Ganesh the doorman

In India most door knobs, or entryways, have a little Ganesh carved out on them. It is curious I never stopped to wonder why that was…until Sunday my Yoga philosophy teacher enlightened me with a very interesting story.

The story starts with a young woman, Parvati, a very fierce princess, who bothered by her lover Shiva, decides she needs a doorman. So she picks up some clay and as she is works the clay into a boy's figure some of her sweat drops from her brow onto the figure of clay, and the boy comes alive.

She tells this boy that his role is to guard her door and make sure to keep Shiva and his buddies out.

This boy eventually turns into Ganesh, after Vishnu cuts the boys head off with his discus, and Shiva, in order to gain Parvati's love back, has to replace it...strangely enough on his quest to look for a head, the first to volunteer is an elephant, who sacrifices his head to Shiva…

So here we have little Ganesh guarding the door, Shiva needs to persuade Ganesh to let him in order to get what he wishes for…what he most desires…Parvati…the embodiment of universal energy (Shakti). Ganesh is the doorman…just like on indian doorknobs, he guards the entrance.

In Yoga we have a chakra system, which begins at the pelvic floor and moves up the spine to the top of the head. This system of whirling wheels of energy (chakras) is connected by little channels called nadis, which run along the spine. At the base of the spine where it all starts resides Kundalini, a dormant serpent which embodies vital energy. If the snake is aroused is rises up through the channels, awakening all the chakras along the way, lifting their energies up to the top of the head where they all meet. The access to this energy is accessed by applying what we call Mulabhanda, which is a slight lift of the pelvic floor, a bringing together of the sit bones.

Ganesh guards this door and the spine or the nadis are the elevator which Shiva could use if he properly arouses Ganesh to reach Parvati…

...same applies in life...

Ganesh, the doorman, is the starting point, Parvati is the goal we would like to reach, the nadis are the process the journey we need to take to get there. In order to start our journey we must create the proper conditions for change to happen. Once we are through the door, past the initial step, we begin making our way up, connecting all the dots to make, whatever it is we wish, happen. However we can only complete the path up to the top if on the path we practice perseverance, commitment, devotion, and sincerity. Knowing that the process, the journey, is just as important as the result.

Ganesh is the support, he is the protector of life. When we embark on a journey with Ganesh he will guide us from darkness into light, he will help us remove obstacles, but we need to arouse him, we must show him that we are willing, we are committed, we are devoted…

….so engage with Ganesh at the base, Mulabandha, and let him allow you through and lift you up.