Through the tireless work and Grace of the Masters Shree Gajanan Maharaj and Shree Vasant,  we have the Blessed Homa Fires, which are healing, purifying, awakening, helping, uplifting, illuminating, brightening, encouraging, comforting, nurturing, transforming, ... the whole world.

United in Love and Gratitude, in Devotion and Surrender!
OM SHREE OM

Photo on the right:
The first photo that came from the 7 days of Tryambakam Homa is from LA PAZ, Bolivia and we can see it as a symbol of continuing to Walk in LIGHT, with JOY and PEACE (PAZ in Spanish)

Thanks to all the Agnihotris worldwide for Practicing the Healing Homa Fires ... and creating a Better World.

Photos of this and the following pages of the 7-days of uninterrupted Tryambakam Homa in the Americas and other countries.

In this Union of Healing and creating bridges of Light, Agnihotris from Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Spain, Italy and from Miami and New York enrolled in the list. Every day around 100 people did the Tryambakam Homa and many, who were not registered, also joined this network of light.
Divine Grace in Operation!

"Agnihotra should go to all people, high and low, rich and poor, of all races, religions and creeds."

Shree Vasant

"Every day we turn our attention to the suffering, to the needy, to those who have no comfort, no homes."

Shree Vasant

In this edition, we would like to share with you two popular, highly aromatic Mediterranean herbs -Sage and Rosemary. Although they are well known culinary herbs, they have also been used for thousands of years as medicine. All culinary herbs have greater medicinal properties when grown in a Homa atmosphere. If it’s not possible to get Homa grown herbs, then next best is to use quality organic herbs that have good colour and aroma.

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Sage is a hardy plant that will survive freezing winter temperatures but likes well drained soil. It is an easy plant to grow in the garden or in pots. The texture of the Sage leaf resembles that of the tongue, and as if nature was trying to tell us, this herb is the traditional remedy for mouth and throat problems. Only the leaf is used to make remedies.

It can be taken as an infusion for mouth ulcers, sore throat, tonsillitis and bleeding gums, while a stronger infusion can be used as a gargle for throat infections. To make an infusion add 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water, add a pinch of Agnihotra Ash Powder, and let stand between 5-15 minutes. If using fresh herb then use 2-3 teaspoons per cup.

Sage infusions are beneficial to the liver and kidneys and are also recommended for weak digestion and general nervous and physical debility. So it is a great remedy to

take when recuperating from an illness like flu.

Infusions have been used by Type II diabetics to help boost insulin production and tests have shown it may lower blood sugar levels.

Because of its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, Sage poultices can be applied to cuts and bruises. Just crush a few leaves to release their juices, add a little Agnihotra Ash Powder, and hold over the skin with a bandage.

Sage has a long folk tradition of aiding memory and enhancing longevity. It is a wonderful herb then for students as well as seniors.

The Romans used to brush their teeth with frayed Sage sticks, and a strong Sage infusion is traditionally used as a rinse for dark hair to add lustre and strength.

Avoid using Sage during pregnancy, because it will reduce milk flow in lactating mothers.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Rosemary is a very aromatic shrub that likes to grow in a warm sheltered position in well drained soil. In cold temperate climates, you can grow Rosemary in a terracotta pot that can be buried in the ground for the warm months, and brought indoors for the winter. If grown permanently in a pot then do not over water and let the soil dry out between watering. Again, only the leaves are used to make remedies.

Rosemary infusions are stimulating and warming and have been used to improve circulation and can be helpful for those with low blood pressure.
It also improves digestion, aids the liver, and stimulates the gall bladder to produce bile. You can make an infusion in the same way as with Sage (1-2 teaspoons per cup of water).

An anti-inflammatory infused oil can be made with fresh Rosemary that can be applied to arthritic joints, gout and muscular injuries. You can find the recipe to make infused oils in the previous newsletter. Rosemary oil infusion can also be massaged over the chest to strengthen the heart.

Rosemary is high in antioxidants which helps strengthen the immune system. Tests have shown that drinking Rosemary infusions can improve memory and cognitive functions, while also uplifting the spirits, so it can be used for mild depression. Although Rosemary stimulates blood circulation, it has a calming effect on the nervous system and can be taken for anxiety and stress.
 

Avoid drinking Rosemary if pregnant or lactating, and also avoid if you suffer from high blood pressure or epilepsy.

IT IS well-known in addiction circles that one does not ‘cure’ addiction. That may be why “one day at a time” (of sobriety) is perhaps the most famous of the 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous slogans.

Momentum of sobriety notwithstanding, what I do and what happens to me today, is mostly independent from what came before. Some say the time you wake up each day determines the beginning of your sobriety—not the days and weeks before.

It occurs to me that depression shares this characteristic—you don’t get cured of it once you have it or have that propensity. You merely learn how to control it and keep it from rearing its very ugly head.

That many addicts suffer from depression is of course connected. As well, being depressed, can lead to active addictive behaviour, sometimes under the guise of ‘self-medication.’

So if you find yourself afflicted by depression—as many are during the pandemic—it may be useful to be aware of tools at your disposal. It is also helpful to be aware of these tools beforehand, as once in the throes of depression, linear thinking often becomes strained.

In no particular order, here are some tools to alleviate symptoms of depression:
• writing
• proper exercise
• especially disciplined eating
• meditation
• Yajnya (in addition to Agnihotra)
• consideration and practice of the other 4 aspects of the Fivefold Path—Daan, Tapa, Karma, and Swadhyaya
For elaboration, insight into self (certainly an aspect of Swadhyaya, self-study, the fifth step of the Fivefold Path) can be enhanced through the vehicle of writing, journaling being a prime example. Trying to get oneself into a ‘going within’ mode might optimise the purpose of the process—to alleviate depression symptoms.

Exercise is not as easy as it sounds. Low energy is often experienced during depressive episodes, so pushing yourself to exercise aggressively may indeed be easier said than done. Because there are often physical aspects to the mental parts of depression, exercise serves the dual purpose of getting your mind off of yourself as well as doing all those things exercise are known to do— increased serotonin and other hormonal benefits, etc.

A very useful way of looking at depression is looking at it as your psyche sending a message to you that ‘same old, same old’ no longer works. Either some new protocols need to be added to your routine, or some existing ones may need to be lessened or eliminated.

When we say “especially disciplined eating,” this consciousness is an attempt to mediate the tendency of many to ‘drown their sorrows’ in food. It may be better than drowning them in drink or drugs, but overeating and eating unhealthily certainly affect many depression parameters.

Meditation is often misunderstood as something one just sits down and does. In truth, meditation is the culmination of concentration and contemplation. So thinking of meditation as a 3-step process is helpful.

As many readers practice sunrise/sunset Agnihotra pyramid healing fire, it may be helpful to point out 1) REGULAR daily practice of Agnihotra is very important and 2) those who do Agnihotra may wish to add a daily routine of 30-60 minutes of Om Tryambakam Yajnya. Many report tangible and continuing benefits from this discipline.

So for those looking for a ‘magic bullet’ to cure depression, let us keep in mind that all of our tools can help, but, other than Grace, there’s not a lot of magic involved.

Of course, many of us find Agnihotra to be rather magical. But as has been said, the Fivefold Path has been described as SIMPLE, BUT NOT EASY. Interestingly, the exact same description is given to the 12 Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous (which is incorporated into the Homa Therapy Drug/Alcohol Detoxification Program—published on its entirety in the website mentioned below.)

 Foto:
Agnihotra fire, when combined with the other four Fivefold Path steps, can help us rise up like Phoenix.