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Path: shell.portal.com!shell.portal.com!not-for-mail From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) Newsgroups: alt.fan.kali.astarte.inanna,alt.pagan,alt.magick.tyagi Subject: Kali Ritual (Starck/Stern) Date: 30 Mar 1995 14:07:32 -0800 Organization: Portal Communications (shell) Lines: 150 Sender: tyagi@shell.portal.com Message-ID: <3lfa34$b5s@jobe.shell.portal.com> Reply-To: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) NNTP-Posting-Host: jobe.shell.portal.com Summary: Starck and Stern Rite from _The Dark Goddess..._ Xref: shell.portal.com alt.fan.kali.astarte.inanna:257 alt.pagan:96877 alt.magick.tyagi:2685 Kali Yuga 49950330 The following ritual was taken from _The Dark Goddess: Dancing With the Shadow_, by Marcia Starke and Gynne Stern, copyright 1993 Crossing Press: Ritual for Working with Kali It is a good idea to do the Kali ritual, as well as many others in this bookk, during the Dark Moon phase when there is little light in the sky. Women should come dressed in saris or any other Indian clothes or ornaments they have, and with any swords or instruments tht would be appropriate to Kali-Ma. The altar could be decorated with skulls and bones, a brazier or incense burner with some joss sticks or other sweet incense, red and black candles, pictures of the Mother in both her benevolent and terrible aspects, and a small bowl with some menstrual blood. Background music can be sitars or flutes when Kali is invoked. Women can also bring rattles and drums of any kind to use during the ritual. The High Priestess or four different women invoke Kali through four Hindu goddesses: [indented sections in italics - nagasiva] In the East we call in Ushas, Goddess of the Dawn, to begin this new cycle and help us see through our illusions and seek the truth. In the South we call in Parvati to bring us the fires of purification so we may be cleansed. In the West we invoke Durga to teach us to look into the dark places in our beings so tht we may not be afraid. In the North we call in Sarasvati to bring us the wisdom of India, her music and dance, so we may be wise in the traditions of the Goddess. And now, we call in Kali-Ma, Dark Mother and Goddess, Creatress of all there is. Before beginning the ritual it is important for the women to discuss which aspect of Kali they want to work with. Trying to increase one's warrior energy is a very different undertaking than attempting to isolate and communicate with the "terrible mother within" oneself. Also, in the spring (perhaps at the new moon when the Sun and the Moon are both in the sign of Taurus), one may do a celebratory ritual honoring life and the Divine Mother, for Kali is the creator as well as the destroyer. A special ritual honoring one's own mother and grandmothers is a beautiful way to honor the loving mother inside each of us. For a warrior ritual, one woman at a time goes up the altar and takes an object such as a sword or skull, that exemplifies her interpretation of the warrior energy. With this object, she tells of her need for Kali's energy, her work with bringing forth her aggressive side, and her desire to go forth into the world and slay whatever demons of injustice and oppression burden her. Then she chants and dances out her feelings while the rest of the women drum or play other instruments. Each woman is encouraged to take her turn. When all the women have finished, the High Priestess dances among the women, blessing them, and putting a drop of menstrual blood on each of them to show that they have been purified through Kali's energy. The women then sit in a circle and discuss ways of being in the world that will encourage their warrior side. If the women meet regularly, there is a chance to discuss working in unison for a cause. Finally, all the women chant and sing to Kali. Kali Durga, Na Mo, Na Mo Kali Durga, Na Mo, Na Mo Repeat eight times Women who are working on enhancing their warrior side would find it helpful to dress in red. When works with the "terrible mother", black is the color most conducive to delving deep into one's feelings. In the Kali ritual for the "terrible mother", noises are muted. After calling the directions, the women can begin to drum softly. At this point, the women all sit down and the High Priestess passes the talking stick. Each woman in the circle takes turns talking about her ownmother and the ways in which she felt stifled, neglected and abused as a child. Then, if she has children, she can turn her attention inward and see if she can find some of these traits in herself. Is she like her mother? Or does she, on the other hand, see herself as her mother's opposite? She can share ways in which she resents or is angry with her children or envious of them. If we share any negative feelings we have toward our own children with other women, we will find Kali grants us an enormous release of guilt. Kali is not a goddess who encourages guilt. She expresses the principle of being aware of one's own feelings and acknowledging them openly. In Kali lies indentification [sic] with the birth-giving female, with death and destruction, and with the hope of rebirth. For Kali, all stages of existence are a celebration of life. pp. 95-96. --------- [Additional quotes to round out the "terrible mother" rite:] Working with the Goddess Kali [excerpts] Kali is one of the most frightening goddesses to work with when we seek to express our shadow side. No woman wants to think of herself as the "terrible mother." And it can be very difficult to see one's own mother as terrible.... The "terrible mother" is the shadow side of almost all women. Even childless women carry this archetype and try to distance themselves from it. For a mother to recognize that she feels rage towards her child, to act on that rage is truly frightening.... Many women avoid motherhood out of the fear of the "terrible mother" that resides within themselves. Kali's presence can help us to come to terms with the angry nurturer within us all. Kali-Ma, the Dark Mother, holds the two edged sword; she has the power to slay the demons as well as the ability to be compassionate. Sometimes the demons are our own illusions and fantasies about life. Sometimes we are not seeing things for what they really are; .... Or we want to disguise from ourselves our own destructive anger toward people we perceive as helpless, particularly children. For many women, being the victim has become a career; it is more difficult for them to take up their weapons, acknowledge their own anger, and fight for what they want than blame others. At a certain point it becomes necessary to take Kali's sword and cut through the illusions that protect us from seeing and acting on the truth. Doing this is like shedding the snake's skin; we let go of old beliefs and come closer to our own reality. It is not always easy to do this and many go through years of therapy to be able to make significant changes. Men and Kali [again, excerpts] Men, as well as women, naturally fear the "terrible mother." Men who, as children, were pushed out of the nest too early resent the power of the mother and feel abandoned by her. Men who were encouraged to stay too long within the maternal nest and forbidden to bond with their fathers resent maternal influence. While "big mama" is a term of admiration in Black culture, it is one more of fear and dislike in White society.... Ibid, pp. 92-3 -------------- nagasiva, tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com
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