Celebrations + Traditions
Navratri
Festival of the Goddesses....inside and out. Yesterday was the first day of Navratri, the 9-day Indian festival dedicated to the goddesses Durga Ma, Amba Ma, Annapurna Devi, Saraswatiji, Lakshmiji, Bhavani Ma....and so, so, so many others...including the goddess...
Shraddh: honoring our ancestors
One of my favorite things about the Indian culture is the vast amount of traditions, ceremonies and customs that are sprinkled throughout the year to honor the gods, our ancestors and the divinity within ourselves. Today marks the first day of Shraddh (Sept 5-19), a two-week period dedicated to honoring our ancestors.
The Great American Eclipse
Happy August everyone! This month we have two big eclipses happening; a full lunar eclipse on August 7 (not visible in the USA) and a full solar eclipse on August 21, that's already been named as the Great American Eclipse, as it will only be visible in the United...
Chaitra Navratri: A special kind of New Moon
Honoring the Divine Today is the start of a new moon, that falls in the "special variety" of new moons. For those of you not familiar with the Indian Lunar calendar, it is the traditional calendar by which yogi's have observed holy days & festivals for thousands...
The Greatness of Shiva
EVERYDAY REMINDERS FOR STRIVING MEDITATORS This Friday night is one of my all-time favorite nights of the year; Shivratri; a night dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Lord of Yoga, the ultimate renunciate. This hindu deity, known for his deep states of meditation, ability to...
Festival of Lights- inside & out
Inviting The Divine Within. I can't believe it's my favorite time of the year already :)! Diwali is certainly the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals; known as the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights) that's marked by...
Month of Shiva
In Rishikesh, India, there is an amazingly gargantuan murti (statue) of shiva in the middle of the Ganges River. It is not only gorgeous but oh so inspiring! Some parts of the year, the statue is completely submerged into the water and at other times, he sits in all his glory above the water.
Why Are Cows so Sacred In India?
Many people wonder why cows are so sacred in India…and the answer in short is that they’re quite generous and pretty divine:).
The stillness of Shiva.
This past Saturday night was one of my all-time favorite nights of the year; Shivratri, a night dedicated to Lord Shiva, a hindu deity known to be "the destroyer" or one who brings about change and transformation. It's an especially prime night for deepening one's...
Happy Diwali!
Happy (Indian) New Year's! Diwali is certainly the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. It's the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights) that's marked by four days of celebration, which literally illumines the country...
Hanumanji: a lifetime of selfless devotion.
prints available here self-less | ˈselfləs | adjective: concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own; unselfish. An act of self-less devotion. devotion | diˈvōSHən |...
a FEAST of LOVE.
a FEAST of LOVE. feast |fēst| noun: a large meal, typically one in celebration of something. love |ləv| noun: an intense feeling of deep affection: babies fill parents with intense feelings of love. ***** Today I spent the day with my mom cooking and making all of my...
