Fire Ritual Research Articles

Purification of the subtle realm through yagya

Most of the problems of the present times may be attributed to the vitiated thought process and emotions of human beings. Be it the occurrence of physical or mental disorders at the individual level, or the problems in family, society, and the world, the root cause may be attributed to various kinds of vicious human tendencies like jealousy, ego, greed, discontentment, selfishness, etc. Although modern science now realizes the role of vicious human tendencies in the occurrence worldwide problems, yet, as of now, it doesn’t seem to have effective methods for the resolution of these vicious tendencies. Ancient Indian culture provides various methods for the resolution of vicious human tendencies, and yagya is one of the prime methodologies in this regard. Various aspects of Yagya deal with the development of righteous values and virtuous tendencies in human beings, through the cleansing of the subtle realms of consciousness (thoughts and emotions), as well as the subtle environment. The present article described various dimensions of the philosophical principles of yagya associated with the purification of the subtle realms, as well as their implications. The basic principle of yagya represents and develops altruistic feelings and actions. The development of altruistic attitude leads to growth of benevolent sentiments and compassion, which can prevent the arousal of criminal tendencies. An outlook based on the philosophy of yagya can resolve war-like tensions prevalent in the modern world; it can promote sincere discussion on issues faced by humanity and their resolution. The philosophical principles associated with the fire ritual of yagya promote cooperation, sharing and benevolence. Fire of yagya imparts six philosophical teachings through it physical and subtle conduct; adoption of these teachings in one's nature can awaken righteous tendencies, leading to all-round peace and well-being. Various other components of the fire ritual like the herbal mixture, mantras, prayers, etc. contribute in cleansing the subtle realm. Thus, the philosophical principles of yagya, associated with the purification of subtle realm, can be effective in the development of righteous values and virtuous tendencies in human beings, which in turn can lead to the resolution of various problems faced by humanity today.

Samidhā: A Review

Yagya holds a central place within Indian culture, and its meticulous execution is delineated in scriptures, characterized by attentiveness and devotion. The term Samidh or Samidha refers to wood utilized in Yagya rituals. The Buddhist and Zoroastrian cultures also recognize the samidhā as firewood and use them in fire rituals. Scriptures have clear instructions on the size of samidhā and categorize them as per the requirements of the traditions. Samidhā's role in Yagya encompasses its spiritual and philosophical significance, wood types, quality, and usage. This paper reviews its meaning in the broader context of Yagya, discussing its spiritual, scriptural, material, ayurvedic, and astrological aspect. Drawing from Vedic texts, Puranas, and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, the article highlights samidhā's symbolic connection to divine energy and cosmic balance. Specific samidhā types, such as Durva grass and Chandan, are explored for their ritual and medicinal applications. The astrological relevance of samidhā usage is discussed, suggesting its influence on energy equilibrium. The research underscores the holistic wisdom of Samidha embedded in ancient Vedic traditions and the potential to revive this knowledge for promoting well-being and spiritual harmony.

MATERIALS OF THE GOLDEN HORDE PERIOD FROM THE MULTILAYERED SETTLEMENT OF KITSIVKA 1

The materials from the excavations of the multilayered settlement Kitsivka 1 provide additional insight into the characteristics of the Golden Horde Age population living in the forest-steppe part of the Siverski Donets River basin. Over time, the cultural and historical communities inhabiting this territory were changed. However, people always chose to settle in the settlement zones which traditionally used the natural resources of the micro-region and its logistical features. A vivid example of this is the crossing of the Siverski Donets known in the «Book of the Great Map» as the Kaganski Perevoz. It connected the territories with different landscapes: the right-bank forest-steppe and the left-bank steppe, thus being on the border of two systems of economic management and, as a result, cultural development. At certain historical stages, this point required military control, as evidenced by the remains of fortifications built in the early Middle Ages. During the Golden Horde period, the ethno-political situation seems to have changed dramatically, and the nature of the ties between the populations of the forest-steppe right bank and the steppe left bank of the Siverski Donets acquires the quality of a cultural and economic contactor.
 The material and spiritual culture of the Golden Horde period is represented at the Kitsivka 1 settlement by ceramic and cast-iron utensils, iron and non-ferrous metal products (elements of weapons, armour, clothing, tools), etc. Of great importance for understanding the nature of the worldview and origin of the settlers of this period is the discovered inhumation burial which belongs to the male privates, with traces of a fire ritual of the IV period (Golden Horde time) according to the classification of Dr. Fedorov-Davydov.
 The settlement of Kitsivka I is the first site in the Kharkiv region containing the materials on everyday life and funerary rites with osteological remains of the deceased, and this provides great potential for further cultural and historical reconstructions of the Golden Horde period in the modern Kharkiv region. It is necessary to further expand the studied areas of cultural layers, which will allow, among other things, to obtain a more accurate chronological framework for the life of the Golden Horde population, which today can be roughly defined as the second half of the 13th—14th centuries.

Redvyntsi — the Funeral and Memorial Complex of a Rider of the Scythian Period in Northern Podillia

In 1973, the archaeological expedition of Kamianets-Podilskyi Pedagogical Institute under the leadership of A. F. Hutsal and I. S. Vynokur investigated the mound no. 1 near Redvyntsi village in Khmelnytskyi District and Oblast, in the upper reaches of the Southern Buh basin. The graveyard of five mounds was located 0.5 km southwest from Redvyntsi, on the territory of the collective farm garden. The height of the embankments, located 50—60 m from each other, was 1.8—2.7 m, the diameter — 14—18 m. The height of the mound no. 1 (the biggest in the group), located in the eastern part of the burial ground, was 2.5 m, the diameter — 18 m. A burial and memorial complex was discovered under the mound: the cenotaph. It had a wooden structure with a diameter of 4.4 m. It was located on the top of the soil filling. In the centre of the layout there was a complex of items. On the side, traces of ritual hearths and ceramics near them were found. Among the finds, bridle items made of bronze should be noted. Moreover, there were plates that had the shape of a circle, a rosette and and a diamond. Buckles were found with them. Weapons include an iron spearhead and bronze three-bladed arrowheads. A glass bead was found among the jewellery. The finds have analogies in many areas of the Northern Black Sea region during the Scythian period: the Eastern Podillia group, the Dnipro River Right-bank forest-steppe region, the Ukrainian Left-bank forest-steppe, the Middle Don region and Steppe Scythia. Mound no. 1 in Redvyntsi, due to the lack of a burial, can be interpreted as a cenotaph: during the construction of which fire rituals took place, which have comparisons in the Ukrainian forest-steppe. According to analogies, the burial mounds in Redvyntsi can be dated by the 4th century BC. The significant size of the mound, as well as the rich inventory, indicate that it was built in the memory of an ancient warrior-horseman. The deceased, who could have died in a foreign land, probably belonged to the local nobility, and headed one of the communities of the Scythian period, which lived in the 4th century BC in the upper reaches of the Southern Buh.

Māyā in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa: Human Suffering and Divine Play. By Gopal K. Gupta

There are a number of distinct contributions within Gopal Gupta’s erudite rendering of the topic of māyā in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, a study that is accessible to general audiences and academics alike. Scholars from a broad range of Hindu traditions will find his initial literary survey of the concept of māyā to be an informative resource: The author takes us from the complex etymological debate about the term’s origin (root mā, ‘to create’) to its early use in the Ṛg Veda in relationship to mystical powers that are present both in humans and gods as a neutral power that can have either negative or positive applications (pp. 13–14). In the early Vedas, māyā is particularly associated with the means of worldly gain in the fire ritual, or is ‘generated through the performance of sacrificial ritual’ allowing practitioners to gain ‘the ability to perform mystical feats, create appearances, or change form’ (pp. 19–20), but it can also be associated with generative and creative power more broadly or anything that people ‘could not naturally account for or that defied explanation’ (pp. 15–16).

The ‘Fire Ritual’ in Buddhist Uyghurs: Homa (in the Evidence of Tantric Turkish Buddhism Texts)

Homa, a fire ritual of Vedic origin, is a popular religious practice adapted from Hinduism to Esoteric Buddhism. Homa, seen in meditation and yoga practices in Tibetan Buddhism, is a ritual that aims to reach wisdom and enlightenment, which is represented in Buddhist Tantras in particular, Agni, the god of fire. The homa ritual is also known as a performance that involves the building of a fire at an altar and the burning of offerings over it. Predominantly in Tibetan Buddhism, the practice of homa, visualized with a maṇḍala, takes place under the guidance of masters of teaching called Guru or Ācārya. In the practice of homa, offerings thrown into the fire symbolically mean removing spiritual barriers. The practice of homa, which usually has functions such as protection, prolonging life, destroying evil and evil beings, is a ritual of purification and renewal. This ritual is a popular practice in all Buddhist regions of Central Asia, not just the Indian and Tibetan region. In this respect, the present study deals with the narratives of the fire ritual among the Uyghurs, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism in the Old Turkish religious life. This practice, which is seen with the term hom(a) ~ hoom in Old Uyghur, is also seen in written materials, especially in Buddhist Uyghurs, where ritual-based narratives are abundant.

Ritual Revision During a Crisis: The Case of Indian Religious Rituals During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Rituals, particularly religious rituals, may play a significant role in times of crises. Often, these rituals undergo revision to adapt to the changing needs of the time. This article investigates recent unofficially revised Hindu religious rituals as performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The multifarious creative interplay between Hindu tradition and change is illustrated through four cases: the religious festival of Durga Puja, the devotional songs or bhajans, the ritual of lighting lamps or diyas, and the fire rituals or havans. The authors offer a systematic discourse analysis of online news articles and YouTube posts that illuminate several aspects of ritual revision during unsettled times. They focus on the changes that were made to ritual elements: who controlled these alterations, how these modifications were made, and what potential benefits these revisions offered to the community of ritual participants. The authors highlight public policy implications regarding the involvement of diverse social actors, the creation of faith in science, the creation of feelings of unity and agency, and the amplification of local ritual modifications on a national scale.

PRECLASSIC PLACEMAKING AT YAXNOHCAH, MEXICO: A VIEW FROM THE GRAZIA AND HELENA COMPLEXES

AbstractArchaeological excavations at Yaxnohcah have revealed a long sequence of sedentary occupation, from 1000 b.c. to a.d. 1400, with dynamic periods of growth occurring during the Middle (1000–400 b.c.) and Late Preclassic (400 b.c.–a.d. 200). Two of these complexes, Grazia and Helena, serve as case studies that reveal the transformative processes of this period, illustrating site evolution on a larger scale. The Grazia platform probably began as a residential area in the Middle Preclassic and acquired an increasingly public character throughout subsequent modifications, culminating in the construction of a triadic temple platform and a ballcourt. A long sequence of fire rituals and altars show the importance of the Grazia complex as a center for collective ritual. Helena also features Middle Preclassic domestic constructions, but was transformed into a ballcourt platform during the transition to the Late Preclassic. Both cases show that Yaxnohcah was founded as a widespread, loosely integrated settlement in the Middle Preclassic and evolved into a formally and centralized network of communities with their respective nodal centers in the Late Preclassic period. Placemaking and the rise of monumentality played an important role in this transformation and reflect the particular forms of community integration.

Review: The Science of Satyug: Class, Charisma, and Vedic Revivalism in the All World Gayatri Pariwar, by Daniel Heifetz

Review: <i>The Science of Satyug: Class, Charisma, and Vedic Revivalism in the All World Gayatri Pariwar</i>, by Daniel Heifetz

The Vedic Agni and Scandinavian Fire Rituals: A Possible Connection

To use ethnographic analogies is not the same as picking up ready-made interpretations from one cultural context and importing them into another. On the contrary, analogies are a powerful and necessary tool for any archaeological interpretation. If we as scientists are not aware of this we will most certainly use our own time and culture as an unconscious analogy: it is not possible to make interpretations, or even to think, without references outside oneself, and such references are nothing but analogies. l will put forward the hypothesis that the Late Bronze Age society of Scandinavia had rituals resembling, and probably related to, the Vedic tradition. As in Vedic tradition, fire sacrifice seems to have been an important ritual practice in Scandinavia. The Vedic fire altars are built as a symbolic microcosmos, repeating the creation of the world, and the fire (Agni) is seen as a link between earth and the heavenly fire —the sun.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): A protocol for prevention, treatment and control

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an extremely infectious disease and has already infected almost three million persons in more than two hundred countries. Based on our current knowledge of this virus and in the absence of a vaccine, this article is an attempt to propose ways to prevent, treat and control COVID-19 virus, using linear lipid molecules such as sodium stearate (a major component of ordinary bar soap) for hand sanitization, mouth wash, gargling, steam inhaling and as lungs inhaler along with zinc and copper to trap and inactivate COVID-19. Sunbathing will boost desperately needed a good immune system. The ancient Indian techniques of Yoga (Developing inherent power in a balanced manner), Pranayama (Retention and Extension of the breath), Jal-Neti (Nasal irrigation by saline water) and Havan (Holy fire ritual) will also help in controlling this epidemic (COVID-19) of gargantuan proportions.

Household and Family Religion in Persian-Period Judah: An Archaeological Approach

Household and Family Religion in Persian-Period Judah: An Archaeological Approach

Effect of Homas on collective consciousness fields using random event generator

Background: The subtle energies of sacred fire rituals performed in a scientific systematic way are very supportive for the human system at physical, psychological and spiritual levels. The sacred fire rituals help in tuning the consciousness of the participants to merge with the Supreme consciousness. Aims &amp; Objectives: To explore the effect of Homas in offering epochs of sustained synchronous awareness in influencing the Random Event Generator (REG). Methods: Data was recorded for each Homa from the commencement to completion of each ritual using Psyleron Field REGequipment and software. Microsoft Excelwas used for statistical analysis. Probability of less than 0.05 of the REG sequence was considered to have significant change in collective consciousness and a probability value between 0.1 and 0.05 has been reported as a trend. Results: Significant deviations p&lt; 0.05 were observed InDhanvantri Homa SankalpaPrathana, Homa Preparations, Pradhana Homa, and Explanation on Homa. In Rudra Homa Vedic chanting, Kalasha puja, Agnisthapana, Purna ahuti, Explanation on Homa. In Gayatri Homa during the periods of Full Homa event and Pradhana Homa, Purna ahuti was observed with REG trend. In Durga Homa during the periods of Agnisthapana, Homa Preparations, Purna ahuti and REG trend observed during Pradhana Homa. Ayushya Homa did not show any significant deviations. Conclusion: Yajna rituals have the potential to cause a change in the REG sequence resulting in the interpretation of improved collective consciousness.

Greek Orthodox monasteries in the Holy Land and their liturgies in the period of the crusades

ABSTRACTThe First Crusade and subsequent establishment of a Latin state and Latin Church hierarchy in Jerusalem was intended to liberate the Christian population of the Holy Land, most of them Greek Orthodox, from Seljuq rule, which was thought in the West to threaten Christian worship. Since the late tenth century, however, Greek monasteries in the Holy Land and Syria had been experiencing a revival which can be seen in the founding of new monasteries, the development of hagiographical and liturgical traditions, and intensive textual activity. This article explores the continued development of these forms in Greek monasteries under crusader rule (1099–1291), through an examination of the liturgical norms established by founders, and consideration of the types of manuscripts produced in their scriptoria. The relationship between newly revived Greek Orthodox monasticism and the Latin ecclesiastical hierarchy is considered through an examination of a manuscript of 1122 detailing the liturgy of the Easter Fire ritual.

Spiritual Process in Lightprayer: A Network of New Religious Practice

The article considers the conditions of spiritual process in the new-religious movement Lightprayer. Based on the analysis, it is argued that Lightprayer itself and the techniques involved can be seen as new-religious methods of self-awareness and experienced relationship to divinity. To approach the spiritual process I will draw upon the procedures of Bruno Latour’s Agency-Network-Theory. The ethnographic material concerning the Fire Ritual is interpreted from the perspective of ANT in two ways. First, I will examine the human and non-human terms of the spiritual process in the visible world. Second, I will apply the ANT reading also regarding the invisible world of inner religious experience and thus immaterial actors. In both case I will analyze and interpret field notes, photographs and interviews. The intensity of the spiritual process can be considered as a central characteristic in the analysis of the specific traits of religious activities and also the motivations for participating in them. The perspective of ANT foregrounds the contributions and roles of the human and non-human actors in the actualization of spiritual process in Lightprayer. At the same time the research surveys the meaning of spiritual process in general among new and traditional religiousness.

Making a Space for Hope: Representing the Creative Reinvention of Japanese Mountain Asceticism in the Documentary Shugendō Now

Making a Space for Hope: Representing the Creative Reinvention of Japanese Mountain Asceticism in the Documentary Shugendō Now Mark Patrick McGuire Introduction: gathering at nature’s home On April 3, 2011 at 6 A.M., 200 pilgrims from diverse backgrounds gathered at “Nature’s Home” in Oguchi, Wakayama prefecture (south of Kyoto), to embark upon an introductory bout of mountain austerities undertaken for the benefit of the souls of individuals who perished in the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011.1 Donning white pilgrims’ robes stamped with “Hail Kumano Avatar” and protective Sanskrit script provided for the occasion by the local non‐profit organization Kumano Produce Sports, the mixed‐gender and all‐ages group had arrived from the length and breadth of the archipelago (Fig. 1). These white‐robed early risers had come seeking an authentic experience of traditional mountain ascetic practices along the well‐trod Kumano pilgrimage route. Click for larger view View full resolution 1. Prayers at Nachi Shrine to calm the souls of earthquake and tsunami victims. Photo credit: Imaizumi Eiko © 2011. Used with permission. Their guide and spiritual leader on this occasion, local mountain ascetic and environmental activist Tateishi Kōshō, taught the neophyte ascetics to chant the Heart Sutra punctuated by blasts of his and his devotees’ conch shells. The eight‐hour event culminated in the lighting of a massive outdoor fire ritual (saitō goma) and a nourishing boar stew served with glutinous rice cakes. Throughout the 16‐km course, participants found time for reflection and contemplation not only of Kumano’s lush flora, fauna, rivers, streams, and waterfalls but also of their own interior landscapes. Concerns for family, friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens whose lives had been turned upside down and shaken violently by the force of the 9.0 scale earthquake and subsequent aftershocks were palpable. Japan’s main island of Honshu had shifted eight feet eastward since the first trembling of its tectonic plates mere weeks prior.2 Estimates of lives lost crept upward toward 20,000 (and exceed 30,000 as I write this essay two months hence), orphaned children and elderly in northeastern communities passed uncertain evenings outdoors or in makeshift shelters as snow fell, and new cracks appeared daily in the rosy assurances of safety and security of the nation’s nuclear reactors as radioactive iodine was found in Tokyo’s drinking water, and radioactive cesium in produce, dairy and fish from Ibaraki, Miyagi, Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures.3 Facing up to the most severe challenges since the Second World War, pilgrims entered the Kumano mountains with uncertainty about their collective future. Imaizumi Eiko, a female participant from Tokyo who had been learning to play the conch shell with Tateishi during monthly lessons in the metropolis over the course of the last year, expressed her surprise and delight with how many people joined the event. Most uninformed people, she assumed, would associate the mountain practices with a religious cult and consider participation too dangerous.4 Imaizumi was also pleased when exhausted fellow pilgrims requested she play her conch shell to energize the group.5 It was the first time she had played her conch for anyone else. Imaizumi also expressed the meaning and benefits she gained from practice at Tateishi’s training site in Kumano called “The Forest of Mountain Learning.” I feel myself at “home,” where I can relax, feel safe, and at the same time, [be in] a place where I meet “myself,” a self I had never known or met, but didn’t want to face. (…) Being with the mountains, rivers, waterfalls, air, and sky, praying and playing the conch fulfills me emotionally, mentally and makes me realize that after all, I am part of this universe. Other motivations along a spectrum of the mundane and otherworldly also inspired the pilgrims’ journey: escape from boredom, sense of homecoming and rejuvenation in nature, combining austerities with a soak in Kumano’s hot springs, and curiosity about the UNESCO World Heritage status of the region are found at the lighter end. At the heavier end of things, joblessness, depression, inability to settle down and move forward in life, lack of fulfillment in career...

Sattvāvajaya, Psychology, and Ritual Possession in India

Caraka Sahitā states that Sattvāvajaya is one of the three primary categories of cikitsā or treatment (cf. Car. Sūtrasthāna 11.54, Car. Vimānasthāna 8.87; also Astāngasagraha-sūtrasthāna 12.3). This term has never been adequately explained, in spite of reasonable definitions in these texts. The other two categories of cikitsā, namely yuktivyapāśraya-cikitsā, rational therapy, and daivavyapāśraya-cikitsā, spiritual therapy involving mantra recitation, fire ritual, and other explicit religious practices, have been explored at great length. Caraka (Sūtrasthāna) 11.54 defines Sattvāvajaya as “the repeated restraining of the mind from harmful objects“ (sattvāvajaya punar ahitebhyo 'rthebhyo manonigraha). What does this mean? Although I mentioned this in my 2006 book (The Self Possessed: Deity and Spirit Possession in South Asian Literature and Civilization), I also avoided this term as best I could. Now, after rethinking it, I believe I can determine its meaning. Because the Sanskrit commentaries are all but silent on this topic, I have been forced to resolve this only with the help of examination of recent and contemporary practice of spirit healing in India. In this paper, I will provide a textual analysis of this elusive term and provide supporting evidence from modern healing sites, particularly the increasingly well-known temple in Rajasthan called Balaji.

ONSET OF THE EARLY CLASSIC PERIOD IN THE SOUTHERN MAYA LOWLANDS: NEW EVIDENCE FROM PUNTA DE CHIMINO, GUATEMALA

AbstractDesecration of Punta de Chimino's ceremonial precinct arounda.d.430 was associated with the appearance of green Pachuca obsidian, pyrite mirror fragments, dart points, a Tikal-style vessel cache, and a peculiar grave with Mexican semblances. A structurally housed Protoclassic stela was removed in an apparent fire ritual and monumental masks adorning the E-Group range building were effaced in a termination rite involving large quantities of refuse. Disuse of the E-Group range building and unfinished refurbishment of the observatory pyramid suggest the site was promptly deserted. The forsaking of this time-honored ceremonial place coincided with reduced settlement in the Petexbatun region and abandonment of the nearby Pasión centers of Ceibal, Itzan, and Chaak Ak'al. Punta de Chimino's findings shed further light on these abandonments, suggesting that they were triggered by amplified central lowland involvement in Pasión River affairs by the end of the fourth centurya.d.

The Fire Ritual of the Iguvine Tables: Facing a Central Problem in the Study of Ritual Language

Italic rituals of purification by fire are attested in the Iguvine Tables, a repertoire of sacred texts managed by the "Atiedian Brethren" of the Umbrian city of Iguvium. These rituals can be understood in greater depth in light of the actual language of ritual. This paper reviews earlier work on the sacral language of the Tables and considers anew the syntax of the fire ritual as it plays out in the prescriptive formulations written in the Latin and the native Umbrian alphabets.

The Politics of Fire: Spanish Forest Policy and Ritual Resistance in Galicia, Spain

The north-western Atlantic corner of the Iberian peninsula is the region most prone to anthropogenic forest fires in Europe. This study analyses the forest fire problem in Galicia, Spain, a region located in the midst of this conflictive biome. Rural incendiarism in Galicia has puzzled foresters and scholars for years. Although past research efforts have focused on the elaboration of complex causal analyses of the phenomenon, the results have so far been inconclusive. This study argues, instead, that most anthropogenic forest fires in Galicia should be understood as rituals of political resistance by the Galician peasantry against the Spanish state's forceful appropriation of the Galician peasant commmons for its ambitious reforestation policy. In order to prove this hypothesis, this study places the forest fire ritual in its historical context: the protracted process of state-led political, economic and social development taking place in Spain in the second half of the 20th century. As part of this evidence, the author carried out participant observation in As Nogais, a rural municipality in Galicia.