Embraced by the Divine Mother

After writing this post yesterday morning about honoring the anniversary of my mother’s death I stepped into the day releasing expectations of what the hours ahead would hold and opened myself to how my mother might whisper to me across worlds.  I arrived at my yoga class ten minutes early as is my habit to settle into a few moments of silence to begin this sacred time of entering the body’s wisdom.  As I moved into the room there was an ethereal woman’s voice singing.  Another student asked the teacher what music this was.  “Hymns to the Divine Mother” she replied. I smiled and let the rise and fall of the music carry my breath. When class started we began in Child’s Pose and were invited to bring an intention for the class or to offer our practice on behalf of someone. I offered this time to my mother. Then we moved into our first pose which was Butterfly and I began to gently weep. Butterflies were a significant symbol when my mother died, so much so that I had one tattooed on my ankle.  As if the music weren’t enough, I knew then she was there with me in that space and my whole practice became a joyful place of reaching across thresholds, inner and outer, here and beyond.

This is the last week of the current lectio divina online class and we are exploring ways to practice lectio with life experience as a sacred text.  In my own practice later in the day I brought this experience to prayer.  The song and the butterfly shimmered in my memory.  I savored those moments again, feeling connected and held.  I tended to the feelings stirring in me: the grief, the longing, the peace, letting each have its space.  I listened for the invitation and heard this:  allow yourself to be embraced by the Divine Mother, for she is always with you.  Bring the names of Devi, Mary, the holy matrix of creation birthing in each moment to your practice.  I rested deeply into the stillness.

I found the music online, the video below has the Sanskrit words and the English translation.  It is a beautiful celebration of her qualities.  May the Divine Mother embrace each of you this day.  May reminders of her presence shower over you in surprising ways.

(You can also order the whole album online here in CD form and here as an MP3 download)

Thank you for all the extraordinarily kind and gracious words you sent to me in a variety of ways.