Navratri
Navratri or the nine nights, are a time in which we celebrate The Universal Feminine.
At present, human nature is focused on survival. We can see this from the way we live and interact in the world. We live in a society which emphasises the value of economics, physics and rationality. Aesthetics, art, music, love and meditation are commonly seen by many people as aspects that are unessential to life. Aspects that form part of entertainment but not of human evolution. When rationality is regarded as superior to emotion, logic –the universal masculine nature – subjugates emotion and creativity – the universal feminine nature. This subjugation results in a life devout of joy and happiness.
Navratri happens twice a year, once at the end of winter and once at the end of summer. It is a special time for spiritual aspirants, because the strong changes in the environment make it a conductive time to create changes within us. During this time we dedicate our life and all of our actions to the Universal Feminine. These nine days are a celebration of life, in which we celebrate the arts, music, dance, friendships and relationships. Days in which we celebrate the existence of our hearts and our capacity to feel and create.
The Myth
According to myth, there was a time when the world was taken over by demonic forces. The demigods were subdued, so they immersed in prayer to the divine feminine – Mother nature, hoping for a solution. The great goddess Durga emerged, and a terrible battle commenced. The goddess fought the demons ceaselessly for nine nights and triumphed on the tenth day.
The myth is a symbol, for basic human life. We are often overpowered by our own inherent negative tendencies, which subdue our basic benevolence. Fighting these tendencies, is the battle between our demons and our inherent Durga, the great creative energy within us. If we are able to contact this energy through faith, we can use it destroy all our negative qualities and limitations. The victory of Goddess Durga represents our very own internal victory.
Navratri – The Nine Nights
The journey to victory is not short of obstacles and complications. Every step taken is an opening to new possibilities, both positive and negative. It is only through our own conviction, that we are able to overcome these negative possibilities and remain grounded.
The first three nights are dedicated to the feminine aspect of power, in other words creative power. We use creative power to destroy our impurities, weaknesses and defects. We overcome our basic qualities with the help of the destructive aspect of the divine feminine.
The second three nights are dedicated to the feminine aspect of abundance – creative abundance. This is where we cultivate new qualities, we plant seeds of strength where are weaknesses used to lie. We gather our spiritual wealth and develop qualities which oppose all our previously destroyed shortcomings. If we fail to do this, our negative qualities will resurface.
The last three nights are dedicated to the feminine aspect of knowledge and wisdom. Creative wisdom. When we have succeeded in destroying our shortcomings, and cultivating new values and strengths, we become ready to evolve further. Our consciousness expands and we receive higher wisdom and spiritual knowledge.
The tenth and last day, known as Vijaya Dashami, marks the day of triumph. This is the day the goddess was victorious. The day knowledge descends upon us.
Navratri is a wonderful time for spiritual growth, the start of new projects, the expansion of one’s consciousness and the best time to break old habits and limitations. These are days not to be wasted, they are ideal to finally detox, meditate and to invite power, beauty, abundance, love and knowledge into our lives. The whole celebration of Navratri, shows us the basic path towards spiritual evolution. We must first destroy our inherent negativity and develop its opposite quality. By doing this, we inevitably invite higher consciousness, wisdom and knowledge into our lives.
Navratri Dates in 2018, 2019 and 2020
Chaitra Navratri 2018: 18th of March to 26th of March.
Ashvin Navratri 2018: 9th of October to 18th of October.
Chaitra Navratri 2019: 6th of April to 14th of April.
Ashvin Navratri 2019: 29th of September to 8th of October.
Chaitra Navratri 2020: 25th of March to 3rd of April.
Ashvin Navratri: 17th of October to 26th of October.
