tantra goddess
Tantra goddess worship has evolved over time, with the goddess assuming different names and faces, her characteristics reflecting the beliefs of her followers. To some she is the creator, the mother, the huntress; to others she is the healer, the protector, the nurturer. Basic aspects of the goddess are consistent throughout time and culture, such as associations with fertlity and death. In most cases Tantra goddess worship is a balance of both male and female deities. The Tantric religion worships only female deities, believing that she embodies both the male and female principles and is the supreme Divinity. Tantra is by definition a form of Hindu and Buddhist religious practice. The central theme in Tantra is the realization of the macrocosm within the microcosm, represented in the human body. The goal of tantra goddess worship is to reach an awakened state of higher consciousness by incorporating all the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Tantrikas, those who practice Tantra, use a meditation technique in which they attempt to visualize each part of themselves in order to liberate it.
The female energy that is attempting to be liberated is represented by a coiled serpent (kundalini sakti) sleeping at the base of the spine in one of seven chakras, or centers. Through meditation and mental orientation, the serpent is awakened and travels up the spine through the other chakras. The final chakra is at the top of the head, the site of blissful awakening. As each chakra is opened, the sadhaka (aspirant) experiences different states of consciousness. All the thoughts in one’s mind can be utilized as a stepping stone to reach spiritual enlightenment, enabling one to transcend all earthly concepts and to see everything in divine function. High spiritual enlightenment is only reached when one learns how to harness every force in life. Tantra goddesses represent aspects of the cosmos that relate to human aspects, mental, physical, or both. The sadhaka works to identify a specific deity, and locate and awaken it within himself. The hope is that once the goddess has been awakened within, the sadhaka will then be able to awaken the quality that that goddess represents. Worship of the goddess, or puju, occurs within the person once he or she has awakened her. Some of the qualities said to be discovered after invoking the goddess are wisdom, increased senses and perceptions, and magical powers.
Return from tantra goddess to Home
|
