November 21st to December 21st, is when we are in the Astrological Sign of Sagittarius.
Sag’s are a Fire Sign, just like Leo and Aries.
Persons born under one of these signs will naturally gravitate towards Fiery Hot stuff; especially Fires.
I was born in December; and I love building and watching fires. When I was with my Lama, one of the Rituals that I love was the Sacred Puja Fires.
Making sure that I was at every Fire Ceremony for years, I learned the art of the Puja Fire from the Tibetan Buddhist Traditions; and became a Puja Master!
Fire Pujas are my favorite of all the different Puja’s. There are Smoke Offering, Smell Offering, & Fire Offer. There are Puja’s for health and wealth; to get ride of negative energies and unwholesome activities.
Adapted from oral teachings by H.E. The 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche and Lama Norlha Rinpoche
There are Three kinds of Fire Pujas.
There are three major different fire-related Pujas. One is called SANG, another is called SUR and another one is JINSEK.
The major principle of Fire Pujas is Offering. You put 13 Sacred ingredients that are offered with prayers in the fire. As the fire burns the Offering is totally consumed.
In the Sang you are Offering the Smoke, while in the Sur you are Offering the Smell. And in the Jinsek, you are just Offering Fire itself, Flame itself and Burning itself.
If one is making the Sang and Sur Offerings, consistency is important as the guests for whom the offerings are made, come to anticipate the ceremony.
First; to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout the Ten Directions (ordinate and cardinal directions plus above and below) and the Three Times (past, present and future) as well as to the Yidam Deities of all the Mandalas.
Secondly, you are Offering to the Protectors of the Dharma, Dakinis, and very High Spiritual Gods who protect the Dharma.
The Third Class of guests includes all Sentient Beings, particularly local Deities and Elemental Spirits.
Finally, you are Offering to Hungry Ghosts and to beings with whom you are Karmically indebted.
When I gather the wood for the Puja I take each piece and put a Blessed Oil from the two ends to the middle, as a Mantra (prayer is chanted
When the wood is burnt the energy of the wood goes up in smoke and sends the prayers all over the planet.
It is very important for Offerings to be clean. The Offering of the short morning Fire Puja can be quite small. A few teaspoons of the “Offering Substance) is sufficient, though elaborate versions can consist of 10 or more large trays of heaped offerings along with beer and wine. We then infinitely expand the offerings by visualizing them as billowing clouds that fill the extent of space.
Traditionally the Sangdze or Offering Substance, consists of a mixture of “the three whites” and “the three sweets” (flour, butter, yogurt, sugar, molasses, and honey) as well as incense seeds and grasses, 5 colored cloth, medicine and alcohol.
It is also important that the materials used to create the fire were not used for cleaning and that the fires be laid in separate locations, given their different purposes.
Example: The Five Elements, the 10 directions or the 6 Realms.
Every month I conduct a Fire Puji at my home to Harmonize the Energy, Increase Longevity, for more Abundance; or to clear out negative energy.
I believe these Puja’s work to Heal and Strengthen my patients and student’s Health and Well-Being.
I wish you the Best in your Health, Wealth & Happiness!
Dr. WuDhi
Sherwood Swartz AP, MMQ.
