Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Effect on Seed Germination January/February Satsang 2018 | Volume 45 #6 | New Era 75

Earlier we have covered the beneficial effects of Agnihotra and Agnihotra Ash on air, soil, and water resources, as well as on radioactive radiation. As environmental pollution naturally also affects plants as it affects us humans, it can be expected that both Agnihotra and Agnihotra Ash have beneficial effects on the growth and health of plants as well as their resistance against pests.

The easiest way to experiment with that is by examining the germination of seeds, both in Agnihotra atmosphere and using Agnihotra ash.

Quite a number of such experiments have been done, some of them already quite some time ago.

Germination of rice seeds were part of two Ph.D. theses done at the Vivekananda University in Bangalore in the first years of this millenium. Rice seeds were put in petri dishes on top of a filter paper which was soaked in water. Agnihotra was performed, and  root length, shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight were measured and compared with control. There were three controls: One without any disciplines of Agnihotra, one with just the mantras, one with Agnihotra fire but without mantras and offerings. Result was that Agnihotra led to a significant increase of root length, shoot length, and fresh weight compared to control. Also it was obvious that the effect of Agnihotra is more than the added effects of mantras and the fire alone.

Interesting that one study specifically examined whether it makes a difference whether a male person or a female person utters the mantras. No surprise that there was no difference – which hopefully helps to remove one prejudice still prevalent in some countries.

The authors attribute the positive effects of Agnihotra on seed germination to the Agnihotra fumes. This seems to be a premature assumption – in experiments on water purification, we could show that water gets purified even when the water bottles are closed (and no fumes get in touch with the water). That means there must be some energy field around Agnihotra which leads to this effect. About this Energy Field of Agnihotra we will talk in a later issue of this newsletter.

The effect of performing Agnihotra in a room where seeds are kept was subject of these two studies just mentioned. Other studies examined the effect of Agnihotra Ash on the germination of seeds. One quite comprehensive study was done a couple of years ago in Fergusson College, Pune, India. Again the seeds were kept on some filter paper in petri dishes. Watering was done with:

1. a) tap water
2. b) control ash water (1 gm control ash + 100 ml water) and
3. c) Agnihotra ash water (1 gm Agnihotra ash + 100 ml water)

(Control ash is the ash you get by burning the same ingredients as used for Agnihotra – but without the disciplines of Agnihotra: No mantras, not done at sunrise or sunset, and the vessel – although made from copper – does not have the pyramid shape of our Agnihotra pyramid.)

Seeds of vigna aconitifolia (mat bean) and vigna unguiculata (cow pea) were taken as experimental material. Seeds were allowed to germinate and germination was observed every 24 hrs.

The results show clearly that control ash improves rate of germination as compared with plain water, but Agnihotra ash does so much more:

After getting this encouraging first result, more experiments were done, trying to figure out whether all the different disciplines of Agnihotra are really necessary to get the full effect. For that, variations of the different parameters were used:

1. Time: sunrise time, sunset time and any time other than sunrise and sunset
2. Mantra: with mantra (sunrise and sunset) and without mantra
3. Rice: brown rice (unpolished) and white rice (polished)
4. Ghee: cow ghee and buffalo ghee
5. Vessel: Agnihotra copper pyramid and steel pot of same size and shape

Fires were done with altogether 48 different combinations of these parameters, and the resulting ashes were used for germination of mung beans, providing the same environmental conditions. After two weeks, plant growth was measured by considering shoot and root length and put in a graph:

The peaks are there when all the disciplines of Agnihotra were properly followed. You can clearly see – if you make any change, the results are worse than performing Agnihotra properly.

This means we really have to be exact in our practice of Agnihotra!

Germination of seeds has also been done adding Agnihotra ash / control ash / plain water after the seeds were put into soil (and not just kept on filter paper on petri dishes). Results also clearly showed that Agnihotra ash gives better germination (root length, shoot length, total weight) than control ash . Control ash gave better results than plain water, which is not surprising, as any ash contains certain nutrients. Surprising though is the difference between Agnihotra ash and control ash, as these two ashes do not show a significant difference in chemical analysis! This will be a topic of  further discussion.

As sprouting experiments are relatively easy to do, some have been done on school level also. Some time ago Boumika Patil (Amalner, India) did this for a contest in the field of environmental studies, and her project won the first prize! See the above photo.

On the State of At-one-ment and the New Year

The following messages from Shree Vasant were received in meditation by Parvati Rosen-Bizberg. 

October 31, 2017 Shree On State of At-one-ment
All these great personalities gracing spiritual path, each one thinking he is the one. That self-importance is the only obstacle which stands in the way of reaching that state of AT-ONE-MENT, where one truly experiences ‘I and my Father are One.” As long as one thinks he has reached that stage, it is highly likely not the case.

One can experience states of euphoria even by chanting sacred Mantras. One can fall into deep reverie and arise from meditation feeling renewed and rejuvenated. But that real state where one is fully immersed in Divine is rare, and in that state, the ‘I’ disappears in the ‘ONE.’

One thus experiences no separation, no division, no veil—however thin—between oneself and Almighty. That goes beyond euphoria. Once that state is reached, one is so fortunate to be able to navigate through life and still maintain that blissful state of consciousness.

Be blissfully unaware of what stage you have reached. Do not even think about it. Continue to serve. Continue to devote your life in service to Almighty. Let one hand not know what the other hand does.

Walk in Light.

All blessings to all.

OM TAT SAT.

New Year’s Message, January 1, 2018 Shree
These are the times foretold in Bible, in ancient holy texts from all religions.

These are times of great darkness and times of great illuminating Light.
Keep your focus on the Light.
Be aware of the darkness, vigilant in face of danger.
But always focus on the Light.

The greatest tool has been given you, the FIRE.
The power to heal, to cleanse and purify air, water, soil—
all this in simple Agnihotra.

Now more than ever, refuse to be drawn into conflict, fear or anxiety.
Always, in light of the fire, solutions will be found.

Every thought is known, expressed or not expressed.
Every call is heard.

Never at any time are you to feel alone.
Once the hand is held, it is always so.

Walk in Light.
Be unburdened.

All Our love and blessings always be with you.
OM TAT SAT.

Communications: Having Difficult Conversations

W. Henry Gregory, Jr. Ph.D.

At some time or another we all are challenged to have conversations that could potentially end in conflict or disagreement.  These types of conversations are usually opportunities to build coalitions, mend fences, expand horizons or simply understand from another’s perspective.   We all have perspectives that shape our world and our responses to it.  It is easy to assume that our perspective is of greater value than another’s, but this is seldom true.   Having effective conversations across beliefs, understanding and perspective requires both skill and openness.  It is both science and art, and is the foundation for an effective process of working together and problem-solving, honoring the benefits that diversity of thought, experience and perspective can bring.  We build better solutions from diverse thought than homogenous thought.  Yes, but it can take more energy – at least initially.

The key to having difficult conversation is “first seek to understand and then to be understood.”   The process of communication involves focusing on how issues are expressed over what is expressed.   Too often communication breaks down because of our focus on who is right.   We become distracted by our need to promote and justify our positions and our efforts to get the other to submit to our understanding.  If the overall purpose of communication is to support our collective ability to work together successfully then it matters little who is right, if being right alienates the other and breaks down the communication.

Communication is grounded in and supported by connection.  Connection is facilitated by trust and respect.  This trust is not only trusting the other but also trusting the self to be able to handle things that may seem contrary to your own understanding and perspective.   Peace is a byproduct of trust.  We like to say, “Trust the process” by making your best effort, letting the rest go and giving the Divine a chance to do what the Divine does.

We propose a focus on how we communicate over focusing on what is communicated.  If we understand communication as vibrational interaction it may become easier to see how harsh, rigid, or demanding interactions may sabotage the original intent of the communication.  The vibratory frequency of the communication is created by not only the words, which account for only about 15 percent of the message, but also by the tone, posture, rhythm, etc. of the person sending the message.  Messages have more power when they are most congruent in their presentation and content or, as said more simply by Shree Vasant, “The task is to be full of love all the time.”

Shree’s words remind us that whether we agree or not with the other, our responsibility is to be full of love.  To me, that means listening openly and empathetically to the other and attempting to make connection from the heart with their intent, which is always assumed to be positive.  People tend to connect more fully in communications when they feel they can trust the other and that they are being respected.  While this may seem simple, it can be quite challenging if the subject matter at hand or the other’s presentation sparks intense emotions in you.  So, the first step is to take inventory of one’s own emotions before (and during) the conversation.  Awareness of one’s emotions is empowering and creates options.  Ignorance of one’s emotions is sabotaging and creates blockages.

So, in summary, the following steps are suggested for difficult conversations (or the daily ones that can become difficult):

1. Be aware of your own emotions. Emotions are messengers that can provide guidance and assistance to our decision-making process when we are aware of them and attentive to their messages.
2. Assume positive intent from the other. We are each, with every thought and action, trying to meet legitimate needs – even if sometimes in unhealthy ways.  If the other seems to be ineffective, or even hostile, in his/her presentation, this may be a reason to be more compassionate and empathetic instead of harsh or demanding.
3. Remember that trust and respect facilitate connection and connection is the foundation of communication. We are more likely to take the risk of trying on new perspectives and behaviors in an atmosphere where we feel trust and respect.
4. Listen openly and empathetically to understand from the other’s perspective. To listen is not necessarily to condone but it is to be open to genuinely attending to the other’s perspective.
5. Say what you have to say with and out of Love. Love does not compromise effectiveness, it facilitates it. Anything that needs to be said can be said with Love.

Idam Na Mama.

From the Orion Transmissions

received by Parvati Rosen-Bizberg
Wysoka, Poland

January 1, 2018 On the Best of Times & Worst of Times

Yes, yes. This is the year of great manifestation, a year when the subtle and the material can be utilized to manifest positive, lasting creations.

There is great power available to change what needs to be changed individually, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Be diligent in your efforts to see within, to clear what is muddled in your thinking and in your perceptions, so that your actions will bear sweet fruit and your work will be successful.

These are the best of times and the worst of times. But most of all, these are the greatest of times for manifestation of all which has begun in Light.