Chaitra Navratri 2023 - Time to Self Healing

Navratri translates to "Nine Nights." This festival is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. During these nine days and nights, we can perform sadhana to seek the blessings of Maa Durga and achieve spiritual, mental, and physical growth by practicing the worship of her nine forms. This is a great time to align ourselves with the universe at the body, mind, and soul levels. During Navratri, the environment is pure and auspicious, making it an excellent opportunity to improve our lives.

To perform Navratri sadhana, it is essential to follow a routine. The first step is to purify our body and mind by taking a bath, wearing clean clothes, and meditating. Next, we should clean our temple and decorate it with flowers, incense, and other sacred items. We can recite the Durga Saptashati or Durga Chalisa or chant mantras dedicated to the goddess. We should offer fruits and sweets as bhog to the goddess and distribute prasad to others. During Navratri, we should follow a sattvic diet and avoid tamasic foods.

It is also crucial to prioritize our health and well-being during this time. We should practice meditation and yoga along with the puja rituals. By following these tips and surrendering ourselves to the divine mother, we can deepen our spiritual practice and seek the blessings of Maa Durga. Sadhana is a devotion and surrender to the divine, and it can help us achieve our goals and improve our lives.

During Navratri, people worship different forms of the goddess Durga, who is considered the embodiment of power, purity, and auspiciousness.chanting mantras during Navratri is believed to be a powerful spiritual practice that can help one connect with the divine and experience greater spiritual upliftment, blessings, and purification. Chanting mantras is an important aspect of Navratri worship, and it is believed to have several spiritual benefits.

Here are some of the significance of chanting mantras during Navratri:

Spiritual upliftment: Chanting mantras is considered a powerful spiritual practice that can help uplift one's consciousness and connect with the divine. It is believed that the vibrations created by the chanting of mantras can help purify the mind and create a conducive environment for spiritual growth.

Invoke blessings: Chanting mantras is also believed to invoke the blessings of the deity being worshipped. By chanting mantras, one is said to be invoking the divine energy and grace of the goddess, which can help in removing obstacles and bringing success and prosperity.

Purification: Chanting mantras is believed to purify the mind and body. The sounds created by the chanting of mantras can have a calming effect on the mind and help in reducing stress and anxiety. This can lead to a greater sense of inner peace and well-being.

Connection with the divine: Chanting mantras is considered a powerful tool for connecting with the divine. By chanting mantras with devotion and sincerity, one can establish a deeper connection with the god and experience a greater sense of spiritual fulfillment.

There are several mantras that are considered important to chant during Navratri. Here are a few of the most popular mantras:

"Om Aim Hrim Kleem Chamundaye Vichaye"
 This is a powerful mantra dedicated to Goddess Durga, who is worshipped during Navratri. It is believed to invoke her blessings and help in overcoming obstacles and difficulties.

"Om Dum Durgaye Namaha"
This mantra is also dedicated to Goddess Durga and is believed to invoke her protection and blessings. It is chanted to overcome fear, negative energy, and to gain courage and strength.

"Om Sarva Mangala Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike Sharanye Tryambake Gauri Narayani Namostute"
This is a popular mantra dedicated to Goddess Gauri, another form of Durga. It is believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and happiness.

"Om Shri Saraswatyai Namaha"
This mantra is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, who is worshipped during the last three days of Navratri. It is believed to invoke her blessings and help in gaining knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence.

It is important to note that chanting mantras with devotion and sincerity is more important than the specific mantra itself. One can choose the mantra that resonates with them the most and chant it with devotion and faith to experience the spiritual benefits of Navratri.

This article is contributed by Esheta Vinosa