This Special October Night . . .

01 Monday Nov 2010

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Whether you are celebrating Halloween, Samhain, or All Hallows Eve . . . look to the light of your jack-o-lantern, candle, or bonfire and let it remind you of the Divine Light that shines within us all.  For it is that light that makes this festive night possible.  It is that light that makes this night worth sharing.  May the blessings and warmth of the Light sustain you and yours through the winter ahead.

Navratri Wishes (and a little background)

11 Monday Oct 2010

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In Gnostic circles, it is not at all unusual to hear our brothers and sisters discuss the concept of “the divine feminine”- that is the more feminine aspects of what we consider to be God or the Divine.  Things such as creation, nurturing, and balance are often given this feminine connotation.  We see it personified in such revered characters as Sophia, the Holy Virgin Mary, and even Mary of Magdala.  Not all are comfortable with this notion of a more feminine aspect of the great ineffable.  One culture that celebrates the divine feminine and its loving, motherly aspects is the Hindu culture. Our Hindu brothers and sisters are in the midst of celebrating a very special holiday – a holiday of beauty, joy, and reflection – a holiday known as Navratri.

One of the most celebrated holidays on the Hindu calendar, Navratri is a nine night celebration of the Mother Goddess Shakti / Devi, in all her forms and emanations.  The first three days are dedicated to Warrior Goddess Durga, dressed in red and mounted on a lion. Her various incarnations – Kumari, Parvati and Kali – are also worshipped during these days. Days four through six are dedicated to the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, Lakshmi.  She is dressed in gold and is seated on an owl.  The final three days are devoted to Saraswati, the Goddess Of Knowledge.  She is dressed in milky white and mounted on a pure white swan. Navratri is actually observed twice a year: once in the beginning of summer and again at the onset of winter.

All Hindus celebrate this festival at the same time, but in many different ways around the world.  From fasting, to dancing, to the storied and frenzied Durga Puja celebration, Navratri is a universal celebration for our friends of the Hindu faith.  One of my favorite rituals is the setting up of golu.  Traditional to Southern India, golu a set of small steps on which idols of the incarnations of Shakti are placed and adorned.  It is a stunning tribute to the Divine Feminine in all its glory and forms.
On this Sharad Navratri of 2010, I want to extend blessings for peace and happiness to my Hindu brothers and sisters as well as all my friends and family.  As one popular Hindu blessing goes:

Fortunate is the one who has learned to Admire, but not to envy. Good Wishes for a joyous Navratri and a Happy New Year with a plenty of Peace and Prosperity!



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