The spiritual connection of numbers

In all faiths numbers play a role. 108, 13, 3, 613, 786, 5, 888, 666 are spiritual numbers.

In my seminars, my students always ask, why is 108 important? In Hinduism 108 is a holy number. An individual breathes 21,600 times in 24 hours. When divided by two, it becomes 10,800 resembling 2 horizons – the north and south poles, emphasizing 108 as basic. The sky is divided into 27 nakshatras, each having four sectors of 30, i.e. 27×4=108. The moon crosses one nakshatra in 54 hours, which if divided into day and night gives 54×2=108. Continue reading

Hail to the Divine Creatrix

Oh, Mother I entreat you to save the earth. Now is the time, when all of us are praying to you. Please end all the wars, discriminations and hatred.

Swami Sivananda, was a Devi Bhakta as all Gurus are. He addressed Devi as the Supreme Shakti of the Supreme Being. He gives his arguments for his faith and beliefs.

The 13 arguments

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964 – Matri Shakti

In the Vedic and Tantric tradition, Devi, the divine mother is worshipped. She has many forms, and they are all symbols of her energy and power. They depict her qualities of compassion, benevolence, her powerful forces which act as catalysts to propel the devotee to attain awareness of the cosmic force, which sustains, nourishes and governs the entire creation. Continue reading

762 – Takeaway from Festivals

Growing up as children in India as a Hindu, one learns a great deal from our numerous festivals. It is not taught but one’s awareness becomes heightened watching family members. All the festivals are based on triumph of good over evil. I am sharing with you the history and background and how this becomes a part of one. Continue reading

699 – We are blessed with many mothers

A mother in Hinduism is one’s first Guru. She nurtures and enables one to be a spiritual human being. Each Guru acknowledges his mother. The Mother Goddess has many forms, and they are all addressed as Mother. Continue reading

631 – What faith one belongs to

Why does one have to explain?

The Same God

Now there are varieties of gifts, the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord: and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common God.
1 Corinthians 12. 4-7 Continue reading

543 – Triumph over the Gunas during Navratri

 

During the 9 days of worship of the Mother Goddess, the triumph of the divine feminine trinity of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi occurs. In the course of this festival of Mother worship, respect is shown to young girls, married women, young learned boys, elephants and cows. Navratri represents the internal conquest of negativity. Continue reading

526 – Kali’s gift of Atma shakti to all women

Today it’s International Women’s Day. #EmbraceEquity

Fearlessness the greatest gift bestowed to all women by Kali. As females we are told from the time of our birth to take care of ourselves and to look after others. However, what we must try to be is to be brave and fear free. Kali empowers us to develop Atma shakti. Continue reading

500 – Practice Atmabhava every day – Part 1

The practice of Atmabhava (love for humanity) is like being aware of all the gods 24/7. We have seven days in the week and each day is allocated to a God.

Monday is dedicated to Shiva. Devotees fast for the whole day and can have one meal only. Fasting starts after sunrise. After rising from the bed, one should meditate on Shiva. Then have a bath and offer prayers to Shiva and Parvati. If fasting, wear white clothes. White flowers and white food are offered. Benefit is to receive Shiva’s blessings. Continue reading

488 – How to offer flowers to the Deity

There is a ritual to be followed when one offers flowers to the Deity. There are many flowers which can be offered. Some of the favorites I have listed below.

Hibiscus—Botanical name Hibiscus rosa-Sinensis. The goddess loves the Hibiscus flower. It is her favorite flower. The hibiscus belongs to Kali. She represents empowerment, and with that comes destruction of evil. Therefore, she is considered a fierce Goddess. The red hibiscus is symbolic of Kali’s tongue. She portrays a form of energy and this blood symbolism becomes life affirming and it ties her to the life forces that pulsate in all of us. Continue reading

479 – 10 Divine forms of the Goddess

Das Mahavidyas are the divine forms of the Goddess. They are very powerful forms of the Goddess and can be worshipped in their individual manifestations. Their origin is when Sati manifested herself into the ten forms of Adi Shakti because Shiva would not allow her to attend her father’s Yagna uninvited. Both Sati and Shiva had not received an invite. When Shiva found that he was surrounded by these Goddesses in every direction, he agreed to attend the function. Continue reading

445 – Worship of Kali by Ramakrishna

Why did Ramakrishna worship Kali? Ramakrishna had the divine vision of Kali and he was always in communication with her. One does not know whether Kali chose him to express her divinity through him or he chose Kali.

Who is Kali? Is she the Shakti of Shiva? Continue reading