Meditation Monday 8/31 ~ Ganesha
Some days I'm just really blown away by the synchronicity of events. I'm trying to get ahead of the game and plan these Meditation Monday posts out ahead of time. My daughter took this photo while we stopped for a lunch / meditation / skipping rocks break last weekend during a canoe trip. Today's post is to share Ganesha Mudra. Ganesha or Ganapati, is the elephant headed deity who is said to rule both the placement and removal of obstacles that will aid us on our spiritual path. I found it interesting to see that the now late, great Wayne Dyer had an elephant nickname.
I thought it would be sweet to share the story here behind that nickname here, "When Wayne Dyer was living in foster care as a little boy he over heard his teacher at school say that he was a scurvy elephant. He asked his foster mom what a scurvy elephant was and she called the school and found out he had misunderstood. The teacher had referred to him as a "disturbing element."
Wayne Dyer was a master with words and perspective. He helped millions of people look honestly at their circumstances and helped them to see the beauty and potential of where they were and find the clarity and strength to move forward from a place of love and hope. A Google search will reveal hundreds of amazing and motivational phrases. Our photo features a bit of a longer quote that synchronizes perfectly with the energy of Ganesha mudra. Life is full of obstacles. With a clear mind and mindful discernment we can appreciate obstacles as they arise. Some of them asking us to slow down or turn a different direction and some of them asking us to find the strength and courage to learn to move past them. Our physical practices teach us, that which challenges us is the very thing that makes us stronger.
Much like The Serenity Prayer, we can call upon Ganesha for discernment, peace of mind, wisdom to understand, and courage to change.
Mantra: Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
Mudra: Ganesha Mudra
Serenity Prayer:
"Give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other."