I am currently visiting India for four months with my husband. We are planning to spend time with my family and also undertake a pilgrimage in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rishikesh. I have heard about the great temples of Tamil Nadu and am looking forward to seeing them for the first time- we will be visiting Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Sri Rangam, Tanjore, Rameswaram and Madurai. This way we will be able to pay respects to three wonderful forms of the Divine- Devi, Hari and Hara! Am hoping to do some extra japa as well as some puja/homam in these places.
Speaking of puja, I have recently been doing some manasik puja. It is really quite interesting. Especially as I was someone who could barely visualise the form of my ishta devata Hari/Krishna when I started my first purascharana in 2011. My Guru Sivananda said, try to visualise the deity in the anahata or ajna chakra during loud (vaikhari) or whispering (upamasu) japa. One cannot do visualization during mental japa because then the japa stops. One can do loud/whispering japa with mental visualization however.
My mind could not do this at all well in the past- I could barely see the deity- so I did as Sivananda advised in this situation, and simply tried to concentrate on the sound of the mantra that I was saying.
I somehow slid into a regular habit of doing manasik puja since last month. During the Navaratri sadhana last month, I decided to do manasik puja of different forms of Devi. I felt I needed to worship my Guru and Hari also with Her. I thought it would be fun to worship all three together- it felt more complete. I see Hari as the origin of my Guru and Devi (three forms of the same God) so this made sense to me.
Swami Chidananda, a wonderful disciple of Swami Sivananda, used to say one should use imagination and creativity in one's bhakti. One should find some way or the other of directing one's thoughts towards God. Bearing this in mind, I decided to use the basic knowledge I had of physical puja procedures and carry these out mentally- adding in my imagination.
So I let myself imagine. I imagined a beautiful house made of solid gold and studded with precious gems in the centre of my chest (anahata chakra). Surrouding the house were lovely gardens, beautiful trees, flowers, lakes and birds singing pleasantly. The sunlight was perfect - neither too hot nor too cold. Into this house in this beautiful realm, I invited Lord Hari, Devi and my Guru to stay. I imagined an elegant bed in the room of the house where they slept at night.
In the morning, when I started japa, I would imagine going to wake them up. I would lead them outside the house to where three clean ponds with lotuses were located- each pond was dedicated to one of them. They would step into the ponds clothed in special cotton clothes (covered up of course as per Indian tradition!) to bathe. They would then step out and I would provide each of them with towels to dry themselves and with new clothes made of silk and soft velvety slippers. Always yellow garments for Hari, pink/red/white clothes for Devi and orange clothes for my Guru. I would then offer them each a unique flower garland- tulasi leaves with white/blue flowers for Hari, variegated flowers of pink, red and white for Lakshmi and marigold/orange and yellow flowers for Guru.
I would then lead them to a place in the front courtyard of the gold house where a stunning throne was present. The throne was one with three seats- Hari would sit in the middle, with my Guru Sivananda to His right, and Goddess Lakshmi to His left.
I would then offer them a drink of water to start. Then offer various foods in dishes made of gold (I am rich enough to do this in this realm!). Fruit, kheer, kitchri, jaggery rice, payasam- all kinds of different sattvic foods to eat. Buttermilk and water to drink. Sometimes also pots of pure ghee, butter and curds for Hari (given His infamous fondness for these). While doing all this, I would of course continue the loud japa without a break with one part of my mind. I felt as though Hari, Guru and Devi could hear the japa while all the other stuff was going on and that they were pleased.
After they finished the main meal, I would offer them the traditional betel nut with leaf or tamboolam (for proper digestion). Then I would clear away all the used dishes and wash them up and leave them to dry. After doing the washing up, I would then imagine myself taking a quick dip in a separate pond set aside for me, and return in clean crisp white clothes to sit in front of them and do the japa. Or I would allow myself to do any other form of worship I liked afterwards- offering incense, waving lights, offering flowers etc. Whatever I felt like doing. The key was to enjoy it, be spontaneous and keep up the concentration.
I notice my mind wanders much less away from God during japa as a result of this. Previously during loud japa, my mind would wander hither and thither. Now it is harder for it to wander. My concentration generally remains on the mental puja and the mantra. At the end of the puja, I ask for true bhakti and jnana and to become the type of devotee and disciple that God and Guru want. I also ask that all beings may be blessed with bhakti, jnana and attunement to the Divine Will, and also for peace everywhere on Earth.
I find that manasik puja has made my japa practice much more interesting. I now do this puja every day with the morning japa. I don't tell myself that I have to- but I enjoy doing it now. I do a simpler less elaborate version when I am tired. If I am very tired for any reason, I skip it and just try to hear the sound of the mantra. But most days now, I do manasik puja with japa.
I am able to visualise the deities much better now (though still not perfectly) than I ever used to be able to. I feel this is the result of purification by repetition of the mantra regularly for nearly three years. Whatever progress has been made feels like it is due to the grace of the mantra, of Guru and Devi. I cannot describe the greatness of the mantra because I do not fully understand it myself, and have not fully experienced it yet. But the little I have experienced is wonderful. When God Himself cannot explain the glory of His Name, we need not try! However we certainly are advised to practice and experience it. I am very grateful to my wonderful Guru Swami Sivananda for giving me the mantra and for his inspiration and to Devi for providing the skakti to keep up the sadhana. And to the mantra itself for effecting such wonderful changes. The Name of God is certainly something quite extraordinary and wonderful.
Hari Om Tat Sat
Speaking of puja, I have recently been doing some manasik puja. It is really quite interesting. Especially as I was someone who could barely visualise the form of my ishta devata Hari/Krishna when I started my first purascharana in 2011. My Guru Sivananda said, try to visualise the deity in the anahata or ajna chakra during loud (vaikhari) or whispering (upamasu) japa. One cannot do visualization during mental japa because then the japa stops. One can do loud/whispering japa with mental visualization however.
My mind could not do this at all well in the past- I could barely see the deity- so I did as Sivananda advised in this situation, and simply tried to concentrate on the sound of the mantra that I was saying.
I somehow slid into a regular habit of doing manasik puja since last month. During the Navaratri sadhana last month, I decided to do manasik puja of different forms of Devi. I felt I needed to worship my Guru and Hari also with Her. I thought it would be fun to worship all three together- it felt more complete. I see Hari as the origin of my Guru and Devi (three forms of the same God) so this made sense to me.
Swami Chidananda, a wonderful disciple of Swami Sivananda, used to say one should use imagination and creativity in one's bhakti. One should find some way or the other of directing one's thoughts towards God. Bearing this in mind, I decided to use the basic knowledge I had of physical puja procedures and carry these out mentally- adding in my imagination.
So I let myself imagine. I imagined a beautiful house made of solid gold and studded with precious gems in the centre of my chest (anahata chakra). Surrouding the house were lovely gardens, beautiful trees, flowers, lakes and birds singing pleasantly. The sunlight was perfect - neither too hot nor too cold. Into this house in this beautiful realm, I invited Lord Hari, Devi and my Guru to stay. I imagined an elegant bed in the room of the house where they slept at night.
In the morning, when I started japa, I would imagine going to wake them up. I would lead them outside the house to where three clean ponds with lotuses were located- each pond was dedicated to one of them. They would step into the ponds clothed in special cotton clothes (covered up of course as per Indian tradition!) to bathe. They would then step out and I would provide each of them with towels to dry themselves and with new clothes made of silk and soft velvety slippers. Always yellow garments for Hari, pink/red/white clothes for Devi and orange clothes for my Guru. I would then offer them each a unique flower garland- tulasi leaves with white/blue flowers for Hari, variegated flowers of pink, red and white for Lakshmi and marigold/orange and yellow flowers for Guru.
I would then lead them to a place in the front courtyard of the gold house where a stunning throne was present. The throne was one with three seats- Hari would sit in the middle, with my Guru Sivananda to His right, and Goddess Lakshmi to His left.
I would then offer them a drink of water to start. Then offer various foods in dishes made of gold (I am rich enough to do this in this realm!). Fruit, kheer, kitchri, jaggery rice, payasam- all kinds of different sattvic foods to eat. Buttermilk and water to drink. Sometimes also pots of pure ghee, butter and curds for Hari (given His infamous fondness for these). While doing all this, I would of course continue the loud japa without a break with one part of my mind. I felt as though Hari, Guru and Devi could hear the japa while all the other stuff was going on and that they were pleased.
After they finished the main meal, I would offer them the traditional betel nut with leaf or tamboolam (for proper digestion). Then I would clear away all the used dishes and wash them up and leave them to dry. After doing the washing up, I would then imagine myself taking a quick dip in a separate pond set aside for me, and return in clean crisp white clothes to sit in front of them and do the japa. Or I would allow myself to do any other form of worship I liked afterwards- offering incense, waving lights, offering flowers etc. Whatever I felt like doing. The key was to enjoy it, be spontaneous and keep up the concentration.
I notice my mind wanders much less away from God during japa as a result of this. Previously during loud japa, my mind would wander hither and thither. Now it is harder for it to wander. My concentration generally remains on the mental puja and the mantra. At the end of the puja, I ask for true bhakti and jnana and to become the type of devotee and disciple that God and Guru want. I also ask that all beings may be blessed with bhakti, jnana and attunement to the Divine Will, and also for peace everywhere on Earth.
I find that manasik puja has made my japa practice much more interesting. I now do this puja every day with the morning japa. I don't tell myself that I have to- but I enjoy doing it now. I do a simpler less elaborate version when I am tired. If I am very tired for any reason, I skip it and just try to hear the sound of the mantra. But most days now, I do manasik puja with japa.
I am able to visualise the deities much better now (though still not perfectly) than I ever used to be able to. I feel this is the result of purification by repetition of the mantra regularly for nearly three years. Whatever progress has been made feels like it is due to the grace of the mantra, of Guru and Devi. I cannot describe the greatness of the mantra because I do not fully understand it myself, and have not fully experienced it yet. But the little I have experienced is wonderful. When God Himself cannot explain the glory of His Name, we need not try! However we certainly are advised to practice and experience it. I am very grateful to my wonderful Guru Swami Sivananda for giving me the mantra and for his inspiration and to Devi for providing the skakti to keep up the sadhana. And to the mantra itself for effecting such wonderful changes. The Name of God is certainly something quite extraordinary and wonderful.
Hari Om Tat Sat
