Hello,
Friend.
Often when you see images pertaining to yoga and meditation,
You might not know the backstory of their relevance,
But in every story lies a lesson to be learned.
There exists a mythological narrative deeply rooted in the Hindu belief that conveys a profound moral teaching about wisdom,
Strength,
And the perseverance to move past obstacles.
And this narrative is the tale of Ganesh.
While there are some variations in this story,
One of the most widely accepted version involves the goddess Parvati and her husband,
Lord Shiva.
And so it goes that there once lived a goddess,
Parvati,
Who desired to have her own child,
So she created the boy from turmeric paste that she used to bathe herself with.
The boy was known as Ganesh,
And he was given the duty of guarding the goddess while she bathed.
But one day,
The goddess's husband,
Lord Shiva,
Returned after many years,
Unaware of the boy that was suitably guarding the entrance,
Just as the goddess instructed.
Ganesh followed his mother's orders and refused to let Lord Shiva in.
Lord Shiva was so enraged by this that he engaged in a fierce battle with Ganesh,
And he ended up severing the boy's head.
The goddess Parvati emerged to find her beloved son dead,
And she was heartbroken.
She demanded Lord Shiva restore Ganesh to life.
Deeply regretting his actions,
Lord Shiva sent his followers to find the head of the first living creature they encountered.
They returned with the head of a powerful elephant.
Lord Shiva placed the elephant's head on the boy,
Revived him,
And granted him the title Lord Ganesh,
The remover of obstacles.
While this myth is one of death,
It is also one of wisdom,
Strength,
And new beginnings.
Through Lord Ganesh's story,
We learn that even in the moment of conflict and loss,
There is the possibility of renewal and greater wisdom.
So for today's meditation,
We will practice recognizing your similarity to Ganesh through mindfulness and the mantra,
Aum Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
So let's illuminate the clarity within you to overcome challenges by practicing mindfulness and using this mantra.
Find a comfortable seat,
Either on a cushion,
A chair,
Or directly on the floor.
Ensure your spine is tall and straight,
Shoulders relaxed,
And your hands resting gently on your knees or in your lap.
Softly close your eyes and begin to bring your awareness within.
Begin to notice your breath,
Becoming familiar with the inhale as it enters into your nose,
Feeling your lungs completely,
And then exhaling slowly through your mouth.
There is no need to alter or change your breath in any way,
But with each breath,
Feel yourself becoming more grounded and centered.
Imagine roots extending from the base of your spine into the earth,
Anchoring you firmly into this moment.
Scan through yourself now and remove the obstacles of physical tension in your body and the mental tension within the mind.
Be relaxed,
Be at ease,
And shift your attention to your thoughts and emotions.
Just as you observed your breath without trying to change it,
Observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment.
Now bring forward a situation you could be facing in your life,
Or maybe you have faced in your life,
A situation that might be challenging,
Might cause you to feel fear or uncertainty.
Bring it forward within view,
But slightly out of reach.
Take no action towards it.
Imagine there is a warm golden light beginning to emanate from your heart.
This light represents the clarity,
Wisdom,
And the energy of Ganesha within you to face challenges and remove obstacles.
With each passing breath,
This inner light grows brighter and warmer.
Now visualize Ganesha's large elephant ears listening to your thoughts and feelings as his eyes focus upon you with a gentle smile.
His right hand is raised in a gesture of protection and blessing while his left hand holds objects that symbolize wisdom,
Abundance,
Renewal,
And the ability to move through obstacles with clarity.
As Ganesha sits there with you listening to your thoughts and feelings,
And as his eyes focus upon you with a gentle smile offering reassurance that with wisdom and patience what struggles you may have today develops the strength you need tomorrow.
As this inner glow,
This inner light of Ganesha within you fills your entire being,
Feel the fears and doubts begin to dissolve,
And notice how this light begins to wind and blow outward to the obstacle.
See it absorbing the particles within its golden glow just as you absorb the lesson to be learned.
We will now introduce the mantra Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha which when translated means I bow to Lord Ganesha the remover of obstacles.
This mantra here is used not as a prayer to Lord Ganesha but to manifest the energy and qualities to remove challenges in your life with wisdom and find the clarity in the road ahead with patience.
With each repetition of this mantra fill the sound vibrations resonating within you,
Breaking through barriers,
Clearing the way for new opportunities and positive changes while filling Continue with a sense of empowerment,
Of confidence.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
Now continue to chant this mantra but allow it to soften into a whisper.
And then into a thought only you can hear.
Remain here until I join you once more.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
Now let go of the mantra and sit for a moment.
Slowly bring your awareness back to the natural flow of your breath.
Soften into the sounds around you and the sensations within you.
Carry the peace,
Clarity and strength with which you've created here.
Know that you like Ganesha possess the power to navigate through challenges with grace and resolve.
So embrace the lesson to be learned in his story.
Treat every obstacle as an opportunity towards your own inner strength,
Determination and wisdom.
And as Amish Tripathi from the book The Immortals of Blue once said,
The best way to describe Ganesha is to say that he is the original Superman.
He is incredibly strong and powerful yet gentle and compassionate.
You see,
My friend,
While superheroes may be fictional,
Their determination and selflessness mirror the extraordinary strength you carry within yourself to make a difference,
Not only in your life,
But in the lives of those around you.
May your mind,
Your body and your spirit be abundant with peace and clarity today and every day.
Until we meet again,
Namaste.
