Guest guest Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 Namaste everyone. Satish wrote: > You may want to note that, on a practical aspect, > most Shaktas or > Shakta teachers happen to be males. > Traditionally, Shaktism was taught by Shiva. then Mary Ann asked > Why do you think this is so? (My answer: patriarchy.) Before asking _why_ this is so, shouldn't we find out _whether_ this is so? It's true that _many_ shakta teachers have been male. However, the idea of a _female_ wisdom-bringer has been part of the tradition since the period represented by the Kena Upanishad -- an early and highly respected work which tells how Uma Haimavati brought enlightenment to the Vedic gods. A couple of other writings that come to mind... the Tripura Rahasya, which tells how king Hemachuda received spiritual instruction from his wife Hemalekha. the Tara Rahasya, in which Shiva himself receives instruction from Devi. Surely many list members will already of heard of the Bhairavi Brahmani, a tantrik sadhika who was one of the gurus of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Sir John Woodroffe is said also to have received initiation from a woman guru, Jayakali Devi. (This is mentioned in Kathleen Taylor's book _Sir John Woodroffe, Tantra and Bengal_) It's true that Woodroffe argues against the statement of an American writer of his time, that Tantra is "Religious Feminism run mad... a doctrine for suffragette Monists". However Woodroffe goes on to list four 'characteristic features' of shakta dharma, and one of them is its inclusion of women and shudras. (Shakti and Shakta, Dover, 1978, page 174) Please draw your own conclusions... Om Shantih, Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 Namaste, >, colinr@z... wrote: > Namaste everyone. > > Satish wrote: > > > You may want to note that, on a practical aspect, > > most Shaktas or > > Shakta teachers happen to be males. > > > Traditionally, Shaktism was taught by Shiva. > > then Mary Ann asked > > > Why do you think this is so? (My answer: patriarchy.) > > Before asking _why_ this is so, shouldn't we find out _whether_ this is so? The reason for writing that way is to eliminate the Shaktism =Feminism impression. Not to deny the presence of female teachers. Again please see the wording " most teachers" not "all teachers" thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 I am a shaktha and my guru is femal;e. There are a lot of female shaktha gurus in India that I know of. Kochu "Satish <sadaashiva" <sadaashiva wrote:Namaste, >, colinr@z... wrote: > Namaste everyone. > > Satish wrote: > > > You may want to note that, on a practical aspect, > > most Shaktas or > > Shakta teachers happen to be males. > > > Traditionally, Shaktism was taught by Shiva. > > then Mary Ann asked > > > Why do you think this is so? (My answer: patriarchy.) > > Before asking _why_ this is so, shouldn't we find out _whether_ this is so? The reason for writing that way is to eliminate the Shaktism =Feminism impression. Not to deny the presence of female teachers. Again please see the wording " most teachers" not "all teachers" thx Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.