Jai Ganesha!

 

… when you’re blessed by Ganesh than the stress can melt
he destroys the knots that confine your thoughts
he dissolves the walls & he breaks the blocks
he unlocks the door to the sacred core
& he guards the gate at the pelvic floor
the benevolent elephant wise and intelligent
at the base of the spine he’s the earth element
he’s the ruler of the muladhara chakra…

~ MC Yogi, Ganesh is Fresh

You don’t have to be Hindu to worship Ganesh, the elephant god. He is known as the remover of obstacles, a deity of prosperity and the lord of new beginnings.

When I first met my future life partner, I spotted a small wooden Ganesh statue on the night table of the house he was house-sitting. I figured it belonged to the home owner. But, when Ganesh popped up again at the next place where he lived, I knew it was meant to be. (I mean, it’s not every day you find a smart, sweet, creative, attractive Ganesh-owner!)

If you’re into chanting, the Sanskrit mantra to Ganesh is mantra is “Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha,” which is loosely translated into modern American English as “Hey! Wake up the root chakra energy of transformation and move through obstacles. Yay!”

I am a semi-obsessive collector of catchy and inspiring quotes. One of my all-time favorites is from the Buddha:

“Each day we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”

These are beautiful words to live by, and they are definitely in the spirit of Ganesh.

The Buddhist concept of “Beginner’s Mind” also jives well with the message of Ganesh (who is often referred to as Ganesha, as well). The famous Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi’s book is entitled Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, and it’s about how the beginner is open-minded whereas the expert is often just the opposite.

So, when you’re in need overcoming obstacles, finding a fresh start and tuning into abundance, meditate on Ganesh!