Goddess Kali, first of the Tantric Wisdom Goddesses Mahavidya
Kali is the first of the 10 Tantric Goddesses or "Mahavidya" as they are called (Maha: great, Vidya: knowledge). She is most often portrayed with black skin, many arms, wide open eyes and wearing a necklace of severed heads. She dances on the dead body of the Lord Shiva. Her tongue hangs wildly out of her mouth and she laughs loudly at the attachments of us humans. She is indeed terrible to behold!
This gruesome iconography hides a lot of very deep symbolism. Our coming death is symbolized in the severed heads around her neck. The polar aspect of the universe is represented by the transcendent (dead) body of shiva who is the masculine principle while she herself symbolizes the wild uncontroleable feminine energy. Kali also symbolizes wild and dangerous erotic energy which is this aspect we will go more in depth with in this article.
Goddess Kali and eroticism
These terrifying sides of Kali hide one great truth about her. Kali is raw and dangerous sexual energy and this is why we see her as being so terrible. If we cannot control the sexual energy we end up dead like Lord Shiva lying at her feet. If we can control her she becomes our biggest ally, friend and mother. A woman who starts a serious worship of the great Kali will start to incorporate her qualities in her being, she will become powerful and in touch with her sexual energy and will terrify those who are not in touch with their sexual energy. But she will help and guide those who dare to look into her eyes.
Egoistic minds which are stiff and fearful cannot encompass such great feminine sexuality. Down through the ages men have feared this feminine power and the female power has been suppressed for centuries. As we fear the erotically awakened powerful woman, we fear life itself which is feminine and expansive.
This is why Kali is portrayed as being so terrifying. Unpolarized feminine energy can become chaotic, wild and destructive finally toppling consciousness or the masculine principle.
Goddess Kali, The Keeper Of Kundalini
In the tantric tradition it is stated that our spiritual evolution commences with a deep awakening of our sexual energy. This energy is called Kundalini and is stored at the base of the spine. When we succeed to awaken this energy it will start to dance up our spine transmuting into finer types of energy as it goes upward finally meeting the pure consciousness of lord Shiva at the top of the head.
Like a snake tamer plays the flute and his snake dances for him, our kundalini will dance for us when we awaken her through intense spiritual practice.
Goddess Kali and tantric ritual
Kali is invoked by meditating with her mantra (which is given by a Guru or tantric master) and can be worshipped by the continual gazing upon a yantra (see picture). Working with yantras is a powerful way to calm down the mind and to enter into a trance like state with the Goddess.
The most powerful way to worship Kali is through Tantric erotic ritual. These rituals start with the man worshipping the woman as being the great Goddess herself. Then follows the foreplay and lovemaking acts. After this the man and woman separate and each make a sadhana (spiritual practice) dedicated to the Goddess. This sadhana may consist of Asanas (yoga postures), Pranayamas (breathing exercises) and meditations.
If done correctly and at the right moments, these rituals will create deep processes of transformation in the hearts of the two lovers.
Kali is the first of the 10 Tantric Goddesses or "Mahavidya" as they are called (Maha: great, Vidya: knowledge). She is most often portrayed with black skin, many arms, wide open eyes and wearing a necklace of severed heads. She dances on the dead body of the Lord Shiva. Her tongue hangs wildly out of her mouth and she laughs loudly at the attachments of us humans. She is indeed terrible to behold!
This gruesome iconography hides a lot of very deep symbolism. Our coming death is symbolized in the severed heads around her neck. The polar aspect of the universe is represented by the transcendent (dead) body of shiva who is the masculine principle while she herself symbolizes the wild uncontroleable feminine energy. Kali also symbolizes wild and dangerous erotic energy which is this aspect we will go more in depth with in this article.
Goddess Kali and eroticism
These terrifying sides of Kali hide one great truth about her. Kali is raw and dangerous sexual energy and this is why we see her as being so terrible. If we cannot control the sexual energy we end up dead like Lord Shiva lying at her feet. If we can control her she becomes our biggest ally, friend and mother. A woman who starts a serious worship of the great Kali will start to incorporate her qualities in her being, she will become powerful and in touch with her sexual energy and will terrify those who are not in touch with their sexual energy. But she will help and guide those who dare to look into her eyes.
Egoistic minds which are stiff and fearful cannot encompass such great feminine sexuality. Down through the ages men have feared this feminine power and the female power has been suppressed for centuries. As we fear the erotically awakened powerful woman, we fear life itself which is feminine and expansive.
This is why Kali is portrayed as being so terrifying. Unpolarized feminine energy can become chaotic, wild and destructive finally toppling consciousness or the masculine principle.
Goddess Kali, The Keeper Of Kundalini
In the tantric tradition it is stated that our spiritual evolution commences with a deep awakening of our sexual energy. This energy is called Kundalini and is stored at the base of the spine. When we succeed to awaken this energy it will start to dance up our spine transmuting into finer types of energy as it goes upward finally meeting the pure consciousness of lord Shiva at the top of the head.
Like a snake tamer plays the flute and his snake dances for him, our kundalini will dance for us when we awaken her through intense spiritual practice.
Goddess Kali and tantric ritual
Kali is invoked by meditating with her mantra (which is given by a Guru or tantric master) and can be worshipped by the continual gazing upon a yantra (see picture). Working with yantras is a powerful way to calm down the mind and to enter into a trance like state with the Goddess.
The most powerful way to worship Kali is through Tantric erotic ritual. These rituals start with the man worshipping the woman as being the great Goddess herself. Then follows the foreplay and lovemaking acts. After this the man and woman separate and each make a sadhana (spiritual practice) dedicated to the Goddess. This sadhana may consist of Asanas (yoga postures), Pranayamas (breathing exercises) and meditations.
If done correctly and at the right moments, these rituals will create deep processes of transformation in the hearts of the two lovers.
About the Author:
Hans Havasi is a teacher of tantra and yoga and a musician who has devoted his life to making music for the tantric goddesses. Together with his wife Mariah, he coordinates a tantric art and retreat center in the north of Copenhagen. Please read more about Kali here or visit their site www.ibismusic.net to download free music for Kali
No comments:
Post a Comment