A NATARAJ

One hallmark of an Anusara studio is a murti of the Nataraj. Until this week, my studio only had Ganesh, Lakshmi & Hanuman represented.

In Tucson, Manoj (the gentleman who travels with John, helping to explain Indian philosophy and mythology, and selling status of these icons) just happened to have a wood Nataraj tucked back in the corner of his display. I found this to be a sign, since for several weeks prior to Tucson, the thought kept returning that maybe Manoj could get or find me a wooden Nataraj for the studio.

End result, we made the deal, the Nataraj arrived Monday unscathed by shipping, and yesterday I re-configured the puja space. The Nataraj now sits proudly next to Ganesh, with Hanuman and Lakshmi standing guard.

I often wonder what students think when they first walk into a yoga studio and see these symbols. Especially in a very conservative neighborhood like mine, it might give some pause. So, anyone reading this - here's a brief rundown of their meaning and why they are in the studio:

Murtis are statues of deities from Indian and Hindu mythology. They are a statue first, then - as we recognize and appreciate their qualities - to the owner they become a murti. For me - as their owner - each has many qualities that I would like to adopt in my life. When I walk into the studio and see this small gathering, I am reminded of these qualities. So let's go (for ease of writing/reading - I'll give only a brief highlight of each):

1. Ganesh - the elephant-headed boy and the first murti I purchased represents OPPORTUNITY. He is recognized as the remover of obstacles and lord of beginnings. I heard a great example just yesterday reading Christina Sell's blog. She summed it up as Ganesh giving us the opportunity to learn something by placing an obstacle in our path. For example, we would like to learn patience -- Ganesh provides a traffic jam for us to practice our patience skills in.


2. Hanuman - the great FRIEND of Ram (from the Ramayana) and a symbol of POWER. I love to hear stories about Hanuman, his loyal friendship and the powers he possessed, using those powers to support his friendship. To hear more, you'll have to come to my class someday.


3. Lakshmi - a beautiful statue of this deity rising from the Lotus blossom (which finds its roots in the muck and mud at the bottom of ponds; just a side note). Lakshmi offers us opportunities for PROSPERITY: physical, emotional and spiritual.


4. Nataraj - there's a lot to the Nataraj; so, briefly it is a murti of Shiva (Auspicious One), dancing within a ring of fire. The murti represents the 5 acts of Shiva: Creation, Sustenance, Destruction, Concealment and Revelation. (For teachers: each a great class theme or themes.)

In my studio, all are placed in close proximity on a 'puja'. Puja literally means ceremony, but for our purposes, it is a small gathering place where these murtis can be viewed, remind us of their qualities, and be meditated upon.

All this, just a FYI.