I now really miss the wonderful blessings of being a Maha sponsor and participating in the group yagyas, which always woke me (pleasantly!) around 4.30 or 5 am and seemed to give me energy for early morning meditation and mantra. So I hope I will be able to afford to be a Mahasponsor again very soon. In the meantime, I am recommending the yagyas to friends and clients and hope some of them may pursue this soon.

I can truthfully say that the yagyas I have requested from you have represented a major turning point in both my life and my partner’s. Not only have they helped to resolve some important personal and physical challenges, they have also initiated significant and very positive changes in my outer life. I am immensely grateful for this great blessing and will certainly request another yagya whenever I need help with any future problem.

From an astrological standpoint, Saturn is the planet that people tend to have the most difficult time with.  I like to joke that of all the planets, Saturn certainly does play for keeps.  That aspect of life will take us right to the edge of what we think we can endure.

But it is useful to know that one of the names of Saturn is “Vishnu Bhakta” which means that he is a devotee of Vishnu.  In a way, the ultimate goal of Saturn is to have you lying flat on the floor completely surrendered to the divine because you have no where else to turn.  Only then is Saturn fully happy.  And, buy the way, this need not be taken literally, it can be any form of the divine.  The important part is the state of surrender as you will see in this excerpt from one puja.net yagya participant.

<<I have not been involved with these yagyas for long, but I think I have learned the lessons of Saturn over the recent year of so…loss of our home’s property value, loss of income, loss of outward progress…back to being more spiritual.  Without all of these losses, I probably would not be here involved with these wonderful yagyas…thank you Saturn!>

All yagyas dissolve karma and move us steadily towards enlightenment. We don’t even have to know (or agree on) what enlightenment is. Yagyas bring progress in a natural and fundamental way. Participants frequently experience a sense of movement, forward progress based on replacing impurities with purity, darkness with light, the restrictiveness of stress and “ignorance” with freedom and knowledge. While participating in yagyas is a very simple process, over time it is also very profound and the depth of the effects are not to be underestimated.

So what follows is one participant’s experience. It is not what usually happens. It is in fact, very unusual because most of the time the experience of yagyas is subtle, quiet, pleasant, but not earth shaking. I am posting this experience because it hints at what may be taking place beneath the surface of our awareness. There is no way of knowing for certain if these experiences are “real” or a dream. But they are consistent with what happens as a result of yagyas. The text has been slightly edited for length.

“”It seems for me that things started coming up right from the beginning when the yagya starts.  I have been having Throat Chakra issues for a while but not sure what the root cause is. The first day of this yagya as I was going to bed – I drifted into the state between waking and dreaming. Or maybe I was in a state of witnessing – I was a conscious observer separate from what was happening even though I could
feel things.

I was given a vision of what appeared to be different layers of my personality or maybe even past lives – not quite certain.

The first vision was a man standing beside me wearing a white shirt and white hat. It affected my Throat Chakra as well as I felt a huge block  there and I kept trying to express myself and could not get a word out. I was frozen. I remember struggling with all my will to get the words out, I wanted to say God is Love but could not utter a sound.

Then I was dropped down to a new person which felt like it could have been part of me in some way. The rest of the levels going in a downward direction were all women and after about six women figures down there was a very unpleasant personality showing herself to me. I remember thinking how mean she was and I did not want her to be a part of me.

I kept wanting to speak God is Love but could not utter a sound. Then I came into a full state of awareness and felt an overwhelming feeling and a gasp for air. I still have an energetic band around the top of my neck and trying to figure out how to get it to release. I feel like the vision is telling me something about why it is there.

Whew! “”

“More feedback for you…out of the blue last week my sister, who has not spoken to me for 5 yrs, invited me to her daughter’s Nov. wedding…I accepted and asked her to meet with me as I’l be in B. week.  She agreed…there are many ‘currents’ permeating Life permanently…the yagya service which I requested for improving family relations has to be one of those ‘currents’.

Thank you.”

This experience is very inspiring because it confirms for me that what matters most is sincerity and consistency.  This person has participated in the yagyas for the past few years on a relatively small scale.  She make very little money, but has worked hard to improve her life, all the while doing a yagya here and there.

My theory about yagyas is that as you repeat them, their power to remove obstacles increases with every performance.  But you also have to have an appropriate time and place for their effects to manifest.  Once that happens, the effects (removal of obstacles) can be quite dramatic.

As always, can one establish a definitive cause and effect?  No, but what happened to her is very consistent, although more dramatic, with what has happened to others.  So I feel comfortable saying that the events were connected to her yagyas.

“Well, on July 22, 2009 at about 9AM or 10AM I get a call (at work) from the school I started to take this certification (and never finished). They informed me that a small school 55 miles away from where I live was looking for an Art Teacher and that the school would be contacting me. Needless to say, they did 30 minutes later!! I was asked to show up for an interview the next day!!

I showed up 30 minutes early and the principal was very busy dealing with parents and students that morning. The principal having to juggle many upset parents and students quickly introduced himself and took me to a small office where he closed the door behind us and in 1 minute he said: “This is going to be the fasted interview in your life. I have seen your resume and paperwork, you are qualified can you stop by tomorrow to sign the contract?”

I was still standing when he blurted this out!! I think I was still shaking his hand!! All I ever said was “YES!” and “Thank you”.  I was in and out in 1 1/2 minutes!! I took the position not even knowing how much it paid!! Everything happened so fast!! I HAD NO INTERVIEW!! WHAT A FEELING!!

On my arrival home I went to their site to see the salary and I realized that it is less than what I am making now!!! UUGHH!! It’s the lowest paid District. Probably because it is such a small town not to mention the size of the school…but I really liked the employees while I sat there and waited for the interview. The school felt cozy and friendly. I felt that for my first year of teaching a small school would probably be best. I signed the contract the following day.

I realize that the drive is long and the gas alone is enough to put a bigger pinch on my budget but I figured that this one school year would be tough. After that I can transfer to something closer. I just need that one chance and this one really felt like it fell from the sky unto my lap.

Three weeks ago the newspaper where I work now, told us we all had to take a 5% pay cut and that maybe in about 2 years they could start giving 2% pay raises!! I have been there 4 years this July and have never been evaluated or given a pay raise but I have gotten many many many more responsibilities since my hire. So, I would have to invest another 4 years to be where I was 3 weeks ago!!

This new Art Teaching position promises a $500.00 pay raise every year!!”

I’ve received a few people describing their experiences during and after the July 21 solar eclipse yagya.  Here are a few excerpts:

“I’m not sure what to say really, because the experience was rather subtle and very fill of light.  Usually eclipses are pretty dark for me and I have strange meditations and weird dreams.  But this time it was fun.  During the three hours of the yagyas in India, I spent the time in my room.  I did my meditation for 45 minutes, then I did some pujas for the Sun and the other planets.  That took about 45 minutes.  Then I spent the last 1 1/2 hours doing mantra japa for the Sun, Ketu, and then a Shiva mantra that I like a lot.  By the time the 3 hours were up, I was shocked.  It felt like 20 minutes.  I could easily have gone on for another 3 hours.  In the days since I have felt calm and energized, like something has happened, although it is tough to put my finger on it.  I suppose I would have to say that I feel like my karma burden has been lightened.”

And another:

“Hey Ben,

For me it was very powerful! I listened to a 1/2 hour of the Surya mantras to start. Then I meditated and did program & flying for 1 1/2 hours. Very deep and blissful. I felt better than I have for a long time. Then I listen to another 45 minutes of the Surya files. The two Aditya stotras seemed especially powerful. Then last night I had a hard time going to sleep, lots of awareness. Anyway, Thanks again for structuring such a wonderful program. Please tell Seetharam how much I enjoyed it and how deep my experiences were. I appreciated that you sent out the Solar Eclipse info email. I wouldn’t have thought to make sure to save that time for meditation and listening to the chanting had you not mentioned that this was the traditional & best way to experience the eclipse.

-T”

]]> http://www.puja.net/wordpress/eclipse-yagyas/feed/ 0 http://www.puja.net/wordpress/after-six-months-of-private-yagyas/ http://www.puja.net/wordpress/after-six-months-of-private-yagyas/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:06:27 +0000 BenCollins http://www.puja.net/wordpress/?p=2134

A while ago I received a very nicely detailed examination of the effects of the yagyas from an individual who had participated in a private yagya every month for six months.  This is his summary of the results he experienced, slighted edited for the sake of brevity.

Living and housing situation:

THEN: I was living in a tiny room- more like a cell ! –in a NHS ( government health ) nurses home which was very restrictive for me and rather a bleak and cold place to live as it was in the grounds of a Victorian built hospital.

NOW: I live in a very pleasant East facing house in one the most affluent and pleasant areas of Brighton,sharing the space with owner who run’s Yoga classes for Mothers and Fathers to be.Overall atmosphere very pleasant and positive,gentle, with this fortunate Vashtu direction-there are only a very few streets, about 4 or 5 I think in this area which actually lie in this fortunate and precise North/south direction.It also came to me effortlessly through a lead from my daughter – word of mouth so to speak.It had been a desire of mine to live in a nice home in a good east Vashtu for some years and seemed that this desired got fulfilled effortlessly right towards the end of the 6 month series.

Mind and Spiritual practice:

THEN: I was suffering from clinically diagnosed depression,had been off sick from work for 2 months from the end of june and had been unable to make much spiritual practice due to feeling weak,tired all the time and too despondent to even think about much practice.I had lost a lot of confidence in myself and could not imagine a happy life for myself. I had no sense of belonging to any particular group and felt lost,alone and afraid much of the time.I also suffered from feeling ‘unreal’ or depersonalised in my conciousness.

NOW: Symptoms of depression virtually gone,without any medication,occasional symptoms for few days every 4-6 weeks which are now greatly dissipating.I have now got back into a stronger routine of much more spiritual practice as I had before this time and have developed that a little more with newer ways to build up my inner strength and personal power.I feel I have considerable protection and guidance now.I feel much more grounded and frequently notice clear fortunate synchronicities and nature support in daily life- most every day.

Work:

THEN: I was in a job that I really hated all round that I believed contributed greatly to making me feel bad and undermined in all that I did.

NOW :  In November, I transferred to a different job in the same service,after being invited to do so by the manager there.  I have a new manager and colleagues who seem very supportive and friendly.  I feel my old – and a new-confidence has come into my being.

I have also recently,especially since my recent Yagya’s were held in Varanasi,enjoyed unprecendented spontaneous good luck with incoming work, as an Actor, from people in the business who said ‘they just thought of me ‘ in relation to voiceover work, including: for a local radio station;  an animation in an American accent, for an American client ,which I was very proud of doing technically.

I have also recently just acted and directed in a series of short plays for the Brighton fringe festival in May – just completed with good individual reviews for me and my fellow actors.I have also been approached and paid to teach actors individually and in groups,being approached again from their side without any marketing materials or approaches from me.What was especially remarkable for me was the timing of these opportunities following Yagya to Saraswati- which was specific intention to promote this kind of creative work.In addition,there are also other possibilities in the pipeline  as a result of these successes.It is interesting to note that I do not have any website or publicity materials in place at the moment- and that all this work is based on ‘good faith’ in my ablilties by those who have met me and seen me perform, in some way, in the past.

Relationships with women:

THEN I was suffering from a lot of anger towards my wife, from whom I had become separated the year before, and had lost a lot of confidence with women in general.I had had no romantic contact with anyone for a long time.

NOW: I am enjoying a very positive and healthy relationship with an attractive woman who is also kind and fun to be with.This began to develop,again towards the end of the 6 month period.

I have also noticed the following reactions on the day of the Yagya performance : -

Sudarshana Chakra : exhausted and depressed on the day of performance,but feeling better the following day- but with good solutions and very good measurable progress being made in the area of mental health in following therapy sessions.My therapy proved to be measurably effective at reducing depressive symptoms in matter of few months at the time of this Yagya –which was done twice for me.

Chandi and Goddess Yagyas :  feelings of joy bubbling up and of a very light positive energy being experienced on the day- often I would spontaneously wake up at 4 am ( 9am India time ) on the day feel wide awake,happy and quite hungry !

Lakshmi:  woke up at 4am today again.  I recited her mantra and asked for help- I had also bought fresh flowers and sweet smelling candles at home on my shrine with new brass statue of Lakshmi  I had just bought the day before.Feeling of excitement.

Venus and Saraswati:  generally very good feeling of optimism and increasing personal power with very good nature support quickly following these Yagyas, especially in the field of the Arts,creativity,insight into theatrical problems and stories,great improvement in confidence and increase in energy levels.         ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have tried to keep to facts as much as possible and I may have missed a few things,but I hope this is a good summary of my experiences so far which I hope may help all of your good work in this area.

“As a spiritual practitioner, I find that participating in the daily yajnas helps provide me with a bit of an added boost: I can’t really explain it, but it creates a certain level of energetic support on the subtle level that helps my sadhana go a little bit easier, with a little bit less effort. I’ve also noticed they tend to smooth out rough edges in my life to a certain extent; things are a little gentler.”

-CF

During a recent conversation with a long time yagya participant, we discussed her experience with the Foundation Yagyas.  These offer 1 day of yagya for each of Ganesha (to remove obstacles), Lakshmi (for abundance), and the Navagraha (for balance).

She had been doing the series through several years of her Saturn dasa (planetary period) and her experience had been that things in her life got incrementally better in ways that were not really noticeable on a day by day or week by week basis.

In comparison, her childhood friend who was born very near the time she was and so had a similar dasa sequence, had a very different experience.  Her Saturn dasa really wore her down and she aged considerably over the course of these years of Saturn dasa.

“I feel the yagyas protected me,” said my friend, “I feel younger, stronger, and happier.  Certainly in comparison to my friend whose life has otherwise paralleled my own in so many ways.”

Over the years I have come to much the same conclusion, that the really profound effects of yagyas are felt over longer time spans.  You may not notice much month to month, but after some time, looking back the trend is different.

I’ve added the photo of milk being poured over the Shiva lingam because this is much the same process.  If you do a good puja every day for a year, the results are amazing.  But each day…you feel like you a simply pouring milk over a rock.

<<   I came home early from work and did as you suggested… just took it easy and lightly focused on my hoped-for results from the puja. I was with that intermittently for the whole five hours. At the end, around 11:50 PM, I just sent out a lot of gratitude and felt a huge wave of bliss and like I was being blessed. I’ve never been a mood-maker type person; this seemed very real.  >>

One of the effects of yagyas is to enliven the inner, more subtle levels of consciousness.  By doing this, yagyas become a valuable enhancement to any spiritual practice.  And sometimes the experiences are very interesting particularly during the time the yagyas are being performed.;

<< I had gone to bed with that first shallow falling asleep experience. Then woke up a bit as usual before  going into full sleep.  When I opened my eyes there was a visual field of points of lights in an organized vertical pattern hovering over the other side of my bed above the other pillow that lasted a few minutes. When I put my hand in it it slowly dissipated.  I did not get any feeling from it other than that the form was visually beautiful. and benign. It was organized with hundreds of points of light glowing like diamonds in the dark.  Any correlation to mrytunjaya yagya?   It was very curious and I enjoyed it. One of life’s little mysteries of perception.   >>

<<   My mom forwarded me the note you wrote about the nighttime yagya for my son that took place last weekend. She asked me if I had noticed anything and I thought back and realized that we had an exceptionally nice weekend.  Very easy going, mellow, relaxing and nice — which is far from what I sometimes get.  A. is such a challenging kid and when he is good — the whole family benefits.   And last weekend he was GREAT.  Thank you so much for your help.  >>

And from the grandmother..

<<   A. overall, has improved so dramatically.  He was always nothing short of amazing, but just very willful and challenging and difficult and now he is so much more easy going and i think his health is better — just big overall improvements.  I do think the build up of all these yagyas has played a big role in his ongoing struggle towards maturity and overall health.  I’m happy it will be done again on his birthday.  That’s the best gift in the world.  >>

<<  I don’t think I can recall ever ‘feeling’ anything during past yagyas.  And my meditation practice has never been flashy.  But when I look at my life, it has been a constant upward curve in all aspects.  The ups, the downs; they all seem to deliver just what I need to progress in a forward manner.  >>

“My experience with this yagya period has been amazing.  My sleep has been so deep every night and filled with intense dreaming all night long or appears to be all night long.  And every night the same thing.

My meditations have been deeper and more active too.  Saw a very clear vision of a paragraph of an ancient text during my flying sutra.  So clear and vivid.  Never experienced a vision so clear before.  I have no idea what the text was or meant.  I just consider it a gift.”

My feed back from my recent experiences of a series of Personal Yagyas performed at Varanasi which has been taking place for me in recent months focusing onVenus,Saraswati and Lakshmi is as follows :

My experiences have been characterised by surges of physical,spiritual and sexual energy.I have also been delighted to experience the blossoming of mutual love and adoration in the relationship with my girl friend who I have started to see these last 3 to 4 months. We have both been experiencing much expanding love and happiness for and with each other. This effect in particular I have been surprised and delighted by as I did not have a conscious wish for a relationship earlier on in the year ; I am very glad it has happened though- so another experience of effortless attraction of much needed happiness there I feel !

The whole effect on me has been to greatly increase my vitality,energy and happiness levels and I have even lost some excess weight very easily which make  me feel even better about myself.  My hope,confidence for the future has improved beyond all measure and it is difficult to describe easily in words the great benefits I am feeling in my life.  My spirtual life feels more integrated and dynamically interacting with my daily life – therefore even more meaningful.  The main effect out of all of these is a marked experience of expanding love and happiness for me, my loved ones, friends,family which I experience as being frequently blissful for some considerable time during the day.I also feel much,much stronger inside and more confident.

Since having Yagyas done at Varanasi – I have experienced an intensity and an effect of immediacy on the day and in the following week which feels even stronger than before, so therefore would like to request as many of my Yagyas to be performed there as possible.”

A lot of the time, the effects of the yagyas are simple, subtle, and just a nice positive feeling.  Given time, these effects deepen and frequently become a more profound sense of support and protection.  It is never so much that problems disappear completely, but we are sensitive to the solutions that are present, and are able to take advantage of them without being overwhelmed by circumstance.

<<Thank you for facilitating these yagyas, and including my family.  We are all feeling the positive, obstacle removing, good energy!  I think my daughter M. benefited from the Guru (Jupiter) yagya, she seems more centered.  Thank you! >>

<<Dear Ben,

Often times my clients have good experiences and sometimes very good one…today I got a report of a very good one.

Mrs. W for whom you arranged urgently went into hospital for her chemotherapy due to cancer – her past experiences were horrible – this time however she felt good all the time, had one of her best meditations and came out full of energy!

Jai Guru Dev,

NJ  >>

In the vedic texts it is said that the effects of the yagya are felt throughout the family, and for seven generations in the past and seven generations in the future.

Can we objectively know that these events were related to the yagyas?  No.  But they are consistent with the effects of yagyas being profoundly protective.

<< I appreciate your efforts with the yagyas.  As for my daughters- one had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and actually had the out of body “I’m dead” realization- on the 12^th of Jan…but she if fine now.  And the other daughter was driving drunk and just missed a hydro pole at high speed…but she too is safe.  So- I am so very grateful. It is beyond words.  Namaste

-D  >>

It doesn’t matter what sadana or spiritual path you follow.  The effect of the yagyas is to enliven the inner transcendent aspect of life within the context of your chosen path.  So it doesn’t matter what teacher or tradition you follow, the yagya program will accelerate your growth and support your continued success in your personal practices.

<<I see from the yagya schedule for Nov. there is really a lot going on.  I feel quite blessed.  I like how the jyotish consultation reinforces and complements the effect of the yagyas. Feeling a greater degree of self acceptance.  Also, I think the most noticeable effect of the yagyas and my sadhana is a marked deepening of meditation….I am gone, absorbed and lose all reference to the external world.  Becoming very still.  However, when I return to normal waking tasks I feel graceful and protected.

-L  >>

A lot of the time, the effects of the continued yagya program are felt within the context of our normal day to day life as just a sense of positive support and accelerated and continued change and growth.  In a way it is nothing fancy or splashy, but when you think about it, these kinds of results are the most desirable because everything changes for the better, life gets better, more enjoyable, and less stressful or disappointing.  It doesn;t happen over night, but it does happen.

<<I didn’t think you could top the Shivaratri yagyas but you found a way to do it. Very impressive yagyas this time around. Can we expect more of the same next year? Please thanks all the pundits in India. Their efforts are appreciated. I do see positive movement in my life. I know the yagyas are playing a role in these changes. Take care.

-M  >>

]]> http://www.puja.net/wordpress/general-support-for-change/feed/ 0 http://www.puja.net/wordpress/a-fast-recovery/ http://www.puja.net/wordpress/a-fast-recovery/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:27:59 +0000 BenCollins http://www.puja.net/wordpress/?p=2051

The yagyas provide support for the entire life experience and this includes health, particularly because the yagya routine includes Mrytunjaya which is a very powerful health related mantra.  So it makes sense that participation in the yagyas would bring support to that area; not so much in the form of a miraculous healing, but rather a more generalized support that bring positivity to the mind, clear thinking, good energy, and all of that in turn, gets reflected in the body’s health or in this case, the body’s ability to heal itself.

<<Post-op feedback relative to yagya for you.  I’ve made an astonishing recovery.  However I took my entire system in hand and dosed myself with a range of supportive products e.g. Vit C, homeopathics, shock drops etc. and have eaten the best fresh fresh organic food.  I drove to see my doctor yesterday and that blew her mind!  So all up, thus far, excellent.  However it’s early days and I need to give the body 2 more wks to then make a realistic assessment.

R>>

Sometimes the yagya experiences are more spiritual and well, more exciting than others. this sort of experience doesn’t happen all the time, but it happens enough that can definitely be linked to the yagyas taking place.

<<Many people, especially in the west, do not appreciate the less tangible
things in life.  Most probably would balk at participating in something
on the other side of the planet, at monetary cost and no “concrete” benefit.
I have, since the first yayga I joined with puja.net, known without doubt
that they were genuine, real, and effective.

The first yayga I participated in was a Ganesha Yayga.
I had found the puja.net site and was very pleased with the spirit it was
presented in and the cost at which the yaygas were given.  I have always
been entranced by the elephant headed god, and thought what more appropriate
way to begin something new?  So I signed up and went on with life as normal.

I had, for the most part, pushed the yayga out of my mind until a few days
later.  I was awoken from sleep by a most powerful impression. In my mind’s
eye Ganesha appeared, his whole presence surrounding me.  Very gentle yet
very strong, I felt as if the god was meditating, and his meditation was me.
As I lay there, I began to repeat a Ganesha mantra, reasoning that it was
the most appropriate response.  Like a dream fading with the waking day the
presence eventually left.  I rose from bed and had to check the website, even
though I knew what I would find: that was the day of the Ganesha Yayga.

Though I didn’t ask for confirmation I did receive it.  Strangely enough
the experience was similar to when I first began to learn meditation, where
in my mind I saw my teacher meditating on me meditating.  The similarity also
rang true for me.

Thank-you for the opportunity to participate, and helping east meet west
without either having to suffer for it.

-J  >>

Following my conversation with S. last night on telephone I would like to confirm my thanks and gratitude for the remarkable beneficial effects I have personally experienced from my participation in the Yagya series. I would especially like all priests concerned to be aware of my thanks as far as is possible.

I would be happy for you both to forward any enquiries from potential participants to contact me for first hand validation of the positive results of the Yagya process on my life, if you feel this would be helpful, in order for you to encourage others to participate in these remarkable services offered.

I would like to re-commit to another six months of participation in a minimum one priest Personal Yagyas every month,’upgrading ‘ to five priest Private Yagya as and when increased finances will allow. This is due to my financial outoings increasing recently after moving to a new home last month – somewhere very pleasant and with an excellent east facing Vashtu which I believe was made possible by my Yagya participation.

I believe my experiences of improvement in my life have been very significantly influenced by these Yagya performances and so I thank you and all involved again from the bottom of my heart.

Kind regards,

TS

Hi Ben,
A little wrap on my physical situation. As you know, last August, I was diagnosed w/ prostate cancer. I had always kept a healthy diet, exercised regularly, meditated some, etc, It was suprising, but I never really freaked. Well…I got through the removal and now 3 months after, I am doing very well. Last reading, the cancer was undetectable, and I am fully back to my normal routine. Thanks for the help with love and support through the Puja program. It has been a support, feels like a protective cushion…
Thanks again, and I look forward to supporting back, soon.

Thanks…C