Jai ma Shakti! Navaratri

Om Namah Shivaya!

After a month on the road, and numerous adventures, I have come back to Singapore. The last couple of weeks have been amazing. Lead-assisting Shiva's teacher training in LA was blissful and ecstatic, though definitely not a walk in the park. An unexpected but transcending, I mean TRANSCENDING initiation into the path of Shaivism, several cathartic moments in meditation and practice, the bliss of being in a perfect spot with my dearest friends, and of course, participating to the Yoga Journal Conference in the awesome mountains of Colorado, covering both the Grand Anusara gathering and the Main Conference. Reconnecting with dear friends and teachers and making new ones have made the last 2 weeks... ABUNDANTLY EXCITING!

And now back home. And much to do.

But the big piece that I want to share with you, yogis and yoginis, is that while I was airborne somewhere between LA, Paris and Singapore, the great cycle of the Tantric ritual of Navaratri started. Navaratri is a devotional ritual inviting us all to renewal and alignment with the greatest Energies of the Universe. Beginning on September 30th, Tuesday until next Thursday, Shakti is celebrated for nine (nava) ratris (nights). For three days each, the form of the purifying force of Durga-Kali, the manifesting abundance of Maha Lakshmi and the creative wisdom of Saraswati are celebrated by hundreds of millions of Bhaktis all around the world. Whether you have been celebrating this amazing engagement of the creative nature of our Life for many years, or this is your first time, do not miss this amazing ritual process of connecting authentically to the power of Shakti. There are specific cycles, invoking different aspects of the Divine Mother:
- Days 1-3 (Tuesday -Thursday) Purification of Inner and Outer Obstacles on the Spritual Path with Durga
- Days 4-6 (Friday - Sunday) Worshiping the Healing Beauty and Abundance of Maha Lakshmi
- Days 7-9 (Monday-Wednesday) Awakening the Divine Wisdom and Creativity of Saraswati Ma
- Day 10 Victory of Shakti

Here are some suggestions for entering this ritual cycle with universal awareness:
- Create a sacred space: if you do not have an altar at home, now is the time to start. If you have one, clean it, reactivate it, devote yourself to it and place fresh flowers, incense and energy into it. Use colors, statues, scents that connect you with the power of the divine mother and feel no tension about what goes into it: this sacred space is utterly personal and need relate only to your vision of the Divine Mother
- Living daily practices: Before or after your meditation, pray and journal upon the qualities of Shakti that you can call in from the macrocosmic process to have effect within the microcosm of your being. Allow the shakti forces of purification, nuturing, creation and manifestation to reveal to you how to align with your highest vision in action for collective evolution. Not only write, pray and meditate but live what you are ritually invoking in your thought, speech, actions imbued with the love of life and the mother. Visit your local temple, like I did this morning, and devote yourself to Ma Shakti, in the form of mantras, prayers, prostrations, meditation, rituals or a simple visualization.
- Specific invocations for the dedication cycles: Chanting of kirtan for the divine mother in the form of Durga-Kali, Sri Laxmi Ma, and Saraswati, Chanting and listening of the Lalita Sahasranama (I will play this in class until next Thursday), chanting with Japa Mala 18-27-54 or 108 rounds of the dedicated mantras (see below)

Throughout the duration of the festival, I will dedicate each class to the aspect of the Goddess that we are within, starting with Ma Durga today. I will bring my usual 'mobile altar' along and we will start class with dedications to the mother, followed by a Sadhana (asana and meditation) invoking the inner reflection of Ma Shakti. In other words, be ready for backbendorama, with a twist (or more).

Here are the mantras for each cyle:
- Durga Ma (also known as Chamundi): Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicche or Om Dum Durgayai Namaha
- Lakshmi Ma: Om Shrim Maha Lakshimaye Namaha
- Saraswati Ma: Om Aim Saraswataye Namaha

Fasting in a way that is appropriate from a complete fast on fruits to eating vegetarian food to giving up regressive foods for your system is also traditionally part of Navaratri.

Let's all get ready for a week long of powerful dedications and practices, culminating in a Fire Sadhana next Thursday night for the Victory of Shakti!

Jai jai jai Ma Shakti!

Franck

PS: thanks to Ma Shiva for the info on Navaratri.