Articles - Page 2 of 3 - Homa Therapy Poland

Running Small Communities Workshop in Slovakia

By Suwindi Kadir

In the first week of June 2015, Rory and Suwindi Karina made their way to Slovakia through the incredible Carpathian mountains in to appear as guest speakers at a workshop called Running Small Communities.
This wonderful gathering was funded by Visegrad and invited experts on small communities to share and exchange valuable information.
As the only international, intentional Ecovillage in Poland, we were invited to speak about our community, sustainable living, Homa organic gardening and to perform Agnihotra at sunrise and sunset.

Slovakia speech

Here is an excerpt from Suwindi Karina’s Community speech:

“There are many reasons why people join or start small communities. And the ones that last the longest and and work best, are the ones that are driven by a core belief that makes them stronger.

My community is non-denominational. We don’t follow one particular religion or set of politics. We are international and have come together with our own religions, opinions, and morals. But we do have a set of strong common beliefs.

We all want to live in harmony with nature. And we also see Nature as a living entity. A force that goes beyond ourselves. We practice non-violence which includes being vegetarian, taking very good care of our animals, and growing our food organically. We use ancient, Vedic farming practices. We try to step lightly on this planet and care for her deeply.

Because we all have this core belief, Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya is able to accept and understand our individual differences, and move forward through even the toughest of times. A core belief is important to keep community alive. It is a foundation that holds us up and keeps us focussed on our goals.

I feel that for a community to be successful there needs to be a common belief, but not just a political or intellectual ideology, a strong emotional and heart felt belief that goes beyond the mind that drives our direction and goals. You need to love what you are doing. You need to be proud of what you are achieving together.

People form community because most of the time what they need is not provided for in urban or normal settings.

The social benefits are numerous. A strong and supportive functional family is mostly lacking from our lives. The support system of a group of people you can trust with your children and property is rarely found. In the right ecovillage, or small community, a functional family or tribe can be formed. And that group creates a safer place to raise your children. It protects, supports and inspires

Diversity in age groups and different levels of experience all help to teach individuals how to cope and deal with problems.Children in community learn to relate to all different ages of people, and they also learn from a diverse pool of people who can offer their individual gifts and knowledge. Relationships and the family unit have a greater chance at surviving because one has the added resource of a large extended, caring community.

A community forces us to learn how to develop communication skills and resolve conflict. Challenges are met face on and resolved for the good of all.

Every conflict and resolution is a positive step toward moving forward.

Being able to share resources is a wonderful part of being in community.

There are people in our community that work with the bees and do bee keeping. They keep themselves updated with the latest techniques and lovingly take pride in their work.

And the rest of the community benefit with gorgeous homa organic honey!

We have members who are skilled in art, music, building, small business management, psychology, herbal traditional medicine, gardening, hospitality, public speaking, child rearing, horse training and much much more!

We pool all of our skills and help each other whenever and wherever we can. We have all developed an attitude of service to each other as a result of being in a community. Service is such an important ingredient.

There are many motivations for starting a community. Our Ecovillage’s ultimate goal is to be entirely self sustainable. We are not there yet but we have the resources and skills to make our way there. It is a wonderful feeling to be a part of this positive revolution from the grass roots level.

I would encourage those who feel passionately about starting or joining a community to seek out others with similar ideals and goals. This is the time to pioneer a new way of living!

The question is not why do small communities form, but how can we encourage and support more of them?

There are so many of us now who are longing for a new way of life. People are finding it harder and harder to thrive in today’s society.

Forming small communities is like a pro-active protest. By starting or joining forces with a group who have similar ideals to you, and are developing an alternative way to live, you are actively creating a new future. You are not taking down a system or even fighting one. You are creating and nurturing a new world.”

Slovakia speech2

Agnihotra and Homa Therapy at the 12th International Congress of Alternative Medicine

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By Jimena Clarke

The 12^th International Congress of Complementary Medicine was held from August 22-23 2015, in Santiago, Chile, and featured the promotion of Agnihotra and Homa Therapy. The Congress was organized by the School of Oriental Medicine and Culture, the Amanecer Clinic, and Fivefold Path Foundation Chile, a foundation recently created for the support of Agnihotra and Homa Therapy.

Dr. Ulrich Berk from Germany spoke about the effects of Agnihotra on human health. His lecture was very well received by a large number of the Congress participants.

Sponsors of the Congress were the Faculty of Medicine of Finis Terrae University of Santiago, and the Medical Association of Chile.

On the second day, two students from this university presented a research paper on stress reduction effects of Agnihotra. These studies were conducted at the suggestion of Drs. Andrea Chavez and Ernesto Vega.

Stress level was measured by testing hormone concentration in the saliva.

In order to avoid placebo effects, the persons tested were not performing Agnihotra or even sitting for Agnihotra; they were just sitting for some time in a room next to the Agnihotra room.

Still the results were highly significant. This was motivation to start a larger experiment with more people and over a longer period of time. Also they will try to find a way to show any differences in a scientifically acceptable way among being next to an Agnihotra room – sitting for Agnihotra – and performing Agnihotra oneself (avoiding the possible objection that it is all just due to placebo effect).

In the two days, more than 50 Agnihotra kits were sold, evidence of peoples’ enthusiasm about Agnihotra after listening to Dr. Berk’s talk. He talked about how regular practice of Agnihotra can lead us to a happier life in harmony with nature and each other.

Dr. Purushottam Rajimwale from India, grandson of Shree Gajanan Maharaj (who revived the practice of Agnihotra in modern times), spoke on Ayurveda. Also he gave a workshop on the second day of the conference on Ayurveda and diet, with practical solutions, easy to use in everyday life.

Dr. Berk has been working for many years with various universities around the world, urging scientists and researchers to conduct more studies on the effects of Agnihotra and Agnihotra Ash and their underlying mechanisms. One of the things he said that created a strong impression among those who did not know of this technique, was that this fire, performed in such a small copper container, has such immense power, which not only produces significant environmental changes, but in many levels of our lives.

After nearly 30 years of living in England and having only returned to Chile 12 months ago, it was a wonderful surprise to hear about the visit of my dear friend Ulrich Berk. So I came down from my beloved Elqui Valley to have the privilege to accompany him and be at his service as his translator during his stay in Chile, and also to share with old and new friends.

Events like these help us to consolidate ties, unify our knowledge, learn from those with more experience, but above all interact in harmony with each member of our global family of fire.

There is no doubt of the impact that the visit of Ulrich to Chile had, especially in giving a push to the promotion and teaching of this magnificent tool that Shree Gajanan Maharaj, via Shree Vasant, has left us, for these times of so much misery and uncertainty which our society faces.

Once the Congress was over, the Fivefold Path Foundation organized a series of talks and presentations, both in Santiago and other regions of the country. In these, Ulrich shared with the audience in a very precise, clear and accurate way some of the results of research made so far and the work that in recent decades, he has been doing to encourage scientists to investigate the enormous benefits of Homa Therapy, whether in the fields of agriculture, medicine or other sciences.

At one of the talks held in Santiago in a Center for Ayurveda studies, Ulrich talked about Homa Therapy and health and how Agnihotra may decrease the levels of stress, among other things. This topic was the subject of a research, which is still in process, carried out by students of Medicine of the University Finis Terrae in Chile. These experiments and researches will continue, even though some immediate results have already been obtained. More details on these studies will be officially published in the near future.

Another topic of his lectures was Homa Organic Farming. He had the opportunity to meet with various officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, both in the center of the country, as in the South, where we stayed for 4 days.

In the meeting with officials from this ministry it was agreed that Agnihotra Ash preparations and Homa Biosol (a preparation of several ingredients including Agnihotra Ash) will in future be part of the products allowed for Organic Farming. This will be the first time this has been done.

Ulrich met with a group of organic farmers from small and medium-sized farms. They were interested in hearing about Homa agriculture and how they could implement it on their land. The talk was informative as well as practical, speaking of the use of the ash in the plantings, in production of Homa Biosol, etc. These farmers are now aware that climate change is undoubtedly affecting them, despite using organic agriculture. Recently in this area of the South a volcano began erupting after having been passive for over a hundred years; also last summer, we were told, was a hotter season than usual and without rain, which is unusual in the area.

During those days, thanks to the efforts undertaken by the agronomist and Agnihotri, Paula Heinsohn, Ulrich also had the opportunity to make a brief presentation about Homa agriculture to a small group of important officials of the INIA (Institute of Farming and Stockbreeding Research) who are in charge of projects and research in the area of organic farming. These officials were very interested in the subject and it is expected that next year they will submit a project at regional government level, for the implementation of Homa Agriculture at the level of organic farmers in the area. Meanwhile, they intend to begin to do some research on the use of Agnihotra Ash.

Coming back to the capital, in Curacaví, an agricultural area near Santiago, Ulrich gave his last public talk, in the Town Hall of Curacaví, to a group of farmers and individuals, interested in learning a little more about Agnihotra and Homa therapy and its practical uses. The following day was Ulrich’s last day in Chile and we went back to Santiago for a private meeting with a former adviser of a past President of Chile, who was in charge of issues related to air pollution, and now is head of an institute working in this field. This was a very good meeting, especially because this person was willing to do some experiment to see how Agnihotra could greatly help to solve the problem of air pollution in the capital of Chile, which suffers severe air pollution. He has all the equipment and instruments to start with some tests, so now it is important to follow up on this. It was a good last meeting with some good possibilities of further research.

Ulrich remained in Chile for a bit more than 3 weeks, bearing a tight schedule during this period, giving lectures and specific workshops, but also having informal meetings with Chilean Agnihotris and old friends.

Many ideas and new projects are now on the table, including managing Homa Therapy Teachers Certification and the future training of Homa agricultural technicians, in the country.

Time will tell how this will develop, but I have no doubt that the visit that Ulrich has made to Chile has turned “the wheel of fire”, so-to-speak and we can see an interesting future on the topic of promoting these sacred fires, at a more scientific level but at the same time at a very practical level as growing food. Above all it is unified work with a constant exchange between the international family of fire.

I personally want to thank the organizers of these events, Dr. Ernesto Vega and his wife Dr. Andrea Chavez, Paula Heinsohn, Héctor Rosas, among many others, but specially to Karina Ohme for her tireless work, her big and friendly heart and infinite patience and for welcoming us in her home for 3 weeks!

Thanks again to Ulrich, for having accepted the invitation to come to the end of the world land! We hope that he will be able to return to Chile in the future; especially to once again have a dip in the wonderfully healing waters of our sacred Cochiguaz River, in the Elqui Valley, that he also had the opportunity to go to on a short visit. We hope it will be longer next time!

Agnihotra Neutralizes Radioactivity

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By Monika Koch

Are you radioactive? No? You don’t feel anything? You don’t see anything? You don’t smell anything? The neighbour didn’t notice anything either? No problems?
Radioactivity sneaked quite unseen into our lives. We don’t hear it, we don’t smell it, and we don’t see it. Of course, maybe we know about Chernobyl that there was something with radioactivity. Maybe we have read about atomic testing, already hundreds of atomic bombs have been ignited – of course only for test-purposes.

And of course, many atom-driven submarines rust slowly in the oceans, somewhere far away from us, because we normally don’t live on test-sites, or beside a nuclear reactor or a nuclear submarine. Scientists declared that the snow in the Himalayas are so strongly radioactive, that it would have to be treated as radioactive garbage! But of course the Himalayas are also far away from most of us.

Here in Europe people are warned against eating too much fish from Scandinavian lakes or eating too many mushrooms from European forests since they contain levels of radioactivity too high for the human body. Why is this? These are all areas in nature; there are no industries and no atom bombs nearby. Scientists determined that radioactivity is spreading all over the world through wind and ocean currents, like a deadly cloud. The wind carries small radioactive charged particles into the air we breathe; the rain from radioactive clouds drops radioactive particles into our fields and forests. When the Chernobyl accident happened, soon elevated radioactivity was also measured in South America. We therefore have the world-wide challenge to balance radioactivity, because even if we actually don’t see it, don’t smell it, don’t sense it, still radioactivity can inflict big damage on human beings and all life forms.

The effects we experience include: Pains and wounds that won’t heal, higher child-mortality, higher deformity in new-borns, mutations in animals and also in fruit and vegetables, and much more. In European clinics there is a cancer-treatment, where the tumour is radioactively treated to destroy the tumor cells. And how often do I experience directly in the pharmacy many people suffering from pains and wounds, also in the healthy tissue surrounding the tumour, that won’t heal, not with medicines and not with any ointment.

How often did I experience at home when I bought for example tomatoes or grapes and I left them on the kitchen counter for one week, one month or even longer that they didn’t become bad, they didn’t rot, they didn’t change their appearance. What was that? These are also radioactively treated fruits and vegetables, that admittedly always look the same and can be sold for a long period of time, resist transportation challenges, but which however affect our health negatively when we eat them.

Even a TV can expose us to radioactivity, depending on the model. And how many people, also children, sit daily for many hours in front of the TV? All of these examples can occur in everyday life everywhere. But what can I do in order to help myself and to protect my family?

After the accident in Chernobyl (1986), a Polish scientist did some experiments to see if Homa Therapy could neutralize the radioactivity since Poland was also strongly affected. He found out that the healing Agnihotra fire could get rid of even hundredfold infringement of the natural radioactivity. The effect of an Agnihotra fire lasts between 10 to 18 hours (then of course already comes the next Agnihotra fire with the sun-change, which takes further care and so on).

He also measured that radioactively affected soil shows again normal values if watered with a mixture of water and Agnihotra-Ash. We only use the ash of the Agnihotra fire for healing. Agnihotra Ash has the same qualities as the Agnihotra fire sealed in it.

Ancient knowledge states that the balancing effect to restore health is possible with the help of the Agnihotra Fire and the Agnihotra Ash. It is possible to apply the Agnihotra ash directly on difficult wounds that don’t heal and also on painful areas (depending on the degree of the problem, it can be repeated between 4 x daily up to every hour). Also internally, you can take one teaspoon of Agnihotra Ash powder with water, honey, tea, yogurt, etc. before each meal in order to balance the whole body.

You can also put vegetables, fruits, lettuce, etc. overnight in Agnihotra Ash water in order to eliminate radioactivity from the food and balance them. You can also take a bath in Agnihotra Ash water. You can put Agnihotra Ash into the drinking water for your pets. Also in cattle-raising, it is fantastic to put Agnihotra-Ash into the feed and into the drinking water of the animals. Only Agnihotra Ash has this particular healing power, these qualities and I feel very happy that all of us in such a simple way can help ourselves with these major problems. And it is wonderful that we can share this knowledge and this practical application with many other people who are likewise in need of this!

Pharmacist Monika Koch is the author of the book: “Homa Therapy – the Ancient Science of Healing”. She has conducted studies with Agnihotra Ash medicines for many years.

Volunteer testimonials

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Over the years we have had countless volunteers come to our Ecovillage to experience our day to day life. Here is some feedback from some of those wonderful people.

Gabriela J. from Germany

Surrounded by the hum of the peaceful bees

I worked in the garden under the heat of august sun
Burying my hands in fertile soil
With templefire ash between my fingers
Feeling the pure soul of this ground.
Mountains, magical and majestic on the horizon
Brought me down to my knees in the morning sun
Being humble before this nature beauty.
Charmed by the ritual of the agnihotra fires
Delighted by the crystal bowls sound
I purified myself, mind and soul.
Here, in the healing homa atmosphere
I found my love to Poland again,
The country I was born 50 years ago and
Had forgotten for a long time.
The community people, open in their heart and spirit
Made my spiritual journey unique and unforgettable.
I can still hear the hum of the bees in my dreams.

Taylor Logsdon from Canada

“The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Bhrugu Aranya was the peaceful yet vibrant atmosphere and magical feeling of the land. It is in the air, in the ancient apple orchard, the colorful gardens and sacred fire temple. A wonderful community of people look after this place and I was blessed to develop many deep and lasting friendships during my time as a volunteer- with the people living here as well as the animals; who are all so sweet and affectionate.
I learned valuable lessons about myself, community, Homa Therapy, gardening and spiritual ecology during my stay. I ate delicious meals, played music with friends, went for walks through the woods and- most importantly, got to experience what it is like to contribute to a project and place that serves our planet, humanity and all the beings of nature. What a great group of humble, dedicated and funny people!
It is a heart-centered place of spirituality, ecology and community centered around the deep healing power of the fires.
I thank everyone at Bhrugu Aranya for making my time there so special.”

Dan Konzman from USA

“When I had a free summer between years of studying at university, I wanted to seek out an opportunity to get more in touch with nature and sustainable farming. I found Bhrugu Aranya and it sounded like a great place to be a part of.
I learned about Agnihotra and organic gardening. Through both meditation and hard work, I ended up learning far more than I had expected about spirituality and about myself.
Homa therapy opened my eyes to a world of possibilities and gave me new perspective on the world. Due to the great people and transformative spiritual practices, the summer I spent at the farm is full of memories I will always hold dear.”

Clancy Hearps from Australia

“I intended to stay at Bhrugu Aranya for 2 weeks and ended up staying for 3 as I found myself totally enveloped by the love, care and spirit of the community.
For me, the healing atmosphere created by the community’s dedication to Homa Therapy practice was very tangible and facilitated some wonderful personal transformations during my time there”

If you to become a volunteer at our ecovillage read here.

Agnihotra and Homa Therapy at International Scientific Conference on Yoga and Ayurveda

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Three of our Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya residents delivered talks to the many scientists, researchers and students at the III International Conference on Yoga and Ayurveda at the Sulislaw Palace in Poland June 24-26. Attendees were from Germany, USA, India, Holland and Poland.

Jaroslaw Bizberg, president of Homa Therapy Foundation in Poland, spoke on “Agnihotra and Agnihotra Ash Remedies and Homa Organic Farming.“ He also showed one of the magnificent videos of our Ecovillage created by Jacob Sawyer.Dr. Ulrich Berk, president ofDeutsche Gesellschaft für Homa-Therapie (German Association of Homa Therapy), spoke on “Homa Therapy in Yoga and Ayurveda – Scientific Aspects”Barry Rathner, M.A., psychologist from USA, delivered his paper on “Homa Psychotherapy.”

Following our video which showed our ecovillage, a model of Homa Organic Farming and community living, we were approached by many enthusiastic people wanting to come and visit us.Our thanks are extended to Mr. C.M. Bhandari, former Indian Ambassador to Poland, and chairman of the conference, and to the gracious owner of the Sulislaw Palance, Mr. Jerzy Bar, who organized this wonderful and important event.Mr. Bhandari announced our sunrise Agnihotra (at 4:30 a.m.) and not only did nearly 15 attend the earliest sunrise of the year, but nearly ¾ of the conference attendees and speakers came for sunset Agnihotra as well.

The scientists and practitioners of yoga and ayurveda seemed truly to appreciate the Vedic origins of Homa Therapy.

We were also interviewed by “Yoga and Ayurveda Magazine” and TV/YouTube outlets.

We returned to Ecovillage Bhrugu Aranya enthusiastic and inspired by the connections we made and the joy of sharing the great tools of Agnihotra and Homa Therapy which have transformed our lives.

With a renewed zeal, we turn our focus to continue building the Centre of Light which will serve as a venue for many around the world—to be a beacon for those looking for ways to survive the difficult time our planet faces ecologically.

Homa Therapy Tour of Holland

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by Barry Rathner

Jarek and Barry went to Holland for a 12-day tour of the country to meet and encourage the Homa Therapy enthusiasts who seem to be sprouting up all over there.
We left Poland on June 9 and were greeted by Certified Homa Therapy Teachers Dennis Jansen and Gillian Sluiter, a loving and dynamic couple and team. Their enthusiasm and youthful energy buoyed us throughout the tour. Their home in Ulft serves as the centre for Homa Therapy propagation in Holland.

Our second night saw us have lectures at the healing centre of Willy van de Berg and her husband, Frank, in the village of Silvolde. A few persons already practicing Agnihotra attended as did many persons coming to hear about Homa Therapy for the first time.One Dutch family was so impressed with Bhrugu Aranya and Agnihotra that despite having experienced many previous ecovillages, they wanted to relocate to ours.Adjusting to sunsets at nearly 10 p.m. which ended our evening after midnight throughout the tour required a bit of ‘mind training,’ but we pulled through.

Agnihotra presentation at Willie & Franks Home Centre.

The next day we were honoured to be a part of the First National Netherlands Homa Therapy Day in Raalte at the magnificent farm of Marjoleine and Froos Vullings.

For 10 hours, more than 20 attendees were able to experience many aspects of Homa Therapy including Agnihotra Ash medicine preparation, Homa Organic Farming principles, Homa Psychotherapy, Om Tryambakam Yajnya and question and answer sessions.

A detailed presentation on the current state of Centre of Light’s Indiegogo Crowdfunding campaign and future plans for financing unfolded in the form of discussions and videos. This was very beneficial to us and gave us ideas and positive mindsets for the future.

Froos, a business consultant and prosperity seminar leader, along with some other business-oriented persons expressed much support for our Centre of Light project. Some said they want to come visit us and some said they will pass word along about what we are trying to do.

We are grateful to the Vullings for their continued support and their graciousness in hosting extensive Homa Therapy programmes for the second year in a row.

Sunset Agnihotra at Fros & Maria Farm Centre

After returning from Raalte at 1:30 a.m. (and then doing sunrise Agnihotra shortly after 5 a.m.,) we spent two days discussing Homa Therapy plans with Dennis and Gillian, our gracious hosts.

On Tuesday we headed off to Heteren where the Herberg De Aandacht Catholic Church hosted us.

In what appears to be the first performances of Agnihotra at a church in Europe, we were served a very nice vegetarian dinner and then had a wonderful evening of Homa Therapy talks, Bhrugu Aranya videos and five Agnihotra fires at sunset. The enthusiastic reception we received was gratifying.

The brick church is gorgeous and contributed to the wonderful atmosphere that, of course, Agnihotra intensifies.

Agnihotra in Herberg De Aandacht Catholic Church

The next day the four of us embarked for the 4-day Eigenwijs Festival in Vierhouten, put up the tents, put out our material and settled in for the 2nd consecutive year we have done this festival.

As it was at the Eigentijds festival organized by Ecolonie, the largest Dutch ecovillage in France–held at the same venue as Eigenwijs– that we met Dennis and Gillian for the first time, it holds a special place in our hearts. That was the largest New Age Festival in Holland, and one of the biggest in Europe and we attended two years in a row.

Teaching and mixing with New Agers and healers from all over Europe at this festival gave us great opportunities to share our experiences with Homa Therapy to all interested.

Eigenwijs festival in Vierhouten Holland

It was wonderful that Andrea Hoexum ‘followed us’ from Heteren to Vierhouten and after experiencing Agnihotra for the first time at the church 3 nights earlier, came and purchased her Agnihotra copper pyramid to begin practice.

Several others whom we had met at last year’s festival and who had begun practice of Agnihotra, visited us and attended beginner, refresher and advanced seminars on various aspects of Homa Therapy.

We left Holland two days later, looking forward to future programme sharing with Dennis and Gillian and the wonderful, open-minded and open-hearted Dutch.