SHARANYA

PantheaCon 2012

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:34:10 GMT

It was perhaps no accident that exactly 108 of us gathered last night at 11PM for a ritual dedicated to the Divine Mother, Kali Maa. In Hinduism, the number 108 is considered especially auspicious, aligning the heavens and Earth in powerful relationship toward peace. Indeed, our ceremony for the Dark Goddess was imbued with the special fragrance of the Divine as She opened internal gateways and sweetly unleashed her scythe of discrimination among us. Some come to Kali hoping to score power and prestige, Her allure a false understanding of the wild ride She promises. Others come fearing Her mysteries, an ego-driven humility rather than a willingness to get raw to be found beneath their lowered gazes. The work of our Kali Puja was to draw out the heartfelt yearning that lay at the bottom of it all, first using mantra to stir up our insides and strengthen our resolve. With reverberations of OM KRIM KALYAI NAMAH in the air, our pranayama then asked the guidance of Pranashakti to hold the channel of our potential open to let Goddess do what was needed. Some called Her name with abandon, others cried softly into their palms. Maa was there, bold, audacious, soft and supple in all Her glory. Provocations to remember were made and community supported the energy of vitalization with focused breath, intention, and a drumbeat of connection to Earth and ancestors. We called on one another as family and the circle strengthened. Our meditation began, like the...

Kali Puja: February Devotions

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:33:20 GMT

Before our temple doors open to the public each month, initiates who have committed to a year and a day of devotions and deeper study in Her name gather to circle and dive, like vultures, into the fires of self-transformation. February was no exception, and we found ourselves immersed in the embrace of one of our beloved Mahavidyas. She brought us each a special secret of Her path in the space of our meditations meant to help us in our spiritual blossoming. This powerful ritual work set the stage for a puja later in the day that brought the community gathered, newcomers and Sha�can practitioners alike, into relationship with Maa in a quintessentially new way. The difference began to be felt with the beginning of our invocations, the space for Agni set with the first verses of the Rig Veda. With this call to the God of Fire and our mudra creating a crucible for the work of our ritual, the mood noticeably shifted. A vibration began to hum through the air, in some creating a felt sense of connection to the Divine, a reflection perhaps of the focus of those gathered. Again and again we returned to our sacred intention for the puja, breathing the depth of our invocations into the center of our hearts. In this way, the more we opened, the more we received from beyond ourselves in direct alignment with our soul�s yearning in the moment. And the more we received, the more we strengthened the whole of our ceremony together. On this night, the Sanctuary in which Maa...

Maa is calling me in this moment...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:57:05 GMT

Women of Spirit and Faith asked for November: "What is the Divine Feminine calling you to do in this moment?" Shakti is calling me to rise up. She is calling me to risk. She is calling me to relate. She rests on a bed of will, knowledge and action, entwined with Shiva, the pure consciousness that follows her call, in order to relax into some powerful creation work. There is not a moment that goes by in which I do not feel her. I am surrounded by the subtle notes of intuition that arise in her presence and the not-so-subtle ripples of her battles in this realm. I know you know what I mean. The trees, oceans, bears and wind all speak her name. A kirtan�call and response�ensues, and those who are attuned listen. The chanting has its charms. Recently, she asked me to give more of myself. �But I already�,� I start to say, and she just kisses me sweetly, replying, �Darling, I know how much you do. Still, there is more to be done.� She is right, of course, and I acknowledge that my energy is dispersed and needs to focus for better effect in the world. There are some things that are too important to be lost in my chaos. How then to manage this, I wonder; but not for long. My spiritual practice guides me to breakthrough on the inner planes that has real outer world ramifications and manifestations. I learn the first lessons of empowered spiritual...

Our Kali Puja: What's It All About?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:44:42 GMT

What's it like to experience (R)evolutionary Shakta Tantra up close and personal...to worship Kali Maa in Sanskrit...to bring your heart to a Goddess with roots in India but felt worldwide? Perhaps you've never been to a puja, or to a worship service that is fully participatory. Perhaps the notion of coming into a community to offer your devotions to Goddess is a bit scary. Well, be assured we understand that She can be intimidating at first. And we recognize that joining with people you may not know in something as intimate as worship of Her can perhaps be unsettling. So, let us offer comfort (we hope) by saying we all pretty much started at that place of uncertainty or fear or wondering...and we have come together to strengthen the path of our hearts. We invite you to join us! The vibe is loving, embracing, inclusionary, welcoming... Enter the temple of our worship for a taste of the experience through our most recent gallery here. Jai Maa! And we look forward to seeing you at a puja soon (visit our calendar for dates of upcoming ceremonies).

Festival of Sara-la-Kali

Sat, 29 May 2010 06:23:22 GMT

On Sunday, May 23, SHARANYA hosted our regular monthly public puja, except this month, we aligned our energies and intentions with the cross-roads of the dark goddess in Europe, a place where ancient traditions of the goddess came to shore and today, the Black Madonna stands as testimony to Her presence. For this worship, we recognized the concurrence of our puja with the Festival of Gitanes, or Gypsies, in the south of France, who come together to honor their Dark Goddess, Sarah the Black...Sarah-la-Kali! The puja was particularly moving as we toned sacred syllables and took turns adorning Sara's altar with scarves from around our necks in the same fashion that those gathered in France for her festival do. As one of our initiates, Haravallabha, shared about her puja experience... I got lots of images of constant movement of a tribe slipping through the edges of society, and after a night's sleep, a host of clear lessons from La Sara. They are about community, versatility, autonomy, and self-authority. Here are a few glimpses:
Don't try to fit any mold
Don't try to be a single thing - activate versatility
Be willing to cast a spell
Keep some things private when it fits your strategy for survival or service, and find a way to...

Chanting Workshop: Vedic Mantras, Hindu Classics, & Goddess Devotionals

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:30:59 GMT
I am a predominantly Neo-Pagan, former Catholic who considers myself a religious inclusive. I have an interest in various ancient cultures and traditions which have survived, as well as more recent magical traditions such as Hoodoo/Conjure and folkways or Europe and the Americas which are still used. I found the Hindu chants workshop to be extremely informative, lovely and powerful. I believe it was perfect for Unitarian participation because it addressed the spiritual, emotional and intellectual aspects of this practice, as well as lots of live practice... I have actually been using some of the chants, several times a week, having incorporated them into my normal meditation routine. Given that I work in a fast-paced environment in a pretty harsh town, I love the connection I feel to these chants & how incorporating them has resulted in a calmer, more intuitive Maureen. - UU Chant Workshop Participant SHARANYA was recently invited by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto to be part of a series of chanting workshops dedicated to connecting members to various world traditions through song and chant. We were honored to be part of the series and grateful to Terry Passarotti from their congregation for asking us to join in! About 25 of us gathered together on February 21st, a rainy Sunday evening, to explore the sacred sounds of chants from the Vedas, Upanishads and Tantras. We wove ancient...

PantheaCon Kali Puja: The Dark Goddess Awakens!

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:14:34 GMT
Sunday night, 11:00pm. Kali Puja at PantheaCon. The doors opened and the sounds of Her sacred names began to fill the air, vibrations of Goddess Kali entering our bodies through ears first. Eyes began taking in the altar images as throngs of devotees and those entranced by Her mysteries circled to the tune. SHARANYA initiates and Daughters of Kali worked to guard, ground and move the dance of Shiva and Shakti as we together purified and began to feel that the night's celebration would be filled with power, grace, and Divine love. As Rashani (priestess/purohit) for the ceremony, I let Her guide me. Sensing the yearning and open hearts of everyone gathered, it was easy to take us immediately deeper into communion with our Divine Mother through meditation and breath. Her sacred syllables guided us, helping to crystallize a sankalpa (sacred intention) and further unencumber our souls. Both a certain intensity and a genuine playfulness were with us as we each spoke our name, proclaiming the intention to perform worship, each of us owning the responsibility born of our passion and desire. From honorings of Ganesha, Agni, Ancestors, and Shiva, we then worked our prana pratishta as a community, together intoning SA'HAM in meditation on Her eyes, allowing the energy on our breath to move from heart to Her. Awakening Her murti (image), Kali Maa joined us and we danced...Jai Maa! Gratitudes to all who join in the magick of the night and to Amory, Satya, Jaratura,...

Yogini Festival

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 04:58:20 GMT
Jay Maa Kali! In this year, the Yogini Festival starts on the 23rd of December and runs until the 25th of December in front of the Yogini Temple (at Hirapur, Orissa). Many cultural programme like Odissi Dance, Sambalpuri Dance, Gotipura Nritya, Mahari Nritya, etc. are represented at this function. Many dancers from different states are participating in this festival; so, I invite you to come and enjoy!

- Surendra Nath Routaray
Hirapur's authorized archaeological guide, in a personal communication The tradition of yoginī worship likely derives from ancient practices formalized and brahmanized in the Agni Purāṇa. In this text, the mātṛkās are said to be eight: Brāhmani, Maheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Aindrī, Cāmuṇḍa, and Mahālakṣmi. These eight goddesses are multiplied by eight (because of this number’s auspicious nature in Hindu belief) to derive the base of sixty-four yoginīs. The names of these sixty-four are given in the Kālīkā Purāna; although my contact at the temple, Mr. Routaray, has his own manifestation. By the time of the 11th century CE, the worship of the yoginīs...

Spirit Fusion Festival - Fresno, CA

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:35:19 GMT
By: Maya (initiate member of the Yogini Chakra) On November 25th, Fresno had its Spirit Fusion Festival (Fresno's Pagan Pride). I worked a table for SHARANYA for the day and got the chance to talk to people about the organization, give out information, and sell some of the beautiful images, ritual items, and Indian handicrafts we generally offer through the Apsara Store online and at pujas. As part of the day, I also hosted a beautiful Ganesha Puja for all who were there. It was a small intimate group that came to puja; it was very sweet and all who attended were deeply touched by the ceremony. We all honored and were honored by the Spirit of Ganesha. All of the people who came were active in the puja. We called upon the four elements to join us, along with Shiva, Kali Maa, and, of course, Ganesha took his place of prominence! The Ganesha altar was decorated with a variety Ganesha murtis, along with images and murtis of other deities, such as Shiva, Kali Maa, Tara, and Matangi. The group assembled was invited to do invocations for the elements, and I taught them some short mantras to invoke Shiva, Maa, and Ganesha too. As the circle chanted to Ganesha, singing, OM GAM GANAPATAYAI NAMAH, I cleansed the space with charged moon water. Ganesha was then bathed in the charged moon water, milk, and moon water again. I...

Dark Times, Divali, & Dancing the Spiral

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:50:12 GMT
On Sunday morning, I awoke from Samhain dreamtime to a recollection that I had something to do. Still feeling the presence of the ancients and moreover, some very achy muscles from a few good hours of altar building for SHARANYA's Spiral Dance South Fire Altar, I reviewed my notes for the day ahead. Ah, yes, Creatrix Media Live was hosting a show and had asked me to help focus a discussion on the Dark Times...specifically, these dark times. What is conjured for you in this mentioning? We considered much in our conversation, but naturally, the conversation turned toward the presence of the Dark Mother Herself, Kali Maa. Kali Maa as embracing and compassionate mother; Kali Maa as terrifying goddess; Kali Maa as equalizer, facilitator of social justice; Kali Maa as Goddess for our times. Joining the discussion were many powerful women (Max Dashu, D'vorah Grenn, Marsha Citra Lange, Jayne DeMente, Anniitra Ravenmoon and others) who know well how She helps us see through the obfuscations of truth that media and institutions uphold, who asks that we take personal responsibility, who calls us to action. We acknowledged the quick and ready relationship between our spirituality, Her presence, and action on behalf...