22/09/2025
In this special Navratri message, Ms. Aditi Shrivastava, Senior Transcendental Meditation teacher, beautifully explains how the qualities of Maa Durga are not only cosmic but also deeply personal, reflected in the very structure of our physiology.
Drawing from the pioneering work Expressions of Veda and Vedic Literature in Human Physiology by neuroscientist Dr. Tony Nader, under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ji, she explains how the symbolism of Maa Durga is not only spiritual but also scientific.
At the base of the spinal cord, in the sacral bone, eight channels radiate outward—mirroring Durga’s eight arms, each channel purifying and channeling life force. Our white blood cells, too, embody her protective power. Just as Durga wields weapons to destroy negativity, these cells defend the body against disease. Remarkably, there are eight distinct types—each a reflection of her eight arms of defense. Even the heartbeat, steady and life-sustaining, resonates with the roar of her lion, circulating energy and vitality throughout the body.
Through these examples, Mrs. Shrivastava reveals a profound truth: Maa Durga is not distant, not abstract. She is the very energy that sustains life, safeguards health, and strengthens consciousness. Her presence can be found in every breath, every beat, every process that preserves balance in our system.
This Navratri, let us celebrate Maa Durga not only through devotion and tradition but by awakening to her presence within. When we connect with her energy through practices like Transcendental Meditation, we align ourselves with the eternal source of protection, vitality, and inner peace.
Shubh Navratri | Jai GuruDev Aditi Shrivastava Tony Nader MD, PhD, MARR