Havan is a procedure of eradicating inner imperfections prevalent in our being. This procedure incorporates all healing techniques beautifully. It is a rare combination of acupressure, touch healing, meditation, psychiatry, knowledge and wisdom.
Only natural materials are used while performing havan and they have ayurvedic properties. The first step towards performing a havan is acquiring the required materials. Arranging the ingredients beautifully is feng shui. The havan kund is decorated with flour, turmeric, sacred thread and all auspicious objects are placed around it with great care. These are symbols of deities and each one is specifically remembered along with their qualities. In a havan, arms and hands are used with beauty and grace, while being seated peacefully with ease, at one place, performing Kriya Yoga automatically.
The ingredients for a havan are wooden sticks about six to eight inches long from the mango tree, ghee or clarified butter, curd, honey, flowers, fruits, ganga jal, sacred thread, camphor, turmeric, rice, roli, mango leaves and havan samagri, special ingredients which are a mixture of herbs and incense among other things.The vessel used to perform the havan is called the ‘havan kund.’
The havan kund is built according to vastu. After arranging all the materials, people are made to sit on all four sides. The person performing the havan should face eastwards.
Firstly, a red-yellow coloured raw unspun thread is tied around the wrist and a tilak is applied on the forehead with turmeric and rice. Both these acts are acupressure-based. The nerves of the wrist are pressed and then the third eye is pressed to ignite inner powers, in readiness to perform the havan. Then taking some water in one hand, touching it with two fingers of the other, each limb and sense organ is touched to purify and bless it so that it may see, hear and do good and remain healthy always. After this in the agni kund, camphor and ghee-soaked mango sticks are burnt, with the thought that ‘let my body, just like these wooden sticks obtain ghee (a symbol of nutrition) so that it is always healthy to be sacrificed to ignite the fire of truth in others, and be burnt in the process.’ This thought is empowered by mantras ie may Agni Dev the lord of fire bless everyone.