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Praise Her
A Goddess for Invoking Courage in Difficult Times
Cultivating confidence and skill with the Hindu goddess Durga
Durga is the Hindu goddess of protection, justice, and doing the right thing. As a warrior goddess, she faces each challenge with strength and conviction no matter how dire the situation may seem. She’s the goddess to call when you need help with a challenging person or time in your life. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gotten yourself into a mess, as we often are the culprits in our own dramas; Durga will be there to help. She’s also an activist and represents the energy behind the #MeToo movement. She’s an advocate for the environment and she speaks for any disenfranchised group that needs a voice.
The story of Durga
The three gods of the Hindu Trinity are Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva. Historically, they called on Durga to save the world and the heavens from a half-demon, half-buffalo tyrant who had become too powerful. Brahma had granted the demon immortality from all men and gods as a reward for his devoted meditation practice. But the tyrant was using this boon to cause chaos and destruction. He could not be stopped by the three most powerful gods; only a woman could defeat the tyrant and bring order back to the universe. That woman was Durga.
The three gods asked Durga to destroy the demon and his army. It’s important to note that in this story, Durga knew about the chaos the demon was causing, but she only came to help when called upon. That’s important in your life as well. The goddess wants you to petition her for help.
She’s the voice inside your head telling you to face the challenge and deal with it now.
Durga is dark and strong with long, flowing hair and three eyes. She has eight arms that hold the weapons the gods bestowed upon her to defeat the demon. She holds a spear, mace, discus, bow, and sword in five of her hands. The remaining three hold a conch for sound, a lotus for fertility, and a rosary for prayer.
In the story, the goddess confronted the demon wearing a sexy red sari that showed off all of her curves. She was decorated with gold bangles, rings, and a…
