Navaratri is an ancient festival celebrating the Goddess. Something of a different perspective from western culture, where we have revered an all powerful masculine principle. Particularly so in the past 350 or so years with the advent of science, which gets behind the idea that if you can see it...it doesn't exist. Since I was 24 years old when I first visited India, the sharp contrast between what I had grown up with and observing India running on the devotion to the invisible forces that rule our lives, has always been a source of curiosity to me. But as the years have rolled on and I have spent more time visiting and living in India, immersed in Yoga philosophy and discovering the magic that rules their lives, I have become more and more convinced that there is something to be said for belief in 'our invisible power'. Since visiting an ancient temple on the Ganges many years ago, where a temple had been constructed to honour the 10 Mahavidyas (Tantric Wisdom goddesses) I have become enthralled with the various aspects of the Divine feminine. I will cover each one of these in more depth in the months ahead. What captured my attention was that they were deeply honouring of some less than attractive aspects of myself and regarded them as gifts. So have been studying them ever since...trying to understand and get to know and accept and revere these qualities in myself and others.
So who is the Goddess?
According to some teachers she is a super human feminine presence that has created the world....through the moving dynamic energy of Shakti. The masculine principle conceives of the idea and the feminine principle creates it. This creative Shakti energy is hiding inside of each us waiting to be discovered and activated to light up our lives and according to the Tamil Siddha, Dr Baskaran Pillai.....
“The Goddess is the miracle-performing intelligence within the brain … called ‘Arul Shakti,’ or ‘Chit Shakti.’ ‘Chit’ means super-normal consciousness, which is the consciousness to do anything, to know anything, and to be anywhere, anytime. She is not simply a vibration or frequency. She is a mega-divine female, the mother-divine. The counterpart of God the Father, she is the Creatrix of the phenomenal world.
Aspects of the Goddess
Navaratri is celebrated in different ways in various parts of India. In the north they focus on the 9 different aspects of Durga, the goddess of India who was called upon by the Gods to fight the demons who had taken over the world and because of a boon they had received where they could not be killed by any man. But the loophole in the boon didn’t mention anything about a woman. So Durga came to earth as a ravishingly beautiful women riding on a lion (or tiger in some cases) with 10 arms…each carrying a weapon to conquer any negative force. Durga is the goddess of India and needless to say the demons didn’t have a chance against her as she is not simply a single female being, but also embodies many different aspects of feminine power. Each day of Navaratri is devoted to a different aspect of Durga.
Yes she can be fierce and demands respect, is unwavering in her protection of the world and all that is good, kind, loving and authentic. She is the ‘pull your sox up’ Goddess whom you call upon to get that impossible task completed. Or to protect you and your family from harm. She gives courage and drive to follow through to do what needs to be done….all without breaking a fingernail! Think of a mother lioness with her cubs.
I am sure you recognise that fierce protectress inside yourself.
In other parts of India the Goddesses Saraswati, Laxmi and Kali or Durga are celebrated for 3 days each. In any case, you are honouring aspects not only of the Mother divine, but that energy in you.
By participating in Navaratri, you are becoming receptive to something new to come into your
life. It may be a flash of insight about a situation that has been troubling you. Or an injection of hope where you were overwhelmed or at loose end with something. Being in connection with your invisible power, your own super WIFI connection to the divine and may increase your awareness of the crippling affect of your own self-doubt or certain limiting beliefs you hold dear regarding your capacity for creating an abundant joyous empowered loving life. Yes this can be uncomfortable…BUT the Goddess in you once honoured and enlivened has the capacity to experience that discomfort and remain focussed on what is truly important.
Opening to your divine invisible SHAKTI power can fuel your capacity to remain firmly lodged in yourSELF rather than being swept along with habitual outmoded ways of reacting to life and being torn by polarities…. Good/bad, right/wrong etc.
By embracing your inner Goddess, you can release any negative energy you may be holding from the past, shift stagnation and become unstuck, and take the action you know you need to take in spite of your own fear or judgements of others.
These are just some of the benefits of empowering your divine feminine…the Goddess in you. Are you ready to shift from mundane consciousness to miracle consciousness? How would it be to see each moment as a miracle? To be residing in a sense of deep peace even in the chaos and whirlwinds of life?
The Goddess in you is an awakened consciousness in action shining its light of divine love, deep peace, bliss, joy, wisdom, creativity and self acceptance into every area of your life.
If you are interested in a taste of this possibility, click here
www.amandaahern.com and sign up for my Navaratri online event.
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