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     HAVAN ... WHAT ?  HOW ? WHY ?

     

      

    WHAT IS HAVAN ?

      

    The word HAVAN comes from the sanskrit root "HU" which means "to offer".

    So the main meaning, the main purpose of a HAVAN is "offering".

                                                  HAVAN ... WHAT ?  HOW ? WHY ?

    Havan is at no point a religious practice. Neither do one need to believe in some God to practice Havan, no.

    Rather Havan like all the yogic practices, like all the tantric practices is a SCIENCE.

    Havan is a cause that has effects. And these effects we can feel and experience them, whatever our condition, whatever our beliefs, whatever our culture or so...

      

    HOW IS HAVAN PRACTICED ?

      

    Usually Havan is practiced with Fire. But it is not mandatory as it may be practiced with any of the elements that compose our Universe:

    -- Earth, Water : although practical realisation is easy, the process is said to be slow.

    -- Fire: the best choice for many reasons : easy to handle, offers a wonderful and expressive spectacle that nourrishes our being, effects are said to be rapidly coming

    -- Air. Ether: although possible in theory... might be impossible practically!

    Additionnaly we will see two aspects of HAVAN :

    First aspect is the individual transformation, purification, for spiritual evolution.

    Second aspect is the universal transformation.

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    First : Individual transformation, purification for spiritual evolution.

    In Yoga as well as in Sufism it is said that the world is our mirror.

    But what does it concretely mean?

    It means that what we are ABLE to see, to recognize, to notice from the external world is actually inside us.

                                                          MIRROR ...

     

    And likewise what is inside us we project it to the world.

    Be it our happiness, and then we see the world happy, rose, blue, multicolored...

    Or be it our sorrow, and then the world appears to us sad, grey, black...

     

     MIRROR...      

     

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    Now what has this to do with HAVAN ?

    THE HAVAN OPENS THE DOOR TO OUR INNER WORLD

      

                                                        HAVAN ... WHAT ?  HOW ? WHY ?

      

      

    The "theater " that we create while performing Havan is actually the projection of our inner world.

    And the old dead logs that we burn in the fire are actually our old dead patterns, the old dead pattern that have been created, printed in the past due to some strong event, the old patterns that prevent us from being free and block our evolution because they block our energy.

    During Havan, those blocked energy patterns being burned will be transformed by the fire which liberates.

    Fire will thus liberate the energy that was contained blocked into those old impressions.

    This is the way Havan works for the best of our spiritual evolution.

    This is a very subtle and soft manner to transform oneself for the best.

    And actually this aspect of "individual transformation" of the Havan has also another consequences on the universal level:

    As we are all connected, as we are all "one" ultimately, we can say that :

    "If I evolve, I help the world to evolve"

    "If any other people be it on the other side of the planet, evolves, he-she helps me to evolve, he- she helps the world to evolve."

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     -- Second : Universal aspect: 

    We said that the word HAVAN comes from the sanskrit root "HU" which means "offering" -

    So a Havan may be seen actually as an offering to the World, to the Planet, and further, broader, offering to the Universe, to the Cosmos.

      

                                                  HAVAN ... WHAT ?  HOW ? WHY ?

      

      

    If we think about it ... did we once in our life OFFER something to the Planet ? to the world ? to the cosmos ? ..lets think about it ..

    If not .. well it is time to change this. Because one of the reason for our modern world to be in such imbalance is precisely that:

    We only take take take take .. we take earth's ressources, we take water's ressources, we take sun's ressources, we take air's resources, we even take the resources from the cosmos ...

    Did we think even to GIVE ?

    Did we even think of saying THANK YOU ?

    Ancient civilisations ALL knew that.

    What ever they would need from Earth.. they would first ASK, and if they received the "authorisation" then first they would THANK, and GIVE, and then only they would TAKE.

    We have skipped everything except taking.

    It is time to change this.

    Urgent time.

    The whole balance of the Universe has been lost... Of course the Universe has the capabilities to restore himself... yet if we as human being wish to continue to live on this wonderful planet, if we wish to offer a liveable world to our children and to our children's children ... then we have to act.

    By practicing HAVAN we can contribute in a large manner to restore BALANCE to th world.

    By practicing HAVAN we restore the communication between "we" as human beings and the world.

    Thus we become more aware, and able to LIVE CONSCIOUSLY, being RESPONSIBLE of our actions towards others and the world.

    The HAVAN is an prodigious part of the Tantric and Vedic Culture, it is a main part of the YAJNA (see article soon) and as Swami Niranjan said:

     

    IT IS HIGH TIME TO START TO TEACH AGAIN YAJNA, 
    THE SYSTEM, THE PROCESS, THE TRADITION OF YAJNA AND HAVAN BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE NEED IN THE SOCIETIES
    OF OUR PRESENT CENTURY.
      
    Swami Niranjanananda
      
     
                                      HAVAN ... WHAT ?  HOW ? WHY ?
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

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    Sat Chandi Mahayajna is a celebration that takes place in Rikhia peeth ( place where lived Swami Satyananda Saraswati) where Nature is worshipped by the means of sacred fire ( havan) offerings ( daan) repetitions of sacred sounds ( mantras) all together being YAJNA

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              AN INVITATION – Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati

     

              SAT CHANDI MAHAYAJNA

     

     

              Worship of Nature is primordial. All cultures and civilizations have paid obediance to Nature from time immemorial. Nature is not just the trees, rivers, mountains, oceans, sky, flora and fauna that we see around us. Nature is cosmic. In this sense there is a manifest nature whose glory abounds all around us to witness and admire and there is an unmanifest Nature as well.

              This unmanifest Nature is the seed from which the entire creation springs forth. Therefore if we want to revere and worship Nature so that it may become benevolent towards us and shower its grace on us, it is the seed or the source which has to be invoked.

              Today there is a great deal of talk about ecology and the importance of ecological balance for the survival of this planet. We talk of planting more trees, of reducing our usage of petroleum products, of eliminating gas emissions resulting from industrial growth. Of course these are important steps in the right direction, but they are simply not enough.

              In order to restore the damage that is done by the folies of the human race, we have to return to the source of Nature in its primordial purity and awaken its benevolence and grace. Thas is the only power that can save us.

     

                                                                                       

     

    For Nature has within itself the ability to restore, rejuvenate and recharge itself. Man, in its egoism and ignorance has begun to think that he is more powerful than Nature, but there are many aspects of Nature that are still beyond his understanding and control. One tsunami or just one earthquake can wipe out millions and man is left floundering in the face of such a disaster.

              Apart from the external ecology there is also the internal ecology of man, his own individual nature which requires streamlining. His thoughts, emotions, feelings, dreams, ambitions, passions, fears, neuroses, psychosis, depression, disillusion amd anxiety often grow out of proportion and overwhelm him. The inner nature of man, which may be his own private domain, eventually spills over into the public arena.

              As a consequence we often witness acts of violence and mayhem where an individual who was reportedely very peaceful, serene, and well behaved, overnight turns into a savage madman and murders everyone in his village. No one could have imagined what was brewing inside as outwardly everything seemed totally normal.

              Man is composed of elements of the cosmic Nature. The gunas, sattwa, rajas and tamas pervade his very existence. Everything he feels,thinks, speaks and does is under the sway of the basic elements that the cosmic Nature has endowed him with. He may be born through the union of his parents, but the material stuff that he is made of is inherited from his cosmic parents, Shiva and Shakti.

              In order to bring balance to the activities of head, heart, and hands, and create harmony at all levels in the manifest as well as the unmanifest realm, on the individual as well as the universal plane, it is the worship of Nature in her most primordial form that will work most efficiently. That is what the ancients who worked for the progressive evolution of mankind prescribed.

              This is how the tradition of yajna evolved. Swami Satyananda has said that:

    “ yajnas herald the awakening of man’s consciousness. It was when man discovered fire that his awareness took a quantum leap. Fire existed even prior to that but man was unaware of it, just as even today animals are unaware of fire and its usage. It is when man discovered fire and grain that his life began to evolve and he has never looked back since.”

              Fire awakened man’s consciousness millions of years ago and brought him to his present level of awareness. If man has to evolve his awareness further to sublime heights, then once again he has to take the help of fire. The Vedas have proclaimed fire to be the forerunner which shoes the way and lights the path. The most ancient philosophy of tantra which predates history has also shown how the primordial element of fire is most effective for worshipping the cosmic Nature.

              Nature, the great planner, controller, chief executive and director of the entire manifest and unmanifest creation, is the mother who gives birth, sustains, nurtures, nourrishes and ultimately out of compassion sends the creation back to where it came from, to await a brand new birth at her behest. So in tantra, Nature has always been regarded as the ultimate goddess, Tripura Sundari, ruling over all the three worlds and even beyond. Tantra’s unique way of symbosizing each and everything gave Nature the status of Devi; rightly so because creation is the domain of the female . If we want to appease Nature and awaken her benevolence so that she showers her unending grace upon us it is the worship of Devi that will yield the desired results.

              With this aim in mind and with the sankalpa of peace plenty and prospertity on his lips, Swami Sastyananda introduced the tradition of the Sat Chandi Mahayajna in Rikhiapeeth in 1995 for the universal benefit of mankind. This tantric yajna, devoted to the worhip of the Cosmic Mother, was performed for fifteen years in the presence of Sri Swamiji at Rikhiapeeth, by learned pandits from Varanasi. This yajna was a part of his sadhana and sankalpa to help mankind earn divine intervention to overcome their sorrows and afflictions, and restore balance and harmony in their lives.

     

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    The article continues to invite all to this sacred event which took place in December 2010.

    We should be very aware of the importance and tremendous effects of the Mahayajna both upon us when we go and witness and participate to the event and upon the whole planet, the whole universe.

    No word can really describe such power. It has to be experienced.

    This is yogic ecology.

     

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    The article ends with :

     

              At the Sat Chandi Mahayajna in 2009, in one of his last darshans before Mahasamadhi, Swami Satyananda said:

    This Sat Chandi Mahyajna will continue in Rikhiapeeth and if you call me , I will come”

     

     

                                           Jai Gurudev ki – Jai Mata di

     

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    Copyright Yoga Magazine, Edition no 8 – Sept 2010 – Year 9 
    published by Sivananda Math

     

                                                                                                      

     

     

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    Mahasamadhi :a yogi's conscious decision to leave the body. This conscious decision to leave the body can be only attained by a yogi who has attained God Realisation

    Maha Yajna: a tantric celebration conducted by pandits ( Hindu priests) where Cosmic Nature is invoked and worshipped by the means of sacred fire (havan), offering (daan), repetition of sacred sounds (mantras).


    Darshan: can be define as “auspicious viewing” where the Master – Guru – or Deity offers His view to His devotees or disciples. Darshan is also a very powerful experience which takes place a different levels of consciousness.

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  • NIYAMAS or self observances to become better


  • YAMAS or ethics to relate with the world



  • SIVANANDA YOGA


    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...   

     

    SERVE

    LOVE

    GIVE

     

    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...

     

    PURIFY

    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...

    BE GOOD 

    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...

    DO GOOD

    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ... 

    MEDITATE

    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...

    REALIZE 

     8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...

     

     

    SIVANANDA YOGA 

     

     

                                            

     

    The first base of the Sivananda Yoga is like for many other yogas, the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and the eight steps of the Patanjali Yoga:

     

    YAMAS – NIYAMAS – ASANAS – PRANAYAMA –

    PRATYAHARA -  DHARANA – DHYANA - SAMADHI

     

    These steps constitute the base of the RAJA YOGA or PATANJALI YOGA which is explained in another chapter.

     

    What is important to signify here is that this yoga represent a personal sadhana for the yogi to purify him-herself, transform his-her gross nature into his-her true nature, actually to become what he-she really is.

     

    This path is thus relatively self-centered, it is a preparatory path which include self discoveries and progressive transformation which will enable further spiritual evolution.

     

    The eighth step in the Patanjali Yoga is : SAMADHI

     

    But what is Samadhi?

    What does it mean to get there?

    Do we necesseraly get there ?

    Do we have to stop after having attained samadhi ?

    And then ? what happens after ?

     

    So, many questions raised to which Sri Swami Sivanandaji gave not only answers but tools to manage our sadhanas so that they become not only self-centered but open to the world for the benefit of other people.

     

     

    Actually it is almost impossible to talk about Samadhi which is a very high experience of consciousness which neither words nor thoughts can describe.

     

    In a very brief and uncomplete summary we can say that the yogi’s individual consciousness at this stage comes into contact, merges with the Cosmic Consciousness, experiencing Oneness, allowing a huge opening, new perceptions, new vision of the Universe.

     

    What has to be remembered here is that after such an experience one is definetely not the same as before. And the purpose of one’s life will thus necessarily broaden, expand for the benefit of others.

     

    Experiencing Oneness really means that one experience that “you are me” and “i am you” and “they are also me” and “i am also these people”

    It means that at a certain level of consciousness “WE ARE ALL ONE”

    And these are not merely words, with yoga it becomes EXPERIENCE.

     

     

    The implications of such an experience come naturally:

    Can we continue to harm other people- be it only in thought ?

    Can we accept that other people harm others ?

    Can we look at people craving, suffering without acting, without trying to help?

     

    Of course not...

     

    So that is where the following steps given by Sri Swami Sivananda come into play as a very logical continuation of the yogic sadhana, where the inner flower flourishes for the benefit of many…

     

    They will allow us to give to the world and to other people what we have gained throught our personal experience in yoga, they will allow our unfolded TRUE nature to benefit to many.

     

    First step : SERVE

     

    As we have acquained an equal vision over all people, we are able to HELP and SERVE all people without any distinction or discrimination.

    This service is  SELFLESS service, meaning that it is totally dedicated to the people which we help, considering their very situation and needs, and at no point centered on our own ego or satisfaction or reward.

     

    ***** little story to illustrate this point: ********************************

    A young girl had just come out from a social gathering where she had been told to do a “good action”.. So on her way back home she wonders what she could do as a “good action” when she sees on the sidewalk a blind man waiting, immobile with his white stick.

    Immediately she thinks that the man is waiting for help to cross the street and runs to him, takes him by the hand and helps him to cross the street with great gentleness !

    The man did not even have time to tell her anything… and found himself on the other sidewalk….

    And he is probably still on this sidewalk .. waiting for someone to help him cross again the street !!!! Because he had absolutely NO intention to cross the street, he was just waiting for a friend to pick him up.

     

    *****************************************************************************

    So Selfless service means that we serve according to the NEEDS of others, and not according to our own desire of serving this or that way …

     

    Selfless service means to help other people come out of their suffering, be it at physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual level.

     

    As a consequence we inspire other to grow, and by doing so LOVE builds up

     

    Second step : LOVE

     

    Love builds up naturally in the process of spiritual growth.

    This love is UNCONDITIONNAL LOVE

    It manifests spontaneously and gradually along such experiences.

    Oneness brings Love, Service brings Love, gradually we come to see ourselves in every being, gradually we come to see everyone in ourselves.

    And the more we serve, the more love builds up, like a candle in our heart which radiates all around and attracts more and more people.

     

    “If i see myself in you, If i see you in myself, then Whom do I love?”

    This is the  concept of Universal LOVE according to Paramahamsa Niranjanananda.

     

    This is the TRUE UNCONDITIONNAL LOVE experienced and given by all the great saints and masters like Mevlana, Amma, and so many others...

     

    The more we connect with this Unconditionnal Love the more we  can experience ONENESS…

     

    Third step : GIVE

     

    Because proper Giving is an ART. (see “the art of Giving” by Simon Eugéne – wonderful movie about Rikhia and Sivananda Math)

    Giving is an art in that that it should not involve our ego, any personal benefit.

    Giving means helping others to manage their lacks or emptinesses, and moreover to help them go beyond their lacks, to provide them the means so that the lacks themselves vanish.

    When we are established in true unconditional LOVE then GIVING comes also naturally and in the good manner.

     

    As a Chinese saying says:

    “Dont give fish to people, teach them to fish”

     

    Here again, the ART of GIVING should aim only at rendering people to whom we give, more and more independant and able to live as real human beings.

     

    Fourth step : PURIFY

     

    Actually all the previous steps acts as a very purification.

    Our body gets purified by the act of loving, serving, giving,

    We have appropriate behaviours.

    Our minds gets purified by the thoughts of love, service, offering

    We have appropriate thoughts and emotions.

    Thus Spirit get purified established in SATTWA, purity.

    Purification in that way happens by itself.

    Hands, Head, Heart beome unified and act together with only one focus: The upliftment of others.

     

    Like this the four first steps of Sivananda Yoga are LIVING EXPRESSIONS of the Sivananda Yogic Life Style

     

    Fifth step : DO GOOD

     

    This step is actually contained in the four previous ones… As the sensation of oneness is established, we cannot do anything else than GOOD. And if sometimes we fail, then we start again !

     

    Sixth step: BE GOOD

     

    Likewise, the process of transformation has taken place with the inner and outer work, cultivating the “ities”, serving, loving, giving, purifying…

    Our Hands Head and Heart are aligned, work together, meaning that what we do with our hands (physical body) and with our head (mental body- mind) is aligned with what is in our heart (spiritual body- soul).

    That way we are fully united with all our potential of true human being and are able to naturally dedicate our life for the upliftment of others.

     

    Seventh step: MEDITATE

     

    Having purified the body,

    Having purified the mind,

    Having harmonised body, mind and spirit,

    We may attain proper states of true meditation,

    SILENCE.

    SILENCE where TRUTH lies.

     

    This is the way to the CONNECTION to ALL BEING.

    This is the only true way to live in alignement with the Cosmic Soul, or Cosmic Consciousness.

    This is the only way to attain pure happiness and be able to SHARE this happiness with others.

     

     

    Eighth step : REALISE

     

    There one becomes simply ONE with the WHOLE.

    There is nothing more to say about it.

    It has to be experienced.

     

    01 THE EIGHT STEPS : SERVE - LOVE - GIVE ....

     


    SERVE - LOVE - GIVE - PURIFY – DO GOOD - BE GOOD – MEDITATE – REALISE

     


    HARI OM TAT SAT



    8 AŞAMA :  HİZMET SEV VER ...