I feel I have very little of interest to share these days. Being out of my own routine and climate of comfort is taking its toll on me. I’m reading and praying in small bursts, and thinking a lot. Mostly, I’m trying to accept where I’m at and be still in the moment. Until I have something of depth to share, I offer these links for your consideration: One of the blogs that inspired my exploration and the structure of... Read more
Today starts Ganesh Chaturthi, a ten-day festival celebrating Ganesh, the Elephant Headed God. It’s a birthday of sorts! The custom is to make your own murti (statue) of Ganesh and honor it for the length of the festival, then take it to a body of water and let it dissolve there. I am not crafty in the slightest, and I’m not at home, so I have not made my own Ganesh. My hope is to get to the temple in... Read more
Today is Gouri Vrat (also called Swarna Gowri Vrat in Southern India and Hartalika Vrat in North India. It’s a holiday honoring the austerities of Parvati, the mother of Ganesha. Women observe this day by fasting and asking for the blessings of a happy family. Tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi, Ganesha’s birthday (I’ll write more tomorrow about that and him). My family is having a particularly challenging time. The baby has come down with the chicken pox, which may require yet... Read more
Traveling -any sustained detour from the daily routine- is an effective tool for evaluating one’s practice and core beliefs. What elements of practice are vital? What do I make space for when my regular patterns are disrupted? What do I crave? What is essential for stability? What is so loosely tethered in me that I forget about it completely when out of my routine? I am at my inlaws and all is well. Our trip across the Atlantic was uneventful,... Read more
I have to admit: I love Hinduism far more than I expected to. My time with it is two-thirds of the way through (as I write this). I already feel sad that I will have to put much of it on the shelf next quarter. Thankfully the Feri tradition is as open as Hinduism, more or less, so some bleeding will be acceptable. What do I love so much? Let me enumerate the ways! A recent post talked about how... Read more
Today I will be traveling with my family. We are headed to the United States for a month. We were supposed to have left ten days ago but guess who woke up with chicken pox the day before our departure? My three-year old. Thankfully, my husband and I have both had the pox. My 6 month old daughter is still exclusively breastfed, so chances are good she won’t catch it (this time). While I plan to be online, I’m not... Read more
Om namah Shivaya! This is perhaps the best known Hindu chant in the Western world, along side Hare Krishna. Shiva is one of the best known gods, both within and without the Hindu tradition. I first gained familiarity with him through practicing yoga. I must confess that as I write this post on Shiva I fear that I have very little to say. He and I are just getting to know each other. Or, more precisely, since He is the... Read more
O Kali Ma, slay the fears that limit my spirit! O Kali Ma, dance upon the grave of my ambivalence! This is a prayer that I pray nearly every morning. Yes, I pray to Kali daily. She is a fearsome deity: fierce in stance and weaponry, staring directly at the viewer with crazy eyes, tongue extended, bold, wearing heads, skulls and fetuses. Kali, the destroyer – of time, of illusion! Kali, loving and fierce mother! There are many places online... Read more
I had one surprisingly quiet evening to myself over the weekend. My husband was up in Edinburgh to see his good friend perform a one man show at the Edinburgh Fringe Fest. The children went down easily, so I made a little dessert for myself (hand-whipped cream with a dash of vanilla, some banana, and a spoonful of honey – divine) and put on a movie. I decided to watch Eat Pray Love – a pretty film, not requiring deep... Read more
Today is Raksha Bandhan, a celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters. The brothers promise to protect their sisters from all harms and evils and the sisters promise to be devoted to their brother’s well-being. It seems like this is a day for gifts and family celebrations. Traditionally a red woven bracelet is tied around the brother’s wrist. I thought this would be a sweet holiday to observe as I have a boy and a girl. Of course, they... Read more
A Witch's Ashram
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