In the Indian culture there is a whole attention to the shape and size of the room in which you live, because the shape and size of the room in some way, if it is not heavily ventilated – when I say heavily ventilated, from both sides, two walls are open, and it’s happening, then it feels almost like outdoor, that’s different, most homes are not made this way. So, different shapes and sizes kind of create different kinds of energy structures. These energy structures can, if they become very strong, can determine your psychological and emotional state, which either can be conducive, or can become an impediment in who you want to be.
#1 Burn Incense or Sambrani
So, certain substances – like sandal in India, there is something called as Sambrani, which is a very powerful thing, which is used even when people are ill. First thing they do is this, and it is now been found, it also kills certain types of bacteria in the air, and also on the surfaces. So especially if there is a sick person in the house, Sambrani everywhere. This has a powerful impact on the atmosphere. It is not necessarily a fragrance. It is a different kind of thing, that it clarifies the air. It just makes the atmosphere feel more lively. Fundamentally, whatever structures that are there, it will make indoor like outdoor.
Just mild Sambrani in the house will make it feel like, though you’re indoors, the feeling is of outdoors because it’s an unstructured space. Especially if death happens in the family, Sambrani is burnt for up to 11 to 12 days, because they want to clear that air completely.
Incense has a certain impact, but don’t overdo it. One can use it in a sensible manner, but these days incense is being made with chemical stuff. Best you don’t burn those things. It’s very, very important – you have enough chemical thing happening on the street, in the industry, in the factory floor that you may be working, wherever, there’s enough chemicals floating around. At least within your house do not burn chemically made incense, because I think that is almost 70%, or 80% of what’s available in the market today, is chemical. You must check it out before you burn it. It’s very, very important because within the closed enclosures, if you burn chemicals, well, the negative impact of that is very, very big. So, it must be natural resin, or certain other oils, essential oils and things which can make a difference. A mild difference – if you need that kind of a difference – it helps, definitely.
#2 Keep a lamp lit at all times
So, generally in the yogic culture, in the yogic sciences, we look at life as a composition of 5 basic elements – earth, fire, water, wind, and space. In this, fire is a very important aspect of making this life. So, fire is seen as a significant element which makes life happen. It’s not the only thing, all the 5 are important. But when it comes to warding of things, fire is always very important.
So, this is part of it – every day in your life, you must light an oil lamp, and stay in its presence for a period of time, because it will ward off many things, it will cleanse many things for your system. This is a very important part of, you know, warding off infections and things like that. If it is airborne, especially if it’s airborne, having fire around you will help. There must be some kind of a lamp burning around you, somewhere close by. This will do wonders to you, please experiment and see.
If you sleep, if you can find a safe place in your room where a small oil lamp is burning, you will see, it will make a lot of difference for you. Just being in the presence of that fire makes a big difference. The science of yoga clearly establishes this, and we know this by our experience. By having a small piece of fire in the form of a lamp burning around you, you will see, especially when you’re physically not well, it is very, very important to have that.
#3 Enliven your home with Bhiravi Punya Pooja
You know what’s Punya? What is referred to as Punya and paapa – unfortunately, these things are badly misinterpreted over a period of time. Punya, paapa means, those type of actions – actions which take you down, actions which, you know, increase the effervescence of life within you, or actions which move you towards the inertia of life.
So, the Punya pooja is to enliven the house. The space in the house should become alive. If you have lived in such a way in your home, that every moment you’re on with love and light within you, then no Punya pooja would be needed. But today you have built homes which are so large, it’s very difficult to make them alive just by living. If you just had a one-room house, and you lived in great sense of love and joy, you can easily keep it very alive. But today your house has 10-15 enclosures, it’s very difficult for any human being to keep it alive. Once in a way if you do not enliven it, slowly, if you enter certain parts of your home, you will see, it feels like a coffin.
So, Punya pooja once in a way, at least once a year, would light it up. That is, you have the space around you alive, and it supports you. So, Punya pooja is a way of consecrating your home, entire home, every part of it, so that there is some sense of aliveness and energy.
