Guest guest Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Day 11 Shiva puja class- asan Namaste to all, Hope you have all had a chance to incorporate the new mantras into your Shiva puja. It's inspiring to hear many of you fulfilling your sankalpa. Today we will focus on the purification of the asan. Please see (pg. 10 Beg. Shiva puja) and (page 23-24 Advanced Shiva puja.) You will notice a drawing of a small circle inside a triangle. The directions say : Draw the following yantra with some drops of water and or sandlewood paste at the front of your seat. Place a flower on the bindu in the middle. In the beginner Shiva puja the mantra begins with ete gandhapuspe.......... In the Adv. boook the mantra begins with “om aasanasya mantrasya ....... and ends with om prthvi tvayaa dhrtaa....... Swamiji explains that the bindu is the origin of creation. The equilateral triangle means that all of the threes are in perfect balance and harmony. For ex: the three gunas, the three qualities of creation, transformation, and preservation, etc.. In Sanskrit this term is called kamakala. That is where we sit. Also note that every deity sits on an asan(yantra) as well. Practice: Following the mantras in the Adv. Shiva puja book on page 23: 1. Draw the bindu and the triangle right in front of your asan. We generally use water but you can use sandlewood paste as well. 2. Recite the mantras that follow on page 23 -24. 3. Put a flower on the bindu when you say “ete gandha puspe..... 4. Recite “Om prthvi tvaya........ Part of the mantra says, “The Seer is He whose back is Straight.” Swamiji suggests that we use a book stand or music stand when chanting to help keep the back straight in order to remain the Seer whose back is straight. By keeping the back straight we allow the prana to travel freely up and down the spine and throughout the body. We do not want to constrict our wind pipe in anyway by leaning over or slouching. Also, we and our feet are more likely to fall asleep when we are not sitting up straight or with legs not crossed properly. Swamiji also teaches us that a movement of the body is a movement of the mind. So the stiller the body the stiller the mind. If we are locked firmly into our asan there will be less opportunity for the movement of the mind. Recently Swamiji was demonstrating the benefits of sitting in Siddasana to a 5 year old girl. He wanted to show her how the asan makes the body into an equilateral triangle and makes it harder to fall over or bend. Swamiji asked the little girl to try to push him over when he was not sitting in the asan. Of course she knocked him to the floor. (Lots of laughter when she knocked him over.) This happened a few times. Then Swamiji sat in Siddasana and he asked the little girl to try and knock him over again and this time he did not budge. Several times she tried to knock him over but he did not move. I think she got the message. Note: In the 8 limbs of yoga which are the 8 steps which bring us into union with the Supreme Divinity the 3rd step is asan. This is another reason why we want to try to sit in an asan when we do sadhana. Homework: Please read through the purification of the asan mantras and read the English as well. Please don't hesitate to ask questions or share your experience with sitting in an asan or not sitting in an asan. As the prayer says:”Make this seat free from obstructions and bear me eternally and make this seat pure.” Happy sitting to all of you! Om Namah Shivaaya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Namaste Parvatiji, with regards to the asan, I have a few questions about purity: -are there any rules regarding the feet and the asan (I mean the cloth I sit on)? When I sit down, parts of my feet sometimes touch the ground around the asan. Should the feet be kept on the asan at all times? Are you allowed to stand on the asan before sitting down or should you stand on the ground, sit down and then draw the feet in? -when I recited the Rudri last Monday (which took quite a while), I got tired and I suddenly noticed my hands holding the book touched my feet. Probably, that was a mistake (a music stand would correct that). Am I right in thinking that your hands should never touch the feet? -am I right in thinking that you are not supposed to touch the face to relieve an itch or wipe the mouth during recitation? Is there a difference depending on whether the itch occurs before or after purification of the hands or before or after taking the sankalpa? As far as sitting in an asan is concerned, this thought occurred (and it is not a very clear thought, but perhaps someone can explain to me what I mean:)): the one sitting in the asan mirrors the yantra; and the body/spine, rising from the triangle formed by the base of the spine and the legs, resembles the lingam rising from the yoni. In a sense, the puja then resembles an act of creation; dissolving the personal ego into a state of balance and harmony in which the 'divine I' can appear. that's it from me so far, thank you for your continuing guidance, with love, Henny , sara swati <parv108> wrote: > Day 11 Shiva puja class- asan > > Namaste to all, > Hope you have all had a chance to incorporate the new > mantras into your Shiva puja. It's inspiring to hear many of you fulfilling your sankalpa. > > Today we will focus on the purification of the asan. > > Please see (pg. 10 Beg. Shiva puja) and (page 23-24 > Advanced Shiva puja.) > > You will notice a drawing of a small circle inside a > triangle. The directions say : Draw the following > yantra with some drops of water and or sandlewood paste at > the front of your seat. Place a flower on the bindu in > the middle. > > In the beginner Shiva puja the mantra begins with ete > gandhapuspe.......... > > In the Adv. boook the mantra begins with "om aasanasya > mantrasya ....... and ends with om prthvi tvayaa > dhrtaa....... > > Swamiji explains that the bindu is the origin of > creation. The equilateral triangle means that all of > the threes are in perfect balance and harmony. For ex: > the three gunas, the three qualities of creation, > transformation, and preservation, etc.. In Sanskrit > this term is called kamakala. That is where we sit. > > Also note that every deity sits on an asan(yantra) as > well. > > Practice: > Following the mantras in the Adv. Shiva puja book on > page 23: > > 1. Draw the bindu and the triangle right in front of > your asan. We generally use water but you can use > sandlewood paste as well. > > 2. Recite the mantras that follow on page 23 -24. > > 3. Put a flower on the bindu when you say "ete gandha > puspe..... > > 4. Recite "Om prthvi tvaya........ > > Part of the mantra says, "The Seer is He whose back is > Straight." > > Swamiji suggests that we use a book stand or music > stand when chanting to help keep the back straight in > order to remain the Seer whose back is straight. By > keeping the back straight we allow the prana to travel > freely up and down the spine and throughout the body. > We do not want to constrict our wind pipe in anyway by > leaning over or slouching. Also, we and our feet are > more likely to fall asleep when we are not sitting up > straight or with legs not crossed properly. > > Swamiji also teaches us that a movement of the body is > a movement of the mind. So the stiller the body the > stiller the mind. If we are locked firmly into our > asan there will be less opportunity for the movement > of the mind. > > Recently Swamiji was demonstrating the benefits of > sitting in Siddasana to a 5 year old girl. He wanted > to show her how the asan makes the body into an > equilateral triangle and makes it harder to fall over > or bend. Swamiji asked the little girl to try to push > him over when he was not sitting in the asan. Of > course she knocked him to the floor. (Lots of > laughter when she knocked him over.) This happened a few times. Then Swamiji sat in Siddasana and he asked the little girl to try and knock him over again and this time he did not > budge. Several times she tried to knock him over but he did not move. I think she got the message. > > Note: In the 8 limbs of yoga which are the 8 steps > which bring us into union with the Supreme Divinity > the 3rd step is asan. This is another reason why we > want to try to sit in an asan when we do sadhana. > > > Homework: > Please read through the purification of the asan mantras and read the English as well. > > Please don't hesitate to ask questions or share your > experience with sitting in an asan or not sitting in > an asan. > > As the prayer says:"Make this seat free from > obstructions and bear me eternally and make this seat > pure." > > Happy sitting to all of you! > > Om Namah Shivaaya! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 thank you, Parvati, for sharing the importance of asan with us. if a sadhaka is unable to sit in siddhasana due to physical limitation, does this detract in any way from dhyana? anyone's comments, but especially Parvati's, are welcome. Jai Shiva to All, Kumari , sara swati <parv108> wrote: > Day 11 Shiva puja class- asan > > Namaste to all, > Hope you have all had a chance to incorporate the new > mantras into your Shiva puja. It's inspiring to hear many of you fulfilling your sankalpa. > > Today we will focus on the purification of the asan. > > Please see (pg. 10 Beg. Shiva puja) and (page 23-24 > Advanced Shiva puja.) > > You will notice a drawing of a small circle inside a > triangle. The directions say : Draw the following > yantra with some drops of water and or sandlewood paste at > the front of your seat. Place a flower on the bindu in > the middle. > > In the beginner Shiva puja the mantra begins with ete > gandhapuspe.......... > > In the Adv. boook the mantra begins with "om aasanasya > mantrasya ....... and ends with om prthvi tvayaa > dhrtaa....... > > Swamiji explains that the bindu is the origin of > creation. The equilateral triangle means that all of > the threes are in perfect balance and harmony. For ex: > the three gunas, the three qualities of creation, > transformation, and preservation, etc.. In Sanskrit > this term is called kamakala. That is where we sit. > > Also note that every deity sits on an asan(yantra) as > well. > > Practice: > Following the mantras in the Adv. Shiva puja book on > page 23: > > 1. Draw the bindu and the triangle right in front of > your asan. We generally use water but you can use > sandlewood paste as well. > > 2. Recite the mantras that follow on page 23 -24. > > 3. Put a flower on the bindu when you say "ete gandha > puspe..... > > 4. Recite "Om prthvi tvaya........ > > Part of the mantra says, "The Seer is He whose back is > Straight." > > Swamiji suggests that we use a book stand or music > stand when chanting to help keep the back straight in > order to remain the Seer whose back is straight. By > keeping the back straight we allow the prana to travel > freely up and down the spine and throughout the body. > We do not want to constrict our wind pipe in anyway by > leaning over or slouching. Also, we and our feet are > more likely to fall asleep when we are not sitting up > straight or with legs not crossed properly. > > Swamiji also teaches us that a movement of the body is > a movement of the mind. So the stiller the body the > stiller the mind. If we are locked firmly into our > asan there will be less opportunity for the movement > of the mind. > > Recently Swamiji was demonstrating the benefits of > sitting in Siddasana to a 5 year old girl. He wanted > to show her how the asan makes the body into an > equilateral triangle and makes it harder to fall over > or bend. Swamiji asked the little girl to try to push > him over when he was not sitting in the asan. Of > course she knocked him to the floor. (Lots of > laughter when she knocked him over.) This happened a few times. Then Swamiji sat in Siddasana and he asked the little girl to try and knock him over again and this time he did not > budge. Several times she tried to knock him over but he did not move. I think she got the message. > > Note: In the 8 limbs of yoga which are the 8 steps > which bring us into union with the Supreme Divinity > the 3rd step is asan. This is another reason why we > want to try to sit in an asan when we do sadhana. > > > Homework: > Please read through the purification of the asan mantras and read the English as well. > > Please don't hesitate to ask questions or share your > experience with sitting in an asan or not sitting in > an asan. > > As the prayer says:"Make this seat free from > obstructions and bear me eternally and make this seat > pure." > > Happy sitting to all of you! > > Om Namah Shivaaya! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.