Of India, Goddesses and Lotus Blossoms
The Unfolding Lotus- 2017-Mandrem, Goa, India
Without mud, there would be no lotus. The lotus is an iconic symbol of beauty rising from adversity, in all its imperfections.
We gathered by the Indian Ocean, where the sun set, in all it’s glorious imperfections, each night.
There were 14 of us, Russians, Indians, and me, a North American.
Each day we explored, in depth, a different goddess:
1. Saraswati – Goddess of creativity and knowledge
2. Lakshmi- Goddess of abundance and well being
3. Durga - Goddess of passion, Uierce protection
4. Parvati- Goddess of emotional endurance, strength, loyalty and inner strength
These goddesses are important in the Hindu religion and represent archetypal concepts of what shapes our psyches, both positively and negatively.
We incorporated many forms of ceremony, ritual, and the expressive arts in order to delve deeply into the experience of understanding each goddess and her personal meaning, relating to what each of us was struggling with or facing in our life.
Each drawing of the lotus Ulower was unique to each woman and there were many varieties of color, texture, blossoming stages etc.
A deep reverence and respect for each woman’s progress was expressed as we created a safe and trusting ‘container’ for feelings, and ideas to be expressed.
Retreat Leaders-(from left to right)Sally Brucker, Varvara Sidorova, Belinda Rego, Chandini Harlaika