Prayer/Pooja and the trappings thereof

[Drolefille]

So I'm a non-Hindu* who has started praying to Ganesh. Thus far I have a small altar-ish area on my mantle with a picture and small figure of Ganesh and a bowl of salt that I can stick my incense in. I know, I'm lacking.

But my question is, I see a lot of instructions for the ritual prayers/worship/pooja with materials that I just don't have, and don't have a lot of easy access to. I'm hoping to visit an Asian grocery store and later an Indian store in other cities, but at the moment I'm kind of limited. Similarly I'm looking to do a fast to/for Santoshi Mata, but I don't have jaggery, a coconut, betel leaves, etc. that seem to be recommended to required by what the internet tells me.

While having the right materials is ideal, are they necessary? Is it the intention that matters, or can I screw things up by doing it wrong? (Metaphorically speaking)

What should I be doing? And if you'd like to help by tossing in reasons for why things should be a certain way, that'd help too. I do better understanding the why, and most instructions online are big on the how and not the why. (Or point me to where the why is, I'll read it!) :help:

As a kind of aside, is it a problem for someone who doesn't identify as Hindu per se to be honoring Hindu devas?


*I don't know enough at this point to understand what actually makes one a Hindu, I'm still learning. I came at things from a pagan standpoint so that's where I identify right now.

 

[Vinayaka]

It is absolutely the intention that counts. But as a Hindu of the mystic variety, I would probably say Ganesha has found you, not you have found Ganesha. I was at one of His temples just this morning.

Of all Devas, he is the easiest to contact, and 'friendliest'. so just trust your intuition on it. Seems to have worked so far. Here's a link to a lot of info. http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/lg/lg_table_of_contents.html

 

[Drolefille]

It is absolutely the intention that counts. But as a Hindu of the mystic variety, I would probably say Ganesha has found you, not you have found Ganesha. I was at one of His temples just this morning.

Of all Devas, he is the easiest to contact, and 'friendliest'. so just trust your intuition on it. Seems to have worked so far. Here's a link to a lot of info.

I'd agree, I think he's found me.

And thank you for the link! (Although I had to delete it to reply to you)

 

[Riverwolf]

Jai Sri Ganesha!

And welcome. ^_^

All I generally do is aarti. This just involves a small oil lamp called a diya (I prefer ghee to vegetable oil; it smells better ^_^) and a small bell. What I do is I first light the lamp, then sit in front of Ganesha first and invoke him with this mantra:

Aum suklam bharadharam vishnum
Shashivarnam chaturbhujam
Prasanna vadanam dhyayet
Sarva vighno pashantaye

Then, I take the bell in my left hand, holding it so my whole hand is wrapped around the handle with my thumb on top, and the diya in my right. Standing on my knees to the left, I wave the diya clockwise in front of Ganesha's image three times, starting from his forehead, while ringing the bell (very softly because other people who aren't Hindu live in the house and one of them is often sleeping) chanting the mantra:

Aum sri ganeshaya namaha. Aham deepam samarpayami.

After the last rotation, the light is held at his forehead for a second while the bell continues to ring. Then, I do what's called "taking the flame", which means taking Ganesha's shakti, now in the flames, in my hands and bringing it up to my forehead. A single round of this is just a fraction of a second. I do this twice, but some people only do it once, or even three times.

I conclude it with a brief meditation.

 

[Valjean]

There's usually rice, fire and camphor involved.

 

[Jainarayan]

While having the right materials is ideal, are they necessary?

Nope.

Is it the intention that matters

Yep.

or can I screw things up by doing it wrong? (Metaphorically speaking)

Nope, not unless you deliberately do something offensive. Lord Krishna says that even if a devotee commits the most abominable act, if that person otherwise has his mind fixed on devotion, he is considered saintly. The devas are extremely benevolent. Notice what Lord Krishna says in my signature: "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." The devas are very easy to please.

What should I be doing? And if you'd like to help by tossing in reasons for why things should be a certain way, that'd help too.

Light a candle, light incense, say a prayer:

O Lord Ganesha, who is garbed in white and is all-pervading;
upon that ever-smiling and pleasing face do I meditate and ask
that He remove all obstacles.​

You can chant any of His mantras aloud, under your breath, or mentally:
Om Shri Maha Ganapataaye namaha or
Om Shri Ganeshaaya namaha or
Om Gam Ganapataaye namaha

(aa is pronounced 'ah', other 'a' is more like 'uh', so Gam is more like Gum).

They are variations on "I bow to Lord Ganesha".

And Sharanam Ganesha, "I take refuge in Ganesha".

As a kind of aside, is it a problem for someone who doesn't identify as Hindu per se to be honoring Hindu devas?

If you honor the Hindu devas and desire to be a devotee and follow the dharmic path, then you are already Hindu.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

You can also do a puja by offering all the items from your heart.

 

[native3]

Well performing the Pooja with all those items is good but performing it with your hear is Great....

I have seen many pooja's where people perform it with lots of lots of ingredients and stuff but only without their hearts in it which is nothing but waste....

Once in a while offer whatever you have got and that is enough....

But i sincerely recommend you the USAGE OF LIGHT.... either light an oil lamp in front of the idle or even a candle is enough..... it does not matter which means you bring a light infront of your Ganesha idle but it is extremely powerful method of Pooja.....

 

[Vinayaka]

Well performing the Pooja with all those items is good but performing it with your hear is Great....

I have seen many pooja's where people perform it with lots of lots of ingredients and stuff but only without their hearts in it which is nothing but waste....

Once in a while offer whatever you have got and that is enough....

But i sincerely recommend you the USAGE OF LIGHT.... either light an oil lamp in front of the idle or even a candle is enough..... it does not matter which means you bring a light infront of your Ganesha idle but it is extremely powerful method of Pooja.....

Nice post, and I totally agree. Mystically, it is because the inner beings can also see the light from their side, and are attracted to it, so they come over to take a look in their etheric bodies. Waving it in certain ways indicates to them a certain understanding. Doing puja fairly consistently at the same time od day is also important for similar reasons.

 

[Gaura Priya]

I utilise ISKCON's Deity worship (archanam, or archana-vigrah) information website sometimes for a more proper arati:

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry | Puja and worship instructions, training and workshops for devotees of Krishna

 

[Me Myself]

It is absolutely the intention that counts. But as a Hindu of the mystic variety, I would probably say Ganesha has found you, not you have found Ganesha. I was at one of His temples just this morning.

Of all Devas, he is the easiest to contact, and 'friendliest'. so just trust your intuition on it. Seems to have worked so far. Here's a link to a lot of info. Loving Ganesha: Table of Contents

Just wanna thank you a lot for this useful bit