The dawning New Year invites visions of fresh journeys, especially this year, as Ian and I have just moved into our first house.  As I sit amid the boxes contemplating the infinite possibilities, I remember Ganesha, the Hindu Lord of New Beginnings.  Depicted with an elephant's head on a human body, Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles, the god of success, strength, education and wisdom. It's no wonder he's one of the most popular deities in the Hindu pantheon, called upon at the start of new ventures.

There are different versions of Ganesha's origins.  He is the son of the goddess Parvati, and many stories attribute his unique physique to his father, Lord Shiva.  Shiva reputedly cut off the boy's head in a fit of jealousy, and then, to appease Parvati, restored him to life with an elephant's head.  Parvati honored Ganesha's courage by deeming him the protector of all that is new.

Ganesha has much to teach us about starting new journeys.  We seek his help to remove obstacles, as the beginning is often the hardest part. He is an easy deity to please; you may come to him formally or informally, come as you are. He is often placed at the entrance to temples, homes and businesses, but one must consider his trunk position carefully.  Turned to Ganesha's left, it is the direction of success in the world; to his right, it represents renouncing the world.  Your choice of trunk position says much about your path.

Ganesha is one of many deities in the Hindu pantheon, and each has wisdom to offer.  For December, our Focus of the Month at Flow is the Hindu Gods and Goddesses.  Throughout the month we will introduce you to the lore and lessons of Shiva, Vishnu, Kali, Kami and others.  As we consider where our journeys have taken us this last year and look forward to the new paths before us, join us at Flow to share the rich knowledge of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

More about Ganesha
Ganesha is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles.  He is also worshipped as the god of education,  knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja.

Significance of the Ganesha Form
Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties. The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.

How Ganesha Got His Head
The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this:  Once oddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.

Our Previous Monthly Focuses
Meditation
Agni (Fire)
The Yamas
Bakasana
Chaturanga
Bhandas
Saucha
Backbends
Inversions
Chanting
Meditation
Compassion
Impermanance
Chakras
Blissful Hips