Dhumavati is described as a giver of siddhis (supernatural powers), a rescuer from all troubles, and a granter of all desires and rewards, including ultimate knowledge and moksha (salvation).
Dhumavati personifies the dark side of life, her name meaning “she who is made of smoke.” Smoke is a side effect of fire which is dark, polluting, and concealing. It is emblematic of the worse facets of human existence, these concepts are very ancient referring to keeping life’s inevitable suffering at bay. Generally represented by a crow, a symbol of loss, destruction, decay, and misfortune.
From her we can look at two ideas; one being unpleasant experiences will eventually result in a disgust that will turn us towards the divine, the other being the divine is everywhere – even what we ordinarily consider ugly or foul. All goddesses hold wisdom, Dhumavati shows us their should be a practical insight that the infinite Mother is everywhere.
How many times have you thought something was horrible then a day, a month, a few years later it ended up being a blessing in disguise? Misfortune may always appear different in retrospect. Adversity builds character and can turn an ordinary soul into an extraordinary one. Inevitably, the ebb and flow of ups and downs will continue as time goes on. Use today in representation of her as a lesson to cultivate detachment, seek hidden blessings, and continue the path to liberation. Dhumavati’s worship is prescribed to ward off all the negativity that she stands for and to transcend the smoke screen to acquire true knowledge.
Harvesting a witness awareness helps one become less reactive to situational experiences. This is practiced by the practitioner guiding you from alpha to beta to theta to delta brain waves. Delta is generally defined as the brain wave you experience while sleeping, however, with Yoga Nidra the delta waves are responding in a conscious sleep. Once you are consciously sleeping you can program your mind with a sankalpa or resolve. A sankalpa is a present tense affirmation or saying such as “I healthy and happy” or “I participate in activities that nourish my mind and strengthen my will”. Yoga Nidra is a process to manifest your wants or needs into fruition at an exponential rate.
The experience I had was so energizing! Chanting, singing, dancing … Everyone takes part in bathing the Shiv Ling in several items, yogurt, honey, water, etc. This is significant for washing away the sins. This is what Shiva wanted to be bathed in. The puja ceremony entails purification with holy water and chanting, along with some other things, however, I was unable to attend the entire event because of morning commitments.
Elevating Balance 