Namaste.
Sometimes (as in the case with me), we find ourselves relegated to share accommodation, ashram, dormitory, half a room in a 2BR flat or in your brother's sleepout. so finding enough space to build a shrine and do one's 'daily devotions to Lord Shiva' rather discretely, can cause a bit of a problem.
At the moment, my 'shrine' is on the topmost shelf of a small bookcase, obscured by a curtain.
In keeping with the space, I have had to 'downsize' all my Murtis and pictures and now, my Shrine looks more like a 'Mt Kailasha diorama box' than anything else. lol
I have placed a picture of Mt Kailasha in the background, there's a small, 6" statue of Lord Nataraja (standing inside a bracelet with Aum Namah Shivaya on it) at his feet, sits a small statue of Nandi in a garden of flowers...on the other side of the Nataraja statue is a very small, fully functional 3" crystal Shiva Lingam in a Yoni with Naga. Beside this, is a very small lota (vessel) filled with Ganga Jal (Ganges water) and topped off with a Rudraksha bead.
Doing Abhishek with Ganga Jal on a crystal Shiva Lingam drop by drop gives the most profound and sublime experience!
The crystal Lingam represents Jyotir Lingam (the endless pillar of Light) and its a beautiful meditative aid.
I will do abhisheka of about a teaspoon full of water, catching it in a crystal dish, then after the puja, I will take it and mix it in a glass of bottle/tap water, purifying the whole glass of water and making it prasad before I drink it.
On the other side of the top shelf of the bookcase, there's a medium-sized picture of Ardhanareshwara (with a small Mahamrityunjaya Mantra/Kavach standing up against one bottom corner of it and a Trisula standing up against the other corner) - all my Tantra stuff .
In front of that, is a small statue of Lord Ganesha in another flower garden (just flower offerings) and off to the side of that, there's the smallest picture of Mother Kali and a small statue of OM.
Yeah, that's pretty much it.
You don't need much room or time to do Puja.
For Shiva - The crystal Lingam is amazing and pouring drops instead of buckets is very nice. Mix it with water and drink it later.
Offer white flowers like gardenia and jasmine to Lord Shiva and later, wear them in your hair.
Offer a small crystal dish full of uncooked (raw) rice - just a few teaspoons full from an unopened packet of rice.
I decorate the offered rice with a single Star Anise - everything I do in puja is totally symbolic.
After the Puja and offering the rice, mix it back with the rest of the packet and all the rice becomes prasad then - nice, isn't it?
With Ardhanareshwar, Lord Ganesha and Mother Kali, the flowers I offer are red and yellow like marigolds, roses and sometimes just plain old daisies.
The food offerings are generally a very small dish, half/half of raw almonds and mishri (crystal sugar). Sometimes I will add cloves or cardamom pods and after Puja, I will take them in a tiny pocket tin and chew them throughout the day.
Lord Ganesha usually gets a piece of fruit though and whatever is fresh and available.
I have one drawer next to the bookcase dedicated to Puja items with my Rudraksh Mala in there, which I can do Japa...and incense, diyas and such.
So, think small when you do your Pujas and notice the difference!
Aum Namah Shivaya
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