Ganesh

Ganesh - Greeter at our front gate.

For many years we have had a special place in our home for a statue of Ganesh – beloved elephant deity of many people, but most particularly people of the Hindu faith.  Are we Hindu?  No, but the teachings of Lord Ganesh go far beyond a spiritual practice and include layers of thoughtful heart/mind wisdom.  Some people only know of Ganesh as the “remover of obstacles” – but he is also Lord of Word and Light. 

 

During the 22 years we owned Many Hands Gallery in Eureka, we always found people were attracted to Ganesh.  Ganesh was such a popular image  that I began to create

meditation rocks using a variety Ganesh images

New altar with Ganesh for the New Year

In learning and using Sanskrit chants for many years, perhaps the most important teaching I have learned is that in all actuality “I” am the biggest obstacle I will ever meet.  You don’t have to ascribe to a Hindu belief system to appreciate that “getting out of our own way” is a valuable life teaching.

When we retired and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii, we were thrilled to find an artist who made a BIG Ganesh statue in cement which we bought for the garden area at the front gate to our property.  And, for the New Year we set up a altar -- decorating it with all white treasures to represent a fresh new beginning for 2015.