Durga is more than a 'mere' Goddess. She is the force of nature itself,  the force that manifests, creates, sustains and animates the entire universe. For some, she also  represents the power, agency and glory of women to fight against oppression and deliver justice. Also known as the mother-protector, She is all-encompassing Brahman and Atman--Self and Soul. Some say that her appearance marks the beginning of soul's journey to creative freedom. 

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Though I cannot say why she first appeared to me but She arrived in my world the first week in September 2017 as I was being ushered into focused work on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In my first vision of Her, she appeared in her traditionally depicted way: eight arms, holding eights symbols or weapons. Her presence was one of pure, raw, white-hot emanating power. In this vision, she handed me Her lightning-filled vajra, a contained thunderbolt that brought my right eyebrow up, and vanished. In those brief moments, there was nothing benevolent about her: She was pissed and I'd been given my marching orders.

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I still don't know what that lightning bolt was for and may never. However, it fits with the knowing that I am The Storm, The Warrior, The Protector. Durga Maa is still an active part of my world. She is not spiritual ideal but another very real, very prominent representation of The Mother. Her aspects are not entirely different than Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, Maryam, Kwan Yin or Yemojah. When I stand in front of this representation of Her, there's a steadying, gentle power and emanating warmth that strengthens and inspires.

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Durga is 36 x 48 x 1.5". She is priced at $5000.

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