Puja is a traditional Hindu worship ritual, which we continue to practice here at the Center in the same way taught by our founder, Swami Vishnudevananda. With the aid of external symbols, we invoke Divine energies — offering milk, water, flowers, food, incense, and chanting of traditional Sanskrit mantras.
Puja is considered to be a form of devotional meditation, one of the practices of Bhakti Yoga, the path of love. It offers us the opportunity to experience the power of devotion to lift hearts, minds, and spirits. In Bhakti Yoga, we learn to approach the Divine through love, and as we grow in love, we begin to see the Divine in all beings and to experience it as our own true nature. Puja is performed at the Center on some spiritual holidays, like Shivaratri, and other special occasions.
All are welcome, and there is no charge for attendance. Pujas are held at 1246 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue.