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Miyazaki
23 August 2011, 04:13 PM
Dear all,

I have been "playing" with Sanatan Dharma, by which I mean I have been on a bit of a spiritual journey over the last 6 months or so, and I really wish to take my faith a little bit more seriously.

As such I am looking into conducting pooja daily, including offering my food as sacrifice.

I am a little unclear as to what exactly is expected:

Do I offer all my meals as sacrifice, or just my evening meal?
Is it customary to offer all the day's food as sacrifice in a morning pooja, or before the meal is cooked?

Is there anything else I need to know?

I was thinking of having an aarti lamp and lighting that before pooja, meditating for about 15-20 mins then offering food, saying prayers.

Please bare in mind I am a White British person with little to no cultural knowledge of India, I came into the Dharma in around March though some pretty heavy cosmic realisations after previously being an atheist for many years.

God bless,

Matt

Arjuni
24 August 2011, 12:46 AM
Namasté, Matt,

I hope your spiritual journey proves fulfilling and fruitful...and speaking of fruit, let's see about your food question. :)

I found this article (http://dharmicarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:eating-as-meditation-how-to-prepare-prasadam&catid=18:yoga-and-meditation&Itemid=97) a little while ago, and the sections on "Guidelines" and "How to Offer Food to God" are helpful. Also, this post (https://ancientindians.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/abhyasa-time-with-vishnu/) tells one devotee's story of how she offers a drink - as well as prayers, time, and love - each morning.

On this forum, this thread (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=5424) has some lovely recipes, and on this thread (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=5716), some of our members discuss how they offer food (and other items like flowers) and what to do with it after offering.

These will be good places to start, I think...

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Miyazaki
24 August 2011, 03:42 AM
Thanks a lot.

wundermonk
24 August 2011, 04:22 AM
Dear all,

I have been "playing" with Sanatan Dharma, by which I mean I have been on a bit of a spiritual journey over the last 6 months or so, and I really wish to take my faith a little bit more seriously.

Hi Matt:

Welcome to HDF. Hope you have a good time.

Miyazaki
24 August 2011, 04:38 AM
Hi,

thanks for the help.

I'm still a little unclear on whether to offer all meals to God, eg is it usual to offer your breakfast to God? What about lunch? I am at work during the week and am unsure how I would do this, unless I offered it in my mind first?

Am I right in assuming some people don't offer meals at all, and offer uncooked rice and fruits in their morning puja instead?

Thanks

Eastern Mind
24 August 2011, 07:10 AM
Am I right in assuming some people don't offer meals at all, and offer uncooked rice and fruits in their morning puja instead?

Thanks

Vannakkam Miyazaki: Yes, you are correct. In fact it goes farther than that. The most very basic puja would be the lighting of a lamp, saying some quick mantram, standing or sitting praying with hands together, and that's it. Of course, some wouldn't call this puja at all. So there is a long vaguely defined continuum of 'puja' from about 30 seconds long to maybe two hours. Depending on where you learned the tradition, certain offerings would be considered 'essential'. In most cases, flame, then incense. then maybe food, then flowers. There is no 'standard'. Best wishes.

Aum Namasivaya

Eastern Mind
24 August 2011, 07:11 AM
deleted ... double

Miyazaki
24 August 2011, 12:09 PM
It might sound rather silly, but if we offer food to God after preparation, doesn't the food get cold in the meantime?

What do people usually do?

Thanks

Miyazaki
24 August 2011, 12:10 PM
Also, is it usual to offer food from each meal, or just the evening meal?

Thanks for your links earlier Indraneela, but I couldn't find the answer to that question.

Eastern Mind
24 August 2011, 04:40 PM
Vannakkam Miyazaki: Usually food is only offered at a daily puja, most often in the morning. It is cooked just for that purpose. Some people I know make an offering with each meal just by making a sort of ball out of all the ingredients in the meal, and place it on the side of the leaf or plate, just out of respect to God. They wouldn't take this to the shrine or shrine room if they have one.

For mystical reasons, fresh fruit is always cut. The mystical reason is that devas can smell certain smells from their side or their world. Incense, flowers, and fruit or food are 3 such things they recognise and are then attracted to come to the puja and bless you. For similar reasons we don't bring in unattractive smells like BO or older stale food. That would repel them.

Aum Namasivaya

AmIHindu
24 August 2011, 06:10 PM
Namaste,

It depends on your devotion and emotion. Vaishnanism has more details about it.

For my family, we offer milk in the morning as someone in home definitely going to drink milk. So just put in front of GOD. Close the door of Puja Room for about 1 minute. Then ring a bell, and you can drink that milk. If you have Tulsi at your home it is better you put one leaf of Tulsi in glass of Milk. Please add sugar also in milk. Depending on your emotion, you can add saffron and dry fruits, Ghee ( filtered butter).


Noon time - If we cook fresh food then take small quantity of everything, with glass of water, Tulsi leaf, close door - ring bell then we eat that food.


Evening time, if you cook fresh food then you do offer to GOD.

Special item-dishes.

Whenever and at whatever time you cook new dishes or sweet dishes we do offer first to GOD.

Miyazaki
25 August 2011, 07:43 AM
Many thanks AmIHindu for your help.

Miyazaki
25 August 2011, 07:44 AM
Thanks Eastern Mind for your help.