Cleanse: Day 3. Navaratri: Victory Day!

Durga: The Destroyer of The Nonpure. I dig her.

So, this morning at 6 AM, I went to the lovely Sivananda Yoga Center on Chicago's Northside for a puja, a ceremony, honoring the Maternal aspect of the divine. This is the end of the Navaratri celebration! I grew up thinking that God was a big white guy in a chair with a beard. Goodness, I now think this image is damaging to the human psyche. 

It's good to embrace the feminine aspect of the Eternal, as well. Here's what we did this AM, from the Sivananda Chicago website: "The tenth day commemorates the victory of knowledge over ignorance, or goodness over evil. Aspirants are initiated on this day. On this day the carpenter, the tailor, the mason, the artist, the songster, the typist and all technical workers do puja for their instruments and implements. This is Ayudha Puja. They behold and recognise the Sakti or Power behind those instruments and worship the Devi for their success, prosperity and peace."

It was a lovely service that inspired me to be in touch with my mother, today. My birth mother. We haven't spoken much since we had a falling out last Christmas and today's her birthday. I have the internal strength to call her and have taken care of myself to create my own space, so when she goes into "push-my-buttons-really-hard" mode, I'll be ready.

Today is also Day 3 of my Autumn Detox cleanse (see previous post). It's going great! I had popcorn last night because I was feeling queasy and didn't have my food with me, but that's ok. I'm letting myself off the hook.  Day 3 begins in a great way! 

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