Happy birthday Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, one of the most famous Hindu deities!
He can be seen all over the world and is known for good luck, success and compassion. Shri Ganesha has the wisdom and loyalty of an elephant and is the Remover of Obstacles and Lord of Letters and Learning.
Why does he have an elephant’s head?
Well, it was something of an accident. Ganesha was made from clay by Parvati, goddess of fertility and love, when the god Shiva, her husband, was away. On his return, he did not recognise Ganesha as his son and chopped his head off! Outrageous! Parvati was devastated so Shiva replaced Ganesha’s head with that of an elephant.
Today, 15th February 2021, is Shri Ganesha’s birthday!
How can we celebrate it? Through yoga asana, mudras and sweet and tasty snacks!
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We can practice yoga asana!
In the Kundalini yoga traditions, Ganesha is connected to the root chakra, so let’s do a flow that is connected with that!
Don’t forget my blog post dedicated to the root chakra, and the yoga flow video that goes with it! If you’ve got a spare 20 minutes, use it to practice yoga with me!
2. Practice the Ganesha hand mudra!
Practice the Ganesha mudra to relieve tension and stress and boost happiness! You could practice it sitting on your chair, your desk or sat on your yoga mat.
You could even use this mudra in yoga poses like Warrior I or Warrior II, instead of reaching up or out, bringing the hands together. You could also bring the hands together while stood in Samasthiti.
3. Eat sweet snacks!
Ganesha has a sweet tooth and is usually depicted with a big plate of Laddoos (“LUD-Doo”) and while I don’t know where to buy them or how to make them, you could totally substitute with delicious mini-doughnuts, especially if you are in Hanoi! It’s a birthday, after all!
Stay tuned for next week, when I will be back with the Chakra series. We will focus on the throat chakra, the centre for our communication, allowing us to be heard, speak our truth and of course, listen to what others have to say too.
