Nityananda Puja Transmission
Namaste!
This video is intended for individuals who have received permission to learn the Nithyananda Puja. Please consult your instructor before watching the video or attempting the puja, as practices like these require commitment and dedication.
Congratulations on reaching for the next level in your practice by embarking on the Sadhana of Puja to Lineage Teacher Bhagavan Nityananda. This is not only a special practice, but an empowered one— learning this puja is like entering a river with a deep current that will move your towards your goal quickly! For that reason it is good to take this Sadhana to heart. As with all empowered practices, there is a lot of bliss available, as well as the need for inner discipline and reverence. Make a schedule for yourself to practice the puja in your shrine, and to always see it through once you have begun. And also, please do not share this link as it is a private practice and only available to those who have ‘done the work’ so to speak.
How to Integrate Puja Practice into Your Ashram Schedule
If you are learning this puja while living at the ashram as part of a work-study program, you might be wondering how to fit it into your schedule. The vision we propose is to dedicate your evening self-practice time to learning and refining this puja over time.
Suggested Approach
1. Use Self-Practice Evenings: On evenings without group-guided practice, you can dedicate this time to your puja practice. These sessions are ideal for developing consistency and focus.
2. Start with the Main Video:
• The main instructional video is approximately one hour long, so it’s significant.
• If needed, split it into two half-hour sessions to fit into your usual evening meditation time.
• Watch the video with the booklet in front of you, paying close attention to all the details.
3. Transition to the Audio File:
• Once familiar with the video, use the audio file, which is a straightforward walkthrough of the puja without explanations.
• Have the booklet in front of you and chant along or read along as you listen.
• This can become a regular 30-minute evening practice.
4. Repeat Until Confident:
• Practice along with the audio file three or four times, or until you feel confident enough to perform the puja out loud without assistance.
• Then, begin practicing the puja on your own, reciting it out loud. Repeat this three or four times until you’re comfortable with the Sanskrit, rhythms, and overall flow.
5. Achieve Fluency and Timing:
• Aim to complete the puja in 45 minutes or less. With practice, this will reduce to about 30 minutes.
• Once you feel proficient, reach out to a teacher to review your practice and ensure accuracy. This can happen when you’re ready.
Summary of Steps
1. Dedicate evening self-practice time to learning the puja.
2. Watch the instructional video in segments, if necessary.
3. Use the audio file to chant or read along with the text.
4. Practice independently, first with the booklet, then without any aids.
5. Perform the puja fluently, completing it within 30–45 minutes.
Long-Term Integration
Once you are comfortable with the puja, you would eventually integrate it into your morning practice. This would mean that you would perform the puja one morning a week during the Guru Gita practice. The residents would be doing the Guru Gita practice behind you, and you would perform the puja quietly in the front of the shrine. You would finish the puja before the Aarti song. You would perform the Aarti, and then re-merge with the group practice schedule from there.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Thank you for your dedication to this practice!
Please feel free to reach out if there are any further questions! Sad Guru Nath Maharaj Ki Jay!