Saraswati is regarded as the Goddess of knowledge and the arts. She represents consciousness and wisdom, is regarded as the goddess of sound and speech, and is revered as the dispeller of chaos and confusion. As she is the wife of Brahma, she is also seen as the co-creator of the universe (!) Her name can mean ‘the flowing’ or ‘the beautiful one’.

Saraswati is my #1 Goddess. She rules what I dig most.

Here’s my Saraswati story…

Years ago in Santa Fe, my friend Navjit and I went to a gathering for Guru Karunamayi. Hanging with gurus in New Mexico was as common an occurrence as dance clubbing. Santa Fe is like a planetary acupuncture point for all things devotional – and besides, if you’re not a recluse, there isn’t much to do in the desert at night.

So there we were in our club duds (ready for all night dancing after meditation) – leather pants and Timberlands, gold eyeshadow and Betty Paige bangs…in lotus position. Karunamayi spoke of Love. A love that carries all. The God Head Love that bears everything for it’s creation. “Children,” she said in her happy Indian accent, “When you are angered, give your anger to Mama. Mama will carry it for you. When you do not know, give your confusion to Mama. Mama will carry it for you.”

When it came time to be blessed – the touch of her hand to your forehead – I was taken aback by how moved I was. I’m not wired to be a “devotee.” My heart is open but my mind takes it all with a very large grain of logic. And…I felt a sense of love emanating from Karunamayi that was expansive and warm. I felt forgiven, cradled, curious. She touched me and tears fell from my eyes.

I left with one of her devotional chanting tapes. One chant burned itself into my mind. And tho’, until recently, I had no idea of it’s actual translation, that chant continually surfaced in my mind over the years. Before a speaking gig. After Big Meetings in New York. While on the acupuncture table. When my son was being born (at home) my mother accidentally flipped the stereo from “CD” to tape cassette (which hadn’t been played in eons,) and it was the Karunamayi tape. She looped round and sang for about ten hours in my living room.

So I finally decided to look into the origins of the chant. For all I knew it could be a blessing for the fertility of camels. As it turns out, it is a devotion to Saraswati. My Sistah of speech. My Mama of the Arts. The Goddess of clear, calm strategy.

Goddesses always show up when you need them to.

. . . . . . . .
Amma Sri Karunamayi
Saraswati everything
. . . . . . . .

What is The Goddess Experiment? I’m wondering what will shift or bloom or go bust in my psyche if I very intentionally envision God in female form? For the next 21 days, including weekends, I’m going to actively re-frame He into She. His Highness into Her Highness. I’m collecting images that speak to me of God-dess.

Please join in. I may post what you send. Just to…see.