Saturday, October 12, 2013

Squirrel Puja

Sri Nut Ji assisting with a Puja ceremony in India

Today, Mr.Nut finally told me why he keeps insisting on burying nuts on my altar. He said that all buddha squirrels have the dharma to protect and raise consciousness. In order to do that, all buddha squirrels perform "Puja" ceremonies.

A Puja ceremony is a ritual that is an expression of honor and devotion to a deity or group of deities. Mr.Nut told me that, as a squirrel-buddha, it is his duty to honor the Great Squirrel Heart that oversees the entire Cosmos. To do this, he selects the best pecans and places them on my altar. My altar has many pictures of enlightened beings... some of which are: Jesus, Paramahansa Yogananda, Mother Meera, Sri Ammabhagavan, and Byron Katie.  Mr. Nut says that all these beings are part of the One Squirrel Heart and so it is fitting and proper that he places nuts there under their photos.

During the last couple of weeks while I was recovering from viral meningitis, Mr.Nut knocked over a large vase of flowers on my altar and made a huge mess. Everything got soaken wet (including Mr.Nut)!  I scolded him for making more work for me to clean up when I was hurting so bad.  He then climbed up to the bookshelf and lay there like a hurt little child. Of course I immediately felt bad.  I had gotten angry with him before I knew his motive!  So I apologized to him for my ignorance and asked for his forgiveness. 

So the point of all this is... before you get upset with your squirrel for doing some behavior you can't understand, just know that he had a very good reason that you're just not aware of!  But if you hold back your judgement and ask him calmly about his actions, he will enlighten you! 

Long Live the Buddha Squirrels!
~OM OM Sri Nut Ji OM OM~ 

Can you find the pecan on the altar?