(101170,2,'2014-12-08 12:59:04','2014-12-08 19:59:04','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<nbsp&>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 12:59:04','2014-12-08 19:59:04','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101171,2,'2014-12-08 13:00:31','2014-12-08 20:00:31','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<&nbsp>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:00:31','2014-12-08 20:00:31','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101172,2,'2014-12-08 13:01:34','2014-12-08 20:01:34','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:01:34','2014-12-08 20:01:34','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101173,2,'2014-12-08 13:02:29','2014-12-08 20:02:29','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:02:29','2014-12-08 20:02:29','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101174,2,'2014-12-08 13:03:00','2014-12-08 20:03:00','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:03:00','2014-12-08 20:03:00','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101175,2,'2014-12-08 13:03:28','2014-12-08 20:03:28','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:03:28','2014-12-08 20:03:28','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101176,2,'2014-12-08 13:04:00','2014-12-08 20:04:00','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:04:00','2014-12-08 20:04:00','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101177,2,'2014-12-08 13:04:26','2014-12-08 20:04:26','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:04:26','2014-12-08 20:04:26','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101178,2,'2014-12-08 13:04:54','2014-12-08 20:04:54','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2014-12-08 13:04:54','2014-12-08 20:04:54','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101179,2,'2014-12-10 22:12:05','2014-12-11 05:12:05','','Jai Maa!2','','inherit','open','open','','jai-maa2','','','2014-12-10 22:12:05','2014-12-11 05:12:05','',0,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Jai-Maa2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101180,2,'2014-12-10 22:24:20','2014-12-11 05:24:20','','Ancestors Mantram2','','inherit','open','open','','ancestors-mantram2','','','2014-12-10 22:24:20','2014-12-11 05:24:20','',0,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Ancestors-Mantram2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101181,2,'2014-12-10 22:25:46','2014-12-11 05:25:46','<!-- BEGIN Mantra of the Month -->\r\n<!-- Audio thumbnail and title link -->\r\n<h2><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/themes/churchope/lib/metabox/images/i_audio.png\" />\r\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\">Featured Mantram: Honoring Ancestors</a></h2>\r\n<!-- Header image -->\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99337 imgborder aligncenter alt=\"Ancestors\' Invocation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Ancestors-Mantram2.jpg\" width=\"350\" height=\"331\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<!-- Audio player -->\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/05-Track-05.m4a\'][/thaudio]\r\n<h2><b style=\"font-size: 13px;\">Translation:</b></h2>\r\n<em>From the highest realm to the lowest, as far as the universe extends, let all divine sages and forebearers, all deceased ancestors, on both the father\'s and mother\'s side be worshiped. Let this humble offering of sesame and water benefit the whole world, from the heavens down to this earth; may it benefit the inhabitants of the seven continents belonging to unlimited families in the past.</em><br><br>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\">Learn more about this mantram...</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<!-- END Mantra of the Month -->\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"24\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"24\" perpage=\"10\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"on\" ]','Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','99154-revision-v1','','','2014-12-10 22:25:46','2014-12-11 05:25:46','',99154,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99154-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101183,2,'2014-12-12 22:57:42','2014-12-13 05:57:42','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1-e1418450738908.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1-e1418450738908.jpg\" alt=\"KRIM Bija Mantram\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101184 imgborder\" /></a>Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n<em>KRIM image by Pushpa Sabrina Payonk</em>','How Do You Pronounce That? A Look at Mantra','','publish','open','open','','pronounce','','','2014-12-12 23:07:06','2014-12-13 06:07:06','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101183',0,'post','',0),(101184,2,'2014-12-12 22:57:11','2014-12-13 05:57:11','','KRIM','','inherit','open','open','','krimsketc-v4-mir1','','','2014-12-12 22:57:28','2014-12-13 05:57:28','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101185,2,'2014-12-12 22:57:42','2014-12-13 05:57:42','Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. ','How Do You Pronounce That?','','inherit','open','open','','101183-revision-v1','','','2014-12-12 22:57:42','2014-12-13 05:57:42','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101186,2,'2014-12-12 23:03:11','2014-12-13 06:03:11','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg\" alt=\"KRIM Bija Mantram\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101184 imgborder\" /></a>Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \n\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\n\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \n\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\n\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \n\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \n\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>\n<em>KRIM image by Pushpa</em>','How Do You Pronounce That? A Look at Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','101183-autosave-v1','','','2014-12-12 23:03:11','2014-12-13 06:03:11','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101187,2,'2014-12-12 22:59:42','2014-12-13 05:59:42','Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>','How Do You Pronounce That?','','inherit','open','open','','101183-revision-v1','','','2014-12-12 22:59:42','2014-12-13 05:59:42','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101188,2,'2014-12-12 23:00:33','2014-12-13 06:00:33','Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>','How Do You Pronounce That? A Look at Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','101183-revision-v1','','','2014-12-12 23:00:33','2014-12-13 06:00:33','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101189,2,'2014-12-12 23:02:03','2014-12-13 06:02:03','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg\" alt=\"KRIM Bija Mantram\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101184 imgborder\" /></a>Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>','How Do You Pronounce That? A Look at Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','101183-revision-v1','','','2014-12-12 23:02:03','2014-12-13 06:02:03','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101190,2,'2014-12-12 23:03:29','2014-12-13 06:03:29','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1.jpg\" alt=\"KRIM Bija Mantram\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101184 imgborder\" /></a>Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n<em>KRIM image by Pushpa Sabrina Payonk</em>','How Do You Pronounce That? A Look at Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','101183-revision-v1','','','2014-12-12 23:03:29','2014-12-13 06:03:29','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101191,2,'2014-12-12 23:07:06','2014-12-13 06:07:06','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1-e1418450738908.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/krimsketc-v4-mir1-e1418450738908.jpg\" alt=\"KRIM Bija Mantram\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101184 imgborder\" /></a>Mantra (mantram in the singular) are an important part of spiritual practice in many religious traditions. They are a core component of individual sadhana (discipline) and of the work done together in community, serving on multiple levels to effectuate transformation. Individuals, for example, may perform japa, the recitation of a particular mantram on a mala (rosary), to meditate and gain access to places of deeper insight. Spiritual practitioners working together may use mantra during puja (worship) to evoke the divine essence.  \r\n\r\nIt is the vibration of sound in each case that forges a link between this world and the unseen realm. Mantra in this way can aid the seeker in harnessing the potency of one of the underlying truths of Tantra. The metaphysics state that a connection exists between the reality we experience through our bodies and the ripples left in space-time by the Divine moving into and out of the cycle of life on Earth. It offers that this provides a glimpse at (and potential access to) the unfathomable Goddess. With just the smallest fraction of this power—Shakti—in our midst, we may be able to overcome the burden of our karmas and become whole.\r\n\r\nThe sounds or series of sounds of mantra were each designed by rishis (sages) with a particular purpose in mind and therefore, mantra are ancient keys to unlocking cosmic truths. In fact, the seed syllables of mantra so ubiquitous in Tantric ritual are regarded as the primordial sounds of creation—the garland of letters that Maa Kali wears around her neck. \r\n\r\nWhile mantra have for some time been accessible to the lay spiritual seeker (through books and more recently YouTube videos) and are in wide use in and beyond Hindu-Tantric India (from yoga studios and healing arts centers to Indo-Pagan rituals), they are still guarded by many a Tantric who may provide stern warnings and dictate prohibitions that the uninitiated stay clear.  Simply put, they do this because mantra are powerful reservoirs of eternal energies. Even novitiates, they say, may cause damage to themselves or others without steadfast practice and proper guidance. Some go further and note that the use of mantra and other Tantric disciplines will offer the quickest road to eternal bliss. But if one is not well equipped on the path, madness and even death may result.\r\n\r\nWhile some may pooh-pooh the idea that words have power (proceeding with mantra as garnish on their eclectic spiritual routine), there are others who hold a hard and fast line around ensuring the authentic transmittal of mantra from guru to disciple. In addition to the warnings already mentioned, they note that pronunciation must be proper to obtain benefit. Those who stumble into the flowing language of the Gods (as Sanskrit is known) untrained in its subtleties will achieve at best a greater sense of embodied awareness; but not the intended result of the practice or the more lasting benefit of the recitation. \r\n\r\nIn my own work, I demand that seekers have the decency to approach the tools of an ancient tradition with mindfulness and respect. So, ask me how to pronounce a mantram, and I’ll first ask you some questions. Certainly, I may offer you guidance, but I will always instruct that the seeker must be willing to do homework. Despite their power, mantra are not easy fixes, nor are they something one should use on a whim. Finally, Tantric or not, a word of advice: surrender your ego when you approach this spiritual technology. No one finds inner peace when the practice is just for show, the ritual mere ornamentation, or the goal purely self-serving. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service by Chandra Alexandre</em>\r\n<em>KRIM image by Pushpa Sabrina Payonk</em>','How Do You Pronounce That? A Look at Mantra','','inherit','open','open','','101183-revision-v1','','','2014-12-12 23:07:06','2014-12-13 06:07:06','',101183,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101193,2,'2014-12-22 19:38:46','2014-12-23 02:38:46','[teaser title=\"Calendar of Events\"][/teaser]<br><br><br><br>\r\n\r\nSHARANYA hosts a variety of events, public worship and community gatherings in a dedicated temple space, our Sanctuary. Review our calendar to see regular offerings of 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. We look forward to welcoming you in circle soon!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[event layout=\"full\"]\r\n\r\n<div style=\"clear:both\"></div>\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"events\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]','Events','','inherit','open','open','','99131-revision-v1','','','2014-12-22 19:38:46','2014-12-23 02:38:46','',99131,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99131-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101195,2,'2015-01-08 22:54:23','2015-01-09 05:54:23','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in \"Be Here Now\" by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-01-08 22:54:23','2015-01-09 05:54:23','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101196,2,'2015-01-08 22:54:56','2015-01-09 05:54:56','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li>\r\n        <li>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in \"Be Here Now\" by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-01-08 22:54:56','2015-01-09 05:54:56','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101197,2,'2015-01-08 23:08:19','2015-01-09 06:08:19','','Jayada','','inherit','open','open','','jayada','','','2015-01-08 23:08:19','2015-01-09 06:08:19','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101198,2,'2015-01-08 23:08:36','2015-01-09 06:08:36','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in \"Be Here Now\" by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-01-08 23:08:36','2015-01-09 06:08:36','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101199,2,'2015-01-08 23:10:19','2015-01-09 06:10:19','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in \"Be Here Now\" by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-01-08 23:10:19','2015-01-09 06:10:19','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101200,2,'2015-01-08 23:12:37','2015-01-09 06:12:37','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-01-08 23:12:37','2015-01-09 06:12:37','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101202,2,'2015-03-23 10:20:36','2015-03-23 17:20:36','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 June 2015.<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 August 2015.<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-revision-v1','','','2015-03-23 10:20:36','2015-03-23 17:20:36','',99152,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99152-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101203,2,'2015-03-30 09:28:45','2015-03-30 16:28:45','This is a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devi, Goddess, bleeds. \n\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood. \n\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship. \n\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. ','9th Annual Yoni Puja Festival','','inherit','open','open','','101109-autosave-v1','','','2015-03-30 09:28:45','2015-03-30 16:28:45','',101109,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101109-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101205,2,'2015-06-15 09:51:09','2015-06-15 16:51:09','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Purnamanaha Qalandar is a lover of the Dark One, follower of the Old Ways and ancestors, and initiated tantric yogini.  Purnamanaha was guided to SHARANYA through The Spiral Dance almost a decade ago. A self-described \"queer, pro-womanist/mujerista, vegetarian/vegan, red anarchist shakta muslim,\" he has also received initiation into the Chishtī Order and is passionate about multireligious leadership and sacred activism. He has earned advanced degrees in divinity and social welfare, and advocates for intersectional, counter-oppressive frameworks for radical communal (r)evolution.\"[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-06-15 09:51:09','2015-06-15 16:51:09','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101206,2,'2015-06-15 09:53:08','2015-06-15 16:53:08','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Purnamanaha is a lover of the Dark One, follower of the Old Ways and ancestors, and initiated tantric yogini. Guided to SHARANYA through The Spiral Dance almost a decade ago, Purnamanaha is a self-described \'queer, pro-womanist/mujerista, vegetarian/vegan, red anarchist shakta muslim,\' he has also received initiation into the Chishtī Order and is passionate about multireligious leadership and sacred activism. He has earned advanced degrees in divinity and social welfare, and advocates for intersectional, counter-oppressive frameworks for radical communal (r)evolution.\"]Purnamanaha Qalandar[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-06-15 09:53:08','2015-06-15 16:53:08','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101207,2,'2015-06-15 09:53:53','2015-06-15 16:53:53','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Purnamanaha is a lover of the Dark One, follower of the Old Ways and ancestors, and initiated tantric yogini. Guided to SHARANYA through The Spiral Dance almost a decade ago, Purnamanaha is a self-described \'queer, pro-womanist/mujerista, vegetarian/vegan, red anarchist shakta muslim,\' he has also received initiation into the Chishtī Order and is passionate about multireligious leadership and sacred activism. He has earned advanced degrees in divinity and social welfare, and advocates for intersectional, counter-oppressive frameworks for radical communal (r)evolution.\"]Purnamanaha Qalandar[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-06-15 09:53:53','2015-06-15 16:53:53','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101208,2,'2015-06-15 09:54:21','2015-06-15 16:54:21','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li>[tooltip tip=\"Purnamanaha is a lover of the Dark One, follower of the Old Ways and ancestors, and initiated tantric yogini. Guided to SHARANYA through The Spiral Dance almost a decade ago, Purnamanaha is a self-described \'queer, pro-womanist/mujerista, vegetarian/vegan, red anarchist shakta muslim,\' he has also received initiation into the Chishtī Order and is passionate about multireligious leadership and sacred activism. He has earned advanced degrees in divinity and social welfare, and advocates for intersectional, counter-oppressive frameworks for radical communal (r)evolution.\"]Purnamanaha Qalandar[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','open','open','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-06-15 09:54:21','2015-06-15 16:54:21','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101223,2,'2015-07-04 22:00:05','2015-07-05 05:00:05','[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_event/11th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\" title=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Blessed-Altar-Web-e1380257091912.jpg\" ]It\'s here! Join us on 11/14[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\" title=\"Curious?\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DSC_0313-e1381818563636.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events/\" title=\"Puja Dates\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0311-e1381818979184.jpg\" ]Visit the calendar[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<hr />\r\n<h3>Reflections &amp; News</h3>\r\n<center><i>\"Sing Kali\'s glory, make a happy racket, paddle this old boat of a body as fast as you can.<br>What\'s the trouble of this world anyhow?\" - Ramprasad Sen</i></center><br>\r\n[blog category=\"7\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"matrikas\" time=\"10\" randomize=\"on\" effect=\"fade\" ]','Homepage','','inherit','open','open','','99117-revision-v1','','','2015-07-04 22:00:05','2015-07-05 05:00:05','',99117,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101224,2,'2015-07-05 00:04:15','2015-07-05 07:04:15','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cropped-DSC_0551.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cropped-DSC_0551-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"Puja Candles\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7 imgborder\" /></a>Ksama in Sanskrit means forgiveness. An indispensible word on the spiritual path at practical and cosmic levels, ksama is a virtue that, perhaps more strongly than any other, binds us to a tantric life. Its practice requires that we move beyond our ego and take sanctuary in the naked truth of reality. It is a gateway to Her through relationality (one of the five-fold qualities of the Dark Goddess), a way of creating connection across divides of difference on inner, outer and causal levels. \r\n\r\nAt times, forgiveness means making a choice to be present with another. It can also mean holding a space of respectful distance in order to let truth unfold. In its many manifestations, the path of forgiveness is a tall order in a world filled with insecurities and vitriol. So many of us harbor terrifying yearnings to be loved—terrifying because we fear we are unworthy of another’s love or worse, somehow unlovable. But as a mechanism for unleashing the power of unfettered love—the antidote to much of our struggle—forgiveness is worth taking the time to understand and practice. \r\n\r\nRitual is usually the first place where the explicit task of forgiving arises. We learn a mantram or technique, for example, and must practice over and over to get it right. We learn to say, “ksamasya,” meaning, “please forgive me,” because we know that our heart’s desire has not yet been achieved. This is not about method, as some think, but rather about the creation of beauty. Much like the fragrance of flowers provides a key to unlocking the deeper meaning of puja, the practice of ceremony allows us the opportunity to give from our heart to the divine. As we learn to be increasingly free in our efforts, our expressions of beauty unleash passionate remembrances of truth that light our inner fire once more. In this way, we engage cosmic events in the world and create stepping stones—some grounded in acts of forgiveness—toward a unique unfolding of ourselves that is less reliant upon ego for survival. \r\n\r\nAs we progress, taking ritual into the living of our day-to-day lives, the next task of forgiving lies in our personal relationships. Through them, we move from the humility of asking for forgiveness to welcoming self-forgiveness to a culminating other-forgiveness that fully reconstitutes us. Here the ego has a lot to say, preferring to keep us shackled to our habits and agendas lest we kill the self we have come to know so well. But in time the first lesson arrives, and we may see the possibilities that allowing forgiveness to be present within us provides. Staying open takes fortitude. This is not to say that we must forgive for the sake of forgiving, or forgive foolishly, or collude with wrongdoing; rather, in consciously striving for a disposition toward forgiveness, we enter into a valuable process of personal reflection and the flexing of emotional muscles (as when we discover that there is more that awaits beyond our anger) that can lead to greater insight. \r\n\r\nAwareness here takes us to a deepened relationship with compassion, for to be genuinely with a loved one’s suffering releases our ego’s self-centered stance and gives us room to witness a soul’s painful cry for healing. Awareness birthed of our fortitude can also unlock the point of our relationship in this lifetime with the one to be forgiven, and we are changed in precious ways with this knowledge. The tantra of forgiveness then lies in our willingness to start small and with an open heart. These stepping stones do lead us somewhere beautiful. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Forgiveness on the Path','','publish','open','open','','forgiveness-on-the-path','','','2016-05-24 21:32:40','2016-05-25 04:32:40','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101224',0,'post','',0),(101225,2,'2015-07-05 00:04:15','2015-07-05 07:04:15','Ksama in Sanskrit means forgiveness. An indispensible word on the spiritual path at practical and cosmic levels, ksama is a virtue that, perhaps more strongly than any other, binds us to a tantric life. Its practice requires that we move beyond our ego and take sanctuary in the naked truth of reality. It is a gateway to Her through relationality (one of the five-fold qualities of the Dark Goddess), a way of creating connection across divides of difference on inner, outer and causal levels. \r\n\r\nAt times, forgiveness means making a choice to be present with another. It can also mean holding a space of respectful distance in order to let truth unfold. In its many manifestations, the path of forgiveness is a tall order in a world filled with insecurities and vitriol. So many of us harbor terrifying yearnings to be loved—terrifying because we fear we are unworthy of another’s love or worse, somehow unlovable. But as a mechanism for unleashing the power of unfettered love—the antidote to much of our struggle—forgiveness is worth taking the time to understand and practice. \r\n\r\nRitual is usually the first place where the explicit task of forgiving arises. We learn a mantram or technique, for example, and must practice over and over to get it right. We learn to say, “ksamasya,” meaning, “please forgive me,” because we know that our heart’s desire has not yet been achieved. This is not about method, as some think, but rather about the creation of beauty. Much like the fragrance of flowers provides a key to unlocking the deeper meaning of puja, the practice of ceremony allows us the opportunity to give from our heart to the divine. As we learn to be increasingly free in our efforts, our expressions of beauty unleash passionate remembrances of truth that light our inner fire once more. In this way, we engage cosmic events in the world and create stepping stones—some grounded in acts of forgiveness—toward a unique unfolding of ourselves that is less reliant upon ego for survival. \r\n\r\nAs we progress, taking ritual into the living of our day-to-day lives, the next task of forgiving lies in our personal relationships. Through them, we move from the humility of asking for forgiveness to welcoming self-forgiveness to a culminating other-forgiveness that fully reconstitutes us. Here the ego has a lot to say, preferring to keep us shackled to our habits and agendas lest we kill the self we have come to know so well. But in time the first lesson arrives, and we may see the possibilities that allowing forgiveness to be present within us provides. Staying open takes fortitude. This is not to say that we must forgive for the sake of forgiving, or forgive foolishly, or collude with wrongdoing; rather, in consciously striving for a disposition toward forgiveness, we enter into a valuable process of personal reflection and the flexing of emotional muscles (as when we discover that there is more that awaits beyond our anger) that can lead to greater insight. \r\n\r\nAwareness here takes us to a deepened relationship with compassion, for to be genuinely with a loved one’s suffering releases our ego’s self-centered stance and gives us room to witness a soul’s painful cry for healing. Awareness birthed of our fortitude can also unlock the point of our relationship in this lifetime with the one to be forgiven, and we are changed in precious ways with this knowledge. The tantra of forgiveness then lies in our willingness to start small and with an open heart. These stepping stones do lead us somewhere beautiful. ','Forgiveness on the Path','','inherit','open','open','','101224-revision-v1','','','2015-07-05 00:04:15','2015-07-05 07:04:15','',101224,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101224-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101226,2,'2015-07-05 00:07:15','2015-07-05 07:07:15','Ksama in Sanskrit means forgiveness. An indispensible word on the spiritual path at practical and cosmic levels, ksama is a virtue that, perhaps more strongly than any other, binds us to a tantric life. Its practice requires that we move beyond our ego and take sanctuary in the naked truth of reality. It is a gateway to Her through relationality (one of the five-fold qualities of the Dark Goddess), a way of creating connection across divides of difference on inner, outer and causal levels. \n\nAt times, forgiveness means making a choice to be present with another. It can also mean holding a space of respectful distance in order to let truth unfold. In its many manifestations, the path of forgiveness is a tall order in a world filled with insecurities and vitriol. So many of us harbor terrifying yearnings to be loved—terrifying because we fear we are unworthy of another’s love or worse, somehow unlovable. But as a mechanism for unleashing the power of unfettered love—the antidote to much of our struggle—forgiveness is worth taking the time to understand and practice. \n\nRitual is usually the first place where the explicit task of forgiving arises. We learn a mantram or technique, for example, and must practice over and over to get it right. We learn to say, “ksamasya,” meaning, “please forgive me,” because we know that our heart’s desire has not yet been achieved. This is not about method, as some think, but rather about the creation of beauty. Much like the fragrance of flowers provides a key to unlocking the deeper meaning of puja, the practice of ceremony allows us the opportunity to give from our heart to the divine. As we learn to be increasingly free in our efforts, our expressions of beauty unleash passionate remembrances of truth that light our inner fire once more. In this way, we engage cosmic events in the world and create stepping stones—some grounded in acts of forgiveness—toward a unique unfolding of ourselves that is less reliant upon ego for survival. \n\nAs we progress, taking ritual into the living of our day-to-day lives, the next task of forgiving lies in our personal relationships. Through them, we move from the humility of asking for forgiveness to welcoming self-forgiveness to a culminating other-forgiveness that fully reconstitutes us. Here the ego has a lot to say, preferring to keep us shackled to our habits and agendas lest we kill the self we have come to know so well. But in time the first lesson arrives, and we may see the possibilities that allowing forgiveness to be present within us provides. Staying open takes fortitude. This is not to say that we must forgive for the sake of forgiving, or forgive foolishly, or collude with wrongdoing; rather, in consciously striving for a disposition toward forgiveness, we enter into a valuable process of personal reflection and the flexing of emotional muscles (as when we discover that there is more that awaits beyond our anger) that can lead to greater insight. \n\nAwareness here takes us to a deepened relationship with compassion, for to be genuinely with a loved one’s suffering releases our ego’s self-centered stance and gives us room to witness a soul’s painful cry for healing. Awareness birthed of our fortitude can also unlock the point of our relationship in this lifetime with the one to be forgiven, and we are changed in precious ways with this knowledge. The tantra of forgiveness then lies in our willingness to start small and with an open heart. These stepping stones do lead us somewhere beautiful. \n\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Forgiveness on the Path','','inherit','open','open','','101224-autosave-v1','','','2015-07-05 00:07:15','2015-07-05 07:07:15','',101224,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101224-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101227,2,'2015-07-05 00:07:20','2015-07-05 07:07:20','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cropped-DSC_0551.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cropped-DSC_0551-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"Puja Candles\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7 imgborder\" /></a>Ksama in Sanskrit means forgiveness. An indispensible word on the spiritual path at practical and cosmic levels, ksama is a virtue that, perhaps more strongly than any other, binds us to a tantric life. Its practice requires that we move beyond our ego and take sanctuary in the naked truth of reality. It is a gateway to Her through relationality (one of the five-fold qualities of the Dark Goddess), a way of creating connection across divides of difference on inner, outer and causal levels. \r\n\r\nAt times, forgiveness means making a choice to be present with another. It can also mean holding a space of respectful distance in order to let truth unfold. In its many manifestations, the path of forgiveness is a tall order in a world filled with insecurities and vitriol. So many of us harbor terrifying yearnings to be loved—terrifying because we fear we are unworthy of another’s love or worse, somehow unlovable. But as a mechanism for unleashing the power of unfettered love—the antidote to much of our struggle—forgiveness is worth taking the time to understand and practice. \r\n\r\nRitual is usually the first place where the explicit task of forgiving arises. We learn a mantram or technique, for example, and must practice over and over to get it right. We learn to say, “ksamasya,” meaning, “please forgive me,” because we know that our heart’s desire has not yet been achieved. This is not about method, as some think, but rather about the creation of beauty. Much like the fragrance of flowers provides a key to unlocking the deeper meaning of puja, the practice of ceremony allows us the opportunity to give from our heart to the divine. As we learn to be increasingly free in our efforts, our expressions of beauty unleash passionate remembrances of truth that light our inner fire once more. In this way, we engage cosmic events in the world and create stepping stones—some grounded in acts of forgiveness—toward a unique unfolding of ourselves that is less reliant upon ego for survival. \r\n\r\nAs we progress, taking ritual into the living of our day-to-day lives, the next task of forgiving lies in our personal relationships. Through them, we move from the humility of asking for forgiveness to welcoming self-forgiveness to a culminating other-forgiveness that fully reconstitutes us. Here the ego has a lot to say, preferring to keep us shackled to our habits and agendas lest we kill the self we have come to know so well. But in time the first lesson arrives, and we may see the possibilities that allowing forgiveness to be present within us provides. Staying open takes fortitude. This is not to say that we must forgive for the sake of forgiving, or forgive foolishly, or collude with wrongdoing; rather, in consciously striving for a disposition toward forgiveness, we enter into a valuable process of personal reflection and the flexing of emotional muscles (as when we discover that there is more that awaits beyond our anger) that can lead to greater insight. \r\n\r\nAwareness here takes us to a deepened relationship with compassion, for to be genuinely with a loved one’s suffering releases our ego’s self-centered stance and gives us room to witness a soul’s painful cry for healing. Awareness birthed of our fortitude can also unlock the point of our relationship in this lifetime with the one to be forgiven, and we are changed in precious ways with this knowledge. The tantra of forgiveness then lies in our willingness to start small and with an open heart. These stepping stones do lead us somewhere beautiful. \r\n\r\n<em>Offered in Her Service</em> Chandra Alexandre','Forgiveness on the Path','','inherit','open','open','','101224-revision-v1','','','2015-07-05 00:07:20','2015-07-05 07:07:20','',101224,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101224-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101230,35,'2015-10-16 11:43:14','2015-10-16 18:43:14','','Kali Puja Festival','','publish','open','closed','','kali-puja-festival','','','2017-03-19 15:58:39','2017-03-19 22:58:39','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101230',10,'nav_menu_item','',0),(101231,35,'2015-10-16 12:30:09','2015-10-16 19:30:09','<p>11th Annual Festival<br /><br />\nOctober 25, 2014</p>\n','Kali Puja','','inherit','open','open','','101122-autosave-v1','','','2015-10-16 12:30:09','2015-10-16 19:30:09','',101122,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101122-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101233,35,'2015-10-16 12:26:39','2015-10-16 19:26:39','<p>12th Annual Kali Puja Festival</p>\r\n<p>November 14th, 2015</p>\r\n','Kali Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','kali-puja-2','','','2017-03-16 23:34:58','2017-03-17 06:34:58','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_slideshows&#038;p=101233',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(101234,35,'2015-10-16 12:27:49','2015-10-16 19:27:49','</p>\n','Kali Puja','','inherit','open','open','','101233-autosave-v1','','','2015-10-16 12:27:49','2015-10-16 19:27:49','',101233,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101233-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101235,35,'2015-10-16 21:21:01','2015-10-17 04:21:01','[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_event/12th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\" title=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Blessed-Altar-Web-e1380257091912.jpg\" ]It\'s here! Join us on 11/14[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/\" title=\"Curious?\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DSC_0313-e1381818563636.jpg\" ]Learn more...[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n[one_third last=last] [teaser url=\"http://sharanya.org/events/\" title=\"Puja Dates\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0311-e1381818979184.jpg\" ]Visit the calendar[/teaser] [/one_third]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<hr />\r\n<h3>Reflections &amp; News</h3>\r\n<center><i>\"Sing Kali\'s glory, make a happy racket, paddle this old boat of a body as fast as you can.<br>What\'s the trouble of this world anyhow?\" - Ramprasad Sen</i></center><br>\r\n[blog category=\"7\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[testimonials category=\"matrikas\" time=\"10\" randomize=\"on\" effect=\"fade\" ]','Homepage','','inherit','open','open','','99117-revision-v1','','','2015-10-16 21:21:01','2015-10-17 04:21:01','',99117,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101236,35,'2016-04-01 23:35:33','2016-04-02 06:35:33','Each year, we come together to celebrate a number of regular festivals and high holy days within our tradition. Public <i>melas</i> (festivals) are a chance to celebrate the Divine with others, be witnessed in community, and share of Her blessings.<br><br>\n\n<h5>Annual Public Celebrations</h5>\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\n&nbsp;\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Kali Maa and the Quest for Light in the Dark Time of the Year</b></span></i></h4>\nSHARANYA\'s annual Kali Puja Festival is a time to delight in the mysteries of Maa in concurrence with what is known as the puja season in India. First comes Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess, and then the festival of lights, Diwali. During the amavasya (new moon) of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshiped throughout West Bengal, Orissa and Assam.<br><br>\n\n[one_half]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s 2013 Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/P1020015-e1384896557532.jpeg\" /></a>[/one_half]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[one_half last=last]<h3><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h3><br>Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>[/one_half]\n\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a> page and below through image and song:<br><br>\n\n[one_half] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival 2009\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" /></a>\n[/one_half]\n\n[one_half last=last] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" /></a>\n[/one_half]\n\n[/tab]\n\n[tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\n&nbsp;\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\n\nJoin us each year around Summer Solstice for a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devī, Goddess, bleeds.<br><br>\n\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood.<br><br>\n\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship.<br><br>\n\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\n<br><br>\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3\']Kamakhya Mantram[/thaudio]\n\n<br><br>\n\n[blog category=\"89\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[/tab]\n\n[tab title=\"PantheaCon\"]\n<h3>Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens</h3>\n&nbsp;\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Powerful Ceremony Where East Meets West</b></span></i></h4>\nSHARANYA\'s annual participation in PantheaCon is a tradition going back to 2004, one that fosters community for many devotees of the Divine Mother, especially those who are a long way from our home temple in San Francisco. Many line up long before the ritual begins to ensure participation. The ceremony has evolved over the years, and we open our doors to about 100 celebrants with chant and a moving meditation that guides us into Her mysteries.<br><br>\n\n[blog category=\"91\" perpage=\"5\" pagination=\"on\" ]\n\n[/tab]\n\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-autosave-v1','','','2016-04-01 23:35:33','2016-04-02 06:35:33','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99912-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101237,35,'2014-06-26 23:52:35','2014-06-27 06:52:35','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"61\" perpage=\"\" pagination=\"\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]\r\n','Yoni Puja 2014','','publish','open','open','','yoni-puja-2014','','','2015-11-01 21:37:22','2015-11-02 04:37:22','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101237',0,'post','',0),(101238,35,'2015-10-19 23:52:35','2015-10-20 06:52:35','SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-19 23:52:35','2015-10-20 06:52:35','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101240,35,'2015-10-19 23:56:19','2015-10-20 06:56:19','<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-19 23:56:19','2015-10-20 06:56:19','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101241,35,'2015-10-19 23:58:39','2015-10-20 06:58:39','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-19 23:58:39','2015-10-20 06:58:39','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101242,35,'2015-10-20 00:30:42','2015-10-20 07:30:42','9th Annual Festival\r\nJune 21, 2015','Yoni Puja','','publish','closed','closed','','yoni-puja','','','2015-10-21 00:17:54','2015-10-21 07:17:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_slideshows&#038;p=101242',0,'th_slideshows','',0),(101244,35,'2015-10-20 00:52:16','2015-10-20 07:52:16','\"Kamakhya Mantram\".','Kamakhya Mantram','','inherit','open','open','','kamakhya-mantram','','','2015-10-20 00:52:27','2015-10-20 07:52:27','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(101245,35,'2015-10-20 00:52:47','2015-10-20 07:52:47','Each year, we come together to celebrate a number of regular festivals and high holy days within our tradition. Public <i>melas</i> (festivals) are a chance to celebrate the Divine with others, be witnessed in community, and share of Her blessings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<h5>Annual Public Celebrations</h5>\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Kali Maa and the Quest for Light in the Dark Time of the Year</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual Kali Puja Festival is a time to delight in the mysteries of Maa in concurrence with what is known as the puja season in India. First comes Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess, and then the festival of lights, Diwali. During the amavasya (new moon) of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshiped throughout West Bengal, Orissa and Assam.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s 2013 Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/P1020015-e1384896557532.jpeg\" /></a>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]<h3><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h3><br>Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a> page and below through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival 2009\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\r\n\r\nJoin us each year around Summer Solstice for a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devī, Goddess, bleeds.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n<br>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3\']Kamakhya Mantram[/thaudio]\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"27\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"PantheaCon\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Powerful Ceremony Where East Meets West</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual participation in PantheaCon is a tradition going back to 2004, one that fosters community for many devotees of the Divine Mother, especially those who are a long way from our home temple in San Francisco. Many line up long before the ritual begins to ensure participation. The ceremony has evolved over the years, and we open our doors to about 100 celebrants with chant and a moving meditation that guides us into Her mysteries.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"12\" perpage=\"5\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2015-10-20 00:52:47','2015-10-20 07:52:47','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99912-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101246,35,'2015-10-20 00:54:20','2015-10-20 07:54:20','Each year, we come together to celebrate a number of regular festivals and high holy days within our tradition. Public <i>melas</i> (festivals) are a chance to celebrate the Divine with others, be witnessed in community, and share of Her blessings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<h5>Annual Public Celebrations</h5>\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Kali Maa and the Quest for Light in the Dark Time of the Year</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual Kali Puja Festival is a time to delight in the mysteries of Maa in concurrence with what is known as the puja season in India. First comes Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess, and then the festival of lights, Diwali. During the amavasya (new moon) of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshiped throughout West Bengal, Orissa and Assam.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s 2013 Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/P1020015-e1384896557532.jpeg\" /></a>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]<h3><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h3><br>Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a> page and below through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival 2009\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\r\n\r\nJoin us each year around Summer Solstice for a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devī, Goddess, bleeds.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n<p>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3\']Kamakhya Mantram[/thaudio]\r\n</p>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"27\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"PantheaCon\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Powerful Ceremony Where East Meets West</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual participation in PantheaCon is a tradition going back to 2004, one that fosters community for many devotees of the Divine Mother, especially those who are a long way from our home temple in San Francisco. Many line up long before the ritual begins to ensure participation. The ceremony has evolved over the years, and we open our doors to about 100 celebrants with chant and a moving meditation that guides us into Her mysteries.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"12\" perpage=\"5\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2015-10-20 00:54:20','2015-10-20 07:54:20','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99912-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101247,35,'2015-10-20 00:56:03','2015-10-20 07:56:03','Each year, we come together to celebrate a number of regular festivals and high holy days within our tradition. Public <i>melas</i> (festivals) are a chance to celebrate the Divine with others, be witnessed in community, and share of Her blessings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<h5>Annual Public Celebrations</h5>\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Kali Maa and the Quest for Light in the Dark Time of the Year</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual Kali Puja Festival is a time to delight in the mysteries of Maa in concurrence with what is known as the puja season in India. First comes Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess, and then the festival of lights, Diwali. During the amavasya (new moon) of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshiped throughout West Bengal, Orissa and Assam.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s 2013 Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/P1020015-e1384896557532.jpeg\" /></a>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]<h3><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h3><br>Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a> page and below through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival 2009\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\r\n\r\nJoin us each year around Summer Solstice for a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devī, Goddess, bleeds.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n<br><br>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3\']Kamakhya Mantram[/thaudio]\r\n\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"27\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"PantheaCon\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Powerful Ceremony Where East Meets West</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual participation in PantheaCon is a tradition going back to 2004, one that fosters community for many devotees of the Divine Mother, especially those who are a long way from our home temple in San Francisco. Many line up long before the ritual begins to ensure participation. The ceremony has evolved over the years, and we open our doors to about 100 celebrants with chant and a moving meditation that guides us into Her mysteries.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"12\" perpage=\"5\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','open','open','','99912-revision-v1','','','2015-10-20 00:56:03','2015-10-20 07:56:03','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99912-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101249,35,'2013-06-26 02:00:01','2013-06-26 09:00:01','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Altar-e1380001560155.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Altar-e1380001560155.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Altar\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100169 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n<p>On the night of Sunday, June 9, 2013, we gathered together in community to celebrate the time when Goddess bleeds. Also known as Ambubachi Mela, this festival is celebrated annually in northeastern India. At SHARANYA, it is a weaving of indigenous, Earth-centered, and Goddess mysteries that culminates in the drinking of yoni tattva, the essence of the Divine Female.</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja 2013','','publish','open','open','','yoni-puja-2013','','','2015-11-01 21:38:05','2015-11-02 04:38:05','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?p=101249',0,'post','',0),(101250,35,'2015-10-20 02:00:01','2015-10-20 09:00:01','<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Altar-e1380001560155.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Altar-e1380001560155.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Altar\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100169 imgborder\" /></a>\r\n<p>On the night of Sunday, June 9, 2013, we gathered together in community to celebrate the time when Goddess bleeds. Also known as Ambubachi Mela, this festival is celebrated annually in northeastern India. At SHARANYA, it is a weaving of indigenous, Earth-centered, and Goddess mysteries that culminates in the drinking of yoni tattva, the essence of the Divine Female.</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja 2013','','inherit','open','open','','101249-revision-v1','','','2015-10-20 02:00:01','2015-10-20 09:00:01','',101249,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101249-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101251,35,'2015-10-21 01:27:17','2015-10-21 08:27:17','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"27\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 01:27:17','2015-10-21 08:27:17','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101252,35,'2015-10-21 01:27:45','2015-10-21 08:27:45','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"27\" perpage=\"2\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 01:27:45','2015-10-21 08:27:45','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101253,35,'2015-10-21 01:28:14','2015-10-21 08:28:14','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"27\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 01:28:14','2015-10-21 08:28:14','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101254,35,'2015-10-21 01:28:48','2015-10-21 08:28:48','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"27\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 01:28:48','2015-10-21 08:28:48','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101255,35,'2015-10-21 01:15:34','2015-10-21 08:15:34','Welcoming the spirits of heart within the home of our temple, we gathered on June 21, 2015 to awaken Maa within us. Circle cast, water blessed, open to the Mystery, we commenced our 9th Annual Yoni Puja Festival. Jai Maa!','Maa\'s Altar','','publish','closed','closed','','maas-altar','','','2015-10-21 02:35:42','2015-10-21 09:35:42','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101255',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101256,35,'2015-10-21 01:13:03','2015-10-21 08:13:03','Be with us as we were then. Approaching Maa our breath deepens as our heart quickens. We receive flowers. The scent of flowers fills the air and our lungs are inspired to take in Her essence.','Approaching the Divine','','publish','closed','closed','','approaching-the-divine','','','2015-10-21 02:35:32','2015-10-21 09:35:32','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101256',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101257,35,'2015-10-21 01:38:12','2015-10-21 08:38:12','','2015-06-21 13.03.03','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-13-03-03','','','2015-10-21 01:38:12','2015-10-21 08:38:12','',101255,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-13.03.03.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101258,35,'2015-10-21 01:12:41','2015-10-21 08:12:41','From each side of the altar we move to center, and we bow before Her.','Inside and Out We Are Her','','publish','closed','closed','','inside-and-out-we-are-her','','','2015-10-21 02:35:21','2015-10-21 09:35:21','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101258',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101259,35,'2015-10-21 01:39:40','2015-10-21 08:39:40','','2015-06-21 13.04.07','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-13-04-07','','','2015-10-21 01:39:40','2015-10-21 08:39:40','',101256,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-13.04.07.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101260,35,'2015-10-21 01:41:08','2015-10-21 08:41:08','','2015-06-21 13.03.38','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-13-03-38','','','2015-10-21 01:41:08','2015-10-21 08:41:08','',101258,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-13.03.38.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101261,35,'2015-11-18 03:00:12','2015-11-18 10:00:12','<p>Begun in 2006, this year marked the 9th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Yoni Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and initiates alike, the community provides spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother as the Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. We came together on the night of June 21, 2015 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, worship Her and receive the divine nectar of Her bliss, the <i>yoni tattva</i>. As Maa Kamakhya, She holds the power of the cosmos and the liberating potentials of the female as birther of Her creation.</p>\n<p>Many devotees filled the temple singing Her names, assembling with reverence and respect to honor Earth, women, Goddess and the Feminine. Opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. Jai Maa!</p>\n<p>[testimonials category=\"yoni puja\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]</p>\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"82\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>\n','Yoni Puja Festival','','inherit','open','open','','101041-autosave-v1','','','2015-11-18 03:00:12','2015-11-18 10:00:12','',101041,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101041-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101262,35,'2015-10-21 01:45:56','2015-10-21 08:45:56','<p>Begun in 2006, this year marked the 8th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Yoni Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and initiates alike, the community provides spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother as the Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. We came together on the night of June 22, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, worship Her and receive the divine nectar of Her bliss, the <i>yoni tattva</i>. As Maa Kamakhya, She holds the power of the cosmos and the liberating potentials of the female as birther of Her creation.</p>\r\n<p>Many devotees filled the temple singing Her names, assembling with reverence and respect to honor Earth, women, Goddess and the Feminine. Opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. Jai Maa!</p>\r\n<p>[testimonials category=\"yoni puja\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]</p>\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"27\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja Festival','','inherit','open','open','','101041-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 01:45:56','2015-10-21 08:45:56','',101041,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101041-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101263,35,'2015-10-21 01:47:50','2015-10-21 08:47:50','<p>Begun in 2006, this year marked the 8th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Yoni Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and initiates alike, the community provides spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother as the Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. We came together on the night of June 22, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, worship Her and receive the divine nectar of Her bliss, the <i>yoni tattva</i>. As Maa Kamakhya, She holds the power of the cosmos and the liberating potentials of the female as birther of Her creation.</p>\r\n<p>Many devotees filled the temple singing Her names, assembling with reverence and respect to honor Earth, women, Goddess and the Feminine. Opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. Jai Maa!</p>\r\n<p>[testimonials category=\"yoni puja\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]</p>\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"82\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja Festival','','inherit','open','open','','101041-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 01:47:50','2015-10-21 08:47:50','',101041,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101041-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101264,35,'2015-10-21 01:11:43','2015-10-21 08:11:43','Receiving kumkum, we make our offerings. The red of life takes us back to our connection to Her and to purpose. We receive the yoni tattva, nectar of Goddess Kamakhya.','Offerings and Blessings','','publish','closed','closed','','offerings-and-blessings','','','2015-10-21 02:35:11','2015-10-21 09:35:11','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101264',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101265,35,'2015-10-21 01:10:56','2015-10-21 08:10:56','Seated once more, we meditate on the infinite before us. We breathe, and She becomes one with us. Our bodies fill with Her presence and we dance.','Dhyanam','','publish','closed','closed','','dhyanam','','','2015-10-21 02:34:17','2015-10-21 09:34:17','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101265',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101266,35,'2015-10-21 01:51:38','2015-10-21 08:51:38','','2015-06-21 13.03.17','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-13-03-17','','','2015-10-21 01:51:38','2015-10-21 08:51:38','',101264,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-13.03.17.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101267,35,'2015-10-21 01:52:26','2015-10-21 08:52:26','','2015-06-21 13.04.00','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-13-04-00','','','2015-10-21 01:52:26','2015-10-21 08:52:26','',101265,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-13.04.00.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101268,35,'2015-10-21 01:09:28','2015-10-21 08:09:28','The altar calls, our murti a wooden yoni now alive with Her energy, reminding us of the birthing for which we yearn. Our chant enlivens the space, syllables of surrender in an unmistakable rhythm pulsing to Her heartbeat and the primordial sounds of the womb.','Maa Kamakhya','','publish','closed','closed','','maa-kamakhya','','','2015-10-21 02:34:09','2015-10-21 09:34:09','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101268',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101269,35,'2015-10-21 01:07:56','2015-10-21 08:07:56','There is no where else to go and we bow down. We feel Her embrace and the warmth of love.','Darshan','','publish','closed','closed','','darshan','','','2015-10-21 02:34:00','2015-10-21 09:34:00','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101269',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101270,35,'2015-10-21 01:55:33','2015-10-21 08:55:33','','2015-06-21 15.02.09','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-15-02-09','','','2015-10-21 01:55:33','2015-10-21 08:55:33','',101268,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-15.02.09.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101271,35,'2015-10-21 01:56:41','2015-10-21 08:56:41','','2015-06-21 15.01.42','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-15-01-42','','','2015-10-21 01:56:41','2015-10-21 08:56:41','',101269,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-15.01.42.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101272,35,'2015-10-21 01:06:06','2015-10-21 08:06:06','Those gathered take wine. Blessings are bestowed.','Elixirs of Life','','publish','closed','closed','','elixirs-of-life','','','2015-10-21 02:33:14','2015-10-21 09:33:14','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101272',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101273,35,'2015-10-21 01:05:37','2015-10-21 08:05:37','Aarati is performed with devotion and merriment, our spirits filled with gratitude.','Aarati','','publish','closed','closed','','aarati','','','2015-10-21 02:32:45','2015-10-21 09:32:45','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101273',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101274,35,'2015-10-21 01:58:49','2015-10-21 08:58:49','','2015-06-21 15.01.24','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-15-01-24','','','2015-10-21 01:58:49','2015-10-21 08:58:49','',101272,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-15.01.24.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101275,35,'2015-10-21 01:59:22','2015-10-21 08:59:22','','2015-06-21 14.47.41','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-14-47-41','','','2015-10-21 01:59:22','2015-10-21 08:59:22','',101273,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-14.47.41.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101276,35,'2015-10-21 01:04:54','2015-10-21 08:04:54','Our puja complete, Maa radiates glorious. Jai Maa Kamakhya ki Jai!','Visarjan','','publish','closed','closed','','visarjan','','','2015-10-21 02:31:19','2015-10-21 09:31:19','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101276',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101277,35,'2015-10-21 02:00:56','2015-10-21 09:00:56','','2015-06-21 15.01.48','','inherit','open','open','','2015-06-21-15-01-48','','','2015-10-21 02:00:56','2015-10-21 09:00:56','',101276,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-06-21-15.01.48.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101278,35,'2015-10-21 02:27:54','2015-10-21 09:27:54','<p>Begun in 2006, this year marked the 8th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Yoni Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and initiates alike, the community provides spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother as the Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. We came together on the night of June 21, 2015 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, worship Her and receive the divine nectar of Her bliss, the <i>yoni tattva</i>. As Maa Kamakhya, She holds the power of the cosmos and the liberating potentials of the female as birther of Her creation.</p>\r\n<p>Many devotees filled the temple singing Her names, assembling with reverence and respect to honor Earth, women, Goddess and the Feminine. Opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. Jai Maa!</p>\r\n<p>[testimonials category=\"yoni puja\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]</p>\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"82\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja Festival','','inherit','open','open','','101041-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 02:27:54','2015-10-21 09:27:54','',101041,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101041-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101279,35,'2015-10-21 02:31:34','2015-10-21 09:31:34','<p>Begun in 2006, this year marked the 9th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Yoni Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and initiates alike, the community provides spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother as the Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth. We came together on the night of June 21, 2015 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, worship Her and receive the divine nectar of Her bliss, the <i>yoni tattva</i>. As Maa Kamakhya, She holds the power of the cosmos and the liberating potentials of the female as birther of Her creation.</p>\r\n<p>Many devotees filled the temple singing Her names, assembling with reverence and respect to honor Earth, women, Goddess and the Feminine. Opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. Jai Maa!</p>\r\n<p>[testimonials category=\"yoni puja\" time=\"10\" effect=\"fade\" ]</p>\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"82\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>\r\n','Yoni Puja Festival','','inherit','open','open','','101041-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 02:31:34','2015-10-21 09:31:34','',101041,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101041-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101280,35,'2015-10-21 08:19:32','2015-10-21 15:19:32','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"61\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 08:19:32','2015-10-21 15:19:32','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101281,35,'2015-10-21 08:30:07','2015-10-21 15:30:07','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>[terms_gallery terms=\"61\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]</p>\n','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-autosave-v1','','','2015-10-21 08:30:07','2015-10-21 15:30:07','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101284,35,'2015-10-21 08:28:15','2015-10-21 15:28:15','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"61\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"off\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 08:28:15','2015-10-21 15:28:15','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101285,35,'2015-10-21 08:29:00','2015-10-21 15:29:00','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"61\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 08:29:00','2015-10-21 15:29:00','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101287,35,'2015-10-21 08:30:50','2015-10-21 15:30:50','<p><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Yoni-Puja-2014-1-e1403850794714.jpg\" alt=\"Yoni Puja 2014\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101040 imgborder\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>SHARANYA offered the 8th Annual Yoni Puja Festival on June 22, 2014 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We gathered to honor women, the Feminine and goddesses as they exist in the spaces of being and planet. Our puja was divine!</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"61\" perpage=\"\" pagination=\"\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]\r\n','Yoni Puja 2014','','inherit','open','open','','101237-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 08:30:50','2015-10-21 15:30:50','',101237,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101288,2,'2015-10-21 20:57:58','2015-10-22 03:57:58','We invite you to explore these galleries for images and stories of our work and worship spanning the past fifteen years. Let this be a moment of meditation for you today and join us as we continue our devotions, events and celebrations in Her name. Jai Maa!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h5>Gallery Archives</h5>\r\n[tabgroup]\r\n[tab title=\"Kali Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2009 Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\">6th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100131 imgborder\" alt=\"6th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival-&amp;-Fundraiser\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/6th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival-Fundraiser.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn the night of Saturday, October 17, 2009, we gathered together in community to honor Kali, Dark Goddess, Devourer of Time, She of No Beginning and No Ending, Mother of the Universe. The work of preparing for this annual celebration and festival was intense; and everyone in community worked overtime to make the space and our spirits ready to welcome Her in during this special Divali time, Festival of Lights, the Tantric New Year and opening to Kali\'s deepest mysteries. Prior to opening the doors to let everyone in for worship, some of SHARANYA\'s initiates and Daughters of Kali gathered to ground into the temple space and focus for the worship and work to be done.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\">5th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100133 imgborder\" alt=\"5th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/5th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe night of October 25th was our 5th Annual Kali Puja Festival, a celebration of the Divine Mother. Over 80 people attended from all paths and backgrounds, bringing their curiosity, open hearts, and love of the Divine our gathering. The evening was mild and warm, with a beautiful waning moon in the sky winding toward Divali. Incense, candles and beautiful, community-created altars to each of the cardinal directions blessed the space. Here is some of what we experienced together. Jai Maa!\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2008-10-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\">4th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100137 imgborder\" alt=\"4th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/4th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe night of November 10, 2007 was our 4th Annual Kali Puja Festival, a celebration of the Divine Mother. Over 70 people attended from all paths and backgrounds, bringing their curiosity, open hearts, and love of the Divine to our gathering. The evening was stormy, adding a special coziness to the ritual. This night, community gathers to create the sacred container for our evening\'s work. Much planning, thought and preparation goes into our Kali Puja!\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2007-11-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival/\">2nd Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100138 imgborder\" alt=\"2th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2th-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn the night of Saturday, November 5, 2005, SHARANYA community welcomed in the Divine Mother during our 2nd Annual Kali Puja Festival. Held at Fort Mason in San Francisco, just next to the life-giving ocean waters. About 50 devotees joined hands to cast our sacred circle for the night. Community built altars and decorated the space to create a magickal and memorable event. Each direction was consecrated. Here, we hailed the energies of the north.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2005-kali-puja-festival\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\">First Annual Kali Puja Festival (2004)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100140 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s-First-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SHARANYAs-First-Annual-Kali-Puja-Festival.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe air was cool when we arrived at Fort Mason to set up for this big adventure, our First Annual Kali Puja Festival. We had been worshiping together in our Sanctuary for a few years now and had already initiated our first Daughters of Kali. Our second chakra of seekers had formed, and we were growing a community! This puja, we felt, was a way to share our love of Maa with others.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2004-kali-puja-festival/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Yoni Puja Festivals\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\">Yoni Puja (June 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100153 imgborder\" alt=\"Yoni-Puja-(June-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Puja-June-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn Sunday, June 14, 2009, community gathered in a devotional and celebratory festival honoring Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness. We came together during the auspicious time of abundance known as Ambubachi Mela in the cycle of life, death and rebirth. This is the time when <i>Devi</i>, Goddess, bleeds.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-yoni-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\">First Annual Yoni Puja (2006)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100154 imgborder\" alt=\"Yoni-Puja-(Spring-2006-&amp;-Summer-2007)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Yoni-Puja-Spring-2006-Summer-2007.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIn February of 2006, SHARANYA offered our first Yoni Puja dedicated to the Divine Female, Divine Feminine, Gaia, Women, and our sacred bodies. Community members built a beautiful yoni gateway through which ritual participants passed, complete with a pink rose-filled clitoris-like topping. Everyone danced in honor of the Mystery, inclusive of the Sacred Male, and all received a special darshan.\r\n\r\nAgain in June of 2007, we joined in the festival of Devi to honor the Sacred Female through Yoni Puja, and we have continued the tradition every year since at the time of Solstice in correspondence with <a title=\"Festivals\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/\">Ambubachi Mela </a>in India.\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/first-yoni-pujas/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Worship &amp; Events\"]\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (April 2010)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100143 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(April-2010)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-April-2010.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2010-04-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (September 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100144 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(September-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-September-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-09-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (August 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100145 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(August-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-August-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-08-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\">Trans/Trance: My Big Fat Gay Puja!</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100146 imgborder\" alt=\"TransTrance-My-Big-Fat-Gay-Puja\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TransTrance-My-Big-Fat-Gay-Puja.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-03-public-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (February 2009)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100147 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(February-2009)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-February-2009.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-02-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\">Kali Puja (August 2008)</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100148 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali-Puja-(August-2008)\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kali-Puja-August-2008.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2008-08-kali-puja/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half]\r\n<h2><a title=\"2007 Kali Puja SoCal\" href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal/\">Orange County Kali Puja</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100149 imgborder\" alt=\"Orange-County-Kali-Puja-Workshop\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Orange-County-Kali-Puja-Workshop.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2007-07-socal\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]\r\n<h2><a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\">South Altar at Spiral Dance</a></h2>\r\n<a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-100152 imgborder\" alt=\"South-Altar-at-Spiral-Dance\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/South-Altar-at-Spiral-Dance.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"/galleries/2009-samhain-altar/\">View the gallery &gt;</a></em></strong>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n[/tabgroup]','Galleries','','inherit','open','open','','99940-revision-v1','','','2015-10-21 20:57:58','2015-10-22 03:57:58','',99940,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99940-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101290,2,'2015-10-24 21:12:29','2015-10-25 04:12:29','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 November 2, 2015.<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 November 2, 2015.<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-revision-v1','','','2015-10-24 21:12:29','2015-10-25 04:12:29','',99152,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99152-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101294,35,'2015-11-01 22:16:22','2015-11-02 05:16:22','<!-- BEGIN Mantra of the Month -->\r\n<!-- Audio thumbnail and title link -->\r\n<h2><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/themes/churchope/lib/metabox/images/i_audio.png\" />\r\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\">Featured Mantram: Honoring Ancestors</a></h2>\r\n<!-- Header image -->\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99337 imgborder aligncenter alt=\"Ancestors\' Invocation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Ancestors-Mantram2.jpg\" width=\"350\" height=\"331\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<!-- Audio player -->\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/05-Track-05.m4a\'][/thaudio]\r\n<h2><b style=\"font-size: 13px;\">Translation:</b></h2>\r\n<em>From the highest realm to the lowest, as far as the universe extends, let all divine sages and forebearers, all deceased ancestors, on both the father\'s and mother\'s side be worshiped. Let this humble offering of sesame and water benefit the whole world, from the heavens down to this earth; may it benefit the inhabitants of the seven continents belonging to unlimited families in the past.</em><br><br>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\">Learn more about this mantram...</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<!-- END Mantra of the Month -->\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"92\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"84\" perpage=\"10\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"on\" ]','Mantra','','inherit','closed','closed','','99154-autosave-v1','','','2015-11-01 22:16:22','2015-11-02 05:16:22','',99154,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99154-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101295,35,'2015-11-01 22:17:10','2015-11-02 05:17:10','<!-- BEGIN Mantra of the Month -->\r\n<!-- Audio thumbnail and title link -->\r\n<h2><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/themes/churchope/lib/metabox/images/i_audio.png\" />\r\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\">Featured Mantram: Honoring Ancestors</a></h2>\r\n<!-- Header image -->\r\n<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-99337 imgborder aligncenter alt=\"Ancestors\' Invocation\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Ancestors-Mantram2.jpg\" width=\"350\" height=\"331\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<!-- Audio player -->\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/05-Track-05.m4a\'][/thaudio]\r\n<h2><b style=\"font-size: 13px;\">Translation:</b></h2>\r\n<em>From the highest realm to the lowest, as far as the universe extends, let all divine sages and forebearers, all deceased ancestors, on both the father\'s and mother\'s side be worshiped. Let this humble offering of sesame and water benefit the whole world, from the heavens down to this earth; may it benefit the inhabitants of the seven continents belonging to unlimited families in the past.</em><br><br>\r\n\r\n<strong><em><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/mandala/th_gallery/honoring-the-ancestors/\">Learn more about this mantram...</a></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<!-- END Mantra of the Month -->\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"92\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #aaa; margin: 30px 0;\" />\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"84\" perpage=\"10\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"on\" ]','Mantra','','inherit','closed','closed','','99154-revision-v1','','','2015-11-01 22:17:10','2015-11-02 05:17:10','',99154,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99154-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101297,35,'2015-11-14 12:02:29','2015-11-14 19:02:29','','Shuddha-Butler','','inherit','open','closed','','shuddha-butler','','','2015-11-14 12:02:29','2015-11-14 19:02:29','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Shuddha-Butler.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101298,35,'2015-11-14 12:11:25','2015-11-14 19:11:25','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\n\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\n\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\n<ul>\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\n</ul>\n[/toggle]\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\n[/toggle]\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\n[/toggle]\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\n<ul>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\n</ul>\n[/toggle]\n\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Shuddha-Butler.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Shuddha-Butler.jpg\" alt=\"Shuddha-Butler\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101297 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\n\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Purnamanaha-Qalandar.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Purnamanaha-Qalandar.jpg\" alt=\"Purnamanaha Qalandar\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101299 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Purnamanaha is a lover of the Dark One, follower of the Old Ways and ancestors, and initiated tantric yogini. Guided to SHARANYA through The Spiral Dance almost a decade ago, Purnamanaha is a self-described \'queer, pro-womanist/mujerista, vegetarian/vegan, red anarchist shakta muslim,\' he has also received initiation into the Chishtī Order and is passionate about multireligious leadership and sacred activism. He has earned advanced degrees in divinity and social welfare, and advocates for intersectional, counter-oppressive frameworks for radical communal (r)evolution.\"]Purnamanaha Qalandar[/tooltip]</li></ul>\n[/toggle]\n\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','closed','closed','','99127-autosave-v1','','','2015-11-14 12:11:25','2015-11-14 19:11:25','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101299,35,'2015-11-14 12:09:26','2015-11-14 19:09:26','','Purnamanaha Qalandar','','inherit','open','closed','','purnamanaha-qalandar','','','2015-11-14 12:09:26','2015-11-14 19:09:26','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Purnamanaha-Qalandar.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101300,35,'2015-11-14 12:11:31','2015-11-14 19:11:31','SHARANYA is a small and growing community-supported organization, run fully by devotee volunteers. All of our work in the world, from pujas and meditation circles, to project work in India, is carried out from a place of love and desire for engagement with Maa and Her creation through <i>seva</i> or spiritual service.<br><br>\r\n\r\nWe welcome new community participation in all of our endeavors. As a spiritual seeker, you are invited to attend our public services and to learn about the Sha\'can tradition by sitting in circle and volunteering. If you wish to participate but are located far from our home, we invite you to enroll in <a title=\"Kali Vidya\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/the-path/kali-vidya/\">Kali Vidya</a>, our online mystery school.<br><br>\r\n\r\nHelp deepen and expand our offerings as well as your own personal commitment to the Divine and spiritual community as you feel called. There are always opportunities to join us, and we welcome your participation and inspiration!<br><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"33\" perpage=\"1\" pagination=\"\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"What we do\" active=\"\"]We function on multiple levels to serve the overall mission and vision of the organization by:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Offering worship services and helping to fulfill the spiritual needs of community</li>\r\n	<li>Co-creating the Sha\'can tradition as a spiritual evolution of Eastern and Western thought, the(a)ology, lived experience, and devotion</li>\r\n	<li>Making the Divine Feminine/Divine Female in all Her guises, but particularly those of South Asian lineage honored by the Shakta Tantric path, accessible to Westerners</li>\r\n	<li>Educating about South Asian culture and religion</li>\r\n	<li>Offering rites of passage and life event ceremonies</li>\r\n	<li>Facilitating transformation for girls and women in order to promote self-esteem and empowerment</li>\r\n	<li>Providing spiritual pilgrimage opportunities</li>\r\n	<li>Engaging in interfaith dialogue and promoting cross-cultural awareness</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Volunteer\" active=\"\"]Visit our VolunteerMatch page to learn about current volunteer needs in support of the organization.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/org_detail.jsp?orgid=16615\" target=\"other\">\r\n<img alt=\"[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]\" src=\"http://www.volunteermatch.org/images/2.0/new_logo.gif\" width=\"207\" height=\"102\" border=\"0\" /></a></p>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Services\" active=\"\"]\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Weddings, Handfasting &amp; Commitment Ceremonies</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Renewal of Vows</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Spiritual Guidance</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Birth Rituals &amp; Blessingways</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Coming of Age, Puberty Rites &amp; Menarche Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Croning &amp; Menopause Rituals</ol>\r\n<ol><span style=\"color: #9c1601; font-family: wingdings; font-size: x-large;\">{</span> Crossing Over, Burial Rites &amp; Funerals</ol>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Advisors\" active=\"\"]SHARANYA is supported by a Council and Board made up of adepts, devotees and academics from the US and India. We are grateful for their partnership and support.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Rashbehari is a temple Panda, or approved facilitator, at Kalighat Mandir in Kolkata, West Bengal. In addition to guiding SHARANYA pilgrims at this famous Shakta Pitha (the sacred site where Maa Kali\'s big toe is said to have fallen to Earth) for over ten years, Rashbehari is a child of Maa, offering her bhajans (songs) and playing tunes to delight Her on his harmonium. Rashbehari\'s love of the Divine Mother is deep and infuses all he does. His graciousness, hospitality, delight in the Mystery, and care for those who seek to know Her is profound and has resulted in a long and deep friendship with the organization. He has also been instrumental in our discovery of the delight of Shyama Krishna, the Black Krishna, as found at Kalighat. <I>Hai Krishna Karuna Sindhu Dino Bhuntu Jagamapate Gopesha Gopeka Kanta Sri Radha Kanta Namo-stute!</I>\"]Rashbehari Das[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Shyam is the Founder and President, and residing Priest of the Maa Batakali Temple in Puri, Orissa (India). He has spent his life dedicated to the goddess Kali, and also organizes for social change in his hometown under the auspices of the Maa Batakali Cultural Mission-Puri. In conjunction with Chandra, who serves as the Chairman of the Puri Branch, Shyam has developed a Constitution that provides guidance for programs of transformation in a multiplicity of arenas.\"]Shyam Sundar Dash[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Based in Kolkata (Calcutta), Milan is a Development Consultant and a researcher providing services to NGO/PVOs, research institutes, government bodies, universities, and donor agencies. He focuses on training, research, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, planning and budgeting. Further, he is a certified National Trainer and Researcher on HIV/AIDS, with qualifications as an abstract reviewer of different national and international conferences. Milan frequently presents papers at conferences worldwide on different issues of development, such as: the World Bank, sociology, demography, sustainable development and agriculture, women in development, children, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.\"]Milan K. Dinda, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Originally from Kolkata and now based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Ravi brings extensive experience to the organization from years of working in the nonprofit sector, both in India and Canada. His ability to work across cultures and translate among them is a gift he shares openly. Ravi has been a friend to the organization even prior to its official formation, helping guide inquiries and make introductions to people and places throughout the Indian subcontinent since 1998. Over the years, he has gifted SHARANYA with his willingness to aid with all manner of support, and has consistently opened both his home and his heart, facilitating understanding, relationship, and the building of bridges to others and to his homeland.\"]Ravi Jain, MPH[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Elena is a Hindu pujari, Christian minister, and Wiccan clergy. She founded the Circle of the Feminine Divine in Stockton, California, a worship and study group devoted to exploring the meaning of the \'Motherhood of God\' and its implications for understanding the world\'s religions. She served for two years as President of the Interfaith Council of San Joaquin in Stockton, and is a guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific. Her first book, <I>Combating Inner Terrorism: Strategies of the Goddess from the Devi Mahatmyam</I>, is now available everywhere.\"]Elena Kelly[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jeff holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. He has written a number of books on comparative mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient Gnosticism to the New Age. These include: <i>Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion</i> (Chicago, 2007), <i>The Serpent\'s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion</i> (Chicago, 2006), <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism </i>(Chicago, 2001), and <i>Kali\'s Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna</i> (Chicago, 1995). Spiritually speaking, Jeff underwent an overwhelming, spontaneous <i>shakti-pat</i> or initiatory experience in Calcutta in 1989 during Kali-Puja, about which, out of which, and toward which he has written, thought, taught, and intuited ever since (the fullest description of this event can be found in <i>Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom</i>, hence his Sanskrit motto on both his letterhead and business card: <i>svapna-siddha</i>, \'realized in a dream.\' Hence also his desire to support spiritual communities like SHARANYA. Pretty much nothing about him that you read on the Internet is true.\"]Jeffrey J. Kripal, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Murray has been a regular puja attendee since 2007 and has also become a valued volunteer supporting SHARANYA behind the scenes. He provides logistical support as well as photography at nearly all of the organization\'s public activities. A computer software engineer by trade, he has been donating his skills and resources to support SHARANYA\'s online presence, most recently focused on enabling the online school, <i>Kali Vidya</i>.\"]Murray Kucherawy[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Nancy\'s connection to the Divine Mother came directly from her love of the natural world and her feminist convictions. She teaches yoga classes and offers Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in combination with Reike and counseling in Berkeley. She is a tremendous devotee of Maa and considers it a joy and an honor to be affiliated with SHARANYA and its important mission in the world. <I>May all beings find love and purpose. May we all personally, collectively, and planetary find our way to renewal and survival. Jai Ma and Blessed Be.</I>\"]Nancy Leatzow[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"William developed his love for the many paths and faces of the goddess beginning with his own awakening inspired by his Grandmother, a devout Baptist Christian and pioneer woman who, as a little girl, migrated west traveling in a covered wagon. In his family travels, William lived much of his youth in East Africa. Living both in the African jungles and stateside, he developed an intimate appreciation and connection with indigenous peoples, shamanistic practices, the animal kingdom, and deep ecology. He has explored parapsychology and the turn-of-the-century works of the theosophists and steeped himself in many branches of the human potential movement, with roots both western and eastern. He has a strong and abiding connection with SHARANYA, and since 1997 through his own humble connection with the amazing graces of Maa has held the work of SHARANYA in great esteem.\"]William Moulton[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Initiated by her parents into Shakta Tantra and the mysteries of Tara Mata, Chitrika has been a dedicated practitioner of the faith from her youth and a beloved child of Maa for as long as she can remember. Today, she leads homa (fire ceremony) rites, puja, and Tantric ritual for community regularly in Kolkata and Tarapith, West Bengal. A jotish (astrologer), she also brings this ancient wisdom to bear on her work with those she advises in the ways of the Divine Mother. <em>Joi Tara!</em>\"]Chitrika Nyayaratna, M.A.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Jim is Director of the Asian and Comparative Studies Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where he has taught Sanskrit as well as Indian religion and philosophy for 27 years. His primary association with Goddess is in the Divine Mother (once named Mirra Alfassa), who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo. Jim has also done extensive research on the Sri Vidya tradition and on the Sri Cakra, which is seen as the subtle form of the Goddess in that tradition. He has spent many years teaching about the Indian Tantric tradition and reading the Sanskrit texts of that tradition. Jim holds a doctorate from UC Berkeley in South Asian Literature (Tamil).\"]James Ryan, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n	<li>[tooltip tip=\"Stuart, also known as Jivanand, has been a marriage therapist for 30 years, and was first choice to codirect Ram Dass\'s \'prison ashram\' and first in the US to bring yoga to the homeless mentally-ill in the 1970s. Stuart is Co-president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and a 20-year trustee for CIIS. He is the author of <i>Eros Consciousness & Kundalini</i>, <i>Words From the Soul</i>, and <i>Your Perfect Lips</i>, as well as numerous articles and chapters on  psychotherapy and tantra yoga with presentations throughout the US, India, Europe and Russia. A thirty-year adept at anahata-nad, spontaneous yogic chanting, he has three CDs with Axis Mundi. Stuart holds a BA from Princeton and a Ph.D. from CIIS.\"]Stuart Sovatsky, Ph.D.[/tooltip]</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\n[toggle type=\"gray\" title=\"Initiates & Elders\" active=\"\"]Foundational to SHARANYA is our core of initiate practitioners who have committed to personal transformation and the work of engaged spiritual leadership. Through our ritual and teaching circles, these elders deepen the heart of Sha\'can and our community\'s evolution.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Balipriya.jpg\" alt=\"Balipriya\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101167 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Balipriya Dahl has been actively involved in SHARANYA for over seven years and has been an initiate for six years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Chakras, of Matrika Chakra, and an Apprentice. At the end of her Apprenticeship next year (in November 2015), she intends to ordain in the Sha\'can tradition, Goddess willing. She seeks to debunk the myths and misinformation surrounding Tantra, making it accessible to a wider audience while maintaining and honoring its rich lineage.\"]Balipriya Dahl[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Shuddha-Butler.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Shuddha-Butler.jpg\" alt=\"Shuddha-Butler\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101297 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Shuddha is entering into her fourth year in SHARANYA, and has been an initiate for two years. She is a member of the Yogini Teaching and Ritual Circles, Matrika Chakra, and regularly attends monthly Kali Puja.  With the blessings and direction of Kali Maa and Chandra Maa, Shuddha hopes to follow the path to ordination and bring comfort, compassion, and healing to those with palliative/end-of-life care needs.\"]Shuddha Butler[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\r\n\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Jayada.jpg\" alt=\"Jayada\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101197 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"The first time I saw Maa I fell in love (it was as an image in <i>Be Here Now</i> by Ram Das when I was a child) and I searched for Her, consciously and unconsciously, until I finally caught up with Her, a little, when I found Sharanya in 2007. Deepening into my relationship with Maa Kali has been one of the defining turning points in my life. I initiated into the Sha\'can tradition in 2008, and have been active in the community as a priestess and celebrant ever since.\"]Jayada Shannon[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Purnamanaha-Qalandar.jpg\"><img src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Purnamanaha-Qalandar.jpg\" alt=\"Purnamanaha Qalandar\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-101299 imgborder\" /></a>[tooltip tip=\"Purnamanaha is a lover of the Dark One, follower of the Old Ways and ancestors, and initiated tantric yogini. Guided to SHARANYA through The Spiral Dance almost a decade ago, Purnamanaha is a self-described \'queer, pro-womanist/mujerista, vegetarian/vegan, red anarchist shakta muslim,\' he has also received initiation into the Chishtī Order and is passionate about multireligious leadership and sacred activism. He has earned advanced degrees in divinity and social welfare, and advocates for intersectional, counter-oppressive frameworks for radical communal (r)evolution.\"]Purnamanaha Qalandar[/tooltip]</li></ul>\r\n[/toggle]\r\n\r\nReview the rest of our website for information on our offerings and initiatives. <a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/contact-us/\">Contact us</a> if we may provide additional information about ways to participate in the SHARANYA community.','Community','','inherit','closed','closed','','99127-revision-v1','','','2015-11-14 12:11:31','2015-11-14 19:11:31','',99127,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101301,35,'2015-11-16 09:08:51','2015-11-16 16:08:51','Each year, we come together to celebrate a number of regular festivals and high holy days within our tradition. Public <i>melas</i> (festivals) are a chance to celebrate the Divine with others, be witnessed in community, and share of Her blessings.<br><br>\r\n\r\n<h5>Annual Public Celebrations</h5>\r\n[tabgroup] [tab title=\"Mahakali Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Kali Maa and the Quest for Light in the Dark Time of the Year</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual Kali Puja Festival is a time to delight in the mysteries of Maa in concurrence with what is known as the puja season in India. First comes Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess, and then the festival of lights, Diwali. During the amavasya (new moon) of Diwali, Goddess Kali is worshiped throughout West Bengal, Orissa and Assam.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half]<a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80 imgborder\" alt=\"SHARANYA\'s 2013 Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/P1020015-e1384896557532.jpeg\" /></a>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last]<h3><a title=\"10th Annual Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\">10th Annual Kali Puja Festival</a></h3><br>Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br><a href=\"http://sharanya.org/events/festivals/10th-annual-kali-puja-festival/\"><b>Visit the gallery ></b></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>[/one_half]\r\n\r\n<h5>Kali Puja Videos & Gallery Archives</h5>\r\nEnjoy some of our previous pujas on our <a href=\"http://sharanya.org/resources/galleries/\">Galleries</a> page and below through image and song:<br><br>\r\n\r\n[one_half] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival - October 17, 2009\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CwBCN4ORak\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99955 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival 2009\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-1.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[one_half last=last] <a title=\"SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5UGskSqluI\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-99956 imgborder\" alt=\"Kali Puja Festival\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/video-2.jpg\" /></a>\r\n[/one_half]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"Ambubachi Mela\"]\r\n<h3>Yoni Puja Festival</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Celebration of Goddess, Women, Earth and The Feminine in All Things</b></span></i></h4>\r\n<img alt=\"\" src=\"http://sharanya.org/images/YoniPuja2009/Yoni%20Altar.jpg\" align=\"right\" />\r\n\r\nJoin us each year around Summer Solstice for a devotional and celebratory festival dedicated to Mahadevi, Great Goddess, and Her most powerful manifestations through the Ten Great Insights, the Most Transparent Revelations of Consciousness, during the auspicious time of abundance in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth...the time when Devī, Goddess, bleeds.<br><br>\r\n\r\nOften, the connection between the power of women\'s blood and the paradoxical mystery of the Goddess is most fully recognized in the Crone or Dark Goddess aspect of the Divine because She is the doorway between the worlds of life and death. It is the raudra devīs (fierce goddesses) who, in India, are said to menstruate. In temples dedicated to these intense emanations of śākti (the feminine force), one finds the rites and rituals of the goddess\' ritu, or menstrual blood.<br><br>\r\n\r\nAt SHARANYA, we hold this space for Her and for all beings seeking peace, healing, truth and wholeness. During this time, we recognize the power of Her most holy festival of Ambuvāci--the three days the goddess menstruates (beginning on the new moon usually following Summer Solstice)--when the forces of life and death co-join at the temple of Kāmākhyā in northeastern India, birthplace of Tantra and a heartland today of goddess worship.<br><br>\r\n\r\nIn our Yoni Puja, we recognize that Her potency is so wild and intense, so sweet and sublime, that whether seen as fierce or mild She is a force offering both comfort and strength...even in our moments of silence and despair. We invite you to be with us. Open in the safe space of our temple to the paradox held in the quiet and the song in order to receive her lessons, as well as Her blessings, during this most auspicious time. If you can\'t be with us in person, join us in spirit!\r\n<br><br>\r\n[thaudio href=\'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Kamakhya-Mantram.mp3\']Kamakhya Mantram[/thaudio]\r\n\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"89\" perpage=\"4\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab title=\"PantheaCon\"]\r\n<h3>Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><i><span style=\"color: #8d1a1c;\"><b>A Powerful Ceremony Where East Meets West</b></span></i></h4>\r\nSHARANYA\'s annual participation in PantheaCon is a tradition going back to 2004, one that fosters community for many devotees of the Divine Mother, especially those who are a long way from our home temple in San Francisco. Many line up long before the ritual begins to ensure participation. The ceremony has evolved over the years, and we open our doors to about 100 celebrants with chant and a moving meditation that guides us into Her mysteries.<br><br>\r\n\r\n[blog category=\"12\" perpage=\"5\" pagination=\"on\" ]\r\n\r\n[/tab]\r\n\r\n[/tabgroup]','Festivals','','inherit','closed','closed','','99912-revision-v1','','','2015-11-16 09:08:51','2015-11-16 16:08:51','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/99912-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101302,35,'2015-11-19 07:24:09','2015-11-19 14:24:09','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 11th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of October 25, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"102\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','11th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','publish','closed','closed','','11th-annual-kali-puja-festival','','','2015-11-19 08:11:10','2015-11-19 15:11:10','',99912,'http://sharanya.org/?page_id=101302',0,'page','',0),(101303,35,'2015-11-19 07:24:09','2015-11-19 14:24:09','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 12th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 14, 2015 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"26\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','12th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','101302-revision-v1','','','2015-11-19 07:24:09','2015-11-19 14:24:09','',101302,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101302-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101305,35,'2015-11-19 08:10:45','2015-11-19 15:10:45','The time of year takes us inward and we use the objects and words of ritual to enliven the cosmic dance.','Reflections & Symbols','','publish','closed','closed','','reflections-symbols','','','2015-11-19 08:10:45','2015-11-19 15:10:45','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101305',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101306,35,'2015-11-19 07:47:57','2015-11-19 14:47:57','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 12th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of October 25, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\n\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\n\n[terms_gallery terms=\"102\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','11th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','101302-autosave-v1','','','2015-11-19 07:47:57','2015-11-19 14:47:57','',101302,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101302-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101307,35,'2015-11-19 07:32:25','2015-11-19 14:32:25','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 12th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of October 25, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"26\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','11th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','101302-revision-v1','','','2015-11-19 07:32:25','2015-11-19 14:32:25','',101302,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101302-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101308,35,'2015-11-19 07:34:11','2015-11-19 14:34:11','','Altar to Water','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0410','','','2015-11-19 08:07:50','2015-11-19 15:07:50','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0410.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101309,35,'2015-11-19 07:35:38','2015-11-19 14:35:38','','DSC_0415','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0415','','','2015-11-19 07:35:38','2015-11-19 14:35:38','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0415.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101310,35,'2015-11-19 07:36:15','2015-11-19 14:36:15','','Altar to Fire','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0417','','','2015-11-19 07:45:00','2015-11-19 14:45:00','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0417.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101311,35,'2015-11-19 07:36:53','2015-11-19 14:36:53','','Everything is Prepared','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0418','','','2015-11-19 08:05:26','2015-11-19 15:05:26','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0418.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101312,35,'2015-11-19 07:37:31','2015-11-19 14:37:31','','Maa in Colors','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0422','','','2015-11-19 08:06:48','2015-11-19 15:06:48','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0422.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101313,35,'2015-11-19 07:38:09','2015-11-19 14:38:09','','Preta Invocation','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0439','','','2015-11-19 08:03:49','2015-11-19 15:03:49','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0439.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101314,35,'2015-11-19 07:38:46','2015-11-19 14:38:46','','Welcoming Spirits & Guardians','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0442','','','2015-11-19 08:02:42','2015-11-19 15:02:42','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0442.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101315,35,'2015-11-19 07:39:23','2015-11-19 14:39:23','','Shappodara Mantram','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0456','','','2015-11-19 08:01:46','2015-11-19 15:01:46','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0456.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101316,35,'2015-11-19 07:40:01','2015-11-19 14:40:01','','Prana Pratishta','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0459','','','2015-11-19 08:00:50','2015-11-19 15:00:50','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0459.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101317,35,'2015-11-19 07:40:39','2015-11-19 14:40:39','','Adoration','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0465','','','2015-11-19 07:59:47','2015-11-19 14:59:47','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0465.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101318,35,'2015-11-19 07:41:17','2015-11-19 14:41:17','','Reflections & Symbols','','inherit','open','closed','','dsc_0466','','','2015-11-19 07:41:32','2015-11-19 14:41:32','',101305,'http://sharanya.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC_0466.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(101322,35,'2015-11-19 08:09:05','2015-11-19 15:09:05','Agni comes to us passionate and awake, seeking change and creating clean spaces for transformations to happen.','Altar to Fire','','publish','closed','closed','','altar-to-fire','','','2015-11-19 08:10:13','2015-11-19 15:10:13','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101322',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101323,35,'2015-11-19 08:08:53','2015-11-19 15:08:53','Vayu breathes and the world opens. ','Altar to Air','','publish','closed','closed','','altar-to-air','','','2015-11-19 08:09:09','2015-11-19 15:09:09','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101323',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101324,35,'2015-11-19 07:46:51','2015-11-19 14:46:51','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 12th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of October 25, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"101\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','11th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','101302-revision-v1','','','2015-11-19 07:46:51','2015-11-19 14:46:51','',101302,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101302-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101325,35,'2015-11-19 07:48:29','2015-11-19 14:48:29','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 12th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of October 25, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"102\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','11th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','101302-revision-v1','','','2015-11-19 07:48:29','2015-11-19 14:48:29','',101302,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101302-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101327,35,'2015-11-19 07:59:51','2015-11-19 14:59:51','Darshan is the seeing, being witnessed, and the taking in of Her blessings. Jai Maa!\r\n','Adoration','','publish','closed','closed','','adoration','','','2015-11-19 07:59:51','2015-11-19 14:59:51','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101327',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101328,35,'2015-11-19 08:00:54','2015-11-19 15:00:54','Initiates enliven and welcome Maa Kali.','Prana Pratishta','','publish','closed','closed','','prana-pratishta','','','2015-11-19 08:00:54','2015-11-19 15:00:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101328',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101329,35,'2015-11-19 08:01:54','2015-11-19 15:01:54','Removing curses from Devi, the feminine, and all women.','Shappodara Mantram','','publish','closed','closed','','shappodara-mantram','','','2015-11-19 08:01:54','2015-11-19 15:01:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101329',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101330,35,'2015-11-19 08:02:46','2015-11-19 15:02:46','Powers of the circle and our intentions bind us, creating a crucible for the work and celebration. ','Welcoming Spirits & Guardians','','publish','closed','closed','','welcoming-spirits-guardians','','','2015-11-19 08:02:46','2015-11-19 15:02:46','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101330',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101331,35,'2015-11-19 08:04:23','2015-11-19 15:04:23','We remove inimical energies that our rites may be unencumbered. English and Sanskrit verses fill the space and our awareness attunes to the subtle realm. ','Preta Invocation','','publish','closed','closed','','preta-invocation','','','2016-04-01 22:45:17','2016-04-02 05:45:17','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101331',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101332,35,'2015-11-19 08:05:30','2015-11-19 15:05:30','From initial blessing to final sacrifice, we are ready.','Everything is Prepared','','publish','closed','closed','','everything-is-prepared','','','2015-11-19 08:05:30','2015-11-19 15:05:30','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101332',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101333,35,'2015-11-19 08:06:55','2015-11-19 15:06:55','Awaiting awakening, She glistens. The air vibrates as we sense the moment of Her apparition; we still our minds and open our hearts. ','Maa in Colors','','publish','closed','closed','','maa-in-colors','','','2016-04-01 22:40:03','2016-04-02 05:40:03','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101333',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101334,35,'2015-11-19 08:07:54','2015-11-19 15:07:54','Apas connects seemingly disparate substances and surfaces tremendous beauty.','Altar to Water','','publish','closed','closed','','altar-to-water','','','2015-11-19 08:07:54','2015-11-19 15:07:54','',0,'http://sharanya.org/?post_type=th_galleries&#038;p=101334',0,'th_galleries','',0),(101335,35,'2015-11-19 08:11:10','2015-11-19 15:11:10','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 11th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of October 25, 2014 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"102\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','11th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','101302-revision-v1','','','2015-11-19 08:11:10','2015-11-19 15:11:10','',101302,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101302-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101337,35,'2015-11-20 02:15:13','2015-11-20 09:15:13','Begun in 2004, this year marked the 10th anniversary of SHARANYA\'s Kali Puja Festival. Designed to welcome newcomers and provide spiritual seekers of all backgrounds an introduction to the Divine Mother, we came together on the night of November 2, 2013 to sing Her praises, offer our devotions, and worship Maa Kali as The Ageless One, Goddess of Crossroads, Black Mother, She Who is Beyond Time.<br><br>\r\n\r\nFifty-one of us were present for the puja, a heterodox ceremony that incorporates traditional elements from both Vedic and Tantric rites. Hindus, Pagans, Sufis, and a collection of multi-religious and spiritual people assembled with reverence and respect to honor Her. Chanting Her names and opening through the gateways provided by age-old spiritual techniques, we together came to understand ourselves, one another and the Divine more deeply through our communion and worship. <br><br>\r\n\r\n[terms_gallery terms=\"103\" perpage=\"3\" pagination=\"on\" layout=\"medium\" isotope=\"\" ]','10th Annual Kali Puja Festival','','inherit','closed','closed','','100908-revision-v1','','','2015-11-20 02:15:13','2015-11-20 09:15:13','',100908,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/100908-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(101339,2,'2015-11-30 14:46:20','2015-11-30 21:46:20','Whether it’s an art project or the birth of a child, the creative process is often mysterious. We all know the magic involved in bringing something to fruition. And especially if we have nurtured life within our wombs, we have a truly embodied experience from which to speak.  Either way, we know the struggles of the journey and what it takes to hold true to our virtue and soulful purpose amidst others’ opinions and our own doubts.  As the time of our creative endeavor, literal birthing, or self-awareness process grows, winds, unfolds, gets shaped by our will and is manipulated by our unconscious intentions and agendas (or those of others), we learn some of the cosmic forces that have come together for the manifestation of our own bodies and this Earth. \r\n\r\nThe philosophy of Tantra, and specifically that of creation, or <i>srishti</i> (as it’s called in Sanskrit), involves 51 distinct components. This article deals with a subset of these within the microcosm of our personal reality to provide additional insight as to the nature of the journey, regardless of manifestation or eventual outcome. The process by which Shakti creates the world of forms is the focus of our engagement.  Shakti is Goddess, the primordial feminine/female principle that enlivens All. Moreover, She is energy, the Divine spark. The process by which She descends from the transcendental into the realms of spirit and then into matter is called <i>pavritti</i>.  (As She expands and becomes increasingly drawn back to Source, the process is called <i>nivritti</i>, which is spiritual evolution.) Whether using this cosmology as a tool to bring mindfulness to your daily projects, to a pregnancy, or to your spiritual development, the hope is that you as a seeker are able to take away revelations from meditations on the movements of energy and its relationship to consciousness that this understanding informs. \r\n\r\nFollowing then are the levels of increasing manifestation as descended from the One, that which is nameless and formless, residing beyond the confines of Time and Space.  Each of these ten phases of the creation process is adapted from the working of essential purification based on the Tantric sadhana (spiritual discipline) known as Tattva Shuddhi.  You will notice that each of these is resonant with the ten lunar cycles from conception to childbirth. Each is also based upon the nature and duration of the flows of energy through the cycle of involution; and elements within this process are given here noting durations.  These are in the appropriate ratios relative to one another as related by the adepts. Thus, for example, when within the timeframe of Ether (which has a duration of two in the creation/creative process), we cycle for half the time than when in Air, which as a duration of four. These cycles can be weeks, days, hours, minutes, months or years—the timeline is up to you and your creation process. \r\n\r\nThis outline and progression can be used to help deepen your own birthing experience, no matter what it is or where you are (or were) in the process.  Each section below:  i)  contains a description of a tattva (principle or element) as key to understanding a phase of that creation process; ii)  invites you further into the mystery with a reflection question or two; and, iii) provides a brief ritual you may wish to do.  It is intended to serve as a guide for all your endeavors so that they will manifest that for which you yearn and labor, and it seeks to help awaken you to exciting new potentials for creation.  \r\n\r\n<h3>(1)	Prana Shakti - Source (Duration 1)</h3>\r\nAt the very beginning, we feel the stirring of our insides. A yearning comes to awareness and we desire to create or realize we are creating. Just as the Divine chose to incarnate in order to know and experience more of the Divine, we too can learn from choosing to create. Prana Shakti, the flow of vital energy within us, is our teacher and guide as we undertake the journey. Here, you will want to know the forces of breath within you, for they carry Her. Delve more deeply too into the basics of your practice so that you may (re)discover the fundamental patterns and movements of energy within. Visit the energy centers or chakras of the body, as well as the rivers or channels through which the currents flow. These are 72,000 in number and are called nadis—but you may wish to focus on establishing a relationship with the main ten or so. See what you can discover through your own turn to the inner landscape. \r\n\r\nWhile a birthing will happen at some point in the future, this is not the time for agendas or expectations. All we can know is that the end will come at some point, that the solidification of our efforts will eventually manifest, and the beginning of something new born of our effort, patience, love and inspiration will happen in time. Today, we stand poised and expectant. The infinite source of our soul connects to potentials and possibilities in this world, and we are free to let our creativity flow. We may strive to bring consciousness to all we attempt. Still, this is not the time to begin willful engagement toward a specific outcome. It is rather a time for heartfelt deepening into self and world. It is from this place that the specific components of our creative process will be revealed. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> What is it in me that gives rise to this potential, this awakening, this project or this child (metaphoric or literal)?  Can I remain free of expectations and agendas in order to serve and honor the end as one unto itself? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Think of all you have done to get to this point of creating. Honor yourself and those who have helped you. Set a sankalpa (sacred intention) for the journey (this can be revised as you progress). You may wish to place a marker on your altar denoting the initiation of your process. Something that is personally meaningful and symbolic of your path is most likely to inspire you, whether in the most happy of moments or during the challenges and obstacles that you may face ahead. Make time to gaze at this object every day to reconnect and embolden your efforts. \r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<em>By: Chandra Alexandre</em> - Originally published in Llewellyn\'s 2013 Magical Almanac under the title, <em>Doing Life & Creating Life: An Introduction to the Birthing Mystery through Tantra</em> \r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n\r\n<h3>(2)	Prakriti-Purusha (Duration 4)</h3>\r\nHere we rest in the dance, largely unconscious, of what it takes to make something come alive. The push and pull of energy and consciousness here enlivens the process and we are creating even when we may not be aware of what’s happening.  In this second stage, these forces—energy and consciousness—begin to particularize and polarize, creating an articulated dynamic tension from the spark of our whim that is geared toward experiencing something new in the world birthed through us.  We are offered clues of the goings on through dreams and synchronicities—we might wish to pay attention—but the work of this phase rests predominantly on who we are and what we have done before.\r\n \r\nThe power of <i>prakriti</i> (the principle of Shakti within and as nature) is the creatrix activating our imagination and intuitive juices. The awareness of purusha (the principle of consciousness within our world) provides connection to soul. Together, they are the initial force required for the birthing to occur. Prakriti and purusha are partners responding to you and to any stimulus in your world as a river would to a rock in its path: they continue their flow uninterrupted. Without consideration of their dance, however, we may lose the impetus toward action or may dwindle our energies in mindless pursuits that do not serve our essence or the greater good.  By paying attention here, we gain the ability to see the potentials of the sacred and of evil, of compassion and of violence; of all the ways in which harmony is achieved not by forceful resistance to the flows of the Divine will, but by the application of holistic vision to all life has to offer. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Do I allow myself to trust intuition, that sacred balance of embodied knowing and spirit? Can my motives stay pure, as in reflective of a harmony between outer perception and inner experience? How do I reflect the dance of prakriti and purusha in and through my choices, actions, speech and thought? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Create a list of all the things that you desire to be in the mix so that your creation will be born whole and perfect.  Choose four to be the cornerstones of your birthing process and meditate on these, holding them in your mind and heart as fully as possible throughout your pregnancy or creative endeavor.  You may also wish to create a collage or work of art to represent the fullness of your dance with prakriti and purusha. Use this visual representation as a mandala to help strengthen your resolve and commitment.  \r\n\r\n<h3>(3)	Mahat Tattva (Duration 5)</h3>\r\nMahat Tattva, the Great Principle, is the expression of higher mind (often called buddhi) within us. It is also the discriminating force of judgment that is unclouded by ego or emotion.  Mahat tattva is what guides our motivation toward intention aligned with soul and then action.  Here is the space then of deep contemplation, self-reflection, emerging wisdom, and continued release from things that may hinder perception, discernment, and our ultimate ability to make decisions that serve the creative process and its eventual outcome.\r\n \r\nAs you consider this, know that in mahat tattva we are given room to trust and augment the previous work done toward cultivation of soulful caring; that is, caring not tied to past impressions, habits or other enmeshments in the world. This can be very challenging, and it is in this stage that we spend more time than we have on previous stages of our journey.  Often, the word used to describe the stance of mahat tattva is dispassion, but to be dispassionate in this space is again to care infinitely. We do so while remaining clear and free of the things that get us fired up, triggered, or otherwise tangled in the ruts of daily life—whether real or imagined. In mahat tattva, we trust our intuition (not our instinct!) as it has been increasingly refined through the interplay of prakriti and purusha and brought further into waking consciousness. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Where and in whom do I place my trust as a provider of information? Do I listen to others before I listen to myself? Can I release myself from the tangled strands of gossip and half truths that surround me in all the spaces I inhabit (work, school, family, friends, etc.)?  \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Meditate on a time in which you were emotionally charged by something or someone (let it be far enough in the past that you can enter this space easily). Go through the instance or episode again briefly in your mind, allowing yourself to feel the experience in your body. Notice the internal landscape of impressions as you relive the moment. Let this resolve somewhat quickly into a natural conclusion. Now, return to heartfelt breath and bring in sakshi, or witness consciousness. This is the power cultivated through mahat tattva of nonjudgmental discernment. Staying aware of a dispassionate stance, allow yourself to notice your reactions from this mental position as you again replay the incident or situation. See what you notice and what you learn.  \r\n\r\n<h3>(4)	Ahamkara (Duration 1)</h3>\r\nAhamkara in Sanskrit means I-ness, and we often simply refer to it as ego. Ahamkara is the birthplace of self-awareness in this journey, of that which tells me there’s a “me” and there’s a “you.” It is therefore a starting point for us as individuals (for herein lies our blossoming individuality) to take full responsibility for ourselves. This is the work of this phase of our creative process. \r\n\r\nSo that the nature of our task is clear, you may wish to think of ahamkara as a point around which both freedom and fetters circle continuously. Stuck in the grooves of past incarnations, of pleasures, addictions, worldly goods or arrogance?  We are limited by ahamkara in that it is what ties our soul to this reality. Yearning for understanding to bridge divides of difference, for equity, peace, health and well-being for all?  We are liberated through ahamkara in that it provides a focus for our unique soul imprint (called <i>jivatman</i> in Sanskrit) on the backdrop of creation as a whole. In this way, the Divine may experience itself through us and we may in turn experience the Divine. As we increasingly realize this reflection as true, ahamkara is shattered and we are able to take in reality as Reality. \r\n\r\nGaining enough self-awareness to reign in our ego appropriately, however, takes dedication and practice.  Still, as we create, a healthy amount of ego presence is required to ensure that we have what it takes to support our creation throughout the birthing and into the world.  Ahamkara is necessary but not sufficient for the sustenance of our creative process. We might think of it then as the spiritual equivalent of all that’s involved in fortifying and readying the body so that as mothers metaphoric or actual we can provide healthy and rich breast milk to our newborn.  \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> How do I fall into the entrapments of ego? Am I willing to take on the full ramifications of my thoughts, words and actions? What do I need to change or do to make it so? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Do sadhana. That is, make a commitment to spiritual practice, and do something every day. Find a practice you can do regularly at the same time even if only for five minutes. Let it be fun and transformational, deepening and enlivening.  Perhaps you will chant while doing laundry, or memorize verses while running. Perhaps you will sit in silence or stare at a candle flame. No matter what your choice, understand this dedication as a strengthening exercise, one that will make you ready for all it takes for a strong relationship to ahamkara, one with true humility and open-hearted presence, to emerge.\r\n\r\n<h3>(5)	Akasha / Ether (Duration 2) </h3>\r\nAn important transition is occurring as we move into the realm of akasha, for here is the final space in which the subtle body fully dominates our creative process.  As akasha enters the picture, we begin to sense the world of forms, even if they are still a bit farther down the road.  It is here and by this influence that as embodied beings we begin to listen to our spiritual impulses; but during the incarnation process in which we’re currently engaged, it is here that the boundaries of our psychic selves are established and the spaces that hold the physical matter of our bodies together are formed.  With this, energy and consciousness as thus far come into beingness are making a lot of noise, as it were, in the subtle realm. As we enter akasha, it is thus increasingly important to be diligent and mindful of the things, persons, and intentions that impact us. For some, readiness to continue engaging creatively means establishing appropriate protections so that inimical influences do not sway or hinder us. \r\n\r\nAkasha is the void, space, and blackness. While primary among akasha’s responsibilities is articulation of the psychic centers, called chakras, illumination of the way to understanding through vibration and sound is also a key component of this element. Akasha is thus keenly tied to our hearing sense. As the first of the basic tattvas to arise, it is also the last to go as we dissolve back into Source on our spiritual quest. Thus, when in meditation, you may find that you can focus on the internal landscape, keeping out all smells, tastes, visions, and tactile sensations, but you are aware of sounds arising from outside of yourself almost no matter how deeply you may seem to go into an altered state.  Utilize the force of akasha to tune in to the most delicate of impressions as you journey now, and strive for your ears to become increasingly attuned to the sounds of your origins—to those speaking to you from your clan wave (the ancestors). Listen well too to the promises of others, to the whispers of your imagination, and for the sounds of falsehood.  \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> What is the substance of my psychic self and how can I cultivate a relationship with my subtle body?   Am I willing to truly listen? Do I need to protect myself in any way for this creative process to unfold in alignment with soulful purpose? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Give your creation, child or project a spirit name (even a temporary one). Tie a red, black and white piece of cloth to a stick and place it on your altar like a flag. White represents our highest spiritual power, red our activity in the world, and black our latent potential. These forces, known as gunas (qualities of nature) arise with akasha and inform all of our elemental work.  Imagine now connecting to the very first vibration of the cosmos; that from which all else arose. Let this inner sound reverberate. As you feel ready, pick up your flag, press it between your palms, and move it to the sounds and rhythms of this vibration, intoning the name you have chosen.  You may wish to record any impressions or experiences you have as messages from akasha.         \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->                                                                                  \r\n<h3>(6)	Vayu / Air (Duration 4)</h3>\r\nVayu is that which arises from the void, from the blackness of space that is akasha. It arises because of excitement, and it is thus the current that powers the spiraling of the elements within nature even while it remains formless. Each part of manifest creation is made up of the elements in different proportions, and vayu provides the creative turning, fast or slow, that propels the combinations into actuality. Vayu is also simply the wind that caresses us gently. It is too the tingles we feel on our skin every time we are reminded of a lover’s touch, and it is the life-force energy that carries us more deeply into the body, the means we have through which to know and experience the world.  \r\n\r\nVayu is a sweet shaper of our intentions and a guide toward our dreams. Through vayu, we know the feel of the world. In our creation process, vayu is a time of heightened intuition, of flowing thoughts and ideas, of increased potentials for success, of heartfelt connections and of constant change. Because things may seem to be moving along quickly now and variance is a key part of the journey here, it is a good time for reflection on the patterns of our lives. As you meet others and interact in and with the world, stay focused and present to the constancy of your commitment despite the challenges of flightiness and diffusion that vayu can bring. As you sense the winds of change, allow the tingles of vitality you feel—vayu’s reminder of engagement—to enliven your efforts toward moves that best serve your creative process.\r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> What is it that distracts me or makes me lose focus? Do I need help or assistance now to stay on track with my efforts, centered in myself, nourished, and feeling vital? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Find your breath. Take time to pause and be present for the thrill of the moment. You are alive and the world is turning. The moon, sun, and stars are all waiting. Open yourself now in a stance of gratitude and humbleness, awe and yearning, to the potentials that lay head.  Allow prana—the vital energy carried on vayu—to fill you as you breathe. Send the breath from the tip of your toes to the crown of your head and back down again, relaxing into every cell of your being so that the vital airs that sustain you provide deep cleansing . As you perform this exercise, you may also wish to chant (silently or aloud) vayu’s seed mantram, YAM (pronounced yuh’-m). Use this seed syllable to get into those hard-to-reach places. \r\n\r\n<h3>(7)	 Agni / Fire (Duration 6)</h3>\r\nIncreasing vibration next gives rise to perceptible light. Light shines through the darkness of the causal and then the subtle realm, giving us entry to new frontiers. It is at once static and traveling, particle and wave, here and there. Agni, or fire, is the awakening of light in this world, and it is a defining force.  We welcome in this phase of the birthing mystery with an important recognition of wonder, as well as of the small self and its impact.  This is relevant especially now because as we are able to discern by the power of sight selected forms arising from the energy put forth in the last phase by vayu, our spirits are moved and simultaneously, even more than before, we know a distinct “I.” The difference between us and the world seems to expand; if left unattended, ego can take center stage.\r\n\r\nOther challenges are to be found here as well, such as anger and resentment.  Agni’s light generates warmth, and this heat can fire up tempers. Mindful then of the challenges brought with the arrival of agni, we can harness the gifts offered to diligent travelers. Clairvoyance, for example, is among them. But whether extrasensory or pedestrian, the offerings of agni are all magnificent tools in the work of shaping destiny.  Our ability here to put into our crucible the variety of boons bestowed and cultivated this far in the journey serves to render us humble and free—for we must remember that they are not our gifts alone.   \r\n\r\nAgni both consumes and radiates, all the while transforming, catalyzing and sparking something new. A guide into the darkness of our personal shadow, agni offers an opportunity now to move into and out of your pain, sorrow, fear, hatred, jealousy and rage. Allow the burning to cleanse and anoint yourself with the ashes. There is more than meets the eye to this phase of the journey. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Who am I that gives rise to this creation? Am I the same person I was when I started? What has transformed, seen increase, or seen burning away? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> The yantra or sacred diagram associated with agni is a red downward pointing triangle. In embodied purification practice, it is situated between the heart and navel. At each point of the triangle, there are bhupura, or gates.  Either seated or laying down, visualize this yantra within your own body. Now, imagine the ingredients of your life that have been with you since the beginning of this voyage as grains of sand filling it. Just as the filling completes, the yantra begins turning clockwise, gradually getting faster and faster. At the climax of the spinning, the bhupura open and grains are flung out, but not all. The ones that remain are the building blocks of your looking glass. Take time to see and reflect on whatever you put into the mix that lingers. Look deeply into that mirror and take in the gaze of the one who looks back.   \r\n\r\n<h3>(8)	Apas / Water (Duration 8)</h3>\r\nFrom time to time now, the structure of our creation has hints of borders, for in apas we find a perfect balance of order and chaos. Here, our excitement rises as the container is filled. The cells of our body feel the quickening. Although we realize things are not yet set or settled, we are readying. Our work is ripening and we anticipate the juiciness. We can almost taste it. \r\n\r\nApas is an element that can feel intimate. It is the stuff of our blood, our tears, our sex, our secretions. It is the fluid of life and in this sense, the magic of creation on Earth. Without water, nothing would be possible. Apas therefore tells us to soak, not bathe, and to make ablutions, not wash. It reminds us to play in fountains and slurp down rainbows. It says that if we wish to gain clarity, then we must cleanse and purify; that is, harmonize inner and outer reality .To do this, we must  listen to the small voice inside that comes from a marrying of head and heart.  \r\nApas here in this phase of our journey pervades everything, and consciously or unconsciously, we drink it in. \r\n\r\nA time of heightened creativity and imagination, apas opens us to potentials for laughter, love, delight and healing.  It invites us to listen to our intuition, for it may have meaningful messages. But at the same time that we feel a bounty of divine blessings, apas asks that we begin to feel the edges of practical concerns. For example, have we planted enough and tended enough, watered enough and weeded enough, to realize a good harvest?  This is the time to balance fluidity with a measure of confinement such as the setting of goals and establishment of guidelines. Therefore, find the edges of your stream, and knowing the beauty of its source, seek to navigate safely toward its conclusion. \r\n\r\n<b>Reflection:</b> Where do I flow and not resist? Where do I resist and wish to flow? Can I surrender as a stick upon a river to the currents of life while still surely placing footfalls on the path? \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual: </b>Gather beads or make some of your own. Collect charms and amulets from broken bracelets and necklaces that have sat in boxes or drawers for years. Meditate on the gifts they brought you when actively worn, and on the ways they might serve you now. Gather these energies to you and consider a new piece of jewelry or altar adornment. String it together and let magic flow. Alternatively, make soup. Cut your favorite vegetables into chunks, add broth and seasoning, stir, simmer and let sit for thirty minutes before eating.  In other words, find a way to nourish yourself soon.   \r\n\r\n<!--nextpage-->\r\n<h3>(9)	Prithvi / Earth (Duration 10)</h3>\r\n\r\nThe end is almost in sight, but patience is required because we remain under prithvi’s spell for a while, this phase of the journey offering us a chance to assess our position.  Although the journey is not yet complete, there are signs that closure is coming. Already, no more adjustments can be made, and we thus look to the road ahead with reasonably measured glances. Fitting the solidity of earth, we stand our ground here as prithvi weaves and knots the energy of apas into form, and we mark our travels noting what was, what will be, and what shall be no more.  Gazing at the horizon, we can see the light shifting into brighter colors, our eyes awakening here to the yellow of the sun. This color is the hallmark of manifestation on our path, a vibration that signifies the radiance of life.  \r\n\r\nWe may be hopeful and excited, but it is also not yet quite the time for celebrating—there is still work to be done.  We might, for example, wish to plan a party! Now is a time for preparations, for readying, and for deciding how to honor this passage as it draws nigh. What ritual components will be fit for the coming occasion?  In order to decide what might be most appropriate or best reflective of the journey and serve as a rite (whether simple or elaborate), we must come to know the now-discernable boundaries of our creation. Take time therefore to explore those edges. As one together, you have been co-creating; and as soon-to-be two apart, you will be in a new kind of relationship, that of creator and created. From this dance, the waiting time of prithvi will help reveal deeper truths about your respective natures. Finally, we must here enliven our senses, and especially the grounded sense of smell, so that we can tell by the aromas wafting all around when the cooking is done.\r\n \r\n<b>Reflection:</b>  Prithvi offers us a chance then to feel the fullness of our work, our belly, rest, and in our repose, sweeten the foundation of our efforts with fragrant memories. Take some time to be close to the earth and the source of your connection to creativity, be that a mountain, river, forest, or ant hill.  \r\n\r\n<b>Ritual:</b> Sprout a seed or bud from your next fridge foraging and plant it in your home or garden.  Avocados, potatoes, onions, and fruits work well. As you do the planting, bury any ritual materials you have acquired during this whole manifestation time that you wish to return to Earth. Note the coming full circle and offer your gratitudes to the dirt for all that this sacred substance contains. \r\n\r\n<h3>(10)	Completion: The Birthing</h3>\r\nAn ending and a beautiful beginning, birth is violent as matter is both created and destroyed. Perfect in every way, the process nonetheless leaves us whole and complete. Today, we reap the rewards of our journey and take in the awesome power of Shakti engaged and fulfilled.  The magic of the moment brings us into heightened awareness of the world, and if awe is not immediately apparent, we are at least given the potential to see through new eyes. Here, we awaken to the mystery. In this way may your journey be soul-making, and may you be thus inspired to willingly create again. \r\n\r\n\r\n','Tattva Shuddhi: Inspiring the Creative Process through Ritual & Reflection','','inherit','closed','closed','','101032-revision-v1','','','2015-11-30 14:46:20','2015-11-30 21:46:20','',101032,'http://sharanya.org/mandala/101032-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),