(100012,2,'2013-09-11 23:43:03','2013-09-12 06:43:03','Birthed in India over 15 years ago, SHARANYA exists to empower seeds of change on individual, collective, and planetary levels towards healing, respect, responsibility, and the fullest awareness of an interconnected, interrelated cosmic reality. Our origins are rooted in a commitment to social justice for the promotion of peace and the (r)evolution of consciousness across space-time realities.<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Temple in India\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MBCMTemple.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-99537 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Batakali Mandir (Puri)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MBCMTemple.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Constitution of Maa Batakali Sanskrutika Parisada</span></h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission\r\n</span><br>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Balisahi, Puri Town, Puri  752 001 Orissa</span><br>\r\n\r\nRegistration Number: 2802/211/91-92<br>\r\nFiled and Certified by the Audit Superintendent District Panchayat Office, Puri<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Mission Statement:</b>\r\n<ul>To create and nurture a community of life-affirming individuals devoted to Mother Worship and to developing an understanding of how such devotion can positively transform our global community.</ul>\r\n<b>Vision Statement:</b>\r\n<ul>The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission is dedicated to promoting the vision of the world as a global community in Her divine name.</ul>\r\n<b>Aims and Objectives:</b>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>To maintain this Mission as a nonprofit public-benefit organization, not organized for the private gain of any person.</li>\r\n	<li>To foster awareness of Goddess worship as a life-affirming path among the global community; and to eradicate erroneous and superstitious beliefs in this regard.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize, develop and execute recreational, cultural and spiritual activities for the community.</li>\r\n	<li>To undertake programs for the establishment of community housing, social forestry and environmental sanitation; et alia.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize, fund and promote Mission Centers for community gatherings, social welfare programs and adult education, including the establishment of a library with emphasis on educational activities for community youth; and to develop various pilot projects to meet the needs of community members.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize outreach programs for those not in or around Mission Centers.</li>\r\n	<li>To undertake projects expressly designed to promote the welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other economically \"backward\" classes of people, and to promote the development of cooperative ideas and enterprise among them and the community at large.</li>\r\n	<li>To draw up schemes for the rehabilitation of antisocial persons; i.e., those with problems related to alcohol and drug abuse, and to assist their families as required.</li>\r\n	<li>To educate about and mobilize peacefully against sati, dowry, beggary, caste crime and similar social ills.</li>\r\n	<li>To publish a monthly newsletter, community bulletin and other educational materials for the promotion of the spiritual and cultural philosophy of the Mission.</li>\r\n	<li>To help provide relief, through community efforts, for those effected by natural calamities and other emergencies.</li>\r\n	<li>To promote cultural exchange of ideas and beliefs throughout India and the world.</li>\r\n	<li>To assist in providing legal aid to the needy and the poor.</li>\r\n	<li>To establish sister organizations, in the United States and elsewhere, in order to promote the vision of the Mission worldwide.</li>\r\n	<li>To develop fundraising schemes for the future growth and maintenance of the Mission and its associations.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Origin Story: Part I\" active=\"\"]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamPuriWeb.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99541 imgborder\" alt=\"Shyam Sundar Dash at Maabatakali Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamPuriWeb.jpg\" /></a>It\'s summer in India, the time when the air is thick, sweat plentiful, and the monsoon\'s rains swell the skies and the streets. I have come here, to this land of spice, spirit and the sacred, to further my work in ecofeminism by looking at women\'s spiritual connections to social justice and activism on behalf of the environment. I am not here long, however, before Maa, the Divine Mother, shows me that there\'s more to my quest than I originally thought.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSpeaking to a guide at my hotel, I tell him, \"I need to find a temple to the Goddess.\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Which one,\" he asks. \"Which goddess?\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Well, Kali,\" I state hesitatingly, unsure of how my request will be received.  The man looks me up and down, trying to determine where I fit in the spectrum of visitors with which he has to deal and from which he makes his livelihood.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Wouldn\'t you rather visit Lord Jaganath?,\" he wonders. Lord of the Universe, Jaganath, is honored at this time in Puri (the eastern <i>dham</i>, one of the sacred compass points in India) in a huge festival to which hundreds of thousands flock each year. Together with his brother and sister, this is the only time the Lord leaves the mandir (temple). He\'s on a family outing to his summer home across the town and everyone comes out to get a glimpse of the royal family.<br><br>\r\n\r\nI\'m restless though, and on a mission. It is Kali I need to see and no one else. That She is responsible for my getting through a political uprising in Digha at the southern end of West Bengal unscathed has been made perfectly clear to me. I have come here to give thanks and find peace by the ocean waters. Sensing my urgency, the gentleman kindly calls to an auto-rickshaw driver with a shrug, not wanting to engage me further about goddesses. The driver arrives.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Kali mandir,\" I say to him as he pulls up alongside us. At this point, I have no idea how many homes Maa has here in Puri. After receiving no further instructions, the driver takes off towards the center of town. I later find out (after several unsuccessful attempts to again visit the place to which I am now heading) that there are at least four Kali temples. Reaching our destination, I buy a hibiscus mala, a garland of her sacred flower, and add that to my puja (worship) basket. Into it too go coconut, juicy betel nut and other sweets to delight Her. My offering is noteworthy at this temple for its size; but I need to thank the Goddess for getting me out of Digha alive by bringing something special.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe pujari at Maa Batakali Mandir is a Brahmin priest with two sons. In his devotion and gratitude for the goddess having given him these sons, Shyam has built this temple. A small roadside mandir, passersby usually drop rupees on the temple steps on their daily rounds. It is nothing too fancy, but Maa here is absolutely resplendent.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn his time, Shyam has doubled as a government worker, making regular trips back and forth from his office to tend to Maa and her devotees. Now retired, he tends to the temple and its congregation of worshipers every day for morning prayers and evening <i>aarati</i> (a beautiful celebration with lights and offerings). As Shyam sees me approach for the first time, he stares. He asks me directly why I am there, and although he is not angry, his disposition and directness can easily be mistaken for exactly that at first. Truly, he\'s just curious, but I am startled by his question.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Are you ISKON?\" he demands.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSuspense broken, I let out a nervous laugh. The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (a.k.a. Hare Krishnas) has never drawn me, however. Puri is full of Western devotees. Lord Jaganath, I learn, is, like Krishna whom those in ISKON worship, one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the God of Preservation and one of the main Hindu deities.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"No,\" I reply, \"I came to thank the Goddess.\"  After a few more words, Shyam accepts my offering basket, performing puja on my behalf. He asks my name in order to conduct the rites. When we\'re through, he asks why I\'m there. But my eyes are transfixed on Maa\'s image, and I can only point to my heart by way of explanation. \"She\'s here,\" I manage to say, and everything that has been kept inside until now in this challenging land of contrasts streams out through my eyes.<br><br>\r\n\r\nBetween June and August of 1998, I live in Puri. My friends up north forgive me for not coming back to study. My work on the spiritual motivations for grassroots environmental movements in India is put on hold. It was my pause when Shyam asked after the ritual, \"Will you come visit my house?\" that changed not only the course of my research, but also my life. Aware of India\'s potential for surprises, I held a moment of silence before responding and internally questioned his invitation and motivations.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFeeling inside, I sensed that this was an offering, and a door was opening to me that might never open again. In the pause, I could see Her face dimly, and I wondered in my rational mind about my work and Shyam\'s intentions. It took me three days to surrender to the feeling and my vision of Her beckoning. After careful thought and some time meditating with the ocean\'s wisdom, I said yes. I returned to meet my new teacher and his family.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe more time I spend in Puri, the more I realize that Goddess is working in quite mysterious ways and that Shyam is no typical Brahmin priest.  As time passes, I learn the extent to which She is working through him, and I absorb many levels of Her teachings; some straightforward, others much more obtuse.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAfter much work, diksha, or initiation into Kali\'s mysteries is the next profound unfolding of my spiritual journey. The day comes on the August new moon, and I am thrilled when I realize it will be August 2nd, the festival of the harvest often called Lughnasad (or Lammas) in the earth-based Western calendar. It is as though Maa has answered my burning question: Can I do this? The synchronicity of timing does not escape me, and I feel She is telling me that I can have it both ways: I can be Her priestess as a Witch and a Hindu, walking as a Goddess worshiper wherever I may be in the world. To Her, I imagine, there is no distinction.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe initiation is radical by most Hindu standards. Shyam is a Brahmin priest, and I am not only a westerner but also a woman; and women in India are not initiated by Brahmins. Following the Vedas in his public work, Shyam also practices Tantra, and this is the in-road to Maa that is clearly appropriate. Tantricks care not of my birth, only my longing. But perhaps there would be less to explain and fewer staring eyes as we sit working together at the temple were he to be more public about the various faces of his devotion. As Shyam manages to satisfy people\'s natural curiosity with his answers to their queries and suspicious looks, I pretend not to notice the robust number of visitors to the temple in the evenings after the gates have closed and we have begun our private work and evening prayers together.<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamSundarDashChandraAlexandrePuriMBCM1-e1377156643651.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99707 imgborder alignright\" alt=\"Chandra Alexandre and Shyam Sundar Dash at Puri Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamSundarDashChandraAlexandrePuriMBCM1-e1377156643651.jpg\" width=\"228\" height=\"246\" /></a>\r\n\r\nMy practice deepens after initiation, and on Her sacred day of Kali Puja some months later in October, I sit at the feet of the goddess in the temple, a spot that locals cannot come near. It is nearing midnight and the heat of the day lifting off the earth combined with the hot lamps that light Her image for passersby makes the sweat drip down my arms, makes my sari blouse feel even tighter than it already is, and makes me wish I couldn\'t see the bugs and ants crawling on my feet and ankles. I honor Her by pouring <i>ghee</i> (clarified butter) for the <i>homa</i> (fire offering) ceremony, and I remember that I am Shyam\'s first <i>chela</i> (student), a position of honor in the lineage tradition from which he comes.<br><br>\r\n\r\nI tend to my responsibilities dutifully as the Candi Path verses resonate off the temple walls and expand into the night air. In moments of quiet, I think about the day Shyam said he\'d been waiting for me, how he said his own guru had told him that one day, he would be bringing someone other than his sons to the path. I remember how Shyam said he had found the signs in my face the very first day we had met at the temple...signs telling him that I was the student to which his guru had referred. We finish our time together and he tells me the most important thing: \"Go! Go back to your home land, America, and spread Mother Worship!\"<br><br>\r\n\r\nUpon my return to the States, SHARANYA is born and my dedication to Kali Maa takes root with the formation of community on western shores. The wisdom of the ocean is remembered.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<em>August 2, 1998</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Chandra Alexandre</strong> is the founding director of SHARANYA. She received <i>namakarana samskara</i> and her first <em>diksha </em>from Shyam Sundar Dash (Founder &amp; President and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri) in 1998. With this, the SHARANYA kaula are part of the Bharadvaja gotra by which we honor our clan wave of spiritual ancestors.\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Origin Story: Part II\" active=\"\"]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/KamakhyaMandirWeb.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99540 imgborder\" alt=\"Kamakhya Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/KamakhyaMandirWeb.jpg\" /></a>\"Babaji wants to see you.\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> I’m walking barefoot down the muddy side of Nilachal Hill at Kamakhya in northeastern India after witnessing one of the most beautiful Sanskrit recitations I have ever heard. The white kurtas of the Brahmin men gathered in a circle around a sacred fire stand in marked contrast though to the throngs of red-clad women waiting in long lines to see their Mother. Both, I imagine, receive Her blessings. I am in northeastern India, in Assam, participating in an annual Tantrick pilgrimage to the seat of the goddess’ power, the place where her <i>yoni</i>, or sexual organ, resides on Earth.  It’s a powerful place, a place of contrasts where all come together, whether Vaishnava, Shaivite or Shakta, to honor Maa. It\'s a place, one might say, where all unites in Her name.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Babji, I learn, is a 400-year old Aghori. A believer in the preeminence of the divine as Shiva, pure consciousness, he is a practitioner of the non-dualistic or \"left-hand\" Tantric rites. In short, this means that he adheres to a rather literal interpretation of what other Tantrics might do symbolically in ritual and devotion on the path to enlightenment. He meditates, for example, not only on <i>yantras</i> (sacred diagrams), but on yantras in cremation grounds on top of corpses; he drinks wine and liquor; he smokes hash and takes in other natural mind-altering substances. He believes that the pathway to the divine is through the body, through this world, through all of creation. His accepts it all, the pure and impure, the wicked and sane, as sacred. He is a radical non-dualist—one who believes in the One as well as in the reality of the phenomenal world. His path is fast and furious, sweet and sublime, potentially off-putting at the same time that it attracts wonder, excitement, and awe.  He loves Maa. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> The three black-clad initiates standing outside his cave-like shelter on the hillside welcome me in. I meet Babji. He’s old but looks young, his face the only give-away that he’s been around the block a few times. His body, otherwise, is baby-like. He looks pregnant, a little round belly on a very thin frame. I sit cross-legged in front of him. To his left, the fire pit. To his right, a <i>kapala</i>, or human skull cup from which wine and other mind-altering substances are drunk, sits upturned. He calls me \"Beti,\" or daughter. Two followers of his are there; his initiates have left us alone. The woman wipes the snot dripping from Babaji\'s nose with a handkerchief and then moves to mop sweat from his forehead. No one, it appears, is immune to this sweltering summer heat. The Indian devotee next to her, perhaps her husband, has had far too much <i>bhang</i> (Cannabis) or something; his eyes have trouble steadying on me. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">My Sanskrit is better than my Hindi at this point. Fortunately, I can make out meaning from of the ritual language Babaji is using. The man helps a little, but his English is as poor as my Hindi. We quiet. Suddenly, Babaji grabs me. He pulls me to him with unsuspected strength. Face against face, I feel the bristles of his long beard against my cheek, and I feel coolness where the snot has been touching. I am startled, but now I’m held. I am held firmly, with apparent intention. The touch is not violent or inappropriate. The strength is deep and calming. I stay quiet and listen inside to my belly and instincts. Presence prevails, and I allow myself to trust the moment. Just then, Babaji begins. His mouth now pressed to my ear, he sounds an ancient mantra. My heart trembles, my eyes close, and I go inward. I surrender to these sounds, soaking in the ancient reverberations, feeling in them the voices of the lineage, the guttural utterances of vibrations across time and space. All enter my ear. All penetrate my soul.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Moments pass and I eventually sit back upright in silence. One moment, then two. From deep inside, the sobbing begins. There’s no rational thought, no rhyme or reason, just the moment and my feeling of tremendous love and connection to all that is…I recognize a touch of <i>sat chit ananada</i>: being, consciousness, bliss. My forehead now on Babji\'s knee, he pats my head and strokes my hair. I sit back upright. Silence. One moment, then two. Babaji reaches to his left where a rusty knife about four inches long sits waiting. I follow his motion with my eyes. Instantly, I am terrified. I have visions of blood. Stop! One moment, then two. Stop! This time, it’s an admonition to remember. Allow yourself to be taken, it says. You’ve been here before; you know what\'s happening. It\'s safe. Breathe. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Babaji lowers my head with his hand and takes a fist-full of hair from my crown. He pulls hard enough to undo strands from my braid. Close to the scalp he cuts with the knife. Old and well-used, it doesn’t cut very well.  He pulls harder to get through the thickness of my mane and it hurts for an instant. I deepen my surrender. He cuts. He finishes, and I sit back up. Dazed, with my awareness in another place, I still must know.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"What,\" I ask, “are you going to do with it?\"  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"A sacrifice,” he says, \"will be offered in the fire tonight.\" He holds up my hair.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"It’s an equal exchange,\" he says. \"The price you pay for being welcomed into the family.”</span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<em>June 26, 2003</em>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Founder\'s Biography\" active=\"\"]<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99540 imgborder\" alt=\"Chandra Alexandre\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DSC_0731-e1378968031852.jpg\" /> Chandra Alexandre is a Tantric Bhairavi, an initiator in the tradition of Kali, serving SHARANYA as clergy. She is a householder and a regular pilgrim to the birthplace of Tantra in northeastern India, where she studies and practices with her teachers. Chandra was first initiated into the mysteries of the dark goddess in 1998 in Puri, Orissa on the dakshinacara path, and then, five years later, she accepted the non-dualistic path of vamacara Tantra at Kamakhya outside of Guwahati in Assam. Her maternal grandmother was her first guide into the ways of spirit in the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOn her initial return from India, Chandra founded SHARANYA to serve those committed to embodied and engaged spirituality for social justice and transformation. This was the birth of Sha’can, an authentic lineage tradition of Shakta Tantra contextualized and made relevant for people and lands distant from the source. Chandra and community complement San Francisco Bay Area worship, events and services with an online mystery school, Kali Vidya, to serve an international community of spiritual seekers and lovers of Maa.<br><br>\r\n\r\nChandra is known for her passionate engagement of theory and practice. She holds a PhD in Asian & Comparative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies, a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wisdom University (formerly the University of Creation Spirituality), and an MBA in sustainable management from Presidio Graduate School. In addition to SHARANYA, she engages her commitment through several community-based nonprofit organizations committed to educational equity, poverty alleviation and the empowerment of women and girls.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOriginally from New York, Chandra has, since 1995, called San Francisco home. She is also conjurer of <i>The Aghori Bakery: Everyday Spiritual Conversations</i> (forthcoming).[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"origins\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Origins','','inherit','open','open','','99123-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 23:43:03','2013-09-12 06:43:03','',99123,'Birthed in India over 15 years ago, SHARANYA exists to empower seeds of change on individual, collective, and planetary levels towards healing, respect, responsibility, and the fullest awareness of an interconnected, interrelated cosmic reality. Our origi',0,'revision','',0),(100013,2,'2013-09-11 23:44:50','2013-09-12 06:44:50','Birthed in India over 15 years ago, SHARANYA exists to empower seeds of change on individual, collective, and planetary levels towards healing, respect, responsibility, and the fullest awareness of an interconnected, interrelated cosmic reality. Our origins are rooted in a commitment to social justice for the promotion of peace and the (r)evolution of consciousness across space-time realities.<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Temple in India\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MBCMTemple.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-99537 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Batakali Mandir (Puri)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MBCMTemple.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Constitution of Maa Batakali Sanskrutika Parisada</span></h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission\r\n</span><br>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Balisahi, Puri Town, Puri  752 001 Orissa</span><br>\r\n\r\nRegistration Number: 2802/211/91-92<br>\r\nFiled and Certified by the Audit Superintendent District Panchayat Office, Puri<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Mission Statement:</b>\r\n<ul>To create and nurture a community of life-affirming individuals devoted to Mother Worship and to developing an understanding of how such devotion can positively transform our global community.</ul>\r\n<b>Vision Statement:</b>\r\n<ul>The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission is dedicated to promoting the vision of the world as a global community in Her divine name.</ul>\r\n<b>Aims and Objectives:</b>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>To maintain this Mission as a nonprofit public-benefit organization, not organized for the private gain of any person.</li>\r\n	<li>To foster awareness of Goddess worship as a life-affirming path among the global community; and to eradicate erroneous and superstitious beliefs in this regard.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize, develop and execute recreational, cultural and spiritual activities for the community.</li>\r\n	<li>To undertake programs for the establishment of community housing, social forestry and environmental sanitation; et alia.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize, fund and promote Mission Centers for community gatherings, social welfare programs and adult education, including the establishment of a library with emphasis on educational activities for community youth; and to develop various pilot projects to meet the needs of community members.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize outreach programs for those not in or around Mission Centers.</li>\r\n	<li>To undertake projects expressly designed to promote the welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other economically \"backward\" classes of people, and to promote the development of cooperative ideas and enterprise among them and the community at large.</li>\r\n	<li>To draw up schemes for the rehabilitation of antisocial persons; i.e., those with problems related to alcohol and drug abuse, and to assist their families as required.</li>\r\n	<li>To educate about and mobilize peacefully against sati, dowry, beggary, caste crime and similar social ills.</li>\r\n	<li>To publish a monthly newsletter, community bulletin and other educational materials for the promotion of the spiritual and cultural philosophy of the Mission.</li>\r\n	<li>To help provide relief, through community efforts, for those effected by natural calamities and other emergencies.</li>\r\n	<li>To promote cultural exchange of ideas and beliefs throughout India and the world.</li>\r\n	<li>To assist in providing legal aid to the needy and the poor.</li>\r\n	<li>To establish sister organizations, in the United States and elsewhere, in order to promote the vision of the Mission worldwide.</li>\r\n	<li>To develop fundraising schemes for the future growth and maintenance of the Mission and its associations.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Origin Story: Part I\" active=\"\"]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamPuriWeb.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99541 imgborder\" alt=\"Shyam Sundar Dash at Maabatakali Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamPuriWeb.jpg\" /></a>It\'s summer in India, the time when the air is thick, sweat plentiful, and the monsoon\'s rains swell the skies and the streets. I have come here, to this land of spice, spirit and the sacred, to further my work in ecofeminism by looking at women\'s spiritual connections to social justice and activism on behalf of the environment. I am not here long, however, before Maa, the Divine Mother, shows me that there\'s more to my quest than I originally thought.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSpeaking to a guide at my hotel, I tell him, \"I need to find a temple to the Goddess.\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Which one,\" he asks. \"Which goddess?\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Well, Kali,\" I state hesitatingly, unsure of how my request will be received.  The man looks me up and down, trying to determine where I fit in the spectrum of visitors with which he has to deal and from which he makes his livelihood.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Wouldn\'t you rather visit Lord Jaganath?,\" he wonders. Lord of the Universe, Jaganath, is honored at this time in Puri (the eastern <i>dham</i>, one of the sacred compass points in India) in a huge festival to which hundreds of thousands flock each year. Together with his brother and sister, this is the only time the Lord leaves the mandir (temple). He\'s on a family outing to his summer home across the town and everyone comes out to get a glimpse of the royal family.<br><br>\r\n\r\nI\'m restless though, and on a mission. It is Kali I need to see and no one else. That She is responsible for my getting through a political uprising in Digha at the southern end of West Bengal unscathed has been made perfectly clear to me. I have come here to give thanks and find peace by the ocean waters. Sensing my urgency, the gentleman kindly calls to an auto-rickshaw driver with a shrug, not wanting to engage me further about goddesses. The driver arrives.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Kali mandir,\" I say to him as he pulls up alongside us. At this point, I have no idea how many homes Maa has here in Puri. After receiving no further instructions, the driver takes off towards the center of town. I later find out (after several unsuccessful attempts to again visit the place to which I am now heading) that there are at least four Kali temples. Reaching our destination, I buy a hibiscus mala, a garland of her sacred flower, and add that to my puja (worship) basket. Into it too go coconut, juicy betel nut and other sweets to delight Her. My offering is noteworthy at this temple for its size; but I need to thank the Goddess for getting me out of Digha alive by bringing something special.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe pujari at Maa Batakali Mandir is a Brahmin priest with two sons. In his devotion and gratitude for the goddess having given him these sons, Shyam has built this temple. A small roadside mandir, passersby usually drop rupees on the temple steps on their daily rounds. It is nothing too fancy, but Maa here is absolutely resplendent.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn his time, Shyam has doubled as a government worker, making regular trips back and forth from his office to tend to Maa and her devotees. Now retired, he tends to the temple and its congregation of worshipers every day for morning prayers and evening <i>aarati</i> (a beautiful celebration with lights and offerings). As Shyam sees me approach for the first time, he stares. He asks me directly why I am there, and although he is not angry, his disposition and directness can easily be mistaken for exactly that at first. Truly, he\'s just curious, but I am startled by his question.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Are you ISKON?\" he demands.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSuspense broken, I let out a nervous laugh. The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (a.k.a. Hare Krishnas) has never drawn me, however. Puri is full of Western devotees. Lord Jaganath, I learn, is, like Krishna whom those in ISKON worship, one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the God of Preservation and one of the main Hindu deities.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"No,\" I reply, \"I came to thank the Goddess.\"  After a few more words, Shyam accepts my offering basket, performing puja on my behalf. He asks my name in order to conduct the rites. When we\'re through, he asks why I\'m there. But my eyes are transfixed on Maa\'s image, and I can only point to my heart by way of explanation. \"She\'s here,\" I manage to say, and everything that has been kept inside until now in this challenging land of contrasts streams out through my eyes.<br><br>\r\n\r\nBetween June and August of 1998, I live in Puri. My friends up north forgive me for not coming back to study. My work on the spiritual motivations for grassroots environmental movements in India is put on hold. It was my pause when Shyam asked after the ritual, \"Will you come visit my house?\" that changed not only the course of my research, but also my life. Aware of India\'s potential for surprises, I held a moment of silence before responding and internally questioned his invitation and motivations.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFeeling inside, I sensed that this was an offering, and a door was opening to me that might never open again. In the pause, I could see Her face dimly, and I wondered in my rational mind about my work and Shyam\'s intentions. It took me three days to surrender to the feeling and my vision of Her beckoning. After careful thought and some time meditating with the ocean\'s wisdom, I said yes. I returned to meet my new teacher and his family.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe more time I spend in Puri, the more I realize that Goddess is working in quite mysterious ways and that Shyam is no typical Brahmin priest.  As time passes, I learn the extent to which She is working through him, and I absorb many levels of Her teachings; some straightforward, others much more obtuse.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAfter much work, diksha, or initiation into Kali\'s mysteries is the next profound unfolding of my spiritual journey. The day comes on the August new moon, and I am thrilled when I realize it will be August 2nd, the festival of the harvest often called Lughnasad (or Lammas) in the earth-based Western calendar. It is as though Maa has answered my burning question: Can I do this? The synchronicity of timing does not escape me, and I feel She is telling me that I can have it both ways: I can be Her priestess as a Witch and a Hindu, walking as a Goddess worshiper wherever I may be in the world. To Her, I imagine, there is no distinction.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe initiation is radical by most Hindu standards. Shyam is a Brahmin priest, and I am not only a westerner but also a woman; and women in India are not initiated by Brahmins. Following the Vedas in his public work, Shyam also practices Tantra, and this is the in-road to Maa that is clearly appropriate. Tantricks care not of my birth, only my longing. But perhaps there would be less to explain and fewer staring eyes as we sit working together at the temple were he to be more public about the various faces of his devotion. As Shyam manages to satisfy people\'s natural curiosity with his answers to their queries and suspicious looks, I pretend not to notice the robust number of visitors to the temple in the evenings after the gates have closed and we have begun our private work and evening prayers together.<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamSundarDashChandraAlexandrePuriMBCM1-e1377156643651.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99707 imgborder alignright\" alt=\"Chandra Alexandre and Shyam Sundar Dash at Puri Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamSundarDashChandraAlexandrePuriMBCM1-e1377156643651.jpg\" width=\"228\" height=\"246\" /></a>\r\n\r\nMy practice deepens after initiation, and on Her sacred day of Kali Puja some months later in October, I sit at the feet of the goddess in the temple, a spot that locals cannot come near. It is nearing midnight and the heat of the day lifting off the earth combined with the hot lamps that light Her image for passersby makes the sweat drip down my arms, makes my sari blouse feel even tighter than it already is, and makes me wish I couldn\'t see the bugs and ants crawling on my feet and ankles. I honor Her by pouring <i>ghee</i> (clarified butter) for the <i>homa</i> (fire offering) ceremony, and I remember that I am Shyam\'s first <i>chela</i> (student), a position of honor in the lineage tradition from which he comes.<br><br>\r\n\r\nI tend to my responsibilities dutifully as the Candi Path verses resonate off the temple walls and expand into the night air. In moments of quiet, I think about the day Shyam said he\'d been waiting for me, how he said his own guru had told him that one day, he would be bringing someone other than his sons to the path. I remember how Shyam said he had found the signs in my face the very first day we had met at the temple...signs telling him that I was the student to which his guru had referred. We finish our time together and he tells me the most important thing: \"Go! Go back to your home land, America, and spread Mother Worship!\"<br><br>\r\n\r\nUpon my return to the States, SHARANYA is born and my dedication to Kali Maa takes root with the formation of community on western shores. The wisdom of the ocean is remembered.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<em>August 2, 1998</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Chandra Alexandre</strong> is the founding director of SHARANYA. She received <i>namakarana samskara</i> and her first <em>diksha </em>from Shyam Sundar Dash (Founder &amp; President and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri) in 1998. With this, the SHARANYA kaula are part of the Bharadvaja gotra by which we honor our clan wave of spiritual ancestors.\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Origin Story: Part II\" active=\"\"]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/KamakhyaMandirWeb.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99540 imgborder\" alt=\"Kamakhya Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/KamakhyaMandirWeb.jpg\" /></a>\"Babaji wants to see you.\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> I’m walking barefoot down the muddy side of Nilachal Hill at Kamakhya in northeastern India after witnessing one of the most beautiful Sanskrit recitations I have ever heard. The white kurtas of the Brahmin men gathered in a circle around a sacred fire stand in marked contrast though to the throngs of red-clad women waiting in long lines to see their Mother. Both, I imagine, receive Her blessings. I am in northeastern India, in Assam, participating in an annual Tantrick pilgrimage to the seat of the goddess’ power, the place where her <i>yoni</i>, or sexual organ, resides on Earth.  It’s a powerful place, a place of contrasts where all come together, whether Vaishnava, Shaivite or Shakta, to honor Maa. It\'s a place, one might say, where all unites in Her name.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Babji, I learn, is a 400-year old Aghori. A believer in the preeminence of the divine as Shiva, pure consciousness, he is a practitioner of the non-dualistic or \"left-hand\" Tantric rites. In short, this means that he adheres to a rather literal interpretation of what other Tantrics might do symbolically in ritual and devotion on the path to enlightenment. He meditates, for example, not only on <i>yantras</i> (sacred diagrams), but on yantras in cremation grounds on top of corpses; he drinks wine and liquor; he smokes hash and takes in other natural mind-altering substances. He believes that the pathway to the divine is through the body, through this world, through all of creation. His accepts it all, the pure and impure, the wicked and sane, as sacred. He is a radical non-dualist—one who believes in the One as well as in the reality of the phenomenal world. His path is fast and furious, sweet and sublime, potentially off-putting at the same time that it attracts wonder, excitement, and awe.  He loves Maa. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> The three black-clad initiates standing outside his cave-like shelter on the hillside welcome me in. I meet Babji. He’s old but looks young, his face the only give-away that he’s been around the block a few times. His body, otherwise, is baby-like. He looks pregnant, a little round belly on a very thin frame. I sit cross-legged in front of him. To his left, the fire pit. To his right, a <i>kapala</i>, or human skull cup from which wine and other mind-altering substances are drunk, sits upturned. He calls me \"Beti,\" or daughter. Two followers of his are there; his initiates have left us alone. The woman wipes the snot dripping from Babaji\'s nose with a handkerchief and then moves to mop sweat from his forehead. No one, it appears, is immune to this sweltering summer heat. The Indian devotee next to her, perhaps her husband, has had far too much <i>bhang</i> (Cannabis) or something; his eyes have trouble steadying on me. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">My Sanskrit is better than my Hindi at this point. Fortunately, I can make out meaning from of the ritual language Babaji is using. The man helps a little, but his English is as poor as my Hindi. We quiet. Suddenly, Babaji grabs me. He pulls me to him with unsuspected strength. Face against face, I feel the bristles of his long beard against my cheek, and I feel coolness where the snot has been touching. I am startled, but now I’m held. I am held firmly, with apparent intention. The touch is not violent or inappropriate. The strength is deep and calming. I stay quiet and listen inside to my belly and instincts. Presence prevails, and I allow myself to trust the moment. Just then, Babaji begins. His mouth now pressed to my ear, he sounds an ancient mantra. My heart trembles, my eyes close, and I go inward. I surrender to these sounds, soaking in the ancient reverberations, feeling in them the voices of the lineage, the guttural utterances of vibrations across time and space. All enter my ear. All penetrate my soul.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Moments pass and I eventually sit back upright in silence. One moment, then two. From deep inside, the sobbing begins. There’s no rational thought, no rhyme or reason, just the moment and my feeling of tremendous love and connection to all that is…I recognize a touch of <i>sat chit ananada</i>: being, consciousness, bliss. My forehead now on Babji\'s knee, he pats my head and strokes my hair. I sit back upright. Silence. One moment, then two. Babaji reaches to his left where a rusty knife about four inches long sits waiting. I follow his motion with my eyes. Instantly, I am terrified. I have visions of blood. Stop! One moment, then two. Stop! This time, it’s an admonition to remember. Allow yourself to be taken, it says. You’ve been here before; you know what\'s happening. It\'s safe. Breathe. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Babaji lowers my head with his hand and takes a fist-full of hair from my crown. He pulls hard enough to undo strands from my braid. Close to the scalp he cuts with the knife. Old and well-used, it doesn’t cut very well.  He pulls harder to get through the thickness of my mane and it hurts for an instant. I deepen my surrender. He cuts. He finishes, and I sit back up. Dazed, with my awareness in another place, I still must know.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"What,\" I ask, “are you going to do with it?\"  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"A sacrifice,” he says, \"will be offered in the fire tonight.\" He holds up my hair.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"It’s an equal exchange,\" he says. \"The price you pay for being welcomed into the family.”</span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<em>June 26, 2003</em>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Founder\'s Biography\" active=\"\"]<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99540 imgborder\" alt=\"Chandra Alexandre\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DSC_0731-e1378968031852.jpg\" /> Chandra Alexandre is a Tantric Bhairavi, an initiator in the tradition of Kali, serving SHARANYA as clergy. She is a householder and a regular pilgrim to the birthplace of Tantra in northeastern India, where she studies and practices with her teachers. Chandra was first initiated into the mysteries of the dark goddess in 1998 in Puri, Orissa on the dakshinacara path, and then, five years later, she accepted the non-dualistic path of vamacara Tantra at Kamakhya outside of Guwahati in Assam. Her maternal grandmother was her first guide into the ways of spirit in the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOn her initial return from India, Chandra founded SHARANYA to serve those committed to embodied and engaged spirituality for social justice and transformation. This was the birth of Sha’can, an authentic lineage tradition of Shakta Tantra contextualized and made relevant for people and lands distant from the source. Chandra and community complement San Francisco Bay Area worship, events and services with an online mystery school, Kali Vidya, to serve an international community of spiritual seekers and lovers of Maa.<br><br>\r\n\r\nChandra is known for her passionate engagement of theory and practice. She holds a PhD in Asian & Comparative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies, a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wisdom University (formerly the University of Creation Spirituality), and an MBA in sustainable management from Presidio Graduate School. In addition to SHARANYA, she engages her commitment through several community-based nonprofit organizations committed to educational equity, poverty alleviation and the empowerment of women and girls.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOriginally from New York, Chandra has, since 1995, called San Francisco home. She is a devoted wife and mother and also conjurer of <i>The Aghori Bakery: Everyday Spiritual Conversations</i> (forthcoming).[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"origins\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Origins','','inherit','open','open','','99123-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 23:44:50','2013-09-12 06:44:50','',99123,'Birthed in India over 15 years ago, SHARANYA exists to empower seeds of change on individual, collective, and planetary levels towards healing, respect, responsibility, and the fullest awareness of an interconnected, interrelated cosmic reality. Our origi',0,'revision','',0),(100014,2,'2013-09-15 20:35:06','2013-09-16 03:35:06','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.<br><br>\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b>\r\n\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAll who enter then pranam, paying respect to the lineage of teachers and the presiding teacher to honor the kaula, or spiritual family, of the temple and tradition.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b>\r\n\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b>\r\n\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals. Also, in traditional Hindu culture (as in many other cultures), pointing the feet at one\'s elders or others is considered disrespectful; and we honor the idea and practice of maintaining humility and respect in all relationships.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nIt means \'love.\'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>br&gt;\r\nThree is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b>\r\n\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b>\r\n\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b>\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b>\r\n\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events\" title=\"Puja Calendar\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0387-e1378621009871.jpg\" ]Upcoming dates[/teaser]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-15 20:35:06','2013-09-16 03:35:06','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(100015,2,'2013-09-15 20:35:19','2013-09-16 03:35:19','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.<br><br>\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.<br><br>\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b>\r\n\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAll who enter then pranam, paying respect to the lineage of teachers and the presiding teacher to honor the kaula, or spiritual family, of the temple and tradition.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b>\r\n\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b>\r\n\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals. Also, in traditional Hindu culture (as in many other cultures), pointing the feet at one\'s elders or others is considered disrespectful; and we honor the idea and practice of maintaining humility and respect in all relationships.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nIt means \'love.\'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>br&gt;\r\nThree is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b>\r\n\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b>\r\n\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b>\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b>\r\n\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events\" title=\"Puja Calendar\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0387-e1378621009871.jpg\" ]Upcoming dates[/teaser]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-15 20:35:19','2013-09-16 03:35:19','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(100016,2,'2013-09-15 20:41:44','2013-09-16 03:41:44','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.<br><br>\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.<br><br>\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. Then join your hands together in prayer position at your heart and gently bow toward the altar as a sign of respect.</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people\'s view, and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably (you may wish to bring your own and the temple has some on hand for community). </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b>\r\n\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAll who enter then pranam, paying respect to the lineage of teachers and the presiding teacher to honor the kaula, or spiritual family, of the temple and tradition.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b>\r\n\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b>\r\n\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals. Also, in traditional Hindu culture (as in many other cultures), pointing the feet at one\'s elders or others is considered disrespectful; and we honor the idea and practice of maintaining humility and respect in all relationships.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nIt means \'love.\'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>br&gt;\r\nThree is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b>\r\n\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b>\r\n\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b>\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b>\r\n\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand, invoking the power of पृथ्वी (pṛthvī), or Earth. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events\" title=\"Puja Calendar\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0387-e1378621009871.jpg\" ]Upcoming dates[/teaser]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-15 20:41:44','2013-09-16 03:41:44','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(100017,2,'2013-09-15 20:43:33','2013-09-16 03:43:33','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.<br><br>\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.<br><br>\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. Then join your hands together in prayer position at your heart and gently bow toward the altar as a sign of respect.</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people\'s view, and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably (you may wish to bring your own and the temple has some on hand for community). </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b>\r\n\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAll who enter then pranam, paying respect to the lineage of teachers and the presiding teacher to honor the kaula, or spiritual family, of the temple and tradition.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b>\r\n\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b>\r\n\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals. Also, in traditional Hindu culture (as in many other cultures), pointing the feet at one\'s elders or others is considered disrespectful; and we honor the idea and practice of maintaining humility and respect in all relationships.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nIt means \'love.\'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b> Three is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and are supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b>\r\n\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her. It also awakens us to the power of vibrational energy made manifest.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b>\r\n\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b>\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b>\r\n\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand, invoking the power of पृथ्वी (pṛthvī), or Earth. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events\" title=\"Puja Calendar\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0387-e1378621009871.jpg\" ]Upcoming dates[/teaser]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-15 20:43:33','2013-09-16 03:43:33','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(100018,2,'2013-09-16 13:03:02','2013-09-16 20:03:02','The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled my early life. At the center of my own worship, the Great Mother has always been present—whether She has manifested as Ma, any one of the mighty goddesses of the western pantheon, or Vajrayogini.\r\n\r\nHindu and Buddhist iconography dotted the walls of my childhood home, and aside from Ma, one of the strongest spiritual images that remains in my memory is that of <i>Vajrayogini</i>(literally, “diamond female yogi” in Sanskrit), the female Buddha of wisdom and great bliss. Vajrayogini is considered the Queen of <i>Dakinis</i> (“sky dancers,” or female Tantric enlightened beings), and it has been said that the Yoga Tantra practice of Vajrayogini enables anybody, especially those who are plagued by strong desires and attachment, to attain enlightenment rapidly, as the instruction of the practice comes directly from Her.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini’s <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) originated in India between the tenth and twelfth centuries and was followed by both Hindu and Buddhist practitioners. Tantrism itself is a method of psychospiritual advancement that was developed in India before the purported arrival of Indo-Europeans over three thousand years ago. With the pressures that were brought to bear on Indian religious life by the eighth-century Central Asian invaders, Tantric systems were maintained in the south of the subcontinent and also in Bengal, where they formed an important aspect of goddess worship in India. Those Indian (and later, Tantric Buddhist) traditions have preserved these systems and the iconography of the goddess since ancient times, but it is not exactly known how old they are. Despite the similarities between Hindu Tantrism and Vajrayana (or Tantric, or Tibetan) Buddhism, there are also some fundamental differences. The purpose of Vajrayana Buddhist practice is to attain the perfect enlightenment of Buddha, whereas in the Hindu Tantric system, the basis is realizing the ten Mahavidyas, or aspects of Devi, as the highest forms of deities.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini is inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, and even Her divine consort, Heruka-Cakrasamvara (often depicted as a spear on the goddess’s shoulder) doesn’t come close to approaching Vajrayogini’s metaphysical and iconographic importance.\r\n\r\nShe has no other counterpart in Buddhism, and is a wild spirit who dances ecstatically in the sky of sunyata, or the great emptiness that underlies all phenomena. The similarities between Vajrayogini and Kali are so obvious that many scholars suspect they are only slight variations of the Great Mother of Hinduism. Typically, Vajrayogini is blood-red in color, naked except for elaborate ornaments of human bone and a necklace of skulls (corresponding to the 16 vowels and 35 consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet). In Her right hand, She holds a flaying knife used to cut off attachments, and in Her left She carries a skull cup filled with mahasukha (the great bliss), which She pours out like wine to Her devotees. Perhaps another aspect that links Her to Kali is the fact that both goddesses are depicted as two of the ten Mahavidyas. Among the Mahavidyas, Kali, Tara, and Chinnamasta have the most significance, especially in Tantric practice. In Buddhism, Vajrayogini is essentially the same entity as Chinnamasta (also known as Krodha Kali), and both goddesses appear in severed-head forms and other identical imagery.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Terdag Lingpa Gyurme Dorje, a respected 17th century teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayogini is the goddess who appears “at the time of darkness, fierce and raging, blue-black in color. The main face is wrathful, the very pure relative truth, and the upper face of a pig is the pure ultimate truth, gazing upward; both faces have three round red eyes. The right hand holds a curved knife upraised and the left a skullcup of blood held to the heart. In the bend of the left elbow, as the nature of method, appears a katvanga staff. Wearing an elephant hide as an upper garment and a tiger skin as a lower garment; adorned with snakes and bones. Dark yellow hair bristles upward, the remainder falling loose. With a crown of five dry human skulls, a necklace of fifty fresh. The left leg is extended in a half dance posture pressing on the heart of a human corpse. Standing on the left leg in a posture of dance atop a corpse, sun disc and lotus blossom, She is completely surrounded by the orange-red flames of pristine awareness. Appearing youthful and dwelling in the middle of a blazing mass of fire.”\r\n\r\nIn no uncertain terms, Vajrayogini is the goddess of both grace and destruction. Like Kali, She tramples upon illusion and ego-awareness in terrible jubilation. But like Tara (who is also thought to be a manifestation of Vajrayogini in Tantric Buddhism), She offers grace and benediction to spirits in search of a way out of misery and the samsaric cycle. Vajrayogini is typically worshipped in mandala form and through visualization. The Guhyasamayasadhanamala is a tenth-century text that contains solely Vajrayogini sadhanas, with 46 comprised works by various authors.\r\n\r\nWhile I know there are historical circumstances that separate the two goddesses, I’m also aware that ritual and history are simply variables underlying the face of a singular truth. So for me, Vajrayogini is Ma. A Nyingma liturgical verse to Vajrayogini sits atop my altar, right next to an image of Ma: “From the pure, unborn, dharmadhatu palace; Fierce Vajra Black One, performing the benefit of beings; entire treasure of all excellent and common attainments; Powerful Mistress, to you I bow.”\r\n<h2>Worshiping Vajrayogini</h2>\r\nAs might be expected, many of the practices and mantras that are associated with Vajrayogini are often considered secret, and traditional practitioners are uncomfortable with the breaking of that secrecy around these practices, as initiation rites in Vajrayana Buddhism, and in traditional Hindu Tantrism, are rigorous and require an enormous amount of spiritual commitment and fortitude from the devotee. Mystical experience is required in order to experience Buddha-nature prior to full enlightenment. A body of esoteric knowledge passed via lineages of transmission was accumulated over centuries to prepare Tantric students for the next stage. The knowledge is now more accessible, but, as with all wisdom, enlightenment is hardly an experience that can be transmitted by a teacher or set of books—it’s one that can only be received.\r\n\r\nThe Vajravarahi Sadhana describes worship of Vajrayogini as a complex and exacting process. Typically, She is worshipped through visualization of offerings and recitation of verses. Devotees begin by visualizing a glowing red “vam” in their hearts, as it is the seed-syllable of Vajrayogini in Her essential form. The syllable then quivers with energy, which draws down a mass of Buddhas from their dwelling place. These Buddhas (which include gurus, Buddhas, and Boddhisattvas) are then to be worshipped with ritual offerings such as flowers, incense, lamps, perfumed powders, and food (the upacaras, similar to the offerings made to Kali at Her temple in Dakshineswar). Worship can become even more elaborate, but it typically culminates in continuous repetition of an eight-part mantra.\r\n\r\nWhile exact methods of worshipping the goddess are veiled in Tantric secrecy, it is also possible to worship Vajrayogini as Tara. This beautiful goddess is also strikingly similar in appearance to Kali. While Kali is black, Tara is blue (although She is a goddess who appears in different colors, such as the compassionate Green Tara and the volatile Red Tara). Both wear a necklace of severed human heads and a girdle of arms, and both sport lolling tongues with blood oozing from their mouths. Essentially, they are manifestations of each other, and Tara is often called Kalika, Mahakali, and Bhadrakali. However, Tara is often thought to be the more approachable manifestation of the Goddess. Tara Herself first appeared in India and is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in Tibet; Her mantra is second only to Avalokiteshvara’s:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>OM TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE SVĀHĀ</em></strong></p>\r\nA rough translation of the mantra is: “To you, embodiment of all the Buddhas’ actions, I prostrate always—whether I am in happy or unhappy circumstances—with my body, speech, and mind.”\r\n\r\nLearn more and <a href=\"/mandala/th_gallery/vajrayogini-vajratara-mantra/\">listen to the mantra &gt;&gt;</a>\r\n\r\n<em>Nirmala Nataraj is a lover of the Divine Mother presently studying with SHARANYA in Daughters of Kali.</em>','Vajrayogini (Vajratara): History & Worship','','publish','open','open','','vajrayogini-vajratara-history-worship','','','2013-09-16 17:50:23','2013-09-17 00:50:23','',0,'The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled',0,'post','',2),(100019,2,'2013-09-16 11:32:22','2013-09-16 18:32:22','The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled my early life. At the center of my own worship, the Great Mother has always been present—whether She has manifested as Ma, any one of the mighty goddesses of the western pantheon, or Vajrayogini.\r\n\r\nHindu and Buddhist iconography dotted the walls of my childhood home, and aside from Ma, one of the strongest spiritual images that remains in my memory is that of <i>Vajrayogini</i>(literally, “diamond female yogi” in Sanskrit), the female Buddha of wisdom and great bliss. Vajrayogini is considered the Queen of <i>Dakinis</i> (“sky dancers,” or female Tantric enlightened beings), and it has been said that the Yoga Tantra practice of Vajrayogini enables anybody, especially those who are plagued by strong desires and attachment, to attain enlightenment rapidly, as the instruction of the practice comes directly from Her.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini’s <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) originated in India between the tenth and twelfth centuries and was followed by both Hindu and Buddhist practitioners. Tantrism itself is a method of psychospiritual advancement that was developed in India before the purported arrival of Indo-Europeans over three thousand years ago. With the pressures that were brought to bear on Indian religious life by the eighth-century Central Asian invaders, Tantric systems were maintained in the south of the subcontinent and also in Bengal, where they formed an important aspect of goddess worship in India. Those Indian (and later, Tantric Buddhist) traditions have preserved these systems and the iconography of the goddess since ancient times, but it is not exactly known how old they are. Despite the similarities between Hindu Tantrism and Vajrayana (or Tantric, or Tibetan) Buddhism, there are also some fundamental differences. The purpose of Vajrayana Buddhist practice is to attain the perfect enlightenment of Buddha, whereas in the Hindu Tantric system, the basis is realizing the ten Mahavidyas, or aspects of Devi, as the highest forms of deities.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini is inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, and even Her divine consort, Heruka-Cakrasamvara (often depicted as a spear on the goddess’s shoulder) doesn’t come close to approaching Vajrayogini’s metaphysical and iconographic importance.\r\n\r\nShe has no other counterpart in Buddhism, and is a wild spirit who dances ecstatically in the sky of sunyata, or the great emptiness that underlies all phenomena. The similarities between Vajrayogini and Kali are so obvious that many scholars suspect they are only slight variations of the Great Mother of Hinduism. Typically, Vajrayogini is blood-red in color, naked except for elaborate ornaments of human bone and a necklace of skulls (corresponding to the 16 vowels and 35 consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet). In Her right hand, She holds a flaying knife used to cut off attachments, and in Her left She carries a skull cup filled with mahasukha (the great bliss), which She pours out like wine to Her devotees. Perhaps another aspect that links Her to Kali is the fact that both goddesses are depicted as two of the ten Mahavidyas. Among the Mahavidyas, Kali, Tara, and Chinnamasta have the most significance, especially in Tantric practice. In Buddhism, Vajrayogini is essentially the same entity as Chinnamasta (also known as Krodha Kali), and both goddesses appear in severed-head forms and other identical imagery.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Terdag Lingpa Gyurme Dorje, a respected 17th century teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayogini is the goddess who appears “at the time of darkness, fierce and raging, blue-black in color. The main face is wrathful, the very pure relative truth, and the upper face of a pig is the pure ultimate truth, gazing upward; both faces have three round red eyes. The right hand holds a curved knife upraised and the left a skullcup of blood held to the heart. In the bend of the left elbow, as the nature of method, appears a katvanga staff. Wearing an elephant hide as an upper garment and a tiger skin as a lower garment; adorned with snakes and bones. Dark yellow hair bristles upward, the remainder falling loose. With a crown of five dry human skulls, a necklace of fifty fresh. The left leg is extended in a half dance posture pressing on the heart of a human corpse. Standing on the left leg in a posture of dance atop a corpse, sun disc and lotus blossom, She is completely surrounded by the orange-red flames of pristine awareness. Appearing youthful and dwelling in the middle of a blazing mass of fire.”\r\n\r\nIn no uncertain terms, Vajrayogini is the goddess of both grace and destruction. Like Kali, She tramples upon illusion and ego-awareness in terrible jubilation. But like Tara (who is also thought to be a manifestation of Vajrayogini in Tantric Buddhism), She offers grace and benediction to spirits in search of a way out of misery and the samsaric cycle. Vajrayogini is typically worshipped in mandala form and through visualization. The Guhyasamayasadhanamala is a tenth-century text that contains solely Vajrayogini sadhanas, with 46 comprised works by various authors.\r\n\r\nWhile I know there are historical circumstances that separate the two goddesses, I’m also aware that ritual and history are simply variables underlying the face of a singular truth. So for me, Vajrayogini is Ma. A Nyingma liturgical verse to Vajrayogini sits atop my altar, right next to an image of Ma: “From the pure, unborn, dharmadhatu palace; Fierce Vajra Black One, performing the benefit of beings; entire treasure of all excellent and common attainments; Powerful Mistress, to you I bow.”\r\n\r\n<h2>Worshiping Vajrayogini</h2>\r\n\r\nAs might be expected, many of the practices and mantras that are associated with Vajrayogini are often considered secret, and traditional practitioners are uncomfortable with the breaking of that secrecy around these practices, as initiation rites in Vajrayana Buddhism, and in traditional Hindu Tantrism, are rigorous and require an enormous amount of spiritual commitment and fortitude from the devotee. Mystical experience is required in order to experience Buddha-nature prior to full enlightenment. A body of esoteric knowledge passed via lineages of transmission was accumulated over centuries to prepare Tantric students for the next stage. The knowledge is now more accessible, but, as with all wisdom, enlightenment is hardly an experience that can be transmitted by a teacher or set of books—it’s one that can only be received.\r\n\r\nThe Vajravarahi Sadhana describes worship of Vajrayogini as a complex and exacting process. Typically, She is worshipped through visualization of offerings and recitation of verses. Devotees begin by visualizing a glowing red “vam” in their hearts, as it is the seed-syllable of Vajrayogini in Her essential form. The syllable then quivers with energy, which draws down a mass of Buddhas from their dwelling place. These Buddhas (which include gurus, Buddhas, and Boddhisattvas) are then to be worshipped with ritual offerings such as flowers, incense, lamps, perfumed powders, and food (the upacaras, similar to the offerings made to Kali at Her temple in Dakshineswar). Worship can become even more elaborate, but it typically culminates in continuous repetition of an eight-part mantra.\r\n\r\nWhile exact methods of worshipping the goddess are veiled in Tantric secrecy, it is also possible to worship Vajrayogini as Tara. This beautiful goddess is also strikingly similar in appearance to Kali. While Kali is black, Tara is blue (although She is a goddess who appears in different colors, such as the compassionate Green Tara and the volatile Red Tara). Both wear a necklace of severed human heads and a girdle of arms, and both sport lolling tongues with blood oozing from their mouths. Essentially, they are manifestations of each other, and Tara is often called Kalika, Mahakali, and Bhadrakali. However, Tara is often thought to be the more approachable manifestation of the Goddess. Tara Herself first appeared in India and is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in Tibet; Her mantra is second only to Avalokiteshvara’s:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<center><i>OM TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE SVĀHĀ</i></center>A rough translation of the mantra is: “To you, embodiment of all the Buddhas’ actions, I prostrate always—whether I am in happy or unhappy circumstances—with my body, speech, and mind.”\r\n\r\nLearn more and <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/mantras/vajra.php4\">listen to the mantra &gt;&gt;</a>\r\n\r\n<em>Nirmala Nataraj is a lover of the Divine Mother presently studying with SHARANYA in Daughters of Kali.</em>','','','inherit','open','open','','100018-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 11:32:22','2013-09-16 18:32:22','',100018,'The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled',0,'revision','',0),(100020,2,'2013-09-16 11:32:42','2013-09-16 18:32:42','The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled my early life. At the center of my own worship, the Great Mother has always been present—whether She has manifested as Ma, any one of the mighty goddesses of the western pantheon, or Vajrayogini.\r\n\r\nHindu and Buddhist iconography dotted the walls of my childhood home, and aside from Ma, one of the strongest spiritual images that remains in my memory is that of <i>Vajrayogini</i>(literally, “diamond female yogi” in Sanskrit), the female Buddha of wisdom and great bliss. Vajrayogini is considered the Queen of <i>Dakinis</i> (“sky dancers,” or female Tantric enlightened beings), and it has been said that the Yoga Tantra practice of Vajrayogini enables anybody, especially those who are plagued by strong desires and attachment, to attain enlightenment rapidly, as the instruction of the practice comes directly from Her.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini’s <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) originated in India between the tenth and twelfth centuries and was followed by both Hindu and Buddhist practitioners. Tantrism itself is a method of psychospiritual advancement that was developed in India before the purported arrival of Indo-Europeans over three thousand years ago. With the pressures that were brought to bear on Indian religious life by the eighth-century Central Asian invaders, Tantric systems were maintained in the south of the subcontinent and also in Bengal, where they formed an important aspect of goddess worship in India. Those Indian (and later, Tantric Buddhist) traditions have preserved these systems and the iconography of the goddess since ancient times, but it is not exactly known how old they are. Despite the similarities between Hindu Tantrism and Vajrayana (or Tantric, or Tibetan) Buddhism, there are also some fundamental differences. The purpose of Vajrayana Buddhist practice is to attain the perfect enlightenment of Buddha, whereas in the Hindu Tantric system, the basis is realizing the ten Mahavidyas, or aspects of Devi, as the highest forms of deities.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini is inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, and even Her divine consort, Heruka-Cakrasamvara (often depicted as a spear on the goddess’s shoulder) doesn’t come close to approaching Vajrayogini’s metaphysical and iconographic importance.\r\n\r\nShe has no other counterpart in Buddhism, and is a wild spirit who dances ecstatically in the sky of sunyata, or the great emptiness that underlies all phenomena. The similarities between Vajrayogini and Kali are so obvious that many scholars suspect they are only slight variations of the Great Mother of Hinduism. Typically, Vajrayogini is blood-red in color, naked except for elaborate ornaments of human bone and a necklace of skulls (corresponding to the 16 vowels and 35 consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet). In Her right hand, She holds a flaying knife used to cut off attachments, and in Her left She carries a skull cup filled with mahasukha (the great bliss), which She pours out like wine to Her devotees. Perhaps another aspect that links Her to Kali is the fact that both goddesses are depicted as two of the ten Mahavidyas. Among the Mahavidyas, Kali, Tara, and Chinnamasta have the most significance, especially in Tantric practice. In Buddhism, Vajrayogini is essentially the same entity as Chinnamasta (also known as Krodha Kali), and both goddesses appear in severed-head forms and other identical imagery.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Terdag Lingpa Gyurme Dorje, a respected 17th century teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayogini is the goddess who appears “at the time of darkness, fierce and raging, blue-black in color. The main face is wrathful, the very pure relative truth, and the upper face of a pig is the pure ultimate truth, gazing upward; both faces have three round red eyes. The right hand holds a curved knife upraised and the left a skullcup of blood held to the heart. In the bend of the left elbow, as the nature of method, appears a katvanga staff. Wearing an elephant hide as an upper garment and a tiger skin as a lower garment; adorned with snakes and bones. Dark yellow hair bristles upward, the remainder falling loose. With a crown of five dry human skulls, a necklace of fifty fresh. The left leg is extended in a half dance posture pressing on the heart of a human corpse. Standing on the left leg in a posture of dance atop a corpse, sun disc and lotus blossom, She is completely surrounded by the orange-red flames of pristine awareness. Appearing youthful and dwelling in the middle of a blazing mass of fire.”\r\n\r\nIn no uncertain terms, Vajrayogini is the goddess of both grace and destruction. Like Kali, She tramples upon illusion and ego-awareness in terrible jubilation. But like Tara (who is also thought to be a manifestation of Vajrayogini in Tantric Buddhism), She offers grace and benediction to spirits in search of a way out of misery and the samsaric cycle. Vajrayogini is typically worshipped in mandala form and through visualization. The Guhyasamayasadhanamala is a tenth-century text that contains solely Vajrayogini sadhanas, with 46 comprised works by various authors.\r\n\r\nWhile I know there are historical circumstances that separate the two goddesses, I’m also aware that ritual and history are simply variables underlying the face of a singular truth. So for me, Vajrayogini is Ma. A Nyingma liturgical verse to Vajrayogini sits atop my altar, right next to an image of Ma: “From the pure, unborn, dharmadhatu palace; Fierce Vajra Black One, performing the benefit of beings; entire treasure of all excellent and common attainments; Powerful Mistress, to you I bow.”\r\n\r\n<h2>Worshiping Vajrayogini</h2>\r\n\r\nAs might be expected, many of the practices and mantras that are associated with Vajrayogini are often considered secret, and traditional practitioners are uncomfortable with the breaking of that secrecy around these practices, as initiation rites in Vajrayana Buddhism, and in traditional Hindu Tantrism, are rigorous and require an enormous amount of spiritual commitment and fortitude from the devotee. Mystical experience is required in order to experience Buddha-nature prior to full enlightenment. A body of esoteric knowledge passed via lineages of transmission was accumulated over centuries to prepare Tantric students for the next stage. The knowledge is now more accessible, but, as with all wisdom, enlightenment is hardly an experience that can be transmitted by a teacher or set of books—it’s one that can only be received.\r\n\r\nThe Vajravarahi Sadhana describes worship of Vajrayogini as a complex and exacting process. Typically, She is worshipped through visualization of offerings and recitation of verses. Devotees begin by visualizing a glowing red “vam” in their hearts, as it is the seed-syllable of Vajrayogini in Her essential form. The syllable then quivers with energy, which draws down a mass of Buddhas from their dwelling place. These Buddhas (which include gurus, Buddhas, and Boddhisattvas) are then to be worshipped with ritual offerings such as flowers, incense, lamps, perfumed powders, and food (the upacaras, similar to the offerings made to Kali at Her temple in Dakshineswar). Worship can become even more elaborate, but it typically culminates in continuous repetition of an eight-part mantra.\r\n\r\nWhile exact methods of worshipping the goddess are veiled in Tantric secrecy, it is also possible to worship Vajrayogini as Tara. This beautiful goddess is also strikingly similar in appearance to Kali. While Kali is black, Tara is blue (although She is a goddess who appears in different colors, such as the compassionate Green Tara and the volatile Red Tara). Both wear a necklace of severed human heads and a girdle of arms, and both sport lolling tongues with blood oozing from their mouths. Essentially, they are manifestations of each other, and Tara is often called Kalika, Mahakali, and Bhadrakali. However, Tara is often thought to be the more approachable manifestation of the Goddess. Tara Herself first appeared in India and is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in Tibet; Her mantra is second only to Avalokiteshvara’s:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<center><i>OM TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE SVĀHĀ</i></center>A rough translation of the mantra is: “To you, embodiment of all the Buddhas’ actions, I prostrate always—whether I am in happy or unhappy circumstances—with my body, speech, and mind.”\r\n\r\nLearn more and <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/mantras/vajra.php4\">listen to the mantra &gt;&gt;</a>\r\n\r\n<em>Nirmala Nataraj is a lover of the Divine Mother presently studying with SHARANYA in Daughters of Kali.</em>','Vajrayogini (Vajratara): History & Worship','','inherit','open','open','','100018-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 11:32:42','2013-09-16 18:32:42','',100018,'The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled',0,'revision','',0),(100022,2,'2013-09-16 11:37:01','2013-09-16 18:37:01','','Shiva Invocation','','inherit','open','open','','shiva-invocation-64','','','2013-09-16 11:37:01','2013-09-16 18:37:01','',0,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100023,2,'2013-09-16 11:38:07','2013-09-16 18:38:07','','Shiva Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','shiva-mantra','','','2013-09-16 11:38:07','2013-09-16 18:38:07','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100025,2,'2007-11-16 11:39:34','2007-11-16 18:39:34','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Great God, Reliever of Suffering, Great Mover of Energy in the Body (Yogi), Supreme One I hold in my heart (Ishvara), Remover of Difficulty, You who carries the vibrations of \"M\" (that which is the dissolving letter in A-U-M), I bow to you.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I bow to Shiva, to Peace, to the manifestation of existence, and offer my soul in entirety, Oh, Ultimate Reality!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You are Mother and Father; you alone are friend and relation. You are wisdom and prosperity, Oh, God of Gods, you are Everything!</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shiva-invocation-64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is used during our Kali Puja to invoke and honor Shiva as Lord of the Dance, Maha Deva, the Great God and Lord of the Universe, He who is Shaper of Consciousness. This mantra invites engagement with Shiva as pure energy connected to our Soul, and as the energy that is recognized in many forms in the matter of Creation.\r\n\r\nWe utilize this mantra to excite our devotion and make a concrete connection to the magnificence of God beyond our attachments.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to open your heart and honor your commitment to the Divine, to the Unpathologized Sacred Male in all His forms.','Shiva Invocation','','publish','closed','closed','','shiva-invocation','','','2013-09-23 15:48:27','2013-09-23 22:48:27','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Great God, Reliever of Suffering, Great Mover of Energy in the Body (Yogi), Supreme One I hold in my heart (Ishvara), Remover of Difficulty, You who carries the vibrations of \"M\" (that which is the dissolving letter in',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100026,2,'2008-02-16 11:42:40','2008-02-16 18:42:40','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Om the Ganges, Jamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri, these waters (of the seven sacred rivers of the Indian Subcontinent) are brought together (in order to make the water sacred, a reflection of both the wonders of the external waters of Earth and the internal rivers, the nadis, of our spiritual bodies).</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/7rivers.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is used during our Kali Puja to bless water that is used during the ceremony. Use it to bless all water you may have for any ritual use, even in the daily karmic meditations of your spiritual life, such as when taking a bath. You may also wish to use it prior to drinking water to imbue it with sacred intention.\r\n\r\nThis mantra naturally draws us closer to our spiritual nature by charging the nadis, or internal rivers, of our pranic bodies.','Seven Rivers Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','seven-rivers-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:48:21','2013-09-23 22:48:21','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Om the Ganges, Jamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri, these waters (of the seven sacred rivers of the Indian Subcontinent) are brought together (in order to make the water sacred, a reflection of both',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100027,2,'2013-09-16 11:44:20','2013-09-16 18:44:20','','Seven Rivers','','inherit','open','open','','7rivers','','','2013-09-16 11:44:20','2013-09-16 18:44:20','',100026,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100028,2,'2013-09-16 11:44:48','2013-09-16 18:44:48','','Seven Rivers Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','7riversmantra','','','2013-09-16 11:44:48','2013-09-16 18:44:48','',100026,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100029,2,'2008-03-16 11:45:34','2008-03-16 18:45:34','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Oh, Three-Eyed One, we adore you.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Your sweet fragrance permeates all and brings abundance.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Like the cucumber separated from the vine,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Free us from attachment,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>But do not withhold immortality</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/om-tryambakam-yajamahe.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra, called the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (or Death-Conquering Mantra), is Vedic and used during many of our closed circles at SHARANYA to invoke and honor Shiva, the Three-eyed One, He Who Removes Fear From (i.e., Conquers) Death.\r\n\r\nThis mantra invites us to celebrate that which permeates the three worlds, the essence of devotion, toward a liberation from ego attachment. It is a meditation into selfless surrender, a dissolving therefore of the pain we feel when attached to this world and its encumbrances, and then separated from them. Were we not attached so strongly, we would not feel the \"death\" and our sense of it would not lead to such suffering.\r\n\r\nWe utilize this mantra to meditate on that which liberates us from the attachments and agendas of the mundane realm. We pray with it to grant us freedom of thought and clarity of mind so that we may follow our heart\'s longing for deep connection with the true nature of life, which goes beyond death of the body and the small self.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to facilitate movement toward non-dual awareness, that which lies outside your relationship with a personalization of the Divine. Like the cucumber liberated from the vine, free yourself with this mantra and enjoy the refreshing, cooling nourishment you can receive through your practice.','Mantra of the Three-Eyed Shiva','','publish','closed','closed','','mantra-of-the-three-eyed-shiva','','','2013-09-23 15:48:09','2013-09-23 22:48:09','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Oh, Three-Eyed One, we adore you.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Your sweet fragrance permeates all and brings abundance.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Like the cucumber separated from the vine,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Free us from attachment,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>But do not ',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100030,2,'2013-09-16 11:47:22','2013-09-16 18:47:22','','Mantra of the Three-Eyed Shiva','','inherit','open','open','','om-tryambakam-yajamahe','','','2013-09-16 11:47:22','2013-09-16 18:47:22','',100029,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100031,2,'2013-09-16 11:48:32','2013-09-16 18:48:32','','Death Removing Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','deathremovingmantra','','','2013-09-16 11:48:32','2013-09-16 18:48:32','',100029,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100032,2,'2008-04-16 11:49:10','2008-04-16 18:49:10','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Nectar of immortality, which in form contains pure knowledge at the highest stage of identity with the Divine,You are this nectar of immortality; let this substance become filled with such wisdom.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/anangasthamritakare.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra, affectionately known in SHARANYA as the Sanskrit drinking song, is a powerful blessing for sacred substances. In particular, we use it during our pujas to bless the wine we share in community.\r\n\r\nThis mantra invites us, through our chant, to transform the wine into the most pure embodiment of knowledge or wisdom as contained in amrita, the nectar of immortality which arose during the samudra manthan, or churning of the ocean of milk.\r\n\r\nWe utilize this mantra to deepen our internal alignment with the spiritual energies offered at each stage on the spiritual path. By imbibing, we take in the power symbolically offered through the material transformation of grape into wine, helping us draw increasingly into our essence and more fully connecting us with the deepest truth of our beingness in relationship to God/Goddess.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to make you increasingly aware of your spiritual journey.','Wine Blessing Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','wine-blessing-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:48:00','2013-09-23 22:48:00','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Nectar of immortality, which in form contains pure knowledge at the highest stage of identity with the Divine,You are this nectar of immortality; let this substance become filled with such wisdom.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Liste',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100033,2,'2013-09-16 11:50:51','2013-09-16 18:50:51','','Wine Blessing Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','anangasthamritakare','','','2013-09-16 11:50:51','2013-09-16 18:50:51','',100032,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100034,2,'2013-09-16 11:52:13','2013-09-16 18:52:13','','anangasthamritakare','','inherit','open','open','','anangasthamritakare-2','','','2013-09-16 11:52:13','2013-09-16 18:52:13','',100032,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100035,2,'2008-06-16 11:55:03','2008-06-16 18:55:03','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em> Source of All Blessings, Auspicious One, She Who Is Refuge, She Who Has Three Eyes, Golden One, Bestower of All Wishes, Blessed of All Blessed Ones, I honor you!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Creative shakti (energy) abiding in all things, giving rise to all qualities of existence, upon which these qualities depend, you take away unhappiness and remove doubt, Blessed of All Blessed Ones, I celebrate you!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>In you devotees find sanctuary, you save them from all unhappiness and remove doubt always, Blessed of All Blessed Ones, I worship you!</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sarvamangala3verses.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis famous mantra, known as the Namaskara Mantra, comes from the Devi Mahatmyam, the epic tale of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess. She has many names in the story, most famously Durga, but also Chandi, Kali, Chamunda and others. This mantra is one of seven said to encapsulate the power of the entire 700 verses of this text, which is also known as the Durga Saptashati, or Seven Hundred Verses of Durga. It can regularly be heard echoing through Kali temples and other temples of the Great Goddess throughout India, usually at the end of the formal puja. If you repeat just one mantra in honor of Mahadevi, this is definitely a powerful choice.\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we use this mantra to open our homa (sacrificial fire) ceremony and to praise Devi (Goddess) in all her various forms after invocations are complete during puja. It is a way of acknowledging Her presence, offering gratitudes from our hearts, and readying for the raising of energy in Her name for the intentions we are holding, both individually and collectively. The mantra is at once sweet and solemn, devotional and evocative of the contemplative in our approach to the Divine.\r\n\r\nIn your individual practice, performing japa (repetition of divine mantras) with this mantra can be especially helpful in removing obstructed emotional energy. If you are working with raising internal energy, this can be a wonderful prayer with which to begin your practice. It is also particularly powerful when chanted during Navaratri, the festival of the nine nights of Durga, celebrated twice a year in the Spring and Fall. A daily practice might include chanting this mantra 21 times or 108 times each day as part of your meditation practice. Try it, and see how it opens and strengthens your heart, bringing you into greater touch with Her in this reality.','Namaskara Mantra (Full Version)','','publish','closed','closed','','sarvamangala-mangalye-2','','','2013-09-23 15:53:47','2013-09-23 22:53:47','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em> Source of All Blessings, Auspicious One, She Who Is Refuge, She Who Has Three Eyes, Golden One, Bestower of All Wishes, Blessed of All Blessed Ones, I honor you!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Creative shakti (energy) abiding in all thi',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100036,2,'2013-09-16 11:54:05','2013-09-16 18:54:05','','Sarvamangala Mangalye','','inherit','open','open','','sarvamangala3verses','','','2013-09-16 11:54:05','2013-09-16 18:54:05','',100035,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100037,2,'2013-09-16 11:54:28','2013-09-16 18:54:28','','Sarvamangala Mangalye','','inherit','open','open','','sarvamangala3verses-2','','','2013-09-16 11:54:28','2013-09-16 18:54:28','',100035,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100038,2,'2008-08-16 11:55:51','2008-08-16 18:55:51','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Life, death, rebirth, we bow to the primordial life-force energy</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Creation, preservation, dissolution, we bow to Earth\'s foundations</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Maid, Mother, Crone, we bow to the boundless</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Sun, Moon, Fire, we bow to nature</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Physical, emotional and psychical bodies, ready! Make pure!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Bless and purify, by the power of the seven sacred rivers, all the internal energies reflected in this external reality...at once, make them equal</em>\r\n\r\n<em>By the power of lover and beloved, make it so</em>\r\n\r\n<em>With these scented flowers and the power of creation, we offer obeisance to the twelve aspects of the sun</em>\r\n\r\n<em>With these scented flowers and the power of preservation, we offer obeisance to the sixteen aspects of the moon</em>\r\n\r\n<em>With these scented flowers and the power of dissolution, we offer obeisance to the ten aspects of fire</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Witnessed by the power of my clan wave gathered, this water is now Shiva and Shakti, the nectar of immortality.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ana.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nWe teach samanyarghya, water purification, in its entirety during SHARANYA\'s closed circles as part of the Daughters of Kali program, but we use many of these mantras in our public pujas too. For example, the seven rivers mantra is sung alone for our water blessing at the start of our ceremony (listen to it sung here.) We end the sequence by sprinkling water on all gathered and on our altars while speaking the last mantra, amritam kuru svaha. This is how we bless the space for our ritual work together. This can be done equally well in one\'s home, office, or any other space you wish to cleanse.\r\n\r\nEach verse, each mantra, is potent and can be utilized in your daily practice alone or in concert with the others. Flower offerings may be made using the mantras beginning ete gandhapuspe to seal prayers or spells. Place the flowers on your altar in gratitude to the energies that converge around your good intentions. This is also particularly effective for blessing protection charms and talismans. Should you wish to simplify the mantra, just say, ete gandhapuspe om am namah, replacing \"am\" with \"um\" and \"mam\" for the round of three verses that makes up the totality of AUM. Of course, with a bit of practice you will be able to do the entire series of mantras to full effect.\r\n\r\nWater blessed in puja in this way is utilized throughout the worship and honoring of Maa. It is then shared with devotees; when you receive this water, take it in your cupped right hand, sip three times, and then draw your hand up over your face and head to receive the full benefit.\r\n\r\n* NOTE: For additional information on samanyarghya, you may also wish to read the many books by Shree Maa and Swami Satyananda Saraswati that are readily available to help the spiritual seeker with puja.','Water Purification','','publish','closed','closed','','water-purification','','','2013-09-23 15:47:39','2013-09-23 22:47:39','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Life, death, rebirth, we bow to the primordial life-force energy</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Creation, preservation, dissolution, we bow to Earth\'s foundations</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Maid, Mother, Crone, we bow to the boundless</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Sun, ',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100039,2,'2013-09-16 11:56:56','2013-09-16 18:56:56','','Water Purification','','inherit','open','open','','ana','','','2013-09-16 11:56:56','2013-09-16 18:56:56','',100038,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100040,2,'2013-09-16 11:57:28','2013-09-16 18:57:28','','Water Purification','','inherit','open','open','','ana-2','','','2013-09-16 11:57:28','2013-09-16 18:57:28','',100038,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100041,2,'2008-09-16 11:59:24','2008-09-16 18:59:24','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>OM this mala of mine, Great Maya, She who knows the limits of time and space, you who contain all energy, the shakti of our existence and cosmic creation.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Bring me revelation of how I may lead this whole life.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>OM remover of obstacles, mala of my lineage, you I hold in my right hand and perform japa (recitation of divine names).</em>\r\n\r\n<em>At this time, be pleased with me; allow me to attain your ultimate grace.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/malamantra.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is used to bless and establish the energy of intentionality within one\'s mala or rosary. Used for repetition of the divine names, also known as japa, the mala is an important tool in the spiritual toolkit.\r\n\r\nBy performing japa and utilizing mantra, one taps into the spiritual science of sound. For more on this, check out our blog!\r\n\r\nWe utilize this mantra in community prior to meditation and puja. You may find that it helps ready the mind for the work of going inward, providing a good starting place for the spiritual journey.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to facilitate your work with the divine names, prayer, and focusing prior to beginning ritual work with a mala.','Mala Blessing','','publish','closed','closed','','mala-blessing','','','2013-09-23 15:47:29','2013-09-23 22:47:29','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>OM this mala of mine, Great Maya, She who knows the limits of time and space, you who contain all energy, the shakti of our existence and cosmic creation.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Bring me revelation of how I may lead this whole li',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100042,2,'2013-09-16 12:00:20','2013-09-16 19:00:20','','Mala Blessing','','inherit','open','open','','malamantra','','','2013-09-16 12:00:20','2013-09-16 19:00:20','',100041,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100043,2,'2013-09-16 12:00:45','2013-09-16 19:00:45','','Mala Blessing','','inherit','open','open','','malablessing','','','2013-09-16 12:00:45','2013-09-16 19:00:45','',100041,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100044,2,'2008-10-16 12:01:33','2008-10-16 19:01:33','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Shining like so many suns, you great one with a broken tusk, we implore you, remove all obstacles; remain with us in all we do, always!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Great one who has one tooth, a round belly, and visage of an elephant, destroyer of obstacles that remain in our way, we bow down in devotion to you.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Flowers of beautiful fragrance are all offered to you, flowers that come from the devoted centers of our hearts to give you worship, Oh! please receive them.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/mallikadi64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is sung during our Kali Puja and other rites to invoke and honor Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles, He Who Challenges Us to Greater Potentials. This mantra invites engagement with Ganesha as we see him in our mind\'s eye and experience him through our delight in our worship.\r\n\r\nGanesha is playful, generous, and sweet; yet he is also fierce in his commitment to providing us with the obstacles we need in order to grow, learn, and change upon the spiritual path. His ways are comforting and gentle, direct and stubborn. With Ganesha, we may not immediately see the point being made, but it will become clear enough what he expects of us...perhaps even that we must get out of our own way!\r\n\r\nUtilize this mantra to play with the child within, connect to joy and delight, and know the Divine through everyday actions. Use this mantra in your daily practice to open your heart to fun, wonder, awe and the spark of imagination that gets us into trouble if we\'re not careful. Come to know Ganesha, beloved Ganapati, and remember the reason you started the journey.\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAH - JAI GANESHA!</h3>','Honoring of Ganesha','','publish','closed','closed','','honoring-of-ganesha','','','2013-09-23 15:47:19','2013-09-23 22:47:19','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Shining like so many suns, you great one with a broken tusk, we implore you, remove all obstacles; remain with us in all we do, always!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Great one who has one tooth, a round belly, and visage of an elephant,',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100045,2,'2013-09-16 12:02:38','2013-09-16 19:02:38','','Honoring of Ganesha','','inherit','open','open','','mallikadi64','','','2013-09-16 12:02:38','2013-09-16 19:02:38','',100044,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100046,2,'2013-09-16 12:03:24','2013-09-16 19:03:24','','Honoring of Ganesha','','inherit','open','open','','mallikadi64-2','','','2013-09-16 12:03:24','2013-09-16 19:03:24','',100044,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100047,2,'2008-12-16 12:05:06','2008-12-16 19:05:06','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Om in all the worlds, the powers of earth, water and fire, of air, ether, consciousness and ultimate truth, we meditate on the vast reality of the Divine. May we be fortunate in our endeavors.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/gayatri.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is used daily in our practice as a blessing and invitation to reconnect to Spirit beyond conception, that which permeates all things. It is a powerful and sweet, sattvic (high vibrational) mantra that brings us into harmony with Goddess in all the worlds. It recalls the breath that moves through us, carrying the vital energies of prithvi (earth), apas (\'jalam\' or water), agni (fire), vayu (air), and akasha (ether). It invokes awareness of higher states of consciousness at the same time that it invites us to make the Divine real in the here and now through our speech, thought, action, and intentions. Because of its potency and invocation of all that creates the phenomenal world, we also use it regularly as a blessing before meals.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to invoke and honor the Divine on all levels, in all realms: as the Ultimate Reality, Great Goddess, and dearest personal, indwelling Spirit. May you be successful in your meditations!','Gayatri Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','gayatri-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:47:11','2013-09-23 22:47:11','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Om in all the worlds, the powers of earth, water and fire, of air, ether, consciousness and ultimate truth, we meditate on the vast reality of the Divine. May we be fortunate in our endeavors.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100048,2,'2013-09-16 12:06:12','2013-09-16 19:06:12','','Gayatri Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','gayatri-mantra','','','2013-09-16 12:06:12','2013-09-16 19:06:12','',100047,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100049,2,'2013-09-16 12:07:33','2013-09-16 19:07:33','','Gayatri Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','gayatri','','','2013-09-16 12:07:33','2013-09-16 19:07:33','',100047,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100050,2,'2009-01-16 12:08:39','2009-01-16 19:08:39','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>OM to You, Tara, embodiment of all virtues, savioress,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I offer myself always</em>\r\n\r\n<em>whether I am in happy or unhappy circumstances</em>\r\n\r\n<em>with my body, speech, and mind</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Vajra.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra invites us to cultivate awareness of our highest self through the blessings of Maa Tara, Vajrayogini, She who has committed to this world of suffering and duality for our betterment and liberation, She who hears our pleas and prayers, who comforts us and acts so that we may live, learn and love openly.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to facilitate healing in all the worlds, in all realms of consciousness, which begins with this one...the one of our physical bodies, emotions, thoughts, desires, hopes and dreams. Use this mantra as a reminder on your spiritual journey that you are not alone; that you are aided by those who know and experience the Great Mystery.','Vajrayogini (Tara) Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','vajrayogini-vajratara-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:58:42','2013-09-23 22:58:42','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>OM to You, Tara, embodiment of all virtues, savioress,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I offer myself always</em>\r\n\r\n<em>whether I am in happy or unhappy circumstances</em>\r\n\r\n<em>with my body, speech, and mind</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to t',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100051,2,'2013-09-16 12:09:52','2013-09-16 19:09:52','','Vajrayogini (Vajratara) Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','vajratara','','','2013-09-16 12:09:52','2013-09-16 19:09:52','',100050,'',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100052,2,'2013-09-16 12:10:27','2013-09-16 19:10:27','','Vajrayogini (Vajratara) Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','vajrataramantram','','','2013-09-16 12:10:27','2013-09-16 19:10:27','',100050,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100053,2,'2009-02-16 12:11:34','2009-02-16 19:11:34','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>OM Atma Tattva, Vidya Tattva, Shiva Tattva</em>\r\n<em> and the qualities of manifest and psychic reality; She, Chandi, Goddess of Surrendered Mind</em>\r\n\r\n<em>By your power the curses are removed - it is so!</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/shapodhara.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is a powerful call to Goddess Chandi, Durga the Slayer of Demons, to remove curses that have been placed by anyone at any time from the realities we inhabit physically, dream in, and practice spiritual devotions within.\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we use this mantra in our monthly pujas as part of the purification process prior to invoking Devi (Goddess). In addition to calling on the power of Chandi to remove curses, we actively pray with this mantra that curses on all aspects of Goddess and the Feminine in self and world are removed as well. We specifically engage the power of our lineage to help perform this work.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your daily practice to liberate spaces in your inner and outer landscapes of awareness from any of the tyrannies or injustices that keep you from your true nature, or that keep the world in which you engage from its greatest potential.','Shapodhara Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','shapodhara-mantra','','','2013-10-27 16:29:50','2013-10-27 23:29:50','',0,'',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100054,2,'2013-09-16 12:13:45','2013-09-16 19:13:45','','shappodhara','','inherit','open','open','','shappodhara','','','2013-09-16 12:13:45','2013-09-16 19:13:45','',100053,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100055,2,'2009-03-16 12:14:22','2009-03-16 19:14:22','<strong>Translation of The Elevated Chant:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>From untruth to Truth;</em>\r\n<em> From darkness to Light;</em>\r\n<em> From death to Immortality (of the soul)</em>\r\n<em> Lead us!</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Pavamana.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra, from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Chapter 3 - Third Brahmana, Part I) is used to end our pujas at SHARANYA Mandir. It is a purifying mantra that invokes the power to help us realize our sankalpa (sacred intention), whether set at the beginning of ritual, or as part of our daily practice.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra to facilitate all desired ends, deepen your meditations, increase awareness, create health and vitality, and catalyze other sacred manifestations in alignment with your life\'s true purpose.','Pavamana Abhyaroha Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','pavamana-abhyaroha-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:46:07','2013-09-23 22:46:07','',0,'<strong>Translation of The Elevated Chant:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>From untruth to Truth;</em>\r\n<em> From darkness to Light;</em>\r\n<em> From death to Immortality (of the soul)</em>\r\n<em> Lead us!</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'ht',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100056,2,'2013-09-16 12:15:22','2013-09-16 19:15:22','\"Pavamana Mantra\" by Chandra & Murray. Genre: Ethnic.','Pavamana Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','pavamana-mantra','','','2013-09-16 12:15:22','2013-09-16 19:15:22','',100055,'\"Pavamana Mantra\" by Chandra & Murray. Genre: Ethnic.',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100057,2,'2013-09-16 12:15:53','2013-09-16 19:15:53','','pavamana','','inherit','open','open','','pavamana','','','2013-09-16 12:15:53','2013-09-16 19:15:53','',100055,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100058,2,'2009-11-16 12:17:21','2009-11-16 19:17:21','<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kalis-heart2.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis most-auspicious 22-syllable mantra vidya given in the Devirahasya Tantra (The Secret Goddess Tantra) is a potent vibrational elixir that brings together the most powerful bijas of Devi so as to permeate the three worlds of physical, subtle, and causal realities in order to transform them. When reciting, we offer from our heart the three flowers of these realms: jasmine (white), oleander (red), and lotus (black), which correspond not only to the fundamental qualities of nature, but also to the three types of menstrual blood in Tantrick tradition: kunda, gola and svayambhu, respectively.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra when you are ready to cut through the limitations of your day-to-day life and consciousness. Be ready, however! This mantra is more than effective.','Kali\'s Heart Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','kalis-heart-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:53:04','2013-09-23 22:53:04','',0,'<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kalis-heart2.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis most-auspicious 22-syllable mantra vidya given in the Devirahasya Tantra (The Secret Goddess Tantra) is a potent v',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100059,2,'2013-09-16 12:17:10','2013-09-16 19:17:10','\"Kalis heart2\".','Kalis heart2','','inherit','open','open','','kalis-heart2','','','2013-09-16 12:17:10','2013-09-16 19:17:10','',100058,'\"Kalis heart2\".',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100060,2,'2013-09-16 12:17:54','2013-09-16 19:17:54','','heart','','inherit','open','open','','heart','','','2013-09-16 12:17:54','2013-09-16 19:17:54','',100058,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100061,2,'2009-12-16 12:18:34','2009-12-16 19:18:34','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>That is perfect; this is perfect.</em>\r\n<em> If perfection is taken from the perfect, only the perfect remains.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/purnamadah.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra, from the first verse of the Isha Upanishad, is translated in many ways. Some say this short mantra sums up the nature of reality, and all spiritual seekers benefit from chanting it and contemplating its underlying meaning. It is a most popular mantra, one often used to end yoga classes as much as pujas.\r\n\r\nBring this mantra into your daily practice to facilitate connection with the Ultimate Reality and bring equanimity, tranquility, and peace to your life.','Shantipata: Peace Invocation','','publish','closed','closed','','shantipata-peace-invocation','','','2013-09-23 15:45:23','2013-09-23 22:45:23','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>That is perfect; this is perfect.</em>\r\n<em> If perfection is taken from the perfect, only the perfect remains.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/20',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100062,2,'2013-09-16 12:19:35','2013-09-16 19:19:35','\"purnamadah\".','purnamadah','','inherit','open','open','','purnamadah','','','2013-09-16 12:19:35','2013-09-16 19:19:35','',100061,'\"purnamadah\".',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100063,2,'2013-09-16 12:20:15','2013-09-16 19:20:15','','purnamadah','','inherit','open','open','','purnamadah-2','','','2013-09-16 12:20:15','2013-09-16 19:20:15','',100061,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100064,2,'2010-01-16 12:20:48','2010-01-16 19:20:48','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>You who have been welcomed (arisen, embodied in the murti through prāṇa pratiṣṭha), Great Mother Kali, are offered gratitudes and bid farewell.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/visarjan.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThis mantra is used at the end of our Kali Puja to thank our Divine Mother, Kali Maa, for coming to our ceremony, for flowing from our hearts into the murti we reserve for Her during worship.\r\n\r\nUse this mantra in your own worship to give thanks and devoke, returning the image you use to its original form, before closing your puja and putting away your ritual items.','Visarjan Mantra','','publish','closed','closed','','visarjan-mantra','','','2013-09-23 15:44:54','2013-09-23 22:44:54','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>You who have been welcomed (arisen, embodied in the murti through prāṇa pratiṣṭha), Great Mother Kali, are offered gratitudes and bid farewell.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sh',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100065,2,'2013-09-16 12:21:38','2013-09-16 19:21:38','\"Visarjan Mantra\" by Chandra Alexandre. Genre: Other.','Visarjan Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','visarjan-mantra','','','2013-09-16 12:21:38','2013-09-16 19:21:38','',100064,'\"Visarjan Mantra\" by Chandra Alexandre. Genre: Other.',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100066,2,'2013-09-16 12:22:00','2013-09-16 19:22:00','','visarjan','','inherit','open','open','','visarjan','','','2013-09-16 12:22:00','2013-09-16 19:22:00','',100064,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100067,2,'2010-02-16 12:22:59','2010-02-16 19:22:59','<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>We invoke you with offerings, Ganesha, making offerings to you as Love</em>\r\n<em> Invoking you with offerings, He of Plentitudes</em>\r\n\r\n<em>We invoke you with offerings, Ganesha, making offerings to the Sage great and wise</em>\r\n<em> Invoking you with offerings, He of Rulers</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Come to us quickly and join our gathering, be among us!</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Listen to the mantra:</strong>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ganeshavedic.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nGanesha is a popular deity, a delightful and bold god who offers insight into any dilemma. He is depicted with an elephant head...but why an elephant head?\r\n\r\nCertainly, there are at least a couple of stories to explain this oddity, but one myth tells how Shiva came home one day and didn\'t realize that it was his own son guarding the doorway to their house. He quickly beheaded the mistaken intruder, but replaced it upon Parvati\'s all-consuming grief over his mistake. An elephant was the first north-facing sleeping creature they found, and their son thus came to wear the elephant countenance.\r\n\r\nAnd what does that really signify? On the one hand, it is easy to see that everyone loves the playfulness and intelligence of elephants. These creatures are docile and unthreatening despite their enormous size, and they are vegetarians.\r\n\r\nPhilosophically, however, Ganesha\'s elephant head denotes the capacity we have on the spiritual journey to leave the mundane world and enter the world of unseen mysteries. In the mudgala purāṇam, one of Ganesha\'s two most sacred texts, his eight incarnations help devotees realize that All is One. The head is part of reality (some say it represents that which is outside of the self while others say it represents Atman), his body is part of reality (some say it represents one\'s egoic sense of self), and the two cojoined create all that exists in Truth.\r\n\r\nAnd why does Ganesha have a rat for a mount? The rat (or mouse) is a symbol that lets us know how close to us Ganesh really is. He experiences life in the mundane world much in the same way as a rat does, up close and personal. Therefore, he understands our troubles and obstacles. In this way, with his head disconnected from the Maya of the world yet with intimate understanding of our difficulties, he can best discern the \'way out\' and help guide us further on our journey. Chant this mantra to welcome him and let him know you\'ve made a space for him in your heart.\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Jai Ganesha!</h4>','Invocation of Ganesha','','publish','closed','closed','','invocation-of-ganesha','','','2013-09-23 15:45:03','2013-09-23 22:45:03','',0,'<strong>Translation:</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>We invoke you with offerings, Ganesha, making offerings to you as Love</em>\r\n<em> Invoking you with offerings, He of Plentitudes</em>\r\n\r\n<em>We invoke you with offerings, Ganesha, making offerings to the Sage great and',0,'th_galleries','',0),(100068,2,'2013-09-16 12:23:54','2013-09-16 19:23:54','\"Ganesha Mantra\" by Chandra Alexandre. Genre: Other.','Ganesha Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','ganesha-mantra','','','2013-09-16 12:23:54','2013-09-16 19:23:54','',100067,'\"Ganesha Mantra\" by Chandra Alexandre. Genre: Other.',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(100069,2,'2013-09-16 12:24:50','2013-09-16 19:24:50','','ganeshavedic','','inherit','open','open','','ganeshavedic','','','2013-09-16 12:24:50','2013-09-16 19:24:50','',100067,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100070,2,'2013-09-16 13:03:02','2013-09-16 20:03:02','The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled my early life. At the center of my own worship, the Great Mother has always been present—whether She has manifested as Ma, any one of the mighty goddesses of the western pantheon, or Vajrayogini.\r\n\r\nHindu and Buddhist iconography dotted the walls of my childhood home, and aside from Ma, one of the strongest spiritual images that remains in my memory is that of <i>Vajrayogini</i>(literally, “diamond female yogi” in Sanskrit), the female Buddha of wisdom and great bliss. Vajrayogini is considered the Queen of <i>Dakinis</i> (“sky dancers,” or female Tantric enlightened beings), and it has been said that the Yoga Tantra practice of Vajrayogini enables anybody, especially those who are plagued by strong desires and attachment, to attain enlightenment rapidly, as the instruction of the practice comes directly from Her.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini’s <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) originated in India between the tenth and twelfth centuries and was followed by both Hindu and Buddhist practitioners. Tantrism itself is a method of psychospiritual advancement that was developed in India before the purported arrival of Indo-Europeans over three thousand years ago. With the pressures that were brought to bear on Indian religious life by the eighth-century Central Asian invaders, Tantric systems were maintained in the south of the subcontinent and also in Bengal, where they formed an important aspect of goddess worship in India. Those Indian (and later, Tantric Buddhist) traditions have preserved these systems and the iconography of the goddess since ancient times, but it is not exactly known how old they are. Despite the similarities between Hindu Tantrism and Vajrayana (or Tantric, or Tibetan) Buddhism, there are also some fundamental differences. The purpose of Vajrayana Buddhist practice is to attain the perfect enlightenment of Buddha, whereas in the Hindu Tantric system, the basis is realizing the ten Mahavidyas, or aspects of Devi, as the highest forms of deities.\r\n\r\nVajrayogini is inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, and even Her divine consort, Heruka-Cakrasamvara (often depicted as a spear on the goddess’s shoulder) doesn’t come close to approaching Vajrayogini’s metaphysical and iconographic importance.\r\n\r\nShe has no other counterpart in Buddhism, and is a wild spirit who dances ecstatically in the sky of sunyata, or the great emptiness that underlies all phenomena. The similarities between Vajrayogini and Kali are so obvious that many scholars suspect they are only slight variations of the Great Mother of Hinduism. Typically, Vajrayogini is blood-red in color, naked except for elaborate ornaments of human bone and a necklace of skulls (corresponding to the 16 vowels and 35 consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet). In Her right hand, She holds a flaying knife used to cut off attachments, and in Her left She carries a skull cup filled with mahasukha (the great bliss), which She pours out like wine to Her devotees. Perhaps another aspect that links Her to Kali is the fact that both goddesses are depicted as two of the ten Mahavidyas. Among the Mahavidyas, Kali, Tara, and Chinnamasta have the most significance, especially in Tantric practice. In Buddhism, Vajrayogini is essentially the same entity as Chinnamasta (also known as Krodha Kali), and both goddesses appear in severed-head forms and other identical imagery.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Terdag Lingpa Gyurme Dorje, a respected 17th century teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayogini is the goddess who appears “at the time of darkness, fierce and raging, blue-black in color. The main face is wrathful, the very pure relative truth, and the upper face of a pig is the pure ultimate truth, gazing upward; both faces have three round red eyes. The right hand holds a curved knife upraised and the left a skullcup of blood held to the heart. In the bend of the left elbow, as the nature of method, appears a katvanga staff. Wearing an elephant hide as an upper garment and a tiger skin as a lower garment; adorned with snakes and bones. Dark yellow hair bristles upward, the remainder falling loose. With a crown of five dry human skulls, a necklace of fifty fresh. The left leg is extended in a half dance posture pressing on the heart of a human corpse. Standing on the left leg in a posture of dance atop a corpse, sun disc and lotus blossom, She is completely surrounded by the orange-red flames of pristine awareness. Appearing youthful and dwelling in the middle of a blazing mass of fire.”\r\n\r\nIn no uncertain terms, Vajrayogini is the goddess of both grace and destruction. Like Kali, She tramples upon illusion and ego-awareness in terrible jubilation. But like Tara (who is also thought to be a manifestation of Vajrayogini in Tantric Buddhism), She offers grace and benediction to spirits in search of a way out of misery and the samsaric cycle. Vajrayogini is typically worshipped in mandala form and through visualization. The Guhyasamayasadhanamala is a tenth-century text that contains solely Vajrayogini sadhanas, with 46 comprised works by various authors.\r\n\r\nWhile I know there are historical circumstances that separate the two goddesses, I’m also aware that ritual and history are simply variables underlying the face of a singular truth. So for me, Vajrayogini is Ma. A Nyingma liturgical verse to Vajrayogini sits atop my altar, right next to an image of Ma: “From the pure, unborn, dharmadhatu palace; Fierce Vajra Black One, performing the benefit of beings; entire treasure of all excellent and common attainments; Powerful Mistress, to you I bow.”\r\n<h2>Worshiping Vajrayogini</h2>\r\nAs might be expected, many of the practices and mantras that are associated with Vajrayogini are often considered secret, and traditional practitioners are uncomfortable with the breaking of that secrecy around these practices, as initiation rites in Vajrayana Buddhism, and in traditional Hindu Tantrism, are rigorous and require an enormous amount of spiritual commitment and fortitude from the devotee. Mystical experience is required in order to experience Buddha-nature prior to full enlightenment. A body of esoteric knowledge passed via lineages of transmission was accumulated over centuries to prepare Tantric students for the next stage. The knowledge is now more accessible, but, as with all wisdom, enlightenment is hardly an experience that can be transmitted by a teacher or set of books—it’s one that can only be received.\r\n\r\nThe Vajravarahi Sadhana describes worship of Vajrayogini as a complex and exacting process. Typically, She is worshipped through visualization of offerings and recitation of verses. Devotees begin by visualizing a glowing red “vam” in their hearts, as it is the seed-syllable of Vajrayogini in Her essential form. The syllable then quivers with energy, which draws down a mass of Buddhas from their dwelling place. These Buddhas (which include gurus, Buddhas, and Boddhisattvas) are then to be worshipped with ritual offerings such as flowers, incense, lamps, perfumed powders, and food (the upacaras, similar to the offerings made to Kali at Her temple in Dakshineswar). Worship can become even more elaborate, but it typically culminates in continuous repetition of an eight-part mantra.\r\n\r\nWhile exact methods of worshipping the goddess are veiled in Tantric secrecy, it is also possible to worship Vajrayogini as Tara. This beautiful goddess is also strikingly similar in appearance to Kali. While Kali is black, Tara is blue (although She is a goddess who appears in different colors, such as the compassionate Green Tara and the volatile Red Tara). Both wear a necklace of severed human heads and a girdle of arms, and both sport lolling tongues with blood oozing from their mouths. Essentially, they are manifestations of each other, and Tara is often called Kalika, Mahakali, and Bhadrakali. However, Tara is often thought to be the more approachable manifestation of the Goddess. Tara Herself first appeared in India and is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in Tibet; Her mantra is second only to Avalokiteshvara’s:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>OM TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE SVĀHĀ</em></strong></p>\r\nA rough translation of the mantra is: “To you, embodiment of all the Buddhas’ actions, I prostrate always—whether I am in happy or unhappy circumstances—with my body, speech, and mind.”\r\n\r\nLearn more and <a href=\"/mandala/th_gallery/vajrayogini-vajratara-mantra/\">listen to the mantra &gt;&gt;</a>\r\n\r\n<em>Nirmala Nataraj is a lover of the Divine Mother presently studying with SHARANYA in Daughters of Kali.</em>','Vajrayogini (Vajratara): History & Worship','','inherit','open','open','','100018-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 13:03:02','2013-09-16 20:03:02','',100018,'The worship of the Great Mother spans history and culture. My own personal spiritual journey has similarly run the gamut from exploring the great earth religions and fertility cults of Europe to finding refuge in the Buddhist and Hindu temples that filled',0,'revision','',0),(100071,2,'2013-09-16 13:41:38','2013-09-16 20:41:38','<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nGoddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another variation on basic themes, and every child growing up in India today learns many stories, just as a westerner might be introduced to fairy tales in kindergarten classrooms or as bedtime stories. It is through these myths that the glory of the goddess, and peoples’ love for her, grows. Here are some of her forms and most popular stories from within the Indian context to illustrate the variety of roles She fills.\r\n\r\nAs Durga, the Goddess is She who is “beyond reach” or “inaccessible.” She is Devi Mahishasuramardini (Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon) who appears to her devotees as both saumya (gentle and mild) and ghora (frightful and terrible). It is generally believed that she was a goddess of the agricultural peoples originally, and was later brahminized through the Sanskrit literature because of her incredible popularity. It has also been suggested that Her many battles in the Vedic literature are detailed because \"she had to fight her way into orthodox Hinduism.\" According to the Skanda Purana, she is none other than Parvati who takes on the role of warrior at Siva’s request to kill a giant demon of the name Durga. The demon cannot be killed by any of the gods because he is protected against the torments of any male by a special boon. Thus, Parvati alone is able to kill him, and in doing so, the goddess herself is named Durga. The demon then takes the form of a buffalo, an apparition that again appears in the famous Devi-Mahatmya tale of the slaying of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon (mahisha means buffalo). This tale begins:\r\n\r\nOnce in the land of the gods, a huge and terrible battle raged for hundreds of years. The gods were finally defeated, kicked from their celestial abode by the terrible leader of the demons, Mahishasura. The gods, who had fought the battle and lost, appeared before the greatness of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, explaining their defeat. The major gods become furious, and from their faces “came forth a great fiery splendor, and also from the...bodies of all the other gods, Indra and the others...and it congealed into a single form.\" A little of Thomas Coburn’s continuing translation of the Devi-Mahatmya at this point will give a feel for the power of the tale of Durga’s appearance:\r\n<blockquote>A stupendously fiery mass like a flaming mountain the gods saw there, filling the firmament with flames. That matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods, came together in a single place, pervading all the worlds with its lustre, and it became a woman...Devi bellowed aloud with laughter over and over again. The entire atmosphere was filled with her terrible noise, and from that deafening, ear-shattering noise a great echo arose. All the worlds quaked, and the oceans shook. The earth trembled, and the mountains tottered. The gods, utterly delighted, cried, \"Victory!\" to the one who rides on a lion.</blockquote>\r\n\r\nAnd so the Great Goddess is born, ready to fight the enemies of the gods. In her battle with the demons, she easily wins, and must finally confront the general, Mahisha himself. For this battle she is called Chandika, “The Violent and Impetuous One,” in part because Mahisha so infuriates her by changing form every time she attempts to kill him. The goddess charges and he changes into a lion. She cuts off his head, and he emerges from that body as a man, armed for battle. She kills him, and an elephant appears in his place. She chops off the trunk, and the buffalo is once again before her. Needing something to channel her focus, Chandika drinks her fill of wine and becomes intoxicated. She laughs at Mahisha as he roars and throws mountains at her during her break. She yells at him that soon it will be the gods who are roaring over his death and defeat. Downing her last gulp, the goddess leaps across the battlefield at Mahisha, stands upon his neck to stop him from changing into any other forms, pierces him with her spear and chops off his head. She is indeed victorious with this maneuver, and the gods sing her praise. She so loves their devotion that she tells them she will come again to their aid if they merely call. With this boon, she disappears.\r\n\r\nThe most detailed and glorious tale of Durga’s battlefield prowess comes when the gods, who remember her earlier promise, again call upon her. This time, She is asked to defeat the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha (two brothers). These demons had somehow managed to amass so much power that they deprived the gods of sacrificial offerings for a long time. This caused the gods tremendous stress because the offerings are what sustains their purpose—if they are not honored, they are depotentiated. This had been going on for so long that none of the gods could live in heaven any longer. The gods therefore sung out to the goddess, praising her for all things, hoping that she would help save them a fate of anonymity. When called, She came in her most beautiful aspect as Ambika. When Sumbha’s generals, Chanda and Munda, saw her, however, they immediately reported back to Sumbha of her splendor. They told him that she would be most worthy of his favors. Sumbha, being vain and wanting all things of beauty for his own, decided to have his minions ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf.\r\n\r\nThe generals then go to the goddess, but she tells them of a vow taken in her youth to only marry the one who can defeat her in battle. Upon hearing this from his emissaries, Sumbha is angry to think that a “mere woman” would thus suggest challenging him. He calls another of his generals, Dhumralochana (Smoky-Eyes), and tells him to take sixty thousand of his forces, grab the woman by the hair and return her to him. Dhumralochana goes forth to Chandika and at first tries to persuade her to come peacefully to Sumbha. She is not so inclined, and when Dhumralochana attempts to attack her, Chandika turns him and his battalions to ashes. The goddess is not easily had.\r\n\r\nSumbha quickly hears about his general’s defeat. He is so filled with hatred and desire to overcome and possess the goddess that he next summons Chanda and Munda, his most trusted officers. These two, acting on their commander’s request head off with the rest of the demon entourage and find Chandika in the Himalayas. They immediately begin firing arrows at her, and with this, the goddess lets her rage be known. She turns black in anger and fury, and from her brow, Kali emerges. This emanation of the goddess is her most fierce and gruesome.\r\n\r\nShe is depicted as emaciated, with red eyes, protruding tongue set for lapping up blood, black countenance, and wild, long, disheveled hair. She carries multiple weapons, a skull-topped staff, and emits alternatively hideous shrieks and deafening roars. Her only clothing, if any, is a tiger-skin wrapped about her waist, and she wears as ornaments a garland of freshly severed human heads and dead infant earrings. Kali easily slays the generals and offers their heads to Chandika, who then names her Chamunda, or slayer of Chanda and Munda. Then, both Chandika and Kali set out to kill Sumbha and his remaining armies.\r\n\r\nThe gods at this point send their power, or shakti, to the aid of the goddesses. (These matrikas as they’re known, are described below.) Together, these forces, along with the shakti of Chandika, called Aparajita, decimate all foes while those demons still able to do so flee the battleground in terror. One demon though, named Raktabija (Blood Seed, or Drops of Blood), comes forward again to fight. He has the special gift of being able to multiply wherever one of his drops of blood falls upon the earth. But Chandika and Chamunda team up to defeat him. Chandika lances the demon, weakening him, while Chamunda laps up his blood before it can reach the ground, thus ensuring his death. Now, only Sumbha and Nisumbha are left to challenge the goddesses. To make a long story short, however, devi withdraws Her emanations back into herself, kills Nisumbha first and renders Sumbha powerless, finally destroying him with one fatal pierce of her spear. The Goddess is yet again victorious.','Devi: Some Tales of the Great Goddess','','publish','open','open','','devi-some-tales-of-the-great-goddess','','','2013-09-23 16:52:26','2013-09-23 23:52:26','',0,'<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nGoddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another variation on basic themes, and every child growing up in India today learns many stories, just as a westerner ',0,'post','',0),(100072,2,'2013-09-16 13:41:38','2013-09-16 20:41:38','&lt;em&gt;by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;hr /&gt;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Goddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another variation on basic themes, and every child growing up in India today learns many stories, just as a westerner might be introduced to fairy tales in kindergarten classrooms or as bedtime stories. It is through these myths that the glory of the goddess, and peoples’ love for her, grows. Here are some of her forms and most popular stories from within the Indian context to illustrate the variety of roles She fills.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As Durga, the Goddess is She who is “beyond reach” or “inaccessible.” She is <i>Devi Mahishasuramardini </i>(Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon) who appears to her devotees as both <i>saumya</i> (gentle and mild) and <i>ghora</i> (frightful and terrible). It is generally believed that she was a goddess of the agricultural peoples originally, and was later brahminized through the Sanskrit literature because of her incredible popularity. It has also been suggested that Her many battles in the Vedic literature are detailed because \"she had to fight her way into orthodox Hinduism.\" According to the <i>Skanda Purana</i>, she is none other than Parvati who takes on the role of warrior at Siva’s request to kill a giant demon of the name Durga. The demon cannot be killed by any of the gods because he is protected against the torments of any male by a special boon. Thus, Parvati alone is able to kill him, and in doing so, the goddess herself is named Durga. The demon then takes the form of a buffalo, an apparition that again appears in the famous <i>Devi-Mahatmya</i> tale of the slaying of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon (<i>mahisha </i>means buffalo). This tale begins:</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Once in the land of the gods, a huge and terrible battle raged for hundreds of years. The gods were finally defeated, kicked from their celestial abode by the terrible leader of the demons, Mahishasura. The gods, who had fought the battle and lost, appeared before the greatness of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, explaining their defeat. The major gods become furious, and from their faces “came forth a great fiery splendor, and also from the...bodies of all the other gods, Indra and the others...and it congealed into a single form.\" A little of Thomas Coburn’s continuing translation of the <i>Devi-Mahatmya</i> at this point will give a feel for the power of the tale of Durga’s appearance:</span>\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">A stupendously fiery mass like a flaming mountain the gods saw there, filling the firmament with flames. That matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods, came together in a single place, pervading all the worlds with its lustre, and it became a woman...Devi bellowed aloud with laughter over and over again. The entire atmosphere was filled with her terrible noise, and from that deafening, ear-shattering noise a great echo arose. All the worlds quaked, and the oceans shook. The earth trembled, and the mountains tottered. The gods, utterly delighted, cried, \"Victory!\" to the one who rides on a lion.</span></blockquote>\r\nAnd so the Great Goddess is born, ready to fight the enemies of the gods. In her battle with the demons, she easily wins, and must finally confront the general, Mahisha himself. For this battle she is called Chandika, “The Violent and Impetuous One,” in part because Mahisha so infuriates her by changing form every time she attempts to kill him. The goddess charges and he changes into a lion. She cuts off his head, and he emerges from that body as a man, armed for battle. She kills him, and an elephant appears in his place. She chops off the trunk, and the buffalo is once again before her. Needing something to channel her focus, Chandika drinks her fill of wine and becomes intoxicated. She laughs at Mahisha as he roars and throws mountains at her during her break. She yells at him that soon it will be the gods who are roaring over his death and defeat. Downing her last gulp, the goddess leaps across the battlefield at Mahisha, stands upon his neck to stop him from changing into any other forms, pierces him with her spear and chops off his head. She is indeed victorious with this maneuver, and the gods sing her praise. She so loves their devotion that she tells them she will come again to their aid if they merely call. With this boon, she disappears.\r\n\r\nThe most detailed and glorious tale of Durga’s battlefield prowess comes when the gods, who remember her earlier promise, again call upon her. This time, She is asked to defeat the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha (two brothers). These demons had somehow managed to amass so much power that they deprived the gods of sacrificial offerings for a long time. This caused the gods tremendous stress because the offerings are what sustains their purpose—if they are not honored, they are depotentiated. This had been going on for so long that none of the gods could live in heaven any longer. The gods therefore sung out to the goddess, praising her for all things, hoping that she would help save them a fate of anonymity. When called, She came in her most beautiful aspect as Ambika. When Sumbha’s generals, Chanda and Munda, saw her, however, they immediately reported back to Sumbha of her splendor. They told him that she would be most worthy of his favors. Sumbha, being vain and wanting all things of beauty for his own, decided to have his minions ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf.\r\n\r\nThe generals then go to the goddess, but she tells them of a vow taken in her youth to only marry the one who can defeat her in battle. Upon hearing this from his emissaries, Sumbha is angry to think that a “mere woman” would thus suggest challenging him. He calls another of his generals, Dhumralochana<i> </i>(Smoky-Eyes)<i>,</i> and tells him to take sixty thousand of his forces, grab the woman by the hair and return her to him. Dhumralochana goes forth to Chandika and at first tries to persuade her to come peacefully to Sumbha. She is not so inclined, and when Dhumralochana attempts to attack her, Chandika turns him and his battalions to ashes. The goddess is not easily had.\r\n\r\nSumbha quickly hears about his general’s defeat. He is so filled with hatred and desire to overcome and possess the goddess that he next summons Chanda and Munda, his most trusted officers. These two, acting on their commander’s request head off with the rest of the demon entourage and find Chandika in the Himalayas. They immediately begin firing arrows at her, and with this, the goddess lets her rage be known. She turns black in anger and fury, and from her brow, Kali emerges. This emanation of the goddess is her most fierce and gruesome.\r\n\r\nShe is depicted as emaciated, with red eyes, protruding tongue set for lapping up blood, black countenance, and wild, long, disheveled hair. She carries multiple weapons, a skull-topped staff, and emits alternatively hideous shrieks and deafening roars. Her only clothing, if any, is a tiger-skin wrapped about her waist, and she wears as ornaments a garland of freshly severed human heads and dead infant earrings. Kali easily slays the generals and offers their heads to Chandika, who then names her Chamunda, or slayer of Chanda and Munda. Then, both Chandika and Kali set out to kill Sumbha and his remaining armies.\r\n\r\nThe gods at this point send their power, or shakti, to the aid of the goddesses. (These matrikas as they’re known, are described below.) Together, these forces, along with the shakti of Chandika, called Aparajita, decimate all foes while those demons still able to do so flee the battleground in terror. One demon though, named Raktabija (Blood Seed, or Drops of Blood), comes forward again to fight. He has the special gift of being able to multiply wherever one of his drops of blood falls upon the earth. But Chandika and Chamunda team up to defeat him. Chandika lances the demon, weakening him, while Chamunda laps up his blood before it can reach the ground, thus ensuring his death. Now, only Sumbha and Nisumbha are left to challenge the goddesses. To make a long story short, however, devi withdraws Her emanations back into herself, kills Nisumbha first and renders Sumbha powerless, finally destroying him with one fatal pierce of her spear. The Goddess is yet again victorious.','Devi: Some Tales of the Great Goddess','','inherit','open','open','','100071-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 13:41:38','2013-09-16 20:41:38','',100071,'&lt;em&gt;by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;hr /&gt;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Goddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village c',0,'revision','',0),(100073,2,'2013-09-16 13:42:30','2013-09-16 20:42:30','<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<br />\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Goddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another variation on basic themes, and every child growing up in India today learns many stories, just as a westerner might be introduced to fairy tales in kindergarten classrooms or as bedtime stories. It is through these myths that the glory of the goddess, and peoples’ love for her, grows. Here are some of her forms and most popular stories from within the Indian context to illustrate the variety of roles She fills.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As Durga, the Goddess is She who is “beyond reach” or “inaccessible.” She is <i>Devi Mahishasuramardini </i>(Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon) who appears to her devotees as both <i>saumya</i> (gentle and mild) and <i>ghora</i> (frightful and terrible). It is generally believed that she was a goddess of the agricultural peoples originally, and was later brahminized through the Sanskrit literature because of her incredible popularity. It has also been suggested that Her many battles in the Vedic literature are detailed because \"she had to fight her way into orthodox Hinduism.\" According to the <i>Skanda Purana</i>, she is none other than Parvati who takes on the role of warrior at Siva’s request to kill a giant demon of the name Durga. The demon cannot be killed by any of the gods because he is protected against the torments of any male by a special boon. Thus, Parvati alone is able to kill him, and in doing so, the goddess herself is named Durga. The demon then takes the form of a buffalo, an apparition that again appears in the famous <i>Devi-Mahatmya</i> tale of the slaying of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon (<i>mahisha </i>means buffalo). This tale begins:</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Once in the land of the gods, a huge and terrible battle raged for hundreds of years. The gods were finally defeated, kicked from their celestial abode by the terrible leader of the demons, Mahishasura. The gods, who had fought the battle and lost, appeared before the greatness of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, explaining their defeat. The major gods become furious, and from their faces “came forth a great fiery splendor, and also from the...bodies of all the other gods, Indra and the others...and it congealed into a single form.\" A little of Thomas Coburn’s continuing translation of the <i>Devi-Mahatmya</i> at this point will give a feel for the power of the tale of Durga’s appearance:</span>\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">A stupendously fiery mass like a flaming mountain the gods saw there, filling the firmament with flames. That matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods, came together in a single place, pervading all the worlds with its lustre, and it became a woman...Devi bellowed aloud with laughter over and over again. The entire atmosphere was filled with her terrible noise, and from that deafening, ear-shattering noise a great echo arose. All the worlds quaked, and the oceans shook. The earth trembled, and the mountains tottered. The gods, utterly delighted, cried, \"Victory!\" to the one who rides on a lion.</span></blockquote>\r\nAnd so the Great Goddess is born, ready to fight the enemies of the gods. In her battle with the demons, she easily wins, and must finally confront the general, Mahisha himself. For this battle she is called Chandika, “The Violent and Impetuous One,” in part because Mahisha so infuriates her by changing form every time she attempts to kill him. The goddess charges and he changes into a lion. She cuts off his head, and he emerges from that body as a man, armed for battle. She kills him, and an elephant appears in his place. She chops off the trunk, and the buffalo is once again before her. Needing something to channel her focus, Chandika drinks her fill of wine and becomes intoxicated. She laughs at Mahisha as he roars and throws mountains at her during her break. She yells at him that soon it will be the gods who are roaring over his death and defeat. Downing her last gulp, the goddess leaps across the battlefield at Mahisha, stands upon his neck to stop him from changing into any other forms, pierces him with her spear and chops off his head. She is indeed victorious with this maneuver, and the gods sing her praise. She so loves their devotion that she tells them she will come again to their aid if they merely call. With this boon, she disappears.\r\n\r\nThe most detailed and glorious tale of Durga’s battlefield prowess comes when the gods, who remember her earlier promise, again call upon her. This time, She is asked to defeat the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha (two brothers). These demons had somehow managed to amass so much power that they deprived the gods of sacrificial offerings for a long time. This caused the gods tremendous stress because the offerings are what sustains their purpose—if they are not honored, they are depotentiated. This had been going on for so long that none of the gods could live in heaven any longer. The gods therefore sung out to the goddess, praising her for all things, hoping that she would help save them a fate of anonymity. When called, She came in her most beautiful aspect as Ambika. When Sumbha’s generals, Chanda and Munda, saw her, however, they immediately reported back to Sumbha of her splendor. They told him that she would be most worthy of his favors. Sumbha, being vain and wanting all things of beauty for his own, decided to have his minions ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf.\r\n\r\nThe generals then go to the goddess, but she tells them of a vow taken in her youth to only marry the one who can defeat her in battle. Upon hearing this from his emissaries, Sumbha is angry to think that a “mere woman” would thus suggest challenging him. He calls another of his generals, Dhumralochana<i> </i>(Smoky-Eyes)<i>,</i> and tells him to take sixty thousand of his forces, grab the woman by the hair and return her to him. Dhumralochana goes forth to Chandika and at first tries to persuade her to come peacefully to Sumbha. She is not so inclined, and when Dhumralochana attempts to attack her, Chandika turns him and his battalions to ashes. The goddess is not easily had.\r\n\r\nSumbha quickly hears about his general’s defeat. He is so filled with hatred and desire to overcome and possess the goddess that he next summons Chanda and Munda, his most trusted officers. These two, acting on their commander’s request head off with the rest of the demon entourage and find Chandika in the Himalayas. They immediately begin firing arrows at her, and with this, the goddess lets her rage be known. She turns black in anger and fury, and from her brow, Kali emerges. This emanation of the goddess is her most fierce and gruesome.\r\n\r\nShe is depicted as emaciated, with red eyes, protruding tongue set for lapping up blood, black countenance, and wild, long, disheveled hair. She carries multiple weapons, a skull-topped staff, and emits alternatively hideous shrieks and deafening roars. Her only clothing, if any, is a tiger-skin wrapped about her waist, and she wears as ornaments a garland of freshly severed human heads and dead infant earrings. Kali easily slays the generals and offers their heads to Chandika, who then names her Chamunda, or slayer of Chanda and Munda. Then, both Chandika and Kali set out to kill Sumbha and his remaining armies.\r\n\r\nThe gods at this point send their power, or shakti, to the aid of the goddesses. (These matrikas as they’re known, are described below.) Together, these forces, along with the shakti of Chandika, called Aparajita, decimate all foes while those demons still able to do so flee the battleground in terror. One demon though, named Raktabija (Blood Seed, or Drops of Blood), comes forward again to fight. He has the special gift of being able to multiply wherever one of his drops of blood falls upon the earth. But Chandika and Chamunda team up to defeat him. Chandika lances the demon, weakening him, while Chamunda laps up his blood before it can reach the ground, thus ensuring his death. Now, only Sumbha and Nisumbha are left to challenge the goddesses. To make a long story short, however, devi withdraws Her emanations back into herself, kills Nisumbha first and renders Sumbha powerless, finally destroying him with one fatal pierce of her spear. The Goddess is yet again victorious.','Devi: Some Tales of the Great Goddess','','inherit','open','open','','100071-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 13:42:30','2013-09-16 20:42:30','',100071,'<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<br />\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Goddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another varia',0,'revision','',0),(100074,2,'2013-09-16 13:43:29','2013-09-16 20:43:29','<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nGoddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another variation on basic themes, and every child growing up in India today learns many stories, just as a westerner might be introduced to fairy tales in kindergarten classrooms or as bedtime stories. It is through these myths that the glory of the goddess, and peoples’ love for her, grows. Here are some of her forms and most popular stories from within the Indian context to illustrate the variety of roles She fills.\r\n\r\nAs Durga, the Goddess is She who is “beyond reach” or “inaccessible.” She is Devi Mahishasuramardini (Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon) who appears to her devotees as both saumya (gentle and mild) and ghora (frightful and terrible). It is generally believed that she was a goddess of the agricultural peoples originally, and was later brahminized through the Sanskrit literature because of her incredible popularity. It has also been suggested that Her many battles in the Vedic literature are detailed because \"she had to fight her way into orthodox Hinduism.\" According to the Skanda Purana, she is none other than Parvati who takes on the role of warrior at Siva’s request to kill a giant demon of the name Durga. The demon cannot be killed by any of the gods because he is protected against the torments of any male by a special boon. Thus, Parvati alone is able to kill him, and in doing so, the goddess herself is named Durga. The demon then takes the form of a buffalo, an apparition that again appears in the famous Devi-Mahatmya tale of the slaying of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon (mahisha means buffalo). This tale begins:\r\n\r\nOnce in the land of the gods, a huge and terrible battle raged for hundreds of years. The gods were finally defeated, kicked from their celestial abode by the terrible leader of the demons, Mahishasura. The gods, who had fought the battle and lost, appeared before the greatness of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, explaining their defeat. The major gods become furious, and from their faces “came forth a great fiery splendor, and also from the...bodies of all the other gods, Indra and the others...and it congealed into a single form.\" A little of Thomas Coburn’s continuing translation of the Devi-Mahatmya at this point will give a feel for the power of the tale of Durga’s appearance:\r\n<blockquote>A stupendously fiery mass like a flaming mountain the gods saw there, filling the firmament with flames. That matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods, came together in a single place, pervading all the worlds with its lustre, and it became a woman...Devi bellowed aloud with laughter over and over again. The entire atmosphere was filled with her terrible noise, and from that deafening, ear-shattering noise a great echo arose. All the worlds quaked, and the oceans shook. The earth trembled, and the mountains tottered. The gods, utterly delighted, cried, \"Victory!\" to the one who rides on a lion.</blockquote>\r\nAnd so the Great Goddess is born, ready to fight the enemies of the gods. In her battle with the demons, she easily wins, and must finally confront the general, Mahisha himself. For this battle she is called Chandika, “The Violent and Impetuous One,” in part because Mahisha so infuriates her by changing form every time she attempts to kill him. The goddess charges and he changes into a lion. She cuts off his head, and he emerges from that body as a man, armed for battle. She kills him, and an elephant appears in his place. She chops off the trunk, and the buffalo is once again before her. Needing something to channel her focus, Chandika drinks her fill of wine and becomes intoxicated. She laughs at Mahisha as he roars and throws mountains at her during her break. She yells at him that soon it will be the gods who are roaring over his death and defeat. Downing her last gulp, the goddess leaps across the battlefield at Mahisha, stands upon his neck to stop him from changing into any other forms, pierces him with her spear and chops off his head. She is indeed victorious with this maneuver, and the gods sing her praise. She so loves their devotion that she tells them she will come again to their aid if they merely call. With this boon, she disappears.\r\n\r\nThe most detailed and glorious tale of Durga’s battlefield prowess comes when the gods, who remember her earlier promise, again call upon her. This time, She is asked to defeat the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha (two brothers). These demons had somehow managed to amass so much power that they deprived the gods of sacrificial offerings for a long time. This caused the gods tremendous stress because the offerings are what sustains their purpose—if they are not honored, they are depotentiated. This had been going on for so long that none of the gods could live in heaven any longer. The gods therefore sung out to the goddess, praising her for all things, hoping that she would help save them a fate of anonymity. When called, She came in her most beautiful aspect as Ambika. When Sumbha’s generals, Chanda and Munda, saw her, however, they immediately reported back to Sumbha of her splendor. They told him that she would be most worthy of his favors. Sumbha, being vain and wanting all things of beauty for his own, decided to have his minions ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf.\r\n\r\nThe generals then go to the goddess, but she tells them of a vow taken in her youth to only marry the one who can defeat her in battle. Upon hearing this from his emissaries, Sumbha is angry to think that a “mere woman” would thus suggest challenging him. He calls another of his generals, Dhumralochana (Smoky-Eyes), and tells him to take sixty thousand of his forces, grab the woman by the hair and return her to him. Dhumralochana goes forth to Chandika and at first tries to persuade her to come peacefully to Sumbha. She is not so inclined, and when Dhumralochana attempts to attack her, Chandika turns him and his battalions to ashes. The goddess is not easily had.\r\n\r\nSumbha quickly hears about his general’s defeat. He is so filled with hatred and desire to overcome and possess the goddess that he next summons Chanda and Munda, his most trusted officers. These two, acting on their commander’s request head off with the rest of the demon entourage and find Chandika in the Himalayas. They immediately begin firing arrows at her, and with this, the goddess lets her rage be known. She turns black in anger and fury, and from her brow, Kali emerges. This emanation of the goddess is her most fierce and gruesome.\r\n\r\nShe is depicted as emaciated, with red eyes, protruding tongue set for lapping up blood, black countenance, and wild, long, disheveled hair. She carries multiple weapons, a skull-topped staff, and emits alternatively hideous shrieks and deafening roars. Her only clothing, if any, is a tiger-skin wrapped about her waist, and she wears as ornaments a garland of freshly severed human heads and dead infant earrings. Kali easily slays the generals and offers their heads to Chandika, who then names her Chamunda, or slayer of Chanda and Munda. Then, both Chandika and Kali set out to kill Sumbha and his remaining armies.\r\n\r\nThe gods at this point send their power, or shakti, to the aid of the goddesses. (These matrikas as they’re known, are described below.) Together, these forces, along with the shakti of Chandika, called Aparajita, decimate all foes while those demons still able to do so flee the battleground in terror. One demon though, named Raktabija (Blood Seed, or Drops of Blood), comes forward again to fight. He has the special gift of being able to multiply wherever one of his drops of blood falls upon the earth. But Chandika and Chamunda team up to defeat him. Chandika lances the demon, weakening him, while Chamunda laps up his blood before it can reach the ground, thus ensuring his death. Now, only Sumbha and Nisumbha are left to challenge the goddesses. To make a long story short, however, devi withdraws Her emanations back into herself, kills Nisumbha first and renders Sumbha powerless, finally destroying him with one fatal pierce of her spear. The Goddess is yet again victorious.','Devi: Some Tales of the Great Goddess','','inherit','open','open','','100071-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 13:43:29','2013-09-16 20:43:29','',100071,'<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nGoddess lore in India seems limited only by individual imagination. With every village comes another variation on basic themes, and every child growing up in India',0,'revision','',0),(100075,2,'2013-09-16 17:28:33','2013-09-17 00:28:33','','SHARANYA-Face','','inherit','open','open','','sharanya-face','','','2013-09-16 17:28:33','2013-09-17 00:28:33','',100071,'',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(100076,2,'2013-09-16 17:35:04','2013-09-17 00:35:04','<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushed into wet clay, and we know today that these eight-pointed impressions signify Inanna, Goddess of Morning and Evening. It seems fitting that the impressions of this ancient written language bring to mind images of both flower-like rosettes and pointed stars, for images that capture both the intensity of a star and the subtle delicacies of a flower reflect well the Goddess\' paradoxical nature.\r\n\r\nIn this alone, Inanna is like Kali, the Hindu goddess often called \"Mother of the Universe\" or \"The Divine Mother\", as Kali\'s magical diagram, or yantra, contains the eight-petalled lotus. Further, Inanna\'s powers as a goddess with her command of both the life-giving and life-taking aspects of the universe, in addition to the physical proximity of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Indus Valley, tells us that Inanna and Kali are related not by coincidence, but by a direct tie of the Sumerian to the early Indian cultures.\r\n\r\nFirst, in looking at this ancient symbol of Inanna and in thinking of the Kali yantra, I began to wonder as to the significance of the number eight. I began researching a variety of sources and found consistent references to strength and beauty, dominion, confidence, good judgment and power all associated with the number. These, I thought, would all be appropriate attributes for a goddess, and I began to wonder if Sumer and Inanna were the original source for the formation of these correspondences.\r\n\r\nBarbara G. Walker notes in The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects that, \"an eight-pointed star, usually black, indicated the fixed stars in ancient astrology.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">1</a>] It may be that rays of light coming off the stars and planets of the night sky were first counted to be eight by these ancient astrologers, or perhaps for some other reason of which we are not yet aware. But it would seem fitting that the special place of Inanna in Sumer dictated that she be represented by a symbol of the magnitude and wonder of the night stars, (she is particularly associated with the planet-\"star\" Venus) thereby giving special significance later on in recorded history not only to the number eight, but to the attributes or characteristics of Inanna in relation to that number as well.\r\n\r\nHowever, given the virtually goddess-less patriarchal culture we have known for millennia, although we have come to associate the number eight with Inanna\'s qualities, we have forgotten Her almost entirely, thereby missing with this omission the link to primordial creativity and passion that is found in Her sparkling light. With the return of the Goddess to the consciousness of many today, perhaps links such as this one will become increasingly apparent and we will begin to draw again on the ancient wisdom of the Divine Feminine, in all of her forms.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn India, it may have been a beautiful eight-petalled flower, the lotus, that was precious to the people of long ago (derived perhaps from the star) that found its way into the imagery associated with Kali, the great nurturer and the great destroyer. How much one culture informed and/or borrowed from the other is not readily known, but in speaking of the Indus Valley civilizations, F.R. Allchin, Indian scholar writes, \"the regional divergences [of the area] might in some instances be associated with the meeting of indigenous Indus populations and intrusive Indo-Iranian or Aryan elements, and with some sort of resulting cultural synthesis.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">2</a>]\r\n\r\nFor a possible example of such cultural synthesis, we might look again back to Sumer, where it is known that the flower most sacred to Lilith, \"a handmaiden to the great goddess Inanna,...[was the] lilu, or lily, or \'lotus\'.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">3</a>] So, although there may indeed be a radiant connection between the star and the flower, it could be that Indian culture was affected more by the flower of Lilith than by the star of Inanna. In the Kali yantra, the goddess is, \"symbolized by the eight-petalled lotus, since she is the cause of material nature. The eight petals stand for the eight elements of Prakriti—earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego-sense—of which this phenomenal world is composed.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">4</a>] The Mother, then, is the very \"stuff\" of life, a compilation of both the UpperWorld (ether, mind, intellect, ego-sense) and the LowerWorld (earth, water, air, fire); a synthesis worked by Inanna in her Descent long ago.\r\n\r\nMuch later, we find adaptations of this rosette-star symbol and the sacredness of \"eight\" in the mystical sciences of the Middle Ages as well as in most, if not all, world religions. For example, in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the eighth card represents \"Strength\", \"the fang of the serpent...[which] represents the kundalini, or life force.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">5</a>] Here again, we see the connection from the \"eight\" to Kali, this time through the serpent Kundalini that is sacred to Her. But lest we forget, Inanna too has a connection to a serpent, for she is the goddess who was called “Great Mother Serpent of Heaven” on Sumerian tablets. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">6</a>] Additionally, in her stories we learn of the serpent, \"who could not be charmed, made its nest in the roots of the [Huluppu] tree\". [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">7</a>] I was struck in reading this passage by the parallel that may be drawn between the serpent resting at the base of the tree, the world tree which symbolizes the Divine Mother in the Sumerian as well as other world cultures, and the Kundalini serpent, sacred to the Indian Divine Mother, who resides at the \"roots\" of the human body, our tail bone.\r\n\r\nThe number eight has found its way too into positions of prominence in other religions. In Buddhism, for example, we find the Eight-fold Path, \"consisting of right conduct, right contemplation, right effort, right faith, right occupation, right resolve, right self-awareness and right speech.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">8</a>] It is said that upon Buddha\'s birth, an eight-petalled lotus sprang from the earth and, \"he stepped into it to gaze into the 10 directions of space...[gazing] upward and downward, [too] making 10 directions.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">9</a>] A parallel here may be drawn to the Qabalah, or the Hebrew Tree of Life, which contains eight ways to spiritual realization within the 10 Sephira (spheres): Origin, Will, Love, Ritual, Science, Beauty, Devotion and Action. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">10</a>]\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, where the eight-petalled lotus (as previously mentioned) is significant to the Divine Mother in her role as loving, nurturing Goddess, many images in art, \"express a reciprocal overlapping of the four functions of consciousness...thought, feeling, intuition, and sensation... so that four further intermediate functions come about—for instance, thought colored by feeling or intuition, or feeling tending toward sensation.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">11</a>] The number eight therefore plays an important role in enriching human wholeness in relation to the universe within these systems.\r\n\r\nIn looking further, I noticed that information from still other traditions made connections between the number eight and various essential elements of their cosmology. For example, in the tradition of the Navaho, dwelling places called hogans have always been a symbol of the cosmos. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">12</a>] Constructed with eight sides, these homes reflect Native reverence of the four directions and the four alternate points, with smoke from the fire pit allowing communication with heaven and the east-facing doorway allowing the rising sun to enter.\r\n\r\nIn Christianity, we also find evidence of the significance of the number eight, for on the eighth day (Genesis 17:10) of a man-child\'s life \"one of the most important covenants between God and humanity\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">13</a>] is performed—circumcision (a rite that Judy Grahn [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">14</a>], Chris Knight, et al. have noted emulates female menstruation). And in Gnosticism, I found that the eight-rayed sun is a popular symbol of the universe, with a curved \"S\" at the center representing the divine serpent. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">15</a>] Reading about this serpent called to mind once again the serpent so associated with the power of Kali, that of the Kundalini, the serpent who lies coiled three and a half times around the base of the spine at the muladhara or \"root\" chakra, asleep awaiting stimulation towards enlightenment.\r\n\r\nInteresting to note is that the root chakra symbol is composed of eight points: a four-petalled lotus and a four-pointed square (symbolizing earth), and I can not help but feel the relatedness of the idea of the four directions and the four alternate points of the Navaho to this Indian integration of four points of the flower and four points of the square in their own symbology around the root chakra, seat of the Goddess. This flower/square representation may be an effort to have practitioners of yoga and other meditation techniques remember at all times their rootedness through the square \"earth\" symbol in their quest for alignment with the spirit as represented by the lotus. Additionally, it calls to mind the Indian creation story of Brahman, who, standing on a lotus, \"turned his eyes to the four points of the compass...[for] a kind of preliminary orientation, an indispensable taking of bearings, before he began his work of creation.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">16</a>]\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn exploring the numerological aspects a bit further, I have also come to understand other correspondences, for example, the relationship of the number eight to Inanna and to her sacred planet-star. This number, the eight, \"is linked to the Goddess, astronomically, by the seventy-two day season during which her planet Venus moves successively from maximum eastern elongation to inferior conjunction (closest approach to earth) and thence to maximum west elongation.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">17</a>] Perhaps ancient astronomers counted the voyage of Venus across the night sky and, rather than counting the rays of the planet-star to come up with the significant number eight, derived it from Venus\' path of nine times eight days, therefore basing their sacred respect for the number on concrete physical evidence from the heavens.\r\n\r\nRobert Graves notes in relation to the importance of these two numbers that, \"nine [is] the number of lunar wisdom, and eight the number of solar increase.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">18</a>] However, I believe a better connection of nine with the sun and eight with the moon more accurately reflects Inanna\'s association with the moon (she is the daughter of the moon god and goddess) and her eight-petalled rosette star emblem. Support for this ordering of correspondences comes from the connection of the number nine in the Tarot with the Sun. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">19</a>]\r\n\r\nInterestingly though, Graves states in a footnote that both numbers, eight and nine, were, \"favourite objects of Pythagorean adoration,\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">20</a>] an obvious carry over from the more ancient times in which the Goddess reigned. This correspondence of eight and nine to the moon and the sun, no matter which is assigned to which, may also be a reflection of the interest of alchemical studies, as well as of Hinduism and other traditions, in balancing the masculine and feminine principles, for the sun in many religions is representative of the masculine energetic, and the moon of the feminine.\r\n\r\nLooking at all of the ways in which the traditions I have explored in this essay interconnect, it seems to me evident that even if there was no one source for these ideas, there was at the very least a common collective understanding at one time of the physical realities and properties of the natural world and a sacred relationship to them. Whether in Sumer, in India, in North America or the Far East, images of the goddess, as well as symbols of her divine nature and accompanying qualities, have survived, giving her breath to inform these various cultures of her mysteries. Although buried behind layers upon layers of patriarchal context for most of us, our task today is to reconnect to the source of her wisdom through the multitudinous spiritual disciplines at our disposal, whether they be religious, mystical, mathematical, or in the simple witnessing and recognition of the beauty of the world.\r\n\r\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, we are beginning to reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols that we have taken for granted or have not known connected to something deeper; symbols whose sacred significance has for most of our recorded history long been ignored or forgotten. Thankfully though, the Goddess as Universal Mother can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance in order to resurface memories and intuitions important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness. May we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move peacefully towards tomorrow.\r\n\r\n<a name=\"ref\"></a>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n[1] Walker, Barbara G. The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects. (Harper &amp; Row, San Francisco) 1988, p. 68\r\n[2] Allchin, F.R. Essay, \"The Legacy of the Indus Civilization\", appearing in Transformations of Myth Through Time: An Anthology of Readings. HBJ; 1990, p. 163\r\n[3] George, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess. (HarperSan Francisco) 1992, pp. 176-177\r\n[4] Harding, Elizabeth U. Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar. (Nicolas-Hays: Maine) 1992, pp. 80-81\r\n[5] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty. Numerology and The Divine Triangle. (Whitford Publishers: West Chester) 1979, p. 145\r\n[6] Chernin, Kim, Reinventing Eve: Modern Woman in Search of Herself. New York, 1987, p. 155\r\n[7] Wolkstein, Diane and Kramer, Samuel Noah. Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. (Harper &amp; Row: New York) 1983, p. 7\r\n[8] Walker, Barbara G. ibid.\r\n[9] Jaffé, Aniela. \"Symbolism in the Visual Arts\", in Man and His Symbols, edited by Carl G. Jung, (Dell: New York) 1964, p. 267\r\n[10] Parfitt, Will. The Living Qabalah: A Practical and Experiential Guide to Understanding the Tree of Life (Element Books: England) 1988, p. 156\r\n[11] Jaffé, Aniela. ibid.\r\n[12] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p. 139\r\n[13] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty., ibid., p. 114\r\n[14] Grahn, Judy. Blood, Bread and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World. Boston, 1993. For example, see p. 46\r\n[15] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p.78\r\n[16] Jaffé, Aniela. Ibid., p. 266\r\n[17] Graves, Robert. The White Goddess, Farrar, (Strauss &amp; Giroux: New York) 1948, p. 251, referring to Mr. Clyde Stacey (without reference).\r\n[18] Graves, Robert. ibid.\r\n[19] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty, ibid., p. 149\r\n[20] Graves, Robert. ibid.\r\n','The Eight-Pointed Rosette Star of Inanna','','publish','open','open','','the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna','','','2013-10-18 23:20:37','2013-10-19 06:20:37','',0,'<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushed into wet clay, and we know today that these eight-pointed ',0,'post','',1),(100077,2,'2013-09-16 17:35:04','2013-09-17 00:35:04','<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushed into wet clay, and we know today that these eight-pointed impressions signify Inanna, Goddess of Morning and Evening. It seems fitting that the impressions of this ancient written language bring to mind images of both flower-like rosettes and pointed stars, for images that capture both the intensity of a star and the subtle delicacies of a flower reflect well the Goddess\' paradoxical nature.\r\n\r\nIn this alone, Inanna is like Kali, the Hindu goddess often called \"Mother of the Universe\" or \"The Divine Mother\", as Kali\'s magical diagram, or yantra, contains the eight-petalled lotus. Further, Inanna\'s powers as a goddess with her command of both the life-giving and life-taking aspects of the universe, in addition to the physical proximity of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Indus Valley, tells us that Inanna and Kali are related not by coincidence, but by a direct tie of the Sumerian to the early Indian cultures.\r\n\r\nFirst, in looking at this ancient symbol of Inanna and in thinking of the Kali yantra, I began to wonder as to the significance of the number eight. I began researching a variety of sources and found consistent references to strength and beauty, dominion, confidence, good judgment and power all associated with the number. These, I thought, would all be appropriate attributes for a goddess, and I began to wonder if Sumer and Inanna were the original source for the formation of these correspondences.\r\n\r\nBarbara G. Walker notes in The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects that, \"an eight-pointed star, usually black, indicated the fixed stars in ancient astrology.\" [1] It may be that rays of light coming off the stars and planets of the night sky were first counted to be eight by these ancient astrologers, or perhaps for some other reason of which we are not yet aware. But it would seem fitting that the special place of Inanna in Sumer dictated that she be represented by a symbol of the magnitude and wonder of the night stars, (she is particularly associated with the planet-\"star\" Venus) thereby giving special significance later on in recorded history not only to the number eight, but to the attributes or characteristics of Inanna in relation to that number as well.\r\n\r\nHowever, given the virtually goddess-less patriarchal culture we have known for millennia, although we have come to associate the number eight with Inanna\'s qualities, we have forgotten Her almost entirely, thereby missing with this omission the link to primordial creativity and passion that is found in Her sparkling light. With the return of the Goddess to the consciousness of many today, perhaps links such as this one will become increasingly apparent and we will begin to draw again on the ancient wisdom of the Divine Feminine, in all of her forms.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn India, it may have been a beautiful eight-petalled flower, the lotus, that was precious to the people of long ago (derived perhaps from the star) that found its way into the imagery associated with Kali, the great nurturer and the great destroyer. How much one culture informed and/or borrowed from the other is not readily known, but in speaking of the Indus Valley civilizations, F.R. Allchin, Indian scholar writes, \"the regional divergences [of the area] might in some instances be associated with the meeting of indigenous Indus populations and intrusive Indo-Iranian or Aryan elements, and with some sort of resulting cultural synthesis.\" [2]\r\n\r\nFor a possible example of such cultural synthesis, we might look again back to Sumer, where it is known that the flower most sacred to Lilith, \"a handmaiden to the great goddess Inanna,...[was the] lilu, or lily, or \'lotus\'.\" [3] So, although there may indeed be a radiant connection between the star and the flower, it could be that Indian culture was affected more by the flower of Lilith than by the star of Inanna. In the Kali yantra, the goddess is, \"symbolized by the eight-petalled lotus, since she is the cause of material nature. The eight petals stand for the eight elements of Prakriti—earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego-sense—of which this phenomenal world is composed.\" [4] The Mother, then, is the very \"stuff\" of life, a compilation of both the UpperWorld (ether, mind, intellect, ego-sense) and the LowerWorld (earth, water, air, fire); a synthesis worked by Inanna in her Descent long ago.\r\n\r\nMuch later, we find adaptations of this rosette-star symbol and the sacredness of \"eight\" in the mystical sciences of the Middle Ages as well as in most, if not all, world religions. For example, in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the eighth card represents \"Strength\", \"the fang of the serpent...[which] represents the kundalini, or life force.\" [5] Here again, we see the connection from the \"eight\" to Kali, this time through the serpent Kundalini that is sacred to Her. But lest we forget, Inanna too has a connection to a serpent, for she is the goddess who was called “Great Mother Serpent of Heaven” on Sumerian tablets. [6] Additionally, in her stories we learn of the serpent, \"who could not be charmed, made its nest in the roots of the [Huluppu] tree\". [7] I was struck in reading this passage by the parallel that may be drawn between the serpent resting at the base of the tree, the world tree which symbolizes the Divine Mother in the Sumerian as well as other world cultures, and the Kundalini serpent, sacred to the Indian Divine Mother, who resides at the \"roots\" of the human body, our tail bone.\r\n\r\nThe number eight has found its way too into positions of prominence in other religions. In Buddhism, for example, we find the Eight-fold Path, \"consisting of right conduct, right contemplation, right effort, right faith, right occupation, right resolve, right self-awareness and right speech.\" [8] It is said that upon Buddha\'s birth, an eight-petalled lotus sprang from the earth and, \"he stepped into it to gaze into the 10 directions of space...[gazing] upward and downward, [too] making 10 directions.\" [9] A parallel here may be drawn to the Qabalah, or the Hebrew Tree of Life, which contains eight ways to spiritual realization within the 10 Sephira (spheres): Origin, Will, Love, Ritual, Science, Beauty, Devotion and Action. [10]\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, where the eight-petalled lotus (as previously mentioned) is significant to the Divine Mother in her role as loving, nurturing Goddess, many images in art, \"express a reciprocal overlapping of the four functions of consciousness...thought, feeling, intuition, and sensation... so that four further intermediate functions come about—for instance, thought colored by feeling or intuition, or feeling tending toward sensation.\" [11] The number eight therefore plays an important role in enriching human wholeness in relation to the universe within these systems.\r\n\r\nIn looking further, I noticed that information from still other traditions made connections between the number eight and various essential elements of their cosmology. For example, in the tradition of the Navaho, dwelling places called hogans have always been a symbol of the cosmos. [12] Constructed with eight sides, these homes reflect Native reverence of the four directions and the four alternate points, with smoke from the fire pit allowing communication with heaven and the east-facing doorway allowing the rising sun to enter.\r\n\r\nIn Christianity, we also find evidence of the significance of the number eight, for on the eighth day (Genesis 17:10) of a man-child\'s life \"one of the most important covenants between God and humanity\" [13] is performed—circumcision (a rite that Judy Grahn [14], Chris Knight, et al. have noted emulates female menstruation). And in Gnosticism, I found that the eight-rayed sun is a popular symbol of the universe, with a curved \"S\" at the center representing the divine serpent. [15] Reading about this serpent called to mind once again the serpent so associated with the power of Kali, that of the Kundalini, the serpent who lies coiled three and a half times around the base of the spine at the muladhara or \"root\" chakra, asleep awaiting stimulation towards enlightenment.\r\n\r\nInteresting to note is that the root chakra symbol is composed of eight points: a four-petalled lotus and a four-pointed square (symbolizing earth), and I can not help but feel the relatedness of the idea of the four directions and the four alternate points of the Navaho to this Indian integration of four points of the flower and four points of the square in their own symbology around the root chakra, seat of the Goddess. This flower/square representation may be an effort to have practitioners of yoga and other meditation techniques remember at all times their rootedness through the square \"earth\" symbol in their quest for alignment with the spirit as represented by the lotus. Additionally, it calls to mind the Indian creation story of Brahman, who, standing on a lotus, \"turned his eyes to the four points of the compass...[for] a kind of preliminary orientation, an indispensable taking of bearings, before he began his work of creation.\" [16]\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn exploring the numerological aspects a bit further, I have also come to understand other correspondences, for example, the relationship of the number eight to Inanna and to her sacred planet-star. This number, the eight, \"is linked to the Goddess, astronomically, by the seventy-two day season during which her planet Venus moves successively from maximum eastern elongation to inferior conjunction (closest approach to earth) and thence to maximum west elongation.\" [17] Perhaps ancient astronomers counted the voyage of Venus across the night sky and, rather than counting the rays of the planet-star to come up with the significant number eight, derived it from Venus\' path of nine times eight days, therefore basing their sacred respect for the number on concrete physical evidence from the heavens.\r\n\r\nRobert Graves notes in relation to the importance of these two numbers that, \"nine [is] the number of lunar wisdom, and eight the number of solar increase.\" [18] However, I believe a better connection of nine with the sun and eight with the moon more accurately reflects Inanna\'s association with the moon (she is the daughter of the moon god and goddess) and her eight-petalled rosette star emblem. Support for this ordering of correspondences comes from the connection of the number nine in the Tarot with the Sun. [19]\r\n\r\nInterestingly though, Graves states in a footnote that both numbers, eight and nine, were, \"favourite objects of Pythagorean adoration,\" [20] an obvious carry over from the more ancient times in which the Goddess reigned. This correspondence of eight and nine to the moon and the sun, no matter which is assigned to which, may also be a reflection of the interest of alchemical studies, as well as of Hinduism and other traditions, in balancing the masculine and feminine principles, for the sun in many religions is representative of the masculine energetic, and the moon of the feminine.\r\n\r\nLooking at all of the ways in which the traditions I have explored in this essay interconnect, it seems to me evident that even if there was no one source for these ideas, there was at the very least a common collective understanding at one time of the physical realities and properties of the natural world and a sacred relationship to them. Whether in Sumer, in India, in North America or the Far East, images of the goddess, as well as symbols of her divine nature and accompanying qualities, have survived, giving her breath to inform these various cultures of her mysteries. Although buried behind layers upon layers of patriarchal context for most of us, our task today is to reconnect to the source of her wisdom through the multitudinous spiritual disciplines at our disposal, whether they be religious, mystical, mathematical, or in the simple witnessing and recognition of the beauty of the world.\r\n\r\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, we are beginning to reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols that we have taken for granted or have not known connected to something deeper; symbols whose sacred significance has for most of our recorded history long been ignored or forgotten. Thankfully though, the Goddess as Universal Mother can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance in order to resurface memories and intuitions important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness. May we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move peacefully towards tomorrow.\r\n\r\n<a name=\"ref\"></a><hr>\r\n\r\n[1] Walker, Barbara G. The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects. (Harper & Row, San Francisco) 1988, p. 68\r\n[2] Allchin, F.R. Essay, \"The Legacy of the Indus Civilization\", appearing in Transformations of Myth Through Time: An Anthology of Readings. HBJ; 1990, p. 163\r\n[3] George, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess. (HarperSan Francisco) 1992, pp. 176-177\r\n[4] Harding, Elizabeth U. Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar. (Nicolas-Hays: Maine) 1992, pp. 80-81\r\n[5] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty. Numerology and The Divine Triangle. (Whitford Publishers: West Chester) 1979, p. 145\r\n[6] Chernin, Kim, Reinventing Eve: Modern Woman in Search of Herself. New York, 1987, p. 155\r\n[7] Wolkstein, Diane and Kramer, Samuel Noah. Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. (Harper & Row: New York) 1983, p. 7\r\n[8] Walker, Barbara G. ibid.\r\n[9] Jaffé, Aniela. \"Symbolism in the Visual Arts\", in Man and His Symbols, edited by Carl G. Jung, (Dell: New York) 1964, p. 267\r\n[10] Parfitt, Will. The Living Qabalah: A Practical and Experiential Guide to Understanding the Tree of Life (Element Books: England) 1988, p. 156\r\n[11] Jaffé, Aniela. ibid.\r\n[12] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p. 139\r\n[13] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty., ibid., p. 114\r\n[14] Grahn, Judy. Blood, Bread and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World. Boston, 1993. For example, see p. 46\r\n[15] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p.78\r\n[16] Jaffé, Aniela. Ibid., p. 266\r\n[17] Graves, Robert. The White Goddess, Farrar, (Strauss & Giroux: New York) 1948, p. 251, referring to Mr. Clyde Stacey (without reference).\r\n[18] Graves, Robert. ibid.\r\n[19] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty, ibid., p. 149\r\n[20] Graves, Robert. ibid.','The Eight-Pointed Rosette Star of Inanna','','inherit','open','open','','100076-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:35:04','2013-09-17 00:35:04','',100076,'<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushe',0,'revision','',0),(100078,2,'2013-09-16 17:36:11','2013-09-17 00:36:11','<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\n\n<hr />\n\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushed into wet clay, and we know today that these eight-pointed impressions signify Inanna, Goddess of Morning and Evening. It seems fitting that the impressions of this ancient written language bring to mind images of both flower-like rosettes and pointed stars, for images that capture both the intensity of a star and the subtle delicacies of a flower reflect well the Goddess\' paradoxical nature.\n\nIn this alone, Inanna is like Kali, the Hindu goddess often called \"Mother of the Universe\" or \"The Divine Mother\", as Kali\'s magical diagram, or yantra, contains the eight-petalled lotus. Further, Inanna\'s powers as a goddess with her command of both the life-giving and life-taking aspects of the universe, in addition to the physical proximity of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Indus Valley, tells us that Inanna and Kali are related not by coincidence, but by a direct tie of the Sumerian to the early Indian cultures.\n\nFirst, in looking at this ancient symbol of Inanna and in thinking of the Kali yantra, I began to wonder as to the significance of the number eight. I began researching a variety of sources and found consistent references to strength and beauty, dominion, confidence, good judgment and power all associated with the number. These, I thought, would all be appropriate attributes for a goddess, and I began to wonder if Sumer and Inanna were the original source for the formation of these correspondences.\n\nBarbara G. Walker notes in The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects that, \"an eight-pointed star, usually black, indicated the fixed stars in ancient astrology.\" [1] It may be that rays of light coming off the stars and planets of the night sky were first counted to be eight by these ancient astrologers, or perhaps for some other reason of which we are not yet aware. But it would seem fitting that the special place of Inanna in Sumer dictated that she be represented by a symbol of the magnitude and wonder of the night stars, (she is particularly associated with the planet-\"star\" Venus) thereby giving special significance later on in recorded history not only to the number eight, but to the attributes or characteristics of Inanna in relation to that number as well.\n\nHowever, given the virtually goddess-less patriarchal culture we have known for millennia, although we have come to associate the number eight with Inanna\'s qualities, we have forgotten Her almost entirely, thereby missing with this omission the link to primordial creativity and passion that is found in Her sparkling light. With the return of the Goddess to the consciousness of many today, perhaps links such as this one will become increasingly apparent and we will begin to draw again on the ancient wisdom of the Divine Feminine, in all of her forms.\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\nIn India, it may have been a beautiful eight-petalled flower, the lotus, that was precious to the people of long ago (derived perhaps from the star) that found its way into the imagery associated with Kali, the great nurturer and the great destroyer. How much one culture informed and/or borrowed from the other is not readily known, but in speaking of the Indus Valley civilizations, F.R. Allchin, Indian scholar writes, \"the regional divergences [of the area] might in some instances be associated with the meeting of indigenous Indus populations and intrusive Indo-Iranian or Aryan elements, and with some sort of resulting cultural synthesis.\" [2]\n\nFor a possible example of such cultural synthesis, we might look again back to Sumer, where it is known that the flower most sacred to Lilith, \"a handmaiden to the great goddess Inanna,...[was the] lilu, or lily, or \'lotus\'.\" [3] So, although there may indeed be a radiant connection between the star and the flower, it could be that Indian culture was affected more by the flower of Lilith than by the star of Inanna. In the Kali yantra, the goddess is, \"symbolized by the eight-petalled lotus, since she is the cause of material nature. The eight petals stand for the eight elements of Prakriti—earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego-sense—of which this phenomenal world is composed.\" [4] The Mother, then, is the very \"stuff\" of life, a compilation of both the UpperWorld (ether, mind, intellect, ego-sense) and the LowerWorld (earth, water, air, fire); a synthesis worked by Inanna in her Descent long ago.\n\nMuch later, we find adaptations of this rosette-star symbol and the sacredness of \"eight\" in the mystical sciences of the Middle Ages as well as in most, if not all, world religions. For example, in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the eighth card represents \"Strength\", \"the fang of the serpent...[which] represents the kundalini, or life force.\" [5] Here again, we see the connection from the \"eight\" to Kali, this time through the serpent Kundalini that is sacred to Her. But lest we forget, Inanna too has a connection to a serpent, for she is the goddess who was called “Great Mother Serpent of Heaven” on Sumerian tablets. [6] Additionally, in her stories we learn of the serpent, \"who could not be charmed, made its nest in the roots of the [Huluppu] tree\". [7] I was struck in reading this passage by the parallel that may be drawn between the serpent resting at the base of the tree, the world tree which symbolizes the Divine Mother in the Sumerian as well as other world cultures, and the Kundalini serpent, sacred to the Indian Divine Mother, who resides at the \"roots\" of the human body, our tail bone.\n\nThe number eight has found its way too into positions of prominence in other religions. In Buddhism, for example, we find the Eight-fold Path, \"consisting of right conduct, right contemplation, right effort, right faith, right occupation, right resolve, right self-awareness and right speech.\" [8] It is said that upon Buddha\'s birth, an eight-petalled lotus sprang from the earth and, \"he stepped into it to gaze into the 10 directions of space...[gazing] upward and downward, [too] making 10 directions.\" [9] A parallel here may be drawn to the Qabalah, or the Hebrew Tree of Life, which contains eight ways to spiritual realization within the 10 Sephira (spheres): Origin, Will, Love, Ritual, Science, Beauty, Devotion and Action. [10]\n\nIn Hinduism, where the eight-petalled lotus (as previously mentioned) is significant to the Divine Mother in her role as loving, nurturing Goddess, many images in art, \"express a reciprocal overlapping of the four functions of consciousness...thought, feeling, intuition, and sensation... so that four further intermediate functions come about—for instance, thought colored by feeling or intuition, or feeling tending toward sensation.\" [11] The number eight therefore plays an important role in enriching human wholeness in relation to the universe within these systems.\n\nIn looking further, I noticed that information from still other traditions made connections between the number eight and various essential elements of their cosmology. For example, in the tradition of the Navaho, dwelling places called hogans have always been a symbol of the cosmos. [12] Constructed with eight sides, these homes reflect Native reverence of the four directions and the four alternate points, with smoke from the fire pit allowing communication with heaven and the east-facing doorway allowing the rising sun to enter.\n\nIn Christianity, we also find evidence of the significance of the number eight, for on the eighth day (Genesis 17:10) of a man-child\'s life \"one of the most important covenants between God and humanity\" [13] is performed—circumcision (a rite that Judy Grahn [14], Chris Knight, et al. have noted emulates female menstruation). And in Gnosticism, I found that the eight-rayed sun is a popular symbol of the universe, with a curved \"S\" at the center representing the divine serpent. [15] Reading about this serpent called to mind once again the serpent so associated with the power of Kali, that of the Kundalini, the serpent who lies coiled three and a half times around the base of the spine at the muladhara or \"root\" chakra, asleep awaiting stimulation towards enlightenment.\n\nInteresting to note is that the root chakra symbol is composed of eight points: a four-petalled lotus and a four-pointed square (symbolizing earth), and I can not help but feel the relatedness of the idea of the four directions and the four alternate points of the Navaho to this Indian integration of four points of the flower and four points of the square in their own symbology around the root chakra, seat of the Goddess. This flower/square representation may be an effort to have practitioners of yoga and other meditation techniques remember at all times their rootedness through the square \"earth\" symbol in their quest for alignment with the spirit as represented by the lotus. Additionally, it calls to mind the Indian creation story of Brahman, who, standing on a lotus, \"turned his eyes to the four points of the compass...[for] a kind of preliminary orientation, an indispensable taking of bearings, before he began his work of creation.\" [16]\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\nIn exploring the numerological aspects a bit further, I have also come to understand other correspondences, for example, the relationship of the number eight to Inanna and to her sacred planet-star. This number, the eight, \"is linked to the Goddess, astronomically, by the seventy-two day season during which her planet Venus moves successively from maximum eastern elongation to inferior conjunction (closest approach to earth) and thence to maximum west elongation.\" [17] Perhaps ancient astronomers counted the voyage of Venus across the night sky and, rather than counting the rays of the planet-star to come up with the significant number eight, derived it from Venus\' path of nine times eight days, therefore basing their sacred respect for the number on concrete physical evidence from the heavens.\n\nRobert Graves notes in relation to the importance of these two numbers that, \"nine [is] the number of lunar wisdom, and eight the number of solar increase.\" [18] However, I believe a better connection of nine with the sun and eight with the moon more accurately reflects Inanna\'s association with the moon (she is the daughter of the moon god and goddess) and her eight-petalled rosette star emblem. Support for this ordering of correspondences comes from the connection of the number nine in the Tarot with the Sun. [19]\n\nInterestingly though, Graves states in a footnote that both numbers, eight and nine, were, \"favourite objects of Pythagorean adoration,\" [20] an obvious carry over from the more ancient times in which the Goddess reigned. This correspondence of eight and nine to the moon and the sun, no matter which is assigned to which, may also be a reflection of the interest of alchemical studies, as well as of Hinduism and other traditions, in balancing the masculine and feminine principles, for the sun in many religions is representative of the masculine energetic, and the moon of the feminine.\n\nLooking at all of the ways in which the traditions I have explored in this essay interconnect, it seems to me evident that even if there was no one source for these ideas, there was at the very least a common collective understanding at one time of the physical realities and properties of the natural world and a sacred relationship to them. Whether in Sumer, in India, in North America or the Far East, images of the goddess, as well as symbols of her divine nature and accompanying qualities, have survived, giving her breath to inform these various cultures of her mysteries. Although buried behind layers upon layers of patriarchal context for most of us, our task today is to reconnect to the source of her wisdom through the multitudinous spiritual disciplines at our disposal, whether they be religious, mystical, mathematical, or in the simple witnessing and recognition of the beauty of the world.\n\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, we are beginning to reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols that we have taken for granted or have not known connected to something deeper; symbols whose sacred significance has for most of our recorded history long been ignored or forgotten. Thankfully though, the Goddess as Universal Mother can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance in order to resurface memories and intuitions important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness. May we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move peacefully towards tomorrow.\n\n<a name=\"ref\"></a>\n\n<hr />\n\n[1] Walker, Barbara G. The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects. (Harper &amp; Row, San Francisco) 1988, p. 68\n[2] Allchin, F.R. Essay, \"The Legacy of the Indus Civilization\", appearing in Transformations of Myth Through Time: An Anthology of Readings. HBJ; 1990, p. 163\n[3] George, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess. (HarperSan Francisco) 1992, pp. 176-177\n[4] Harding, Elizabeth U. Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar. (Nicolas-Hays: Maine) 1992, pp. 80-81\n[5] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty. Numerology and The Divine Triangle. (Whitford Publishers: West Chester) 1979, p. 145\n[6] Chernin, Kim, Reinventing Eve: Modern Woman in Search of Herself. New York, 1987, p. 155\n[7] Wolkstein, Diane and Kramer, Samuel Noah. Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. (Harper &amp; Row: New York) 1983, p. 7\n[8] Walker, Barbara G. ibid.\n[9] Jaffé, Aniela. \"Symbolism in the Visual Arts\", in Man and His Symbols, edited by Carl G. Jung, (Dell: New York) 1964, p. 267\n[10] Parfitt, Will. The Living Qabalah: A Practical and Experiential Guide to Understanding the Tree of Life (Element Books: England) 1988, p. 156\n[11] Jaffé, Aniela. ibid.\n[12] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p. 139\n[13] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty., ibid., p. 114\n[14] Grahn, Judy. Blood, Bread and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World. Boston, 1993. For example, see p. 46\n[15] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p.78\n[16] Jaffé, Aniela. Ibid., p. 266\n[17] Graves, Robert. The White Goddess, Farrar, (Strauss &amp; Giroux: New York) 1948, p. 251, referring to Mr. Clyde Stacey (without reference).\n[18] Graves, Robert. ibid.\n[19] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty, ibid., p. 149\n[20] Graves, Robert. ibid.','The Eight-Pointed Rosette Star of Inanna','','inherit','open','open','','100076-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:36:11','2013-09-17 00:36:11','',100076,'<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\n\n<hr />\n\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushed int',0,'revision','',0),(100079,2,'2013-09-16 17:44:33','2013-09-17 00:44:33','<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushed into wet clay, and we know today that these eight-pointed impressions signify Inanna, Goddess of Morning and Evening. It seems fitting that the impressions of this ancient written language bring to mind images of both flower-like rosettes and pointed stars, for images that capture both the intensity of a star and the subtle delicacies of a flower reflect well the Goddess\' paradoxical nature.\r\n\r\nIn this alone, Inanna is like Kali, the Hindu goddess often called \"Mother of the Universe\" or \"The Divine Mother\", as Kali\'s magical diagram, or yantra, contains the eight-petalled lotus. Further, Inanna\'s powers as a goddess with her command of both the life-giving and life-taking aspects of the universe, in addition to the physical proximity of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Indus Valley, tells us that Inanna and Kali are related not by coincidence, but by a direct tie of the Sumerian to the early Indian cultures.\r\n\r\nFirst, in looking at this ancient symbol of Inanna and in thinking of the Kali yantra, I began to wonder as to the significance of the number eight. I began researching a variety of sources and found consistent references to strength and beauty, dominion, confidence, good judgment and power all associated with the number. These, I thought, would all be appropriate attributes for a goddess, and I began to wonder if Sumer and Inanna were the original source for the formation of these correspondences.\r\n\r\nBarbara G. Walker notes in The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects that, \"an eight-pointed star, usually black, indicated the fixed stars in ancient astrology.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">1</a>] It may be that rays of light coming off the stars and planets of the night sky were first counted to be eight by these ancient astrologers, or perhaps for some other reason of which we are not yet aware. But it would seem fitting that the special place of Inanna in Sumer dictated that she be represented by a symbol of the magnitude and wonder of the night stars, (she is particularly associated with the planet-\"star\" Venus) thereby giving special significance later on in recorded history not only to the number eight, but to the attributes or characteristics of Inanna in relation to that number as well.\r\n\r\nHowever, given the virtually goddess-less patriarchal culture we have known for millennia, although we have come to associate the number eight with Inanna\'s qualities, we have forgotten Her almost entirely, thereby missing with this omission the link to primordial creativity and passion that is found in Her sparkling light. With the return of the Goddess to the consciousness of many today, perhaps links such as this one will become increasingly apparent and we will begin to draw again on the ancient wisdom of the Divine Feminine, in all of her forms.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn India, it may have been a beautiful eight-petalled flower, the lotus, that was precious to the people of long ago (derived perhaps from the star) that found its way into the imagery associated with Kali, the great nurturer and the great destroyer. How much one culture informed and/or borrowed from the other is not readily known, but in speaking of the Indus Valley civilizations, F.R. Allchin, Indian scholar writes, \"the regional divergences [of the area] might in some instances be associated with the meeting of indigenous Indus populations and intrusive Indo-Iranian or Aryan elements, and with some sort of resulting cultural synthesis.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">2</a>]\r\n\r\nFor a possible example of such cultural synthesis, we might look again back to Sumer, where it is known that the flower most sacred to Lilith, \"a handmaiden to the great goddess Inanna,...[was the] lilu, or lily, or \'lotus\'.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">3</a>] So, although there may indeed be a radiant connection between the star and the flower, it could be that Indian culture was affected more by the flower of Lilith than by the star of Inanna. In the Kali yantra, the goddess is, \"symbolized by the eight-petalled lotus, since she is the cause of material nature. The eight petals stand for the eight elements of Prakriti—earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego-sense—of which this phenomenal world is composed.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">4</a>] The Mother, then, is the very \"stuff\" of life, a compilation of both the UpperWorld (ether, mind, intellect, ego-sense) and the LowerWorld (earth, water, air, fire); a synthesis worked by Inanna in her Descent long ago.\r\n\r\nMuch later, we find adaptations of this rosette-star symbol and the sacredness of \"eight\" in the mystical sciences of the Middle Ages as well as in most, if not all, world religions. For example, in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the eighth card represents \"Strength\", \"the fang of the serpent...[which] represents the kundalini, or life force.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">5</a>] Here again, we see the connection from the \"eight\" to Kali, this time through the serpent Kundalini that is sacred to Her. But lest we forget, Inanna too has a connection to a serpent, for she is the goddess who was called “Great Mother Serpent of Heaven” on Sumerian tablets. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">6</a>] Additionally, in her stories we learn of the serpent, \"who could not be charmed, made its nest in the roots of the [Huluppu] tree\". [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">7</a>] I was struck in reading this passage by the parallel that may be drawn between the serpent resting at the base of the tree, the world tree which symbolizes the Divine Mother in the Sumerian as well as other world cultures, and the Kundalini serpent, sacred to the Indian Divine Mother, who resides at the \"roots\" of the human body, our tail bone.\r\n\r\nThe number eight has found its way too into positions of prominence in other religions. In Buddhism, for example, we find the Eight-fold Path, \"consisting of right conduct, right contemplation, right effort, right faith, right occupation, right resolve, right self-awareness and right speech.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">8</a>] It is said that upon Buddha\'s birth, an eight-petalled lotus sprang from the earth and, \"he stepped into it to gaze into the 10 directions of space...[gazing] upward and downward, [too] making 10 directions.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">9</a>] A parallel here may be drawn to the Qabalah, or the Hebrew Tree of Life, which contains eight ways to spiritual realization within the 10 Sephira (spheres): Origin, Will, Love, Ritual, Science, Beauty, Devotion and Action. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">10</a>]\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, where the eight-petalled lotus (as previously mentioned) is significant to the Divine Mother in her role as loving, nurturing Goddess, many images in art, \"express a reciprocal overlapping of the four functions of consciousness...thought, feeling, intuition, and sensation... so that four further intermediate functions come about—for instance, thought colored by feeling or intuition, or feeling tending toward sensation.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">11</a>] The number eight therefore plays an important role in enriching human wholeness in relation to the universe within these systems.\r\n\r\nIn looking further, I noticed that information from still other traditions made connections between the number eight and various essential elements of their cosmology. For example, in the tradition of the Navaho, dwelling places called hogans have always been a symbol of the cosmos. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">12</a>] Constructed with eight sides, these homes reflect Native reverence of the four directions and the four alternate points, with smoke from the fire pit allowing communication with heaven and the east-facing doorway allowing the rising sun to enter.\r\n\r\nIn Christianity, we also find evidence of the significance of the number eight, for on the eighth day (Genesis 17:10) of a man-child\'s life \"one of the most important covenants between God and humanity\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">13</a>] is performed—circumcision (a rite that Judy Grahn [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">14</a>], Chris Knight, et al. have noted emulates female menstruation). And in Gnosticism, I found that the eight-rayed sun is a popular symbol of the universe, with a curved \"S\" at the center representing the divine serpent. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">15</a>] Reading about this serpent called to mind once again the serpent so associated with the power of Kali, that of the Kundalini, the serpent who lies coiled three and a half times around the base of the spine at the muladhara or \"root\" chakra, asleep awaiting stimulation towards enlightenment.\r\n\r\nInteresting to note is that the root chakra symbol is composed of eight points: a four-petalled lotus and a four-pointed square (symbolizing earth), and I can not help but feel the relatedness of the idea of the four directions and the four alternate points of the Navaho to this Indian integration of four points of the flower and four points of the square in their own symbology around the root chakra, seat of the Goddess. This flower/square representation may be an effort to have practitioners of yoga and other meditation techniques remember at all times their rootedness through the square \"earth\" symbol in their quest for alignment with the spirit as represented by the lotus. Additionally, it calls to mind the Indian creation story of Brahman, who, standing on a lotus, \"turned his eyes to the four points of the compass...[for] a kind of preliminary orientation, an indispensable taking of bearings, before he began his work of creation.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">16</a>]\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn exploring the numerological aspects a bit further, I have also come to understand other correspondences, for example, the relationship of the number eight to Inanna and to her sacred planet-star. This number, the eight, \"is linked to the Goddess, astronomically, by the seventy-two day season during which her planet Venus moves successively from maximum eastern elongation to inferior conjunction (closest approach to earth) and thence to maximum west elongation.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">17</a>] Perhaps ancient astronomers counted the voyage of Venus across the night sky and, rather than counting the rays of the planet-star to come up with the significant number eight, derived it from Venus\' path of nine times eight days, therefore basing their sacred respect for the number on concrete physical evidence from the heavens.\r\n\r\nRobert Graves notes in relation to the importance of these two numbers that, \"nine [is] the number of lunar wisdom, and eight the number of solar increase.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">18</a>] However, I believe a better connection of nine with the sun and eight with the moon more accurately reflects Inanna\'s association with the moon (she is the daughter of the moon god and goddess) and her eight-petalled rosette star emblem. Support for this ordering of correspondences comes from the connection of the number nine in the Tarot with the Sun. [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">19</a>]\r\n\r\nInterestingly though, Graves states in a footnote that both numbers, eight and nine, were, \"favourite objects of Pythagorean adoration,\" [<a href=\"/mandala/the-eight-pointed-rosette-star-of-inanna/3/#ref\">20</a>] an obvious carry over from the more ancient times in which the Goddess reigned. This correspondence of eight and nine to the moon and the sun, no matter which is assigned to which, may also be a reflection of the interest of alchemical studies, as well as of Hinduism and other traditions, in balancing the masculine and feminine principles, for the sun in many religions is representative of the masculine energetic, and the moon of the feminine.\r\n\r\nLooking at all of the ways in which the traditions I have explored in this essay interconnect, it seems to me evident that even if there was no one source for these ideas, there was at the very least a common collective understanding at one time of the physical realities and properties of the natural world and a sacred relationship to them. Whether in Sumer, in India, in North America or the Far East, images of the goddess, as well as symbols of her divine nature and accompanying qualities, have survived, giving her breath to inform these various cultures of her mysteries. Although buried behind layers upon layers of patriarchal context for most of us, our task today is to reconnect to the source of her wisdom through the multitudinous spiritual disciplines at our disposal, whether they be religious, mystical, mathematical, or in the simple witnessing and recognition of the beauty of the world.\r\n\r\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, we are beginning to reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols that we have taken for granted or have not known connected to something deeper; symbols whose sacred significance has for most of our recorded history long been ignored or forgotten. Thankfully though, the Goddess as Universal Mother can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance in order to resurface memories and intuitions important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness. May we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move peacefully towards tomorrow.\r\n\r\n<a name=\"ref\"></a>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n[1] Walker, Barbara G. The Woman\'s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects. (Harper &amp; Row, San Francisco) 1988, p. 68\r\n[2] Allchin, F.R. Essay, \"The Legacy of the Indus Civilization\", appearing in Transformations of Myth Through Time: An Anthology of Readings. HBJ; 1990, p. 163\r\n[3] George, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess. (HarperSan Francisco) 1992, pp. 176-177\r\n[4] Harding, Elizabeth U. Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar. (Nicolas-Hays: Maine) 1992, pp. 80-81\r\n[5] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty. Numerology and The Divine Triangle. (Whitford Publishers: West Chester) 1979, p. 145\r\n[6] Chernin, Kim, Reinventing Eve: Modern Woman in Search of Herself. New York, 1987, p. 155\r\n[7] Wolkstein, Diane and Kramer, Samuel Noah. Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. (Harper &amp; Row: New York) 1983, p. 7\r\n[8] Walker, Barbara G. ibid.\r\n[9] Jaffé, Aniela. \"Symbolism in the Visual Arts\", in Man and His Symbols, edited by Carl G. Jung, (Dell: New York) 1964, p. 267\r\n[10] Parfitt, Will. The Living Qabalah: A Practical and Experiential Guide to Understanding the Tree of Life (Element Books: England) 1988, p. 156\r\n[11] Jaffé, Aniela. ibid.\r\n[12] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p. 139\r\n[13] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty., ibid., p. 114\r\n[14] Grahn, Judy. Blood, Bread and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World. Boston, 1993. For example, see p. 46\r\n[15] Walker, Barbara G. ibid, p.78\r\n[16] Jaffé, Aniela. Ibid., p. 266\r\n[17] Graves, Robert. The White Goddess, Farrar, (Strauss &amp; Giroux: New York) 1948, p. 251, referring to Mr. Clyde Stacey (without reference).\r\n[18] Graves, Robert. ibid.\r\n[19] Javane, Faith and Bunker, Dusty, ibid., p. 149\r\n[20] Graves, Robert. ibid.\r\n','The Eight-Pointed Rosette Star of Inanna','','inherit','open','open','','100076-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:44:33','2013-09-17 00:44:33','',100076,'<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe cuneiform tablets of Sumer display eight-pointed impressions made thousands of years ago by a stylus pushe',0,'revision','',0),(100080,2,'2013-09-16 17:48:13','2013-09-17 00:48:13','<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100081 imgborder\" alt=\"sara_la_kali\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sara_la_kali.gif\" />\r\n\r\nIt is May in the south of France. The weather is superb, and not only are more images of the Black Virgin located here than anywhere else, but the season of the Visitation of Mary as well as the feast day honoring Sara-la-Kali in Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer is upon the region. I can almost smell the thick curls of frankincense and myrrh on the gentle lavender-scented air, hear the chapel bells and strum of guitars, and taste the special boat-shaped breads and cookies, called les navettes, that the bakeries make to commemorate the arrival of the Magdalene (and other saints) to the Camargue. In my mind, I recall the traditional prayer to Sara, and consciously invoke her presence:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Sara, toi la sainte patronne des voyageurs et gitans du monde entier,</em>\r\n<em> tu as vécu en ce lieu des Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.</em>\r\n<em> Tu es venue d\'un lointain pays au-delà des mers.</em>\r\n<em> J\'aime venir te retrouver ici, te dire tout ce que j\'ai dans le Cœur,</em>\r\n<em> te confier mes peines et mes joies.</em>\r\n<em> Je te prie pour tous les membres de ma famille et tous mes amis.</em>\r\n<em> Sara, veille sur moi!</em></p>\r\n<em>(Sara, patron saint of travelers and gypsies the world over, you who lived in this region of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. You came from a far-away country from across the seas. I love to come and find you here, to tell you all that I have in my heart and in you confide my sorrows and joys. I pray to you for everyone in my family and all my friends. Sara, come to me!)</em>\r\n\r\nFor most of the people throughout Languedoc, Camargue, Bouches du Rhône, and la Provençe, the question of Marie Madeleine in France is not even worth asking. \"C’est sûr,\" they will tell you. Yes, indeed, this is where the Magdalene fled after leaving the Holy Land. The question some are more hesitant to answer is that of whether or not she carried the Davidian bloodline (the ancestral father-line of Jesus) in her womb when she got here. Thus, we have the story of The Magdalene as Holy Grail, carrier of the sangraal or \"royal blood\" of future French kings.\r\n\r\nBy most accounts, Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé (not biblical figures) accompanied the Magdalene in her voyage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, and hence the town name. (Other accounts give the landing party as Martha and Lazarus—her sister and brother—and Mary of Bethany, who is often conflated with the Magdalene.) In at least one rendition of the story, it was Sara the Egyptian who greeted the boat at the shore. But other accounts say that Sara was a servant who accompanied them on the journey while still others regarded Sara as the actual daughter of Mary Magdalene.\r\n\r\nIn any event, this is the same Sara venerated by the Roma people (often called gypsies) who come from far and wide to celebrate her as Sara-la-Kali, which translated means Sara the Dark One. She is their patron Saint (although not a Catholic one), and they honor her in pilgrimage every year. Sara, a dark-skinned woman may also be an avatar of Egyptian Isis. As an avatar, or divine representative on Earth, a dark-skinned woman and goddess come together in her in a confluence of myth and symbol.\r\n\r\nEvery May 24/25th about 15,000 people converge on this small seaside town to honor Saint Sara. She is small, standing less than five feet tall; but she is just the right height to fit in the corner of the arched and low-ceilinged crypt of the town’s basilica, a crypt situated on a former temple to Artemis (or possibly Isis, as these two goddesses were strongly identified with one another in Hellenistic times).\r\n\r\nHer statue is dark, as her name attests. During her festival, those who seek her healing and blessings come to touch her skirts, put scarves around her neck, offer flowers, light candles, and give thanks for miracles and prayers answered in the preceding years. She is paid homage to in the Gypsy Prayer, a copy of which sits framed to the right of her feet. Through her, the Magdalene, a pagan goddess, and Black Madonna are related. Even the crown that sits upon her head holds a symbolic key to revealing the union within her of pre-patriarchal tradition and contemporary Mariology. In it rests thirteen pearls, the number itself recalling the lunar round, and the pearl both Aphrodite’s and Mary’s sacred gem.\r\n\r\nSara\'s veneration by the Roma (who have origins in India), and indeed the very name they call her, Sara-la-Kali, make the connection to the Eastern goddess Kali much more explicit. Even her ritual bathing in the ocean at the culmination of festivities make her worship akin to that of the goddesses of the Hindu East who are taken to be immersed in the Ganges River (or other waters in proximity to the temple) after puja rites are performed during the major holy days.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Chandra Alexandre</strong> is the founding director of SHARANYA. </em>','Saint Sara-la-Kali: A Sister to Kali Maa','','publish','closed','open','','saint-sara-la-kali-a-sister-to-kali-maa','','','2013-12-26 23:50:07','2013-12-27 06:50:07','',0,'http://ItisMayinthesouthofFrance.Theweatherissuperb,andnotonlyaremoreimagesoftheBlackVi',0,'post','',2),(100081,2,'2013-09-16 17:46:00','2013-09-17 00:46:00','','sara_la_kali','','inherit','open','open','','sara_la_kali','','','2013-09-16 17:46:00','2013-09-17 00:46:00','',100080,'',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(100082,2,'2013-09-16 17:48:13','2013-09-17 00:48:13','<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100081 imgborder\" alt=\"sara_la_kali\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sara_la_kali.gif\" />\r\n\r\nIt is May in the south of France. The weather is superb, and not only are more images of the Black Virgin located here than anywhere else, but the season of the Visitation of Mary as well as the feast day honoring Sara-la-Kali in Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer is upon the region. I can almost smell the thick curls of frankincense and myrrh on the gentle lavender-scented air, hear the chapel bells and strum of guitars, and taste the special boat-shaped breads and cookies, called les navettes, that the bakeries make to commemorate the arrival of the Magdalene (and other saints) to the Camargue. In my mind, I recall the traditional prayer to Sara, and consciously invoke her presence:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Sara, toi la sainte patronne des voyageurs et gitans du monde entier,</em>\r\n<em> tu as vécu en ce lieu des Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.</em>\r\n<em> Tu es venue d\'un lointain pays au-delà des mers.</em>\r\n<em> J\'aime venir te retrouver ici, te dire tout ce que j\'ai dans le Cœur,</em>\r\n<em> te confier mes peines et mes joies.</em>\r\n<em> Je te prie pour tous les membres de ma famille et tous mes amis.</em>\r\n<em> Sara, veille sur moi!</em></p>\r\n<em>(Sara, patron saint of travelers and gypsies the world over, you who lived in this region of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. You came from a far-away country from across the seas. I love to come and find you here, to tell you all that I have in my heart and in you confide my sorrows and joys. I pray to you for everyone in my family and all my friends. Sara, come to me!)</em>\r\n\r\nFor most of the people throughout Languedoc, Camargue, Bouches du Rhône, and la Provençe, the question of Marie Madeleine in France is not even worth asking. \"C’est sûr,\" they will tell you. Yes, indeed, this is where the Magdalene fled after leaving the Holy Land. The question some are more hesitant to answer is that of whether or not she carried the Davidian bloodline (the ancestral father-line of Jesus) in her womb when she got here. Thus, we have the story of The Magdalene as Holy Grail, carrier of the sangraal or \"royal blood\" of future French kings.\r\n\r\nBy most accounts, Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé (not biblical figures) accompanied the Magdalene in her voyage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, and hence the town name. (Other accounts give the landing party as Martha and Lazarus—her sister and brother—and Mary of Bethany, who is often conflated with the Magdalene.) In at least one rendition of the story, it was Sara the Egyptian who greeted the boat at the shore. But other accounts say that Sara was a servant who accompanied them on the journey while still others regarded Sara as the actual daughter of Mary Magdalene.\r\n\r\nIn any event, this is the same Sara venerated by the Roma people (often called gypsies) who come from far and wide to celebrate her as Sara-la-Kali, which translated means Sara the Dark One. She is their patron Saint (although not a Catholic one), and they honor her in pilgrimage every year. Sara, a dark-skinned woman may also be an avatar of Egyptian Isis. As an avatar, or divine representative on Earth, a dark-skinned woman and goddess come together in her in a confluence of myth and symbol.\r\n\r\nEvery May 24/25th about 15,000 people converge on this small seaside town to honor Saint Sara. She is small, standing less than five feet tall; but she is just the right height to fit in the corner of the arched and low-ceilinged crypt of the town’s basilica, a crypt situated on a former temple to Artemis (or possibly Isis, as these two goddesses were strongly identified with one another in Hellenistic times).\r\n\r\nHer statue is dark, as her name attests. During her festival, those who seek her healing and blessings come to touch her skirts, put scarves around her neck, offer flowers, light candles, and give thanks for miracles and prayers answered in the preceding years. She is paid homage to in the Gypsy Prayer, a copy of which sits framed to the right of her feet. Through her, the Magdalene, a pagan goddess, and Black Madonna are related. Even the crown that sits upon her head holds a symbolic key to revealing the union within her of pre-patriarchal tradition and contemporary Mariology. In it rests thirteen pearls, the number itself recalling the lunar round, and the pearl both Aphrodite’s and Mary’s sacred gem.\r\n\r\nSara\'s veneration by the Roma (who have origins in India), and indeed the very name they call her, Sara-la-Kali, make the connection to the Eastern goddess Kali much more explicit. Even her ritual bathing in the ocean at the culmination of festivities make her worship akin to that of the goddesses of the Hindu East who are taken to be immersed in the Ganges River (or other waters in proximity to the temple) after puja rites are performed during the major holy days.\r\n\r\nSee SHARANYA\'s pilgrimage page for more information about sacred sites in France, the Black Madonna, and our explorations there...\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nChandra Alexandre, PhD is the founder and executive director of SHARANYA. She is a lover of the Dark Goddess and the magick inspired by Sara-la-Kali.','Saint Sara-la-Kali: A Sister to Kali Maa','','inherit','open','open','','100080-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:48:13','2013-09-17 00:48:13','',100080,'<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100081 imgborder\" alt=\"sara_la_kali\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sara_la_kali.gif\" />\r\n\r\nIt is May in the south of France. The weather is superb, and not only are more images of the Black Vi',0,'revision','',0),(100083,2,'2013-09-16 17:48:55','2013-09-17 00:48:55','<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100081 imgborder\" alt=\"sara_la_kali\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sara_la_kali.gif\" />\r\n\r\nIt is May in the south of France. The weather is superb, and not only are more images of the Black Virgin located here than anywhere else, but the season of the Visitation of Mary as well as the feast day honoring Sara-la-Kali in Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer is upon the region. I can almost smell the thick curls of frankincense and myrrh on the gentle lavender-scented air, hear the chapel bells and strum of guitars, and taste the special boat-shaped breads and cookies, called les navettes, that the bakeries make to commemorate the arrival of the Magdalene (and other saints) to the Camargue. In my mind, I recall the traditional prayer to Sara, and consciously invoke her presence:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Sara, toi la sainte patronne des voyageurs et gitans du monde entier,</em>\r\n<em> tu as vécu en ce lieu des Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.</em>\r\n<em> Tu es venue d\'un lointain pays au-delà des mers.</em>\r\n<em> J\'aime venir te retrouver ici, te dire tout ce que j\'ai dans le Cœur,</em>\r\n<em> te confier mes peines et mes joies.</em>\r\n<em> Je te prie pour tous les membres de ma famille et tous mes amis.</em>\r\n<em> Sara, veille sur moi!</em></p>\r\n<em>(Sara, patron saint of travelers and gypsies the world over, you who lived in this region of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. You came from a far-away country from across the seas. I love to come and find you here, to tell you all that I have in my heart and in you confide my sorrows and joys. I pray to you for everyone in my family and all my friends. Sara, come to me!)</em>\r\n\r\nFor most of the people throughout Languedoc, Camargue, Bouches du Rhône, and la Provençe, the question of Marie Madeleine in France is not even worth asking. \"C’est sûr,\" they will tell you. Yes, indeed, this is where the Magdalene fled after leaving the Holy Land. The question some are more hesitant to answer is that of whether or not she carried the Davidian bloodline (the ancestral father-line of Jesus) in her womb when she got here. Thus, we have the story of The Magdalene as Holy Grail, carrier of the sangraal or \"royal blood\" of future French kings.\r\n\r\nBy most accounts, Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé (not biblical figures) accompanied the Magdalene in her voyage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, and hence the town name. (Other accounts give the landing party as Martha and Lazarus—her sister and brother—and Mary of Bethany, who is often conflated with the Magdalene.) In at least one rendition of the story, it was Sara the Egyptian who greeted the boat at the shore. But other accounts say that Sara was a servant who accompanied them on the journey while still others regarded Sara as the actual daughter of Mary Magdalene.\r\n\r\nIn any event, this is the same Sara venerated by the Roma people (often called gypsies) who come from far and wide to celebrate her as Sara-la-Kali, which translated means Sara the Dark One. She is their patron Saint (although not a Catholic one), and they honor her in pilgrimage every year. Sara, a dark-skinned woman may also be an avatar of Egyptian Isis. As an avatar, or divine representative on Earth, a dark-skinned woman and goddess come together in her in a confluence of myth and symbol.\r\n\r\nEvery May 24/25th about 15,000 people converge on this small seaside town to honor Saint Sara. She is small, standing less than five feet tall; but she is just the right height to fit in the corner of the arched and low-ceilinged crypt of the town’s basilica, a crypt situated on a former temple to Artemis (or possibly Isis, as these two goddesses were strongly identified with one another in Hellenistic times).\r\n\r\nHer statue is dark, as her name attests. During her festival, those who seek her healing and blessings come to touch her skirts, put scarves around her neck, offer flowers, light candles, and give thanks for miracles and prayers answered in the preceding years. She is paid homage to in the Gypsy Prayer, a copy of which sits framed to the right of her feet. Through her, the Magdalene, a pagan goddess, and Black Madonna are related. Even the crown that sits upon her head holds a symbolic key to revealing the union within her of pre-patriarchal tradition and contemporary Mariology. In it rests thirteen pearls, the number itself recalling the lunar round, and the pearl both Aphrodite’s and Mary’s sacred gem.\r\n\r\nSara\'s veneration by the Roma (who have origins in India), and indeed the very name they call her, Sara-la-Kali, make the connection to the Eastern goddess Kali much more explicit. Even her ritual bathing in the ocean at the culmination of festivities make her worship akin to that of the goddesses of the Hindu East who are taken to be immersed in the Ganges River (or other waters in proximity to the temple) after puja rites are performed during the major holy days.\r\n\r\nSee SHARANYA\'s pilgrimage page for more information about sacred sites in France, the Black Madonna, and our explorations there...\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Chandra Alexandre, PhD</strong> is the founder and executive director of SHARANYA. She is a lover of the Dark Goddess and the magick inspired by Sara-la-Kali.</em>','Saint Sara-la-Kali: A Sister to Kali Maa','','inherit','open','open','','100080-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:48:55','2013-09-17 00:48:55','',100080,'<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100081 imgborder\" alt=\"sara_la_kali\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sara_la_kali.gif\" />\r\n\r\nIt is May in the south of France. The weather is superb, and not only are more images of the Black Vi',0,'revision','',0),(100085,2,'2013-09-16 17:54:12','2013-09-17 00:54:12','<h4>An Initiation into Womanhood</h4>\r\n<em>By: Delphyne Jodie Platner</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>We Begin With a Story</strong>\r\n\r\nNaila perched on the edge of a sharp cliff overlooking the sea. On this momentous day the sun shone even brighter than usual, causing the water beneath her to sparkle a clear azure blue. During the last moon, Naila\'s blood had come down, the fateful sign that it was time for her to become a woman and leave her life as a girl behind.\r\n\r\nFrom then on, she would be permitted to dive with the women and men to provide food and other gifts from the sea for her village. She had looked forward to this day for as long as she could remember. Her people believed that a menstruating woman was at the peak of her power during this time, and the women in her community were especially respected for their magic and their wisdom. Her female elders were skilled in the healing arts, midwifery, and herbal medicine; the women were revered because they bled every month with the cycles of the moon yet did not die. They were revered for their ability to bring both female and male children into the world.\r\n\r\nThose who had passed the bleeding years were even wiser, it was said, because they stored the magical blood inside of them instead of releasing it with each moon. As far as Naila knew, her people had always existed in harmony with, and built their lives around, the sacred cycles of the Great Mother Goddess. Today marked the final stage in Naila\'s initiation into womanhood, which included the much-anticipated great leap of faith - a test of her strength and endurance, and more importantly, of her ability to move beyond her fear into a trusting of the universe to support her.\r\n\r\nAll of the women in her village sat around a bonfire, watching from the beach below. Naila knew that when she emerged from the water and stepped upon the shore where the elder women awaited her, she would be welcomed into their fold as a grown woman. There would be much feasting, drumming, dancing, and celebration.\r\n\r\nAlthough she had practiced holding her breath for the past year in preparation for this moment, Naila still felt a twinge of fear and hesitation as she peered over the cliff\'s edge. The ocean seemed very far away. She took some deep breaths and went to that place of great strength inside herself, which usually resided in her belly. \"Trust yourself and the Goddess,\" her mother had told her - just words before - but now, as she flew through the air like a bird, Naila understood them in an entirely different way. As she hit the surface and plunged into the depths, she felt the salty water washing away the traces of the girl she had once been. Her fear was gone and she fell into a peaceful and trance-like state. Time seemed to stand still. She marveled at the idea of her new-found ability to bring forth life into the world through her own body. Suddenly she felt connected to all life, even the fishes she swam past on her way down. As she moved deeper into the belly of the ocean mother, Naila reflected on the whirlwind of the past week.\r\n\r\nAs soon as she had discovered her first blood, her situation had been entirely in the hands of the female elders. She was not allowed to be in control of her own rite of passage. From that moment up until this morning, Naila had been isolated for what seemed like a long time in a hut some distance from the village. Her golden-brown body had been painted with red ochre to symbolize her initiation into the blood mysteries. It was always dark in the hut, like a womb, so she hadn\'t been able to keep track of the days. Though many of the women\'s cycles were synchronized so that they bled together, it was important that a young woman spend her first moon time alone. There she had nothing to do but offer her blood back to Mother Earth and embark upon an internal journey. She had been fasting to purify herself and induce visions and dreams which, according to the High Priestess, contained messages from the spirit world for both herself and her community.\r\n\r\nNaila came back to her present surroundings as the ocean\'s sandy floor drew near. She began to search for a treasure to bring back as an offering for the High Priestess. Her eyes were drawn to a magnificent conch shell. Reaching for it, she gave thanks to the spirit of the ocean for providing such an exquisite gift. With that she put both feet on the bottom and pushed off, kicking as hard as she could towards the light that shone through the surface of the water.\r\n\r\nWhen Naila\'s head emerged from the waves, all of the women cheered and sang her praises. She swam to shore. Her heart was racing with the excitement of her accomplishment as she stepped onto the beach, and she felt more alive than ever before. She drew the giant shell to her lips, and triumphantly blew a deep and resonant tune from the ocean\'s watery depths before presenting it to the High Priestess. After embracing her warmly, the High Priestess adorned her with a necklace of red flowers, then placed a red cape over her shoulders. \"Welcome, brave Naila,\" she smiled. \"It is an honor to welcome you to the society of women.\"\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Sacred Moon Time</strong>\r\n\r\nWhile this particular story is one that I imagined, many of the details could very well have been true. Many of the steps that Naila goes through in her initiation into womanhood are components of a traditional rite of passage. This is a ceremony or a ritual which serves as an initiation marking an important change in status for the individual — birth, menarche (the first menstrual period), marriage, and death are a few of the major ones.\r\n\r\nOnce a rite of passage has been completed, a woman can never go back to the girl she was before. That Naila is entering a community of women where the blood mysteries are honored makes her menarche a much more pleasurable and empowering experience. Not many girls in our day and age are lucky enough to have a menarche experience like Naila\'s. We have been taught to see our moon time as something to be ashamed of — something that should be hidden and disguised at all costs.\r\n\r\nThroughout recent history, social and religious institutions, which are run almost exclusively by men, have reacted to women\'s monthly bleeding with fear and mass hysteria, claiming it was poisonous, evil, and unclean, and that menstruating women belonged to the \"devil\". For example, the Bible teaches that menstruation and pain during childbirth are the burden we women bear for Eve\'s sins. I\'m here to tell you that none of this is true! Both your body and your moon time are sacred. It is a time of great power. In fact, many women report experiencing extraordinary visions, dreams, and heightened intuition and sensitivity during their monthly cycle. Menstruation is the one experience that unites all women across such socially constructed boundaries as race, class, age, and sexual preference. Perhaps this is why so many men fear it.\r\n\r\nOur world today is very different from Naila\'s, which could have existed any time before 2,000 BC. In honoring the Goddess in all of Her aspects, Naila and her people were practicing a nature or earth-based religion. This was both a way of life and a form of spirituality that existed long before any of today\'s male-dominated organized religions. The very essence of nature religions is feminine because they honor the Earth, Her cycles and seasons, and all of Her living creatures, whether human, animal or plant.\r\n\r\nThis belief system creates an atmosphere where people treat each other and their environment with respect — one where humans do not see themselves as separate from (or having the right to control) nature, but as a part of it. Did you know that our first calendars were created around women\'s moon cycles? Sadly, attitudes towards the things that were sacred and special in Naila\'s world (menstruation, childbirth, child rearing, sexuality, women\'s ways of knowing, creativity, the healing arts, ritual, ceremony and rites of passage) have been completely reversed today. What once was honored and celebrated is now considered dirty, shameful, disgusting, and not even worthy of our attention and discussion.\r\n\r\nHarvard professor Carol Gilligan has conducted many studies with young women on the brink of adolescence. Her research concludes that these young women are encouraged to give up their sense of self in favor of being in relationship. This means that, upon approaching adolescence, a girl is often forced to give up her own experience and accept one that has been determined for her by men. Girls experience pressure (from their friends, families and culture in general) to be \"good,\" to be caregivers and nurturers, to put other peoples’ needs and desires before their own. They receive messages about what they are \"supposed\" to be, do, or look like. Often these messages contain values and ideals that are very different from what girls inherently feel about who they really are and what they truly dream or desire to be. I believe these values are in deep opposition to our inherent female nature.\r\n\r\nAs a young girl, I didn\'t have many reasons to question what I knew. I was a wild child, very independent, intelligent, creative, and opinionated. When I entered junior high school, however, it seemed like the rules had changed and somebody had forgotten to tell me. Instead of being about substance — the person who I really was — the priorities switched. Now, they were about who my friends were, my weight, whether I was wearing the right clothes and had the right hair style, and if I had a boyfriend. All of a sudden I became much more concerned with what other people thought as opposed to trusting myself and doing what I knew was right. I began to question my own reality. It seemed that everyone else was so desperate to create it for me, and I recall very clearly feeling like my sense of self was stolen from me. While I didn\'t know what was happening at the time, I do remember how overwhelmed I felt. It was an incredibly painful and confusing time. I had never doubted myself before, so why did it all of a sudden seem as though my self-confidence went flying out the window without any warning at all?\r\n\r\nMuch of this can be explained by the society that shaped me — that shapes us. Even if we are lucky enough to have parents, family, and friends who love and support us, we are still exposed to the misogynist (women hating) messages and situations that are an inescapable result of life in a patriarchal society. The dictionary defines patriarchy as a social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line; or broadly as control by men of a disproportionately large share of power. We have lived under this system for approximately the past 5,000 years.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>The Great Legacy of our Female Ancestors</strong>\r\n\r\nI feel like if I had known about prehistory when I was 13, I would have had more strength to resist all the forces that were trying to change or steal my identity. I believe this knowledge would have helped me to continue to trust myself, despite all the confusing and often negative and misogynistic messages girls are bombarded with upon reaching adolescence.\r\n\r\nPrehistory — the time before recorded history — is much longer than documented history. Most scholars believe that history as we know it began with the written word. Our earliest writing comes from ancient Sumer (modern-day Iraq). It tells a story that dates back to around 1750 BCE (Before the Common Era) about the Goddess Inanna, who was hailed as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Fortunately, we have other ways of learning about prehistory besides the written word. Art, pottery, tools, cave paintings, temples, statues, ritual objects, and graves, for example, all have much to say about life thousands of years ago. These artifacts tell us that their makers were not violent and warlike, but a peaceful people who saw the female as divine — a people whose lives revolved around agriculture, the arts, and spirituality.\r\n\r\nYou may have heard the phrase,\"History is written by the winners\". The people who are writing the history textbooks that are most likely to be used in schools are in a powerful position to mold young minds to support and justify their point of view. They have had an agenda, a vested interest in having young people learn and believe their version of how things happened. You will find that many people (women, people of color, gays and lesbians, etc.) have literally been left out of these textbooks, except in the capacity of stereotypical roles that have been defined for them by the dominant culture. For the most part, our patriarchal system shows these marginalized groups no respect. It is important to remember to question, especially if things don\'t feel right, or it seems like something or someone is missing. Just because something’s written in a book doesn\'t mean it’s true.\r\n\r\nWomen have not always been second-class citizens. In fact, recent discoveries by archeologist and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas reveal that women and men once lived in primarily peaceful and egalitarian societies for at least 30,000 years. Many of these civilizations, like in Naila\'s story, were matrifocal, and in some cases it is possible that lines of descent were traced through the female - producing matriarchal cultures. It is important to mention that matriarchal is not the opposite of patriarchal. While women were highly respected and in positions of power, it was not at the expense of men. There was no domination but rather what appears to have been a relative sharing of power and responsibility. And because their monies and physical energies weren’t spent in preparing for, or going to, war, they were able to spend their time making art, concentrating on spirituality and ritual, and raising children.\r\n\r\nThough we can\'t return to the past, we can certainly learn from it. If people were able to live together peacefully for at least 30,000 years, they must have been doing something right. Also, it is very empowering for girls and women (and men, too) to understand that society hasn’t always been violent and oppressive. The 5,000 years we have lived under a patriarchal system that promotes hatred and bloodshed seems relatively short when compared to our total time on this earth.\r\n\r\nA few years ago, I took a trip to Greece with a group of women in search of ancient Goddess sites. The museums we visited were filled with hundreds of statues of Goddesses, queens, priestesses and women in sacred and ritual contexts. We explored caves, hilltop shrines, ancient altars to the Goddesses Artemis, Hera, Athena, and Ilithyia, and visited the site of the Pythia (the ancient oracles, who were priestesses the deities spoke through to provide hidden knowledge and predict the future) at Delphi. What I found there confirmed what I have always known in my body on a cellular level. I am referring to a way of knowing that is often difficult to explain in words because is feels far deeper and much older than language. This sort of intuitive knowing was likely very highly valued in prehistoric cultures.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Conclusion</strong>\r\n\r\nPerhaps the most significant gift I can offer a young woman is the wealth of information and knowledge I have acquired over the past several years. This information is empowering; I can only hope that it will be of use towards helping others make informed choices on what to believe in and what feels right. I have been blessed to be able to study with some amazing women who are teachers, priestesses, shamans, healers, and visionaries. This knowledge is not easily available to most young women, so I have included a list of books I might recommend for further study and exploration.\r\n\r\nKnowledge can take many forms. There are many things one can’t learn from a book. Young women, and women in general, are the authority on their own experience. Yet everyone else wants to claim or define it for us, tell us how to look, who we are, what we need to be beautiful, how to act to be popular and well-liked.\r\n\r\nOur body, however, remembers another way of defining what it means to be a woman. Many people believe that it holds certain memories going back to ancient times. Have you ever known something with all your heart, yet you hadn’t learned it in school, from a book, or from another person? Maybe it came to you in a dream? Spend some time listening to the memories that are stored in your body. You may find it helps if you are very quiet, or you may prefer to dance or do something physical. What do your body memories say? What sort of stories do they have to tell? What do you \"know \" that you couldn\'t possibly have learned anywhere else?\r\n\r\nWe\'ve all been brainwashed to believe that patriarchy is natural — that male domination is the way it always has been, and always will be. This is simply not the truth. Patriarchal religions substantiate their positions by referring to scriptures written by men that say that man shall have domain over women, children, animals, and the Earth — that he has a God-given right to control everyone and everything simply because he is \"man.\" Think about this for a minute. Isn\'t it interesting that all men are brought into this world and raised by women, but they tend to assign us inferior status and show us no respect? Trust your gut. Listen for the voices of your female ancestors. Make your own decisions about your body and how you want to be in the world.\r\n\r\n<strong>Questions for Reflection</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat follows are some things to think about; there are no right or wrong answers. I encourage you to keep track of your dreams during your moon cycle. Be sure to pay close attention to any visions or strong intuitions you experience during this time. You may want to have a special notebook or journal where you write down some of your feelings and personal stories. Note the following questions and your answers to them:\r\n\r\nWhat does it mean to you to be a woman?\r\nWho teaches you, or has taught you, to be a woman and how have they done so?\r\nHow did you or will you know when you finally become a woman?\r\nWould the world be different if men bled every month? How?\r\nWhat sort of ritual would you prepare (if any) to honor your daughter\'s or your own menarche?\r\nHow do you talk about sexuality with your daughter; or how would you like your mother to talk to you about it?\r\nWhat might be some other important times in life where we could celebrate rites of passage?\r\nIf you have any comments you\'d like to share, please e-mail me! I\'d love to hear what you have to say.\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Delphyne Jodie Platner, PhD, MFT</strong>, is member of SHARANYA\'s community who has written, lectured and priestessed ritual in the realm of women\'s spirituality. She recently opened an office in San Francisco where she practices psychotherapy and integrative healing. She can be reached for private work at (415) 262-0205.</em>','The Great Leap of Faith','','publish','open','open','','the-great-leap-of-faith','','','2013-09-23 17:00:34','2013-09-24 00:00:34','',0,'<h4>An Initiation into Womanhood</h4>\r\n<em>By: Delphyne Jodie Platner</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>We Begin With a Story</strong>\r\n\r\nNaila perched on the edge of a sharp cliff overlooking the sea. On this momentous day the sun shone even brighter than usual,',0,'post','',0),(100086,2,'2013-09-16 17:54:12','2013-09-17 00:54:12','<h4>An Initiation into Womanhood</h4>\r\n<em>by Delphyne Jodie Platner, PhD, MFT</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>We Begin With a Story</strong>\r\n\r\nNaila perched on the edge of a sharp cliff overlooking the sea. On this momentous day the sun shone even brighter than usual, causing the water beneath her to sparkle a clear azure blue. During the last moon, Naila\'s blood had come down, the fateful sign that it was time for her to become a woman and leave her life as a girl behind.\r\n\r\nFrom then on, she would be permitted to dive with the women and men to provide food and other gifts from the sea for her village. She had looked forward to this day for as long as she could remember. Her people believed that a menstruating woman was at the peak of her power during this time, and the women in her community were especially respected for their magic and their wisdom. Her female elders were skilled in the healing arts, midwifery, and herbal medicine; the women were revered because they bled every month with the cycles of the moon yet did not die. They were revered for their ability to bring both female and male children into the world.\r\n\r\nThose who had passed the bleeding years were even wiser, it was said, because they stored the magical blood inside of them instead of releasing it with each moon. As far as Naila knew, her people had always existed in harmony with, and built their lives around, the sacred cycles of the Great Mother Goddess. Today marked the final stage in Naila\'s initiation into womanhood, which included the much-anticipated great leap of faith - a test of her strength and endurance, and more importantly, of her ability to move beyond her fear into a trusting of the universe to support her.\r\n\r\nAll of the women in her village sat around a bonfire, watching from the beach below. Naila knew that when she emerged from the water and stepped upon the shore where the elder women awaited her, she would be welcomed into their fold as a grown woman. There would be much feasting, drumming, dancing, and celebration.\r\n\r\nAlthough she had practiced holding her breath for the past year in preparation for this moment, Naila still felt a twinge of fear and hesitation as she peered over the cliff\'s edge. The ocean seemed very far away. She took some deep breaths and went to that place of great strength inside herself, which usually resided in her belly. \"Trust yourself and the Goddess,\" her mother had told her - just words before - but now, as she flew through the air like a bird, Naila understood them in an entirely different way. As she hit the surface and plunged into the depths, she felt the salty water washing away the traces of the girl she had once been. Her fear was gone and she fell into a peaceful and trance-like state. Time seemed to stand still. She marveled at the idea of her new-found ability to bring forth life into the world through her own body. Suddenly she felt connected to all life, even the fishes she swam past on her way down. As she moved deeper into the belly of the ocean mother, Naila reflected on the whirlwind of the past week.\r\n\r\nAs soon as she had discovered her first blood, her situation had been entirely in the hands of the female elders. She was not allowed to be in control of her own rite of passage. From that moment up until this morning, Naila had been isolated for what seemed like a long time in a hut some distance from the village. Her golden-brown body had been painted with red ochre to symbolize her initiation into the blood mysteries. It was always dark in the hut, like a womb, so she hadn\'t been able to keep track of the days. Though many of the women\'s cycles were synchronized so that they bled together, it was important that a young woman spend her first moon time alone. There she had nothing to do but offer her blood back to Mother Earth and embark upon an internal journey. She had been fasting to purify herself and induce visions and dreams which, according to the High Priestess, contained messages from the spirit world for both herself and her community.\r\n\r\nNaila came back to her present surroundings as the ocean\'s sandy floor drew near. She began to search for a treasure to bring back as an offering for the High Priestess. Her eyes were drawn to a magnificent conch shell. Reaching for it, she gave thanks to the spirit of the ocean for providing such an exquisite gift. With that she put both feet on the bottom and pushed off, kicking as hard as she could towards the light that shone through the surface of the water.\r\n\r\nWhen Naila\'s head emerged from the waves, all of the women cheered and sang her praises. She swam to shore. Her heart was racing with the excitement of her accomplishment as she stepped onto the beach, and she felt more alive than ever before. She drew the giant shell to her lips, and triumphantly blew a deep and resonant tune from the ocean\'s watery depths before presenting it to the High Priestess. After embracing her warmly, the High Priestess adorned her with a necklace of red flowers, then placed a red cape over her shoulders. \"Welcome, brave Naila,\" she smiled. \"It is an honor to welcome you to the society of women.\"\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Sacred Moon Time</strong>\r\n\r\nWhile this particular story is one that I imagined, many of the details could very well have been true. Many of the steps that Naila goes through in her initiation into womanhood are components of a traditional rite of passage. This is a ceremony or a ritual which serves as an initiation marking an important change in status for the individual — birth, menarche (the first menstrual period), marriage, and death are a few of the major ones.\r\n\r\nOnce a rite of passage has been completed, a woman can never go back to the girl she was before. That Naila is entering a community of women where the blood mysteries are honored makes her menarche a much more pleasurable and empowering experience. Not many girls in our day and age are lucky enough to have a menarche experience like Naila\'s. We have been taught to see our moon time as something to be ashamed of — something that should be hidden and disguised at all costs.\r\n\r\nThroughout recent history, social and religious institutions, which are run almost exclusively by men, have reacted to women\'s monthly bleeding with fear and mass hysteria, claiming it was poisonous, evil, and unclean, and that menstruating women belonged to the \"devil\". For example, the Bible teaches that menstruation and pain during childbirth are the burden we women bear for Eve\'s sins. I\'m here to tell you that none of this is true! Both your body and your moon time are sacred. It is a time of great power. In fact, many women report experiencing extraordinary visions, dreams, and heightened intuition and sensitivity during their monthly cycle. Menstruation is the one experience that unites all women across such socially constructed boundaries as race, class, age, and sexual preference. Perhaps this is why so many men fear it.\r\n\r\nOur world today is very different from Naila\'s, which could have existed any time before 2,000 BC. In honoring the Goddess in all of Her aspects, Naila and her people were practicing a nature or earth-based religion. This was both a way of life and a form of spirituality that existed long before any of today\'s male-dominated organized religions. The very essence of nature religions is feminine because they honor the Earth, Her cycles and seasons, and all of Her living creatures, whether human, animal or plant.\r\n\r\nThis belief system creates an atmosphere where people treat each other and their environment with respect — one where humans do not see themselves as separate from (or having the right to control) nature, but as a part of it. Did you know that our first calendars were created around women\'s moon cycles? Sadly, attitudes towards the things that were sacred and special in Naila\'s world (menstruation, childbirth, child rearing, sexuality, women\'s ways of knowing, creativity, the healing arts, ritual, ceremony and rites of passage) have been completely reversed today. What once was honored and celebrated is now considered dirty, shameful, disgusting, and not even worthy of our attention and discussion.\r\n\r\nHarvard professor Carol Gilligan has conducted many studies with young women on the brink of adolescence. Her research concludes that these young women are encouraged to give up their sense of self in favor of being in relationship. This means that, upon approaching adolescence, a girl is often forced to give up her own experience and accept one that has been determined for her by men. Girls experience pressure (from their friends, families and culture in general) to be \"good,\" to be caregivers and nurturers, to put other peoples’ needs and desires before their own. They receive messages about what they are \"supposed\" to be, do, or look like. Often these messages contain values and ideals that are very different from what girls inherently feel about who they really are and what they truly dream or desire to be. I believe these values are in deep opposition to our inherent female nature.\r\n\r\nAs a young girl, I didn\'t have many reasons to question what I knew. I was a wild child, very independent, intelligent, creative, and opinionated. When I entered junior high school, however, it seemed like the rules had changed and somebody had forgotten to tell me. Instead of being about substance — the person who I really was — the priorities switched. Now, they were about who my friends were, my weight, whether I was wearing the right clothes and had the right hair style, and if I had a boyfriend. All of a sudden I became much more concerned with what other people thought as opposed to trusting myself and doing what I knew was right. I began to question my own reality. It seemed that everyone else was so desperate to create it for me, and I recall very clearly feeling like my sense of self was stolen from me. While I didn\'t know what was happening at the time, I do remember how overwhelmed I felt. It was an incredibly painful and confusing time. I had never doubted myself before, so why did it all of a sudden seem as though my self-confidence went flying out the window without any warning at all?\r\n\r\nMuch of this can be explained by the society that shaped me — that shapes us. Even if we are lucky enough to have parents, family, and friends who love and support us, we are still exposed to the misogynist (women hating) messages and situations that are an inescapable result of life in a patriarchal society. The dictionary defines patriarchy as a social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line; or broadly as control by men of a disproportionately large share of power. We have lived under this system for approximately the past 5,000 years.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>The Great Legacy of our Female Ancestors</strong>\r\n\r\nI feel like if I had known about prehistory when I was 13, I would have had more strength to resist all the forces that were trying to change or steal my identity. I believe this knowledge would have helped me to continue to trust myself, despite all the confusing and often negative and misogynistic messages girls are bombarded with upon reaching adolescence.\r\n\r\nPrehistory — the time before recorded history — is much longer than documented history. Most scholars believe that history as we know it began with the written word. Our earliest writing comes from ancient Sumer (modern-day Iraq). It tells a story that dates back to around 1750 BCE (Before the Common Era) about the Goddess Inanna, who was hailed as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Fortunately, we have other ways of learning about prehistory besides the written word. Art, pottery, tools, cave paintings, temples, statues, ritual objects, and graves, for example, all have much to say about life thousands of years ago. These artifacts tell us that their makers were not violent and warlike, but a peaceful people who saw the female as divine — a people whose lives revolved around agriculture, the arts, and spirituality.\r\n\r\nYou may have heard the phrase,\"History is written by the winners\". The people who are writing the history textbooks that are most likely to be used in schools are in a powerful position to mold young minds to support and justify their point of view. They have had an agenda, a vested interest in having young people learn and believe their version of how things happened. You will find that many people (women, people of color, gays and lesbians, etc.) have literally been left out of these textbooks, except in the capacity of stereotypical roles that have been defined for them by the dominant culture. For the most part, our patriarchal system shows these marginalized groups no respect. It is important to remember to question, especially if things don\'t feel right, or it seems like something or someone is missing. Just because something’s written in a book doesn\'t mean it’s true.\r\n\r\nWomen have not always been second-class citizens. In fact, recent discoveries by archeologist and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas reveal that women and men once lived in primarily peaceful and egalitarian societies for at least 30,000 years. Many of these civilizations, like in Naila\'s story, were matrifocal, and in some cases it is possible that lines of descent were traced through the female - producing matriarchal cultures. It is important to mention that matriarchal is not the opposite of patriarchal. While women were highly respected and in positions of power, it was not at the expense of men. There was no domination but rather what appears to have been a relative sharing of power and responsibility. And because their monies and physical energies weren’t spent in preparing for, or going to, war, they were able to spend their time making art, concentrating on spirituality and ritual, and raising children.\r\n\r\nThough we can\'t return to the past, we can certainly learn from it. If people were able to live together peacefully for at least 30,000 years, they must have been doing something right. Also, it is very empowering for girls and women (and men, too) to understand that society hasn’t always been violent and oppressive. The 5,000 years we have lived under a patriarchal system that promotes hatred and bloodshed seems relatively short when compared to our total time on this earth.\r\n\r\nA few years ago, I took a trip to Greece with a group of women in search of ancient Goddess sites. The museums we visited were filled with hundreds of statues of Goddesses, queens, priestesses and women in sacred and ritual contexts. We explored caves, hilltop shrines, ancient altars to the Goddesses Artemis, Hera, Athena, and Ilithyia, and visited the site of the Pythia (the ancient oracles, who were priestesses the deities spoke through to provide hidden knowledge and predict the future) at Delphi. What I found there confirmed what I have always known in my body on a cellular level. I am referring to a way of knowing that is often difficult to explain in words because is feels far deeper and much older than language. This sort of intuitive knowing was likely very highly valued in prehistoric cultures.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Conclusion</strong>\r\n\r\nPerhaps the most significant gift I can offer a young woman is the wealth of information and knowledge I have acquired over the past several years. This information is empowering; I can only hope that it will be of use towards helping others make informed choices on what to believe in and what feels right. I have been blessed to be able to study with some amazing women who are teachers, priestesses, shamans, healers, and visionaries. This knowledge is not easily available to most young women, so I have included a list of books I might recommend for further study and exploration.\r\n\r\nKnowledge can take many forms. There are many things one can’t learn from a book. Young women, and women in general, are the authority on their own experience. Yet everyone else wants to claim or define it for us, tell us how to look, who we are, what we need to be beautiful, how to act to be popular and well-liked.\r\n\r\nOur body, however, remembers another way of defining what it means to be a woman. Many people believe that it holds certain memories going back to ancient times. Have you ever known something with all your heart, yet you hadn’t learned it in school, from a book, or from another person? Maybe it came to you in a dream? Spend some time listening to the memories that are stored in your body. You may find it helps if you are very quiet, or you may prefer to dance or do something physical. What do your body memories say? What sort of stories do they have to tell? What do you \"know \" that you couldn\'t possibly have learned anywhere else?\r\n\r\nWe\'ve all been brainwashed to believe that patriarchy is natural — that male domination is the way it always has been, and always will be. This is simply not the truth. Patriarchal religions substantiate their positions by referring to scriptures written by men that say that man shall have domain over women, children, animals, and the Earth — that he has a God-given right to control everyone and everything simply because he is \"man.\" Think about this for a minute. Isn\'t it interesting that all men are brought into this world and raised by women, but they tend to assign us inferior status and show us no respect? Trust your gut. Listen for the voices of your female ancestors. Make your own decisions about your body and how you want to be in the world.\r\n\r\n<strong>Questions for Reflection</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat follows are some things to think about; there are no right or wrong answers. I encourage you to keep track of your dreams during your moon cycle. Be sure to pay close attention to any visions or strong intuitions you experience during this time. You may want to have a special notebook or journal where you write down some of your feelings and personal stories. Note the following questions and your answers to them:\r\n\r\nWhat does it mean to you to be a woman?\r\nWho teaches you, or has taught you, to be a woman and how have they done so?\r\nHow did you or will you know when you finally become a woman?\r\nWould the world be different if men bled every month? How?\r\nWhat sort of ritual would you prepare (if any) to honor your daughter\'s or your own menarche?\r\nHow do you talk about sexuality with your daughter; or how would you like your mother to talk to you about it?\r\nWhat might be some other important times in life where we could celebrate rites of passage?\r\nIf you have any comments you\'d like to share, please e-mail me! I\'d love to hear what you have to say.\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Delphyne Jodie Platner, PhD, MFT</strong>, is member of SHARANYA\'s community who has written, lectured and priestessed ritual in the realm of women\'s spirituality. She recently opened an office in San Francisco where she practices psychotherapy and integrative healing. She can be reached for private work at (415) 262-0205.</em>','The Great Leap of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','100085-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:54:12','2013-09-17 00:54:12','',100085,'<h4>An Initiation into Womanhood</h4>\r\n<em>by Delphyne Jodie Platner, PhD, MFT</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>We Begin With a Story</strong>\r\n\r\nNaila perched on the edge of a sharp cliff overlooking the sea. On this momentous day the sun shone even brighter th',0,'revision','',0),(100087,2,'2013-09-16 17:57:56','2013-09-17 00:57:56','<h3>Empowering Women and Girls</h3>\r\n<em>First published in Women\'s Sahayog (1999), Calcutta, India</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/012-e1403845827720.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/012-e1403845827720-300x135.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2012\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-101033 imgborder\" /></a>Around the globe, girls often experience some form of initiation into adulthood at menarche (the first coming of menstrual blood). Although such rites of passage can be as simple as a mother showing a daughter how to use a sanitary napkin, or as complex as religious ceremonies in which the entire community participates, they are nonetheless important markers in an individual\'s life since it is generally at that point that girls become women in the eyes of society.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThere are, however, two ways a girl can be impacted by her \"initiation.\" She can either be wholly embraced by her community, or taught to be ashamed of her monthly cycle. Unfortunately, a middle ground does not generally exist and rites of passage, when extant, are often only brutal reinforcements of patriarchal biases and attitudes that promote self-hatred and the denigration of women\'s power.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWithin most global contexts, the influence of patriarchy means, \"each woman must go through each life stage, transition, and crisis, in silent aloneness, unsupported by either ritual or the women\'s group.\" (1) In some parts of the world, while rituals may abound to mark the passage of a girl into womanhood, some only purport to honor her femaleness; as often these ceremonies are just the community\'s way of marking the woman as fit for domination. The practice of genital mutilation and other ritualized forms of abuse endured by women because of cultural denial and culturally-learned self-hatred are good examples of how women suffer by virtue of their very woman-ness within a patriarchal context.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAdulthood is a stage in the individual life cycle that usually involves the taking on of responsibilities. Generally, the responsibilities associated with becoming a woman within a family or community group involve not only marriage, child rearing and household work, but also maintaining a livelihood, often in order to ensure that the basic needs of life are met. However, when no sacred, or communal space in which to learn about and honor the mysteries and realities inherent in the transformative process of becoming an adult woman is to be found; or when the rite of passage is a psychologically painful or physically brutal process, girls on the verge of inheriting all of these responsibilities are often thrust into crisis - crisis from which most never emerge.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHow then do we change the attitudes around menstruation, both as a culture, and as women ultimately impacted by the values, norms and traditions of our society? Although difficult, the only way to change society is to promote change from within ourselves. We must be committed to taking the first step - taking it upon ourselves to question why we may (or may have at one time) regard menstruation, a natural process, as \"dirty\" or shameful. Look back for a moment to the first time you had your monthly flow. How was the situation handled? Were you alone or with someone...a woman...your mother...a friend? What did you think about your blood, and what now are your associations with it?<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn answering these questions, note your feelings and reactions. Is it hard to talk/think about menstruation? How have your attitudes about menstruation been shaped by those around you, by what you\'ve heard, by what others may say? What does it mean to you now to menstruate, and how, over time, has your attitude changed? Has becoming married or having children (if you are or have) impacted how you feel at all about this process?<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe ideas and beliefs that surround women\'s blood shape not only the individual woman\'s sense of self, but also the relationships in which she finds herself throughout life. And of course, many of the taboos and negative associations attached to menstruation stem directly from the fears of men and male-dominated religious and socio-cultural constructs. Women are not naturally ashamed of their monthly course - they are taught to be so. Therefore, re-thinking and re-teaching menstruation as a natural, special and powerful aspect of women\'s unique culture can mean that women move into a greater sense of empowerment in all areas of their lives.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAs more and more women speak out about their personal needs, and about the needs of sisterhood in this regard, the more likely it will be that woman-affirming change can occur. Calling upon each other for support in such personal matters without a sense of shame, and lending a hand in larger communal efforts for change can ultimately lead to a more concerted global effort to promote women\'s issues and concerns.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMany organizations are learning what it means to be a good forum for the initiation of such projects, and The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission is dedicated to making such a vision real. To this end, we have begun the project of the Daughters of Kali, which provides mentorship and rites of passage for girls ages 13 and up, as well as a forum for initiated members to work ritual around this and other issues.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAlthough acknowledging the difficulty of changing people\'s beliefs, for women themselves to honor menstruation as a sacred process would be a good beginning. What if women\'s groups, for example, taught that \"the menstrual cycle in the female body corresponds to, and represents, the cyclical change of the seasons and the orderliness in the universe...[and that further, it serves to] interrelate humans to their environment and to the socio-cultural reality in which their rites and rituals attain fruition. [It is an] episode that provides us with a choreography in which collective acts and events of theological/philosophical and cosmological significance attain fruition.\" (2) Wouldn\'t it be incredible if women (and eventually men) could understand and work that reality into their attitudes and psychological makeup? Certainly, that is the hope.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<strong>The Power of Menstruation and Rites of Passage</strong><br><br>\r\n\r\nWhile the \"pre-eminent feminine mystery\" (3) of menstruation has been both celebrated and cursed throughout the ages by cultures around the globe, it is usually recognized as containing great power. We need to continue to re-vision menstruation with positive constructs/connotations and remember that many of the world\'s cultures do celebrate a girl\'s coming of age with rites and ceremonies that recognize, name and honor this important passage. We can take example from some of them, where the sacred rituals of society allow the girl \"...to become conscious of a transformation that comes about in a natural way and to assume the mode of being that results from it, the mode of being of the adult woman.\" (4)<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe Native American Apache peoples, for instance, perform the Sunrise Dance when a girl first menstruates, a celebratory initiation into womanhood that lasts four days. With the girl having completed the ceremony, the Apache, \"know [her] small age is past and treat [her] like a woman.\" (5) Paula Gunn Allen tells us that the Oglala (another Native American tribe) too view menstruation as \"something sacred\", and a girl\'s first period is \"greeted by celebration.\" (6)<br><br> \r\n\r\nBy naming and celebrating this particular passage in community, the girl\'s transformation is honored, acknowledged and respected by her peers and elders. Her place as an adult woman is secured with all of its rights and privileges, burdens and responsibilities. She is welcomed and embraced. In this regard, it has been noted that such formal recognition helps to alleviate the sense of crisis many young girls feel around this life passage, particularly about their bodies and about what it means to be a woman in society:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>To emerge enriched from the life crisis of menstruation implies finally trusting and liking one\'s body...It gives pride and status rather than shame and mistrust...It can be creative for [the woman] and the community. Her trust of her body depends on her seeing it in context of the whole. In that sense, it is part of the very goodness of life and of the creative structures of all living organisms.(7)</blockquote><br><br>\r\n\r\nAnd as Carol P. Christ notes, \"changing cultural attitudes toward the female body could go a long way toward overcoming the spirit-flesh, mind-body dualisms [imposed by Western culture]... since... the denigration of the female body is at the heart of these dualisms.\" (8) What if a community effort was made to help our daughters feel welcomed and honored upon becoming a woman? What if we provided educational forums for the eradication of taboos associated with menstruation? Ultimately, the whole of society would be impacted, and women\'s power would be reclaimed and restored to its proper place.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<strong> Men\'s Rites</strong><br><br>\r\nIt is also worthwhile mentioning here that within some cultures, the power of women\'s blood is envied by men to the extent that they often emulate women\'s rites of passage. Sometimes, men endure pain and mutilation in attempting to connect to the realm of the Divine Feminine - the realm that women, by \"virtue of their ability to bleed menstrually...are naturally privy to.\" (9) Jane Caputi tells us that often men perform \"subincision\" in their initiation rites, which \"entails a cutting of the penis so that during rituals the wound can be reopened and the penis can bleed...the bleeding men are playing the role of menstruating women.\" (10)<br><br>\r\n\r\nIt would appear that men, through the enactment of these rites in certain cultures, are seeking to connect to the manna of Mother Earth, to the sacred power that \"has life-giving and life-destroying possibilities.\" (11) This paradoxical nature of the Goddess, as both creator and destroyer, reflects Her ability to embrace the fullness of the cycles of life from birth through death into rebirth. She is the loving whole that can contain them all.\r\n\r\nThus, for women who bleed, the microcosmic reality of menstruation is connected and grounded through an awareness of the Earth\'s living presence as a sister with cycles of her own; as well as through an awareness of the sacred Divine Feminine in any of Her aspects. If we could re-establish a healthy relationship to our own personal bodies, we could help to facilitate a shift in awareness that would have far-reaching consequences. It could mean that one day, women would bleed without shameful associations, and our blood would once again become the blood of life - the force that potentiates both creation and destruction. With this in mind, I encourage you to begin working for the promotion of menstruation as sacred, remembering that the changes must start within each of us.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nREFERENCES: \r\n1. Sjoo, Monica &amp; Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering the Religion of the Earth, San Francisco, 1987, p. 186\r\n2. Patel, Kartikeya C. \"Women, Earth and the Goddess: A Shakta-Hindu Interpretation of Embodied Religion\" in Hypatia vol. 9 no. 4 (Fall 1994), pp. 73-74\r\n3. Eliade, Mircea, Rites and Symbols of Initiation: The Mysteries of Birth and Rebirth, New York, 1958, p. 47\r\n4. Eliade, Mircea. Ibid.\r\n5. Quintero, Nita, \"Coming of Age the Apache Way\", essay appearing in On My Way Running: Women Speak on Coming of Age, edited by Lyn Reese, Jean Wilkinson and Phyllis Sheon Koppelman, 1983, p. 35\r\n6. Gunn Allen, Paula. The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions, Boston, 1986, p. 253\r\n7. Washbourn, Penelope. \"Becoming Woman: Menstruation as Spiritual Challenge\" essay appearing in Womanspirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in Religion, edited by Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow, San Francisco, 1979, pp. 256-7\r\n8. Christ, Carol P. \"Why Women Need the Goddess: Phenomenological, Psychological and Political Reflections\", essay appearing in Womanspirit Rising, ibid., p. 282\r\n9. Gunn Allen, Paula. The Sacred Hoop, ibid., p. 87\r\n10. Caputi, Jane. Gossips, Gorgons &amp; Crones: The Fates of the Earth. Santa Fe, 1993, p. 185\r\n11. Washbourn, Penelope. \"Becoming Woman: Menstruation as Spiritual Challenge\" essay appearing in Womanspirit Rising, ibid., p. 251 Ê','Looking Positively at Menstruation','','publish','open','open','','looking-positively-at-menstruation','','','2015-11-30 15:33:17','2015-11-30 22:33:17','',0,'',0,'post','',0),(100088,2,'2013-09-16 17:57:56','2013-09-17 00:57:56','<h4>Empowering Women and Girls</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, (c) 2001\r\nPublished in the Women\'s Sahayog 1999 Annual Issue (Calcutta, India)</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nAround the globe, girls often experience some form of initiation into adulthood at menarche (the first coming of menstrual blood). Although such rites of passage can be as simple as a mother showing a daughter how to use a sanitary napkin, or as complex as religious ceremonies in which the entire community participates, they are nonetheless important markers in an individual\'s life since it is generally at that point that girls become women in the eyes of society.\r\n\r\nThere are, however, two ways a girl can be impacted by her \"initiation.\" She can either be wholly embraced by her community, or taught to be ashamed of her monthly cycle. Unfortunately, a middle ground does not generally exist and rites of passage, when extant, are often only brutal reinforcements of patriarchal biases and attitudes that promote self-hatred and the denigration of women\'s power.\r\n\r\nWithin most global contexts, the influence of patriarchy means, \"each woman must go through each life stage, transition, and crisis, in silent aloneness, unsupported by either ritual or the women\'s group.\" (1) In some parts of the world, while rituals may abound to mark the passage of a girl into womanhood, some only purport to honor her femaleness; as often these ceremonies are just the community\'s way of marking the woman as fit for domination. The practice of genital mutilation and other ritualized forms of abuse endured by women because of cultural denial and culturally-learned self-hatred are good examples of how women suffer by virtue of their very woman-ness within a patriarchal context.\r\n\r\nAdulthood is a stage in the individual life cycle that usually involves the taking on of responsibilities. Generally, the responsibilities associated with becoming a woman within a family or community group involve not only marriage, child rearing and household work, but also maintaining a livelihood, often in order to ensure that the basic needs of life are met. However, when no sacred, or communal space in which to learn about and honor the mysteries and realities inherent in the transformative process of becoming an adult woman is to be found; or when the rite of passage is a psychologically painful or physically brutal process, girls on the verge of inheriting all of these responsibilities are often thrust into crisis - crisis from which most never emerge.\r\n\r\nHow then do we change the attitudes around menstruation, both as a culture, and as women ultimately impacted by the values, norms and traditions of our society? Although difficult, the only way to change society is to promote change from within ourselves. We must be committed to taking the first step - taking it upon ourselves to question why we may (or may have at one time) regard menstruation, a natural process, as \"dirty\" or shameful. Look back for a moment to the first time you had your monthly flow. How was the situation handled? Were you alone or with someone...a woman...your mother...a friend? What did you think about your blood, and what now are your associations with it?\r\n\r\nIn answering these questions, note your feelings and reactions. Is it hard to talk/think about menstruation? How have your attitudes about menstruation been shaped by those around you, by what you\'ve heard, by what others may say? What does it mean to you now to menstruate, and how, over time, has your attitude changed? Has becoming married or having children (if you are or have) impacted how you feel at all about this process?\r\n\r\nThe ideas and beliefs that surround women\'s blood shape not only the individual woman\'s sense of self, but also the relationships in which she finds herself throughout life. And of course, many of the taboos and negative associations attached to menstruation stem directly from the fears of men and male-dominated religious and socio-cultural constructs. Women are not naturally ashamed of their monthly course - they are taught to be so. Therefore, re-thinking and re-teaching menstruation as a natural, special and powerful aspect of women\'s unique culture can mean that women move into a greater sense of empowerment in all areas of their lives.\r\n\r\nAs more and more women speak out about their personal needs, and about the needs of sisterhood in this regard, the more likely it will be that woman-affirming change can occur. Calling upon each other for support in such personal matters without a sense of shame, and lending a hand in larger communal efforts for change can ultimately lead to a more concerted global effort to promote women\'s issues and concerns.\r\n\r\nMany organizations are learning what it means to be a good forum for the initiation of such projects, and The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission is dedicated to making such a vision real. To this end, we have begun the project of the Daughters of Kali, which provides mentorship and rites of passage for girls ages 13 and up, as well as a forum for initiated members to work ritual around this and other issues.\r\n\r\nAlthough acknowledging the difficulty of changing people\'s beliefs, for women themselves to honor menstruation as a sacred process would be a good beginning. What if women\'s groups, for example, taught that \"the menstrual cycle in the female body corresponds to, and represents, the cyclical change of the seasons and the orderliness in the universe...[and that further, it serves to] interrelate humans to their environment and to the socio-cultural reality in which their rites and rituals attain fruition. [It is an] episode that provides us with a choreography in which collective acts and events of theological/philosophical and cosmological significance attain fruition.\" (2) Wouldn\'t it be incredible if women (and eventually men) could understand and work that reality into their attitudes and psychological makeup?!? Certainly, that is the hope.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Power of Menstruation and Rites of Passage</strong>\r\nWhile the \"pre-eminent feminine mystery\" (3) of menstruation has been both celebrated and cursed throughout the ages by cultures around the globe, it is usually recognized as containing great power. We need to continue to re-vision menstruation with positive constructs/connotations and remember that many of the world\'s cultures do celebrate a girl\'s coming of age with rites and ceremonies that recognize, name and honor this important passage. We can take example from some of them, where the sacred rituals of society allow the girl \"...to become conscious of a transformation that comes about in a natural way and to assume the mode of being that results from it, the mode of being of the adult woman.\" (4)\r\n\r\nThe Native American Apache peoples, for instance, perform the Sunrise Dance when a girl first menstruates, a celebratory initiation into womanhood that lasts four days. With the girl having completed the ceremony, the Apache, \"know [her] small age is past and treat [her] like a woman.\" (5) Paula Gunn Allen tells us that the Oglala (another Native American tribe) too view menstruation as \"something sacred\", and a girl\'s first period is \"greeted by celebration.\" (6) By naming and celebrating this particular passage in community, the girl\'s transformation is honored, acknowledged and respected by her peers and elders. Her place as an adult woman is secured with all of its rights and privileges, burdens and responsibilities. She is welcomed and embraced. In this regard, it has been noted that such formal recognition helps to alleviate the sense of crisis many young girls feel around this life passage, particularly about their bodies and about what it means to be a woman in society:\r\n\r\nTo emerge enriched from the life crisis of menstruation implies finally trusting and liking one\'s body...It gives pride and status rather than shame and mistrust...It can be creative for [the woman] and the community. Her trust of her body depends on her seeing it in context of the whole. In that sense, it is part of the very goodness of life and of the creative structures of all living organisms. (7)\r\nAnd as Carol P. Christ notes, \"changing cultural attitudes toward the female body could go a long way toward overcoming the spirit-flesh, mind-body dualisms [imposed by Western culture]... since... the denigration of the female body is at the heart of these dualisms.\" (8) What if a community effort was made to help our daughters feel welcomed and honored upon becoming a woman? What if we provided educational forums for the eradication of taboos associated with menstruation? Ultimately, the whole of society would be impacted, and women\'s power would be reclaimed and restored to its proper place.\r\n\r\n<strong> Men\'s Rites</strong>\r\nIt is also worthwhile mentioning here that within some cultures, the power of women\'s blood is envied by men to the extent that they often emulate women\'s rites of passage. Sometimes, men endure pain and mutilation in attempting to connect to the realm of the Divine Feminine - the realm that women, by \"virtue of their ability to bleed menstrually...are naturally privy to.\" (9) Jane Caputi tells us that often men perform \"subincision\" in their initiation rites, which \"entails a cutting of the penis so that during rituals the wound can be reopened and the penis can bleed...the bleeding men are playing the role of menstruating women.\" (10)\r\n\r\nIt would appear that men, through the enactment of these rites in certain cultures, are seeking to connect to the manna of Mother Earth, to the sacred power that \"has life-giving and life-destroying possibilities.\" (11) This paradoxical nature of the Goddess, as both creator and destroyer, reflects Her ability to embrace the fullness of the cycles of life from birth through death into rebirth. She is the loving whole that can contain them all.\r\n\r\nThus, for women who bleed, the microcosmic reality of menstruation is connected and grounded through an awareness of the Earth\'s living presence as a sister with cycles of her own; as well as through an awareness of the sacred Divine Feminine in any of Her aspects. If we could re-establish a healthy relationship to our own personal bodies, we could help to facilitate a shift in awareness that would have far-reaching consequences. It could mean that one day, women would bleed without shameful associations, and our blood would once again become the blood of life - the force that potentiates both creation and destruction. With this in mind, I encourage you to begin working for the promotion of menstruation as sacred; remembering that the changes must start within each of us.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> today to help make a difference in your own life, and in the lives of the women and girls you care about. Ultimately, we help everyone.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Chandra Alexandre, PhD</strong> is founder and executive director of SHARANYA: The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission, Inc.</em>\r\n\r\nREFERENCES: 1. Sjoo, Monica &amp; Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering the Religion of the Earth, San Francisco, 1987, p. 186\r\n2. Patel, Kartikeya C. \"Women, Earth and the Goddess: A Shakta-Hindu Interpretation of Embodied Religion\" in Hypatia vol. 9 no. 4 (Fall 1994), pp. 73-74\r\n3. Eliade, Mircea, Rites and Symbols of Initiation: The Mysteries of Birth and Rebirth, New York, 1958, p. 47\r\n4. Eliade, Mircea. Ibid.\r\n5. Quintero, Nita, \"Coming of Age the Apache Way\", essay appearing in IÕm On My Way Running: Women Speak on Coming of Age, edited by Lyn Reese, Jean Wilkinson and Phyllis Sheon Koppelman, 1983, p. 35\r\n6. Gunn Allen, Paula. The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions, Boston, 1986, p. 253\r\n7. Washbourn, Penelope. \"Becoming Woman: Menstruation as Spiritual Challenge\" essay appearing in Womanspirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in Religion, edited by Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow, San Francisco, 1979, pp. 256-7\r\n8. Christ, Carol P. \"Why Women Need the Goddess: Phenomenological, Psychological and Political Reflections\", essay appearing in Womanspirit Rising, ibid., p. 282\r\n9. Gunn Allen, Paula. The Sacred Hoop, ibid., p. 87\r\n10. Caputi, Jane. Gossips, Gorgons &amp; Crones: The Fates of the Earth. Santa Fe, 1993, p. 185\r\n11. Washbourn, Penelope. \"Becoming Woman: Menstruation as Spiritual Challenge\" essay appearing in Womanspirit Rising, ibid., p. 251 Ê','Looking Positively at Menstruation','','inherit','open','open','','100087-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 17:57:56','2013-09-17 00:57:56','',100087,'<h4>Empowering Women and Girls</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, (c) 2001\r\nPublished in the Women\'s Sahayog 1999 Annual Issue (Calcutta, India)</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nAround the globe, girls often experience some form of initiation into adulthood at menarch',0,'revision','',0),(100089,2,'2013-09-16 18:33:48','2013-09-17 01:33:48','<i>By: Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. Because women bleed each month without taking harm, they are believed to have special powers during the bleeding, and the blood itself is powerfully magical. However, this is taken as either a positive or a negative depending on the culture. One of our objectives in working with the Mysteries is to move toward the positive viewpoint, in order to make this a time of increased power and self-healing.\r\n\r\nMenstruation and childbirth are sometimes used to define the triple aspect of Goddess and woman as follows:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>The Maiden</b> is the girl who has just had her first period;\r\n<b></b></li>\r\n	<li><b>The Mother</b> is the bleeding woman who has given birth and/or achieved fulfillment in her chosen career; and\r\n<b></b></li>\r\n	<li><b>The Crone</b> is the woman who has reached menopause.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Biology<small>*</small></b></h4>\r\nA typical menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. We usually start counting from the first day of the period. During the first half of the cycle, the body produces estrogen. Then an egg is released from one of the ovaries; it travels through the fallopian tube for somewhere between 12 and 36 hours, and it is during this time that we are fertile. The empty egg sac releases progesterone, and the change in hormones signals the uterus to build up a lining called the endometrium. If the egg is not fertilized, then the hormone levels drop and the lining starts to break down; and 12-14 days after ovulation, the period starts, purging the unused lining from the body.\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Our Cycle and the Moon</b></h4>\r\nSome writers theorize that ideally, we should ovulate at the Full Moon and bleed during the Waning Moon before the Dark Moon. However, if we look at the biology and see that there is always 12-14 days between ovulation and menstruation, we see that this doesn\'t quite work. Still, the comparison of cycles is informative, and some women do find it desirable to attune their cycles to those of the Moon as closely as possible. Women who do feel this attunement are either ovulating at Full and bleeding at Dark, or ovulating at Waxing and bleeding at Waning.\r\n\r\nAccording to Luisa Francia in <i>Dragontime</i>, periods in different lunar phases have different characters. Here are her thoughts:\r\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Phase</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Orientation</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Activities</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Totem</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waxing</td>\r\n<td>Self</td>\r\n<td>learning, self-care</td>\r\n<td>raven</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Full</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>celebrate, transform</td>\r\n<td>phoenix</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waning</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>create, develop, deepen</td>\r\n<td>bear</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"20%\">Dark</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Self</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">healing, looking back</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">toad</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAccording to Kisma Stepanich, if you want to try to attune your cycle to that of the Moon, you should work with herbs that decrease flow during the Waxing Moon (herbs will be discussed later), expose yourself to moonlight regularly and even sleep with a nightlight during the Full Moon, and work with herbs that increase flow during the Waning Moon. She also offers the following thoughts comparing the parts of a woman\'s cycle to the lunar cycle, and working to honor those cycles. They are offered as a beginning point for experimentation.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Waxing Moon/After Period: this is a time when the body shows the fewest hormonally-induced symptoms; the feeling is youthful and active, like the Maiden. Favored colors are light; clothes are form-fitting and comfortable, or practical; makeup and jewelry are minimal and hair is tied back if long; scents are airy, like lavender, lemon, sandalwood, or mint.</li>\r\n	<li>Full Moon/Ovulation to early PMS: the mood is sensual and empowered, but physically there is a feeling of fullness from possible swelling or water retention. Favored colors are watery and romantic; clothes are feminine and seductive; makeup tends to roses and shimmer; jewelry is seductive, like anklets; hair is down but \'done\'; scents are fiery or sexual, like carnation, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, or vanilla.</li>\r\n	<li>Waning Moon/PMS and Start of Period: the mood turns inward, and there is an emphasis on psychic impressions and on banishing unwanted things. Favored colors are reds and other deep colors; clothes are layered, flowing and comfortable; makeup becomes more dramatic or tends toward plum; lots of jewelry, especially spiritual kinds; perfumes include gardenia, heather, myrrh, orange, orris, rose, and violet.</li>\r\n	<li>Dark Moon/End of Period to Slightly After: This is the deep, still point between cycles, the point of the Dark Goddess. Favored colors are black and nature colors; clothes are dramatic styles; makeup is dark; jewelry tends to pieces with special significance; hair is down and unadorned; perfumes are earthy, like musk, patchouli, cedar, honeysuckle, jasmine, or sage.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><b>Spiritual and Magical Concerns</b></h4>\r\nFirst of all, the menstrual blood itself is considered to be magical. In some cultures its power is considered to be so strong that it gives great power to any spell; or so strong, on the other hand, that it negates all other powers.\r\n\r\nThe journey through the menstrual cycle can be compared to a journey through the Three Worlds: the waxing phase is Celestial, the ovulation phase is Terrestrial, and the bleeding is a trip to the Underworld.\r\n\r\nWomen are considered to be unusually psychically open during menstruation, which on one hand lends them power but also means that they benefit by taking more time to themselves, giving extra attention to self-nurturing and purification. (This is not because they are \'unclean,\' as it has been interpreted in some cultures, but because so much energy is drawn to them at this time and is grounded through them.) This is a good time to pay attention to dreams and perform other kinds of divination.\r\n\r\nSome women find it helpful to create a special space they can go to during this time, including a blood altar. Here they can keep any special tools, including a jar of diluted blood, a charm bag of special amulets and herbs, and other items honoring the blood: animal totems, red candles, Goddess images, seashells, red stones. Spending extra alone time now to create, read, or meditate helps women feel more balanced throughout the cycle. Gentle forms of movement, like belly dancing and yoga, are also considered to be helpful to both the spirit and the body.\r\n\r\nThe blood power is not lost after menopause. In fact, in Native American cultures, menopausal women are considered to be even more powerful because they are holding this energy within themselves rather than releasing it. Elsewhere, the hot flashes that come during menopause are compared to the awakening of the Kundalini, and seen as an opportunity to work with and cultivate this power naturally.\r\n\r\nOther cultures have honored the first menstruation and the coming of menopause as special times of power honoring women. It is never too late to celebrate these.\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Fertility Consciousness</b></h4>\r\nMost women, if they know much about their cycles at all, only know the \'rhythm method\' of counting days between periods. This is NOT adequate! The following discussion of ovulation symptoms is meant to improve your awareness of your body, but while it is better than the rhythm method, it should not replace your other measures for birth and disease control.\r\n\r\nOvulation occurs 12-14 days before the beginning of the period. This time frame does not change: what does change is the amount of time between the beginning of the period and the next ovulation. So counting days from the beginning of the period is useless in terms of tracking fertility. Here is a list of symptoms that can accompany ovulation:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>a small, sharp twinge low and to one side (\"mittelschmerz\")</li>\r\n	<li>spotting</li>\r\n	<li>breast tenderness or fullness</li>\r\n	<li>increased sexual desire</li>\r\n	<li>lower back pain</li>\r\n	<li>constipation</li>\r\n	<li>mood changes</li>\r\n	<li>food cravings</li>\r\n	<li>swelling</li>\r\n	<li>more acute senses</li>\r\n	<li>oily hair and skin</li>\r\n	<li>elevated temperature</li>\r\n	<li>fertile mucus pattern</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf these, the last two are the most reliable indicators. Unfortunately it can be hard to track the elevated temperature, which can happen for so many other reasons. Also, temperature has to be taken first thing in the morning without rising from bed; and although higher temperature correlates to ovulation, it can be just before or just after.\r\n\r\nVaginal secretions change just before ovulation. Usually, it is more acidic, to protect this opening into your body from germs. This also makes it inhospitable for sperm. However, before and during ovulation, this changes to help the sperm survive. During this time, there is more secretion, and it is thicker; it will be sticky or stretchy when pinched between the fingers.\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Herbs for the Blood Mysteries</b></h4>\r\nI will not be giving specific herbal treatments here, because I am not qualified to do so. However, you can investigate the books in the bibliography to start learning more about herbal treatments for various issues relating to menstruation, fertility, and so on. Two good general tonics for the female reproductive system are dong quai and raspberry leaf. (Many are the cramps I\'ve chased off with raspberry leaf tea!) These are both easily available at health food stores, as is blue cohosh, which is currently very popular for use during perimenopause.\r\n\r\nHere are magical uses of some herbs that you can include in incense, on your altar, in dream pillows, and so on:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Apple (for Goddess energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Cayenne pepper (to control fertility)</li>\r\n	<li>Chamomile (to make peace with your cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Ginger (for the \"spirit of the blood\")</li>\r\n	<li>Lipped flowers, like orchids (represent the sexual organs)</li>\r\n	<li>Mistletoe (to claim power; also decreases flow)</li>\r\n	<li>Mugwort (for \"woman power\" and visions; also works for Crones)</li>\r\n	<li>Parsley (to strengthen blood)</li>\r\n	<li>Pomegranate (for Goddess and Underworld energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Raspberry (to control the cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Sage (for sacredness)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>Resources</b>\r\n\r\nFrancia, Luisa. <i>Dragontime</i>\r\nHoffman, David. <i>The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal</i>\r\nMcIntyre, Anne. <i>The Complete Woman\'s Herbal</i>\r\nStepanich, Kisma. <i>Sister Moon Lodge</i>\r\nWeed, Susun. <i>Healing Wise</i>\r\n\r\n* NOTE: Basic biological information has been vetted by my husband, Dr. Timothy McCord, a professor of anatomy and physiology.','Women\'s Mysteries','','publish','open','open','','womens-mysteries','','','2013-09-23 17:37:02','2013-09-24 00:37:02','',0,'<i>By: Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon.',0,'post','',0),(100090,2,'2013-09-16 18:33:48','2013-09-17 01:33:48','<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">In many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. Because women bleed each month without taking harm, they are believed to have special powers during the bleeding, and the blood itself is powerfully magical. However, this is taken as either a positive or a negative depending on the culture. One of our objectives in working with the Mysteries is to move toward the positive viewpoint, in order to make this a time of increased power and self-healing.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Menstruation and childbirth are sometimes used to define the triple aspect of Goddess and woman as follows:</span>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>The Maiden</b> is the girl who has just had her first period;\r\n<b></b></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>The Mother</b> is the bleeding woman who has given birth and/or achieved fulfillment in her chosen career; and\r\n<b></b></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>The Crone</b> is the woman who has reached menopause.\r\n</span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><b>Biology<small>*</small></b></span>\r\n\r\nA typical menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. We usually start counting from the first day of the period. During the first half of the cycle, the body produces estrogen. Then an egg is released from one of the ovaries; it travels through the fallopian tube for somewhere between 12 and 36 hours, and it is during this time that we are fertile. The empty egg sac releases progesterone, and the change in hormones signals the uterus to build up a lining called the endometrium. If the egg is not fertilized, then the hormone levels drop and the lining starts to break down; and 12-14 days after ovulation, the period starts, purging the unused lining from the body.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><b>Our Cycle and the Moon</b></span>\r\n\r\nSome writers theorize that ideally, we should ovulate at the Full Moon and bleed during the Waning Moon before the Dark Moon. However, if we look at the biology and see that there is always 12-14 days between ovulation and menstruation, we see that this doesn\'t quite work. Still, the comparison of cycles is informative, and some women do find it desirable to attune their cycles to those of the Moon as closely as possible. Women who do feel this attunement are either ovulating at Full and bleeding at Dark, or ovulating at Waxing and bleeding at Waning.\r\n\r\nAccording to Luisa Francia in <i>Dragontime</i>, periods in different lunar phases have different characters. Here are her thoughts:\r\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Phase</th>\r\n<th>Orientation</th>\r\n<th>Activities</th>\r\n<th>Totem</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waxing</td>\r\n<td>Self</td>\r\n<td>learning, self-care</td>\r\n<td>raven</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Full</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>celebrate, transform</td>\r\n<td>phoenix</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waning</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>create, develop, deepen</td>\r\n<td>bear</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Dark</td>\r\n<td>Self</td>\r\n<td>healing, looking back</td>\r\n<td>toad</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAccording to Kisma Stepanich, if you want to try to attune your cycle to that of the Moon, you should work with herbs that decrease flow during the Waxing Moon (herbs will be discussed later), expose yourself to moonlight regularly and even sleep with a nightlight during the Full Moon, and work with herbs that increase flow during the Waning Moon. She also offers the following thoughts comparing the parts of a woman\'s cycle to the lunar cycle, and working to honor those cycles. They are offered as a beginning point for experimentation.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Waxing Moon/After Period: this is a time when the body shows the fewest hormonally-induced symptoms; the feeling is youthful and active, like the Maiden. Favored colors are light; clothes are form-fitting and comfortable, or practical; makeup and jewelry are minimal and hair is tied back if long; scents are airy, like lavender, lemon, sandalwood, or mint.&nbsp;</li>\r\n	<li>Full Moon/Ovulation to early PMS: the mood is sensual and empowered, but physically there is a feeling of fullness from possible swelling or water retention. Favored colors are watery and romantic; clothes are feminine and seductive; makeup tends to roses and shimmer; jewelry is seductive, like anklets; hair is down but \'done\'; scents are fiery or sexual, like carnation, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, or vanilla.&nbsp;</li>\r\n	<li>Waning Moon/PMS and Start of Period: the mood turns inward, and there is an emphasis on psychic impressions and on banishing unwanted things. Favored colors are reds and other deep colors; clothes are layered, flowing and comfortable; makeup becomes more dramatic or tends toward plum; lots of jewelry, especially spiritual kinds; perfumes include gardenia, heather, myrrh, orange, orris, rose, and violet.&nbsp;</li>\r\n	<li>Dark Moon/End of Period to Slightly After: This is the deep, still point between cycles, the point of the Dark Goddess. Favored colors are black and nature colors; clothes are dramatic styles; makeup is dark; jewelry tends to pieces with special significance; hair is down and unadorned; perfumes are earthy, like musk, patchouli, cedar, honeysuckle, jasmine, or sage.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><b>Spiritual and Magical Concerns</b></span>\r\n\r\nFirst of all, the menstrual blood itself is considered to be magical. In some cultures its power is considered to be so strong that it gives great power to any spell; or so strong, on the other hand, that it negates all other powers.\r\n\r\nThe journey through the menstrual cycle can be compared to a journey through the Three Worlds: the waxing phase is Celestial, the ovulation phase is Terrestrial, and the bleeding is a trip to the Underworld.\r\n\r\nWomen are considered to be unusually psychically open during menstruation, which on one hand lends them power but also means that they benefit by taking more time to themselves, giving extra attention to self-nurturing and purification. (This is not because they are \'unclean,\' as it has been interpreted in some cultures, but because so much energy is drawn to them at this time and is grounded through them.) This is a good time to pay attention to dreams and perform other kinds of divination.\r\n\r\nSome women find it helpful to create a special space they can go to during this time, including a blood altar. Here they can keep any special tools, including a jar of diluted blood, a charm bag of special amulets and herbs, and other items honoring the blood: animal totems, red candles, Goddess images, seashells, red stones. Spending extra alone time now to create, read, or meditate helps women feel more balanced throughout the cycle. Gentle forms of movement, like belly dancing and yoga, are also considered to be helpful to both the spirit and the body.\r\n\r\nThe blood power is not lost after menopause. In fact, in Native American cultures, menopausal women are considered to be even more powerful because they are holding this energy within themselves rather than releasing it. Elsewhere, the hot flashes that come during menopause are compared to the awakening of the Kundalini, and seen as an opportunity to work with and cultivate this power naturally.\r\n\r\nOther cultures have honored the first menstruation and the coming of menopause as special times of power honoring women. It is never too late to celebrate these.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><b>Fertility Consciousness</b></span>\r\n\r\nMost women, if they know much about their cycles at all, only know the \'rhythm method\' of counting days between periods. This is NOT adequate! The following discussion of ovulation symptoms is meant to improve your awareness of your body, but while it is better than the rhythm method, it should not replace your other measures for birth and disease control.\r\n\r\nOvulation occurs 12-14 days before the beginning of the period. This time frame does not change: what does change is the amount of time between the beginning of the period and the next ovulation. So counting days from the beginning of the period is useless in terms of tracking fertility. Here is a list of symptoms that can accompany ovulation:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>a small, sharp twinge low and to one side (\"mittelschmerz\")</li>\r\n	<li>spotting</li>\r\n	<li>breast tenderness or fullness</li>\r\n	<li>increased sexual desire</li>\r\n	<li>lower back pain</li>\r\n	<li>constipation</li>\r\n	<li>mood changes</li>\r\n	<li>food cravings</li>\r\n	<li>swelling</li>\r\n	<li>more acute senses</li>\r\n	<li>oily hair and skin</li>\r\n	<li>elevated temperature</li>\r\n	<li>fertile mucus pattern</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nOf these, the last two are the most reliable indicators. Unfortunately it can be hard to track the elevated temperature, which can happen for so many other reasons. Also, temperature has to be taken first thing in the morning without rising from bed; and although higher temperature correlates to ovulation, it can be just before or just after.\r\n\r\nVaginal secretions change just before ovulation. Usually, it is more acidic, to protect this opening into your body from germs. This also makes it inhospitable for sperm. However, before and during ovulation, this changes to help the sperm survive. During this time, there is more secretion, and it is thicker; it will be sticky or stretchy when pinched between the fingers.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><b>Herbs for the Blood Mysteries</b></span>\r\n\r\nI will not be giving specific herbal treatments here, because I am not qualified to do so. However, you can investigate the books in the bibliography to start learning more about herbal treatments for various issues relating to menstruation, fertility, and so on. Two good general tonics for the female reproductive system are dong quai and raspberry leaf. (Many are the cramps I\'ve chased off with raspberry leaf tea!) These are both easily available at health food stores, as is blue cohosh, which is currently very popular for use during perimenopause.\r\n\r\nHere are magical uses of some herbs that you can include in incense, on your altar, in dream pillows, and so on:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Apple (for Goddess energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Cayenne pepper (to control fertility)</li>\r\n	<li>Chamomile (to make peace with your cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Ginger (for the \"spirit of the blood\")</li>\r\n	<li>Lipped flowers, like orchids (represent the sexual organs)</li>\r\n	<li>Mistletoe (to claim power; also decreases flow)</li>\r\n	<li>Mugwort (for \"woman power\" and visions; also works for Crones)</li>\r\n	<li>Parsley (to strengthen blood)</li>\r\n	<li>Pomegranate (for Goddess and Underworld energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Raspberry (to control the cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Sage (for sacredness)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> </span></span>\r\n\r\n<b>Resources</b>\r\n\r\nFrancia, Luisa. <i>Dragontime</i>\r\nHoffman, David. <i>The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal</i>\r\nMcIntyre, Anne. <i>The Complete Woman\'s Herbal</i>\r\nStepanich, Kisma. <i>Sister Moon Lodge</i>\r\nWeed, Susun. <i>Healing Wise</i>\r\n\r\n* NOTE: Basic biological information has been vetted by my husband, Dr. Timothy McCord, a professor of anatomy and physiology.','Women\'s Mysteries','','inherit','open','open','','100089-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:33:48','2013-09-17 01:33:48','',100089,'<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">In many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycl',0,'revision','',0),(100091,2,'2013-09-16 18:36:54','2013-09-17 01:36:54','<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i></span>\n\n<hr />\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">In many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. Because women bleed each month without taking harm, they are believed to have special powers during the bleeding, and the blood itself is powerfully magical. However, this is taken as either a positive or a negative depending on the culture. One of our objectives in working with the Mysteries is to move toward the positive viewpoint, in order to make this a time of increased power and self-healing.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Menstruation and childbirth are sometimes used to define the triple aspect of Goddess and woman as follows:</span>\n<ul>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>The Maiden</b> is the girl who has just had her first period;\n<b></b></span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>The Mother</b> is the bleeding woman who has given birth and/or achieved fulfillment in her chosen career; and\n<b></b></span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>The Crone</b> is the woman who has reached menopause. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4><b>Biology<small>*</small></b></h4>\nA typical menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. We usually start counting from the first day of the period. During the first half of the cycle, the body produces estrogen. Then an egg is released from one of the ovaries; it travels through the fallopian tube for somewhere between 12 and 36 hours, and it is during this time that we are fertile. The empty egg sac releases progesterone, and the change in hormones signals the uterus to build up a lining called the endometrium. If the egg is not fertilized, then the hormone levels drop and the lining starts to break down; and 12-14 days after ovulation, the period starts, purging the unused lining from the body.\n<h4><b>Our Cycle and the Moon</b></h4>\nSome writers theorize that ideally, we should ovulate at the Full Moon and bleed during the Waning Moon before the Dark Moon. However, if we look at the biology and see that there is always 12-14 days between ovulation and menstruation, we see that this doesn\'t quite work. Still, the comparison of cycles is informative, and some women do find it desirable to attune their cycles to those of the Moon as closely as possible. Women who do feel this attunement are either ovulating at Full and bleeding at Dark, or ovulating at Waxing and bleeding at Waning.\n\nAccording to Luisa Francia in <i>Dragontime</i>, periods in different lunar phases have different characters. Here are her thoughts:\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Phase</th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Orientation</th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Activities</th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Totem</th>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"20%\">Waxing</td>\n<td>Self</td>\n<td>learning, self-care</td>\n<td>raven</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"20%\">Full</td>\n<td>World</td>\n<td>celebrate, transform</td>\n<td>phoenix</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"20%\">Waning</td>\n<td>World</td>\n<td>create, develop, deepen</td>\n<td>bear</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"20%\">Dark</td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Self</td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">healing, looking back</td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">toad</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nAccording to Kisma Stepanich, if you want to try to attune your cycle to that of the Moon, you should work with herbs that decrease flow during the Waxing Moon (herbs will be discussed later), expose yourself to moonlight regularly and even sleep with a nightlight during the Full Moon, and work with herbs that increase flow during the Waning Moon. She also offers the following thoughts comparing the parts of a woman\'s cycle to the lunar cycle, and working to honor those cycles. They are offered as a beginning point for experimentation.\n<ul>\n	<li>Waxing Moon/After Period: this is a time when the body shows the fewest hormonally-induced symptoms; the feeling is youthful and active, like the Maiden. Favored colors are light; clothes are form-fitting and comfortable, or practical; makeup and jewelry are minimal and hair is tied back if long; scents are airy, like lavender, lemon, sandalwood, or mint.</li>\n	<li>Full Moon/Ovulation to early PMS: the mood is sensual and empowered, but physically there is a feeling of fullness from possible swelling or water retention. Favored colors are watery and romantic; clothes are feminine and seductive; makeup tends to roses and shimmer; jewelry is seductive, like anklets; hair is down but \'done\'; scents are fiery or sexual, like carnation, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, or vanilla.</li>\n	<li>Waning Moon/PMS and Start of Period: the mood turns inward, and there is an emphasis on psychic impressions and on banishing unwanted things. Favored colors are reds and other deep colors; clothes are layered, flowing and comfortable; makeup becomes more dramatic or tends toward plum; lots of jewelry, especially spiritual kinds; perfumes include gardenia, heather, myrrh, orange, orris, rose, and violet.</li>\n	<li>Dark Moon/End of Period to Slightly After: This is the deep, still point between cycles, the point of the Dark Goddess. Favored colors are black and nature colors; clothes are dramatic styles; makeup is dark; jewelry tends to pieces with special significance; hair is down and unadorned; perfumes are earthy, like musk, patchouli, cedar, honeysuckle, jasmine, or sage.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<h4><b>Spiritual and Magical Concerns</b></h4>\nFirst of all, the menstrual blood itself is considered to be magical. In some cultures its power is considered to be so strong that it gives great power to any spell; or so strong, on the other hand, that it negates all other powers.\n\nThe journey through the menstrual cycle can be compared to a journey through the Three Worlds: the waxing phase is Celestial, the ovulation phase is Terrestrial, and the bleeding is a trip to the Underworld.\n\nWomen are considered to be unusually psychically open during menstruation, which on one hand lends them power but also means that they benefit by taking more time to themselves, giving extra attention to self-nurturing and purification. (This is not because they are \'unclean,\' as it has been interpreted in some cultures, but because so much energy is drawn to them at this time and is grounded through them.) This is a good time to pay attention to dreams and perform other kinds of divination.\n\nSome women find it helpful to create a special space they can go to during this time, including a blood altar. Here they can keep any special tools, including a jar of diluted blood, a charm bag of special amulets and herbs, and other items honoring the blood: animal totems, red candles, Goddess images, seashells, red stones. Spending extra alone time now to create, read, or meditate helps women feel more balanced throughout the cycle. Gentle forms of movement, like belly dancing and yoga, are also considered to be helpful to both the spirit and the body.\n\nThe blood power is not lost after menopause. In fact, in Native American cultures, menopausal women are considered to be even more powerful because they are holding this energy within themselves rather than releasing it. Elsewhere, the hot flashes that come during menopause are compared to the awakening of the Kundalini, and seen as an opportunity to work with and cultivate this power naturally.\n\nOther cultures have honored the first menstruation and the coming of menopause as special times of power honoring women. It is never too late to celebrate these.\n<h4><b>Fertility Consciousness</b></h4>\nMost women, if they know much about their cycles at all, only know the \'rhythm method\' of counting days between periods. This is NOT adequate! The following discussion of ovulation symptoms is meant to improve your awareness of your body, but while it is better than the rhythm method, it should not replace your other measures for birth and disease control.\n\nOvulation occurs 12-14 days before the beginning of the period. This time frame does not change: what does change is the amount of time between the beginning of the period and the next ovulation. So counting days from the beginning of the period is useless in terms of tracking fertility. Here is a list of symptoms that can accompany ovulation:\n<ul>\n	<li>a small, sharp twinge low and to one side (\"mittelschmerz\")</li>\n	<li>spotting</li>\n	<li>breast tenderness or fullness</li>\n	<li>increased sexual desire</li>\n	<li>lower back pain</li>\n	<li>constipation</li>\n	<li>mood changes</li>\n	<li>food cravings</li>\n	<li>swelling</li>\n	<li>more acute senses</li>\n	<li>oily hair and skin</li>\n	<li>elevated temperature</li>\n	<li>fertile mucus pattern</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\nOf these, the last two are the most reliable indicators. Unfortunately it can be hard to track the elevated temperature, which can happen for so many other reasons. Also, temperature has to be taken first thing in the morning without rising from bed; and although higher temperature correlates to ovulation, it can be just before or just after.\n\nVaginal secretions change just before ovulation. Usually, it is more acidic, to protect this opening into your body from germs. This also makes it inhospitable for sperm. However, before and during ovulation, this changes to help the sperm survive. During this time, there is more secretion, and it is thicker; it will be sticky or stretchy when pinched between the fingers.\n<h4><b>Herbs for the Blood Mysteries</b></h4>\nI will not be giving specific herbal treatments here, because I am not qualified to do so. However, you can investigate the books in the bibliography to start learning more about herbal treatments for various issues relating to menstruation, fertility, and so on. Two good general tonics for the female reproductive system are dong quai and raspberry leaf. (Many are the cramps I\'ve chased off with raspberry leaf tea!) These are both easily available at health food stores, as is blue cohosh, which is currently very popular for use during perimenopause.\n\nHere are magical uses of some herbs that you can include in incense, on your altar, in dream pillows, and so on:\n<ul>\n	<li>Apple (for Goddess energy)</li>\n	<li>Cayenne pepper (to control fertility)</li>\n	<li>Chamomile (to make peace with your cycle)</li>\n	<li>Ginger (for the \"spirit of the blood\")</li>\n	<li>Lipped flowers, like orchids (represent the sexual organs)</li>\n	<li>Mistletoe (to claim power; also decreases flow)</li>\n	<li>Mugwort (for \"woman power\" and visions; also works for Crones)</li>\n	<li>Parsley (to strengthen blood)</li>\n	<li>Pomegranate (for Goddess and Underworld energy)</li>\n	<li>Raspberry (to control the cycle)</li>\n	<li>Sage (for sacredness)</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> </span></span>\n\n<b>Resources</b>\n\nFrancia, Luisa. <i>Dragontime</i>\nHoffman, David. <i>The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal</i>\nMcIntyre, Anne. <i>The Complete Woman\'s Herbal</i>\nStepanich, Kisma. <i>Sister Moon Lodge</i>\nWeed, Susun. <i>Healing Wise</i>\n\n* NOTE: Basic biological information has been vetted by my husband, Dr. Timothy McCord, a professor of anatomy and physiology.','Women\'s Mysteries','','inherit','open','open','','100089-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:36:54','2013-09-17 01:36:54','',100089,'<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i></span>\n\n<hr />\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">In many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'',0,'revision','',0),(100092,2,'2013-09-16 18:37:29','2013-09-17 01:37:29','<i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. Because women bleed each month without taking harm, they are believed to have special powers during the bleeding, and the blood itself is powerfully magical. However, this is taken as either a positive or a negative depending on the culture. One of our objectives in working with the Mysteries is to move toward the positive viewpoint, in order to make this a time of increased power and self-healing.\r\n\r\nMenstruation and childbirth are sometimes used to define the triple aspect of Goddess and woman as follows:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>The Maiden</b> is the girl who has just had her first period;\r\n<b></b></li>\r\n	<li><b>The Mother</b> is the bleeding woman who has given birth and/or achieved fulfillment in her chosen career; and\r\n<b></b></li>\r\n	<li><b>The Crone</b> is the woman who has reached menopause. </li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4><b>Biology<small>*</small></b></h4>\r\nA typical menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. We usually start counting from the first day of the period. During the first half of the cycle, the body produces estrogen. Then an egg is released from one of the ovaries; it travels through the fallopian tube for somewhere between 12 and 36 hours, and it is during this time that we are fertile. The empty egg sac releases progesterone, and the change in hormones signals the uterus to build up a lining called the endometrium. If the egg is not fertilized, then the hormone levels drop and the lining starts to break down; and 12-14 days after ovulation, the period starts, purging the unused lining from the body.\r\n<h4><b>Our Cycle and the Moon</b></h4>\r\nSome writers theorize that ideally, we should ovulate at the Full Moon and bleed during the Waning Moon before the Dark Moon. However, if we look at the biology and see that there is always 12-14 days between ovulation and menstruation, we see that this doesn\'t quite work. Still, the comparison of cycles is informative, and some women do find it desirable to attune their cycles to those of the Moon as closely as possible. Women who do feel this attunement are either ovulating at Full and bleeding at Dark, or ovulating at Waxing and bleeding at Waning.\r\n\r\nAccording to Luisa Francia in <i>Dragontime</i>, periods in different lunar phases have different characters. Here are her thoughts:\r\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Phase</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Orientation</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Activities</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Totem</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waxing</td>\r\n<td>Self</td>\r\n<td>learning, self-care</td>\r\n<td>raven</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Full</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>celebrate, transform</td>\r\n<td>phoenix</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waning</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>create, develop, deepen</td>\r\n<td>bear</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"20%\">Dark</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Self</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">healing, looking back</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">toad</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAccording to Kisma Stepanich, if you want to try to attune your cycle to that of the Moon, you should work with herbs that decrease flow during the Waxing Moon (herbs will be discussed later), expose yourself to moonlight regularly and even sleep with a nightlight during the Full Moon, and work with herbs that increase flow during the Waning Moon. She also offers the following thoughts comparing the parts of a woman\'s cycle to the lunar cycle, and working to honor those cycles. They are offered as a beginning point for experimentation.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Waxing Moon/After Period: this is a time when the body shows the fewest hormonally-induced symptoms; the feeling is youthful and active, like the Maiden. Favored colors are light; clothes are form-fitting and comfortable, or practical; makeup and jewelry are minimal and hair is tied back if long; scents are airy, like lavender, lemon, sandalwood, or mint.</li>\r\n	<li>Full Moon/Ovulation to early PMS: the mood is sensual and empowered, but physically there is a feeling of fullness from possible swelling or water retention. Favored colors are watery and romantic; clothes are feminine and seductive; makeup tends to roses and shimmer; jewelry is seductive, like anklets; hair is down but \'done\'; scents are fiery or sexual, like carnation, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, or vanilla.</li>\r\n	<li>Waning Moon/PMS and Start of Period: the mood turns inward, and there is an emphasis on psychic impressions and on banishing unwanted things. Favored colors are reds and other deep colors; clothes are layered, flowing and comfortable; makeup becomes more dramatic or tends toward plum; lots of jewelry, especially spiritual kinds; perfumes include gardenia, heather, myrrh, orange, orris, rose, and violet.</li>\r\n	<li>Dark Moon/End of Period to Slightly After: This is the deep, still point between cycles, the point of the Dark Goddess. Favored colors are black and nature colors; clothes are dramatic styles; makeup is dark; jewelry tends to pieces with special significance; hair is down and unadorned; perfumes are earthy, like musk, patchouli, cedar, honeysuckle, jasmine, or sage.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><b>Spiritual and Magical Concerns</b></h4>\r\nFirst of all, the menstrual blood itself is considered to be magical. In some cultures its power is considered to be so strong that it gives great power to any spell; or so strong, on the other hand, that it negates all other powers.\r\n\r\nThe journey through the menstrual cycle can be compared to a journey through the Three Worlds: the waxing phase is Celestial, the ovulation phase is Terrestrial, and the bleeding is a trip to the Underworld.\r\n\r\nWomen are considered to be unusually psychically open during menstruation, which on one hand lends them power but also means that they benefit by taking more time to themselves, giving extra attention to self-nurturing and purification. (This is not because they are \'unclean,\' as it has been interpreted in some cultures, but because so much energy is drawn to them at this time and is grounded through them.) This is a good time to pay attention to dreams and perform other kinds of divination.\r\n\r\nSome women find it helpful to create a special space they can go to during this time, including a blood altar. Here they can keep any special tools, including a jar of diluted blood, a charm bag of special amulets and herbs, and other items honoring the blood: animal totems, red candles, Goddess images, seashells, red stones. Spending extra alone time now to create, read, or meditate helps women feel more balanced throughout the cycle. Gentle forms of movement, like belly dancing and yoga, are also considered to be helpful to both the spirit and the body.\r\n\r\nThe blood power is not lost after menopause. In fact, in Native American cultures, menopausal women are considered to be even more powerful because they are holding this energy within themselves rather than releasing it. Elsewhere, the hot flashes that come during menopause are compared to the awakening of the Kundalini, and seen as an opportunity to work with and cultivate this power naturally.\r\n\r\nOther cultures have honored the first menstruation and the coming of menopause as special times of power honoring women. It is never too late to celebrate these.\r\n<h4><b>Fertility Consciousness</b></h4>\r\nMost women, if they know much about their cycles at all, only know the \'rhythm method\' of counting days between periods. This is NOT adequate! The following discussion of ovulation symptoms is meant to improve your awareness of your body, but while it is better than the rhythm method, it should not replace your other measures for birth and disease control.\r\n\r\nOvulation occurs 12-14 days before the beginning of the period. This time frame does not change: what does change is the amount of time between the beginning of the period and the next ovulation. So counting days from the beginning of the period is useless in terms of tracking fertility. Here is a list of symptoms that can accompany ovulation:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>a small, sharp twinge low and to one side (\"mittelschmerz\")</li>\r\n	<li>spotting</li>\r\n	<li>breast tenderness or fullness</li>\r\n	<li>increased sexual desire</li>\r\n	<li>lower back pain</li>\r\n	<li>constipation</li>\r\n	<li>mood changes</li>\r\n	<li>food cravings</li>\r\n	<li>swelling</li>\r\n	<li>more acute senses</li>\r\n	<li>oily hair and skin</li>\r\n	<li>elevated temperature</li>\r\n	<li>fertile mucus pattern</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf these, the last two are the most reliable indicators. Unfortunately it can be hard to track the elevated temperature, which can happen for so many other reasons. Also, temperature has to be taken first thing in the morning without rising from bed; and although higher temperature correlates to ovulation, it can be just before or just after.\r\n\r\nVaginal secretions change just before ovulation. Usually, it is more acidic, to protect this opening into your body from germs. This also makes it inhospitable for sperm. However, before and during ovulation, this changes to help the sperm survive. During this time, there is more secretion, and it is thicker; it will be sticky or stretchy when pinched between the fingers.\r\n<h4><b>Herbs for the Blood Mysteries</b></h4>\r\nI will not be giving specific herbal treatments here, because I am not qualified to do so. However, you can investigate the books in the bibliography to start learning more about herbal treatments for various issues relating to menstruation, fertility, and so on. Two good general tonics for the female reproductive system are dong quai and raspberry leaf. (Many are the cramps I\'ve chased off with raspberry leaf tea!) These are both easily available at health food stores, as is blue cohosh, which is currently very popular for use during perimenopause.\r\n\r\nHere are magical uses of some herbs that you can include in incense, on your altar, in dream pillows, and so on:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Apple (for Goddess energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Cayenne pepper (to control fertility)</li>\r\n	<li>Chamomile (to make peace with your cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Ginger (for the \"spirit of the blood\")</li>\r\n	<li>Lipped flowers, like orchids (represent the sexual organs)</li>\r\n	<li>Mistletoe (to claim power; also decreases flow)</li>\r\n	<li>Mugwort (for \"woman power\" and visions; also works for Crones)</li>\r\n	<li>Parsley (to strengthen blood)</li>\r\n	<li>Pomegranate (for Goddess and Underworld energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Raspberry (to control the cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Sage (for sacredness)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<b>Resources</b>\r\n\r\nFrancia, Luisa. <i>Dragontime</i>\r\nHoffman, David. <i>The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal</i>\r\nMcIntyre, Anne. <i>The Complete Woman\'s Herbal</i>\r\nStepanich, Kisma. <i>Sister Moon Lodge</i>\r\nWeed, Susun. <i>Healing Wise</i>\r\n\r\n* NOTE: Basic biological information has been vetted by my husband, Dr. Timothy McCord, a professor of anatomy and physiology.\r\n','Women\'s Mysteries','','inherit','open','open','','100089-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:37:29','2013-09-17 01:37:29','',100089,'<i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. ',0,'revision','',0),(100093,2,'2013-09-16 18:38:14','2013-09-17 01:38:14','<i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. Because women bleed each month without taking harm, they are believed to have special powers during the bleeding, and the blood itself is powerfully magical. However, this is taken as either a positive or a negative depending on the culture. One of our objectives in working with the Mysteries is to move toward the positive viewpoint, in order to make this a time of increased power and self-healing.\r\n\r\nMenstruation and childbirth are sometimes used to define the triple aspect of Goddess and woman as follows:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>The Maiden</b> is the girl who has just had her first period;\r\n<b></b></li>\r\n	<li><b>The Mother</b> is the bleeding woman who has given birth and/or achieved fulfillment in her chosen career; and\r\n<b></b></li>\r\n	<li><b>The Crone</b> is the woman who has reached menopause.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Biology<small>*</small></b></h4>\r\nA typical menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. We usually start counting from the first day of the period. During the first half of the cycle, the body produces estrogen. Then an egg is released from one of the ovaries; it travels through the fallopian tube for somewhere between 12 and 36 hours, and it is during this time that we are fertile. The empty egg sac releases progesterone, and the change in hormones signals the uterus to build up a lining called the endometrium. If the egg is not fertilized, then the hormone levels drop and the lining starts to break down; and 12-14 days after ovulation, the period starts, purging the unused lining from the body.\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Our Cycle and the Moon</b></h4>\r\nSome writers theorize that ideally, we should ovulate at the Full Moon and bleed during the Waning Moon before the Dark Moon. However, if we look at the biology and see that there is always 12-14 days between ovulation and menstruation, we see that this doesn\'t quite work. Still, the comparison of cycles is informative, and some women do find it desirable to attune their cycles to those of the Moon as closely as possible. Women who do feel this attunement are either ovulating at Full and bleeding at Dark, or ovulating at Waxing and bleeding at Waning.\r\n\r\nAccording to Luisa Francia in <i>Dragontime</i>, periods in different lunar phases have different characters. Here are her thoughts:\r\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Phase</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Orientation</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Activities</th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Totem</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waxing</td>\r\n<td>Self</td>\r\n<td>learning, self-care</td>\r\n<td>raven</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Full</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>celebrate, transform</td>\r\n<td>phoenix</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Waning</td>\r\n<td>World</td>\r\n<td>create, develop, deepen</td>\r\n<td>bear</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"20%\">Dark</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Self</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">healing, looking back</td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">toad</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAccording to Kisma Stepanich, if you want to try to attune your cycle to that of the Moon, you should work with herbs that decrease flow during the Waxing Moon (herbs will be discussed later), expose yourself to moonlight regularly and even sleep with a nightlight during the Full Moon, and work with herbs that increase flow during the Waning Moon. She also offers the following thoughts comparing the parts of a woman\'s cycle to the lunar cycle, and working to honor those cycles. They are offered as a beginning point for experimentation.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Waxing Moon/After Period: this is a time when the body shows the fewest hormonally-induced symptoms; the feeling is youthful and active, like the Maiden. Favored colors are light; clothes are form-fitting and comfortable, or practical; makeup and jewelry are minimal and hair is tied back if long; scents are airy, like lavender, lemon, sandalwood, or mint.</li>\r\n	<li>Full Moon/Ovulation to early PMS: the mood is sensual and empowered, but physically there is a feeling of fullness from possible swelling or water retention. Favored colors are watery and romantic; clothes are feminine and seductive; makeup tends to roses and shimmer; jewelry is seductive, like anklets; hair is down but \'done\'; scents are fiery or sexual, like carnation, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, or vanilla.</li>\r\n	<li>Waning Moon/PMS and Start of Period: the mood turns inward, and there is an emphasis on psychic impressions and on banishing unwanted things. Favored colors are reds and other deep colors; clothes are layered, flowing and comfortable; makeup becomes more dramatic or tends toward plum; lots of jewelry, especially spiritual kinds; perfumes include gardenia, heather, myrrh, orange, orris, rose, and violet.</li>\r\n	<li>Dark Moon/End of Period to Slightly After: This is the deep, still point between cycles, the point of the Dark Goddess. Favored colors are black and nature colors; clothes are dramatic styles; makeup is dark; jewelry tends to pieces with special significance; hair is down and unadorned; perfumes are earthy, like musk, patchouli, cedar, honeysuckle, jasmine, or sage.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><b>Spiritual and Magical Concerns</b></h4>\r\nFirst of all, the menstrual blood itself is considered to be magical. In some cultures its power is considered to be so strong that it gives great power to any spell; or so strong, on the other hand, that it negates all other powers.\r\n\r\nThe journey through the menstrual cycle can be compared to a journey through the Three Worlds: the waxing phase is Celestial, the ovulation phase is Terrestrial, and the bleeding is a trip to the Underworld.\r\n\r\nWomen are considered to be unusually psychically open during menstruation, which on one hand lends them power but also means that they benefit by taking more time to themselves, giving extra attention to self-nurturing and purification. (This is not because they are \'unclean,\' as it has been interpreted in some cultures, but because so much energy is drawn to them at this time and is grounded through them.) This is a good time to pay attention to dreams and perform other kinds of divination.\r\n\r\nSome women find it helpful to create a special space they can go to during this time, including a blood altar. Here they can keep any special tools, including a jar of diluted blood, a charm bag of special amulets and herbs, and other items honoring the blood: animal totems, red candles, Goddess images, seashells, red stones. Spending extra alone time now to create, read, or meditate helps women feel more balanced throughout the cycle. Gentle forms of movement, like belly dancing and yoga, are also considered to be helpful to both the spirit and the body.\r\n\r\nThe blood power is not lost after menopause. In fact, in Native American cultures, menopausal women are considered to be even more powerful because they are holding this energy within themselves rather than releasing it. Elsewhere, the hot flashes that come during menopause are compared to the awakening of the Kundalini, and seen as an opportunity to work with and cultivate this power naturally.\r\n\r\nOther cultures have honored the first menstruation and the coming of menopause as special times of power honoring women. It is never too late to celebrate these.\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Fertility Consciousness</b></h4>\r\nMost women, if they know much about their cycles at all, only know the \'rhythm method\' of counting days between periods. This is NOT adequate! The following discussion of ovulation symptoms is meant to improve your awareness of your body, but while it is better than the rhythm method, it should not replace your other measures for birth and disease control.\r\n\r\nOvulation occurs 12-14 days before the beginning of the period. This time frame does not change: what does change is the amount of time between the beginning of the period and the next ovulation. So counting days from the beginning of the period is useless in terms of tracking fertility. Here is a list of symptoms that can accompany ovulation:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>a small, sharp twinge low and to one side (\"mittelschmerz\")</li>\r\n	<li>spotting</li>\r\n	<li>breast tenderness or fullness</li>\r\n	<li>increased sexual desire</li>\r\n	<li>lower back pain</li>\r\n	<li>constipation</li>\r\n	<li>mood changes</li>\r\n	<li>food cravings</li>\r\n	<li>swelling</li>\r\n	<li>more acute senses</li>\r\n	<li>oily hair and skin</li>\r\n	<li>elevated temperature</li>\r\n	<li>fertile mucus pattern</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf these, the last two are the most reliable indicators. Unfortunately it can be hard to track the elevated temperature, which can happen for so many other reasons. Also, temperature has to be taken first thing in the morning without rising from bed; and although higher temperature correlates to ovulation, it can be just before or just after.\r\n\r\nVaginal secretions change just before ovulation. Usually, it is more acidic, to protect this opening into your body from germs. This also makes it inhospitable for sperm. However, before and during ovulation, this changes to help the sperm survive. During this time, there is more secretion, and it is thicker; it will be sticky or stretchy when pinched between the fingers.\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Herbs for the Blood Mysteries</b></h4>\r\nI will not be giving specific herbal treatments here, because I am not qualified to do so. However, you can investigate the books in the bibliography to start learning more about herbal treatments for various issues relating to menstruation, fertility, and so on. Two good general tonics for the female reproductive system are dong quai and raspberry leaf. (Many are the cramps I\'ve chased off with raspberry leaf tea!) These are both easily available at health food stores, as is blue cohosh, which is currently very popular for use during perimenopause.\r\n\r\nHere are magical uses of some herbs that you can include in incense, on your altar, in dream pillows, and so on:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Apple (for Goddess energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Cayenne pepper (to control fertility)</li>\r\n	<li>Chamomile (to make peace with your cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Ginger (for the \"spirit of the blood\")</li>\r\n	<li>Lipped flowers, like orchids (represent the sexual organs)</li>\r\n	<li>Mistletoe (to claim power; also decreases flow)</li>\r\n	<li>Mugwort (for \"woman power\" and visions; also works for Crones)</li>\r\n	<li>Parsley (to strengthen blood)</li>\r\n	<li>Pomegranate (for Goddess and Underworld energy)</li>\r\n	<li>Raspberry (to control the cycle)</li>\r\n	<li>Sage (for sacredness)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>Resources</b>\r\n\r\nFrancia, Luisa. <i>Dragontime</i>\r\nHoffman, David. <i>The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal</i>\r\nMcIntyre, Anne. <i>The Complete Woman\'s Herbal</i>\r\nStepanich, Kisma. <i>Sister Moon Lodge</i>\r\nWeed, Susun. <i>Healing Wise</i>\r\n\r\n* NOTE: Basic biological information has been vetted by my husband, Dr. Timothy McCord, a professor of anatomy and physiology.','Women\'s Mysteries','','inherit','open','open','','100089-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:38:14','2013-09-17 01:38:14','',100089,'<i>By Julie (Sanatani) McCord</i>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn many cultures special taboos appear around menstruation and childbirth. Because a woman\'s cycle is often about the same length as the lunar cycle, special ties are acknowledged between women and the Moon. ',0,'revision','',0),(100094,2,'2013-09-16 18:41:51','2013-09-17 01:41:51','<h4>Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</h4>\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThis article is a sharing of some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a focus on Pagan and Hindu faiths. The role and responsibilities of clergy within these traditions will be outlined based on fieldwork in India and material provided by seventeen priestesses of the developed world in order to create an opening to a conversation regarding the import and relevance of women clergy in these faiths to the politics of women’s lives and religious experience.\r\n\r\nAfter providing background information to help contextualize goddess-worshipping Hinduism, I then offer a case study highlighting the work of one Bengali Tantrika to facilitate the claim of a Tantrick female clergy. From here and as time constraints allow, I will share the perspectives of five of the seventeen Pagan priestesses from various traditions who provided me with information through interview, questionnaire, and survey feedback mechanisms.\r\n\r\nWith this work, I hope to expand the definition of clergy and provide instigation for: i) a discussion of how female religious leaders (as recognized both through formal and informal means) are serving the Divine Female/Goddess/Sacred Feminine; ii) their impact; and, iii) ramifications of their service and position for the broader collective. My inquiry focuses on the ways in which women clergy are pushing through patriarchal limitations in cultural, social, religious, and other arenas in order to facilitate communion, healing, empowerment, and transformation within their own spiritual communities...and beyond.\r\n\r\n<strong>Read the full article here: <em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a></em></strong>','Voices of the Goddess','','publish','open','open','','voices-of-the-goddess','','','2013-09-23 17:48:03','2013-09-24 00:48:03','',0,'<h4>Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</h4>\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThis article is a sharing of some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a foc',0,'post','',0),(100095,2,'2013-09-16 18:40:32','2013-09-17 01:40:32','','Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective','','inherit','open','open','','voices-of-the-goddess-women-clergy-in-east-west-perspective','','','2013-09-16 18:40:32','2013-09-17 01:40:32','',100094,'',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(100096,2,'2013-09-16 18:41:51','2013-09-17 01:41:51','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a>','Voices of the Goddess: Women Clergy in East-West Perspective','','inherit','open','open','','100094-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:41:51','2013-09-17 01:41:51','',100094,'<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a>',0,'revision','',0),(100097,2,'2013-09-16 18:44:45','2013-09-17 01:44:45','<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIn this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a focus on Pagan and Hindu faiths. The role and responsibilities of clergy within these traditions will be outlined based on fieldwork in India and material provided by seventeen priestesses of the developed world in order to create an opening to a conversation regarding the import and relevance of women clergy in these faiths to the politics of women’s lives and religious experience.\n\nAfter providing background information to help contextualize goddess-worshipping Hinduism, I then offer a case study highlighting the work of one Bengali Tantrika to facilitate the claim of a Tantrick female clergy. From here and as time constraints allow, I will share the perspectives of five of the seventeen Pagan priestesses from various traditions who provided me with information through interview, questionnaire, and survey feedback mechanisms.\n\nWith this work, I hope to expand the definition of clergy and provide instigation for: i) a discussion of how female religious leaders (as recognized both through formal and informal means) are serving the Divine Female/Goddess/Sacred Feminine; ii) their impact; and, iii) ramifications of their service and position for the broader collective. My inquiry focuses on the ways in which women clergy are pushing through patriarchal limitations in cultural, social, religious, and other arenas in order to facilitate communion, healing, empowerment, and transformation within their own spiritual communities...and beyond.\n\n<strong>Read the full article here: <em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a></em></strong>','Voices of the Goddess: Women Clergy in East-West Perspective','','inherit','open','open','','100094-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:44:45','2013-09-17 01:44:45','',100094,'<h4>Some Numerological Significances</h4>\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIn this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women cl',0,'revision','',0),(100098,2,'2013-09-16 18:43:39','2013-09-17 01:43:39','In this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a focus on Pagan and Hindu faiths. The role and responsibilities of clergy within these traditions will be outlined based on fieldwork in India and material provided by seventeen priestesses of the developed world in order to create an opening to a conversation regarding the import and relevance of women clergy in these faiths to the politics of women’s lives and religious experience.\r\n\r\nAfter providing background information to help contextualize goddess-worshipping Hinduism, I then offer a case study highlighting the work of one Bengali Tantrika to facilitate the claim of a Tantrick female clergy. From here and as time constraints allow, I will share the perspectives of five of the seventeen Pagan priestesses from various traditions who provided me with information through interview, questionnaire, and survey feedback mechanisms.\r\n\r\nWith this work, I hope to expand the definition of clergy and provide instigation for: i) a discussion of how female religious leaders (as recognized both through formal and informal means) are serving the Divine Female/Goddess/Sacred Feminine; ii) their impact; and, iii) ramifications of their service and position for the broader collective. My inquiry focuses on the ways in which women clergy are pushing through patriarchal limitations in cultural, social, religious, and other arenas in order to facilitate communion, healing, empowerment, and transformation within their own spiritual communities...and beyond.\r\n\r\n<strong>Read the full article here: <em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a></em></strong>','Voices of the Goddess: Women Clergy in East-West Perspective','','inherit','open','open','','100094-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:43:39','2013-09-17 01:43:39','',100094,'In this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a focus on Pagan and Hindu faiths. The role and responsibilities of clergy within these traditio',0,'revision','',0),(100099,2,'2013-09-16 18:45:12','2013-09-17 01:45:12','<h4>Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a focus on Pagan and Hindu faiths. The role and responsibilities of clergy within these traditions will be outlined based on fieldwork in India and material provided by seventeen priestesses of the developed world in order to create an opening to a conversation regarding the import and relevance of women clergy in these faiths to the politics of women’s lives and religious experience.\r\n\r\nAfter providing background information to help contextualize goddess-worshipping Hinduism, I then offer a case study highlighting the work of one Bengali Tantrika to facilitate the claim of a Tantrick female clergy. From here and as time constraints allow, I will share the perspectives of five of the seventeen Pagan priestesses from various traditions who provided me with information through interview, questionnaire, and survey feedback mechanisms.\r\n\r\nWith this work, I hope to expand the definition of clergy and provide instigation for: i) a discussion of how female religious leaders (as recognized both through formal and informal means) are serving the Divine Female/Goddess/Sacred Feminine; ii) their impact; and, iii) ramifications of their service and position for the broader collective. My inquiry focuses on the ways in which women clergy are pushing through patriarchal limitations in cultural, social, religious, and other arenas in order to facilitate communion, healing, empowerment, and transformation within their own spiritual communities...and beyond.\r\n\r\n<strong>Read the full article here: <em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a></em></strong>','Voices of the Goddess','','inherit','open','open','','100094-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:45:12','2013-09-17 01:45:12','',100094,'<h4>Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA, (c) 1999</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes o',0,'revision','',0),(100100,2,'2013-09-16 18:45:40','2013-09-17 01:45:40','<h4>Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women clergy in goddess worshipping traditions with a focus on Pagan and Hindu faiths. The role and responsibilities of clergy within these traditions will be outlined based on fieldwork in India and material provided by seventeen priestesses of the developed world in order to create an opening to a conversation regarding the import and relevance of women clergy in these faiths to the politics of women’s lives and religious experience.\r\n\r\nAfter providing background information to help contextualize goddess-worshipping Hinduism, I then offer a case study highlighting the work of one Bengali Tantrika to facilitate the claim of a Tantrick female clergy. From here and as time constraints allow, I will share the perspectives of five of the seventeen Pagan priestesses from various traditions who provided me with information through interview, questionnaire, and survey feedback mechanisms.\r\n\r\nWith this work, I hope to expand the definition of clergy and provide instigation for: i) a discussion of how female religious leaders (as recognized both through formal and informal means) are serving the Divine Female/Goddess/Sacred Feminine; ii) their impact; and, iii) ramifications of their service and position for the broader collective. My inquiry focuses on the ways in which women clergy are pushing through patriarchal limitations in cultural, social, religious, and other arenas in order to facilitate communion, healing, empowerment, and transformation within their own spiritual communities...and beyond.\r\n\r\n<strong>Read the full article here: <em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Voices-of-the-Goddess-Women-Clergy-in-East-West-Perspective.pdf\">Voices of the Goddess- Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</a></em></strong>','Voices of the Goddess','','inherit','open','open','','100094-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:45:40','2013-09-17 01:45:40','',100094,'<h4>Women Clergy in East-West Perspective</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nIn this presentation, I share some of my initial research on the contemporary and historical landscapes of women cl',0,'revision','',0),(100101,2,'2001-08-01 18:55:25','2001-08-02 01:55:25','<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100102 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Ugra Tara\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MaaUgratara.jpg\" /><em>Devi</em>, as She is called in Sanskrit, is the supreme Goddess of Indian Hindu tradition. She is multifaceted and universal in appeal; however, understanding Devi, particularly from a western perspective, is frighteningly difficult. This is at least in part because we in the West have traditionally little upon which to base a conception of Goddess, let alone a goddess who is both immanent and transcendent, unitary and multiplex, all-pervasive and immediately powerful.\r\n\r\nHere, by sharing a contemporary ritual that combines eastern and western practice and devotion, I hope to show that a new level of cyclical complexity can be achieved in which the goddess\' symbols inform by connecting to passion that is not containable by country of origin. I believe that ritual has the power to reverberate throughout more than the immediate context and situatedness of subjects and communities. Therefore, rather than judging who and where Devi belongs, perhaps the reciprocity of human kindness can far exceed our expectations; the grand hope being that we can empower women and men alike through worship of Devi to be all of who and what they are, and whatever they may want to be, no matter what their address.\r\n\r\nBefore we delve into the ritual, it is important to consider how we understand Devi, remembering that in Hindu life, as well as in both the sacred and the profane literature, she finds no contradiction in manifesting as intimate mother and transcendent, universal creatrix; virgin and celestial lover; faithful, complacent wife and bloodthirsty, independent huntress. In any of these forms or combinations, she encompasses and transcends Western notions of duality, thereby defying our ability to quantify, qualify or explain her existence in terms we might easily understand by virtue of a dominant worldview. Devi, it would appear, is beyond succinct and simple explanation. She is beyond a monological interpretation.\r\n\r\nIn fact, so great has been her influence in popular culture throughout the ages that borders have never contained her. From Parvati to Kali, Shasthi to Sarasvati, new versions of goddess, new reasons for her existence, and even newer forms are constantly appearing in India and abroad. She has historically crossed with trade routes and migrations into neighboring lands, becoming a powerful and revered deity in her newly chosen homeland, wherever that might be. For example, in both Tibetan and Nepali Buddhist contexts, the Indian Kali and Chinnamasta early on became Tara and Vajrayogini, respectively. Today, Devi is beginning to find recognition across oceans in the minds and hearts of those located in more distant foreign lands, most notably North America, Australia, and Europe.\r\n\r\nHere in the United States, She is inspiring a (r)evolution of worship and is now assuming revised, context-specific meanings and alternative significances worked through the vehicles of individual bodies, minds and hearts. From the inside out, coming to us in dreams, meditations and through the channels of sacred spaces, the goddess\' archetypal symbols are lifting us through and back into ourselves. She flies through time and space into our consciousness and refuses to be ignored. It would seem that our very souls are calling her to emerge...and she is heeding the call!\r\n\r\nEspecially for those seeking to awaken the intensity of the Divine Feminine in lands that have so culturally and spiritually denied Her, the presence of a goddess who manifests in as many forms and guises as does Devi seems more than understandable. In particular, Devi seems to move westerners (a huge proportion of whom are women and those marginalized in their spirituality). Since many are called by the fierce forms of Goddess because of what She inspires, we at SHARANYA honor Devi as Kali, the fierce most divine embodiment of creation, preservation, and destruction.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual for Goddess Kali: Kali Puja (Worship)</strong>\r\n\r\nPoignant and powerful, I believe that the fierce Hindu goddesses, and the Dark Mother more generally, are appearing and appealing to westerners now more strongly so that we may learn from and in turn honor them. They are liberators, and as Rita Gross has suggested regarding devi, She can be a powerful resource to westerners reconceptualizing and reclaiming Goddess from among the residue of patriarchal traditions. Her transformative power and draw in the west is keenly felt, even though the debate still ensues over who honors her, how she is honored outside of her native context, why feminists (and others) in the west are drawn to her, what she means to those of non-Indian origin, where she serves best and most, and when her call may be answered.\r\n\r\nWith the ancient presence of the Goddess, of Devi, as found today throughout the world and acknowledging of her roots within indigenous traditions of India as well as what is usually regarded as the more rigidly patriarchal Sanskritic brahmanical ones, I honor Kali from my place as a western feminist dedicated to the goddess because she liberates me, inspires me and has in my own life been a vehicle for transformation. I offer this worship to continue debate and open an opportunity to pray for continued transformation of goddesses, women, peoples, and the planet. I bring traditions of East and West together here with the hope of diffusing boundaries so that consciousness can be attuned to current actualities of goddess worship as transformational, the presence of the Divine felt within a concept of universal humanness, and hearts surrounded by the grace of the divine as most acceptable to the individual in a way that reflects and suggests ramifications for the collective. \r\n\r\nMost broadly, I attempt to bring together elements of western, earth-based practice and Eastern, Sakta Tantrick worship methodologies and verses in order to honor Goddess in whatever guise She appears to those participating in this worship. At SHARANYA, this usually means that we work with Kali and Her various manifestations, still acknowledging the ties She has all over the globe.\r\n\r\nThis ritual is presented in order to facilitate the spiritual seeker\'s personal exploration into <em>sadhana </em>(spiritual practice), because ritual can be a powerful means for opening to another level of human potential and personal awareness. Worship is an intensely private affair even when done among others, and I recommend not only reading this article, but also actually  trying it, whether alone or with others. Such an endeavor, I believe, can promote overall clarity and help to develop a greater sense of relationship to the community of the Divine, both during the ritual itself and in general day-to-day realities. \r\n\r\nWhen we at SHARANYA create space for the public to join us in this ceremony, we consider ourselves merely guides for the journey into Her embrace. The following then is an outline for your honoring of the Divine Mother, Goddess Kali, including Sanskrit mantras. Please understand that whenever/wherever you are uncomfortable with the Sanskrit language, you may use the English translation as given, or come up with your own words based on the meanings suggested. These words of worship, however, need to be revered and respected, since they are millennia old and have multiple layers of meaning that will only be revealed as a part of your own unfolding process and/or through work with a guru/teacher. Again, this is all and only presented in order to facilitate your personal exploration. \r\n\r\nAdditionally, any worship such as this should be predicated on a foundation inclusive of meditation, study, and intense contemplation of the deity to be honored, both in historical and cultural context, as well as by undertaking to reveal what the deity means to you as an individual in communion with Her spiritual essence manifest in the moment. In beginning any ritual, our tradition teaches that one must prepare a space appropriate to the work to be done, and setting up the worship area in personally meaningful ways may be the very most important piece. To this I would suggest that one bring all the love, joy, and creativity one has to offer, focusing that sentiment on the altar and worship area as a temporary home for the divine. The process of calling the deity from one\'s heart into the image or statue you provide for worship takes one to the very essence of devotion.\r\n\r\nIn order for this specific ritual to be practiced, basic items to have within the worship space include: pure spring water, salt, uncooked rice, red flowers (flowers only, no stems) placed on a platter/tray or in a basket, flowers of one’s choice in a vase, sweets (Maa Kali, for example, loves chocolate and anything delightful as long as the offerings do not contain cow-derived products such as gelatin, because the cow is symbolic of her very body), red wine (or substitute), chemical-free natural tobacco, a small round fruit, such as a honeydew or watermelon, one votive candle (red, green or white), honey, colored paper and markers for writing a prayer, food have blessed and share, and favorite ritual objects arranged as pleasing to the senses.\r\n\r\nAs initiation of the process, take a few minutes to meditate on the divine as Kali, or as any other Dark Goddess of choice, focusing heart and mind on her presence and the overall intention of this ritual, which is to accept the Dark Goddess’ blessings and have her illuminate obstacles to spiritual growth by confronting fear and cutting through that which is unnecessary. Then, as ready, begin to intone or chant as presented here: \r\n\r\n<h3>Om Maa!</h3>\r\n\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Om-Maa-condensed.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\nThe ritual ensues.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nOne may follow any desired format or one already in use from one’s own spiritual path to do this, making sure to purify the objects and the surrounding space with salt water that you have blessed. Then, taking handfuls of rice, draw on the seat in front of you (or in the center of the circle), a triangle whose point faces the image or representation of the goddess that has been installed or temporarily set up. While doing so, read (or have someone else read) the following invocation:\r\n<blockquote>OM ADHARA SAKTAYE NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM ahd-hah-rah shahk-tah-yay nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(Primordial Energy of the Goddess, we bow to you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM KURMMAYA NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM koor-mah-yah nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(That which holds up all Existence, we bow to you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM ANANTAYA NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM ah-nan-tah-yah nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(That which is She Infinite, we bow to you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM PRTHIVYAI NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM pr-theev-yai nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(The glory of Mother as Earth, we bow to you)</em></blockquote>\r\nThen invoke the ten directions, specifically adding the following mantra after the directions are called:\r\n<blockquote>OM AIM HRIM KLIM CAMUNDAYAI VICCE\r\npronunciation: AUM eye-m hreem kleem chah-moon-dah-yai veech-chay\r\n<em>(Infinite awareness knows the One, the Many and She who unites them, transforms them, and makes them whole)</em></blockquote>\r\nNext, a devotional invocation to the Eight Mothers (Asta Matrikas) as given in the Agni Purana is made. Call upon these guides as Brahmani, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Varahi, Aindri, Chamunda and Mahalaksmi. (Other versions of these deities are found in other texts.) You may use my invocation, if you\'d like.\r\n\r\nWith the naming of each goddess, place a red flower around the rice triangle you have just made, beginning at the point and going clockwise. Then, invoke the four elements, making sure to include their representations as Avani (Earth), Jalam (Water), Agni (Fire), and Vayu (Air). One may also include Akasa (Spirit/Ether) to complete the mahabhutas, or gross elements.\r\n\r\nNow, the process of expressing a yearning for Kali truly manifests. Begin by centering with focused breath on the heart, and then call Her forth:\r\n<blockquote>OM KRIM KALYAI NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM kreem kahl-yai nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(We call and bow to Kali, She who is all Life, with honor and respect)</em>\r\n\r\nOM HRIM SRIM KRIM PARAMESVARI KALIKE SVAHA\r\npronunciation: AUM hreem shreem kreem para-mesh-vah-ree kah-lee-kay svah-hah\r\n<em>(Great Goddess Kali, by the power of your all-pervading nature and supreme perfection, She who is the mystery of life, death, and regeneration, we are One with you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM KALI KALI MAHAKALI KALIKE PAPAHARINI DHARMARTHAMOKSADE DEVI NARAYANI NAMO-STUTTE\r\npronunciation: AUM kah-lee kah-lee maHA-kah-lee kah-lee-kay pah-pah-har-ee-nee dhar-mar-ta-mok-shah-day day-vee nah-rah-yah-nee nah-mo stoo-tay\r\n<em>(Greatest of All, Kali, Great Goddess who is the revealer of Truth, Kali who is with us in life, make our path one of peace and virtue, bring us your strength for liberation, for self-awareness, for the awakening of our spirit, our planetand all beings, Kali, you who are All, we bow to you!)</em></blockquote>\r\n<strong>Prana Pratistha</strong>\r\n\r\nHere, our life breath is connected to the Mother, imbuing her with our energies for the purposes of this ritual. Chant, honoring her:\r\n<blockquote>OM HRIM SRIM KRIM PARAMESVARI KALIKE SVAHA PRANA IHA PRANAH\r\npronunciation: AUM hreem shreem kreem pah-rah-mesh-vah-ree kali-kay svah-hah PRAH-nah EE-hah PRAH-nah-hah\r\n<em>(Om Creation, Dissolution, Transformation – the names of the Great Goddess, we are with the Ultimate, for you are the life of all Life)</em></blockquote>\r\nThis is done three times, and after each mantra is said, release a deep breath – HA – into the central space, focusing on the altar and representations/images of Kali. Do this slowly and with intention.\r\n\r\n<strong>Purification and Puspanjali (Flower Offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nTake either the salt water or an essential oil of choice, and anoint the third-eye (ajña cakra) with the ring finger of the right hand, continuing to pass the oil around the circle, if applicable. Next, take the basket of red flowers and bless them, saying:\r\n<blockquote>OM PUSPA PUSPA MAHA PUSPA SUPUSPA PUSPA SAMBHAVE PUSPA CAYAVAKIRNE CA HUM PHAT SVAHA\r\npronunciation: AUM PUSH-pah PUSH-pah maHA PUSH-pah soo-PUSH-pah PUSH-pah SAHM-bha-vay PUSH-pah cha-yah-vah-keer-nay cha hoom paht sva-hah\r\n<em>(Flowers, flowers, great flowers, beautifully heaped and everywhere among us, take away our small selves, bless us, purify us, we are one with the Ultimate All)</em></blockquote>\r\nPass around the flowers, making sure everyone present has received one. The flower will accompany the prayer/offering later in the ceremony. Also pass around paper and writing implements.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Kali Gayatri: Song to Kali</strong>\r\n\r\nThis sacred mantra asks for the blessings of Kali. <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/song-to-kali/\">Read and listen here.</a> Recite three times:\r\n<blockquote>OM MAHA KALYAI CA VIDMAHE SMASANA VASINYAI CA DHIMAHI TANNO KALI PRACHODAYAT\r\npronunciation: AUM ma-HA kalyai cha vid-ma-hey shma-shah-nah vah-sin-yai cha dhee-mah-hee tahn-no kah-lee pruh-cho-duh-yaht\r\n<em>(Om Great Goddess Kali, the One, She who resides in the Ocean of Life and in the Cremation Grounds that dissolve the world, we concentrate our energies on you, may you grant us boons and blessings)</em></blockquote>\r\n<strong>Meditation</strong>\r\n\r\nThis is the time to focus on the ritual intention and give thanks for all that Kali has brought to one’s life, remembering that what we deem both good and bad all serve Her higher purpose. Utilize the mantra om, silence, or a personal meditation/ visualization to help focus the mind and gain clarity on any issue or difficult situation that immediately comes to awareness. After several minutes, write down a prayer. Use of a Tibetan \"singing\" bowl or a bell to begin/end the meditation may help shift the energy of the work. One may choose to repeat the Kali Gayatri again at this point.\r\n\r\n<strong>Consecration</strong>\r\n\r\nNext, the sacred substances are passed around to cleanse, purify and open the senses to the divine will. These substances are symbolic of the pañcha makaras, the five \"m’s\" of the Tantras: matsya (fish), mamsa (meat), mudra (the exact nature of this substance is unknown, but it is thought to be parched grain from which altered states arise upon consumption), madya (liquor/wine) and maithuna (sexual intercourse). In the Kamakhya Tantra, it says the following:\r\n<blockquote>\"The true devotee should worship the Mother of the Universe with liquor, fish, meat, cereal and copulation.\"</blockquote>\r\nSome Tantrick schools, mostly those of dakshinachara (right-hand) path (cf. vamachara, or left-hand path), have assigned alternative meanings to these. The wine, meat, fish, and so on are replaced with coconut water, goat cheese, ginger, rice and honey. One may wish to ascertain the deeper meaning of this part of the ritual by reading of the Tantrick tradition or by intuitively working with the energies of these substances. For the purposes of this ritual, the five substances are tobacco, beer, wine, honey, and a prayer for peace and union.\r\n\r\nSprinkle salt water over the tobacco, the wine, and other substances to purify and bless them. Take some of the tobacco first (and pass around). Smell it, inhaling deeply and/or one may choose to smoke it, rolling a ritual \"cigarette.\" Next the wine, drinking three times around the circle if time allows, followed by the beer and honey. Then, prayers may be folded (with tobacco inside if it wasn’t smoked already) and along with the red flower, anointed with red vermilion or simply touched to the forehead as an acknowledgement of gratitude.\r\n\r\n<strong>Chant and Worship</strong> \r\n\r\nThe prayers are then offered with a chant – one can use those offered below, which were created for this purpose; or use others that come from the heart and speak to the offering:\r\n<blockquote>Cerridwyn, Om Kali, Lilith we sing to you;\r\nBlack Goddess, Dark Mother\r\nTake in our love for you!\r\n\r\nor:\r\n\r\nOm Kali, Kali! Om Kali, Kali!\r\nNamostute, namostute, namo!\r\nNamostute, namostute, namo!\r\n\r\nor:\r\n\r\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\r\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\r\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\r\nOm Kali Ma!</blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\nWhile the chant is being sung in repetition, participants come forward one-by-one, bowing before the altar in prostration, with forehead on the floor between the palms (this is recommended for the offering). Each person takes as long as necessary– this is meant as a private time with Kali, or with any Dark Goddess to whom one wishes to pray.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sacrifice (Boli)</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce the chanting is finished and all have offered their prayers, recognition of the things humanity (either individually or collectively) must sacrifice on the path is solidified with the fruit bought for this purpose. The fruit is also a symbol of renunciation, as we may at times consciously choose to give up the fruits of our labors for something greater. Take the fruit and with a marker, write on it something to be given up at this moment. (There is no need for the literal writing to appear clearly...it is the action that solidifies the intention.) When this is done, take a ritual knife and cut open the fruit. Place one-half face down, and in the other half, work into the flesh a votive candle. Light the candle and place any remaining red flowers alongside it, finally resting the fruit on or near the altar. Again, recitation of the mantras for welcoming Kali may be done.\r\n\r\n<strong>Union Prayer, Prasad, Blessings and Opening of Circle</strong>\r\n\r\nFinally, the culmination of the ritual sends hope out into the universe and offers the <em>prasad</em> (blessed food) for sharing. This can be done while chanting an ancient Vedic prayer for the peace that comes with wholeness and the search for truth. <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/pavamana-abhyaroha-mantra/\">Read and listen here.</a>\r\n<blockquote>OM ASATO MA SAD GAMAYA\r\nTAMASO MA JYOTIR GAMAYA\r\nMRITYOR MA AMRITAM GAMAYA\r\n<em>(From untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality, lead us)</em></blockquote>\r\nAny final blessings may be offered around the circle with the passing and sharing of the honey, and a final chant of choice may be sung as the circle is opened and the food is shared. One may then thank the spirits who have been engaged for the ritual. Feasting and sharing of personal experience can continue as the community of participants sees fit.\r\n\r\nBlessings, and Sa\'ham!','Kali Puja for Home Use','','publish','closed','open','','kali-puja-for-home-use','','','2013-10-02 22:06:08','2013-10-03 05:06:08','',0,'<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100102 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Ugra Tara\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MaaUgratara.jpg\" /><em>Devi</em>, as She is called in Sanskrit, is the supreme Goddess of Indian Hindu tradition. She is mul',0,'post','',0),(100102,2,'2013-09-16 18:48:50','2013-09-17 01:48:50','','MaaUgratara','','inherit','open','open','','maaugratara','','','2013-09-16 18:48:50','2013-09-17 01:48:50','',100101,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(100103,2,'2013-09-16 18:55:25','2013-09-17 01:55:25','<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100102 imgborder\" alt=\"MaaUgratara\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MaaUgratara.jpg\" />\r\n\r\n<em>Devi</em>, as She is called in Sanskrit, is the supreme Goddess of Indian Hindu tradition. She is multifaceted and universal in appeal; however, understanding Devi, particularly from a western perspective, is frighteningly difficult. This is at least in part because we in the West have traditionally little upon which to base a conception of Goddess, let alone a goddess who is both immanent and transcendent, unitary and multiplex, all-pervasive and immediately powerful.\r\n\r\nHere, by sharing a contemporary ritual that combines eastern and western practice and devotion, I hope to show that a new level of cyclical complexity can be achieved in which the goddess\' symbols inform by connecting to passion that is not containable by country of origin. I believe that ritual has the power to reverberate throughout more than the immediate context and situatedness of subjects and communities. Therefore, rather than judging who and where Devi belongs, perhaps the reciprocity of human kindness can far exceed our expectations; the grand hope being that we can empower women and men alike through worship of Devi to be all of who and what they are, and whatever they may want to be, no matter what their address.\r\n\r\nBefore we delve into the ritual, it is important to consider how we understand Devi, remembering that in Hindu life, as well as in both the sacred and the profane literature, she finds no contradiction in manifesting as intimate mother and transcendent, universal creatrix; virgin and celestial lover; faithful, complacent wife and bloodthirsty, independent huntress. In any of these forms or combinations, she encompasses and transcends Western notions of duality, thereby defying our ability to quantify, qualify or explain her existence in terms we might easily understand by virtue of a dominant worldview. Devi, it would appear, is beyond succinct and simple explanation. She is beyond a monological interpretation.\r\n\r\nIn fact, so great has been her influence in popular culture throughout the ages that borders have never contained her. From Parvati to Kali, Shasthi to Sarasvati, new versions of goddess, new reasons for her existence, and even newer forms are constantly appearing in India and abroad. She has historically crossed with trade routes and migrations into neighboring lands, becoming a powerful and revered deity in her newly chosen homeland, wherever that might be. For example, in both Tibetan and Nepali Buddhist contexts, the Indian Kali and Chinnamasta early on became Tara and Vajrayogini, respectively. Today, Devi is beginning to find recognition across oceans in the minds and hearts of those located in more distant foreign lands, most notably North America, Australia, and Europe.\r\n\r\nHere in the United States, She is inspiring a (r)evolution of worship and is now assuming revised, context-specific meanings and alternative significances worked through the vehicles of individual bodies, minds and hearts. From the inside out, coming to us in dreams, meditations and through the channels of sacred spaces, the goddess\' archetypal symbols are lifting us through and back into ourselves. She flies through time and space into our consciousness and refuses to be ignored. It would seem that our very souls are calling her to emerge...and she is heeding the call!\r\n\r\nEspecially for those seeking to awaken the intensity of the Divine Feminine in lands that have so culturally and spiritually denied Her, the presence of a goddess who manifests in as many forms and guises as does Devi seems more than understandable. In particular, Devi seems to move westerners (a huge proportion of whom are women and those marginalized in their spirituality). Since many are called by the fierce forms of Goddess because of what She inspires, we at SHARANYA honor Devi as Kali, the fierce most divine embodiment of creation, preservation, and destruction.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual for the Goddess as Kali: Kali Puja (Worship)</strong>\r\n\r\nPoignant and powerful, I believe that the fierce Hindu goddesses, and the Dark Mother more generally, are appearing to westerners in particular so that we may learn from her and in turn honor her for teaching, healing and working with us. As Rita Gross has suggested regarding devi, She can be a powerful resource to westerners reconceptualizing and reclaiming Goddess. Her transformative power and draw in the west is keenly felt, even though the debate still ensues over who honors her, how she is honored outside of her native context, why feminists (and others) in the west are drawn to her, what she means to those of \"foreign\" origin, where she serves best and most, and when her call may be answered.\r\n\r\nWith the ancient presence of the Goddess, of Devi, as found today throughout the world and acknowledging of her roots within indigenous traditions of India as well as what is usually regarded as the more rigidly patriarchal Sanskritic brahmanical ones, I honor Kali from my place as a western feminist dedicated to the goddess because she liberates me, inspires me and has in my own life been a vehicle for transformation. I offer this worship to continue debate and open an opportunity to pray for continued transformation of goddesses, women, peoples, and the planet. I bring traditions of East and West together here with the hope of diffusing boundaries so that consciousness can be attuned to current actualities of goddess worship as transformational, the presence of the Divine felt within a concept of universal humanness, and hearts surrounded by the grace of the divine as most acceptable to the individual in a way that reflects and suggests ramifications for the collective. Most broadly, I attempt to bring together elements of western, earth-based practice and Eastern, Sakta Tantrick worship methodologies and verses in order to honor Goddess in whatever guise She appears to those participating in this worship. At SHARANYA, this usually means that we work with Kali and Her various manifestations, still acknowledging the ties She has all over the globe.\r\n\r\nThis ritual is presented in order to facilitate the spiritual seeker\'s personal exploration into sadhana (spiritual practice), because ritual, in my opinion, can often be a powerful means for opening to another level of human potential and personal awareness. Worship is an intensely private affair even when done among others, and I recommend not only reading this, but certainly trying it. Such an endeavor, I believe, can promote overall clarity and help to develop a greater sense of relationship to the community of the divine, both during the ritual itself and in general day-to-day realities. When we at SHARANYA create space for the public to join us in this ceremony, we consider ourselves merely guides for the journey into Her embrace.\r\n\r\nThe following then is an outline for your honoring of the Divine Mother, Goddess Kali, including Sanskrit mantras. Please understand that whenever/wherever you are uncomfortable with the Sanskrit language, you may use the English translation as given, or come up with your own words based on the meanings suggested. These words of worship, however, need to be revered and respected, since they are millennia old and have multiple layers of meaning that will only be revealed as a part of your own unfolding process and/or through work with a guru/teacher. Again, this is all and only presented in order to facilitate your personal exploration. To read the comments of some individuals who have worked the ritual publicly, click here.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, any worship such as this should be predicated on a foundation inclusive of meditation, study, and intense contemplation of the deity to be honored – both in historical and cultural context as well as by undertaking to reveal what the deity means to you as an individual in communion with the spiritual essence of her. Worship, after all, is an intensely private affair, even when done among others. The worship as presented here is based on both western and eastern styles.\r\n\r\nIn beginning any ritual, our practice teaches that one must prepare a space appropriate to the work to be done, and setting up the worship area in personally meaningful ways may be the very most important piece. To this I would suggest that one bring all the love, joy, and creativity one has to offer, focusing that sentiment on the altar and worship area as a temporary home for the divine. The process of calling the deity from one\'s heart into the image or statue you provide for worship takes one to the very essence of devotion.\r\n\r\nIn order for this specific ritual to be practiced, basic items to have within the worship space include: pure spring water, salt, uncooked rice, red flowers (flowers only, no stems) placed on a platter/tray or in a basket, flowers of one’s choice in a vase, sweets (Maa Kali, for example, loves chocolate and anything delightful as long as the offerings do not contain cow-derived products such as gelatin, because the cow is symbolic of her very body), red wine (or substitute), chemical-free, natural tobacco, a small round fruit (size based upon the number of individuals doing the worship; i.e., for one or two persons, a grapefruit; for up to five or so, a cantaloupe; for up to ten, a honeydew melon; for more, a watermelon), one votive candle (green or white), honey, colored paper and markers for writing a prayer, food to share, and favorite ritual objects arranged as pleasing to the senses.\r\n\r\nAs initiation of the process, take a few minutes to meditate on the divine as Kali, or as any other Dark Goddess of choice, focusing heart and mind on her presence and the overall intention of this ritual, which is to accept the Dark Goddess’ blessings and have her illuminate obstacles to spiritual growth by confronting fear and cutting through that which is unnecessary. Then, as ready, begin to intone or chant \"Jai Maa!\" which means Victory to the Divine Mother, or as we sometimes say, \"Hallelujah, Maa!\" Drums, rattles, clapping of hands, and other instruments are often used to call upon and bring spirited fun to this simple way of honoring Goddess. The ritual ensues...\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nOne may follow any desired format or one already in use from one’s own spiritual path to do this, making sure to purify the objects and the surrounding space with salt water that you have blessed. Then, taking handfuls of rice, draw on the seat in front of you (or in the center of the circle), a triangle whose point faces the image or representation of the goddess that has been installed or temporarily set up. While doing so, read (or have someone else read) the following invocation:\r\n<blockquote>OM ADHARA SAKTAYE NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM ahd-hah-rah shahk-tah-yay nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(Primordial Energy of the Goddess, we bow to you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM KURMMAYA NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM koor-mah-yah nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(That which holds up all Existence, we bow to you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM ANANTAYA NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM ah-nan-tah-yah nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(That which is She Infinite, we bow to you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM PRTHIVYAI NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM pr-theev-yai nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(The glory of Mother as Earth, we bow to you)</em></blockquote>\r\nThen invoke the ten directions, specifically adding the following mantra after the directions are called:\r\n<blockquote>OM AIM HRIM KLIM CAMUNDAYAI VICCE\r\npronunciation: AUM eye-m hreem kleem chah-moon-dah-yai veech-chay\r\n<em>(Infinite awareness knows the One, the Many and She who unites them, transforms them, and makes them whole)</em></blockquote>\r\nNext, a devotional invocation to the Eight Mothers (Asta Matrikas) as given in the Agni Purana is made. Call upon these guides as Brahmani, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Varahi, Aindri, Chamunda and Mahalaksmi. (Other versions of these deities are found in other texts.) You may use my invocation, if you\'d like.\r\n\r\nWith the naming of each goddess, place a red flower around the rice triangle you have just made, beginning at the point and going clockwise. Then, invoke the four elements, making sure to include their representations as Avani (Earth), Jalam (Water), Agni (Fire), and Vayu (Air). One may also include Akasa (Spirit/Ether) to complete the mahabhutas, or gross elements.\r\n\r\nNow, the process of expressing a yearning for Kali truly manifests. Begin by centering with focused breath on the heart, and then call Her forth:\r\n<blockquote>OM KRIM KALYAI NAMAH\r\npronunciation: AUM kreem kahl-yai nah-mah-hah\r\n<em>(We call and bow to Kali, She who is all Life, with honor and respect)</em>\r\n\r\nOM HRIM SRIM KRIM PARAMESVARI KALIKE SVAHA\r\npronunciation: AUM hreem shreem kreem para-mesh-vah-ree kah-lee-kay svah-hah\r\n<em>(Great Goddess Kali, by the power of your all-pervading nature and supreme perfection, She who is the mystery of life, death, and regeneration, we are One with you)</em>\r\n\r\nOM KALI KALI MAHAKALI KALIKE PAPAHARINI DHARMARTHAMOKSADE DEVI NARAYANI NAMO-STUTTE\r\npronunciation: AUM kah-lee kah-lee maHA-kah-lee kah-lee-kay pah-pah-har-ee-nee dhar-mar-ta-mok-shah-day day-vee nah-rah-yah-nee nah-mo stoo-tay\r\n<em>(Greatest of All, Kali, Great Goddess who is the revealer of Truth, Kali who is with us in life, make our path one of peace and virtue, bring us your strength for liberation, for self-awareness, for the awakening of our spirit, our planetand all beings, Kali, you who are All, we bow to you!)</em></blockquote>\r\n<strong>Prana Pratistha</strong>\r\n\r\nHere, our life breath is connected to the Mother, imbuing her with our energies for the purposes of this ritual. Chant, honoring her:\r\n<blockquote>OM HRIM SRIM KRIM PARAMESVARI KALIKE SVAHA PRANA IHA PRANAH\r\npronunciation: AUM hreem shreem kreem pah-rah-mesh-vah-ree kali-kay svah-hah PRAH-nah EE-hah PRAH-nah-hah\r\n<em>(Om Creation, Dissolution, Transformation – the names of the Great Goddess, we are with the Ultimate, for you are the life of all Life)</em></blockquote>\r\nThis is done three times, and after each mantra is said, release a deep breath – HA – into the central space, focusing on the altar and representations/images of Kali. Do this slowly and with intention.\r\n\r\n<strong>Purification and Puspañjali (flower offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nTake either the salt water or an essential oil of choice, and anoint the third-eye (ajña cakra) with the ring finger of the right hand, continuing to pass the oil around the circle, if applicable. Next, take the basket of red flowers and bless them, saying:\r\n<blockquote>OM PUSPA PUSPA MAHA PUSPA SUPUSPA PUSPA SAMBHAVE PUSPA CAYAVAKIRNE CA HUM PHAT SVAHA\r\npronunciation: AUM PUSH-pah PUSH-pah maHA PUSH-pah soo-PUSH-pah PUSH-pah SAHM-bha-vay PUSH-pah cha-yah-vah-keer-nay cha hoom paht sva-hah\r\n<em>(Flowers, flowers, great flowers, beautifully heaped and everywhere among us, take away our small selves, bless us, purify us, we are one with the Ultimate All)</em></blockquote>\r\nPass around the flowers, making sure everyone present has received one. The flower will accompany the prayer/offering later in the ceremony. Also pass around paper and writing implements.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nKali Gayatri\r\n\r\nThis sacred mantra asks for the blessings of Kali. Recite three times:\r\n\r\nOM MAHA KALYAI CA VIDMAHE SMASANA VASINYAI CA DHIMAHI TANNO KALI PRACHODAYAT\r\npronunciation: AUM ma-HA kalyai cha vid-ma-hey shma-shah-nah vah-sin-yai cha dhee-mah-hee tahn-no kah-lee pruh-cho-duh-yaht\r\n(Om Great Goddess Kali, the One, She who resides in the Ocean of Life and in the Cremation Grounds that dissolve the world, we concentrate our energies on you, may you grant us boons and blessings.)\r\nMeditation\r\n\r\nThis is the time to focus on the ritual intention and give thanks for all that Kali has brought to one’s life, remembering that what we deem both good and bad all serve Her higher purpose. Utilize the mantra om, silence, or a personal meditation/ visualization to help focus the mind and gain clarity on any issue or difficult situation that immediately comes to awareness. After several minutes, write down a prayer. Use of a Tibetan \"singing\" bowl or a bell to begin/end the meditation may help shift the energy of the work. One may choose to repeat the Kali Gayatri again at this point.\r\n\r\nConsecration\r\n\r\nNext, the sacred substances are passed around to cleanse, purify and open the senses to the divine will. These substances are symbolic of the pañcha makaras, the five \"m’s\" of the Tantras: matsya (fish), mamsa (meat), mudra (the exact nature of this substance is unknown, but it is thought to be parched grain from which altered states arise upon consumption), madya (liquor/wine) and maithuna (sexual intercourse). In the Kamakhya Tantra, it says the following:\r\n\r\n\"The true devotee should worship the Mother of the Universe with liquor, fish, meat, cereal and copulation.\"\r\nSome Tantrick schools, mostly those of dakshinachara (right-hand) path (cf. vamachara, or left-hand path), have assigned alternative meanings to these. The wine, meat, fish, and so on are replaced with coconut water, goat cheese, ginger, rice and honey. One may wish to ascertain the deeper meaning of this part of the ritual by reading of the Tantrick tradition or by intuitively working with the energies of these substances. For the purposes of this ritual, the five substances are tobacco, beer, wine, honey, and a prayer for peace and union.\r\n\r\nSprinkle salt water over the tobacco, the wine, and other substances to purify and bless them. Take some of the tobacco first (and pass around). Smell it, inhaling deeply and/or one may choose to smoke it, rolling a ritual \"cigarette.\" Next the wine, drinking three times around the circle if time allows, followed by the beer and honey. Then, prayers may be folded (with tobacco inside if it wasn’t smoked already) and along with the red flower, anointed with red vermilion or simply touched to the forehead as an acknowledgement of gratitude.\r\n\r\nChant and Worship The prayers are then offered with a chant – one can use those offered below, which were created for this purpose; or use others that come from the heart and speak to the offering:\r\n\r\nCerridwyn, Om Kali, Lilith we sing to you;\r\nBlack Goddess, Dark Mother\r\nTake in our love for you!\r\n\r\nor:\r\n\r\nOm Kali, Kali! Om Kali, Kali!\r\nNamostute, namostute, namo!\r\nNamostute, namostute, namo!\r\n\r\nor:\r\n\r\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\r\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\r\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\r\nOm Kali Ma!\r\nWhile the chant is being sung in repetition, participants come forward one-by-one, bowing before the altar in prostration, with forehead on the floor between the palms (this is recommended for the offering). Each person takes as long as necessary– this is meant as a private time with Kali, or with any Dark Goddess to whom one wishes to pray.\r\n\r\nSacrifice (Bali)\r\n\r\nOnce the chanting is finished and all have offered their prayers, recognition of the things humanity (either individually or collectively) must sacrifice on the path is solidified with the fruit bought for this purpose. The fruit is also a symbol of renunciation, as we may at times consciously choose to give up the fruits of our labors for something greater. Take the fruit and with a marker, write on it something to be given up at this moment. (There is no need for the literal writing to appear clearly...it is the action that solidifies the intention.) When this is done, take a ritual knife and cut open the fruit. Place one-half face down, and in the other half, work into the flesh a votive candle. Light the candle and place any remaining red flowers alongside it, finally resting the fruit on or near the altar. Again, recitation of the mantras for welcoming Kali may be done.\r\n\r\nUnion Prayer, Prasad, Blessings and Opening of Circle\r\n\r\nFinally, the culmination of the ritual sends hope out into the universe and blesses the food (prasad) for sharing with others. This can be done while chanting an ancient Vedic prayer for the peace that comes with wholeness and the search for truth:\r\n\r\nOM ASATO MA SAD GAMAYA\r\nTAMASO MA JYOTIR GAMAYA\r\nMRITYOR MA AMRITAM GAMAYA\r\n(From untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality, lead us)\r\nAny final blessings may be offered around the circle with the passing and sharing of the honey, and a final chant of choice may be sung as the circle is opened and the food is shared. One may then thank the spirits who have been engaged for the ritual, and/or one may agree that with the blowing out of the final candle, they dissipate at their will. Feasting and sharing of personal experience can continue as the community of participants sees fit.\r\n\r\nThe entire ritual should take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. If you have any questions about this worship or other forms of puja, please contact one of our Rashani, or me, Chandra Alexandre, directly. We will be happy to assist you in Her service.\r\n\r\nPlease give appropriate credit if publicly performing this ritual or if printing material for distribution. Thank you! Finally, feel free to send your feedback – we’d love to hear from you. And do come join us in future for a puja!\r\n\r\nBlessings, and Sa\'ham!','Awakening Devi: Kali Puja for the West','','inherit','open','open','','100101-revision-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:55:25','2013-09-17 01:55:25','',100101,'<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100102 imgborder\" alt=\"MaaUgratara\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MaaUgratara.jpg\" />\r\n\r\n<em>Devi</e',0,'revision','',0),(100104,2,'2013-09-16 18:59:33','2013-09-17 01:59:33','<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\n\n<hr />\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100102 imgborder\" alt=\"MaaUgratara\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MaaUgratara.jpg\" />\n\n<em>Devi</em>, as She is called in Sanskrit, is the supreme Goddess of Indian Hindu tradition. She is multifaceted and universal in appeal; however, understanding Devi, particularly from a western perspective, is frighteningly difficult. This is at least in part because we in the West have traditionally little upon which to base a conception of Goddess, let alone a goddess who is both immanent and transcendent, unitary and multiplex, all-pervasive and immediately powerful.\n\nHere, by sharing a contemporary ritual that combines eastern and western practice and devotion, I hope to show that a new level of cyclical complexity can be achieved in which the goddess\' symbols inform by connecting to passion that is not containable by country of origin. I believe that ritual has the power to reverberate throughout more than the immediate context and situatedness of subjects and communities. Therefore, rather than judging who and where Devi belongs, perhaps the reciprocity of human kindness can far exceed our expectations; the grand hope being that we can empower women and men alike through worship of Devi to be all of who and what they are, and whatever they may want to be, no matter what their address.\n\nBefore we delve into the ritual, it is important to consider how we understand Devi, remembering that in Hindu life, as well as in both the sacred and the profane literature, she finds no contradiction in manifesting as intimate mother and transcendent, universal creatrix; virgin and celestial lover; faithful, complacent wife and bloodthirsty, independent huntress. In any of these forms or combinations, she encompasses and transcends Western notions of duality, thereby defying our ability to quantify, qualify or explain her existence in terms we might easily understand by virtue of a dominant worldview. Devi, it would appear, is beyond succinct and simple explanation. She is beyond a monological interpretation.\n\nIn fact, so great has been her influence in popular culture throughout the ages that borders have never contained her. From Parvati to Kali, Shasthi to Sarasvati, new versions of goddess, new reasons for her existence, and even newer forms are constantly appearing in India and abroad. She has historically crossed with trade routes and migrations into neighboring lands, becoming a powerful and revered deity in her newly chosen homeland, wherever that might be. For example, in both Tibetan and Nepali Buddhist contexts, the Indian Kali and Chinnamasta early on became Tara and Vajrayogini, respectively. Today, Devi is beginning to find recognition across oceans in the minds and hearts of those located in more distant foreign lands, most notably North America, Australia, and Europe.\n\nHere in the United States, She is inspiring a (r)evolution of worship and is now assuming revised, context-specific meanings and alternative significances worked through the vehicles of individual bodies, minds and hearts. From the inside out, coming to us in dreams, meditations and through the channels of sacred spaces, the goddess\' archetypal symbols are lifting us through and back into ourselves. She flies through time and space into our consciousness and refuses to be ignored. It would seem that our very souls are calling her to emerge...and she is heeding the call!\n\nEspecially for those seeking to awaken the intensity of the Divine Feminine in lands that have so culturally and spiritually denied Her, the presence of a goddess who manifests in as many forms and guises as does Devi seems more than understandable. In particular, Devi seems to move westerners (a huge proportion of whom are women and those marginalized in their spirituality). Since many are called by the fierce forms of Goddess because of what She inspires, we at SHARANYA honor Devi as Kali, the fierce most divine embodiment of creation, preservation, and destruction.\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n<strong>Ritual for the Goddess as Kali: Kali Puja (Worship)</strong>\n\nPoignant and powerful, I believe that the fierce Hindu goddesses, and the Dark Mother more generally, are appearing to westerners in particular so that we may learn from her and in turn honor her for teaching, healing and working with us. As Rita Gross has suggested regarding devi, She can be a powerful resource to westerners reconceptualizing and reclaiming Goddess. Her transformative power and draw in the west is keenly felt, even though the debate still ensues over who honors her, how she is honored outside of her native context, why feminists (and others) in the west are drawn to her, what she means to those of \"foreign\" origin, where she serves best and most, and when her call may be answered.\n\nWith the ancient presence of the Goddess, of Devi, as found today throughout the world and acknowledging of her roots within indigenous traditions of India as well as what is usually regarded as the more rigidly patriarchal Sanskritic brahmanical ones, I honor Kali from my place as a western feminist dedicated to the goddess because she liberates me, inspires me and has in my own life been a vehicle for transformation. I offer this worship to continue debate and open an opportunity to pray for continued transformation of goddesses, women, peoples, and the planet. I bring traditions of East and West together here with the hope of diffusing boundaries so that consciousness can be attuned to current actualities of goddess worship as transformational, the presence of the Divine felt within a concept of universal humanness, and hearts surrounded by the grace of the divine as most acceptable to the individual in a way that reflects and suggests ramifications for the collective. Most broadly, I attempt to bring together elements of western, earth-based practice and Eastern, Sakta Tantrick worship methodologies and verses in order to honor Goddess in whatever guise She appears to those participating in this worship. At SHARANYA, this usually means that we work with Kali and Her various manifestations, still acknowledging the ties She has all over the globe.\n\nThis ritual is presented in order to facilitate the spiritual seeker\'s personal exploration into sadhana (spiritual practice), because ritual, in my opinion, can often be a powerful means for opening to another level of human potential and personal awareness. Worship is an intensely private affair even when done among others, and I recommend not only reading this, but certainly trying it. Such an endeavor, I believe, can promote overall clarity and help to develop a greater sense of relationship to the community of the divine, both during the ritual itself and in general day-to-day realities. When we at SHARANYA create space for the public to join us in this ceremony, we consider ourselves merely guides for the journey into Her embrace.\n\nThe following then is an outline for your honoring of the Divine Mother, Goddess Kali, including Sanskrit mantras. Please understand that whenever/wherever you are uncomfortable with the Sanskrit language, you may use the English translation as given, or come up with your own words based on the meanings suggested. These words of worship, however, need to be revered and respected, since they are millennia old and have multiple layers of meaning that will only be revealed as a part of your own unfolding process and/or through work with a guru/teacher. Again, this is all and only presented in order to facilitate your personal exploration. To read the comments of some individuals who have worked the ritual publicly, click here.\n\nAdditionally, any worship such as this should be predicated on a foundation inclusive of meditation, study, and intense contemplation of the deity to be honored – both in historical and cultural context as well as by undertaking to reveal what the deity means to you as an individual in communion with the spiritual essence of her. Worship, after all, is an intensely private affair, even when done among others. The worship as presented here is based on both western and eastern styles.\n\nIn beginning any ritual, our practice teaches that one must prepare a space appropriate to the work to be done, and setting up the worship area in personally meaningful ways may be the very most important piece. To this I would suggest that one bring all the love, joy, and creativity one has to offer, focusing that sentiment on the altar and worship area as a temporary home for the divine. The process of calling the deity from one\'s heart into the image or statue you provide for worship takes one to the very essence of devotion.\n\nIn order for this specific ritual to be practiced, basic items to have within the worship space include: pure spring water, salt, uncooked rice, red flowers (flowers only, no stems) placed on a platter/tray or in a basket, flowers of one’s choice in a vase, sweets (Maa Kali, for example, loves chocolate and anything delightful as long as the offerings do not contain cow-derived products such as gelatin, because the cow is symbolic of her very body), red wine (or substitute), chemical-free, natural tobacco, a small round fruit (size based upon the number of individuals doing the worship; i.e., for one or two persons, a grapefruit; for up to five or so, a cantaloupe; for up to ten, a honeydew melon; for more, a watermelon), one votive candle (green or white), honey, colored paper and markers for writing a prayer, food to share, and favorite ritual objects arranged as pleasing to the senses.\n\nAs initiation of the process, take a few minutes to meditate on the divine as Kali, or as any other Dark Goddess of choice, focusing heart and mind on her presence and the overall intention of this ritual, which is to accept the Dark Goddess’ blessings and have her illuminate obstacles to spiritual growth by confronting fear and cutting through that which is unnecessary. Then, as ready, begin to intone or chant \"Jai Maa!\" which means Victory to the Divine Mother, or as we sometimes say, \"Hallelujah, Maa!\" Drums, rattles, clapping of hands, and other instruments are often used to call upon and bring spirited fun to this simple way of honoring Goddess. The ritual ensues...\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\nOne may follow any desired format or one already in use from one’s own spiritual path to do this, making sure to purify the objects and the surrounding space with salt water that you have blessed. Then, taking handfuls of rice, draw on the seat in front of you (or in the center of the circle), a triangle whose point faces the image or representation of the goddess that has been installed or temporarily set up. While doing so, read (or have someone else read) the following invocation:\n<blockquote>OM ADHARA SAKTAYE NAMAH\npronunciation: AUM ahd-hah-rah shahk-tah-yay nah-mah-hah\n<em>(Primordial Energy of the Goddess, we bow to you)</em>\n\nOM KURMMAYA NAMAH\npronunciation: AUM koor-mah-yah nah-mah-hah\n<em>(That which holds up all Existence, we bow to you)</em>\n\nOM ANANTAYA NAMAH\npronunciation: AUM ah-nan-tah-yah nah-mah-hah\n<em>(That which is She Infinite, we bow to you)</em>\n\nOM PRTHIVYAI NAMAH\npronunciation: AUM pr-theev-yai nah-mah-hah\n<em>(The glory of Mother as Earth, we bow to you)</em></blockquote>\nThen invoke the ten directions, specifically adding the following mantra after the directions are called:\n<blockquote>OM AIM HRIM KLIM CAMUNDAYAI VICCE\npronunciation: AUM eye-m hreem kleem chah-moon-dah-yai veech-chay\n<em>(Infinite awareness knows the One, the Many and She who unites them, transforms them, and makes them whole)</em></blockquote>\nNext, a devotional invocation to the Eight Mothers (Asta Matrikas) as given in the Agni Purana is made. Call upon these guides as Brahmani, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Varahi, Aindri, Chamunda and Mahalaksmi. (Other versions of these deities are found in other texts.) You may use my invocation, if you\'d like.\n\nWith the naming of each goddess, place a red flower around the rice triangle you have just made, beginning at the point and going clockwise. Then, invoke the four elements, making sure to include their representations as Avani (Earth), Jalam (Water), Agni (Fire), and Vayu (Air). One may also include Akasa (Spirit/Ether) to complete the mahabhutas, or gross elements.\n\nNow, the process of expressing a yearning for Kali truly manifests. Begin by centering with focused breath on the heart, and then call Her forth:\n<blockquote>OM KRIM KALYAI NAMAH\npronunciation: AUM kreem kahl-yai nah-mah-hah\n<em>(We call and bow to Kali, She who is all Life, with honor and respect)</em>\n\nOM HRIM SRIM KRIM PARAMESVARI KALIKE SVAHA\npronunciation: AUM hreem shreem kreem para-mesh-vah-ree kah-lee-kay svah-hah\n<em>(Great Goddess Kali, by the power of your all-pervading nature and supreme perfection, She who is the mystery of life, death, and regeneration, we are One with you)</em>\n\nOM KALI KALI MAHAKALI KALIKE PAPAHARINI DHARMARTHAMOKSADE DEVI NARAYANI NAMO-STUTTE\npronunciation: AUM kah-lee kah-lee maHA-kah-lee kah-lee-kay pah-pah-har-ee-nee dhar-mar-ta-mok-shah-day day-vee nah-rah-yah-nee nah-mo stoo-tay\n<em>(Greatest of All, Kali, Great Goddess who is the revealer of Truth, Kali who is with us in life, make our path one of peace and virtue, bring us your strength for liberation, for self-awareness, for the awakening of our spirit, our planetand all beings, Kali, you who are All, we bow to you!)</em></blockquote>\n<strong>Prana Pratistha</strong>\n\nHere, our life breath is connected to the Mother, imbuing her with our energies for the purposes of this ritual. Chant, honoring her:\n<blockquote>OM HRIM SRIM KRIM PARAMESVARI KALIKE SVAHA PRANA IHA PRANAH\npronunciation: AUM hreem shreem kreem pah-rah-mesh-vah-ree kali-kay svah-hah PRAH-nah EE-hah PRAH-nah-hah\n<em>(Om Creation, Dissolution, Transformation – the names of the Great Goddess, we are with the Ultimate, for you are the life of all Life)</em></blockquote>\nThis is done three times, and after each mantra is said, release a deep breath – HA – into the central space, focusing on the altar and representations/images of Kali. Do this slowly and with intention.\n\n<strong>Purification and Puspañjali (flower offering)</strong>\n\nTake either the salt water or an essential oil of choice, and anoint the third-eye (ajña cakra) with the ring finger of the right hand, continuing to pass the oil around the circle, if applicable. Next, take the basket of red flowers and bless them, saying:\n<blockquote>OM PUSPA PUSPA MAHA PUSPA SUPUSPA PUSPA SAMBHAVE PUSPA CAYAVAKIRNE CA HUM PHAT SVAHA\npronunciation: AUM PUSH-pah PUSH-pah maHA PUSH-pah soo-PUSH-pah PUSH-pah SAHM-bha-vay PUSH-pah cha-yah-vah-keer-nay cha hoom paht sva-hah\n<em>(Flowers, flowers, great flowers, beautifully heaped and everywhere among us, take away our small selves, bless us, purify us, we are one with the Ultimate All)</em></blockquote>\nPass around the flowers, making sure everyone present has received one. The flower will accompany the prayer/offering later in the ceremony. Also pass around paper and writing implements.\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n<strong>Kali Gayatri</strong>\n\nThis sacred mantra asks for the blessings of Kali. Recite three times:\n<blockquote>OM MAHA KALYAI CA VIDMAHE SMASANA VASINYAI CA DHIMAHI TANNO KALI PRACHODAYAT\npronunciation: AUM ma-HA kalyai cha vid-ma-hey shma-shah-nah vah-sin-yai cha dhee-mah-hee tahn-no kah-lee pruh-cho-duh-yaht\n<em>(Om Great Goddess Kali, the One, She who resides in the Ocean of Life and in the Cremation Grounds that dissolve the world, we concentrate our energies on you, may you grant us boons and blessings)</em></blockquote>\n<strong>Meditation</strong>\n\nThis is the time to focus on the ritual intention and give thanks for all that Kali has brought to one’s life, remembering that what we deem both good and bad all serve Her higher purpose. Utilize the mantra om, silence, or a personal meditation/ visualization to help focus the mind and gain clarity on any issue or difficult situation that immediately comes to awareness. After several minutes, write down a prayer. Use of a Tibetan \"singing\" bowl or a bell to begin/end the meditation may help shift the energy of the work. One may choose to repeat the Kali Gayatri again at this point.\n\n<strong>Consecration</strong>\n\nNext, the sacred substances are passed around to cleanse, purify and open the senses to the divine will. These substances are symbolic of the pañcha makaras, the five \"m’s\" of the Tantras: matsya (fish), mamsa (meat), mudra (the exact nature of this substance is unknown, but it is thought to be parched grain from which altered states arise upon consumption), madya (liquor/wine) and maithuna (sexual intercourse). In the Kamakhya Tantra, it says the following:\n<blockquote>\"The true devotee should worship the Mother of the Universe with liquor, fish, meat, cereal and copulation.\"</blockquote>\nSome Tantrick schools, mostly those of dakshinachara (right-hand) path (cf. vamachara, or left-hand path), have assigned alternative meanings to these. The wine, meat, fish, and so on are replaced with coconut water, goat cheese, ginger, rice and honey. One may wish to ascertain the deeper meaning of this part of the ritual by reading of the Tantrick tradition or by intuitively working with the energies of these substances. For the purposes of this ritual, the five substances are tobacco, beer, wine, honey, and a prayer for peace and union.\n\nSprinkle salt water over the tobacco, the wine, and other substances to purify and bless them. Take some of the tobacco first (and pass around). Smell it, inhaling deeply and/or one may choose to smoke it, rolling a ritual \"cigarette.\" Next the wine, drinking three times around the circle if time allows, followed by the beer and honey. Then, prayers may be folded (with tobacco inside if it wasn’t smoked already) and along with the red flower, anointed with red vermilion or simply touched to the forehead as an acknowledgement of gratitude.\n\nChant and Worship The prayers are then offered with a chant – one can use those offered below, which were created for this purpose; or use others that come from the heart and speak to the offering:\n<blockquote>Cerridwyn, Om Kali, Lilith we sing to you;\nBlack Goddess, Dark Mother\nTake in our love for you!\n\nor:\n\nOm Kali, Kali! Om Kali, Kali!\nNamostute, namostute, namo!\nNamostute, namostute, namo!\n\nor:\n\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\nAnanda Ma Ananda Ma Kali\nOm Kali Ma!</blockquote>\nWhile the chant is being sung in repetition, participants come forward one-by-one, bowing before the altar in prostration, with forehead on the floor between the palms (this is recommended for the offering). Each person takes as long as necessary– this is meant as a private time with Kali, or with any Dark Goddess to whom one wishes to pray.\n\n<strong>Sacrifice (Bali)</strong>\n\nOnce the chanting is finished and all have offered their prayers, recognition of the things humanity (either individually or collectively) must sacrifice on the path is solidified with the fruit bought for this purpose. The fruit is also a symbol of renunciation, as we may at times consciously choose to give up the fruits of our labors for something greater. Take the fruit and with a marker, write on it something to be given up at this moment. (There is no need for the literal writing to appear clearly...it is the action that solidifies the intention.) When this is done, take a ritual knife and cut open the fruit. Place one-half face down, and in the other half, work into the flesh a votive candle. Light the candle and place any remaining red flowers alongside it, finally resting the fruit on or near the altar. Again, recitation of the mantras for welcoming Kali may be done.\n\n<strong>Union Prayer, Prasad, Blessings and Opening of Circle</strong>\n\nFinally, the culmination of the ritual sends hope out into the universe and blesses the food (prasad) for sharing with others. This can be done while chanting an ancient Vedic prayer for the peace that comes with wholeness and the search for truth:\n<blockquote>OM ASATO MA SAD GAMAYA\nTAMASO MA JYOTIR GAMAYA\nMRITYOR MA AMRITAM GAMAYA\n<em>(From untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality, lead us)</em></blockquote>\nAny final blessings may be offered around the circle with the passing and sharing of the honey, and a final chant of choice may be sung as the circle is opened and the food is shared. One may then thank the spirits who have been engaged for the ritual, and/or one may agree that with the blowing out of the final candle, they dissipate at their will. Feasting and sharing of personal experience can continue as the community of participants sees fit.\n\nThe entire ritual should take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. If you have any questions about this worship or other forms of puja, please contact one of our Rashani, or me, Chandra Alexandre, directly. We will be happy to assist you in Her service.\n\nPlease give appropriate credit if publicly performing this ritual or if printing material for distribution. Thank you! Finally, feel free to send your feedback – we’d love to hear from you. And do come join us in future for a puja!\n\nBlessings, and Sa\'ham!','Awakening Devi: Kali Puja for the West','','inherit','open','open','','100101-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-16 18:59:33','2013-09-17 01:59:33','',100101,'<em>by Chandra Alexandre, PhD, founder and executive director of SHARANYA</em>\n\n<hr />\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-100102 imgborder\" alt=\"MaaUgratara\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MaaUgratara.jpg\" />\n\n<em>Devi</em>, as',0,'revision','',0),