeps the camphor burning longer. Do we need to use such a wick or can

> we light the camphor directly. Thank you ~ Linda”

>

>  

>

> Linda, I have never heard this one before. You could light the camphor

> directly without the help of a wick.

>

>  

>

> On the contrary a wick uses the help of camphor to light quickly. At

> the Mandir when we set up the five lights for Arati (more on this to

> come later), inorder to ensure that the wicks catch fire, we rub a few

> crystals of camphor on them.

>

>  

>

> Jana had a question on the Achaman (see post

>

> /message/10390 )

>

>  

>

> She asks “Are we washing both hands in step #4? Or just the right? “

>

>  

>

> Well Jana, in step #4, we take the drop of water that we have poured

> into our right palm and use it as though we were moisturizing both our

> hands and then dab with towel. Hope that helped clarifying your

> question.

>

>  

>

> Yes Henny , I will convey to Swamiji your heartfelt thanks for his

> answering your question. As you said “He can speak volumes in a few

> words

>

>  

>

> And Swamiji is the “real deal” to use Grace’s (and my) words.

>

>  

>

> Take care everyone and thank you for your appreciation and

> encouragement.

> More importantly thank you for learning.

>

>  

>

> Praise be to Maa and Swamiji

>

> Nanda

>

>

> Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less.

>

>

> Sponsor

>

>

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>

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>

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>  

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>

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[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

 

reading your answers to the questions regarding day 7 has filled me

with shame. In my haste to go to the files I overlooked the assignment

and consequently did not submit any answers. Please accept my humble

apologies. I did the test just now, though, and found this practical

application of the info did indeed make me understand the structure of

the panchang better. So I will take care to read every word of your

posts in future.

 

The question Grace brought up has tickled me indeed. I have not yet

figured out (what with the setting and rising of the moon etc.) if

this means that I, like Grace, cannot use the calendar in the files

section without worries. I have tried to find a website with an

adaptable panchang for different parts of the world but haven't found

one yet. So until help arrives, I think I will use the solar month and

date, and perhaps add the phase of the moon (waxing/waning).

> "I love you not for who you are, but for what I am when I am with

>you"

 

Ah, this is very beautiful! A whole new perspective!

> So Henny, do let us know how it goes for you – You said that you

will try the idea of a sankalpa for a particular household chore that

you dislike. Another effective lesson that I learned is to set the

timer to 15 mins and do the chore for no more than 15 mins.. We are

usually surprised with the amount of stuff we can get done in that

time.

 

Well, I have a question about the wording of the sankalpa: can you say

'puja karmaham' to include any action you intend to undertake as an

offering to God? Seeing that 'puja' means 'that which generates

merit', I suppose you can. Or should you use another term for

activities other than formal worship? Or should I say what I intend to

do explicitly (in Dutch)?

The timer idea I like very much!

 

As for the camphor: thank you for your clarification and I will try to

get a brass camphor holder.

 

I understand how it must be annoying for you that changed the

look of the page. I was unpleasantly surprised as well. Please be

assured that all your efforts to teach us, despite the obstacles, are

greatly appreciated,

 

with love,

 

Henny

>

>

> Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less.