Energy generation for a developed individual & society

Although Deepawali is considered the biggest festival in India, it is not the longest. Both Ganesh Chaturthi and Navaratri are 9-10 days long, and the time period is important for energy generation. 

Since Lord Ganesha is associated with the Mooladhara Chakra which denotes the element “earth”, Ganesh Chaturthi takes care of the physical material (earth) element in us. 

Navratri, on the other hand, is about the other half ie the energy aspect of the material world. Einstein found a relationship between the two in his theory of special relativity (E=mc2). A physical entity can be converted into energy completely and vice versa.

The festivals that follow after Navratri are about the ‘program’ or ‘concept’ of our lives. But to take full advantage of them, we have to spend time and take care of material and energy. Together, these three aspects, material + energy + program, constitute our existence. We have to work on all these aspects if we want to move towards self-satisfaction. 

The nine days of Navaratri, also known as the Shakti or Durga festival, are meant for inducing and collecting energy. The rituals involved have a definite purpose — to acquire energy. 

We are all aware that the magnetic force is present in the environment. But to manifest, induce or use it, we need a mechanism. That is what a simple generator does. It could be a copper wire wrapped around an armature which is rotated to induce energy. The electricity produced can then be used in a number of ways.

Similarly, during Navratri, we create an arrangement between the individual (at material and energy level) and the environment that helps us collect praanic force for our lives. It needs to be assimilated into a continuous flow because energy cannot be permanently stored anywhere. Therefore, a strong flow makes energy more accessible when required. 

First of all, we need energy for creation. This is easy to understand. Then we need energy for external things that support us – health, infrastructure, wealth and facilities that help us enjoy life. The rishis have designed Navratri accordingly. In the festivals before Navratri, we remove toxins from material elements and deal with bacteria, viruses, and impurities at both physical and non-physical levels, through the Ganesh festival and Pitrupaksha. This has to be continued and we need to progress to the next element, which is fire. 

The base or beginning of any project is to remove the obstacles or negativities, which is done during Ganeshotsav and Pitrupaksha and then prepare a ground or space for positive action. We also have to clean all the physical spaces outside. Therefore, we clean everything at this time. According to traditional sciences, we need to wear freshly washed clothes every day if they are made of cotton, or silk, which does not collect much impurity. Ayurveda strongly advises that after waking up in the morning, we should wash our hands and feet and then comb the hair. Hair behaves similarly to silk — organising it makes us more receptive. All this is similar to having Swachch Bharat as the base for our country’s nation-building efforts. After this, we need to bring together the mechanisms that will invite energy into our lives. 

Fire is the element that transforms the material into energy and vice versa. The presence of praan is closely associated with oxygen. Praan is the active energy that we require; a flame, or a lamp, ensures the presence of Praan.

Next, we need a mala – a garland – a wreath of flowers with a thread running through its centre. The arrangement of flowers corresponds physically to the vertebrae and energy-wise to channels of ascending energy through the human spinal cord. There is a method to offer it to the Goddess or active energy of Navratri. Unless we raise the potential of this energy, it will not be possible to induce, collect or use it in our lives. For this, we need the various musical-mantra compositions, recommended to be used in this time. So with cleanliness and orderliness, silk clothes, lamps mantras and a mala for the Goddess, we celebrate Navratri.

A morning and evening aarti is recommended everyday during Navratri to share the collected praanic energy through the fire element, which can transport it properly and is also receivable by all. Since water is a collector of memories, it is kept in a conch during aarati, sprinkled and even offered to drink. 

The unique structure of the conch enables it to carry energy, involving space element when blown.  Prasad, of course, is to spread energy through the earth element. Even though the fire is the element in focus, all the elements are in the energy are gathered in the process. Now that we have created a technique to raise energy, how do we induce and make it flow in everyone? This is a subject we will discuss in the following article.

The author is founder of Atmasantulana Village, a world-renowned holistic healing centre. ayurveda@dnaindia.net