UNLOCK YOUR POWER
The feminine principle is represented in divinity in the form of Shakti. She is the energy of God. They are one, God and Goddess, and cannot be separated. This induces one to consider for a moment the magnitude and scope of the Goddess. When we think of God we often think in terms of “male”, though God cannot be defined by our conceptions. Still, we can understand the divine principle in the way God manifests, as Himself and His Shakti, or potency.
In life, we see the creative potency of the feminine. The female creates the child in her womb and births it into the world. This is a representation of the divine feminine. All of our energy, creation, potency, and lifegiving force, these are all Shakti. Shakti means “power”.
God is potent, and Shakti is the potency.
Association with Shakti is a powerful spiritual experience that brings about lasting change and spiritual evolution. There are so many aspects to this development. In understanding Her we are moving through layers of material conditioning and opening our spiritual path.
Meditations on the Goddess bring us into Her divine presence. By associating with the Her we elevate our own energy. Just by association we become more like the Goddess we are meditating on.
Shakti manifests in various forms and ways, just as God does, showing us all the facets of the divine feminine in action. There are so many stories of Her various incarnations and activities.
She is The Goddess Laxmi, The Goddess of Fortune. Wealth, abundance, luxury, good health, all are Her manifestations. When we meditate on Her, we can understand so many of her wonderful qualities.
In one recent meditation on Laxmi devi, I found these words to describe Her.
She is:
Valuable, prosperous, fortunate, abundant, flowing, generous, giving, expansive, beautiful, serene, gracious, kind, compassionate, opulent, sacred, lovely, enduring, conscious, divine, gifted, whole, life-giving, blessed, light, life, loving, complete, luxurious, sensuous, soft, subtle, powerful, calm, secure, transcendent, energetic, healthy, noble, inspired, inspiring, precious.
You may find other words to describe Her yourself. We can also develop all of these qualities. Just by knowing about Her, and understanding Her, we enhance these same aspects in ourselves. In the Vedas it is said that every woman is a manifestation of Laxmi devi.
Shakti is of course not limited to only soft and gentle qualities. As The Goddess Durga, for example, she is a fierce warrior, and we can find the warrior qualities of strength and the ability to fight and conquer. She has supreme determination, is clever in her battles, and is never defeated.
The Goddess Sarasvati is knowledge, learning, intuition and the ability to speak eloquently. She is the arts; poetry, painting, and music.
There are many Goddesses, I have so far only mentioned three. Studying all of them can expand our consciousness and give us a deeper awareness of the divine feminine principle. This can help us heal broken, wounded or denied parts of our subtle bodies. We can develop qualities we would like to have, and become aware of the deeper, more mysterious layers of our spiritual selves.
Whether you view the Goddess as myth, magic, or reality, so much can be gained from an enhanced understanding of the ways of the Goddess.
By awakening Shakti within ourselves, we are awakening the Shakti of the world.
Check back for future Goddess programs, and the new SWAY (Simply Woman Accredited Yoga) school!