Complete Goddess

[Guest guest]

In Re: the lovely painting of Sarvambikeshvari that illustrates the Intro page

of Shakti Sadhana's website -- much of the iconography of this goddess

corresponds to the qualities of the Mahavidya Bhuvanishvari, the Lady of the

Spheres.

 

Both goddeses have four arms, and carry a noose and a goad. The other two arms

make the varada and abhaya mudras (though Sarvambika Devi seems to be holding a

mala in one of her hands -- adding mantric power to the injuctions to be

fearless and accept gifts?).

 

She also has the third eye and is crowned with a crescent moon, again attributes

of Bhuvanishvari. I often correlate Lady Bhuvani's powers over the five

elements with the tarot card of the Magician, who has the elemental suits (wand

for fire, sword for air, cup for water, and pentacle for earth) on a table

before him. There is no tarot suit for Akasha -- I would suggest the bell.

 

If I ever get any money, I've considered paying an artist to draw a picture of

Ganesha dancing while holding the Western Tarot elemental suits of Wand, Cup,

Pentacle, and Sword... and a Bell in his trunk!

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste Len,

As a practitioner of both Eastern and Western streams of spirit and the profound

correlations therein I'd like to share these thoughts.

 

Though it is true that there is no suit of the Atus of Tahuti relative to

Akasha, a number of Western traditions such as Golden Dawn and Thelema use the

lamp as a symbol of spirit. Sri Paramahansa Shivaji (Therion) appoints it as

the instrument to the pinnacle of the Pentacle in his Book of Thoth. Some

cross-practitioners (including myself) use it as the elemental tool of Spirit.

 

I use this same lamp in my Eastern Puja during Aarati where the Lamp is

circumambulated around or waved before the Murti, acquiring it's essence. One

then cups their hands over the flame and transfers the blessing of the diety to

the forehead. You may also recognize this from some native American traditions

which have made their way into neo paganism by " smudging " with sacred herbs;

usually sage or sweet grass. No hard and fast rules here-just ideas which I

have found work for me.

Interestingly, the name aarati is constructed of the roots " aa " toward and

" Rati " meaning the love of God.

 

Regarding a Ganesha image, I have a line drawing of him with a number of western

elements including the Thoth deck two of cups lotus in his upper left hand, a

Trishati with a " shin " in his upper right hand and Tree of Life earrings. Let me

know if you might be interested in a copy and I will try to scan it.

 

Cliff / Nadananda

 

 

-

Len Rosenberg

Thursday, June 14, 2007 5:26 PM

Complete Goddess

 

 

In Re: the lovely painting of Sarvambikeshvari that illustrates the Intro page

of Shakti Sadhana's website -- much of the iconography of this goddess

corresponds to the qualities of the Mahavidya Bhuvanishvari, the Lady of the

Spheres.

[Guest guest]

Cliff, I would love to see your sketches of Ganesha, if it isn't too

much trouble.

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

 

, " Cliff " <numinae wrote:

>

> Regarding a Ganesha image, I have a line drawing of him with a

number of western elements including the Thoth deck two of cups lotus

in his upper left hand, a Trishati with a " shin " in his upper right

hand and Tree of Life earrings. Let me know if you might be interested

in a copy and I will try to scan it.

>

> Cliff / Nadananda

>