10 Jun 2011 —
Question
Q180: Love vs rituals?
Question 180:
“If one can smile lovingly and keep a peaceful heart and clear mind, why would he/she then still need to perform rituals or pray?”
Please make your answer brief and clear (maximum 5 or 6 lines).
To nourish their Soul, which will in turn keep that loving smile, peaceful heart and clear mind.
It’s like a garden with beautiful flowers. Just because the flowers are healthy and vibrant, they still need water or they will wither and die”
True that most often prayer, doing rituals, puja, etc. are linked to ‘needing’ to do them to bring some change or feel OK towards spiritual and religious authority. So, in theory if one has pure love and a purified mind, he/she DOES NOT ‘need’ to do these… But it happens that automatically, peacefully and lovingly he/she will feel like doing them just to enjoy and appreciate (not out of need or fear), for what else could he/she spend the Now at?
in order to tune away my mind from my own ego thinking which can come up even during peaceful and clear mind…something like “feeling that I am peaceful now” kind of thinking even…that means Sadhanas are for engaging the mind more to something else than anything regarding my mind and body…the more I do Sadhana, the more I might be away from my mind…and the more I am away from my mind, the more will I be with Amma….
I think if our hearts and minds are in that state, we feel a naturally worshipful attitude. Rituals and prayers become an extension of our feeling towards creation/creator.
continuous repetition of the mantra purifies the mind and surroundings bit by bit and gives a peaceful heart I think. Then when one does rituals or prayers, the signal broadcast to God is clearer without the minds noise so much.
Prayer is the source of silent mind otherwise its very difficult to forget oneself without realizing self
Whether one is learned and performs action, or ignorant and performs action, the action remains the same. But the actor is different. The learned is not attached i.e., though actively engaging in rituals or conducting world wide peace activities etc. …
Thus Lord expounds in Bhagavd Gita Chapter III Sloka 25 …
saktah karmany avidvamso
yatha kurvanti bharata
kuryad vidvams tathasaktas
cikirsur loka-sangraham
As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, similarly the learned may also act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.
Look at Amma; even though she is in a perfect state of peace and clarity she still prays and performs rituals (as an example for us). Such actions benefit the individual, society, and the world as a whole.
The actual necessity of Ritual is for purity and protection. It also constantly guides us to remember our real mission and goal of life. Rituals did with awareness brings joy too. Rituals which are performed after understanding its real purpose helps us to live always in the present.
even though we love our kids and parents (and they know it), but when we want to talk to them we need to pick up the phone and call them…
same as prayers and rituals… we must “make the connection” with God so that the call can be clearer and straight to the point (and to the heart!)
In our day today life we use to give much importance to Rituals.All our day today activities are realy connected with some or other type rituals.There are so many types rituals are there in conncted with typs of pujas,yagnas, yagas and all.For the performence of Shrardha(Offerings to our ancesters)some riuals have to be follow and for a wedding another type of rituals have to follow.Ultimately the main purpose of ritual is for purification of our mind and also in our actions for attaining the Ultimate Goal.See.If the lover and beloved can smile lovingly and have a clear mind and peaceful heart, then why they need to do some rituals like exchange Ring and Mala (functions) in front of the God or Agni?Only for a Divine feeling no?It is 100% sure that our ancesters can’t able to accept directly that the offerings we ususally give to them in the way of way shrardha and all ,but without fail why we will do such rituals.Why ? Only for the peace and purification of mind.So we should live in this world, inside such some frame of Rituals.See our most beloved Amma is the Embodiment of Love and Peace.She needn’t perform any puja.Still why all over the world she did the’ Pradhista’ of Bhramastanam Temple?
if one can remain in that state always (established), there is no need to pray or other rituals
Why are rituals done? Is it not to help bring an awareness of the Supreme Energy working in all things? Once the mind has been purified then all out actions will be a ritual or offering to the world reflecting that Supreme Power.
As long one is born, actions are constantly being performed mentally or physically. Hence if one has attained a still and peaceful mind, then the prayers and rituals offered by such a one will benefit everyone. Hence along with other actions why not perform actions dedicated to the divine?
First, it is difficult to judge oneself whether he is at peace or not. I have heard that to be always in this state is possible only to those who have realized the Self. For all others, you can gain a certain level of peace of mind and comfort by performing rituals or praying. In this rational (accepting nothing other than what is shown by the five senses) world, it is always good to perform rituals.
if one remains in that beautiful and peaceful state, is fort the all creation,
the pujas and the rituals, and also tho maintain this state in us