The ancient sages brought sacredness in every celebration, so that you don't lose the focus in the hustle-bustle of the activity. Observing rituals and religious practices (called Puja) is simply showing one's gratitude to the Divine. This brings depth to the celebration.
These practices, along with promoting spiritual values and harmony in the family and society, have a scientific foundation as well.
. whatever we have received from the Divine, we offer it back to him, innocently and playfully.
God has given us crops and grains, so we offer rice. God has given us water and we offer water. Perfumes have been given and we offer perfumes. Fruits have been put on trees for us and we offer fruits.
Invoking the Divinity within us
The rule of pooja is only Shiva can worship Shiva. So first you place the names of the Divinity on different parts of your body. You become part of the Divinity and then you offer the flowers and everything to the Divine. This is the actual and right way to do pooja, seeing the Divinity inside.
Secret of offerings during pooja
Lamps with five wicks during pooja
“Diyas are a symbol of real life and life must be enjoyed by removing darkness from your heart. Pooja renews our contract with divinity. Pooja is a process to awaken divinity.” Sri Sri
The five wicks symbolize the five senses. Let there be awareness and light in the five senses, that is the wish. Our body is like a lamp and it has five senses and they should all be lit.
The fire element has a lot of significance as mentioned in Vedic rituals, it is pure energy. Lamps when lit purifies the energies of the space. Different oils have different positive effect on environment.Oil when combusted generates ions. Specific oils generate specific ions, leading to specific benefits. Although, in the olden days, lamps were used as primary sources of lights, this medical benefits take care of the ill and regular health of people.
Flowers
God has given you flowers, so you also offer flowers back to Him with a prayer that may our hearts also blossom just as abundantly towards Him.
Flowers are full of life and rich source of prana. Prana is the yogic term of energy which is in the natural elements. This when abosrbed contributes to the healthy living and thoughts of beings.
Scientifically Flowers have medicinal value, the fragrance of flower uplift our mood and balance our chakras.
Water
God gave us water, so we offer water to Him during Pooja, with the feeling that we too should become humble like water and bring coolness to everyone. Like water, we too should have a foundation in life (just as water is the vital element and basis of life). So we pray that our life too becomes like this.
It’s scientifically proven that water has memory. When we chant mantras , it absorb the vibes.
Akshat (whole unbroken rice grain)
We also offer Akshat (whole unbroken rice grain) to the Divine because; it is a symbol of never ending abundance. Akshat in Sanskrit means 'that which cannot be destroyed'. Just as these rice grains, the spirit in me is indestructible, remembering this we offer the akshatas.
The rice grain does not break ever. Scientists have said that matter and energy can never be created nor be destroyed. Similarly also for the rice grain because it never gets destroyed or damaged. When we eat rice, it provides energy and nourishment to us and is absorbed by our body. And upon death, when our body is cremated and returns to the Earth element, the same rice grain after sometime grows from the Earth and becomes ready as food for consumption. When the body turns into ash, the ash becomes food for many fishes which in turn become the food for many other human beings again. So this happens again and again in Nature. When you bury the body under the Earth, the body dissolves away into the five elements.
Chandan ( sandal Paste)
Similarly we offer Chandan (sandal paste) also, with the feeling that its fragrance spreads everywhere.
All our five senses which bring sensory experiences and pleasure to us – the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue and the skin have certain sense functions and substances associated with them. So all the substances and objects that bring joy or pleasure to these five senses are also given as sacred offering in the Pooja.
Sandalwood is a proven relaxant, decreasing anxiety, calming the nervous system, and assisting with better quality sleep. Its benefits are realised upon inhalation of the sweet woody fragrance or when absorbed through the skin.
You may have noticed, whilst applying sandalwood tilak, it has a cooling effect and pure aroma which can have massively beneficial effects on the brain. According to Chinese acupunctural sciences, the tilak is applied on the skin covering a convergence point of nerves. Here, the cooling properties come into their own by reducing headaches and calming the mind.
Ringing of Holy Bell
We ring the holy bell during the Pooja because due to the sound that is produced, the mind is freed of all thoughts from here and there, and settles in the present moment.
Then the mind comes in harmony with the Naad – the single sound in the environment during the Pooja.Therefore, to focus and channel the mind, many drums, trumpets and cymbals are also played during the Pooja. Such a loud sound causes the mind to come into the present moment.
Bell sound effect our vishuddhi to aagya chakra (third eye Chakra)
Burning of camphor during Aarti
Camphor is burnt to perform Aarti (circular movement or display of the lamp in reverence before the deity or the idol) before the deity. Just as God rotates the sun and the moon around you, you imitate the same and thus offer and move the small camphor lamp before God to bring joy to you.
This is also to express the prayer that the light of our life should never go astray from God and should always be centered and revolve around God. It is with this deep feeling that you perform aarti.
Burning camphor purify the atmosphere, clear the negative energies. When we perform Aarti it cleanse our Aura also it’s like fire bath.
What is Aarti?
Aarti means the highest and the greatest possible bliss. It represents the fact that the Divine is the greatest source of joy. When our hearts overflow with such intense love and devotion that every particle of our body is soaked in it, then that is what aarti really is.
Aarti is that which gives you total contentment. It is made up of two parts: ‘Aa-’ and ‘rati’. ‘Rati’ means joy, bliss and ecstasy. So when we are full of such kind of devotion and bliss - that is called Aarti. So we perform aarti with the prayer that our lives should also be filled with the ecstasy of devotion, such that we see God everywhere we look
Next is “mantra pushpa”. Purification of the mind is done by the mantra and the mind blossoms like a flower and that blossomed mind is offered to the divine. By performing ฤrati mind blossoms and becomes like a flower.
Praising God( Stotra path)
The divine qualities are sung with a feeling of gratefulness, devotion and oneness with the Lord.
Why praise?
It is said that as we praise something or someone, that quality starts reflecting in us. So by praising the vastness and beauty of the Supreme energy which beholds this entire creation or universe, we invoke that Consciousness in us and in our lives.
Sanskrit one of the most primitive languages, is a language which needs clear articulation. Clear articulation generates specific vibrations. Vibrations impact the thought patterns in our head.
Prasadam :
Food absorbs positive energy. Upon consumption and assimilation, this food breaks into prana and correct systems from inside. Points to note: Not all foods qualify to be prsadam- Fresh fruits, freshly cooked food and rich sources of proteins are commonly noticed as offered to the god ass naiavedyam, which becomes prasadam for the devotee.
Dhyanam: Also known as meditation. The first step is observation. Observing ones own thoughts making us aware and bringing in humility.
Significance of puja
The state of mind with which the puja is performed, the various materials used and the chanting (mantras) which is done during the puja, all have a profound effect on the environment.
The vibrations purify the place, the atmosphere and the people present. Puja is a meditation, it is a yoga (a means to reach the state of total oneness).The feeling of oneness of the worshipper and the worshipped, is the realization of the true nature of the Self.
We perform some rituals on festivals. when all family members come together and do Pooja on Festival , the atmosphere of our home changes.Children are introduced to religion and spirituality through the rituals
Pooja and ignorance
Pooja is never done to flatter or please God. But in our country, people go and feed sweets to the idol of the deity, so much so that the face of the deity is spoilt.
Furthermore, they offer flowers to every deity’s picture or idol with fear and guilt that if they offer to a flower to Lord Hanuman and not to Lord Shiva, then Lord Shiva will get angry and punish them. All sorts of superstitions arise in the mind. This is why it is said that you must have only one Ishtadevta (referring to the tradition of having a prime or central deity for worship and devotion). All others deities are simply divine forms of the same Divinity. The essence is to see One Divinity in everyone and everyone as part of One Divinity. That is what it is.
(Based on the excerpts of talks from H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , and various scientific researches on Hindu rituals )
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