What Are You Ready to Release With Love?
What if Navaratri wasn't about becoming a better version of yourself?
What a relief. 😄
No spiritual renovation project.
No nine-day plan to finally eradicate procrastination, people-pleasing, resentment, fear, self-doubt and every other pesky little human foible we've accumulated along the way.
Because, frankly...
We don't get rid of ourselves.
And perhaps we don't need to.
One of the things I love about Navaratri is the opportunity to look at these familiar patterns with a little more tenderness.
Ahhh...you again.
The fear that gets nervous when we're about to take a risk.
The people-pleaser who desperately wants everyone to be happy.
The procrastinator who suddenly discovers that reorganising the spice drawer is absolutely urgent when there's something difficult to be done. 😄
The resentment we've been carrying because somewhere underneath it, we were hurt.
We don't even have to analyse them to death.
Or judge them.
Or demand that they explain themselves.
We can simply recognise:
This is part of me too.
And perhaps even:
You were trying to help me once. Thank you.
But I don't need to carry you quite so tightly anymore.
This is where Navaratri becomes more than an interesting collection of ancient Goddess stories.
It becomes an experience.
For nine days, we journey with the Nine Faces of Durga through story, mantra, meditation, journalling, creativity and ritual.
And we bring our whole messy, magnificent selves along.
Not just the bits we'd happily display on LinkedIn. 😄
We notice what arises.
We meet it with compassion.
We call upon the different qualities of Shakti.
And sometimes we take one of those old patterns and make it into an actual offering.
Write it down.
Thank it.
Forgive it.
Forgive ourselves.
Give it to Durga Ma.
And then...
Burn, baby, burn. 🔥
Not because we're trying to destroy some unacceptable part of ourselves.
Quite the opposite.
The fire becomes a ritual of love and release.
You've been part of my story.
I don't hate you.
I'm not ashamed of you.
And I don't need to hold onto you quite so tightly anymore.
Then we watch the paper curl.
Watch the smoke rise.
And see what it feels like to make a little more room inside.
Maybe the pattern comes back.
We're human. It probably will. 😄
But perhaps next time we recognise it sooner.
Perhaps we're kinder to ourselves when it appears.
Perhaps it doesn't get to drive the bus quite so often.
That's the invitation of Navaratri for me.
Not perfection.
Not getting rid of the inconvenient parts of ourselves.
But nine days to meet ourselves—with the Goddesses beside us—with a little more curiosity, compassion, humour and love.
And perhaps to place something in the fire and whisper:
Thank you.
I forgive you.
I forgive myself.
I'm ready to loosen my hold now.
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If this is speaking to you, come and experience the nine-day journey with me:
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