Swami Prembhava Saraswati

During the Chaitra Navaratri in March 2026, I held an online sadhana for our yogic sangha around the world. Twenty seven dedicated aspirants came together for eight nights. This year, due to the lunar cycle, Ram Navami coincided with the eighth day, so this Navaratri was observed as an eight-day sadhana.

Each day we gathered online to chant mantras, sing kirtan, meditate, and connect with the inner experience of mana prasad-happiness as a natural state of being. People were in different time zone; the South Americans woke in the early morning, the Europeans took time out of their day and the Australians joined in the evening. We connected by zoom and through this medium of technology felt the power of group sadhana.

Around the world, millions observe Navaratri as a religious festival, with fasting, rituals and traditional practices from the Hindu faith. Yet there is often confusion about what Navaratri means for a spiritual aspirant or Yoga practitioner. Many associate it with worship of the Goddess Durga, however, from the teachings of our Gurus and through my own experience, Navaratri is a time of transformation, where we connect to our inner inspiration through more intensive sadhana.

Navaratri arises from an ancient understanding of nature. At certain times in the year, the sun, moon, and planetary influences create conditions for spiritual practice, sadhana and transformation. Nature and the environment around us reflect this powerful time. The skies feel clearer and bluer, the evening stars and moon brighter, and the sunsets filled with inspiration and colour. The flowers are in bloom, carrying a natural sweetness in the air. There is a sense that everything is fully charged and moving through a time of change. Nature is changing and vibrant with beauty and energy and it’s the same around the world. Though the seasons may differ, the underlying feeling in nature is the same- there is a shift and a reorganisation of energy. During this time of Navaratri, the outer environment and the forces of nature become conducive for inner transformation.

For this reason, Navaratri does not depend on belief. We do not need to be religious, nor hold any idea of a god or goddess. What is required is awareness, participation and commitment. For yogis and sannyasins, Navaratri is a strong period of sadhana, a time to turn inward, to simplify our lives, and to reaffirm our sankalpa. In a world filled with distraction, stress and restlessness, these periods become even more important. Navaratri becomes a time of discipline, awareness, and positive connection, a time to bring the mind, emotions and connection with life back into balance.

This process of transformation during Navaratri happens naturally. In the first three days, we begin by observing and experiencing tamas, the heaviness and inertia within us. This can be reflected in our own energy, our interactions with people and the world around us. With effort, we move into three days of rajas, and the energy increases, through continued sadhana, awareness and discipline, this energy becomes refined into sattwa- balance, inspiration and joy.  This inner transformation is supported by nature, guided by practice, and strengthened through our sadhana.

Ram Navami – The Expression of Sadhana

Chaitra Navaratri culminates in Ram Navami. Traditionally, this marks the birth of Lord Rama. However, for the spiritual aspirant, Ram Navami represents the time when the inner transformation of Navaratri begins to take form.

Throughout Navaratri, energy builds gradually. With each day of practice, the mind becomes clearer, the awareness is more focused and the sankalpa stronger. By the final days, our intention and sankalpa begins to express itself and take form. Ram Navami represents this moment of expression. It is the birth of balance, contentment and joy.

Rama is known as Maryada Purushottama - one who lives with balance, right action and respect for the natural order of life. This energy guides us to live in a way that maintains balance and harmony within oneself, our family, community, and nature. During Navaratri, we prepare the ground, we plant the seed of our sankalpa and we water it over the nine days with our sadhana.  On Ram Navami the fruits of our efforts take form. The significance of Ram Navami is the awakening of the qualities of Rama within us through sadhana.

In our online Navaratri sadhana, people from different countries came together with a sincere wish to practise, to connect, and to grow. Through mantra, kirtan, meditation, and shared sadhana, a natural connection developed and encouraged connection, happiness and inspiration that was felt by all. I am inspired by the commitment, steadiness and focus the participants shared.

Navaratri is a time when nature supports change and sadhana guides that change into expression in our life. As awareness deepens, we begin to live with greater understanding and balance. While we cannot change the world around us directly, through shared sadhana such as Navaratri we awaken a light within ourselves. That light naturally radiates outward, influencing our actions, our relationships, and the world around us in a positive way.

This is Yoga. This is positive connection.