The Mahashakti vs. Just Another Deity

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There's a common misconception in American Neo-paganism

that Kali is a deity one can call in to help complete

certain tasks. While the intellectual conceit may help

one to establish a belief in their imagined power, the fact

is that Kali as envisioned by the neo-pagans has very little

to do with Kali as envisioned by shaktas.

 

To a shakta, Kali is everything. There are no other deities

to call in, and there is no reason to call Her in, as She

has already got all the bases covered.

 

Asking Kali to do something for you is like asking the sky

to remain blue. Everything is getting done by Her already.

To a shakta, there is only one thing a sincere devotee can

ever ask of Her, and that is for complete and total surrender

to Her. This is already the state of all apparent beings

as it stands, yet there is the possibility of an experience

of this in the form of a shakta's devotion.

 

Ramakrishna said to never ask Ma for anything except more

devotion. He used the example of a kitten as an illustration

of this. He pointed out that all a kitten has to do is go

"mew, mew." Everything that they need is taken care of out

of this simple request. They don't have to ask for more power,

or a romantic partner, or a better job, or world peace. All

of that kitten's needs are handled by their simple request to

their mother. Furthermore, the kitten knows that its mother

is much better qualified to make decisions about which wants

and needs are to be fulfilled, and which aren't, despite what

the kitten may or may not want for itself.

 

As apparent individuals, we have many wants and needs we are

trying to get met. But if we are to consider ourselves

true shaktas, as the practice has evolved in India, there is

only one thing we should ever ask of Ma, and that is to be drawn

as close to Her as possible. All other wants and needs pale into

utter insignificance in the light of the experience of true

devotion to Kali, one that comes only after one has thrown

away any and all ideas of personal power, magic, and the

manipulation of the material plane by the casting of spells.

 

--jody.