On the 8th day of Navaratri the goddess takes the form of Maha Gauri which means “Splendid”.
Having dissolved in the previous stations, all limitations and all veils of oblivion, lastly the fear of Death, Maha Gauri now receives the final understanding and shines again in all her glory.
There are many stories associated with this form.
In one of them we meet a Rishi (sage), who could perceive the concept of the divine, worshiping only Shiva (male principle - represents cosmic consciousness).
Shiva wanting to show him the nature of reality invited the goddess or Gauri (brilliant), as he affectionately called her, to sit beside him.
He asked the sage to show his adoration to Shiva by walking around him 3 times.
The sage tried again and again in all possible ways, even transforming himself into a snake or a tiny insect, but in vain.
He could not circle Shiva’s body alone as he was completely united with Gauri.Then Shiva drew Gauri even closer to him, and thus the androgynous form Ardhanariswhara (half Shiva-half Shakti) emerged, showing the sage the true face of the divine.
The sage was in denial!..he could not yet grasp the nature of reality.
The couple separated again.
Then Shiva asked Shakti to withdraw from the sage’s body her energy, the energy that brings Creation and the 5 elements into existence.
The sage’s body fell to the ground like a corpse. Consciousness was within him, he was aware of everything, but his body was motionless.
Then Gauri again breathed into the sage’s body and it came to life again.
Both for the sage and for the goddess herself who was still discovering her nature, the realization that Energy and Consciousness are one and the same and without Energy nothing can come into existence was revelatory.
Through this understanding Gauri (Bright) turns into Maha Gauri (Splendid).
In our system the seat of this understanding is at the Vyapini Chakra, the 8th center or “Soul Star”, 12 inches above the top of the head.
It is the place where the “I” dissolves, and the higher soul acts as a bridge to our union with the Whole.
At this station we are asked to examine all the limiting parameters that prevent us from making this transcendence Day 8 Assignment: Questions that help us examine the flow of energy in the Vyapini Chakra:
-What are the core beliefs that guide your life?
-Where did they come from?
-Are there any beliefs you hold that limit your potential or hold you back?
-How do these affect your actions and decisions?
-Are there beliefs you have adopted from the community or society you live in?
-What beliefs do you have about yourself and your abilities?
-For other people and human nature?
-Are they based on personal experience or stereotypes and assumptions?
-Are there beliefs that make you feel superior to other people? eg social, political, religious etc
-What beliefs do you have about success, failure and achievement?
-How do they affect your goals and motivations?
-What beliefs do you have about love, relationships and connection?
-Do they support healthy relationships and emotional harmony?
-What beliefs do you have about money, abundance and prosperity?
-Do they empower you to create flow and abundance in your life?
-What are your beliefs about spirituality, the purpose of life and existence?
-How do they shape your worldview and approach to life?
-Can you reexamine and change if necessary the beliefs you have formed even if this deconstructs the edifice you have built so far?
-What practices or mindset changes can help you cultivate more connection with your higher self and the Whole?
-Do you believe that mind and body are separate entities?
-Do you think there is a clear distinction between the physical world and the spiritual realm?
-How do you understand the nature of reality: as dualistic or unified?
-Do you believe that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality, present in all things?
-Do you believe that energy is a fundamental aspect of reality, present in all things?
-Do you believe that there are absolute moral truths or do you see morality as relative to the current social reality?
-Do you believe that reality can be fully understood through rational thought and empirical observation, or do you believe that there are aspects of reality that are beyond human rational understanding?
Practices that help balance the energy in the Vyapini Chakra:
- Meditation on Vyapini Chakra: :
Focus on the center of the head, where the pineal gland is located. Feel yourself breathing through this point. Inwardly say or chant the sound OM…do the same for the top of the head. Then bring your awareness 12 inches above the top of the head. Visualize at this point a bright star. Concentrate on this and say the sound OM once more. Keep this vision, and stay still for as long as you can.
When you returned you said internally:
*I am a connection to my higher self, my inner wisdom and the All
*I trust the guidance of my higher self
*I have the courage to challenge my beliefs and embrace change
*I release all limiting beliefs and embrace my limitless potential
-Burning beliefs:
Light a fire or a candle. Write down on a piece of paper all the beliefs that you have identified that you have, even those that you are absolutely sure of their validity.
Read them out loud and at the same time notice how your emotion and mind respond to them.
He then consigned this paper to the flames, as an act symbolizing the surrender and release of these beliefs, to the source of Creation, the primal Fire.
Be quiet. Notice how you feel.
Try to create space within your heart and within your mind so that only that which resonates with Truth is returned to you as understanding and anything false is dissolved in the Fire
*Repeat the same task, writing on paper beliefs of others that bother you. Individual, social, political, religious, existential, about the nature of reality…
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-'As above, so below:
The ancient teachings say that there is an analogy between the visible and invisible or unknown worlds. If the information is received correctly, the physical world can act as a gateway to other levels of reality
*Dedicate quiet time to nature, observing how it manifests itself in its entirety.
*Focus on individual elements. Spend time on a particular function of nature and delve into it
*Observe the mechanism of your body as a whole. How a body comes into existence, its functions, the symbiosis of bacteria and antibodies, emotional and mental functions
*Focus on individual elements. Spend time on a specific function of your body and delve into it
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Celebrate diversity:
Embrace the richness of diversity in beliefs, opinions and perspectives as a source of learning and growth.
Celebrate the differences that make each person unique.
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- Conversation with the Higher Self:
Take some quiet time. Communicate internally with what you call your Higher Self. Notice how you feel. If it is an “entity” separate from you or an integral part of you. Then share your problems, concerns, and ask for guidance to transmute what prevents you from feeling the freedom and wholeness of your Being
