Homa therapy, as a radiation medicine.

This ancient practice of using fire to purify the atmosphere is now being used all over the world.

It is not a secret anymore the effects of the fire in the well being of the practitioner as well as on the earth.

Through this ancient tradition we can revitalize our environment and obtain healing for ourselves.

As it was in the beginning

For two thousand years, at the precise moments of dawn and dusk, sages and seekers of truth have performed the Agnihotra fire ceremony, the art of communing with the energies of the sun to honor and express gratitude to the elements in nature. The sun's subtle energies, which are harnessed during these powerful rites, balance spirit, mind, body and the environment. Recorded in the Vedas, one of the most ancient of texts, Agnihotra originated in northern India, and is now available to everyone.

Healing the Earth with Fire

Agnihotra is a simple practice anyone can perform. When you use Agnihotra's healing fire you heal the atmosphere of the damages of pollution and in turn obtain healing for yourself. The atmosphere is the air we and all that lives breathes; it protects the planet from the harshness of space.

The ashes from the fire, which have been transformed by the ceremony, can be used as medicine or in food production and even in gardening or for your houseplants and pets.

A Simple Daily Practice

The ritual itself takes 3 to 5 minutes to perform, and involves chanting a simple mantra. It requires certain materials such as a copper container shaped like an inverted three-stepped pyramid, some grains of rice, ghee (clarified butter) and dried cow dung to use as fuel for the fire.

Why dried cow dung?

The Sanskrit word for cow dung is gobar, meaning 'gift from the cow'. Unlike human and most animal feces, scientific analysis has shown that cow's feces are free of viruses and infections and possess medicinal and curative properties. (What about the bad publicity from the media concerning mad cow's disease and hoof-and-mouth disease. How are these diseases propagated? Perhaps to replace, look into traditional Hindu perspectives on the cow, find scientific evidence of virus-and-disease-free status etc)

How does it work?

To explain Agni Hotra in Western terms is a challenge that requires a blend of scientific and spiritual terminologies. During the ceremony a magnetic field is created through the fire and the pyramid, producing tremendous amounts of subtle energy (in the form of an electromagnetic field) that radiates outwards, neutralizing negative energies and reinforcing positive ones. The timing of the ceremony is crucial; the first word of the mantra must be uttered at the very second that the sun crests the horizon at dawn or sinks below the horizon at dusk. These two moments in the day are brief windows when all the electricities, energies and ethers are at their peaks and can be focused and broadcast from the fire and the copper pyramid.

The Materials To Perform Agni Hotra

1. The copper pyramid

The pyramid can be made of pure copper or pure gold. These are the two materials able to conduct the electromagnetic field produced by the ceremony. The dimensions for it are very precise: 14.5 cmx14.5 cm at the top, 5.25 cmx5.25 cm at the bottom and 6.5 cm in height. The bottom is flattened and it has three steps, which give it the appearance of a three-stepped Egyptian pyramid or (Babylonian?) ziggurat.

2. Cow dung

To prepare the dried cow dung it is ideal to use fresh cow manure (from the adult or juvenile animal, male or female), but if this is not possible, dried cow pats in the field are fine (remove any stones or grasses) or you can purchase prepared dried manure from a supplier (see resource list). Whatever route you take, it is important that the manure be not of cows that are fed with concentrated food containing fish flour. The ideal cow dung comes from an organic farm, in particular those with the Demeter organic certification.

To prepare your own fresh dung, form it into "patties" and dry them in the sun on a screen so that air can reach both sides during the drying process. After a few days you can store them in a cardboard box. Prepare your supply during the summer since it is difficult to dry the patties in wet climates and in winter. Once the patties are dry there is no unpleasant smell. In fact, dried cow dung smells like sweet grass!

3. Whole brown rice

Only the whole, unbroken grains are selected. The whole, perfect grain of rice retains the subtle energy structure ideal for the healing fires. You only need a small amount for each ceremony; enough to hold between your thumb and two middle fingers of the right hand.

4. Ghee (clarified unsalted butter)

To prepare Ghee, melt 1 pound of unsalted organic butter over medium heat in a heavy, covered saucepan. Keep the pan uncovered to allow moisture to evaporate, which will help the milk solids to separate. The butter will bubble and make popping sounds. The ghee will begin to smell like popcorn. Whitish curds will form and sink to the bottom and a white foam will froth to the top. Discard the foam. The ghee is ready when the curds at the bottom start to turn tan in colour. When in liquid form, the ghee is a rich golden colour. Pour the hot ghee through a fine mesh strainer into a clean glass container.

Ghee does not need refrigeration. Do not introduce water or particles of food in the ghee container. This will create conditions where bacteria can grow and will spoil the ghee very quickly.

5. Wooden matches

Only use sulphur matches to light the fire. A lighter or any other lighting substance will introduce unwanted substances into the pyramid.

6. Timing

Because timing is so crucial in the correct performance of this ritual, have a clock or watch nearby that can count seconds and set your time-piece to the correct time. You can contact the Agni Hotra website to obtain the exact times for sunset and sunrise for your location (see resource list). If one does not do Agni Hotra at the correct time, there are no healing effects.

7. Accessories

There are copper spoons, plates, tweezers, bases and so on available. Some of these items can be substituted with wooden, porcelain, glass or clay materials (see resource list).

Building the Agni Hotra fire

Spread a little ghee on each piece of dried dung. The oil from the ghee will help sustain the fire. The arrangement of dung is designed to permit good air flow and prevent the fire from collapsing as it burns. Consult figure #1 as you read these instructions. Start by placing a small piece of dung at the bottom of the copper pyramid (1). Add two small pieces in opposing corners (2), then continue adding pieces in alternating corners, using larger pieces as the pile grows and the pyramid becomes wider (3,4 and 5).

Starting the Fire

To light the fire, spread ghee on another piece of dung and ignite it, using a wooden match. Be sure that none of the material from the match falls into the pyramid. Once you've lit the piece of dung, place it flame downward in the centre of the pile. Light the fire a few minutes before the moment of sunrise or sunset to be sure that your fire is blazing enough to completely burn the offerings of rice and ghee.

Offering

This is the actual moment when Agnihotra is performed. When you drop the rice and ghee in the fire you will also need to chant a mantra, one for the morning Agnihotra, one for the evening ritual (see below). We will begin by describing the morning Agnihotra ceremony.

Put two pinches of clean, unbroken brown rice grains in your left palm or place them in a small dish. Smear them with a few drop of ghee and divide them into two parts. With your fire blazing brightly, at the exact time of sunrise, take one of the pinches of rice using the middle and ring fingers of your right hand and start chanting the first mantra 'Sooryaya Swaha'. 

It is essential that the mantras start at the exact moment of sunrise and sunset or the healing effects of Agnihotra won't work. When you start to say 'Swaha', offer the grains of rice to the fire. Chant the next line, 'Sooryaya Idam Na Mama'. Repeat this process with the following line, 'Prajápataye Swaha', again offering the second pinch of rice at the moment you begin to say 'Swaha'. Complete the mantra with 'Prajápataye Idam Na Mama'. Concentrate on the fire until the offerings are fully burnt to conclude the morning Agnihotra.

In the evening, remove the morning Agnihotra ash from the pyramid and keep it in an earthenware, glass or wooden container. The ceremony in the evening is the same as the morning Agnihotra except for the Sunset mantra, indicated below. Remember to make your offerings of rice when you begin to say 'Swaha'.

It is best not to disturb the fire until it is completely extinguished to allow for the proper interplay of subtle energies. If at all possible, avoid moving the pyramid until the next time you prepare Agnihotra.

Meditation

After each Agnihotra, it is beneficial to sit in meditation at least until the fire extinguishes itself.

Mantras

Sunrise                                   

Sooryaya Swaha                        (add the first portion of rice)

Sooryaya Idam Na Mama           

Prajápataye Swaha                        (add the second portion of rice)           

Prajápataye Idam Na Mama           

Sunset

Agnaye Swaha            (add the first portion of rice)            

Agnaye Idam Na Mama

Prajápataye Swaha (add the second portion of rice)

Prajápataye Idam Na Mama

Who can do these healing fires?

Anybody who is able to utter the mantras can and should perform the Agnihotra.

visit agnihotra.org to hear the mantras or contact us for your free training