Ganesh statue pendant silver

GANESH
It has an elephant's head on a human body, a fat belly softly, welcomes food and flowers by his devotees and as a mount - he is not that small - are using a mouse, often portrayed at his feet. It can be said that as a god Ganesh is rather unique. Yet India is one of the most loved and revered Gods, who are dedicated temples and large parties of mass. Her image is familiar to us now in the West: we find often in squares hanging in the centers of meditation and yoga. What they do not know is that behind that image placid lies a forest of symbols, myths and psychological meanings, including a special bond with women. Let us go then to discover the secrets of Ganesh.
The elephant-headed god is worshiped by Hindus, first of all for one reason: the sacred Hindu texts is considered the remover of obstacles. When a person has to jump into a new venture, to initiate something important - the construction of their home, the beginning of a love, a long journey, taking in a job - is to Ganesh who asks for protection and help to overcome the difficulties in its path. According to anthropologists this belief stems from an elephant cult prevalent in rural India since ancient times. In fact, the elephant has an extraordinary power: for example, is able to move a heavy trunk with the trunk of a fallen tree on the road. Just like the elephant we should learn to go where we want to remove the obstacles in front of us.
For Hindus the elephant is also a symbol of authority and wisdom. No coincidence that the past kings and Iguru appeared before his subjects or to the faithful on the back of this beautiful animal. But the figure of Ganesh also hides something else. To understand in particular its link with the women we find solace in one of the myths that tell of his birth.
The goddess Parvati wanted a son but his companion, the god Shiva, did not want to. Parvati then decided to build it alone: the child was born into a big laugh of the goddess or - according to another version of the myth - by the sweat of his skin. The son of Parvati (born in human form) was very strong, so the goddess gave him an order, you will protect my private chambers and prevent anyone from entering while I do the bathroom. Unfortunately, Shiva arrived, oblivious to everything, and tried to enter the rooms of his wife. The boy, in obedience to his mother, blocked his path and Shiva, furious, cut off his head clean off.
Outraged, the Goddess Shiva claims that the Earth would send all the demigods (the gana) to recover from a head to hang up his son's body to bring it back to life. The ganatornarono bringing an elephant head: therefore, since the son of Parvati has that and is called Ganesh or Ganapati, which means "Lord of the demigods."
What you can do psychological reading of this myth? Ganesh is the protector of the "private rooms" of his mother, born from the free choice of a woman (Parvati generates the child alone) Ganesh symbolizes the defense of intimacy and freedom of the Goddess (ie women) in front of the intrusion Shiva (ie men). That is to say, you can not violate the private dimension of a woman against her will. Therefore logical that the "protector" is dear to the Hindu Ganesh, who sometimes pray to him in ways very surprising for us Westerners. An example: when you do not have access to any image of the god women will "materialize" by making a small pyramid of seeds turmeric (a spice used in Indian cooking) and invoke his presence in that form. Why turmeric? And 'one of the secrets of the cult of Ganesh that no one has yet been able to explain.
Instead, we know that in Indian are 32 canonical forms in which it is represented Ganesh, for example as the Lord of meditation sitting in yoga position; or as Lord of the Universe, while dancing, creates matter out of nothing; or as Lord of writing as he writes a great poem of India, the Mahabharata, like using a pen dipped in the ink of their fangs. In his 32 forms so rich in symbols, Ganesh never ceases to fascinate. But at least there is still a secret to reveal: What does the mouse depicted at the feet of Ganesh, and why is it so important? To find out, read below. The elephant-headed god will still amaze you.
We learn to ride our mouse inner
The popular elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh is often depicted with a mouse at his feet. Sometimes the elephant-god is even "horse" of the mouse. What does this image? The mouse - small but capable of doing damage - symbolizes our ego, our vanity, petty desires and feelings that gnaw at our soul. How Ganesh, however, we must learn to "ride" our ego to hold the reins of our emotions, to govern, rather than dominate us from them. Sometimes the mouse is depicted with sweets between the legs: it is our ego that seeks to seduce us. But Ganesh controls it, as we have to control the mind and desires. That is our ride "mouse inside."