(99886,2,'2013-08-30 23:54:34','2013-08-31 06:54:34','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377931737101.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]\r\n','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-30 23:54:34','2013-08-31 06:54:34','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99887,2,'2013-08-30 23:55:17','2013-08-31 06:55:17','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932048980.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]\r\n','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-30 23:55:17','2013-08-31 06:55:17','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99888,2,'2013-08-30 23:58:13','2013-08-31 06:58:13','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932048980.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-30 23:58:13','2013-08-31 06:58:13','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99889,2,'2013-08-31 00:00:57','2013-08-31 07:00:57','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\n\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.\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.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n[one_half]  [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932048980.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser][/one_half]\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:00:57','2013-08-31 07:00:57','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe 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 understan',0,'revision','',0),(99890,2,'2013-08-31 00:02:35','2013-08-31 07:02:35','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n [one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932048980.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]  [/one_third]  \r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:02:35','2013-08-31 07:02:35','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99891,2,'2013-08-31 00:05:13','2013-08-31 07:05:13','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n [one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]  [/one_third]  \r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser]','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:05:13','2013-08-31 07:05:13','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99892,2,'2013-08-31 00:06:40','2013-08-31 07:06:40','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n [one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" 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/commitment/\" title=\"Ordination\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2076-e1377932258801.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third] ','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:06:40','2013-08-31 07:06:40','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99893,2,'2013-08-31 00:12:23','2013-08-31 07:12:23','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n [one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" 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','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:12:23','2013-08-31 07:12:23','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nThe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99894,2,'2013-08-31 00:13:55','2013-08-31 07:13:55','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\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[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\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\r\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n [one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Commitment\" 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','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:13:55','2013-08-31 07:13:55','',99140,'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 si',0,'revision','',0),(99895,2,'2013-08-31 00:17:21','2013-08-31 07:17:21','SHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Śākta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of geography and religious dogma. With an authentic lineage in Shakta Tantra (embodied goddess-centered spirituality) birthed in northeastern India and contextualized for today, ours is an honoring of traditional spiritual technologies employed in service to personal transformation and social justice. Our tradition is called <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\">Sha\'can</a>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<ol><b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am). </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i></ol>\r\n\r\n<ol><b>II. I remember all that is, was and ever will be.</b> <i>Live the present moment, honor the ancestors, respect the future generations;  time is not linear, but travels in a sacred spiral that spans all of existence.</i></ol>\r\n\r\n<ol><b>III. I provoke, invoke and live the Divine Will.</b> <i>Commit to transforming yourself, your community and the planet by doing the work of spirituality; make your practice that of the awakened mystic in our time.</i></ol>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<b>Evam Astu!</b><br>\r\n\r\n<i>So mote it be!</i><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center>[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Mission\" active=\"\"]To promote healing, truth, and personal transformation through integration of embodied worship, spiritual discipline and devotion, creating an engaged spirituality in service to social justice.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Vision\" active=\"\"]Our vision is of a harmonious global community where our inherent divinity—the essence of male and female—is welcomed, balanced, sustained, honored, and celebrated as quintessential to creation. Through open hearts, surrendered egos, willingness, and a deep commitment, we create a compassionate and strong, safe space to engage spirituality that brings Devi, Goddess, home to each one of us.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n<br>\r\nThe word SHARANYA is from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, and means \"refuge\" or \"sanctuary.\" Founded on August 2, 1998 by a scholar and activist, this public charity (EIN: 94-3334334) received federal tax-exempt status in February 2002 in order to support a local and international community through a variety of programs and services.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOur community is open to all seeking to better understand the ways of Goddess—particularly in her antinomian, chthonic, relational, cyclical, and embodied forms:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><ul><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> We seek to know Her throughout the spaces of Self and World.</ul></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><ul><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span>  We have dedicated ourselves to Her devotion.</ul></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><ul><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span>  We make a commitment to action and service for the betterment of all beings.</ul></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><ul><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span>  We embrace the work of conscious relationship between the Sacred Female and Sacred Male.</ul></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><ul><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span>  We strive to resacralize the Feminine and unpathologize the Masculine.</ul></ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-31 00:17:21','2013-08-31 07:17:21','',20,'SHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Śākta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of geography and religious dogma. With an authentic line',0,'revision','',0),(99896,2,'2013-09-03 11:47:06','2013-09-03 18:47:06','<div id=\"lipsum\">\r\n\r\n<!-- BEGIN Mantra of the Month -->\r\n<!-- Audio thumbnail and title link -->\r\n<h2>\r\n   <img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/themes/churchope/lib/metabox/images/i_audio.png\">\r\n   <a style=\"text-decoration:none;\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/kalis-names/\">September\'s Mantra: Kali\'s Names</a>\r\n</h2>\r\n\r\n<!-- Header image -->\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/kalis-names/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99337 imgborder alignnone\" alt=\"51 names\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/51-names.jpg\" width=\"534\" height=\"178\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<!-- Audio player -->\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/51names.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n<h2><b style=\"font-size: 13px;\">Translation:</b></h2>\r\n\r\n<p><em>I call to you: Kali of the cremation grounds, auspicious Kali, she who bears the skull cup (remover of the ego), secret one and she who is above all else; Ultimate goddess, black night, eternal mother, she who is the one beyond the fear of time and who illuminates the entire clan wave of my ancestors; She who gives desire, is desire and desired, the one who is the nature of desire, whose thighs are anointed with the juice of musk and who moves softly like the elephants...</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/kalis-names/\">Learn more about this mantra...</a></em></strong></p>\r\n<!-- END Mantra of the Month -->\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top:3px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"24\" perpage=\"10\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n</div>','Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','99154-revision-v1','','','2013-09-03 11:47:06','2013-09-03 18:47:06','',99154,'<div id=\"lipsum\">\r\n\r\n<!-- BEGIN Mantra of the Month -->\r\n<!-- Audio thumbnail and title link -->\r\n<h2>\r\n   <img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/themes/churchope/lib/metabox/images/i_audio.png\">\r\n   <a style=\"text-decoration:none;\" href=\"http://sharany',0,'revision','',0),(99902,2,'2013-09-06 11:56:03','2013-09-06 18:56:03','[tabgroup]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Comments?\"]\r\n[th-contact-form subject=\"Email from SHARANYA.org\" to=\"info@sharanya.org\" button_text=\"Send\"] [th-contact-field label=\"Name\" type=\"name\" required=\"true\" /] [th-contact-field label=\"Email\" type=\"email\" required=\"true\" reply=\"true\" /] [th-contact-field label=\"Website\" type=\"url\" /] [th-contact-field label=\"Comment\" type=\"textarea\" required=\"true\" /] [/th-contact-form]\r\n\r\n[/tab][tab title=\"Info\"]270 Upland Drive<br>\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94127<br>\r\nTel: (415) 505-6840<br>\r\nEmail: <a title=\"Inquiry\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@sharanya.org</a>\r\n[/tab]\r\n[/tabgroup]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','Contact Us','','inherit','open','open','','99158-revision-v1','','','2013-09-06 11:56:03','2013-09-06 18:56:03','',99158,'[tabgroup]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Comments?\"]\r\n[th-contact-form subject=\"Email from SHARANYA.org\" to=\"info@sharanya.org\" button_text=\"Send\"] [th-contact-field label=\"Name\" type=\"name\" required=\"true\" /] [th-contact-field label=\"Email\" type=\"email\" required=\"true\"',0,'revision','',0),(99903,2,'2013-09-06 11:58:00','2013-09-06 18:58:00','Birthed in India over 15 years ago, SHARANYA exists to empower seeds of change on individual, collective, and planetary levels towards healing, respect, responsibility, and the fullest awareness of an interconnected, interrelated cosmic reality. Our origins are rooted in a commitment to social justice for the promotion of peace and the (r)evolution of consciousness across space-time realities.<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Temple in India\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MBCMTemple.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-99537 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Batakali Mandir (Puri)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MBCMTemple.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Constitution of Maa Batakali Sanskrutika Parisada</span></h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission\r\n</span><br>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Balisahi, Puri Town, Puri  752 001 Orissa</span><br>\r\n\r\nRegistration Number: 2802/211/91-92<br>\r\nFiled and Certified by the Audit Superintendent District Panchayat Office, Puri<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Mission Statement:</b>\r\n<ul>To create and nurture a community of life-affirming individuals devoted to Mother Worship and to developing an understanding of how such devotion can positively transform our global community.</ul>\r\n<b>Vision Statement:</b>\r\n<ul>The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission is dedicated to promoting the vision of the world as a global community in Her divine name.</ul>\r\n<b>Aims and Objectives:</b>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>To maintain this Mission as a nonprofit public-benefit organization, not organized for the private gain of any person.</li>\r\n	<li>To foster awareness of Goddess worship as a life-affirming path among the global community; and to eradicate erroneous and superstitious beliefs in this regard.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize, develop and execute recreational, cultural and spiritual activities for the community.</li>\r\n	<li>To undertake programs for the establishment of community housing, social forestry and environmental sanitation; et alia.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize, fund and promote Mission Centers for community gatherings, social welfare programs and adult education, including the establishment of a library with emphasis on educational activities for community youth; and to develop various pilot projects to meet the needs of community members.</li>\r\n	<li>To organize outreach programs for those not in or around Mission Centers.</li>\r\n	<li>To undertake projects expressly designed to promote the welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other economically \"backward\" classes of people, and to promote the development of cooperative ideas and enterprise among them and the community at large.</li>\r\n	<li>To draw up schemes for the rehabilitation of antisocial persons; i.e., those with problems related to alcohol and drug abuse, and to assist their families as required.</li>\r\n	<li>To educate about and mobilize peacefully against sati, dowry, beggary, caste crime and similar social ills.</li>\r\n	<li>To publish a monthly newsletter, community bulletin and other educational materials for the promotion of the spiritual and cultural philosophy of the Mission.</li>\r\n	<li>To help provide relief, through community efforts, for those effected by natural calamities and other emergencies.</li>\r\n	<li>To promote cultural exchange of ideas and beliefs throughout India and the world.</li>\r\n	<li>To assist in providing legal aid to the needy and the poor.</li>\r\n	<li>To establish sister organizations, in the United States and elsewhere, in order to promote the vision of the Mission worldwide.</li>\r\n	<li>To develop fundraising schemes for the future growth and maintenance of the Mission and its associations.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Founder\'s Story: Part I\" active=\"\"]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamPuriWeb.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99541 imgborder\" alt=\"Shyam Sundar Dash at Maabatakali Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamPuriWeb.jpg\" /></a>It\'s summer in India, the time when the air is thick, sweat plentiful, and the monsoon\'s rains swell the skies and the streets. I have come here, to this land of spice, spirit and the sacred, to further my work in ecofeminism by looking at women\'s spiritual connections to social justice and activism on behalf of the environment. I am not here long, however, before Maa, the Divine Mother, shows me that there\'s more to my quest than I originally thought.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSpeaking to a guide at my hotel, I tell him, \"I need to find a temple to the Goddess.\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Which one,\" he asks. \"Which goddess?\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Well, Kali,\" I state hesitatingly, unsure of how my request will be received.  The man looks me up and down, trying to determine where I fit in the spectrum of visitors with which he has to deal and from which he makes his livelihood.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Wouldn\'t you rather visit Lord Jaganath?,\" he wonders. Lord of the Universe, Jaganath, is honored at this time in Puri (the eastern <i>dham</i>, one of the sacred compass points in India) in a huge festival to which hundreds of thousands flock each year. Together with his brother and sister, this is the only time the Lord leaves the mandir (temple). He\'s on a family outing to his summer home across the town and everyone comes out to get a glimpse of the royal family.<br><br>\r\n\r\nI\'m restless though, and on a mission. It is Kali I need to see and no one else. That She is responsible for my getting through a political uprising in Digha at the southern end of West Bengal unscathed has been made perfectly clear to me. I have come here to give thanks and find peace by the ocean waters. Sensing my urgency, the gentleman kindly calls to an auto-rickshaw driver with a shrug, not wanting to engage me further about goddesses. The driver arrives.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Kali mandir,\" I say to him as he pulls up alongside us. At this point, I have no idea how many homes Maa has here in Puri. After receiving no further instructions, the driver takes off towards the center of town. I later find out (after several unsuccessful attempts to again visit the place to which I am now heading) that there are at least four Kali temples. Reaching our destination, I buy a hibiscus mala, a garland of her sacred flower, and add that to my puja (worship) basket. Into it too go coconut, juicy betel nut and other sweets to delight Her. My offering is noteworthy at this temple for its size; but I need to thank the Goddess for getting me out of Digha alive by bringing something special.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe pujari at Maa Batakali Mandir is a Brahmin priest with two sons. In his devotion and gratitude for the goddess having given him these sons, Shyam has built this temple. A small roadside mandir, passersby usually drop rupees on the temple steps on their daily rounds. It is nothing too fancy, but Maa here is absolutely resplendent.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn his time, Shyam has doubled as a government worker, making regular trips back and forth from his office to tend to Maa and her devotees. Now retired, he tends to the temple and its congregation of worshipers every day for morning prayers and evening <i>aarati</i> (a beautiful celebration with lights and offerings). As Shyam sees me approach for the first time, he stares. He asks me directly why I am there, and although he is not angry, his disposition and directness can easily be mistaken for exactly that at first. Truly, he\'s just curious, but I am startled by his question.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"Are you ISKON?\" he demands.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSuspense broken, I let out a nervous laugh. The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (a.k.a. Hare Krishnas) has never drawn me, however. Puri is full of Western devotees. Lord Jaganath, I learn, is, like Krishna whom those in ISKON worship, one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the God of Preservation and one of the main Hindu deities.<br><br>\r\n\r\n\"No,\" I reply, \"I came to thank the Goddess.\"  After a few more words, Shyam accepts my offering basket, performing puja on my behalf. He asks my name in order to conduct the rites. When we\'re through, he asks why I\'m there. But my eyes are transfixed on Maa\'s image, and I can only point to my heart by way of explanation. \"She\'s here,\" I manage to say, and everything that has been kept inside until now in this challenging land of contrasts streams out through my eyes.<br><br>\r\n\r\nBetween June and August of 1998, I live in Puri. My friends up north forgive me for not coming back to study. My work on the spiritual motivations for grassroots environmental movements in India is put on hold. It was my pause when Shyam asked after the ritual, \"Will you come visit my house?\" that changed not only the course of my research, but also my life. Aware of India\'s potential for surprises, I held a moment of silence before responding and internally questioned his invitation and motivations.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFeeling inside, I sensed that this was an offering, and a door was opening to me that might never open again. In the pause, I could see Her face dimly, and I wondered in my rational mind about my work and Shyam\'s intentions. It took me three days to surrender to the feeling and my vision of Her beckoning. After careful thought and some time meditating with the ocean\'s wisdom, I said yes. I returned to meet my new teacher and his family.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe more time I spend in Puri, the more I realize that Goddess is working in quite mysterious ways and that Shyam is no typical Brahmin priest.  As time passes, I learn the extent to which She is working through him, and I absorb many levels of Her teachings; some straightforward, others much more obtuse.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAfter much work, diksha, or initiation into Kali\'s mysteries is the next profound unfolding of my spiritual journey. The day comes on the August new moon, and I am thrilled when I realize it will be August 2nd, the festival of the harvest often called Lughnasad (or Lammas) in the earth-based Western calendar. It is as though Maa has answered my burning question: Can I do this? The synchronicity of timing does not escape me, and I feel She is telling me that I can have it both ways: I can be Her priestess as a Witch and a Hindu, walking as a Goddess worshiper wherever I may be in the world. To Her, I imagine, there is no distinction.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe initiation is radical by most Hindu standards. Shyam is a Brahmin priest, and I am not only a westerner but also a woman; and women in India are not initiated by Brahmins. Following the Vedas in his public work, Shyam also practices Tantra, and this is the in-road to Maa that is clearly appropriate. Tantricks care not of my birth, only my longing. But perhaps there would be less to explain and fewer staring eyes as we sit working together at the temple were he to be more public about the various faces of his devotion. As Shyam manages to satisfy people\'s natural curiosity with his answers to their queries and suspicious looks, I pretend not to notice the robust number of visitors to the temple in the evenings after the gates have closed and we have begun our private work and evening prayers together.<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamSundarDashChandraAlexandrePuriMBCM1-e1377156643651.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99707 imgborder alignright\" alt=\"Chandra Alexandre and Shyam Sundar Dash at Puri Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ShyamSundarDashChandraAlexandrePuriMBCM1-e1377156643651.jpg\" width=\"228\" height=\"246\" /></a>\r\n\r\nMy practice deepens after initiation, and on Her sacred day of Kali Puja some months later in October, I sit at the feet of the goddess in the temple, a spot that locals cannot come near. It is nearing midnight and the heat of the day lifting off the earth combined with the hot lamps that light Her image for passersby makes the sweat drip down my arms, makes my sari blouse feel even tighter than it already is, and makes me wish I couldn\'t see the bugs and ants crawling on my feet and ankles. I honor Her by pouring <i>ghee</i> (clarified butter) for the <i>homa</i> (fire offering) ceremony, and I remember that I am Shyam\'s first <i>chela</i> (student), a position of honor in the lineage tradition from which he comes.<br><br>\r\n\r\nI tend to my responsibilities dutifully as the Candi Path verses resonate off the temple walls and expand into the night air. In moments of quiet, I think about the day Shyam said he\'d been waiting for me, how he said his own guru had told him that one day, he would be bringing someone other than his sons to the path. I remember how Shyam said he had found the signs in my face the very first day we had met at the temple...signs telling him that I was the student to which his guru had referred. We finish our time together and he tells me the most important thing: \"Go! Go back to your home land, America, and spread Mother Worship!\"<br><br>\r\n\r\nUpon my return to the States, SHARANYA is born and my dedication to Kali Maa takes root with the formation of community on western shores. The wisdom of the ocean is remembered.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<em>August 2, 1998</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Chandra Alexandre</strong> is the founding director of SHARANYA. She received <i>namakarana samskara</i> and her first <em>diksha </em>from Shyam Sundar Dash (Founder &amp; President and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri) in 1998. With this, the SHARANYA kaula are part of the Bharadvaja gotra by which we honor our clan wave of spiritual ancestors.\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Founder\'s Story: Part II\" active=\"\"]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/KamakhyaMandirWeb.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99540 imgborder\" alt=\"Kamakhya Mandir\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/KamakhyaMandirWeb.jpg\" /></a>\"Babaji wants to see you.\"<br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> I’m walking barefoot down the muddy side of Nilachal Hill at Kamakhya in northeastern India after witnessing one of the most beautiful Sanskrit recitations I have ever heard. The white kurtas of the Brahmin men gathered in a circle around a sacred fire stand in marked contrast though to the throngs of red-clad women waiting in long lines to see their Mother. Both, I imagine, receive Her blessings. I am in northeastern India, in Assam, participating in an annual Tantrick pilgrimage to the seat of the goddess’ power, the place where her <i>yoni</i>, or sexual organ, resides on Earth.  It’s a powerful place, a place of contrasts where all come together, whether Vaishnava, Shaivite or Shakta, to honor Maa. It\'s a place, one might say, where all unites in Her name.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Babji, I learn, is a 400-year old Aghori. A believer in the preeminence of the divine as Shiva, pure consciousness, he is a practitioner of the non-dualistic or \"left-hand\" Tantric rites. In short, this means that he adheres to a rather literal interpretation of what other Tantrics might do symbolically in ritual and devotion on the path to enlightenment. He meditates, for example, not only on <i>yantras</i> (sacred diagrams), but on yantras in cremation grounds on top of corpses; he drinks wine and liquor; he smokes hash and takes in other natural mind-altering substances. He believes that the pathway to the divine is through the body, through this world, through all of creation. His accepts it all, the pure and impure, the wicked and sane, as sacred. He is a radical non-dualist—one who believes in the One as well as in the reality of the phenomenal world. His path is fast and furious, sweet and sublime, potentially off-putting at the same time that it attracts wonder, excitement, and awe.  He loves Maa. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> The three black-clad initiates standing outside his cave-like shelter on the hillside welcome me in. I meet Babji. He’s old but looks young, his face the only give-away that he’s been around the block a few times. His body, otherwise, is baby-like. He looks pregnant, a little round belly on a very thin frame. I sit cross-legged in front of him. To his left, the fire pit. To his right, a <i>kapala</i>, or human skull cup from which wine and other mind-altering substances are drunk, sits upturned. He calls me \"Beti,\" or daughter. Two followers of his are there; his initiates have left us alone. The woman wipes the snot dripping from Babaji\'s nose with a handkerchief and then moves to mop sweat from his forehead. No one, it appears, is immune to this sweltering summer heat. The Indian devotee next to her, perhaps her husband, has had far too much <i>bhang</i> (Cannabis) or something; his eyes have trouble steadying on me. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">My Sanskrit is better than my Hindi at this point. Fortunately, I can make out meaning from of the ritual language Babaji is using. The man helps a little, but his English is as poor as my Hindi. We quiet. Suddenly, Babaji grabs me. He pulls me to him with unsuspected strength. Face against face, I feel the bristles of his long beard against my cheek, and I feel coolness where the snot has been touching. I am startled, but now I’m held. I am held firmly, with apparent intention. The touch is not violent or inappropriate. The strength is deep and calming. I stay quiet and listen inside to my belly and instincts. Presence prevails, and I allow myself to trust the moment. Just then, Babaji begins. His mouth now pressed to my ear, he sounds an ancient mantra. My heart trembles, my eyes close, and I go inward. I surrender to these sounds, soaking in the ancient reverberations, feeling in them the voices of the lineage, the guttural utterances of vibrations across time and space. All enter my ear. All penetrate my soul.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Moments pass and I eventually sit back upright in silence. One moment, then two. From deep inside, the sobbing begins. There’s no rational thought, no rhyme or reason, just the moment and my feeling of tremendous love and connection to all that is…I recognize a touch of <i>sat chit ananada</i>: being, consciousness, bliss. My forehead now on Babji\'s knee, he pats my head and strokes my hair. I sit back upright. Silence. One moment, then two. Babaji reaches to his left where a rusty knife about four inches long sits waiting. I follow his motion with my eyes. Instantly, I am terrified. I have visions of blood. Stop! One moment, then two. Stop! This time, it’s an admonition to remember. Allow yourself to be taken, it says. You’ve been here before; you know what\'s happening. It\'s safe. Breathe. </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Babaji lowers my head with his hand and takes a fist-full of hair from my crown. He pulls hard enough to undo strands from my braid. Close to the scalp he cuts with the knife. Old and well-used, it doesn’t cut very well.  He pulls harder to get through the thickness of my mane and it hurts for an instant. I deepen my surrender. He cuts. He finishes, and I sit back up. Dazed, with my awareness in another place, I still must know.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"What,\" I ask, “are you going to do with it?\"  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"A sacrifice,” he says, \"will be offered in the fire tonight.\" He holds up my hair.  </span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"It’s an equal exchange,\" he says. \"The price you pay for being welcomed into the family.”</span><br><br>\r\n\r\n<em>June 26, 2003</em>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"origins\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Origins','','inherit','open','open','','99123-revision-v1','','','2013-09-06 11:58:00','2013-09-06 18:58:00','',99123,'Birthed in India over 15 years ago, SHARANYA exists to empower seeds of change on individual, collective, and planetary levels towards healing, respect, responsibility, and the fullest awareness of an interconnected, interrelated cosmic reality. Our origi',0,'revision','',0),(99904,2,'2013-09-07 22:45:03','2013-09-08 05:45:03','','Kali Puja 07 07 07','','inherit','open','open','','kali-puja-07-07-07-018','','','2013-09-07 22:45:03','2013-09-08 05:45:03','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99905,2,'2013-09-07 22:50:51','2013-09-08 05:50:51','','Resources','','publish','closed','closed','','resources','','','2013-10-18 23:09:12','2013-10-19 06:09:12','',0,'',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(99906,2,'2013-09-07 22:51:55','2013-09-08 05:51:55','We gather in our sanctuary, our home temple, to contemplate Her mysteries. Through Her, Dark Goddess, we see the potential for liberation because Devi is able, as dictated in the scriptures and by the lineage of the ancients, to lead aspirants to the highest and most engaged reality. Meeting regularly, we devote our time and energy on the path through active worship (puja), meditation, satsang, community, rites of passage, life-event ceremonies, lectures and classes. Join us!\r\n\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Recommended reading\"]To begin learning about Sha\'can, the following three books are recommended to provide academic and practical information about the context in which the tradition was born, offering a starting place for your reflections and questioning on the path:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><em>Kali: The Feminine Force</em> by Ajit Mookerji</span></li>\r\n	<li><em>Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineshwar</em> by Elizabeth Usha Harding</li>\r\n	<li><em>Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas</em> by David Kinsley</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nOther relevant titles both directly and indirectly related to the tradition include:\r\n\r\nAdams, Carol J. ed. Ecofeminism and the Sacred (Continuum: New York) 1993\r\n\r\nAdler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today (Beacon Press: Boston) 1986\r\n\r\nAiyar, Indira S. Durga as Mahisasuramardini: A Dynamic Myth of Goddess (Gyan Publishing House: New Delhi) 1997\r\n\r\nBaring, Anne and Jules Cashford. The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image (Arkana/Penguin: London) 1991\r\n\r\nBhairavan, Amarananda. Kali\'s Odiyya: A Shaman\'s True Story of Initiation (Nicolas- Hays: York Beach, Maine) 2000\r\n\r\nBharati, Agehananda. The Tantric Tradition (Samuel Weiser: NY) 1975\r\n\r\nBhattacharyya, Narendra Nath. Ancient Indian Rituals and their Social Contents (Manohar: New Delhi) 1975\r\n\r\nBhattacharyya, Narendra Nath. History of the Shakta Religion (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers: New Delhi) 1996\r\n\r\nBrown, C. Mackenzie. The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana (State University of NY Press: Albany) 1990\r\n\r\nDanielou, Alain. The Myths and Gods of India (Inner Traditions: VT) 1985\r\n\r\nEck, Diana L. and Jain, Devaki. Speaking of Faith: Global Perspectives on Women, Religion &amp; Social Change (New Society Publishers: Philadelphia) 1987\r\n\r\nEisler, Riane. The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future, (Harper &amp; Row: San Francisco) 1988\r\n\r\nFeuerstein, Georg. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy (Shambhala: Boston) 1998\r\n\r\nGadon, Elinor W. The Once &amp; Future Goddess: A Sweeping Visual Chronicle of the Sacred Female and Her Reemergence in the Cultural Mythology of Our Time (Harper &amp; Row: San Francisco) 1989\r\n\r\nGalland, China. Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna, A Ten-Year Journey (Viking/Penguin) 1991\r\n\r\nGeorge, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess (Harper Collins: San Francisco) 1992\r\n\r\nGhanananda, Swami and Sir John Stewart-Wallace, C.B., eds. Women Saints East and West (Vedanta Press: Hollywood, CA) 1955\r\n\r\nGimbutas, Marija. The Language of the Goddess (HarperRow: San Francisco) 1989\r\n\r\nHiltebeitel, Alf and Erndl, Kathleen, eds. Is the Goddess a Feminist? The Politics of South Asian Goddesses (New York University Press : NY) 2000\r\n\r\nHixon, Lex. Great Swan: Meetings with Ramakrishna (Shambhala: Boston) 1992\r\n\r\nHuyler, Stephen P. Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion (Yale University Press: New Haven) 1999\r\n\r\nJansen, Eva Rudy. The Book of Hindu Imagery: The Gods and their Symbols (Binkey Kok Publications: The Netherlands) 1993\r\n\r\nJayakar, Pupul. The Earth Mother: Legends, Rituals Arts, and Goddesses of India (Harper &amp; Row: San Francisco) 1990\r\n\r\nJohnsen, Linda. Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India (Yes International Publishers: St. Paul, MN) 1994\r\n\r\nKhanna, Madhu. Yantra: The Tantric Symbol of Cosmic Unity (Thames and Hudson Ltd: London) 1979\r\n\r\nKinsley, David. The Sword and the Flute: Kali &amp; Krishna, Dark Visions of the Terrible and the Sublime in Hindu Mythology (University of California: Berkeley) 1975\r\n\r\nNeumann, Erich. The Great Mother: An Analysis of the Archetype (Bollingen Series: Princeton) 1974\r\n\r\nOchs, Carol. Behind the Sex of God: Toward a New Consciousness Transcending Matriarchy and Patriarchy (Beacon Press: Boston) 1977\r\n\r\nPande, Mrinal. Devi: Tales of the Goddess in Our Time (Penguin Books India: New Delhi) 1996\r\n\r\nPattanaik, Devdutt. The Goddess in India; The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine (Inner Traditions: VT) 2000\r\n\r\nPayne, Ernest A. The Shaktas: An Introductory and Comparative Study (Dover: New York) 1997 (Reprint)\r\n\r\nPintchman, Tracy. The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition (State University of New York Press: Albany) 1994\r\n\r\nShelton, Mary Murray. Guidance from the Darkness: The Transforming Power of the Divine Feminine in Difficult Times (Putnam: NY) 2000\r\n\r\nShiva, Vandana. Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development (Zed Books: London) 1989\r\n\r\nSjoo, Monica and Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering the Religion of the Earth 1991\r\n\r\nSri Aurobindo. The Ideal of Human Unity, (Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press: Pondicherry, India) 1950\r\n\r\nStarhawk. The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess--10th Aniversary Edition, Revised and Updated (Harper: San Francisco) 1979\r\n\r\nStone, Merlin. When God Was a Woman  (Harcourt Brace:  NY) 1978\r\n\r\nWhite, David Gordon. The Alchemical Body: Siddha Traditions in Medieval India (University of Chicago Press: Chicago) 1996\r\n\r\nWoodman, Marion and Elinor Dickson. Dancing in the Flames: The Dark Goddess in the Transformation of Consciousness (Shambhala: Boston) 1996\r\n\r\nWoodroffe, Sir John. Hymns to the Goddess (Ganesh &amp; Co.: Madras) 1973\r\n\r\nZimmer, Heinrich. Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization (Motilal Banarsidass: Delhi) Joseph Campbell, ed., 1990\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Glossary\"]If you are new to Eastern traditions, or if you are walking the <a title=\"The Path\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\">Sha\'can path</a>, you may find this to be a helpful resource. We have listed the most common terms that one may run across in our tradition.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/AScript.jpg\" width=\"82\" height=\"80\" align=\"left\" /><b>acarya (aah-chaar\'-yah)</b> - teacher; an advanced jnana yogi; traditionally, the formal title used for a respected teacher, appended to the end of their name, such as the famous teacher Shankaracarya (Shankar + acarya = Shankaracarya). Sometimes equated with guru, the acarya is differentiated somewhat from a guru as having deep knowledge in the scriptures and ability to use them to support his/her teaching, as well as a pure connection with the Divine.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>agni (uhg\'-nee)</b> - fire; also the God of fire, one of the most important Gods of the Vedas; as such, Agni is considered the first purohit. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>bali (buh\'-lee or boh\'-lee)</b> - sacrifice. We use a melon, as is done in daksinacara Hindu practice, as the sacrifice in our puja. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>dada (daa\'-daa)</b> - elder brother (Bengali) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>daksinacara (dak-shee\'-na-chaara)</b> - the right-hand or dakshina path of Tantra; the dualistic path in which symbols are used in ritual as substitutes for what are otherwise used in vamacara practice to connect worshippers with the divine. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>dasa mahavidya (duh\'-shuh muh-haa\'-vid\'-yaah)</b> - literally, the ten great female wisdoms, or the ten great wisdom goddesses; the ten fierce (primarily Tantrik) Goddesses who are considered forms of Kali. There are many lists that variously give their names. In the Sha\'can tradition, we primarily worship this list: Kali, Tara, Sodashi/Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshvari, Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagala/Bagalamukhi, Matangi, Kamala. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>deva (day\'-vuh)</b> - god </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>devanagari (day\'-vah-nah\'-gah-ree)</b> - the script used for writing both Sanskrit and Hindi. Literally, \"of the city of the gods.\" </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>devi (day\'-vee)</b> - goddess </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>dhyana (dyaah\'-nuh)</b> - meditation </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>-di (dee)</b> - a Bengali honorific appended to a name to show respect or honor (like the Hindi -ji). </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>didi (dee\'-dee)</b> - elder sister in Bengali </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>evam astu (aay\'-vum aah\'-stoo)</b> - thus it will be (synonymous with \"blessed be,\" \"so shall it be,\" so mote it be, or \"amen\") </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/GaScript.jpg\" width=\"75\" height=\"76\" align=\"left\" /><b>Ganesha (Guh-nay\'-shuh)</b> - literally \"Lord of the Multitudes\" (\"gana\" referring to Shiva\'s multitude of attendants); the elephant-headed God of knowledge, wisdom, compassion, the remover of obstacles, the lord of the dance. He is traditionally worshiped first in all pujas, to remove obstacles to devotion. It is also said on a spiritual level that \"ga\" means knowledge and \"na\" means salvation - thus Ganesha is also the Lord of Knowledge and Salvation. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>gayatri (gai\'-yuh-tree... where \"gai\" rhymes with \"pie\")</b> - a song or hymn; a meter for Sanskrit poetry; also the name of a Goddess who is the Mother of the Vedas and a personification of the famous Gayatri Mantra (not to be confused with the Kali Gayatri). </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>guru (goo\'-roo)</b> - teacher or guide; literally, venerable/worthy of praise; one who helps to cross from darkness (gu) to light (ru); one gifted with the ability to impart not only knowledge, but experience of the Divine, who can open the pathway to each individual\'s experience. This term is widely misunderstood, especially in the West.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">A true spiritual guru, being continually and intimately connected with the Divine, serves the Divine and encourages each individual to explore their own direct connection with the Divine. They help guide others toward their own realization of Divinity, in the spirit of service to the Divine and to humanity. False gurus (sometimes referred to as cult leaders) often claim Divine oneness, then demand unquestioning faith for the purpose of self-glory, self-promotion and the exploitation and control of their followers.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Although we honor our lineage holders and teachers for helping us to connect more fully and deeply to our chosen paths, SHARANYA does not require or request any pledge of faith to any guru. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>homa (hoh\'-muh... where \"hoh\" rhymes with \"show\")</b> - fire ceremony, during which clarified butter and other sacred substances are offered to the fire. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Jai Maa!</b> - literally, \"Victory to the Mother!\" We\'ve also heard it lovingly translated as \"hooray Kali!\" - which is a sweet and wonderful translation that captures its essence. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>japa (juh\'-puh)</b> - literally, \"muttering.\" It is the term for the process of devotionally repeating mantras with a mala, which when it becomes fast and quiet sounds like muttering. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>-ji (jee)</b> - a Hindi affectionate honorific; appended to the end of a name to denote affection. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>jnana (nyaah\'-nuh)</b> - knowledge; wisdom. As a yogic path, the pursuit of connection with the Divine via intensive study of the Sanskrit scriptures and traditions, as well as intensive meditative and ritual devotional practice.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Kali (kaah\'-lee)</b> - based on the word meaning either \"time\" or \"black,\" in simplest translation, Kali is \"She Who is Time,\" or \"She Who is Black.\" There are other, expanded meanings, as well. Her name should not be confused with the similar-looking word \"kali,\" which means \"terrible,\" but in devanagari is spelled differently and is also pronounced differently. In simple transliteration, the Goddess is Kaalii, and the word meaning \"terrible\" is kali. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>kaula (kow\'-luh)</b> - family; as a Tantric term, this traditionally refers specifically to initiates in the same Tantric tradition, but we use it also to refer to those sincerely practicing Sha\'can, not necessarily just initiates. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/MaaScript.jpg\" width=\"101\" height=\"96\" align=\"left\" /><b>Maa</b> - mother (affectionate colloquialism for Mata); somewhat better translated as \"mama\" or \"mommy.\" Also spelled Ma. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>maha (muh-haah\')</b> - great (as in Mahakali - the Great Kali; Mahadeva - the Great God) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>mala (maah\'-luh)</b> - garland; the garland of beads similar to a rosary used for japa. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>mandir (mun\'-deer)</b> - temple </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>mata (maah\'-taah)</b> - mother </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>marga (maar\'-guh)</b> - path or way, as in vamamarga. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>matrika (muh\'-tree-kaah)</b> - little mother (as in the asta matrikas, \"the eight little mothers\"); in Sha\'can, the second level of commitment toward ordination, after initiation. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>namaste (nuh\'-muh-stay)</b> - literally, I bow to you. The spirit of this word, however, is the recognition of the divinity in each person. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/PaScript.jpg\" width=\"76\" height=\"76\" align=\"left\" /><b>prana (praah\'-nuh)</b> - the life-breath;  energy carried on the breath into the body. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>prema (pray\'-muh)</b> - love </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>puja (poo\'-juh)</b> - worship (specifically, ritual worship) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>pujari (poo-jaah\'-ree)</b> - a priest who facilitates worship in a traditional Hindu service. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>purohit (puh\'-row-heet)</b> - literally, the one who stands before others; i.e., the lead priest in a traditional Hindu ritual. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>puspa (poosh\'-puh)</b> - flower; a symbol for menstrual blood. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>rashani (rah-shaa\'-nee)</b> - priestess; in Sha\'can, one who is ordained. It is a Romani (Gypsy) word, and thus symbolic of our standing as a bridge between East and West. (N.B. while in some instances we have learned of interesting twists on this meaning, the original meaning of the word <i>Rashani</i> is <i>priestess</i>, and this is how we use it in community.) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>ritu (rih\'-too)</b> - cycle; used in Tantra to designate the menstrual cycle in particular as well as the blood of that cycle. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>sa\'ham (saah\'-hum)</b> - when pronounced with a long aa, it means literally \"I am She;\" when pronounced with a short a (often written Òso\'hamÓ), it means \"I am He.\" This is frequently used in the feminine form by members of our community as a greeting or farewell and to recognize their oneness with Maa, the inherent divinity in themselves, and thus in all beings. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>sankalpa (sun-kaahl\'-puh)</b> - intention </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/ShaScript.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"69\" align=\"left\" /><b>Shaiva (shai\'-vuh)</b> - one who primarily worships the God Shiva </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Shakta (shaahk\'-tuh)</b> - one who primarily worships the Goddess; most typically, Shaktas worship Kali or Lalita (Also known commonly as Sri or Tripura Sundari) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>shakti (shuhk\'-tee)</b> - power or energy; also, the name of the Goddess as the essence of the power of the universe; the divine female force. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>shanti (shaahn\'-tee)</b> - peace </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>sharanya (shuh\'-ruhn-yuh)</b> - sanctuary, refuge </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Shiva (shih\'-vuh)</b> - auspicious; the name of the God who is the consort of Kali Maa, and as such \"He Who is the Auspicious One.\" He is the Great God, the Great Yogi, and the Lord of the Dance - referring to his cosmic dance of creation, preservation and destruction, which he dances with Maa Kali. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>shri (shree)</b> - an honorific denoting respect; used in front of a name. Deities are often referred to as \"Shri Shri\" and then their name.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>shuddhi (shood\'-hee)</b> - purification </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>ugra (ooh\'-grah)</b> - angry, powerful or fierce </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Vaishnava (vaish-naah\'-vuh)</b> - one who primarily worships the God Vishnu and/or his incarnations, such as Krishna and Rama </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>vamacara (vaah\'-muh-chaara)</b> - the \'left-hand\' path of Tantra; the non-dualistic path in which traditionally impure, unclean or polluting substances are utilized in ritual in order to break down the practitioner\'s acculturated resistance to or fear of certain aspects of the divine.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>vamamarga (vaah\'-muh-maar\'-guh)</b> - the left-hand path (see also vamacara) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>vidya (vihd\'-yuh)</b> - wisdom, knowledge </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/YaScript.jpg\" width=\"59\" height=\"69\" align=\"left\" /><b>yogini (yoh-gee\'-nee)</b> - one who seeks spiritual union with the divine; sometimes causally used to refer to a female practitioner of hatha yoga. Also, a female divine intermediary who functions and acts on behalf of the absolute in the mundane realm. Yogini Chakra is the first commitment level toward ordination in Sha\'can after initiation. </span>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[/tabgroup]','Resources','','inherit','open','open','','99149-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 22:51:55','2013-09-08 05:51:55','',99149,'We gather in our sanctuary, our home temple, to contemplate Her mysteries. Through Her, Dark Goddess, we see the potential for liberation because Devi is able, as dictated in the scriptures and by the lineage of the ancients, to lead aspirants to the high',0,'revision','',0),(99907,2,'2013-09-07 23:00:58','2013-09-08 06:00:58','','Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','pujas-2','','','2013-09-26 11:53:33','2013-09-26 18:53:33','',0,'',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(99908,2,'2013-09-07 22:58:32','2013-09-08 05:58:32','','Yoni Puja','','inherit','open','open','','dsc_0011','','','2013-09-07 22:58:32','2013-09-08 05:58:32','',99907,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (99909,2,'2013-09-07 23:09:27','2013-09-08 06:09:27','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.<br><br>\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.<br><br>\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b><br>\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b><br>\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b><br>\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b><br>\r\nIt means \'love.\'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>br>\r\nThree is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b><br>\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b><br>\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b><br>\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b><br>\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b><br>\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b><br>\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b><br>\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b><br>\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b><br>\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b><br>\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:09:27','2013-09-08 06:09:27','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(99910,2,'2013-09-07 23:10:17','2013-09-08 06:10:17','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.<br><br>\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.<br><br>\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.<br><br>\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b><br>\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b><br>\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b><br>\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b><br>\r\nIt means \'love.\'<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>br>\r\nThree is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b><br>\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b><br>\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b><br>\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b><br>\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b><br>\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b><br>\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b><br>\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b><br>\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b><br>\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b><br>\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:10:17','2013-09-08 06:10:17','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(99911,2,'2013-09-07 23:17:18','2013-09-08 06:17:18','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine.\r\n\r\nWe first invoke Agni, Lord of the sacrificial fire, the dancing flame of all beings. Agni helps open a channel for us to commune with the Divine. Agni is also one of the most ancient deities of the Vedic tradition, honored with the first nine verses of the Rig Veda, the oldest religious text still used today. Our ceremony continues to open to the Divine by next calling Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of Obstacles who opens our minds and hearts to touch the Great Mystery. Through His worship, we are resolved of all that hinders our path and keeps us from fully experiencing the Divine.\r\n\r\nMoving into deeper awareness of God and Self, we invoke Lord Shiva, the destroyer of life, sensuous yogi, Father of the Three Worlds, and Cosmic Consciousness alive in all things. His is the dance that turns the cycles of the seasons, the stars in orbit, and the ebb and flow the Universe. We welcome Him with our voices, chanting sacred verses that have lived in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years. Together we offer flowers and praise Shiva, singing \"Shiva Shambo Mahadeva Shambo\", honoring Shiva as the Great God and the bringer of peace. Opening to His love and compassion, we see the beauty and divinity of the world.\r\n\r\nFully in the flow of Divine awareness, we then call forth Maa Kali to join our circle. With deep yearning in our beingness, we welcome the Goddess with mantras that have been sung to Her for millennia. We bow to Her divine presence and perform <i>aarti</i>, offering incense, water, food, fan, and light before Her living image. Maa can be felt through her sacred image on the altar, and you are invited to take <i>darshan</i> with her. Darshan comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning \"to see\" and one can think of it as both seeing and being seen by the Divine. It also refers to sitting in the presence of the Divine and connecting by staring into the eyes of Kali Maa in the central image, the one that has been enlivened through <i>prana shakti</i> or life force energy. This practice will encourage peacefulness, insight, blessings and perhaps visions to come to you.\r\n\r\nTogether we then sing \"Jai Maa\", Victory to the Mother, as we open fully and allow Her to touch our hearts. We breathe Her in, reaching ecstatic states through which we can more deeply experience Her beauty and grace. With the use of sacred substances and tools, we further deepen our awareness and allow Her messages to come forth.\r\n\r\nThrough puja (worship) offered to Maa Kali, we allow the Goddess to heal us and renew our souls. When we set time aside, as a community or alone, to perform puja to the Divine Mother, we connect to the original whim of God to know Herself. As we attune to the elemental powers and offer devotion to the gods, we transform ourselves and give birth to new worlds of being. Puja becomes part of the cosmic creation, allowing us to journey beyond time space reality and aid in the continuation of life on this planet. It grants us the ability to move from individual heart space into places of unlimited possibility. We awaken to the Goddess in every facet of our being and transform our reality, coming to see Maa Kali as the Holy Mother in whom we live, move, and have our selves made whole.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Temple etiquette\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you are entering the sacred space of our <i>mandir</i> (temple), touch the ground with your right hand, and then touch your forehead. This is a symbolic gesture of humility. Taking the dust from the feet of Maa, our Divine Mother, to our brow, we contemplate and bring mindfulness to the surrender of our egos and the openness of our hearts to Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not turn your back to the altar; please back away for a few paces and then turn.  </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Do not to block the altar from other people and allow others to join you as you prostrate before Her. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please do not face the bottoms of your feet toward the altar as this is disrespectful. Do cover your feet with a shawl if you are able to do so in order to sit more comfortably. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">As you move in the space, always try to go in a clockwise direction. This helps draw on the power of natural cycles and brings us into greater alignment with the mirroring of our individual selves and the turning of the universe.</span></span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">You are invited to wear red. Please abstain from wearing black during puja. </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Be mindful. </span></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"FAQs\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>What is the proper way to enter the temple?</b>\r\n\r\nWhen entering sacred space, our sanctuary, or a dedicated temple, it is customary to touch the floor with one\'s right hand and then touch one\'s forehead. This is an act signifying one\'s intention to surrender to the divine (our deepest awareness of the divine will and our highest self) for the duration of the time one spends along with the deity being worshiped within the physical space occupied for worship. With this motion we are taking the dust from the floor in God/dess\' home and putting it to our head to ritualize our deeper understanding of and work toward ego surrender. We allow this intention to be witnessed and acknowledged in community.\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b>\r\n\r\n\'Darshan\' comes from the Sanskrit verb meaning, \'to see.\' Darshan literally means to \'see\' the divine; it is a term used to express the act of physically looking into the eyes of the image or statue into which the presence of the divine has been invoked and activated during ritual. By so doing, the worshiper is brought more closely into connection with the divine presence, allowing our soul--the spark of the divine within us--to recognize the original state of our beingness. Through darshan we reactivate our connection to Spirit, both internally and externally. When approaching the Divine Mother, it is important to breathe and remain open in one\'s heart.  Physical acts in addition to maintaining eye contact may include: prostration, bowing of the head, holding the hands in <i>anjali mudra</i> (the namaste or prayer position at the heart center), touching of the forehead to the feet of the deity, and other similar gestures of surrender, honoring and respect.\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b>\r\n\r\nWe cover our feet and refrain from pointing them toward the altar out of respect for the spiritual process. The feet signify the mundane, the place of contact with our earthly selves. By being aware of the mundane in worship, we can set an intention to utilize that awareness to bring ourselves closer to our spiritual goals.\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nIt means \'love.\'\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>br&gt;\r\nThree is both a sacred number for goddess worship and a spiritual seal, a way of fully inviting in and holding the guides and energies called to be present in puja.  Calling in the directions three times also encourages more participation in the circle. We welcome invocations from all traditions during this part of the ceremony. During our annual Kali Puja Festival, the directional invocations are more elaborate and supplemented with special elemental altars at each quarter. Therefore, during this time invocations are only done once.\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b>\r\n\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her.\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b>\r\n\r\nIn many of the world\'s spiritual traditions, skulls, as repositories of the brain, are symbols of the power of the mind and of wisdom, as well as of the integrative forces that allow principles of mind, body and spirit to reveal the divine nature of beingness. Our cranium, therefore, is considered to be a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment, or oneness with God/dess.\r\n\r\nWhen acting in the mundane realm, human beings often forget about or stray from this original connection to Spirit. To do so leaves the more shallow ego-identified state that is agenda-laden and task-oriented. Kali\'s skulls therefore are a reminder of our divine nature and our deeper call to the Great Mystery. They hold the potential for the unification of matter and spirit, heart and head, mind and body through love--which rectifies and embraces all opposites, bringing us through our yearning to a place of <i>sat-chit-ananda</i> (being-consciousness-bliss).  Additionally, the skulls around Kali\'s neck form a <i>mala</i>, or rosary, each symbolizing the 51 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from which all sounds are created. Hence, all <i>mantras</i>, or conglomorates of words used to address a deity (or words used for an effect which lasts beyond the utterance of the words), are worn by Her.\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis Sanskrit word means \'chosen Goddess.\' It is akin to the similar \'ishtadeva,\' meaning \'chosen God.\' In some traditions, this deity is chosen by virtue of family line; i.e., the god or goddess who is considered the family \'patron saint.\' At SHARANYA, we promote deepening personal spiritual practice while learning about the Sha\'can tradition in order to facilitate the personal revelation of this deity, who resides in one\'s heart. The ishtadeva or ishtadevi is also understood to be a reflection of the undifferentiated cosmic consciousness.\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word Devi means Goddess, and the word Deva means God.\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'sadhana\' means spiritual practice or discipline. In this, it can mean a particular practice or method--a spiritual technology--one undertakes or employs to deepen a connection with the divine or spirit; e.g., meditation, japa, or prayer. It also refers to the spiritual journey overall and in this sense relates to one\'s way of walking in the world or \'doing\' life.\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is an offering made, monetary or otherwise, to one\'s teacher out of respect and gratitude for the teaching or work done on one\'s behalf, such as during puja, homa (fire ceremony) or other ceremony. It is given from the heart and is never asked for directly.\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b>\r\n\r\nThis is a call to the Divine Mother, \'Maa,\' a singing of Her glory. Literally, \'jai\' means \'victory,\' although we often translate it as \'hallelujah\' or \'praises.\' Speaking \'Jai Maa\' in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother\'s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b>\r\n\r\nIn Hinduism, Agni is the god of fire, the one who presides over all rites and rituals. He is \'purohit,\' the one who presides over the fire ceremony and is the first deity honored in the Rig Veda, the oldest written religious text of record from among all surviving world\'s spiritual traditions. Simply, fire is what enabled humanity to first survive and then thrive. We open our ceremonies with a chant to Agni to honor the role of fire both as literal element and as metaphor for the transformational spiritual journey.\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b>\r\n\r\nThe concept of grounding refers to any method of reconnecting to one\'s body (i.e., physicality) after engaging in any endeavor, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual that facilitates or actively directs focus away from the fact of one\'s embodied presence in the moment. We can be readily reminded of our bodies through bringing attention to our breathing or by touching of the ground on which we stand. Doing so reincorporates us, allowing for an integration of our experience with the fullness of mind, body and spirit.\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, the two most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas are the <i>Devi Mahatmya</i> (or <i>Chandi Path</i>, as it is also called), and the <i>Srimad Devi Bhagavatam</i>. Other important texts for left-hand Tantric practitioners and devotees of the Dark Goddess Kali and all her manifestations are the <i>Yogini Tantra</i> and the <i>Kalika Purana</i>.\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja - Jai Maa!</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events\" title=\"Puja Calendar\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0387-e1378621009871.jpg\" ]Upcoming dates[/teaser]','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:17:18','2013-09-08 06:17:18','',99134,'At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness.',0,'revision','',0),(99912,2,'2013-09-07 23:42:25','2013-09-08 06:42:25','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\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\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\n<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>\r\n\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><br>\r\n\r\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <b><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a></b> page and below through image and song:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<h4><a title=\"12th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/12th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">12th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h4><br>Begun in 2004, this year on November 14, 2015, we celebrated the 12th anniversary of our Kali Puja Festival at the time of Divali. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we joined together in song, movement, prayer, and devotion to honor Kali Maa. <br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/11th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><a title=\"11th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/11th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">11th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h4><br>Begun in 2004, this year was the 11th anniversary of our Kali Puja Festival at the time of Diwali, held on October 25, 2014. <br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/11th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h4><br>This year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. 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>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>6th Annual Kali Puja Festival (2009)</h5>\r\nJoyous song in praises to the Divine Mother, \"Jai Maa!\" and \"OM Maa!\" Listen, watch, enjoy, and join us for our next <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events\">puja or special event</a>. Everyone is welcome in Maa\'s house!\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','','publish','closed','closed','','festivals','','','2017-03-20 17:24:06','2017-03-21 00:24:06','',99131,'http://Eachyear,wecometogethertocelebrateanumberofregularfestivalsandhighholydayswithinourtradition.Publicmelas(festivals)areachancetocelebratetheDivinewithothers,bewitnessedincommunity,andshareofHerblessings.',0,'page','',0),(99913,2,'2013-09-07 23:42:25','2013-09-08 06:42:25','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /> Join us each year around Summer Solstice time 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.\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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n<a href=\"http://youtu.be/8CwBCN4ORak\">Kali Puja Festival</a>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:42:25','2013-09-08 06:42:25','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if y',0,'revision','',0),(99914,2,'2013-09-07 23:43:13','2013-09-08 06:43:13',' ','','','publish','open','closed','','99914','','','2017-03-19 15:58:39','2017-03-19 22:58:39','',99131,'',9,'nav_menu_item','',0),(99916,2,'2013-09-07 23:46:54','2013-09-08 06:46:54','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><center></center>Join 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.\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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n<center><object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object></center>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:46:54','2013-09-08 06:46:54','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sex',0,'revision','',0),(99917,2,'2013-09-07 23:49:09','2013-09-08 06:49:09','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><center></center>Join 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.\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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object> [/one_half] \r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:49:09','2013-09-08 06:49:09','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sex',0,'revision','',0),(99918,2,'2013-09-07 23:50:59','2013-09-08 06:50:59','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><center></center>Join 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.\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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object> [/one_half] \r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:50:59','2013-09-08 06:50:59','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sex',0,'revision','',0),(99919,2,'2013-09-07 23:52:43','2013-09-08 06:52:43','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><center></center>Join 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.\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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object> [/one_half] \r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:52:43','2013-09-08 06:52:43','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sex',0,'revision','',0),(99920,2,'2013-09-07 23:54:53','2013-09-08 06:54:53','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation<br>and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!<br><br>\r\n</i></center><center></center>Join 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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&hl=en&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object> [/one_half] \r\n<p><p>\r\n[one_half last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\"></param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"></param><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\"></param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" width=\"425\" height=\"344\"></embed></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:54:53','2013-09-08 06:54:53','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sex',0,'revision','',0),(99921,2,'2013-09-07 23:56:21','2013-09-08 06:56:21','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center>\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n</center><center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><center></center>Join 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.\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.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:56:21','2013-09-08 06:56:21','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n<center>\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacr',0,'revision','',0),(99922,2,'2013-09-07 23:57:47','2013-09-08 06:57:47','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center><center></center><br><br>\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.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n [one_third] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_third]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-07 23:57:47','2013-09-08 06:57:47','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred',0,'revision','',0),(99923,2,'2013-09-08 00:00:26','2013-09-08 07:00:26','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<br><br>\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.<br><br>\r\n<center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n [one_third] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_third]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:00:26','2013-09-08 07:00:26','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth,',0,'revision','',0),(99924,2,'2013-09-08 00:01:13','2013-09-08 07:01:13','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /><center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\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.<br><br>\r\n<center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n [one_third] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_third]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:01:13','2013-09-08 07:01:13','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /><center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth,',0,'revision','',0),(99925,2,'2013-09-08 00:02:18','2013-09-08 07:02:18','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /><center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\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.<br><br>\r\n<center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n [one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_halflast=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:02:18','2013-09-08 07:02:18','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /><center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth,',0,'revision','',0),(99926,2,'2013-09-08 00:13:38','2013-09-08 07:13:38','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /><center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\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.<br><br>\r\n<center><i>Even if you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!</i></center>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\n [one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_halflast=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:13:38','2013-09-08 07:13:38','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" /><center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth,',0,'revision','',0),(99927,2,'2013-09-08 00:15:02','2013-09-08 07:15:02','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"left\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:15:02','2013-09-08 07:15:02','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n',0,'revision','',0),(99928,2,'2013-09-08 00:15:40','2013-09-08 07:15:40','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> [/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] \r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:15:40','2013-09-08 07:15:40','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n',0,'revision','',0),(99929,2,'2013-09-08 00:17:43','2013-09-08 07:17:43','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> \r\n\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:17:43','2013-09-08 07:17:43','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n',0,'revision','',0),(99931,2,'2013-09-08 00:22:59','2013-09-08 07:22:59','SHARANYA hosts two main public rituals each year: Yoni Puja and Mahakali Puja.\r\n\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> \r\n\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:22:59','2013-09-08 07:22:59','',99912,'SHARANYA hosts two main public rituals each year: Yoni Puja and Mahakali Puja.\r\n\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred ',0,'revision','',0),(99932,2,'2013-09-08 00:25:22','2013-09-08 07:25:22','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n<center><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></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> \r\n\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:25:22','2013-09-08 07:25:22','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth, Sacred Sexuality, Creation\r\nand The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n',0,'revision','',0),(99933,2,'2013-09-08 00:26:15','2013-09-08 07:26:15','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n<center><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></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> \r\n\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:26:15','2013-09-08 07:26:15','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"',0,'revision','',0),(99934,2,'2013-09-08 00:26:38','2013-09-08 07:26:38','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n<center><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></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\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.  The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object> \r\n\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:26:38','2013-09-08 07:26:38','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n\r\n<center><h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4></center>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http:/',0,'revision','',0),(99935,2,'2013-09-08 00:29:09','2013-09-08 07:29:09','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n<center>\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&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</center>\r\n\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />Join 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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n<center>\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\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</center>\r\n\r\n\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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object><object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:29:09','2013-09-08 07:29:09','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n<center>\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&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</center>\r\n\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"ht',0,'revision','',0),(99936,2,'2013-09-08 00:31:08','2013-09-08 07:31:08','[tabgroup] [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><br><br>\r\n\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!<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object>  <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:31:08','2013-09-08 07:31:08','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org',0,'revision','',0),(99937,2,'2013-09-08 00:32:09','2013-09-08 07:32:09','[tabgroup] [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><br><br>\r\n\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!<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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\n&nbsp;\r\n\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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object>  <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:32:09','2013-09-08 07:32:09','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org',0,'revision','',0),(99938,2,'2013-09-08 00:32:42','2013-09-08 07:32:42','[tabgroup] [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><br><br>\r\n\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!<br><br>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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\n\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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.<br><br>\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n<object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8CwBCN4ORak&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" /></object>  <object width=\"425\" height=\"344\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><embed width=\"425\" height=\"344\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5UGskSqluI&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_profilepage&amp;fs=1\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" /></object>\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-08 00:32:42','2013-09-08 07:32:42','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org',0,'revision','',0),(99940,2,'2013-09-10 18:01:07','2013-09-11 01:01:07','We invite you to explore these galleries for images and stories of our work and worship spanning the past fifteen years. Let this be a moment of meditation for you today and join us as we continue our devotions, events and celebrations in Her name. You can also visit our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/\">Festivals</a> page to see more current event galleries.  Jai Maa!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Gallery Archives</h5>\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Kali Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">6th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100131 imgborder\" alt=\"6th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival-&amp;-Fundraiser\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/6th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival-Fundraiser.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn the night of Saturday, October 17, 2009, we gathered together in community to honor Kali, Dark Goddess, Devourer of Time, She of No Beginning and No Ending, Mother of the Universe. The work of preparing for this annual celebration and festival was intense; and everyone in community worked overtime to make the space and our spirits ready to welcome Her in during this special Divali time, Festival of Lights, the Tantric New Year and opening to Kali\'s deepest mysteries. Prior to opening the doors to let everyone in for worship, some of SHARANYA\'s initiates and Daughters of Kali gathered to ground into the temple space and focus for the worship and work to be done.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\">5th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100133 imgborder\" alt=\"5th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/5th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe night of October 25th was our 5th Annual Kali Puja Festival, a celebration of the Divine Mother. Over 80 people attended from all paths and backgrounds, bringing their curiosity, open hearts, and love of the Divine our gathering. The evening was mild and warm, with a beautiful waning moon in the sky winding toward Divali. Incense, candles and beautiful, community-created altars to each of the cardinal directions blessed the space. Here is some of what we experienced together. Jai Maa!\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\">4th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100137 imgborder\" alt=\"4th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/4th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe night of November 10, 2007 was our 4th Annual Kali Puja Festival, a celebration of the Divine Mother. Over 70 people attended from all paths and backgrounds, bringing their curiosity, open hearts, and love of the Divine to our gathering. The evening was stormy, adding a special coziness to the ritual. This night, community gathers to create the sacred container for our evening\'s work. Much planning, thought and preparation goes into our Kali Puja!\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival/\">2nd Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100138 imgborder\" alt=\"2th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn the night of Saturday, November 5, 2005, SHARANYA community welcomed in the Divine Mother during our 2nd Annual Kali Puja Festival. Held at Fort Mason in San Francisco, just next to the life-giving ocean waters. About 50 devotees joined hands to cast our sacred circle for the night. Community built altars and decorated the space to create a magickal and memorable event. Each direction was consecrated. Here, we hailed the energies of the north.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\">First Annual Kali Puja Festival (2004)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100140 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s-First-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYAs-First-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe air was cool when we arrived at Fort Mason to set up for this big adventure, our First Annual Kali Puja Festival. We had been worshiping together in our Sanctuary for a few years now and had already initiated our first Daughters of Kali. Our second chakra of seekers had formed, and we were growing a community! This puja, we felt, was a way to share our love of Maa with others.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Yoni Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\">Yoni Puja (June 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100153 imgborder\" alt=\"Yoni-Puja-(June-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Puja-June-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn Sunday, June 14, 2009, community gathered in a devotional and celebratory festival honoring Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness. We came together during the auspicious time of abundance known as Ambubachi Mela in the cycle of life, death and rebirth. This is the time when <i>Devi</i>, Goddess, bleeds.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\">First Annual Yoni Puja (2006)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100154 imgborder\" alt=\"Yoni-Puja-(Spring-2006-&amp;-Summer-2007)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Puja-Spring-2006-Summer-2007.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIn February of 2006, SHARANYA offered our first Yoni Puja dedicated to the Divine Female, Divine Feminine, Gaia, Women, and our sacred bodies. Community members built a beautiful yoni gateway through which ritual participants passed, complete with a pink rose-filled clitoris-like topping. Everyone danced in honor of the Mystery, inclusive of the Sacred Male, and all received a special darshan.\r\n\r\nAgain in June of 2007, we joined in the festival of Devi to honor the Sacred Female through Yoni Puja, and we have continued the tradition every year since at the time of Solstice in correspondence with <a title=\"Festivals\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/\">Ambubachi Mela </a>in India.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Worship &amp; Events\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (April 2010)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100143 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(April-2010)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-April-2010.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (September 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100144 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(September-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-September-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (August 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100145 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(August-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-August-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\">Trans/Trance: My Big Fat Gay Puja!</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100146 imgborder\" alt=\"TransTrance-My-Big-Fat-Gay-Puja\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TransTrance-My-Big-Fat-Gay-Puja.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (February 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100147 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(February-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-February-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (August 2008)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100148 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(August-2008)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-August-2008.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2007 Kali Puja SoCal\" href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal/\">Orange County Kali Puja</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100149 imgborder\" alt=\"Orange-County-Kali-Puja-Workshop\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Orange-County-Kali-Puja-Workshop.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\">South Altar at Spiral Dance</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100152 imgborder\" alt=\"South-Altar-at-Spiral-Dance\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/South-Altar-at-Spiral-Dance.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[/tabgroup]','Galleries','','publish','closed','closed','','galleries','','','2017-03-19 16:12:30','2017-03-19 23:12:30','',99149,'http://Weinviteyoutoexplorethesegalleriesfor',0,'page','',0),(99941,2,'2013-09-10 17:55:33','2013-09-11 00:55:33','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a>/h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n\r\n [one_half] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a>/h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui. [/one_half] \r\n\r\n [one_half last=last] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a>/h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui. [/one_half] ','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 17:55:33','2013-09-11 00:55:33','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a>/h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharan',0,'revision','',0),(99942,2,'2013-09-10 17:56:10','2013-09-11 00:56:10','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n\r\n [one_half] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui. [/one_half] \r\n\r\n [one_half last=last] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui. [/one_half] ','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 17:56:10','2013-09-11 00:56:10','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://shara',0,'revision','',0),(99943,2,'2013-09-10 17:58:43','2013-09-11 00:58:43','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<br />\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 17:58:43','2013-09-11 00:58:43','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharany',0,'revision','',0),(99944,2,'2013-09-10 17:59:10','2013-09-11 00:59:10','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<br /><br /><br />\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 17:59:10','2013-09-11 00:59:10','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharany',0,'revision','',0),(99945,2,'2013-09-10 17:59:56','2013-09-11 00:59:56','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 17:59:56','2013-09-11 00:59:56','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharany',0,'revision','',0),(99946,2,'2013-09-10 18:00:17','2013-09-11 01:00:17','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 18:00:17','2013-09-11 01:00:17','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharany',0,'revision','',0),(99947,2,'2013-09-10 18:00:44','2013-09-11 01:00:44','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0206-e1376730528811.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 18:00:44','2013-09-11 01:00:44','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99376 imgborder\" alt=\"Maa Durga\" src=\"http://sharany',0,'revision','',0),(99948,2,'2013-09-10 18:01:50','2013-09-11 01:01:50',' ','','','publish','open','closed','','99948','','','2017-03-19 15:58:40','2017-03-19 22:58:40','',99149,'',24,'nav_menu_item','',0),(99949,2,'2013-09-17 10:43:29','2013-09-17 17:43:29','<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h1>\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[tabgroup]\n[tab title=\"Kali Puja Festivals\"]\n[one_half]\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">6th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/6th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival-Fundraiser.jpg\" alt=\"6th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival-&amp;-Fundraiser\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100131 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\">5th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/5th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" alt=\"5th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100133 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\">4th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/4th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" alt=\"4th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100137 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival/\">2nd Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" alt=\"2th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100138 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\">SHARANYA\'s First Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYAs-First-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA&#039;s-First-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100140 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[/tab]\n\n[tab title=\"Yoni Puja Festivals\"]\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (April 2010)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-April-2010.jpg\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(April-2010)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100143 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (September 2009)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-September-2009.jpg\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(September-2009)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100144 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (August 2009)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-August-2009.jpg\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(August-2009)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100145 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\">Trans/Trance: My Big Fat Gay Puja!</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TransTrance-My-Big-Fat-Gay-Puja.jpg\" alt=\"TransTrance-My-Big-Fat-Gay-Puja\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100146 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (February 2009)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-February-2009.jpg\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(February-2009)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100147 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (August 2008)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-August-2008.jpg\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(August-2008)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100148 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half]\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal/\">Orange County Kali Puja & Workshop</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Orange-County-Kali-Puja-Workshop.jpg\" alt=\"Orange-County-Kali-Puja-Workshop\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100149 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n[/tab]\n\n[tab title=\"Worship &amp; Events\"]\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\">South Altar at Spiral Dance</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/South-Altar-at-Spiral-Dance.jpg\" alt=\"South-Altar-at-Spiral-Dance\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100152 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\">Yoni Puja (June 2009)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Puja-June-2009.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni-Puja-(June-2009)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100153 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half]\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\">Yoni Puja (Spring 2006 & Summer 2007)</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Puja-Spring-2006-Summer-2007.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni-Puja-(Spring-2006-&amp;-Summer-2007)\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100154 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last]\n<h2><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\">India Pilgrimage \"SHARANYA in the News!\"</a></h2>\n<a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\"></a>\n\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\n\n<strong><em><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYA2006IndiaPilgrimage.pdf\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\n[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[/tab]\n[/tabgroup]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-17 10:43:29','2013-09-17 17:43:29','',99940,'<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja',0,'revision','',0),(99950,2,'2013-09-10 18:19:29','2013-09-11 01:19:29','<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 18:19:29','2013-09-11 01:19:29','',99940,'<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignlef',0,'revision','',0),(99951,2,'2013-09-10 18:20:06','2013-09-11 01:20:06','<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h1>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 18:20:06','2013-09-11 01:20:06','',99940,'<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-',0,'revision','',0),(99952,2,'2013-09-10 19:18:32','2013-09-11 02:18:32','[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\n&nbsp;\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\n\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.\n\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.\n\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.\n\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!\n\n[/tab]\n[tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\n&nbsp;\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>\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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\n\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\n\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" alt=\"video 1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" width/></a> <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" alt=\"video 2\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" /></a>\n\n[/tab]\n\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:18:32','2013-09-11 02:18:32','',99912,'[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\n&nbsp;\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPu',0,'revision','',0),(99953,2,'2013-09-10 19:06:30','2013-09-11 02:06:30','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\">video 1</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\">video 2</a>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:06:30','2013-09-11 02:06:30','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99954,2,'2013-09-10 19:11:15','2013-09-11 02:11:15','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"video 1\">video 1</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\">video 2</a>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:11:15','2013-09-11 02:11:15','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99955,2,'2013-09-10 19:14:48','2013-09-11 02:14:48','','video 1','','inherit','open','open','','video-1','','','2013-09-10 19:14:48','2013-09-11 02:14:48','',99912,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99956,2,'2013-09-10 19:15:54','2013-09-11 02:15:54','','video 2','','inherit','open','open','','video-2','','','2013-09-10 19:15:54','2013-09-11 02:15:54','',99912,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99957,2,'2013-09-10 19:16:26','2013-09-11 02:16:26','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" alt=\"video 1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half] \r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" alt=\"video 2\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half] \r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:16:26','2013-09-11 02:16:26','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99958,2,'2013-09-10 19:18:48','2013-09-11 02:18:48','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" alt=\"video 1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" width=\"430\" /></a> <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" alt=\"video 2\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" width =\"430\"/></a>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:18:48','2013-09-11 02:18:48','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99959,2,'2013-09-10 19:19:20','2013-09-11 02:19:20','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" alt=\"video 1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" width=\"400\" /></a> <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" alt=\"video 2\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" width =\"400\"/></a>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:19:20','2013-09-11 02:19:20','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99960,2,'2013-09-10 19:20:08','2013-09-11 02:20:08','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" alt=\"video 1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" width=\"390\" /></a> <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" alt=\"video 2\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" width =\"390\"/></a>\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 19:20:08','2013-09-11 02:20:08','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99961,2,'2013-09-10 21:09:01','2013-09-11 04:09:01','','Galleries','','publish','closed','closed','','galleries','','','2013-09-10 21:09:01','2013-09-11 04:09:01','',0,'',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(99962,2,'2013-09-10 21:10:16','2013-09-11 04:10:16','<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h1>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-10 21:10:16','2013-09-11 04:10:16','',99940,'<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-p',0,'revision','',0),(99963,2,'2013-09-11 15:09:33','2013-09-11 22:09:33','<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h1>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n [one_third] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong> [/one_third] \r\n\r\n [one_third] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong> [/one_third] \r\n\r\n [one_third last=last] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong> [/one_third] \r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n [one_third] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong> [/one_third] \r\n\r\n [one_third] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong> [/one_third] \r\n\r\n [one_third last=last] <h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong> [/one_third] \r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"MBCM\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 15:09:33','2013-09-11 22:09:33','',99940,'<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-p',0,'revision','',0),(99964,2,'2013-09-11 15:22:21','2013-09-11 22:22:21','<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h1>\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Kali Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Yoni Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Worship &amp; Events\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n[/tabgroup]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 15:22:21','2013-09-11 22:22:21','',99940,'<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puj',0,'revision','',0),(99965,2,'2013-09-11 15:22:44','2013-09-11 22:22:44','<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h1>\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Kali Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Yoni Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Worship &amp; Events\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">2009 Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"MBCM\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce ut felis cursus, congue nunc eget, molestie felis. Maecenas dapibus convallis nunc sed malesuada. Morbi semper urna erat, ut vehicula sapien vulputate hendrerit. Cras venenatis convallis facilisis. Duis aliquet orci id placerat semper. Morbi vel dignissim mi. Morbi quis neque pulvinar, faucibus nunc ac, sodales neque. Phasellus fringilla eros ac magna semper, sed hendrerit nisi tincidunt. Nullam eu fringilla dui.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n[/tabgroup]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 15:22:44','2013-09-11 22:22:44','',99940,'<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MBCM.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h1><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puj',0,'revision','',0),(99966,2,'2013-09-11 15:24:06','2013-09-11 22:24:06','[tabgroup] [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.\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. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[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. The puja date for 2013 is November 2nd.\r\n\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas through image and song:\r\n\r\n [one_half] <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" alt=\"video 1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n [/one_half] \r\n\r\n [one_half last=last] <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\" title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" alt=\"video 2\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n [/one_half] \r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 15:24:06','2013-09-11 22:24:06','',99912,'[tabgroup] [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/Yo',0,'revision','',0),(99967,2,'2013-09-11 16:26:38','2013-09-11 23:26:38','<h4>Eastern Teacher to The West</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-99968 imgborder=0\" alt=\"chamundafire\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/chamundafire.gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"278\" /><br>\r\n\r\nThis article tells the story of my own exploration into the mysteries of the Goddess as manifested within the Hindu pantheon as Chamunda, the fierce, emaciated and terrifying Dark Mother. She is a goddess who is particularly revered among Shaktas (believers in the primacy of the Divine Feminine), and she has historically found favor within all strata of Indian society, from the village shudras (lowest caste) to the rulers of India. Temples to her exist throughout the country: from the forts of Rajasthan to the highlands of Himachal Pradesh, to the adavasi (tribal) lands of Orissa.\r\n\r\nIn Orissa, where I was blessed to spend five months exploring, she appears primarily in two forms: i) as one of the Matrikas (Mothers), and ii) as one of the sixty-four yoginis (witches) who are themselves daughters of the Asta Matrikas (Eight Mothers). From my exploration into Chamunda I have gained an understanding of the ways in which the Goddess teaches through one of her manifest forms, and this article is an attempt to share some of what I have discovered with you.\r\n\r\nBut here, I can only hope to present my learnings as shrouded with the veil of perception I carry as a western woman. However, I share my interpretation of the mysteries as revealed to me by Her so that Her name may be invoked and Her presence asked to help banish the ignorance and prejudice of our time. I do not pretend to fully understand Chamunda (within her original context or otherwise) or for that matter, the great mystery of the Goddess; but rather I claim to appreciate Her because of my resonance with the form and symbols offered to us from India.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Image of Chamunda</strong>\r\n\r\nFrom an 8th century stone statue originally found in Dharmasala (Cuttack, Orissa) and now located at the Orissa State Museum in Bhubaneswar, I learned to see for the first time through this image what the power of the Divine Feminine can be through a figure that could (and does) readily inspire fear in both Western and Eastern onlookers. Chamunda appears to penetrate the manifest world through this sculpture of grey-black chlorite stone. She is chiseled with her most readily recognizable features: sunken eyes, sagging breasts and skeletal body; but the obvious attention and carefully-detailed precision with which she was created belie a profound respect and/or love on the part of the sculptor that is perhaps not readily understandable from our current vantage point.\r\n\r\nComing across her image amidst myriad sculptures on the floor of the museum is like dropping into a cold pool after a 20-minute steam bath. Upon first seeing her, I was instantly astounded and shocked by her presence until the realization set in that encountering Her was making my insides tingle in ways suggestive of Her great power. She is an awesome figure, with third-eye and navel raised out of the stone, veins defined over the course of her entire body, no teeth, heavily hanging earlobes and snake-entwined arms - one of which holds in its long hand a severed human head, which she grasps with finger nails that come to a point. In her other partially-intact arm she holds a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart. She is garlanded with skulls, wears ouroboric anklets, and is seated on a corpse with her right foot on the ground and her left leg bent at the knee, foot turned, its sole to the sky. Her hair is aflame and pulled upwards, wrapped and held in place by a snake-band tiara, the center of which bears a skull.\r\n\r\nAlthough my initial contact with the fierce form of the Goddess had come to me through a dream image as Kali, both she and Chamunda are alike in many respects, related by their transformative abilities and their stature as Crones. While Kali manifests the power of time and of death, Chamunda too holds infinity and eternity. Both can be intensely frightening images of divine, feminine power especially to those unaccustomed to dealing with the Dark Goddess. Both are often similarly depicted: in the cremation ground, often seated upon a corpse or engaging in Tantrick rituals involving sex, blood and death. In this, they explicitly manifest antinomian characteristics within mainstream Hindu tradition, and they become by this provkers of (r)evolution from the inside, and transformers of worlds from the outside as they reach westerners.\r\n\r\nChamunda\'s intensity through the vehicle of the statue in Bhubaneswar shook me deep inside and stunned me. And I was nevertheless drawn to her and mystified by what she had to offer. Somehow, I could not help but feel her incredible power through the skeletal form, while at the same time, I became immediately and especially aware of how at odds with this impression and indeed terrifying she would appear to most westerners. Rationally, I wondered how in the world this figure could be known as one of the matrikas when she seemed so very far from western, as well as the traditional Hindu conception of mother, either literal or archetypal. Mother in any sense is most generally normalized to mean nurturing and life-giving. Chamunda appears to be everything but this, and I had to work to see the interconnections. On another, non-rational level, however, I could immediately feel that there was a mystery of fecundity held within those bones. I was, of course, feeling in my own bones something very old and true about her.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nWhile within both Eastern and Western contexts mothers are seen as caretakers and life givers, understanding the Devi as matrika (mother) is another story. Within the world of Indian Goddess theology at least from Vedic times (circa 1,500 BCE), it seems that the devi as a mother who nourishes the world is understood as someone who must herself be replenished in order to continue to sustain life. \"If she were only to give birth and to nourish her creatures she would soon grow weak, and creation would cease.\" [1]\r\n\r\nBecause her life-generating and sustaining aspect is so powerful, she carries an insatiable hunger that is equally great. This hunger is often represented in images by showing an emaciated figure. Thus understood, the fierce devi is integral to understanding the birth/death aspect of the cycle of life in India, which makes possible the whole of manifest existence. She is obviously the living Crone, a Dark Goddess who functions as a gateway between the realms of this world and the next. Recognition of this leads to liberation; and images containing within them the fullness of samsara, as Chamunda does, serve as gateways to simultaneous embracement of life and death, duality and oneness, a holistic future and personal enrichment through the suffering of life. They hold the key to embracing the walk of the heart, where sadness and joy, pain and elation ever co-mingle.\r\n\r\nUnderstanding the goddess as both life-giver and destroyer manifests in symbolic form as a circle, or chakra within the Indian context. This chakra is reflective of the cycles of life apparent, for example, in the waxing and waning of the moon and those other cycles tied to this one, such as menstruation and the ebb and flow of the tides. A circle is the form taken by the temples dedicated to the yoginis, or sixty-four derivations of the Asta Matrikas mentioned previously who include Chamunda among them. It is therefore perhaps no coincidence that the goddess as yogini would be configured for worship by the tantricks in circular temples, since their tradition is infused with reverence for the Goddess as containing the mystery of She who is both of the source of all life and the fount of death; the One who contains All. In addition, the yoginis are also linked to yaksis (nature spirits), and they, as well as those who worshipped them, were called witches and magicians. As yogini, Chamunda and her sixty-three sisters were said to have the power to fly, to become invisible, turn humans into animals, and other such things. In many ways, these traits and the correspondence of female deities with witchcraft again brings together East and West through demonization of the Feminine.\r\n\r\nBut much like the Indo-European demonization of the pre-Christian Death/Regeneratirx aspect of the Goddess into Witch, Chamunda too was demonized and subordinated by patriarchal traditions in India. She was linked to Yama, Lord of Death, becoming less than he in Vedic hymns. An interesting suggestion, however, of her ties to pre-patriarchal roots may be found by looking at her vahana (mount), the owl. Even today in the west, this bird may still be found carrying the messages of the Dark Goddess, of the Feminine Divine who holds the mysteries of life, death and rebirth. A friend found a link between east and west on pilgrimage to the Black Madonna Notre Dame de Bon Espoir (Our Lady of Good Hope) in Dijon France. She writes of her experience,\r\n<blockquote>The oldest of the Black Madonnas...Notre Dame de Bon Espoir was yet another Black Madonna who made a tremendous impact on me. Interestingly, there is an owl carved into the side of the church where She is housed.</blockquote>\r\nTherefore, understanding the origins of the witch in prehistory and her later modifications to more fierce/violent characterizations at the hands of patriarchal peoples will perhaps help to heal some of the ills caused by misrepresentations of the Feminine while eradicating some causes of Devi’s (and by extension women’s) subordination. It might be said that if we come to understand the full nature of Her, we would see that all Her forms are those of beauty within the divine creation.\r\n\r\nWhile the term witch is in the eastern context used with negative connotation, it is important to understand that the yoginis of the temples were not demons to the tantricks. Given the tantrick insistence on reverence for the immanence of the divine and the sacredness of nature, of maniest reality, yoginis are understood as affirmations of the multifarious aspects of the Goddess. While some of these aspects can be very violent or fierce, with the goddess often depicted with sword in hand, blood and human flesh dripping from her mouth, severed heads around her waist, and other gruesome adornment, understanding her and her relationship to patriarchy over time is interesting. Such depictions, on the one hand, are likely overlays onto an ancient Crone/Death-Regeneratrix deity whose original association with death was severed from her link to life because of a dualistic patriarchal worldview that failed to recognize, for example, the interconnectedness of life and death and instead demonized women and nature as expressions of that relationship.\r\n\r\nIn contrast to gruesome depictions of the goddess Chamunda and those associated with Her, patriarchal Hinduism has begun, within the last century, to sweeten the fierce goddesses. Perhaps this is a tell-tale sign that the power of the feminine is being responded to a new and different way. That is, first, She was representative of the power of Oneness and, simply put, patriarchal consciousness (as manifested in the social, political and other realities millennia ago that have created today’s normative Hindu consciousness) sought to (and managed to) break that monopoly by rendering Her as fierce so as to facilitate specific ends, which were to carve out dualistic territory (for some reason). After supression in very specific ways for those millennia, however, She has sought to bring balance to a dichotomous worldview. In response to Her presence now, instead of the fierceness previously required to serve the purposes of a patriarchal worldview, the institutions today that which to retain power have rendered her sweet and submissive, now, to serve their ends of maintaining the status quo. Were patriarchal powers to allow Her fierceness, their reign might quickly come to an end, and this, of course, is exactly the point of honoring and remembering Her as all that She is while concurrently utilizing the power that Her fierce characteristics contain.\r\n\r\nFurther, while the word witch today still reverberates strongly with anti-God-loving sentiment for some people, to call oneself a witch as I do is an act of resistance to patriarchal obfuscation of the truth, and reclamation of women’s power within any tradition (as well as outside them). In the west, it is an appellation that is taking on an entirely new meaning, particularly with the resurgence of the goddess in the discipline known as Women’s Spirituality, through Wicca (a reclamation of indigenous European earth-based traditions) and through other forms of earth-based religion, that hold within them both the pre-historical notion of goddess as life-giver/destroyer and the more patriarchal characterization of the goddess as violent warrior, from which many, nevertheless are able to find powerful tools for creating life-affirming change.\r\n\r\nAgain before what I now call my statue of Chamunda, this time recording notes and impressions while interposing photographic moments until the museum’s 4 o’clock closing time, I eventually come to be alone with her. I am alone in that statue-filled room mesmerized, or very likely in trance, feeling as though some incredibly magical force surrounds the two of us. From my spot on the floor, I watch her watching me and ask her to teach me Her secrets. That evening, I wrote in my journal:\r\n<blockquote>From where did the ancient Saktas get her image? What are her myths and associations? How and when does she manifest? Why? What are the psychological implications of her presence as a Goddess and what do they tell us about the people who created her? Why does she exist in this fierce form that was obviously so loved (feared?) by those who worshipped her? Can she help us in the west better understand the nature of the Divine Feminine; and if so, can we find ways through her to promote self-understanding? She is starved; does she link us psychically to the root cause of/cure for anorexia? Can she help western women in the throes of addictions, especially eating disorders, with their own reclamation process? How does understanding Chamunda help me to better understand myself?</blockquote>\r\nMy questions only began to touch the surface of her depth. As a western woman living today I can never know her true or intended purpose, although I can make an educated guess informed by my academic pursuits as well as my bodily knowings and intuitions.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nEven so, Chamunda through my eyes is not Chamunda in any fully Indian sense, even though I have explored her on her own ground (literally, as well as through her myths, philosophies, symbols, and worship). Rather, for me, Chamunda is an exploration into the depths of personal, and perhaps more generally the question of women’s, spirituality. Particularly within the western context of women’s spiritual development, the importance of Chamunda as a teacher can be grasped when it is understood that she holds within herself the tension of embracing both Mother and Witch archetypes; two aspects of the Feminine that have long been used to subordinate rather than empower women. Chamunda illustrates that these aspects ever inter-related, constantly situated within a flux of interchangeability that she herself manifests.\r\n\r\n<b>Chamunda and Kali: Blood Sisters</b>\r\n\r\nMy initial contact with the <i>raudra</i> or fierce form of the Goddess, as mentioned above, had come to me years earlier through a dream image as Kali, a Hindu goddess representative of the power of time and of death. In many respects, Chamunda and Kali are alike. Indeed, both are initiators into the fullest spectrum of life, and both serve to awaken us to the value of impermanence and cyclical time. Some Shakta practitioners understand both goddesses to be manifest aspects of the same ontological truth; nevertheless, both can be intensely frightening images of feminine power to those unaccustomed to dealing with the Dark Mother.\r\n\r\nIconographically, Chamunda and Kali are often similarly depicted: in the cremation ground, seated upon a corpse and engaging in practices involving sex, blood and death. At the Chamunda-Devi temple [<a href=\"/mandala/chamunda-devi-eastern-teacher-to-the-west/4/#ref\">4</a>] outside of Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh), Chamunda is plainly understood to be a form of Kali and the ten <i>mahavidyas</i> are depicted at her shrine. The Devi as Chamunda-Kali is also mentioned in the <i>Tantrasara</i>, <i>Shaktapramoda</i> and <i>Pranatosini</i>. [<a href=\"/mandala/chamunda-devi-eastern-teacher-to-the-west/4/#ref\">5</a>]\r\n\r\nChamunda-Kali provides a gateway to: i) understanding of the Goddess in the Western psyche for juxtaposition with the Eastern manifestations of Her; ii) how Western vs. Eastern conceptions of reality play a role in determining the images of the Divine Feminine that abound in each context; and iii) the potential power of reclaiming the Dark Mother in the West with the help of images from the East.\r\n\r\n<b>Western Appreciation for the Goddess</b>\r\n\r\nFrom this brief discussion in conjunction with other goddess tales, perhaps a vision of the goddess who relates to the emotional, physical, and psychic bodies of women and men, regardless of their country of origin, by virtue of the human condition, is becoming apparent. Woven here is the notion that where women in particular are being drawn to Devi’s symbolism for its promotion of, at the very least, what may appear to be a feminist ethic, those who are attracted to her in their spiritual longing (in any of her forms) necessarily cross lines of demarcation whether social, political, or geographical—and so too does Devi. Goddess worship and feminism too needs to be able to create a container for dialogue, with both arenas developing cross-cultural methodologies that can facilitate the creation of safe space in which to then make discussions happen that relate the spiritual realities with the economic, social, and political ones. From within that space, the hope would be to generate a metaphorical fire from which truth based on a process of coming to agreement can be born. Only then can we empower women and men to be all of who and what they are, no matter what the context in which they find themselves.\r\n\r\nGiving a historicity to Indian images of the divine may help those non-Hindus interested in appreciating her from within western contexts to make informed statements and educated assertions (based upon contextual understanding) about their own uses of/for her while providing a ground for possible adaptations of Devi within a new environment. For just as the goddess centuries ago crossed from India to neighboring lands, our technological advancements today have moved us all towards a global community, which has indeed also helped to shape the transportation of Devi across oceans and continents.\r\n\r\nFor western women, images of the goddess as whole, as containing paradox, and particularly as embracing sexuality and other aspects generally suppressed under patriarchy, are healing. In the western context where transcendent male gods (or more specifically, one male god of generally Jewish or Christian disposition) dominate and no female/feminine is accorded divine status (despite the high status imparted to Mary, as discussed in the last chapter), the need for a Divine Feminine who recognized, honored and is both immanent as well as transcendent is glaring. Perhaps this is one reason why the Indian conception of goddess captures the fervor of western feminists and those seeking alternate visions of the divine that are more inclusive. Devi seems approachable in the sense that she, as her myths and iconography at the very least portend, undergoes and is much of what women recognize to be their individual truths. In her, every woman finds a piece of herself; and every man, perhaps, can learn a little more about the heart of his essential nature.\r\n\r\nThe mainstream Western images of the Divine Feminine in a contemporary context where the Abrahamic faiths prevail have largely been limited to the Virgin Mary, and perhaps if one is generous, to Sophia, the Black Madonna and Lilith. These last three however, represent an undercurrent of the Christian and Judaic faiths, and they are not recognized by many practitioners; at least not with full awareness of their power and connection to pre-patriarchal religion.\r\n\r\nIn any case, it is apparent that the Divine Feminine within our context as represented in Her most ubiquitous aspect as the Virgin Mary has little but a \"soft\" or benevolent and nurturing side. She is holy and untouchable, even by her husband; she is vehicle for the avatar Christ, but not God herself; she is incapable of engaging the more uncomfortable aspects of life; she listens and conveys the message of her followers, but does not have the power to act directly for those who worship her.\r\n\r\nThis image of Mary is put in juxtaposition within Christianity to the one God, who is All. Her place is marginal in relationship to His magnificence, and reflects the Western/patriarchal schism typified by Descartes’ mind/body duality (God as transcendent mind, Mary as earth-bound body) or more simply, the valuing of men over women and heaven over earth. Further, it underscores that the religious traditions of patriarchal cultures have unfortunately tended to pathologize the relationship of dualistic principles. In life, dualities abound, but their representation in the West has long since posed them as warring opposites where the position of the Divine Feminine (and women) is relegated to minority status.\r\n\r\nThe patriarchal worldview, particularly as expressed in the powerful \"First World\" nations of the West, has manifested skewed valuations of dualities in other spheres of life as well. It has done so to the point of ignoring (or largely ignoring) the inherent worth and wisdom of the Feminine principle and has created an urgent need for crisis prevention in the environmental, developmental, psychological and social arenas. Further, if we accept that the project of patriarchy has been based on the scientific and philosophical deconstruction of life (through exploitation of resources and peoples by Western science and paradigms supported by such traditions) and on the establishment of dualistic categories formed from reductionistic tendencies (in order to propagate the favoritism of man and culture over women and nature, e.g.), then we understand how dichotomization destroys relatedness, promotes homogenization, and makes subjugation the norm for half the population the world over.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately in both the East and West, the archetypal Feminine principle, which in India is called <i>pakriti</i>, has often been associated only with women and with nature, to the detriment of both men, women and the planet. For to deny that the Feminine has value is to deny more than gender or population; it is to deny half of the entire spectrum of life. It relegates all that is receptive, open, life-generating and nurturing to the margins of society, and it is there that we can look to find the festering sores of all the various crises of our time.\r\n\r\nFortunately, particularly within the past ten years, writers, thinkers, theologians and others across the globe in fields as diverse as the sciences, religion and women’s studies have explored the dance of life beyond the confines of duality. There, many have found that the \"opposing\" forces of life are in a play of complementarities, where tension makes growth, change, and transformation possible. In understanding that life is more of an ever-shifting dynamic balance of energetics where opposing forces create an existence filled with variety, spontaneity, laughter and music in which the soul may rejoice, a new vein of consciousness has been born in our time.\r\n\r\nThe impact of the Goddess archetype upon women and men as She re-emerges into consciousness has profound ramifications upon all aspects of life. In the East, many have been called to re-examine their relationships to the manifest Divine Feminine in actual women. On the individual as well as the collective level, She reminds us that women too are powerful, worthy of respect in this world; She teaches that respect for our bodies helps us to respect the Earthbody; She tells us that all things ugly and beautiful are Her creation. She is a \"creative trinity;\" [<a href=\"/mandala/chamunda-devi-eastern-teacher-to-the-west/4/#ref\">6</a>] serving as a gateway to simultaneous embracement of <i>both</i> duality and oneness, a symbol of integrated duality and the unconditional love that binds them. With this, many in the West have been drawn to remembering the Goddess as a potent symbol of wholeness. Many have turned to Her myths, rituals and traditions of pre-patriarchal times in order to quench their personal longing for \"something else.\" I believe that Chamunda helps to bring a special dimension to understanding the fullest sense of what that wholeness means.\r\n\r\n<b>Eastern Goddesses, Patriarchal Cultures, and a Vision from the West</b>\r\n\r\nWhile the West has tended to infuse its traditions with a dualistic split, the Eastern traditions of India have tended to concern themselves with a monological \"One\" in the realm of spirit while an overlay of patriarchal duality has settled into the societal sphere. This has wrought a complexity of contradictions in Indian society. For example, the Ganges River, sacred sphere of the Goddess Ganga who manifests through and as its waters, is the most polluted and yet simultaneously the holiest river on Earth for devout Hindus. Similarly, while the Divine Feminine is recognized and worshipped through myriad images of Goddesses (Ganga, Kali and Chamunda among them), women still occupy a marginal position in traditional Indian society.\r\n\r\nAs David Kinsley has noted: \"In the Hindu tradition a woman is taught to understand herself primarily in relation to others…It is society that puts demands on her primarily through the agents of relatives and in-laws, and not she who places demands on society that she be allowed to develop a unique, independent destiny. A central demand placed on women, particularly vis-à-vis males, is that they subordinate their welfare to the welfare of others.\" [<a href=\"/mandala/chamunda-devi-eastern-teacher-to-the-west/4/#ref\">7</a>]\r\n\r\nWhile attempts have been made to reconcile patriarchal duality at the level of society with a philosophical and religious spiritual unity, the fact of the matter is that such discontinuity invalidates and undermines both. Little progress has been made in this regard within the Indian context. But it is from within this struggle that ways of thinking that seek to heal the split of culture from embodied/immanent spirituality have more recently emerged. Many writers, but most prominently the Indian physicist and ecofeminist, Vandana Shiva, have made a case for recognizing the Divine Feminine/Goddess in order to ameliorate tension and diffuse the boundaries of derision caused by the patriarchal paradigm.\r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\nIn her book, <i>Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development</i>, Shiva explores one way of looking at the Divine Feminine through lenses that appreciate both transcendent as well as immanent manifestations. She proposes fully embracing the notion of <i>Pakriti</i> as a \"spiritual\" discipline rather than simply as \"nature,\" so that a more balanced worldview can be achieved. This new worldview takes into account the marginalized position of women while de facto promoting environmental sustainability and the wellbeing of diverse, autonomous communities focused on the sacredness of relationships rather than on their destruction.\r\n\r\nAccording to Shiva, Pakriti means not just the traditional counterpart to Purusa (the Divine Masculine, or the Masculine Principle of manifest culture and society), but instead the<i>entirety</i> of nature with its ability to create, sustain and destroy in order to continue the cycle of life in all its aspects. Thus, Shiva’s position asserts \"both a <i>holistic</i> perspective and an<i>inclusive</i> agenda of concerns based on its considerable respect for diversity—both in turn being principles of nature.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">8</a>]\r\n\r\nOn another level, such thinking shows that the construct of <i>maya</i> (illusion) as found in many Indian philosophical systems is not required to solve the corundum of how manifest reality (difference) can be reconciled with the unitive One. Instead, maya can be understood as the human resistance to holding the tension of paradox in life. In this way, perhaps the women of manifest nature can reclaim their right as beings who are living testament to the power of the Goddess and be honored as such. And the \"One\" can take on new meaning as a \"dynamic system of relations wherein any particular manifestation functions simultaneously as a distinct part and the unbroken whole. The parts are not derivative of the whole, or vice versa, [nor are the parts dissolved into one another to become the whole, or vice versa.] Each aspect constitutes the other.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">9</a>]\r\n\r\nIt is with this idea in mind that the Goddesses of East and West need to be (re)evaluated. Unfortunately, however, as we saw earlier in this article, the Western Goddess(es) of mainstream contemporary manifestation and interpretation provide little by way of role model to help us accomplish the task of aware integration of spheres on both the intra- and inter- (as well as micro- and macrocosmic) levels that permeate the realms of mind, body and spirit. Therefore, if we are to move beyond our present embeddedness in the philosophical systems of our respective contexts, any divine teacher thus considered must be a manifestation of reality that lies beyond duality while embracing of it, and must be a penetrator/trix of all worlds, symbolic and otherwise.\r\n\r\nChamunda and her sister Kali, in my opinion, represent an understanding of the limitations of a dualistic worldview while simultaneously embracing duality as facilitator for self-awareness—-the manifest universe and the physical form being vehicles for the exploration of consciousness into itself. Further, they allow communication and representation among each and every sphere of life as well as among worlds, much like the Hermes Trismegistus of Greek mythology and later hermetic philosophy who not only facilitated communication between Gods; between Gods and men; but also between the worlds of Heaven and Hell. In this way, the Divine Feminine as manifest from within the Eastern psyche serves the required purpose; for as C. MacKenzie Brown notes: \"In the Devi-Bhagavata…the goddess is both male and female, and transcends the two, but without devaluing either the transcendent or <i>samsaric</i>[earthly or immanent]<i> </i>dimensions.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">10</a>]\r\n\r\nFurther, it may be noted that from a perspective focused on the dynamics of inter-relationship rather than the intra-relationships of East and West, the Western relationship to \"God\" and the Eastern understanding of non-duality as a quality of \"God\" is typified by the following story:\r\n<blockquote>A Western reporter and an Indian devotee of the Goddess come across a statue of Kali. She has her four arms: the upper right raised in blessing, the lower right offering a boon (wish), the upper left holding a machete dripping with blood and the lower left gripping a severed human head by the hair. Seeing this split, the Westerner immediately asks: \"So how do you get the blessing and avoid the machete?\" The Eastern devotee angrily replies, \"That\'s not it at all...The blessing is only won when you accept both sides of her, including pain, sorrow, decay, death, and destruction. Run from her horrors, and you run from her blessings. To deny death, to act as if your little self is the center of things and must be protected from pain and preserved as long as possible—this is the real death. But embrace Kali as she is—kiss her bloody tongue and feel all four arms caress you at once—then you have life, you have freedom.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">11</a>]</blockquote>\r\nIn this story, the boon for the Western mind would be to get beyond dualistic thinking; and the boon for the Eastern mind would be to allow this non-dualistic perspective to integrate into all spheres of life, not simply the spiritual one.\r\n\r\nBut working with images such as Chamunda and Kali, I believe, is one way to begin transforming traditional perspectives. Although a re-visioning of these goddesses in the East to include a mandate for social reform might be a worthwhile endeavor, I can only mention here the potential impact that working with them might have upon Western consciousness were, for example, a fully developed program inclusive of yoga, ritual, meditation and contemplation, etc. to be implemented by those wishing to break free of the limiting constructs of our time.\r\n\r\n<b>Revisiting the Goddess</b>\r\n\r\nTherefore, I hold that those wishing to reach beyond the schisms of Western thought (and beyond the hypocrisy of Eastern practice if one is from that context and so inclined) need to welcome a teacher capable of fully embodying both sides of duality; for one must be willing to embrace death if seeking to fully enjoy life (as the story above pointed out). The extremely intense presence of Chamunda when brought into contemplation by a seeking mind can indeed be a call to wake up to the vibrancy of life; to the reason behind the ephemeral nature of things; and indeed to the fullest sense oneself and one’s purpose in the world.\r\n\r\nFor as told in the Upanishads when Sanatkumara says to the young Narada: \"One who meditates upon and realizes the Self discovers that everything in the cosmos—energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation—all come from the Self.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">12</a>] The Self is therefore the embracing One and that which enables human beings to comprehend the infinite diversity of the world. The manifestations of the macrocosmic world can be easily understood in terms of the microcosmic Self and vice versa; or again in the words of Hermes Trismegistus, \"as above, so below.\"\r\n\r\nIn meditating upon the image of Chamunda and asking questions as I did about the reasons behind her powerful presence, one may be forced to ask too exactly what this Goddess desires us to see and to ultimately understand about our presence in the world: What is my role here? Why is there suffering? What is the purpose of life? Why has Patriarchy been a part of our human experience? As it says in the Chandogya Upanishad, \"You are that.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">13</a>] And so for the individual contemplating the nature of non-dual reality while trying to reconcile manifest existence and personal experience, Chamunda can function as a portal to understanding.\r\n\r\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, turning to different ways of knowing and of experiencing reality may assist us in our struggles to ‘make sense of it all.’ This introduction of Chamunda as a teacher to the West is again not an attempt to co-opt or misrepresent a Hindu deity; it is simply a suggestion to be aware of more than those things with which we are readily familiar in our quest.\r\n\r\nDone with honor, respect, and with no claim at contextual understanding, opening to the patterns of collective thought that made the Goddess Chamunda a part of human reality may be a way to break the hard lines of Western dichotomy. It may help us reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols, myths and traditions that have sprung from our collective human history, and it may help us connect to something deeper from within our own Western psyche. It may help us to eventually reclaim the power inherent in both Mother and Witch for the betterment of humanity.\r\n\r\nThus Chamunda-Devi may be a kind of key - not to unlocking the past, but to helping us ‘re-find’ the awareness most important for us today. Perhaps she can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance that exists within each of us in order to help surface feelings and intuitions that are particularly important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness.\r\n\r\nAs the last line of the <i>Creed of the Star Goddess</i> tells us, \"I [the Goddess], have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.\"  [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">14</a>] We need only wish to remember in our hearts, with all of our heart, and She will reveal Her reality no matter where we live, what language we speak or what traditions we follow. As we move forward along our collective path in this evolutionary spiral we call life, may we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move together towards tomorrow. In this project, Chamunda is certainly qualified to be our guide.\r\n\r\nThe rest of my stay in India continued to be filled with Chamunda’s presence, and I began to affirm as I learned more about her that she was unknowable in any purely historical or religious sense but for my own cellular memories perhaps and more recent experiences of her. By Chamunda’s grace, however, I find that as I deepen into her mysteries and continue to invoke her in my life, I am drawn back in time so that I may discover not only her truth, but also the truth of how the track of recorded history both reveals and obscures truth. As much contemporary feminist scholarship reveals, much of recorded history obscures. By Chamunda’s grace, however, the path towards greater self-awareness was presented to me, and I continue to ask the above-mentioned questions, slowly gaining insight into her potential role as a teacher of the West.\r\n\r\nThe path towards greater self-awareness therefore has very large implications, and I continue to ask the above-mentioned questions to gain insight into Chamunda in all manifestations so that she may ultimately teach her secrets to all those willing to learn. I for one, am realizing that the mysteries of the Goddess reveal themselves to me though my personal experience, and as I open to trusting that my spirituality in this vein contains the greatest wisdom of all, the circle is closed and I am before Her once again.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a name=\"ref\"></a>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. Kinsley, David. <i>Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition</i> (University of California Press: Berkeley) 1986 p. 149\r\n2. Dehejia, Vidya. <i>Yogini Cult and Temples: A Tantric Tradition</i> (The National Museum: New Delhi) 1986, p. 187\r\n3. The Matrikas first appear in the <i>Mahabharata</i> and have collectively been dated to about the first century A.D. Their manifestations in the literature of the epic - and post-epic periods seem to be characterized as malevolent, blood-drinking and demonic; but worship is also directed to them for protection. The Matrikas are notably a group of goddesses, the number of which becomes somewhat standardized at seven or eight in the postepic period. They are given in the <i>Visnudharmottara-purana</i> as: Yogisvari, Mahesvari, Vaisnavi, Kaumari, Brahmani, Chamunda and Varahi.\r\n4. I have visited this temple and seen these images. David Kinsley also makes mention of this fact in his work,<i>Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas</i> (University of California Press: Berkeley) 1997, p. 16\r\n5. Kinsley, David. Ibid., p. 75\r\n6. Sheldrake, Rupert. <i>The Rebirth of Nature: The Greening of Science and God</i> (Park Street Press: Vermont) 1991 pp. 196 - 199\r\n7. Kinsley, David. <i>Hindu Goddesses</i>, ibid<i>. </i>p. 77\r\n8. Kothari, Rajni. Foreword in <i>Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development</i> by Vandana Shiva, (New Jersey: Zed Books) 1989, p. X. (Original italics.)\r\n9. Spretnak, Charlene. \"Radical Non-duality in Ecofeminist Philosophy\" essay <i>in Metis: A Feminist Journal of Transformative Wisdom</i>, Spring, 1996; Vol 1, No. 1., p. 11\r\n10. Brown, C. MacKenzie. <i>The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana</i> (SUNY Press: New York) 1990, p. 216\r\n11. Reported by Tim Ward in <i>Common Boundary</i>, March/April, 1997, p. 34\r\n12.<i> Chandogya Upanishad, </i>translated by Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press: Berkeley) 1987, p. 190\r\n13. <i>Chandogya Upanishad</i>, ibid<i>.</i>, p. 183\r\n14. Adapted from the traditional (oral) poem by Doreen Valiente, British witch. Traditional.','Chamunda-Devi','','publish','open','open','','chamunda-devi-eastern-teacher-to-the-west','','','2013-10-17 19:59:10','2013-10-18 02:59:10','',0,'<h4>Eastern Teacher to The West</h4>\r\n<em>by Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-99968 imgborder=0\" alt=\"chamundafire\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/chamundafire.gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"278\" /><br>\r\n',0,'post','',1),(99968,2,'2013-09-11 16:14:10','2013-09-11 23:14:10','','chamundafire','','inherit','open','open','','chamundafire','','','2013-09-11 16:14:10','2013-09-11 23:14:10','',99967,'',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(99969,2,'2013-09-11 16:18:05','2013-09-11 23:18:05','This article tells the story of my own exploration into the mysteries of the Goddess as manifested within the Hindu pantheon as Chamunda, the fierce, emaciated and terrifying Dark Mother. She is a goddess who is particularly revered among Shaktas (believers in the primacy of the Divine Feminine), and she has historically found favor within all strata of Indian society, from the village shudras (lowest caste) to the rulers of India. Temples to her exist throughout the country: from the forts of Rajasthan to the highlands of Himachal Pradesh, to the adavasi (tribal) lands of Orissa.\r\n\r\nIn Orissa, where I was blessed to spend five months exploring, she appears primarily in two forms: i) as one of the Matrikas (Mothers), and ii) as one of the sixty-four yoginis (witches) who are themselves daughters of the Asta Matrikas (Eight Mothers). From my exploration into Chamunda I have gained an understanding of the ways in which the Goddess teaches through one of her manifest forms, and this article is an attempt to share some of what I have discovered with you.\r\n\r\nBut here, I can only hope to present my learnings as shrouded with the veil of perception I carry as a western woman. However, I share my interpretation of the mysteries as revealed to me by Her so that Her name may be invoked and Her presence asked to help banish the ignorance and prejudice of our time. I do not pretend to fully understand Chamunda (within her original context or otherwise) or for that matter, the great mystery of the Goddess; but rather I claim to appreciate Her because of my resonance with the form and symbols offered to us from India.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-99968 imgborder\" alt=\"chamundafire\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/chamundafire.gif\" width=\"545\" height=\"607\" /><strong>The Image of Chamunda</strong>\r\n\r\nFrom an 8th century stone statue originally found in Dharmasala (Cuttack, Orissa) and now located at the Orissa State Museum in Bhubaneswar, I learned to see for the first time through this image what the power of the Divine Feminine can be through a figure that could (and does) readily inspire fear in both Western and Eastern onlookers. Chamunda appears to penetrate the manifest world through this sculpture of grey-black chlorite stone. She is chiseled with her most readily recognizable features: sunken eyes, sagging breasts and skeletal body; but the obvious attention and carefully-detailed precision with which she was created belie a profound respect and/or love on the part of the sculptor that is perhaps not readily understandable from our current vantage point.\r\n\r\nComing across her image amidst myriad sculptures on the floor of the museum is like dropping into a cold pool after a 20-minute steam bath. Upon first seeing her, I was instantly astounded and shocked by her presence until the realization set in that encountering Her was making my insides tingle in ways suggestive of Her great power. She is an awesome figure, with third-eye and navel raised out of the stone, veins defined over the course of her entire body, no teeth, heavily hanging earlobes and snake-entwined arms - one of which holds in its long hand a severed human head, which she grasps with finger nails that come to a point. In her other partially-intact arm she holds a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart. She is garlanded with skulls, wears ouroboric anklets, and is seated on a corpse with her right foot on the ground and her left leg bent at the knee, foot turned, its sole to the sky. Her hair is aflame and pulled upwards, wrapped and held in place by a snake-band tiara, the center of which bears a skull.\r\n\r\nAlthough my initial contact with the fierce form of the Goddess had come to me through a dream image as Kali, both she and Chamunda are alike in many respects, related by their transformative abilities and their stature as Crones. While Kali manifests the power of time and of death, Chamunda too holds infinity and eternity. Both can be intensely frightening images of divine, feminine power especially to those unaccustomed to dealing with the Dark Goddess. Both are often similarly depicted: in the cremation ground, often seated upon a corpse or engaging in Tantrick rituals involving sex, blood and death. In this, they explicitly manifest antinomian characteristics within mainstream Hindu tradition, and they become by this provkers of (r)evolution from the inside, and transformers of worlds from the outside as they reach westerners.\r\n\r\nChamunda\'s intensity through the vehicle of the statue in Bhubaneswar shook me deep inside and stunned me. And I was nevertheless drawn to her and mystified by what she had to offer. Somehow, I could not help but feel her incredible power through the skeletal form, while at the same time, I became immediately and especially aware of how at odds with this impression and indeed terrifying she would appear to most westerners. Rationally, I wondered how in the world this figure could be known as one of the matrikas when she seemed so very far from western, as well as the traditional Hindu conception of mother, either literal or archetypal. Mother in any sense is most generally normalized to mean nurturing and life-giving. Chamunda appears to be everything but this, and I had to work to see the interconnections. On another, non-rational level, however, I could immediately feel that there was a mystery of fecundity held within those bones. I was, of course, feeling in my own bones something very old and true about her.\r\n\r\nWhile within both Eastern and Western contexts mothers are seen as caretakers and life givers, understanding the Devi as matrika (mother) is another story. Within the world of Indian Goddess theology at least from Vedic times (circa 1,500 BCE), it seems that the devi as a mother who nourishes the world is understood as someone who must herself be replenished in order to continue to sustain life. \"If she were only to give birth and to nourish her creatures she would soon grow weak, and creation would cease.\" [1]\r\n\r\nBecause her life-generating and sustaining aspect is so powerful, she carries an insatiable hunger that is equally great. This hunger is often represented in images by showing an emaciated figure. Thus understood, the fierce devi is integral to understanding the birth/death aspect of the cycle of life in India, which makes possible the whole of manifest existence. She is obviously the living Crone, a Dark Goddess who functions as a gateway between the realms of this world and the next. Recognition of this leads to liberation; and images containing within them the fullness of samsara, as Chamunda does, serve as gateways to simultaneous embracement of life and death, duality and oneness, a holistic future and personal enrichment through the suffering of life. They hold the key to embracing the walk of the heart, where sadness and joy, pain and elation ever co-mingle.\r\n\r\nUnderstanding the goddess as both life-giver and destroyer manifests in symbolic form as a circle, or chakra within the Indian context. This chakra is reflective of the cycles of life apparent, for example, in the waxing and waning of the moon and those other cycles tied to this one, such as menstruation and the ebb and flow of the tides. A circle is the form taken by the temples dedicated to the yoginis, or sixty-four derivations of the Asta Matrikas mentioned previously who include Chamunda among them. It is therefore perhaps no coincidence that the goddess as yogini would be configured for worship by the tantricks in circular temples, since their tradition is infused with reverence for the Goddess as containing the mystery of She who is both of the source of all life and the fount of death; the One who contains All. In addition, the yoginis are also linked to yaksis (nature spirits), and they, as well as those who worshipped them, were called witches and magicians. As yogini, Chamunda and her sixty-three sisters were said to have the power to fly, to become invisible, turn humans into animals, and other such things. In many ways, these traits and the correspondence of female deities with witchcraft again brings together East and West through demonization of the Feminine.\r\n\r\nBut much like the Indo-European demonization of the pre-Christian Death/Regeneratirx aspect of the Goddess into Witch, Chamunda too was demonized and subordinated by patriarchal traditions in India. She was linked to Yama, Lord of Death, becoming less than he in Vedic hymns. An interesting suggestion, however, of her ties to pre-patriarchal roots may be found by looking at her vahana (mount), the owl. Even today in the west, this bird may still be found carrying the messages of the Dark Goddess, of the Feminine Divine who holds the mysteries of life, death and rebirth. A friend found a link between east and west on pilgrimage to the Black Madonna Notre Dame de Bon Espoir (Our Lady of Good Hope) in Dijon France. She writes of her experience,\r\n<blockquote>The oldest of the Black Madonnas...Notre Dame de Bon Espoir was yet another Black Madonna who made a tremendous impact on me. Interestingly, there is an owl carved into the side of the church where She is housed.</blockquote>\r\nTherefore, understanding the origins of the witch in prehistory and her later modifications to more fierce/violent characterizations at the hands of patriarchal peoples will perhaps help to heal some of the ills caused by misrepresentations of the Feminine while eradicating some causes of Devi’s (and by extension women’s) subordination. It might be said that if we come to understand the full nature of Her, we would see that all Her forms are those of beauty within the divine creation.\r\n\r\nWhile the term witch is in the eastern context used with negative connotation, it is important to understand that the yoginis of the temples were not demons to the tantricks. Given the tantrick insistence on reverence for the immanence of the divine and the sacredness of nature, of maniest reality, yoginis are understood as affirmations of the multifarious aspects of the Goddess. While some of these aspects can be very violent or fierce, with the goddess often depicted with sword in hand, blood and human flesh dripping from her mouth, severed heads around her waist, and other gruesome adornment, understanding her and her relationship to patriarchy over time is interesting. Such depictions, on the one hand, are likely overlays onto an ancient Crone/Death-Regeneratrix deity whose original association with death was severed from her link to life because of a dualistic patriarchal worldview that failed to recognize, for example, the interconnectedness of life and death and instead demonized women and nature as expressions of that relationship.\r\n\r\nIn contrast to gruesome depictions of the goddess Chamunda and those associated with Her, patriarchal Hinduism has begun, within the last century, to sweeten the fierce goddesses. Perhaps this is a tell-tale sign that the power of the feminine is being responded to a new and different way. That is, first, She was representative of the power of Oneness and, simply put, patriarchal consciousness (as manifested in the social, political and other realities millennia ago that have created today’s normative Hindu consciousness) sought to (and managed to) break that monopoly by rendering Her as fierce so as to facilitate specific ends, which were to carve out dualistic territory (for some reason). After supression in very specific ways for those millennia, however, She has sought to bring balance to a dichotomous worldview. In response to Her presence now, instead of the fierceness previously required to serve the purposes of a patriarchal worldview, the institutions today that which to retain power have rendered her sweet and submissive, now, to serve their ends of maintaining the status quo. Were patriarchal powers to allow Her fierceness, their reign might quickly come to an end, and this, of course, is exactly the point of honoring and remembering Her as all that She is while concurrently utilizing the power that Her fierce characteristics contain.\r\n\r\nFurther, while the word witch today still reverberates strongly with anti-God-loving sentiment for some people, to call oneself a witch as I do is an act of resistance to patriarchal obfuscation of the truth, and reclamation of women’s power within any tradition (as well as outside them). In the west, it is an appellation that is taking on an entirely new meaning, particularly with the resurgence of the goddess in the discipline known as Women’s Spirituality, through Wicca (a reclamation of indigenous European earth-based traditions) and through other forms of earth-based religion, that hold within them both the pre-historical notion of goddess as life-giver/destroyer and the more patriarchal characterization of the goddess as violent warrior, from which many, nevertheless are able to find powerful tools for creating life-affirming change.\r\n\r\nAgain before what I now call my statue of Chamunda, this time recording notes and impressions while interposing photographic moments until the museum’s 4 o’clock closing time, I eventually come to be alone with her. I am alone in that statue-filled room mesmerized, or very likely in trance, feeling as though some incredibly magical force surrounds the two of us. From my spot on the floor, I watch her watching me and ask her to teach me Her secrets. That evening, I wrote in my journal:\r\n<blockquote>From where did the ancient Saktas get her image? What are her myths and associations? How and when does she manifest? Why? What are the psychological implications of her presence as a Goddess and what do they tell us about the people who created her? Why does she exist in this fierce form that was obviously so loved (feared?) by those who worshipped her? Can she help us in the west better understand the nature of the Divine Feminine; and if so, can we find ways through her to promote self-understanding? She is starved; does she link us psychically to the root cause of/cure for anorexia? Can she help western women in the throes of addictions, especially eating disorders, with their own reclamation process? How does understanding Chamunda help me to better understand myself?</blockquote>\r\nMy questions only began to touch the surface of her depth. As a western woman living today I can never know her true or intended purpose, although I can make an educated guess informed by my academic pursuits as well as my bodily knowings and intuitions.\r\n\r\nEven so, Chamunda through my eyes is not Chamunda in any fully Indian sense, even though I have explored her on her own ground (literally, as well as through her myths, philosophies, symbols, and worship). Rather, for me, Chamunda is an exploration into the depths of personal, and perhaps more generally the question of women’s, spirituality. Particularly within the western context of women’s spiritual development, the importance of Chamunda as a teacher can be grasped when it is understood that she holds within herself the tension of embracing both Mother and Witch archetypes; two aspects of the Feminine that have long been used to subordinate rather than empower women. Chamunda illustrates that these aspects ever inter-related, constantly situated within a flux of interchangeability that she herself manifests.\r\n\r\n<b>Chamunda and Kali: Blood Sisters</b>\r\n\r\nMy initial contact with the <i>raudra</i> or fierce form of the Goddess, as mentioned above, had come to me years earlier through a dream image as Kali, a Hindu goddess representative of the power of time and of death. In many respects, Chamunda and Kali are alike. Indeed, both are initiators into the fullest spectrum of life, and both serve to awaken us to the value of impermanence and cyclical time. Some Shakta practitioners understand both goddesses to be manifest aspects of the same ontological truth; nevertheless, both can be intensely frightening images of feminine power to those unaccustomed to dealing with the Dark Mother.\r\n\r\nIconographically, Chamunda and Kali are often similarly depicted: in the cremation ground, seated upon a corpse and engaging in practices involving sex, blood and death. At the Chamunda-Devi temple [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">4</a>] outside of Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh), Chamunda is plainly understood to be a form of Kali and the ten <i>mahavidyas</i> are depicted at her shrine. The Devi as Chamunda-Kali is also mentioned in the <i>Tantrasara</i>, <i>Shaktapramoda</i> and <i>Pranatosini</i>. [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">5</a>]\r\n\r\nChamunda-Kali provides a gateway to: i) understanding of the Goddess in the Western psyche for juxtaposition with the Eastern manifestations of Her; ii) how Western vs. Eastern conceptions of reality play a role in determining the images of the Divine Feminine that abound in each context; and iii) the potential power of reclaiming the Dark Mother in the West with the help of images from the East.\r\n\r\n<b>Western Appreciation for the Goddess</b>\r\n\r\nFrom this brief discussion in conjunction with other goddess tales, perhaps a vision of the goddess who relates to the emotional, physical, and psychic bodies of women and men, regardless of their country of origin, by virtue of the human condition, is becoming apparent. Woven here is the notion that where women in particular are being drawn to Devi’s symbolism for its promotion of, at the very least, what may appear to be a feminist ethic, those who are attracted to her in their spiritual longing (in any of her forms) necessarily cross lines of demarcation whether social, political, or geographical—and so too does Devi. Goddess worship and feminism too needs to be able to create a container for dialogue, with both arenas developing cross-cultural methodologies that can facilitate the creation of safe space in which to then make discussions happen that relate the spiritual realities with the economic, social, and political ones. From within that space, the hope would be to generate a metaphorical fire from which truth based on a process of coming to agreement can be born. Only then can we empower women and men to be all of who and what they are, no matter what the context in which they find themselves.\r\n\r\nGiving a historicity to Indian images of the divine may help those non-Hindus interested in appreciating her from within western contexts to make informed statements and educated assertions (based upon contextual understanding) about their own uses of/for her while providing a ground for possible adaptations of Devi within a new environment. For just as the goddess centuries ago crossed from India to neighboring lands, our technological advancements today have moved us all towards a global community, which has indeed also helped to shape the transportation of Devi across oceans and continents.\r\n\r\nFor western women, images of the goddess as whole, as containing paradox, and particularly as embracing sexuality and other aspects generally suppressed under patriarchy, are healing. In the western context where transcendent male gods (or more specifically, one male god of generally Jewish or Christian disposition) dominate and no female/feminine is accorded divine status (despite the high status imparted to Mary, as discussed in the last chapter), the need for a Divine Feminine who recognized, honored and is both immanent as well as transcendent is glaring. Perhaps this is one reason why the Indian conception of goddess captures the fervor of western feminists and those seeking alternate visions of the divine that are more inclusive. Devi seems approachable in the sense that she, as her myths and iconography at the very least portend, undergoes and is much of what women recognize to be their individual truths. In her, every woman finds a piece of herself; and every man, perhaps, can learn a little more about the heart of his essential nature.\r\n\r\nThe mainstream Western images of the Divine Feminine in a contemporary context where the Abrahamic faiths prevail have largely been limited to the Virgin Mary, and perhaps if one is generous, to Sophia, the Black Madonna and Lilith. These last three however, represent an undercurrent of the Christian and Judaic faiths, and they are not recognized by many practitioners; at least not with full awareness of their power and connection to pre-patriarchal religion.\r\n\r\nIn any case, it is apparent that the Divine Feminine within our context as represented in Her most ubiquitous aspect as the Virgin Mary has little but a \"soft\" or benevolent and nurturing side. She is holy and untouchable, even by her husband; she is vehicle for the avatar Christ, but not God herself; she is incapable of engaging the more uncomfortable aspects of life; she listens and conveys the message of her followers, but does not have the power to act directly for those who worship her.\r\n\r\nThis image of Mary is put in juxtaposition within Christianity to the one God, who is All. Her place is marginal in relationship to His magnificence, and reflects the Western/patriarchal schism typified by Descartes’ mind/body duality (God as transcendent mind, Mary as earth-bound body) or more simply, the valuing of men over women and heaven over earth. Further, it underscores that the religious traditions of patriarchal cultures have unfortunately tended to pathologize the relationship of dualistic principles. In life, dualities abound, but their representation in the West has long since posed them as warring opposites where the position of the Divine Feminine (and women) is relegated to minority status.\r\n\r\nThe patriarchal worldview, particularly as expressed in the powerful \"First World\" nations of the West, has manifested skewed valuations of dualities in other spheres of life as well. It has done so to the point of ignoring (or largely ignoring) the inherent worth and wisdom of the Feminine principle and has created an urgent need for crisis prevention in the environmental, developmental, psychological and social arenas. Further, if we accept that the project of patriarchy has been based on the scientific and philosophical deconstruction of life (through exploitation of resources and peoples by Western science and paradigms supported by such traditions) and on the establishment of dualistic categories formed from reductionistic tendencies (in order to propagate the favoritism of man and culture over women and nature, e.g.), then we understand how dichotomization destroys relatedness, promotes homogenization, and makes subjugation the norm for half the population the world over.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately in both the East and West, the archetypal Feminine principle, which in India is called <i>pakriti</i>, has often been associated only with women and with nature, to the detriment of both men, women and the planet. For to deny that the Feminine has value is to deny more than gender or population; it is to deny half of the entire spectrum of life. It relegates all that is receptive, open, life-generating and nurturing to the margins of society, and it is there that we can look to find the festering sores of all the various crises of our time.\r\n\r\nFortunately, particularly within the past ten years, writers, thinkers, theologians and others across the globe in fields as diverse as the sciences, religion and women’s studies have explored the dance of life beyond the confines of duality. There, many have found that the \"opposing\" forces of life are in a play of complementarities, where tension makes growth, change, and transformation possible. In understanding that life is more of an ever-shifting dynamic balance of energetics where opposing forces create an existence filled with variety, spontaneity, laughter and music in which the soul may rejoice, a new vein of consciousness has been born in our time.\r\n\r\nThe impact of the Goddess archetype upon women and men as She re-emerges into consciousness has profound ramifications upon all aspects of life. In the East, many have been called to re-examine their relationships to the manifest Divine Feminine in actual women. On the individual as well as the collective level, She reminds us that women too are powerful, worthy of respect in this world; She teaches that respect for our bodies helps us to respect the Earthbody; She tells us that all things ugly and beautiful are Her creation. She is a \"creative trinity;\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">6</a>] serving as a gateway to simultaneous embracement of <i>both</i> duality and oneness, a symbol of integrated duality and the unconditional love that binds them. With this, many in the West have been drawn to remembering the Goddess as a potent symbol of wholeness. Many have turned to Her myths, rituals and traditions of pre-patriarchal times in order to quench their personal longing for \"something else.\" I believe that Chamunda helps to bring a special dimension to understanding the fullest sense of what that wholeness means.\r\n\r\n<b>Eastern Goddesses, Patriarchal Cultures, and a Vision from the West</b>\r\n\r\nWhile the West has tended to infuse its traditions with a dualistic split, the Eastern traditions of India have tended to concern themselves with a monological \"One\" in the realm of spirit while an overlay of patriarchal duality has settled into the societal sphere. This has wrought a complexity of contradictions in Indian society. For example, the Ganges River, sacred sphere of the Goddess Ganga who manifests through and as its waters, is the most polluted and yet simultaneously the holiest river on Earth for devout Hindus. Similarly, while the Divine Feminine is recognized and worshipped through myriad images of Goddesses (Ganga, Kali and Chamunda among them), women still occupy a marginal position in traditional Indian society.\r\n\r\nAs David Kinsley has noted: \"In the Hindu tradition a woman is taught to understand herself primarily in relation to others…It is society that puts demands on her primarily through the agents of relatives and in-laws, and not she who places demands on society that she be allowed to develop a unique, independent destiny. A central demand placed on women, particularly vis-à-vis males, is that they subordinate their welfare to the welfare of others.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">7</a>]\r\n\r\nWhile attempts have been made to reconcile patriarchal duality at the level of society with a philosophical and religious spiritual unity, the fact of the matter is that such discontinuity invalidates and undermines both. Little progress has been made in this regard within the Indian context. But it is from within this struggle that ways of thinking that seek to heal the split of culture from embodied/immanent spirituality have more recently emerged. Many writers, but most prominently the Indian physicist and ecofeminist, Vandana Shiva, have made a case for recognizing the Divine Feminine/Goddess in order to ameliorate tension and diffuse the boundaries of derision caused by the patriarchal paradigm.\r\n\r\nIn her book, <i>Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development</i>, Shiva explores one way of looking at the Divine Feminine through lenses that appreciate both transcendent as well as immanent manifestations. She proposes fully embracing the notion of <i>Pakriti</i> as a \"spiritual\" discipline rather than simply as \"nature,\" so that a more balanced worldview can be achieved. This new worldview takes into account the marginalized position of women while de facto promoting environmental sustainability and the wellbeing of diverse, autonomous communities focused on the sacredness of relationships rather than on their destruction.\r\n\r\nAccording to Shiva, Pakriti means not just the traditional counterpart to Purusa (the Divine Masculine, or the Masculine Principle of manifest culture and society), but instead the<i>entirety</i> of nature with its ability to create, sustain and destroy in order to continue the cycle of life in all its aspects. Thus, Shiva’s position asserts \"both a <i>holistic</i> perspective and an<i>inclusive</i> agenda of concerns based on its considerable respect for diversity—both in turn being principles of nature.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">8</a>]\r\n\r\nOn another level, such thinking shows that the construct of <i>maya</i> (illusion) as found in many Indian philosophical systems is not required to solve the corundum of how manifest reality (difference) can be reconciled with the unitive One. Instead, maya can be understood as the human resistance to holding the tension of paradox in life. In this way, perhaps the women of manifest nature can reclaim their right as beings who are living testament to the power of the Goddess and be honored as such. And the \"One\" can take on new meaning as a \"dynamic system of relations wherein any particular manifestation functions simultaneously as a distinct part and the unbroken whole. The parts are not derivative of the whole, or vice versa, [nor are the parts dissolved into one another to become the whole, or vice versa.] Each aspect constitutes the other.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">9</a>]\r\n\r\nIt is with this idea in mind that the Goddesses of East and West need to be (re)evaluated. Unfortunately, however, as we saw earlier in this article, the Western Goddess(es) of mainstream contemporary manifestation and interpretation provide little by way of role model to help us accomplish the task of aware integration of spheres on both the intra- and inter- (as well as micro- and macrocosmic) levels that permeate the realms of mind, body and spirit. Therefore, if we are to move beyond our present embeddedness in the philosophical systems of our respective contexts, any divine teacher thus considered must be a manifestation of reality that lies beyond duality while embracing of it, and must be a penetrator/trix of all worlds, symbolic and otherwise.\r\n\r\nChamunda and her sister Kali, in my opinion, represent an understanding of the limitations of a dualistic worldview while simultaneously embracing duality as facilitator for self-awareness—-the manifest universe and the physical form being vehicles for the exploration of consciousness into itself. Further, they allow communication and representation among each and every sphere of life as well as among worlds, much like the Hermes Trismegistus of Greek mythology and later hermetic philosophy who not only facilitated communication between Gods; between Gods and men; but also between the worlds of Heaven and Hell. In this way, the Divine Feminine as manifest from within the Eastern psyche serves the required purpose; for as C. MacKenzie Brown notes: \"In the Devi-Bhagavata…the goddess is both male and female, and transcends the two, but without devaluing either the transcendent or <i>samsaric</i>[earthly or immanent]<i> </i>dimensions.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">10</a>]\r\n\r\nFurther, it may be noted that from a perspective focused on the dynamics of inter-relationship rather than the intra-relationships of East and West, the Western relationship to \"God\" and the Eastern understanding of non-duality as a quality of \"God\" is typified by the following story:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<blockquote>A Western reporter and an Indian devotee of the Goddess come across a statue of Kali. She has her four arms: the upper right raised in blessing, the lower right offering a boon (wish), the upper left holding a machete dripping with blood and the lower left gripping a severed human head by the hair. Seeing this split, the Westerner immediately asks: \"So how do you get the blessing and avoid the machete?\" The Eastern devotee angrily replies, \"That\'s not it at all...The blessing is only won when you accept both sides of her, including pain, sorrow, decay, death, and destruction. Run from her horrors, and you run from her blessings. To deny death, to act as if your little self is the center of things and must be protected from pain and preserved as long as possible—this is the real death. But embrace Kali as she is—kiss her bloody tongue and feel all four arms caress you at once—then you have life, you have freedom.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">11</a>]</blockquote>\r\nIn this story, the boon for the Western mind would be to get beyond dualistic thinking; and the boon for the Eastern mind would be to allow this non-dualistic perspective to integrate into all spheres of life, not simply the spiritual one.\r\n\r\nBut working with images such as Chamunda and Kali, I believe, is one way to begin transforming traditional perspectives. Although a re-visioning of these goddesses in the East to include a mandate for social reform might be a worthwhile endeavor, I can only mention here the potential impact that working with them might have upon Western consciousness were, for example, a fully developed program inclusive of yoga, ritual, meditation and contemplation, etc. to be implemented by those wishing to break free of the limiting constructs of our time.\r\n\r\n<b>Revisiting the Goddess</b>\r\n\r\nTherefore, I hold that those wishing to reach beyond the schisms of Western thought (and beyond the hypocrisy of Eastern practice if one is from that context and so inclined) need to welcome a teacher capable of fully embodying both sides of duality; for one must be willing to embrace death if seeking to fully enjoy life (as the story above pointed out). The extremely intense presence of Chamunda when brought into contemplation by a seeking mind can indeed be a call to wake up to the vibrancy of life; to the reason behind the ephemeral nature of things; and indeed to the fullest sense oneself and one’s purpose in the world.\r\n\r\nFor as told in the Upanishads when Sanatkumara says to the young Narada: \"One who meditates upon and realizes the Self discovers that everything in the cosmos—energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation—all come from the Self.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">12</a>] The Self is therefore the embracing One and that which enables human beings to comprehend the infinite diversity of the world. The manifestations of the macrocosmic world can be easily understood in terms of the microcosmic Self and vice versa; or again in the words of Hermes Trismegistus, \"as above, so below.\"\r\n\r\nIn meditating upon the image of Chamunda and asking questions as I did about the reasons behind her powerful presence, one may be forced to ask too exactly what this Goddess desires us to see and to ultimately understand about our presence in the world: What is my role here? Why is there suffering? What is the purpose of life? Why has Patriarchy been a part of our human experience? As it says in the Chandogya Upanishad, \"You are that.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">13</a>] And so for the individual contemplating the nature of non-dual reality while trying to reconcile manifest existence and personal experience, Chamunda can function as a portal to understanding.\r\n\r\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, turning to different ways of knowing and of experiencing reality may assist us in our struggles to ‘make sense of it all.’ This introduction of Chamunda as a teacher to the West is again not an attempt to co-opt or misrepresent a Hindu deity; it is simply a suggestion to be aware of more than those things with which we are readily familiar in our quest.\r\n\r\nDone with honor, respect, and with no claim at contextual understanding, opening to the patterns of collective thought that made the Goddess Chamunda a part of human reality may be a way to break the hard lines of Western dichotomy. It may help us reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols, myths and traditions that have sprung from our collective human history, and it may help us connect to something deeper from within our own Western psyche. It may help us to eventually reclaim the power inherent in both Mother and Witch for the betterment of humanity.\r\n\r\nThus Chamunda-Devi may be a kind of key - not to unlocking the past, but to helping us ‘re-find’ the awareness most important for us today. Perhaps she can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance that exists within each of us in order to help surface feelings and intuitions that are particularly important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness.\r\n\r\nAs the last line of the <i>Creed of the Star Goddess</i> tells us, \"I [the Goddess], have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.\"  [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">14</a>] We need only wish to remember in our hearts, with all of our heart, and She will reveal Her reality no matter where we live, what language we speak or what traditions we follow. As we move forward along our collective path in this evolutionary spiral we call life, may we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move together towards tomorrow. In this project, Chamunda is certainly qualified to be our guide.\r\n\r\nThe rest of my stay in India continued to be filled with Chamunda’s presence, and I began to affirm as I learned more about her that she was unknowable in any purely historical or religious sense but for my own cellular memories perhaps and more recent experiences of her. By Chamunda’s grace, however, I find that as I deepen into her mysteries and continue to invoke her in my life, I am drawn back in time so that I may discover not only her truth, but also the truth of how the track of recorded history both reveals and obscures truth. As much contemporary feminist scholarship reveals, much of recorded history obscures. By Chamunda’s grace, however, the path towards greater self-awareness was presented to me, and I continue to ask the above-mentioned questions, slowly gaining insight into her potential role as a teacher of the West.\r\n\r\nThe path towards greater self-awareness therefore has very large implications, and I continue to ask the above-mentioned questions to gain insight into Chamunda in all manifestations so that she may ultimately teach her secrets to all those willing to learn. I for one, am realizing that the mysteries of the Goddess reveal themselves to me though my personal experience, and as I open to trusting that my spirituality in this vein contains the greatest wisdom of all, the circle is closed and I am before Her once again.','Chamunda-Devi: Eastern Teacher to the West','','inherit','open','open','','99967-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 16:18:05','2013-09-11 23:18:05','',99967,'This article tells the story of my own exploration into the mysteries of the Goddess as manifested within the Hindu pantheon as Chamunda, the fierce, emaciated and terrifying Dark Mother. She is a goddess who is particularly revered among Shaktas (believe',0,'revision','',0),(99970,2,'2013-09-11 16:23:03','2013-09-11 23:23:03','This article tells the story of my own exploration into the mysteries of the Goddess as manifested within the Hindu pantheon as Chamunda, the fierce, emaciated and terrifying Dark Mother. She is a goddess who is particularly revered among Shaktas (believers in the primacy of the Divine Feminine), and she has historically found favor within all strata of Indian society, from the village shudras (lowest caste) to the rulers of India. Temples to her exist throughout the country: from the forts of Rajasthan to the highlands of Himachal Pradesh, to the adavasi (tribal) lands of Orissa.\r\n\r\nIn Orissa, where I was blessed to spend five months exploring, she appears primarily in two forms: i) as one of the Matrikas (Mothers), and ii) as one of the sixty-four yoginis (witches) who are themselves daughters of the Asta Matrikas (Eight Mothers). From my exploration into Chamunda I have gained an understanding of the ways in which the Goddess teaches through one of her manifest forms, and this article is an attempt to share some of what I have discovered with you.\r\n\r\nBut here, I can only hope to present my learnings as shrouded with the veil of perception I carry as a western woman. However, I share my interpretation of the mysteries as revealed to me by Her so that Her name may be invoked and Her presence asked to help banish the ignorance and prejudice of our time. I do not pretend to fully understand Chamunda (within her original context or otherwise) or for that matter, the great mystery of the Goddess; but rather I claim to appreciate Her because of my resonance with the form and symbols offered to us from India.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-99968 imgborder\" alt=\"chamundafire\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/chamundafire.gif\" width=\"545\" height=\"607\" /><strong>The Image of Chamunda</strong>\r\n\r\nFrom an 8th century stone statue originally found in Dharmasala (Cuttack, Orissa) and now located at the Orissa State Museum in Bhubaneswar, I learned to see for the first time through this image what the power of the Divine Feminine can be through a figure that could (and does) readily inspire fear in both Western and Eastern onlookers. Chamunda appears to penetrate the manifest world through this sculpture of grey-black chlorite stone. She is chiseled with her most readily recognizable features: sunken eyes, sagging breasts and skeletal body; but the obvious attention and carefully-detailed precision with which she was created belie a profound respect and/or love on the part of the sculptor that is perhaps not readily understandable from our current vantage point.\r\n\r\nComing across her image amidst myriad sculptures on the floor of the museum is like dropping into a cold pool after a 20-minute steam bath. Upon first seeing her, I was instantly astounded and shocked by her presence until the realization set in that encountering Her was making my insides tingle in ways suggestive of Her great power. She is an awesome figure, with third-eye and navel raised out of the stone, veins defined over the course of her entire body, no teeth, heavily hanging earlobes and snake-entwined arms - one of which holds in its long hand a severed human head, which she grasps with finger nails that come to a point. In her other partially-intact arm she holds a skull cup or kapala at the level of her heart. She is garlanded with skulls, wears ouroboric anklets, and is seated on a corpse with her right foot on the ground and her left leg bent at the knee, foot turned, its sole to the sky. Her hair is aflame and pulled upwards, wrapped and held in place by a snake-band tiara, the center of which bears a skull.\r\n\r\nAlthough my initial contact with the fierce form of the Goddess had come to me through a dream image as Kali, both she and Chamunda are alike in many respects, related by their transformative abilities and their stature as Crones. While Kali manifests the power of time and of death, Chamunda too holds infinity and eternity. Both can be intensely frightening images of divine, feminine power especially to those unaccustomed to dealing with the Dark Goddess. Both are often similarly depicted: in the cremation ground, often seated upon a corpse or engaging in Tantrick rituals involving sex, blood and death. In this, they explicitly manifest antinomian characteristics within mainstream Hindu tradition, and they become by this provkers of (r)evolution from the inside, and transformers of worlds from the outside as they reach westerners.\r\n\r\nChamunda\'s intensity through the vehicle of the statue in Bhubaneswar shook me deep inside and stunned me. And I was nevertheless drawn to her and mystified by what she had to offer. Somehow, I could not help but feel her incredible power through the skeletal form, while at the same time, I became immediately and especially aware of how at odds with this impression and indeed terrifying she would appear to most westerners. Rationally, I wondered how in the world this figure could be known as one of the matrikas when she seemed so very far from western, as well as the traditional Hindu conception of mother, either literal or archetypal. Mother in any sense is most generally normalized to mean nurturing and life-giving. Chamunda appears to be everything but this, and I had to work to see the interconnections. On another, non-rational level, however, I could immediately feel that there was a mystery of fecundity held within those bones. I was, of course, feeling in my own bones something very old and true about her.\r\n\r\nWhile within both Eastern and Western contexts mothers are seen as caretakers and life givers, understanding the Devi as matrika (mother) is another story. Within the world of Indian Goddess theology at least from Vedic times (circa 1,500 BCE), it seems that the devi as a mother who nourishes the world is understood as someone who must herself be replenished in order to continue to sustain life. \"If she were only to give birth and to nourish her creatures she would soon grow weak, and creation would cease.\" [1]\r\n\r\nBecause her life-generating and sustaining aspect is so powerful, she carries an insatiable hunger that is equally great. This hunger is often represented in images by showing an emaciated figure. Thus understood, the fierce devi is integral to understanding the birth/death aspect of the cycle of life in India, which makes possible the whole of manifest existence. She is obviously the living Crone, a Dark Goddess who functions as a gateway between the realms of this world and the next. Recognition of this leads to liberation; and images containing within them the fullness of samsara, as Chamunda does, serve as gateways to simultaneous embracement of life and death, duality and oneness, a holistic future and personal enrichment through the suffering of life. They hold the key to embracing the walk of the heart, where sadness and joy, pain and elation ever co-mingle.\r\n\r\nUnderstanding the goddess as both life-giver and destroyer manifests in symbolic form as a circle, or chakra within the Indian context. This chakra is reflective of the cycles of life apparent, for example, in the waxing and waning of the moon and those other cycles tied to this one, such as menstruation and the ebb and flow of the tides. A circle is the form taken by the temples dedicated to the yoginis, or sixty-four derivations of the Asta Matrikas mentioned previously who include Chamunda among them. It is therefore perhaps no coincidence that the goddess as yogini would be configured for worship by the tantricks in circular temples, since their tradition is infused with reverence for the Goddess as containing the mystery of She who is both of the source of all life and the fount of death; the One who contains All. In addition, the yoginis are also linked to yaksis (nature spirits), and they, as well as those who worshipped them, were called witches and magicians. As yogini, Chamunda and her sixty-three sisters were said to have the power to fly, to become invisible, turn humans into animals, and other such things. In many ways, these traits and the correspondence of female deities with witchcraft again brings together East and West through demonization of the Feminine.\r\n\r\nBut much like the Indo-European demonization of the pre-Christian Death/Regeneratirx aspect of the Goddess into Witch, Chamunda too was demonized and subordinated by patriarchal traditions in India. She was linked to Yama, Lord of Death, becoming less than he in Vedic hymns. An interesting suggestion, however, of her ties to pre-patriarchal roots may be found by looking at her vahana (mount), the owl. Even today in the west, this bird may still be found carrying the messages of the Dark Goddess, of the Feminine Divine who holds the mysteries of life, death and rebirth. A friend found a link between east and west on pilgrimage to the Black Madonna Notre Dame de Bon Espoir (Our Lady of Good Hope) in Dijon France. She writes of her experience,\r\n<blockquote>The oldest of the Black Madonnas...Notre Dame de Bon Espoir was yet another Black Madonna who made a tremendous impact on me. Interestingly, there is an owl carved into the side of the church where She is housed.</blockquote>\r\nTherefore, understanding the origins of the witch in prehistory and her later modifications to more fierce/violent characterizations at the hands of patriarchal peoples will perhaps help to heal some of the ills caused by misrepresentations of the Feminine while eradicating some causes of Devi’s (and by extension women’s) subordination. It might be said that if we come to understand the full nature of Her, we would see that all Her forms are those of beauty within the divine creation.\r\n\r\nWhile the term witch is in the eastern context used with negative connotation, it is important to understand that the yoginis of the temples were not demons to the tantricks. Given the tantrick insistence on reverence for the immanence of the divine and the sacredness of nature, of maniest reality, yoginis are understood as affirmations of the multifarious aspects of the Goddess. While some of these aspects can be very violent or fierce, with the goddess often depicted with sword in hand, blood and human flesh dripping from her mouth, severed heads around her waist, and other gruesome adornment, understanding her and her relationship to patriarchy over time is interesting. Such depictions, on the one hand, are likely overlays onto an ancient Crone/Death-Regeneratrix deity whose original association with death was severed from her link to life because of a dualistic patriarchal worldview that failed to recognize, for example, the interconnectedness of life and death and instead demonized women and nature as expressions of that relationship.\r\n\r\nIn contrast to gruesome depictions of the goddess Chamunda and those associated with Her, patriarchal Hinduism has begun, within the last century, to sweeten the fierce goddesses. Perhaps this is a tell-tale sign that the power of the feminine is being responded to a new and different way. That is, first, She was representative of the power of Oneness and, simply put, patriarchal consciousness (as manifested in the social, political and other realities millennia ago that have created today’s normative Hindu consciousness) sought to (and managed to) break that monopoly by rendering Her as fierce so as to facilitate specific ends, which were to carve out dualistic territory (for some reason). After supression in very specific ways for those millennia, however, She has sought to bring balance to a dichotomous worldview. In response to Her presence now, instead of the fierceness previously required to serve the purposes of a patriarchal worldview, the institutions today that which to retain power have rendered her sweet and submissive, now, to serve their ends of maintaining the status quo. Were patriarchal powers to allow Her fierceness, their reign might quickly come to an end, and this, of course, is exactly the point of honoring and remembering Her as all that She is while concurrently utilizing the power that Her fierce characteristics contain.\r\n\r\nFurther, while the word witch today still reverberates strongly with anti-God-loving sentiment for some people, to call oneself a witch as I do is an act of resistance to patriarchal obfuscation of the truth, and reclamation of women’s power within any tradition (as well as outside them). In the west, it is an appellation that is taking on an entirely new meaning, particularly with the resurgence of the goddess in the discipline known as Women’s Spirituality, through Wicca (a reclamation of indigenous European earth-based traditions) and through other forms of earth-based religion, that hold within them both the pre-historical notion of goddess as life-giver/destroyer and the more patriarchal characterization of the goddess as violent warrior, from which many, nevertheless are able to find powerful tools for creating life-affirming change.\r\n\r\nAgain before what I now call my statue of Chamunda, this time recording notes and impressions while interposing photographic moments until the museum’s 4 o’clock closing time, I eventually come to be alone with her. I am alone in that statue-filled room mesmerized, or very likely in trance, feeling as though some incredibly magical force surrounds the two of us. From my spot on the floor, I watch her watching me and ask her to teach me Her secrets. That evening, I wrote in my journal:\r\n<blockquote>From where did the ancient Saktas get her image? What are her myths and associations? How and when does she manifest? Why? What are the psychological implications of her presence as a Goddess and what do they tell us about the people who created her? Why does she exist in this fierce form that was obviously so loved (feared?) by those who worshipped her? Can she help us in the west better understand the nature of the Divine Feminine; and if so, can we find ways through her to promote self-understanding? She is starved; does she link us psychically to the root cause of/cure for anorexia? Can she help western women in the throes of addictions, especially eating disorders, with their own reclamation process? How does understanding Chamunda help me to better understand myself?</blockquote>\r\nMy questions only began to touch the surface of her depth. As a western woman living today I can never know her true or intended purpose, although I can make an educated guess informed by my academic pursuits as well as my bodily knowings and intuitions.\r\n\r\nEven so, Chamunda through my eyes is not Chamunda in any fully Indian sense, even though I have explored her on her own ground (literally, as well as through her myths, philosophies, symbols, and worship). Rather, for me, Chamunda is an exploration into the depths of personal, and perhaps more generally the question of women’s, spirituality. Particularly within the western context of women’s spiritual development, the importance of Chamunda as a teacher can be grasped when it is understood that she holds within herself the tension of embracing both Mother and Witch archetypes; two aspects of the Feminine that have long been used to subordinate rather than empower women. Chamunda illustrates that these aspects ever inter-related, constantly situated within a flux of interchangeability that she herself manifests.\r\n\r\n<b>Chamunda and Kali: Blood Sisters</b>\r\n\r\nMy initial contact with the <i>raudra</i> or fierce form of the Goddess, as mentioned above, had come to me years earlier through a dream image as Kali, a Hindu goddess representative of the power of time and of death. In many respects, Chamunda and Kali are alike. Indeed, both are initiators into the fullest spectrum of life, and both serve to awaken us to the value of impermanence and cyclical time. Some Shakta practitioners understand both goddesses to be manifest aspects of the same ontological truth; nevertheless, both can be intensely frightening images of feminine power to those unaccustomed to dealing with the Dark Mother.\r\n\r\nIconographically, Chamunda and Kali are often similarly depicted: in the cremation ground, seated upon a corpse and engaging in practices involving sex, blood and death. At the Chamunda-Devi temple [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">4</a>] outside of Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh), Chamunda is plainly understood to be a form of Kali and the ten <i>mahavidyas</i> are depicted at her shrine. The Devi as Chamunda-Kali is also mentioned in the <i>Tantrasara</i>, <i>Shaktapramoda</i> and <i>Pranatosini</i>. [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">5</a>]\r\n\r\nChamunda-Kali provides a gateway to: i) understanding of the Goddess in the Western psyche for juxtaposition with the Eastern manifestations of Her; ii) how Western vs. Eastern conceptions of reality play a role in determining the images of the Divine Feminine that abound in each context; and iii) the potential power of reclaiming the Dark Mother in the West with the help of images from the East.\r\n\r\n<b>Western Appreciation for the Goddess</b>\r\n\r\nFrom this brief discussion in conjunction with other goddess tales, perhaps a vision of the goddess who relates to the emotional, physical, and psychic bodies of women and men, regardless of their country of origin, by virtue of the human condition, is becoming apparent. Woven here is the notion that where women in particular are being drawn to Devi’s symbolism for its promotion of, at the very least, what may appear to be a feminist ethic, those who are attracted to her in their spiritual longing (in any of her forms) necessarily cross lines of demarcation whether social, political, or geographical—and so too does Devi. Goddess worship and feminism too needs to be able to create a container for dialogue, with both arenas developing cross-cultural methodologies that can facilitate the creation of safe space in which to then make discussions happen that relate the spiritual realities with the economic, social, and political ones. From within that space, the hope would be to generate a metaphorical fire from which truth based on a process of coming to agreement can be born. Only then can we empower women and men to be all of who and what they are, no matter what the context in which they find themselves.\r\n\r\nGiving a historicity to Indian images of the divine may help those non-Hindus interested in appreciating her from within western contexts to make informed statements and educated assertions (based upon contextual understanding) about their own uses of/for her while providing a ground for possible adaptations of Devi within a new environment. For just as the goddess centuries ago crossed from India to neighboring lands, our technological advancements today have moved us all towards a global community, which has indeed also helped to shape the transportation of Devi across oceans and continents.\r\n\r\nFor western women, images of the goddess as whole, as containing paradox, and particularly as embracing sexuality and other aspects generally suppressed under patriarchy, are healing. In the western context where transcendent male gods (or more specifically, one male god of generally Jewish or Christian disposition) dominate and no female/feminine is accorded divine status (despite the high status imparted to Mary, as discussed in the last chapter), the need for a Divine Feminine who recognized, honored and is both immanent as well as transcendent is glaring. Perhaps this is one reason why the Indian conception of goddess captures the fervor of western feminists and those seeking alternate visions of the divine that are more inclusive. Devi seems approachable in the sense that she, as her myths and iconography at the very least portend, undergoes and is much of what women recognize to be their individual truths. In her, every woman finds a piece of herself; and every man, perhaps, can learn a little more about the heart of his essential nature.\r\n\r\nThe mainstream Western images of the Divine Feminine in a contemporary context where the Abrahamic faiths prevail have largely been limited to the Virgin Mary, and perhaps if one is generous, to Sophia, the Black Madonna and Lilith. These last three however, represent an undercurrent of the Christian and Judaic faiths, and they are not recognized by many practitioners; at least not with full awareness of their power and connection to pre-patriarchal religion.\r\n\r\nIn any case, it is apparent that the Divine Feminine within our context as represented in Her most ubiquitous aspect as the Virgin Mary has little but a \"soft\" or benevolent and nurturing side. She is holy and untouchable, even by her husband; she is vehicle for the avatar Christ, but not God herself; she is incapable of engaging the more uncomfortable aspects of life; she listens and conveys the message of her followers, but does not have the power to act directly for those who worship her.\r\n\r\nThis image of Mary is put in juxtaposition within Christianity to the one God, who is All. Her place is marginal in relationship to His magnificence, and reflects the Western/patriarchal schism typified by Descartes’ mind/body duality (God as transcendent mind, Mary as earth-bound body) or more simply, the valuing of men over women and heaven over earth. Further, it underscores that the religious traditions of patriarchal cultures have unfortunately tended to pathologize the relationship of dualistic principles. In life, dualities abound, but their representation in the West has long since posed them as warring opposites where the position of the Divine Feminine (and women) is relegated to minority status.\r\n\r\nThe patriarchal worldview, particularly as expressed in the powerful \"First World\" nations of the West, has manifested skewed valuations of dualities in other spheres of life as well. It has done so to the point of ignoring (or largely ignoring) the inherent worth and wisdom of the Feminine principle and has created an urgent need for crisis prevention in the environmental, developmental, psychological and social arenas. Further, if we accept that the project of patriarchy has been based on the scientific and philosophical deconstruction of life (through exploitation of resources and peoples by Western science and paradigms supported by such traditions) and on the establishment of dualistic categories formed from reductionistic tendencies (in order to propagate the favoritism of man and culture over women and nature, e.g.), then we understand how dichotomization destroys relatedness, promotes homogenization, and makes subjugation the norm for half the population the world over.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately in both the East and West, the archetypal Feminine principle, which in India is called <i>pakriti</i>, has often been associated only with women and with nature, to the detriment of both men, women and the planet. For to deny that the Feminine has value is to deny more than gender or population; it is to deny half of the entire spectrum of life. It relegates all that is receptive, open, life-generating and nurturing to the margins of society, and it is there that we can look to find the festering sores of all the various crises of our time.\r\n\r\nFortunately, particularly within the past ten years, writers, thinkers, theologians and others across the globe in fields as diverse as the sciences, religion and women’s studies have explored the dance of life beyond the confines of duality. There, many have found that the \"opposing\" forces of life are in a play of complementarities, where tension makes growth, change, and transformation possible. In understanding that life is more of an ever-shifting dynamic balance of energetics where opposing forces create an existence filled with variety, spontaneity, laughter and music in which the soul may rejoice, a new vein of consciousness has been born in our time.\r\n\r\nThe impact of the Goddess archetype upon women and men as She re-emerges into consciousness has profound ramifications upon all aspects of life. In the East, many have been called to re-examine their relationships to the manifest Divine Feminine in actual women. On the individual as well as the collective level, She reminds us that women too are powerful, worthy of respect in this world; She teaches that respect for our bodies helps us to respect the Earthbody; She tells us that all things ugly and beautiful are Her creation. She is a \"creative trinity;\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">6</a>] serving as a gateway to simultaneous embracement of <i>both</i> duality and oneness, a symbol of integrated duality and the unconditional love that binds them. With this, many in the West have been drawn to remembering the Goddess as a potent symbol of wholeness. Many have turned to Her myths, rituals and traditions of pre-patriarchal times in order to quench their personal longing for \"something else.\" I believe that Chamunda helps to bring a special dimension to understanding the fullest sense of what that wholeness means.\r\n\r\n<b>Eastern Goddesses, Patriarchal Cultures, and a Vision from the West</b>\r\n\r\nWhile the West has tended to infuse its traditions with a dualistic split, the Eastern traditions of India have tended to concern themselves with a monological \"One\" in the realm of spirit while an overlay of patriarchal duality has settled into the societal sphere. This has wrought a complexity of contradictions in Indian society. For example, the Ganges River, sacred sphere of the Goddess Ganga who manifests through and as its waters, is the most polluted and yet simultaneously the holiest river on Earth for devout Hindus. Similarly, while the Divine Feminine is recognized and worshipped through myriad images of Goddesses (Ganga, Kali and Chamunda among them), women still occupy a marginal position in traditional Indian society.\r\n\r\nAs David Kinsley has noted: \"In the Hindu tradition a woman is taught to understand herself primarily in relation to others…It is society that puts demands on her primarily through the agents of relatives and in-laws, and not she who places demands on society that she be allowed to develop a unique, independent destiny. A central demand placed on women, particularly vis-à-vis males, is that they subordinate their welfare to the welfare of others.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda3.php4#ref\">7</a>]\r\n\r\nWhile attempts have been made to reconcile patriarchal duality at the level of society with a philosophical and religious spiritual unity, the fact of the matter is that such discontinuity invalidates and undermines both. Little progress has been made in this regard within the Indian context. But it is from within this struggle that ways of thinking that seek to heal the split of culture from embodied/immanent spirituality have more recently emerged. Many writers, but most prominently the Indian physicist and ecofeminist, Vandana Shiva, have made a case for recognizing the Divine Feminine/Goddess in order to ameliorate tension and diffuse the boundaries of derision caused by the patriarchal paradigm.\r\n\r\nIn her book, <i>Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development</i>, Shiva explores one way of looking at the Divine Feminine through lenses that appreciate both transcendent as well as immanent manifestations. She proposes fully embracing the notion of <i>Pakriti</i> as a \"spiritual\" discipline rather than simply as \"nature,\" so that a more balanced worldview can be achieved. This new worldview takes into account the marginalized position of women while de facto promoting environmental sustainability and the wellbeing of diverse, autonomous communities focused on the sacredness of relationships rather than on their destruction.\r\n\r\nAccording to Shiva, Pakriti means not just the traditional counterpart to Purusa (the Divine Masculine, or the Masculine Principle of manifest culture and society), but instead the<i>entirety</i> of nature with its ability to create, sustain and destroy in order to continue the cycle of life in all its aspects. Thus, Shiva’s position asserts \"both a <i>holistic</i> perspective and an<i>inclusive</i> agenda of concerns based on its considerable respect for diversity—both in turn being principles of nature.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">8</a>]\r\n\r\nOn another level, such thinking shows that the construct of <i>maya</i> (illusion) as found in many Indian philosophical systems is not required to solve the corundum of how manifest reality (difference) can be reconciled with the unitive One. Instead, maya can be understood as the human resistance to holding the tension of paradox in life. In this way, perhaps the women of manifest nature can reclaim their right as beings who are living testament to the power of the Goddess and be honored as such. And the \"One\" can take on new meaning as a \"dynamic system of relations wherein any particular manifestation functions simultaneously as a distinct part and the unbroken whole. The parts are not derivative of the whole, or vice versa, [nor are the parts dissolved into one another to become the whole, or vice versa.] Each aspect constitutes the other.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">9</a>]\r\n\r\nIt is with this idea in mind that the Goddesses of East and West need to be (re)evaluated. Unfortunately, however, as we saw earlier in this article, the Western Goddess(es) of mainstream contemporary manifestation and interpretation provide little by way of role model to help us accomplish the task of aware integration of spheres on both the intra- and inter- (as well as micro- and macrocosmic) levels that permeate the realms of mind, body and spirit. Therefore, if we are to move beyond our present embeddedness in the philosophical systems of our respective contexts, any divine teacher thus considered must be a manifestation of reality that lies beyond duality while embracing of it, and must be a penetrator/trix of all worlds, symbolic and otherwise.\r\n\r\nChamunda and her sister Kali, in my opinion, represent an understanding of the limitations of a dualistic worldview while simultaneously embracing duality as facilitator for self-awareness—-the manifest universe and the physical form being vehicles for the exploration of consciousness into itself. Further, they allow communication and representation among each and every sphere of life as well as among worlds, much like the Hermes Trismegistus of Greek mythology and later hermetic philosophy who not only facilitated communication between Gods; between Gods and men; but also between the worlds of Heaven and Hell. In this way, the Divine Feminine as manifest from within the Eastern psyche serves the required purpose; for as C. MacKenzie Brown notes: \"In the Devi-Bhagavata…the goddess is both male and female, and transcends the two, but without devaluing either the transcendent or <i>samsaric</i>[earthly or immanent]<i> </i>dimensions.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">10</a>]\r\n\r\nFurther, it may be noted that from a perspective focused on the dynamics of inter-relationship rather than the intra-relationships of East and West, the Western relationship to \"God\" and the Eastern understanding of non-duality as a quality of \"God\" is typified by the following story:\r\n<blockquote>A Western reporter and an Indian devotee of the Goddess come across a statue of Kali. She has her four arms: the upper right raised in blessing, the lower right offering a boon (wish), the upper left holding a machete dripping with blood and the lower left gripping a severed human head by the hair. Seeing this split, the Westerner immediately asks: \"So how do you get the blessing and avoid the machete?\" The Eastern devotee angrily replies, \"That\'s not it at all...The blessing is only won when you accept both sides of her, including pain, sorrow, decay, death, and destruction. Run from her horrors, and you run from her blessings. To deny death, to act as if your little self is the center of things and must be protected from pain and preserved as long as possible—this is the real death. But embrace Kali as she is—kiss her bloody tongue and feel all four arms caress you at once—then you have life, you have freedom.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">11</a>]</blockquote>\r\nIn this story, the boon for the Western mind would be to get beyond dualistic thinking; and the boon for the Eastern mind would be to allow this non-dualistic perspective to integrate into all spheres of life, not simply the spiritual one.\r\n\r\nBut working with images such as Chamunda and Kali, I believe, is one way to begin transforming traditional perspectives. Although a re-visioning of these goddesses in the East to include a mandate for social reform might be a worthwhile endeavor, I can only mention here the potential impact that working with them might have upon Western consciousness were, for example, a fully developed program inclusive of yoga, ritual, meditation and contemplation, etc. to be implemented by those wishing to break free of the limiting constructs of our time.\r\n\r\n<b>Revisiting the Goddess</b>\r\n\r\nTherefore, I hold that those wishing to reach beyond the schisms of Western thought (and beyond the hypocrisy of Eastern practice if one is from that context and so inclined) need to welcome a teacher capable of fully embodying both sides of duality; for one must be willing to embrace death if seeking to fully enjoy life (as the story above pointed out). The extremely intense presence of Chamunda when brought into contemplation by a seeking mind can indeed be a call to wake up to the vibrancy of life; to the reason behind the ephemeral nature of things; and indeed to the fullest sense oneself and one’s purpose in the world.\r\n\r\nFor as told in the Upanishads when Sanatkumara says to the young Narada: \"One who meditates upon and realizes the Self discovers that everything in the cosmos—energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation—all come from the Self.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">12</a>] The Self is therefore the embracing One and that which enables human beings to comprehend the infinite diversity of the world. The manifestations of the macrocosmic world can be easily understood in terms of the microcosmic Self and vice versa; or again in the words of Hermes Trismegistus, \"as above, so below.\"\r\n\r\nIn meditating upon the image of Chamunda and asking questions as I did about the reasons behind her powerful presence, one may be forced to ask too exactly what this Goddess desires us to see and to ultimately understand about our presence in the world: What is my role here? Why is there suffering? What is the purpose of life? Why has Patriarchy been a part of our human experience? As it says in the Chandogya Upanishad, \"You are that.\" [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">13</a>] And so for the individual contemplating the nature of non-dual reality while trying to reconcile manifest existence and personal experience, Chamunda can function as a portal to understanding.\r\n\r\nIt also seems appropriate that as we today search to give a meaning to our lives in these times of planetary crisis, turning to different ways of knowing and of experiencing reality may assist us in our struggles to ‘make sense of it all.’ This introduction of Chamunda as a teacher to the West is again not an attempt to co-opt or misrepresent a Hindu deity; it is simply a suggestion to be aware of more than those things with which we are readily familiar in our quest.\r\n\r\nDone with honor, respect, and with no claim at contextual understanding, opening to the patterns of collective thought that made the Goddess Chamunda a part of human reality may be a way to break the hard lines of Western dichotomy. It may help us reconnect to the ancient roots of many of the symbols, myths and traditions that have sprung from our collective human history, and it may help us connect to something deeper from within our own Western psyche. It may help us to eventually reclaim the power inherent in both Mother and Witch for the betterment of humanity.\r\n\r\nThus Chamunda-Devi may be a kind of key - not to unlocking the past, but to helping us ‘re-find’ the awareness most important for us today. Perhaps she can help us to dive into the primordial well of remembrance that exists within each of us in order to help surface feelings and intuitions that are particularly important for the creation of human as well as Gaian wholeness.\r\n\r\nAs the last line of the <i>Creed of the Star Goddess</i> tells us, \"I [the Goddess], have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.\"  [<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/articles/chamunda/chamunda4.php4#ref\">14</a>] We need only wish to remember in our hearts, with all of our heart, and She will reveal Her reality no matter where we live, what language we speak or what traditions we follow. As we move forward along our collective path in this evolutionary spiral we call life, may we seek always to know the truth of our past, so that we may all move together towards tomorrow. In this project, Chamunda is certainly qualified to be our guide.\r\n\r\nThe rest of my stay in India continued to be filled with Chamunda’s presence, and I began to affirm as I learned more about her that she was unknowable in any purely historical or religious sense but for my own cellular memories perhaps and more recent experiences of her. By Chamunda’s grace, however, I find that as I deepen into her mysteries and continue to invoke her in my life, I am drawn back in time so that I may discover not only her truth, but also the truth of how the track of recorded history both reveals and obscures truth. As much contemporary feminist scholarship reveals, much of recorded history obscures. By Chamunda’s grace, however, the path towards greater self-awareness was presented to me, and I continue to ask the above-mentioned questions, slowly gaining insight into her potential role as a teacher of the West.\r\n\r\nThe path towards greater self-awareness therefore has very large implications, and I continue to ask the above-mentioned questions to gain insight into Chamunda in all manifestations so that she may ultimately teach her secrets to all those willing to learn. I for one, am realizing that the mysteries of the Goddess reveal themselves to me though my personal experience, and as I open to trusting that my spirituality in this vein contains the greatest wisdom of all, the circle is closed and I am before Her once again.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. Kinsley, David. <i>Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition</i> (University of California Press: Berkeley) 1986 p. 149\r\n2. Dehejia, Vidya. <i>Yogini Cult and Temples: A Tantric Tradition</i> (The National Museum: New Delhi) 1986, p. 187\r\n3. The Matrikas first appear in the <i>Mahabharata</i> and have collectively been dated to about the first century A.D. Their manifestations in the literature of the epic - and post-epic periods seem to be characterized as malevolent, blood-drinking and demonic; but worship is also directed to them for protection. The Matrikas are notably a group of goddesses, the number of which becomes somewhat standardized at seven or eight in the postepic period. They are given in the <i>Visnudharmottara-purana</i> as: Yogisvari, Mahesvari, Vaisnavi, Kaumari, Brahmani, Chamunda and Varahi.\r\n4. I have visited this temple and seen these images. David Kinsley also makes mention of this fact in his work,<i>Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas</i> (University of California Press: Berkeley) 1997, p. 16\r\n5. Kinsley, David. Ibid., p. 75\r\n6. Sheldrake, Rupert. <i>The Rebirth of Nature: The Greening of Science and God</i> (Park Street Press: Vermont) 1991 pp. 196 - 199\r\n7. Kinsley, David. <i>Hindu Goddesses</i>, ibid<i>. </i>p. 77\r\n8. Kothari, Rajni. Foreword in <i>Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development</i> by Vandana Shiva, (New Jersey: Zed Books) 1989, p. X. (Original italics.)\r\n9. Spretnak, Charlene. \"Radical Non-duality in Ecofeminist Philosophy\" essay <i>in Metis: A Feminist Journal of Transformative Wisdom</i>, Spring, 1996; Vol 1, No. 1., p. 11\r\n10. Brown, C. MacKenzie. <i>The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana</i> (SUNY Press: New York) 1990, p. 216\r\n11. Reported by Tim Ward in <i>Common Boundary</i>, March/April, 1997, p. 34\r\n12.<i> Chandogya Upanishad, </i>translated by Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press: Berkeley) 1987, p. 190\r\n13. <i>Chandogya Upanishad</i>, ibid<i>.</i>, p. 183\r\n14. Adapted from the traditional (oral) poem by Doreen Valiente, British witch. Traditional.','Chamunda-Devi: Eastern Teacher to the West','','inherit','open','open','','99967-revision-v1','','','2013-09-11 16:23:03','2013-09-11 23:23:03','',99967,'This article tells the story of my own exploration into the mysteries of the Goddess as manifested within the Hindu pantheon as Chamunda, the fierce, emaciated and terrifying Dark Mother. She is a goddess who is particularly revered among Shaktas (believe',0,'revision','',0),