Ganesha: The Remover of Obstacles.
Ganesha Rayon Tapestry
The chubby, gentle, wise, elephant-headed Ganesha, or Ganesha, is one of Hinduisms most popular deities. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, the deity whom worshipers first acknowledge when they visit a temple. Statues of Ganesha can be found in most Indian towns.
One account of his birth is that Parvati formed him from the rubbings of her body so that he might stand guard at the door while she bathed. When Shiva approached, unaware this was his son, he was enraged at being kept away from his wife. He proceeded to lop off the head of Ganesha. To ease Parvati’s grief, Shiva promised to cut off the head of the first living thing he saw and attach it to the body. That creature was an elephant.
Ganesha was thus restored to life! He was rewarded for his courage by being made lord of new beginnings and guardian of entrances. He is the legendary scribe who, using his commonly held broken tusk, wrote down parts of the Mahabharata Epic.
Healing and Protection with Ganesha.
His image is often placed where new houses are to be built. He is honored at the start of a journey or business venture, and poets traditionally invoke him at the beginning of a book. These practices are meant to aid in the swift completion of the task, with as little disruption or conflict as possible. Ganesha is also patron of letters and learning.
Being the guardian of entrances, having a statue or figure of Ganesha in your sacred space can act as a form of protection from any negativity outside. This will help maintain an overall more positive energy in your space.
If you are considering a sculpture, the position of Lord Ganesh’s trunk has a symbolic meaning. If the trunk turns to the Ganesha’s left, that is the direction for success in the world. It is a position associated with grihastas, or householders. To his right, the trunk represents moksha, good for renouncing the world. When one chooses a Ganesha sculpture that is proper for their own spiritual path the trunk position is one thing that is good to keep in mind. It will align more with your intentions and therefore serve you better.
A prayer to Ganesha is invariably accompanied by smashing a coconut, symbolic of smashing the undesirable forces inherent in oneself.
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