What is Flow?

The Truth stands before me,

On my left is a blazing fire, and

On my right, a cool flowing stream.

One group of people walk toward the fire, into the fire,

And the other towards the cool flowing waters.

No one knows which is blessed and which is not.

But just as a just as someone enters the fire,

That head bobs up from the water,

And just as a head sinks into the water,

That face appears in the fire.

Those who love the sweet water of pleasure

And make it their devotion are cheated by this reversal.

The deception goes further-

The voice of the fire says:

“I am not fire, I am fountainhead,

Come into me and don’t mind the sparks.”

                                                              Rumi

What is Flow?

The flowmasters do not have only one approach to life. Some are fiesty and engaged in changing the world; some are gentle and relaxed; some have the exuberance of children; some have thoughtful, deliberate ways. Flowmasters are open; they stretch themselves to learn and grow; they have deep integrity; they constantly feel steadfastly grateful; and they are dedicated to living by their inner truths.

Flow responds directly to our beliefs, behaviours and actions. We can either enhance this state of perfect timing and flawless serendipity, or we can diminish it and even cut it off. When we become open, willing, trusting, we experience flow as fulfillment and joy, and synchronicities pop up all over the place. When we become fearful, doubting, controlling, flow diminishes, our day is filled with blocks and frustrations, and synchronicities cease.

Below are nine attributes (based on major beliefs, attitudes and behaviours) that engage flow:

* Commitment - Living by our deepest values
* Honesty - Telling the truth to ourselves and others
* Courage - Overcoming our fears
* Passion - Engaging at deep levels with what we care about
* Immediacy - Being in the moment
* Openness - Saying Yes to whatever comes our way
* Receptivity - Listening to inner and outer messages
* Positivity - Finding the value in each situation
* Trust - Having faith in ourselves and the Universe

The following techniques deepen those attributes in ourselves:

 1.  Be aware
 2.  Accept yourself and others
 3.  Express who you really are
 4.  Create silence
 5.  Follow your intuition
 6.  Practice mindfulness
 7.  Do 100% of what you know to do -- and trust
 8.  Finish things and move on
 9.  Take risks
10. Break with your old reality
11. Appreciate yourself
12. Express gratitude
13. Give of yourself
14. Get a point of view from the Universe

We don't have to be yogis chanting mantras in icy Himalayan caves to live in this state of inner peace. Because synchronicity is the key - and synchronicity occurs to absolutely everyone - we all have it within ourselves to live in flow.

If your world is devoid of meaning, there are ways to find significance in every day life.. a bird flying across your path, a book dropped at yoru feet, a postcard arriving in the mail - all can connect you to deeper currents of existence in the ocean of life.

The journey will transform your life. With synchronicity as your compass, flow is your inevitable destination.

Embrace the flow of your life...stay open to grace and synchronicities and watch your life unfold in the most miraculous ways..
With love & radiance,
Anil xox

The Goddess Rocks!

Durga Mantra
AUM
AING HRING KLEENG
CHAMUNDAYE VICHCHEY
AUM

This is the most popular mantra of the divine Mother Durga.
This mantra should be repeated 500.000 times.
The fire worship should be performed with 50.000 ahutis of the same mantra.

A goddess in human form embodies and consciously pursues, some of the following traits: She:

* Is focused, dedicated, passionate and not afraid to pursue her dreams.
* Even when she is afraid, she does it anyway and calls upon a deeper reserve of inner power
   to move forward with goals and dreams.
* Knows that accomplishment without spirit is not as rewarding as a life that is successful and
   soulful.
* Seeks a balance between material and spiritual accomplishments.
* Is of service to others and understands that giving in many ways is the same thing as
  receiving, and that when we help others we are empowered and made stronger.
* Has come to learn that power is not external, or something you seize from the outside world.
   It starts within.
* Honours the men in her life, and the gifts that they bring, and desires partnership based on
   truth, soulful and sacred living.
* Fiercely adores and protects her children, the ones she loves and the things she believes in.
* Champions other women and honours female friendship.
* Celebrates women's real power, and recognises a connection to the divine, or the creative
   power of our universe, even if she does not call it Goddess.
* Is honest with herself and those around her.
* Most importantly, she is true to her own heart and follows the call of her soul.

The Goddess -- and her many forms, and faces -- is accessible to modern women for divine inspiration and guidance, yet she can also be appreciated for her archetypical meaning and the metaphor of female prowess she represents. On a global level, we desperately need the Feminine Divine to balance our world. On a practical level, it's time for women of today to develop "Goddess Consciousness" that will help elevate self-esteem and empower personal and professional growth.

Tune into your inner Shakti, the subtle inner life-force energy that makes life juicy and alive.. breathing in Shiva, the Divine Masculine, Consciousness and exhaling Shakti, the Divine Feminine, creativity and power.. feel the subtle energy of Shiva and Shakti inside of you on the pulsation of the inhale and exhale and let it draw you deeper and deeper into its field of vibration. Trust it's taking you to the essence of who you are.. When you awaken the Goddess within, magic starts to happen...

Wishing you all a magical and Shakti-filled Spring-time creating and manifesting your visions, dreams and aspirations..
With love & sparkles,
Anil xox

Ganesha - The Elephant Headed God

Happy, Happy 2012... Divine blessings to a most spectacular year ahead.. to new beginnings, dreams and desires manifesting and a blissful journey ahead...  


As one year passes and a new one begins, it's a wonderful time to invoke Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, to help you remove all that stands in your way to greater freedom, success and happiness and to move on from those people, places and situations that no longer serve a purpose on your life's journey..


So, I thought it apt to write my first blog for the new year on Ganesha (also knows as Ganapati), the Hindu Elephant Headed God, Son of Shiva and Parvati (Shakti).


Happy manifesting your dreams, goals and aspirations.. may all that you wish for manifest in divine timing.
With radiant Goddess blessings.. give love in ALL that YOU do..
Anil xox

Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of Wisdom is one of the most loved of all Hindu gods. He is happy, wise and without anger. His love of food, especially sweets, is evident in his large, round potbelly. Ganesh is usually shown with his elephant head and four arms. His mount is the rat.

Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer, and Goddess Parvati (Shiva’s consort).

Discover how Parvati created Ganesh, and how he acquired his elephant head.

Once, the god Shiva was called away from his home on Mount Kailash. Urgent matters in the world needed his attention, and he did not know how long he would be away. The goddess Parvati, his wife, was left alone. When Shiva did not return for many days, she began to feel lonely. 'I wish I had a little son,' she sighed to herself. 'I would talk to him, and play with him, and keep myself busy during the long days that my husband is away.'

So Parvati decided to make a little child for herself. She took the dust from the ground, and mixed it with the perspiration from her own body. From this clay she fashioned a little boy, perfect in every detail. She took the clay child into her arms, and breathed on him, and the child came to life. He was a bright little boy, full of life and utterly devoted to his mother. He would follow Parvati around all day long, keeping her amused and happy with his chatter. Parvati did not feel lonely any more.

One day, while Shiva was still away from home, Parvati said to her son, 'Child, I am going down to the river for a bath. Don't let anyone enter the house in my absence.'

The child stationed himself obediently at the door to their house, determined that he would let no one in until his mother said so.

Meanwhile Shiva returned, his work in the world outside done. He saw a little boy sitting at the entrance to his house. He wondered who this child could be - he had never seen him before. But Shiva was tired, and longing for some rest and his wife's company. So he thought no more of the child, and made to enter his house.
But the little child stood up, and barred his way into the house. 'Stop!' said the child. 'You cannot enter my mother's house!'

Shiva stepped back in amazement. 'Do you not know who I am?' he asked the child. 'I am Shiva, and no one may stop me from going where I will!'

'I don't care who you are!' replied the child. 'I cannot let you enter. My mother said I was to let nobody in till she said so!' The child stood resolutely in front of Shiva, barring his way into the house.

'Move out of my way, child!' cried Shiva in anger. 'No one stops me from entering my own house!' But the child was adamant. 'You cannot enter until my mother says so,' he said again. Shiva was furious, and without another thought, he cut off the child's head.

Just then Parvati returned. 'What have you done?' she cried in grief. 'Oh Shiva, that was our son, our very own child whom I created from my body's sweat! How could you kill him?'

When Shiva heard this he was stricken by remorse. 'I will bring him back to life,' he promised Parvati. Shiva sent gods and men out in all directions, to bring back to him the head of the first creature they saw - human or animal.
As it happened, the first creature that anyone came across was a baby elephant in the forest. Its head was promptly cut off and brought back to Shiva who used his great power to fuse the elephant's head onto the body of his son, thereby bringing both back to life as one.

Parvati was overjoyed to have her son back again, even though he now had an elephant's head. The child combined in him the wisdom of the gods and that of the most intelligent creature on earth after man, the elephant. He grew to be the best loved of the gods. He is called Ganesh, or Ganapati.

All the qualities of elephants are signified by Ganesha’s head. These are the qualities of strength, auspiciousness, and extraordinary wisdom. Like the elephant, Ganesha can be powerful and destructive, yet he is similarly loyal, kind and may be swayed by the affection of his devotees. His large ears - like winnowing baskets - sift truth from untruth. Winnowing baskets are used to winnow grain. The husk and the grain get separated, so does Ganesha distinguish between truth and untruth. It may also be said that the broad ears symbolize his capacity to listen to the prayers of all his devotees with great attention. Ganesh’s twisted trunk represent the zig-zag path of wisdom. It reminds us that there is no direct path, and that there are many twists and turns in the search for truth. While his ever-moving trunk teaches that one should be active always, his single tusk denotes single-mindedness in action. His huge belly signifies that the entire Brahmanda (universe) is hidden within Ganapati. He rides a rat. The rat personifies evil qualities like anger, too much pride and selfishness. Riding on the rat shows that Ganesha checks these evil passions.

According to Kundalini yoga, Ganesha resides in the first chakra, called Muladhara. Mula means "original, main"; adhara means "base, foundation". The muladhara chakra is the principle on which the manifestation or outward expansion of primordial Divine Force rests.

Ganesh Mantra

"Aum gam ganapataye namah"

This is a mantra from Ganapati Upanishad. One may always use it before beginning a journey, a new course in school, new career or job, or before entering into any new contract or business so that impediments are removed and your endeavor may be crowned with success.

Ayurveda - Winter Well-being

Here's a short article to help you to stay balanced during the season of Vata..
Stay warm during the Winter spell:-)
With Goddess love, energy and warmth,
Anil xox

5 Ayurvedic Tips to Staying Balanced in Winter

What to Eat and Drink
Thousands of years ago, the Vedic sages understood that the great rhythms and forces of nature- the alternation of day and night, the rhythmic cycle of seasons- all affect us, as do the seasons and cycles of human life. Being in tune with nature, they knew, also means being in tune with your individual constitution, or prakruti, which is comprised of three subtle energies: vata, the energy of movement; pitta, the energy of digestion or metabolism; and kapha, the energy of lubrication and structure.

 

How to Adapt
While you can’t control the weather, you can control certain factors (the food you eat, the type and amount of exercise you do, the herbs you ingest, and so on), which either build your health, vitality, and resistance to disease, or wear you down. Here is ayurveda’s view on winter- and what you can do to stay balanced this season.

In winter, the sky is often cloudy and gray, the weather is cold, damp, and heavy, and life, even in the cities, moves more slowly. Welcome to the season of kapha. When balanced, kapha supplies strength, vigor, and stability to both body and mind. This subtle energy is responsible for lubricating the joints, moisturizing the skin, and maintaining immunity. But in excess, it can lead to sluggishness, mucus-related illnesses, excess weight, and negative emotions such as attachment, envy, and greed.

In general, we should follow a kapha-pacifying regimen in the winter. But dry, cold, windy weather can provoke vata, too, and can lead to arthritis, indigestion, and other problems. To calm both vata and kapha when temperatures plummet, read on.

Morning Routine
Ayurveda suggests waking up a bit later in the winter (around 7 a.m.) than you would in other seasons. Upon rising, scrape your tongue to remove the dead bacteria and yeast that have accumulated overnight, and to improve circulation to the visceral organs. Then brush your teeth with toothpaste made from heating herbs such as cinnamon, clove, bilva, and haritaki. Next, drink a cup of warm water to stimulate a bowel movement. Then treat yourself to a quick massage. Rub warmed sesame oil all over your entire body (it’s heating and good for all prakrutis in the winter). Let the oil soak in for 5 to 10 minutes, then take a hot shower and exfoliate your skin.

Conclude your morning regimen with yoga, pranayama, and meditation. Surya Namaskara (sun salutation) and poses that open the chest, throat, and sinuses remove congestion in the respiratory organs. Try the fish, boat, bow, locust, lion, and camel poses, along with the shoulderstand and the headstand, if you can do it. Follow this with a systematic relaxation and a few rounds of bhastrika, the breath of fire. This breathing practice builds heat and eliminates mucus from the respiratory tract.

After meditating, it’s important to eat a nutrious breakfast. If you don’t feed your digestive fire in the morning, it will dry up bodily tissues and provoke vata. Enjoy a bowl of oatmeal, barley, cornmeal, tapioca, or poha (basmati rice flakes) mildly spiced with cinnamon. An hour after breakfast, boil 1/2 teaspoon of fresh or powdered ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of ground clove in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Drink this tea to increase your digestive fire, improve circulation, and reduce excess mucus. (Skip the tea if you have an ulcer or another inflammation-oriented problem).

Indoor Activities
Join a gym, do a workout video, or hit the treadmill to increase circulation and quell kapha. Soak up sunlight, too. Sit by a window to bathe in early morning or evening light. Sun rays relax the muscles, produce vitamin D, soothe Seasonal Affective Disorder, and help the body maintain healthy sleep rhythms.

What to Eat and Drink
Incorporate whole wheat unyeasted bread, buttermilk, cottage cheese, steamed vegetables, warm soup cooked with ghee (clarified butter), and spicy food into your meals. Because your appetite is heartier in the winter, eat more protein- beans, tofu, eggs- and if you’re not a strict vegetarian, chicken, turkey, and fish. Add warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper to promote digestion. Drinking a few ounces of sweet or dry wine with your meals will stoke your agni (digestive fire), improve your appetite, and increase circulation. Avoid cold drinks (they aggravate kapha and vata) and opt for hot water, hot tea, and occasionally, hot cocoa or chai.

Staying Warm
Avoid cold drafts, wear warm clothes, and don’t forget to wear a hat outside. (Grandma was right: more than half of the body’s heat is lost through the head.) Also, cover your ears and neck to keep vata and kapha in check.

 

Curing a Cold
Ayurvedically speaking, colds are a kapha-vata disorder. The body builds up an excess of cool and moist kapha qualities, resulting in congestion and a runny nose, and at the same time it may suffer from excess vata, which reduces agni, leading to chills, loss of appetite, and poor digestion.

Here’s help.

Try ginger. It’s the best remedy for colds. Drink ginger tea, take a bath infused with ginger and baking soda (put 1/3 cup of baking soda and 1/3 cup of powdered ginger into a hot tub and then soak the body from the neck down), or try a ginger steam treatment. Boil one teaspoon powdered ginger in a pint of water. Turn off the stove, put a towel over your head, and inhale the steam through your nostrils for about 5 minutes. This will relieve congestion and help you feel much better.

 

Take vitamin C. Try 500 mg daily for up to three months.

Use natural nose drops. Lubricate the nasal passages and relieve the irritation and sneezing of a cold with nasya. Lie on your back, face up, with a pillow under your shoulders and your head tilted back, so your nostrils are facing the ceiling. Put 3 to 5 drops liquefied ghee in each nostril and gently sniff the oil upward into the nose. You can do nasya in the morning and night (on an empty stomach and at least one hour before or after showering).

Drink hot water. Drinking hot water several times a day removes toxins from the system and speeds up your recovery time.

 

Avoid dairy products. Strictly avoid dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, milk, and ice cream, until your congestion clears up.

 

Why Is Your Appetite Stronger in the Winter?
In response to cold weather, the body constricts the skin pores and superficial connective tissue to prevent heat loss, which directs the heat away from the peripheral tissues and into the body’s core, including the stomach. Agni (and, therefore, your appetite) becomes stronger in winter. However, if kapha or vata are provoked, agni plummets, leaving you more susceptible to colds, poor circulation, joint pains, and negative emotions.

 

Winter no-no’s
Avoid cold drinks, fasting, late nights, naps, exposure to cold drafts and wind, and stay physically active.

Navaratri: The 9 Divine Nights - 28th Sept-5th Oct 2011

Starting Wednesday 28th September, we begin 9 divine nights celebration and worship of the 3 Goddesses, Durga (the Goddess of strength and power), Lakshmi (the  Goddess of wealth) and Saraswati (the Goddess of knowledge and learning). The festival leads to spiritual growth of a person.

Enjoy the Dance, Enjoy the Flow...Happy Navaratri...
With Goddess love and eternal blessings,
Anil xox

"Nava-ratri" literally means "nine nights." This festival is observed twice a year, once in the beginning of summer and again at the onset of winter. 

What's the Significance of Navratri?

During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as "Durga," which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as "Devi" (goddess) or "Shakti" (energy or power). It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga, does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of Shakti re-confirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.

Why Worship the Mother Goddess?

We think this energy is only a form of the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all, and all of us are her children. "Why mother; why not father?", you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God's glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supremacy can best be depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all these qualities in his or her mother, similarly, all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute. 

Fasting is one of the highlights of Navratri. People observe fast for either seven or eight days, to honor Goddess Shakti. While many people break their fast on the eighth day (Ashtami) of Navratri by worshipping young girls, others do the same thing on the ninth day (Navami) of the festival, to culminate the celebrations. All through the seven or eight days of fasting, the people would survive on a diet especially formulated for the fast. It typically consists of fruits, milk and its products, sago recipes, potato recipes (both cooked without spices). Sendha namak (rock salt) is used for the recipes of Navratri fast. On the day when they break fast, they would worship young girls, seek their blessings in return of which, the devotees would offer money and prasad as the dakshina.

The celebrations of Navratri are characterized by the worship of Goddess Shakti. Although people in different regions celebrate the festival in different ways, according to their indigenous customs, the thought among everyone is the same - to invoke Goddess Shakti and seek her blessings. In Maharashtra, the nine nights of Navratri are dedicated to worship of the deity and dance performances, typically dandiya (a folk dance performed by men and women). In Gujarat, Garba dance is performed during the festival, while in South India, worship of the deity is given importance. It is interesting to see the Hindu people, belonging to different regions of India, to celebrate Navratri with equal enthusiasm, every year. 

Why Twice a Year? 

Every year the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have been chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worship of the divine power because:

(1) We believe that it is the divine power that provides energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.

(2) Due to the changes in the nature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the divine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.

Why Nine Nights & Days? 

Navaratri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for nine nights.

Shakti

Unique Attributes : Divine mother, strength, compassion, energy, power

Shakti Peeths : 51 Shakti peeths in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan. E.g. Katyani Devi, Mansa Devi, Naina Devi, Vaishno Devi etc.

Forms of Shakti : Parvati, Sati, Durga, Kali, Uma, Kamakshi, Lakshmi

Consort : Shiva / Vishnu / Brahma

Shakti in Hindu belief is the all encompassing divine mother who is the supreme feminine being and it is from her that other forms of goddesses take birth. Shakti literally means energy and power and it is she who is the original force behind the creation and sustenance of the Universe. She is the Shakti behind the trinity of Gods and their avatars as their consorts. There are varied forms she acquires in keeping with the situation. At one point she becomes Durga or Kali acquiring a deadly and ferocious form to end the reign of demons from earth. In a friction of second she turns into Gauri or Kamakshi the ever enduring figure of motherly love and compassion.

Shakti as the underlying force of the entire Universe is generally referred to as Devi which is derived from the Sanskrit root 'div' meaning to shine. The Mahadevi or Shakti is the supreme cosmic being who despite the destruction of everything is the one which is going to remain. She is the Universal creator, destroyer, sustainer and mother all in one. Without her consent nothing in this world can function. As mentioned above every god in Hindu belief has his Shakti and without her he has no power.

Shakti is known to have taken birth in her nine forms which all have different attributes. In some Hindu mythological accounts there is variation and it is believed that the Devi Shakti was married only to Lord Shiva with their birth over successive years. The nine forms of Devi Shakti are as follows - Sati, Parvati, Gayatri, Rudrani, Narayani, Chamunda, Ganga, Laxmi and Kali. There are fifty one Shakti peeths across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Sri Lanka where Shakti is worshipped in different forms. These Shakti peeths are believed to be the places where Devi Sati's parts fell after she gave up herself in the holy fire. Shakti is the primeval source of energy and is the ultimate personification of the feminine divine aspect.

 SOFT MOON SHINING

  My beloved Divine Mother

  Dance with me

  under the soft moon shining

  in the wide open fields

  far beyond the toil and trouble

      of my busy mind

  Dance with me

    before the night grows old

      while the winds of love

      still bow the grasses

        and the coyotes howl for you

        to step their way

  Dance with me my beloved

    while the Mystery's Edge

      still flirts in the shadow

        of your radiant light

MORNING HUMMINGBIRD

Beloved Mother

I am your morning hummingbird

  hovering in dreamlike winds

  around the fragrant rose

    of your radiant heart light

Sipping the sweet white nectar of your divine love

  I am nourished and sustained

  I am ablaze with whirling galaxies

    of undivided joy

I am drunk and swooning

  as I press my long slender beak

  deep into the luminous petals

    of your Great Heart

    to sip the rapturous flowing currents

      of your shining being

I LOVE YOU

Mother of endless grace
Have I told you today
    that I love you?

Did I forget to tell you yesterday?

Because there is no joy
    outside of our love

Every heart is a river
    that flows into your shoreless ocean

Every ray of light
    is a golden tipped arrow
        filling space with the love
            of your timeless being

Every soul is a mirror
    destined to reflect love's immortal victory

My sweet Mother of the Universe
    I dissolve like sugar
        in your warm embrace

And the only thing left to say
    is "I love you"

The Devi Mantra
देवी मंत्र

The following mantra describes the various qualities of Devi Ma.

---

The Devi Mantra

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Maa rupena samsthita

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Shakti rupena samsthita

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Buddhi rupena samsthita

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Laxmi rupena samsthita

Namestasyai II Namestasyai II Namestasyai

Namo Namah

---

Meaning of  Devi Mantra

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of universal mother

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of energy

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of intellegence

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of true wealth

We bow to her, we bow to her, continually we bow to her

  

Mirabai - Princess Goddess devotee to Sri Krishna

Mirabai (1498-1550)

Mirabai was a great saint/seer/Goddess/Rajput Rani and devotee of Sri Krishna.
She wrote the most beautiful, deep, powerful poems of her Beloved Krishna.
I feel so inspired by her beautiful writings and powerful heart opening poems.
May the following article and poems awaken the inner Goddess in you as it does me each time I read Mirabai's heartfelt ecstatic poems..

With Goddess love, light, radiance and flow,
Anil xox

In All My Lives

In all my lives you have been with me;
      whether day or night I remember.
When you fall out of my sight, I am restless
      day and night, burning.
I climb hilltops; I watch for signs of your return;
      my eyes are swollen with tears.
The ocean of life— that's not genuine the ties
      of family, the obligations to the world—
      they're not genuine.
It is your beauty that makes me drunk.
Mira's Lord is the Great Dark Snake. That love
      comes up from the ground of the heart.

Mira the Bee

O my friends
What can you tell me of Love,
Whose pathways are filled with strangeness?
When you offer the Great One your love,
At the first step you body is crushed.
Next be ready to offer your head as his seat.
Be ready to orbit his lamp like a moth
      giving in to the light,
To live in the deer as she runs toward
      the hunter's call,
In the partridge that swallows hot coals
      for love of the moon,
In the fish that, kept from the sea, happily dies.
Like a bee trapped for life in the closing
      of the sweet flower.
Mira has offered herself to her Lord.
She says, the single Lotus will swallow you whole.

Polish into Gold

I give my heart without fear to the Beloved:
As the polish goes into the gold, I have gone into him.
Through many lives, I heard only the outer music.
Now the teacher has whispered into my ears,
And familiar ties have gone the way of weak thread.
Mira has met the Energy That Lifts Mountains—
That good luck now is her home.

The Necklace

O friend, I sit alone while the world sleeps.
In the palace that held love's pleasure
      the abandoned one sits.
She who once threaded a necklace of pearls
      is now stringing tears.
He has left me. The night passes while I count stars.
When will the Hour arrive?
This sorrow must end. Mira says:
      Lifter of Mountains, return.

Mira the Lotus

My Lord, the love that binds us cannot be broken.
It is hard as the diamond that shatters
      the hammer that strikes it.
As polish goes into the gold, my heart
      has gone into you.
As a lotus lives in its water, I am rooted in you.
Like the bird that gazes all night at the passing moon,
I have blinded myself in giving my eyes to your beauty.
She who offers herself completely asks only this:
That her Lord love Mira as fully as he is loved.

— Mirabai (1498-1550)

Versions by Robert Bly & Jane Hirshfield Mirabai: Ecstatic Poems (2004)

A Great Yogi

In my  travels I spent time with a great Yogi.
Once he said to me
"Become so still you hear the blood flowing
through your veins".

One night as I sat in quiet
I seemed on the verge of entering a world inside so vast
I know it is the source of all of us.

Mirabai Biography

Mirabai was a great saint and devotee of Sri Krishna. Despite facing criticism and hostility from her own family, she lived an exemplary saintly life and composed many devotional bhajans. Historical information about the life of Mirabai is a matter of some scholarly debate. The oldest biographical account was Priyadas’s commentary in Nabhadas’ Sri Bhaktammal in 1712. Nevertheless there are many aural histories, which give an insight into this unique poet and Saint of India.

Early Life Mirabai 

 

Mira was born around the start of the 16th Century in the Chaukari village in Merta, Rajasthan. Her father was Ratan Singh a descendent of Rao Rathor, the founder of Jodhpur. When Mirabai was only 3 years old, a wandering Sadhu came to her family’s home and gave a doll of Sri Krishna to her father. Her father took this is as a special blessing, but was initially unwilling to give it to her daughter, because she felt she would not appreciate it. However Mira had, at first sight, become deeply enamoured with this doll. She refused to eat until the doll of Sri Krishna was given to her. To Mira, this figure of Sri Krishna, embodied his living presence. She resolved to make Krishna her lifelong friend, lover, and husband. Throughout her turbulent life she never wavered from her youthful commitment.

On one occasion when Mira was still young she saw a wedding procession going down the street. Turning to her mother she asked in innocence, “Who will be my husband?” Her mother replied, half in jest, half in seriousness. “You already have your husband, Sri Krishna.” Mira’s mother was supportive of her daughter’s blossoming religious tendencies, but she passed away when she was only young. 

At an early age Mira’s father arranged for her to be married to Prince Bhoj Raj, who  was the eldest son of Rana Sanga of Chittor. They were an influential Hindu family and the marriage significantly elevated Mira’s social position. However Mira was not enamoured of the luxuries of the palace. She served her husband dutifully, but in the evening she would spend her time in devotion and singing to her beloved Sri Krishna. Whilst singing devotional bhajans, she would frequently lose awareness of the world, entering into states of ecstasy and trance. 

Go to that impenetrable realm
That death himself trembles to look upon.
There plays the fountain of love
With swans sporting on its waters.

Conflict with Family

However her new family did not approve of her piety and devotion to Krishna. To make things worse Mira refused to worship their family deity Durga. She said she had already committed herself to Sri Krishna. Her family became increasingly disproving of her actions, but the fame and saintly reputation of Mirabai spread throughout the region. Often she would spend time discussing spiritual issues with Sadhus and people would join in the singing of her bhajans. However this just made her family even more jealous. Mira’s sister-in-law Udabai started to spread false gossip and defamatory remarks about Mirabai. She said Mira was entertaining men in her room. Her husband, believing these stories to be true, tore into her room with sword in hand. However he saw Mira only playing with a doll. No man was there at all. Yet throughout these hysterical slanders Mirabai remained unmoved by both the criticism and praise of the world.

This infamy, O my Prince
is delicious!
Some revile me,
others applaud,
I simply follow my incomprehensible road
A razor thin path
but you meet some good people,
A terrible path but you hear a true word
Turn back?
Because the wretched stare and see nothing?
O Mira's Lord is noble and dark,
and slanderers
rake only themselves
over the coals 

Mirabai and Akbar

Mira’s fame spread far and wide her devotional bhajans were sung across northern India. It is said that the fame and spirituality of Mirabai reached the ears of the Moghul Emperor Akbar. Akbar was tremendously powerful, but he was also very interested in different religious paths. The problem was that he and Mirabai’s family were the worst enemies; to visit Mirabai would cause problems for both him and Mirabai. But Akbar was determined to see Mirabai, the Princess – Saint. Disguised in the clothes of beggars he travelled with Tansen to visit Mirabai. Akbar was so enamoured of her soulful music and devotional singing, that he placed at her feet a priceless necklace before leaving. However in the course of time Akbar’s visit came to the ears of her husband Bhoj Raj. He was furious that a Muslim and his own arch enemy and set eyes upon his wife. He ordered Mirabai to commit suicide by drowning in a river. Mirabai intended to honour her husbands command, but as she was entering the river Sri Krishna appeared to her and commanded her to leave for Brindaban where she could worship him in peace. So with a few followers, Mirabai left for Brindaban, where she spent her time in devotion to Sri Krishna. After a while her husband became repentant, feeling that her wife was actually a real saint. Thus he travelled to Brindaban and requested her to return. Mirabai agreed, much to the displeasure of the rest of her family.

However soon after Mira’s husband died;( fighting in battles with the Moghul emperors). This made the situation even worse for Mirabai. Her father in law, Rana Sanga, saw her husband’s death as a way to be rid of Mirabai. He commanded her to commit Sati. However Mirabai, with the inner direct assurance of her beloved Sri Krishna, said that she would not do this. Her real husband, Sri Krishna had not died. She would later say in her poetry.

"sati na hosyan girdhar gansyan mhara man moho ghananami", 

"I will not commit sati. I will sing the songs of Girdhar Krishna, and will not become sati because my heart is enamoured of Hari."

After this experience her family continued to torture her. They restricted her movements and sought to make her life as uncomfortable as possible. Yet in the face of all these trials and tribulation she remained detached from her physical suffering. There was nothing that could disturb her inner connection to Giridhara (epithet of Sri Krishna as young cowherd boy). It is said that twice her family tried to kill her, once through a venomous snake and once through poisonous drink. On both occasions it is said Mirabai, protected by the Grace of Sri Krishna, came to no ill harm.

Mirabai in Brindaban

However the relentless torments and hostility interfered with her life of devotion and contemplation on Krishna. She sought the advice of learned men and Saints. They advised her to leave the palace and return to Brindaban. Secretly with some followers she slipped out of the palace and escaped to the holy city of Brindaban. In Brindaban Mirabai was free to worship Giridhara to her heart’s content. She would spend her time in singing bhajans and in ecstatic communion with Krishna. Like a true Bhakti she worshipped God wholeheartedly. The riches of the world offered no attraction to Mirabai; her only satisfaction came from her single minded devotion  to Sri Krishna. Her soul was ever yearning for Krishna. She considered herself to be a Gopi of Vrindaban, mad only with pure love for Krishna.

I am mad with love
And no one understands my plight.
Only the wounded
Understand the agonies of the wounded,
When the fire rages in the heart.
Only the jeweller knows the value of the jewel,
Not the one who lets it go.
In pain I wander from door to door,
But could not find a doctor.
Says Mira: Harken, my Master,
Mira's pain will subside
When Shyam comes as the doctor.

Her devotion and spiritual magnetism were infectious. She inspired many to follow the path of Vaishnavism. As Swami Sivananda stated:

“Mira wafted the fragrance of devotion far and wide. Those who came in contact with her were affected by her strong current of Prem. Mira was like Lord Gauranga. She was an embodiment of love and innocence. Her heart was the temple of devotion. Her face was the lotus-flower of Prem. There was kindness in her look, love in her talk, joy in her discourses, power in her speech and fervour in her songs.”

Even learned Sadhus would come to her for inspiration. There is a story of one respected Spiritual Master, who refused to speak to Mirabai because she was a woman. Mirabai replied there was only 1 real man in Brindaban, Sri Krishna; everyone else was a Gopi of Krishna. On hearing this the Spiritual teacher accepted the wisdom of Mirabai and agreed to talk to her. Later Mirabai would become his student.

Poems of Mirabai

Much of what we know about Mirabai comes from her poetry. Her poetry express the longing and seeking of her soul for union with Sri Krishna. At time she expresses the pain of separation and at other times the ecstasy of divine union. Her devotional poems were designed to be sung as bhajans and many are still sung today.

“Mira’s songs infuse faith, courage, devotion and love of God in the minds of the readers. They inspire the aspirants to take to the path of devotion and they produce in them a marvelous thrill and a melting of the heart.”

Mirabai was a devotee of the highest order. She was immune to the criticism and suffering of the world. She was born a princess but forsook the pleasures of a palace for begging on the streets of Brindaban. She lived during a time of war and spiritual decline, but her life offered a shining example of the purest devotion.  Many were inspired by her infectious devotion and spontaneous love for Sri Krishna. Mirabai showed how a seeker could attain union with God, only through love. Her only message was that Krishna was her all.

My Beloved dwells in my heart,
I have actually seen that Abode of Joy.
Mira's Lord is Hari, the Indestructible.
My Lord, I have taken refuge with Thee,
Thy slave.

It is said in her death she melted into the heart of Krishna. Tradition relates how one day she was singing in a temple, when Sri Krishna appeared in his subtle form. Sri Krishna was so pleased with his dearest devotee. He opened up his heart centre and Mirabai entered leaving her body whilst in the highest state of Krishna consciousness. 

Sri Chinmoy says of Mirabai:

“Mirabai was a devotee of the high, higher, highest order. Among the saints of India, she is absolutely unparalleled. She composed many, many bhajans, which are prayerful songs to God. Each song Mirabai wrote expressed her inspiration, aspiration and sleepless self-giving"

By: Tejvan Pettinger 

Web Links to Mirabai


• Wikipedia: Mirabai
    (Biography, Origins, Philosophies, Poetry, Religious, References)

• Women's Voices: Mirabai
    (Online Sites, In print translations, Secondary sources)

• Old Poetry: Mirabai
    (Brief Bio, 34 poems of Mirabai)

• Poet Seers: Mirabai
    (35 poems of Mirabai in three volumes of translation)

• For Love of the Dark One: Songs of Mirabai
    (Andrew Schelling's translations of 86 Mirabai poems)

• Touched by the Divine
    Review of John Stratton Hawley's
    Three Bhakti Voices: Mirabai, Surdas, Kabir
    (By Sayantan Dasgupta, The Telegraph, Calcutta, Oct. 7, 2005)

• VIRAHA in Bhakta Meera's Songs
    (Discourse by Vasanti Mataji, Feb. 1, 2002, Westchester, CA)

• Mirabai: The Rebellious Rajput Rani
    (Essay by Bill Garlington, Arts Dialogue, March, June, Sept. 1997)

• Bibliography on Mirabai
    (17 book & journal references compiled by Lance Nelson)

• Painting of Mirabai
    (Mirabai playing music to a peacock)

Other Sources:

• Mirabai - Women Saints East and West Article by Mrs Lajwanti Madan ISBN 0874810361
• Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present. vol.I, Susie Tharu and K. Lalita, editors, The Feminist Press, 1991.  ISBN 0 – 04 440873-0
• Mirabai: The Rebellious Rajput Rani by Bill Garlington, U.S.A.
• Mirabai at Other Women's Voices
• Poems by Mirabai at Poetry Chaikhana