Indian Traditions

I know many friends who ask me “ What is the use of Sandhyavandanam at all ? It is not like meditation which shows results instantly. In this we sprinkle water or partake it in some routine and murmur some hymns. What benefit at all do we get ?” I too had this question in my mind and started doing research on the same. Below were the findings which I thought will be useful if shared. Nadis and the Sandhya time Sandhya means the time of union of the day with the night. They usually are in the evening and early morning. But, why do Sandhya at this these times only ? It is these times that one is in an empty stomach which is a condition for any spiritual exercise. The recent psychological experiments have confirmed the existence of the nadis of the spine viz “ Ida , Pingala and Sushumna”. These nadis are not physical entities but are part of our astral body and can be seen by those endowed with special vision. Even advanced yogis can see these nadis. These nadis ida an...

Homam (also known as yajna or havan) is a ritual performed in the country. It is a process of invoking a sacred fire with intentions of cleansing one’s self (material and spiritual), and the environment. The fire is a symbol of God, and practitioners offer items such as grains, ghee and herbs to the sacred fire as symbolic offerings to God. Common belief assumes several positive effects inherent to this ritual, ranging from revitalizing/purifying the environment to curing diseases. Although there are different types of Homams, the most commonly used ingredients in this process include items such as dried cow dung patties, dried coconut, wood shavings, peepal twigs (samit), camphor, milk, curd, and ghee. Natural Energy A Homa has a purifying effect not only on the performer but also on the environment. Offering environmental-friendly goods to fire and chanting of mantras re-energizes one’s chakras, producing a re-vitalized and invigorating effect for one’s the body as well as min...

Sitting on a table and chair and eating with a fork and knife have never been a part of Indian tradition. Initially, people used to sit on the floor and eat. However, people feel that it is just an old-school tradition without much relevance. Well, that's not true. There is a reason why our ancestors used to sit on the floor while eating. Ayurveda has it; sitting on the floor is a healthy habit and has a number of benefits to offer. Even today, people continue to sit on the floor while eating. So let's cut to the chase and unveil its benefits. You don't just sit on the floor, you do yoga.                                                When you sit on the floor and eat, you sit in sukhasana or the cross-legged position. So it is like sitting, eating and doing yoga at the same time. This one is a yogic position which is known to induce better digestion. It is be...