Guest guest Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Dear All, We have just completed the preliminaries of a puja and signed on the dotted line by taking a sankalpa. Which means we do not deviate from our purpose NO MATTER WHAT! Lets focus on the verses after the sankalpa . They start with “Om Shanta Dyau Shanta Prithvim …” and end with “Om Shantih Shantih Shantih” Lets think a little bit – when we take a decision, we want our families and friends to be supportive of our decision, right? Similarly, when we take a decision or sankalpa to pray, we want the Universe to be supportive. We know that we are but beginners, and that we need all the help that we can get! So we ask for peace for everything so that we are able to worship undisturbed. We bless the Earth and heavens and atmosphere so that there are no natural disasters. We bless all causes and effects so that we continue with our worship even if the results our past karmas come to haunt us, Swamiji once said, (and I paraphrase) “When we sit down for worship notice how many asuras come to disturb our worship” We are asking for peace for EVERYTHING – so that our worship may continue despite the asuras (do you really need to pray today? There is such an interesting program on TV or there is so much work at the office or maybe the puja thing is not for me and I should choose another teacher or I am bored or why take the trouble with Sanskrit) You know what I mean? All the thoughts that come to haunt us especially when we sit for puja. All the thoughts that make us forget the divinity inside us. That’s why we say “Peace to All Gods within me and may the heavens be lulled with peace etc etc” The Shanti mantras – take a few minutes to read them and you will understand what I am trying to explain here. “I am trying to pray and I need all the help I can get, so help God” Also, more importantly, when we are asking the Universe for all the help it can give us, it is only fair that we too contribute all the help that we can give ourselves. This means, we schedule a time for puja that we know will be free of interruptions. We do not try to do a puja at a time when we are expecting guests or we need to run errands. We try to organize our lives around our pujas so that we can still get our work done and have time with the family and friends. This is what the Shanti mantras means to me – on the one level it means, “make the world peaceful and stop for a moment so that I can complete my puja “ On the other level, it means (to me), “what can I do in advance planning so that I will have an uninterrupted puja time each day, and not have my family or friends feel resentful “. Peace! Your assignment for today: Read the Shanti Mantras! Listen to the Shanti mantras (Shiva or Durga Puja CD)! Chant the Shanti Mantras Absorb the Shanti Mantras! Share with the group. Next, we will start talking more on purification. Jai Maa Nanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Dear Nanda, Here's my two cents worth for today: the shanti-part is one of my favorites and I like your two-fold explanation. And yes, I know what you mean: asuras do come in all forms and sizes from itches to noises to thinking you have left something on the stove. Sometimes I think the Divine Mother likes to play games with us, to see how we will react. And our invitation of peace signals that we mean business with our worship. > We bless all causes and effects so that we continue with our >worship even if the results our past karmas come to haunt us, Ah yes! Acknowledging their presence, but not reacting... > This means, we schedule a time for puja that we know will be free of interruptions. We do not try to do a puja at a time when we are expecting guests or we need to run errands. We try to organize our lives around our pujas so that we can still get our work done and have >time with the family and friends. And this is when the asuras come in again, in my experience with regular meditation, that is. Just when you are getting ready, the phone rings, you are late getting up or you need to be somewhere early. And then you start late and feel stressed etc. I try to keep to the same time every day but I do not always succeed. And in the evening it's the same problem; you're late home, dinner needs to be cooked, someone is at the door or you favorite programme starts early. So yes, I do need these invocations of peace also in this respect. For me personally, another aspect of these verses (which when I tried to chant the puja before I had the benefit of these lessons were my absolute favorite and the only verses that stayed with me and never failed to move me),is that they help me to get 'tuned into' the 'peace that passeth understanding', the Great Peace that always already IS, everywhere, beyond appearances and all the noise. Not that I reach that level, but there is a sense of calm, of quiet, something cool and tender and waiting, which marks the transition to another sphere for me. The only problem, then, is the ringing of the bell. Would you do that continuously during the chanting of all verses? In that case I think I should get a smaller bell, or the neighbours will be down to complain! that's it from me, may peace surround you and pervade you, with love, Henny , Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote: > > Dear All, > > > > We have just completed the preliminaries of a puja and signed on the dotted line by taking a sankalpa. Which means we do not deviate from our purpose NO MATTER WHAT! Lets focus on the verses after the sankalpa . They start with > > "Om Shanta Dyau Shanta Prithvim …" and end with "Om Shantih Shantih Shantih" > > > > Lets think a little bit – when we take a decision, we want our families and friends to be supportive of our decision, right? > > > > Similarly, when we take a decision or sankalpa to pray, we want the Universe to be supportive. We know that we are but beginners, and that we need all the help that we can get! So we ask for peace for everything so that we are able to worship undisturbed. > > > > We bless the Earth and heavens and atmosphere so that there are no natural disasters. We bless all causes and effects so that we continue with our worship even if the results our past karmas come to haunt us, > > > > Swamiji once said, (and I paraphrase) "When we sit down for worship notice how many asuras come to disturb our worship" > > > > We are asking for peace for EVERYTHING – so that our worship may continue despite the asuras (do you really need to pray today? There is such an interesting program on TV or there is so much work at the office or maybe the puja thing is not for me and I should choose another teacher or I am bored or why take the trouble with Sanskrit) > > > > You know what I mean? All the thoughts that come to haunt us especially when we sit for puja. All the thoughts that make us forget the divinity inside us. > > > > That's why we say "Peace to All Gods within me and may the heavens be lulled with peace etc etc" > > > > The Shanti mantras – take a few minutes to read them and you will understand what I am trying to explain here. "I am trying to pray and I need all the help I can get, so help God" > > > > Also, more importantly, when we are asking the Universe for all the help it can give us, it is only fair that we too contribute all the help that we can give ourselves. > > This means, we schedule a time for puja that we know will be free of interruptions. We do not try to do a puja at a time when we are expecting guests or we need to run errands. We try to organize our lives around our pujas so that we can still get our work done and have time with the family and friends. > > > > This is what the Shanti mantras means to me – on the one level it means, "make the world peaceful and stop for a moment so that I can complete my puja " > > > > On the other level, it means (to me), "what can I do in advance planning so that I will have an uninterrupted puja time each day, and not have my family or friends feel resentful ". > > > > Peace! > > > > Your assignment for today: > > Read the Shanti Mantras! > > Listen to the Shanti mantras (Shiva or Durga Puja CD)! > > Chant the Shanti Mantras > > Absorb the Shanti Mantras! > > Share with the group. > > > > Next, we will start talking more on purification. > > > > Jai Maa > > Nanda > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 This is such a wonderful description of the everlasting peace. I love your sense that this calm, quiet, cool and tender peace is there, waiting for you. Maa and Swamiji talk about repeating your mantra and flowing into meditation, flowing into that peace. Ramakrishna spoke about diving into samadhi. The peace surrounds us...above and below, in front and behind, inside and outside. We just need to claim it and make it ours. And yes, I love the Shanti prayers deeply. Peace upwards, over, on all sides and further. Feel that blanket of Peace surrounding you. I bow to you, my sister, Ardis > For me personally, another aspect of these verses (which when I tried > to chant the puja before I had the benefit of these lessons were my > absolute favorite and the only verses that stayed with me and never > failed to move me),is that they help me to get 'tuned into' the 'peace > that passeth understanding', the Great Peace that always already IS, > everywhere, beyond appearances and all the noise. Not that I reach > that level, but there is a sense of calm, of quiet, something cool and > tender and waiting, which marks the transition to another sphere for > me. > Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Dear Nanda, Thank you for bringing such clarity and thoughfulness to each stage of the puja. I am forced to actually think of each step and what it means to me as opposed to automatically reciting with some distant goal in mind and heart. The present becomes immanent. Shanti A question, I have been trying to draw the yantras with sandlewood paste and water but am having trouble. I have sandlewood powder which I have mixed with water but it doesn't seem to draw very well. Am I supposed to add something else to it? any suggestions greatly appreciated. Also Jami's site for the calendar is good but some of the words are different. I suppose being South Indian some is in Tamil. Question, then what is the other language used ? I suppose I thought it was all in Sanscrit. Jai Maa and Jai Swamiji Grace On 27/03/2005, at 3:54 AM, Nanda wrote: > Dear All, > > > > We have just completed the preliminaries of a puja and signed on the > dotted line by taking a sankalpa. Which means we do not deviate from > our purpose NO MATTER WHAT! Lets focus on the verses after the > sankalpa . They start with > > “Om Shanta Dyau Shanta Prithvim …” and end with “Om Shantih Shantih > Shantih” > > > > Lets think a little bit – when we take a decision, we want our > families and friends to be supportive of our decision, right? > > > > Similarly, when we take a decision or sankalpa to pray, we want the > Universe to be supportive. We know that we are but beginners, and that > we need all the help that we can get! So we ask for peace for > everything so that we are able to worship undisturbed. > > > > We bless the Earth and heavens and atmosphere so that there are no > natural disasters. We bless all causes and effects so that we continue > with our worship even if the results our past karmas come to haunt us, > > > > Swamiji once said, (and I paraphrase) “When we sit down for worship > notice how many asuras come to disturb our worship” > > > > We are asking for peace for EVERYTHING – so that our worship may > continue despite the asuras (do you really need to pray today? > <16.gif> There is such an interesting program on TV <17.gif>or there > is so much work at the office <12.gif> or maybe the puja thing is not > for me<15.gif> and I should choose another teacher <19.gif>or I am > bored <31.gif> or why take the trouble with Sanskrit<06.gif>) > > > > You know what I mean? All the thoughts that come to haunt us > especially when we sit for puja. All the thoughts that make us forget > the divinity inside us. > > > > That’s why we say “Peace to All Gods within me and may the heavens be > lulled with peace etc etc” > > > > The Shanti mantras – take a few minutes to read them and you will > understand what I am trying to explain here. “I am trying to pray and > I need all the help I can get, so help God” > > > > Also, more importantly, when we are asking the Universe for all the > help it can give us, it is only fair that we too contribute all the > help that we can give ourselves. > > This means, we schedule a time for puja that we know will be free of > interruptions. We do not try to do a puja at a time when we are > expecting guests or we need to run errands. We try to organize our > lives around our pujas so that we can still get our work done and have > time with the family and friends. > > > > This is what the Shanti mantras means to me – on the one level it > means, “make the world peaceful and stop for a moment so that I can > complete my puja “ > > > > On the other level, it means (to me), “what can I do in advance > planning so that I will have an uninterrupted puja time each day, and > not have my family or friends feel resentful “. > > > > <21.gif><40.gif>Peace!<40.gif><21.gif> > > > > Your assignment for today: > > Read the Shanti Mantras! > > Listen to the Shanti mantras (Shiva or Durga Puja CD)! > > Chant the Shanti Mantras > > Absorb the Shanti Mantras! > > Share with the group. > > > > Next, we will start talking more on purification. > > > > Jai Maa > > Nanda > > > > > > > > Sponsor > > > <22305_0205_016_b_300250_a.gif> > <l.gif> > > Links > > • > / > > • > > > • Terms of > Service. > > Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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