Balance Between Faith and Reason?

June 17, 2004

Dear Mary Ann:

I want to thank you also for your stimulating and thought-provoking

posts -- which have really driven this thread.

Personally, I'm always trying to negotiate the very dichotomy you're

talking about: On the one hand, if we want to achieve any results in

our sadhana, we cannot re-invent the wheel; we must trust in our

faith and follow the path laid out by those women and men who have

traveled before us. On the other hand, it seems rather foolish (and

even cowardly) to simply accept everything on faith, because "that's

the way it is" -- we must try to understand the hows and whys of that

path; to think about the symbolism and what it possibly implies

and/or perpetuates in relationships between flesh-and-blood human

beings of whatever gender.

It's not easy, that is for certain. And I must agree that if, in a

devotee's mind, Sword = Patriarchy; Coitus = Sexual Oppression; Power

= Domination by Force, etc., then that devotee is facing some pretty

serious mental obstacles to using the Khadgamala Stotram effectively.

It might be wise to stick with other tools in their

sadhana "toolbox" -- prayer, japa, seva, as you suggested.

Westerners approaching Hinduism find a system in which the symbolic

values assigned to certain images differ both traditionally and

historically from the values assigned in the West to the same symbols

(take the swastika as one very obvious example). There are two

choices: We can either accept the symbols with the values intended by

the people who created them (in which case we can effectively use

those symbols within the Hindu systems); or we can reject those

symbolic values and replace them with our own values (in which case

we must also create a new system within which to apply those symbols).

The best solution, I believe, is a compromise.

When practicing a given puja, ritual, japa, etc., we should accept it

as we receive it. By this I don't mean that we are being sheep. It's

more like learning a new language. If a native speaker tells us that

X is the phrase for "How are you today?" we do not say, "Well, why

does the verb go there? Why is it so gutteral? Why are there honorary

and common forms of the word 'you'? It's elitist!" No ... you do not

ask such questions IF you are serious about learning the language.

You repeat it, accept it on faith until you have your sea legs in

that language.

There's plenty of time to argue the logical lapses or biases in the

language once you're comfortable using it. In fact, the more you meet

the language on its own terms, the better your questions and

arguments will become. And in the meantime you've picked up a useful

new skill. If you'd have persisted in questioning every detail of the

language early on, you might have found some diverting conversation,

but at a terrific cost -- never gaining the many payoffs that come

with speaking a new langauage. Same with Shakti Sadhana -- accept it

on its own terms. See how it works, as is. Experience whether the

symbols work as they're supposed to. Observe the effect on your mind.

Then, once you've got the hang of it, you can authoritatively

critique it from the inside.

Regarding your arguments about the socio-sexual implications of the

symbols as they currently strike you intellectually -- they are

certainly interesting, and very possibly valid. They deserve an open

and vigorous airing. You have every right to work through these

issues and to lay them before others -- to challenge their

complacency. It is valuable work, especially in a social and

intellectual context. But if you also want to realize positive and

mind-expanding spiritual benefits, a certain amount of

compartmentalism is required.

Remember, Tantric forms of Shakti Sadhana are very scientific: One's

bhakti is channeled very systematically and focused very tightly in a

ways that can seem unfamiliar and counterintuitive to someone raised

in a Christian, Jewish or Muslim system. Once you've completed your

formal japa or puja, you can express your social and intellectual

impressions about Hindu symbology however you like -- in the course

of your seva, whatever. But if you try to substitute intellectual

critique for spiritual techniques in Tantra, you've hamstrung

yourself from the get-go. You'll never learn the language, and you'll

never gain the fluency that is necessary for truly effective internal

adjustment and reform.

Finally, you note *** I am happy to read that all who worked to bring

this "power tool" to the group members feel so strongly about its

value. ***

In light of all the above, I would say that the way "other members

feel about its value" is utterly irrelevant. Just as an unread book

is just a block of paper; so is the Khadgamala. You cannot assess its

value without first meeting it on its own terms. If, as noted above,

the imagery is simply too objectionable to accept, then it is silly

to waste your time on it. That doesn't necessarily mean you are "not

ready," or "not competent." There is no stigma to not using the

Khadgamala -- it is simply a shortcut, a "power tool" as I (perhaps

unwisely?) noted. It's there for those who want or need it. Use

whatever tools you like and feel comfortable with. It is not a

competition. There is no right or wrong.

Aum Maatangyai Namamhe

June 17, 2004

Based on my own experience from doing the Khadgamala Stotras: Drawing

the cakras, converting them into images, typing the names of all the

different Devis etc, this is what I have to say :

Reciting the Khadgamala Stotras is like embarking on a journey. A

journey to meet our Divine Mother which lies within. In any journey

especially spiritual one, before we embarked on, we must first remove

of the excess baggage that we keep within us, because these are the

ones that will drag us down. Perhaps I have the word Healing in my

mind and the wounds that are being hidden. The wounds that will never

be healed. We can hide and pack it with Gauzes and put whatever

lotion but it will remain a wound. We must find a way of overcoming

that anger and allow that wound to eventually healed.

To me the Khadgamala Stotras is one of the greatest gift given to us

by two Great Shakta Gurus who have so much compassion and love

towards us. And just like any other gift, some will never appreciate

them while many others who really know the value of such gift will

bow to the feet of these two gurus.

How do you distinguished the difference between a diamond and a

glass. This is something you can never learn from a book.

That is all I have to say. Now I really must get back to the Homepage

or another chatter will call me Liar again. [ smiles ]

June 17, 2004

but people forget one thing, the symbolism varies from culture to culture.

In Ibo (a nigerian tribe) Usha means bitch. In Sanskrit it is a beautiful

discription of the rising sun.

so lets not import western imagery into eastern philosophy. Thats my humble

opinion.

Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: Dear Mary Ann: