Wild Words Blog

The story of Mahagauri – the form of Parvat celebrated on the 8th day of Navaratri – is in some ways more disturbing, upsetting, and more difficult to handle than all the stories about destroying demons.  Maha in Sanskrit means Great. The word Gauri means Bright. Navaratri is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the power

All the demons escape upon her arrival. The ghosts disappear. The toxicity evaporates. When Kalaratri – the form of the goddess celebrated on the 7th day of Navaratri – shows up, the shaming, the minimizing, the oppression, the bigotry, the hatred, the tyranny, and all the demonic forces that we battle and struggle with soften. 

Katyayani is a fierce lion rider, driving the energy in us that is both wild and regal, untamed and in charge. Symbolically speaking, the lion invites us to remember that we are a paradox, that we are never not an animal, and that we are also a sovereign being. The lion embodies the ferocious strength

Skandamata – Mother of Skanda – is the goddess of the day. She rides a ferocious lion. She holds her baby. She’s a protective mama, a nurturing power, a care giving energy, a nourishing force. On day 5 of Navaratri, the power worshiped is that of The Mother. The Great Mother. The Mother Goddess.  On

The cosmic power of creation emanates and extends itself in all directions from the heart of today’s goddess. On the 4th day of Navaratri, goddess Kushmanda is celebrated, and she is  the warmth and radiance of the world.  After her battle with the bat demons (check out yesterday’s story), the world is still in darkness,

The goddess of the day moves in the dark with the help of moonlight from the moon she wears on her forehead. She finds courage in her heart as she turns toward her fear, and she is ready for battle at any hour of the day. Her voice roars with such intensity, the demons tremble