When Swamiji suggested I join them for the full nine days of Chaitra Navaratri at the Devi Mandir, without further thought, I contacted my supervisor at work, took vacation, and headed for the Devi Mandir.
The scenery at the Mandir was perfectly staged for worship — the majestic rolling mountains, the earth coming alive with fresh green grass and spring flowers, the playful deer competing for food, the delightful peacocks always cawing – Maa! Maa! Maa! — indeed, everything reminded me of God.
Alongside of Shree Maa and Swamiji, I knew there could no better time, or setting, to worship God. And so, we worshiped with great gusto for nine days, and concluded with the Sundar Kanda on Ram Navami.
As the days came and went, there was much time for inner contemplations, which I journaled during my stay. Enjoy this handful of sweet reflections with delightful pictures, and share the love, peace, and inspiration of Navaratri with all you meet:
As I walked the long uphill path to the Devi Mandir, I couldn’t help but notice the absolute stillness of nature on this glorious day. It was as if there was a great anticipation of the joyous Navaratri events to come. Even the peacocks were in calm repose and at peace.
~ Sweet Reflections ~
Nature is simple. Look closely. In its simplicity is the expression of Divine beauty.
It is free from desires and attachments, taking only what it needs and always giving more than it takes.
In its simplicity it reflects great wisdom. We can learn a lot from nature if we witness it in silence.
Every morning at 5:00 am, the group awoke, headed for the temple, and sang and chanted with Shree Maa. The temple was filled with devotees and musicians, all eager to sing praise to the Goddess.
Shree Maa often says that getting up early in the morning to worship God is great! She is right!
After singing, we all performed yoga under the careful tutelage of Shree Maa, who says that yoga is a good habit to perform early in the morning as it keeps our bodies limber so we can more easily perform our asana.
Shree Maa watched carefully over her students, and occasionally corrected us, saying “feet together!” and we all looked down at our feet, secretly hoping that the correction was not intended for ourselves.
Though on some of the mornings the group appeared tired, we stuck with it for all nine days of Navaratri. It is an excellent discipline to get up early, and it reminded me of what it must have been like living in an ashram of an ancient Rishi. Quite a different experience from the hustle and bustle of the world!
~ Sweet Reflections ~
Praising God first thing in the morning creates inner tranquility and sets the foundation to perform our daily duties with inner strength and optimism.
Every day of Navaratri we performed a Homa (fire ceremony), but the first few days were special because Swamiji conducted the Homas.
So powerful were his Homas that, on one occasion, an auspicious AUM sign manifest from the fire. This set the tone for the entire nine days of Navaratri.
A day did not go by without me thinking of this enchanting AUM sign and its divine message of peace. It was as if it was calling us back to the Source of all there is, the Divine Mother.
~ Sweet Reflections ~
May all of our actions — our homas, our prayers, our pujas — send peaceful, harmonious vibrations to those in need.
May we always remember that we are not doing this worship for ourselves, but rather, for the peace and harmony of Mother Earth and others in turmoil.
During these nine days, I took the opportunity to closely observe Shree Maa and Swamiji worship. Watching their every movement, I attempted to learn from them and to see, understand, and grasp, how and what they do.
To me, the most obvious common thread between Shree Maa and Swamiji is there sincerity in devotion. They not only impeccably recite the mantras, but they also grasp the inner meanings, know the significance of each and every offering, and perform their worship with 100% sincerity from the depths of their hearts.
Shree Maa performs Her puja with such incredible devotion that Her sweet nature exudes from Her heart with each and every offering.
When Swamiji invokes the sacred fire, he puts his heart and soul into every mantra, every mudra, every offering.
~ Sweet Reflections ~
Performing every activity as an act of worship, with complete sincerity, is a common thread for all paths to God.
While the mornings were spent in worship, including the daily Chandi Path, there was some free time in the early afternoon to enjoy the surrounding beauty of the ashram.
On one of these days I decided to take the camera with me. It was sunny and pleasant, and a perfect day to grab of few snapshots of nature at its finest.
Keeping my eyes open for anything magical, I captured a deer grazing right next to Napeshwara. He peacefully looked at me, staring for quite some time, but was not bothered in the least by my presence, nor my camera.
The grandeur of Mother Earth comes alive in the tiniest of things. I stopped to recognize the tiny yellow wildflowers which were coming into bloom amongst the dark green grass. These cute precious gems were the color of Shree Maa’s sari, reminding me that Mother was indeed everywhere.
Finally, I was gifted with the sight of two happy peacocks, apparently playing a game of tag. With complete focus, they chased each other round and round Swamiji’s car for at least a half hour. They were like two kids laughing and running, and were having much too fun to even be aware of my presence.
~ Sweet Reflections ~
Nature is God’s beautiful gift to us. It is playful. It is innocent. It is abundant. It is unselfish, as it is available for everyone to enjoy.
Cherish nature as a sign of God’s presence.
There were glimpses of divinity all throughout the temple, but in particular on Shree Maa’s altar. Her devotion comes alive with every flower She meticulously places for God. With complete attention and focus, every day She created a masterpiece that, when complete, tugged at my heart, compelling me to take pictures.
While Shiva majestically stands with great dignity on Her altar, also included are Ganesha, Ramakrishna, Vishnu, Jesus, and several forms of the Divine Mother. All were dressed in yellow to signify spring.
When Shree Maa went to India this past year, She visited the Vaishno Devi temple. It was there that She was inspired to bring Vaishno Devi into the Devi Mandir. And so, on Shree Maa’s altar was also Vaishno Devi, represented by three stone murtis on a silver plate, decorated with precious jewels. Each stone signifies one of the Divine Mothers: Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati, and Mahakali.
~ Sweet Reflections ~
Let’s aspire to love God with such feeling, and with such depth, that each of our offerings is made with the purest of devotion.
May we be blessed to learn, to grow, and to demonstrate our love for God as Shree Maa does, for She is our ideal of perfection.
Not only does Shree Maa and Swamiji give of themselves through their blessings, but they also give every ounce of themselves through the ceremonies they perform for us, the worship rituals, and extra attentiveness during darshan.
For example, during Navaratri, Swamiji conducted a wedding ceremony for Vivekananda and Sadhana Shakti which was so intense and so beautiful that it was “off the charts.” With great mastery and superb attention to details, he weaved the Hindu tradition and simply explained it for the Western families present at the ceremony. All were touched, several were in tears.
Another example of endless giving came from Shree Maa, who always makes the time to consult with those in need, or to pay attention to the smallest of details that will touch someone’s life.
During Navarati, a beautiful baby girl, Tridipa, celebrated her one-year birthday at the Devi Mandir. Upon seeing the cake, Shree Maa exclaimed, “Quick! Get a candle! Light it!” Upon doing so, Shree Maa sang Happy Birthday to little Tridipa and frosting was placed in the baby’s mouth. It was a memory the family will always cherish.
~ Sweet Reflections ~
“Give, give, and give more” should be our way of life, as demonstrated by the Guru’s example.
May we slow down, look, listen, and pay attention to the Divine in everyone and everything that comes to us. Jai Maa!
Shree Maa and Swamiji want nothing more than to share their inspiration and love for God with us. They practice this ideal every day of their lives.
If we listen, we will catch the wisdom.
If we participate, we will be infused with their bhava.
In the silence, we will feel their bliss.
This was an extraordinary Navaratri which words and pictures cannot fully capture.
All I can do is express my gratitude!
