Last Updated on October 30, 2024 by Tejaswini
There is a oft repeated question for a simple daily routine which householders can easily perform for improving the energy in their lives. Householders are required to follow the Vedpurva karmakaand which includes activities of various types repeated daily – Nitya karma. Some activities are repeated occasionally – Naimittik karma. And some are linked to fulfilling desires – Kamya karma. But doing all this in the current time may not be very feasible, given the time constraints of the modern world. So here is the simplest routine for busy householders who have to balance home, office etc and still work for their spiritual goals.
I have detailed it as a morning, midday, evening and night routine.
First is the morning routine
1. Wake up before sunrise and get fresh. You are required to be alert for about 10mins around the exact sunrise time.
2. At the exact sunrise you should be on your Asan or at least in front of your household deity. Light the oil or ghee lamp. Recite Om three times. Do your personal mantra given by your Guru or the Gayatri mantra or any mantra /Sukta of your choice in your mind. Do this once or three times. (I have given a small list of easy mantra at the end of this post). This will take 1 min.
The objective is to link this one life – mantra with the power of the rising Sun. You will use this mantra to channelise your Mind. So this mantra needs to be powered. (Ideally this is the time for the Morning Agnihotra. But not all of us may have access to the materials needed for this. Thus this simplification)
3. Then go out in the balcony or window which faces East and offer Arghya to the newly risen Sun. For this you will take some water in your cupped palms. Then raise your cupped palms with the water and let the water it flow out from your fingers towards the Sun. Say ‘Om Shri Suryaya namah’ three times in your mind as you give the Arghya water to the Sun. This will take 1 min. If you cannot see the rising Sun from your house then face East and visualise the golden disc of the Sun in your mind as you do this. (Personally, the rising Sun is not visible from my house. I live in the mountains, and I get to see the actual Sun only after 9am or so.)
The objective here is to channelise the emotional Mind – Manas and thus allow the intelligent Mind – Buddhi to rise.
4. Then if you are physically fit do the Surya namaskar, 3 repeats. If you are physically unfit, then do not force your body. Do pranayam eg Anulom Vilom for 12 breaths. This will take 2 mins.
When doing the Yogasan/ pranayam remember that you have to mentally recite Soham with your breathing. In your mind – recite So as you inhale and Hum as you exhale. This enhances the power of the Yogasan/ pranayam. Here we are using the Ajapa mantra /Soham and the power of the rising Sun to energise all the nadis/ energy channels in the body.
5. Then do the basic puja of your household deities. This means you have to offer vermillion, turmeric, saffron, unbroken rice grains, sandalwood powder, flowers, fruits, bael leaves, darbh grass, Tulasi leaf, bhang leaves, etc as per whatever is available. Light an oil/ ghee lamp, incense sticks etc. Light camphor and do Arti. Ring the bell, blow a conch, whatever is available. Intend for a auspicious day for everyone and add any other intention which you feel. Offer some sugar crystals to the deity and then distribute these to your family as prasad. All this will take max 5 mins. If you do not have any of these items then just a simple heartfelt namaskar to the source of your faith is also fine. The objective is to show your dedication to your deity, your source of faith, this helps you remain mindful of this power.
This is the simplest morning routine and will take about 10mins. Do it with full intention and full focus. This is the bare minimum ritualistic puja which will still help you derive the same energy as extensive and long pujas.
After this you should have your breakfast and go to the office etc.
But if you are already at work or travelling at this time then wherever you are, take a 2 min break, think of your adored deity, or Bhagwan Surya. Visualise his power energising you. Mentally recite the same Om and mantra combination. And if this is not possible then at least do Soham three times with your three breaths.
Second – the Midday routine –
At midday, you will be at your work place. So if possible, take a 2 min break, sit silently on your chair, close your eyes. Think of your adored deity or think of the Bhagwan Surya, the Sun glowing in the skies. Visualise his energy surrounding you. As if you are in a golden glowy energy ball and your deity is giving you blessings. And this is energising you from the inside out. Recite your chosen mantra, the same one which you had recited at sunrise, once or three times.
If you cannot take a 2 min break, then do Soham consciously in sync with your breath. At least three breaths, with 3 times Soham recited mentally with the full intention of linking yourself to your source of faith. You can do this as you are doing your work.
The objective is to be aware of the midday energy. The Sun is at the Zenith. It is the Abhijit muhurt and he is at his highest power. Open up this mantra channel to connect with him at this time. Thus be in sync with his power.
Third – the Evening routine
1. If you are at home then –
At the exact sunset try to be on your Asan in front of your household deity, light the lamp and recite Om and your mantra once/ thrice exactly as you did at the sunrise time. (Ideally this is the time for the Evening Agnihotra. But not all of us may have access to the materials needed for this. Thus this simplification)
Then go to the balcony and keep an incense stick in front of the Tulasi plant. All followers of Sanatan Dharma are required to keep this living energy in their homes. If you do not have a Tulasi plant then light an incense stick such that the aroma is around your front door.
Then go to the household puja altar and do the evening camphor Arti of your household deity. Or at least a heartfelt namaskar. Offer some sugar crystals to the deity as naivedyam and distribute them to the family as prasad. The intention is general auspiciousness for everyone and any other intention you wish to power.
This evening routine will take max10 mins of your time.
2. If you are in the office or travelling at this time then – Wherever you are, in office or in the train do the exact same thing which you had done at midday. Take a 2 min break, think of your adored deity, or Bhagwan Surya. Visualise his power around you energising you. Mentally recite the same Om and mantra combination. And if this is not possible then do Soham three times with your three breaths.
One additional intention at sunset is to do a mental namaskar specifically to the Devi Laxmi. Request her to come to your home and bless you with prosperity.
The objective is to remain aware of the energies of the sunset and to channelise this intense burst of power in a useful way in your life.
The fourth routine is to be done at midnight.
But for most of us it is not possible to stay up so late. So do this simplification at your bedtime. As you sit on your bed, think of your adored deity. Visualise the power around you, as a very gentle and protective silvery gold cocoon. Keep your hands in the namaskar position. Request the deity for a restful sleep, in the language of your choice. Say ‘Om Shri (name of deity) namah’, three times in your mind and go to sleep. Just as a mother protects her child as it sleeps, think that your deity is protecting you as you sleep.
In case you are up till midnight and are alert and fit –
Then for about 20 mins do your Dhyan on your Asan. That is – for about10mins before and after the exact midnight. Recite your mantra mentally for as may repeats as you wish. The max is 108 repeats. This is the power of the Nishita muhurta, this is the most powerful time of the day. The Sun is at the nadir. He is illuminating the foundation, the source, the roots, the origin. Any practice at this time gives the highest results. My personal recommendation is as always – Soham, mentally recite – Sooo – with the inhaled breath, Hummm – with the exhaled breath.
This is a simplified daily routine and it generates so much energy that your lethargy, inertia, animal like nature will be reduced to the bare minimum. The simplest indication of this is that your mind will rebound back to its stable position very easily. You will be able to handle all emotional turmoil with ease. Your intelligence will be sharpened and you will live your life with a greater confidence. This is a highly abbreviated form of the daily practice, yet it has the potential to generate immense power if you do it sincerely. Do this simple daily routine for 21days at least and then evaluate for yourself.
Some mantra which you can choose for this routine. – Choose only one mantra and go with it. Like it is said, – dig one well but dig it deep.
- Gayatri mantra – Om Bhuh Bhuvah Swah, Om tat savitur varenyam. Bhargo devasya dhemahi. Dheeyo yonah prachodayat.
- Mahamrutyunjai mantra – Om tryambakam yajamahe. Sugandhim pushtivardhanam, uruvarukam iva bandhanat, mryutyor mukshiya maam amrutat.
- Devi Laxmi mantra – “Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye praseeda praseeda. Om Shreem Hreem Shreem. Mahalaxmyai namah”
- The simplest Namaskar mantra – in the format ‘Om Shri – name of the deity – Namah’. Eg Om Shri Sarasvatyaii namah
- The standard mantra – ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, or ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’, or ‘Om Namo Narayanaya’.
- The Shri Sukta. It has 16 Rks/ verses. Or any sukta from the Ved.
- The fundamental Ajapa mantra – Soham. Mentally recite So as you inhale and hummm as you exhale with your breath.
- The Maheshwar Sutrani/ Shiv Sutrani, which are the real source of power.
- The only condition is that mantra you choose must be from the Ved and thus compulsorily must be in Sanskrit.
This minimal routine will give immense results if done daily with full sincerity. Do much as you comfortably can, but on a daily basis. Do not take up so much that it becomes a burden. The bare minimum is awareness of the time – sunrise, midday, sunset, bedtime/midnight and 3 breaths + Soham. Do this bare minimum but do it daily 4 times a day.
Remember that the most important times in a day are sunrise, sunset, midday and midnight. There is such in intense burst of energy in these four times, that whatever you do or intend now is bound to manifest. These are the 4 ‘magic’ times when the Universe is saying ‘tathaastu’, ‘So Be It’. And each one of us must do some energy practice at this time, it is essential.
I emphasise on a daily routine in all my posts and answers to comments. This routine holds your life together, it is the energy backbone of your life, it is compulsory, no options here. Just sitting like a lump, expecting the Universe to help you is not logical. The beauty of Sanatan Dharma is that you have the complete freedom to choose your own Guru, your method of doing sadhana and making your life choices. But this freedom is founded on the Ved, and as householders, you and me, we have to do our karma, follow Vedpurva, ie do our practice daily.
Dr. Tejaswini Arvind Patil
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