Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 Women's spirituality is often associated with Goddess spirituality, and the Goddess spirituality have gain tremendous momentum for the past few years and it have become a phenomenon. Women have turn to goddess or goddesses to find meanings, spiritual healing and empowerment. There are variety of approaches adopted : 1) Historical and archeological perspective - searching for evidence of goddess worshipping in ancient culture where women once held power and goddess reign. The approach aim to search for a new historical understanding and coming to terms with the destruction of goddess centered culture by Patriarchal groups 2) Psychological exploration of the meaning of goddess and seek to establish the existence and usefulness of goddess archetypes in the process of psychological healing. 3) Practical approach of goddess worship. Here the formulation of positive religious traditions for women through the use of rituals, prayers, meditations, affirmation, pictures and exhortation of self discovery. The goddess invocated in the ritual often derived from various cultural tradition : Greco-Roman to a living non-western entity. These Goddess are seen as a symbols and models of women empowerment. Goddess Kali has increasingly become a subject of scholarly research in trying to understand Hindu religion particularly in Hindu Goddess Study, therefore its not a surprise to see Feminist and New Age spirituality attracted to Kali. It is interesting to see how Goddess Kali, a Hindu goddess is being adopted and cited as a model of woman empowerment. There are two ways in which spiritualist approach Kali and learning from her how to integrate opposites within oneself: a) Psychological approach : drawing upon Kali's iconography for the purpose of self-examination and spiritual healing. This Self-examination is more of trying to understand the symbolism of Kali which then leads towards acceptance of oneself. For example, the image of Kali holding a severed head on her lower left hand, is symbolically a representaion of "letting go of the baggage in ones life", a sort of "let go and let the Goddess" approach. Although Kali has been distorted into a Terrible Mother archetype who devours or represents physical killing, she actually represents death of the ego and the regenerative power of the sexual mysteries. Kali image reminds one of the dark, avenging side of life, and the power of rage, readied for action, poised against the contemporary backdrop of a plundered and wounded earth, is a vision of spiritually energizing female power. b) Physical or practical approach to the understanding and worship of Kali involve singing, prayer, ritual, Tarot readings and astrology. Goddess Kali is a symbol of wholeness and healing, associated especially with repressed female power and sexuality. No matter what approaches one takes, all view Kali as a positive and potentially dangerous which eventually aid them to internal transformation. Om ParaShaktiye Namaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 Namaste All, As a Black woman in American culture who loves Mother Kali fiercely, it is always so interesting to me how differently Black women see Her as opposed to others. I have never feared Mother Kali, she has been my redeemer. The skulls she sports represent the ignorance she slays of who I am as opposed to the negativities projected on me. She has liberated me from slave consciousness and helped me to regain my sense of sexual dignity. Her blackness is/was a comfort to me when I first became introduced to Her and I have felt nothing but compassion from Her when she tore me away from my illusions and showed me the truth. She has always been there to catch me as I fell and embraced me lovingly. Liaya , "nora55_1999" <nora55_1999> wrote: > Women's spirituality is often associated with Goddess spirituality, > and the Goddess spirituality have gain tremendous momentum for the > past few years and it have become a phenomenon. Women have turn to > goddess or goddesses to find meanings, spiritual healing and > empowerment. There are variety of approaches adopted : > > 1) Historical and archeological perspective - searching for evidence > of goddess worshipping in ancient culture where women once held power > and goddess reign. The approach aim to search for a new historical > understanding and coming to terms with the destruction of goddess > centered culture by Patriarchal groups > > 2) Psychological exploration of the meaning of goddess and seek to > establish the existence and usefulness of goddess archetypes in the > process of psychological healing. > > 3) Practical approach of goddess worship. Here the formulation of > positive religious traditions for women through the use of rituals, > prayers, meditations, affirmation, pictures and exhortation of self > discovery. The goddess invocated in the ritual often derived from > various cultural tradition : Greco-Roman to a living non-western > entity. These Goddess are seen as a symbols and models of women > empowerment. > > Goddess Kali has increasingly become a subject of scholarly research > in trying to understand Hindu religion particularly in Hindu Goddess > Study, therefore its not a surprise to see Feminist and New Age > spirituality attracted to Kali. It is interesting to see how Goddess > Kali, a Hindu goddess is being adopted and cited as a model of woman > empowerment. > > There are two ways in which spiritualist approach Kali and learning > from her how to integrate opposites within oneself: > > a) Psychological approach : drawing upon Kali's iconography for > the purpose of self-examination and spiritual healing. This > Self-examination is more of trying to understand the symbolism of Kali > which then leads towards acceptance of oneself. For example, the image > of Kali holding a severed head on her lower left hand, is symbolically > a representaion of "letting go of the baggage in ones life", a sort of > "let go and let the Goddess" approach. > > Although Kali has been distorted into a Terrible Mother archetype who > devours or represents physical killing, she actually represents death > of the ego and the regenerative power of the sexual mysteries. > > Kali image reminds one of the dark, avenging side of life, and the > power of rage, readied for action, poised against the contemporary > backdrop of a plundered and wounded earth, is a vision of spiritually > energizing female power. > > b) Physical or practical approach to the understanding and worship of > Kali involve singing, prayer, ritual, Tarot readings and astrology. > > Goddess Kali is a symbol of wholeness and healing, associated > especially with repressed female power and sexuality. No matter what > approaches one takes, all view Kali as a positive and potentially > dangerous which eventually aid them to internal transformation. > > > Om ParaShaktiye Namaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 , "bliswave17" <bliswave17> wrote: > Namaste All, > > As a Black woman in American culture who loves Mother Kali fiercely, > it is always so interesting to me how differently Black women see Her > as opposed to others. I have never feared Mother Kali, she has been > my redeemer. The skulls she sports represent the ignorance she slays > of who I am as opposed to the negativities projected on me. She has > liberated me from slave consciousness and helped me to regain my > sense of sexual dignity. Her blackness is/was a comfort to me when I > first became introduced to Her and I have felt nothing but > compassion from Her when she tore me away from my illusions and > showed me the truth. She has always been there to catch me as I fell > and embraced me lovingly. Liaya > > > > , "nora55_1999" <nora55_1999> wrote: > > Women's spirituality is often associated with Goddess spirituality, > > and the Goddess spirituality have gain tremendous momentum for the > > past few years and it have become a phenomenon. Women have turn to > > goddess or goddesses to find meanings, spiritual healing and > > empowerment. There are variety of approaches adopted : > > > > 1) Historical and archeological perspective - searching for > evidence > > of goddess worshipping in ancient culture where women once held > power > > and goddess reign. The approach aim to search for a new historical > > understanding and coming to terms with the destruction of goddess > > centered culture by Patriarchal groups > > > > 2) Psychological exploration of the meaning of goddess and seek to > > establish the existence and usefulness of goddess archetypes in the > > process of psychological healing. > > > > 3) Practical approach of goddess worship. Here the formulation of > > positive religious traditions for women through the use of rituals, > > prayers, meditations, affirmation, pictures and exhortation of self > > discovery. The goddess invocated in the ritual often derived from > > various cultural tradition : Greco-Roman to a living non-western > > entity. These Goddess are seen as a symbols and models of women > > empowerment. > > > > Goddess Kali has increasingly become a subject of scholarly > research > > in trying to understand Hindu religion particularly in Hindu > Goddess > > Study, therefore its not a surprise to see Feminist and New Age > > spirituality attracted to Kali. It is interesting to see how > Goddess > > Kali, a Hindu goddess is being adopted and cited as a model of > woman > > empowerment. > > > > There are two ways in which spiritualist approach Kali and learning > > from her how to integrate opposites within oneself: > > > > a) Psychological approach : drawing upon Kali's iconography for > > the purpose of self-examination and spiritual healing. This > > Self-examination is more of trying to understand the symbolism of > Kali > > which then leads towards acceptance of oneself. For example, the > image > > of Kali holding a severed head on her lower left hand, is > symbolically > > a representaion of "letting go of the baggage in ones life", a sort > of > > "let go and let the Goddess" approach. > > > > Although Kali has been distorted into a Terrible Mother archetype > who > > devours or represents physical killing, she actually represents > death > > of the ego and the regenerative power of the sexual mysteries. > > > > Kali image reminds one of the dark, avenging side of life, and the > > power of rage, readied for action, poised against the contemporary > > backdrop of a plundered and wounded earth, is a vision of > spiritually > > energizing female power. > > > > b) Physical or practical approach to the understanding and worship > of > > Kali involve singing, prayer, ritual, Tarot readings and astrology. > > > > Goddess Kali is a symbol of wholeness and healing, associated > > especially with repressed female power and sexuality. No matter > what > > approaches one takes, all view Kali as a positive and potentially > > dangerous which eventually aid them to internal transformation. > > > > > > Om ParaShaktiye Namaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 liaya, i found this account of 'kali' maa very touching- yes, kali maa is indeed a slayer of negative passions like ego, ignorance. arrogance. she reinforces in all women positive tendencies like self- esteem, a spirit of independence, assertiveness and sacred sexuality.... in fact, she is like a 'tower ' of strength to all those single women out there.... in devi mahatmiyam, thomas coburn says.... I am the QUEEN who brings treasures together wise, foremost of those worthy of worship , the gods have put me in many places , variously abiding, of manifold presence, through me a man eats, he who sees , who breathes, who hears what is spoken, (does so through me) unknowing, they depend upon me : hear. O famous one -------i am telling you (something worthy of faith) i myself proclaim this( state of affairs ), which is approved by gods and men , whomsoevr i wish , i make mighty- a a Brahmana. a seer, a sage ! love to you liaya, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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