(101340,2,'2015-11-30 14:47:48','2015-11-30 21:47:48','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Hawaii-Greece-2007-355-e1403847042143.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Hawaii-Greece-2007-355-e1403847042143-273x300.jpg\" alt=\"Creativity\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-101038 imgborder\" /></a>Whether it’s an art project or the birth of a child, the creative process is often mysterious. We all know the magic involved in bringing something to fruition. And especially if we have nurtured life within our wombs, we have a truly embodied experience from which to speak.  Either way, we know the struggles of the journey and what it takes to hold true to our virtue and soulful purpose amidst others’ opinions and our own doubts.  As the time of our creative endeavor, literal birthing, or self-awareness process grows, winds, unfolds, gets shaped by our will and is manipulated by our unconscious intentions and agendas (or those of others), we learn some of the cosmic forces that have come together for the manifestation of our own bodies and this Earth. \r\n\r\nThe philosophy of Tantra, and specifically that of creation, or <i>srishti</i> (as it’s called in Sanskrit), involves 51 distinct components. This article deals with a subset of these within the microcosm of our personal reality to provide additional insight as to the nature of the journey, regardless of manifestation or eventual outcome. The process by which Shakti creates the world of forms is the focus of our engagement.  Shakti is Goddess, the primordial feminine/female principle that enlivens All. Moreover, She is energy, the Divine spark. The process by which She descends from the transcendental into the realms of spirit and then into matter is called <i>pavritti</i>.  (As She expands and becomes increasingly drawn back to Source, the process is called <i>nivritti</i>, which is spiritual evolution.) Whether using this cosmology as a tool to bring mindfulness to your daily projects, to a pregnancy, or to your spiritual development, the hope is that you as a seeker are able to take away revelations from meditations on the movements of energy and its relationship to consciousness that this understanding informs. \r\n\r\nFollowing then are the levels of increasing manifestation as descended from the One, that which is nameless and formless, residing beyond the confines of Time and Space.  Each of these ten phases of the creation process is adapted from the working of essential purification based on the Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) known as Tattva Shuddhi.  You will notice that each of these is resonant with the ten lunar cycles from conception to childbirth. Each is also based upon the nature and duration of the flows of energy through the cycle of involution; and elements within this process are given here noting durations.  These are in the appropriate ratios relative to one another as related by the adepts. Thus, for example, when within the timeframe of Ether (which has a duration of two in the creation/creative process), we cycle for half the time than when in Air, which as a duration of four. These cycles can be weeks, days, hours, minutes, months or years—the timeline is up to you and your creation process. \r\n\r\nThis outline and progression can be used to help deepen your own birthing experience, no matter what it is or where you are (or were) in the process.  Each section below:  i)  contains a description of a tattva (principle or element) as key to understanding a phase of that creation process; ii)  invites you further into the mystery with a reflection question or two; and, iii) provides a brief ritual you may wish to do.  It is intended to serve as a guide for all your endeavors so that they will manifest that for which you yearn and labor, and it seeks to help awaken you to exciting new potentials for creation.  \r\n\r\n<h3>(1)	Prana Shakti - Source (Duration 1)</h3>\r\nAt the very beginning, we feel the stirring of our insides. A yearning comes to awareness and we desire to create or realize we are creating. Just as the Divine chose to incarnate in order to know and experience more of the Divine, we too can learn from choosing to create. Prana Shakti, the flow of vital energy within us, is our teacher and guide as we undertake the journey. Here, you will want to know the forces of breath within you, for they carry Her. Delve more deeply too into the basics of your practice so that you may (re)discover the fundamental patterns and movements of energy within. Visit the energy centers or chakras of the body, as well as the rivers or channels through which the currents flow. These are 72,000 in number and are called nadis—but you may wish to focus on establishing a relationship with the main ten or so. See what you can discover through your own turn to the inner landscape. \r\n\r\nWhile a birthing will happen at some point in the future, this is not the time for agendas or expectations. All we can know is that the end will come at some point, that the solidification of our efforts will eventually manifest, and the beginning of something new born of our effort, patience, love and inspiration will happen in time. Today, we stand poised and expectant. The infinite source of our soul connects to potentials and possibilities in this world, and we are free to let our creativity flow. We may strive to bring consciousness to all we attempt. Still, this is not the time to begin willful engagement toward a specific outcome. It is rather a time for heartfelt deepening into self and world. It is from this place that the specific components of our creative process will be revealed. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> What is it in me that gives rise to this potential, this awakening, this project or this child (metaphoric or literal)?  Can I remain free of expectations and agendas in order to serve and honor the end as one unto itself? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Think of all you have done to get to this point of creating. Honor yourself and those who have helped you. Set a sankalpa (sacred intention) for the journey (this can be revised as you progress). You may wish to place a marker on your altar denoting the initiation of your process. Something that is personally meaningful and symbolic of your path is most likely to inspire you, whether in the most happy of moments or during the challenges and obstacles that you may face ahead. Make time to gaze at this object every day to reconnect and embolden your efforts. \r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published in Llewellyn\'s 2013 Magical Almanac under the title, <em>Doing Life & Creating Life: An Introduction to the Birthing Mystery through Tantra</em> \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<h3>(2)	Prakriti-Purusha (Duration 4)</h3>\r\nHere we rest in the dance, largely unconscious, of what it takes to make something come alive. The push and pull of energy and consciousness here enlivens the process and we are creating even when we may not be aware of what’s happening.  In this second stage, these forces—energy and consciousness—begin to particularize and polarize, creating an articulated dynamic tension from the spark of our whim that is geared toward experiencing something new in the world birthed through us.  We are offered clues of the goings on through dreams and synchronicities—we might wish to pay attention—but the work of this phase rests predominantly on who we are and what we have done before.\r\n \r\nThe power of <i>prakriti</i> (the principle of Shakti within and as nature) is the creatrix activating our imagination and intuitive juices. The awareness of purusha (the principle of consciousness within our world) provides connection to soul. Together, they are the initial force required for the birthing to occur. Prakriti and purusha are partners responding to you and to any stimulus in your world as a river would to a rock in its path: they continue their flow uninterrupted. Without consideration of their dance, however, we may lose the impetus toward action or may dwindle our energies in mindless pursuits that do not serve our essence or the greater good.  By paying attention here, we gain the ability to see the potentials of the sacred and of evil, of compassion and of violence; of all the ways in which harmony is achieved not by forceful resistance to the flows of the Divine will, but by the application of holistic vision to all life has to offer. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Do I allow myself to trust intuition, that sacred balance of embodied knowing and spirit? Can my motives stay pure, as in reflective of a harmony between outer perception and inner experience? How do I reflect the dance of prakriti and purusha in and through my choices, actions, speech and thought? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Create a list of all the things that you desire to be in the mix so that your creation will be born whole and perfect.  Choose four to be the cornerstones of your birthing process and meditate on these, holding them in your mind and heart as fully as possible throughout your pregnancy or creative endeavor.  You may also wish to create a collage or work of art to represent the fullness of your dance with prakriti and purusha. Use this visual representation as a mandala to help strengthen your resolve and commitment.  \r\n\r\n<h3>(3)	Mahat Tattva (Duration 5)</h3>\r\nMahat Tattva, the Great Principle, is the expression of higher mind (often called buddhi) within us. It is also the discriminating force of judgment that is unclouded by ego or emotion.  Mahat tattva is what guides our motivation toward intention aligned with soul and then action.  Here is the space then of deep contemplation, self-reflection, emerging wisdom, and continued release from things that may hinder perception, discernment, and our ultimate ability to make decisions that serve the creative process and its eventual outcome.\r\n \r\nAs you consider this, know that in mahat tattva we are given room to trust and augment the previous work done toward cultivation of soulful caring; that is, caring not tied to past impressions, habits or other enmeshments in the world. This can be very challenging, and it is in this stage that we spend more time than we have on previous stages of our journey.  Often, the word used to describe the stance of mahat tattva is dispassion, but to be dispassionate in this space is again to care infinitely. We do so while remaining clear and free of the things that get us fired up, triggered, or otherwise tangled in the ruts of daily life—whether real or imagined. In mahat tattva, we trust our intuition (not our instinct!) as it has been increasingly refined through the interplay of prakriti and purusha and brought further into waking consciousness. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Where and in whom do I place my trust as a provider of information? Do I listen to others before I listen to myself? Can I release myself from the tangled strands of gossip and half truths that surround me in all the spaces I inhabit (work, school, family, friends, etc.)?  \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Meditate on a time in which you were emotionally charged by something or someone (let it be far enough in the past that you can enter this space easily). Go through the instance or episode again briefly in your mind, allowing yourself to feel the experience in your body. Notice the internal landscape of impressions as you relive the moment. Let this resolve somewhat quickly into a natural conclusion. Now, return to heartfelt breath and bring in sakshi, or witness consciousness. This is the power cultivated through mahat tattva of nonjudgmental discernment. Staying aware of a dispassionate stance, allow yourself to notice your reactions from this mental position as you again replay the incident or situation. See what you notice and what you learn.  \r\n\r\n<h3>(4)	Ahamkara (Duration 1)</h3>\r\nAhamkara in Sanskrit means I-ness, and we often simply refer to it as ego. Ahamkara is the birthplace of self-awareness in this journey, of that which tells me there’s a “me” and there’s a “you.” It is therefore a starting point for us as individuals (for herein lies our blossoming individuality) to take full responsibility for ourselves. This is the work of this phase of our creative process. \r\n\r\nSo that the nature of our task is clear, you may wish to think of ahamkara as a point around which both freedom and fetters circle continuously. Stuck in the grooves of past incarnations, of pleasures, addictions, worldly goods or arrogance?  We are limited by ahamkara in that it is what ties our soul to this reality. Yearning for understanding to bridge divides of difference, for equity, peace, health and well-being for all?  We are liberated through ahamkara in that it provides a focus for our unique soul imprint (called <i>jivatman</i> in Sanskrit) on the backdrop of creation as a whole. In this way, the Divine may experience itself through us and we may in turn experience the Divine. As we increasingly realize this reflection as true, ahamkara is shattered and we are able to take in reality as Reality. \r\n\r\nGaining enough self-awareness to reign in our ego appropriately, however, takes dedication and practice.  Still, as we create, a healthy amount of ego presence is required to ensure that we have what it takes to support our creation throughout the birthing and into the world.  Ahamkara is necessary but not sufficient for the sustenance of our creative process. We might think of it then as the spiritual equivalent of all that’s involved in fortifying and readying the body so that as mothers metaphoric or actual we can provide healthy and rich breast milk to our newborn.  \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> How do I fall into the entrapments of ego? Am I willing to take on the full ramifications of my thoughts, words and actions? What do I need to change or do to make it so? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Do sadhana. That is, make a commitment to spiritual practice, and do something every day. Find a practice you can do regularly at the same time even if only for five minutes. Let it be fun and transformational, deepening and enlivening.  Perhaps you will chant while doing laundry, or memorize verses while running. Perhaps you will sit in silence or stare at a candle flame. No matter what your choice, understand this dedication as a strengthening exercise, one that will make you ready for all it takes for a strong relationship to ahamkara, one with true humility and open-hearted presence, to emerge.\r\n\r\n<h3>(5)	Akasha / Ether (Duration 2) </h3>\r\nAn important transition is occurring as we move into the realm of akasha, for here is the final space in which the subtle body fully dominates our creative process.  As akasha enters the picture, we begin to sense the world of forms, even if they are still a bit farther down the road.  It is here and by this influence that as embodied beings we begin to listen to our spiritual impulses; but during the incarnation process in which we’re currently engaged, it is here that the boundaries of our psychic selves are established and the spaces that hold the physical matter of our bodies together are formed.  With this, energy and consciousness as thus far come into beingness are making a lot of noise, as it were, in the subtle realm. As we enter akasha, it is thus increasingly important to be diligent and mindful of the things, persons, and intentions that impact us. For some, readiness to continue engaging creatively means establishing appropriate protections so that inimical influences do not sway or hinder us. \r\n\r\nAkasha is the void, space, and blackness. While primary among akasha’s responsibilities is articulation of the psychic centers, called chakras, illumination of the way to understanding through vibration and sound is also a key component of this element. Akasha is thus keenly tied to our hearing sense. As the first of the basic tattvas to arise, it is also the last to go as we dissolve back into Source on our spiritual quest. Thus, when in meditation, you may find that you can focus on the internal landscape, keeping out all smells, tastes, visions, and tactile sensations, but you are aware of sounds arising from outside of yourself almost no matter how deeply you may seem to go into an altered state.  Utilize the force of akasha to tune in to the most delicate of impressions as you journey now, and strive for your ears to become increasingly attuned to the sounds of your origins—to those speaking to you from your clan wave (the ancestors). Listen well too to the promises of others, to the whispers of your imagination, and for the sounds of falsehood.  \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> What is the substance of my psychic self and how can I cultivate a relationship with my subtle body?   Am I willing to truly listen? Do I need to protect myself in any way for this creative process to unfold in alignment with soulful purpose? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Give your creation, child or project a spirit name (even a temporary one). Tie a red, black and white piece of cloth to a stick and place it on your altar like a flag. White represents our highest spiritual power, red our activity in the world, and black our latent potential. These forces, known as gunas (qualities of nature) arise with akasha and inform all of our elemental work.  Imagine now connecting to the very first vibration of the cosmos; that from which all else arose. Let this inner sound reverberate. As you feel ready, pick up your flag, press it between your palms, and move it to the sounds and rhythms of this vibration, intoning the name you have chosen.  You may wish to record any impressions or experiences you have as messages from akasha.         \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->                                                                                  \r\n<h3>(6)	Vayu / Air (Duration 4)</h3>\r\nVayu is that which arises from the void, from the blackness of space that is akasha. It arises because of excitement, and it is thus the current that powers the spiraling of the elements within nature even while it remains formless. Each part of manifest creation is made up of the elements in different proportions, and vayu provides the creative turning, fast or slow, that propels the combinations into actuality. Vayu is also simply the wind that caresses us gently. It is too the tingles we feel on our skin every time we are reminded of a lover’s touch, and it is the life-force energy that carries us more deeply into the body, the means we have through which to know and experience the world.  \r\n\r\nVayu is a sweet shaper of our intentions and a guide toward our dreams. Through vayu, we know the feel of the world. In our creation process, vayu is a time of heightened intuition, of flowing thoughts and ideas, of increased potentials for success, of heartfelt connections and of constant change. Because things may seem to be moving along quickly now and variance is a key part of the journey here, it is a good time for reflection on the patterns of our lives. As you meet others and interact in and with the world, stay focused and present to the constancy of your commitment despite the challenges of flightiness and diffusion that vayu can bring. As you sense the winds of change, allow the tingles of vitality you feel—vayu’s reminder of engagement—to enliven your efforts toward moves that best serve your creative process.\r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> What is it that distracts me or makes me lose focus? Do I need help or assistance now to stay on track with my efforts, centered in myself, nourished, and feeling vital? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Find your breath. Take time to pause and be present for the thrill of the moment. You are alive and the world is turning. The moon, sun, and stars are all waiting. Open yourself now in a stance of gratitude and humbleness, awe and yearning, to the potentials that lay head.  Allow prana—the vital energy carried on vayu—to fill you as you breathe. Send the breath from the tip of your toes to the crown of your head and back down again, relaxing into every cell of your being so that the vital airs that sustain you provide deep cleansing . As you perform this exercise, you may also wish to chant (silently or aloud) vayu’s seed mantram, YAM (pronounced yuh’-m). Use this seed syllable to get into those hard-to-reach places. \r\n\r\n<h3>(7)	 Agni / Fire (Duration 6)</h3>\r\nIncreasing vibration next gives rise to perceptible light. Light shines through the darkness of the causal and then the subtle realm, giving us entry to new frontiers. It is at once static and traveling, particle and wave, here and there. Agni, or fire, is the awakening of light in this world, and it is a defining force.  We welcome in this phase of the birthing mystery with an important recognition of wonder, as well as of the small self and its impact.  This is relevant especially now because as we are able to discern by the power of sight selected forms arising from the energy put forth in the last phase by vayu, our spirits are moved and simultaneously, even more than before, we know a distinct “I.” The difference between us and the world seems to expand; if left unattended, ego can take center stage.\r\n\r\nOther challenges are to be found here as well, such as anger and resentment.  Agni’s light generates warmth, and this heat can fire up tempers. Mindful then of the challenges brought with the arrival of agni, we can harness the gifts offered to diligent travelers. Clairvoyance, for example, is among them. But whether extrasensory or pedestrian, the offerings of agni are all magnificent tools in the work of shaping destiny.  Our ability here to put into our crucible the variety of boons bestowed and cultivated this far in the journey serves to render us humble and free—for we must remember that they are not our gifts alone.   \r\n\r\nAgni both consumes and radiates, all the while transforming, catalyzing and sparking something new. A guide into the darkness of our personal shadow, agni offers an opportunity now to move into and out of your pain, sorrow, fear, hatred, jealousy and rage. Allow the burning to cleanse and anoint yourself with the ashes. There is more than meets the eye to this phase of the journey. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Who am I that gives rise to this creation? Am I the same person I was when I started? What has transformed, seen increase, or seen burning away? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> The yantra or sacred diagram associated with agni is a red downward pointing triangle. In embodied purification practice, it is situated between the heart and navel. At each point of the triangle, there are bhupura, or gates.  Either seated or laying down, visualize this yantra within your own body. Now, imagine the ingredients of your life that have been with you since the beginning of this voyage as grains of sand filling it. Just as the filling completes, the yantra begins turning clockwise, gradually getting faster and faster. At the climax of the spinning, the bhupura open and grains are flung out, but not all. The ones that remain are the building blocks of your looking glass. Take time to see and reflect on whatever you put into the mix that lingers. Look deeply into that mirror and take in the gaze of the one who looks back.   \r\n\r\n<h3>(8)	Apas / Water (Duration 8)</h3>\r\nFrom time to time now, the structure of our creation has hints of borders, for in apas we find a perfect balance of order and chaos. Here, our excitement rises as the container is filled. The cells of our body feel the quickening. Although we realize things are not yet set or settled, we are readying. Our work is ripening and we anticipate the juiciness. We can almost taste it. \r\n\r\nApas is an element that can feel intimate. It is the stuff of our blood, our tears, our sex, our secretions. It is the fluid of life and in this sense, the magic of creation on Earth. Without water, nothing would be possible. Apas therefore tells us to soak, not bathe, and to make ablutions, not wash. It reminds us to play in fountains and slurp down rainbows. It says that if we wish to gain clarity, then we must cleanse and purify; that is, harmonize inner and outer reality .To do this, we must  listen to the small voice inside that comes from a marrying of head and heart.  \r\nApas here in this phase of our journey pervades everything, and consciously or unconsciously, we drink it in. \r\n\r\nA time of heightened creativity and imagination, apas opens us to potentials for laughter, love, delight and healing.  It invites us to listen to our intuition, for it may have meaningful messages. But at the same time that we feel a bounty of divine blessings, apas asks that we begin to feel the edges of practical concerns. For example, have we planted enough and tended enough, watered enough and weeded enough, to realize a good harvest?  This is the time to balance fluidity with a measure of confinement such as the setting of goals and establishment of guidelines. Therefore, find the edges of your stream, and knowing the beauty of its source, seek to navigate safely toward its conclusion. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Where do I flow and not resist? Where do I resist and wish to flow? Can I surrender as a stick upon a river to the currents of life while still surely placing footfalls on the path? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual: </b>Gather beads or make some of your own. Collect charms and amulets from broken bracelets and necklaces that have sat in boxes or drawers for years. Meditate on the gifts they brought you when actively worn, and on the ways they might serve you now. Gather these energies to you and consider a new piece of jewelry or altar adornment. String it together and let magic flow. Alternatively, make soup. Cut your favorite vegetables into chunks, add broth and seasoning, stir, simmer and let sit for thirty minutes before eating.  In other words, find a way to nourish yourself soon.   \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n<h3>(9)	Prithvi / Earth (Duration 10)</h3>\r\n\r\nThe end is almost in sight, but patience is required because we remain under prithvi’s spell for a while, this phase of the journey offering us a chance to assess our position.  Although the journey is not yet complete, there are signs that closure is coming. Already, no more adjustments can be made, and we thus look to the road ahead with reasonably measured glances. Fitting the solidity of earth, we stand our ground here as prithvi weaves and knots the energy of apas into form, and we mark our travels noting what was, what will be, and what shall be no more.  Gazing at the horizon, we can see the light shifting into brighter colors, our eyes awakening here to the yellow of the sun. This color is the hallmark of manifestation on our path, a vibration that signifies the radiance of life.  \r\n\r\nWe may be hopeful and excited, but it is also not yet quite the time for celebrating—there is still work to be done.  We might, for example, wish to plan a party! Now is a time for preparations, for readying, and for deciding how to honor this passage as it draws nigh. What ritual components will be fit for the coming occasion?  In order to decide what might be most appropriate or best reflective of the journey and serve as a rite (whether simple or elaborate), we must come to know the now-discernable boundaries of our creation. Take time therefore to explore those edges. As one together, you have been co-creating; and as soon-to-be two apart, you will be in a new kind of relationship, that of creator and created. From this dance, the waiting time of prithvi will help reveal deeper truths about your respective natures. Finally, we must here enliven our senses, and especially the grounded sense of smell, so that we can tell by the aromas wafting all around when the cooking is done.\r\n \r\n<b>Reflection:</b>  Prithvi offers us a chance then to feel the fullness of our work, our belly, rest, and in our repose, sweeten the foundation of our efforts with fragrant memories. Take some time to be close to the earth and the source of your connection to creativity, be that a mountain, river, forest, or ant hill.  \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Sprout a seed or bud from your next fridge foraging and plant it in your home or garden.  Avocados, potatoes, onions, and fruits work well. As you do the planting, bury any ritual materials you have acquired during this whole manifestation time that you wish to return to Earth. Note the coming full circle and offer your gratitudes to the dirt for all that this sacred substance contains. \r\n\r\n<h3>(10)	Completion: The Birthing</h3>\r\nAn ending and a beautiful beginning, birth is violent as matter is both created and destroyed. Perfect in every way, the process nonetheless leaves us whole and complete. Today, we reap the rewards of our journey and take in the awesome power of Shakti engaged and fulfilled.  The magic of the moment brings us into heightened awareness of the world, and if awe is not immediately apparent, we are at least given the potential to see through new eyes. Here, we awaken to the mystery. In this way may your journey be soul-making, and may you be thus inspired to willingly create again. \r\n\r\n\r\n','Tattva Shuddhi: Inspiring the Creative Process through Ritual & Reflection','','inherit','closed','closed','','101032-revision-v1','','','2015-11-30 14:47:48','2015-11-30 21:47:48','',101032,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101032-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101341,2,'2015-11-30 14:51:31','2015-11-30 21:51:31','[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/11th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\" title=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Blessed-Altar-Web-e1380257091912.jpg\" ]Receive darshan[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\" title=\"Curious?\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DSC_0313-e1381818563636.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events/\" title=\"Puja Dates\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0311-e1381818979184.jpg\" ]Visit the calendar[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<hr />\r\n<h3>Reflections &amp; News</h3>\r\n<center><i>\"Sing Kali\'s glory, make a happy racket, paddle this old boat of a body as fast as you can.<br>What\'s the trouble of this world anyhow?\" - Ramprasad Sen</i></center><br>\r\n[blog category=\"7\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"matrikas\" time=\"10\" randomize=\"on\" effect=\"fade\" ]','Homepage','','inherit','closed','closed','','99117-revision-v1','','','2015-11-30 14:51:31','2015-11-30 21:51:31','',99117,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101342,2,'2015-11-30 15:32:32','2015-11-30 22:32:32','<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','','inherit','closed','closed','','100087-revision-v1','','','2015-11-30 15:32:32','2015-11-30 22:32:32','',100087,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/100087-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101344,2,'2016-01-19 23:31:04','2016-01-20 06:31:04','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone, and community time. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-23','','','2017-03-15 21:16:26','2017-03-16 04:16:26','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101344',0,'th_events','',0),(101345,2,'2016-01-19 23:57:42','2016-01-20 06:57:42','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone, and community time. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-24','','','2017-03-15 21:17:27','2017-03-16 04:17:27','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101345',0,'th_events','',0),(101346,2,'2016-01-19 23:58:25','2016-01-20 06:58:25','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-25','','','2016-01-19 23:58:25','2016-01-20 06:58:25','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101346',0,'th_events','',0),(101347,2,'2016-01-19 23:58:59','2016-01-20 06:58:59','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-26','','','2016-01-19 23:58:59','2016-01-20 06:58:59','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101347',0,'th_events','',0),(101348,2,'2016-01-20 00:00:24','2016-01-20 07:00:24','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-27','','','2016-01-20 00:00:24','2016-01-20 07:00:24','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101348',0,'th_events','',0),(101349,2,'2016-01-20 00:00:46','2016-01-20 07:00:46','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-28','','','2016-01-20 00:00:46','2016-01-20 07:00:46','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101349',0,'th_events','',0),(101350,2,'2016-01-20 00:01:07','2016-01-20 07:01:07','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone, and community time. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-29','','','2017-03-15 21:20:17','2017-03-16 04:20:17','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101350',0,'th_events','',0),(101351,2,'2016-01-20 00:01:27','2016-01-20 07:01:27','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-30','','','2016-01-20 00:01:27','2016-01-20 07:01:27','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101351',0,'th_events','',0),(101352,2,'2016-01-20 00:01:49','2016-01-20 07:01:49','Join us monthly as we come together to honor Kali Maa, Divine Mother and Great Goddess, offering reverence as we create ritualized as well as lived spaces in which the fundamental and activating energy of shakti can be realized today.\r\n\r\nWe begin with an initiate-led ritual to enliven our murti through a process called prana pratishta. Community joins at 1pm for the full puja. Learn more about our ceremony <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pujas/\">here</a>. \r\n\r\nRSVP required to attend: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\">info@sharanya.org</a> or make a <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">donation online</a>.\r\n\r\nAll pujas are followed by our teaching circle, open to everyone. Learn more about <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">The Path</a>. \r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-31','','','2016-01-20 00:01:49','2016-01-20 07:01:49','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101352',0,'th_events','',0),(101353,2,'2016-01-20 00:03:25','2016-01-20 07:03:25','This is a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devi, Goddess, bleeds. \r\n\r\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood. \r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship. \r\n\r\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. ','10th Annual Yoni Puja Festival','','publish','closed','closed','','10th-annual-yoni-puja-festival','','','2016-01-20 00:03:25','2016-01-20 07:03:25','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101353',0,'th_events','',0),(101354,2,'2016-01-20 00:04:39','2016-01-20 07:04:39','<p>A celebration honoring the cycle of life, the Great Mystery and all things on the margins. Join us as we come together in community to welcome in the new year at this time of Kali Puja and Divali, the Festival of Lights, and honor Goddess manifest in the whole of creation. </p>\r\n<p>As the darkness closes in, we offer our prayers to Maa Kali, Mother of the Universe. Together we will honor Her in Her many forms through the Sha\'can tradition of Shakta Tantra. With your help, we are planning to fill the temple with chant, song, dance, devotion, and celebration.</p>\r\n<p>What to bring... 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 shakti, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed.</p>\r\n<p>A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is also suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and prasad (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted; we appreciate so much the offerings you make to support our work and the community.</p>\r\n<p>All lovers of the Divine are welcome! Doors open at 5:30PM, ritual begins promptly at 6:00PM.</p>\r\n<p><b>Location:</b> 2650 Fulton Street (at 3rd Avenue), San Francisco, CA 94118</p>\r\n<p><b>R.S.V.P.</b>: <a href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2= 94-3334334\">Make a donation to attend</a> (note Kali Puja Festival).</p>\r\n<p><b>Questions?</b> Email us at <a href=mailto:info@sharanya.org>info@sharanya.org</a></p>\r\n<p><iframe src=\"http://mapsengine.google.com/map/embed?mid=z31HImSkDDrM.kHtJeWlN3KjQ\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"></iframe></p>\r\n','13th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','publish','closed','closed','','13th-annual-kali-puja-festival','','','2017-03-20 17:41:39','2017-03-21 00:41:39','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101354',0,'th_events','',0),(101355,2,'2016-01-20 00:05:37','2016-01-20 07:05:37','Initiates in the tradition are invited to sit before Maa, rededicate to Sha\'can, and affirm their commitment to community for another year. ','Rededication Ceremony','','publish','closed','closed','','rededication-ceremony-3','','','2016-01-20 00:05:58','2016-01-20 07:05:58','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101355',0,'th_events','',0),(101356,2,'2016-01-20 00:08:40','2016-01-20 07:08:40','<h2>Devotions to the Dark Goddess</h2>\r\n\r\nUPDATE: There will be no Kali Puja at this year\'s PCon (we did not get a suite this year and hope to have one for next year). \r\n\r\nWe are awaiting confirmation of our ability to host a suite at this year\'s PCon. Should this manifest, you will have a unique opportunity to witness some of the more esoteric rites of our sampradaya (lineage). We offer this to help break open your heart that you may sing Her praises, dance Her mysteries, and deepen into self-reflection toward your own Divine nature. You must be ready to dive into shadows of your resistance and re-surface renewed.  Jai Maa! \r\n\r\n\r\n','PantheaCon Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','pantheacon-kali-puja-3','','','2016-01-31 21:10:19','2016-02-01 04:10:19','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101356',0,'th_events','',0),(101357,2,'2016-01-20 00:10:47','2016-01-20 07:10:47','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-27','','','2016-01-20 00:10:47','2016-01-20 07:10:47','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101357',0,'th_events','',0),(101358,2,'2016-01-20 00:11:13','2016-01-20 07:11:13','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-28','','','2016-01-20 00:11:13','2016-01-20 07:11:13','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101358',0,'th_events','',0),(101359,2,'2016-01-20 00:11:37','2016-01-20 07:11:37','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-29','','','2016-01-20 00:11:37','2016-01-20 07:11:37','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101359',0,'th_events','',0),(101360,2,'2016-01-20 00:11:54','2016-01-20 07:11:54','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-30','','','2016-01-20 00:11:54','2016-01-20 07:11:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101360',0,'th_events','',0),(101361,2,'2016-01-20 00:12:13','2016-01-20 07:12:13','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-31','','','2016-01-20 00:12:13','2016-01-20 07:12:13','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101361',0,'th_events','',0),(101362,2,'2016-01-20 00:12:30','2016-01-20 07:12:30','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-32','','','2016-01-20 00:12:30','2016-01-20 07:12:30','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101362',0,'th_events','',0),(101363,2,'2016-01-20 00:12:47','2016-01-20 07:12:47','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-33','','','2016-01-20 00:12:47','2016-01-20 07:12:47','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101363',0,'th_events','',0),(101364,2,'2016-01-20 00:13:06','2016-01-20 07:13:06','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-34','','','2016-01-20 00:13:06','2016-01-20 07:13:06','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101364',0,'th_events','',0),(101365,2,'2016-01-20 00:14:04','2016-01-20 07:14:04','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-35','','','2016-01-20 00:14:04','2016-01-20 07:14:04','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101365',0,'th_events','',0),(101366,2,'2016-01-20 00:14:29','2016-01-20 07:14:29','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-36','','','2016-01-20 00:14:29','2016-01-20 07:14:29','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101366',0,'th_events','',0),(101367,2,'2016-01-20 00:14:44','2016-01-20 07:14:44','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-37','','','2016-01-20 00:14:44','2016-01-20 07:14:44','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101367',0,'th_events','',0),(101368,2,'2016-01-20 00:15:03','2016-01-20 07:15:03','Initiates of the tradition deepen into the mysteries each month practicing and engaging the divine energies known as Mahavidya. ','Yogini Ritual Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','yogini-ritual-circle-38','','','2016-01-20 00:15:03','2016-01-20 07:15:03','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101368',0,'th_events','',0),(101369,2,'2016-01-20 00:17:49','2016-01-20 07:17:49','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-2','','','2016-01-20 00:17:49','2016-01-20 07:17:49','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101369',0,'th_events','',0),(101370,2,'2016-01-20 00:18:07','2016-01-20 07:18:07','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-3','','','2016-01-20 00:18:07','2016-01-20 07:18:07','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101370',0,'th_events','',0),(101371,2,'2016-01-20 00:18:23','2016-01-20 07:18:23','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-4','','','2016-01-20 00:18:23','2016-01-20 07:18:23','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101371',0,'th_events','',0),(101372,2,'2016-01-20 00:18:39','2016-01-20 07:18:39','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-5','','','2016-01-20 00:18:39','2016-01-20 07:18:39','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101372',0,'th_events','',0),(101373,2,'2016-01-20 00:19:02','2016-01-20 07:19:02','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-6','','','2016-01-20 00:19:02','2016-01-20 07:19:02','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101373',0,'th_events','',0),(101374,2,'2016-01-20 00:19:17','2016-01-20 07:19:17','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-7','','','2016-01-20 00:19:17','2016-01-20 07:19:17','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101374',0,'th_events','',0),(101375,2,'2016-01-20 00:19:34','2016-01-20 07:19:34','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-8','','','2016-01-20 00:19:34','2016-01-20 07:19:34','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101375',0,'th_events','',0),(101376,2,'2016-01-20 00:19:54','2016-01-20 07:19:54','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-9','','','2016-01-20 00:19:54','2016-01-20 07:19:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101376',0,'th_events','',0),(101377,2,'2016-01-20 00:20:12','2016-01-20 07:20:12','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-10','','','2016-01-20 00:20:12','2016-01-20 07:20:12','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101377',0,'th_events','',0),(101378,2,'2016-01-20 00:20:37','2016-01-20 07:20:37','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-11','','','2016-01-20 00:20:37','2016-01-20 07:20:37','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101378',0,'th_events','',0),(101379,2,'2016-01-20 00:20:51','2016-01-20 07:20:51','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-12','','','2016-01-20 00:20:51','2016-01-20 07:20:51','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101379',0,'th_events','',0),(101380,2,'2016-01-20 00:21:06','2016-01-20 07:21:06','Initiates welcomed through the Ceremony of Elders serve in Matrika Chakra and deepen engagement of Her mysteries.','Matrika Chakra','','publish','closed','closed','','matrika-chakra-13','','','2016-01-20 00:21:06','2016-01-20 07:21:06','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101380',0,'th_events','',0),(101381,2,'2016-01-20 00:23:13','2016-01-20 07:23:13','In NYC? Join us for a special evening to engage head and heart in the Mysteries. RSVP: info@sharanya.org','Maa, Tantra & The Yoga Sutras','','publish','closed','closed','','maa-tantra-the-yoga-sutras','','','2016-01-20 00:23:13','2016-01-20 07:23:13','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101381',0,'th_events','',0),(101383,35,'2016-04-01 22:17:05','2016-04-02 05:17:05','Most of us grow up knowing about heaven and hell. Whatever our faith or place of birth, and by whatever names we might choose, the split of light and dark into above and below seems to be a fact of our heritage as human beings. It is reflected in myriad cultures ancient and modern, from indigenous peoples’ oral narratives, to the tales of Sumer and myths of Greece, to the Christian traditions where the realms of God and Devil, salvation and eternal torment, may haunt imaginations.  \r\n\r\nAnd while this split is not inherently dangerous, we have been deluded for one reason or another (the Abrahamic faiths and colonialism are noteworthy for their influence) into equating the below and darkness with malevolence and the inimical—as in the Devil example just mentioned. This poses real challenges and hinders, I believe, our ability to fully honor the psycho-spiritual journey as well as the world in which we live. \r\n\r\nOn one level, we witness globally the racism, speciesism, and sexism of a dualistic worldview engrained in mindsets and laws. On another, a wholly metaphysical level, <a href=\"https://www.viagrapascherfr.com/viagra-pas-cher-france-vrai/\">https://www.viagrapascherfr.com/viagra-pas-cher-france-vrai/</a> we might scratch the surface to find that the unseen realms too have become a playground for projections of our fears about what evils lie below. Do underworld spirits seem to you somehow more mischievous, frightening, or ill-willed than others? To most, they do.  \r\n\r\nTantrics offer a different response. The realms of light and dark, above and below, would be better expressed and understood, we offer, if they were instead aligned with the processes of involution and evolution, respectively. Both are part of the journey toward liberation, and both serve to provide access to understandings about the world and spirit in unique, yet interrelated ways. \r\n \r\nTrue, many traditions acknowledge that understanding of one realm is not sufficient in and of itself for truth to be revealed, yet too many spiritual practices, teachers, and guides cling to the ongoing upper world work of transcendence without opening to the importance of our lived reality in the body, on Earth, and in relationship with time. This is the stuff that gets messy and difficult. It is what has led the practices of Tantra to be known as pathways toward insanity and death if one is not careful. \r\n\r\nBut back to hell. \r\n\r\nAs spiritual practitioners, we may be familiar with the rites and rituals that offer us protection from unseen forces seeking to enter our space and, if left unaddressed, potentially do harm. Commonplace are banishing spells, circle charms, talismans to ward off evil, and practices that set a sacred space into which no bad stuff can enter. We light candles to illuminate the darkness. We prepare ourselves in myriad ways to ensure that we can see—that we are safe as we engage in work with energies we can’t possibly fully know or understand.\r\n\r\nBut if the Tantrics are right, if energy is just energy and as the saying goes, we have nothing to fear but fear itself, then how do we know the difference in the unseen world between good and bad—what is there to help and what is there to harm?  The short answer is that we listen to our gut, we trust our inner senses, and we undertake spiritual discipline and training to both fortify ourselves and heighten our awareness so that we may act appropriately in any situation. \r\n\r\nMoreover, however, we do our work so that we might discern agendas. Are the energies to which we’re relating working the subtleties of matter and time? If so, then these are underworld spirits, those connected to the spirals of evolution. Are the energies running agendas related to the nuances of consciousness and space? Then these are spirits of the upper world, engrained in the turnings of involution.   \r\n\r\nInimical energies then may come from anywhere, and it’s not necessarily underworld demons haunting our dreams, imaginations, or ceremonial experiences. Time now to uncurse the dark and let the underworld be what it is—a deep connection to the ultimate journey through the mysteries of the flesh, the portals of time, and the beauty of love in relationship to self and world. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Reclaiming Hell','','publish','open','open','','reclaiming-hell','','','2017-05-19 06:17:57','2017-05-19 13:17:57','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101383',0,'post','',0),(101384,2,'2016-04-01 22:16:17','2016-04-02 05:16:17','','chamunda','','inherit','open','closed','','chamunda-2','','','2016-04-01 22:16:17','2016-04-02 05:16:17','',101383,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/chamunda.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101385,2,'2016-04-01 22:17:05','2016-04-02 05:17:05','Most of us grow up knowing about heaven and hell. Whatever our faith or place of birth, and by whatever names we might choose, the split of light and dark into above and below seems to be a fact of our heritage as human beings. It is reflected in myriad cultures ancient and modern, from indigenous peoples’ oral narratives, to the tales of Sumer and myths of Greece, to the Christian traditions where the realms of God and Devil, salvation and eternal torment, may haunt imaginations.  \r\n\r\nAnd while this split is not inherently dangerous, we have been deluded for one reason or another (the Abrahamic faiths and colonialism are noteworthy for their influence) into equating the below and darkness with malevolence and the inimical—as in the Devil example just mentioned. This poses real challenges and hinders, I believe, our ability to fully honor the psycho-spiritual journey as well as the world in which we live. \r\n\r\nOn one level, we witness globally the racism, speciesism, and sexism of a dualistic worldview engrained in mindsets and laws. On another, a wholly metaphysical level, we might scratch the surface to find that the unseen realms too have become a playground for projections of our fears about what evils lie below. Do underworld spirits seem to you somehow more mischievous, frightening, or ill-willed than others? To most, they do.  \r\n\r\nTantrics offer a different response. The realms of light and dark, above and below, would be better expressed and understood, we offer, if they were instead aligned with the processes of involution and evolution, respectively. Both are part of the journey toward liberation, and both serve to provide access to understandings about the world and spirit in unique, yet interrelated ways. \r\n \r\nTrue, many traditions acknowledge that understanding of one realm is not sufficient in and of itself for truth to be revealed, yet too many spiritual practices, teachers, and guides cling to the ongoing upper world work of transcendence without opening to the importance of our lived reality in the body, on Earth, and in relationship with time. This is the stuff that gets messy and difficult. It is what has led the practices of Tantra to be known as pathways toward insanity and death if one is not careful. \r\n\r\nBut back to hell. \r\n\r\nAs spiritual practitioners, we may be familiar with the rites and rituals that offer us protection from unseen forces seeking to enter our space and, if left unaddressed, potentially do harm. Commonplace are banishing spells, circle charms, talismans to ward off evil, and practices that set a sacred space into which no bad stuff can enter. We light candles to illuminate the darkness. We prepare ourselves in myriad ways to ensure that we can see—that we are safe as we engage in work with energies we can’t possibly fully know or understand.\r\n\r\nBut if the Tantrics are right, if energy is just energy and as the saying goes, we have nothing to fear but fear itself, then how do we know the difference in the unseen world between good and bad—what is there to help and what is there to harm?  The short answer is that we listen to our gut, we trust our inner senses, and we undertake spiritual discipline and training to both fortify ourselves and heighten our awareness so that we may act appropriately in any situation. \r\n\r\nMoreover, however, we do our work so that we might discern agendas. Are the energies to which we’re relating working the subtleties of matter and time? If so, then these are underworld spirits, those connected to the spirals of evolution. Are the energies running agendas related to the nuances of consciousness and space? Then these are spirits of the upper world, engrained in the turnings of involution.   \r\n\r\nInimical energies then may come from anywhere, and it’s not necessarily underworld demons haunting our dreams, imaginations, or ceremonial experiences. Time now to uncurse the dark and let the underworld be what it is—a deep connection to the ultimate journey through the mysteries of the flesh, the portals of time, and the beauty of love in relationship to self and world. \r\n','Reclaiming Hell','','inherit','closed','closed','','101383-revision-v1','','','2016-04-01 22:17:05','2016-04-02 05:17:05','',101383,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101383-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101386,2,'2016-04-01 22:18:20','2016-04-02 05:18:20','Most of us grow up knowing about heaven and hell. Whatever our faith or place of birth, and by whatever names we might choose, the split of light and dark into above and below seems to be a fact of our heritage as human beings. It is reflected in myriad cultures ancient and modern, from indigenous peoples’ oral narratives, to the tales of Sumer and myths of Greece, to the Christian traditions where the realms of God and Devil, salvation and eternal torment, may haunt imaginations.  \n\nAnd while this split is not inherently dangerous, we have been deluded for one reason or another (the Abrahamic faiths and colonialism are noteworthy for their influence) into equating the below and darkness with malevolence and the inimical—as in the Devil example just mentioned. This poses real challenges and hinders, I believe, our ability to fully honor the psycho-spiritual journey as well as the world in which we live. \n\nOn one level, we witness globally the racism, speciesism, and sexism of a dualistic worldview engrained in mindsets and laws. On another, a wholly metaphysical level, we might scratch the surface to find that the unseen realms too have become a playground for projections of our fears about what evils lie below. Do underworld spirits seem to you somehow more mischievous, frightening, or ill-willed than others? To most, they do.  \n\nTantrics offer a different response. The realms of light and dark, above and below, would be better expressed and understood, we offer, if they were instead aligned with the processes of involution and evolution, respectively. Both are part of the journey toward liberation, and both serve to provide access to understandings about the world and spirit in unique, yet interrelated ways. \n \nTrue, many traditions acknowledge that understanding of one realm is not sufficient in and of itself for truth to be revealed, yet too many spiritual practices, teachers, and guides cling to the ongoing upper world work of transcendence without opening to the importance of our lived reality in the body, on Earth, and in relationship with time. This is the stuff that gets messy and difficult. It is what has led the practices of Tantra to be known as pathways toward insanity and death if one is not careful. \n\nBut back to hell. \n\nAs spiritual practitioners, we may be familiar with the rites and rituals that offer us protection from unseen forces seeking to enter our space and, if left unaddressed, potentially do harm. Commonplace are banishing spells, circle charms, talismans to ward off evil, and practices that set a sacred space into which no bad stuff can enter. We light candles to illuminate the darkness. We prepare ourselves in myriad ways to ensure that we can see—that we are safe as we engage in work with energies we can’t possibly fully know or understand.\n\nBut if the Tantrics are right, if energy is just energy and as the saying goes, we have nothing to fear but fear itself, then how do we know the difference in the unseen world between good and bad—what is there to help and what is there to harm?  The short answer is that we listen to our gut, we trust our inner senses, and we undertake spiritual discipline and training to both fortify ourselves and heighten our awareness so that we may act appropriately in any situation. \n\nMoreover, however, we do our work so that we might discern agendas. Are the energies to which we’re relating working the subtleties of matter and time? If so, then these are underworld spirits, those connected to the spirals of evolution. Are the energies running agendas related to the nuances of consciousness and space? Then these are spirits of the upper world, engrained in the turnings of involution.   \n\nInimical energies then may come from anywhere, and it’s not necessarily underworld demons haunting our dreams, imaginations, or ceremonial experiences. Time now to uncurse the dark and let the underworld be what it is—a deep connection to the ultimate journey through the mysteries of the flesh, the portals of time, and the beauty of love in relationship to self and world. \n\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Reclaiming Hell','','inherit','closed','closed','','101383-autosave-v1','','','2016-04-01 22:18:20','2016-04-02 05:18:20','',101383,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101383-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101387,2,'2016-04-01 22:18:24','2016-04-02 05:18:24','Most of us grow up knowing about heaven and hell. Whatever our faith or place of birth, and by whatever names we might choose, the split of light and dark into above and below seems to be a fact of our heritage as human beings. It is reflected in myriad cultures ancient and modern, from indigenous peoples’ oral narratives, to the tales of Sumer and myths of Greece, to the Christian traditions where the realms of God and Devil, salvation and eternal torment, may haunt imaginations.  \r\n\r\nAnd while this split is not inherently dangerous, we have been deluded for one reason or another (the Abrahamic faiths and colonialism are noteworthy for their influence) into equating the below and darkness with malevolence and the inimical—as in the Devil example just mentioned. This poses real challenges and hinders, I believe, our ability to fully honor the psycho-spiritual journey as well as the world in which we live. \r\n\r\nOn one level, we witness globally the racism, speciesism, and sexism of a dualistic worldview engrained in mindsets and laws. On another, a wholly metaphysical level, we might scratch the surface to find that the unseen realms too have become a playground for projections of our fears about what evils lie below. Do underworld spirits seem to you somehow more mischievous, frightening, or ill-willed than others? To most, they do.  \r\n\r\nTantrics offer a different response. The realms of light and dark, above and below, would be better expressed and understood, we offer, if they were instead aligned with the processes of involution and evolution, respectively. Both are part of the journey toward liberation, and both serve to provide access to understandings about the world and spirit in unique, yet interrelated ways. \r\n \r\nTrue, many traditions acknowledge that understanding of one realm is not sufficient in and of itself for truth to be revealed, yet too many spiritual practices, teachers, and guides cling to the ongoing upper world work of transcendence without opening to the importance of our lived reality in the body, on Earth, and in relationship with time. This is the stuff that gets messy and difficult. It is what has led the practices of Tantra to be known as pathways toward insanity and death if one is not careful. \r\n\r\nBut back to hell. \r\n\r\nAs spiritual practitioners, we may be familiar with the rites and rituals that offer us protection from unseen forces seeking to enter our space and, if left unaddressed, potentially do harm. Commonplace are banishing spells, circle charms, talismans to ward off evil, and practices that set a sacred space into which no bad stuff can enter. We light candles to illuminate the darkness. We prepare ourselves in myriad ways to ensure that we can see—that we are safe as we engage in work with energies we can’t possibly fully know or understand.\r\n\r\nBut if the Tantrics are right, if energy is just energy and as the saying goes, we have nothing to fear but fear itself, then how do we know the difference in the unseen world between good and bad—what is there to help and what is there to harm?  The short answer is that we listen to our gut, we trust our inner senses, and we undertake spiritual discipline and training to both fortify ourselves and heighten our awareness so that we may act appropriately in any situation. \r\n\r\nMoreover, however, we do our work so that we might discern agendas. Are the energies to which we’re relating working the subtleties of matter and time? If so, then these are underworld spirits, those connected to the spirals of evolution. Are the energies running agendas related to the nuances of consciousness and space? Then these are spirits of the upper world, engrained in the turnings of involution.   \r\n\r\nInimical energies then may come from anywhere, and it’s not necessarily underworld demons haunting our dreams, imaginations, or ceremonial experiences. Time now to uncurse the dark and let the underworld be what it is—a deep connection to the ultimate journey through the mysteries of the flesh, the portals of time, and the beauty of love in relationship to self and world. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Reclaiming Hell','','inherit','closed','closed','','101383-revision-v1','','','2016-04-01 22:18:24','2016-04-02 05:18:24','',101383,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101383-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101388,2,'2016-04-01 22:32:07','2016-04-02 05:32:07','Awaiting awakening, She glistens. The air vibrates as we sense','Maa in Colors','','inherit','closed','closed','','101333-autosave-v1','','','2016-04-01 22:32:07','2016-04-02 05:32:07','',101333,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101333-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101389,2,'2016-04-01 22:39:55','2016-04-02 05:39:55','','Maa in Colors','','inherit','open','closed','','maa-in-colors-2','','','2016-04-01 22:39:55','2016-04-02 05:39:55','',101333,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Maa-in-Colors.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101390,2,'2016-04-01 22:44:34','2016-04-02 05:44:34','','Preta Invocation','','inherit','open','closed','','preta-invocation-2','','','2016-04-01 22:44:34','2016-04-02 05:44:34','',101331,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Preta-Invocation.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101391,35,'2016-04-01 23:35:36','2016-04-02 06:35:36','Each year, we come together to celebrate a number of regular festivals and high holy days within our tradition. Public <i>melas</i> (festivals) are a chance to celebrate the Divine with others, be witnessed in community, and share of Her blessings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<h5>Annual Public Celebrations</h5>\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Kali Maa and the Quest for Light in the Dark Time of the Year</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual Kali Puja Festival is a time to delight in the mysteries of Maa in concurrence with what is known as the puja season in India. First comes Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess, and then the festival of lights, Diwali. During the amavasya (new moon) of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshiped throughout West Bengal, Orissa and Assam.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s 2013 Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/P1020015-e1384896557532.jpeg\" /></a>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]<h3><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h3><br>Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a> page and below through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival 2009\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\r\n\r\nJoin us each year around Summer Solstice for a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devī, Goddess, bleeds.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n<br><br>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3\']Kamakhya Mantram[/thaudio]\r\n\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"89\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"PantheaCon\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Powerful Ceremony Where East Meets West</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual participation in PantheaCon is a tradition going back to 2004, one that fosters community for many devotees of the Divine Mother, especially those who are a long way from our home temple in San Francisco. Many line up long before the ritual begins to ensure participation. The ceremony has evolved over the years, and we open our doors to about 100 celebrants with chant and a moving meditation that guides us into Her mysteries.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"91\" perpage=\"5\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','closed','closed','','99912-revision-v1','','','2016-04-01 23:35:36','2016-04-02 06:35:36','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99912-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101393,2,'2016-04-19 21:26:57','2016-04-20 04:26:57',' [one_half] <img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002-e1461127260827.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir\" /> [/one_half] \r\n\r\n [one_half last=last] I am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \r\n \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \r\n \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\n\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\n\r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. ','Priestess of Kali','','publish','open','open','','priestess-of-kali','','','2016-04-19 21:41:25','2016-04-20 04:41:25','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101393',0,'post','',1);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (101394,2,'2016-04-19 21:20:49','2016-04-20 04:20:49','I am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females.  \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. \r\n\r\n','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-revision-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:20:49','2016-04-20 04:20:49','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101395,2,'2016-04-19 21:26:33','2016-04-20 04:26:33','','SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir','','inherit','open','closed','','imga0002','','','2016-04-19 21:33:00','2016-04-20 04:33:00','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101396,2,'2016-04-19 21:26:57','2016-04-20 04:26:57','I am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \r\n \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \r\n \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. \r\n\r\n','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-revision-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:26:57','2016-04-20 04:26:57','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101397,2,'2016-04-19 21:39:08','2016-04-20 04:39:08',' [one_half] <img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002-e1461127033939.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir\" /> [/one_half] \n\nI am a priestess of Kali. \n\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \n \nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \n\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \n\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\n\n<hr />\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \n \n<!--nextpage-->\n \nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \n\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\n\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \n\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\n  \n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\n\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \n\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \n\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \n\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \n\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \n\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \n\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \n\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \n\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. \n','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-autosave-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:39:08','2016-04-20 04:39:08','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101398,2,'2016-04-19 21:35:37','2016-04-20 04:35:37','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir\" />\r\nI am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \r\n \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \r\n \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\n\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\n\r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. \r\n\r\n','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-revision-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:35:37','2016-04-20 04:35:37','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101399,2,'2016-04-19 21:37:43','2016-04-20 04:37:43','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002-e1461127033939.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir\" />\r\n\r\nI am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \r\n \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \r\n \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\n\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\n\r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. \r\n','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-revision-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:37:43','2016-04-20 04:37:43','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101400,2,'2016-04-19 21:39:16','2016-04-20 04:39:16',' [one_half] <img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002-e1461127033939.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir\" /> [/one_half] \r\n\r\n [one_half last=last] I am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \r\n \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \r\n \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\n\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\n\r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. \r\n','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-revision-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:39:16','2016-04-20 04:39:16','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101401,2,'2016-04-19 21:41:25','2016-04-20 04:41:25',' [one_half] <img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMGA0002-e1461127260827.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Mandir\" /> [/one_half] \r\n\r\n [one_half last=last] I am a priestess of Kali. \r\n\r\nWith these few words, a whole cacophony of syllables arises in me. These are not the seed sounds of mantras turning on my tongue. Rather, they are the tones of language rushing to respond. Some attempt to elucidate, help the uninitiated understand what it means to occupy this space as a radical feminist and Western-born Hindu convert. The words come with memories of having endured the incredulous gazes of educated atheists in Indian households and meeting rooms, women and men who believe religion to be the downfall of humankind for all the injustice wrought in its name—particularly against females. \r\n \r\nSome of the sounds move to simplify and articulate a position that is as straightforward as my breath, power and careful steps upon the planet. The words come with awareness that my footfalls are in time to the whispers and drumbeats of the witches, healers, sages and wise ones across traditions and history. They are in alignment with the teachings of my maternal grandmother, who had ready access to the unseen realm and taught me to believe in magic. Others seek to distance me from those who find the archetype of the terrible, devouring mother convenient to explain their theories and phobias. The words come to argue a larger vision, one spoken by great Hindu-Tantric mystics, those who saw Kali clearly as a birther of worlds as much as a devourer of them. \r\n\r\nFinally, voices inside move toward the challenges of what it means to be authentic, a lineage carrier and a female priest. The words come to claim space as I stand counter to the orthodoxy that recognizes only Brahmin men as her clergy and women’s blood as impure. They come to claim territory as Kali worship is evolved because of new limitations (animal sacrifice, for example, is not welcomed) and freedoms afforded on American soil. They come because I have freely chosen an arduous path on which I have been gifted so much, and I would love to share what I have learned on my journey with others. \r\n\r\n<strong>Original Soul</strong>\r\nBecoming Kali’s priestess has meant that I have consciously invited the process of birthing my soul. And whether in Kolkata or San Francisco, this goddess has both represented and simultaneously been more than personification, metaphor or archetype of my transformation. In 1992, Kali came to me in a dream. Larger than life, black and bloody, she invaded my New York apartment and asked me one pointed question: Do you want to live or die? With every cell of my body I knew the answer to that question and realized that I was making some very bad choices if it were life I truly wanted.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published as part of an anthology about priestesses: \"Stepping Into Ourselves,\" by Goddess Ink Press. \r\n \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n \r\nTaking formal initiation in India six years later, I agreed to accept challenges both seen and unknown. The first of these involved rectifying my relationship with my body. Once addicted to perfection and suffering from anorexia nervosa, it was Kali’s form as an emaciated goddess that brought me to my senses and helped me heal. When she is depicted as skeletal, her imagery offers us a glimpse at the paradox of spirit incarnate. She is shown in this way because her life-generating aspect is so powerful that she is in a constant state of insatiable hunger and must be fed—but she can only be fed on her creation. She exists in the liminal at the same time that she is of this world, creating and decomposing the stuff of life to make life once again. \r\n\r\nFrom the sufferings of my self-inflicted starvation to moments of spiritual awakening, Kali has inspired the work required in this body that I might experience some of the depths and heights of the human condition. Much like my original coming to Kali—or her coming to me—another dream recently offered me additional insight.  In the dream, I hold my young daughter in my arms. She has been taken and beaten by a group of people unknown to me, and only just returned. She is quiet and comfortable in my embrace. As I hold her, I know she will be alright and that what she needs most now is my care and love. I reach over to take off her sneakers and socks. Pulling off the first sock, I see the horror of her torment; her captors have broken every toe and twisted each around. I awake shaking.\r\n\r\nAfter the anguish of wrestling with the dream for days, I finally came to realize its truth. I am my daughter, and the dream has presented her dramatically in order to instruct. She is unconditional love, such as of a mother for her child, and she is the pain of living through the traumas of family-inflicted and culture-inflicted injuries. I realize in holding this awareness that I have been loving myself as broken all this time. Quiet and eventually comfortable with the brokenness after years of psycho-spiritual self reflection, I have learned to kiss my wounds and go on; but I have not come to accept the whole of my beingness. \r\n\r\nJust as I know my daughter to be pure and perfect regardless of all else, the same must be true of me. The teaching of the dream is revealed: I need to own the beauty and the essence of who I am, right in the imperfections of this physical birthing. The toes in the dream are a special message from my sole in touch with my soul. And this, I have learned, is what it means to accept Kali’s embrace. Birthing of the soul is the blossoming that happens when we are able to love ourselves completely.\r\n  \r\n<strong>In the Flesh</strong>\r\nTo be aligned with Goddess Kali, for me, is to feel something within that could be mistaken for the very will to live itself. I can only describe it as that philosophical sentiment the ancients refer to as a reflection of the Great Mystery; that which burns at the heart of one’s being in profound resonance with the Divine as She exists beyond boundaries of time and space. But my lack of articulation here does not cloud what I do know. She is not an agenda. She is not driven from imagination, theory or ego. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn one sense, she is merely the name I give to my awe at the wonder of the world through the lens of this incarnation. In another, birthed as I am from a particular marriage of energy and consciousness, she is the whole of biological evolution at the same time that she is also the dancing of the stars at the limits of black holes. She is the innermost recesses of thought and the certain fabric of my existence. She is time and essence, space and reverberation. She is an unveiling of the folds and layers of breath that have gone and continue to go into life itself.\r\n\r\nFor over six months in 1998, I called the north and northeast of Bharat Mata (Mother India) home as I did fieldwork of more than one kind, exploring my own assumptions, limitations, and fears. I felt internal barriers crumble as I experienced the joy of being received without reservation by devotees of the Divine who cared not for my place of birth, only my sincerity. I felt other protections get stronger as I navigated alleyways and temples alike filled with decomposing fruit and flesh. My experiences hint at the beauty of Kali’s teachings on non-duality, in which the elegance and horror of creation become real. \r\n\r\nThis is reflected in much of her iconography. She may appear with unbraided hair, for example, to denote sex or menstruation. Her snake-entwined arms may hold in one hand a severed human head and in the other, a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart to signify the bliss of egoless detachment. My first visit to Tarapith in West Bengal provided a concrete example. There, abundant red flowers strung into fragrant garlands welcomed me after a grueling trip from which I needed relief. The day ended disappointingly, however, despite a glorious darshan (seeing of Goddess Tara) at the temple when the door to my pilgrim’s guest house room opened to reveal a fresh pile of excrement on the bed. In India, the possibility for escaping the realities of life were, I was learning, greatly (and importantly for the spiritual seeker) diminished. \r\n\r\nFrom the cosmic perspective, Kali is the sacrifice of spirit arising in the world. Following the whim of the Divine, She—the all-pervading and powerful consciousness-force of spirit—yearns and then answers that yearning, becoming the yearning itself as the limitless condenses into the world of matter and is created. In our bodies, we know pains of the flesh and the sufferings of the heart. Yet, we have only hints of the torment that is endured by the Divine. For the sake of knowing the taste of freedom and the scent of love, She is born. Many women’s unadulterated experience of natural childbirth (my own included) certainly offers one microcosmic expression of this reality. I might say it another way: that the rendering asunder is also a portal to unfathomable bliss. \r\n\r\nToday, after annual pilgrimages to her homeland and over thirteen years of public pujas offered in her name, I am much more comfortable with my role and responsibilities relative to her teachings in the flesh. The learning continues, of course, as I plunge more deeply with community into the realms she inhabits and seek to know more intimately the gateways she guards. Her gifts, sometimes even the passwords that open the gateways, have been largely earned on the path of practice and service. \r\n\r\nIn India and like Agni, Lord of the Flames, the one out in front initiating ritual by creating the container in which spirit can dance is called purohit. My Sanskrit teacher in America remarked once that I must claim that title, and in time, I have. I lead ritual and live an engaged spirituality in part through the work of service in community. Every month, we gather and Kali is loved through symbol and form, smile and sacrifice. Kali Puja welcomes old and young, newcomers and initiates alike. We are family for that time of worship, no matter what our backgrounds or heritage, political preferences or beliefs. We each take responsibility for our worship, with my role being largely that of facilitator, and come to know her through our shared and unique experiences alike. \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nThe worship is laden with verses from the Rig Veda and Chandi, ancient books of the Gods and Goddess. We follow Hindu protocol in the temple and honor Kali in a traditional manner that includes incense, water, food, fan and fire. We honor her in a non-traditional manner as well, with sacred substances reflective of non-dualistic Tantric rites. These are intended to open us to the potentials for coming to original soul that lie beneath the rubbish of our unquestioned assumptions, acculturated norms and internalized oppressions. \r\n\r\nMy own sadhana (spiritual discipline) has been a key to coming closer to original soul through the throwing off of various encumbrances. It is also what enables me to maintain the promise I made long ago to spread Mother worship. From the lips of my first guru, Shyam Sundar Dash, to my ears and then the shores of San Francisco, bringing Maa (Divine Mother) here was something with which I was charged. Certainly, I was not the first, and I did not have to accept responsibility for another iteration of Kali devotionalism in America (let alone California); but at the time, it was the most meaningful thing I could imagine doing. \r\n\r\nSince then, the promise has transformed, the nature of what spreading Mother worship means to me along with it. I have also found myself speaking no longer of a promise, but rather of a permeating vow. In 2003, I received another initiation in India by an Aghori Baba, this one at Kamakhya where the yoni of Goddess resides in Assam.  While the details of this are really another story, the point is that with this particular initiation, I actually began to have embodied experiences of connection to Kali on a regular basis. The power of Shakti (the female force) became palpable, something I could feel and source in order to change outcomes. These arisings of energy necessitated my adherence to a regular set of spiritual disciplines, much in the way one’s yearning to run a marathon or aspiration to pass a tremendously difficult yet personally meaningful exam requires strengthening through exercise and repetition if the desired goal is to be achieved. \r\n\r\nFrom here, the sense in me of priestessing Kali—of being both charged with and dedicated to being clergy—began to emerge. My commitment to her opened from breath to bone. I began a new chapter, one of realizing that the path of spirit is my way of life. This is the heart then of my permeating vow and what it means to me to be her priestess: to live an engaged spirituality; to cultivate discernment in thought, speech, action and presence; and to actively disentangle myself from emotional entrapments, thereby allowing greater possibilities for love and liberation to emerge. \r\n\r\nFor your own work and practice, I offer you this, Kali’s prayer, to be recited as you feel called by crisis or by spirit to the work of blossoming your own original soul:   Om Krim Kalyai Namah. I would translate it like this: I bow to you, Kali, from your manifestations in the flesh to your revelation as the vibrations of the universe. And may Kali’s gifts be yours to share. ','Priestess of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101393-revision-v1','','','2016-04-19 21:41:25','2016-04-20 04:41:25','',101393,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101393-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101403,2,'2016-05-22 18:56:17','2016-05-23 01:56:17','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nJoin us for the next Teaching Circle to learn more about the Sha\'can path and the road to initiation. Formerly articulated through Daughters of Kali, a year-and-a-day teaching circle, the path of study and devotion now aligns with the initiate path of practice to increase mentorship, engagement in community and direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nStarting in September of 2016 we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. Also, we will continue the tradition of Teaching Circle after monthly Kali Puja so that community old and new alike can engage with the teachings and practice.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 18:56:17','2016-05-23 01:56:17','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101404,2,'2016-05-22 19:00:58','2016-05-23 02:00:58','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nJoin us for the next Teaching Circle to learn more about the Sha\'can path and the road to initiation. Formerly articulated through Daughters of Kali, a year-and-a-day teaching circle, the path of study and devotion now aligns with the initiate path of practice to increase mentorship, engagement in community and direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. Also, we will continue the tradition of Teaching Circle after monthly Kali Puja so that community old and new alike can engage with the teachings and practice. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 19:00:58','2016-05-23 02:00:58','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101405,2,'2016-05-22 20:14:17','2016-05-23 03:14:17','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\nCost per class, including puja donation, is $51. This also includes a login at <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online vidyapith or wisdom school. \r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries! Participation in <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a> is a requirement of this program.\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire to seek that blessing, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<p>\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','publish','closed','closed','','daughters-of-kali','','','2016-07-23 00:20:24','2016-07-23 07:20:24','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101405',0,'post','',0),(101406,2,'2016-05-22 20:14:17','2016-05-23 03:14:17','Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<strong>DoK Program Outline</strong>\r\n\r\nBaseline: (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\nExplore & Interpret: (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\nRitual, Practice & Devotion: (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\nDeepening & Initiation: (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=mailto:\"info@sharanya.org\"></a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 20:14:17','2016-05-23 03:14:17','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101407,2,'2016-05-22 20:15:03','2016-05-23 03:15:03','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<strong>DoK Program Outline</strong>\r\n\r\nBaseline: (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\nExplore & Interpret: (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\nRitual, Practice & Devotion: (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\nDeepening & Initiation: (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=mailto:\"info@sharanya.org\"></a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 20:15:03','2016-05-23 03:15:03','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101408,2,'2016-05-22 20:19:48','2016-05-23 03:19:48','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nJoin us for the next Teaching Circle to learn more about the Sha\'can path and the road to initiation. Formerly articulated through Daughters of Kali, a year-and-a-day teaching circle, the path of study and devotion now aligns with the initiate path of practice to increase mentorship, engagement in community and direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. Also, we will continue the tradition of Teaching Circle after monthly Kali Puja so that community old and new alike can engage with the teachings and practice. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"5\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 20:19:48','2016-05-23 03:19:48','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101409,2,'2016-05-22 20:21:28','2016-05-23 03:21:28','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nJoin us for the next Teaching Circle to learn more about the Sha\'can path and the road to initiation. Formerly articulated through Daughters of Kali, a year-and-a-day teaching circle, the path of study and devotion now aligns with the initiate path of practice to increase mentorship, engagement in community and direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. Also, we will continue the tradition of Teaching Circle after monthly Kali Puja so that community old and new alike can engage with the teachings and practice. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"4\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 20:21:28','2016-05-23 03:21:28','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101410,2,'2016-05-22 20:26:01','2016-05-23 03:26:01','Each month before puja, community and initiates gather for teachings on the Tantras and the lineage tradition of Sha\'can. Particulars of ritual, personal practice, philosophy, and spiritual development are explored. Seekers are invited to join each month and are required to RSVP.\r\n\r\nLearn more <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/daughters-of-kali/\">here</a>. ','Daughters of Kali','','publish','closed','closed','','daughters-of-kali','','','2016-08-31 18:06:45','2016-09-01 01:06:45','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101410',0,'th_events','',0),(101411,2,'2016-05-22 20:26:49','2016-05-23 03:26:49','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nJoin us for the next Teaching Circle to learn more about the Sha\'can path and the road to initiation. Formerly articulated through Daughters of Kali, a year-and-a-day teaching circle, the path of study and devotion now aligns with the initiate path of practice to increase mentorship, engagement in community and direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. Also, we will continue the tradition of Teaching Circle after monthly Kali Puja so that community old and new alike can engage with the teachings and practice. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"4\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"a\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 20:26:49','2016-05-23 03:26:49','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101412,2,'2016-05-22 20:27:32','2016-05-23 03:27:32','Each month after puja, community and initiates gather for teachings on the Tantras. Particulars of ritual, personal practice, philosophy, and spiritual development are explored. ','Teaching Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','teaching-circle-20','','','2016-09-08 08:28:25','2016-09-08 15:28:25','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101412',0,'th_events','',0),(101413,2,'2016-05-22 21:02:05','2016-05-23 04:02:05','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. Also, we will continue the tradition of Teaching Circle after monthly Kali Puja so that community old and new alike can engage with the teachings and practice. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"4\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"a\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle to learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:02:05','2016-05-23 04:02:05','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101414,2,'2016-05-22 21:04:54','2016-05-23 04:04:54','Each month after puja, community and initiates gather for teachings on the Tantras. Particulars of ritual, personal practice, philosophy, and spiritual development are explored. ','Teaching Circle','','publish','closed','closed','','teaching-circle-22','','','2016-05-22 21:04:54','2016-05-23 04:04:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101414',0,'th_events','',0),(101415,2,'2016-05-22 21:16:22','2016-05-23 04:16:22','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"3\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"a\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:16:22','2016-05-23 04:16:22','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101416,2,'2016-05-22 21:17:55','2016-05-23 04:17:55','Each month before puja, community and initiates gather for teachings on the Tantras and the lineage tradition of Sha\'can. Particulars of ritual, personal practice, philosophy, and spiritual development are explored. Seekers are invited to join each month and are required to RSVP.\r\n\r\nLearn more <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/daughters-of-kali/\">here</a>.','Daughters of Kali','','publish','closed','closed','','daughters-of-kali-2','','','2016-11-21 23:16:09','2016-11-22 06:16:09','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101416',0,'th_events','',0),(101417,2,'2016-05-22 21:18:32','2016-05-23 04:18:32','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path</h5>\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"6\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"1\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:18:32','2016-05-23 04:18:32','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101418,2,'2016-05-22 21:20:33','2016-05-23 04:20:33','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path: Daughters of Kali</h5>\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"7\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Teaching Circle</h5>\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path: Initiation & Beyond</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:20:33','2016-05-23 04:20:33','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101419,2,'2016-05-22 21:21:45','2016-05-23 04:21:45','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path: Daughters of Kali</h5>\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"10\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Teaching Circle</h5>\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path: Initiation & Beyond</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:21:45','2016-05-23 04:21:45','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101420,2,'2016-05-22 21:24:09','2016-05-23 04:24:09','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<strong>DoK Program Outline</strong>\r\n\r\nBaseline: (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\nExplore & Interpret: (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\nRitual, Practice & Devotion: (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\nDeepening & Initiation: (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=mailto:\"info@sharanya.org\"></a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:24:09','2016-05-23 04:24:09','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101421,2,'2016-05-22 21:24:36','2016-05-23 04:24:36','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\nBaseline: (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\nExplore & Interpret: (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\nRitual, Practice & Devotion: (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\nDeepening & Initiation: (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=mailto:\"info@sharanya.org\"></a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:24:36','2016-05-23 04:24:36','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101422,2,'2016-05-22 21:32:10','2016-05-23 04:32:10','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Begin The Path: Daughters of Kali</h5>\r\nStarting in September of 2016, we are reinitiating our formal Daughters of Kali program with classes open to all spiritual seekers starting at 10:30am prior to monthly Kali Puja. <a href=\"mailto: balipriya@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">Email us</a> to learn more. \r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"111\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Teaching Circle</h5>\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path: Initiation & Beyond</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:32:10','2016-05-23 04:32:10','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101423,2,'2016-05-22 21:34:45','2016-05-23 04:34:45','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\nBaseline: (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\nExplore & Interpret: (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\nRitual, Practice & Devotion: (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\nDeepening & Initiation: (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\"></a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:34:45','2016-05-23 04:34:45','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101424,2,'2016-07-22 12:36:53','2016-07-22 19:36:53','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\n\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\n\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\n\nCost per class, including puja donation, is $51. This also includes a login at Kali Vidya, our online vidyapith or wisdom school. \n\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\n\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\n\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries! Participation in <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a> is a requirement of this program.\n\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\n\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\n\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\n\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire to seek that blessing, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\n[/toggle]\n<p>\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-autosave-v1','','','2016-07-22 12:36:53','2016-07-22 19:36:53','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101425,2,'2016-05-22 21:36:17','2016-05-23 04:36:17','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\nBaseline: (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\nExplore & Interpret: (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\nRitual, Practice & Devotion: (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\nDeepening & Initiation: (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters of Kali\">','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:36:17','2016-05-23 04:36:17','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101426,2,'2016-05-22 21:38:48','2016-05-23 04:38:48','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong> 10:30am on September 26, 2016. Stay through puja (1-4pm).\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! More info & RSVP: <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:38:48','2016-05-23 04:38:48','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101427,2,'2016-05-22 21:43:35','2016-05-23 04:43:35','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>First meeting:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:43:35','2016-05-23 04:43:35','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101428,2,'2016-05-22 21:44:10','2016-05-23 04:44:10','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali is now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:44:10','2016-05-23 04:44:10','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101429,2,'2016-05-22 21:44:38','2016-05-23 04:44:38','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice that which is true to Her heart, to your heart. Let the strong black arms of Kali Maa wrap snugly around you, offering guidance and protection. As this happens, know too that as all earth-bound spirits cast shadows, there will be a time you must confront your own...your own Shadow. A shadow, that which is neither light or dark, that which veils, that which can be deceiving, changing shape so constantly that it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the source actually originates.\r\n\r\nKali Maa is a nurturing and endearing Mother. She is Goddess of all time and timelessness. She is the trinity in her essence. She is Earth, She is Air, She is Fire, She is Water. She is the breath that will move us, She will give us sight when we can\'t or refuse to see. Though, if we are stubborn, She may let us fall until we learn; and to the learning, She will cajole and inspire us. She will lead our eyes to the trees and remind us to listen to their song. She will give us Spirit to hear the symphony nature plays.\r\n\r\nShe is Kali Maa. She knew us as Her children before, and She welcomes us as Her children now; to devote our spirit to Her, to acknowledge, to surrender, to become, to evolve, to be. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5>DoK Program Outline</h5>\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:44:38','2016-05-23 04:44:38','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101430,2,'2016-05-22 21:51:05','2016-05-23 04:51:05','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:51:05','2016-05-23 04:51:05','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101431,2,'2016-05-22 21:51:38','2016-05-23 04:51:38','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:51:38','2016-05-23 04:51:38','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101432,2,'2016-05-22 21:56:59','2016-05-23 04:56:59','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries!\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<p>\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:56:59','2016-05-23 04:56:59','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101433,2,'2016-05-22 21:58:54','2016-05-23 04:58:54','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n<h5>Daughters of Kali</h5>\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"111\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Teaching Circle</h5>\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path: Initiation & Beyond</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 21:58:54','2016-05-23 04:58:54','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101434,2,'2016-05-22 22:00:12','2016-05-23 05:00:12','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 10th (2013) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Haravallabha, Purnamanaha, Maya, Punyadeha, Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates took place on Saturday, August 11th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhaktashankari, Pavini, Haravallabha, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Jaratura, Balipriya, Citra and Maya for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2011-12 circle (9th Chakra) took place on Friday, August 24th (2012) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Gitapriya, Tivra, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 8th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, September 9th (2011) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, Jayada, Balipriya, Jaratura, Satya, Mahesha and Haravallabha for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2009-2010 circle (7th Chakra) took place on Friday, September 10th (2010) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Raktapa, Purnamanaha, Bhaktashankari, and Nitya, with thanks to community and all who have loved them and supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2008-2009 circle took place on Friday, September 11th (2009) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Mahesha, Haravallabha, Duti, Satya, and Citra, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2007-2008 circle took place on Friday, September 5th (2008) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Jaratura, Jayada, Sanatani, Sarasvati, Anangarekha, and Balipriya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2006-2007 circle took place on Friday, September 7th (2007) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Asha and Kumarirupadharini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2005-2006 circle took place on Friday, September 1st (2006) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Shunyanivasini, Svadha, Kalabhairavi, Pavini, Durgatarini, Shreyasi, Ranapandita, and Maya, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2004-2005 circle took place on Friday, September 2nd (2005) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Punyadeha, Shashini, Svayambhupuspapuspini, and Bhaktisukhini, with thanks to community and all who have supported their work during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Initiation</strong> of our 2003-2004 circle took place on Friday, August 26th (2004) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Bhagavati, Karuna, Sundari, and Kumari, with thanks to our ancestors, guides and the lineage for the support and love during the past year and a day!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"111\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Teaching Circle</h5>\r\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Farther Along The Path: Initiation & Beyond</h5>\r\nInitiation is a decision come to only after deep personal reflection, commitment, and dedicated work on the path. After initiation, many choose to further deepen study and practice in our ongoing circle of initiates, the Yogini Chakra. Many in our community stay in this circle, becoming mentors and elders in community. Others may choose to do the work necessary to take on a leadership role through Matrika Chakra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFrom this place, it is also possible to continue the journey to ordination, working toward recognition as full clergy: the Rashani of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/ordination/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]','The Path','','inherit','closed','closed','','99140-revision-v1','','','2016-05-22 22:00:12','2016-05-23 05:00:12','',99140,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99140-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101435,2,'2016-05-23 21:32:28','2016-05-24 04:32:28','A commitment to the Divine within the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\">Sha\'can tradition</a> takes many forms. Seekers are invited to our public rituals and are welcome to join us for teaching circles held monthly on the dates of our regular worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\nFor those who feel a deeper call, the path to initiation is open when the time is right. While we welcome all serious inquiries, we recognize that the commitment and dedication necessary for initiation, and most especially for the process of ordination as clergy, is not possible or practical for everyone. No matter what your inclination at this moment, we invite you to familiarize yourself with our path and our temple, to ask questions of our community members, initiates and ministry, and after all this, to determine what is best for you.  <br><br>\r\n\r\nOutlined here are the guidelines for a faith-based practice that can lead to initiation and the ministerial path if one so desires. Please note that regardless of the road, ours is a tradition of commitment, devotion and dedication. For religious governance purposes, SHARANYA runs by consensus among clergy and elders, and we seek to promote fresh ideas and open avenues of communication among all members in community.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"initiation\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<h5>Initiation and Beyond</h5>\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Sitting in Circle\"]\r\n\r\n<b><img class=\"alignright\" alt=\"Maa Batakali Mandir (Puri) and SHARANYA\'s Founder (1998)\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/chandra_puri.gif\" width=\"297\" height=\"280\" align=\"left\" /></b><span style=\"color: #9c1601\"><strong><i>Objective:</strong></span> To develop personal practice within Sha\'can and deepen worship of the Dark Goddess; to gain basic techniques and understandings through learning of cosmology, practice, language, and ritual in the tradition that help guide spiritual development.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\nThose interested in becoming practicing members of the tradition, and possibly initiates, are encouraged to sit in circle with us during our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/daughters-of-kali/\">Daughters of Kali</a> meetings. This means that in addition to attending worship ceremonies, individuals are encouraged to follow a course of regular devotion and practice, as outlined in our course, taking to heart the fundamentals of our history and the symbolism, ritual formats, liturgy, and prayer methodologies of Sha\'can.<br><br>\r\n\r\nParticipation in regular circle work for a year and a day is typical under the supervision and mentoring of an initiate (one serving at least within a Yogini Chakra). This can prepare one for and lead to initiation within the tradition, as agreed upon by the individual and the circle members, with final recommendation and approval granted by the presiding initiate.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Expectations and outcomes\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Sitting in circle, here is some of what you will learn:  </span>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The history and foundation of Sha\'can </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Cosmology and cosmogony of the tradition </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Principles of Tantra and Shakta Tantra </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">History and context for worship of Kali and other Hindu goddesses </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Mantras to ground material and work with deities </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Foundations of ritual work (purification, invocations, etc.) </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Components of the Kali Puja (first level) </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Foundations of individual practice (grounding and centering, spell work, divination, energy work, creating sacred space, meditation, etc.)</span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nExamples of Tantric techniques, concepts, and practices taught:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Pranayama (breath work)</li>\r\n	<li>Dharana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation)</li>\r\n	<li>Japa (recitation)</li>\r\n	<li>Mudra (hand postures)</li>\r\n	<li>Chakras (energy centers)</li>\r\n	<li>Tattwa shuddhi (elemental purification)</li>\r\n	<li>Koshas (sheaths)</li>\r\n	<li>Akshara nyasa (placement)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Initiation\"]For those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, taking of a name and making a Statement of Faith are the hallmarks of this next passage. Individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that initiation will have, making the choice to do so in full confidence of their decision. Initiates carry a chosen name as a sign of their commitment, devotion, and willingness to work on their spiritual path.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSCN1576-e1381470083113.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSCN1576-e1381470083113.jpg\" alt=\"Offering\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-100600 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe ceremony culminates with the initiate being presented to at least three witnesses (one of whom must also be an initiate), before whom the Statement of Faith is affirmed. With this, initiates willingly carry responsibility for the preservation of the tradition, and for promoting the aims and objectives of SHARANYA to the utmost of their abilities.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAlthough this responsibility is not codified, the responsibility is real and fully based upon the needs, interests, and objectives of both the initiate and the guiding community spirit. Potential initiates have an opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills by sitting in circle (in this past this was facilitated through Daughters of Kali). Sitting in circle on the path to initiation requires a commitment to regular sadhana, worship and study. After initiation, individuals have further opportunities within the faith for developing their commitment to the Divine according to our beliefs and practices.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Yogini Chakra\"]<span style=\"color: #9c1601\"><strong><i>Objective:</strong></span> Deepened personal practice and greater breadth of spiritual technologies in pursuit of personal spiritual goals.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\nAfter initiation, individuals may request admittance to the Yogini Chakra. This circle is a manifest expression of deeper commitment to the tradition and faith.  It is considered the first step towards pursuing ordination, a much longer and more involved process to which initiates must dedicate themselves over the course of, at a minimum, three years.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/kali_arms.gif\" width=\"247\" height=\"407\" align=\"right\" /> Application for membership requires that in addition to expressing an earnest desire to further spiritual practice with demonstrable dedication to the path, an individual must obtain the support of another initiate willing to act as mentor. This requires that the supporting mentor already be within the Matrika Chakra, or at a more advanced degree within SHARANYA\'s ordination structure. All membership requests are reviewed by committee and either accepted or denied based in large part upon the following criteria:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Applicant must be initiated in the Sha\'can tradition.</li>\r\n	<li>Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.</li>\r\n	<li>Applicant must hold at least a high-school diploma.</li>\r\n	<li>Demonstrable commitment to the work of SHARANYA and the faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Demonstrable aptitude in and knowledge of the tradition.</li>\r\n	<li>Recognized and demonstrable leadership abilities.</li>\r\n	<li>Letter of recommendation from mentor or other initiate.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDenied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months. Those accepted into the Yogini Chakra make a commitment in formal ceremony marking the passage to regular and disciplined practice, deepened instruction in religious ceremonies, study, dedicated attendance at monthly meetings, participation in community worship services, and assistance at high holy day public events. This assistance encompasses the logistical details of public functions as well as the spiritual guidance aspects of ritual.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe primary work of this circle is to further familiarize initiates with all levels of ministerial duties, provide opportunities for leadership, and create a container for work on and practice of invocations, prayers, and other ritual elements. Participation within the Yogini Chakra for a year and a day (or after six months with special application to committee) entitles one to seek membership within the next circle.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Expectations and outcomes\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\nSome of what you will learn (in addition to deepening work with previous material):\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Mantras appropriate to this level of practice</li>\r\n	<li>Integration of ritual techniques</li>\r\n	<li>Components of Kali Puja (second level)</li>\r\n	<li>Yantra Level I (creation, worship as deity, protection)</li>\r\n	<li>Introduction to panchatattva chakra puja</li>\r\n	<li>Advanced pranayama</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nExamples of some Tantric techniques, concepts, and practices taught:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Prana pratishtha</li>\r\n	<li>Kara nyasa and other nyasas</li>\r\n	<li>Kundalini yoga practices</li>\r\n	<li>Yoga nidra</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nNOTE: Initiates may remain in Yogini Chakra for as long as they wish. Initiates are considered elders in community once they have participated in Yogini Chakra for two years.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Matrika Chakra\"]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1081132339_BdWLn-O-e1382070439407.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-99739 imgborder\" alt=\"Shiva Offering\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1081132339_BdWLn-O-e1382070439407.jpg\" /></a><span style=\"color: #9c1601\"><i><strong>Objective:</strong></span> Engagement of spirituality in the larger community/world. Learning and mastery of more intricate spiritual technologies for realization of S/self, facilitation of relationships, personal growth, and deepened connection with the Divine.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\nEntry to the Matrika Chakra is predicated upon successful completion of tenure within the Yogini Chakra and based upon application and approval by committee. In addition to a Certification of Completion by the Yogini Chakra committee, applicants are required to submit, in writing, details of their religious/spiritual work to date within the tradition, a statement called Explanation of Involvement (this details how they have served in community), and a proposal for project work as application. Once the application is received and reviewed, an interview with the candidate will be arranged as the final step before determination is given. As above, denied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen approved, individuals are accepted and granted status within this circle at the Ceremony of Elders. They must complete, at a minimum, one year of service and fulfillment of their project before requesting Apprenticeship. The primary work of the Matrika Chakra is to augment deepening ritual knowledge with mentoring responsibilities and ministerial assistance, including learning to lead and taking responsibility for public monthly puja ceremonies. <br><br>\r\n\r\nIndividuals within this circle must also complete a community service project based on SHARANYA\'s aims and objectives as approved by committee, prove proficiency in ritual work that includes the creation of a commitment or rite of passage ceremony for submission to the tradition\'s <i>Twilight Book of Ritual and Prayer</i>, mastery of <i>devanagari</i> script (reading and writing only; translation is not required), and commitment to memory of the <i>Kali Gayatri</i>, at least 51 of Maa Kali\'s sacred names, and other important mantras for use in worship (<i>puja</i>) services.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Expectations and outcomes\" active=\"\"]What you will learn (in addition to deepening work and teaching of material offered in Yogini):\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Subtle body practices, including work with the patala chakras</li>\r\n        <li>Increased engagement with the Sacred Male/Divine Masculine</li>\r\n	<li>Mantra as appropriate to this level of practice</li>\r\n	<li>Foundations of Sanskrit</li>\r\n	<li>Deepening yoga nidra, shuddhi, nyasa and fundamental practices</li>\r\n	<li>Advanced ritual techniques</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nExamples of some Tantric techniques, concepts, and practices taught:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Bahya matrika nyasa</li>\r\n	<li>Matrika nyasa</li>\r\n	<li>Anga puja</li>\r\n	<li>Pitha nyasa</li>\r\n	<li>Yantra Level II (spell work, siddhis, talismans)</li>\r\n	<li>Yajna and homa rites</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Initiation','','inherit','closed','closed','','99145-revision-v1','','','2016-05-23 21:32:28','2016-05-24 04:32:28','',99145,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99145-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101436,2,'2016-05-23 21:49:53','2016-05-24 04:49:53','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries! Participation in <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a> is a requirement of this program.\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<p>\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-23 21:49:53','2016-05-24 04:49:53','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101437,2,'2016-05-23 21:51:20','2016-05-24 04:51:20','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries! Participation in <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a> is a requirement of this program.\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire to seek that blessing, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<p>\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-05-23 21:51:20','2016-05-24 04:51:20','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101440,2,'2016-05-24 22:31:26','2016-05-25 05:31:26','','Puja Playlist','','publish','closed','closed','','puja-playlist','','','2017-03-22 14:26:37','2017-03-22 21:26:37','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=cue_playlist&#038;p=101440',0,'cue_playlist','',0),(101441,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:44','2016-05-25 05:03:44','\"Grounding & Water Blessing Mantra\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by Chandra Alexandre / SHARANYA. Track 5.','Grounding & Water Blessing Mantra','','inherit','open','closed','','grounding-water-blessing-mantra','','','2016-05-24 22:04:35','2016-05-25 05:04:35','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Grounding-Water-Blessing-Mantra-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101442,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:47','2016-05-25 05:03:47','\"Honoring Ganesha\" from Devyuvaca by SHARANYA. Track 3.','Honoring Ganesha','','inherit','open','closed','','honoring-ganesha','','','2016-05-24 22:03:47','2016-05-25 05:03:47','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Honoring-Ganesha-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101443,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:49','2016-05-25 05:03:49','\"Initiation Mantram\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by SHARANYA. Track 12.','Initiation Mantram','','inherit','open','closed','','initiation-mantram','','','2016-05-24 22:03:49','2016-05-25 05:03:49','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Initiation-Mantram-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101444,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:51','2016-05-25 05:03:51','\"Mala Mantram\" from Devyuvaca by Chandra Alexandre / SHARANYA. Track 4.','Mala Mantram','','inherit','open','closed','','mala-mantram','','','2016-05-24 22:03:51','2016-05-25 05:03:51','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mala-Mantram-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101445,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:54','2016-05-25 05:03:54','\"Om Maa!\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by SHARANYA. Released: 2007. Track 1. Genre: World.','Om Maa!','','inherit','open','closed','','om-maa-2','','','2016-05-24 22:03:54','2016-05-25 05:03:54','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Om-Maa-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101446,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:56','2016-05-25 05:03:56','\"Removal of Curses\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by Chandra Alexandre / SHARANYA. Track 8.','Removal of Curses','','inherit','open','closed','','removal-of-curses','','','2016-05-24 22:03:56','2016-05-25 05:03:56','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Removal-of-Curses-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101447,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:57','2016-05-25 05:03:57','\"sarvamangala w drone 32\".','sarvamangala w drone 32','','inherit','open','closed','','sarvamangala-w-drone-32','','','2016-05-24 22:03:57','2016-05-25 05:03:57','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sarvamangala-w-drone-32.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101448,2,'2016-05-24 22:03:59','2016-05-25 05:03:59','\"Shiva Invocation\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by Chandra Alexandre. Track 7.','Shiva Invocation','','inherit','open','closed','','shiva-invocation-2','','','2016-05-24 22:03:59','2016-05-25 05:03:59','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Shiva-Invocation-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101449,2,'2016-05-24 22:05:14','2016-05-25 05:05:14','\"Agni Rg Veda\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by SHARANYA. Track 2.','Agni Rg Veda','','inherit','open','closed','','agni-rg-veda','','','2016-05-24 22:05:14','2016-05-25 05:05:14','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Agni-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101450,2,'2016-05-24 22:05:16','2016-05-25 05:05:16','\"Om Krim Kalyai Namah\" from Devyuvaca: The  Goddess Said by Chandra Alexandre. Track 10.','Om Krim Kalyai Namah','','inherit','open','closed','','om-krim-kalyai-namah','','','2016-05-24 22:05:16','2016-05-25 05:05:16','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Om-Krim-Kalyai-Namah-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101451,2,'2016-05-24 22:06:45','2016-05-25 05:06:45','\"08 Adishakti Mahashakti Parashakti\".','08 Adishakti Mahashakti Parashakti','','inherit','open','closed','','08-adishakti-mahashakti-parashakti','','','2016-05-24 22:06:45','2016-05-25 05:06:45','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/08-Adishakti-Mahashakti-Parashakti.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101452,2,'2016-05-24 22:06:50','2016-05-25 05:06:50','\"Shiva Slokam\" from Sharanya Means Sanctuary by Chandra Alexandre. Released: 2006. Track 12 of 12. Genre: World/International.','Shiva Slokam','','inherit','open','closed','','shiva-slokam','','','2016-05-24 22:16:41','2016-05-25 05:16:41','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/12-Shiva-Slokam.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101453,2,'2016-05-24 22:06:50','2016-05-25 05:06:50','','','','inherit','open','closed','','101453','','','2016-05-24 22:06:50','2016-05-25 05:06:50','',0,'http://sharanya.org/101453/',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101454,35,'2016-05-24 22:23:50','0000-00-00 00:00:00','This is a new page','New Page','','draft','closed','closed','','new-page','','','2016-05-24 22:23:50','2016-05-25 05:23:50','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?page_id=101454',0,'page','',0),(101455,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:33','2016-05-25 05:16:33','\"01 Seven Rivers Mantra\".','01 Seven Rivers Mantra','','inherit','open','closed','','01-seven-rivers-mantra','','','2016-05-24 22:47:05','2016-05-25 05:47:05','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/01-Seven-Rivers-Mantra.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101456,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:36','2016-05-25 05:16:36','\"02 Agni Hotaram (Rk 1 & 2)\".','02 Agni Hotaram (Rk 1 & 2)','','inherit','open','closed','','02-agni-hotaram-rk-1-2','','','2016-05-24 22:17:37','2016-05-25 05:17:37','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/02-Agni-Hotaram-Rk-1-2.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101457,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:38','2016-05-25 05:16:38','\"03 Ganesha Bija & Gayatri\".','03 Ganesha Bija & Gayatri','','inherit','open','closed','','03-ganesha-bija-gayatri','','','2016-05-24 22:17:33','2016-05-25 05:17:33','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/03-Ganesha-Bija-Gayatri.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101458,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:41','2016-05-25 05:16:41','\"04 Om Namah Shivaya\".','04 Om Namah Shivaya','','inherit','open','closed','','04-om-namah-shivaya','','','2016-05-24 22:17:33','2016-05-25 05:17:33','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/04-Om-Namah-Shivaya.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101459,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:46','2016-05-25 05:16:46','\"05 Mahakali Medley\".','05 Mahakali Medley','','inherit','open','closed','','05-mahakali-medley','','','2016-05-24 22:17:34','2016-05-25 05:17:34','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/05-Mahakali-Medley.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101460,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:48','2016-05-25 05:16:48','\"06 Sappodhara Mantra\".','06 Sappodhara Mantra','','inherit','open','closed','','06-sappodhara-mantra','','','2016-05-24 22:47:00','2016-05-25 05:47:00','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/06-Sappodhara-Mantra.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101461,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:50','2016-05-25 05:16:50','\"07 Jai Maa\".','07 Jai Maa','','inherit','open','closed','','07-jai-maa','','','2016-05-24 22:46:59','2016-05-25 05:46:59','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/07-Jai-Maa.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101462,2,'2016-05-24 22:16:52','2016-05-25 05:16:52','\"08 Adishakti Mahashakti Parashakti\".','08 Adishakti Mahashakti Parashakti','','inherit','open','closed','','08-adishakti-mahashakti-parashakti-2','','','2016-05-24 22:46:31','2016-05-25 05:46:31','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/08-Adishakti-Mahashakti-Parashakti-1.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101467,35,'2016-05-24 22:17:11','2016-05-25 05:17:11','','New Page','','inherit','closed','closed','','101454-revision-v1','','','2016-05-24 22:17:11','2016-05-25 05:17:11','',101454,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101454-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101468,35,'2016-05-24 22:23:03','2016-05-25 05:23:03','This is a new page','New Page','','inherit','closed','closed','','101454-revision-v1','','','2016-05-24 22:23:03','2016-05-25 05:23:03','',101454,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101454-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101469,35,'2016-07-22 23:54:12','2016-07-23 06:54:12','Pilgrimage—a sacred journey—has the capacity, should we choose to engage it, to take us to the heart of our beingness. Pilgrimage offers those seeking Goddess in Her most powerful forms (for example, through Kali, any of the Mahavidyas, Matrikas, or Yoginis) an opportunity to discover Her mysteries more deeply and sweetly. Each voyage invites the devotee to delve deeper into her or his spiritual path, expand horizons, learn first-hand about living Goddess traditions and experience the history and culture of the birthplace of Tantra.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n[blog category=\"90\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n<blockquote>If you join us, you will access and visit temples and spiritual sites otherwise hard to reach, gaining entrance to a world often off-limits to foreign visitors. Come with us to meet Tantrics, adepts, and myriad spiritual seekers devoted to the Divine Mother. Open your heart and enter the mystery!</blockquote>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>A Journey to Maa: On the Trail of Saints, Mystics, & Seers</h3><br>\r\nSHARANYA hosted annual pilgrimages to India from 2000 through 2009. We resumed in 2016, visiting sacred sites in West Bengal, Orissa, and Assam. Notably, these included temples and environs of Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Tarapith, Hirapur (a 64-yogini temple), Lankreshwar and Kamakhya, as well as the surrounding Mahavidya and nearby Shiva (Umananda),Ugra Tara, and Navagraha temples around Guwahati. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"130\" perpage=\"1\" layout=\"bog\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n','Pilgrimage','','publish','closed','closed','','pilgrimage','','','2017-03-20 16:42:22','2017-03-20 23:42:22','',99131,'http://sharanya.org/?page_id=101469',0,'page','',0),(101470,2,'2016-05-24 22:28:50','2016-05-25 05:28:50','\"Prana Pratishta Kali\" from Devyuvaca: The Goddess Said by Chandra Alexandre. Track 9.','Prana Pratishta Kali','','inherit','open','closed','','prana-pratishta-kali','','','2016-05-24 22:28:55','2016-05-25 05:28:55','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Prana-Pratishta-Kali-Devyuvaca.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101473,2,'2016-05-24 22:35:44','2016-05-25 05:35:44','\"Agni Hotaram\" by Chandra Alexandre. Genre: Chant.','Agni Hotaram','','inherit','open','closed','','agni-hotaram','','','2016-05-24 22:35:59','2016-05-25 05:35:59','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Agni-9-Verses.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101474,2,'2016-05-24 22:40:15','2016-05-25 05:40:15','\"Ancestors Invocation\".','Ancestors Invocation','','inherit','open','closed','','ancestors-invocation','','','2016-05-24 22:40:19','2016-05-25 05:40:19','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Ancestors-Invocation.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101475,2,'2016-05-24 22:45:18','2016-05-25 05:45:18','\"Ancestors Mantra\" by SHARANYA. Genre: Other.','Ancestors Mantra','','inherit','open','closed','','ancestors-mantra','','','2016-05-24 22:45:42','2016-05-25 05:45:42','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AncestorsMantra.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101477,2,'2016-05-24 22:45:36','2016-05-25 05:45:36','\"02 Water Blessing\".','02 Water Blessing','','inherit','open','closed','','02-water-blessing','','','2016-05-24 22:45:36','2016-05-25 05:45:36','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/02-Water-Blessing.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101478,2,'2016-05-24 22:45:42','2016-05-25 05:45:42','\"03 Agni Invocation\".','03 Agni Invocation','','inherit','open','closed','','03-agni-invocation','','','2016-05-24 22:52:25','2016-05-25 05:52:25','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/03-Agni-Invocation.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101480,2,'2016-05-24 22:45:54','2016-05-25 05:45:54','\"05 Ancestors Mantram\".','05 Ancestors Mantram','','inherit','open','closed','','05-ancestors-mantram','','','2016-05-24 22:46:58','2016-05-25 05:46:58','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/05-Ancestors-Mantram.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101481,2,'2016-05-24 22:45:58','2016-05-25 05:45:58','\"06 Ganesha Invocation\".','06 Ganesha Invocation','','inherit','open','closed','','06-ganesha-invocation','','','2016-05-24 22:46:57','2016-05-25 05:46:57','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/06-Ganesha-Invocation.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101482,2,'2016-05-24 22:46:06','2016-05-25 05:46:06','\"08 Shappodhara Mantram\".','08 Shappodhara Mantram','','inherit','open','closed','','08-shappodhara-mantram','','','2016-05-24 22:46:56','2016-05-25 05:46:56','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/08-Shappodhara-Mantram.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101483,2,'2016-05-24 22:46:12','2016-05-25 05:46:12','\"09 KRIM\".','09 KRIM','','inherit','open','closed','','09-krim','','','2016-05-24 22:48:03','2016-05-25 05:48:03','',101440,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/09-KRIM.m4a',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101493,2,'2016-06-07 08:49:21','2016-06-07 15:49:21','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.<br>\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!<br><br>\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning July 5, 2016.<br><br>\r\n\r\nClasses run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.<br><br>\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101. Join us for the next series of classes beginning July 5, 2016.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\" />\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"SLWA52RAF42GG\" />\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"on0\" value=\"Courses offered\" />Courses offered</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><select name=\"os0\"><option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101 $81.00 USD</option><option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201 $81.00 USD</option></select></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\" />\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n</form>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://www.kalividya.org\" title=\"Kali Vidya\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/India-2007-050-e1379737365818.jpg\" ]Login[/teaser]','Kali Vidya','','inherit','closed','closed','','99152-revision-v1','','','2016-06-07 08:49:21','2016-06-07 15:49:21','',99152,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99152-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101495,2,'2016-07-17 22:59:51','2016-07-18 05:59:51','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DSC_0424-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Ancestors Altar\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-101499 imgborder\" />It’s interesting that in Hinduism we find steadfast traditions of ancestor reverence existing peacefully alongside a deeply embedded belief in reincarnation. To some, it may seem that these two ideas are irreconcilable. Yet, it is rather the case that they coexist within a framework of beliefs that include conceptions of time and space that are flexible enough to accommodate both. \r\n\r\nThat is certainly the case from the perspective of Tantrics, who find it absurd to question the validity or moreover, the importance of their veneration of those who have come before. And that is not to say the practice of ancestor worship is unquestioned. Rather, the very roots of Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) take practitioners into a state of awareness in which the veracity of other realms where ancestors abound becomes undeniably clear. This is the basis upon which ancestor worship is carried out—from a place of direct experience of them and with them. \r\n\r\nTrue, not every practitioner attains the ability to do this first-hand work, but those who do affirm both the ancestral abode and the importance of engaging with it. Given this, Tantrics hold fast to their rituals and practices involving ancestors. Notable, however, is the revelation of what instigates the performance of rituals in which—as is true within many of the world’s religious traditions—ancestors are offered tangible products of the Earthly plane. \r\n\r\nTo deepen understanding of what significance these offerings have, it may be helpful to say that the lineage traditions of Tantra affirm the conference of knowledge from the unseen world to the present reality we inhabit. Departed teachers have been known to instruct disciples through dreams and visions, for example; and living practitioners have been known to receive communications during ceremonies and meditations that propel their awareness to new heights. The boundary between worlds is therefore understood to be—and experienced as—permeable. This is important because a key to the mystery of ancestor worship is an understanding that the energies of each plane may be conferred to the other, whether through intentional or even accidental means.   \r\n\r\nThose trained in the rites will often seek out ancestors using their awareness of other worlds and some degree of proficiency with the techniques needed to reach them. They may choose to make requests of ancestors during special ceremonies, share gratitudes and remembrances, or even seek to access secret knowledge. Some may also work on mending relationships not fixable during a lifetime. For all of these reasons and more, the practice of ancestor worship continues. People may also find psychological and spiritual healing—and often a greater sense of well-being—because of direct practices and traditions of ancestor veneration. \r\n\r\nWith all this in mind, let us return to the powerful insight from which Tantrics draw their inspiration for the offerings of real world items, such as food, liquor, jewelry, and other artifacts of the deceased’s enjoyment of living. Many on the outside might think it laughable to give plates of food and offerings of drink to the dead. And while some may applaud the ways in which the practices can have psychological benefits for the grieving friends and relatives of those recently deceased, the true power of physical offerings isn’t in any silly notion of eating or drinking akin to when a child might leave cookies for Santa. \r\n\r\nNor is it exactly in the gloss given by some to the importance of remembering to feed ancestor spirits (with their emphasis on how the departed will weaken without food) because of the journey they must make before being reincarnated. In this, the key point is often lost, with the more esoteric nature of the rites neglected or subsumed within a larger, mythopoetic narrative. \r\n\r\nNo, in the offering of food, Tantrics are not performing a foolish or mindless act. The secret that they hold is a simple one, yet one easily forgotten. It is a secret that potentiates evolution and choice, a conveyance of energy for fortification powered by the most pure form of all energy: love. \r\n\r\nAs an energy that can disrupt all obstacles, love is carried through the energy-form of matter (food or otherwise), in the same way that shakti (energy) is carried on prana (breath). As expressed through the offerings, but more importantly, as embodied by them within the stuff of life, love is birthed and carried into the beyond where ancestors dwell. Whether those who have gone before are there for a short time or stuck for an eternity, the departed souls receive the benefits of love as a nourishment, a healing, and a potential for activation back into the world of the living through reincarnation. \r\n\r\nSo, make your offerings. Do so knowing that yours is not a meaningless ritual. Do so knowing that what you pour into your gifts for the dead is most definitely important and most definitely taken and transformed. Finally, let love be your gateway in this work to a more deeply personal and more fulfilling connection to your beliefs about what lies beyond. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Honoring Ancestors','','publish','open','open','','honoring-ancestors','','','2016-07-17 23:24:16','2016-07-18 06:24:16','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101495',0,'post','',0),(101496,2,'2016-07-17 22:56:45','2016-07-18 05:56:45','','Ancestors at the Well','','inherit','open','closed','','2015-11-15-12-13-59','','','2016-07-17 23:03:26','2016-07-18 06:03:26','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2015-11-15-12.13.59.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101497,2,'2016-07-17 22:59:51','2016-07-18 05:59:51','It’s interesting that in Hinduism we find steadfast traditions of ancestor reverence existing peacefully alongside a deeply embedded belief in reincarnation. To some, it may seem that these two ideas are irreconcilable. Yet, it is rather the case that they coexist within a framework of beliefs that include conceptions of time and space that are flexible enough to accommodate both. \r\n\r\nThat is certainly the case from the perspective of Tantrics, who find it absurd to question the validity or moreover, the importance of their veneration of those who have come before. And that is not to say the practice of ancestor worship is unquestioned. Rather, the very roots of Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) take practitioners into a state of awareness in which the veracity of other realms where ancestors abound becomes undeniably clear. This is the basis upon which ancestor worship is carried out—from a place of direct experience of them and with them. \r\n\r\nTrue, not every practitioner attains the ability to do this first-hand work, but those who do affirm both the ancestral abode and the importance of engaging with it. Given this, Tantrics hold fast to their rituals and practices involving ancestors. Notable, however, is the revelation of what instigates the performance of rituals in which—as is true within many of the world’s religious traditions—ancestors are offered tangible products of the Earthly plane. \r\n\r\nTo deepen understanding of what significance these offerings have, it may be helpful to say that the lineage traditions of Tantra affirm the conference of knowledge from the unseen world to the present reality we inhabit. Departed teachers have been known to instruct disciples through dreams and visions, for example; and living practitioners have been known to receive communications during ceremonies and meditations that propel their awareness to new heights. The boundary between worlds is therefore understood to be—and experienced as—permeable. This is important because a key to the mystery of ancestor worship is an understanding that the energies of each plane may be conferred to the other, whether through intentional or even accidental means.   \r\n\r\nThose trained in the rites will often seek out ancestors using their awareness of other worlds and some degree of proficiency with the techniques needed to reach them. They may choose to make requests of ancestors during special ceremonies, share gratitudes and remembrances, or even seek to access secret knowledge. Some may also work on mending relationships not fixable during a lifetime. For all of these reasons and more, the practice of ancestor worship continues. People may also find psychological and spiritual healing—and often a greater sense of well-being—because of direct practices and traditions of ancestor veneration. \r\n\r\nWith all this in mind, let us return to the powerful insight from which Tantrics draw their inspiration for the offerings of real world items, such as food, liquor, jewelry, and other artifacts of the deceased’s enjoyment of living. Many on the outside might think it laughable to give plates of food and offerings of drink to the dead. And while some may applaud the ways in which the practices can have psychological benefits for the grieving friends and relatives of those recently deceased, the true power of physical offerings isn’t in any silly notion of eating or drinking akin to when a child might leave cookies for Santa. \r\n\r\nNor is it exactly in the gloss given by some to the importance of remembering to feed ancestor spirits (with their emphasis on how the departed will weaken without food) because of the journey they must make before being reincarnated. In this, the key point is often lost, with the more esoteric nature of the rites neglected or subsumed within a larger, mythopoetic narrative. \r\n\r\nNo, in the offering of food, Tantrics are not performing a foolish or mindless act. The secret that they hold is a simple one, yet one easily forgotten. It is a secret that potentiates evolution and choice, a conveyance of energy for fortification powered by the most pure form of all energy: love. \r\n\r\nAs an energy that can disrupt all obstacles, love is carried through the energy-form of matter (food or otherwise), in the same way that shakti (energy) is carried on prana (breath). As expressed through the offerings, but more importantly, as embodied by them within the stuff of life, love is birthed and carried into the beyond where ancestors dwell. Whether those who have gone before are there for a short time or stuck for an eternity, the departed souls receive the benefits of love as a nourishment, a healing, and a potential for activation back into the world of the living through reincarnation. \r\n\r\nSo, make your offerings. Do so knowing that yours is not a meaningless ritual. Do so knowing that what you pour into your gifts for the dead is most definitely important and most definitely taken and transformed. Finally, let love be your gateway in this work to a more deeply personal and more fulfilling connection to your beliefs about what lies beyond. ','Honoring Ancestors','','inherit','closed','closed','','101495-revision-v1','','','2016-07-17 22:59:51','2016-07-18 05:59:51','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101495-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101498,2,'2016-07-17 23:06:55','2016-07-18 06:06:55','','2015-11-15 12.13.59','','inherit','open','closed','','2015-11-15-12-13-59-2','','','2016-07-17 23:06:55','2016-07-18 06:06:55','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2015-11-15-12.13.59-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101499,2,'2016-07-17 23:08:45','2016-07-18 06:08:45','','Ancestors Altar','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0424','','','2016-07-17 23:10:53','2016-07-18 06:10:53','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DSC_0424.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101500,2,'2016-07-17 23:12:35','2016-07-18 06:12:35','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DSC_0424-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Ancestors Altar\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-101499 imgborder\" />It’s interesting that in Hinduism we find steadfast traditions of ancestor reverence existing peacefully alongside a deeply embedded belief in reincarnation. To some, it may seem that these two ideas are irreconcilable. Yet, it is rather the case that they coexist within a framework of beliefs that include conceptions of time and space that are flexible enough to accommodate both. \r\n\r\nThat is certainly the case from the perspective of Tantrics, who find it absurd to question the validity or moreover, the importance of their veneration of those who have come before. And that is not to say the practice of ancestor worship is unquestioned. Rather, the very roots of Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) take practitioners into a state of awareness in which the veracity of other realms where ancestors abound becomes undeniably clear. This is the basis upon which ancestor worship is carried out—from a place of direct experience of them and with them. \r\n\r\nTrue, not every practitioner attains the ability to do this first-hand work, but those who do affirm both the ancestral abode and the importance of engaging with it. Given this, Tantrics hold fast to their rituals and practices involving ancestors. Notable, however, is the revelation of what instigates the performance of rituals in which—as is true within many of the world’s religious traditions—ancestors are offered tangible products of the Earthly plane. \r\n\r\nTo deepen understanding of what significance these offerings have, it may be helpful to say that the lineage traditions of Tantra affirm the conference of knowledge from the unseen world to the present reality we inhabit. Departed teachers have been known to instruct disciples through dreams and visions, for example; and living practitioners have been known to receive communications during ceremonies and meditations that propel their awareness to new heights. The boundary between worlds is therefore understood to be—and experienced as—permeable. This is important because a key to the mystery of ancestor worship is an understanding that the energies of each plane may be conferred to the other, whether through intentional or even accidental means.   \r\n\r\nThose trained in the rites will often seek out ancestors using their awareness of other worlds and some degree of proficiency with the techniques needed to reach them. They may choose to make requests of ancestors during special ceremonies, share gratitudes and remembrances, or even seek to access secret knowledge. Some may also work on mending relationships not fixable during a lifetime. For all of these reasons and more, the practice of ancestor worship continues. People may also find psychological and spiritual healing—and often a greater sense of well-being—because of direct practices and traditions of ancestor veneration. \r\n\r\nWith all this in mind, let us return to the powerful insight from which Tantrics draw their inspiration for the offerings of real world items, such as food, liquor, jewelry, and other artifacts of the deceased’s enjoyment of living. Many on the outside might think it laughable to give plates of food and offerings of drink to the dead. And while some may applaud the ways in which the practices can have psychological benefits for the grieving friends and relatives of those recently deceased, the true power of physical offerings isn’t in any silly notion of eating or drinking akin to when a child might leave cookies for Santa. \r\n\r\nNor is it exactly in the gloss given by some to the importance of remembering to feed ancestor spirits (with their emphasis on how the departed will weaken without food) because of the journey they must make before being reincarnated. In this, the key point is often lost, with the more esoteric nature of the rites neglected or subsumed within a larger, mythopoetic narrative. \r\n\r\nNo, in the offering of food, Tantrics are not performing a foolish or mindless act. The secret that they hold is a simple one, yet one easily forgotten. It is a secret that potentiates evolution and choice, a conveyance of energy for fortification powered by the most pure form of all energy: love. \r\n\r\nAs an energy that can disrupt all obstacles, love is carried through the energy-form of matter (food or otherwise), in the same way that shakti (energy) is carried on prana (breath). As expressed through the offerings, but more importantly, as embodied by them within the stuff of life, love is birthed and carried into the beyond where ancestors dwell. Whether those who have gone before are there for a short time or stuck for an eternity, the departed souls receive the benefits of love as a nourishment, a healing, and a potential for activation back into the world of the living through reincarnation. \r\n\r\nSo, make your offerings. Do so knowing that yours is not a meaningless ritual. Do so knowing that what you pour into your gifts for the dead is most definitely important and most definitely taken and transformed. Finally, let love be your gateway in this work to a more deeply personal and more fulfilling connection to your beliefs about what lies beyond. ','Honoring Ancestors','','inherit','closed','closed','','101495-revision-v1','','','2016-07-17 23:12:35','2016-07-18 06:12:35','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101495-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101501,2,'2016-07-17 23:15:22','2016-07-18 06:15:22','It’s interesting that in Hinduism we find steadfast traditions of ancestor reverence existing peacefully alongside a deeply embedded belief in reincarnation. To some, it may seem that these two ideas are irreconcilable. Yet, it is rather the case that they coexist within a framework of beliefs that include conceptions of time and space that are flexible enough to accommodate both. \n\nThat is certainly the case from the perspective of Tantrics, who find it absurd to question the validity or moreover, the importance of their veneration of those who have come before. And that is not to say the practice of ancestor worship is unquestioned. Rather, the very roots of Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) take practitioners into a state of awareness in which the veracity of other realms where ancestors abound becomes undeniably clear. This is the basis upon which ancestor worship is carried out—from a place of direct experience of them and with them. \n\nTrue, not every practitioner attains the ability to do this first-hand work, but those who do affirm both the ancestral abode and the importance of engaging with it. Given this, Tantrics hold fast to their rituals and practices involving ancestors. Notable, however, is the revelation of what instigates the performance of rituals in which—as is true within many of the world’s religious traditions—ancestors are offered tangible products of the Earthly plane. \n\nTo deepen understanding of what significance these offerings have, it may be helpful to say that the lineage traditions of Tantra affirm the conference of knowledge from the unseen world to the present reality we inhabit. Departed teachers have been known to instruct disciples through dreams and visions, for example; and living practitioners have been known to receive communications during ceremonies and meditations that propel their awareness to new heights. The boundary between worlds is therefore understood to be—and experienced as—permeable. This is important because a key to the mystery of ancestor worship is an understanding that the energies of each plane may be conferred to the other, whether through intentional or even accidental means.   \n\nThose trained in the rites will often seek out ancestors using their awareness of other worlds and some degree of proficiency with the techniques needed to reach them. They may choose to make requests of ancestors during special ceremonies, share gratitudes and remembrances, or even seek to access secret knowledge. Some may also work on mending relationships not fixable during a lifetime. For all of these reasons and more, the practice of ancestor worship continues. People may also find psychological and spiritual healing—and often a greater sense of well-being—because of direct practices and traditions of ancestor veneration. \n\nWith all this in mind, let us return to the powerful insight from which Tantrics draw their inspiration for the offerings of real world items, such as food, liquor, jewelry, and other artifacts of the deceased’s enjoyment of living. Many on the outside might think it laughable to give plates of food and offerings of drink to the dead. And while some may applaud the ways in which the practices can have psychological benefits for the grieving friends and relatives of those recently deceased, the true power of physical offerings isn’t in any silly notion of eating or drinking akin to when a child might leave cookies for Santa. \n\nNor is it exactly in the gloss given by some to the importance of remembering to feed ancestor spirits (with their emphasis on how the departed will weaken without food) because of the journey they must make before being reincarnated. In this, the key point is often lost, with the more esoteric nature of the rites neglected or subsumed within a larger, mythopoetic narrative. \n\nNo, in the offering of food, Tantrics are not performing a foolish or mindless act. The secret that they hold is a simple one, yet one easily forgotten. It is a secret that potentiates evolution and choice, a conveyance of energy for fortification powered by the most pure form of all energy: love. \n\nAs an energy that can disrupt all obstacles, love is carried through the energy-form of matter (food or otherwise), in the same way that shakti (energy) is carried on prana (breath). As expressed through the offerings, but more importantly, as embodied by them within the stuff of life, love is birthed and carried into the beyond where ancestors dwell. Whether those who have gone before are there for a short time or stuck for an eternity, the departed souls receive the benefits of love as a nourishment, a healing, and a potential for activation back into the world of the living through reincarnation. \n\nSo, make your offerings. Do so knowing that yours is not a meaningless ritual. Do so knowing that what you pour into your gifts for the dead is most definitely important and most definitely taken and transformed. Finally, let love be your gateway in this work to a more deeply personal and more fulfilling connection to your beliefs about what lies beyond. ','Honoring Ancestors','','inherit','closed','closed','','101495-autosave-v1','','','2016-07-17 23:15:22','2016-07-18 06:15:22','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101495-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101502,2,'2016-07-17 23:15:46','2016-07-18 06:15:46','','DSC_0451','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0451','','','2016-07-17 23:15:46','2016-07-18 06:15:46','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DSC_0451.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101503,2,'2016-07-17 23:16:53','2016-07-18 06:16:53','','DSC_0424','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0424-2','','','2016-07-17 23:16:53','2016-07-18 06:16:53','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DSC_0424-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101504,2,'2016-07-17 23:24:16','2016-07-18 06:24:16','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DSC_0424-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Ancestors Altar\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-101499 imgborder\" />It’s interesting that in Hinduism we find steadfast traditions of ancestor reverence existing peacefully alongside a deeply embedded belief in reincarnation. To some, it may seem that these two ideas are irreconcilable. Yet, it is rather the case that they coexist within a framework of beliefs that include conceptions of time and space that are flexible enough to accommodate both. \r\n\r\nThat is certainly the case from the perspective of Tantrics, who find it absurd to question the validity or moreover, the importance of their veneration of those who have come before. And that is not to say the practice of ancestor worship is unquestioned. Rather, the very roots of Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) take practitioners into a state of awareness in which the veracity of other realms where ancestors abound becomes undeniably clear. This is the basis upon which ancestor worship is carried out—from a place of direct experience of them and with them. \r\n\r\nTrue, not every practitioner attains the ability to do this first-hand work, but those who do affirm both the ancestral abode and the importance of engaging with it. Given this, Tantrics hold fast to their rituals and practices involving ancestors. Notable, however, is the revelation of what instigates the performance of rituals in which—as is true within many of the world’s religious traditions—ancestors are offered tangible products of the Earthly plane. \r\n\r\nTo deepen understanding of what significance these offerings have, it may be helpful to say that the lineage traditions of Tantra affirm the conference of knowledge from the unseen world to the present reality we inhabit. Departed teachers have been known to instruct disciples through dreams and visions, for example; and living practitioners have been known to receive communications during ceremonies and meditations that propel their awareness to new heights. The boundary between worlds is therefore understood to be—and experienced as—permeable. This is important because a key to the mystery of ancestor worship is an understanding that the energies of each plane may be conferred to the other, whether through intentional or even accidental means.   \r\n\r\nThose trained in the rites will often seek out ancestors using their awareness of other worlds and some degree of proficiency with the techniques needed to reach them. They may choose to make requests of ancestors during special ceremonies, share gratitudes and remembrances, or even seek to access secret knowledge. Some may also work on mending relationships not fixable during a lifetime. For all of these reasons and more, the practice of ancestor worship continues. People may also find psychological and spiritual healing—and often a greater sense of well-being—because of direct practices and traditions of ancestor veneration. \r\n\r\nWith all this in mind, let us return to the powerful insight from which Tantrics draw their inspiration for the offerings of real world items, such as food, liquor, jewelry, and other artifacts of the deceased’s enjoyment of living. Many on the outside might think it laughable to give plates of food and offerings of drink to the dead. And while some may applaud the ways in which the practices can have psychological benefits for the grieving friends and relatives of those recently deceased, the true power of physical offerings isn’t in any silly notion of eating or drinking akin to when a child might leave cookies for Santa. \r\n\r\nNor is it exactly in the gloss given by some to the importance of remembering to feed ancestor spirits (with their emphasis on how the departed will weaken without food) because of the journey they must make before being reincarnated. In this, the key point is often lost, with the more esoteric nature of the rites neglected or subsumed within a larger, mythopoetic narrative. \r\n\r\nNo, in the offering of food, Tantrics are not performing a foolish or mindless act. The secret that they hold is a simple one, yet one easily forgotten. It is a secret that potentiates evolution and choice, a conveyance of energy for fortification powered by the most pure form of all energy: love. \r\n\r\nAs an energy that can disrupt all obstacles, love is carried through the energy-form of matter (food or otherwise), in the same way that shakti (energy) is carried on prana (breath). As expressed through the offerings, but more importantly, as embodied by them within the stuff of life, love is birthed and carried into the beyond where ancestors dwell. Whether those who have gone before are there for a short time or stuck for an eternity, the departed souls receive the benefits of love as a nourishment, a healing, and a potential for activation back into the world of the living through reincarnation. \r\n\r\nSo, make your offerings. Do so knowing that yours is not a meaningless ritual. Do so knowing that what you pour into your gifts for the dead is most definitely important and most definitely taken and transformed. Finally, let love be your gateway in this work to a more deeply personal and more fulfilling connection to your beliefs about what lies beyond. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Honoring Ancestors','','inherit','closed','closed','','101495-revision-v1','','','2016-07-17 23:24:16','2016-07-18 06:24:16','',101495,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101495-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101505,2,'2016-07-18 21:39:09','2016-07-19 04:39:09','<p>14th Annual Kali Puja Festival</p>\r\n<p>October 21st, 2017</p>\r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-3','','','2017-08-27 16:39:26','2017-08-27 23:39:26','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_slideshows&#038;p=101505',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(101506,2,'2016-07-22 12:27:58','2016-07-22 19:27:58','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\nCost per class, including puja donation, is $51.\r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries! Participation in <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a> is a requirement of this program.\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire to seek that blessing, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<p>\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-07-22 12:27:58','2016-07-22 19:27:58','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101507,2,'2016-07-22 12:37:16','2016-07-22 19:37:16','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Prana Pratishta\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-101316 imgborder\" />\r\n\r\n<h5>Now welcoming new members!</h5>\r\n\r\nLet this year-long course, which can lead to initiation, be your own mythic journey into and out of the underworld. Let the Goddess of the Crossroads take your hand and guide you into an unfolding awareness of your Self as seen through Her eyes. These classes are powerful and transformative, and for many, this path is a truly empowering, life-affirming and life-changing experience. This is an opportunity for you to come together with others to learn, laugh and live the presence of the Divine.\r\n\r\nCost per class, including puja donation, is $51. This also includes a login at <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online vidyapith or wisdom school. \r\n\r\n<strong>Upcoming meetings:</strong>\r\n\r\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\r\n\r\nThrough Daughters of Kali, one gains an understanding of Kali and the goddesses of the Tantrick path. At each meeting, we work together using ritual, myth, lecture, readings, discussion, spiritual practices, and group work to deepen understanding of the Divine Female in historical, cultural and psycho-spiritual perspectives. In the spirit of the Sha\'can tradition, an authentic Tantric lineage in which mind, body, and spirit co-mingle in conscious creation, classes require commitment, outside reading, participation, and active engagement of Spirit in the day-to-day world.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Program\" active=\"\"]\r\nIn the Daughters of Kali circle,  we learn and practice, strengthening and seeking that which is true on Her path. Come ready to engage the Mysteries! Participation in <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a> is a requirement of this program.\r\n\r\n<strong>Baseline:</strong> (Months 1-3) These first months set the foundation for group work and individual practice. We establish the basics of the tradition and participants are introduced to ritual work with Kali Maa. An overview of philosophy, cosmology, and puja is provided. An introduction to the fundamental Tantric terms is offered and given context. Circle community building is essential (building trust, getting to know each other) during the first three months of our time together, as is making sure we\'re all on the same page regarding magickal or ritual work. Whether you come to DoK with a familiarity with ceremony (Hindu or otherwise) or not, everyone in DoK gradually comes to understand energy work as well as appropriate and respectful ways to approach Kali. Those in DoK also develop familiarity with traditional Tantric spiritual techniques and the evolving worship methods of the Sha\'can tradition. Developing a relationship with one\'s mentor during this time helps facilitate the learning process and is strongly encouraged. Homework is also a component of all Daughters of Kali meetings, and while mandatory, there need be no stress around this part of the program. Homework is an opportunity to bring your creativity, curiosity, joy, and passion to the group. Required reading: Ajit Mookerjee\'s \"Kali: The Feminine Force.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Explore & Interpret:</strong> (Months 4-6) Every meeting will have a formal teaching period as well as an experiential component. As you gain knowledge and facility with a variety of specific practices, you will naturally begin to reconcile and integrate your own spiritual background(s) and cultural upbringing with Sha\'can and Maa as you feel Her in your heart. Our work together during this time will especially help this unfold into your own unique expression of devotion. Spiritual technologies derived from authentic Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) will deepen your connection to the Divine. To facilitate implementation of learnings, you will partner with group members to create your own teaching ceremonies around various cycles of Devi\'s energy: Creation, Preservation, Destruction & Transformation. Incorporating mantra, mudra, nyasa and yantra (as well as other learned tantrick techniques), you will engage your sensibilities and understanding within the group during these meetings. Required reading: Elizabeth Usha Harding\'s \"Kali: Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Ritual, Practice & Devotion:</strong> (Months 7-9) During this phase of our gatherings, our work will become more focused on practices and devotional techniques as well as their implementation in ritual. This will include taking a leadership role of some sort (of your choice) during public pujas. Your individual psycho-spiritual growth and development on the path will inform how we integrate teachings and spiral them together in service to the group\'s objectives. Satyananda\'s \"Kali Puja\" will strongly guide our work during these months as we especially focus on memorization of mantras and delve more deeply into the sounds of Sanskrit.\r\n\r\n<strong>Deepening & Initiation:</strong> (Months 10-12) The last phase of Daughters of Kali, which leads to initiation should one desire to seek that blessing, intensifies the practices of Tantra and embodied experience. Specifically for those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that this passage will have for them. Initiates carry a new name and receive a mantra as a sign of their commitment and devotion to the Divine Mother, as well as their willingness to work within the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n[/toggle]\r\n<p>\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you! <a href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org?subject=Daughters%20of%20Kali\">More info & RSVP</a>','Daughters of Kali','','inherit','closed','closed','','101405-revision-v1','','','2016-07-22 12:37:16','2016-07-22 19:37:16','',101405,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101405-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101508,2,'2016-07-22 23:54:12','2016-07-23 06:54:12','Pilgrimage—a sacred journey—has the capacity, should we choose to engage it, to take us to the heart of our beingness. Pilgrimage offers those seeking Goddess in Her most powerful forms (for example, through Kali, any of the Mahavidyas, Matrikas, or Yoginis) an opportunity to discover Her mysteries more deeply and sweetly. Each voyage invites the devotee to delve deeper into her or his spiritual path, expand horizons, learn first-hand about living Goddess traditions and experience the history and culture of the birthplace of Tantra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIf you join us, you will access and visit temples and spiritual sites otherwise hard to reach, gaining entrance to a world often off-limits to foreign visitors. Come with us to meet Tantrics, adepts, and myriad spiritual seekers devoted to the Divine Mother.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"90\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<blockquote>SHARANYA hosted annual pilgrimages to India from 2000 through 2009. We plan to resume in 2016.</blockquote> <br><br>\r\n\r\n<h3><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\"> </a></h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_100156\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"558\"]<a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-100156 imgborder \" alt=\"India-Pilgrimage-SHARANYA-in-the-News\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/India-Pilgrimage-SHARANYA-in-the-News.jpg\" width=\"558\" height=\"314\" /></a> Blessings of the Divine Mother Kamakhya at her temple outside of Guwahati in Assam.[/caption]','Pilgrimage','','inherit','closed','closed','','101469-revision-v1','','','2016-07-22 23:54:12','2016-07-23 06:54:12','',101469,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101469-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101510,2,'2017-03-19 17:49:28','2017-03-20 00:49:28','Pilgrimage—a sacred journey—has the capacity, should we choose to engage it, to take us to the heart of our beingness. Pilgrimage offers those seeking Goddess in Her most powerful forms (for example, through Kali, any of the Mahavidyas, Matrikas, or Yoginis) an opportunity to discover Her mysteries more deeply and sweetly. Each voyage invites the devotee to delve deeper into her or his spiritual path, expand horizons, learn first-hand about living Goddess traditions and experience the history and culture of the birthplace of Tantra.\n\n&nbsp;\n[blog category=\"90\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\n<blockquote>If you join us, you will access and visit temples and spiritual sites otherwise hard to reach, gaining entrance to a world often off-limits to foreign visitors. Come with us to meet Tantrics, adepts, and myriad spiritual seekers devoted to the Divine Mother. Open your heart and enter the mystery!</blockquote>\n\n&nbsp;\nSHARANYA hosted annual pilgrimages to India from 2000 through 2009. We resumed in 2016, visiting sacred sites in West Bengal, Orissa, and Assam. Notably, these included temples and environs of Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Tarapith, Hirapur (a 64-yogini temple), Lankreshwar and Kamakhya, as well as the surrounding Mahavidya and nearby Shiva (Umananda),Ugra Tara, and Navagraha temples around Guwahati. <br><br>\n\n&nbsp;\n<h3>A Journey to Maa: On the Trail of Saints, Mystics, & Seers</h3>\n[terms_gallery terms=\"130\" perpage=\"1\" layout=\"large\" pagination=\"on\"]\n','Pilgrimage','','inherit','closed','closed','','101469-autosave-v1','','','2017-03-19 17:49:28','2017-03-20 00:49:28','',101469,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101469-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101511,2,'2016-07-23 00:00:51','2016-07-23 07:00:51','Pilgrimage—a sacred journey—has the capacity, should we choose to engage it, to take us to the heart of our beingness. Pilgrimage offers those seeking Goddess in Her most powerful forms (for example, through Kali, any of the Mahavidyas, Matrikas, or Yoginis) an opportunity to discover Her mysteries more deeply and sweetly. Each voyage invites the devotee to delve deeper into her or his spiritual path, expand horizons, learn first-hand about living Goddess traditions and experience the history and culture of the birthplace of Tantra.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIf you join us, you will access and visit temples and spiritual sites otherwise hard to reach, gaining entrance to a world often off-limits to foreign visitors. Come with us to meet Tantrics, adepts, and myriad spiritual seekers devoted to the Divine Mother.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"90\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<blockquote>SHARANYA hosted annual pilgrimages to India from 2000 through 2009. We resume in 2016 visiting sacred sites in West Bengal, Orissa, and Assam, notably Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Tarapith, Hirapur (a 64-yogini temple), Vaitala Deula (Chamunda temple) in Bhubaneshwar, and Kamakhya (as well as the surrounding Mahavidya and nearby Shiva and Navagraha temples) in Assam.</blockquote> <br><br>\r\n\r\n<h3><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\"> </a></h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_100156\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"558\"]<a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-100156 imgborder \" alt=\"India-Pilgrimage-SHARANYA-in-the-News\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/India-Pilgrimage-SHARANYA-in-the-News.jpg\" width=\"558\" height=\"314\" /></a> Blessings of the Divine Mother Kamakhya at her temple outside of Guwahati in Assam.[/caption]','Pilgrimage','','inherit','closed','closed','','101469-revision-v1','','','2016-07-23 00:00:51','2016-07-23 07:00:51','',101469,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101469-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101512,2,'2016-07-23 00:05:04','2016-07-23 07:05:04',' ','','','publish','closed','closed','','101512','','','2017-03-19 15:58:40','2017-03-19 22:58:40','',99131,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101512',12,'nav_menu_item','',0),(101513,2,'2016-07-23 00:27:44','2016-07-23 07:27:44','This December, we embark on a two-week pilgrimage to India visiting sacred sites in West Bengal, Orissa, and Assam. Our tour will notably include ritual, worship, and devotion at some of India\'s greatest Shakta-venerated seats of Goddess\' power: Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Tarapith, Hirapur (yogini temple), Vaitala Deula (Chamunda temple in Bhubaneshwar), and Kamakhya (as well as the surrounding Mahavidya temples) on Nilachal Hill outside of Guwahati in Assam. \r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pilgrimage/\">here</a> to learn more about our pilgrimages.','India Pilgrimage','','publish','closed','closed','','india-pilgrimage','','','2016-07-23 00:43:06','2016-07-23 07:43:06','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_events&#038;p=101513',0,'th_events','',0),(101514,2,'2016-07-23 00:22:33','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','India 2016','','draft','open','open','','','','','2016-07-23 00:22:33','2016-07-23 07:22:33','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101514',0,'post','',0),(101515,2,'2016-07-23 00:32:41','2016-07-23 07:32:41','','India Pilgrimage 2016','','publish','closed','closed','','india-2016','','','2016-07-23 00:40:19','2016-07-23 07:40:19','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_slideshows&#038;p=101515',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(101516,2,'2016-07-23 00:41:57','2016-07-23 07:41:57','This December, we embark on a pilgrimage to India visiting sacred sites in West Bengal, Orissa, and Assam. Our tour will notably include ritual, worship, and devotion at some of India\'s greatest Shakta seats of Goddess\' power: Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Tarapith, Hirapur (yogini temple), Vaitala Deula (Chamunda) in Bhubaneshwar, and Kamakhya (as well as the surrounding Mahavidya, and nearby Shiva and Navagraha temples) in Assam. \n\nClick <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/pilgrimage/\">here</a> to learn more about our pilgrimages.','India Pilgrimage','','inherit','closed','closed','','101513-autosave-v1','','','2016-07-23 00:41:57','2016-07-23 07:41:57','',101513,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101513-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101518,2,'2016-11-12 19:16:48','2016-11-13 02:16:48','[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/11th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\" title=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Blessed-Altar-Web-e1380257091912.jpg\" ]Receive darshan[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\" title=\"Curious?\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DSC_0313-e1381818563636.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events/\" title=\"Puja Dates\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0311-e1381818979184.jpg\" ]Visit the calendar[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<hr />\r\n<h3>Reflections &amp; News</h3>\r\n<center><i>\"Sing Kali\'s glory, make a happy racket, paddle this old boat of a body as fast as you can.<br>What\'s the trouble of this world anyhow?\" - Ramprasad Sen</i></center><br>\r\n[blog category=\"7\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"matrikas\" time=\"10\" randomize=\"on\" effect=\"fade\" ]','Homepage','','inherit','closed','closed','','99117-revision-v1','','','2016-11-12 19:16:48','2016-11-13 02:16:48','',99117,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101519,2,'2016-11-12 19:22:05','2016-11-13 02:22:05','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/kaliyantra.jpg\" alt=\"Kali Yantra\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99363 imgborder\" />Tantra, as is often said, is a difficult path.  \r\n\r\nI liken it to being in the military, riding a frightening fun park ride, and hugging a eucalyptus-drunk koala bear all at the same time. Try as you might to practice under the auspices of Tantra and disentangle these elements, and you will fail. You will ultimately fall short of your goals and aspirations because these core qualities of what it means to practice Tantra exist in a dance much in the way the gunas—those fundamental components of prakriti, or essential nature—move in graceful combinations to give rise to the whole of what we experience as reality.\r\n\r\nTantra is all of this without exception, and we must take the whole lot without grimace or expectation. But what we are allowed when accepting of this mystery is both the beautiful pain of longing and also access to the wonders of a lifetime. \r\n\r\nThe discipline Tantra requires is essential. I find this particularly so within the confines of Western breeding and imagination. In societies that highly value independence, it is often a difficult exercise to follow the rules and stay the course as guided by a teacher or guru. One must agree to supplant willingly the knowledge, instincts, and power acquired during one’s life in order to serve another source or higher will on the road to liberation. It can be difficult to let go. The obstacles to success tend to be common: issues of money and time easily arise to justify the pull away from the work.\r\n\r\nYet beyond the self-imposed limitations that speak to the fear of one’s ego, discipline becomes the pathway to incomprehensible creativity and freedom. It is like a gift in disguise, and all who humbly accept are granted boons (such as happiness) beyond the obvious outer wrappings, which may disgust or intrigue in equal measure upon initial sight. Much in the way Aladdin’s lamp contained treasures beyond measure if one was willing to allow curiosity to reign and humility to triumph, so too is discipline on the tantric path a catalyst for things greater than they appear at first blush to be.\r\n\r\nSitting in one’s fear is the next exhilaration. Whether done alone or in a circle of initiates, the rites and practices are designed to move one along the boundary of current consciousness into ever deeper states of awareness. At every edge, we face a kind of death as we enter a new temenos and the known becomes the unknown. Fear naturally arises. Individual practice supports our ability to stay here, building endurance and resolve, as does the companionship of others in kaula (spiritual family). But our response—our ability to grow—is found more in our capacity to trust than in a fearlessness born of daring.\r\n\r\nThere is a natural risk in doing the work of tantric practice that we must embrace if we wish to pursue the path. And we must equally stay open to our fears in order to ultimately include and transcend them. Yes, that’s right—include them. Like much on the path, it is not enough to know what unknowns haunt us. We must claim the darkness of what lies beyond our immediate perception. We must drink the darkness. We must allow it in because even more than recognizing ourselves in it, we are working to come to know that we are it. It is not something removed from us or other than us. And, it is the process of life itself. This means that we cannot conquer the darkness, and the hero’s journey falls flat on the road to enlightenment.\r\n\r\nThis is critical because it means that as we come to accept the face of any given fear and thereby depotentiate it, we simultaneously come to love ourselves more completely. This love is an expanded love that now opens us to all our varying degrees of brokenness. There is tremendous beauty in this, and at the same time, we are not stuck forever in who we are even now. We gain the power in time to transcend the disease, the fear, and the limitations. We are reassured of the potentials opened through our efforts.\r\n\r\nNext, we come to the warmth of the divine embrace. And this hug is as much about the ability to receive it as it is about the ability to give it to others. Important to understand is that those who come to Tantra are typically in earnest need (although not necessarily consciously so) of an experience in this world of unconditional love. While this is not altogether unique, the individual’s soul-level response to that need is unique. Tantrics signal a resounding “Yes!” to the fundamental question of whether life is worth the work of obtaining the embrace.\r\n\r\nPeople in need of healing often feel Tantra’s ability to move beyond the dualistic forces of their torment. The path draws them in, as does, often consciously, the allure of its deviant notes. Clamoring to a circle of souls who find comfort in the acceptance of the Divine in all things—not to mention in the stuff of hallucinogens, alcohol, sex, and images of blood-drenched, fang-toothed, and skull-wearing Goddesses—their work will be to untangle dualities in order to experience love above and to surrender to love below.\r\n\r\nHow does this work? First, the path will open the practitioner to an embrace of the Divine that will change everything. The aspirant will be shown a way out that circumvents literal death and although uncertain, offers probabilities for a meaningful life. They will next be broken down in order to feel what it feels like to be loved completely. This will make them resilient once more. Then, in time, they will take the work onto the earthly plane where relationships will own their spirituality. They will soften to life’s difficulties, gain fortitude to stay ego-inspired conquests, learn compassion, and begin to emerge more capable of loving fully, merely for the sake of the joys of loving.\r\n\r\nReady or not, you have enlisted, while riding a roller coaster, in the heart of the eucalyptus forest. You are on a magnificent path. Nothing is impossible now, is it? \r\n\r\n<em> By: Chandra Alexandre</em>','The Three-fold Nature of Tantra','','publish','open','open','','three-fold-nature-tantra','','','2017-03-18 11:05:30','2017-03-18 18:05:30','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101519',0,'post','',1),(101520,2,'2016-11-12 19:22:05','2016-11-13 02:22:05','Tantra, as is often said, is a difficult path.  \r\n\r\nI liken it to being in the military, riding a frightening fun park ride, and hugging a eucalyptus-drunk koala bear all at the same time. Try as you might to practice under the auspices of Tantra and disentangle these elements, and you will fail. You will ultimately fall short of your goals and aspirations because these core qualities of what it means to practice Tantra exist in a dance much in the way the gunas—those fundamental components of prakriti, or essential nature—move in graceful combinations to give rise to the whole of what we experience as reality.\r\n\r\nTantra is all of this without exception, and we must take the whole lot without grimace or expectation. But what we are allowed when accepting of this mystery is both the beautiful pain of longing and also access to the wonders of a lifetime. \r\n\r\nThe discipline Tantra requires is essential. I find this particularly so within the confines of Western breeding and imagination. In societies that highly value independence, it is often a difficult exercise to follow the rules and stay the course as guided by a teacher or guru. One must agree to supplant willingly the knowledge, instincts, and power acquired during one’s life in order to serve another source or higher will on the road to liberation. It can be difficult to let go. The obstacles to success tend to be common: issues of money and time easily arise to justify the pull away from the work.\r\n\r\nYet beyond the self-imposed limitations that speak to the fear of one’s ego, discipline becomes the pathway to incomprehensible creativity and freedom. It is like a gift in disguise, and all who humbly accept are granted boons (such as happiness) beyond the obvious outer wrappings, which may disgust or intrigue in equal measure upon initial sight. Much in the way Aladdin’s lamp contained treasures beyond measure if one was willing to allow curiosity to reign and humility to triumph, so too is discipline on the tantric path a catalyst for things greater than they appear at first blush to be.\r\n\r\nSitting in one’s fear is the next exhilaration. Whether done alone or in a circle of initiates, the rites and practices are designed to move one along the boundary of current consciousness into ever deeper states of awareness. At every edge, we face a kind of death as we enter a new temenos and the known becomes the unknown. Fear naturally arises. Individual practice supports our ability to stay here, building endurance and resolve, as does the companionship of others in kaula (spiritual family). But our response—our ability to grow—is found more in our capacity to trust than in a fearlessness born of daring.\r\n\r\nThere is a natural risk in doing the work of tantric practice that we must embrace if we wish to pursue the path. And we must equally stay open to our fears in order to ultimately include and transcend them. Yes, that’s right—include them. Like much on the path, it is not enough to know what unknowns haunt us. We must claim the darkness of what lies beyond our immediate perception. We must drink the darkness. We must allow it in because even more than recognizing ourselves in it, we are working to come to know that we are it. It is not something removed from us or other than us. And, it is the process of life itself. This means that we cannot conquer the darkness, and the hero’s journey falls flat on the road to enlightenment.\r\n\r\nThis is critical because it means that as we come to accept the face of any given fear and thereby depotentiate it, we simultaneously come to love ourselves more completely. This love is an expanded love that now opens us to all our varying degrees of brokenness. There is tremendous beauty in this, and at the same time, we are not stuck forever in who we are even now. We gain the power in time to transcend the disease, the fear, and the limitations. We are reassured of the potentials opened through our efforts.\r\n\r\nNext, we come to the warmth of the divine embrace. And this hug is as much about the ability to receive it as it is about the ability to give it to others. Important to understand is that those who come to Tantra are typically in earnest need (although not necessarily consciously so) of an experience in this world of unconditional love. While this is not altogether unique, the individual’s soul-level response to that need is unique. Tantrics signal a resounding “Yes!” to the fundamental question of whether life is worth the work of obtaining the embrace.\r\n\r\nPeople in need of healing often feel Tantra’s ability to move beyond the dualistic forces of their torment. The path draws them in, as does, often consciously, the allure of its deviant notes. Clamoring to a circle of souls who find comfort in the acceptance of the Divine in all things—not to mention in the stuff of hallucinogens, alcohol, sex, and images of blood-drenched, fang-toothed, and skull-wearing Goddesses—their work will be to untangle dualities in order to experience love above and to surrender to love below.\r\n\r\nHow does this work? First, the path will open the practitioner to an embrace of the Divine that will change everything. The aspirant will be shown a way out that circumvents literal death and although uncertain, offers probabilities for a meaningful life. They will next be broken down in order to feel what it feels like to be loved completely. This will make them resilient once more. Then, in time, they will take the work onto the earthly plane where relationships will own their spirituality. They will soften to life’s difficulties, gain fortitude to stay ego-inspired conquests, learn compassion, and begin to emerge more capable of loving fully, merely for the sake of the joys of loving.\r\n\r\nReady or not, you have enlisted, while riding a roller coaster, in the heart of the eucalyptus forest. You are on a magnificent path. Nothing is impossible now, is it? ','The Three-fold Nature of Tantra','','inherit','closed','closed','','101519-revision-v1','','','2016-11-12 19:22:05','2016-11-13 02:22:05','',101519,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101519-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101521,2,'2016-11-12 19:27:07','2016-11-13 02:27:07','Tantra, as is often said, is a difficult path.  \n\nI liken it to being in the military, riding a frightening fun park ride, and hugging a eucalyptus-drunk koala bear all at the same time. Try as you might to practice under the auspices of Tantra and disentangle these elements, and you will fail. You will ultimately fall short of your goals and aspirations because these core qualities of what it means to practice Tantra exist in a dance much in the way the gunas—those fundamental components of prakriti, or essential nature—move in graceful combinations to give rise to the whole of what we experience as reality.\n\nTantra is all of this without exception, and we must take the whole lot without grimace or expectation. But what we are allowed when accepting of this mystery is both the beautiful pain of longing and also access to the wonders of a lifetime. \n\nThe discipline Tantra requires is essential. I find this particularly so within the confines of Western breeding and imagination. In societies that highly value independence, it is often a difficult exercise to follow the rules and stay the course as guided by a teacher or guru. One must agree to supplant willingly the knowledge, instincts, and power acquired during one’s life in order to serve another source or higher will on the road to liberation. It can be difficult to let go. The obstacles to success tend to be common: issues of money and time easily arise to justify the pull away from the work.\n\nYet beyond the self-imposed limitations that speak to the fear of one’s ego, discipline becomes the pathway to incomprehensible creativity and freedom. It is like a gift in disguise, and all who humbly accept are granted boons (such as happiness) beyond the obvious outer wrappings, which may disgust or intrigue in equal measure upon initial sight. Much in the way Aladdin’s lamp contained treasures beyond measure if one was willing to allow curiosity to reign and humility to triumph, so too is discipline on the tantric path a catalyst for things greater than they appear at first blush to be.\n\nSitting in one’s fear is the next exhilaration. Whether done alone or in a circle of initiates, the rites and practices are designed to move one along the boundary of current consciousness into ever deeper states of awareness. At every edge, we face a kind of death as we enter a new temenos and the known becomes the unknown. Fear naturally arises. Individual practice supports our ability to stay here, building endurance and resolve, as does the companionship of others in kaula (spiritual family). But our response—our ability to grow—is found more in our capacity to trust than in a fearlessness born of daring.\n\nThere is a natural risk in doing the work of tantric practice that we must embrace if we wish to pursue the path. And we must equally stay open to our fears in order to ultimately include and transcend them. Yes, that’s right—include them. Like much on the path, it is not enough to know what unknowns haunt us. We must claim the darkness of what lies beyond our immediate perception. We must drink the darkness. We must allow it in because even more than recognizing ourselves in it, we are working to come to know that we are it. It is not something removed from us or other than us. And, it is the process of life itself. This means that we cannot conquer the darkness, and the hero’s journey falls flat on the road to enlightenment.\n\nThis is critical because it means that as we come to accept the face of any given fear and thereby depotentiate it, we simultaneously come to love ourselves more completely. This love is an expanded love that now opens us to all our varying degrees of brokenness. There is tremendous beauty in this, and at the same time, we are not stuck forever in who we are even now. We gain the power in time to transcend the disease, the fear, and the limitations. We are reassured of the potentials opened through our efforts.\n\nNext, we come to the warmth of the divine embrace. And this hug is as much about the ability to receive it as it is about the ability to give it to others. Important to understand is that those who come to Tantra are typically in earnest need (although not necessarily consciously so) of an experience in this world of unconditional love. While this is not altogether unique, the individual’s soul-level response to that need is unique. Tantrics signal a resounding “Yes!” to the fundamental question of whether life is worth the work of obtaining the embrace.\n\nPeople in need of healing often feel Tantra’s ability to move beyond the dualistic forces of their torment. The path draws them in, as does, often consciously, the allure of its deviant notes. Clamoring to a circle of souls who find comfort in the acceptance of the Divine in all things—not to mention in the stuff of hallucinogens, alcohol, sex, and images of blood-drenched, fang-toothed, and skull-wearing Goddesses—their work will be to untangle dualities in order to experience love above and to surrender to love below.\n\nHow does this work? First, the path will open the practitioner to an embrace of the Divine that will change everything. The aspirant will be shown a way out that circumvents literal death and although uncertain, offers probabilities for a meaningful life. They will next be broken down in order to feel what it feels like to be loved completely. This will make them resilient once more. Then, in time, they will take the work onto the earthly plane where relationships will own their spirituality. They will soften to life’s difficulties, gain fortitude to stay ego-inspired conquests, learn compassion, and begin to emerge more capable of loving fully, merely for the sake of the joys of loving.\n\nReady or not, you have enlisted, while riding a roller coaster, in the heart of the eucalyptus forest. You are on a magnificent path. Nothing is impossible now, is it? \n\n<em> By: Chandra Alexandre','The Three-fold Nature of Tantra','','inherit','closed','closed','','101519-autosave-v1','','','2016-11-12 19:27:07','2016-11-13 02:27:07','',101519,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101519-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101522,2,'2016-11-12 19:27:11','2016-11-13 02:27:11','Tantra, as is often said, is a difficult path.  \r\n\r\nI liken it to being in the military, riding a frightening fun park ride, and hugging a eucalyptus-drunk koala bear all at the same time. Try as you might to practice under the auspices of Tantra and disentangle these elements, and you will fail. You will ultimately fall short of your goals and aspirations because these core qualities of what it means to practice Tantra exist in a dance much in the way the gunas—those fundamental components of prakriti, or essential nature—move in graceful combinations to give rise to the whole of what we experience as reality.\r\n\r\nTantra is all of this without exception, and we must take the whole lot without grimace or expectation. But what we are allowed when accepting of this mystery is both the beautiful pain of longing and also access to the wonders of a lifetime. \r\n\r\nThe discipline Tantra requires is essential. I find this particularly so within the confines of Western breeding and imagination. In societies that highly value independence, it is often a difficult exercise to follow the rules and stay the course as guided by a teacher or guru. One must agree to supplant willingly the knowledge, instincts, and power acquired during one’s life in order to serve another source or higher will on the road to liberation. It can be difficult to let go. The obstacles to success tend to be common: issues of money and time easily arise to justify the pull away from the work.\r\n\r\nYet beyond the self-imposed limitations that speak to the fear of one’s ego, discipline becomes the pathway to incomprehensible creativity and freedom. It is like a gift in disguise, and all who humbly accept are granted boons (such as happiness) beyond the obvious outer wrappings, which may disgust or intrigue in equal measure upon initial sight. Much in the way Aladdin’s lamp contained treasures beyond measure if one was willing to allow curiosity to reign and humility to triumph, so too is discipline on the tantric path a catalyst for things greater than they appear at first blush to be.\r\n\r\nSitting in one’s fear is the next exhilaration. Whether done alone or in a circle of initiates, the rites and practices are designed to move one along the boundary of current consciousness into ever deeper states of awareness. At every edge, we face a kind of death as we enter a new temenos and the known becomes the unknown. Fear naturally arises. Individual practice supports our ability to stay here, building endurance and resolve, as does the companionship of others in kaula (spiritual family). But our response—our ability to grow—is found more in our capacity to trust than in a fearlessness born of daring.\r\n\r\nThere is a natural risk in doing the work of tantric practice that we must embrace if we wish to pursue the path. And we must equally stay open to our fears in order to ultimately include and transcend them. Yes, that’s right—include them. Like much on the path, it is not enough to know what unknowns haunt us. We must claim the darkness of what lies beyond our immediate perception. We must drink the darkness. We must allow it in because even more than recognizing ourselves in it, we are working to come to know that we are it. It is not something removed from us or other than us. And, it is the process of life itself. This means that we cannot conquer the darkness, and the hero’s journey falls flat on the road to enlightenment.\r\n\r\nThis is critical because it means that as we come to accept the face of any given fear and thereby depotentiate it, we simultaneously come to love ourselves more completely. This love is an expanded love that now opens us to all our varying degrees of brokenness. There is tremendous beauty in this, and at the same time, we are not stuck forever in who we are even now. We gain the power in time to transcend the disease, the fear, and the limitations. We are reassured of the potentials opened through our efforts.\r\n\r\nNext, we come to the warmth of the divine embrace. And this hug is as much about the ability to receive it as it is about the ability to give it to others. Important to understand is that those who come to Tantra are typically in earnest need (although not necessarily consciously so) of an experience in this world of unconditional love. While this is not altogether unique, the individual’s soul-level response to that need is unique. Tantrics signal a resounding “Yes!” to the fundamental question of whether life is worth the work of obtaining the embrace.\r\n\r\nPeople in need of healing often feel Tantra’s ability to move beyond the dualistic forces of their torment. The path draws them in, as does, often consciously, the allure of its deviant notes. Clamoring to a circle of souls who find comfort in the acceptance of the Divine in all things—not to mention in the stuff of hallucinogens, alcohol, sex, and images of blood-drenched, fang-toothed, and skull-wearing Goddesses—their work will be to untangle dualities in order to experience love above and to surrender to love below.\r\n\r\nHow does this work? First, the path will open the practitioner to an embrace of the Divine that will change everything. The aspirant will be shown a way out that circumvents literal death and although uncertain, offers probabilities for a meaningful life. They will next be broken down in order to feel what it feels like to be loved completely. This will make them resilient once more. Then, in time, they will take the work onto the earthly plane where relationships will own their spirituality. They will soften to life’s difficulties, gain fortitude to stay ego-inspired conquests, learn compassion, and begin to emerge more capable of loving fully, merely for the sake of the joys of loving.\r\n\r\nReady or not, you have enlisted, while riding a roller coaster, in the heart of the eucalyptus forest. You are on a magnificent path. Nothing is impossible now, is it? \r\n\r\n<em> By: Chandra Alexandre</em>','The Three-fold Nature of Tantra','','inherit','closed','closed','','101519-revision-v1','','','2016-11-12 19:27:11','2016-11-13 02:27:11','',101519,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101519-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101523,2,'2016-11-12 19:42:40','2016-11-13 02:42:40','<img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/kaliyantra.jpg\" alt=\"Kali Yantra\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99363 imgborder\" />Tantra, as is often said, is a difficult path.  \r\n\r\nI liken it to being in the military, riding a frightening fun park ride, and hugging a eucalyptus-drunk koala bear all at the same time. Try as you might to practice under the auspices of Tantra and disentangle these elements, and you will fail. You will ultimately fall short of your goals and aspirations because these core qualities of what it means to practice Tantra exist in a dance much in the way the gunas—those fundamental components of prakriti, or essential nature—move in graceful combinations to give rise to the whole of what we experience as reality.\r\n\r\nTantra is all of this without exception, and we must take the whole lot without grimace or expectation. But what we are allowed when accepting of this mystery is both the beautiful pain of longing and also access to the wonders of a lifetime. \r\n\r\nThe discipline Tantra requires is essential. I find this particularly so within the confines of Western breeding and imagination. In societies that highly value independence, it is often a difficult exercise to follow the rules and stay the course as guided by a teacher or guru. One must agree to supplant willingly the knowledge, instincts, and power acquired during one’s life in order to serve another source or higher will on the road to liberation. It can be difficult to let go. The obstacles to success tend to be common: issues of money and time easily arise to justify the pull away from the work.\r\n\r\nYet beyond the self-imposed limitations that speak to the fear of one’s ego, discipline becomes the pathway to incomprehensible creativity and freedom. It is like a gift in disguise, and all who humbly accept are granted boons (such as happiness) beyond the obvious outer wrappings, which may disgust or intrigue in equal measure upon initial sight. Much in the way Aladdin’s lamp contained treasures beyond measure if one was willing to allow curiosity to reign and humility to triumph, so too is discipline on the tantric path a catalyst for things greater than they appear at first blush to be.\r\n\r\nSitting in one’s fear is the next exhilaration. Whether done alone or in a circle of initiates, the rites and practices are designed to move one along the boundary of current consciousness into ever deeper states of awareness. At every edge, we face a kind of death as we enter a new temenos and the known becomes the unknown. Fear naturally arises. Individual practice supports our ability to stay here, building endurance and resolve, as does the companionship of others in kaula (spiritual family). But our response—our ability to grow—is found more in our capacity to trust than in a fearlessness born of daring.\r\n\r\nThere is a natural risk in doing the work of tantric practice that we must embrace if we wish to pursue the path. And we must equally stay open to our fears in order to ultimately include and transcend them. Yes, that’s right—include them. Like much on the path, it is not enough to know what unknowns haunt us. We must claim the darkness of what lies beyond our immediate perception. We must drink the darkness. We must allow it in because even more than recognizing ourselves in it, we are working to come to know that we are it. It is not something removed from us or other than us. And, it is the process of life itself. This means that we cannot conquer the darkness, and the hero’s journey falls flat on the road to enlightenment.\r\n\r\nThis is critical because it means that as we come to accept the face of any given fear and thereby depotentiate it, we simultaneously come to love ourselves more completely. This love is an expanded love that now opens us to all our varying degrees of brokenness. There is tremendous beauty in this, and at the same time, we are not stuck forever in who we are even now. We gain the power in time to transcend the disease, the fear, and the limitations. We are reassured of the potentials opened through our efforts.\r\n\r\nNext, we come to the warmth of the divine embrace. And this hug is as much about the ability to receive it as it is about the ability to give it to others. Important to understand is that those who come to Tantra are typically in earnest need (although not necessarily consciously so) of an experience in this world of unconditional love. While this is not altogether unique, the individual’s soul-level response to that need is unique. Tantrics signal a resounding “Yes!” to the fundamental question of whether life is worth the work of obtaining the embrace.\r\n\r\nPeople in need of healing often feel Tantra’s ability to move beyond the dualistic forces of their torment. The path draws them in, as does, often consciously, the allure of its deviant notes. Clamoring to a circle of souls who find comfort in the acceptance of the Divine in all things—not to mention in the stuff of hallucinogens, alcohol, sex, and images of blood-drenched, fang-toothed, and skull-wearing Goddesses—their work will be to untangle dualities in order to experience love above and to surrender to love below.\r\n\r\nHow does this work? First, the path will open the practitioner to an embrace of the Divine that will change everything. The aspirant will be shown a way out that circumvents literal death and although uncertain, offers probabilities for a meaningful life. They will next be broken down in order to feel what it feels like to be loved completely. This will make them resilient once more. Then, in time, they will take the work onto the earthly plane where relationships will own their spirituality. They will soften to life’s difficulties, gain fortitude to stay ego-inspired conquests, learn compassion, and begin to emerge more capable of loving fully, merely for the sake of the joys of loving.\r\n\r\nReady or not, you have enlisted, while riding a roller coaster, in the heart of the eucalyptus forest. You are on a magnificent path. Nothing is impossible now, is it? \r\n\r\n<em> By: Chandra Alexandre</em>','The Three-fold Nature of Tantra','','inherit','closed','closed','','101519-revision-v1','','','2016-11-12 19:42:40','2016-11-13 02:42:40','',101519,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101519-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),