Navratri is a Hindu holiday during which we honor and thank Shakti, the Divine Mother, in all her forms. Shakti is the universal principle of energy and creativity, Mother Earth, and the feminine power in each of us.
The word nava means nine and ratri means nights; the festival lasts for nine nights, symbolic of the nine months in the womb.
Navratri is celebrated at least twice each year in India- in the spring and fall- because these are times when nature and people undergo great changes. Autumn (Sharad) Navratri begins on the day after the rise of the new moon in late September or early October.
Agenda for today:
1. New moon harvest meditation
2. Set intentions
Navratri is celebrated at least twice each year in India- in the spring and fall- because these are times when nature and people undergo great changes. Autumn (Sharad) Navratri begins on the day after the rise of the new moon in late September or early October.
The new moon rose this morning at 4 a.m. The Chinese call this eighth new moon the Harvest Moon, because it's harvest time!
Agenda for today:
1. New moon harvest meditation
2. Set intentions
3. Make a rangoli design
4. Plant grain seeds
5. Set up an altar for Mother Nature
6. Morning meditation on strength
7. Evening visualization and prayer
8. Durga mantra
1- New moon harvest meditation:
2- Set intentions:
The new moon is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. I write down what I hope to focus on in the next 30 days or so, and then give my ideas a period of gestation, like seeds in the soil, before I take action. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose.
My intentions for the next four weeks-
1- Replace kitchen floor (finally).
2- Plant bok choy.
3- Savor my weekly mini-retreats.
4. Plant grain seeds
5. Set up an altar for Mother Nature
6. Morning meditation on strength
7. Evening visualization and prayer
8. Durga mantra
1- New moon harvest meditation:- Light a small white candle.
- Center and reflect on all I have harvested this year- friendships, knowledge, and experiences.
- Feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.
- Repeat this every morning until the candle is burned down.
2- Set intentions:
The new moon is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. I write down what I hope to focus on in the next 30 days or so, and then give my ideas a period of gestation, like seeds in the soil, before I take action. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose.
My intentions for the next four weeks-
1- Replace kitchen floor (finally).
2- Plant bok choy.
3- Savor my weekly mini-retreats.
4- Write Love section of my book.
5- Start a new large painting: Smoke and ash.
6- Finish Aldo's doll and cat pants.
3- Make a rangoli design:
Rangolis are rice flour designs, made on the floor or a metal plate. At Navratri a new design might be made each day, with dots, squares, flowers, birds, and so on- each one designed to welcome the spirit of the Goddess.
I often make a rangoli on the silver plate that holds my diya lamps, but this year I'm keeping everything simple, so I used one I made on cardboard, with glue.
For more about rangoli and how to make them, see my Rangoli page.
4- Plant grain seeds:
At Navratri, most Hindu households sprout a bowl of seeds called the Nava-Dhanya (nine cereals), each a symbol of a different planet.
I often use three kinds of grain seeds: Wheat for the sun, rice for the moon, and corn for the earth (corn is not a Hindu grain but it's important to me!)
The sowing, sprouting and growth of the grains is intended to bring peace, abundance, and joy to the household-- as they grow during the nine days of the festival, they will remind me of the vibrancy of life and the creative energy of the Shakti.
5- Set up an altar for Mother Nature:
The nine nights of Navratri are broken up into sets of three, and during each a different aspect of Shakti is meditated upon- the Goddesses Durga, then Lakshmi, and then Saraswati. For the first three nights the Mother is invoked as Durga, goddess of strength and courage.
Today I set up an altar to honor the Mother in all her forms. My altar is in no way authentically Hindu- I make it for my own use, to remind me of the work I am doing. If you want to see an authentic puja, watch this video.
I set up:
During Navratri, Hindus work on their vyavhaar (behaviour) and acharan (character). Each of the three goddesses marks a stage of the spiritual journey we all go through: Durga’s strength and energy creates an opening, Lakshmi’s success and fortune nurtures growth, and Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.
On each morning of Navratri I light a small white candle, center, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life. For the first three mornings I meditate on my strengths- the ways that Durga shines in me- and the qualities or habits I wish to let Durga destroy.
7- Evening visualization and prayer:
I end each day of Navratri with a prayer. For these first three nights I honor the destructive aspect of the Mother.
Durga is a warrior - not an easy image for a pacifist, but important to acknowledge this part of my nature. Durga rides a fierce tiger, and has 10 arms, which hold weapons and a lotus flower. She destroys the evils that threaten the stability of the cosmos, and she helps the universe to continue with its cycle of creation, preservation and destruction.
I picture this Mother Spirit entering my heart riding her tiger. I see Her wipe out my anger, greed, laziness, procrastination, indifference, pride, defensiveness, and jealousy.
9- Durga Mantra:
I continue to focus on my image of Durga and chant-
3- Make a rangoli design:
 |
| 2016's rangoli |
I often make a rangoli on the silver plate that holds my diya lamps, but this year I'm keeping everything simple, so I used one I made on cardboard, with glue.
For more about rangoli and how to make them, see my Rangoli page.
4- Plant grain seeds:
 |
| My three grains, soaking overnight. |
I often use three kinds of grain seeds: Wheat for the sun, rice for the moon, and corn for the earth (corn is not a Hindu grain but it's important to me!)
The sowing, sprouting and growth of the grains is intended to bring peace, abundance, and joy to the household-- as they grow during the nine days of the festival, they will remind me of the vibrancy of life and the creative energy of the Shakti.
5- Set up an altar for Mother Nature:
The nine nights of Navratri are broken up into sets of three, and during each a different aspect of Shakti is meditated upon- the Goddesses Durga, then Lakshmi, and then Saraswati. For the first three nights the Mother is invoked as Durga, goddess of strength and courage.Today I set up an altar to honor the Mother in all her forms. My altar is in no way authentically Hindu- I make it for my own use, to remind me of the work I am doing. If you want to see an authentic puja, watch this video.
I set up:
- my rangoli- to welcome the Shakti
- a diya lamp- for the Light of God
- a God's eye- to watch over us
- bells- to keep me awake to the Spirit
- and a bowl of soil with seeds- for the creative energy of the Shakti
During Navratri, Hindus work on their vyavhaar (behaviour) and acharan (character). Each of the three goddesses marks a stage of the spiritual journey we all go through: Durga’s strength and energy creates an opening, Lakshmi’s success and fortune nurtures growth, and Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.On each morning of Navratri I light a small white candle, center, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life. For the first three mornings I meditate on my strengths- the ways that Durga shines in me- and the qualities or habits I wish to let Durga destroy.
7- Evening visualization and prayer:
I end each day of Navratri with a prayer. For these first three nights I honor the destructive aspect of the Mother.
Durga is a warrior - not an easy image for a pacifist, but important to acknowledge this part of my nature. Durga rides a fierce tiger, and has 10 arms, which hold weapons and a lotus flower. She destroys the evils that threaten the stability of the cosmos, and she helps the universe to continue with its cycle of creation, preservation and destruction.
I picture this Mother Spirit entering my heart riding her tiger. I see Her wipe out my anger, greed, laziness, procrastination, indifference, pride, defensiveness, and jealousy.
"Thank you, Great Spirit, for providing energy for the earth to move around the sun, and for maintaining the correct balance of the universe. You are the earth. You nourish support, protect, and mother all creatures, all beings. I ask you to help me recognize those aspects of myself that are not helpful. Give me the strength and courage to maintain my physical and mental balance, and to destroy my vices and defects so that what is good and pure has room to unfold.”
9- Durga Mantra:
I continue to focus on my image of Durga and chant-
- Om - the primordial sound,
- Dum - the energy which protects from all negative influences,
- Dur-ga-yei - goddess of strength,
- Na-ma-ha - I pray.
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