Chaitra Navratri: Katyayani

Katyayani

On the sixth day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Katyayani. The story behind her name’s origin is related by Mr. Subhamoy Das in the following passage:

The legend behind her name goes thus: Once upon a time, there was a great sage called Kata, who had a son named Katya. Kata was very famous and renowned in the lineage of saints. He underwent long austerities and penance in order to receive the grace of the Mother Goddess. He wished to have a daughter in the form of a goddess. According to his wish and desire the Mother Goddess granted his request. Katyayani was born to Kata as an avatar of Durga.

Katyayani rides atop a majestic lion and is (typically) depicted with four arms. In Her left hands She holds a sword and a lotus flower (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment); Her right hands are positioned in Abhaya( indicates for the devotee not to fear and is a symbol of protection) and Varada (symbolises the giving of blessings) mudras. In the Vamana Purana, She is depicted in Her fiercest form during the battle with the demon Mahishasura, whom She slays.

Katyayani rules over the planet Jupiter. Her chakra is the most important of all chakras: the Ajna (command, knowledge, wisdom) chakra, or Third Eye. This is where the bridge between our human potential crosses into Divine Consciousness. Hindus also believe that spiritual energy from the outside world enters the conscious via this gateway chakra, and so they take great care in protecting this chakra through religious markings (made with holy ash, vermillion, etc.) on the third eye.

She is commonly worshipped by unmarried women looking for a husband, and if a lady’s marriage is experiencing any delays Katyayani is often worshipped in order to remove the obstacles that are preventing the marriage from taking place.

Her mantra is:

Chandrahaasojjval Karaa Shaardoolvarvaahanaa

Katyayani Shubham Dadyaad Devi Daanavghatini

Which in English means:

Devi Katyayani, who holds Chandrahaas Sword and other weapons in her ten hands, rides on Lion, and destroying demons, be propitious to me. 

(Note: She is most commonly depicted with four hands, but some Images do depict Her with eight, ten, and even eighteen hands!)

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-katyayani.html

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_7.htm

http://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/blog_MAA_KATYAYANI_6TH_DAY_OF_NAVARATRI.action

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/09/september-07th-2012.html

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/agya

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/%C4%81j%C3%B1%C4%81/index.html

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-katyayini.asp

Chaitra Navratri: Skanda Mata

Skanda Mata

On the fifth day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Skanda Mata (Skanda=a Hindu God, Mata=Mother). Skanda Mata is a form of Parvati and as Her name implies, She is the mother of Skanda. She has four arms and holds lotus flowers (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment) in Her two upper hands. In Her right arm, She cradles Her Son Skanda and She keeps Her left hand in the Abhaya Mudra position (indicates for the devotee not to fear and is a symbol of protection). Skanda Mata is a Warrior Goddess, riding atop a lion and defeating the Asuras (demons). However, She carries no weapons. Like his Mother, Skanda is also a warrior.

Skanda Mata governs the planet Mercury. She is associated with the Vishuddhi (Visha=impurity, poison, Shuddhi=perfection) chakra, located around the larynx and known as the Throat Chakra. The importance of the Vishuddhi chakra in Hindu thought is best narrated in this passage from the Holy Scriptures of the Puranas:

The Devas (gods) and Āsuras (demons) wanted to raise the treasure Amrita (the nectar of immortality), which was hidden in the depths of the ocean, to the surface. They used Mount Mandara as the stirring stick and the world serpent, Vāsuki, as the rope. The gods held the tail of the snake and the demons held its head. In this way they were able to churn the ocean of the world with their combined power. Numerous treasures and precious objects emerged from the ocean and, finally, the longed-for Amrita rose to the surface in a golden vessel.

But the serpent they had used to churn the oceans spat out a deadly poison that was capable of destroying the whole earth. Quickly the Devas caught it in a bowl so it was not able to do any harm. But as they had absolutely no idea what to do with it or how they could permanently “dispose” of it, they turned to Lord Shiva for help.

Lord Shiva is the most gracious of all the gods, and will never refuse a request from anyone. He took the bowl of poison and drank it down to the very last drop. However, in the process he did not swallow the poison but held it in the Vishuddhi Chakra and purified it by means of Ujjāyī Prānāyāma (a breath contorl technique used in yoga) and Jālandhara Bandha (a yoga position). In this way he rid the world of a deadly peril. Through the poison his throat was coloured dark blue, and since that day he has borne the nickname Nīlakantha (the blue-throated one).

This story demonstrates the purifying qualities of the Vishuddhi Chakra. This idea is also extended into yoga practice, in which conscious regulation of the breath is of great importance. Regulated breathing not only rids the body of physical toxins, but also purifies the emotions and conscious on a spiritual level. The importance of Vishuddhi Chakra is explained on a spiritual level in the following passage from chakras.net:

It is not just the external world that is extremely polluted, but also the psyche and consciousness of many people. For as long as the pernicious, toxic qualities of discord, rivalry, envy and resentment eat away at our mind, the light of God consciousness cannot shine through.

Just as Lord Shiva neither spat the poison out, nor swallowed it, we should not swallow our problems as we harm ourselves through this; but we should also not spit them out as this can cause another type of damage. Like Lord Shiva, who purified the poison in his throat, we can also resolve our problems with the help of the Vishuddhi Chakra.

Skanda Mata cares for Her devotees as Her own children and is often worshipped to remove obstacles from the devotee’s life. As Our Mother, She helps us to realise the poisons in our conscious and teaches us the best method in which to overcome these obstacles that hold us back from spiritual enlightenment.

Skanda Mata’s mantra is:

Sinhaasangataam Nityam Padmaanchit Kardwayaa

Shubhdaastu Sadaa Devi Skandmata Yashaswini

Which means in English:

Skanda Mata, who rides upon a lion with Kartikeya (another name for Skanda), holds lotuses in Her two hands and Varmudra (the mudra of blessing) in one hand, be propituous to me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-skandamata.html

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/09/september-05th-20121.html

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/vishuddhi

Chaitra Navratri: Kushmanda

Kushmanda

On the fourth day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Kushmanda (Ku=little, ushma=warmth, anda=egg). Symbolically, Her name means “that is from whose fraction of warmth the universe has been emanated,” designating Her as the comic egg which created the Universe and hence a Creator Goddess. Parvati takes on the form of Kushmanda after She started living inside the core of the Sun to liberate energy to the rest of the Universe. As a solar Goddess, Her governing planetary body is the Sun. This goes back to Her role as a Creator, for in the beginning the Universe was nothing more but a void of darkness until Her light spread in all directions. Her mount is a lion and She is depicted with eight arms in iconography. She holds a kamandal (an oblong water pot carried by ascetics), dhanush (bow), arrow, and lotus flower (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment) in Her right hands, and in Her left hands She carries a kalasha (a metal pot with a large base and small mouth), Japa mala beads (prayer beads), gada (a blunt mace/club), and a chakra (a disc-like weapon). Kushmanda bestows brightness, clarity, and peace upon Her worshippers.

She is associated with the Anahata Chakra (anahata=unstruck, unhurt in Sanskrit, implying that beneath all the pain in our heart, universal love and compassion is our core nature that is still intact even though we may believe it is damaged), which is the seat of love located in the heart. Love does not only refer to the popular sense of the word, however, but also to the deep, compassionate, Divine love. In a beautiful description of the Anahata chakra, a writer on chakras.net writes:

The Anāhata Chakra is our inner temple in which the divine Ātmā, “the flame of life”, resides. Self-Realisation, also known as God-Realisation, involves the recognition of our own Self, the Ātmā. To show that something belongs to us or concerns us we spontaneously point to the centre of the chest, the site of the Anāhata Chakra. No-one points to the head, the stomach or any other part of the body. This shows clearly that we spontaneously identify ourselves with the Ātmā within the heart centre. In the Chandogya Upanishad it is written:

“In the centre of the body there is a little shrine surrounded by a wall with eleven doors. Hidden within the shrine a Lotus blossoms, and within this there is a tiny, little room.”

What does this tiny room in the heart of the Lotus mean? It is the Ātmā, our true Self. The Ātmā is a part of God. It is pure, unchanging, Infinite Consciousness. It is Eternal, Unborn and Immortal, and exists in every living being. Just as the whole tree is already contained and present within a seed, the essence of the entire cosmos exists in the centre of the Heart Chakra.

Her mantra is:

Sura Sampurna Kalasham Rudhira Plutmev Cha

Dadhana Hastpad Mabhyam Kushmanda Shubh Dastu Me

Which means in English:

May the Goddess Kushmanda who holds two pitchers full of madira and blood in her lotus hands, be propitious to me. (I believe the word ‘madira’ is in reference to amrita, the nectar of immortality. Corrections for the meaning of this mantra, as well as further explanations regarding its meaning, are very welcome!)

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-kushmanda.asp

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_5.htm

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-kushmanda.html

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/anahat

http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=5

http://www.ekunji.com/learn/navratri-puja-vidhi-nav-durga-puja

Chaitra Navratri: Chandraghanta

Chandraghanta

On the third day of Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Chandraghanta (Chandra=Moon, ghanta=bell), who is the married form of the Goddess Parvati (after marrying Shiva, Parvati started adorning Her head with a half moon in the shape of a bell, hence the origin of Her name). As Yogi Ananda Saraswathi writes:

In meditation, as soon as the sadhak (someone who follows a way of life in order to achieve Nirvana) invokes her, her bell immediately become active and starts ringing to protect the devotee under her shelter. The crescent moon is symbolic of feminine energy. It is also associated with clairvoyance and knowing without thinking. The crescent also represents illumination,new beginnings and making dreams a reality. It is connected to rebirths and how our true essence really is immortal. That is why she is called ‘Chandraghanta’. Her ornaments are rich and signify material comfort.

Chandraghanta’s mount is a tigress and is depicted with ten arms. She holds a trishul (trident), gada (a blunt mace/club), sword, and kamandal (an oblong water pot carried by ascetics) in her four left hands and keeps the fifth left hand in the Varada Mudra positition (symbolises the giving of blessings). In Her right hands She carries the lotus flower (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment), dhanush (bow), arrow, and Japa mala (prayer beads) while keeping Her fifth hand in the Abhaya Mudra position (indicates for the devotee to not fear and a symbol of protection). She governs the planet Venus.

Chandraghanta is associated with the chakra Manipura (Mani=pearl, jewel, pura=place, city), which is the first chakra that has emerged into the conscious (Muladhara chakra is located in the unconscious and Swadhistana chakra is in the subconscious) and is located at the solar plexus. Chandraghanta is worshipped for peace, tranquility, and prosperity in life. She is the Goddess of bravery and possesses great power which aids Her in battles against demons and forces of darkness. As written by Miss Sanchitta Chowdhury:

Goddess Chandraghanta is the representation of Supreme bliss and knowledge. It is said that by Her blessings, all the sins, sufferings, bad energies etc are eliminated from Her devotees’ life. By riding a tiger She inspires Her devotees to be fearless. By worshipping Goddess Chandraghanta one gets rid of all the worldly sorrows and attains supreme spiritual bliss.

Her mantra is:

Pindaj Pravara Rudha Chand Kopastra Keyurta

Prasadam Tanute Maham Chandra Ghanteti Vishruta

Which in English means:

O Goddess Chandraghanta, who rides on Tiger, angry on enemies, holds many weapons in ten hands, be propitious to me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_4.htm

http://experiencehinduism.com/festivals/navratri-third-day-third-form-durga-chandraghanta

http://www.boldsky.com/yoga-spirituality/faith-mysticism/2013/story-of-devi-chandraghanta-navratri-035643.html

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-chandraghanta.asp

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/manipura

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/chandraghanta-devi.html

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-chandraghanta.html

Chaitra Navratri: Brahmacharini

Brahmacharini

On the second day of Chaitra Navratri, Sri Durga is worshipped in the form of Brahmacharini (Brahma=penance, charini=performer). She does not ride upon a mount but rather walks upon bare feet, carrying a Japa Mala (Hindu prayer beads) in one hand and a kamandal (an oblong pot used for storing drinking water that is carried by ascetics as a symbol of a simple life) in the other. She governs the planet Mars. Brahmacharini is a Goddess of simplicity and appreciates simple devotions. During her puja (ritual) on the second day of Chaitra Navratri, She is offered flowers, rice, and sandalwood.

Brahmacharini is the personification of love and loyalty, bestowing great emotional strength upon Her devotees. Her blessings help the devotee to rid herself of selfishness, ego, greed, and laziness, and promotes self-discipline and ethical conduct. She inspires us toward a spirit of perserverance and commitment to the spiritual life unswayed by external circumstances. Like Shailputri, She is also a form of Parvati. Her association with penance becomes apparent when Parvati’s many penances in order to acquire Shiva as Her husband are kept in mind. As narrated by Mr. Kumar:

She showed a keen interest in Shiva from the outset, repeating his name to herself and taking delight in hearing about his appearance and deeds. While she is a child a sage comes to her house and after examining the marks on her body predicts that she will marry a naked yogi. When it becomes clear that she is destined to marry Shiva, her parents are usually described as feeling honored. Parvati too is delighted…Steadfast in her devotion, Parvati persists in her quest to win Shiva as her husband by setting out to perform austerities. One of the most effective ways to achieve what a person wants in traditional Hinduism is to perform tapas, “ascetic austerities.” If one is persistent and heroic enough, one will generate so much heat that the gods will be forced to grant the ascetic his or her wish in order to save themselves and the world from being scorched. Parvati’s method of winning Shiva is thus a common approach to fulfilling one’s desires. It is also appropriate, however, in terms of demonstrating to Shiva that she can compete with him in his own realm, that she has the inner resources, control, and fortitude to cut herself off from the world and completely master her physical needs. By performing tapas, Parvati abandons the world of the householder and enters the realm of the world renouncer, namely Shiva’s world. Most versions of the myth describe her as outdoing all the great sages in her austerities. She performs all the traditional mortifications, such as sitting in the midst of four fires in the middle of summer, remaining exposed to the elements during the rainy season and during the winter, living on leaves or air only, standing on one leg for years, and so on. Eventually she accumulates so much heat that the gods are made uncomfortable and persuade Shiva to grant Parvati’s wish, so that she will cease her efforts. The marriage is duly arranged and elaborately undertaken.

Brahmachandri is also associated with the Swadhistana (Sva=Self, Adhisthana=seat, residence) chakra. This chakra is about three centimeters above the Muladhara chakra between the coccyx and sacrum. It is said that in previous eras the Kundalini Shakti resided in this chakra which is the sear of the subconscious, but during our Kali Yuga age of spiritual ignorance it moved further downward into the unconscious Muladhara chakra.

Her mantra is:

Dadhana Karpadma abhyamaksh Mala kamandalu

Devi Prasidatu Mayi Brahmacharinya Nuttama

Which means in English:

The one who carries the flower of Lotus, Rudraksha Mala and stoup in one hand. The sublime Goddess Brahmcharini, please bless me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

References:

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-brahmacharini.html

http://astrology.astrosage.com/2013/10/2nd-day-of-navratri-goddess-of.html

http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/navratri.htm

http://blog.onlineprasad.com/navratri-puja-mantra-day-2-maa-brahmacharini/

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/parvati

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/svadhishthana

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/august-29th-20121.html

Chaitra Navratri: Shailputri

An Introduction to Chaitra Navratri

For readers who are unfamilar with Hindu culture and celebrations, a very brief introduction to this nine-day festival of the Goddess is an essential foundation upon which to build this series of articles on the different forms of Shakti worshipped during this festival. Navratri is a festival that is celebrated five times a year, but the most important two are the ones in the spring (Chaitra Navratri, Vasanta Navratri) and in the autumn (Sharada Navratri). Chaitra is the first month on the Hindu calendar, and the word Navratri itself literally means “nine nights” in Sanskrit. This year, Chaitra Navratri will be celebrated from March 31-April 7.

There are several legends associated with the celebration of Navratri, but the most famous is the tale of Sri Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura. The battle between the demon and Goddess lasted for nine days, and on the end of the ninth night Sri Durga finally killed him. During Chaitra Navratri, a lamp is kept lighted at all times for the duration of the festival. A ritual called Ghatasthapana (ghata meaning “vessel” and sthapana meaning “to establish) is performed on the first day, in which the kalash (holy water vessel) symbolising Sri Durga is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is covered in cow dung and barley seeds are planted inside of the kalash. The sowing of the barley seeds symbolises growth, prosperity, abundance, and fertility. Fasting is also a common practice during Chaitra Navratri. Meat, alcohol, grains, onion, and garlic are all avoided during this time. Every evening during Navratri, the Durga Suktum is chanted in honour of Shakti. On the eigth and ninth days of Navratri, Yagna is performed in honour of Sri Durga and to bid her farewell. On these last days, Kanya Puja is also performed in which nine young girls representing the nine forms of Shakti are worshipped. Each day has a governing Goddess who is the focus of the daily devotions. The following series discusses these nine Goddesses and their worship during Chaitra Navratri.

Shailputri

Sri Durga is glorified on the first day of Navratri through Her form, Shailputri (Shail=mountain, putri=daughter). She is the Absolute Form of Mother Nature and watches over every living thing and encourages humans to live in harmony with Nature. She is also a form of the Goddess Parvati and Her consort is Shiva. She holds a lotus in Her left hand and a Trishul (trident) in Her right hand. Her mount is Nandi, a bull.

She is associated with the Moon and is also the Goddess of the Muladhara (Mula=root, origin, Adhara=foundation) chakra, which is the root chakra located at the lowest point of the spinal column. The Muladhara chakra is the starting point toward spiritual development, the seat of our dormant wisdom. For this reason, Shailputri is worshipped in order to make full use of our precious human lifetime. This concept is further expounded upon by Yogi Ananda Saraswathi:

Durga’s slaying of the demons as per Purana stories has important lessons for the spiritually minded . Durga is a very important feminine form of divinity, especially for personal transformation from our lower or animal nature to our higher spiritual nature. These are all symbolical. Heaven is our own mind. The demon is our lower nature. And the demon in heaven is our own inability to control our own mind. By slaying them, she has torn down ego. In reality, this is a common challenge for most people, so one can see the relevance of the story and importance of Durga.  As Durga represents transformation through elevation in consciousness, we call on Durga to transform and elevate our minds. Durga as a goddess is a feminine form and therefore the divine mother, but she also has a form that relates to the earth – Shaila Putri. Her birth connections to the mountains are indicative of the sacredness of the mountains and their important connections to the earth. Goddess Shaila Putri is also strongly associated with the waters and air as well, as the waters represent the flow of consciousness, cleansing and purity. 

Shailputri’s mantra is:

Vande Vanchhit Laabhaay, Chandrardhkritshekharaam

Vrisharudham Shooldharaam Shailputriim Yashaswinim

Which is translated into English as:

Salute the Mother Goddess who has a half moon on Her forehead, who rides a bull and holds a trident. We chant your name and praiseyou always Maa Shailputri.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Salute the Mother Goddess who has a half moon in her forehead, who rides a bullock and holds a Trishul. We chant your name and praise you always Maa Shailaputri – See more at: http://www.vvrishikulam.com/article-navratri-day-1-%E2%80%93-maa-shailputri-120.aspx#sthash.mzw4X4tT.dpuf

Salute the Mother Goddess who has a half moon in her forehead, who rides a bullock and holds a Trishul. We chant your name and praise you always Maa Shailaputri – See more at: http://www.vvrishikulam.com/article-navratri-day-1-%E2%80%93-maa-shailputri-120.aspx#sthash.mzw4X4tT.dpuf

Resources:

http://blog.onlineprasad.com/ghatasthapana-durga-navratri-2013/

http://www.vatikashaktipeeth.com/festivals/chaitra-navaratri.html

Durga Suktam

http://experiencehinduism.com/festivals/festival-of-india-navratri-2013

http://www.totalbhakti.com/otherpages/chaitra-navratri.php

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/muladhara

http://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/blog_MAA_SHAILPUTRI_1ST_DAY_OF_NAVARATRI.action

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-shailputri.html

http://www.vvrishikulam.com/article-navratri-day-1-%E2%80%93-maa-shailputri-120.aspx

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/shailputri-by-yogi-ananda-saraswathi.html

Out With The Old, In With The New

For many, this is the time for spring cleaning, and many cultures have spring cleaning embedded into their traditions.

Iranians celebrate the New Year festival (Nowruz) on the day of the vernal equinox (March 21st). Two weeks prior to Nowruz, a ritual called khaneh takani (“shaking the house”) is undertaken in preparation for the new year and the welcoming of spring. Every corner of the home is dusted, scrubbed, and scoured. Jewish custom also has its own spring cleaning tradition before the holiday of Pesach (celebrated in March-April), which celebrates the Hebrew people’s emancipation from slavery in Egypt. Slaves in Egypt were fed unleavened bread, and so the Hebrew’s descendants kept this tradition as a reminder of the subjugation they had overcome. Keeping leavened bread in the house during Pesach is prohibited, and even leavened bread crumbs must not be left within the home. To ensure that no bread crumbs have been overlooked, Jews thoroughly clean their houses before Pesach every year.

This time of year is not only for a physical cleaning of the home, however, but also a time of spiritual cleaning (although a physically clean environment certainly helps to promote spiritual cleaning). By spiritual cleaning, I mean purifying the mind, racinating the image sphere, and living more in line with one’s true self. A fair assessment of one’s mind and soul is the first step in this process so that we know what our short-comings are and can take steps toward correcting them. I must emphasise here that making sudden, drastic changes are the quickest way to failure. It is one matter to form a solemn commitment to not back-track into old ways that no longer serve our souls, our families, our communities, or our world. It is another mater entirely to try to accomplish everything in a day. Set small goals for yourself, for even one step toward truth is one step out of the darkness. For example, one of my goals this spring is to start praying before meal time. A fairly simple goal one may think, but after going years of eating meals without praying beforehand, it can be a challenge to remember to thank Dea (I also thank the plants/animals that died in order to provide me with sustenance). Sometimes I remember, sometimes I remember only when I am already chewing on the first couple of bites, but I always try, and if I fail I keep trying.

In the Islamic tradition, this is known as the Greater Jihad (not to be confused with the Lesser Jihad, or Holy War, which is the more common understanding of the word’s meaning here in the West). The concept itself is not only limited to Islam, however, but is a universal call of action to people from all faith backgrounds. According to Mr. John Heit:

Jihad is the effort to purify oneself from within, to purify oneself of selfish appetites–the intention behind the action is important to the action itself…The greater jihad is further divided into three types of struggle:

 1) Jihad of the Heart ( the struggle for moral reformation and faith)

2) Jihad of the Tongue (the struggle to proclaim God’s word abroad; right speech)

3) Jihad of the Hand (doing good works in accord with the will of God)

When I speak of image spheres, I speak of everything which we surround ourselves with: art, music, films, television shows, the decoration of our homes, the clothes we wear. Are we surrounded by profanities that encourage our lowest natures or are we surrounded by reflections of a higher spiritual Order that encourage an upliftment of the soul? I am a firm believer in the effect of our surroundings on our minds, and by extension, on our words and deeds.

Recent findings in psychology and the research into neuroplasticity support this notion. A research study conducted on the link between childhood and adolescent aggression with profanity exposure in media found a posititve coorelation between the two. As stated in the findings of this study in the research paper “Profanity in Media Associated With Attitudes and Behavior Regarding Profanity Use and Aggression”:

The use of profanity also is related to aggressive behavior. For example, profanity use has been associated with more-hostile personalities, as well as other forms of aggression. Profanity use often is included as an item on problem behavior scales for children and adolescents. Furthermore, other studies have found that exposure to profanity can induce a numbing effect on normal emotional responses. Researchers also have shown that, when profanity is used with the intent to harm or to belittle another, the offender subsequently is less disturbed by exposure to profanity in general.

Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Valerie Voon also discovered that the brain scans of people suffering from pornography addiction experience the same changes as the brain scans of drug addicts. As summarised by Mr. Norman Doidge:

 Until recently, scientists believed our brains were fixed, their circuits formed and finalised in childhood, or “hardwired”. Now we know the brain is “neuroplastic”, and not only can it change, but that it works by changing its structure in response to repeated mental experience. One key driver of plastic change is the reward centre, which normally fires as we accomplish a goal. A brain chemical, dopamine, is released, giving us the thrill that goes with accomplishment. It also consolidates the connections between neurons in the brain that helped us accomplish that goal. As well, dopamine is secreted at moments of sexual excitement and novelty. Porn scenes, filled with novel sexual “partners”, fire the reward centre. The images get reinforced, altering the user’s sexual tastes. Many abused substances directly trigger dopamine secretion – without us having to work to accomplish a goal. This can damage the dopamine reward system. In porn, we get “sex” without the work of courtship. Now, scans show that porn can alter the reward centre too. Once the reward centre is altered, a person will compulsively seek out the activity or place that triggered the dopamine discharge. (Like addicts who get excited passing the alley where they first tried cocaine, the patients got excited thinking about their computers.) They crave despite negative consequences. (This is why those patients could crave porn without liking it.) Worse, over time, a damaged dopamine system makes one more “tolerant” to the activity and needing more stimulation, to get the rush and quiet the craving. “Tolerance” drives a search for ramped-up stimulation, and this can drive the change in sexual tastes towards the extreme.

In essence, we become what we surround ourselves with. Our surroundings can either uplift or debase us. I have personally experienced this in my own life, for as I have cut away the thorns of khear by reducing an eliminating my exposure to unwholesome media, I have become more at peace and more in tune with not only my true self, but also with Dea. I will not pretend that this path is easy. I have fallen back into old ways more times than I can count. It is difficult to break bad habits. I have also lost friends who I have outgrown because we simply no longer have the same interests and outlooks on life. But at the same time, I have opened a space up for better habits and better friends.

Our separation from Dea is like a wound. When caring for a wound, it is important to first remove the damaged and dead tissue before new tissue can grow. The process of debridement can be very painful (as I have learned from the procedure of wet-to-dry dressing changes in nursing school!) but it also promotes wound healing, which is what we are striving toward. The same process happens when we make a solemn decision to repair our spiritual wounds, the chasm that separates us from Our Mother. As Mother Iulya says:

I do not mean to pretend that the Gentle Way is easy. It is simple, but it is not easy. We shall be tempted often away from the path of gentleness and simplicity; we shall be tempted away from kindness and purity and assailed by anger, greed, idleness, pride, carnality and the spirit of joylessness and complaining; and sometimes we shall fall. But if we pick ourselves up with meekness and humility and ask Dea to set us back upon the path, all the work of the grumms and darklings in tripping us up will have been for nothing. The Gentle Way demands discipline and a strong will to overcome the lower self. But it is the way by which we may enjoy all the glories of the world; and the practice of moderation and a little asceticism will only make them the sweeter. As we live upon the world as our Lady’s little child-servants, we begin to learn that there is only one Enjoyer of the world, and that is our Lady Herself. She who is perfect has perfect enjoyment, and therefore to enjoy the world through Her is the best way, and in the end the only way, to enjoy it. That is why She wants us to follow this way — because She loves us even more than we love ourselves.

Resouces:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-hints-tips/cleaning-organizing/spring-clean-in-spring.htm

https://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/submitted/heit/whatisjihad.html

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/5/867.full

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/26/brain-scans-porn-addicts-sexual-tastes

http://gopherproxy.meulie.net/sdf.org/0/users/ladywillow/filianic/educational/historic/aristasia/gentle-way

 

Lady Day Sermon

The following is taken from a sermon given by Lhi Raya Chancandre Aquitaine, a prominent member of the Aristasians/Shining Daughters, on the significance of Lady Day in the Filianic Faith, which is celebrated every year on Culverine 5/March 25. I faithfully transcribed the sermon word for word in order to provide a written article for Filyanis and those who are interested in learning more about our Faith to read. If you discover any errors in my transcription, please inform me about them in the comments below:

Today is the solemn feast of Our Sovereign Lady. As you know, Our Lady has three Titles (the Daughter has three Titles). She is Priestess of the World, Princess of the World, and Queen of Heaven. The Eastre Mystery which we celebrated a few days ago is the Mystery of Our Lady as Priestess of the World, the Great Mediatrix, the Great Redemptress, who through Her Sacrifice mediates maid to God and God to maid, thus fulfilling the highest office of Priestess. Every Priestess in the world is a reflection of Our Lady in Her Supreme Role as Priestess of the World. The first of all of the Queen of Heaven comes and She’s the next major festival after Eastre. It is the Exhaltation of the Queen of Heaven. And between those two comes this day, Lady Day, and that is the festival of the middle of those three titles: Princess of the World.

After Our Lady came out from the nethermost depths of Hell, leading the souls that She had awakened out of the Hell into the upper world. It didn’t say that She remained on the upper world, this does not as we have said before it does not mean on this earth or on Sai Herthe. It means in the world of maid, in the world of manifestation. At first She was there for but a short time before She was risen into Heaven to become Queen of Heaven. She did certain things and our reading tells us about some of those things. Much of what She did was to bring the Law of Thamë to the children of the Earth. This is what Princess of the Earth really means because Our Lady is not a wordly Princess, She is the Law of Thamë, the Way of Heaven in this world. So, when we follow thamë, when we follow the right way of the Way of Heaven, we are following the Princess of the World. And to some extent, She speaks against the world. She says “You have gained knowledge of the world.” Now, where did the children of the earth gain knowledge of the world? They gained it when they turned away from the Mother. So they gained knowledge of the things of the world in separation from Dea. That is the nature of our fallen condition. So she says, “You have gained knowledge of the world. But I say, be not wise with the wisdom of the world, nor proud with the pride of the world, nor straight with the pomp of the world, neither lose yourself in any of the ways and fashions of the world, but come to Me as little children in the pure simplicity of your hearts and the virgin innocence of your souls. For truly, all of you are children in the eyes of your Mother. And I shall receive all who come as Her children.” So, She is Princess of the World. She governs the world in such a way that we in the world may follow Her and tread the way of Heaven, so that we live in the world by the Light of the Spirit.

As it says in the Great Hymn to Mahalakshmi, She gives both wealth and enjoyment and liberation. She is not saying that we should not enjoy the things of the world, but She is saying “do not lose yourself in the ways and fashions of the world. Do not be wise with the wisdom of the world,” meaning the wisdom that is severed from the Wisdom of the Spirit. You must live in the world following the Princess of the World, as the Princess of the World is not of the world. She is the Princess of the World, the world belongs to Her, but She does not belong to the world. And She is Our Mistress; She is Our Lady.

And it is interesting that against this wisdom of the world, this worldliness, She sets child-like way. But rather than being full of independence (Independence is such a watch-word of Telluria in the West), instead of being independent we should be children who look to Our Mother to sustain us, and feed us, and show us what to do from day to day, so that we are not wordly creatures, we are children of the Mother. “Come yourselves to Me and all faults shall be forgiven.” And She also unites Her children in one body. That is the body of those who worship Her, the Great Celestial Temple of Our Lady. “I shall unite you all who love me in one great body, the highest and the lowest, the living and the dead, those who falter at the door and those who have climbed to the highest tower, all shall be one in my body which I have given to the world and all shall be nourished in my spirit. For we are not creatures of the flesh, not creatures of the world of matter, but children of Our Mother, servants of Our Lady, followers of the Princess of the World.

Resources:

http://www.mother-god.com/princess-mp3.html

Azalea Festival of the Yi People and Symbolism

Every year at the begining of spring when the azaleas bloom, the Yi people of Guizhou, China celebrate an Azalea Festival in the Baili Azalea Nature Reserve. Azaleas are a type of rhododedron and grow as shrubs and small trees with large flowers ranging in colour from purple and pink to yellow and red. This nature reserve is the largest natural azaela zone in the world (home to 41 different kinds of azaleas!) and the only national azalea forest park. The ceremony began at noon (the most auspicious time of day) in honour of the Azalea Goddess and the bimo (shaman-priest) recited traditional prayers to begin the celebrations. The congregation then burned incense, set off fireworks, and played music.

“Azaleas are a symbol of beauty and good luck for the Yi people. Every year we hold the ceremony to worship the azaleas and to pray for a good harvest,” says Huang Kai, a participant in this year’s festival. The azalea is popular not only amongst the Yi people but also throughout China, where it is known as the “thinking of home bush” (杜鹃), as well as a symbol of femininity and thoughtfulness.

The azalea is one of China’s most beloved flowers, but it also has significance in flower symbology in the West. The English name for azalea is dervied from the Greek root word “azaleos”, meaning dry. It symbolises temperance and the fragile passion of first love. It is also given as a way of saying “take care of yourself for me”. Azaleas are also associated with the Janya Sai Mati (in non-Filianic astrological terms, Mercury), who represents Divine Light and Intelligence.

However beautiful they may be, azaleas are highly toxic as they contain andromedotoxins in their leaves and nectar. They were at one time so infamous for their toxicity that to receieve a bouquet of azaleas in a black vase was a well-known death threat!

I am only beginning to learn about flower language so if there is anything I forgot to add about azaelas in flower language and symbolism, or even about the Azaela Festival of the Yi people, please leave a comment below!

Resources:

http://english.cntv.cn/program/cultureexpress/20140317/104366.shtml

http://guizhou.chinadaily.com.cn/2013-03/28/content_16349807.htm

Stopping to Smell the Rhododendron

http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infoflowersymbolism.htm

http://www.mother-god.com/goddess-religion.html

http://www.thegalaxyexpress.com/botanical-astrology

Filianic History: The Madrian Catechism

While Filyanis of today differ in many ways from the original Madrians who first brought Our Faith to the modern world, and I certainly disagree very strongly with several of the points made in this Catechism, I believe it is important to at least know of the history of Filianism and how our ideas have evolved over time.

The following is an excerpt taken from the now out-of-print book “The Sacred Myths and Rites of the Madrians”. I am ever grateful to my dear friend Matrona Pamela for sending me my own personal copy of this invaluable book of the Madrians and their beliefs, as it was already out of print when I first started learning about Filianism. I have faithfully transcribed this Catechism word for word as it originally appeared in the Madrian Catechism and hope that it is a help to those who are interested in learning more about the beliefs of our foremothers in Faith.

THE CATECHISM OF THE CHILDREN OF THE GODDESS

I. THE ORIGIN OF THE SOUL

1. From whence do you come and where is your first origin?
I was created from before the beginning of time by the Goddess out of the overflowing of Her divine love.

2. What manner of creature are you?
I am the reflection of a fragment of Her eternal Spirit.

3. What have been your actions since the beginning of time?
I have passed through many states of existence and many forms of life (although I can remember but a little).

4. How came you upon this wheel of countless existences?
In the beginning, my soul turned from the love of the Goddess and so fell into exile from her natural state.

5. What is the natural state of your soul?
The natural state of my soul is Perfect Union with the Goddess, which is the state of pure delight.

II. DEITY

6. What is the first cause of existence?
The Goddess is the first cause of existence, for She created the manifest universe.

7. What is the Goddess?
The Goddess is the one Spirit of the universe, complete in Herself, uncreated, and infinite in potency, perception and perfection.

8. What is the Mystery of the Divine Trinity?

That there is only one Goddess, yet She is three Persons.

9. What is a Mystery?

A Mystery is a truth beyond the grasp of reason which the Goddess has nonetheless revealed to us.

10. Who are the three Persons of the Trinity?

Our Celestial Mother, Her Divine Daughter, and the Dark Mother who is Absolute Deity.

11. Who is our Celestial Mother?

The Mother is the Creator of the world and the Ground of all being.

12. What is Her Nature?

She is pure Life, pure Light, and pure energy.

13. What are Her Acts?

All life, all action, and all thought flor from Her.

14. Who is Her Daughter?

Her Daughter is Princess of the World, Priestess of the World, and Queen of Heaven.

15. What is Her Nature?

She is pure love.

16. What are Her Acts?

As Princess of the World, She governs all the cycles of life and nature; as Priestess of the World, She gives us Communion with Her Mother; as Queen of Heaven, she shall bring us at last to the Celestial Throne.

17. Who is the Dark Mother?

She is Absolute Deity, Who existed before the beginning of existence and is beyond being and unbeing.

18. What is Her Nature?

She is outside space and time; She is all that is and all that is not.

19. What are Her Acts?

The exhalation of Her breath or Spirit is our Mother, the Creator of the world. Of Her other Acts, our minds cannot conceive.

20. Does Trinity last only for the period of manifest creation?

No, Trinity is the eternal Nature of Deity.

The Nature of Deity

21. Had the Goddess any beginning?

The Goddess had no beginning and will have no end.

22. When did the Goddess create the world?

She creates it now and in every moment; if She ceased to create it, it would cease to exist.

23. Where is the Goddess?

She is in every place at all times.

24. What is the name of the Goddess?

She has been given many names by many different peoples.

25. Yet are there many Goddesses?

No, there is only one Goddess.

26. Are there other deities?

There are no other Deities.

27. Who are those others that some worship as Deities?

Some are Geniae and creatures of the higher spheres; others are keres or mere creatures of illusion (see Note)

28. Could the Goddess have a special relationship with one or more of these higher creatures?

She could have no special relationship.

29. What is the reason of this?

Firstly, She alone is uncreated; all other beings are of Her creation, therefore none can exist on Her own level. Secondly, the highest relationship between creature and Deity is that of Perfect Union; this is the final aim of every soul, and no special relationship can be higher than this.

30. What are the powers of the Goddess?

The powers of the Goddess are infinite; no thing is impossible to Her.

31. What is the knowledge of the Goddess?

The knowledge of the Goddess is infinte; she know all that is, all that has been, and all that is to come.

III. GOOD AND EVIL

32. What is a moral decision?

A moral decision is a decision between good and evil.

33. What is Absolute Good?

The Goddess is Absolute Good.

34. What is relative good?

Relative good is a state of moving closer to the Goddess.

35. What is relative evil?

Relative evil is a state of moving further from the Goddess.

36. What is absolute evil?

Absolute evil is the complete absence of the Goddess.

37. Can absolute evil exist?

Absolute evil cannot exist, for the Goddess is the essence of existence; therefore a thing comepletley without Her would have no existence.

38. What is the highest good of all creatures?

The highest good of all creatures is Perfect Union with the Goddess.

39. When we speak of moving closer to the Goddess, do we speak of the material plane or of the spiritual pkane?

Of the spiritual plane.

40. What do you mean by moving closer to the Goddess on the spiritual plane?

I mean that I become more like my true self and more in harmony with Her.

41. What do you mean by moving further from the Goddess on the spiritual plane?

I mean that I become more unlike my true self and more out of harmony with Her.

42. What is your true self?

My true self is the perfect expression of a facet of Deity.

43. What is the general nature of your true self?

My true self is a creature of infinite beauty, existing in a state of perfect happiness and complete harmony with the Goddess, and subject to no limitations of any kind.

44. What is the particular name of your true self?

Every facet of Deity is utterly unique, so also are the creatures which express them.

Imperfect Existence: matter and limitation

45. What was your first moral action?

My first moral action was to turn from the Goddess at the beginning of time.

46. Was this act good or evil?

It was the primal act of evil.

47. Did you alone perform this act?

Many creatures performed it.

48. What was the nature of things before this act?

Before this act all things were Perfect Forms or Divine Ideas.

49. What was the nature of all things after this act?

After this act all things became matter that they might have existence apart from the Goddess.

50. What is matter?

All things below the level of pure spirit are material.

51. Is matter purely physical?

No, matter is both physical and non-physical

52. Is matter evil?

Insofar as matter reflects Divine Ideas it is good; insofar as it is but a broken and imperfect reflection of them, it is evil.

53. What are the three chief parts of the material or non-spirital existence which affect us in this world?

The physical, the emotional, and the mental.

54. What is the characteristic of imperfect existence which is absent from perfect existence?

Limitation.

55. What is limitation?

Limitation is the inability of the soul to accomplish her will (on the lowest planes it is the manifest of the scarcity of material resources); it is the source of suffering and of all other evils.

56. What is the source of the evil of limitation? 

Separation from the Goddess is the source of limitation, for the Goddess is unlimited and so also are all souls in harmony with Her.

The Foundations of Good Action

57. Since your first moral act, have you committed others?

Almost every act committed since that time has had a moral character.

58. What is the moral character of a material act?

It is its spiritual quality of good or evil.

59. How is that determined?

It is determined bu whether the act is in accordance with the three Primary Virtues.

60. What are the Three Primary Virtues?

They are Life, or Wholeness; Light, or Energy; and Love, or Harmony.

61. Where can we learn of these virtues?

In the book called the Crystal Tablet.

62. What are the five Rules of Life by which we may achieve these virtues?

They are:

1. To love the Goddess.

2. To love all Her Creatures.

3. To love my true self.

4. To seek to make my every act a perfect gift to Her, and to offer to Her all my happiness and all my suffering.

5. To seek to bring all souls closer to Her.

IV. THE QUEST OF THE SOUL

63. Have you lived before this life?

I have lived before.

64. How long have you lived?

I have lived since the beginning of time.

65. Of this, how much can you remember?

I can rememer only a little.

66. How long shall you live?

I shall live forever.

67. What will happen when you die?

If I have lived as a good Madrian, I shall go after death into the paradise of the Daughter, called Avala, to rest in happiness.

68. Shall you then inhabit a body?

No, I shall be all soul.

69. What is a soul?

Soul is the spiritual creature which is the real ‘I‘.

70. Are souls both female and male?

No, all spiritual creatures are female, for maleness is a thing of the material world.

71. Do male creatures have souls?

Yes, male creatures have female souls.

72. Shall all creatures become pure soul after death?

No, those who in life have rejected the spiritual shall retain strong emotional and manetal materiality.

73. Shall they keep their material bodies?

No, and having lost them, they shall flounder in darkness and confusion.

74. Shall this state last forever?

No, eventually they shall continue on their journey; either furhter from the Mother, or else turning again to Her.

75. Shall any soul be lost forever?

No, in the fullness of time, every soul shall realise the full horror of evil and shall turn to the Good.

76. Shall you remain forever in Avala?

No, eventually I shall continue my journey toward the Mother.

77. Can your soul approach directly to the Mother?

She cannot.

78. Why is this?

Because, having turned from Her at the beginning of time, I am not absolutley good. Therefore my soul cannot exist in Her presence.

79. In what way then can you approach Deity?

I can approach Her Daughter.

80. How is this so?

Because seeing the plight of humanity, She has severed Herself from Her Mother in order that we may come to Her.

81. By what means did She do this?

By her descent into the under world and Her Death.

82. Did She rise from that death?

Yes, and as She rose, so shall we rise, that we may come to the Mother.

83. And shall the Daughter guide you on your way from Avala?

She is always guiding the soul that turns to Her.

V. EKKLESIA MADRIANA

84. What is Ekklesia?

Ekklesia is the body of all souls who are in communion with the Goddess.

85. Is Ekklesia of this world only?

No, Ekklesia exists on every plane of being.

86. Does Ekklesia include only human souls?

No, Ekklesia includes heras, Geniae, and other souls, both incarnate and disincarnate.

87. What are the three ways by which a human soul may enter Ekklesia?

By Charisma, by Initiation, and by Offering.

88. What is the Charismatic entry?

Charismatic entry  occurs when a soul, through her devotion, is received by the Goddess without any earthly Sacrament.

89. What is Initiation?

Initiation is the Sacrament by which Ekklesia receives a mature person.

90. What takes place at this Sacrament?

The initiate dies to the world of matter and is reborn into Ekklesia.

91. What is Offering?

Offering is the tirual by which an infant is offered to the Goddess and is received into the Ekklesia.

92. Is Offering sufficient for a whole lifetime?

No, the child should later receive her own Initiation.

93. What is the reason for Offering?

It allows the child to enjoy the spiritual benefits of being a member of Ekklesia, helps her to draw closer to the Goddess, and makes her a member of Her earthly family from the beginning.

94. What is a Sacrament?

A Sacrament is an act which takes place at once on earth and in the Pleroma.

95. What is the Pleroma?

The Pleroma is the realm of pure Being where alone an action can attain complete reality.

96. What is Communion?

Communion is the Sacrament through which initiates of Ekklesia nourish their souls by union with the Goddess.

97. How often should a Madrian initiate take Communion?

If possible, a Madrian initiate should take Communion regularly. She must take Communion at least on each Major Festival unless prevented by extreme dificulty.

98. Who can celebrate Communion?

Only a priestess can celebrate Communion.

99. What is a priestess?

A priestess is a maid chosen by the Goddess to serve Her earthly children.

100. How does a maid become a priestess?

Either by Charisma or Initiation.

101. Is the Initation of a priestess a Sacrament?

The initiation of a priestess is a Sacrament.

102. What are the two duties of a priestess?

1. To transmit the Power of the Goddess through the Sacraments and other rituals.

2. To have care of the souls of Her children in devotional and other matters.

103. What is the Sacrifice?

The Sacrifice is an act of devotion to the Goddess.

104. Is the Sacrifice a Sacrament?

The Sacrifice is not a Sacrament.

105. How often must a Madrian initiate make Sacrifice?

A Madrian initiate must make Sacrifice or take Communion at least on every nature Rite unless prevented by extreme difficulty.

The Cult Domestic

106. What is the Cult Domestic?

The Cult Domestic is the whole religious life of a Madrian household centering upon a regular domestic Sacrifice.

107. Who shall celebrate the Sacrifice?

The spiritual head of household shall celebrate the Sacrifice.

108. Who is the spiritual head of the household?

Either the mother, or else the temporal matriarch, or any other maid who has made a solemn undertaking to act as spiritual head of her household.

109. Who shall celebrate if she is absent?

Either her eldest daughter, or any other maid whom she has chosen to act as her surrogate.

110. What is a Madrian household?

A Madrian household is any group of Madrians who live together and all who are dear to them.

111. Should the Cult Domestic replace the Communion of Ekklesia?

The Cult Domestic should never replace the Communion of Ekklesia unless there is no practising priestess in the area.

Personal Devotion

112. How shall you preserve the spiritual health of your soul?

By rejecting the false materialistic values of the world, and seeking to live in gentless, generosity, and innocence.

113. How should you ammend the faults of your soul?

By pentitence and true devotion.

114. What is prayer?

Prayer is a personal communication with the Goddess.

115. What is the importance of prayer?

Prayer is the breath of my spiritual life.

116. When should you pray?

I should pray frequently, but at least each morning and each night.

117. What is morning prayer?

Morning prayer is an offering of the day’s events to the Goddess and asking of Her blessing upon them.

118. What is night prayer?

Night prayer is a return to full contemplation of the Goddess at the end of the day.

119. Should prayer be a mere repeating of words?

No, prayer should be a bringing of the whole being to the Goddess.

120. What are the other chief forms of personal devotion?

Meditation upon the Goddess and Her Mysteries and saying the Rosary.

121. How should you end your devotions?

By saying the Silver Star and making the Pentacle upon myself.

Note: The words “Deity” and “Goddess” are used in their full sense of “the one Creator of the universe”. It follows then that there can be no other. We may, of course, honour the Goddess under many names and honour all the Geniae of different offices—such as Hestia, Genia of the home, or Pallas, Genia of wisdom; or of places—the tutelary Geniae of nations or of temples; Our Lady of particular shrines and sacred places. It is often hard to know whether we honour a higher spirit or an aspect of our Lady; but the distinction is not greatly important, for every soul expresses a facet of the resplendent jewel of Deity, and the more advanced the soul, the more completley is she an expression of our Lady. Thus we may freely speak of the Goddess Athene of the Goddess Hestia without losing the fundamental truth that Deity is One.

References:

“The Sacred Myths and Rites of the Madrians”, edited by Phillip P. Jackson