First things first. You do not have to be a Hindu or practice a particular spiritual tradition to establish a connection with Kali/Mahakali. Like many Hindu deities, Kali is represented in different forms.
The classic form of Kali has four arms and is usually depicted with blue or black skin.
Mahakali is associated with the ultimate spiritual power. She has ten arms and she is generally depicted with ten heads and ten legs as well.
Mahakali represents the Absolute.
The most popular form in Bengal is Dakshina Kali. She has four arms and is standing on top of the Hindi God Shiva. Dakshina Kali is benign and considered the protector goddess. The blue form of Dakshina Kali is called Shyama Kali
Often when I witness a situation which seems to be tragic, dramatic and intense I recognize Kali’s hands at work. The human mind is often not capable to comprehend the divine perfection in the creative and forceful destruction process.
For those who never heard of Kali. She is the Hindu Goddess of transformation and she embodies fierce, fiery mother energies and is known to be as ultimate destroyer of dark forces. You can see her as an aspect of your higher self, or your consciousness and an archetype of the feminine power or even rage who can teach you how to stay awake in the midst of the storm.
Kali can bring you the hardest lessons because she is the Goddess of truth and she wants those who are caught up in the world of Illusion to wake up from the world Maya at all costs. Any attempt of using this powerful, catalytic energy for the wrong reasons will always backfire.
Maya is the illusion that the world is as it is perceived via the senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.
Maya can also mean the appearance of something, such as an object or situation, that appears to be one way because we filter it through a certain lens, but is really another.
For example, when we are caught up in fear and battle lower emotions we will project our internal state on all individuals who cross our way and create the illusion that we live in a hostile and dangerous world.
When we have only purity, love and compassion within us we will experience that the world is benevolent and beautiful.
Maya represents the perceptions created by one’s beliefs, conditioning senses and upbringing or things that the collective agrees to be true.
Maya reinforces the ego and defines our connection to the external world. It is only through quietening the mind and withdrawing from the external world through meditation that real truth can be experienced.
Go within, go within, go within….
Number 9 is associated with Kali. Her colours are black, red and yellow.
KALI’S BIRTH
According to my research, there are several stories of how Kali came into existence. The name Kālī first appears in the Atharva Veda, a collection of hymns and mantras published between 1200 BCE and 1000 BCE. A different version, The Linga Purana which is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, and a Shaivism text of Hinduism, describes the story when the warrior goddess Durga, who had ten arms each carrying a weapon and who rode a lion or tiger in battle, fought with Mahishasura (or Mahisa), the buffalo demon (The demons in the legends represent our own shadow side, the parts of our consciousness that create conflict, fear and misunderstanding). The author(s) and date of the Linga Purana are unknown, but it is estimated that the original text has been composed between the 5th- to 10th-century CE.
Many images of Kali display Kali with a long tongue. And she often appears scary, ugly and dangerous. She is simply the mirror of your state and she will mirror you back the same level of consciousness you approach her. The higher the level of consciousness of the individuals the more they are able to interpret the images of Kali symbolically. The skulls around her neck are then not seen as something to scare people off but as letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, the origin of the sound. Kali’s white teeth symbolize sattva or serenity; her red tongue, rajas, or activity; and her drunkenness: tamas or inertia. It is in her darkness where all differences dissolve beyond form. She will always remain paradoxical because she holds the energies of fear, confusion and destruction and the energies of fearlessness, love, bliss and liberation. She is the goddess which will initiate the most traumatic drama to wake people up from their sleep and to cut through any illusions of the ego or pride. She invites you to embrace the light and the dark. Those who believe to know her will often be in for a surprise sooner or later.
Durga, the goddess of feminine empowerment who is an expert in fighting demons became so enraged that her anger burst from her forehead (third eye) in the form of Kali.
Once born, the black goddess Kali who was so in love with truth went wild and ate all the demons she came across, stringing their heads on a chain which she wore around her neck. Kali was not willing to compromise even a notch of illusion or untruth. It seemed impossible to calm Kali’s bloody attacks, which now extended to any wrongdoers, and both people and gods were at a loss what to do. In her explosive outrage, wrongdoers had not even a tiny chance to survive. She continued to destroy, and she was unstoppable.
Fortunately, the mighty Shiva stepped in and stopped Kali’s destructive rampage by lying down in her path. Shiva was able to meet her in her darkness and in her intoxicated rage. When the goddess realised just who she was standing on, she finally calmed down and came back to her senses. This story explains Kali’s association with battlegrounds.
Shiva in this story represents the aspect of our consciousness that can stay awake in the middle of a battle. That’s why Shiva and Kali go together. Shiva is pure, formless consciousness. It dissolves everything.
In my own life as I went through an intense maturing process as a woman and experienced many times that the storm was part of the expansion process.
Kali is widely misunderstood in the west by those who are chasing superficial positivity and shallow spirituality. Kali comes from the Sanskrit root word Kal which means time. She is the power of time which devours all.
It is partly correct to say Kali is a goddess of death but She brings the death of the ego as the illusory self-centred view of reality. She is not for the faint of heart and she is merciless to those who are stuck in their ego.
At the same, she is mostly benign and loving to those who are genuinely committed to realize the truth and to cut through any illusionary ego perspective. Probably one of the most famous Kali Devotees was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa or the contemporary teacher, Amritananda Ma. They recognized behind Kali’s fierce expression pure divine Love. Her darkness is the mysterious darkness of the ultimate void.
“My Mother is the principle of consciousness. She is akhanda Satchidananda; indivisible Reality, Awareness, and Bliss. The night sky between the stars is perfectly black. The waters of the ocean depths are the same.
The infinite is always mysteriously dark. This inebriating darkness is my beloved Kali….”
-Sri Ramakrishna
“There is an overwhelming intensity, a mighty passion of force to achieve, a divine violence rushing to shatter every limit and obstacle. All her divinity leaps out in a splendour of tempestuous action; she is there for swiftness, for the immediately effective process, the rapid and direct stroke, the frontal assault that carries everything before it.
Terrible is her face to the Asura, dangerous and ruthless her mood against the haters of the Divine; for she is the Warrior of the Worlds who never shrinks from the battle. Intolerant of imperfection, she deals roughly with all in man that is unwilling and she is severe to all that is obstinately ignorant and obscure; her wrath is immediate and dire against treachery and falsehood and malignity, ill-will is smitten at once by her scourge.
Indifference, negligence and sloth in the divine work she cannot bear and she smites awake at once with sharp pain, if need be, the untimely slumberer and the loiterer.
The impulses that are swift and straight and frank, the movements that are unreserved and absolute, the aspiration that mounts in flame are the motion of Mahakali.
Her spirit is tameless, her vision and will are high and far-reaching like the flight of an eagle, her feet are rapid on the upward way and her hands are outstretched to strike and to succour.
For she too is the Mother and her love is as intense as her wrath and she has a deep and passionate kindness.”
-Aurobindo
“She is so bright and glorious that you cannot look at her face or her garments for the splendor with which she shines. For she is terrible with the terror of the avenging lightning, and gentle with the goodness of the bright sun; and both her terror and her gentleness are incomprehensible to humans…. But she is with everyone and in everyone, and so beautiful is her secret that no person can know the sweetness with which she sustains people, and spares them in inscrutable mercy.”
-Hildegard of Bingen
When we have many blind spots we can do things from a well-intended place but they might still work against us or cause harm to ourselves & others.
Some individuals try to be helpful without realising that they create unconsciously co-dependent dynamics or project their own disempowerment, limiting beliefs and lack of awareness on to others. This observation is not meant to be a judgement as we all have blind spots in various areas. Recognizing those patterns for what they are and starting to change them can ease a lot of unnecessary pain, suffering and struggle.
Kali was one of the biggest influences on my awakening journey so far and she does represent everything and nothing to me. Kali-ma is so much more than words could ever convey and those who have ever felt her divine presence, energy and grace will understand and know what I mean. If you come to from a place of innocence with an empty mind she will fill you up with everything that will bring you forward on your spiritual journey or she might also help you to let go of everything that you have been holding on out of fear, insistence or stubbornness that is no longer serving you.
Since I have been working intensively with essential oils lately two oils came through in connection with Kali.
Oregano and Frankincense
Oregano is a very fiery and hot oil and it is the oil of non-attachment. It can help you to listen to the guidance of your higher self instead of the guidance of the insecure or fearful ego. It is a great oil to help you with energetic boundaries and to see through any situations where you have weak boundaries or are too soft and allow others to take advantage of your goodhearted nature. Just like Ma Kali is a Warrior Goddess, Oregano is a Warrior oil.
It is interesting that Frankincense came through because it is a masculine oil and Kali represents the Divine Mother.
I assume that in this context Kali represents the absolute.
Frankincense is an amazing oil that reveals any deceptions especially if someone is telling a half-truth deliberately to get their way without seeing things clearly. Just like Kali, Frankincense cuts through illusion and deception very fast and connects you straight with source without detours and deviations. This is not necessarily comfortable but is ultimately liberating.
If you choose to order the oils through me you will receive access to a comprehensive private high-quality education and an extensive collection of study materials for your explanation and your personal and spiritual development journey. If you genuinely love natural solutions, authentic powerful relationships and would like to connect with your soul family I would love to welcome you into our mighty essential oil team. The access to a conscious community and heart to heart connections with women who have the courage and tenacity to create a life that is worth living is invaluable.
Just like your dreams and visions are priceless and should not be put last. In my coaching work, I work nowadays with clients who are wholeheartedly committed to their dreams and are passionate and enthusiastic to take courageous action. The essentials will be a great support on many different levels. Everyone who orders the oils through me can also schedule a complimentary 1 hour well-being or transformation consultation via zoom.
I look forward to connecting with essential oil enthusiasts and positive, joyful, uplifting a d conscious individuals who take their dreams seriously and the wellbeing of the planet seriously.
Learn here how to order the purest high-quality essential oils.
Hi, I am Erika – Shri Lakshmi.
I am a life-purpose coach and holistic counsellor. It’s not a requirement but people usually come to me in transition. My approach is both practical and mystical/spiritual. My mission is to invite you into higher states of being by cultivating inner awareness, empowerment and love.
I have been unconventionally living life on my own terms while serving the most gorgeous clients all around for around the world for around a decade now. My heart is full and the work I do is highly fulfilling and rewarding.
I can deliberately enter an expanded state of consciousness and have mastered the ability to tap into the SOURCE of LOVE, WISDOM, ABUNDANCE and POWER and I am strongly dedicated to further learning and expansion.
The boldness, determination and courage to walk the path less travelled has opened many doors that exceeded my wildest dreams and I am very grateful for the opportunity to pass this knowledge and experience on and to be of service to the greater WHOLE.
What is stored in our causal auric layer determines our day-to-day experiences. Mindset work might be a great start but is often not enough to change deeply ingrained karmic and ancestral patterns. No matter how motivated and determined we are to shift things. There is more than meets the eye and even more than meets the mind.
My superpower lies in shattering outdated paradigms and tuning in to the unique karmic frequency of my clients to activate their higher calling, including the highest confidence, self-love and empowerment vibration so that they can move forward quickly, uplevel their personal and professional life without unnecessary detours, holding back and feeling stuck. My life is a demonstration of the expression “be in this world but not of it”. I implement spirituality into everyday life in a practical way and help my clients to collapse time so that their life can start to blossom and bloom in a way they might not have imagined.
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Comments
Thoroughly enjoyable informative read! Thank you for compiling this & shedding light on what many deem as evil or bad or destructive….
very helpful article.