When I was attending the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, one of my favorite prayer mantras was this one … May All Beings Be Happy. I return to it often in my morning devotions and wanted to share this lovely version by Deva Premal and Miten with you. Blessings!
Saraswati
This post completes my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra … (I made this journey with deep respect and reverence toward the Hindu religion and the Indian culture, though I am neither; my Ayurveda teachers, many of whom were Hindu, were gracious and open in offering their culture’s spirituality, philosophy, and wisdom, for which I’m grateful.)
While meditating upon and chanting the Gayatri this morning, following all these contemplations of its meaning, intention, and source, I could visualize the vibrations of each line. It was like they now hum with a sacred focus upon which I can more easily relate — the Divine Feminine. Prior to this conscious reflection into the energy of the Gayatri Mantra, I would feel purity and sacredness but could also feel some misalignment within my own vibrational field. Now, though, I feel an intimate, visceral interconnection. This is more a feeling, a heart-sensation, rather than a thought or belief. As if the words have now become pure sound within the vibrational pattern of Gaia … a pattern within which I feel strong resonance. And with this shift into feminine fields, I become open into the non-gendered Divine.
The Gayatri Mantra is the “sonic incarnation” of the Divine, and, interestingly, is aligned with or depicted as Goddess, a further deity incarnation of Sarasvati (who is Goddess of learning, creativity, knowledge, music, arts and science). Goddess Gayatri images express the five pranas of the five tattvas, and she holds the five ayudhas (tools) that we use in our lives to fulfill our purpose. She expresses Shakti — creative energy. I knew She wasn’t absent within the Gayatri, if only I could explore her every curve by diving deep, and feel her heart opening, guiding, loving.
The Gayatri is ultimately, however, a deep yet non-specific prayer to the gender-free Source of All Existence. This is probably why it has survived for thousands of years and is chanted by people of all spiritual paths. There are many translations and interpretations of the mantra as a whole and, as I’ve seen by exploring it word-for-word, even each sound/word can be perceived in various ways — celebrating diversity of Spirit, embracing gender-free Divinity, and the tremendous Joy found in all life.
Sanskrit holds forth that the Gayatri mantra is a “sonic incarnation” of the Divine. Recognizing that the Divine rests in sound and within all variables of life that we can experience — seen and unseen, matter and energy. I treasure how the ancient seers, living in the forests, truly experienced and knew the Divine as omnipresent and fully manifest as well as being able to concurrently know this Primal Force as deities (archetypes, energy beings, or other; perhaps as created deities based upon the reflection of the Sacred we feel within our own human forms and manifested outwardly).
I realize this perception can be hard for people who like neat and tidy boxes and labels to wrap their heads around and in which to plant their beliefs. But the more I have learned and opened, the more it all makes sense. There is no way we can limit or inhibit the expression of the Divine — now or ever. People attach God or Goddess, or other names, symbols or planes of existence, to Divine. But the Gayatri doesn’t — instead, it provides the sounds of qualities, it describes, it opens a conduit to the Divine as “That” … that which is everything we try to use words to describe in order to share the Infinite with others or relate to ourselves … to share the Divine through feelings of knowing ‘That’ which is all around and within.
I explored how I might wish to recall my journey through the Gayatri; I nearly created a lengthy, complex reflection but heard a dulcet whisper from within that said “simplicity.” So for now, when I chant the Gayatri Mantra, these are the soft touchstones that resonate:
Gaia Tree of Life, Earth Goddess, Divine Mother,
you are the Sacred Fountain that gives birth to and sustains all life,
you are the Light of Love through which I celebrate diversity;
you are the Background of Joy upon which I exist and dwell within;
I humbly ask that your healing Grace be present, active and realized within all of us.
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**Please Note: I am neither Hindu or a scholar of Indian culture or religion, and I don’t profess to understand the intricacies of these beliefs for others; I am simply sharing what resonates with me.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Yo Nah Prachodayat — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
free photo © Erik Lam | Dreamstime.com
Yo – “That” (the Divine)
Nah – “ours” – for all of us
Prachodayat – request, ask, beseech
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Asking, within these sounds, for myself and others to feel the peace of the Divine; to know and experience the qualities and attributes of the Sacred that is all around us and within us, and to express these gifts out into the world. Bringing the Grace of Gaia to all that we are and everything that we do. To open and invite the Divine to manifest fully within so that we can project and reflect the Divine fully outward. Asking this for self and others.
And yet, I cannot help but remain aware of each person’s individual path, and how vital it is for each of us to find our own way. So, even when I ask for blessings on someone else’s behalf, I am conscious of a qualifier learned many years ago: “ … for our highest good, for the good of all, according to the free will of all.” Now, some might feel that this goes without saying, believing that we cannot impact someone else’s free will on the energetic plane anyway. However, I prefer to remain conscious of this aspect and do so by stating my awareness.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Dhiyo — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
mind, intellect, link between world and spirit,
to ask how use our minds to manifest a Divine Path in the world
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free photo © Dreamstime Agency | Dreamstime.com
Feeling Her in my heart and soul, I invite the Divine to create with me a world wherein Her essence of joy and light of love are clearly visible. We join hands and dream through heart and act through a mind-image to be in the world a certain way.
Seeing Her around me, what are the gifts She shows through other forms? How do the animals bring presence and right action? How does the mountain stand firm, while the snow melts and runs down in canyons, and the trees reach high into the sky?
I open to Gaia’s guidance, and ask Her to show me how to use my mind for the benefit of all of us; not to let my mind use me in wasted efforts of excess or poor choices. I invite Her to turn Her bright light upon the clearing in the woods of my mind, bringing all to life, and then the light spreads into the forest through leaves and roots, and is sung into the darkest recesses by birds and crickets and bats, and reflected upon dew-laden webs and icy springs flowing over rocks that change colors depending upon the angle in which they are viewed.
The mind can be a powerful force of nature — ours and the world’s. We can succumb to its egoic determination or we can recover our power and align our minds in uniquely expressed ways in the direction of Divine Light.
How many times in a day do I let my mind take over? When I have a feeling that leads to an emotional response, do I simply follow my mind along the breadcrumbs down a path of memory laid decades ago to a dead-end where those thoughts in the past control my present? Or do I pause at the beginning — or even mid-way — and say “hold on now, that’s over, what is valid right now?”
Do I allow my mind to take over, running film after film in my head without pause? If my mind likes to play re-runs, how about setting up the projector myself and playing only cheerful, or educational, or humorous, or soul-enriching films that lift me up? Why not provide images and impressions current and loving?
This is why many spiritual paths encourage some form of meditation, prayer or chanting. They encourage us to use a repetitive focus so that when our mind tries to take over, the first thing it comes to is a Divine pattern. Kind of like food awareness practice (also known as dieting) … it isn’t so much about restriction as it is choosing healthy foods and making lifestyle changes. And once our systems and taste buds have adjusted to those clear flavors and pure foods, we want more of them, and we feel wonderful nourishing ourselves with them. But, in the beginning, isn’t it easier to make sure that there aren’t any junk foods in the house? That when we reach out for something to eat, only healthy options are nearby?
That’s similar to giving our attention to directing our thoughts consciously, being present, and asking the Divine to help us keep our minds and intellect focused upon a path of joy and love, to act in service to Gaia and all life, all form. To ask … how is this thought, this action, these words, helping somehow? To ask for Divine guidance of our minds and She will show us the way to the Light.
So what is Her Light? I know we, in our elemental forms and visceral, sense-oriented body-minds, see the duality of light and dark. We use these as pointers, but sometimes forget that form is illusion and opposites are for understanding the world and our concepts of creation. And, while She can illuminate our minds when we open to Her (and often even when we don’t), ‘light’ is a limiting thought/concept, for Her Divine clearing of debris is not light-in-contrast-to-dark but rather perhaps a vibratory pattern that resonates pure Love, Bliss, Sattva.
And so, I invite and welcome Her Love and Bliss and Joy to permeate my mind to heal our world, and I ask Her where She resides within me to expand my consciousness, re-mind me into awareness and empowerment and devotion to Divine Life.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Dhimahi — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
focus, attention, meditation, communion,
all upon and within the Divine
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Pause. Give her all of our attention, within this moment see Divine fullness of Being and exist within her as She rests within us and all matter. We are inseparable. And once we fully embrace the Divine Energy that is both manifest/immanent as well as transcendent then we are truly dwelling within Gaia. Then, we can give our attention to Her in every moment because no matter what is happening or not happening, our attention is on Her and we dwell in peace, radiating Light and Love.
To consciously give ourselves time/space is a first step into communion as it is meant to be … every moment, all forms and non-forms present Her in themselves, in the essence and vibration of the seen and unseen. With focus, we reciprocate the presence.
Oh, imagine to be within Her even when we have not set aside devotional time/space. Imagine the bliss of our entire life in alignment with Her. Then the pause and space for meditation upon the sacred is merely delicious icing — it is not the deep, rich cake of Source, Her cakes of heaven, because in full awareness we partake every moment, enjoying every bit, every crumb, as part of Divine sustenance toward growth and nourishing change and wisdom.
I pause within space and time, to bring conscious awareness to Goddess in All, to honor Her gifts, and receive Her Grace and know the abundance of Her as Source. The vibrations raised within me during devotion resonate, permeating my body, mind and soul, raising me into communion with Spirit that will last throughout the day, clarifying, providing discernment to always see Her, this resonance rising up within me as an automatic Grace when I stumble, fall, or feel alone. She is here and a moment of focus recalled allows the opening to once more see Her and feel Her within and all around.
There is no sacred transcendence because we are right here, right now. And She is Here. Why go looking for Her ‘out there’ somewhere? She is here in the comforting hugs, gentle words, soft eyes of love, abundant rains, painful reminders and the hurtful lessons that flow in this energetic world of illusory existence we create from moment to moment with the power of our thoughts and beliefs.
Imagine … bringing Gaia into every second of awareness! Glorious!
And so I focus, meditate, chant, pray, do ritual, move … giving my attention to the Divine in gratitude and allowing Her strength, wisdom, love, to flow through me. Every time I open, inviting Her, She is already here, waiting to bring bliss and peace as the background of all experience. This is another gift of Source. Her Great Mystery is to provide a tapestry of joy in Being, of peace in existence, that sustains us through the dance of the world until all life’s rhythms are pulsing in Her together as One.
We don’t have to wait or despair. We need not judge or feel righteous toward others’ devotionals. We are all on journeys … sharing as we go along, learning to find our way. When I pause to re-mind myself of connection with the Divine, when I open to Her conduit of love and channel of joy, when I being attention in devotion — no matter how long; seconds, minutes, hours — then during that presence of Spirit and Self, we are all aware. We may react when feeling the conscious devotion of another. Is our response kind, loving, honoring of their path in that moment? They have paused in acknowledgement of Source and I need only concern myself with my own response Do I pause and honor their journey to the Divine? It doesn’t have to be my path, but can I respect that it is theirs? And let go? Release the need for same, and its comforts to ego, and instead celebrate Divine Diversity? I cannot know what is in each person’s heart; can I pause in a moment of pure loving support, in compassion, in honor of the attention being given to the Infinite as felt by another? I feel Her within me in my own unique way, and Her gift is open-hearted, loving acceptance of my attempts to know Her. We manifest our own reality/illusion in devotion, and I choose Love.
To love in attention and devotion to Matter and Spirit equally, as One.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Devasya — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
quality (guna), attribute, function,
individual qualities of the Divine that manifest
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To acknowledge the glorious and varied qualities of the Divine is to affirm the Unity of All as Divine.
Celebrate diversity and honor the Divine for all manners of being, doing, becoming and transition are of Her.
I love this sound–Devasya–flowing like the rivers of Her birthing waters that fill our world with love and infinite varieties of form and function. Our biodiversity here in Mother Earth is one part of the whole of the Universe of Diversity and we cannot even grasp the complexity of how all is interrelated, though we try to understand Her Great Mystery and all our roles that resonate back to the original Song of Love. We live in the harmonies and dissonance of function that needs to be recalled into the whole of Spirit to be at peace universally, or even just globally.
All my thoughts become the manifest reality and when I imagine, the abundance of energy that pours through creation is minuscule compared to the imagination of Gaia. Look at all the diversity into which we are wholly integrated. Magnificent.
Our perspective is one of duality because matter expresses through contrast. We could not know the gifts of Light without the Dark presents, could not survive with only Light in the manifest world.
Our major opposites of the perceived gunas are simple and only the tip of the iceberg as we begin to understand the diversity of function and role within our manifest world. Here and now is where we experience the Divine — She is everywhere with open arms and gentle smile to soothe as we stumble and to encourage our footsteps on our unique paths of discovery, for see how we are all different, all growing at different paces.
We are contained within the greater cell of world form and know galaxies whirling within our own cells of these body temples. And all life is this! Just this — the incredible diversity of Divine imagination, evolving, transforming, falling and dying, to be reborn into ourselves every moment. We are the transcendent experiencing immanence and it is a beautiful, wondrous mystery, is it not?
I cannot contain the effervescence of the knowledge of diversity in all its wonders. I begin to think of it, feel Her energies, see every speck of creation grow with light and expand, and I am bursting with joy, gratitude, amazement and awe. The way in which all these qualities blend and divide and multiply is truly Divine. Each quality becomes entwined with another.
We break our understanding into bits and pieces to try and comprehend the magic, and to explore, yet we mustn’t forget to put them back together, allow the bits to merge, interconnect, unify as is their very nature and the heart of the Divine. This is a trap we have often fallen into — to see the pieces and forget that they are part of the whole of Gaia, every single spark necessary to the fire of life if we are to experience the wonder of Unity here and now.
Our future is not set. We can become new forms and lose this one if we continue without care for the whole. And maybe that is all part of Her gift of free expression as we choose our paths … on a grander scale than we can conceive, She moves in and out of becoming, breathing, sleeping, dying to one world and waking to another, different blends of qualities. Will She ever know abiding Love and Peace in Her world of form? The grand experience of life continues always … changing.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Bhargo — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
light, love, purity, purify, cleanse,
reveal Maya (illusion), allow realization
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Our experiences guide us. We are born into the world, into form, and we are intimate with Gaia. She is our very essence of connection yet as we grow, we yearn for worldly experiences as this is our nature and Hers within us.
Sometimes we hold our souls gently through journey, keeping our center, but mostly we stumble and make strange choices, often falling away from being able to see Divinity right in front of us every moment. Remember. That’s our practice. Recall our Oneness. Not as something to be achieved. Not to compare ourselves to others and how far they are. But just to be present to our own journey knowing She is always shining Her Light of Love … we couldn’t escape it even if we wanted to. To think we or others have fallen too far to even know the Light is to forget that we already have the Light within us — we are love and only need to recognize Her once more as us.
Is there such a thing as too much light? A garish intensity can overwhelm and burn right through, revealing so much at once that we are blinded and our skin peels away after being scorched. We may be purified of ego-dominance but at what cost? So little left after the burning that we struggle to wrap bandages around limbs oozing with salve and blood, seeking healing through the pain of too much illumination at once. Yet, with wisdom, guided by Her mysteries, we become accustomed to more and more Light, taking it in and growing stronger with each exposure.
Soak up all the moonlight we want, so gentle and pure, touching softly and with a soothing brushstroke to paint the canvas of our skin with the shadows of leaves and limbs. Night’s creatures gifting us with sound that opens all the pores of heart and soul until we are flooded with cool cleansing luminescence.
Prisms in the air transform Her sunlight into rainbows that guide us to the spark in our hearts where energy spirals and spins out all the accumulated gunk, sending it flying out of us on a simple exhale. Could it be so simple? Light and Air a revelation of Love? Of course. She doesn’t intend anything to be hard — we create the difficulty on our own.
Light plays upon the water creating whirls and worlds of sparkling essence, enchanting us with its escapades and reminding us to pause in the blessing of right now, to dance upon the shimmering waters of renewal and realization. See how all Her elements hold hands inviting us to see Her in the world?
Is there light in the Earth? Of course! Light is transformation, Love is transformative, and all earth energy is teeming and gleaming with the process of transformation from our birth to death as we participate in the process of feeding our bodies. How much love do we partake of? Are we conscious of where our food comes from, who labors over its growth, how is it cared for? Choose to bring the Light of Love into the needs of our bodies, the transformative powers of metabolism and assimilation.
When we allow the veil of illusion to fall away, we see Her Light everywhere and we are naturally drawn to all aspects of healing in Her Light and that includes wanting and opening to bring into our bodies as many impressions and actions of Light as possible.
When I allow Her Light to come within, then I naturally allow and offer more Light out from myself. There is no need to fear sending out Her Love Light because we are instantly replenished. She is Abundance and Her Light is everywhere … in all the plants and animals and minerals; we are the Light of Love. Once we open our minds and senses to Her infinite abundance we know this. We participate with Her as She purifies with the kiss of a breeze, the hiking of a trail, the snuggles of a dog, the observance of silence in an instant that creates the space into which Her Radiance is All.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Varenyam — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
acceptance (of the Divine), (knowing the) worthiness (of Divinity),
virtues befitting and harmonious with humanity
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photo courtesy Green Hope Farm
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We move into a knowing that the Divine is our highest power, and within Self; knowing that we are empowered through the Grace of the Divine. She showers upon us Her Mystery through sharing Her Divine Light of worthiness and acceptance, and all those virtues that harmonize throughout our souls.
When we accept that there is a Great Mystery … that She is the worthiness of everything in life and She is within us, then we also accept our own worth for we are part of Her and She a part of us. There is no separation. Who can view Her revealed in the miracles of life and not realize Her within ourselves? We are a part of–not apart from–the millions of creations of life force manifested. What can we do when we embrace that every part is worthy of the whole?
To accept Her as Universal Light, as the Vital Force in All, as the Cosmic Vibration of Love here on earth … to see Her this way in everything around and then … to know that if this is True–and I know in my heart-soul it is–then I am also worthy. I am imbued with Her essence so I am part of Her. To accept Her as Divine Grace is to also accept myself as a part of this Divinity because I walk and sleep and create within Her creations. We are interconnected and inseparable, sharing the same spark that is our Highest Power. We, all life, merely manifest different facets of Her.
I accept Her as Divine and accept myself as part of Divinity.
I see Her as worthy, and thus I am worthy.
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To explore the Gayatri is a fascinating journey. Each word/sound can be interpreted within a variety of impressions, as can the perception of the meaning of each line as well as the entirety of the mantra. I am finding that my contemplation of each word/phrase in the moment of my writing allows me entrance to the resonant depth of where I happen to be in that instant; and that pool is where the writing flows from. And all currents lead to The Divine; we cannot bypass Divine Mother Earth to try and reach Divine Source for they are the one and the same.
Flower Essences are a lovely assist to my journey … on the Gaia Path. Yesterday, my resonance was with Sunflower Spiral.
Continuing my journey through the Gayatri / GaiaTree Mantra …
Savitur — definitions or understandings of the actual word/sound are:
the fountain, source, sustainer, creation, procreation, self-guidance
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Our Mother, the fountain, the spring that bubbles up and gives birth through the waters of the womb and sustains all life through this same water. We are primarily water and Her fountain bubbles in us as well. We create and when we create, we honor Her. She is creatrix and creation both and so are we. Every time we create we are an imagining of the Infinite Source of Life.
I hear the sound of water, a stream trickling near the path of my spiritual journey, and a voice harkens “follow me to the Source.” I step lightly alongside and the water sings me into peace as I walk with Her and soon I know my own voice joining with Hers, the birds, all the creatures and elementals. I skip along like a child where Her speed increases, She flowing downhill, me climbing uphill, opposite directions but in perfect harmony.
I pause and sip from a cold waterfall no higher than my knee, imagining all the unseen beings and the animals, too, drinking from this very pool of reflection that shows me I am also a part of Her; I cup my hands and fill them with Her precious blessing, then continue on my way among ancient oaks and newly born ferns, and tiny frogs hop out of my way with a snappy “plop” into the waters of their birth.
Just as my legs begin to tire, and my breath is becoming labored, I come to the Source, a spring upon the side of the hill pouring out water crystal clear and then bubbling as it flows over some rocks into a small pool lined with smooth stones that rise above the surface creating a shallow chalice. Yet, there is a small hole near the top where out pours a stream of water from the woods fountain that becomes the stream I followed here. I found the Source of all that sustains and She is a gift of glorious, continually flowing bounty.
And She is on Her way, bubbling over rocks …
Water invites Air to play and together they create champagne waves of inspiration, and Fire/light joins in to provide a shimmering, twinkling dance. Then, Water comes to a level clearing and slows, contemplating herself and her direction as Earth loosens and softens into silt to be stirred up by passing furry feet or pointed toes and carried downstream … Then, I can hear Water giggling as she rushes over a ledge into free fall again and begins cleansing into clarity once more. Over and over she changes, playing among her siblings.
Life is born within Her journey, from dragonfly and mosquito eggs hatching on Her fluid skin, to frogs and fish who dwell within Her depths, to all the creatures who come to drink from her pools and waterfalls–streaming life from Source. Rain falls and overwhelms the little stream for a while, creating new channels and byways, but then the rain stops and the stream continues to flow from Source.
Barefoot On The Gaia Path 