organic life

Jarosław Bizberg – president of the Homa Therapy Foundation, won the #List ORGANICLIFETOP50 Ecological Award in the INITIATIVE category.

The long-term goal of the Plebiscite is to create a list of the best of the best in terms of activities in the field of ecology in various spheres of our lives, both in agriculture, food production, cosmetics, cultivation aids, in the sphere of activities aimed at increasing Poles’ awareness of the importance of ecology for our future.

Who would have thought that the Final Gala of Organic Life would become not only a stage for the promotion of the most distinguished for ecology personalities in Poland, but also a place to present Agnihora – an ancient practice that heals soil, animals, people and the entire environment.

This event was extraordinary, above all, thanks to the participants! Great personalities who have acted with determination for decades, no matter what, expecting no subsidies or government support – made everyone feel very special. The uniqueness of this event also lies in going beyond the scope of ecology itself and in taking into account the issue of ethics and the development of human consciousness.

Jarosław Bizberg organic life award
Agnihotra fire
Jarosław Bizberg organic life
Agnihotra fire
Abhay Desai – award winning Homa Organic Farmer from India

Abhay Desai – award winning Homa Organic Farmer from India

Abhay Mutalik Desai is a visionary farmer from the southern state of India, Karnataka. His profession is actually that of a chemical engineer, but his heart was beating for farming. This is his story:

“My father bought a 50 acre farm in1956 and started his farming career with chemical fertilizers. In those days chemical farming in India was new and the modern way of farming. The Agriculture department  gave  the chemical fertilizers for FREE, and so he became a pioneer grower of rice paddy with chemicals. It had a romantic beginning, and the first harvest brought 400 bags from 15 acres of land. This initial success made him an easy prey to the charm of chemical farming.

After 1974 things started to change drastically and taking an ugly turn:

Due to the ongoing deforestation, rainfalls decreased and  created severe water scarcity in summer. Higher use of chemical fertilizers resulted in degradation of soil, affecting soil health, flora and fauna. Crop productivity reduced even when more chemicals , labor and water were used and the romantic take off of chemical farming turned into a nightmare. The soil was dying and our existence was at stake. This bitter experience was an eye opener for us and we were forced to look for new solutions:

Chemicals were stopped, each and every organic waste on the farm was turned into manure, compost and mulch. To our surprise our desperate changes resulted in a big comeback of earthworms and they started to create the most beautiful soil we could imagine.

In 1999 Shree Vasant Paranjpe  introduced us to the methods of Homa farming and the nightmare my whole family was going through, finally stopped. His knowledge and guidance changed my vision of farming forever. I immediately implemented Homa Farming  on all the 50 acres of land.

 Within one year,  all our land recovered and our soil was better than ever. Plants were healthy and strong with lower cost of production, less water and labor.

Our first crop of Vanilla beans had the highest content (2.9%) of Vanillin in India, in the year 2000, tested by the spice board of India. We had a good yield in paddy with minimum effort.

Since this time many farmers and agricultural scientists come to my farm and are amazed how easy farming operations  have become here and how crop health and abundance has improved.

I conclude, even if we may not be able to explain Homa Organic Farming fully from a scientific point of view right now , the results obtained speak for themselves . Many farmers in my farmers group have adopted Homa farming methods and can protect themselves now successfully from the environmental changes we all have to face and secure their crops. “

 

Distinct Achievements:
* 1999: First Homa-Farm  in South India
* First Organic Certified Farm NPOP (EU) & NOP (USDA)  to produce export quality organic jaggery products in Northern Karnataka.
*2002: Founder member and coordinator of Organic Food Club (NGO) run by certified organic farmers in district Belgaum
* 2009: Founder and President of Venugram Savayava Krishi Parivara (Trust) , Belgaum ;

* Chief Promoter of Certified Organic farmers market “Venugram Organic Fresh” since 2016  we are supplying organic vegetables , fruits and other food products to more than 600  families weekly.

Awards:

* 2001 Vocational Award from Rotary Club of Belgaum (South)

* 2003 First Prize & Award from Dept of Horticulture District Belgaum

* 2004 Krishi Pandit Award from K.L.E School of Agriculture 

*2006 Krishi Pandit Award & first prize in organic farming from Govt of      Karnataka 2005-06

* 2010 International State Award for Organic farming year

*2017 National Award “DHARTI MITRA” for best organic farming at 19th   Organic World Congress Delhi 

 

Technical Papers Presented:

* 2004 Importance of sustainable organic farming practices and inputs, ICAR Meerut 2004.
*2005 Fertigation in organic farming and practical approach in Homa Organic Farming at seminar jointly presented to ICAR and University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad in.
* 2007 Experiences of Homa Organic Farming international seminar organized by Fivefold Path Mission India and Planning commission of India at Jalgaon 2007.
* Constraints for sustainability of rural livelihood -accepting challenges by organic farmer groups, National Seminar on Farmers, Livelihood and Trade October 2008 at NIAS Bangalore.
* SEZ is it a solution for development National Seminar on SEZ at KLE University Belgaum 2009.
* Self Reliance through Homa-Organic Farming at MAHA-ORGANIC Govt of Maharashtra Pune 2009.
* Sustainability with science based Organic agriculture, Homa Organic farming (HOF) Vedic Krishi at AICTEF/QIP short term course on ‘ Green Infrastructure’ IIT KHARAGPUR 2011.
2012  International Study Tour to China, selected by Department of Agriculture, Govt of Karnataka year 2012

When Not to Peform Agnihotra

When Not to Peform Agnihotra

Vedic knowledge states that a purified energy field is created around Homa fires. This energy field can be influenced by the energy fields of persons in the vicinity of the fire.

To preserve the purity of this subtle energy field of the Agnihotra fire, we follow the discipline not to  perform Agnihotra (or another Homa fire) and not to come close to it whenever our own energy field is disturbed – as in the case of high fever or some bleeding. If we cut ourselves, we stay away for as long as blood is flowing. With Agnihotra ash (and/or tumeric) we can usually stop the bleeding quickly so that we are again able to perform Homa fires.

For energetic reasons, the same discipline is followed by women during their monthly cycle. During menstruation, women are surrounded by an energy that travels downward in a spiral shape towards the earth. Agnihotra creates an energy which flows in the opposite direction, that is upwards towards the atmosphere, also in spiral form. Both are cleansing energies but work in a different way and to an extent they nullify each other. Therefore for as long as there is bleeding, women should refrain from performing Agnihotra or any other Homa and from sitting near them. In this way women will also protect their cycle.

Likewise when a woman has just given birth she should not perform Agnihotra until the bleeding has completely stopped.

Many cultures in ancient times knew about the impact of subtle energies in the atmosphere. Thus many disciplines and practices which required refraining from doing certain activities during certain times were quite common. Recently modern science has only started to investigate the functioning and manipulation of subtle energies.

Agnihotra is the science of purification of the atmosphere, a science of subtle energies and as such it is governed by universal laws.

Tuning In

Tuning In

By Patricia Norton

Take a moment and breathe. Be still. Listen.

What sounds surround you as you read these words? Do you feel nourished and inspired by them? Or irritated and depleted? For better or worse, what your body assimilates as audible sound directly affects your mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Over time, it affects your physical health, too.

We can learn to harness the power of sound, applying it therapeutically with compassionate intention to encourage relaxation and healing. Sound healing has been practiced in all the world’s cultures, some even consider it a sacred science that dates back to prehistoric times. Indigenous cultures from Africa, Australia, and the Americas have drummed, rattled, and chanted to heal and connect with Spirit. Egyptians have ritually chanted vowel sounds in specific keys to clear and restore balance to the chakra system. Christians have used Gregorian chant as prayer. Buddhists in the Himalayas have recited sacred healing chants and used Himalayan metal bowls and tingshas to summon attention to the present moment, restore the body, and connect to Spirit.While many of these traditions continue today, this ancient art has seemingly vanished in developed western societies. Since the Industrial Revolution, an increasingly technology-laden and fast-paced society has separated us from our deeper needs, communion with nature, and Divine connection. Along the way, our world became a lot noisier. It wasn’t until 1936, when acoustic researchers discovered ultrasound, that the potential for sound to heal resurrected. Now with recent studies repeatedly suggesting that most of our illnesses today are stress-related, therapeutic sound is rapidly gaining in popularity.

Healing sounds send electrochemical impulses to the brain, slowing the body’s respiration and heart rate (Joshua Leeds, The Power of Sound: How to Manage Your Personal Soundscape for a Vital, Productive, and Healthy Life (Healing Arts Press, 2001). Our body releases its natural painkillers, endorphins, and serotonin, and we journey into a state of deep relaxation. With regular practice, we can maintain a state of consciousness that allows us to live from a calmer, more balanced perspective. As sound healing expert Mitchell Gaynor, M.D., explains, “One reason sound heals on a physical level is because it so deeply touches and transforms us on the emotional and spiritual planes.”

You can harness the healing power of sound in many ways. The most simple, perhaps, is merely listening. Music can bring your body into blissful relaxation or ecstatic joy. A hike through a forest to soak up the sounds of nature can calm the nervous system, as can a stroll along the beach listening to the waves lapping the shore.

You can create your own healing sounds, as well. Try using your own voice, which is said to be the most healing instrument of all. Using a wordless language of vowels, elongated and sounded with intent, vocal toning is a technique that stimulates an ‘internal massage.’ The movement of your breath and diaphragm, and the tones that you produce, help you release and balance, accept or create. Toning isn’t singing; it’s not about having a good voice. It is about expressing emotions.

Singing does have its own healing benefits, however, and they have received some recent attention in the media. Doctors have encouraged Arizona Senator Gabby Giffords to sing old songs attention in the media. Doctors have encouraged Arizona Senator Gabby Giffords to sing old songs as she recovers from the gunshot wounds inflicted during her attempted assassination in January 2011. Because singing balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain, it has not only helped her learn how to talk again, but the doctors credit music for helping her to walk!

You can also create healing sounds using instruments. If you’ve learned to play a musical instrument, set aside a little time each day and allow your emotions to play through it. Some instruments, such as hand drums, are particularly well-suited for sound healing. Ancient rhythmic drumbeats are believed to release emotional pain and negative emotions and promote feelings of play and community. Drumming changes our beta brainwaves to alpha, bringing feelings of wellbeing and euphoria.

Fire and Sound 3

Singing bowls are another powerful healing instrument. Those made of quartz crystal contain the full spectrum of light, the colors of which are related to the seven chakras (energy centers in the body). The tones from these bowls are therefore believed to heal the listener by bringing pure light through sound back into the human aura. The effect multiplies with the purity of the bowl’s sound and the player’s intention. Other singing bowls, originating in ancient Tibet, are made using seven to twelve metals, depending on what region in the Himalayas they were made. They are hand-hammered with Vedic chanting and are said to reverberate the blessings of these chants. It is believed that when singing bowls are placed on the body, they can clear energetic and emotional ‘blocks’ and promote healing.

Sound healing, as a holistic modality, has a small but growing number of practitioners who have chosen to take up this work, often studying the ancient traditions. In a typical sound healing session, the client lies down and the practitioner guides them through some simple breathing techniques to help initiate deep relaxation. A variety of instruments may then be used to nourish overall energy patterns. Sound healing reduces anxiety and depression, physical pain, and insomnia. It improves overall energy, memory, and health. It can accelerate post-surgical recovery time and enhance a deep sense of peace. Sound therapy also blends wonderfully with other modalities, and clients can benefit from receiving massage, psychotherapy, yoga, acupuncture, or other energy work at the same time.

Whether you receive a professionally tuned session, listen to healing sound, or create it with your own voice, drum, or bowl, sound has the power to heal you. As sound healer Tom Kenyon has said, “Sound vibration speaks to our soul and to our bodies. It bypasses the cognitive mind, and when that happens a door opens and people can go through that door and discover miracles and mysteries in themselves that they never imagined.”

(Article originally published in Healing Arts Press, 2001)

About the Author
Patricia Norton is a certified Sound Therapist. She offers group and individual sound sessions around Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Patricia presents Sound Immersion educational workshops. www.soundimmersion.net 

sound  fireIN POLAND:
Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya in Poland conducts Sound & Fire healing circles for groups and individual sessions with crystal bowls, toning and chakra yantrams.

For further information contact: info@homatherapypoland.org

Another HOMA Farm in India Receives a Government Award

Another HOMA Farm in India Receives a Government Award

Mr Anand Gaikwad and his wife, Lata have 8 acres mango, lime and sapota garden near Thane in Maharashtra.
This “Krishi Bhushan” award was handed over by the Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra – Shri Prithviraj Chavan.
It is the third award a Homa farm receives from the government, after Mr. Abhay Mutalik Desai (Krishi Pandit) and Mrs. Asha Naik (ASPEE L.M. PATEL “FARMER OF THE YEAR” award).

Mr. Anand V. Gaikwad writes:
“My wife Lata and myself decided to buy the farm land sometime in the year 1993 in Dahagaon, Taluka Kalyan, District, Thane.

Lata has a Ph.D. in Pollution Biology and I have professional qualification with focus on corporate legislation and corporate governance responsibility. In the initial years up to 1998 we had to follow the agricultural practices of conventional farming (i.e. chemical farming) as we had not studied and practiced organic farming. But after 1998 we decided to go organic. Then in 2010 a Homa Resonance Point was established. Our Homa farm is now certified organic by “NOCA” under both “NPOP” and “NPO” Standards (USDA).

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“Our organic farm under Homa atmosphere at present is fully developed. Our Orchard is inter-cropped with vegetables and other produce, which are available throughout the year. All the products of the farm are of excellent quality.
Besides, it is becoming a trainings center and a place for Agro-Tourism where we will be able to show and demonstrate to the visiting guests like organic farmers, students of agricultural colleges / Universities, officers from the Agricultural Departments as well as the public in general, (who as consumers are showing their keen interest in organic farm produce), the blessings of an organic Homa farm.”

Agnihotra and The Spiritual Ecologist

Agnihotra and The Spiritual Ecologist

By Rory Maher

As I sit still and look out across the gardens and fields, there is so much going on! The sights, the smells, the sounds, the fragrant flowers being warmed by the early morning heat of the sun, the bees busy with their daily activity, the singing of birds, the flapping of wings, the buzzing of a multitude of insects.

Beyond the fields, a forest of lush green trees is swaying in the breeze. So much life, so much dependence on one another, and everything stands in delicate balance – layer upon layer upon layer of mutuality and interconnectedness – the sun, the seasons, the rain. The wildlife, earthworms, microbes and fungi. Life, decay, rebirth.

And in this balance stands man. What is our role in all this wondrous creation? I will share with you what I feel deep down in my being. We are stewards of this Earth. Alongside our personal journeys, we are duty bound to care for this beautiful planet.

A large portion of humanity appears to have forgotten this. Many that do sense this duty feel powerless against the systems that treat the world otherwise.  Science and logic have broken life down into components and stripped away the sacredness of creation. Technology and cities have separated many from the natural cycles of the Earth, the moon, the seasons.

Creation is perfect. And to His creative palette the Divine added a special ingredient –Love. For where there is beauty, there is Love. Where there is harmony and peace, there is Love. There is a Spirit that flows through all creation, and it is bound with Love.

We are created out of love. That same spirit that runs through creation runs through us. And yet it seems that man is ignorant of his true nature and has rebelled against Mother Nature.

On a planetary scale, it is clear to see that the world has gone mad. We are destroying it environmentally, and the reliance global-warmingon an oil-based economy perpetuates that destruction. As the media fills our minds with negative impressions, as corporate greed prioritizes short term gains, and as the destruction of our planet hangs by a thread, it is easy to feel disillusioned.

All spiritual paths teach that to change the world we must also change ourselves. How can there be peace in the world if we are not at peace within? How can we stop violence and war if we ourselves cannot practice ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself?’ However, it is also the time of action, of the peaceful warrior.

Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa were peaceful warriors. They all balanced their spiritual life with action, or service to their fellow man. They moved mountains through their faith, devotion, service and humility. Today, the need of the hour is for the spiritual ecologist.

There is one tool that has been resuscitated in our hour of need that unites the spiritual and ecological, one science that can help heal our planet and our physical, mental and spiritual bodies. This is the ancient science of Homa Therapy and Agnihotra. Thanks to Agnihotra, the spiritual ecologist today can be an environmental activist, as can a teacher, lawyer, nurse, or bus driver. Anyone from any walk of life can make a meaningful contribution to helping the environment and create an atmosphere conducive to meditation, contemplation and self-development.

How would you like to be able to neutralize the effects of pollution and radiation in the atmosphere, soil and water and to be able to grow nutritionally rich foods without the use of chemical fertilizers and herbicides? How would it be if you could create an environment where all of nature is in harmony, where the vibration is one of love? Would you weave a life around a tool that unites hearts, which gives back to the earth instead of just taking?

pyramid fireThe science of Homa Therapy comes from Ayurveda, the most ancient source of knowledge known to man. It is the science of the purification of the atmosphere via the medium of special fires tuned to the biorhythms of the Earth. The most important of these ‘Yajnya’ fires is Agnihotra, which is a small fire performed in a copper pyramid at sunrise and sunset specifically. At these special times of the day a wave of life giving electricities and energies flood the planet. Birds wait for this magical time of sunrise with joyous song. Agnihotra taps into these subtle energies to purify the atmosphere, neutralizing pollution and radiation.

Homa Therapy is the practical application of Agnihotra and additional healing fires to medicine, organic farming/gardening, ecological rejuvenation and psychotherapy.

The basic idea of Agnihotra is ‘You heal the atmosphere and the healed atmosphere heals you!’

Agnihotra balances the Prana in the atmosphere, the subtle substance called Chi by the Chinese, which has a calming effect on the mind and veers it towards positive thought patterns. In addition, the healing energy of the Agnihotra fire becomes locked in the resultant ash. Simple yet powerful remedies can be made at home from this ash and thousands of people around the world have experienced healing from using this ancient Ayurvedic medicine.

Homa Therapy is the ecological weapon to combat genetically modified farming. It is the instrument to heal the planet of pollution and radiation in the air, soil and water. It surrounds you in protective armour. It arms us with powerful holistic remedies that are simple to prepare at home. It brings peace to the mind and nourishes the soul with the vibration of love. Agnihotra is the tool of the Spiritual Ecologist.

The beauty of this fire is that it is so easy to perform. There are thousands of individuals performing Agnihotra on each continent, and their lives have been richly improved by it. Many people today are listening to their hearts and feel the call to join or create intentional communities. They feel the need in their souls to search for like-minded pioneers to bring in a new way of living in harmony with Nature. At Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya we have been doing just that for nearly twenty years.

Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya is an ecological/educational centre and Homa Organic farm. The atmosphere here is infused with high vibrations created by the healing fires that are performed daily. It is also an international community where each individual is committed to working on spiritual self-development and teaching the many applications of Homa Therapy.

We are fifteen people that include artists, musicians, gardeners, healers, herbalists, authors, film makers, therapists, designers, mothers, fathers, elders, children, as well as cows, honey bees, dogs, cats, ducks and Sonata, the horse. Between us we speak Polish, English, Spanish, German and French. But the true village size includes many people close to our hearts who are around the world living and spreading the life and knowledge of an intentional Homa lifestyle for free.

Bhrugu Aranya Ecovillage is like no other place. It has been said that it is Poland’s best-kept secret, which is a shame as we would like as many people as possible to discover it and experience its unique taste of life. Since the early days, we have welcomed guests who come to learn Agnihotra and Homa Therapy. Visitors have experienced healing by working on the land and being in the Homa atmosphere.

As a village working towards sustainability, C.O.Lwe are embarking on fulfilling a dream we have had for some time which is rapidly gaining momentum. It is time now to build a Centre of Light, where a greater number of people can come to experience life on a Homa organic farm ecovillage, learn Agnihotra, receive healing, and where we can offer workshops in Homa gardening, Agnihotra ash remedies, traditional herbal lore, mandala art therapy, vegetarian and wild food cuisine, music therapy, yoga and much more. The octagonal centre will be built using natural and ecological materials, and will become a hub of our community where we can better offer all our services and expand the knowledge of Homa Therapy.

A major shift on all levels is occurring on our beloved planet and this shift is accelerating dramatically. These times have been foretold by many cultures across many ages. They are times of rapid change and upheaval, but also of great renewal and movement toward the Light.

Hand in hand, hearts as one, let us be the peaceful warriors and seed the atmosphere with love. We are never powerless! The Earth stewards are returning!