Preparing for Navaratri or SHERO FEST!
Bhairavi be with me, Bhairavi you're in me
Preparing for Shero Fest
So what you are coming into is an opportunistic time period for the intensification of spiritual work, discipline, (those words can scare people so let’s end with) and devotion.
Why? Many people intensify their spiritual practices because they have a calling to, like myself. This is why I felt and continue to feel the need to organize Shero Fest. I want to practice in an intensified way during this time. I figured if I wanted to do this, there might be others who would not only benefit from but truly desire doing the same thing. Sharing is caring ;)
If you are participating we have some decisions we need to make. As the guide/teacher/facilitator/priestess/mermaid, whatever you want to think of me as, I’m obviously committed at a level that may surpass your own desires. For instance, I need to be present for every event of SHERO FEST, whereas the only real commitment that I am asking of participants is to take part in the Shero Fest Sadhana (power breath challenge - review your “info packet”). However, there are other preparations that should be considered. So let’s get into those now.
SCHEUDLING
Perhaps the most obvious will be scheduling. What events do you want to attend. How will that work with your other commitments? In terms of the challenge or sadhana, it is typically recommended that we attempt to do something at the same time and place. Do the best you can ;) When it comes to scheduling, make sure not to over schedule. It’s important to balance the “doing” with the “being”.
MAKING SPACE
Similar to scheduling is “making space”. Meaning what you can lay aside? The idea is that your spiritual life is the priority during this time. What can you responsibly get back to later, you know, after October 24th?
MAKING OR BEAUTIFYING OF SPIRITUAL SPACE
Another aspect of making space is making physical space beautiful and receptive to spiritual energies. Clean or prepare an altar or other spiritual areas. For the March 2023 Shero Fest, I prepared this 10 min video on preparing an altar. However, you could think of your entire property as an altar. You could declutter your house or devices. And remember, our bodies are temples. And with that said…
ABSTINENCE
You may wish to consider abstinence (think fasting) from:
foods (which ones are up to you but I am sure you know)
sex
consciousness altering substances (including cigarettes or alcohol)
media
If you do consider fasting, make a plan. Cold turkey or a weaning off? Maybe it’s not a fast but a minimization. A lot of this is about giving ourselves a break so we can have time and space to reflect upon or contemplate our daily habits (and thought patterns which lead to actions).
Whatever plans you make, it is better that they are “easy” and achievable rather than lofty and unsuccessful.
COLORS
Navaratri (the celebration of Mahadevi Durga that SHERO FEST is inspired by), celebrates a different aspect of Durga each day. One of the ways they do this is through color. The different aspects and colors will be listed on the events page.
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The two images shared are depictions of Bhairavi. Bhairavi the consort or power (shakti) of Bhairava, a fierce form of Shiva. Thus, Bhairavi is a fierce form of The Goddess (Devi).
And what do we mean by these terms?
Goddesses are sometimes aspects of something that is being pointed to as greater. In this pantheon and sometimes others, Goddesses express certain qualities, personalities, traits, symbols to indicate what is considered divine. However, there are often Supreme Goddesses. Durga is a Supreme Goddess or Mahadevi (vs. just a particular ((aspect of)) Devi). Supreme Gods or Goddesses mean to say that in the system you are studying that one is The One and only One that is contemplated as the ultimate reality from which all arises, is maintained, and destroyed in time and space and beyond. Unlike a system that claims there is one god and all others are false, this is saying from the One, even the “false ones” (because everything and anything perceptible) is an emanation or creation within that One. This is true for the implications of the non-dual Shaiva tantra I study and espouse as well as the Egyptian (Kemetian spirituality) I’ve been studying.
My first tantra teacher’s guru, Sri Amritananda says “In Sanskrit, Devi means one who makes you aware of things. By Her all is lighted up.” From a documentary about Sri Amritananda by Raja Chowdhury, he continues by saying “the light we speak of is that which makes both light and darkness seen.” However, it is experienced that fierce deities are both fierce in the terrifying realities they can expose (through light being cast on a previously un-innerstood situation) but also fiercely loving and compassionate.
Who I consider my current tantra teacher, Hareesh, says something along the lines of “we cry out at the sight of Bhairava not at his sight but so He might never again allow us to be caught in the *world of illusions.” (I’ll look for his exact quote). BTW it is subject for debate but, Bhairava/Bhairavi can sometimes be interchangeable in terms of certain ideas such as the idea being suggested here.
*Please note, it is important when you hear people talk about “the world”, we are not talking about the wondrous material body and sentient spirit of Earth.
The image above is from an article on Drik Pachang and this bottom image of Bhairavi is from Isha Foundation’s Linga Bhairavi, which you can view a post about here.
I chose the subtitle of this post as I had a wave of anxiety yesterday. It didn’t necessarily have to do with Shero Fest. I had not felt anxiety at this level for many years and although I could not “locate” where it was coming from, I knew on some level it was in part due to recent world events. As I mentioned above, we invoke her to help destroy the illusions we have of the world (and ourselves). She is not outside of us. She is a power within us. Always. We are powerful. Reflect on that as you look upon Her.