Navarathri...

This word above means nine nights, now nine nights of what you might ask? That would be the 9 pervasive aspects of the Goddess Durga, Durga who embodies all the shakti of the universe but who also can separate herself into a different goddess embodying only one aspect. There is much more to her than just the nine qualities but it's enough, it's a big celebration, all the kids are even out of school and it's a very powerful time to be here.

I personally connect the most with Kali, which I've written about a thousand times, but this past week the connection has been very, very strong. In my meditations sometimes I'm even feeling her hand on my shoulder as I sit and chant her names and have visions of her being there in front of me. Now, some in the west, or most even, will think this makes me crazy and maybe I am. I'm reading the biography of Sri Ramakrishna who lived with the Kali murthy in Dakshineswar outside Kolkata for 30 years, having experiences of her and slowly becoming recognized as a god realised saint. I'm in no way implying I'm a saint, but what I am saying is that my love and worship of Kali is finally coming into form and I'm feeling the influence throughout my whole day, where before I had trouble in those few minutes I'd be chanting her names to even feel her, now fruition is coming. Hopefully not the end, but the beginning of a life long relationship.

This morning being the last day of the nine day festival they acknowledge Kamala, which the name itself means lotus flower, but she is more widely known as the tantric version of Lakshmi. She embodies abundance. The goddess's son Ganesha is therefore very revered on this day as well, and as I walked into the Ganesh temple here in Gokulam I wished immediately I could take a photo of him. He was decked out in silver, usually being black basalt, sometimes covered in turmeric, leaves, vibhuti, bananas, but most often the black stone that's so abundant in the south. But to see him with only yellow and white flowers covering him in his silver form was radiant and magnificent. I can't even tell you how it made me feel.

Then after I went to the little Kali temple I've been raving about, and she too was in her silver form. Radiant, even her tongue hanging out was silver. I feel the power in this little room, it makes me feel things I forget after I leave, but the memory of connection stays with me. I also went by a tiny little Chamundi temple in the area, she was in brightest red this morning, all of them were just amazing this morning. I'm having one of those god days where I'm feeling the energy a lot.

I just read in the biography of Ramakrishna about him telling one of the men who was in charge at the temple how if the body is not ready when the energy becomes realised that it has troubles, like he would go out into space and seem to not be there, his body vacant and still. And it happened often with him. I know this because of the asana practice. I've had a hard time practicing this week, and I believe its because of the energy coursing through the air, through me. Today being no exception I overslept and woke up very hungry so proceeded to shower, do my chanting and leave for breakfast and morning temple visits. I'll get back in touch with the asanas tomorrow, they are a tool, and are cumulative, so I'm feeling okay mostly in my body. But I'd still feel much better today if I'd prepared the vessel for the energy it would be channeling this day, I'm a bit overwhelmed and spent already, but still ready to go.

This week I've visited temples at night also since that is when they celebrate even more, last night having a great experience from the little Chamundi temple in Vijayanagar. Tonight I'll go to the Adi Shakti temple near it. And maybe go back to Kali again just for the ending of these nine days celebration.

Also today they celebrate the weapons that Durga used to destroy the demons. There were many and were all given by the gods when they summoned her, so you can google them if you're interested, but it's symbolic anyway. The demons being our inner issues that need dealing with and the tools being the yogic tools we're given, sometimes other things. In "real" life it translates to people decorating their cars with flowers and marks of Shiva and much more. The Ganesh temple had so many vehicles in front of it to be blessed that the road was blocked on that side, which of course was causing a traffic jam on the other side! This is a unique thing that I've not seen in any other cultures mythology that I've studied, the gods themselves want to be worshipped, not their implements they provide you with, and often Zeus provided folks with shields, or swords or things of that nature. So it's very interesting to observe and to take part in. If you do end up googling her weapons read about what each one represents and how it affects the death of the demons, it's very specific and can be powerful if you're open to it.

So today notice the energies within you, all around you, feel the strength in the femininity of these energies and how powerful the divine feminine is. Also take the time to appreciate all the implements in your life that you use to maintain well being for yourself, for your family. That could be oils you burn to heighten your mood, the knives and forks you use to prepare and eat dinner, the washrag you use to wash the unclean from your body. Your car and how well it works as it takes you where you need to go. Your church as a place of worship which can help keep your mind and sensibilities in a good place. Etc... You decide, worship to me means to be appreciative, feel the energy of the things and how they flow in your life and be grateful for them, even be grateful for how they manifested into your life. Feel love and peace and enjoy them when they manifest, Be happy and when you're not happy be okay with it, knowing that it's leading you back to happiness again. Treat others with love and kindness because you don't know what they're going through internally. Help when they ask if it's in your ability to do so, but also ask for help when you need it and don't be ashamed to admit you just can't do it on your own at this time.

Be okay with things, knowing that whether or not they are the way you want them they are showing you the contrast which can help lead you back to the life you have envisioned. But mostly because being okay with them keeps your internal being in a much more pleasant place. Fighting within you just keeps you in turmoil and that manifests more turmoil.

Enjoy this life we're given. Feel the reflection of those around you and notice what about it you like and what you don't like and move in the direction that feels better. Don't worry about it if others judge you, what they like shouldn't matter to you and your likes have nothing to do with them. I've been nervous to discuss this Kali thing to the depths its really been happening inside, but here it is and there's more, but it's not the point of this entry so no need to go further.

As the quote I just put on Facebook from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of the Ashtanga Yoga system, says: "One month, two months, two years, ten years. No use. Whole life. Whole life is practice. That is the method."

We never get it done, we are here for a long time and the whole time we are meant to be conscious or working towards a deeper level of awareness, of that around us but only in context of how it reflects what we're putting out there, but mostly of that within us. Let's do this and call upon that inner shakti to help up fight those demons, not fight them into submission, but move them into integration and becoming more whole, more complete human beings...