Spiritual Healing by Agnihotra | Meditation Practice | Spiritual Technique

One of the oldest and easiest Spiritual healing practice or meditation practice of Hindu rituals related with AGNI/FIRE is Agnihotra. This spiritual technique is a type of fire worship which was practiced by Indian saints thousands of years back. It is also known as small yajna (Yagna is a form of Fire-Worship, but in larger scale). Agnihotra can become a complimentary shakti or energy for us because all of us live in a very close relation with nature. The better place for Agnihotra is in the middle of room as the smoke from Yajna can cover the entire house.

Time is the major factor for doing Agnihotra ritual. It should be started at either sun rise or at sun set and daily at the exact time of sun rise or sunset. You can get the exact timings by simply doing a Google search. Fire for agnihotra must be lit at that stipulated time & that one minute is very sacred. On that stipulated time there is a greater change in nature’s energy. At this time the whole environment gets charged with affirmative source of energy and we should make the best use of this positive energy. That is why timing is quite vital for agnihotra ritual, not one minute earlier or one minute later. Because sometimes the agnihotra performed is of no use at all due to fixing up wrong timings. Many times the performer makes mistakes in starting the ritual at exact time making it less effective. To become a master in this art one needs to put consistent effort behind it. So the most important thing in this ritual is Muhurat (starting time). If the Muhurat is perfect and correct then everything will turn out to be good.

Items that are used in Agnihotra - Spiritual Healing Practice are

1) Native cows dried dung. (Handful)
2) Hand pounded red raw rice. (Fistful)
3) Inner husk of a coconut. (Handful )
4) A bowl of native cows ghee. (4-5 Teaspoons or more if you wish)
5) Small sticks of peepal tree or choppings of jackfruit tree or sandalwood tree or paalasha tree (Handful)

Method of Performing Agnihotra- The Spiritual Healing Meditation

Initialize Agnihotra – Preparation before lighting up Yajna.

Take 10-15 minutes initial time before sun rise or sun set so that you can get ready for this ritual. First required thing for this ritual is a clean pyramid shaped copper vessel. This should be kept properly at one place and it should not touched once the agnihotra ritual starts or till the fire extinguishes. (Once the fire extinguishes you can move the vessel to any room where you usually spend more time, e.g bedroom).

Place handful of coconut husk at the bottom of the vessel. As an alternate you can also place a piece of dried cow dung mixed with ghee (clarified melted butter). Take a big (half inch) piece of cotton wick, fully immersed in ghee and keep it in center of the copper vessel. Now arrange the sticks of peepal or jackfruit sticks and place it over the husk or around the dried cow dung piece in a row. One can also add little pieces of camphor to induce more heat in fire. Leave enough place for air circulation. Now, spread a handful of dried cow dung pieces around the base. Now spread little (around 20-30) grains of red raw rice (not the polished white rice) dipped in ghee over the cow dung pieces or wood pieces.

Lighting the Fire/ Starting the ritual

When all the items have been placed in the copper vessel take small lamp and light it up. And with the help of the same lamp light up that cotton wick dipped in ghee. Wait until it’s properly lit up. Let all the ingredients get flamed up properly. Now when you are sure and confirmed that the fire will not get extinguished, you may sit in a calm posture (any asana) and be ready to give your Namaskaras (chattting of specific mantra – salutations).

Mantras are to be said by joining their hands and sitting in the praying posture. See image for reference. Start your Namaskaras with the creator - VISHWADEVA and Sun - SURYADEVA because of which this whole creation would not have been possible. Devote yourself totally and start chanting the following mantras.

1) OM VISHVA-DEVAYA NAMAH.
2) OM VISHVA-DEVAYA SWAHA (now put the cow's ghee mixed with rice).
3) OM VISHVA-DEVAYA IDAM NAMAMA.

4) OM SURYAYA NAMAH.
5) OM SURYAYA SWAHA (now put the cow's ghee mixed with rice).
6) OM SURYAYA IDAM NAMAMA.

7) OM AGNI-DEVAYA NAMAH
8) OM AGNI-DEVAYA SWAHA (now put cow's, ghee mixed with rice)
9) OM AGNI-DEVAYA IDAM NAMAMA.

After this one can chant Gayatri mantra or Myrutyanjaya Mantra. One can also chant other optional Surya mantras.

Scientific Explanation for Agnihotra - The spiritual Healing Practice

The five things which we have combined together are known as PANCHABHOOTAS which illuminates a new Spiritual Energy (CHAITANYA) into the nature. These are the cleaning substance of environment which also cleans our mind. We need to connect our inner energy with this natural energy.

1) Pyramid shaped copper vessel

As we all know that copper is a very good conductor of heat and electricity. All the Panchagni (fire with the five items burned together is called panch-agni) are organic material and when they burnt in presence of copper it creates copper oxide, copper sulphate, copper chloride and other gases. Apart from its extensive heat transmission, copper is also considered as the best metal for this kriya due to its productive nature of creating high end chaitanya shakti (spiritual energy) which cannot be achieved from any other metal. The pyramid shaped vessel enhances the spiritual and positive vibrations thus created from this process. Pyramids are capable of drawing positive energy and vibration from atmosphere. It is therefore even very beneficial to meditate by sitting beneath or under a pyramid. Read more about pyramid meditation here.

2) The soft husk of coconut

The husk of coconut that is placed at the bottom of the vessel is taken from the outer covering of the fruit of the coconut tree - KALPAVRIKSHA - meaning, a complete tree, because each and everything of this tree is beneficial to human beings in some or the other way including the roots, leaves, trunk, fruits etc). This is the only tree which serves us by giving nuts round the year. Its leaves are used to build up roof which in turn returns continuous blessings and love. That’s why coconut tree is known as DEVADHOOT - (God) of all trees in the nature, and when it burns, the love and sacrifice it has for the human beings and living beings joins the atmosphere. To eliminate the poisonous elements from atmosphere, burning of coconut husk is required. Still on date there are several places in this nation where the people put empty coconut shells while cooking rice so as to purify the cooked rice.

3) The sticks of the peepal tree

Peepal tree emits stimulated oxygen (0+ activated oxygen). This is the reason behind the tradition of circumnutating the peepal tree everyday. Sandal wood is also an important ingredient of Agnihotra not only for its good fragrance but also for its medicinal values too. This is also helpful for cleaning the atmosphere.

4) The dried cow dung

The dried cow dung contains anti - bacterial elements such as ammonia, phenol, indal and formalin. Cow is the most supportive animal in human civilization. From the beginning of human civilization it has nourished human beings through its godliness and by its satwik (pure) nature and is an idol of nature. The dung acquired from the cow which grazes in forests and hills and which is strong in physique is even more beneficial. The Indian red coloured country cow produces a special medicinal element known as "GORACHNA" in its milk.

These country cows reject the red color from the sun and accept the remaining 6 colors. This is the reason why we can have the milk of these cows without any tension. Red color denotes abnormality. People who drink the milk of these cows are tension free and have peace in life. These qualities are found in the dried cow dung also which is used in the spiritual practice of Agnihotra. The smoke of the Agnihotra has superior medicinal value, which works as an anti bacterial and filtered the atmosphere. This is the reason why MALARIA and other bacteria, viruses does not affect homes where agnihotra is performed daily. Read more about cow dung uses.

5) Hand pounded red raw rice

The red color of hand pounded rice comes from its bran. Bran is the inner-husk of the rice. The inner husk of any seed is a precious gift of nature which contains essential multi-vitamins. So it is always advisable not to eat white polished rice because polishing robs the rice of vital nutrients. The bleaching of rice to white color adds harmful chemicals to it which makes it even more harmful for human consumption. The bran used should be from the hand pounded rice. This same principle is applied in this spiritual practice too. When the unpolished red rice is burnt all its good elements are released into the atmosphere.

6) Cow's ghee

Cows ghee helps to boosts immunity, intelligence and good health. Cows ghee are extensively used in preparation of ayurvedic medicines in India and world wide due to its medicinal and preservative properties. We have a very old tradition of burning lamp with the cow’s ghee. Even in the century old document of Charak and Patanjali; cow’s ghee has been considered as one of the best medicinal element. Cows ghee acts as a burning agent and fuel and when its burnt along with all the other ingredients in the agnihotra it helps in creating copper oxide, copper sulphate and copper chloride. These gases are very beneficial for the atmosphere.

The smoke emits from these six items is excellent like those from all other YAJNAS and YAGAS. And this is also proven that places where Agnihotra is performed on a regular basis those places are free from any diseases.

This is known to everybody now that the smoke of Agnihotra brings a special change in nature. The life of human friendly, plant friendly, bacteria and microbes are encouraged and those creatures which are not beneficial are either destroyed or are made to run away to a far of place. Due to emission of positive energy the nature becomes clean and clear.

Quite interestingly this special spiritual healing technique and practice of Agnihotra was known to ancient Indians. Many believe that agnihotra was in vogue before all yagas and yajnas began. There are several other medicinal plants or herbs which can be used in Agnihotra for keeping the environment clean. People with ill health can be cured of their diseases. It is a special boon for the all round progress of agriculturist. Science has still to understand more about this age old ritual.