Nature and Innerself

THE Havan or Yajna appears to an outsider like a fire worship, but it symbolises Discipline, Devotion and Dedication which reminds us of selflessness: nothing for self but all for the society, that everything we have belongs to God and must be used for the benefits of the whole society.

Hinduism, one of the oldest living religions in the world, has much more spirituality ingrained in than we know about. To attain the goal of energizing and protecting the inner self and the environment, Hinduism has given a significant place to Havan/ Yajna. It is a sacred purifying ritual performed because Hinduism is well aware of the fact that life is created and sustained by the five physical elements (fire, earth, water, air and space). For example, the Sun is the main source of energy represented by the fire. As per ancient Hindu scriptures, both sun and fire are very sacred as they have the power of continuing life if harnessed well. Havan connects the five physical elements to the five sense organs and the five senses which are powered by the inner soul, the Atman.

Vedic Organisation for Indian Culture and Education (VOICE), a charity based in Manchester, organised a Havan on January 24 in Hale.

It was an event which was well attended by all age groups. It was an auspicious start to the year 2016 and everyone was quite excited, especially the children. It was a unique experience and this is what one attendee had to say, "Thanks to all the organisers for the blissful morning we had at the beginning of this year. It was a great message for all especially for kids which made it so unique."

A Havan has a purifying effect not only on the performer but also on the environment. Different scientific experiments have already proven that Havans destroy harmful bacteria in the environment. Eco friendly offerings made from medicinal herbs called "samagri" are added as "ahuti" to the fire amidst chanting of mantras that re-energise one’s chakras, producing an invigorating effect for one’s body as well as mind that leads to further bliss by eliminating negative energies such as anger, rashness and irrational thinking which are replaced with positive ones like calmness, tranquility and controlled attitudes.

This in return kindles peace of mind and good health to which agrees another attendee who said, "It was really a blessed day for us to perform Havan and understand the meaning of what we were performing under Dr Poonam Kakkar and Prof Nawal Prinja's guidance. Well oragnised by our VOICE and Sale Indian Cultural Society."

Last but not the least a reflection from a 12 year old summarises it, "Finally I had understood the true meaning of havan. I did not really know what it was meant for even though I knew that it was some spiritual ritual that had to be done for peace and safety and all that. But actually it calmed me down and made me purify myself, my soul and body and understand my senses. The way that each element was incorporated into the havan was really ingenious and the way it linked into life and science was truly amazing. "

Dr Archana Gund

(Hindu Parent)

www.voiceculture.org