Take a deep breath and listen – a sound resonates within each and everyone of us – the sound of the universe, the sound of creation, the sound of life.
Goddess energy runs through every strand of the universe, and when it is embodied in sound, eloquence and wisdom, we find the Goddess Saraswati.
The Meaning Of Saraswati
Saraswati is also known as Vak Devi is often depicted sitting in a lotus flower and playing music on a stringed instrument – the veena (lute).
The Sanskrit word Sara means "essence" and Swa means "self." So Saraswati means "the essence of the self." When we work with the energy of Saraswati, we are embarking on a journey to learn our true nature, our true essence.
Symbolizing eloquence and right speech, Saraswati is about speaking with an inner wisdom and honouring our own inner voice.
She is often shown with four hands which represent the four elements of the inner personality. The mind (manas) is represented by the front right hand, the intellect (buddhi) by the front left hand, the conditioned consciousness (chitta) by the rear left hand, and the ego (ahankara) by the rear right hand.
Through Saraswati we can awaken a deeper understanding of ourselves. As she is shown playing an instrument, it means that the seeker must tune their mind and intellect, find their inner vibration in order to find harmony with the world.
"Oh Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge,
We pray to you as humble souls to fill our minds
With your kind blessings and knowledge
Which you have aplenty."
All life vibrates with a melody that plays itself out within each of us. Attuning ourselves to this unique vibration, exploring it through sound and mantra, singing, opening up the lungs, finding our song, speaking our truth is a gift of healing from the universe and is a way of discovering how we fit into the universe at large.
The universe is sound. When we honour our voice we honour the glorious vibration of the universe. The human voice was the first musical instrument of the universe.
Finding Your Vibration
"The way to your inner sound is first to sit in silence," says Sri Swamini Mayatitananda. "In my experience, the longer I remained in silence, the stronger my personal sound became. When I later began to chant the Vedic mantras, my inner song grew richer…."
"As you uncover your inner sound, you also recognize the importance of giving voice to that sound. The Vedic ancients revealed that the vibration of the cosmic sound is contained within our deepest self through the medium of the human voice. The origin of speech…may be traced to the Goddess Vak, who is called the Mother of the Vedas. ...Saraswati, the river goddess, absorbed Vak's qualities and imparted her knowledge of speech, art, literature and music to the celestial musicians and dancers."
Healing Through Sound
We have 72,000 nadis (energy lines) running through the body that are sensitive to sound vibration. When we chant, we heal ourselves at an energetic level. Sound resonates within the nadis, within every cell of our being. Sound can change our whole vibration and so creates a magical alchemy that radiates through us.
"Nada Yoga (sound yoga) cared little for yoga practices or singing techniques and aimed at cultivating Bhava, an expansion of feeling and sentiment in the heart through an abandoned crying out to God through song and chant," says master Russill Paul, who, on his CD Bhava Yoga, takes listeners on a journey to the heart of the universe, allowing them to give voice to their inner sound.
Russill Paul, author of The Yoga Of Sound, likes to chant the word "Deviye" which means "O Great Goddess." He has also put together a series of movements that include honouring the Goddess Saraswati:
*Raise your arms upward, stretch your palms toward the sky, venerating Usas, Goddess of the Dawn, of Light, the Universe.
*Bend down, touching your palms to the Earth and then to your eyes, honouring the Earth Mother.
*Spread your arms wide and turn around in one complete circle giving thanks to Lakshmi, the Goddess of abundance.
*Place both palms on your eyes and ask Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning and Wisdom to enlighten your inner vision.
*Come kneeling and acknowledge Tara who guides us through our troubles.
*Stay kneeling and bend your forehead to the ground to surrender the ego to Chinnamasta, the goddess who decapitates her own head!
*Stay kneeling and raise your body up and open your arms wide to receive the grace of Tripura-Sundari, "she who shines with the light of the rising sun."
*Finally, place both palms on your heart, giving thanks to Kamala who blesses us with luck.
Healing Through Ritual
To feel Saraswati's assistance in communication. Find a white flower and remove its petals. Place these in any moving water source and say –
"Saraswati, let my words bear gentle beauty and truth,
falling lightly on others' ears,
even as these petals to the water."
Let the water carry your wish. (Taken from 365 Goddesses by Patricia Telesco)