Bhaktas worshipping more than one?

November 19, 2004

Dear Anya,

I so enjoy reading your questions! They remind me so much of me a few years

back, when as goddess-centered pagan I took on the monumental task of

learning as much about Shaktism as possible.

I started everything with Ganesha, in a very curious manner. I was working

at Borders (a book store) and this beautiful Indian woman walked in the

door, I was drawn to her immediately, I couldn't stop looking at her. She

walked all the way across the store and right to me and asked me if we had

any books on Ganesha. I had heard the name, but it didn't ring a bell

immediately, mostly because I was amazed at the whole situation. Then she

made this tsk-tsk noise like I was a bad child and said "you of all people

should know who Ganesha is, the elephant-headed Hindu god of obstacles." I'm

still not totally sure that this woman was "real" but I bought a copy of

Loving Ganesha and then the fun began!

It probably took me 3 years before I even had a clue what all I was reading

even meant, but eventually your brain synthesizes the information and you

realize the importance is in the big picture and learning to follow your

instinct rather than what the books say you should do.

Ganesha was a great place to start. I was drawn to so many of the goddesses

that I didn't know where to begin. It is very true that they claim you and

not the other way around. I was fascinated with Saraswati for years, and

still am in a way, but I never got a response from her. Recently Lakshmi

references kept popping up everywhere, in the strangest places. I bought a

pendant and that night sat down and called to her. Words cannot explain how

it felt, the closest I can come is to say that I felt like I had finally

found my home. I never expected to feel such a warmth. The next morning as I

was putting on my new pendant, the Price is Right was on television and the

contestent called at that exact moment was named Vishnu! What are the

chances?!? Now I have a separate room of my house set up with a Lakshmi

altar.

The point of all of this is to keep asking questions. Take everything in and

make no judgements for a while longer. One day it will all make sense

somehow, then you get to the plateau where you feel like you know nothing

again and start over on another level.

As for learning to use your instinct instead of just your head, I struggled

with that one too. I started reading Tarot. I worked at it everyday until I

felt comfortable reading for others and then read for absolute strangers

every chance I got. I follow my heart in all matters, people around me may

think I'm crazy, but it's never failed me. I used to be a list maker and

over-analyzer. Now I sometimes have to turn the volume down on instinct and

concentrate to use just my head!

Oh, and my biggest pagan pet peeve ever is the way Feminist Wicca treats

Kali! They couldn't be any further from the truth. Last April I led a

workshop at our local pagan women's festival on Faces of the Dark Goddess

and I made sure to set tham all straight on Kali, as well as Durga and

Kurukulla (a form of Red Tara). Western pagans cannot just jump into Eastern

goddess worship, or rather I guess they can but I doubt if many are

successful.

My favorite statement about Kali is how She is like the ocean, which also

looks dark blue from a distance, but once you hold it in your hands it's

crystal clear.

Good luck on your path, feel free to contact me directly if you have any

questions!

Love and ight,

Allison

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet

and the winds long to play with your hair.

Kahlil Gibran

(From 'The Prophet')

November 19, 2004

Ganesha has two wives, Sidhi and Budhi, am i right??.

Skanda is very important diety in tantric sadhana, esp the Skanda

purana describes the Utbava of Skanda from the five elements etc.

Does anyone know the names od the wives of Skanda?

-J

November 19, 2004

*smiles* I am glad that my inquiries have been entertaining. I also thank

you for your long, heart-given posts. I also agree with your thoughts on

Kali. Yes she may be considered "dark" in some aspects, but when I started

to research her and discern a deeper meaning, I realized how much more

complete she was...she had her "lighter" aspects, as well as her dark ones.

I made a report on her for my Expository Writing class, as well. The focus

was to dispell the malicious labels that Westerners put on her. If you are

interested, or anyone for that matter, give me a personal e-mail and I will

respond to you with my final product. Constructive criticism is always