But I’m going to do a little Ganesh puja tomorrow, and hope for the best.
Not tellin ya what to do, or nothin, but you might wanna rethink that. Read the bolded text below. There it is, in black & white, spelled out very cleanly.
“Puja instructions.
In performing the puja, preparation is of utmost importance—gathering flowers, cleaning the altar and puja tray, making
ready the oil lamps and preparing the fruit and/or cooked food offering. It is common to chant a Ganesha mantra or softly
sing devotional songs while performing these tasks. This quiets the mind and brings one’s awareness close to Him. Indeed,
all this preparation is an integral part of worship.
As you see in the photos, there are a number of traditional implements needed for the puja, such as a metal tray, holy water cups and spoons, ghee lamp, camphor lamp, as well as puja supplies, like holy ash and sandalwood paste. These are now available at Indian grocery stores, and online at http://www.minimela.com. If you need help with setting up an altar, one source of information is our four-page Hinduism Today Educational Insight called “Hindu Home Sanctuary,” available at:
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/pamphlets/homeshrine/
Before beginning the puja, check the altar to make sure all necessary articles are there, so that you don’t have to interrupt the flow of puja to get a missing item. Arrange all the items the same way for each puja so you can reach automatically when needed, with those most frequently used closest at hand.
Hold the attitude that, as pujari, you are a servant of the Gods, a channel for the spiritual energies. Only thoughts of God are on your mind as you perform puja, thus enhancing the outpouring of divine blessings. Tradition provides a caution: you should never perform puja during or within 31 days of experiencing severe anger or other deep emotional upset, but it is all right to attend”.
Given all of the raw emotion and angst over “The Trade”, I’m thinking you probably wanna steer away from this. At least 31 days. It does say you can attend, just not do your own. Maybe start slow, and work up to something next month, or after OTA’s begin.
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Agamemnon
