Navratri - A 9-Day Journey To The Center Of Your Self

Navratri is celebrated to glorify the spirit in us. It is only the spirit in us that can destroy all negative qualities (inertia, pride, obsession, cravings, aversions, etc). Turning inward during Navratri, and getting in touch with the spirit within, we can overcome these negative tendencies and invoke the positive qualities that are within us, thus feeling elevated and renewed.”

The festival of Navratri is a time for self-referral and getting back to the Source.

Navaratri is the festival of nine nights. Just as there is one night devoted to Shiva called Shivaratri, there are nine nights dedicated to Shakti (Divine energy) and this is called Navaratri. Just as a baby takes nine months to be born, the Devi takes nine days to rest and is born on the tenth day with greater strength and valour to conquer evil and re-establish good. “Ratri” means night, which gives deep rest, relief from the three tapas (the three botherations) at the physical, causal and subtle levels. Night relieves us from these three afflictions and brings rest to the mind, body and consciousness. It is a time of prayer and rejuvenation. These 9 days are like coming out of the mother’s womb once again; having a new birth. Creation happens in the darkness; The nine months in the womb are like nine long nights where the spirit takes human form.

Though our life is governed by the three gunas, we seldom recognize and reflect on them. The first three days of Navratri are attributed to tamo guna (inertia), the next three days to rajo guna (activity) and the last three days to sattva guna (tranquility). Our consciousness sails through the tamo and rajo gunas and blossoms in the sattva guna on the last three days. Whenever Sattva dominates in life, Victory follows. The essence of this knowledge is honoured by celebrating the tenth day as Vijayadashami.

“Navratri is a festival for one to take the mind back to its source”