Awaken your inner force: Fierce mama yoga practice

When I was growing up, my mom never cared for action flicks or end-of-the-world type movies. She used to say: “I would not be the one to survive an alien invasion or a robot takeover.” However, when it came to my sisters and me, she was clear: ”I would fight for my cubs till my last dying breath.” So this is the image of the fierce mama that I grew up with – the kind of feminine force that would protect and defend her children no matter what.

The image of the Hindu goddess Durga represents just that. She is the essence of maternal protection and fierceness that comes from deep, unconditional love. This fierceness is not anger and not superficial posturing but rather a deep inner force that is awakened when there is injustice toward the vulnerable.

We tend to think that we should come out of meditation calm and serene, but it is not always what we need. Sometimes, we need to generate energy and cultivate laser focus to build inner fierceness and propel us into action. When I feel that way, I do some version of the practice below. This practice contains movement, pranayama, chanting, and meditation, but the main goal of the practice is to gradually build a powerful inner force that can be directed into the world for the greater good. The practice has many different layers and is rather complex, so it may not do its magic the very first time you try it, but over time, it carries great potential for inner transformation.

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