In classes during Navaratri (the nine nights of the Divine Mother) we explored and experienced the shakti of Kali, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati. The last three nights are dedicated to Sarasvati, the divine embodiment of learning, creativity, speech, music, art, writing, etc. How we apply all that we learn and live a life full of wisdom and creativity, and our own unique expression is the grace of Sarasvati.
Two weeks ago my husband, friends and I went out to the Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park for a long weekend of camping and live music everyday, all day and night. This is a festival that has been going on for over 14 years, Ken and I have been going for a decade. If you love music, you really must go. We camped on a cliff right on the beautiful, amber colored Suwanee river. Every night I went to sleep with the sound of the flowing river beneath me and every morning a melodious chorus of various birds woke me up to let me know it was time for chanting then yoga.
The imagery and shakti of Sarasvati began as the the actual Sarasvati river in India. In classes days before the festival we explored our own watery nature and the current of knowledge (Sarasvati) that flows from the mountain heights of meditation. As I now found myself camping on a Florida river I felt blessed to to be one with this river Goddess with all of her richness.
A main musical highlight of every one's weekend was Joe Craven. This man plays all instruments, and if there is not one around, he will pick up the nearest thing to him and play it! Literally... trash can, jaw bone, box, canjo (a banjo he has made out of a tomato can).... whatever. We attended a workshop of his where he took a girl from the audience who had never picked up an instrument in her life and he had her playing the fiddle while walking to her own beat. The focus of the workshop was to give everyone the encouragement to realize we all have an inner rhythm and anyone can play an instrument and sing and we need not be afraid to do this. That afternoon everyone came back with an instrument (whether we could technically play or not), and we jammed, and we realized you don't have to have formal lessons to feel music and play music.
The entire weekend I saw the magic of Sarasvati. The flowing river at the campsite, the extraordinary musicians that flooded the entire park, and that creative shakti that lies within all of us waiting to be expressed through whatever natural talent we have. This Goddess of the river of knowledge, speech and art forms is within all of us. If we ride the white swan of purity in mind and heart, we will experience an overflowing of these attributes that comes from the deep well of the spirit.
