BASICS
What is Agnihotra ?
- Agnihotra is a sacred Vedic ritual that involves offering ghee and rice into a fire in a copper pyramid pot, while chanting mantras at sunrise and sunset.
- Agnihotra is the basic form of Homa Therapy, which is related to a circadian rhythm of sunrise and sunset.
What is Homa Therapy ?
- Homa is a Sanskrit word for fire ceremony used synonymously with Homa Therapy.
- Homa Therapy is part of Vedic science of bioenergy.
- It means healing and purification of atmosphere by using fire as a medium.
- Healing the environmnet heals you in turn.
What is needed to perform Agnihotra ?
- Agnihotra Pyramid (Made out of Pure Copper)
- Dried Cowdung Cakes
- Cow’s Ghee (Clarified Butter)
- Organic Brown Rice
MATERIALS NEEDED
The efficacy of the Agnihotra pyramid is linked to its precise dimensions and geometry. Slight alterations in size significantly impact the vibrational frequencies produced, thereby affecting healing properties of the Agnihotra fire.
- The pyramid’s shape, including the angles of its sides and the proportions of its steps, is crucial for directing sound waves.
- Only pure, electrolytic-grade virgin copper should be used, as impurities and prior use can disrupt the material’s vibrational properties.
- Damage such as dents, cracks, or warping alters the geometric integrity and renders the pyramid unsuitable for Agnihotra.
- While damaged pyramids may retain energetic residue making them suitable for other uses, they should not be used for the Agnihotra.
- Repair is possible in some cases, through reshaping or employing pressure techniques to restore the original geometry.
- Maintaining the pyramid’s precise shape and using only pure copper are essential for preserving its vibrational integrity and efficacy within the Agnihotra practice.
Examples of pyramids which cannot be used for Agnihotra:
- The sides of the pyramid have handles attached
- Words are embossed on the edge
- Cowdung patties are used for Agnihotra.
- They can be made in circles or square shapes.
- You can easily find online sources for cowdung cakes.
- For Agnihotra, you may need to break them down into smaller pieces.
- Cow’s Ghee (Clarified Butter) needs to be prepared from unsalted cow’s butter.
- Indian cow’s ghee is preferred for Agnihotra.
- The hump on the back of the Indian cow is said to be adding special properties to the cow’s milk which are carry forward to ghee.
Making Ghee at Home :
- Ghee can be made from unsalted butter in an electric slow cooker (called a “crock pot”), or on a stove on very low heat.
- On the stove, let the pan be about two inches above the source of heat. The idea is that the butter heats very gently until all the white foam is cooked out and has risen to the surface. Whey also separates from the ghee, stays on the bottom of the pan and looks like water. Ghee is the golden liquid. The foam that collects on the surface can be spooned off and fed to animals.
- When the ghee has turned perfectly clear it is ready, and can be strained through cotton cloth, a coffee filter, or three white paper towels. Be careful not to mix in any of the clear liquid that is on the bottom of the pan.
- Once you have removed as much ghee as possible without including any of the watery liquid, there will still be some ghee near the bottom of the pan which you do not want to waste. Refrigerate what is left in the pan, and when the ghee has hardened you can break it off the surface and add it to the next batch of ghee you make. Properly made ghee does not need to be refrigerated.
- In Ayurveda, aged ghee (five years old or more) is used to treat burns.
- Organic brown rice is preferred. Highly polished rice loses nutritional value.
- Only unbroken grains of rice should be used for Agnihotra.
- If rice is broken, the subtle energy structure around the grain is altered; therefore, the ash is not suitable for healing.
