The paath (reading) is most effective when done with firm faith, devotion and correct pronunciation. In the morning, after taking a bath and finishing one’s daily worship or other rituals, one should sit on an asana facing North or East and try to evoke a state of concentration and devotion. General guidelines for reading Durga Saptashati In whichever way one chooses to see it, the mantras of the Saptashati will have a positive effect on the one who chants it with devotion and faith. There are many commentaries on the text which explain it either in a mystical or a literal way.
The first verse of the text implies that the whole book is an explanation of the root of the Devi mantra, Hreem. The highest intelligence and the most speculative metaphysics is only a manifestation of jnana shakti and is not outside the range of Shaktaism. Even a subtle philosopher cannot dispense with the conception of Shakti, for he is essentially an embodiment of power, and has love for power. The mother is the personality that appeals most to the human heart, whereas the father is perceived as a hard taskmaster. The conception of divinity as Devi, Durga or Sri, is not merely a theory but a practical way of life. The Riga Veda bears testimony to the fact that even in ancient times there existed the belief that the supreme ruler is the all-compassionate Mother. The conception of the Infinite as Mother is not a meaningless one. Mother, all arts and sciences, all branches of knowledge, are your modifications, all women in the world are your manifestations. She is the truth behind thought, willing, feeling, understanding, action, name and form. Her compassion takes the form of aspiration in the aspirant, sadhana in the sadhaka, siddhi in the siddha. She is Parabrahma-Mahishi, the queen and sovereign of all existence. The Saptashati refers to her as Mahavidya, Mahamaya, Mahamedha, Mahasmriti, Mahamoha, Mahadevi and Maheshwari. When she is propitiated through the practice of sincere devotion and self-surrender, she as vidya-maya, removes the veil and enables us to perceive the truth. For the sake of the continuance of her divine play, she as avidya-maya, has veiled the truth from us and bound us to samsara. Yet she is the one who bestows liberation on the devotee who pleases her. Devi is the deluding power which binds man to the relentlessly moving wheel of samsara she deludes even the wisest of men. The Devi Mahatmaya describes how Devi assumes many aspects, according to the tasks to be performed by her, sometimes sweet and tender, and at others terrible and devouring. A powerful reservoir of mantras from the beginning to the end, every verse of this text is a dynamic force. Its reading is believed to give whatever one wants. It is the base and root of the Shakta tradition. Often chanted during the Navaratri (nine days of worship in the months of April and October), the Devi Mahatmya or Durga Saptashati is a unique book in the world.
And the whatsapp group is great for connecting with the others on the course, even if you can't join the lessons in real time.From the teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati What if I can't join for the live lessons? And you're always welcome to jump in for the live lessons, even if you've not yet completed all of the lessons prior. No problem, you have access for 6mnths from course start date to complete in your own sweet time. and peruse the rest if & when you have time. If time is short, you don't need to use everything that's on offer each week. The priority each week is the live lesson (or recording), which you can listen to whilst walking, driving or cooking, and the journal prompts or exercises that follow it (these will help you integrate all that you're learning & really make it your own). Yep, there are lots of lessons, but many of them are just a poem, or a short mantra recording. It looks like a lot of content each week. The energy or wisdom that these Goddesses symbolise, is already within you, regardless of yoga experience, religious persuasion, cultural background or other. It's designed to be as practical, relatable, and useful for life in the modern world as is possible. I'm quite new to Yoga and don't know much about these Goddesses.