Durga Ma!

I've been swimming in the energy of the Divine Mother for the last week.  What do you think that energy is like?  What's the first thing you think about when you think of the Mother?  I'm sure it's different for everyone depending on the type of relationship you had with your mother.  If we are to believe what we learn in yoga-land that every experience we are having is the perfect experience for our spiritual evolution that we must believe that even the difficult mother/child relationship is perfect too.

As a mother I can say from personal experience that I wear many hats in this role.  So does our Divine Mother.   The mother provides exactly what is required.  Like it or not, sometimes what is required is not necessarily what we want.  Ultimately, though, we know that everything She does is out of love.  Unconditional Love is the grace of the Divine Mother for sure.

When we think of that unconditional love of the Mother the imagine that comes to mind is a sweet, soft, warm, nurturing being.  In her embrace there is security.  On the flip side of that there is a fierce warrior.  The protector.  Standing guard always to protect her children.  It's not usually the imagine that comes to mind when we think of the Mother but it's certainly there.   I have felt it myself.

It's surprising to me when that fierce nature rises up to protect! I have no doubt in my mind that I would be prepared for battle if one of children were in danger.  It's this fierce, protective energy that is represented by the Hindu Goddess, Durga.   She keeps showing up in my life.  This sense of needing to protect extends out to others too, not just my children.   That's the interesting part for me.  What is that all about? 

Strange thing about Love is that it not only gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling but also fierce, strong need to protect.  Can you have one without the other?  Seems like two sides of the same coin to me. 

My oldest daughter will be 21 years old tomorrow so I've been a mother for a long time.  Over the last 21 years I have learned a lot and also met a lot of other moms.  Some moms do everything for their children. They are 10 years old and they still cut the kid's food for them. They are 12 years old and the mom is still picking out their clothes. They are 16years old and they are still doing homework with the kid.  

My feeling is that our job as mother is not only to love and nurture our children but also to teach.  To teach them to stand on their own two feet.  I am very proud of my daughter.  I have no doubt in my mind that she is prepared to stand on her own two feet.  There's also no doubt in my mind that even at 21 years old, if needed, I would invoke that Durga energy and become a fierce warrior to protect her. 

Sometimes I hear stories of mothers that do extraordinary things like lifting a car or fighting some wild animal or some other dangerous thing to protect their child.  That may seem extraordinary, unless you are a mother and then you realize that we all that the capacity to do extraordinary things.  It's just that we haven't been called to do such extreme things but have do doubt that Durga Ma is always ready for battle.  

I heard a story of Durga once.......She is known as the warrior that provides protection for you until you are strong enough to fight for yourself.   Hum.....sounds like a mother doesn't it?  We protect our children until they are strong enough to protect themselves.  

One final thought.....Just like Spider man who used his "spidy-senses" to detect when someone needed help, a mother too has a "sixth sense" that detects when protection is needed.  Trusting our intuition is key.  Teaching our children to trust their intuition is even more important.  

Om Dum Durgayai Namah!!