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| Battling Injustice with Durga
By Merry Cantrell Sit back... close your eyes. See yourself on a sandy white beach. Waves crashing up onto the shore. Seagulls flying around you, diving for food occasionally. Lay down in the sand, feeling the tiny granules on your legs and back. Feel the heat of the sun that has warmed the sand, and with your hands start to cover your feet and legs in the sand. Cover your hips and stomach, and now as much of your chest as you can. Feel the weight of the sand on your body. Warming it, listen to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. You are safe from any harm here... Allow your mind to drift off - out of your body. Leave your body safe here on the beach and come with me on a journey across the sea. Come with me into the air, feel yourself take flight across the mighty oceans. Soaring above it like a bird in flight, feel the wind all around you and the spray of the ocean water lightly misting your skin. Smell the salt from the water below. Watch the dolphins below us playing in the waves, calling to you as you pass over them... the snow white caps of the crashing waves... if you look even closer as we cross the ocean you can see a family of whales playing with their calves. Water spouts from their blowholes - a greeting of hello. Crossing further over the ocean you can start to make out what looks like land. As you get closer you can see that it is an exotic shoreline with bright colors and there are rich fragrances in the air blending with the salt like Sandalwood, Frankincense and lotus blossoms. Come down softly onto the shoreline and rest for a few minutes. Look around you. There is a hillside with stone red steps leading upwards, a market place selling an assortment of wares. Children playing off by the water while their mothers watch closely by. When you are ready climb up the stairs to the top of the hill... Once you reach the top you find a very old temple, maybe 18th century. Its architecture is amazing, large red stones make up the walls, tall tapered oblong columns line the front of the temple. There is a carving of a woman with many arms on the back of a lion engraved on the front of the temple. Red and white lotus petals line the steps that lead into the temple. It is very quiet. Enter the temple. Notice the intricate carvings along the walls and on the columns. In front of you is a large statue of that same woman that was carved on the front of the temple. There is a spicy smell of incense in the air - cinnamon and sandalwood. Back behind the large statue is a door. Enter through the doorway. There you find a circular room filled with weapons and shields. The floor is tiled and cold. In the middle of the room is a woman sitting on the back of a lion much like the one you saw in the hallway before entering. She is breath taking, her hair is silky, it goes all the way down her back and is blacker then the night sky. She has golden brown skin and eyes that look deep into your soul. The woman has ten arms and in eight of them she holds something different. The woman holds 1. A Trident which represents the spirit of the past, the present and the future 2. A Conch shell representing the victory sounds over evil forces 3. A Discus which is the symbol of the mind 4. A Lotus blossom which represents the universe unfolding and the true soul 5. A Mace which represents the search for knowledge 6. A Sword representing the search for truth 7. A Water pot which represents the mother or nurturing 8. A Snake representing the act of destruction The woman steps off the back of her lion and comes closer to you. She is wearing a rich red sari. As she approaches you she takes your hand and your energy begins to meld with hers as the two of you become one spirit. In the depths of your mind you hear a woman's voice whispering to you... " I am Durga, Goddess of conflict, and a protector of all women. I offer wisdom and love to all those that call upon me." Take a moment to recall a conflict that is unresolved in your life, picture it vividly in your mind and allow Durga to go into the memory with you! See her many arms around you and the resources that she has to offer you to help your resolve your conflict. Work with her as one to do so... Come back to the temple now, smell the cinnamon and sandalwood. Durga's lion is sleeping soundly on a brightly colored mat. Durga speaks to you again whispering softly in the depths of your mind again." We will always be one spirit. If you should need me again, you need but call my name and I will be here with you!" With that Durga separates from you, but you still feel her presence. You're not alone, she walks back over to the lion and wakes him gently. Mounting his back they walk away from you - fading out of sight. Exit Durga's temple and proceed back down the red stone stairs to the shore below. Allow your spirit to take flight once again crossing over the mass ocean. The sun has set and the ocean is calm and peaceful. The whales and dolphins are quietly swimming among the gentle waves. All around you are bright shining stars and the moon seems so close that you feel you can reach out and touch it. Looking ahead of you the beach is approaching quickly. You can see your body sleeping safely on the beach under the sand. Rejoin your body and become one with it again. Wiggle your toes, move your legs, lift your hips, stretch your arms. Spread your fingers and scratch your head. Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly. Once more, deep breath in and release slowly. Open your eyes and relax your body. One last breath in and release slowly. |