Allegory is everywhere when you look for it.
Here is Durga made from three other Divine Ladies. She is riding a Lion.
Durga, Mother Divine
What is a lion? Boldness. Roaring. Charging with immense power and full commitment.
A quote attributed to Goethe says:
“What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it;
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
It is springtime, the beginning of the new growing season. You have Nine Auspicious Days to plant the seeds you wish to tend for the next 6 months. Be bold in your planting!
Oldest form of Durga worship - Kalasha (clay pot) with nine plants and coconut
Note that the Kalasha and Durga/Lion statue are on a dirt foundation. More on that in a few days. Hint-it illustrates the miracle of creation and growth. The Kalasha is a symbol for Mother Earth, who gives us life and breath. The coconut at it’s least is a symbol for sustenance.
Each of the Nine Days is devoted to enlivening a particular quality. First day was hearing. Sounds were amazingly clear to me. During the pujas, sound seemed to swirl around me, caressing the deepest recesses of my being. Second day was touch. It was a kinesthetic day for me. I noticed a lot of energy movement within my body. Third day is sight. Colors were on the menu today. Seeing the vibrant reds, oranges, yellows of the flowers lifted my spirits. We also took a video of our dancing after the pujas. I’ll try to edit it down to a small size and post it.
Tomorrow is the fourth day of Navaratra when the sense of taste is most enlivened.
Ganesha Altar
Ganesha is the Remover of Obstacles to our enlightenment.
Fifth Day is devoted to the enlivened sense of Smell.
