A Yogi Shares Her Love of the Divine Feminine
A number of people have been asking about my recent Navratri posts and other Hindu festivals and celebrations I sometimes share on social media. Let me be the first to say, I am just a beginner, and I know very little–there is SO SO SO much to learn about the Hindu pantheon alone, and then add the thousands and thousands of celebrations, festivals, auspicious days, etc., and a lifetime of learning would still be just the beginning!
However, as a yogi and teacher of yogis, I think it’s really important to know at least the major Hindu gods and goddesses. For me, it is a responsibility to hold the culture with respect and to honor the roots of this practice I love so much. Any one of us can repost a picture of a deity, a cultural or religious symbol or icon, send well wishes, and that’s all good, right? But it is cultural appropriation to do so without having an awareness of the deity, the festival, and the culture and people who truly study, practice, and LIVE with these avatars of the Divine and the festivals and traditions they celebrate with so much love and dedication.
Here is my simple attempt to share my thoughts about Navratri, the celebration happening from Oct. 15 ~ 24th, 2023 in India and beyond.
In Sanskrit, the word Navaratri means “nine nights” (nava = nine; ratri = nights). It is celebrated all across the globe and holds religious and cultural significance to those who honor the goddess Durga, an embodiment of the supreme goddess Adi Parashakti, the Cosmic Power of the Universe, created out of the collective energy of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Without the Divine Feminine, the gods cannot overcome evil in the world; and her energy is the key to fulfilling our greatest good. I love that in this relationship, masculine needs feminine, and feminine is supported by and empowers masculine. The Cosmic Power of Adi Parashakti also holds the ancient power of our own planet Earth, and as humans on this planet, her energy represents our own highest self, or our True Self, one might say, which is available to us while we are embodied in human form on Earth. If we practice… if we care to work on our own spiritual evolution, that is, we are on the path to become our “true” highest self.
So I practice.
The fourth Navratri, the one happening now, is named for the autumn season, Sharada, and is one of the most important Navratri of the year, as nine auspicious nights are filled with prayers, fasting, dancing, chanting, and then deep rest. On the tenth day, after the 9 auspicious nights of Navratri, a Durga Puja is celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil. The legend goes like this:
“Once when the obnoxious rule of Mhahishasur was getting to the nose of the devatas, they prayed for a force so invincible that it could slay down the immortal demon-ruler. The trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh) together concentrated their powers, and from an illuminating pillar of energy emerged a glorious Supreme Being, the source of power and strength, called Goddess Durga. But Mashishasura was sure of his victory as he believed he could beat her hands down. He underestimated the feminine power. Soon a fierce ravaging battle was instigated between the Devi and the demon, and he couldn’t escape the blows from her trident. He started changing his form so he could trick her into losing, but soon when he took the form of a buffalo, the Devi slewed him with her trident (trishul) and achieved victory. Since then this day is marked as a victory day and celebrated as Vijaya Dashami. The nine days of Navratri depict Devi’s spectacular skills in tackling the deadliest demons of that time. Navratri is hence, a significant time for devotees to fast, meditate, and pray to the Divine Mother for inner strength and skills to combat their own demons (or problems) of life” (SIGNIFICANCE OF NAVRATRI).
Each of the nine nights of celebration is offered up to a different avatar of the Divine Mother or Durga Maa, and each avatar’s power is significant for all of us, regardless of our sexual orientation. Each avatar has different gifts, a color association, flowers and scents offered up to them, special foods to eat, how and when to fast, and more. There are special practices to engage in, as well as things to avoid during the festival. Participating allows us to investigate our own challenges, to stand up for ourselves when we have been wronged, but to have the softness that allows for the forgiveness that brings healing to our hearts and restores balance to the Universe.
It is a big commitment to take on the entire Navratri with diligence, as some in India are doing right now. My practice is simple yet meaningful as I learn about the different avatars of my beloved Durga and how to engage more fully with this celebration. I humor myself that I began an Ayurvedic cleanse last week, and by now I am heading into the middle of it–perfect timing, I think, as I become even more aware of my dietary and self care practices, navigating them in time with these nine nights, and doing my best to get to bed early to nourish and rejuvenate my energy.
I am collecting flowers for my pujas from my garden still thick with dahlias, and taking a moment to myself each night to burn incense, chant, meditate, and look up to the stars and marvel at the Divine Feminine–the Cosmic Power of the Universe. What a blessing it is to have this human experience and yet to care deeply about how I return my own energy to the Source of it All. Yesterday, as I was listening to my Durga chant, I looked out the window to see a gigantic rainbow spanning our garden. Mother Nature, oh my!!
So why am I sharing this at all?
I’ve always loved various Hindu holidays like Ganesh Chaturthi in September, Nava / Navratri festivals, Diwali (coming up in just a few weeks!), Holi, among others, but my interest in this particular festival was piqued this past winter when I was away in India at our annual panchakarma retreat way up in the Nilgiri Mountains of Tamil Nadu. My friend Karin and I couldn’t wait to get back to one of the little shops in town that we love, and within moments of entering the door, I was drawn to the glass counter where a silver pendant of Durga riding her lion sat on a piece of cloth among a thicket of little mandalas, silver Oms, and other deities. It was like a magnet for my eyes. I tried not to appear astonished, but it was as though I had been searching for this amulet for decades, and suddenly, here she was. I asked to try it on, found an old mirror on the wall, and quietly looked at Durga sitting just below my collarbones. I felt immediate protection and a sense that I could stand up… that I could take a fuller breath!
The very next day I had a visit with the Ayurvedic doctor, and as part of my therapies he gave me a very special Kriya–a prescribed set of practices including several mantras to practice at different times, physical practices, and a chant to Durga. A chant to Durga. The doctor had no knowledge of my Durga pendant, and his gift of her chant to me was as much a surprise as any I could imagine. When I returned to him later, I brought my Durga and explained the story. He nodded his head and smiled as if he knew all along. There is so much more to the story than this for me, personally, but let’s just say, Durga has become a prominent goddess in my personal practice, and so Navratri and the honoring of the Divine Feminine and the Navdurgas (9 avatars of the goddess Durga) feels both empowering and nurturing to me as a woman, as a mother, as a daughter, and as a sister of all women.
Tonight is only the 4th of nine nights, the night of Devi Kushmanda. I love this night, as kushmanda means “pumpkin,” or broken down in Sanskrit: ku=little, ushma=energy, and anda=egg. So we have the Cosmic Power of the Universe–all of Mother Nature–in the form of a pumpkin with so many seeds of growth buried deep in the flesh of its bright orange skin! The abundance of pumpkins on our steps and stone walls at this time of year reminds me that potential energy and creativity is everywhere–it is in our own being and in all of Nature. Today I am making kitchari and adding some pumpkin seeds on top for the extra prana. As you can see from this picture, the chipmunks have also taken the nourishment of these seeds!
Tonight, I will practice my kriyas and offer flowers for my evening puja under the stars. It feels good to be a student of these stories and to feel my own reflection in the deities that are all wonderfully personified parcels of a single Divine light.
If you feel called, I invite you to stand outside during Navratri and offer gratitude to Mother Nature, Adi Parashakti, Maa Durga, the Source of it All. May you find time to sing, dance, meditate, offer prayers and gratitude–whatever way you connect to the Divine. Hey Maa Durga!
With love and many blessings to you on Navratri
Katie
💜
P.S. If you are interested in joining me in India, Feb. 16 ~ March 8, 2024, I am co-leading a very special Ayurveda retreat with my dear friend, John deKadt. You can read all about it here: AYURVEDA INDIA RETREAT 2024
