Guna means virtue and each one of us is blessed with three gunas. They emerge from Prakriti creating the essential aspects of all nature—matter, energy and consciousness. These are tamas (darkness and chaos), rajas (activity and passion) and sattva (beingness and harmony). These gunas are constantly in flux and they are responsible for creating maya (illusion). As human beings we can consciously alter our levels of gunas in our body and mind. Continue reading
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
It is a sweeping statement. However, it is possible. Our body is made up of five basic elements – the panch tattva. The five fingers of our hands are regarded as representative symbols of the panch tattvas. Continue reading
The Maya tree sprouts out of the seed from the vrittis (modification) of the mind. In the soil of enjoyments of the world, attachment, and desire water the Maya tree of illusion. Karmas are the fruits while lust, anger and greed are its sprouts. Continue reading
We have three gunas. Gunas are traits with which each one of us is born with. Tamas is being dull and immovable like a rock. Rajas is being ambitious and egotistical. Sattwa is being rational, and non judgemental. Continue reading
We all have to join together and rid the universe of evil and destruction. In the Shastras it is written that the easiest way to experience God in these troubled and turbulent times is by worship. We need not go into a complicated philosophical discussion. All we have to do is to bow our heads before the deity, who is greater than any other power of the world. Aradhana (prayer) starts from this act and progresses gradually towards bliss and love. Begin with the deity, one loves and adores (it can be the elements, chakras, and yantras), and one rises progressively above the form and merges into the supreme atman. Continue reading
Kali Ma is both the auspicious Ambika and the terrible Kali. Kali is the relentless power of time, which in the end consumes everything. Kali represents the energy of the universe. She is Shakti. Continue reading
Shakti existed before the creation of time and space. Shakti is also called the pristine matter or Prakriti (nature). Prakriti expresses herself in three different forms as the power of the universe. These three qualities are called Gunas. The Mother now creates the universe based on the Gunas. The Gunas are sattwa, rajas and tamas. Continue reading
How can we commune with the powers of the universe. We live in a cosmos which is permeated by powerful sources.There are deities everywhere, whether they are in the clouds, forests, waterfalls, mountains, planets, sand or an atom. We have to connect our heart with them and we will feel their presence. We are part of the divinities as these are aspects of our deeper self. We are comprised of three gunas, Tamas, Rajas and Sattwa. They are our basic energies and their complex interactions create the physical universe. Continue reading