-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
How do I get closer to the Gods
- Thread starter Sb1995
- Start date
For me it's daily. I do a 15 minute long daily puja to Ganesha followed by scriptural reading and 5 rounds of japa. Then I make it to my local temple (daily for a year) for the agamic Saiva puja there which lasts about a half an hour, and I sit for 2 0r 3 more rounds of japa. Then later in the day I do 20 minutes or so of hatha yoga with silent japa. Twice a day I go for japa walks. This is consistent at about the 95% of the days.
Our local temple festival starts tomorrow and goes on for 10 days, 12 if you count the preparation day and the closing it down day. So add in two one hour homas to what was going on before, and you get the picture.
Hindus are like this. I'm a slacker.
Our local temple festival starts tomorrow and goes on for 10 days, 12 if you count the preparation day and the closing it down day. So add in two one hour homas to what was going on before, and you get the picture.
Hindus are like this. I'm a slacker.
Kalidas
Well-Known Member
My lord I don't even do remotely this much. I doubt I could I have two jobs and college.
Mine is simple compared to yours lol. I kneel before my shrine add the water to my water cup and offering to a bowl. I light a candle and insence. I circle the candle around Kali maa and utter her name (om Kali ka yai) thrice. I pray using a traditional sanskrti prayer and a prayer I wrote. Then I accept darshan(at least I think I can darshan my self) then I meditate. Aftwards I consume half the offering and the other half goes to a tree nearby and the ants near by. Only a half hour a day. Compared to vinyaka I look lazy as heck. Lol
there is a beauty in simplicity.
I'm retired. You're not.
Still I don't see how you can be on here so much. But my point really wasn't about me or you. It was that Hindus, in terms of time, tend to be pretty committed religiously. It's not a once a week thing. Our Brahmin priest, (and few realise this) has to do about 2 hours of preparation work before he walks over to the temple. In India at the busy pilgrim centers of big temple towns, the crowds are large every single day, not just on weekends,. They do swell on religious holidays though, like Diwali. Even many Christian churches there, because they view it as competition, had to open for prayers every day.
This is something many westerners don't really get until they live it for awhile ... it's another idea that is held onto ... the once a week thing.
Kalidas
Well-Known Member
I'm retired. You're not.
But my point really wasn't about me or you. It was that Hindus, in terms of time, tend to be pretty committed religiously. It's not a once a week thing. Our Brahmin priest, (and few realise this) has to do about 2 hours of preparation work before he walks over to the temple. In India at the busy pilgrim centers of big temple towns, the crowds are large every single day, not just on weekends,. They do swell on religious holidays though, like Diwali. Even many Christian churches there, because they view it as competition, had to open for prayers every day.
This is something many westerners don't really get until they live it for awhile ... it's another idea that is held onto ... the once a week thing.
Well during the summer no college or work at the school district lol so just the one job. And I have a phone, so I can be on here when ever where ever lol. Sometimes I forget to log out so it looks like I'm on when I'm actually not.
That's true vinyaka I was actually just making a joke lol. Its not about what you do and how I should this or that. Its about devotion, whether the devotion is elaborate or simple. Showy or.silent.
Sb1995
Om Sai Ram
How do you do Ganesh pooja? I want to start become a lot more holy like I used to be. Going to begin my days with mala for both ganesh,krishna,and ram and then I wish to do pooja and aartis frequently and temple visits multiple times a week
Satyamavejayanti
Well-Known Member
I don't do any of that.
My deva Puja is showing respect to my parents, elders, young ones and my Purohit ect, my bhakti and Dharma is providing for my family, and doing my work, I only read every morning on the way to work and every afternoon on the way back home from work on the train, and i only read "Vedic" stuff, on weekends i spend time with my family, wife and my little baby son, if i get some "me time" I end up reading. Maybe once in a year i go to the local temple with the wife, and once a year we have a Puja at home performed by our Purohit.
I do all this ritualistically.
I use this one ... Look and Listen It has clear directions, Sanskrit to listen and learn, and explains what you're doing. But really, in response to your OP, think of it as 'how do I get closer to my spouse, my child, my friend? Any psychologist will say it's about spending quality time together. I think that advice applies to getting closer to God too.
Last edited:
Fireside_Hindu
Jai Lakshmi Maa
These last weeks I have slacked because of moving to a new home, but I am eager to get back into my routine.
Generally, I pray/meditate for 30 minutes in the morning. I ring the bell, I offer food, water and incense and light my lamp. I am trying to learn a devotional song at the moment, so I will play a recording and sing along with the words I have written on a paper.
When money allows I offer flowers. And I also go to Temple about twice a week for a few hours of seva and to just be with the murtis. I love the atmosphere of the temple. I miss it when I can't go.
Sometimes I will also meditate in the evenings for about 15 minutes to end my day.
I just acquired an amazing book that describes the process for performing a proper Lakshmi Puja, so I want to start doing that once a week as soon as I get my shrine set up. (It is lost in the forest of moving boxes at the moment)
:camp:
Generally, I pray/meditate for 30 minutes in the morning. I ring the bell, I offer food, water and incense and light my lamp. I am trying to learn a devotional song at the moment, so I will play a recording and sing along with the words I have written on a paper.
When money allows I offer flowers. And I also go to Temple about twice a week for a few hours of seva and to just be with the murtis. I love the atmosphere of the temple. I miss it when I can't go.
Sometimes I will also meditate in the evenings for about 15 minutes to end my day.
I just acquired an amazing book that describes the process for performing a proper Lakshmi Puja, so I want to start doing that once a week as soon as I get my shrine set up. (It is lost in the forest of moving boxes at the moment)
:camp:
I never log out of the sites I visit, so it looks like I'm on 24/7. Besides, my job is boring as hell. I'm a seat warmer, computer sys admin who waits for something to puke before I do anything meaningful.
Anyway, my sādhanā, if you can call it that, is sorely lacking by most standards. There are days I don't open my shrine (I have Japanese folding panels in front of it); I rarely do japa. But I do listen to bhajans and mantras almost exclusively while driving, and even right now at my desk at work (headphones). I will mentally recite or sing the mantras.
Sri Krishna says in the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama that while it's great to recite His 1,000 names, He feels praised by a single sloka. He also teaches Arjuna how antharyagam (internal, mental) puja is more pleasing than the most elaborate external puja. In His 4-armed form He gently punks Narada (we know Lord Krishna is a big jokester) for his pride in being the greatest devotee, even over a farmer who only recites the Lord's name 2 or 3 times each day.
So, this is all to point out how pleased and thrilled the Lord is to just be remembered.
Someone's signature says that Lord Shiva is more pleased with the man who sees Him in the lowliest man, than with the man who sees Him only in a temple.
"In this world all actions, unless they are done as an offering to God become causes of bondage. Therefore, work for the sake of God without personal attachments." Bhagavad Gita 3.9
"Therefore perform action always without attachment. For, by working without attachment a man attains the Supreme." 3.19
Everything in seva to the Lord. :yes:
chinu
chinu
I don't know what made you so sure that we guys are very closer to God, and you started asking the way. Really, are you sure ?
Oh! people.
Kalidas
Well-Known Member
I don't know what made you so sure that we guys are very closer to God, and you started asking the way. Really, are you sure ?
Oh! people.
"Closer". We can always get closer. This doesnt mean we shouldn't ask or shouldn't try.
Viraja
Jaya Jagannatha!
Well, in my opinion, it would take lifetime(s) to feel as much closer to god, say for example, like a 'yogi'. What we can do is keep the thread of god thinking alive by doing daily aaradhana, reading devotional books, practice charity and non-violence, etc.
My devotional routine consists of worshiping Hanuman, Rama and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha deva for 45 min each day using slokas at the end of which I offer food (naivedya) and consume it.
But I am keen on watching all devotional programs telecast especially on a good Indian TV channel - Vijay TV. I also frequently tune into devotional music in YT.
I have a great devotional book in my native tongue - it discusses about the lives of some 80 Indian saints - I frequently read pages from this book and keep my devotion alive.
I think I feel closer to god this way, as much as try to concentrate during my daily japa to Sri Rama, that much my concentration sways away, but I do not care about this so much, because I think for a common man to communicate with god using practices such as deep meditation, it will take even a lifetime.
Everything happens out of god's mercy. We are only the doer, he is the one who sanctions.
Good luck with your pursuits!
Poeticus
| abhyAvartin |
Namaste,
The best way is to read from Shruti texts such as Shrī Rig-Veda. The multiplicity and pluralism of Shrī Rig-Veda has made me feel closer to the Gods and I feel as if they have blessed me considerably.
जय श्री कृष्ण
nameless
The Creator
suppose, a person new in a town asking someone about the direction to reach a place, it does not mean the person is sure that the other guy knows the direction, but it is always good to ask someone. Might be there will be people in here who could help him, what made you so sure that none here could help him?I don't know what made you so sure that we guys are very closer to God, and you started asking the way. Really, are you sure ?
Oh! people.
Last edited:
chinu
chinu
But, very well that person knows that such place exists somewhere in that town, but in this case this person doesn't even know that any such place exist in this town or not.
Its just like a man who was finding gold coins in a muddy pond, shortly another man came and asked; what are you finding ? Gold-coins answered the man who was finding. Thus.. that man also joined him and started finding the gold coins, and after the whole day passed on finding, once again asked that man, How many coins of yours was losted in this pond ? Not a single replied the man
Than why are you finding ? again asked that man.
What's wrong in finding, replied that man very innocently.
Nameless ji,
The question in the title was, How do i get closer to Gods, rather than.. is there anybody who can help me to get closer to Gods ?
nameless
The Creator
You are simply forcing your beliefs onto us, which is so nice, and a million thanks for that. :bow: :bow: :bow:But, very well that person knows that such place exists somewhere in that town, but in this case this person doesn't even know that any such place exist in this town or not.
Its just like a man who was finding gold coins in a muddy pond, shortly another man came and asked; what are you finding ? Gold-coins answered the man who was finding. Thus.. that man also joined him and started finding the gold coins, and after the whole day passed on finding, once again asked that man, How many coins of yours was losted in this pond ? Not a single replied the man
Than why are you finding ? again asked that man.
What's wrong in finding, replied that man very innocently.
so what?Nameless ji,
The question in the title was, How do i get closer to Gods, rather than.. is there anybody who can help me to get closer to Gods ?
chinu
chinu
When any notion seems to be going in the opposite direction to the notion which we already have, It always sounds wrong and forcing. and if i would have be on your place, perhaps i would have also said the same.
Anyways, am not forcing, am just telling, and thanks for taking out your valuable time to read all this, Nameless ji.