Wed Jul 15, 2009
Pilgrimage: Walking in the Footsteps of Goddess
Pilgrimage--a sacred journey--has the capacity, should we choose to engage it, to take us to the heart of our beingness. Every year, I set out for India, land of the ancients, homeland of the Divine Mother and the one to whom I have dedicated myself, Kali Maa. On these trips, I do my best to open to the possibilities and to the realities; for India is a place of shattering, and I am no stranger to the perils (both seen and unseen) of each voyage. I go knowing that what happens there is ultimately good--the challenges of this world only serve to amplify the potentials open in the realms of intuition--and I remind myself over and over again that faith is but courage tied to yearning. So I deal with all with which my senses must contend, and I open wide my eyes to the harshness of the legacy of colonialism. All the while, I stare at Her, she who has been kept alive in the hearts and minds of the people for millennia. Certainly, there were valiant attempts to shut Her out; but to no avail. Active is Her worship, alive and well, potent and ubiquitous on the subcontinent.
My visits these past eleven years have focused on the most holy of Tantrick shrines, the sacred seats of the goddess where shakti, the universal feminine force, dances before your eyes in the diyas (ghee lamp-lights) offered in devotion as much as in the spark of Her eyes in the temple. At Kamakhya, Kalighat, Tarapith and the other shakta pithas (the 51 sacred seats of goddess), She is revealed in the grace of both beauty and harshness, catalyzing transformation.
This year, my practice having settled into a new place, I asked myself why I go. "Maa," I whined, "if you are everywhere, why do I traipse half-way around the world to be with you?" The answer I found lay in the footsteps of the men and women carrying more than their own body weight up the hilly alleyways of Kolkata for a meager meal and insurance of another day of living:
"My power," She said, "lies in the simple acts of faith that move us into life rather than away from it. You who reside in the West forget too easily what it means to be alive, what a responsibility it is. Here, where my roots are strong and deep, you are reminded of the fight; of how important is the struggle; of what it means to climb out of the hole of despair because you must. You are reminded, but only if you pay attention, of how truly reflective my world is of yours and how much you live in denial of this truth. Here, you wake up just a bit more whether you are ready or not...and that is my gift to you. "
Have you been on pilgrimage? What have you learned or experienced that has made a difference, been a catalyst for change, or propelled you to new adventures?
Fri Jun 19, 2009
Yoni Puja: Celebrating Goddess, Women, Creation & The Feminine
I'd gotten my period that day, and the past several months they've been a bit rocky, if not extremely difficult. I'm doing things to manage it, but this is all part of the Change. I often think of my mother now, and her experiences at my age. I wish she had been able to come to Yoni Puja, and I was happy when she showed up with the ancestors . . . 
I think mainly I found this puja to be very loving and accepting, especially in a self-love and self-acceptance way. My sankalpa (sacred intention) for the ritual was forgiveness, of myself and others, and I have been surprised (and somewhat dismayed) at how much I need to forgive, mainly in myself. I have been feeling tested a lot, as I have experienced a real uptick in noticing my own negative self talk, and negative thoughts about others, and yet continually making the choice to let those illusions go...to accept the feelings and release the judgments.
It's been quite an awakening and a real challenge the past few days, although I feel very protected and loved by Maa through this. Sad, vulnerable, somewhat lonely, but the forgiveness and love I need from myself are definitely there."
- Jayada, on her first Yoni Puja
Wed May 20, 2009
Abhicarika: Magickal Spells
Tantra and the Craft are both filled with the workings of magic, with charms and spells, protections and talismans. Practitioners the world over do magic--the mindful altering of consciousness--in order to affect the seen and/or unseen worlds. Whether through meditation, focused concentration, or other means, the ancient practices of Tantra help us engage in the work of transforming consciousness at will. Here then is the beginning of a series on practical magickal spells and other conjurings that you can use to facilitate your work with and learnings about shakti (energy) and shiva (consciousness) in the Sha'can tradition.
NOTE: This is offered only as a guide and no results are guaranteed; as with all magickal work, be mindful of your ego, intentions, and ethics.
Divination to Tell if Someone is Trustworthy
Sometimes, it would be helpful to know if the truth is being told or if we can risk trusting someone. This spell is a guide to helping you make decisions and determine steps toward right relationship. (It is not intended to provide a 'right' answer; just a starting place for open, honest communication.)
Begin with some simple grounding and centering to attune yourself to the most helpful energies and guides for this work. Invite them in, those beneficent guides and spirits (known or unknown) who wish to be present. Open your heart as you breathe deeply into your body, drawing on the collected wisdom of those who have come to assist you as well as your own embodied connection to Truth.
Stand facing East and spread your arms, palms up to the sky. As you continue to breathe from your core, release attachment to outcomes and agendas, freeing yourself as much as possible from your own desires. The better you are able to do this, the more clear will be the results. Now, visualize in your mind's eye the situation or person about whom you wish to know and connect as best as you can to that energy. Sensing into their eyes and/or establishing a felt presence (you may wish to visualize a field of silver light) can aid your connection. Breathe deeply into this connection, and again open your heart.
With this connection established and your guides and/or other helpful spirits activated and in attendance, ask a simple Yes/No question, such as, "Is (name of person) speaking the truth?" In response, your right hand will be weighted down if they are truthful, and your left hand will be weighted down if they are not. You may need to wait a moment before the answer arrives, and it may be that there is no clear direction offered. Should you have difficulty in interpreting the results, try again at another time; but do not repeat this spell to 'double-check' the answer you receive.
Wed May 13, 2009
2009 Berkeley Pagan Pride Day
This past Saturday, SHARANYA enjoyed a day at the park in Berkeley for Pagan Pride Day. This is the fourth time we've participated in the festival, and this year, the weather was absolutely beautiful, spirits delightful, and everyone in a good mood it seemed!
We offered friends new and old information about our Devi Mandir and Kali Pujas, told stories, connected across traditions, gave away "Jai Maa!" bracelets, and honored goddess through our interactions and the sharing of appreciation back and forth in Her name. So many traditions, costumes, invocations, languages, and expressions of devotion were present in that small public square. What a blessing that we could gather to celebrate, listen and learn together. What a blessing that we could share our love of Maa with so many!
Thank you to everyone who helped make the day happen in person, in spirit, and in intention.
Jai Maa!
Tue Mar 24, 2009
Voices of the Goddess: Women Clergy in East & West
Women have long been the keepers of spiritual wisdom and insight, with numerous traditions around the globe providing examples of women’s esteemed presence, practice, leadership, and mystical experience in communion with the Divine, however that may be defined. Still, in a world dominated by patriarchal faiths and institutions, women are often excluded from positions of spiritual leadership—even in traditions where goddess is honored. More specifically, the role of women is often confined to either that of supplicant in the house of god or to that of household worshiper, women being relegated in many faiths to supportive roles alone, with their powers and passions confined to the more private spheres of life.
Within contemporary Paganism and some forms of Hinduism, notably Śākta Tantra, however, a different story is clear: women are spiritual and community leaders within their traditions, commanding respect and honor for the carrying out of their sacred charge as defined within those communities and traditions. While ordination requirements, roles, and specific functions may vary, I argue in this presentation to the American Academy of Religion at yesterday's Western Regional Conference and based on preliminary findings, that women clergy from the goddess-centered pathways of Paganism and Hinduism, regardless of personal and regional variances, offer us today both inspiration and an opportunity toward post-patriarchal renderings of power and authority in our spiritual communities and houses of worship. With this, women clergy too offer new possibilities as role models in not only the immediacy of their congregations and spiritual communities, but also in all the spaces they choose to inhabit as empowered female leaders.
Do you act as a spiritual leader in your goddess-centered tradition? Tell us more! Take our on-line survey and read the full text of my Goddess Studies panel presentation here.
Wed Mar 11, 2009
Purnima (Full Moon) Practice & Meditation
The full moon is a time of expanded awareness, the moon a sacred instigation to move more deeply into our unconscious, into our dreams, and into our inner spaces for insight and embodied wisdom. Yesterday evening, we gathered in the Sanctuary to harness some of Soma's power, opening to the moon's energy, elixir of both humans and the gods, to help us find and then begin translating that inner wisdom into conscious intention.
Our work in circle was focused on pratyahara practices, meaning those spiritual exercises that help us detach from external phenomenal awareness and enter more fully into the internal landscape of consciousness, doing so for exploration, deepening, and potential revelation. Beginning with pranayama, sometimes called breath work, we started to activate shakti, the primal life-force energy.
Prana means vital energy, and it is carried throughout the body on and with the breath. In this practice, energy is called prana-shakti to acknowledge the force that on one level is associated with our soul and on another level is connected to the larger expanse of universal power and potential. Prana was the foundation of our engagement with Soma through the immortality of our human yearning as activated by the amrita of divine inspiration.
From pranayama, an awakening into the subtle language of sound, we engaged the ancient practice of trataka, or fixed gaze, and entered the inner spaces where light and shadow, form and meaning, begin to take on new resonances. Three cycles of trataka complete, we ventured into the territory of spontaneous arisings, allowing the full moon to guide our explorations. My own work revealed new understandings of the power of the moon's blessings and gave this energy a beautiful face. Looking much like an opalescent Kwan Yin, my divinity emerged from a cloudy haze of instability, quickly taking shape and transforming into, yes, a vision; but moreover an experience.
After an hour, our focusings and meditations were complete and we enjoyed sharing in the satsang about our individual experiences. Our closing gratitudes culminated in the Pavamana Mantra:
Tamasoma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityorma Amritam Gamaya
This mantra will be the focus of SHARANYA's next "Mantra of the Month," so be sure to sign up for our newsletter to listen, learn the Sanskrit in the original, work with a transliteration to help facilitate pronunciation, and get an English translation. In the meantime, we welcome your sharings on your own full moon experiences and look forward to circling with you in person or in spirit soon!
Thu Feb 26, 2009
Amavasya: New Moon Meditation Experience
We gathered under the energies of the new moon on Tuesday to breathe. We gathered to connect to the energies of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. We gathered to find our inner teachers, the ones who know the direct path to our souls, to the unfolding awareness of the Divine embodied eternal.
New moons are interesting times, for they contain powerful energetic expressions of the path to silence. And so we sat, five of us in a circle in SHARANYA's Sanctuary, connecting to one another and the larger community, to those who were also holding space in meditation with us from afar. Candles surrounding us, Maa before us, we began.
We had all come from another reality into this space, and so took a few moments to get comfortable, relax, and set our individual intentions. After some pranayama and guided visualization on our internal landscape, we moved to silence. Five of us breathing, some with sustained yogic breath, five of us releasing into the silence our thoughts and emotional attachments, we together smoothly entered the quiet space where all potentials reside and there is nothing to do but be. (Some of us had never met before, but the transition from outside to inside, from stranger to sister or brother seeker was swift. Such a gift!)
Thirty minutes in silence ended with the ringing of a singing bowl and the felt vibrations of sound in fingers, toes and the akashic spaces that respond to subtle stimulations. We allowed awareness of our heartbeats to return and then re-engaged our bodies on the floor. Chanting "AUM," we came together again, having moved between worlds, now back and present it the room.
Meditation is a fine art, a dedicated practice; it is also a very accessible treasure, a commitment to oneself that is easily achieved because it can be undertaken almost anywhere. All that is needed is a bit of intention setting and inspiration. Meditation is at once easy and profound; you just sit...and you go places!
Although there are many complex descriptions of how to properly do meditation and myriad offerings of what techniques are required, the simple fact remains that dhyana (meaning contemplation or meditation), is possible for everyone to do and its benefits are both long-lasting and immediate. Certainly, over time as your practice becomes stronger, you will notice that the benefits increase. Yet, regardless of how long you have been doing meditation, your doing it makes a difference throughout all the worlds. To start, you just allow yourself to quiet inside and breathe.
How do you meditate? Let us know how you spent this past new moon, if you joined in with us or worked the energies another way. And whether or not you can join us in person, do join us for our next circle: Purnima (Full Moon) Meditation will be held on March 10th at 7pm (PST).
Mon Feb 23, 2009
Jai Maa & Om Hraum Namah Shivaya!
Over forty people gathered last evening in celebration of Maa Kali and Lord Shiva. We came together, new faces and regular attendees alike, to fall even more deeply in love with the Divine.
Our regular venue, the Cultural Integration Fellowship, hosted us on this rainy night as each of us found breath awareness and connection to the grounding energies of Earth. We inwardly began articulating and igniting a sacred intention in our hearts before entering the worship space lovingly created by initiates and those in Daughters of Kali, as well as through the grace of extended community and family who lent a hand with preparations. Our intentions set, we crossed the temenos, the sacred threshold between realities, and stepped through cleansing sacred smoke into the mandir.
The syllables, "Om Maa!" vibrated throughout the temple as we chanted in unison, our circle organically growing as one-by-one we entered the room. Our main altar glowing with candlelight, the beauty of sacred images and flickers of anticipation were reflected in our eyes. The scent of red roses and carnations filled the space as we sung Her sacred names from the world's traditions. We readied ourselves for the work, experience, inspiration and devotion of the evening.
If you have been to one of our pujas, you know what happens next! Through connection to our own inner light and inspiration, we create sacred space, invoke the directions, welcome in helpful guides and spirits, ancestors, and deities. We call out to Lord Shiva and Maa Kali through mantra and song, allowing the longing inside to be expressed, witnessed and felt.
Last night, our yearning was augmented as we sang to Shiva (click here to learn more about Shivaratri) and made space for the offering of special prayers. Shiva was sung to as Brother and Father; community added words as devotions; and we stepped together into the land of Mahadeva, Great God, through ancient Sanskrit mantra. Singing together, "Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambo - Hare Hare Hare Shambo - Mahadeva Shambo," abhisheka (pouring blessing) was performed with milk and honey. Everyone made offerings of yellow flowers to the white marble lingham-yoni, a symbol of Shiva and Shakti, at the center of the mandap (place for meditation in front of the main altar). We took our time, allowing the energy of the Sacred Male, the Divine Masculine, to be with us and in us...we shared in the blessings of Shiva, Lord of the Dance, He Who Grants Liberation, on this evening of celebration!
Devotions to Maa followed, the offering of hearts and souls to Her embrace. "Om Krim Kalyai Namah!" we chanted, allowing ourselves to drop into meditation...
your body slowly, like your breath, entering the depths
where the waves no longer catapult you from side to side.
In this place of stillness you are held beneath the flows of your attachments,
weightless in the dark, and the holding is strong.
Here, you are forever alone. Do you feel it in the silence?
Here, the swift blackness awakens like a sword severing sounds
from the alphabet of sacred syllables and you become the diffused center
of all that ever was, is and will be. Her sacred gift, you are potential.
Your offering accepted, you are complete and you are free—
liberated from this world and its encumbrances.
Here, you may choose anything in the universe of possibilities. Even to stay.
There is richness beyond what you hear and see, taste and touch and feel.
There is the uncovering through the action of Her red tongue,
flicking past desires and ahamkara, the smallness of our selfish I-ness.
If nothing else, know you are embraced as you remember the feeling
of your toes entering the waters of awakening.
Celebration and incantation, resounding chorus of "Jai Maa!" echoing, a feeling of delight and mystery at the opening, even deeper, into ourselves. Do come and join us next month!
Tue Feb 17, 2009
PantheaCon 2009 - Kali Puja
Jai Maa! OM MAA! Jai Maa!
This weekend's Kali Puja was a glorious coming together of friends old and new...a veritable Tantrick festival within the walls of the Doubletree in San Jose! I hope you were able to join us for Kali Puja: Devotion & Worship of the Divine Mother; and if not, don't fear - come be with us this upcoming weekend in San Francisco when we gather for Shivaratri and Kali Puja in Her name on Sunday (Feb 22nd - more details and RSVP on our website).
Over 150 people joined us in chanting the divine names of the Goddess, and we filled the space with our love, devotion, prayers, mantras and sacred meditations. The ethers were alight as the first sounds of OM Maa! filled the San Jose/Santa Clara meeting rooms (we just know that whoever holds an event there this week will feel the reverberations in the walls!), and everyone came together through rosemary water blessings to honor Kali Maa.
The mood of the evening (we began at 11pm) was one of love and heart opening even as we remembered and gave witness to the dark spaces and work of the shadow...all necessary on the spiritual path if one is to come into the wholeness of the soul's potential. During the first thirty minutes of the program, we challenged ourselves to go deeper into spiritual awakening by conjuring just such a relationship to the dark; one that ultimately heals us by inviting us to kiss the wounds of this and other lifetimes. With and by Her grace, we are able to do this...for Maa is one goddess who holds the totality of the Real, both seen and unseen.
We worked our breath together through sacred syllables, beginning with Sa'Ham - She I Am, taking the in-breath on "Sa" and the outbreath on "Ham." Enlivened in our bodies, we were also able to touch deeper places of connection to Her, learning the mantra, "OM KRIM KALYAI NAMAH," an invocation and honoring of the Divine in its absolute, undifferentiated state; its essence and essential qualities; and its personified form as Kali, the Mother and Dark Goddess who is there in our images, reflections, visualizations and other manifest forms.
After our opening contemplations and explorations of the inner mysteries ("What is true?"), we transitioned into our puja with a scream, a heart-opening, soul-tugging scream set to unleash the wildness of our insides, our passions, our fears, and our longing. Energy thus released and our bodies and emotions freed from some of their entanglements, we proceeded to cast our circle, call the directions, and invoke the deities and spirits of our worship: Agni, Ganesha, the ancestors, Shiva and Maa Kali.
All gathered and circled as community began aarati, the honoring of Maa's presence with light and other offerings, singing "Jai Maa!", Victory to the Divine Mother! Thus called and celebrated, everyone got to receive darshan, the gift of connection to Maa through the meeting of soul and Spirit given through Her eyes.
Our deepest gratitudes to everyone who participated in the puja. Your love and willingness to explore Her so fully made for an electric event. Gratitudes too to those in the SHARANYA community who helped in the creation of the evening by building altars, holding space, grounding and otherwise adding to the beauty of the ceremony.
If you have attended this or other SHARANYA pujas, we'd love to hear your comments about the ritual and your experiences born of that and Maa's crucible. Jai Maa! Hope to see you at another puja soon!
Fri Jan 09, 2009
Deep Spirituality: Choosing Our Path and Making a Difference
"Deep spirituality" is a term I use to highlight a recognition that inner and outer worlds inform and create reality; that the whole of the cosmos is interrelated, that sustainability is the heart of our soul's yearning, and that social justice is the result of a heightened spiritual awareness.
This concept is ancient at the same time that it is new...and my intention here is to connect old wisdom with new manifestations and get us conjuring together! Is what you practice deep spirituality? How so?
In our own ways, we at SHARANYA are planting seeds for conversations about all aspects of human engagement in and with life when visited through the lens of deep spirituality and our heart-felt love of Maa. We know and experience ourselves the challenges of how to be spiritual in the mundane world; how to be fully who we are during our day job; how to show up as someone who practices what I call choice spirituality (rather than alternative spirituality because of its marginalizing characteristics and connotations). Can deep spirituality help us with these challenges? Can community? Can our individual practice, especially when offered and undertaken from a place of deep spirituality?
No matter what your spiritual inspiration or longing, deep spirituality recognizes the need for individual change, the reconciling of worlds, the opening of hearts, and the surrendering of egos. In doing so, we individually and collectively affirm that life-affirming change in the world is possible, and moreover, real. At SHARANYA, this is at the heart of our tradition, Sha'can, a Western Shakta Tantra. It is much of what our committed practice with one another cultivates, and we invite you to journey with us in your own way!
Proponents of deep spirituality understand that being deeply spiritual is not enough. Deep spirituality says that we each have a sacred charge to take that spirituality out into the world, again, in our own unique way--even if that is by virtue of merely living from a place of the authentic, as a willing participant in life with commitment to a transforming self/Self, honoring that which we are and that which we are becoming. What does this look like for you?
Deep spirituality is an evolving (r)evolution of thought and practice set in the contexts we individually and collectively inhabit. It is inspired and informed by transpersonal psychology, various wisdom traditions, ancient truths and mysticisms, and other "deep" movements (deep ecology, deep ecumenism, depth psychology, etc.).
What resonates with your own engagement of this deep spirituality? I welcome your thoughts and assistance in helping to crystalize more concretely these ideas about what deep spirituality is and does while at the same time instigating insights and potentially the impetus for more!
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