Saraswati

Its back to rain jackets and waterproof boots, but I can't help but fall in love with Portland in the fall all over again. Saturdays after teaching a class at noon, I usually have some time for a leisurely ride home, camera handy for a yoga photo-op or candy colored leaf pile.

Friday for Halloween at my work, the kids all dressed up, as well as most of the teachers. When I was asked why I had a red dot between my eyebrows, I responded that I was a "Yogi!" They asked what is that? I stood in tree pose, held gyan mudra and closed my eyes as I chanted: OMmmmmmm

Before leaving for work, Travis shot some pics of me in the backyard (on the sunniest day we had this week) and I photoshopped the bloody bones out of it!

Sarasvati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती sarasvatī) is the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts.  Saraswati is considered to be the "mother of the Vedas.

Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of the Vedas, and chants to her, called the 'Saraswati Vandana' often begin and end Vedic lessons.

Saraswati is the daughter of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second.

With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the veena. She is dressed in white – the symbol of purity – and rides on a white swan – symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.