Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

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Tenma
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Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Tenma »

Out of curiosity, considering the vapors of a humidifier resemble that of smoke, I wanted to ask, is it was possible to use a humidifier for the practice of sang or any sort of smoke offering? If so, what sort of liquid compound should I use for the water? Saffron water? What kind of compound would do and how should it be made?
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AmidaB
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

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Tenma wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:10 pm Out of curiosity, considering the vapors of a humidifier resemble that of smoke, I wanted to ask, is it was possible to use a humidifier for the practice of sang or any sort of smoke offering? If so, what sort of liquid compound should I use for the water? Saffron water? What kind of compound would do and how should it be made?
:good:
I'd be interested to hear more about this, especially since I've learned that the lungs of sentient beeings are not keen to differentiate between the (nano)particles of various smokes.
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Ayu
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Ayu »

Because my landlord disallowed any smoking in my flat's contract, I use an aroma lamp (= a candle beneath hot water) and some drops lavender oil for fragrance.
Since lavender is a cleaning and relaxing scent, I regard it as a good substitute for sang.
I have no idea, if this really counts as a substitute from a traditional POV, but I have no better solution.
Tenma
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Tenma »

Ayu wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 9:11 am Because my landlord disallowed any smoking in my flat's contract, I use an aroma lamp (= a candle beneath hot water) and some drops lavender oil for fragrance.
Since lavender is a cleaning and relaxing scent, I regard it as a good substitute for sang.
I have no idea, if this really counts as a substitute from a traditional POV, but I have no better solution.
My college forbids burning candles and incense in our dorms, so that's why I've been asking (and Happy Hanukkah!). Thus, I've been trying to see other acceptable "smoke-like" substitutes
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PeterC
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by PeterC »

There are specific substances that you should be using for the burnt offering which probably can't be done through a humidifier.

When I need to do it, I generally find somewhere outdoors where I can burn the offering and do it there.
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Ayu »

Tenma wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 5:08 am
Ayu wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 9:11 am Because my landlord disallowed any smoking in my flat's contract, I use an aroma lamp (= a candle beneath hot water) and some drops lavender oil for fragrance.
Since lavender is a cleaning and relaxing scent, I regard it as a good substitute for sang.
I have no idea, if this really counts as a substitute from a traditional POV, but I have no better solution.
My college forbids burning candles and incense in our dorms, so that's why I've been asking (and Happy Hanukkah!). Thus, I've been trying to see other acceptable "smoke-like" substitutes
Then you can offer incense without burning it. In our temple they do it alike. The incense is like a permanent offer.
Burning substances outside sounds like a good idea as well. I would have to travel a bit to find a place without people though.
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Tenma »

Well, I live near the Charles River over in Boston now (according to my friends, it's not exactly a safe place to swim at, particularly when the rowers have to wear special gear to protect themselves from getting unusual rashes from the river bacteria); is there a particular, preferable spot on the park to burn things? What kind of tree looks "oddly special"?
I've already received the transmission for a few smoke practices but there was no mention of where it had to be. But considering the nagas and other potentially "sensitive" spirits, does this matter?
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Dorje Shedrub
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Dorje Shedrub »

BTW, "sang" is a smoke offering and "sur" is a smell offering.
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Tenma
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Tenma »

Dorje Shedrub wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 9:07 pm BTW, "sang" is a smoke offering and "sur" is a smell offering.
What's a sur offering like? I received sang, explicitly smoke rather than smell. Would a sur practice permit a humidifier like drops of eucalyptus oil in water?
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by heart »

Tenma wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:27 am
Dorje Shedrub wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 9:07 pm BTW, "sang" is a smoke offering and "sur" is a smell offering.
What's a sur offering like? I received sang, explicitly smoke rather than smell. Would a sur practice permit a humidifier like drops of eucalyptus oil in water?
No, sur is burnt food actually to feed the dead and other beings invisible to us.

/magnus
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"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
Tenma
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by Tenma »

heart wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 6:53 am
Tenma wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:27 am
Dorje Shedrub wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 9:07 pm BTW, "sang" is a smoke offering and "sur" is a smell offering.
What's a sur offering like? I received sang, explicitly smoke rather than smell. Would a sur practice permit a humidifier like drops of eucalyptus oil in water?
No, sur is burnt food actually to feed the dead and other beings invisible to us.

/magnus
Is there a practice like sang and sur WITHOUT burning things and is easily doable for a college student?
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jmlee369
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by jmlee369 »

Tenma wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:56 am
heart wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 6:53 am
Tenma wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:27 am

What's a sur offering like? I received sang, explicitly smoke rather than smell. Would a sur practice permit a humidifier like drops of eucalyptus oil in water?
No, sur is burnt food actually to feed the dead and other beings invisible to us.

/magnus
Is there a practice like sang and sur WITHOUT burning things and is easily doable for a college student?
Is there a reason for needing to do sang and sur? There is an anecdote about Lama Thubten Yeshe in Big Love that mentions how he preferred to offer high end perfume instead of incense, calling the latter "Tibetan sawdust."

One of the simplest ways taught by Buddha to deal with non-human beings is the Metta Sutta. The Atanatiya Sutta is another one, and its parallels are also found in the Chinese and Tibetan canons (kriya tantra section of the Kangyur if I'm not mistaken).

There is also the method of offering torma using the "nama sarva tathagata avalokite..." dharani which Malcolm has explained several times on this board.

When I lived in dorms, I used electric candles and permanent incense offerings (as mentioned above, sticks in a bowl without burning). For sang, there was an outdoor fireplace on campus that I used.
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by heart »

Tenma wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:56 am
heart wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 6:53 am
Tenma wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:27 am

What's a sur offering like? I received sang, explicitly smoke rather than smell. Would a sur practice permit a humidifier like drops of eucalyptus oil in water?
No, sur is burnt food actually to feed the dead and other beings invisible to us.

/magnus
Is there a practice like sang and sur WITHOUT burning things and is easily doable for a college student?
When doing burnt offering something have to burn so the minimum is an incense stick.

/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
PeterC
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Re: Can you use a humidifier for Sang?

Post by PeterC »

Tenma wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:56 am
heart wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 6:53 am
Tenma wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:27 am

What's a sur offering like? I received sang, explicitly smoke rather than smell. Would a sur practice permit a humidifier like drops of eucalyptus oil in water?
No, sur is burnt food actually to feed the dead and other beings invisible to us.

/magnus
Is there a practice like sang and sur WITHOUT burning things and is easily doable for a college student?
There are plenty of practices for propitiation, gathering positive conditions, removing obstacles, etc. that don't require you to burn anything. But if you're going to do the sang offering, which is a specific ritual performed in a specific way, really you should be trying to use the substances specified for it, imho
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