As the nine sacred nights of Navratri arrive, each nook and corner of the Ashram reverberates with the glory of its Dweller. And as Gurudev goes in silence, the space around echoes the unsung song of Divine Love.Navratri is celebrated to honor the creation and rekindle the impulses of the Mother Divine contained in our consciousness. There are 64impulses that govern the entire creation. Nights signify darkness. Creation takes place in darkness, like in the mother's womb. The ninemonth's in the mother's womb are like nine long nights when the spirit takes the human form. Night also provides rest and rejuvenation and these nine nights represent eternal rest and freedom from bondage of the mind. This nine day period also has a great impact on the environment and surrounding. During the first three nights the energy is dominated by tamas, transforming to rajas during the next three and dominated by satva in the last three days.The divinity is present in every atom of creation. This dormant divinity is enlivened through the process called yagya. The yagyas conducted during these nine days cover every aspect of the vast Vedic tradition.They are performed for the health, happiness and prosperity of all the people in the world, to nullify the negative karmas and create positive vibrations and celebration.The yagyas begin with Ganesha Homa to clear all obstacles and hurdles.Navagraha Homa and Sudarshana Homa are performed before the grand Chandi Homa on Ashtami day. The most powerful of all Homas, the Chandi Homa covers 700 verses and 13 chapters of the Devi Mahatmaya. Through the yagyas the divinity is enlivened in the five elements, and in every possible thing in creation. The potency of the mantra is enlivened in our consciousness through various herbs, fruit and other substances which are all offered in the fire; and that shakti(energy) is transferred into the water in the kalash(the pot) which represents the Devi(Mother Divine).The worshipper is Divine, the worship is Divine and the objects with which you worship are also Divine. During arati, all the species arerepresented, because all living beings are expressions of Shakti. Cows, elephants, children, couples - in everyone the Devi is recognized and invoked. Just as white light contains all the colors, so all the different aspects of divinity are of the nature of the self. The yagyathus is a prism through which the Self manifests.Explaining the underlying meaning, Guruji once said, "During homas, Virupaksha is used in addressing the Divine. Virupa means formless and Aksha means eyes. So Virupaksha is one who is formless but can see everything. Our chetna or atma is like that. We perceive things through the senses, but its the consciousness that sees everything".