Havan
What is havan?
Sacred alchemy of the heart
We can often feel unsure of how to help people in need when we can’t do this physically. Havan is a way to give our heartfelt, energetic support to all beings everywhere, including ourselves, the community and the Earth by offering transformative mantras, flowers and intentions in a yogic ceremony which is thousands of years old.
The ceremony of havan is a feast for the senses, and celebrates the beauty and sacredness of all life. Flowers, water, candles / fire and incense are an integral part of the ceremony to consecrate the elements - earth, water, fire, air and space.
This mantra yoga practice can help you enter a deep state of meditation, and brings powerful self and collective transformation and deep soul nourishment.
Photo courtesy of Mahavidya
Havan with Geeti & Gyan
For us havan is not about a particular culture, religion, or even tradition. It is way beyond this. It is a universal practice of transformation of the heart. Of course, the form of what we present as havan represents a tradition, the Hindu religion and the Vedic culture. And there is much beauty and sacredness in this too.
But beyond this, havan celebrates the five elements common to all life, it honours all beings as both teachers and students of life, and it holds a container for us to send our well wishes and prayers to ourselves, our family and community, and all beings, including animals and plants.
Through this simple act of giving to the whole, we can expand our hearts beyond ourselves. This can bring tremendous upliftment and healing to ourselves and others.
And this practice can be done anytime, any place, by yourself or in a group, silently or out loud, in any language, with or without flowers, candles and incense etc.
What truly matters for this practice is our presence - our holding space for ourselves and for transformation - and a feeling or intention of serving humanity and the Earth.
At the same time we are very grateful to be able to share with you this wonderful practice in this form of havan - chanting uplifting, transformative mantras to a beautiful altar of flowers, candles and abundance celebrating our divinity.
