Day 15 - Dhumavati

DHUMAVATI

"Om Dhumavatyai Cha Vidmahe

Samharinyai Cha Dheemahi

Tanno Dhumavatyai Prachodayat"

Day 15. Shakti Yantra Practice

The next to emerge in the Mahavidya series is, the Goddess of dissatisfaction, disappointment and letting go ... veiled in smoke, accompanied by her messenger and familiar, the crows, maa appears in the form of a shrivelled up old widow. Wrinkled, sullen, bitter, sharp and poverty struck, she is a sight most of us would run away from. Dressed in old rags, she carries a winnow and is seen sitting in a horseless chariot,with only one wheel.

She has no where to go.
She has no consort nor male equalizing aspect.

The crows with her represent the ancient spirits and dark powers that accompany her always. When you pass through her winnow you shed all your attachments and disillusions. As a mahavidya, the goddess represents void. It is the state of nothingness that appears in deep meditation, just a few steps before the light of realization shines through.

Maa Dhumavati or Jyeshta, the eldest one teaches with lessons in loss, pain, betrayal and hopelessness. She is the one behind extreme discomfort. The wise sadhaka learns to stop resisting against these negative experiences and accepts them as prasad from maa. Each disappointment is a new window into cosmic awareness.The moment resistance to discomfort is dropped, Dhumavati's grace flows through and we get to gaze deep into her heart.
She has the incredible power to teach us that external beauty fades but our true self, the divine self persists.When you learn enough to look lovingly into all disappointments, you

earn the boon of touching her love and power.

Look for her within your greatest trials and you will get the strength to transcend it.

Affirmations:
~I do not get weakened by disappointment, it is a passing experience.
~Discomfort encourages me, to deepen my meditative and spiritual practice.
~External appearance is superficial, I look beyond that.
~Every failure is an opportunity to improve myself.

Colors: Smoky grey, black,yellowish and reddish orange.

Mantra:

          "Om Dhum Dhum Dhumavatyai Namah"

Dhumavati Yantra Free Printable (pdf)