Shakti Goddess

By
Leslie Wilson
(RGMT,WMA,INHA)

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 By you this universe is borne,
By you this world is created,
O Devi, by you it is protected

About Shakti.
Unique Attributes : Divine mother, strength, compassion, energy, power
Shakti Peeths : 51 Shakti peeths in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tibet,
Nepal, Pakistan. E.g. Katyani, Devi, Mansa Devi, Mansa Devi, Naina Devi,
Vaishno Devi etc.
Forms of Shakti : Parvati, Sati, Durga, Kali, Uma, Kamakshi, Lakshmi
Consort : Shiva / Vishnu / Brahma

Shakti (or Sakti) is the Tantric title for the Great Goddess (Devi), realized as
a sexual partner and as the innermost animating soul of man or god, like
the Greek Psyche, Roman Anima, Gnostic Sophia, and the Kabbalistic
Shekina, all based on the Skati. Jung declared her to be the figure known
as My Lady Soul: "Every mother and every beloved is forced to become
the carrier and embodiment of this omnipresent and ageless image,
which corresponds to the deepest reality in man."

February 15 Losar (Tibet)

Protection, Banishing, Communication

Symbols: The number six, magic charms; lotus

The Tibetan supreme feminine power, Shakti does not stand by idly when
we are in distress. She is an active, loving force for change. When called
upon, Shakti manifests within us as intelligence, instinct, willpower, energy,
action and ultimately magic. Shakti especially energizes communication
skills, so that our words will be heard clearly and understood.

To do today: Losar is the Tibetan new year celebration, highlighted by

monks casting out negative influences using brilliant colored costumes,
masks, and joyful dancing. Burn lotus incense or any sweet floral scent to
remember Shakti today and fill your living spaces with her abundant

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power for positive transformation. Alternatively, boil some pleasant
smelling cooking spices in water to release their aroma and energy
throughout the sacred space of your home.
If possible make a mask or a token that represents what you want Shakti
to banish. Put it on or carry it early in the day, and remove it vigorously
sometimes during your festivities. Bury this with six stones to represent
Shaktis control to symbolically bury the bad habit or situation, giving it into
Shaktis care. In keeping with todays celebrations, wear bright colored
clothing to chase away evil influences, which cannot bear the sight of
radiant beauty. 365 Goddesses a daily guide to th magic and inspiration of the goddess Patricia
Telesco

Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or

empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the
dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in
Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine
creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The Great Divine Mother' in
Hinduism. On the earthly plane, Shakti most actively manifests through
female embodiment and fertility, though it is also present in males in its
potential, unmanifest form.
Not only is the Shakti responsible for creation, it is also the agent of all
change. Shakti is cosmic existence as well as liberation, its most significant
form being the Kundalini Shakti,, a mysterious psychospiritual force. Shakti
exists in a state of svtantrya, dependence on no-one, being
interdependent with the entire universe.

In Shaktism, Shakti is worshiped as the Supreme Being. In other Hindu

traditions of Shaivism and Vaishnavism, Shakti embodies the active
feminine energy Prakriti of Purusha, who is Vishnu in Vaishnavism or Shiva in
Shaivism. Vishnus female counterpart is called Lakshmi, with Parvati being
the female half of Shiva. Shakti in Hindu belief is the all encompassing
divine mother who is the supreme feminine being and it is from her that
other forms of goddesses take birth. Shakti literally means energy and
power and it is she who is the original force behind the creation and
sustenance of the Universe. She is the Shakti behind the trinity of Gods and

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their avatars as their consorts. There are varied forms she acquires in
keeping with the situation. At one point she becomes Durga or Kali
acquiring a deadly and ferocious form to end the reign of demons from
earth. In a friction of second she turns into Gauri or Kamakshi the ever
enduring figure of motherly love and compassion.

Shakti as the underlying force of the entire Universe is generally referred to

as Devi which is derived from the Sanskrit root 'div' meaning to shine. The
Mahadevi or Shakti is the supreme cosmic being who despite the
destruction of everything is the one which is going to remain. She is the
Universal creator, destroyer, sustainer and mother all in one. Without her
consent nothing in this world can function. As mentioned above every
god in Hindu belief has his Shakti and without her he has no power.

Shakti is known to have taken birth in her nine forms which all have
different attributes. In some Hindu mythological accounts there is variation
and it is believed that the Devi Shakti was married only to Lord Shiva with
their birth over successive years. The nine forms of Devi Shakti are as
follows - Sati, Parvati, Gayatri, Rudrani, Narayani, Chamunda, Ganga,
Laxmi and Kali. There are fifty one Shakti peeths across India, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Burma, Sri Lanka where Shakti is worshipped in different
forms. These Shakti peeths are believed to be the places where Devi Sati's
parts fell after she gave up herself in the holy fire. Shakti is the primeval
source of energy and is the ultimate personification of the feminine divine
aspect.

Shakti the divine force, manifesting to destroy demonic forces and to

restore balance. Every God in Hinduism has his Shakti and without that
energy they have no power. Lakshmi is the energy of Vishnu. Parvati is the
energy of Shiva. Shakti is also called Devi or mahadevi, assuring different
roles as Sati,Parvati, Durga, and Kali.

Shakti is the mother goddess, the source of all, the universal principle of
energy, power or creativity. The worship of Shakti as the energy is the main

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objective of Tantra Yoga. Shakti is inseparable from the one who beholds
her, the Shakti-man, the masculine principle or Universal father. Shakti-
man is called the Brahman by the writers of the Upanishads. In the Tantric
tradition he is called Shiva.

The play of female energy has no beginning and no end. Although it is

restless, the energy moves through alternating periods of motion and rest,
during which order is re-established. Tantra believes that as long as the
phenomenal world exists, it is the Universal mother who is the creator,
preserver and destroyer. Thus Shakti should be worshipped as an aspect
to the divine.

The motivating force behind this eternal play that creates the illusionary
world of phenomena is the power of desire. This desire is present in the
one who is without attributes, the nameless and formless aspect of the
divine. Sanatansociety.org

Shakti Evolution

Swamini Maytitananda notes that at the beginning of Creation, as it is

written in the Shakta Advaita, the Divine Mother took form and set in
motion the wheel of manifestation. She bestowed her healing spirit into
the womb and regenerative energy of every female of every species of
the earth. According to the rishis, or Vedic seers, a woman's femininity
cannot exist apart from her Shakti, and Shakti is a metaphor for
womanhood.

David Kinsley believes that the concept of "Shakti" may be derived from
Lord Indra's consort Sachi (Indrani), meaning power. Indrani is part of a
group of seven or eight mother goddesses called the Matrikas (Brahmani,
Vaishnavi, Maheshvari, Indrani, Kumari, Varahi and Chamunda and/or
Narasimhi), who are considered shaktis of major Hindu gods(Brahma,

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Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Skanda, Varaha/Yama and Devi and Narasimha).

The Shakti goddess is also known as Amma (meaning 'mother') in south

India, especially in the states of Karnataka,Tamil Nadu,Kerala and Andhra
Pradesh. There are many temples devoted to various incarnations of the
Shakti goddess in most of the villages in South India. The rural people
believe that Shakti is the protector of the village, the punisher of evil
people, the curer of diseases, and the one who gives welfare to the
village. They celebrate Shakti Jataras with a lot of hue and great interest
once a year. Some examples of incarnations are Gangamma, Aarti,
Kamakshamma, Kanakadurga, Mahalakshmammma, Meeenakshamma,
Poleramma and Perantalamma.

Shakti Peethas

Lakshmi aspect of Shakti, India

There are 4 Adi Shakti Pith and 51 important centres of Shakti worship
located in the Indian sub-continent, which are located in India, Sri Lanka,
Nepal, Bangladesh, Tibet and Pakistan. These are called Shakti Peethas.
Most Shakti peethas have since developed into famous temple
complexes, including: Jwalaji (Himachal), Tara Tarini Berhampur, Orissa,
Katyayani (Chattarpur, Delhi), Kamakhya (Assam), Naina Devi (Himachal),
Manasa devi (Chandigarh).
Main pithas in are Tuljapur(Jagdamba), Kolhapur(Mahlaxmi), vani-
Nashik(sptashrungi), Mahurgad(Renukamata).

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Adi Parashakti

Adi-Shakti or Adi Shakti is a Hindu concept of the Ultimate Shakti, the

ultimate feminine power inherent in all Creation. This is especially
prevalent in the Shakta denomination within Hinduism, which worships the
Goddess Devi in all Her manifestations.

Adi Shaktis change to other forms

Maa Parvati
Mahasaraswati
Brahmacharini
Chandraghanta
Shailputri
Mahalakshmi
Kashminda
Katyaani
Mahagauri
Mahakali
Skandmata
Kaalratri
Sidhidhaatri

Adi-Parashakti Forms

Parvati or Sati or Durga:

She is the Dimensional (Sagun) Form of Maa Adi-Parashakti, She is the Adi-
Parashakti herself, Devi Gita declares her as complete Goddess who is
beyond to reach even by Lord Shiva (her Consort), Lord Vishnu (Her
Brother), Lord Brahma (Her Biggest Devotee). Thus She is considered as
supreme Goddess and Primary Deity in Shaktism as Lord Krishna is in
Vaishnava Tradition. She is one who is every other god or goddess. For any
matter for which we are worshipping different deities, ultimately we are
worshiping Her. She is every other Goddess e.g. She is Goddess Lakshmi

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and Goddess Saraswati in her milder form and Goddess Kali and Goddess
Chandi in her warthfull Form, more over She is Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesha in Masculine forms. Color of her Vestment is white, that dipicts
that she is Sarva gun Sampan.

Mahasaraswati:
She is the 1st partial expansion of Goddess Adi Parshakti, Who is primary in
satva gun, She is the original power of Lord Brahma. She is Goddess of
knowledge, Creation and learning. She is giver of all kinds of arts. She is
one who slayed Shumbha and Nishumbha, who were the symbols of
stupidity and non knowledge. She was born of outer sheath of Goddess
Parvati, outer Sheath of Maa Parvati represents her hardwork, spritaulity
and bhakti. So Maa Mahasaraswati is Primary Deity of Satva Gun. Her
Nirgun Form is Sound Energy. Color of her vestment is Yellow.

Mahalakshmi:
She is the 2nd partial expansion of Goddess Adi Parshakti, She is Goddess
of material, Sustaining and spiritual satisfaction. She is original power of
Lord Narayana She is giver of all kinds of wealth and pleasure. She is one
who slayed Demon Mahishasura. She was born of Goddess Parvati's mind
expansion whose cosmic form took birth in the home of sage katya which
were then created by collection of powers of all gods in her sagun form,
So Maa Mahalakshmi is Primary Deity of Raja Gun. Her nirgun form is Light.
Color of her vestment is Red.

Mahakali:
She is the 3rd partial expansion of Goddess Adi Parshakti, She is Goddess
of Spiritual fulfillment and Destruction. She is giver of Salavation. She is
original power of Lord Shiva. She is one who helped Lord Mahavishnu to
slay Demon Madhu-kaitabha. She was born of the eyes of Godhead
Mahavishnu. Maa Mahakali is Primary Deity of Tamo Gun. Heat Energy is
her Nirgun Form. Color of her vestments is Blue.

Bhajans and Mantras

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There are many ancient Shakti devotional songs and vibrational chants in
the Hindu and Sikh traditions. The recitation of the Sanskrit bij mantra MA is
commonly used to call upon the Divine Mother, the Shakti, as well as the
Moon.

Kundalini-Shakti-Bhakti Mantra

Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo Namo! Sarab Shakti, Sarab
Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Namo Namo! Prithum Bhagvati, Prithum
Bhagvati, Prithum Bhagvati, Namo Namo! Kundalini Mata Shakti,
Mata Shakti, Namo Namo!

Translation:

Primal Shakti, I bow to Thee! All-Encompassing Shakti, I bow to Thee! That

through which Divine Creates, I bow to Thee! Creative Power of the
Kundalini, Mother of all Mother Power, To Thee I Bow! "Merge in the Maha
Shakti.

This is enough to take away your misfortune. This will carve out of you a
woman. Woman needs her own Shakti, not anybody else will do it When
a woman chants the Kundalini Bhakti mantra, God clears the way. This is
not a religion, it is a reality. Woman is not born to suffer, and woman
needs her own power.
When India and Indian women knew this mantra, it dwelt in the land of
milk and honey. ~ Yogi Bhajan (Harbhajan Singh)

Shaktism

Shaktism regards Devi "the Goddess" as the Supreme Brahman itself, the
"one without a second", with all other forms of divinity, female or male,
considered to be merely Her diverse manifestations. In the details of its
philosophy and practice, Shaktism resembles Saivism. However, Shaktas
practitioners of Shaktism, focus most or all worship on Shakti, as the
dynamic feminine aspect of the Supreme Divine. Shiva, the masculine
aspect of divinity, is considered solely transcendent, and Shiva's worship is

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generally relegated to an auxiliary role. from Devi-Mahatmya - By you this
universe is borne, By you this world is created, Oh Devi, by you it is
protected
from Shaktisangama Tantra - Woman is the creator of the universe the
universe is her form; woman is the foundation of the world, she is the true
form of the body. In woman is the form of all things, of all that lives and
moves in the world. There is no jewel rarer than woman, no condition
superior to that of a woman.

Vaishnavism

Like Shiva-associated Shaktism, Shakti embodies the active feminine

energy and power of male supreme deity Vishnu in Vaishnavism. Vishnu's
female counterpart is called Lakshmi. In Srivaishnavism, a school of
Vaishnavism, Lakshmi or Sri does not play any particular part in the
creative function of the Lord, because Prakriti is the manifest aspect of the
Lord. In Srivaishnavism, Vishnu alone is the great creator, although Sri is
coeval with Him. As Vishnu is the Father who stands for absolute justice, Sri
is the Mother of the universe and is considered to be important element in
the redemption of mankind, and is the interceder with Vishnu on behalf of
spiritual seekers.

Smarta Advaita

In the Smarta Advaita sect of Hinduism, Shakti is considered to be one of

five equal bonafide personal forms of God in the panchadeva system
advocated by Adi Shankara.

Shakti force: Devi Prakriti

Devi Prakriti (a Shakti) in the context of Shaktis as forces unifies Kundalini,

Kriya, Itcha, Para, Jnana, Mantrika Shaktis. Each is in a chakra.

Other Shakti meanings.

Can be translated as "Cosmic Energy."

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She implies "power, ability, capacity, strength prowess; regal power;
power of composition, poetic power, genius; the power or implication of
a word or term; the power intrinsic in cause to produce its necessary
effect..

Shakti is the female organ;

shakti is the active power of a deity and is regarded, spiritually and

mythologically, as his goddess-consort and queen.

Tantric doctrine stipulates mortal women are "life-itself" and Goddess-like,

because they embody the principle of Shakti.

The sages say, "...hold women in great esteem and call them Shaktis and
to ill treat a Shakti, that is, a woman, is a crime.

In Hindu, Shakti is the eternal and supreme power, variously described as

manifest energy, the substance of everything and all pervading.
The Vedic meaning of Shakti is "energy.

In Hinduism, Shakti is a term for the manifestation of the creative principle.

Yet, the concept of Shakti is derived from the old past and brahminized in
later centuries. The concept of the supreme power as female, a mother, a
womb, a vulva is not found in the pre-eminently patriarchal scriptures of
the Aryans, but arises, to be made respectable by the higher castes, from
the submerged prehistoric mother cults of the earliest people of the
subcontinent.

A Shakti was also a spirit-wife, or feminine guardian angel, who could be

incarnate in the earthly wife, mistress or whore, or a wholly supernatural
figure. "An important division of the mythology of woman is devoted to
showing it is always a feminine being who helps the hero to conquer
immortality or to emerge victorious from his initiatory ordealsEvery Teleut
shaman has a celestial wife who lives in the seventh heaven, where he
meets her and makes love to her during his ecstatic journeys.

The final union with Shakti occurs at the moment of death, according to
the Tantric mystics. She was both the individual and the cosmic goddess
absorbing the body and soul of the dying sage into herself, an experience
of unsurpassable bliss on his part. "The possession of her, the cosmic Shakti,
the living embodiment of the principle of beauty and youth eternal, is the
ultimate quest, the very highest prize."

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The Kulacudamani Nigama said not even God could become the
supreme Lord unless Shakti entered him. All things arose from their union,
but she said, "There is none but Myself Who is the Mother to create." The
Lalita Sahasranamam said, "The series of universes appear and disappear
with the opening and shutting of Her eyes." As God required her power
before he could do anything at all, so her worshipper on earth required
the power of his own Istadevata, Shakti, or fair-love."

The Middle-Eastern mystics such as the Sufis kept to a similar belief. They
proclaimed such a fair-love or fravashi essential to any mans

enlightenment.

By the Christian Gnostics Shakti was worshipped by such names as Sophia,

Pneuma, Eide, or Anima. Some Gnostic writings used sexual symbolism to
describe the union of ones soul after death with Shakti, as in the
Mandaean Liturgies for the Dead: the soul or "image" (Eide) embraces
and caresses the dead man like a beloved woman. This Tantric idea
came to the West by the Avesta doctrine that, after the death of a
believer, his own conscience would overcome him "in the form of a fair
maiden."

In Hinduism, Shakti means eternal and Supreme Power, variously

described as manifest energy, and substance of everything, and all-
pervading.

In the Vedas the term means energy.

In todays worldShakti is both connected with and identical to the

power of the gods Shiva, Vishnu, or Brahma, the great Hindu triad. From
the most ancient Hindu scriptural times Shakti, under a variety of names, is
linked to Shiva, the Lord of Sleep. Shiva is said to be helpless without the
divine energy, Shakti. The two, coupled in sexual union, are the two
inseparable forces that impregnate the universe with life in all of its forms.
Without Sakati, Shiva is merely the Void. "He has no visible from the worship
of nothingness?" The Goddess is the source of all, the universal Creator.

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Shakti, energy, is the personification of a god, recognized in Hinduism,
Jainism, and Buddhism.

In the more precise perspective, the Salti identifies the creative force of
the god . The Shakti may frequently have the same characteristics and
carry the same attributes as the principle god.

In Tantrism, the Shakti defines the unity of opposites, which is the yoni
sexuality that unites with the lingam of Shiva.

Attunement

There are no pre-requisites for this attunement. This is based on intent and
may be sent as intent or chi ball. Always ask your higher source to be with
you and always thank them for being there with you. Whatever
procedure that you do for yourself to align with receiving attunements,
please do them.

This empowerment and manual is free of charge and may be used by

anyone. The entire manual cannot be changed in any way.

Sources:
Walker, Barbara G, The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, New York, HarperCollins, 1983, pp. 929-
930
Rice, Edward, Eastern Definitions: A Short Encyclopedia of Religions of the Orient, New York, Doubleday, 1978,
p. 308
Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, p. 224
Cotterell, Arthur, A Dictionary of World Mythology, New York, G. P. Putman's Sons, 1980, pp. 69-70
Wikipedia

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