Guest guest Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Namaste, folks! I just got back from Darlington, Maryland, where Alexei and I were guest teachers at the Chesapeake Pagan Community's Summer gathering. It was Alexei's first time there (my second), and he was impressed by all the natural beauty. He was out early in the mornings with his binoculars, bird-watching. In my Pagan alter ego of Black Lotus, I presented a pathworking on the Nine Muses on Thursday morning. My pathworking followed an edifying lecture by author and Norse Pagan Diana Paxson on magical uses of the Runes. Diana waved towards a box full of her latest books when she was finished, offering to sign any copies that attendees might buy. The autograph session cut 20 minutes into my hour for presentation, and if there were any attendees hoping to pathwork, they had left when Diana was done. So Diana walked over to me, apologised for shortening my time, and asked if I would give her a private run-through of my pathworking anyway -- it seems she recently wrote an essay in Sage Woman about the Nine Muses! So my workshop had only one attendee -- but what an attendee! Diana & Laurel Mendez spoke about contacting one's deceased ancestors, and alluded to the Disir, Asatru female ancestors who guard the family. The Disir seem particularly associated with swine, and with cats. I had a sudden insight -- the Disir are analogs to the seven Matrikas in Hindu Shaktism. There are even two Matrikas with animal heads: Varahi (with a boar's head), and Narasimhi (with a lion's head)! Friday Ma Kali took an unexpected offering from me -- while eating a piece of garlic bread,I broke a front tooth! I'll have to see how and when I can have the sucker capped. (I have no dental insurance, drat it!) It seems that some attendees stayed away from my Kali Puja, out of fear that they might " lose " something precious to the Goddess. Me, I'm forever asking Kali Ma to help with my health; take away the negative symptoms and heal me, Ma! Saturday I presented the Kali Puja just before sunset. They gave me one hour -- NOT enough time to do a proper Puja! I stripped the ritual down quite a bit. Ten volunteers came up and " armed " Maha-Kali with an assortment of weapons. I told stories, and chanted mantras, and a Western feminist devotee of Kali handed me a large bottle of expensive alcoholic beverage she wanted " shared " with Kali. I explained that the Puja was NOT a Tantric one, and that I was unfamiliar with the ritual to remove Shukra's curse on alcohol. The feminist devotee insisted that Kali wanted the booze, and she had read that Kali loved guzzling the stuff. I suggested that those who wanted to share AFTER the Puja could join her later. Then, just before leading a session scattering flower petals on the deities and chanting 108 names of Kali, a jet-black toad hopped into the outdoor presentation hall! Everyone stared as it gave us the once-over, and I pressed my palms together and shouted " Jai Ma! " to the amphibian. Weird and wonderful. Several presenters thanked me profusely for my teaching, and asked Alexei and me if we could come back again next year. So maybe this will become a yearly gig. Several young women complimented me on my devotional singing, and asked for books and resources to learn more about Hinduism, especially Shaktism. So some attendees may wind up on this very List in the future! I had quite a nice time, and always enjoy talking about my devotional practices to the Devas. -- Len/ Kalipadma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Jai Ma! indeed. Thank you for sharing. namaste. pr , " Len Rosenberg " <kalipadma108 wrote: > > Namaste, folks! > > I just got back from Darlington, Maryland, where Alexei and I were > guest teachers at the Chesapeake Pagan Community's Summer gathering. > It was Alexei's first time there (my second), and he was impressed by > all the natural beauty. He was out early in the mornings with his > binoculars, bird-watching. > > In my Pagan alter ego of Black Lotus, I presented a pathworking on the > Nine Muses on Thursday morning. My pathworking followed an edifying > lecture by author and Norse Pagan Diana Paxson on magical uses of the > Runes. Diana waved towards a box full of her latest books when she was > finished, offering to sign any copies that attendees might buy. The > autograph session cut 20 minutes into my hour for presentation, > and if there were any attendees hoping to pathwork, they had left when > Diana was done. So Diana walked over to me, apologised for > shortening my time, and asked if I would give her a private > run-through of my pathworking anyway -- it seems she recently wrote > an essay in Sage Woman about the Nine Muses! So my workshop had only > one attendee -- but what an attendee! > > Diana & Laurel Mendez spoke about contacting one's deceased ancestors, > and alluded to the Disir, Asatru female ancestors who guard the > family. The Disir seem particularly associated with swine, and with > cats. I had a sudden insight -- the Disir are analogs to the seven > Matrikas in Hindu Shaktism. There are even two Matrikas with animal > heads: Varahi (with a boar's head), and Narasimhi (with a lion's head)! > > Friday Ma Kali took an unexpected offering from me -- while eating a > piece of garlic bread,I broke a front tooth! I'll have to see how and > when I can have the sucker capped. (I have no dental insurance, drat > it!) It seems that some attendees stayed away from my Kali Puja, out > of fear that they might " lose " something precious to the Goddess. Me, > I'm forever asking Kali Ma to help with my health; take away the > negative symptoms and heal me, Ma! > > Saturday I presented the Kali Puja just before sunset. They gave me > one hour -- NOT enough time to do a proper Puja! I stripped the ritual > down quite a bit. Ten volunteers came up and " armed " Maha-Kali with an > assortment of weapons. I told stories, and chanted mantras, and a > Western feminist devotee of Kali handed me a large bottle of expensive > alcoholic beverage she wanted " shared " with Kali. I explained that > the Puja was NOT a Tantric one, and that I was unfamiliar with the > ritual to remove Shukra's curse on alcohol. The feminist devotee > insisted that Kali wanted the booze, and she had read that Kali loved > guzzling the stuff. I suggested that those who wanted to share AFTER > the Puja could join her later. > > Then, just before leading a session scattering flower petals on the > deities and chanting 108 names of Kali, a jet-black toad hopped into > the outdoor presentation hall! Everyone stared as it gave us the > once-over, and I pressed my palms together and shouted " Jai Ma! " to > the amphibian. Weird and wonderful. > > Several presenters thanked me profusely for my teaching, and asked > Alexei and me if we could come back again next year. So maybe this > will become a yearly gig. Several young women complimented me on my > devotional singing, and asked for books and resources to learn more > about Hinduism, especially Shaktism. So some attendees may wind up on > this very List in the future! > > I had quite a nice time, and always enjoy talking about my devotional > practices to the Devas. > > -- Len/ Kalipadma > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 What does this have to do with Hinduism? Gary In , " Len Rosenberg " <kalipadma108 wrote: > > Namaste, folks! > > I just got back from Darlington, Maryland, > [....] > It seems that some attendees stayed away from my Kali Puja, out > of fear that they might " lose " something precious to the Goddess. > Me, I'm forever asking Kali Ma to help with my health; > take away the negative symptoms and heal me, Ma! > > Saturday I presented the Kali Puja just before sunset. They gave me > one hour -- NOT enough time to do a proper Puja! > I stripped the ritual > down quite a bit. Ten volunteers came up and > " armed " Maha-Kali with an > assortment of weapons. I told stories, and chanted mantras, > [....] > Then, just before leading a session scattering flower petals on the > deities and chanting 108 names of Kali, a jet-black toad hopped into > the outdoor presentation hall! Everyone stared as it gave us the > once-over, and I pressed my palms together and shouted " Jai Ma! " to > the amphibian. Weird and wonderful. > > Several presenters thanked me profusely for my teaching,[...] > Several young women complimented me on my > devotional singing, and asked for books and resources to learn more > about Hinduism, especially Shaktism. > So some attendees may wind up on > this very List in the future! > > I had quite a nice time, and always enjoy talking about my devotional > practices to the Devas. > > -- Len/ Kalipadma > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Namaste Gary: What does this *not* have to do with Hinduism? Len's description of his puja to Ma Kali in at a pagan gathering is a reflection of his sadhana. Shakti is not " owned " by any dogmatic religious label. The Divine Mother provides for us all. Jai Maa.._,___ > > -- -Santo " Aum Shanti Shanti Shantih. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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