Grow wiser, not just older

Some people just grow older, without growing wiser. Then there are those who use their years to grow wiser as they grow older. Like this woman, who is blind, but still sees the light.

This 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home yesterday. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;

I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.”

She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.”

And with a smile, she said: “Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less, & enjoy every moment.

Photograph by Karsten Thormaehlen

Wishing you sweet dreams and sweeter awakenings

9th Goddess

Today we look at the last Goddess on this last day of Navaratri and how we can apply this teaching to our own life. Again, I encourage you to exercise your own mind by using it to find higher spiritual meanings in the everyday events of your life. So let's look at the 9th Goddess, the 4-armed Mother Siddhidatri, seated on a lotus flower. 

8th Day of the Goddess

The 8th aspect of Mother Durga is the goddess Mahagauri whose fair complexion is often compared with the moon. Her garments and ornaments are also white. She has four arms and sits on a bullock. Like other goddesses, her right hand is in abbaya mudra, to allay fear. (Yes, we are reminded again and again by these goddesses that fear is unnecessary. You might like to read my comment about fearing the snake on our path, on the post: "dearest cherished students")

7th Day of the Goddess

The 7th Goddess, Kalaratri, is also known as Shubhankari. She is a fearful Goddess to look at: pitch black, disheveled hair, 3 eyes, riding a donkey, and wearing a necklace flashing like lightening! Her right hand is raised to grant boons and her left hand is in the mudra to allay fears. Her other 2 hands hold a sharp weapon made from bones and a bloody dagger.

6th Day of the 9 Goddesses

Today let's read about the 6th form of Mother Durga, known as Katyayani, and see what we can find to apply to our spiritual understanding. Isn't it nice to look at different cultures, different spiritual ideas, and try to find the universal application? Wouldn't the world be a nicer place if more people did this? Yes, I think it would be. Even though more people do not do this, we can do it. And what matters most of all is what we do. We cannot control or change the outer world, but we can show up for our spiritual lives and so transform where it really counts, from the inside out. We can use our minds for something useful, like remembering our divine essence, as angels do.

5th Goddess of the Navratri

The great Goddess, Mother Durga, is said to have 9 aspects, which are the 9 Goddesses. Today the 5th aspect, Skandamata, is worshipped, according to Hindu scripture. Let this day of the Goddess remind you that you are supported by the strength of a lion or Universal Energy, which is all powerful. You are perfectly balanced, a lotus in each hand. You are the ocean, calm and serene. You carry the small child of your own self in your arms, so be kind, compassionate, and loving with yourself. Teach yourself how to love yourself. Let go of all false concepts of love--the dictionary definitions that you, yourself, create--and open to discovering what love really is. Give up being a dictionary, creating definitions that become expectations that keep you in bondage. Submerge yourself in meditation constantly with every breath, in every moment of your life, and let yourself move upward, towards the highest chakra, and then beyond, towards the Light of all wisdom, love, and compassion. (see picture and read more...)

4th Day of the Goddess Celebration

On the fourth day of Navaratri, Devi Kushmanda is worshipped. This Goddess is also called Ashtbhuja. On this day the mind of the worshipper enters and stays in the Anahta or 4th Chakra, so one is required to meditate on the Mother one-pointedly with a steady mind. As a result the devote is said to get rid of all ailments and sorrows. Longevity, name, strength and health are said to be on the increase.

Whatever culture we live in, it is always good to be reminded to be one-pointed and keep a steady mind. The question is, what are we one-pointed on? As spiritual students, the angels ask that you be one-pointed on your spiritual life, on Truth, even if you call that an aspect of the Goddess. Ideally we are totally present and aware every moment, not just one day of the year.

3rd Day of the Goddesses

      Hello beautiful Goddesses...and beautiful Men! Focusing on this aspect of the Goddess is meant to give extreme peace and ultimate good. She wears a half moon (chandra) and her voice is like that of a bell (ghanta); so her name is Chandraghanta. It is said that her roaring voice, a tumultuous sound like a bell, causes the enemies of Dharma to tremble! (We talk about Dharma in Lesson 29 "Relationships." In that lesson the angels remind us to row our own boat, not someone elses. The Sanskrit word dharma beautifully describes the concept of rowing one’s own boat -- one’s duty; the underlying natural order of things; that which upholds).  ((Had to remove the Goddess image because it was making the blog not work!)

2nd day of the 9 Goddesses

I like the idea of celebrating the 9 days of the Goddesses. Today is #2.  Brahmacharini is the second of the nine Durgas (Goddesses). Brahmacharini is one who practices penance, inspiring us to achieve our spiritual goals. She inspires renunciation from all that takes us from our true nature, such as harmful thoughts and actions. She also inspires dispassion (not being led astray by strong emotion), and staying on the path of duty (rowing our own boat) and keeps one grounded in the 2nd Chakra.  (Read about the 3rd Goddess tomorrow). (By the way my new great niece was born yesterday. A little Goddess).