(99617,2,'2013-08-20 22:50:52','2013-08-21 05:50:52','At SHARANYA, we are dedicated in our worship to Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, including those as She is expressed through the world\'s various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. We honor through Maa her relationship to an unpathologized Sacred Male as manifest particularly through Shiva. This relationship is at the heart of the birthing potentials of the universe.\r\n\r\nCeremony is held in the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Sha\'can tradition</a> and lead by Rashani (ordained clergy) with help from community. Our puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship, deepening, and opening on the path of the <i>bhakta</i>, or devotee of the Divine. An <a title=\"RSVP for Kali Puja\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">R.S.V.P.</a> is requested if you would like to participate.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"puja-2\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What to bring\" active=\"\"]Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, vegetarian offerings, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power in the phenomenal world as <i>shakti</i>, the activating force and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. [/toggle] </span>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Donations\" active=\"\"]A sliding scale donation of $21-11 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and <i>prasad</i> (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is graciously accepted. If you wish, you may <a title=\"Donate to SHARANYA\" href=\"https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=%2094-3334334&amp;vlrStratCode=QfHkjvv7O3iNUsVQhMSxvV1lSAo5hzn%2bjcTdl9IU4KAZH1KCyhNWvn%2fBXD%2bsythO\" target=\"_blank\">donate online</a>. We appreciate the offerings you make to support our work and the community. Jai Maa! [/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What is puja like?\" active=\"\"]Our pujas are participatory, devotional, sometimes deeply transformational and often, fun! The ritual begins by casting a circle hand to hand, creating a sacred space between the worlds. We honor and invoke the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the elements of life, as guides and allies in our worship. Through breath, song, movement, and speech in both English and Sanskrit, unique voices then call forth ancestors and the Divine. <br><p>\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><p>\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><p>\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><p>\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><p>\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\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><p><br>\r\n\r\n<b>What is darshan? Are there certain or more appropriate ways to approach Maa when receiving darshan?</b>\r\n\'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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we cover our feet in front of Maa’s altar?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What does the word <i>prema</i> mean?</b>\r\nIt means \'love.\'  <br><p>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we call directions thrice at community pujas?  Is this a hard and fast rule?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we ring the bell before we approach Maa?</b>\r\nThe bell is rung to let Maa know that we are coming to worship Her. It gets Her attention! <br><p>\r\n\r\n<b>Why are there so many skulls associated with Kali and the Sha\'can path?</b>\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><p>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>ishtadevi</i> mean?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What\'s the difference between <i>Devi</i> and <i>Deva</i>?</b>\r\nThe Sanskrit word \'Devi\' means \'Goddess,\' and the word \'Deva\' means \'God.\' <br><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>sadhana</i>?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What is <i>dakshina</i>?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What does <i>Jai Maa</i> mean?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>Why do we chant to Agni first during Puja?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>How do you \"ground\"?</b>\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><p>\r\n\r\n<b>What are the most important Sanskrit texts for Shaktas?</b>\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<p>\r\n<h5>Listen to a puja:</h5>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jaima64.mp3\'][/thaudio]\r\n\r\n','Pujas','','inherit','open','open','','99134-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 22:50:52','2013-08-21 05:50:52','',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),(99618,2,'2013-08-20 23:00:11','2013-08-21 06:00:11','','Wishing Well','','inherit','open','open','','sf-oct-08-123','','','2013-08-20 23:00:11','2013-08-21 06:00:11','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99619,2,'2013-08-20 23:02:42','2013-08-21 06:02:42','[teaser title=\"About Us\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/?attachment_id=99618\" ]test[/teaser]SHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:02:42','2013-08-21 06:02:42','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/?attachment_id=99618\" ]test[/teaser]SHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know',0,'revision','',0),(99620,2,'2013-08-20 23:03:59','2013-08-21 06:03:59','[teaser title=\"About Us\" src=\"<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377064887832.jpg\">http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377064887832.jpg</a>\" ][/teaser]\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:03:59','2013-08-21 06:03:59','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\" src=\"<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377064887832.jpg\">http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377064887832.jpg</a>\" ][/teaser]\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) relig',0,'revision','',0),(99621,2,'2013-08-20 23:06:43','2013-08-21 06:06:43','[teaser title=\"About Us\"]SHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.[/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:06:43','2013-08-21 06:06:43','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"]SHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of geography and religious dog',0,'revision','',0),(99622,2,'2013-08-20 23:07:30','2013-08-21 06:07:30','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:07:30','2013-08-21 06:07:30','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of ge',0,'revision','',0),(99623,2,'2013-08-20 23:08:03','2013-08-21 06:08:03','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:08:03','2013-08-21 06:08:03','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the ',0,'revision','',0),(99624,2,'2013-08-20 23:09:03','2013-08-21 06:09:03','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>&nbsp;\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:09:03','2013-08-21 06:09:03','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the ',0,'revision','',0),(99625,2,'2013-08-20 23:09:46','2013-08-21 06:09:46','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>&nbsp;\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:09:46','2013-08-21 06:09:46','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the ',0,'revision','',0),(99626,2,'2013-08-20 23:10:30','2013-08-21 06:10:30','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>&nbsp;\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:10:30','2013-08-21 06:10:30','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the ',0,'revision','',0),(99627,2,'2013-08-20 23:11:21','2013-08-21 06:11:21','[teaser title=\"Events\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA\'s sanctuary hosts pujas, special events, public worship, and community gatherings. We offer regular worship to the Divine Mother, <i>amavasya</i> (new moon) and <i>purnima</i> (full moon) satsangs, earth-based ceremonies, special services, and monthly public pujas. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\" target=\"_blank\">Contact us </a>to learn more. Join us!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[event layout=\"full\"]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Events','','inherit','open','open','','99131-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:11:21','2013-08-21 06:11:21','',99131,'[teaser title=\"Events\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nSHARANYA\'s sanctuary hosts pujas, special events, public worship, and community gatherings. We offer regular worship to the Divine Mother, <i>amavasya</i> (new moon) and <i>purnima</i> (full ',0,'revision','',0),(99628,2,'2013-08-20 23:13:43','2013-08-21 06:13:43','[teaser title=\"The Tradition\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWith roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:13:43','2013-08-21 06:13:43','',99129,'[teaser title=\"The Tradition\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWith roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking',0,'revision','',0),(99629,2,'2013-08-20 23:14:51','2013-08-21 06:14:51','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:14:51','2013-08-21 06:14:51','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99630,2,'2013-08-20 23:15:22','2013-08-21 06:15:22','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Glossary\"]If you are new to Eastern traditions, or if you are walking the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">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','','','2013-08-20 23:15:22','2013-08-21 06:15:22','',99149,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nWe 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',0,'revision','',0),(99631,2,'2013-08-20 23:16:26','2013-08-21 06:16:26','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Glossary\"]If you are new to Eastern traditions, or if you are walking the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">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','','','2013-08-20 23:16:26','2013-08-21 06:16:26','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\nWe 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 scripture',0,'revision','',0),(99632,2,'2013-08-20 23:16:56','2013-08-21 06:16:56','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam fringilla orci sed est bibendum, vitae venenatis neque pulvinar. Phasellus ante lorem, tristique ac dictum sed, vulputate quis quam. Suspendisse dapibus posuere scelerisque. Suspendisse ultricies congue mi non suscipit. Suspendisse rhoncus ac est sit amet bibendum. Mauris vulputate id odio nec fermentum. Praesent nec blandit orci, sed euismod tellus. Donec purus ante, tempus in libero id, cursus auctor ipsum. Etiam nisi turpis, tincidunt sit amet elit a, varius lobortis augue. Maecenas vehicula porttitor condimentum. Phasellus euismod justo at orci congue, ut vehicula sem consectetur. Ut erat sapien, fringilla id auctor ac, commodo quis mi. Mauris ac sodales eros. Phasellus malesuada at tortor ut laoreet. Nulla ac ligula lectus.\r\n\r\nDonec metus neque, commodo quis lacinia eu, pharetra quis justo. Etiam mollis blandit purus, sit amet feugiat dui scelerisque sed. In non eros hendrerit, cursus orci ornare, lacinia velit. Donec elementum dignissim ligula nec lobortis. Pellentesque iaculis nisl posuere urna consequat, ut congue augue laoreet. Nam ultrices risus quis massa ultricies, vel ultrices massa volutpat. Mauris cursus rutrum rhoncus. Donec condimentum, neque nec auctor lacinia, mauris nisl mollis purus, congue pulvinar urna nisl ac sem. Vestibulum interdum euismod lorem et rhoncus.\r\n\r\nPellentesque tempus felis vel urna fringilla egestas. Sed sed dictum augue, vitae pretium eros. Nullam in facilisis dui. Curabitur sed malesuada metus, ut viverra nibh. Nulla lobortis eu orci eu aliquet. Mauris a dolor semper, aliquam sapien nec, mollis purus. Praesent interdum orci in dolor dignissim venenatis. Nunc ac luctus orci, et ornare enim. Praesent sollicitudin tellus lorem, quis pretium diam eleifend ut. Sed adipiscing a ipsum cursus facilisis. Nam nec orci enim. Morbi odio risus, luctus vel rutrum quis, gravida sit amet dolor. Donec sed tempus sem.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:16:56','2013-08-21 06:16:56','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam fringilla orci sed est bibendum, vitae venenatis neque pulvinar. Phasellus ante lorem, tristique ac dictum sed, vulputate quis',0,'revision','',0),(99633,2,'2013-08-20 23:20:06','2013-08-21 06:20:06','Kali Maa: Tradition, Devotion and Puja...rocked my world. We chanted Sanskrit syllables together, learned some new devotions and met the Great Mother Kali Maa with a priestess that is so devoted that she glows with it. What a gift! What an experience! We left that rite fairly buzzing...','Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','events','','','2013-08-22 19:59:51','2013-08-23 02:59:51','',0,'Kali Maa: Tradition, Devotion and Puja...rocked my world. We chanted Sanskrit syllables together, learned some new devotions and met the Great Mother Kali Maa with a priestess that is so devoted that she glows with it. What a gift! What an experience! We ',0,'th_testimonials','',0),(99634,2,'2013-08-20 23:21:52','2013-08-21 06:21:52','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:21:52','2013-08-21 06:21:52','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99635,2,'2013-08-20 23:22:54','2013-08-21 06:22:54','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.<br><p>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br><p>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.<br><p>\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:22:54','2013-08-21 06:22:54','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99636,2,'2013-08-20 23:23:07','2013-08-21 06:23:07','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.<br><p><p>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br><p>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.<br><p>\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:23:07','2013-08-21 06:23:07','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99637,2,'2013-08-20 23:25:55','2013-08-21 06:25:55','Pilgrimage offers those seeking Goddess in Her most powerful forms (through Kali, any of the Mahavidyas, Matrikas, and Yoginis) an opportunity to discover Her mysteries more deeply and sweetly. Each voyage invites the devotee to delve deeper into her or his spiritual path, expand horizons, learn first-hand about living Goddess traditions, and experience the history and culture of the birthplace of Tantra. If you join us, you will access and visit temples and spiritual sites otherwise hard to reach, gaining entrance to a world often off-limits to foreign visitors. Come with us to meet priests, tantricks, women adepts, and spiritual seekers devoted to the Divine Mother! ','Pilgrimage','','inherit','open','open','','99136-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:25:55','2013-08-21 06:25:55','',99136,'Pilgrimage offers those seeking Goddess in Her most powerful forms (through Kali, any of the Mahavidyas, Matrikas, and Yoginis) an opportunity to discover Her mysteries more deeply and sweetly. Each voyage invites the devotee to delve deeper into her or h',0,'revision','',0),(99638,2,'2016-11-21 23:42:28','2016-11-22 06:42:28','The Sha\'can tradition offers many opportunities for the neophyte as well as the initiate on the path to practice, worship, learn, deepen, and cultivate spiritual leadership. At SHARANYA, those seeking an understanding of and way into Sha\'can begin with sitting in circle, joining us regularly for puja, service and teaching circles. Those who receive initiation are welcomed into the Kaula, or family of initiates.<br><br>\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\nThe Kaula, our spiritual family, is bonded by faith, commitment and devotion to Goddess Kali. Each year we welcome Sha\'can initiates new and old to ceremonies that solidify their practice and another year\'s work on the path.\n<ul>\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 13th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 20th (2016) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Pavini, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 12th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 15th (2015) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\n        <li><strong>Rededication</strong> of Initiates (there was no 11th Chakra initiation) took place on Saturday, August 16th (2014) at 8:00pm. Jai Maa! to Balipriya, Bhaktashankari, Satya, Jayada, Purnamanaha, Maya,  Gitapriya, Vibhutihi, Shuddha, Citra and Chinnamasta for their presence, devotion and open-hearted embrace of the Divine Mother.</li>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\n</ul>\n[/toggle]\n<br>\n\n[blog category=\"111\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\n\n[testimonials category=\"the-path\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\n\n[upcoming category=\"daughters-of-kali\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\n\n<h5>Teaching Circle</h5>\nYou can also join us for our next Teaching Circle as we continue the tradition of of engaging with teachings and practice after puja. Learn more about Tantra, our path, and the road to personal fulfillment through spiritual discipline in these informal gatherings. We offer you direct access to practices for deepened sadhana and worship within the embrace of community.<br><br>\n\n[upcoming category=\"teaching-circle\" count=\"2\" place=\"1\" time=\"1\" phone=\"1\" ]\n\n<h5>Farther Along The Path: Initiation & Beyond</h5>\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>\n\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>\n\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/commitment/\" title=\"Initiation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SF-Oct-08-123-e1377932688317.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\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-autosave-v1','','','2016-11-21 23:42:28','2016-11-22 06:42:28','',99140,'http://TheSha&#039;cantraditionoffersmanyopportunitiesfortheneophyteaswellastheinitiateonthepathtopractice,worship,learn,deepen,andcultivatespiritualleadership.AtSHARANYA,thoseseekinganunderstandingofandwayintoSha&#039;canbeginwithsi',0,'revision','',0),(99639,2,'2013-08-20 23:30:38','2013-08-21 06:30:38','[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\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 and Rashana of Sha\'can. This path is available to any committed seeker. \r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n','The Path','','inherit','open','open','','99140-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:30:38','2013-08-21 06:30:38','',99140,'[teaser title=\"The Path\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\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, ',0,'revision','',0),(99640,2,'2016-05-23 21:31:57','2016-05-24 04:31:57','A commitment to the Divine within the <a title=\"The Tradition\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/about-us/the-tradition-2/\">Sha\'can tradition</a> takes many forms. Seekers are invited to our public rituals and are welcome to join us for teaching circles held monthly on the dates of our regular worship. <br><br>\n\nFor those who feel a deeper call, the path to initiation is open when the time is right. While we welcome all serious inquiries, we recognize that the commitment and dedication necessary for initiation, and most especially for the process of ordination as clergy, is not possible or practical for everyone. No matter what your inclination at this moment, we invite you to familiarize yourself with our path and our temple, to ask questions of our community members, initiates and ministry, and after all this, to determine what is best for you.  <br><br>\n\nOutlined here are the guidelines for a faith-based practice that can lead to initiation and the ministerial path if one so desires. Please note that regardless of the road, ours is a tradition of commitment, devotion and dedication. For religious governance purposes, SHARANYA runs by consensus among clergy and elders, and we seek to promote fresh ideas and open avenues of communication among all members in community.\n\n[testimonials category=\"initiation\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\n\n<h5>Initiation and Beyond</h5>\n[tabgroup]\n[tab title=\"Sitting in Circle\"]\n\n<b><img class=\"alignright\" alt=\"Maa Batakali Mandir (Puri) and SHARANYA\'s Founder (1998)\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/chandra_puri.gif\" width=\"297\" height=\"280\" align=\"left\" /></b><span style=\"color: #9c1601\"><strong><i>Objective:</strong></span> To develop personal practice within Sha\'can and deepen worship of the Dark Goddess; to gain basic techniques and understandings through learning of cosmology, practice, language, and ritual in the tradition that help guide spiritual development.</i><br><br>\n\nThose interested in becoming practicing members of the tradition, and possibly initiates, are encouraged to sit in circle with us during our Daughters of Kali meetings. This means that in addition to attending worship ceremonies, individuals are encouraged to follow a course of regular devotion and practice, as outlined in our course, taking to heart the fundamentals of our history and the symbolism, ritual formats, liturgy, and prayer methodologies of Sha\'can.<br><br>\n\nParticipation in regular circle work for a year and a day is typical under the supervision and mentoring of an initiate (one serving at least within a Yogini Chakra). This can prepare one for and lead to initiation within the tradition, as agreed upon by the individual and the circle members, with final recommendation and approval granted by the presiding initiate.<br><br>\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Expectations and outcomes\" active=\"\"]\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Sitting in circle, here is some of what you will learn:  </span>\n<ul>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The history and foundation of Sha\'can </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Cosmology and cosmogony of the tradition </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Principles of Tantra and Shakta Tantra </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">History and context for worship of Kali and other Hindu goddesses </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Mantras to ground material and work with deities </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Foundations of ritual work (purification, invocations, etc.) </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Components of the Kali Puja (first level) </span></li>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Foundations of individual practice (grounding and centering, spell work, divination, energy work, creating sacred space, meditation, etc.)</span></li>\n</ul>\nExamples of Tantric techniques, concepts, and practices taught:\n<ul>\n	<li>Pranayama (breath work)</li>\n	<li>Dharana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation)</li>\n	<li>Japa (recitation)</li>\n	<li>Mudra (hand postures)</li>\n	<li>Chakras (energy centers)</li>\n	<li>Tattwa shuddhi (elemental purification)</li>\n	<li>Koshas (sheaths)</li>\n	<li>Akshara nyasa (placement)</li>\n</ul>\n[/toggle]\n\n[/tab]\n\n[tab title=\"Initiation\"]For those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, taking of a name and making a Statement of Faith are the hallmarks of this next passage. Individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that initiation will have, making the choice to do so in full confidence of their decision. Initiates carry a chosen name as a sign of their commitment, devotion, and willingness to work on their spiritual path.<br><br>\n\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSCN1576-e1381470083113.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSCN1576-e1381470083113.jpg\" alt=\"Offering\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-100600 imgborder\" /></a>\n\nThe ceremony culminates with the initiate being presented to at least three witnesses (one of whom must also be an initiate), before whom the Statement of Faith is affirmed. With this, initiates willingly carry responsibility for the preservation of the tradition, and for promoting the aims and objectives of SHARANYA to the utmost of their abilities.<br><br>\n\nAlthough this responsibility is not codified, the responsibility is real and fully based upon the needs, interests, and objectives of both the initiate and the guiding community spirit. Potential initiates have an opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills by sitting in circle (in this past this was facilitated through Daughters of Kali). Sitting in circle on the path to initiation requires a commitment to regular sadhana, worship and study. After initiation, individuals have further opportunities within the faith for developing their commitment to the Divine according to our beliefs and practices.<br><br>\n\n[/tab]\n[tab title=\"Yogini Chakra\"]<span style=\"color: #9c1601\"><strong><i>Objective:</strong></span> Deepened personal practice and greater breadth of spiritual technologies in pursuit of personal spiritual goals.</i><br><br>\n\nAfter initiation, individuals may request admittance to the Yogini Chakra. This circle is a manifest expression of deeper commitment to the tradition and faith.  It is considered the first step towards pursuing ordination, a much longer and more involved process to which initiates must dedicate themselves over the course of, at a minimum, three years.<br><br>\n\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/kali_arms.gif\" width=\"247\" height=\"407\" align=\"right\" /> Application for membership requires that in addition to expressing an earnest desire to further spiritual practice with demonstrable dedication to the path, an individual must obtain the support of another initiate willing to act as mentor. This requires that the supporting mentor already be within the Matrika Chakra, or at a more advanced degree within SHARANYA\'s ordination structure. All membership requests are reviewed by committee and either accepted or denied based in large part upon the following criteria:\n<ul>\n	<li>Applicant must be initiated in the Sha\'can tradition.</li>\n	<li>Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.</li>\n	<li>Applicant must hold at least a high-school diploma.</li>\n	<li>Demonstrable commitment to the work of SHARANYA and the faith.</li>\n	<li>Demonstrable aptitude in and knowledge of the tradition.</li>\n	<li>Recognized and demonstrable leadership abilities.</li>\n	<li>Letter of recommendation from mentor or other initiate.</li>\n</ul>\nDenied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months. Those accepted into the Yogini Chakra make a commitment in formal ceremony marking the passage to regular and disciplined practice, deepened instruction in religious ceremonies, study, dedicated attendance at monthly meetings, participation in community worship services, and assistance at high holy day public events. This assistance encompasses the logistical details of public functions as well as the spiritual guidance aspects of ritual.<br><br>\n\nThe primary work of this circle is to further familiarize initiates with all levels of ministerial duties, provide opportunities for leadership, and create a container for work on and practice of invocations, prayers, and other ritual elements. Participation within the Yogini Chakra for a year and a day (or after six months with special application to committee) entitles one to seek membership within the next circle.<br><br>\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Expectations and outcomes\" active=\"\"]\n\nSome of what you will learn (in addition to deepening work with previous material):\n<ul>\n	<li>Mantras appropriate to this level of practice</li>\n	<li>Integration of ritual techniques</li>\n	<li>Components of Kali Puja (second level)</li>\n	<li>Yantra Level I (creation, worship as deity, protection)</li>\n	<li>Introduction to panchatattva chakra puja</li>\n	<li>Advanced pranayama</li>\n</ul>\nExamples of some Tantric techniques, concepts, and practices taught:\n<ul>\n	<li>Prana pratishtha</li>\n	<li>Kara nyasa and other nyasas</li>\n	<li>Kundalini yoga practices</li>\n	<li>Yoga nidra</li>\n</ul>\n[/toggle]\n\nNOTE: Initiates may remain in Yogini Chakra for as long as they wish. Initiates are considered elders in community once they have participated in Yogini Chakra for two years.\n\n[/tab]\n\n[tab title=\"Matrika Chakra\"]\n\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1081132339_BdWLn-O-e1382070439407.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-99739 imgborder\" alt=\"Shiva Offering\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1081132339_BdWLn-O-e1382070439407.jpg\" /></a><span style=\"color: #9c1601\"><i><strong>Objective:</strong></span> Engagement of spirituality in the larger community/world. Learning and mastery of more intricate spiritual technologies for realization of S/self, facilitation of relationships, personal growth, and deepened connection with the Divine.</i><br><br>\n\nEntry to the Matrika Chakra is predicated upon successful completion of tenure within the Yogini Chakra and based upon application and approval by committee. In addition to a Certification of Completion by the Yogini Chakra committee, applicants are required to submit, in writing, details of their religious/spiritual work to date within the tradition, a statement called Explanation of Involvement (this details how they have served in community), and a proposal for project work as application. Once the application is received and reviewed, an interview with the candidate will be arranged as the final step before determination is given. As above, denied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months.<br><br>\n\nWhen approved, individuals are accepted and granted status within this circle at the Ceremony of Elders. They must complete, at a minimum, one year of service and fulfillment of their project before requesting Apprenticeship. The primary work of the Matrika Chakra is to augment deepening ritual knowledge with mentoring responsibilities and ministerial assistance, including learning to lead and taking responsibility for public monthly puja ceremonies. <br><br>\n\nIndividuals within this circle must also complete a community service project based on SHARANYA\'s aims and objectives as approved by committee, prove proficiency in ritual work that includes the creation of a commitment or rite of passage ceremony for submission to the tradition\'s <i>Twilight Book of Ritual and Prayer</i>, mastery of <i>devanagari</i> script (reading and writing only; translation is not required), and commitment to memory of the <i>Kali Gayatri</i>, at least 51 of Maa Kali\'s sacred names, and other important mantras for use in worship (<i>puja</i>) services.<br><br>\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Expectations and outcomes\" active=\"\"]What you will learn (in addition to deepening work and teaching of material offered in Yogini):\n<ul>\n	<li>Subtle body practices, including work with the patala chakras</li>\n        <li>Increased engagement with the Sacred Male/Divine Masculine</li>\n	<li>Mantra as appropriate to this level of practice</li>\n	<li>Foundations of Sanskrit</li>\n	<li>Deepening yoga nidra, shuddhi, nyasa and fundamental practices</li>\n	<li>Advanced ritual techniques</li>\n</ul>\nExamples of some Tantric techniques, concepts, and practices taught:\n<ul>\n	<li>Bahya matrika nyasa</li>\n	<li>Matrika nyasa</li>\n	<li>Anga puja</li>\n	<li>Pitha nyasa</li>\n	<li>Yantra Level II (spell work, siddhis, talismans)</li>\n	<li>Yajna and homa rites</li>\n</ul>\n[/toggle]\n\n[/tab]\n\n[/tabgroup]\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> </span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Initiation','','inherit','open','open','','99145-autosave-v1','','','2016-05-23 21:31:57','2016-05-24 04:31:57','',99145,'http://AcommitmenttotheDivinewithintheSha&#039;cantraditiontakesmanyforms.Seekersareinvitedtoourpublicritualsandarewelcometojoinusforteachingcirclesheldmont',0,'revision','',0),(99641,2,'2013-08-20 23:35:43','2013-08-21 06:35:43','A commitment to the Divine within the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/index.php4\">Sha\'can tradition</a> takes many forms, but none as formal as our initiation and ordination process. Outlined here are the guidelines for a faith-based practice that can lead to initiation and the ministerial path if one so desires.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>To Our Community</b> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> While we welcome all serious inquiries, we recognize that the commitment and dedication necessary for initiation, and most especially for the process of ordination as clergy, is not possible or practical for everyone. No matter what your inclination at this moment, however, we welcome you to familiarize yourself with this document and our temple, to ask questions of our community members and/or initiates and ministry, and after all, to determine what the best path for you will be.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/chandra_puri.gif\" width=\"297\" height=\"280\" align=\"left\" /> Please note that what is outlined here is a path of commitment and dedication. For religious governance purposes, SHARANYA runs by consensus among clergy, and we otherwise seek to maintain a relatively flat organizational structure in order to promote fresh ideas and open avenues of communication among all members, initiates and clergy. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Sitting in Circle</b> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Those interested in becoming practicing members of the tradition, and possibly initiates, are encouraged to sit in circle. This means that in addition to attending worship ceremonies, individuals are encouraged to follow a course of regular devotion and practice, learning some of the history, symbolism, ritual formats, liturgy, and prayer methodologies of Sha\'can.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Participation in regular circle work for a year and a day is typical under the supervision and mentoring of an initiate (one serving at least within a Yogini Chakra). This can prepare one for and lead to initiation within the tradition, as agreed upon by the individual and the circle members, with final recommendation and approval granted by the presiding initiate.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Initiation</b> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> For those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, taking of a name and making a Statement of Faith are the hallmarks of this next passage. Individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that initiation will have, making the choice to do so in full confidence of their decision. Initiates carry a chosen name as a sign of their commitment, devotion, and willingness to work on their spiritual path.  The ceremony culminates with the initiate being presented to at least three witnesses (one of whom must also be an initiate), before whom the Statement of Faith is affirmed. With this, initiates willingly carry responsibility for the preservation of the tradition, and for promoting the aims and objectives of SHARANYA to the utmost of their abilities.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> Although this responsibility is not codified, the responsibility is real and fully based upon the needs, interests, and objectives of both the initiate and the guiding community spirit. Potential initiates have an opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills working within Daughters of Kali, a worship and study circle that facilitates rites of passage and encourages community work, especially with teenagers and young girls. After initiation, individuals have further opportunities within the faith for developing their commitment to the Divine according to our beliefs and practices. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Yogini Chakra</b> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> After initiation, individuals may request admittance to the Yogini Chakra. This circle is a manifest expression of deeper commitment to the tradition and faith.  It is considered the first step towards pursuing ordination, a much longer and more involved process to which initiates must dedicate themselves over the course of, at a minimum, three years.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/kali_arms.gif\" width=\"247\" height=\"407\" align=\"right\" /> Application for membership requires that in addition to expressing an earnest desire to further spiritual practice with demonstrable dedication to the path, an individual must obtain the support of another initiate willing to act as mentor. This requires that the supporting mentor already be within the Matrika Chakra, or at a more advanced degree within SHARANYA\'s ordination structure. All membership requests are reviewed by committee and either accepted or denied based in large part upon the following criteria: </span>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Applicant must be initiated in the Sha\'can tradition.</li>\r\n	<li>Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.</li>\r\n	<li>Applicant must hold at least a high-school diploma.</li>\r\n	<li>Demonstrable commitment to the work of SHARANYA and the faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Demonstrable aptitude in and knowledge of the tradition.</li>\r\n	<li>Recognized and demonstrable leadership abilities.</li>\r\n	<li>Letter of recommendation from mentor or other initiate.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDenied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months. Those accepted into the Yogini Chakra make a commitment in formal ceremony marking the passage to regular and disciplined practice, deepened instruction in religious ceremonies, study, dedicated attendance at monthly meetings, participation in community worship services, and assistance at high holy day public events. This assistance encompasses the logistical details of public functions as well as the spiritual guidance aspects of ritual. The primary work of this circle is to further familiarize initiates with all levels of ministerial duties, provide opportunities for leadership, and create a container for work on and practice of invocations, prayers, and other ritual elements. Participation within the Yogini Chakra for a year and a day (or after six months with special application to committee) entitles one to seek membership within the next circle.\r\n\r\n<b>Matrika Chakra</b>\r\n\r\nEntry to the Matrika Chakra is predicated upon successful completion of tenure within the Yogini Chakra and based upon application and approval by committee. In addition to a Certification of Completion by the Yogini Chakra committee, applicants are required to submit, in writing, details of their religious/spiritual work to date within the tradition, a statement called Explanation of Involvement (this details how they have served in community), and a proposal for project work as application. Once the application is received and reviewed, an interview with the candidate will be arranged as the final step before determination is given. As above, denied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months.\r\n\r\nWhen approved, individuals are accepted and granted status within this circle at the Ceremony of Elders. They must complete, at a minimum, one year of service and fulfillment of their project before requesting Apprenticeship. The primary work of the Matrika Chakra is to augment deepening ritual knowledge with mentoring responsibilities and ministerial assistance, including learning to lead and taking responsiblity for public monthly puja ceremonies. Individuals within this circle must also complete a community service project based on SHARANYA\'s aims and objectives as approved by committee, prove proficiency in ritual work that includes the creation of a commitment or rite of passage ceremony for submission to the tradition\'s <i>Twilight Book of Ritual and Prayer</i>, mastery of <i>devanagari</i> script (reading and writing only; translation is not required), and commitment to memory of the <i>Kali Gayatri</i>, at least 51 of Maa Kali\'s sacred names, and other important mantras for use in worship (<i>puja</i>) services.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Commitment','','inherit','open','open','','99145-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:35:43','2013-08-21 06:35:43','',99145,'A commitment to the Divine within the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/index.php4\">Sha\'can tradition</a> takes many forms, but none as formal as our initiation and ordination process. Outlined here are the guidelines for a faith-based practice that',0,'revision','',0),(99642,2,'2013-08-20 23:39:58','2013-08-21 06:39:58','A commitment to the Divine within the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/index.php4\">Sha\'can tradition</a> takes many forms, but none as formal as our initiation and ordination process. Outlined here are the guidelines for a faith-based practice that can lead to initiation and the ministerial path if one so desires.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>To Our Community</b> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> While we welcome all serious inquiries, we recognize that the commitment and dedication necessary for initiation, and most especially for the process of ordination as clergy, is not possible or practical for everyone. No matter what your inclination at this moment, however, we welcome you to familiarize yourself with this document and our temple, to ask questions of our community members and/or initiates and ministry, and after all, to determine what the best path for you will be.  </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Please note that what is outlined here is a path of commitment and dedication. For religious governance purposes, SHARANYA runs by consensus among clergy, and we otherwise seek to maintain a relatively flat organizational structure in order to promote fresh ideas and open avenues of communication among all members, initiates and clergy. </span>\r\n\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Sitting in circle\"]\r\n\r\n<b><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/chandra_puri.gif\" width=\"297\" height=\"280\" align=\"left\" />Sitting in Circle</b>\r\n\r\nThose interested in becoming practicing members of the tradition, and possibly initiates, are encouraged to sit in circle. This means that in addition to attending worship ceremonies, individuals are encouraged to follow a course of regular devotion and practice, learning some of the history, symbolism, ritual formats, liturgy, and prayer methodologies of Sha\'can.\r\n\r\nParticipation in regular circle work for a year and a day is typical under the supervision and mentoring of an initiate (one serving at least within a Yogini Chakra). This can prepare one for and lead to initiation within the tradition, as agreed upon by the individual and the circle members, with final recommendation and approval granted by the presiding initiate.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Initiation\"]For those choosing to be initiated within the tradition, taking of a name and making a Statement of Faith are the hallmarks of this next passage. Individuals are encouraged to enter into contemplation and meditation on the spiritual significance that initiation will have, making the choice to do so in full confidence of their decision. Initiates carry a chosen name as a sign of their commitment, devotion, and willingness to work on their spiritual path.  The ceremony culminates with the initiate being presented to at least three witnesses (one of whom must also be an initiate), before whom the Statement of Faith is affirmed. With this, initiates willingly carry responsibility for the preservation of the tradition, and for promoting the aims and objectives of SHARANYA to the utmost of their abilities.\r\n\r\nAlthough this responsibility is not codified, the responsibility is real and fully based upon the needs, interests, and objectives of both the initiate and the guiding community spirit. Potential initiates have an opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills working within Daughters of Kali, a worship and study circle that facilitates rites of passage and encourages community work, especially with teenagers and young girls. After initiation, individuals have further opportunities within the faith for developing their commitment to the Divine according to our beliefs and practices.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[tab title=\"Yogini Chakra\"]After initiation, individuals may request admittance to the Yogini Chakra. This circle is a manifest expression of deeper commitment to the tradition and faith.  It is considered the first step towards pursuing ordination, a much longer and more involved process to which initiates must dedicate themselves over the course of, at a minimum, three years.\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/images/kali_arms.gif\" width=\"247\" height=\"407\" align=\"right\" /> Application for membership requires that in addition to expressing an earnest desire to further spiritual practice with demonstrable dedication to the path, an individual must obtain the support of another initiate willing to act as mentor. This requires that the supporting mentor already be within the Matrika Chakra, or at a more advanced degree within SHARANYA\'s ordination structure. All membership requests are reviewed by committee and either accepted or denied based in large part upon the following criteria:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Applicant must be initiated in the Sha\'can tradition.</li>\r\n	<li>Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.</li>\r\n	<li>Applicant must hold at least a high-school diploma.</li>\r\n	<li>Demonstrable commitment to the work of SHARANYA and the faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Demonstrable aptitude in and knowledge of the tradition.</li>\r\n	<li>Recognized and demonstrable leadership abilities.</li>\r\n	<li>Letter of recommendation from mentor or other initiate.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDenied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months. Those accepted into the Yogini Chakra make a commitment in formal ceremony marking the passage to regular and disciplined practice, deepened instruction in religious ceremonies, study, dedicated attendance at monthly meetings, participation in community worship services, and assistance at high holy day public events. This assistance encompasses the logistical details of public functions as well as the spiritual guidance aspects of ritual. The primary work of this circle is to further familiarize initiates with all levels of ministerial duties, provide opportunities for leadership, and create a container for work on and practice of invocations, prayers, and other ritual elements. Participation within the Yogini Chakra for a year and a day (or after six months with special application to committee) entitles one to seek membership within the next circle.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Matrika Chakra\"]\r\n\r\nEntry to the Matrika Chakra is predicated upon successful completion of tenure within the Yogini Chakra and based upon application and approval by committee. In addition to a Certification of Completion by the Yogini Chakra committee, applicants are required to submit, in writing, details of their religious/spiritual work to date within the tradition, a statement called Explanation of Involvement (this details how they have served in community), and a proposal for project work as application. Once the application is received and reviewed, an interview with the candidate will be arranged as the final step before determination is given. As above, denied membership applications may be augmented or otherwise altered to meet committee requirements and resubmitted on appeal within three months.\r\n\r\nWhen approved, individuals are accepted and granted status within this circle at the Ceremony of Elders. They must complete, at a minimum, one year of service and fulfillment of their project before requesting Apprenticeship. The primary work of the Matrika Chakra is to augment deepening ritual knowledge with mentoring responsibilities and ministerial assistance, including learning to lead and taking responsiblity for public monthly puja ceremonies. Individuals within this circle must also complete a community service project based on SHARANYA\'s aims and objectives as approved by committee, prove proficiency in ritual work that includes the creation of a commitment or rite of passage ceremony for submission to the tradition\'s <i>Twilight Book of Ritual and Prayer</i>, mastery of <i>devanagari</i> script (reading and writing only; translation is not required), and commitment to memory of the <i>Kali Gayatri</i>, at least 51 of Maa Kali\'s sacred names, and other important mantras for use in worship (<i>puja</i>) services.\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<b></b>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Commitment','','inherit','open','open','','99145-revision-v1','','','2013-08-20 23:39:58','2013-08-21 06:39:58','',99145,'A commitment to the Divine within the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/index.php4\">Sha\'can tradition</a> takes many forms, but none as formal as our initiation and ordination process. Outlined here are the guidelines for a faith-based practice that',0,'revision','',0),(99644,2,'2013-10-06 15:55:15','2013-10-06 22:55:15','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.<br>\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!<br><br>\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014.<br><br>\r\n\r\nClasses run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.<br><br>\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101. Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\" />\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"SLWA52RAF42GG\" />\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"on0\" value=\"Courses offered\" />Courses offered</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><select name=\"os0\"><option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101 $81.00 USD</option><option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201 $81.00 USD</option></select></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\" />\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n</form>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[teaser url=\"http://www.kalividya.org\" title=\"Kali Vidya\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/India-2007-050-e1379737365818.jpg\" ]Login[/teaser]',' Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-autosave-v1','','','2013-10-06 15:55:15','2013-10-06 22:55:15','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99645,2,'2013-08-21 10:32:05','2013-08-21 17:32:05','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014. Classes run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101.\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\" />\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"QNTKEYDHZNBC8\" />\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><select name=\"os0\"><option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101</option><option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201</option></select></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding:15px;\">\r\n<button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button>\r\n</div>\r\n</form>','Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 10:32:05','2013-08-21 17:32:05','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99646,2,'2013-08-21 10:39:41','2013-08-21 17:39:41','[tabgroup]\n\n[tab title=\"Comments?\"]\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]\n\n[/tab][tab title=\"Info\"]270 Upland Drive\nSan Francisco, CA 94127\nTel: (415) 505-6840\nEmail: <a title=\"Inquiry\" href=\"mailto:info@sharanya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@sharanya.org</a>\n[/tab]\n[/tabgroup]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Contact Us','','inherit','open','open','','99158-autosave-v1','','','2013-08-21 10:39:41','2013-08-21 17:39:41','',99158,'[tabgroup]\n\n[tab title=\"Comments?\"]\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\" re',0,'revision','',0),(99647,2,'2013-08-21 10:37:35','2013-08-21 17:37:35','[th-contact-form subject=\"test\" to=\"sean.mulholland@gmail.com\" captcha=\"1\"] [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&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[tabgroup]\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\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94127\r\nTel: (415) 505-6840\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&nbsp;','Contact Us','','inherit','open','open','','99158-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 10:37:35','2013-08-21 17:37:35','',99158,'[th-contact-form subject=\"test\" to=\"sean.mulholland@gmail.com\" captcha=\"1\"] [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=\"',0,'revision','',0),(99648,2,'2013-08-21 10:41:55','2013-08-21 17:41:55','[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\r\nSan Francisco, CA 94127\r\nTel: (415) 505-6840\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&nbsp;','Contact Us','','inherit','open','open','','99158-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 10:41:55','2013-08-21 17:41:55','',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),(99649,2,'2013-08-21 10:43:06','2013-08-21 17:43:06','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\n\n\nWe 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!\n\n[tabgroup]\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:\n<ul>\n	<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><em>Kali: The Feminine Force</em> by Ajit Mookerji</span></li>\n	<li><em>Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineshwar</em> by Elizabeth Usha Harding</li>\n	<li><em>Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas</em> by David Kinsley</li>\n</ul>\nOther relevant titles both directly and indirectly related to the tradition include:\n\nAdams, Carol J. ed. Ecofeminism and the Sacred (Continuum: New York) 1993\n\nAdler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today (Beacon Press: Boston) 1986\n\nAiyar, Indira S. Durga as Mahisasuramardini: A Dynamic Myth of Goddess (Gyan Publishing House: New Delhi) 1997\n\nBaring, Anne and Jules Cashford. The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image (Arkana/Penguin: London) 1991\n\nBhairavan, Amarananda. Kali\'s Odiyya: A Shaman\'s True Story of Initiation (Nicolas- Hays: York Beach, Maine) 2000\n\nBharati, Agehananda. The Tantric Tradition (Samuel Weiser: NY) 1975\n\nBhattacharyya, Narendra Nath. Ancient Indian Rituals and their Social Contents (Manohar: New Delhi) 1975\n\nBhattacharyya, Narendra Nath. History of the Shakta Religion (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers: New Delhi) 1996\n\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\n\nDanielou, Alain. The Myths and Gods of India (Inner Traditions: VT) 1985\n\nEck, Diana L. and Jain, Devaki. Speaking of Faith: Global Perspectives on Women, Religion &amp; Social Change (New Society Publishers: Philadelphia) 1987\n\nEisler, Riane. The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future, (Harper &amp; Row: San Francisco) 1988\n\nFeuerstein, Georg. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy (Shambhala: Boston) 1998\n\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\n\nGalland, China. Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna, A Ten-Year Journey (Viking/Penguin) 1991\n\nGeorge, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess (Harper Collins: San Francisco) 1992\n\nGhanananda, Swami and Sir John Stewart-Wallace, C.B., eds. Women Saints East and West (Vedanta Press: Hollywood, CA) 1955\n\nGimbutas, Marija. The Language of the Goddess (HarperRow: San Francisco) 1989\n\nHiltebeitel, Alf and Erndl, Kathleen, eds. Is the Goddess a Feminist? The Politics of South Asian Goddesses (New York University Press : NY) 2000\n\nHixon, Lex. Great Swan: Meetings with Ramakrishna (Shambhala: Boston) 1992\n\nHuyler, Stephen P. Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion (Yale University Press: New Haven) 1999\n\nJansen, Eva Rudy. The Book of Hindu Imagery: The Gods and their Symbols (Binkey Kok Publications: The Netherlands) 1993\n\nJayakar, Pupul. The Earth Mother: Legends, Rituals Arts, and Goddesses of India (Harper &amp; Row: San Francisco) 1990\n\nJohnsen, Linda. Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India (Yes International Publishers: St. Paul, MN) 1994\n\nKhanna, Madhu. Yantra: The Tantric Symbol of Cosmic Unity (Thames and Hudson Ltd: London) 1979\n\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\n\nNeumann, Erich. The Great Mother: An Analysis of the Archetype (Bollingen Series: Princeton) 1974\n\nOchs, Carol. Behind the Sex of God: Toward a New Consciousness Transcending Matriarchy and Patriarchy (Beacon Press: Boston) 1977\n\nPande, Mrinal. Devi: Tales of the Goddess in Our Time (Penguin Books India: New Delhi) 1996\n\nPattanaik, Devdutt. The Goddess in India; The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine (Inner Traditions: VT) 2000\n\nPayne, Ernest A. The Shaktas: An Introductory and Comparative Study (Dover: New York) 1997 (Reprint)\n\nPintchman, Tracy. The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition (State University of New York Press: Albany) 1994\n\nShelton, Mary Murray. Guidance from the Darkness: The Transforming Power of the Divine Feminine in Difficult Times (Putnam: NY) 2000\n\nShiva, Vandana. Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development (Zed Books: London) 1989\n\nSjoo, Monica and Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering the Religion of the Earth 1991\n\nSri Aurobindo. The Ideal of Human Unity, (Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press: Pondicherry, India) 1950\n\nStarhawk. The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess--10th Aniversary Edition, Revised and Updated (Harper: San Francisco) 1979\n\nStone, Merlin. When God Was a Woman  (Harcourt Brace:  NY) 1978\n\nWhite, David Gordon. The Alchemical Body: Siddha Traditions in Medieval India (University of Chicago Press: Chicago) 1996\n\nWoodman, Marion and Elinor Dickson. Dancing in the Flames: The Dark Goddess in the Transformation of Consciousness (Shambhala: Boston) 1996\n\nWoodroffe, Sir John. Hymns to the Goddess (Ganesh &amp; Co.: Madras) 1973\n\nZimmer, Heinrich. Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization (Motilal Banarsidass: Delhi) Joseph Campbell, ed., 1990\n\n[/tab]\n[tab title=\"Classes\"]\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\n</ul>\n<ol>\n<ol>\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\n</ol>\n</ol>\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\n</ul>\n<ol>\n<ol>\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\n</ol>\n</ol>\n<ul>\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\n</ul>\n[/tab]\n[tab title=\"Glossary\"]If you are new to Eastern traditions, or if you are walking the <a href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">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.\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>dada (daa\'-daa)</b> - elder brother (Bengali) </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>deva (day\'-vuh)</b> - god </span>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>devi (day\'-vee)</b> - goddess </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>dhyana (dyaah\'-nuh)</b> - meditation </span>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>didi (dee\'-dee)</b> - elder sister in Bengali </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>mandir (mun\'-deer)</b> - temple </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>mata (maah\'-taah)</b> - mother </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>marga (maar\'-guh)</b> - path or way, as in vamamarga. </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>prema (pray\'-muh)</b> - love </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>puja (poo\'-juh)</b> - worship (specifically, ritual worship) </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>puspa (poosh\'-puh)</b> - flower; a symbol for menstrual blood. </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>sankalpa (sun-kaahl\'-puh)</b> - intention </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>shanti (shaahn\'-tee)</b> - peace </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>sharanya (shuh\'-ruhn-yuh)</b> - sanctuary, refuge </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>shuddhi (shood\'-hee)</b> - purification </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>ugra (ooh\'-grah)</b> - angry, powerful or fierce </span>\n\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>\n\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>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>vamamarga (vaah\'-muh-maar\'-guh)</b> - the left-hand path (see also vamacara) </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>vidya (vihd\'-yuh)</b> - wisdom, knowledge </span>\n\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>\n\n[/tab]\n[/tabgroup]','Resources','','inherit','open','open','','99149-autosave-v1','','','2013-08-21 10:43:06','2013-08-21 17:43:06','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\n\n\nWe 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 a',0,'revision','',0),(99650,2,'2013-08-21 21:32:40','2013-08-22 04:32:40','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014. Classes run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101.\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"PCK67ZJH2ZVV2\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tr><td><select name=\"os0\">\r\n	<option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101</option>\r\n	<option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201</option>\r\n</select> </td></tr>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\">\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n<img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\">\r\n</form>\r\n','Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:32:40','2013-08-22 04:32:40','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99651,2,'2013-08-21 21:33:53','2013-08-22 04:33:53','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!<br><p>\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.<br><p>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014. Classes run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101.\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"PCK67ZJH2ZVV2\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tr><td><select name=\"os0\">\r\n	<option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101</option>\r\n	<option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201</option>\r\n</select> </td></tr>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\">\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n<img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\">\r\n</form>\r\n','Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:33:53','2013-08-22 04:33:53','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99652,2,'2013-08-21 21:42:23','2013-08-22 04:42:23','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!<br><p>\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.<br><p>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014. Classes run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101.\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"SLWA52RAF42GG\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tr><td><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"on0\" value=\"Courses offered\">Courses offered</td></tr><tr><td><select name=\"os0\">\r\n <option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101 $81.00 USD</option>\r\n <option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201 $81.00 USD</option>\r\n</select> </td></tr>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\">\r\n<input type=\"image\" src=\"http://www.sharanya.org/img.jpg\" border=\"0\" name=\"submit\" alt=\"PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!\">\r\n<img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\">\r\n</form>\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n</form>\r\n','Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:42:23','2013-08-22 04:42:23','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99653,2,'2013-08-21 21:48:03','2013-08-22 04:48:03','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!<br><p>\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.<br><p>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014. Classes run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All.\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101.\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"SLWA52RAF42GG\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tr><td><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"on0\" value=\"Courses offered\">Courses offered</td></tr><tr><td><select name=\"os0\">\r\n <option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101 $81.00 USD</option>\r\n <option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201 $81.00 USD</option>\r\n</select> </td></tr>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\">\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n</form>\r\n','Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:48:03','2013-08-22 04:48:03','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99655,2,'2013-08-21 21:55:35','2013-08-22 04:55:35','Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can tradition.\r\n\r\nOur courses are designed to help all spiritual seekers contextualize the ancient and living goddess traditions within the socio-cultural and psycho-spiritual framework of today\'s world, creating lived spaces for the Divine in all Her forms—including those of the Sacred Masculine—in personal practice and devotion.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"kali-vidya\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]\r\n\r\nIf you seek community and want to learn more about SHARANYA\'s spiritual path as an authentic, Tantric lineage tradition of goddess worship, then we welcome you to delve into <em>Devoted to Devi: Embracing  Tradition - Walking the Path</em>.  Join this introductory class in our open source, interactive online forum!<br><p>\r\n\r\nRegistration is now OPEN for our next offerings.<br><p>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA101: <em>Devoted to Devi</em>\" active=\"\"]Join us for the next series of classes beginning January 2014. Classes run for sixteen weeks to allow an integration of the rich lessons with your ongoing practice and explorations in the Sha\'can tradition. We begin this introductory course at SHARANYA\'s Kali Vidya with creation of a Western framework that helps us build a respectful and appropriate bridge to the Eastern mysteries and understanding of Devi, Goddess, our Divine Mother, She Who Embraces All. <br><br>\r\n\r\nGiven our roots in the earth-based spiritualities of East and West, we start with a very basic introduction to the Craft. Even if you are already familiar with this tradition, please consider yourself a beginner on our path as we create perspective for Western elements of devotion in Sha\'can. The first section of our course will give you an important introduction to and perspective on how we practice. The exercises given are also important foundational keys for the rest of the spiritual homework provided. In addition to on-line sharing, this includes daily practice, readings, research, participation in development of an on-line glossary, and other requirements designed to facilitate your spiritual exploration and unfolding.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe then provide a brief background on what Tantra is (and what it is not) and how it fits within Sha\'can. Next, we offer an introduction and overview of the Dark Goddess and why She is important, followed by a beginner\'s look at Kali as the Great Mother and Four-Fold Feminine Force.<br><br>\r\n\r\nThis course, when all of the components are put together, creates a ritual through which you may approach Kali Maa, our Divine Mother, and gain understanding that will complement your sincere devotion.[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"SHA201: <i>Unveiling Goddess: Practices at the Heart of Tantra</i>\" active=\"\"]This is an intermediate course for those who have completed SHA101.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOnce you have journeyed through our introductory course, having learned tools and absorbed the ethics and basics of the tradition, the next step in your studies lies here, in <i>Unveiling Goddess</i>. In this in-depth course, we will continue to explore the nuances of spiritual discipline and practice in the Sha\'can tradition, learning additional methods of worship and delving more deeply into the Tantric frameworks of the Shakta lineage carried from India to new shores. Participants in this collaborative forum will share experiences and receive feedback each week as they develop the techniques during <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice) and utilize them within their own devotional work, inclusive of ritual, prayer, meditation, ecstatic dance and other forms of worship. Emphasis will be on establishment of an invigorated daily practice through the pathways of the <i>Yoga Sutras</i>.[/toggle]\r\n\r\nTo enroll, simply pay online. Once we have received your registration, we will email you with login information and additional course details. Questions? Email us at <a title=\"Email Kali Vidya\" href=\"mailto:info@kalividya.org\" target=\"_blank\">info@kalividya.org</a>.\r\n\r\n<form action=\"https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_s-xclick\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hosted_button_id\" value=\"SLWA52RAF42GG\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tr><td><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"on0\" value=\"Courses offered\">Courses offered</td></tr><tr><td><select name=\"os0\">\r\n <option value=\"SHA101\">SHA101 $81.00 USD</option>\r\n <option value=\"SHA201\">SHA201 $81.00 USD</option>\r\n</select> </td></tr>\r\n</table>\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\">\r\n<div class=\"widget_feedburner\" style=\"padding: 15px;\"><button type=\"submit\">Enroll Now</button></div>\r\n</form>\r\n','Kali Vidya','','inherit','open','open','','99152-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:55:35','2013-08-22 04:55:35','',99152,'Join us as we come together to explore Goddess through writings, poetry, reflection, discussion, meditation, devotion, spiritual technologies, <i>sadhana</i> (spiritual practice), and the creation of community through Shakta Tantra in the Sha\'can traditio',0,'revision','',0),(99656,2,'2013-08-21 21:56:58','2013-08-22 04:56:58','[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ][teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:56:58','2013-08-22 04:56:58','',20,'[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ][teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who ',0,'revision','',0),(99657,2,'2013-08-21 21:57:46','2013-08-22 04:57:46','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:57:46','2013-08-22 04:57:46','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of geography and ',0,'revision','',0),(99658,2,'2013-08-21 21:58:43','2013-08-22 04:58:43','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:58:43','2013-08-22 04:58:43','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of',0,'revision','',0),(99659,2,'2013-08-21 21:59:06','2013-08-22 04:59:06','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 21:59:06','2013-08-22 04:59:06','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the bound',0,'revision','',0),(99660,2,'2013-08-21 22:00:09','2013-08-22 05:00:09','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><br><br>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:00:09','2013-08-22 05:00:09','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the bound',0,'revision','',0),(99661,2,'2013-08-21 22:01:00','2013-08-22 05:01:00','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b><br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am): </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><br>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:01:00','2013-08-22 05:01:00','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the bo',0,'revision','',0),(99662,2,'2013-08-21 22:02:02','2013-08-22 05:02:02','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]<b>OUR COVENANT...</b><br><br>\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am). </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><br>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:02:02','2013-08-22 05:02:02','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the bo',0,'revision','',0),(99663,2,'2013-08-21 22:02:57','2013-08-22 05:02:57','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am). </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><br>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:02:57','2013-08-22 05:02:57','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the bo',0,'revision','',0),(99664,2,'2013-08-21 22:06:54','2013-08-22 05:06:54','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:06:54','2013-08-22 05:06:54','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\nWe 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 th',0,'revision','',0),(99665,2,'2013-08-21 22:07:37','2013-08-22 05:07:37','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:07:37','2013-08-22 05:07:37','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nWe 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',0,'revision','',0),(99666,2,'2013-08-21 22:08:04','2013-08-22 05:08:04','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:08:04','2013-08-22 05:08:04','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nWe 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 l',0,'revision','',0),(99667,2,'2013-08-21 22:08:22','2013-08-22 05:08:22','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:08:22','2013-08-22 05:08:22','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nWe 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 t',0,'revision','',0),(99668,2,'2013-08-21 22:08:43','2013-08-22 05:08:43','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:08:43','2013-08-22 05:08:43','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nWe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99669,2,'2013-08-21 22:09:20','2013-08-22 05:09:20','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:09:20','2013-08-22 05:09:20','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe 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 ',0,'revision','',0),(99670,2,'2013-08-21 22:10:03','2013-08-22 05:10:03','[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe 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=\"Classes\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Ritual Practices of Shakta Tantra</b> - This three-part course is an introduction to worship and devotion of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess of Hinduism, the all-pervading Shakti, and Kali Maa, Dark Mother, the Supreme Goddess of Shakta Tantra. Participants will learn the context and content of worship in the living goddess tradition of Western Shakta Tantra called Sha\'can. Puja basics, including how to honor Devi (Goddess) Kali at home, will be taught. This offering may be particularly rewarding if you are considering training with us, are looking to incorporate Kali worship or worship of other forms of the Divine Mother from the Hindu tradition into your existing spiritual path, or are seeking a fuller experience with your dedicated worship in community.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tools for Transformation</b> - This lecture and practice workshop series is focused on Yogic and Tantrick tools for transformation. All offerings include both educational and immediately useful, hands-on components; and all are set within a framework that recognizes a great spiritual truth: the personal is the planetary. Our work and commitment through each event is to broaden and deepen your experience of how changing yourself means changing the world. Sample workshops have included:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><b>The Path of the Yoni: Tantrik Tools for Acceptance and Empowerment.</b> Let\'s discuss, celebrate and explore reverence for women\'s sexuality; viewing our bodies in a healthy way; the Tantric traditions of Kamakhya; and together dispel myths about tantric sex while unearthing the power of our yoni.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Shamanic Path.</b> Learn and begin working with concepts of incarnation, personal responsibility and liberation; exercises such as recapitulation, stalking awareness, dreaming, and gratitudes introduced.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantra &amp; The Power of Spellcraft. </b>Delve more deeply into the history of what has birthed some of today\'s Indo-Pagan traditions; learn about initiations, spellwork, and the basics of the Western Craft (casting a circle, elements and directions, grounding and centering, etc.) relative to Tantrick practices; open to notions of what it means to hold responsibility and integrity in the practice of magick.</li>\r\n	<li><b>Tantrik Awakening.</b> Discover the powerful techniques of <i>pranayama</i> (breathwork) and <i>nyasa</i> (placement); explore Bhakti Yoga (the path of surrender to the Divine through devotion); and learn the fundamentals of Kundalini within a Shakta Tantrick <i>marga</i> (pathway).</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Gods and Goddesses of India Series</b> - Offering an introduction to the Western practitioner who seeks to know Hindu deities more concretely and practically, this series has three parts:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen goddesses in India; Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Lalita.</li>\r\n	<li>Gods of India - An introduction to the most commonly seen gods of India;  Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Agni.</li>\r\n	<li>Goddesses of Tantra - An introduction to the Dasa Mahavidya and others of the Tantric persuasion</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><b>Fierce Mothers: Tantrik Goddesses of Self-sacrifice</b> - This workshop opens doorways to the <em>raudra</em> (fierce) goddesses of India, including Camunda, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, and several other of the Mahavidyas. This is a path to embracing feminine power and self-acceptance through Divine love and inspiration.</li>\r\n</ul>\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','','','2013-08-21 22:10:03','2013-08-22 05:10:03','',99149,'[teaser title=\"Resources\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe 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',0,'revision','',0),(99671,2,'2013-08-21 22:36:16','2013-08-22 05:36:16','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am). </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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\nThe word SHARANYA is from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, and means \"refuge\" or \"sanctuary.\" Founded in 1999 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.\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. We open our doors and our hearts to those who seek to know Her, and we have dedicated ourselves to Her devotion. Further, we make a commitment to action and service for the betterment of all beings. We embrace the work of conscious relationship between the Sacred Female and Sacred Male. We actively strive to resacralize the Feminine and unpathologize the Masculine archetypes in the spaces of Self and World.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:36:16','2013-08-22 05:36:16','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries of geography and ',0,'revision','',0),(99672,2,'2013-08-21 22:38:01','2013-08-22 05:38:01','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am). </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<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>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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\nThe word SHARANYA is from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, and means \"refuge\" or \"sanctuary.\" Founded in 1999 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. We open our doors and our hearts to those who seek to know Her, and we have dedicated ourselves to Her devotion. Further, we make a commitment to action and service for the betterment of all beings. We embrace the work of conscious relationship between the Sacred Female and Sacred Male. We actively strive to resacralize the Feminine and unpathologize the Masculine archetypes in the spaces of Self and World.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:38:01','2013-08-22 05:38:01','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries o',0,'revision','',0),(99673,2,'2013-08-21 22:39:29','2013-08-22 05:39:29','[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta 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 href=\"http://www.sharanya.org/shacan/\">Sha\'can</a>.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Our Covenant\" active=\"\"]\r\n\r\n<b>I. Sa\'ham (She I am). </b> <i>I am the Goddess manifest; I recognize Her in all of Creation.</i><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<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><br><br>\r\n\r\n<center><b>Evam Astu!</b> <i>So mote it be!</i></center><center></center><center><br><br>\r\n<span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: xx-large;\">\\</span></center><center></center><center></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\nThe word SHARANYA is from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, and means \"refuge\" or \"sanctuary.\" Founded in 1999 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. We open our doors and our hearts to those who seek to know Her, and we have dedicated ourselves to Her devotion. Further, we make a commitment to action and service for the betterment of all beings. We embrace the work of conscious relationship between the Sacred Female and Sacred Male. We actively strive to resacralize the Feminine and unpathologize the Masculine archetypes in the spaces of Self and World.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"general\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','About Us','','inherit','open','open','','20-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 22:39:29','2013-08-22 05:39:29','',20,'[teaser title=\"About Us\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA is a unique 501(c)(3) religious organization and <em>Devi Mandir</em> (goddess temple) evolving Shakta Tantra from ancient roots to serve those who seek to know Goddess beyond the boundaries o',0,'revision','',0),(99674,2,'2013-08-21 22:53:53','2013-08-22 05:53:53','','Community','','publish','closed','closed','','community','','','2013-08-21 22:53:53','2013-08-22 05:53:53','',0,'',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(99676,2,'2013-08-21 22:45:45','2013-08-22 05:45:45','','Ordination','','inherit','open','open','','dsc_0409','','','2013-08-21 22:45:45','2013-08-22 05:45:45','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99677,2,'2013-08-21 22:51:06','2013-08-22 05:51:06','','Community','','inherit','open','open','','dsc_0505','','','2013-08-21 22:51:06','2013-08-22 05:51:06','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99678,2,'2013-08-21 23:04:30','2013-08-22 06:04:30','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Rededication of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, 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>Initiation of our 2011-12 circle of DoK (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>Rededication 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:04:30','2013-08-22 06:04:30','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99679,2,'2013-08-21 23:05:05','2013-08-22 06:05:05','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Rededication of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, 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>Initiation of our 2011-12 circle of DoK (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>Rededication 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:05:05','2013-08-22 06:05:05','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99680,2,'2013-08-21 23:05:45','2013-08-22 06:05:45','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Rededication of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, 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>Initiation of our 2011-12 circle of DoK (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>Rededication 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:05:45','2013-08-22 06:05:45','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99681,2,'2013-08-21 23:06:43','2013-08-22 06:06:43','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"The Kaula\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Rededication of Initiates (there was no 10th Chakra initiation) took place on Friday, 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>Initiation 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>Rededication 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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>Initiation 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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:06:43','2013-08-22 06:06:43','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99682,2,'2013-08-21 23:08:06','2013-08-22 06:08:06','','Nataraja','','inherit','open','open','','img_2076','','','2013-08-21 23:08:06','2013-08-22 06:08:06','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99683,2,'2013-08-21 23:10:32','2013-08-22 06:10:32','','Light & Smoke','','inherit','open','open','','dscn2039','','','2013-08-21 23:10:32','2013-08-22 06:10:32','',0,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99684,2,'2013-08-21 23:27:59','2013-08-22 06:27:59','','The Tradition','','publish','closed','closed','','the-tradition','','','2013-08-21 23:27:59','2013-08-22 06:27:59','',0,'',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(99685,2,'2013-08-21 23:38:32','2013-08-22 06:38:32','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.\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>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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:38:32','2013-08-22 06:38:32','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99686,2,'2013-08-21 23:39:04','2013-08-22 06:39:04','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\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>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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:39:04','2013-08-22 06:39:04','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99687,2,'2013-08-21 23:39:37','2013-08-22 06:39:37','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\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>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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:39:37','2013-08-22 06:39:37','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99688,2,'2013-08-21 23:40:02','2013-08-22 06:40:02','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\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>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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:40:02','2013-08-22 06:40:02','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99689,2,'2013-08-21 23:40:37','2013-08-22 06:40:37','With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond our attachments and into liberation. This is the work of Sha\'can, our practice, and our devotion. Ours is truly the path of the <i>bhakta</i> (devotee) of the Divine, who treasures the temple of this world as vehicle for spiritual blossoming, healing, and bliss. Ultimately, we believe an integral and (r)evolutionary approach to spirituality will best help us achieve our mission.<br><br>\r\n\r\nSha\'can is an authentic lineage tradition passed on through initiatory blessing. It is a Shakta <i>marga</i> (way or path of Goddess-worshiping Hinduism), that expands Tantric mother worship and sanctifies earth-based, embodied spirituality by bringing Devi to life with relevance for our circumstances today on Western shores. In our tradition, we celebrate the commonalities of thought and practice that bring the marginal to center. From here, we hold that everything is possible.<br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\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>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\nSha\'can is at once groundbreaking and what has always happened with goddess worshipers in and beyond India. Shakta Tantra at its core and as articulated through Sha\'can is a rooted category of challenge to the dominant culture in which it is found and from which it comes. The tradition is helping to build self-worth and positive identity frameworks for practitioners; is fostering the development of participatory and engaged spirituality; and is providing tools for the affirmation of shakti in the world. It is a new tradition born from and honoring of the old, relevant to the circumstances of today, and grounded in the potentials of tomorrow.\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','The Tradition','','inherit','open','open','','99129-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:40:37','2013-08-22 06:40:37','',99129,'With roots deep in ancient consciousness and a lineage of worship that has lived for millennia in the hearts of humanity, we honor She who facilitates the spiritual journey by taking us to the root of our yearning, beyond our fears, beyond our ego, beyond',0,'revision','',0),(99690,2,'2013-08-21 23:45:58','2013-08-22 06:45:58','','Origins','','publish','closed','closed','','origins','','','2013-08-21 23:45:58','2013-08-22 06:45:58','',0,'',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(99691,2,'2013-08-21 23:43:10','2013-08-22 06:43:10','','Homa baby goddess','','inherit','open','open','','homa-baby-goddess','','','2013-08-21 23:43:10','2013-08-22 06:43:10','',99690,'',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(99692,2,'2013-08-21 23:46:46','2013-08-22 06:46:46','Birthed from seeds planted 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.\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><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Balisahi, Puri Town, Puri  752 001 Orissa</span>\r\n\r\nRegistration Number: 2802/211/91-92  -  Filed and Certified by the Audit Superintendent District Panchayat Office, Puri\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>Its 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.\r\n\r\nSpeaking to a guide at my hotel, I tell him, \"I need to find a temple to the Goddess.\"\r\n\r\n\"Which one,\" he asks. \"Which goddess?\"\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.\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.\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.\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.\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 resplendant.\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.\r\n\r\n\"Are you ISKON?\" he demands.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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!\"\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.\r\n\r\n<em>August 2, 1998</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Chandra Alexandre</strong> is the founder and executive director of SHARANYA and Chairman of The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission in Puri.\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.\"\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"What,\" I ask, “are you going to do with it?\"  </span>\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>\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>\r\n\r\n<em>June 26, 2003</em>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n','Origins','','inherit','open','open','','99123-revision-v1','','','2013-08-21 23:46:46','2013-08-22 06:46:46','',99123,'Birthed from seeds planted 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',0,'revision','',0),(99693,2,'2013-08-22 00:05:40','2013-08-22 07:05:40','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.\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><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Balisahi, Puri Town, Puri  752 001 Orissa</span>\r\n\r\nRegistration Number: 2802/211/91-92  -  Filed and Certified by the Audit Superintendent District Panchayat Office, Puri\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>Its 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.\r\n\r\nSpeaking to a guide at my hotel, I tell him, \"I need to find a temple to the Goddess.\"\r\n\r\n\"Which one,\" he asks. \"Which goddess?\"\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.\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.\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.\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.\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 resplendant.\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.\r\n\r\n\"Are you ISKON?\" he demands.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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.\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!\"\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.\r\n\r\n<em>August 2, 1998</em>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Chandra Alexandre</strong> is the founder and executive director of SHARANYA and Chairman of The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission in Puri.\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.\"\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"> \"What,\" I ask, “are you going to do with it?\"  </span>\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>\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>\r\n\r\n<em>June 26, 2003</em>\r\n\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nChandra Alexandre 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&nbsp;','Origins','','inherit','open','open','','99123-revision-v1','','','2013-08-22 00:05:40','2013-08-22 07:05:40','',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),(99694,2,'2013-08-22 00:06:43','2013-08-22 07:06:43','On reading the Kali Puja Festival programme, I became very enchanted...I am proud that you are helping to fulfill my desire to spread Mother Worship outside of India and also hope that in the near future it will spread throughout the world. Go ahead, my blessing and the blessing of Mother Kali is with you!','Origins','','publish','closed','closed','','99694','','','2013-08-22 00:08:49','2013-08-22 07:08:49','',0,'On reading the Kali Puja Festival programme, I became very enchanted...I am proud that you are helping to fulfill my desire to spread Mother Worship outside of India and also hope that in the near future it will spread throughout the world. Go ahead, my b',0,'th_testimonials','',0),