Place where Ecology meets Spirituality

Place where Ecology meets Spirituality

Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya is a place where it is of equal importance what seeds you plant in your gardens and what thoughts you sow in your mind.

It is a place that reflects the bounty of Nature and the expansiveness of the human soul. How we treat others is as vital as how we interact with all of Nature.

We see transformation of body, mind and spirit as vital to face the future in our challenging world today. By going within, we gather our inner resources to help us evolve beyond our past, so we can bravely create a new tomorrow.

We see spirituality not as pursuing a specific doctrine, but of renewing our connection with all that is true. Learn to live with basic tenets, like respect for all humankind and in harmony with Nature, with self-respect and with reverence for all that brings us Joy and peace in life. We learn how to walk in kindness and truth.

At our evovillage, anyone is welcome, regardless of age, race, religion or creed.

We practice Homa Organic Farming, a very effective system based on Vedic science. We have experienced miracles in our gardens over the years. Soil has been rejuvenated and many vegetables grow here, which normally would not grow in this region.

This a farm where soil can and has been rejuvenated, using ancient science of Homa. Where the very nature of animals and humans living in this environment changes, becomes more peaceful and harmonious. 

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Human Health (Part 18)

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Human Health (Part 18)

Homa Therapy is not just one more interesting natural way of healing like homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Reiki, etc. 

Instead in our time of terrible overall pollution it has become an important, even necessary basis for all such good methods of natural healing. (This is quite similar to Homa Organic Farming, which is also not competing with existing forms of organic farming but instead is a necessary basic tool for any kind of organic farming.)

Why is that so?

Recent studies based on World Health Organization data are quite shocking. One such study shows the percentage of deaths related to environmental pollution.

You can see on the map that one of the most polluted countries is India.

An earlier study done at Cornell University, New York State, U.S., even concluded that 40% of all deaths worldwide are caused by environmental pollution.

“David Pimentel, Cornell professor of ecology and agricultural sciences, and a team of Cornell graduate students examined data from more than 120 published papers on the effects of population growth, malnutrition and various kinds of environmental degradation on human diseases.

“We have serious environmental resource problems of water, land and energy, and these are now coming to bear on food production, malnutrition and the incidence of diseases, said Pimentel.” (From: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2007/08/pollution-causes-40-percent-deaths-worldwide-study-finds)

As this Cornell University study also considers the effects of environmental pollution on food production and malnutrition the pollution related deaths are higher as compared with the percentages shown on the map above.

           A recent study by World Health Organization concentrates on the effects of air pollution on children’s health. According to that study 93% of children live in environments with air pollution that exceeds WHO guidelines, and as a result every year approximately 600.000 children die of air pollution.

Commenting this study, the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said:

“A clean and healthy environment is the single most important precondition for ensuring good health. By cleaning up the air we breathe, we can prevent or at least reduce some of the greatest health risks.”

(Source: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/air-pollution/?utm_campaign=mail-pollution&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email&utm_content=air-pollution&mpweb=144-7434645-513242837).

An advance copy of the full study can be seen at:

http://www.who.int/ceh/publications/Advance-copy-Oct24_18150_Air-Pollution-and-Child-Health-merged-compressed.pdf?ua=1

Nine of the ten most polluted cities in the world are in India. The situation is worst in New Delhi. Especially in winter the situation is so bad that Arvind Kumar, a lung surgeon at Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, said: “… the situation today is a public health emergency. If you want to protect people, we should be ordering the evacuation of Delhi. Closing down all schools. Closing down all offices.“

But this is not going to happen. Of course lung doctors are doing their best to treat patients who come with breathing problems because of polluted air.

Still, even the best therapy can only treat symptoms. It cannot remove the cause, that is environmental pollution.

A recent study done in China shows that not only physical health but also mental health is affected by air pollution. A summary of the study says:

“We find that long-term exposure to air pollution impedes cognitive performance in verbal and math tests. We provide evidence that the effect of air pollution on verbal tests becomes more pronounced as people age, especially for men and the less educated. The damage on the aging brain by air pollution likely imposes substantial health and economic costs, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly for both running daily errands and making high-stake decisions.”
(http://www.pnas.org/content/115/37/9193)

Again, doctors cannot fight the cause of the problem. They only can help to reduce the symptoms. So the question is – what can people in such places with high environmental pollution, especially air pollution, do? At least they can purify their own houses with the help of Agnihotra.

Homa Therapy by purifying our environment removes the cause and thus builds the foundation for whatever good therapy.

Basic tool of Homa Therapy always is Agnihotra. Agnihotra reduces pathogenig bacteria and other pollutants in the air and purifies water resources in the vicinity. We are breathing in healthy air and drinking pure water – thus building a strong foundation for good health.

The above summary of different studies shows that we all have to purify our environment for good health. Homa Therapy gives us the tools which are available to everybody and at least we can start creating a healthy atmosphere at our homes.

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Animals – Fish (Part 17)

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Animals – Fish (Part 17)

By Dr. Ulrich Berk from Germany

Agnihotra and Homa Therapy have a profound effect on all Nature, bringing it back to
Harmony. This also means there will be beneficial effects in the animal kingdom. So far
we have concentrated on the three best farmer’s friends: Cows, bees, and earthworms as
these play a crucial role in agriculture (and that also means for feeding all of us). Now let
us have a look at several studies which were made on the effects of Agnihotra and
Agnihotra Ash on fish.

Fish in aquaria
The first such study was done long time back in Poland, still in the communist time. It
seems normal that when fish are put in a new aquarium – a new environment – a
substantial percentage dies because of that change. This is a problem especially for shops
dealing with ornamental fish – each time a new delivery comes there is some loss.
Dr. Ustrzycki, a physicist from Rzeszow in Southern Poland, learnt about this problem and
carried out a simple experiment: He measured the mortality of fish when put in another
aquarium comparing three different methods for reducing the loss:
1. Agnihotra was performed in the room (but no Agnihotra Ash added – only the
effects of Agnihotra in terms of physics should be examined, not any chemical
effects).
2. Conventional medicine which are usually applied in this situation.
3. Bioenergetic treatment – a trained person sending healing energies.

The following graphic shows the result (percentage refers to fish surviving):

Clearly it can be seen that performing Agnihotra leads to a much lesser loss than the other
two methods used. Would be interesting to see what happens if additionally Agnihotra
Ash would be added to the water.

There are a lot of reports also from people who keep fish in aquaria at home. Results are
less mortality and also water quality is much improved.

Toxicological studies
Industrial effluents are often quite toxic – sometimes to that extent that biotic life is no
longer possible, fish cannot survive in that environment.
In 2000 a study was made in Mumbai on the effect of Agnihotra Ash on water and biotic
life when industrial effluent from textile process industry was present in the water.
Different concentrations of effluents were prepared. Ash dose was given and fish were
kept under observation for 48 hours.
Biotic life was absent in 15% effluent.
But if 0.5 g of Agnihotra Ash per litre was added to the concentration of 15% effluent,
biotic life was possible again.
For a concentration of 20% effluent 2 g/litre Agnihotra Ash had to be added in order to
make biotic life possible.

This shows that Agnihotra Ash helps fish to survive even in highly polluted environments.

Healing of fish with Agnihotra Ash
At Holkar Science College in Indore a Master Thesis was completed comparing the effects
of Agnihotra Ash and conventional medicine on diseased fish. Gold fish with white spot
disease (caused by the protozoan parasite ichthyophthirius multifiliis) were divided into
two groups of eight fish each and put separately in two identical aquaria. Water quality
was same in both aquaria, also shape, quantity and quality of water plants was same.
(Megha Kale, APPLICATION OF AGNIHOTRA ASH AS INNOVATIVE THERAPY IN
SKIN WOUND HEALING IN GOLD FISH, thesis submitted as partial fulfillment for the
degree “MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN ZOOLOGY” at Govt. Holkar Science College
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.)
A) The first group was treated with Agnihotra Ash only One teaspoon of Agnihotra Ash
was added to the water every day.
B) Second group was treated with NaCl and Copper sulfate (which is the common
treatment for this kind of disease).
Both groups of fish were fed the same food supplement. Also environment (temperature,
light, etc.) was kept same.

Behavioural studies:
Fish in aquarium A were healthy and showing normal swimming movement. However the
fish in aquarium B were weaker.

Health recovery
After 60 days 80% of the fish in group A (treated with Agnihotra Ash) had fully
recovered.
Only 65% of the fish in group B had recovered after 60 days.
The following graph shows details over the whole experimental period:

Analysis of Agnihotra Ash:
How does this healing of the white spot disease come about? An analysis
showed that Agnihotra Ash contains all the trace elements which are required
for wound healing in skin of Gold Fish. The appropriate combination and
utilization of metal/trace elements present in the Agnihotra Ash make a
constituent in metaloenzymes. Ash contents provide almost all metals required
in healing cascade.
Would be good if this experiment could be repeated with following changes:

a) Also comparing whether Control Ash (which you get by burning the same
ingredients as used for Agnihotra but without the disciplines of Agnihotra) has
some effect also, and if so, how does it compare to Agnihotra Ash.

b) In addition to using Agnihotra Ash also perform Agnihotra next to the aquarium.
Then of course the control should be kept ideally at least three kilometres away.
Always healing effect is best if both Agnihotra Ash is taken and Agnihotra also
performed.

There are not many studies regarding other animals than the three farmer’s best friends
(cows, bees, and earthworms) and fish. Some results about miscellaneous animals were
reported in the previous article on biodiversity.

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Animals – Earthworms (Part 16)

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Animals – Earthworms (Part 16)

By Dr. Ulrich Berk from Germany

We previously have discussed two of the three best farmer’s friends: Cows and bees.
The third of these animals are earthworms. Earthworms play a decisive role in
improving and maintaining good soil health – and as we have seen before soil health
is of utmost importance for survival of mankind (see the articles on Soil and
Agriculture). And as already now 25% of fertile soil has been degraded in the last 50
years, regeneration of soil is a big challenge for farming. Earthworms can help with
that a lot.

They play a key role in improving soil structure and soil fertility and thus lead to a
healthy soil. They consume organic matter on the soil surface or in the soil. This
matter is digested in the earthworms’ bodies and turned into a very good organic
fertilizer .
Earthworms improve biological, chemical, and physical properties of soil:

Biological
Earthworms digest all different kinds of organic plant material and break it down to
nutrient-rich humus. Also the population of beneficial microbes is increased and the
microbial activity is stimulated.

Chemical
An earthworm consumes minute soil particles which are broken down and then
excreted in the form of casts. According to informations from IFOAM, these casts
contain five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus, eleven times more
potassium, and two times more calcium and magnesium than soil without
earthworm population. Also trace elements become more available to plants by
earthworm activities.

Physical
Earthworms improve the structure of soil in several ways:
– They create tunnels deep into the soil (which last much longer than the
earthworm lives). These tunnels allow water to penetrate deeper into the soil.
Thus water holding capacity of soil increases.
– They break down clumps of soil by eating through these clumps.
– The earthworms’ cast (the worms’ excretion) helps to create stable soil
aggregates.
– They help undoing the effects of soil compaction.
All this shows that earthworms are really very valuable farmer’s friends. Shree
Vasant remarked once, “They work night and day and do not form ‘laborers’ unions’
to charge higher salary. They do their job for free.”

Impact of conventional (chemical) farming
But now this job is getting more and more threatened – not by strikes but by methods
of conventional farming. Problems are ploughing and tilling as well as use of
pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Studies showed that some pesticides are lethal to earthworms even at levels much
lower than the recommended agricultural doses. But even if not lethal these
pesticides and chemical fertilizers have a devastating effect on earthworms. Their
size is reduced (and therefore they convert less organic matter into useful humus),
and also their reproduction is happening at lower speed therefore the numbers of
earthworms in the soil will be less. That can be easily seen on fields where
conventional farming is applied. As a consequence soil health degenerates.

The role of Homa Organic Farming
How to restore soil health and for that make best use of earthworms? Homa Organic
Farming offers a solution.

Shree Vasant Paranjpe wrote in the book „Homa Therapy – Our Last Chance:“
„The entire ecological system is benefitted by YAJNYA. For example, earthworms
are able to generate more moisture in the soil due to performance of YAJNYA. The
YAJNYA makes them happy and their hormone secretions increase, thereby
benefitting the soil and therefore the plants that live in the soil. The earthworm is
important to farming. YAJNYA atmosphere increases the hormones in earthworms
involved in their reproductive organs and helps multiplication of the species which in
turn helps the soil to become more rich.“

Alas, we have no scientific studies so far about earthworms in Homa Atmosphere.
But a there are several reports of Homa Farmers. Results are:

In Homa atmosphere, earthworms:
– Generate more moisture in the soil
– Increase the hormones secretions in their reproductive organs enabling them to
reproduce at a faster rate
– With Homa, in less than one month, the number of earthworms doubles. Normally,
this takes from three to four months.
– This is part of the bio-feedback effect from Nature which is obtained with Homa
technology.

That earthworms grow bigger you see on these two photos which show earthworms
found in the soil of the Homa Farm Shreedham of Christa and Ricardo Mena in
Algodonales, Spain.

As in Homa Atmosphere earthworms multiply faster, grow bigger, and also the cast
has some additional beneficial properties because of the specific hormone secretion,
it is advisable to have a vermicompost unit on every Homa Farm.
In hot Indian climate it takes normally 42 days until vermicompost is ready for use:
In Homa Atmosphere it only takes half the time!

During the composting process in Homa atmosphere, an exquisite fragrance is
produced, which permeates the whole environment, contributing to the healing.
This pleasant aroma attracts pollinators within the area.

This Homa vermicompost can be used to prepare Homa Biosol – a very powerful biofertilizer
which Homa farmers can produce themselves on their farms. The
extraordinary results scientists observed using Homa Biosol on different crops like
tomatoes, cabbage, soybean, and okra were described in previous articles.

Below: Sanjay Patil, manager of Tapovan Homa Organic Farm in India, shows how
to set up a vermicompost unit.

Vermicompost unit in Tapovan, India

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Animals – Bees (Part 15)

Scientific Aspects of Agnihotra: Animals – Bees (Part 15)

By Dr. Ulrich Berk from Germany In Agriculture, there are three helpers from the animal kingdom. First helper is the cow. Without cows Organic Farming is difficult and Homa Organic Farming is not possible. Then we have the bees and the earthworms. About cows we already have talked, so let us now concentrate on the role of bees in agriculture and all Nature. Of course honey bees are important for producing honey which is a very nutritious substance which also has a lot of healing applications. Even more important though is the role of bees in pollination. About three-quarters of our crops are pollinated by bees and other insects and these crops would produce fewer flowers and fruits without this pollination. Around one third of our food crops would produce significantly less or no food at all without pollination. Bees are the most important pollinators. Especially in the last decade honey bees were dying on a mass scale in all parts of the world. Reasons are not scientifically clearly examined, but most likely it is a combination of different factors like monoculture, pesticides, varroa mite, ecological stress (e.g. because of climate change), loss of natural habitats (especially for the wild bees). In agricultural areas where Homa Therapy is applied, a healthy and pure atmosphere is created, quite favorable as a habitat for bees. Bees adapt easily in a Homa environment and they can develop without attack of pathogenic agents. They have a lot of food available, due to the continuous flowering of the crops, with a high content of nectar and propolis achieved through the effect of Homa Therapy and the Agnihotra ash. This makes the whole Homa area a highly favourable place. Add to this the availability of clean water and the healing energy generated by the Homa fires. The work of the Homa farmer is complemented by the work of the bees. They contribute to agriculture with the pollination of fruit crops, horticulture, in forestry in general and also to cattle and dairy farming by pollinating the pastures. They also produce honey-combs containing high quality honey, pollen, wax, propolis and royal jelly, categorized as food and medicine through the Homa Therapy effects. The Homa farmer and the bees work together with nature, the bees doing their prodigious work to aid the preservation of the plant kingdom. Honey bees in Homa Atmosphere Rory Maher, a longtime resident of Bhrugu Aranya, an Ecovillage and HT Centre in southern Poland, made the following observations on beekeeping in the Homa Atmosphere of this place:
„Homa Beekeeping offers a solution to the tragic decline of the honey bee around the world. In Homa beekeeping, there is a major emphasis on healing the environment by using the ancient Vedic science of bio-resonance, known as Homa Therapy. We are therefore able to create the perfect landscape for bees to thrive. We have observed that Homa bees have strong immune systems. This is due to various reasons. Firstly, the healing effects of Agnihotra on the environment means bees are able to forage from high quality flowers and trees free of harmful substances. Normally bees collect pollen and nectar from flowers which are toxic due to the use of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides in conventional farming. This, combined with atmospheric pollution, weakens the bees’ immune systems, leaving them susceptible to diseases. Tests on wax comb are further showing higher levels of agrochemical build up in the wax caused by foraging bees bringing in contaminated pollen and nectar. This creates an unhealthy environment within the hive and disrupts the beneficial microbe balance that bees need for optimum health. This may also explain the increasing number of queen losses beekeepers have been experiencing in recent years. Not so in Homa Atmosphere. Secondly, scientific tests have shown that Agnihotra reduces the levels of pathogenic bacteria in the vicinity. This means there is a lower incidence of bee diseases and plagues. So, just by performing Agnihotra near bee hives, they become stronger and more efficient. In addition, the healing vibration of the Agnihotra fire becomes locked in the resultant ash. In Homa Beekeeping, this ash can be sprinkled around the beehives and entrances. Agnihotra ash can also be added to sources of water where bees drink. The ash and the vibrations created by Agnihotra fire have an energizing effect on the bees, making them strong and resistant to any disease that might occur.
In Homa Beekeeping only natural treatments are allowed and no chemicals should be used in the landscape or within the hive. Even if bees forage from areas where conventional farming methods are used, the creation of a Homa atmosphere and use of Agnihotra ash can strengthen bees and neutralize the negative effects of agrochemicals. Homa Therapy applications can also help reduce Varroa mite populations that have been decimating bee colonies in Europe and the Americas. Many conventional beekeepers have experienced low honey harvest yields because flowers are not producing nectar as in previous years. This is probably due to pollution that disrupts the delicate balance of nature. In a Homa atmosphere nature becomes rejuvenated and flowers produce plentiful nectar, leading to bountiful harvests. In Homa beekeeping we are able to harvest high quality medicinal honey, propolis, and beeswax, free of contaminants. The honey bee also has a remarkable effect on the productivity of vegetables, fruits, nuts and herbs. Homa Beekeeping promotes organic and bee-friendly practices that reduce stress on the bees and support as much as possible the natural tendencies of the hive.“
Wild bees in Homa Atmosphere Besides honey bees also other insects are doing the work of pollination. Most important are bumblebees and wild bees. Wild bees are an indicator of healthy environment as they choose the place where to settle down. Very astonishing to see that at the Homa Farm Tapovan in India (near Dhule, Maharashtra, India) on an area of just 6 hectares more than 25 natural hives of wild bees can be found!
Nobody ever brought them to the farm. They are attracted by the lush green gardens, many trees and flowers, all over the farm, providing an ideal environment for them to live. Bruce Johnson from Tapovan sent these photos showing Wild Bees which settled down in Tapovan to create their hives in the trees and produce good Homa honey. Bees in Homa Atmosphere – what does ancient Vedic Knowledge say? A challenge for modern science So far we reported about experience of bees in Homa Atmosphere. Scientific examination of these places – including analysis of honey, wax, and bees’ health – are in the planning stage. Next step will be to have bees from same origin and place them partly in Homa Atmosphere, partly in some other place away from Homa but otherwise in similar conditions, and then check quantity and quality of honey production, health of bees, growth of the beehives, etc. Such studies will give an overview of how Homa Farming techniques can help to restore health of bees – and thus help in bringing Nature back to Harmony. More interesting studies for apiculture scientists could happen if they would look into what Vedic Knowledge says about bees in Homa Atmosphere: „Inborn in the honey bee are certain hormones that are produced solely in YAJNYA atmosphere. This subject is foreign to anything science has encountered so far in this respect. These hormones help the nutritional levels yielded in vegetables and fruits to yield at much increased rates. Bees are attracted to HOMA atmosphere as the amount of energy they receive from Agnihotra fire helps them perform at a greater level of efficiency. When this is translated to pollination, they can help to increase the yield of crops. This is especially true with corn, tomatoes, berries, fruit and the like.“ (Vasant V. Paranjpe, Homa Therapy – Our Last Chance, Madison VA 1989, p. 39) „Drone bees begin to change their sex within the hive. When this takes place they excrete a hormone which is extremely medicinal and can help cure many diseases. Long ago, bees produced this same substance which is described in the Vedas but those insects became extinct due to pollution and nonperformance of YAJNYA. This mutation in the genealogical structure of bees takes place only in YAJNYA atmosphere. Bees bearing this mutation thrive only in YAJNYA atmosphere.“ (Vasant V. Paranjpe, Homa Therapy – Our Last Chance, Madison VA 1989, p. 25) That sounds like science fiction – still worthwhile to test, and if these statements can be validated by research of modern science it would show which profound effect Homa Therapy has on how Nature works if we take good care of her.