Shaktism

Kali’s Initiation

I have now started the worship of Ma/Mother Kali. 10 years after sudden realisation of the infinite self. This comes along with the tradition of the Kaulas. In ancient Bengal it came to be known as Uttara Kaula and Natha Sampradaya. Those Ecstatic Yoginis and Sadhvis. Those Babas, Aghoras and Naga Sadhus, At-One-Ment with the Universe and all living creatures. In all it is known as Kali’s Kula (family). Life on Earth belongs to Her. She is the great flow, organic and spontaneous. Her form is meant to appear to a true seeker. The Devi is subtle and most subtle. So subtle. At the same time she is all of this. Some say that she is in the form of Mantra. Verily the Goddess is our very selves and aspects of the self, ourself. This view and attitude hasn’t always been there and come about in various mysterious ways. She is sound and the musical scale. Her form is female. She cannot be conquered. There have been a number of women in my own life. Who have helped me along the way. Each coming and going at different stages or phases. Making the learning that much more vibrant.

Kali Kali Maha Kali
Sarva Pap A Harnini
Tryambake Gauri, Narayani Namo Stute

Initiation has power. There is a fine power that flows through assuming an identification which is closer to reality. Initiations are of various types. Directly through one’s own consciousness, through our spirit animal guides, through dreams, through Mantra and via a vision of the Devi. Below is the form and version of an initiation from teacher to student. May you be blessed!

From the Uttara Kaulas of Uttaramnaya, Kali Kula.

Inspired by the life, tradition and work of Lokenath Baba, Sri Pagala Baba, Mahendranath Dadaji (Lawrence Miles) and Vilasnath (John Power). Continued through Dattatreya Dev (Prashant Roy).

This initiation is traditionally performed by naked guru to naked sishya to mark a return to the primordial state. To maintain the polarity it is best passed from male to female or vice-versa. This may not always be possible. The naked aspect of the rite is obligatory and any inhibition would prevent candidature for initiation. Absent initiations can be performed for someone in another country or place, or even post-mortem, as is the case with the ‘Tibetan Book of the Dead’, or ‘Bardo Thodol’ as it has been Anglicised, which evolved out of the Bon ‘Tantra of the Secret Union of the Sun and Moon’ and ‘Doctrine of the Six Lights’. By raising the bodily shakti energy in the nadis a net is created that ensnares the soul of the initiate as they are summoned, if recently deceased. For those still living but absent, yet equipped with the information on mandala construction, it is possible in this age of technology for guru and candidate to synchronise the time and ends of their rite, with the initiator preceding his/her actions to those of the candidate’s activity. A full Moon at midnight is always chosen.

Most people seeking initiation to the Uttarakaulas will be familiar with other traditions and recognise a dialect of initiations they have undertaken elsewhere. Creation of shrine and circle are the simple beginnings of the first level of activity dedicated to the first aspect of the Goddess. The Kali Mantra and Vira Vrat will be imparted at time of initiation.

As one progresses along the path, one will encounter the Ullāsas – Exhilarations (Stages of consciousness during Ritual practice as a pair/couple or group according to Urdhvamnaya, Kularnava Tantra).

1. Ārambha – Beginning – Rise of 3 tattvas
2. Taruna – Juvenile – Juvenile pleasure
3. Yauvana – Youth – Proper mental exhilaration
4. Praudha – Mature – Faltering of vision, mind and speech
5. Praudhānta – Post Maturity – Ecstasy of pleasure mongering. Forgetting ones own thoughts. No consideration of propriety.
6. Unmanā – Excited – Equilibrium beyond body and senses.
7. Manollāsa – Hearty Exhilaration – The supreme pleasure of divine impulse.

Mantra leads us towards a relationship with the Devi. To combat ones own daily needs. Our ups and downs. Our fears and sorrows. Sooner or later clarity may dawn. Eventually should you wish, she may lead you on to the path of liberation. Get to know her more, often. Do this by yourself. Establish a connect and a connection with Her. There is of course no need to force a situation, just allow it to flow. The practices that go beyond your private mantra will take you through different states of consciousness leading to an expansion in awareness. And to put simply, it is the ecstatic elation one feels during the secular sexual act, pushed a bit further into the realm of the sacred. Of course one can not be in the bliss of copulation or consuming the 5 tantrik tattvas all the time. All these sadhanas are essential for removing the ground of duality that all human animals are fixated on. Until one moves towards a non-dualist perception there can be no hope and suffering continues. So this is why having Ma (the great Mother Goddess) by your side is so important. She is ethereal and cannot be perceived with the naked eye. The reality that is within the spirit realm has to become a reality for the aspirant for them to truly experience life to its fullest. May you experience her in all her forms!

Approaching the Goddess. And further aspects of the Self. Internal Work.

One has many experiences in between Sleeping and Dreaming. In the spiritual journey specifically, it is a place of great work. So you have observed your breath for a few years now. The gentle ha sa or so hum. You have practiced reciting AUM repeatedly. You’ve also observed your dreams. But what else have we observed? In this sadhana, as we get closer to a clearer picture of ourselves and who we are, there are numerous forms that also begin to come to us. Beginning with animals, half human half animal, human divine and fierce fearless ones. There are many types of Shava sadhana or Smashana. The sleeping, corpse position in the eternal burning ground. For the solo traveller, she (the goddess) may be approached in the cremation ground. For the meditator, through the power of meditation and the usage of mantra. And for the rest of us it will be our own bed. During that state of rest. While we have slept alone certain visions may come. But for those who share a bed with a loved one, a whole new set of visions will occur, in that rather deep state of balance, with the polarities of the sexes. Sexuality and Death are intimately connected, as one without the other, nothing in this world would exist. The image of the Goddess atop a male body is most well known form of Kali. But what is the actual significance of this? It is nothing but the appearance of Her cosmic form. Your cosmic form. For those of us not given to extremes or long winded practices, the best place is your own bed. Natural and spontaneous. So, while we continue our mantra chanting and reading of sacred texts, let us observe what realities we may unlock within ourselves. Thus presenting the nature of the cosmic body. From Nada to Bindu to Yantra to Formless Forms to who we are when we awaken. These are all first evolutes from Spirit into Matter and vice versa. It has been and will always be so. Therefore, these are all levels of realisation. 

Let us try and understand the above iconography. Sleep and Dream have much to offer us. Some profound initiations and spiritual understanding may occur. One need not try too hard. As this is the world of spontaneity. What ever naturally arises, arises. This only gives us a better understanding of our selves. Who we truly are and our place in the cosmos. This forms originate in the animal kingdom as one notices the sharp teeth on both Kali and Bhairava. In our shamanic studies we get acquainted with our spirit animal guides (vahans in India). Who, while we are not journeying, appear in both waking and sleeping states. All of these guides come with medicine, which is in fact assimilating our potential in order to gain the full spectrum of the human experience. If you are not relating to any of this, do not worry, there is always a next life (they say).   

All this comes under Kali Kula (which includes Kaula) sadhana as we move towards transcendence. Most likely to have originated between Orissa and Bengal. Or spontaneously across the globe. All this is for men and woman, in the great balance. The infamous Aghora sadhana is largely for singular ascetics. With varying degrees of overlap, within a Guru – Disciple relationship. They are not exclusive and rather interrelated. The biggest difference occurs on the gross levels of waking state or rather how we live our own life. So a lot depends on where you are and who you’re with! 

The darshan of Kali runs so. In some places known as Tara, Durga and in others as Kamahya. In all she is the Devi and the vision of the Devi is an indication of our spiritual development. And perhaps opens avenues that were previously closed in our daily life and quest. As all deities are parts of our very true nature, more than anything these practices brings one closer to Reality and consequently emancipation. So no need to find a corpse to sit on for the Devi to appear. Go to the place you die (the escape of identity), the bed. You cannot see the goddess with the naked eye. You will have to be naked but you will only see her through the mind’s eye. She comes to conquer fear. Some of you might be having profound experiences already. Some of you will eventually need that ultimate vehicle called Kuladravya (intoxicant), to traverse the different states of consciousness. Our cosmic body. The emanation of deity whether in human or animal form is the very blueprint of our cosmic form. Whether poetic or real, these are things to be experienced and not discussed. Each one of our journey will be different. Mostly it is the events that occur spontaneously that have the most meaning in our lives. So experience, assimilate, understand and grow. 

For those of you interested in gaining supernatural powers, by all means do. But it is a rather arduous task. Goddess worship dates all the way back to the Indus and Dravidian civilisations. It is known as Shaktism today. Most Goddess figures have not survived or turned into male figures. While ultimately our true state goes beyond the sexes, what has occurred with Devi worship deviates highly from its original purport. In South India you may still find rudimentary goddess worship in the form of the forest, rivers and the trees. Nagas were also part of worship and bring their own primordial medicine. There is a story of a yogi who used to live next to a snake. The people observed that during his meditation the serpent would go straight up the back and fan out. Manasa Devi? The Goddess of the Mind.   

Which now brings me to Mantra. How does one begin all this? It begins with clarifying the mind. Through a myriad experience you will go, but along the journey take a Mantra, Meditate and assimilate. The power of mantra only comes in its practice and not otherwise. Certainly not by just reading.

Sacred, Worship, Bare, Fearless, Naked, Erotic Pleasure, Truth, Reality, Emancipation.

The meditation and sleep practices will eventually not be enough. Because we don’t want to simply think about what the limitless state may be like, but we wish to go there, and experience it. Sexual practices and Kuladravyas will be employed in the next levels after initiation. There is of course nothing preventing an individual from exploring, experimenting, living and loving. All of this is of course for/from Moksha and the betterment of society. Remember, forcing a situation and desperation are not recommended by the Devi.

Maithuna, Ritual Sexual Practice. The Man and Woman are in polarities which need to be balanced in order for the heightened state of awareness to pierce through into the/that infinite realm. This is Transcendental Sex/Union and will lead to the transcendence of subject – object dichotomy. Exploration, Experimentation, Excitation is advised. Pleasure is but a door way to the immortal realm. Of course to be conducted within sacred space. Take your time, there is no where else to be! With reference to the worship of Kali, besides being the primordial energy and goddess within us all, also signifies Time and the conquering of it. This form of worship can take place with or without an Initiation.

“Siva without Shakti is shava, a corpse. Those who try to raise shakti power from their basal centre alone will be waiting a long time! Shakti energy proceeds from female crown centre to base chakras before its ascent to male crown and completion of the circuit” – Vilasnath

Below are excerpts from Amoral Way of Wizardry by Dadaji Mahendranath Maharaj: