Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 I haven't read Leonard Schlain's book. Is he arguing that men are word and glyph-oriented, while women are visual or image-oriented? In Hinduism, there are three ways to portray divinity: Sthula (gross), Sukshma (subtle), and Para (supreme). The gross form is with a Murthi -- an Image portraying the Divinity as a human (or sometimes animal) form. The idols of Hinduism are gorgeous works of art, stylized portraits of men and women with prescribed anatomical proportions. They have complex symbolic attributes, clothing (or lack of clothing!), often multiple limbs or heads, bearing weapons or tools or other artifacts in their hands. Beneath their feet (or their posterior, if sitting) is a support shaped like a lotus, because the Divine never actually touches the Earth. The subtle form is with a Yantra -- a two-dimensional (usually) complex display of geometric shapes, usually balanced around a Bindu or point at the center. I've heard Yantras described as "landing fields for the Gods." The Yantra is suitable for meditation, the shapes and colors have meanings, but the talisman seldom has the literal image of the Deity on it. The supreme form is done with the Bija -- a single-syllable word, usually ending with a nasalization, that invokes the presence of the deity. Many begin with the initial letter of the deity's name, but Bijas are not usually names, nor do they have literal meanings. I don't know that any of these forms are specifically associated with one gender or the other. But Hinduism seems to seek to cover all the bases in portraying the Divine -- with human form, with geometric shapes, or with vocalized sound. Of course, there are also innumerable scents, tastes, colors, etc. that are also specified as pleasing and evocative of the various Divine forms. -- Len/ Kalipadma On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 20:08:30 EDT SophiasHeaven writes: > > I find it interesting, this bit about the flesh covered heads with > lips and > tongues and the 50 heads representing 50 sansrit letters of the > alphabet. > Because I am presently reading a book by Leonard Schlain called "The > Alphabet > versus the Goddess" -- and interesting that they are male heads with > the alphabet > stamped on them. It seems in this particular versus, if Schlain's > theory is > correct, Kali has Won the Versus part and Proved Herself quite > adequately by > severing the heads and having the alphabet strung about Her. > > > > Westerners are fascinated by the sacrifices of animals to Kali > that go on > > in some Kali temples. These are NEVER of cows! First, because > only male > > animals are offered to Kali; second, because cattle (be they cows > or > > bulls) are sacred animals in Hinduism, never to be killed or > eaten. > > > > As Cathy says, Kali kills demons. It is humans who offer animals > to Her > > (usually goats, chickens, and the occasional water-buffalo during > > Navaratri) -- and humans who eat the resulting flesh afterwards. > Kali is > > pleased by offerings of life-energy, and does not crave > hamburgers. > > > lol ! ;-) > > > Many Shaktas have argued that rather than killing animals, a true > Sadhaka > > slays his/her own Ego as an offering to the Devi. > > > Naturally -- > > > -- Len/ Kalipadma > > > > Thanks so much for the interesting bit about the flesh covered heads > with > lips and each representing a letter of the alphabet ... > When I have read more of Schlain's book, if I find anything that > seems > relevant to this I'll share the ideas. So far I can see he is > drawing parallels > between the Goddess and Visual Image and the Feminine side of the > Brain, and > putting the alphabet with Linear typically considered Masculine side > of the brain. > I can't explain it any more complex than that right now, cuz I > haven't > gotten that far in the book. > ______________ Get your name as your email address. Includes spam protection, 1GB storage, no ads and more Only $1.99/ month - visit http://www.mysite.com/name today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 In a message dated 10/6/2004 11:55:23 AM Mountain Daylight Time, sephirah5 writes: > I would say it's the other way around...what about all those studies that > show that men are visual-oriented, hence the proliferation of pornography as a > largely male-oriented industry! Or the cliche about how women "can't get men > to talk", and men equally gripe about how women always want to discuss > anything ad > infinitum and ad minutium? Men are Visual and Enjoy Looking at the Female Form. I thought of that too. It's a glitch in his system. Still and all, Camille Paglia talks of image as a pagan influence. And the spoken word is unrelated to alphabetic language. The spoken word was around for LONG before the alphabet. The alphabet is a quantum leap in abstraction, and according to Schlain, this is from the so-called "masculine" side ofthe brain. Interesting that Kali has a string of male heads on her necklace, each representing a letter of the sanskrit alphabet. Also, David Abram, in Spell of the Sensuous, talks about how with the onset of alphabetic language, we began to lose our intimate connection with Nature and the Wildnerness. AGain, Nature and the Natural world have been associated wtih the Feminine. Blessings, Cathie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 In a message dated 10/5/2004 5:56:05 PM Mountain Daylight Time, kalipadma writes: > Again, originally Kali was portrayed wearing a garland of freshly-cut > (male) heads. Since the 50 or so heads are supposed to represent the 50 > simple letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, I imagine they should still have > tongues and lips, so each head can properly pronounce the sound it > represents. > I have an image of Kali dancing on Shakti who is making love to Shiva. It is from India. I cited the sources for it yesterday. In a message dated 10/6/2004 1:27:47 PM Mountain Daylight Time, malyavan_tibet writes: > The skulls does not stand for the sanskrit alphabet. Each of the skull > represent the memory from a previous incarnation. > > Kali is not dancing over shiva, kali is dancing over shava. It > represents the uncontrolled sound indicative of the present age > "Kali" Yuga. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 In a message dated 10/6/2004 3:27:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, malyavan_tibet writes: Kali is not dancing over shiva, kali is dancing over shava. It represents the uncontrolled sound indicative of the present age "Kali" Yuga. What are you explaining here??? Kali Yuga as you say it uses the short form of the Sanskrit a while the name of the goddess Kali uses the long form. They are two completely different names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 I would say it's the other way around...what about all those studies that show that men are visual-oriented, hence the proliferation of pornography as a largely male-oriented industry! Or the cliche about how women "can't get men to talk", and men equally gripe about how women always want to discuss anything ad infinitum and ad minutium? Lilith M. --- kalipadma wrote: > I haven't read Leonard Schlain's book. Is he > arguing that men are word > and glyph-oriented, while women are visual or > image-oriented? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 The skulls does not stand for the sanskrit alphabet. Each of the skull represent the memory from a previous incarnation. Kali is not dancing over shiva, kali is dancing over shava. It represents the uncontrolled sound indicative of the present age "Kali" Yuga. > > Interesting that Kali has a string of male heads on her necklace, each > representing a letter of the sanskrit alphabet. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Yes, i know it very much , i am from kerala. the l in kaali is also thicker. , swastik108@a... wrote: > > In a message dated 10/6/2004 3:27:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > malyavan_tibet writes: > Kali is not dancing over shiva, kali is dancing over shava. It > represents the uncontrolled sound indicative of the present age > "Kali" Yuga. > What are you explaining here??? > > > Kali Yuga as you say it uses the short form of the Sanskrit a while the name > of the goddess Kali uses the long form. They are two completely different > names. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 >From my limited exposure to Scandinavian magic, I know that <Galdur> is the term for Men's magic, and it involves the drawing or carving of runes (letters or symbols). Women's magic is called <Seidur>, and it involves trance-working, drumming, and visualization. Men can study Seidur, but they must dress as women when they study or peform it. -- Len/ Kalipadma On Wed, 6 Oct 2004 15:13:18 EDT SophiasHeaven writes: > > In a message dated 10/6/2004 11:55:23 AM Mountain Daylight Time, > sephirah5 writes: > > > I would say it's the other way around...what about all those > studies that > > show that men are visual-oriented, hence the proliferation of > pornography as a > > largely male-oriented industry! Or the cliche about how women > "can't get men > > to talk", and men equally gripe about how women always want to > discuss > > anything ad > > infinitum and ad minutium? > > Men are Visual and Enjoy Looking at the Female Form. I thought of > that too. > It's a glitch in his system. > Still and all, Camille Paglia talks of image as a pagan influence. > And the spoken word is unrelated to alphabetic language. The spoken > word was > around for LONG before the alphabet. The alphabet is a quantum leap > in > abstraction, and according to Schlain, this is from the so-called > "masculine" side > ofthe brain. > > Interesting that Kali has a string of male heads on her necklace, > each > representing a letter of the sanskrit alphabet. > > Also, David Abram, in Spell of the Sensuous, talks about how with > the onset > of alphabetic language, we began to lose our intimate connection > with Nature > and the Wildnerness. AGain, Nature and the Natural world have been > associated > wtih the Feminine. > > Blessings, > Cathie > > > > > > > ------------------------ Sponsor > --------------------~--> > Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Companion Toolbar. > Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! > http://us.click./L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM > --~-> > > > > Links > > > > > > > > ______________ Get your name as your email address. Includes spam protection, 1GB storage, no ads and more Only $1.99/ month - visit http://www.mysite.com/name today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Previous incarnation of whom? -- Len/ Kalipadma On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 19:22:52 -0000 "malyavan_tibet" <malyavan_tibet writes: > > The skulls does not stand for the sanskrit alphabet. Each of the > skull > represent the memory from a previous incarnation. > > Kali is not dancing over shiva, kali is dancing over shava. It > represents the uncontrolled sound indicative of the present age > "Kali" Yuga. > > > > > Interesting that Kali has a string of male heads on her necklace, > each > > representing a letter of the sanskrit alphabet. > > ------------------------ Sponsor > --------------------~--> > $9.95 domain names from . Register anything. > http://us.click./J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM > --~-> > > > > Links > > > > > > > > ______________ Get your name as your email address. Includes spam protection, 1GB storage, no ads and more Only $1.99/ month - visit http://www.mysite.com/name today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Kali Yuga refers to period - Life period Galaxial Universe has been divided into four - Sat Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and the present one is Kali Yuga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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