I've read a few different things:
1. Don't leave the diya lit when you leave the puja/shrine area.
2. Don't purposely extinguish a diya.
3. Use only enough ghee to perform the puja and let the diya use up the ghee and self-extinguish. What is 5 or 10 mins. worth of ghee, a Tbsp, tsp?
4. Let the diya burn perpetually. One of the guys I work with is from Gujarat and said it's one thing if you live in a brick house in India, but otherwise we know it's not safe to leave an open flame unattended.
Personally I like the altar illuminated all evening and let the diya self-extinguish, even if it takes a few hours. My shrine is in the common area of the house, so even when I am watching tv, I am in the area with the diya lit. The problem is that I am not vegetarian and I feel there's something improper if I have a non-veg meal while the diya is lit.
I keep the diya filled with ghee, light it and extinguish it by a wave of my hand (breath is impure). But I read that's improper. So how much ghee do you actually use for 5-10 mins. of puja, or for meditation so it self-extinguishes? Or is all this a ritualistic non-issue, and just do whatever you do with love and devotion?
1. Don't leave the diya lit when you leave the puja/shrine area.
2. Don't purposely extinguish a diya.
3. Use only enough ghee to perform the puja and let the diya use up the ghee and self-extinguish. What is 5 or 10 mins. worth of ghee, a Tbsp, tsp?
4. Let the diya burn perpetually. One of the guys I work with is from Gujarat and said it's one thing if you live in a brick house in India, but otherwise we know it's not safe to leave an open flame unattended.
Personally I like the altar illuminated all evening and let the diya self-extinguish, even if it takes a few hours. My shrine is in the common area of the house, so even when I am watching tv, I am in the area with the diya lit. The problem is that I am not vegetarian and I feel there's something improper if I have a non-veg meal while the diya is lit.
I keep the diya filled with ghee, light it and extinguish it by a wave of my hand (breath is impure). But I read that's improper. So how much ghee do you actually use for 5-10 mins. of puja, or for meditation so it self-extinguishes? Or is all this a ritualistic non-issue, and just do whatever you do with love and devotion?