Welcome to the new online home of Chandani Ayurveda! You might be asking, what does that name mean? Chandani means moonlight in Sanskrit, and Ayurveda is the knowledge or wisdom of life. So, why Chandani? The reason is multi-faceted.
My daughter Juno’s middle name is Chandra, which means moon in Sanskrit. This is a tribute to Devi Chandraghanta, the form of the goddess honored on the 3rd day of Navaratri, which is the day she was born in 2018. Navaratri is a nine night celebration of forms of the Goddess / divine feminine. I went into labor on day 1 of Navaratri, and after a long and arduous journey, Juno finally made her appearance on day 3. My dear teacher, Kaya Mindlin, wrote this post about the day:
Navaratri Day 3 ~ honoring Devi Chandraghanta
Her name means moon-shaped bell. Devi Chandraghanta’s vehicle is a tigress. On her forehead appears a half moon (Chandra) which looks like the bell (Ghanta). She carries a trishula, a sword, and an arrow. She carries a kamandal (pot for water or Soma nectar), a lotus flower and a mala in her four left hands and keeps the fifth left hand in Varada Mudra. She holds the Varada Mudra (for dispensing blessings) and Abhaya Mudra (for dispelling fear). This form of the Goddess is married to Shiva. She represents the well-being and inner peace one must sustain in order to enter into battle.
Maa Chandraghanta’s primary planet is the moon (Chandra). As the moon both waxes and wanes, she represents the Goddess’ capacity for both nourishment and dissolution. With the compassion of a loving wife or mother, she rides in on her tiger, roaring, and ready to destroy all that obstructs or veils our serenity and splendor. Worship her if you are facing hardship or obstacles.
From an Ayurvedic and Vedic perspective, a full moon is considered very nourishing, and is connected to the Soma principle. Soma is the nectar of immortality, and the principle of water, nourishment, and nurturance. It is that which increases vitality and has the power to heal and rejuvenate both the body and mind, including the senses and the nervous system. The moon has a soothing, cooling, and calming effect on the body and mind. It reflects the light of the sun without the sun’s harshness, and balances excess heat. The moon is also connected to our mind, emotional state, and menstrual cycles.
True healing requires nourishment and nurturance, but also transformation. This transformation can at times feel like a battle, as what obstructs our well-being is destroyed in order to unveil our serenity, splendor, inner peace, and joy. In my Ayurveda practice, my goal is to tap into these principles of the Moon, Soma, and Devi Chandraghanta in order to support and guide you on your transformative healing path.