Goddess Kali, First Of The 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 - Her Erotic Nature
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 - Goddess Of Kundalini Shakti
According to the spiritual tradition of Tantra, our spiritual evolution starts with a profound awakening of our potential energy, in tantra called Kundalini, stored at the base of our spines. This energy is correlated with our sexual energy. True transformation starts when we awaken this energy and channel it to higher centers of consciousness in our being.
This potential energy of Kundalini is symbolized by a snake which lies coiled up sleeping at the base of our spine and which symbolically starts dancing up our spine when awakened.
Goddess Kali and Tantric Rituals
Kali can be invoked through meditation with her mantra (which should be given to the adept by a tantric master) or can also be invoked through the continual gazing upon her yantra (please see the picture). Meditation upon yantras is a very powerful tool to calm down the mind and to enter into a process of resonance 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.
Such rituals are very powerful and will create a deep bond between the two lovers. The lovers will be enveloped in a state of great reverence and holiness and the fabric of the universe will seem to open up for them. Kali will become a great mother who is always holding and guiding the worshipper. - 16890
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 - Her Erotic Nature
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 - Goddess Of Kundalini Shakti
According to the spiritual tradition of Tantra, our spiritual evolution starts with a profound awakening of our potential energy, in tantra called Kundalini, stored at the base of our spines. This energy is correlated with our sexual energy. True transformation starts when we awaken this energy and channel it to higher centers of consciousness in our being.
This potential energy of Kundalini is symbolized by a snake which lies coiled up sleeping at the base of our spine and which symbolically starts dancing up our spine when awakened.
Goddess Kali and Tantric Rituals
Kali can be invoked through meditation with her mantra (which should be given to the adept by a tantric master) or can also be invoked through the continual gazing upon her yantra (please see the picture). Meditation upon yantras is a very powerful tool to calm down the mind and to enter into a process of resonance 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.
Such rituals are very powerful and will create a deep bond between the two lovers. The lovers will be enveloped in a state of great reverence and holiness and the fabric of the universe will seem to open up for them. Kali will become a great mother who is always holding and guiding the worshipper. - 16890
About the Author:
Hans Havasi is a teacher of yoga and tantra and a musician who has pledged his life to making music for the tantric goddesses. Together with his wife Mariah, he leads a tantric art and retreat center in the north of Copenhagen. Please read more about Goddess Kali here or visit their site www.ibismusic.net to download free tantric meditation music
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