Ritualism

Advice given by H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi:

First of all, we should see that how our conditioning takes over our innocence. It makes you extremely ritualistic. Even in Sahaja Yoga, I’ve seen, I’ve heard also, that people are extremely, extremely ritualistic. Now the ritualism is like this: that you have to say something three times, you say it three times, seven times like tied up people. I’ve seen some Sahaja Yogis like that. ...
So one should understand a difference between a protocol and ritualism. An innocent child knows the protocol. ... So for children, you see, innocent children, the worship, everything is not ritualistic. It is heartfelt. You feel it from the heart: how to do the worship, how to show your love. Is very sweet way an innocent person does it; while a person who is very ritualistic, he may even beat another person because, “Why did you do this? You should not have put camphor in it? Why did you put the camphor so? It's very wrong.” There’s nothing wrong. If you do it with your heart, with your open heart, innocently, anything is all right. It is the open heart which is necessary, not the closed heart — “Why did you do it? Why didn’t you do it? Where did you sit? What happened?” Nothing.
Now you are in the Kingdom of God and here there are no such rules and regulations that you should be ritualistic.
(Shri Ganesha Puja 1993)

Some people know more rituals, others know more protocol, but it does not matter. I know the one who loves me. The one who loves others, loves me the most. I don't care about your protocols and rituals. It is nonsense for me. What does it matter to me? It makes no difference wether you say good morning or good evening to me. What you say to your brothers and sisters is the important thing.
(Chelsham Road, London, 24/5/81)

Quietness within, peace within, that’s very important. If there is peace you will grow. There’s no other way out. But you see, all this ritualism, sometimes giving bandhan all the time or raising Kundalini all the time and people even would like to see the table if it has vibrations, you see. That’s going too far. There’s no need to do all that nonsense. Sahaja Yoga is sense, it’s not nonsense.
(Talk in Armonk, New York, 27/7/88)

Is not necessary to have this ritualism, this kind of a rigmarole. Oh, all the time you go on. Everyday, morning till evening, nonsensical these things and they become fanatic. They start becoming absolutely fanatic about Sahaja yoga and this fanaticism can be very dangerous because they try to remember everything by heart this and that. No, not necessary.
(Shri Adi Shakti Puja 1995)

You must know what you are. First of all introspect. Accordingly you should work it out, but this ritualism is not allowed in Sahaja Yoga all the time.
(Christmas Puja 1997)