Classes and Orders

People from Penang (Gelugor) can contact Ms Gayathiri Superamaniam.

People from KL area, kindly contact the numbers given in the brochure above...Thanks...

NADUVAN- THE FINAL JUDGEMENT

Agenda Suria Communication and Asthana Arts presents a bilingual theatre / dance NADUVAN THE FINAL JUDGEMENT, 7.30 pm on 30th Nov ( student passes) , 1st & 2nd Dec 2012 at Auditorium DBKL Jalan Raja Laut.

Artistic direction of Asthana Arts...

and Ravi Shanker explores the sins of human beings and their karma in after world. The final judgement is from omnipresent SHIVA himself. Who will attain moksha who will be reborn? A beautiful story in contemporary setting. It was restaged dance drama after received overwhelming response from public when it was held for first time in July. Don't missed the final chance to watch the drama.

Ticket price : RM 50.00 and please call Agenda Suria Communication at 03-22785555 or 0126966407

Why we wear garland of lemon to Mother Kaalee?

Each Lemon is a representation Of Nara Munda. Which actually our Maa Kali wears.Mala of Nara Mundas. One of the stories, In Sanskrit, lemon is translated as "Nimbu phala". According to
mythology, once there lived a demon by name NimbAsura. He created havoc on earth by means of a great femine. Sage Agasthya did great penance,contemplating on the Mother to end the demon's misdeeds. Pleased with the sage's penance, the Mother appeared and killed Nimbasura thus ending the great femine. She brought back vegetation on earth and since then she is worshiped as SHAKHAMBARI (Sanskrit "Shakha" - vegetation).
Before dying, the demon gained divine knowledge and prayed the Mother to give him permanent place in her holy feet. The Kindest Mother gave him the boon that henceforth NimbAsura shall adore her in the form of Nimbu phala. Devi ShakhAmbari is also worshiped as Banashankari, the distorted form of Vanashankari. The mula sthana (original place) where the Mother took the form of SHAKHAMBARI is Badami, Karnataka. Around 100 years ago, a temple was built for her in Bangalore and the locality is famous by the name Banashankari. Courtesy: Unknown gurubandhu posted an article in Indiadevine.org.
Smaller In Size N has the property of Munda....... And Lemon also used for all kind of Tantrik kriyas.....as Nara Munda Also.

NADUVAN - A CONTEMPORARY THEATRE/ DANCE

After 6 great production's of Asthana Arts - Mahakavi, Varna, Theeratha Taagam, Panchasunthara, Thirunangai and Divas and Devas, now the Malaysia's new age dance studio with Dr. Burn's Sollisai Nation and the Support of Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara , presents a contemporary dance / theatre presentation NADUVAN based on Malaysia's well known Entertainer, Dr. Burn's single Naduvan.

Set in a metropolitan city, 7 youngsters waits after life at the gate of Heaven and Hell. They argue who should have the better after life comparing their deeds in the previous world. Each had desires that let them to imperfection. The 6 sins of Arishadvargas - Lust ( kaamam) , Greed ( Lobham) , Sloth ( Mogham), Envy ( Matsaryam) , Pride ( Ahankaram) and Anger ( Krodham) , are some of the sin they have committed. is there enough time for them to repent?? What are the final moments of life is like?? What happens to the friends and family?? The Final decision is by NADUVAN....in fact he was all the while watching each of them...each of their movements, each of their action....

Mathevi, a pure athma, reminds back all of them what they have done. She flashbacks each of them to the world that once upon time was theirs. Mathevi explain life and athma’s journey based on Garuda Purana and the how to achieve moksha.

The greed sold her husband’s body organs to buy jewellery
The pride, being too cruel and unsympathetic, killed an unborn child.
The Envy for her to be Number 1, splashed acid to a naïve girl
The anger killed an innocent bystander and paralyzed him
The Sloth, for drugs and pleasures, took the life out from young university boy.
The Lust , made a young girl to be prostituted destroying her future.

Naduvan is the Shiva himself. He saw all this, is coming with red fiery eyes, body stashed with ash, with matted locks, dancing his TANDAVA, gripping the lost souls.

Featuring Malaysia's well known singer in his first ever theatre debut Ganeson Mahoharan, with Devi Letchuman, Veeramathevi Sundram, Kumaresan of previous Theeratha taagam production, Selva, Rey , Kirhu, Sharmila Kathirvelu, SuriyakUmari, Rathipritah , Uganthana and Mahalingam . Also dancers : Thinesh Rajaindran, Kannan Rajamanickam , Sathish Vadivelu , Pavethiran Raj, Thanenthiran Maruthai, Nesh Kumar, Khritiharan, Hema Malini Samy, Shuba, Dhanya Rajadram , Logini, Tina Ruby and Aahmu Thirunyanam . Dance choreographers include Geethashankaran Lam of Geethshankaran dance, Rithaudin Abdul Kadir of Universiti Malaya and Hema Malini .

Date : 21st July 2012 ( Saturday)
Time : 8.00pm
Venue : The Shanthanand Auditorium , Temple of Fine Arts Brickfields Kuala Lumpur
Entrance by : RM30, RM 50 , RM100.

Further informatoon : ravi Shanker 012 6966 407 / Chris 014 263 6135
email : info@asthanaarts.com
www.asthanaarts.com / facebook Asthana Arts kuala lumpur

"I am having a role as Sloth which is describing an boy which involved in drug addiction. That particular person having a group of friends in his activities while sharing needles to insert that drugs in their body. One day, they saw a student who dressed formally and he is wearing a gold chain on his neck. While they are aiming to get that chain to sell and gain profit to buy more drugs, they accidently killed that student. This story refers to the Sloth (Kirhu) for killing a future generation who suppose to be an doctor or lawyer or even any of those white collared profession in his future. The soul of Sloth will be enlightenth by Naduvan in the end of  his journey on the Dark World. What will be Naduvan's judgement for Sloth Athma? Stay tuned for Naduvan's presence!!! Kindly attend the event and gain something that u will not see else where...NADUVAN...WAITS U..." Kirhu... C U THERE!!!

12 Indian foods that cut fat

Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health: 

Turmeric : 

Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack. 

Cardamom :

This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently.

Chillies : 

Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies.

Curry leaves :

Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal.

Garlic :

An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.
 

Mustard oil :

This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart.

Cabbage :

Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.

Moong dal :

The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption.

Honey :

It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning.

Buttermilk :

It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss.

Millets : 

Fibre-rich foods such as millets - jowar, bajra, ragi, etc - absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the bile that emulsifies fats.

Cinnamon and cloves:

Used extensively in Indian cooking, the spices have been found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes.

http://scorpionwings-mathangi.blogspot.com/2011_06_26_archive.html

KILLING OF SHUMBA AND NISHUMBA

Once upon a time there lived two demon brothers Shumba and Nishumba who had the ambition to rule the world and treat all the people as their servant. They wanted to acquire power. In order to fulfill their aim, they prayed to Lord Brahma with utter devotion. Pleased with their false show of sincerity Lord Brahma granted them a boon. The boon made them almost invincible as they were given the power that no one other than a woman would be able to kill them. Both Shumba and Nishumba were pleased on receiving it as they felt that no woman was so strong as to kill both of them. Blessed with the boon both the brothers started creating havoc in the universe. They tormented all the living creatures, terrorized the people and even forced the Saints and the Brahmins to worship them if they wanted to live.

Terror and fear enveloped the entire universe and both the brothers grew arrogant and more powerful because of the boon they had received. Even the other Gods were unable to stop them and felt helpless. All the Gods became worried and started thinking of a way to defeat both Shumba and Nishumba. As all the Gods were discussing about their plans, Goddess Parvati saw all of them. She listened to their stories about the injustice and cruelty of both the demon brothers on the whole world and how they had become arrogant. Maa Parvati became furious on hearing about such unashamed display of power by Shumba and Nishumba and decided to teach them a lesson. She assured all other Gods that their concern will be taken care of. With her powerful and divine energies, she created another Goddess from her own being called “Kaushiki”. Kaushiki was ravishingly beautiful and there was an aura and charm around her personality. Soon word spread about her beauty and reached Shumba and Nishumba. They were excited on hearing about the description of Kaushiki from their followers and so each of them sent a marriage proposal to her.

On receiving the proposal Kaushiki replied that she had taken a vow to marry the person who was able to defeat her in a battle with their army. Shumba and Nishumba were pleased on hearing this as they felt that they could easily defeat Kaushiki and then marry her. They thought the battle as a formality and so sent their army along with the generals to defeat her and bring her to them. But Kaushiki being an avatar of Maa Durga was very powerful and strong. She defeated the huge army of Shumba and Nishumba single handedly with ease. She then challenged Shumba and Nishumba to come and fight with her to marry her.

Shumba and Nishumba were shocked and angry on hearing that Kaushiki had wiped out their army. They decided to take their revenge and so went to the battlefield where Kaushiki was waiting for them. As both the demon brothers as well as Kaushiki were very powerful, a fierce and tough battle ensued between them. Shumba and Nishumba used their cunning strategies to defeat Kaushiki but each of the time Kaushiki was able to control them. Finally in order to kill the brothers, Kaushiki decided to enhance her powers. She used the energies or the Shakti of seven Gods who came to assist her in the battle. Theses energies fought a fierce battle and killed Nishumba. Shumba now grew frightened and knew that this woman was not an ordinary woman. Knowing that his end was near, he infuriated Kaushiki by saying that she was not as powerful as him and had to take the help of seven other Gods to kill his brother. Hearing this Kaushiki said that the time has come to show you who is more powerful. She eventually merged the energies of all the Gods into herself and killed Shumba. Thus she preached the message of victory of goodness over evil and helped to restore peace, harmony and love in the world once again.

Learning from the story

This story teaches us about the power of Maa Durga. It presents a twin facet to Maa Durga’s personality both as the stunningly beautiful and charming Goddess as well as the deadly Goddess who wipes out all the evil forces. It preaches us the message that no matter how much powerful and strong you are but if you use that power for illegitimate and deceitful purposes, ultimately you will have to pay for your misdeeds by being defeated or killed. This story also teaches us that we should never under estimate our opponent in a battle or a competition. We should not be over-confident about our supremacy but instead should analyse the opponent and develop the strategies to counter him/her.

Shumba and Nishumba under estimated the power of a woman to defeat them both when they received the boon and when Kaushiki invited them for a battle. They had grown blind with arrogance and superiority because of which they had to pay the price in the end.

The moral of this story is that we should live a simple, humble and a peaceful life. Even if we acquire the status, resources and power in the society, we should use it for productive purposes and to help the mankind rather than create destruction, terror and hatred with the misuse of our power and position. Only when you help and care for others can you think of receiving the same treatment in return.

Why do we light a lamp?

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the alter of the lord. In some house it Is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day – at dawn and dusk- and in few it is maintained
continuously- AKHANDA DEEPA. Auspicious function commence with lighting of the
lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion

Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness – ignorance. The lord is the “knowledge
principle “ ( chaitanya) who is the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all
knowledge. Hence light is worshiped as the lord himself

knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Also knowledge is a
lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievement can be accomplished. Hence we light
the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth.

Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would removes darkness. But the traditional
Oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our vaasanas or negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the vaasanas get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of the lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire such knowledge as to take us toward higher ideals. Whilst lighting the lamp we thus pray

Deepajyothi parabrahma
Deepa sarva tamopahaha
Deepena saadhyate saram
Sandhyaa deepo namostute

I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the knowledge principle (the supreme lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved In life

By,
Morgan Major.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/156888877761875/

Avatharams of Ambal to kill the Asurans...

1. Sri Astha Thasa Bhuja Mahachandi, Chandi, (with 18 hands) Combination of Mahakaalee, Mahasaraswathy and Mahalakshmi; To kill Chandasuran
2. Sri MahaVarahi (A form of woman in the face of a boar) To kill Pandasuran (Click here)
3. Mahakaalee : Wife of Mahakaalan (Shiva) To kill a poisonouse form of Asuran Rakthabeejan
4. Mahishasoora Mardini : A form of Chandi (Gain the name after kills the Asuran named Mahishan (A bull headed Devil)
5.Mughambikai to kill Mughasooran
6. Bala Tripurasundari to kill Kaamagaasuran (Who received boon from Brahman to be killed by a baby form of a girl who was not been born by other woman's womb).
7. Pratyangira Thevi to destroy the arrogance of Narasimha after he killed Hiranya Kasibhu.
8. Chamundi killed Mundasooran who was the brother of Chandasooran.
9. Dhaksinakaalee killed Dhakshan, who was the father of Dhakchayani. After the death of Dhakchayani in the agni of homam which was performed by Her father, through the ashes of Dhakchayani came the Aathi Sakthi in the form of Dhakshinakaalee to teach Dhakshan a lesson.
10. Vakrakaalee to kill the Vakraasooran (Click here)
11. coming...still writing...finding for more facts...:)

Avatharam of Vishnu who killed the Asuran's
1. Krishna killed Naraghasooran which was Krishna's uncle who killed 6of Krishna's brothers n sisters after they born., 7th was Thurga Thevi which was saved by some people the avatharam of Aambal and 8th was Krishna.
2. Sri Raama killed Raavanan which was the reincarnation of Hiranya Kasibhu in previous life.
3. Narasimha killed Hiranya Kasibhu

THE GREAT MOTHER BAHUCHARA MATA

Bahuchara Mata is a Hindu goddess. She was a daughter of a charan Bapal dan Detha. She and her sister were on journey with a caravan when a marauder named Bapiya attacked their caravan. It was common practice in charan men and women if overpowered by their enemies, not to surrender but to kill themselves. Shedding the blood of charan was considered heinous sin. When Bapiya attacked the caravan, Bahuchara and her sisters announced tragu and cut their breasts. Legends tells that Bapiya was cursed and became impotent. The curse was lifted only when he worshiped Bahuchara Mata by dressing and acting like woman.[1] Today Bahuchara mata is considered patroness of—and worshipped by—the hijra community in India. Her followers believe in non-violence and consider killing of all animals and creatures a sin.

Bahuchara Mata is shown as a woman who carries a sword on her top right, a text of scriptures on her top left, the abhay hasta mudra ("showering of blessings") on her bottom right, and a trident on her bottom left. She is seated on a rooster, which symbolises innocence.

Bahuchar mata is one of the goddesses like ambaji, or durga -- really she is a form of durga. She is worshipped in Yanta like ambaji and kamakshi. Her name in Tantrisam is BALA TRIPURASUNDAri or simply bala tripura or bala. Her mantra and Panchanga are also available. She is the giver of virya or semen to men, so those who are impotent worship her to get potency. She has given potency as a boon to many who were impotent. Bahuchara is a very famous goddess in Tantrisam: she gave abhaya, Varad and vidhya their desired boons and wealth as well. That temple has a very long history. Her Yantra has Nine triangles symbolising that she is Durga; Tripyra is her name which indicates that she controls everythiplease make sure these are just myths and not factual information. bahuchar mata surely did curse but being a charan goddess never asked for castration. this is a misinterpreted belief of the folk lores told. in gujarat the hijras themselves will say to become on of them you have to be born as a person with deformed genetalia to be called as a hijra. bahuchar mata is the form of the goddess bala tripura sundari and tripura sundari is part of the ultimate godess lakshmi! the belief of bahuchar mata being part of the shree yantra is true and a fact! the shree yantra is worshipped at the following shaktipeeths like ambaji of arasur mahakali of pavagadh along with bahuchar mata shankhalpur!ng in world. In Hinduisam the world is made of three like three guna, three loka, three deva three pura, etc. She is seated in sri chakra.

One important myth concerns a king who prayed before Bahuchara Mata to bring him a son. Bahuchara complied but the prince Jetho, who was born to the king, was impotent. One night Bahuchara appeared to Jetho in a dream and ordered him to cut off his genitals, wear women's clothes and become her servant. Bahuchara Mata identified impotent men and commanded them to do the same. If they refused, she punished them by arranging that during their next seven incarnations they would be born impotent. This is how the cult of Bahuchara Mata, whose devotees are required to self-castrate and remain celibate, developed [2]. In one of the many folk stories associated with Bahuchara Mata, the goddess was once a princess who castrated her husband because he preferred going to the forest and "behaving as a woman" instead of coming to her bridal bed. In another story, a man who attempted to molest Bahuchara Mata was cursed with impotence. He was forgiven only after he gave up his masculinity, dressed as a woman, and worshipped the goddess. Another theory says that she is one of the goddesses in Sri Chakra. The real symbol of her vehicle is kurkut which means the serpent which has two mouths. Bahucharaji is seated on low end and other end goes to sahastrar, which means that Bahucharaji is the goddess of starting the awakening of kundlini which eventually leads the liberation or moksha.

The temple of Bahuchara Mata is located in Bechraji town in Mehsana district of Gujarat, India. It is 110 km from Ahmedabad and 35 km west of Mahesana. The original temple complex was built in year 1783 AD. The temple is nicely decorated with stone carving. Every year 1.5 million pilgrims visit this temple [3]. Toda Mata (Bahuchara Mata) is located in Sankhalpur. The origin of Bahuchra Mata is situated at Varakhdiwala temple in Bechraji. Because Bhakta Vallabha Dhola wrote in his Aanand no Garbo the original place of Bahuchra Mata is situated at between Sankhalpur and Dedana village. The Toda Mata temple in Sankhalpur is 2 kilometers fare from Bechraji (Bahuchraji).

For referrence: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42233735@N06/3890997827/

The mystery behind the skull-garland of Bhadrakali

There is much difference of opinion on the garland of human skulls worn around the neck of the Goddess Bhadrakali, not only among the people of the West ,but also among the Orientals. In fact these skulls represent the 52 letters of the Sanskrit language. The proclamation “Hari Sree Ganapathaye Namah”, is nothing but the vow to the effect that one is ready to study all the 52 letters of the language. This mysterious code is deciphered using the ‘ KAPATAYATI ’ method. In fact, the word ‘Kapalam’ does not mean the human skull at all. As per the ‘ Tantrakasa’, the letter ‘Ka’ means ‘Parashakthi’ and ‘Pala’ means to abide by or adhere to. So the meaning of the word ‘ kapalam’ can be understood as the merger or union of Shiva and Shakthi. No wonder that Kalidasan has said that the relation between the word and its meaning is like that of ‘Parvathi Parameshwara’ relationship. All the poets including even Kalidasa, knew well that the skull worn by Bhadrakali strewn in the form of a garland depicted the knowledge of the letters. Sir John Woodraff has authored a book ‘ The Garland of Letters’, which deals at length with the knowledge and intellectual understanding of alphabetic letters. He emphasizes that the skull-garland of Bhadrakali is a euphemism. Nandikeshwaran, who is credited with the interpretation of Panini’s ‘Vyakaranasutram’ makes it very clear that he is also of the same opinion. But it is a dramatic irony that many could not decipher this great and mysterious code. In fact , at a glance, the ‘Kapalam’ in the hands of Bhadrakali is a symbolic representation of the knowledge of the letters.

When Sadhana is performed with deep and true intensity, nectar starts exuding from the Brahmarantras situated in the brain. This flowing nectar is called ‘Somam’.There is a mention in the RigVeda about this.( Rig 10 – 5 – 3 ). It is generally believed that ‘Somam’ is the crushed juice of the raw herbs. This is drunk by the common man. But the somam known to Vedic exponents is beyond the reach of the common man. This somam is the causative factor for the origin of language. At another context in the Rig Veda ( Rig 10 -7 -14 ), which states as follows – One cannot understand the meaning of the word in spite of looking at the word, another cannot hear it , in spite of listening to it, but the one who has understood the true meaning is the blessed one. For him, the Goddess of learning throws open and offers Her Real Self. In other words, she offers her genious( pratibha), just like an exhilarated, devoted wife, who is longing to attain her beloved during the mating period. Those who worship Bhadrakali achieve such pratibha( genious). There is an excellent description about this Mahabharata ( Vanaparvam – 229 ). The word ‘pratibha’ means – light, that light which is produced in the intellect of the listener , by the word which travels from the producer of the word and enters the listener’s intellect.. This is the flower which is blossomed out of this Sadhana. Again at another context in the Rig Veda ( Rig -10 – 125 – 5 ), listen to the Goddess of words-“ It is me and me alone, who says this fact which is dear to human beings, and the Devas ; Listen; He whom I desire, I will make him brilliant and powerful, the knower of all Vedas, a Rishi and a genious.”

It was for acquiring this genious , that all the people of India performed Sadhana. When this practice deteriorated, our decline started.. The transformation Bhadrakali to the family deity, the kapalam in the hands of the Bhadrakali and the ‘somarasam’ contained in the kapalam-all these were nothing but a euphemism (beautiful, figurative usage of the language). It is because of the same reason that we have references in the Lalithasahasranaamam as follows-

Sarvajnayai Namah

Vaagwadinai Namah

Vidyayai Namah

Srividyayai Namah. 

Maha Kaalee And Her History

This is Mother Kali, one of the millions of deities in Hinduism. She is the Aathishakti (The Mother Divine in any fierce form as 'Kali,' it's a kind of short-hand that inclues Durga, Chandika, Mahishasoora Mardini and other fierce forms of Mother.

Other names for Kali include: Kali Ma, The Dark Goddess, Dark Mother, Kalika, The Black Goddess, Kali the Destroyer, Consort of Shiva, Dancing Lady of Death.it's also part of Shiva's nature, to give boons to rakshasas, even though those boons usually wind up threatening the whole creation. Shiva is 'bolo-shankara', purely innocent and open-hearted. generous to a fault.

Notice she holds weapons and a severed head and a bowl to catch the blood in. Her jewelry is dismembered bodies, her necklace severed heads, her skirt is made of severed arms from the devils. According to Hinduism, within the human body, Kali is the Kundalini, the "Serpent Power", the key to liberation-if properly controlled. If not, the Kundalini will do great mental and bodily harm.

Why the Divine Mother came this way? Read this friends...and please change ur perception about Her!  

Once upon a time, a demon (again, he has many names depending on what region in India the story is told, like Mahesasura, Raktabija, etc.) spent a great deal of time and effort worshipping Shiva, in deep meditation. the demons, or rakshasas, are actually great meditators, and are very good at doing austerities to win the attention and the love of Lord Shiva. it's a curious point that the rakshasas often have more powerful souls, at the pure level, than the avataras do. it's a mystery as to why this is, since at some point the rakshasas make some fatal (and usually highly selfish) blunder and lose all the fruits of their meditation in some stupid way. but that's nature.

Anyway, this rakshasa did his austerities, got the darshan of Lord Shiva (got to see Shiva, physically, in a super-natural form) and Shiva was so pleased with the hard meditations the rakshasa had done, he granted the demon whatever boon he wanted. the clever demon asked for the boon that every time his blood hit the ground from a wound, a THOUSAND more Mahesasuras would spring up from that blood. essentially, he was making himself invincible, immortal. Shiva granted the boon.

Immediately the demon came attacking the gods, killing and harming many of the divine beings in creation. they were powerless against him, even though they had fantastical weapons -- because Shiva's boon was in place and every time Mahesasura was wounded and his blood hit the ground, a thousand more of him would spring up, ready to fight.

The level of destruction that he threatened to carry out in creation was too much for any of the devatas (the gods) to fight. they couldn't do it. no one was powerful enough to stop the rakshasa, so they all came together, all the gods (like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the OTHER millions of divine forms in the pantheon), all the goddesses, (like Saraswati, Laxmi, Parvati and the others), all the rishis (the great creator-sages), all the angels, all the divine beings in this creation, every last one of them. they united and merged together and made ONE form.

That one form, the highest divinity form of Mother Divine, is known as Maha Kali. SHE came into creation and killed that rakshasa by a simple method -- every time She wounded him, and his blood was starting to drip, She would extend her humongous tongue and eat his blood before it ever had a chance to hit the ground!

This is why there are so many many misunderstandings about Maha Kali -- many people have the mistaken impression that because She is so fierce, so hideous-looking (wild-eyed, long bloody tongue hanging out of Her mouth, fangs dripping blood), She is some kind of demonic force in creation.
the truth is that She is the highest divine form of the Mother energy -- She is the convergence of ALL the divine beings in Her one form. it takes that fierce an expression of the high positivity to defeat the highest negativity.

It's also part of Shiva's nature, to give boons to rakshasas, even though those boons usually wind up threatening the whole creation. Shiva is 'bolo-shankara', purely innocent and open-hearted. generous to a fault.

Eggs not vegetarian for Hindus!!!

"Chickens' eggs are the byproduct of a chicken's menstrual cycle. If fertilized, they would produce baby chicks. Male chicks are worthless to the egg industry, so every year millions of them are tossed into trash bags to suffocate or are thrown alive into high-speed grinders called macerators. Egg-laying hens are all eventually slaughtered for their flesh. Their weak and emaciated bodies are made into soup or dog and cat food, or they are fed back to other chickens. "Free-range" eggs are a marketing ploy-the free-range label is not subject to any USDA regulations, so "free-range" chickens endure miserable conditions, just as all animals used for food do."

OPEN YOUR EYES. RETHINK EGGS.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150801327732394&set=a.444515092393.233740.532692393&type=3&theater

Proud to be an Indian!

Do you know who is she?

Shakuntala Devi —Human Computer - Don't forget this legend

Shakuntala Devi was born on November 4, 1939 in Bangalore, India.

In Dallas she competed with a computer to see who give the cube root of 188138517 faster, she won.
...
In 1977 At university of USA she was asked to give mentally the 23rd root of 91674867692003915809866092758538016248310668014430862240712651642793465704086709659 32792057674808067900227830163549248523803357453169351119035965775473400756818688305 620821016129132845564895780158806771 (201-digit number).

She answered in 50seconds. The answer is 546372891. It took a UNIVAC 1108 computer, full one minute and 2 seconds (10 seconds more) to confirm that she was right after it was fed with 13000 instructions.

On June 18, 1980 she demonstrated the multiplication of two 13-digit numbers 7,686,369,774,870 x 2,465,099,745,779 picked at random by the Computer Department of Imperial College, London. She answered the question in 28 seconds.

Her correct answer was 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730. This event is mentioned on page 26 of the 1995 Guinness Book of Records.

Now she is known to be Human Computer.

Share this 'n Let's Appreciate Her Talent.. !! :))

பிரித்தறியும் சக்தி

பாலிலே வெண்ணெய் உண்டு
பார்ப்பதற்கு தெரிகிறதா?
கடைந் தெடுத்தால் மட்டும் தான்
அதுவம் தெரிகிறது

சிப்பியுள்ளே முத்தும் தான்
சிதறி கிடக்கிறது
பிரித்து பார்த்திடவே
காணக் கிடைக்கிறது

தென்னையில் இளநீரும்
தேங்கி இருக்கிறது
உடைத்து எடுத்திடவே
தாகமும் தீர்கிறது

நிலத்தின் உள்ளே தான்
வைரமும் இருக்கிறது
அகழந்தெடுக்க மட்டுமே
கைக்கு வருக்கிறது

எல்லா உயிரிடமும் நீயும் இருக்கின்றாய்
அகந்தை உள்ளதால் அதுவும் தெரியவில்லை
அதையம் அகற்றிவிட்டால்
அகந்தம் புரிகிறது
ஆதி பராசக்தியாய் காட்சியம் தெரிகிறது.

-சக்தி. திருமதி கோமதி கணேசன் (இலங்கை)
சக்தி ஒளி ஜீன் 2007
By Gayathiri Superamaniam 

Rig Veda

“Through me a person eats food: Anyone who sees, who breathes, who hears what is spoken does so through me. Unknowing, they depend on me. Hear, O famous one---I am telling you something worthy of faith. I myself proclaim this state of affairs that is approved by gods and men. Whomsoever I wish I make mighty, a Brahman, a seer, a sage. I draw the bow for Rudra, so his arrow may slay the foe of sacred speech. I stir up quarrels among people; I pervade heaven and earth. On the summit of the world, I give birth to the father; my origin is in the waters, in the ocean Thence I spread through all the worlds, and I touch yonder sky with my summit. I blow forth like the wind, grasping all worlds. Beyond heaven, beyond this earth, in my greatness such have I become.”
The Rig Veda, Devi Sukta, 4 - 8

By Rudhra. Thanks for the informations...:)

Test Tube Babies 5000 years ago...

Vyasadeva produced 100 test tube babies 5000 years ago but we mastered it only around 35 years ago. The science is there, it is just that we have not mastered it yet. Om Nama Sivaya...

Who is Vyasadeva? (Click Here)

God - Exist? Or Not?

Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

P.S.

I believe you have enjoyed the conversation. And if so, you’ll probably want your friends / colleagues to enjoy the same, won’t you?

Forward this to increase their knowledge … or FAITH.

By the way, that student was EINSTEIN ..

via - Shantz ShaSource:https://www.facebook.com/groups/156888877761875/permalink/196530183797744/

Vaasthu Sastra dikenali sebagai 'Feng Shui'

It is imperative that two of the well-known Eastern design methods-Feng-Shui (China) and Vastu shastra (India) are understood in a proper perspective, as both these disciplines in their own ways define the relationship between man and the cosmos.

In Chinese language Feng means wind & Shui means water, implying thereby that the technique involves balancing of the cosmic element water & the cosmic quality “wind” in a system to achieve harmony with the cosmic forces.

Vastu shastra has clear-cut definitions- Vastu means abode or a house & shastra means science or technology, i.e. it is the scientific method of house construction. Vastu shastra considers a house to be a living soul, having prana. Fengshui scripts denote water, fire, wood, gold and earth as the basic five elements forming the entire universe with ‘wind’ as the special quality attainable by these elements. Vastu shastra scriptures stress that every living and non-living entity, for that matter the entire world, is created out of the Panch-Maha-Bhutas – earth, water, fire, wind & ether. 

“Ether” is considered the most important element in this system, as every possible transformation from one element to the other has to be routed through Akashtatva only. Vastu shastra has its own system of Vastu-Chakras, which is used in conjunction with Astrology; Astronomy & Yogashastra for site-selection & a magnetic compass decides the directional aspect. Interestingly, both the systems insist on N.S. orientation for a structure. Feng-Shui considers a land having reddish or yellowish soil as a good geomantic land.

Vastu shastra considers a land with white & yellow coloured soil for house construction. Red coloured soil is tolerated in Vastu shastra, but a site with black soil is prescribed for construction purposes, as such lands are prone to water-logging problems- a kind of environmental pollution. Feng-Shui insists that a body of water should flow in front of the main ent rance of the house. There is no preferred direction of water flow as Feng-shui allows positioning of the main entrance in any directions, depending on the birth year of the owner of the house. Vastu shastra on the other hand considers water flow in the direction N.E. to the Vastu as a beneficial factor with lunar-shaped (Chandrakar) N.E. directional flow as a pointer to frame & prosperity.

A major discrepancy in both these disciplines pertains to the direction of ventilator openings. Feng-shui considers N. as evil & prefers S. direction for window openings. In contrast Vastu shastra dictates the position of windows should be in the N.E.or N.E. directions only. Feng-Shui attempts to offer the households protection against yellow dust and sand which the chinese mainland receives from the deserts situated on the N. border of that country.

Vastu shastra follows scientific logic in selection of the window directions, in the sense that it considers the beneficial effects of early morning sunlight. Location & design of rooms in Feng-Shui are based on the traditional Le-Shu grid of nine squares which assigns different directions. In Vastu shastra the location of rooms are designated in the Vastu Purush Mandal, consisting of nine squares as influenced by the journey of the sun in its various phases.

Source (Click here)

The origin of words in Malay and English

No.  SANSKRIT (Samaskritham)   THAMIZH (Tamil)    MELAYU (Malay)   ENGLISH
1.                                                     Maathar                                                    Mother
2.                                                     Naamam                   Nama                       Name
3.                                                     Swamy                      Suami                    
4.                                                     Kaalam                     Kala
5.                                                     Thevan/Theivam        Dewa                      
6.     Shree                                        Sri/Shree                   Sri
7.
Updating...if u know any original words of any language that being used in other languages..pls comment n state the words...ur contributions would be much appreciated...TQ.

Creating an Altar And Worshipping at Your Altar

By Mary Kurus

Copyright 2000 by Mary Kurus

All Rights Reserved

Introduction

Vibrant and energetic health can be achieved and maintained only when we are healthy in all major aspects of our being, including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. This requires integrating time and practices for developing and maintaining a high level of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health into our everyday lives. If these various aspects of ourselves are not nourished on a very regular basis, difficulties will often be found with the physical well-being of the individual and illness can occur.

This article deals primarily with spiritual health and will identify one approach to help us connect with the God within us and with the Universal Power in the external Cosmos. It's important to separate the concepts of organized religion and spirituality. This article deals with spirituality that includes a direct and personal relationship or connection between a human and that Power which created and influences how the Universe evolves. Creating a personal altar and worshipping at this altar provides us with a simple act which we can perform on a regular basis, to fit in with any schedule, and which can form a major cornerstone of an individual's spiritual health.

What Is an Altar

An altar is a sacred space where we go to connect the Divine Spirit within us with the Divine Spirit and the Gods in the Universe. It is that special place that an individual has chosen to help them withdraw from the busyness of life for connection, rejuvenation and energy. It can be a small space, it can be an entire room or it can be outdoors. An altar helps you to personally connect the Holy within you with the external Divine Spirits which you consider to be Holy. An altar is that place to which one goes to concentrate their energies for many purposes. An altar can change with the seasons or it can change to reflect the changes in you as you experience personal growth.

Altars are part of ancient traditions and have been used as places of worship for thousands of years. Every civilization around the world has worshipped at altars as an integral part of their spiritual or religious practice. Asian, European, Latin American, African, and various North American cultures have integrated altars into their practices of worship. Many great religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and the ancient religions, have used altars for many purposes in worshipping the Universal Deity.

Why Do You Need Your Own Altar

Human beings have always had a deep need to pay homage, or just to connect at a deep and personal level with that power which they consider to be their God. I call this the need the need to worship. Worshipping is an essential element in every individuals spiritual journey in life. Altars help to remind us that there is a God or Gods much more powerful than any human power. It provides us with a focus to think, pray, meditate and listen. It helps us connect the God within us with the Gods of the Universe.

Worshipping is essential for humans since it renews our spirit. Worshipping feeds our souls in the similar way we nourish our bodies with food and water and our emotional selves with love and caring. An altar helps to remind us to stop during our hectic and busy lives, to take time to be, to listen, and to talk with the God of our understanding. It helps us to stop with our everyday tasks and to take time to nourish our souls. It is an oasis of silence and peace, a place of spiritual comfort and inspiration.

We can go to a temple or church on a regular basis and worship, but daily worship is most easily conducted at an altar at home. A home altar is a more personal place of worship including those elements that represent the sacred to each one of us. A deeper connection is possible when we worship alone in the quiet of our altar, with our Creator. An altar at home connects the God within with where we live, eat and sleep with the Universal Power. It reinforces spirituality into our everyday lives.

What Is Worship

For those reared in North American religions worship normally consists of ritualistic ceremonies and repetitive prayers. Normally, we are observers in this type of worship. This type of worship does not encourage a personal and close connection with something Holy. A personal altar does just that, bringing you to that sacred place for that personal connection with a Universal Power. This type of worship is intimate and individual.

Worship can include many elements, but essentially it means connecting the Holy within you with what you consider Holy. It can be simple and consist of being present with God. It can include asking for yourself or others, sharing your hopes, dreams, fears or anxieties. It can be used as a time to listen, to thank, to praise, to recite affirmations, or to remember someone for a variety of reasons. It can be used to experience a time of peace. It can be used as a support when experiencing transformations at emotional, mental, physical or spiritual levels.

This Holy Power is called many things including the Creator, the Universe, the Universal Power, God, Buddha, Allah. It doesn't matter what you call this Power. What matters is that there is a spiritual belief and that this belief is integrated into your everyday life.

Why Do You Need to Worship

I firmly believe that the emotional stability of any individual is a direct reflection of the relationship of that person with a Universal Power. We need to honor the God of our beliefs and doing so brings us emotional stability. In life we act from one of two sources, either the source of love or the source of fear. When we worship and place in God's hands what belongs there, we treat ourselves and others in a relatively loving manner. When we try to control and manipulate life to provide us with what we consider important, we are filled with fear and its many manifestations. Regardless of the materialistic success, individuals whose behavior is driven by fear, are not content with life, or at peace with themselves or others.

Long-term and sustainable health can only be achieved when we are connected to the inner and outer sacred essence that underlies every aspect of every human life. Spiritual health is equally important to physical, emotional and mental health.

Worshipping puts life and life's experiences in a different perspective, helping us to come more fully from a place of love. It helps you focus your intentions, become more centered, and puts you on the path of life that your heart is crying to travel. It helps you to stop and just be with yourself, your thoughts and feelings. It helps you to know you.

Where Should You Establish Your Altar

An altar can be anywhere that you can go to for your private moments with a Sacred Deity. This can be a small corner of a room, one shelf or three shelves of a bookcase, a desk, a cabinet, a room, a corner in your garden, or a sacred place outdoors. What's important about the space is that is has to be private for those times of worship, a place you can withdraw to, from the hectic moments of life, to quiet the mind and to spend time in prayer or meditation, or to be quiet just to hear oneself.

What Should You Place On Your Altar

Anything that represents to you the sacred power of the Universe should be placed on your altar. The following are some ideas to help stimulate your imagination. These are just ideas since the things you place on your altar should represent you, your life, your beliefs and your family.

Intention

The intention, or the aim or the purpose of what you place on your altar and what it represents is more important than what you actually place on your altar. Intention can be put into any object and therefore it is really important to concentrate your aim or purpose of placing a particular item on your altar. Think into these objects your intention for what they represent. We do not comprehend the enormous power of thoughts and intention.

Sacred Representations from Different Religions

Many different Gods from a variety of religions can be represented on an altar. You could have a large brass figure of the laughing Buddha to remind you that laughter is so important in living a healthy life, and to remind you of Gods wonderful sense of humor. You could have a wooden carving of a Meditating Buddha for those times when you need to strengthen your times of meditation and prayer. You could include a small carving of Horus, the Egyptian God, which is half eagle and half man. It represents the mysteries of the Gods that are beyond human comprehension. You could include a carving of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who helps so much in special requests for children. She has such a special love for children.

There are so many other icons, figurines and carvings that could be included. The Black Madonnas, Ganesh the Hindu god, Kwan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Compassion, St. Francis of Assisi or many other Catholic saints, Krishna, another Hindu god, are just a few more examples of sacred deities.

The Spirit World

Certain carvings and figures represent different metaphysical spirits who are ever present in our everyday lives. You can have carvings that represent your guides or counselors who work with you and help you daily. You can have special representations for angels or guardian angels that protect you and look after you. You can be quite specific and have figures of specific angels, e.g. the archangel Michael, the powerful protector of us all or the Goddess of Mother Earth to represent the healing power of the Earth.

You can also place photographs or images that represent those who have left this earth and now belong in the spirit world. These images can reconnect us to these spirits, which are still part of our lives, even though on a different dimension.

Plants, Flowers, Trees

Nature is a powerful force in our lives and should be an important element of any altar. Plants, flowers, herbs and trees are great healers in nature and can represent different qualities that can support your personal development. You can use fresh or dried flowers, a branch of a tree, or you can place a picture of the plant, flower or tree that means so much to you. A flower, tree or gem vibrational essence can also represent that natural element which means something special to you. Choming Essences are the natural vibrations of flowers, trees and gems and can easily represent your favorite flower on your altar.

Crystals and Gems

There are so many different crystals and gems from which to choose that you can easily fill and entire room with small specimens of each. The healing powers of gems and crystals are powerful and as a result they need to be treated with care. Often crystals cannot be kept by many in the same room in which they sleep so you many have to experiment to find those, which are compatible with your vibrating energy. As with flowers, Choming Gem Essences can be placed on your altar to represent the specific crystal or gem which you want to place on your altar.

Animals

In the Native North American Indian culture, animals are representative of guides, teachers, counselors and protectors. A brass bear carving could represent your protector who goes everywhere with you to protect you and give you that overall sense of safety. He can be so ferocious and so powerful. And he just lives and loves to protect you. A carved elephant can remind you of the ancient wisdom in nature, and within you, if you'll just stop and listen to hear it. A dolphin can represent the rhythm of life, breathing new creativity into your life.

Birds

I have special relationship with birds and have a wooden carving of the Bird God of Nepal on my altar to remind me of that special relationship. Birds bring together elements of earth and the wider Universe and are often viewed as spiritual messengers. They can bring us messages and communications from the Universe.

You could choose a raven or crow that represents the mystical and magical; the Canada goose that represents travel and the natural mysteries of migration; the vulture which represents rebirth; the robin that represents new beginnings; the owl that represents magic, omens, and silent wisdom; the red cardinal that represents finding your soul song and renewing your vitality; the blue jay that represents the proper use of power; the heron which represents self-reliance; the hummingbird which represents joy from drinking of the sweet nectar of life; the loon which represents new states of consciousness; or the blue heron representing independence and strength.

These are just a few examples. The possibilities are endless. Place the bird on your altar that represents the quality you want to concentrate on and develop.

Incense

Customs in many ancient traditions throughout the world have used incense as an integral element of worshipping. Incense is made by compacting a number of herbs and spices. There is a special Tibetan Incense made in monasteries in Nepal from 35 different herbs and spices including nagi, red and white sandalwood, and saffron. The smell is gentle and beautiful and this essence will dissolve all negative energies that exist in around the area of your altar. This essence is prepared in accordance with Tibetan traditions, preserved through the centuries within the monastic orders of Tibet. This incense is special not only from the purity of the ingredients but also from the manner in which it is made.

The smell that is generated from burning essence helps to still your active mind as you are preparing to worship and to slowly bring all your senses to focus on why you are worshipping at that moment. You can use various scents including jasmine, juniper, or myrrh. Incense increases the vibrational intensity of your thoughts and purpose for worship helping to send a stronger message to the Universe.

White Sage

White sage is used by many cultures, most especially Native Americans, to smudge and cleanse your sacred space for worshipping. It is said that white sage has special powerful properties for drawing wisdom as well as those of purification. Like incense, white sage will help you concentrate your energies as well as concentrate the energies that are being sent to the Deity during your worshipping ceremony.

Candles

Candles are another spiritual tool to help you focus and strengthen your energies of prayer and worship. Lighting a candle can be like an announcement to the Universe of your intention to worship. The flame of the candle can send a spiritual message that you are honoring the Creator and presenting to the God(s) of your understanding, and the reason for your worship.

The colors of the candles you use can be representative of the changes or intent of your worship. White can represent purity or spiritual intent; black can signify the release of the negative in your life; yellow can represent the sun, joy, or it can represent the mental aspects of your worship; orange can represent the release of resentment or it can represent the request for increased creativity; green can represent issues of the heart or it can represent healing; blue can represent increasing your ability to speak your truth. The intent around the choice of color is important for your altar.

What Represents You

Place on your altar the photographs or images that represent those for whom you pray and have special intentions. Place your own photograph on your altar. An altar should be a very personal place representing you, your family and various aspects of your life. Make your altar as personal as you can for you and those who worship there with you.

How to Use Your Altar

In Preparation for Your Worshipping Ceremony

We have not been taught how to use an altar as part of worshipping and we need to develop certain practices. The majority of North Americans and Europeans have been exposed to prayers of repetition, which are said in a formal religious setting, a church, mosque, or temple. We are not taught to develop our own ceremonies and customs of worship.

The first step in worshipping is to decide why you want to worship and focus on one simple area. It might be to simply quiet the mind and to become more calm and peaceful for that day or night. If one is experiencing painful emotions, it might be used to tell the Universal Power of the pain and suffering a person is experiencing. It eases the pain. Worshipping can be used to seek help in developing new qualities. The opportunities are endless.

It helps to choose a specific time of the day to conduct worshipping ceremonies. This helps us to put a structure around our worship and to develop the habit of worshipping. Some prefer to begin their day with a ceremony while others prefer to worship in the evening. You may need to experiment before you find your best time. It's best to choose that time of day where you can find some private time of about one half hour period.

Make certain you will not be disturbed. Sit or stand in a way that you are relaxed and comfortable. If possible, do some deep breathing or other relaxing exercises to help you prepare for your worship.

Opening Your Worship

It's important to have a formal beginning for each worshiping ceremony. I use the burning of incense or white sage to formally open my worshipping. This helps to still the busy mind and to focus all energies on the purpose of the worship. The smell of incense burning reminds me immediately to quiet my mind. For example, if you are having a special worship for a child, burning incense as you begin the ceremony will help to still the mind, concentrate your thoughts, emotions and all vibrational energy on the child for whom you pray. Burning incense or white sage will also dissolve any negative energies in the area where you are worshipping, clearing the space for positive energies.

Giving Thanks for Your Blessings

Once you have focussed your energies on the purpose of your worship, then begin your ceremony. It's important to honor God and to give thanks for the blessings one is receiving in today. Saying thank-you for the blessings you have puts you into a proper frame of mind for worshipping. There are always blessings regardless of the difficulties being experienced. For example, someone may be grieving the loss of a loved partner but is fortunate enough to have sufficient money for all their needs and material comforts. There are always blessings in every individual's life if we will only look for them.

The Heart and Soul of the Worshipping Ceremony

Then proceed to ask, discuss, or present the intention of your worship. This is the most personal part of any worshipping ceremony. The power of prayer is immense and you can realize many blessings simply by asking for yourself or others. The asking needs to be done in humility and love for self and others. Make certain you spend sufficient time discussing what is so private and so important to you, and above all feeling your prayer as if it exists in today. God listens to you. Listen to God.

Another important element of worshipping is to listen. We tend to have such busy minds we need to learn to stop and be quiet with the God of our understanding. If you have sufficient time, meditate, quiet your busy mind so you can be more open to the messages of the Universe. This gives the Universe the opportunity to send us messages. But we need to be sufficiently quiet to hear these messages.

If we are intent upon receiving a certain answer and are determined to have our own way, we are not open to an answer from the Universe. Sometimes the answer is no because in the long-run what we want may not be best for us. We need to put aside our will, desires, fears and hopes to be able to listen with a truly open mind.

If one has a favorite prayer, for example the Prayer of Francis of Assisi, it is helpful to recite this prayer with perhaps a special intention as part of your worshipping ceremony. For those who read the bible, scriptures, the Torah or other sacred literature, reading from these writings can be an important element of a worshipping ceremony.

You will find that the content of your worship changes as you grow and change. The beauty of an altar and worship at home is that you can change it to accommodate whatever needs you have at any point and time in your life.

Music

Music is an effective way to open or close a worshipping ceremony and to help calm the mind and emotions. It puts one in the right frame of mind for worshipping. But I do find music distracting during worship when one is connecting with the Universal Power.

If you decide to use music choose that which you associate with sacred music. This could include bells, chimes, singing bowls, flute music, the horn of Tibet, chanting, Gregorian music, or Cappella. Many types of music can be powerful ingredients of worshipping which help you express your emotions and needs.

Closing Your Worship

Close your worship any way, but I suggest that you experiment until you find a way that you can repeat at the end of each worshipping ceremony. This can include playing a piece of music, reciting a prayer, giving a simple thank-you and/or amen, or whatever represents an ending for you. The closing should leave you with the feeling that you have reinforced the God in you, expanding your ability to love and care for yourself and others, and other God-like qualities such as compassion, understanding or generosity.

Is It Prayer or Meditation

Prayer is defined as a solemn request or thanksgiving to God or an object of worship. A religious service consists mostly of prayer. Meditation is defined as an exercise of the mind in contemplation, concentrating on a particular object or sound, so that your mind can become quiet and empty of chatter and noise. Meditation consists of emptying the mind so that subconscious and superconscious messages can come to the surface. Prayer involves speaking, discussing, and is an active exercise. Meditation involves relaxing, and quieting the mind and is a passive exercise.

Both prayer and meditation are important elements of worshipping. They can be done individually or in a group. They can be done in a short or long period of time. There are many different forms of prayer and meditation and both should eventually be integrated into daily worship.

The Art of Praying

In his book The Isaiah Effect, Gregg Braden speaks so eloquently about the inner workings of prayer forgotten by our culture. He describes how we must feel our prayer rather than keep reminding ourselves and the Universe of what we don't have. He states that the secret is that when we ask for something, we acknowledge what we do not have. But he says continuing to ask for what we don't have only gives power to what has never come to pass. He provides many examples of how we must "feel" what we are asking for as if it is now - and feel it in its every detail and in its broadest dimensions.

He provides the example of praying for rain and feeling what rain feels like, of rain upon your body, being barefoot in the rain, the smell of rain, the mud oozing between your toes. You have to smell your prayer, taste your prayer, and feel what it's like. Then you give thanks for what you may have created with your prayer.

Meditation

The subject and methods of meditation are so varied that I will not address it in this article, but sometime soon will write another article on meditation.

In Summary

The development and use of an altar can be a personal or private time or it can be used to bring a family together for many special times. It can be used to teach children about God and the power of prayer and meditation. Prayers said by groups can be even more powerful than those said by individuals. The development and use of an altar in your home can enrich your life and bring you many blessings. I wish you many occasions of powerful and fulfilling being, praying and meditating before your personal altar.

For additional information about Choming Essences, Vibrational Assessments or information contained in this article, please contact Mary Kurus or visit her website at www.mkprojects.com to read many other articles relating to holistic health and Vibrational Healing.

Source: http://www.mkprojects.com/fa_altar.htm