Feminine Divine is the capacity alive and in everything. She is the power that creates, sustains, and resolves the ongoing dance of manifestation. She is Time.  April is the first month of the vedic calendar. Chaitra Navarātri often emphasizes the Devī manifesting as youthfulness, beauty, desire, freshness of the spring season [in the northern hemisphere].

One way to celebrate the 9 nights is in 3 parts – the first 3 days dedicated to devotion to Durgā, the next 3 days to Lakṣmi Mā Devī and the final 3 days to Sarasvatī. There is divine intelligence behind this arrangement, which will be unfolded here for you in three parts.

“The divine mother is beyond everything, the source of everything… and is here, and now, imminence as all that is manifest – including you. Every interaction is an interaction with Her. Navarātri is an opportunity to offer our gratitude, to fall at Her feet in reverence, and to come to Her with our songs, our prayers, our pain, our dreams, and our hearts.”

~ Kaya

The word Navarātri means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and rātri meaning nights. The Great Mother / Feminine has different aspects and symbols in many different paths in Tantra tradition with many forms and attributes like: Ambikā | Ādiśakti | Śakti | Durga | Pārvatī | Umā | Mahādevī | Adi Parāśakti | Abhaya Shakti | Mahādevī | Īśvarī | Tridevī | Bhavānī | Devī | 

She is considered to be Adi Parāśakti herself and Mother of the Universe as well as all beings, which is also the meaning of the name “Ambikā“.

Our spirit has existed since time immemorial.  It is the boundless and the eternal source of energy of this universe. During Navarātri even the subtle energies in the environment enhance and assist one’s experience of reaching the spirit.

The prayer, chanting, and meditation performed during Navarātri connect us with our spirit. Getting in touch with the spirit invokes positive qualities within us and destroys laziness, pride, obsession, cravings, and aversions. When stress in the form of negative emotions is destroyed, we experience the deep rest of the transforming nine nights.

What is the spiritual significance of Navarātri ?

Navarātri can bring a turning point to your thoughts, mind, and body by helping you undergo a deep rejuvenation.

The word ratri means to give you deep rest from three types of botherations. The adi vautik, worldly botheration, adi daivik, the Divine one, and adi adhyatmik, the botherations of the soul. So, Navarātri is a time of prayer and rejuvenation because a deep rest allows you to heal from all your botherations. Just like how it takes nine months for a child to be born, the same way these nine days of Navarātri are like coming out from a mother’s womb once again, recharged and renewed.

What is the Story behind Navarātri ?

The legend behind Navarātri is that once when the obnoxious rule of Mhahishasur was getting to the nose of the devatas, they prayed for a force so invincible that it could slay down the immortal demon-ruler. The trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh) together concentrated their powers, and from an illuminating pillar of energy emerged a glorious Supreme Being, the source of power and strength, called Goddess Durga. But Mashishasura was sure of his victory as he believed he could beat her hands down. He underestimated the feminine power. Soon a fierce ravaging battle was instigated between the Devi and the demon and he couldn’t escape the blows from her trident. He started changing his form so he could trick her into losing but soon when he took the form of a buffalo, the Devi slewed him with her trident (trishul) and achieved victory.   Since then this day is marked as a victory day and celebrated as Vijaya Dashami. The nine days of Navarātri depict Devi’s spectacular skills in tackling the deadliest demons of that time. Navarātri is hence, a significant time for devotees to fast, meditate, and pray to the Divine Mother for inner strength and skills to combat their own demons (or problems) of life.

Local tradition resonance:

It is so amazing that most tradition they do celebrate the Divine Feminine almost the same period of time OF SPRING EQUINOX and after.

In our local tradition we celebrate the Great Mother, the Holy Mother as the mother of the Jesus. Few weeks just before Easter on Fridays ( a day of the feminine energy), they offer praise and odes and prayers to the Holy mother at church ceremonies.

The Akathist Hymn (a very concrete spiritual preparation for the Holy Week and Easter Services five Fridays in the Great Lent). The Akathist Hymn is a profound, devotional poem or chant, which sings the praises of the Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary (Theotokos). It is chanted in all Orthodox Churches throughout the world during the five Fridays in the Great Lent, and constitutes a very concrete spiritual preparation for the Holy Week and Easter Services.

Devotional Hymns to the Theotokos are as ancient as the first Christian Church. The Byzantine Empire from its very inception at Constantinople during the fourth century, closely allied itself to the Virgin Mary and always sort Her protection or intercessions. This we see from the Prayer Services to the Theotokos between the fifth and eighth centuries, and the reference to Constantinople as the ‘Queen City’.

The Akathist Hymn, which in its present form was added to by many Ecclesiastical Hymnographers, existed for most part even before it was formally accepted by the Church in 626 AD. The Kontakion “To the Invincible Champion… we ascribe the victory” was added then, and came to be recognized as the Akathist Hymn, because of the following described miracle attributed to the intercession of the Theotokos.

Ancient Greek Spiritual Tradition:

The small Eleusinian Mysteries were ancient Greek religious rites held annually, usually in the spring, as a precursor to the Greater Eleusinian Mysteries. These mysteries were dedicated to the goddesses Demeter and Persephone and were celebrated in the city of Eleusis, near Athens.

The minor Mysteries primarily focused on purification rituals and preparatory rites for the initiates, who would later participate in the Greater Mysteries. The ceremonies included fasting, sacrifices, and various symbolic acts that represented the myth of Demeter and Persephone, including themes such as death, rebirth, and the promise of immortality.

The rituals were strictly guarded, and the exact details of the ceremonies remain secret to this day. Participants believed that these sacred rites offered spiritual illumination and a deeper understanding of the mysteries of life and death.

The minor Eleusinian Mysteries were directly connected to the spring season, as they were held in the month of Anthesterion, roughly corresponding to February or March. Spring is a time of renewal and regeneration in nature, which is reflected in the symbolism of the Mysteries.

1. Renewal of Nature: Just as nature renews itself in the spring, participants in the Mysteries undergo spiritual and physical renewal through purification rites. The Eleusinian Mysteries are linked to the myth of Demeter and Persephone, which represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The abduction of Persephone by Hades and her return to the earth symbolize the changing seasons and the renewal of nature.
2. Preparation for New Life: The minor Eleusinian Mysteries prepared the initiates for the Greater Mysteries, just as spring prepares the earth for the blossoming and growth of plants. The minor Mysteries focus on spiritual purity and the preparation of the initiates for the Greater Mysteries. The purification rites and fasting symbolize the need for individuals to cleanse their spirit and body to achieve spiritual renewal.
3. Hope and Enlightenment: Spring brings hope and new light after the dark winter, just as the minor Mysteries bring spiritual enlightenment and purity to the initiates. The Eleusinian rites offered the initiates hope for a happy afterlife. Initiation into the Mysteries was believed to ensure the favor of the gods and entry into a blissful world after death.

Αρχαία Ελληνική Πνευματική Παράδοση:

Τα Μικρά Ελευσίνια Μυστήρια ήταν αρχαίες ελληνικές θρησκευτικές τελετές που πραγματοποιούνταν ετησίως, συνήθως την άνοιξη, ως προοίμιο των Μεγάλων Ελευσίνιων Μυστηρίων. Αυτά τα μυστήρια ήταν αφιερωμένα στις θεές Δήμητρα και Περσεφόνη και εορτάζονταν στην πόλη της Ελευσίνας, κοντά στην Αθήνα.

Τα Μικρά Μυστήρια επικεντρώνονταν κυρίως σε καθαρτήριες τελετές και προπαρασκευαστικά τελετουργικά για τους μυημένους, οι οποίοι θα συμμετείχαν αργότερα στα Μεγάλα Μυστήρια. Οι τελετές περιλάμβαναν νηστεία, θυσίες, και διάφορες συμβολικές πράξεις που αντιπροσώπευαν τον μύθο της Δήμητρας και της Περσεφόνης, συμπεριλαμβανομένων θεμάτων όπως ο θάνατος, η αναγέννηση, και η υπόσχεση της αθανασίας.

Οι τελετές ήταν αυστηρά φυλασσόμενες και οι ακριβείς λεπτομέρειες των τελετών παραμένουν μυστικές μέχρι σήμερα. Οι συμμετέχοντες πίστευαν ότι αυτές οι ιερές τελετές προσέφεραν πνευματικό φώτισμα και βαθύτερη κατανόηση των μυστηρίων της ζωής και του θανάτου.

Τα Μικρά Ελευσίνια Μυστήρια συνδέονταν άμεσα με την άνοιξη, καθώς τελούνταν τον μήνα Ανθεστηριώνα, που αντιστοιχεί περίπου στον Φεβρουάριο με Μάρτιο. Η άνοιξη είναι μια εποχή αναγέννησης και ανανέωσης στη φύση, κάτι που αντικατοπτρίζεται στους συμβολισμούς των Μυστηρίων.

1. Αναγέννηση της Φύσης: Όπως η φύση αναγεννάται την άνοιξη, έτσι και οι συμμετέχοντες στα Μυστήρια υπόκεινται σε πνευματική και σωματική ανανέωση μέσω των καθαρτήριων τελετών. Οι τελετές των Ελευσίνιων Μυστηρίων συνδέονται με τον μύθο της Δήμητρας και της Περσεφόνης, ο οποίος αντιπροσωπεύει τον κύκλο της ζωής, του θανάτου και της αναγέννησης. Η απαγωγή της Περσεφόνης από τον Άδη και η επιστροφή της στη γη συμβολίζουν την εναλλαγή των εποχών και την αναγέννηση της φύσης.
2. Προετοιμασία για τη Νέα Ζωή: Τα Μικρά Ελευσίνια Μυστήρια προετοίμαζαν τους μυημένους για τα Μεγάλα Μυστήρια, όπως η άνοιξη προετοιμάζει τη γη για την άνθιση των φυτών και την ανάπτυξη. Τα Μικρά Ελευσίνια Μυστήρια επικεντρώνονται στην πνευματική καθαρότητα και την προετοιμασία των μυημένων για τα Μεγάλα Μυστήρια. Οι καθαρτήριες τελετές και οι νηστείες συμβολίζουν την ανάγκη του ανθρώπου να καθαρίσει το πνεύμα και το σώμα του για να επιτύχει πνευματική αναγέννηση.
3. Ελπίδα και Φώτιση: Η άνοιξη φέρνει ελπίδα και νέο φως μετά τον σκοτεινό χειμώνα, όπως τα Μικρά Μυστήρια φέρνουν πνευματική φώτιση και καθαρότητα στους μυημένους. Οι Ελευσίνιες τελετές προσέφεραν στους μυημένους την ελπίδα για μια ευτυχισμένη μεταθανάτια ζωή. Η μύηση στα Μυστήρια θεωρούνταν ότι εξασφάλιζε την εύνοια των θεών και την είσοδο στον ευτυχισμένο κόσμο μετά τον θάνατο.