INVOKE THE
GODDESS
About the Author A lifelong student of the Mysteries and practitioner of conscious connection with the Divine, Kala Trobe is thoroughly enjoying this era of ever-increasing awareness of the sanctity of all life and its infinite potential. She paints and writes on such themes as spiritual evolution, goddesses, and magicks. She also reads tarot professionally, celebrates diversity, and loves languages, insightful literature, travel, and cats.
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INVOKE THE
GODDESS Connecting to the Hindu, Greek, & Egyptian Deities
KALA TROBE Llewellyn Publications Woodbury, Minnesota
Invoke the Goddess: Connecting to the Hindu, Greek & Egyptain Deities © 2000, 2019 by Kala Trobe. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Second Edition, Revised First Printing, 2019 First Edition, 2 printings Book design by Samantha Penn Cover design by Shira Atakpu Interior Art by Kate Thomssen Llewellyn Publications is a registered trademark of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Trobe, Kala, author. Title: Invoke the goddess : connecting to the Hindu, Greek, and Egyptian deities / Kala Trobe. Description: Second edition. | Woodbury, Minnesota : Llewellyn Publications, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references. Identifiers: LCCN 2019011663 (print) | LCCN 2019014980 (ebook) | ISBN 9780738759647 (ebook) | ISBN 9780738759623 (alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Hindu goddesses—Miscellanea. | Goddesses, Egyptian—Miscellanea. | Goddesses, Greek—Miscellanea. | Invocation—Miscellanea. Classification: LCC BF1623.G63 (ebook) | LCC BF1623.G63 T76 2019 (print) | DDC 133.9—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019011663 Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business transactions between our authors and the public. All mail addressed to the author is forwarded but the publisher cannot, unless specifically instructed by the author, give out an address or phone number. Any internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific location will continue to be maintained. Please refer to the publisher’s website for links to authors’ websites and other sources. Llewellyn Publications A Division of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive Woodbury, MN 55125-2989 www.llewellyn.com Printed in the United States of America
Other Books by Kala Trobe Invoke the Gods Magic of Qabalah The Witch’s Guide to Life The Magick Bookshop Magick in the West End How to Find Your Inner Priestess The Little Book of Pocket Spells (as Akasha Moon) Ascension (a novel) Spiritus (a novel) The Mystical and the Mundane in the Works of John Cowper Powys
Dedicated on a wave of frankincense and patchouli oil to Geraldine Chelvaiyah, nĂŠe White, 12/04/49 to 13/10/2018, daughter of Isis much loved and missed; and to Roxy, Sophia, and Isla
contents
introduction • 1 Part I: Hindu Goddesses CHAPTER 1: SARASWATI • 19 CHAPTER 2: DURGA • 35 CHAPTER 3: KALI • 47 CHAPTER 4: LAKSHMI • 63 CHAPTER 5: RADHA • 71
Part II: Egyptian Goddesses CHAPTER 6: ISIS • 87 CHAPTER 7: NEPHTHYS • 105 CHAPTER 8: HATHOR • 111 CHAPTER 9: MA’AT • 119 CHAPTER 10: SEKHMET • 127
Part III: Greek Goddesses CHAPTER 11: ARTEMIS • 137 CHAPTER 12: PERSEPHONE • 149 CHAPTER 13: HECATE • 161 CHAPTER 14: APHRODITE • 173 CHAPTER 15: IRIS • 185
glossary • 193 bibliography and recommended reading • 201
x Contents
introduction
Invoke
the Goddess is a magickal workbook. It is designed to enable the reader to access and channel specific goddess wavelengths. By interacting with these deities and maintaining a strong inner will, it becomes possible to gain blessings and insight, to influence the psychic space in which we exist, and thus to alter personal circumstance. With the goal of individual gnosis in mind, and in order to attain specific practical results, five goddesses have been selected from each of three major religious backgrounds: Hindu, Egyptian, and Greek. The exercises and visualizations allow one to access these deities on a personally interactive as well as a cosmic level. Each goddess offers properties and experiences applicable to our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives. That positive visualization can bring positive results is a fact widely heralded, and an underlying principle of this book. However, the visualization processes described within are no mere placebos; the godforms involved are intelligent entities and interaction with them may take place in what seems to be the imagination, but it is not imaginary. As anyone who has practiced such meditations and bhaktis will confirm, the deities, whether they start on the earth plane as statues, images, symbols, or focused thoughts, very soon take on a life of their own, and the results inevitably filter down to the material planes.
1
Equally real is the effect of these encounters on one’s psychology. The visualizations lead the participant into a direct encounter with a powerful archetypal deity, whose symbols and presence will make a profound impression on the subconscious, stimulating one’s innate capacity for self-healing and self-development. The same applies to the visualizations for specific goals, such as acquiring a long-term partner or attaining prosperity; not only does a seeker appeal to a relevant deity, but one’s higher self is brought into action, aiding that process: “The gods help those who help themselves.” Also included are exercises designed to help seekers delve in a controlled manner into the murkier areas of their psyche and, with the aid of a divinity, bring conflicting currents to check; or, even better, to harness these disturbances and “negative” experiences as a creative and evolutionary energy source. These qualities are particularly available through the more challenging goddesses such as Kali, Sekhmet, and aspects of Hecate. Sometimes it becomes crucial to look into the painful darkness of our own fears and faults before we can experience a trusting deliverance into the light. These inner journeys are described step by step as far as is possible without subjecting the psychic voyager to a contrived experience. Room has been left for personal extrapolation, while every effort has been made to aid creative thinking and to provide enough signposts to keep the seeker on the right path. However, preset routes are by their nature far from definitive, and seekers are encouraged to use their own judgment and interpret them accordingly. Personal encounters are always more relevant than second-hand knowledge, though the latter is helpful in guiding us to the relevant area of the universal psyche. These experiences are, after all, archetypal, and subsequently par-sculpted by all who have undergone them. Because such a clear subconscious map exists in our astral and etheric DNA, it is very safe to use one’s intuition in these exercises. In so doing, one is accessing wisdom far greater than that normally made available to us. These exercises are intended to create intense and transformative states in the user. Their aim is predominantly healing and magickal elevation, enhancement of quality of life, and reconnection with spiritual Source.
2 Introduction
How to Perform the Visualizations There are several ways to approach these visualizations. Many of the exercises are performed by candlelight and involve meditative states, and some readers may prefer a ritualistic approach, but this by no means excludes the possibility of simply visualizing while reading the exercises. Indeed, this can be very powerful, particularly if done in a state of heightened emotion. Additionally, every chapter begins with a section of poetic prose specifically designed to stimulate the imagination and open it out toward that particular goddess. For some, focused reading alone will be enough to set the magick rolling. A few years ago, for example, I heard from a man who declared himself a former cynic, now converted to a wider awareness. Invoke the Goddess in its original form had landed in his vicinity via a family member at a time when he was due to interview for a job he particularly wanted, and it caught his eye. Considering nothing ventured, nothing gained, he decided to try a new approach. After consulting the index of goddess functions, he went to the Lakshmi section and found the exercise most appropriate to his cause: for spiritual and material well-being. In a quiet space, he cleared his mind, and in his own time went through the mental processes described. Unversed in any yogic practices and not keen on candles, incense, or mantras, he simply focused and strongly visualized whilst reading the text. A suitable state thus attained, I am thrilled to say he got and kept the job. The moral of this story is to do what feels best for you and do it your own way. I too have often had powerful experiences while simply reading and strongly imagining rituals or magickal techniques, often also by writing them down. A great deal can be achieved on the astral/spiritual planes while the body remains relatively immobile, a principle that underlines all of these visualizations. We each have our favored approaches to supplication and worship with its many ramifications, some active and demonstrative, while others may find gestures, chanting aloud, and so on to be distracting. This book provides for all attitudes and gives ideas rather than rules. If you prefer not to punctuate your meditation by referring to the book, one option is to familiarize yourself with the “route� beforehand. Memorize the major symbols or make bullet-point notes and capture the essence of the goddess by reading the sections describing her personality and functions. 3 Introduction
Once you have committed the exercise to memory or summed it up handily, you should be able to perform it while in a relaxed, meditative state. Another possibility is to have a friend or partner read the exercise aloud while you visualize it. This can also be done in group situations with one person reading and the rest taking the inner journey. This of course has the added advantage of enabling participants to exchange experiences and information afterward if so desired. Finally, you could record yourself reading the exercise and leave suitable space to accomplish the various stages of the meditation. This allows you to be absolutely relaxed when the visualization is performed and drift off into inner space with no holds barred. A couple of attempts at this will enable you to assess your time requirements at each stage. Like every living thing (whether apparently so or not—think trees, rivers, mineral formations), god- and goddess-forms are intelligent patterns of energy, albeit particularly refined and powerful ones. They are entities full of personality and sacredness, perhaps elevated into a prolonged and enhanced existence by the intense and continual input of other beings, perhaps entirely independent. Some developed from and provided the atavistic necessities of the species, such as light and warmth (solar and fire deities) and food (gods of hunting and harvest); others have brought forth and grown from civilization, such as gods of intellect and artistry. Myth attempts to project inner reality onto a cosmic screen as well as to describe the nature of our arrival at consciousness. Not only are the gods and goddesses at large on the astral and spiritual/ causal planes, they are also in our very midst every day. I do not mean courtesy of psychic perception alone, but as psychological archetypes alive in us all in some shape, form, or mixture; usually the latter. As many a witch or spiritual psychologist knows, it is great fun to spot the Ancient Ones wandering through our lives in an often quite blatant manner as nomadic archetypes, and these can provide us with valuable psychotherapeutic clues as to our nature and needs. More and more of the godforms are making themselves known in this manner; the age-old constellations of consciousness are comprehensively spangling our inner space.
4 Introduction
The rise in popularity over the last decades of many ancient pantheons reflects a modern need to reclaim personal interaction with both the natural world and the divine. It expresses a global desire for deities of specific function and form unavailable in most orthodox religions. No longer is a clergical intercessor required to create or sanctify one’s connection with Source: a huge advantage of the current occidental era is that the God(dess) has now become personal. Of course, in some venerable religions such as Hinduism, particularly Advaita, this has long been the case, with the divine by its very nature being everywhere rather than made manifest exclusively inside a humanmade building or via a ministry in a preapproved context. In general, however, independent spirituality has been anathema. It is a huge privilege to be present in a time and place in which personal mystical experience within the belief system of one’s own choice is possible, legal, and no longer unusual. Channeling and/or interacting with the divine has consequently never been freer or more socially acceptable. That being said, I am a firm believer in discretion when discussing or revealing one’s personal spirituality and magicks. With so much dependent on the perceptions and preconceived notions of the listener, an authentic experience can easily be sullied by their doubt, disbelief, envy, or even laughter. Casually talking of, or portentously announcing, even small psychic interactions can provoke misunderstanding, prideful self-delusion, and apparent boastfulness, and is likely to dissipate the positive import and authenticity of the interaction. Harken ye well unto the powers of the Sphinx: “To Know, to Will, to Dare, and to Keep Silent!” The practitioner may benefit from attunement to astrological specifics when deciding when to perform the visualizations or by picking a day or date that relates to that deity to aid the vibrations, although this is not a necessity. Moon phases are key to any spell and will likely prove relevant; seasons and their flora and symbols are also referenced alongside the exercises where significant. Keeping a fast prior to the visualizations is a bonus, as is restraint from any negative indulgences. The eating of meat is anathema to most spiritual practices for numerous reasons. Please bear in mind which deities you are dealing with: it would be vile, for example, to approach a Hindu god or goddess, 5 Introduction
to whom the cow (Gau) is most sacred, with beef on your breath or in your gut. Likewise would it be counterintuitive to approach those bastions of justice and temperance, Ma’at or Iris, while tipsy or high. Common-sense awareness should allow you to deduce these important aspects of courtesy and taboo. Washing before ritual is of huge benefit: see the next section. All of this being said, the most essential factors are an open heart and mind. Once your celestial interchange has been established, thank the Goddess and offer gifts as seems apt to you: a flame, incense, a flower, or more elaborate offerings. Afterward, allow the deity to “depart” before you do. Otherwise, just go with the sacred flow!
Ritual Baths Ritual baths or lustrations are an excellent preliminary to any magickal endeavor, creating a suitable atmosphere and relaxing body and mind alike. It is traditional, of course, to make ablutions before worship and ritual in almost all cultures. Modern takes on this theme range from simple salt baths to elaborate psychic consommés, and a recipe appropriate to the individual goddess is given prior to most of the meditations. In addition to the herbs and essential oils traditionally used in bathing waters, gemstones may be added to cold water and left for a while to imbue it with their specific qualities. Rose quartz, for example, exudes positive, compassionate properties that are of great use when dealing with hurt feelings and the cosmic chill of lack of faith. A quantity may be left to soak in water, and the water then poured into the bath in conjunction with rose oil and perhaps some pink solarized or “Aura-Soma”–style water. The person who steps into this bath is unlikely to remain unhappy for long. Color-treated water is particularly good to use in the ritual bath; it strengthens chakras and aids with visualizing them. However, use natural dyes from flowers, spices, herbs, and barks, and in moderation so as not to tint or irritate the skin. Never use chemical colorings. Alternatively, you can simply visualize the color suffusing the water before you step into it. Candles around the bathtub also create a wonderful ambience. Their colors may be chosen with a specific aim or chakra area in mind.
6 Introduction
A Brief Guide to Color Usage Red: Strength, determination, passion, sex Yellow: Emotional healing, health, financial prosperity, intellect Orange: Vitality, happiness, antidepressive Green: New beginnings, balance, growth, fertility, financial prosperity Pale Pink: Comfort, love, affection, heart-mender Dark Pink: Fun, challenge, adventure, feisty frolickings, sex, beauty Blue: Calming, inspiring; poetic inspiration Violet: Spirituality, inner vision, psychic development Purple: Akasha (deep spiritual knowledge), high ritual; spiritual, physical, and/or emotional self-sacrifice Black: Self-protection, attack, vengeance, curse-making and breaking, powerful psychological changes Turquoise: Self-defense, both psychic and physical; attunement to the cosmic will in action
Chakras There are many detailed books as well as free online articles and lectures on the complex subject of auras and chakras; the newcomer is advised to purchase or watch one. Opinions vary as to some chakric associations and properties, largely due to the conflict between traditional Hindu-Buddhist symbolism and modern interpretations of the chakras. For the sake of clarity, in this book I have adhered to the Westernized version, which allies the chakras with the colors of the spectrum and makes them simple and effective to visualize; however, the arcane symbols and colors may be of more relevance to some readers. It is good to experiment in both schools of thought in order to deepen understanding and to find which feels best for you. A chart or banner depicting the chakras in order will provide an invaluable mental map of the psychic bodies; keeping one in the room in which you meditate can be very useful. 7 Introduction
The Sanskrit word chakra means “wheel” or “discus” and indicates the shape of the energy points known by that name. Hindu deities are often depicted clasping a serrated one as a formidable weapon of spiritual and physical power. Within each of us, these discs of colored light are spiritual and emotional energy-centers to the physical and etheric bodies, and their condition tells much about their owner’s state of emotional, spiritual and even physical well-being, the three frequently being connected. They are in many respects the digestive system of the soul, the part of the constitution that takes sustenance from the cosmos and specific spiritual sources and makes it usable to the individual. Just as DNA carries the genetic code of physical lineage and the psychophysical blueprint of the vessel of flesh, the chakras record the subtler patterns of our lives: thoughts, deeds, and all that is emotional or high-level. The soul’s chakric structure (aka its astral form) works with the materials available to create the physical body, and (as much as is possible) the circumstances most fitting for the inhabiting soul’s next set of lessons and experiences. As each chakra relates to a separate part of the body, set of glands/hormones, and psycho-spiritual function, it follows that its speed, depth of color, condition, and psychic appendages are indicative. These may be perceived by observation through the third eye or ajna chakra itself, or in whatever other way one receives intuitive information. For example, a cardiac complaint might be visible in the heart chakra as a rift or murky coloring at the center, or the person focusing on it might sense a density of energy. Most likely it will have an emotional and spiritual origin that is also visible to psychic vision. Such manifestations are of course as various as their perceivers and subjects, but, as with the visualizations themselves, certain symbols are universal. A broken heart could manifest as savaged auric fiber or bruised or bloody coloring, while unwillingness to love for fear of rejection may be apparent as an armored area in the chest, or a small, tight box. We see here the root of psychosomatic illness; emotional problems stored in the aura overlap and infect the relevant part of the physical body. The emotional grievance of a broken heart subsequently disrupts the material health of the body and can bring about a cardiac condition. For those of a sensitive constitution, it is all too easy to literally die of a broken heart—and 8 Introduction
not just for love; all sorts of anxieties and disappointments may be responsible. Clearly the maintenance of a healthy astral body, chakras included, is of paramount importance to total well-being. Chakras are also the generators of the aura, the glowing body-sheath of sometimes-visible energy. By maintaining and conditioning them, we influence every aspect of our manifestation and its well-being. There are seven major chakras in the human body. They are, in descending order: crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, intestinal, and root. Each relates to a particular gland: pineal, pituitary, thyroid and parathyroid, thymus, pancreas, adrenal, and reproductive, respectively. Each also performs specialized functions, which are indicated below. The Sanskrit name and associated gland are noted in parentheses. Crown (Sahasrara/Pineal)
The crown chakra is located at the center of the top of the skull. It is a major inlet for prana, the universal life-energy. This is the chakra most relevant to spiritual matters, and its Sanskrit title translates as “thousand-petalled,” the lotus of perfection in meditative symbolism. It is an indication of the soul’s essential purity that its color is an effulgent white. Third Eye (Ajna/Pineal/Pituitary)
Located between and slightly above the eyebrows in the bindi position, this is the center of inner vision, intuition, and innovative ability. The ajna is the third eye of psychic and spiritual insight. Through this chakra we access Akashic information, the contents of the “cosmic library” or universal subconscious. Its color is purple. Throat (Vishuddha/Thyroid)
Connected with communication, spiritual guidance, and the ability to listen (and hear), this is an important “people skills” chakra. It is pertinent to the endocrine and thyroid glands. It is sky-blue or white and located in the middle back of the throat and should ideally be felt to vibrate when chanting. Meaning “pure/purification,” an emphasis is apparent on speaking and propagating both truth and good will. 9 Introduction
Heart (Anahata/Thymus)
This is the green zone in the center of the sternum. Its position allies it to pulmonary as well as cardiac functions. Meaning “unstained,� the anahata is the open and innocent part of us all, the essential purity of mind and soul, unbroken by doubt, pain, cynicism and negative emotions. It is strongly associated with the faculty of hope, and is the emotional center regarding love ties, particularly those of an innocent or aspirational nature. From the heart chakra extend astral/etheric cords that connect the individual karmically and emotionally to relevant people and places, covering many timespans. Consequently, it is possible to use these cords to trace, for example, a soul-bonded partner from a former incarnation, or to employ them as telepathic communication cables. The properties of this chakra are so extensive, covering literally the entire body, that it becomes clear why the proper functioning of the psychophysical organism requires affection and love, and why the pursuit of it consumes so much of our time on earth. Solar Plexus (Manipura/Pancreas/Liver)
Located a few inches below the heart chakra, in the soft tissue at the bottom of the rib cage, is the yellow solar plexus chakra. This zone is intimately connected with feelings, emotions, and gut reactions, and is often the real cause of gastrointestinal discomfort and conditions such as IBS in times of nervousness and stress. Like the heart chakra, the solar plexus is also a center for telepathic and empathetic communication. The cords that extend from it are representative of one’s interaction with other entities, their thickness depending on how frequent the contact has been, and the level of its impact. Unfortunately, these ties bind us just as tightly to people we hate as to people we love, sometimes more so. There is no better way to build up a lasting psychic rapport with someone than to feel strongly about them, either positively or negatively. Conversely, the best way to avoid being bound with another is to block them from your mind and render them irrelevant from the start, though this can be extremely hard to manage when one feels, angry, insulted, rejected, endangered, or any of the plethora of emotions that blight 10 Introduction
most of us from time to time. There is more to the advice “turn the other cheek� (i.e., fail to react) than straightforward pacifism: hurt feelings blur our judgment and can wreak havoc; allowing oneself the chance to calm down, chant a mantra, and regain perspective before reacting is always wise though all too often impossible. No wonder so many yogis and mystics live alone in forests and caves! If it can be attained, ignorance really is the best form of defense. No unnecessary interaction, no hindrance to one’s spiritual ascent. The cords connecting us with people and places of little personal significance are, of course, the thinnest and most difficult to trace. The manipura center is also connected with morality issues, worldly ambition, and vice. Intestinal (Svadhishthana/Adrenal)
This orange, spinning disc is connected with our faculty of interpretation, as well as with digestive and endocrinal functions. Body fluids are controlled from this zone, as are charisma and vitality levels. It therefore affects our ability and desire to interact with others. The intestinal chakra lies halfway down the stomach, between the navel and genitals. Root (Root/Muladhara/Testes or Ovaries)
The red base chakra relates to sexuality, connection to earth, and instinctive feelings, such as fear in life-threatening situations. If we have a purely sexual relationship with somebody, they will be connected to us primarily through this chakra (although purely sexual relationships are in fact very rare, being more of a function of incomplexity than our spiritual constitutions will normally allow). The intestinal and base chakras share the function of sustaining our physical response to sex, though all of the chakras have an influence in one way or another on our proper response to psychosexual stimuli. The immune system and basic survival modes are also controlled by the root energy center.
Chants and Mantras We are blessed by Hinduism and Buddhism especially with a wealth of ancient, scientific mantras immaculately attuned to each individual deity; indeed, 11 Introduction
Sanskrit words and intonations are deemed to be godforms in and of themselves. Thanks to the complimentary wonders of the modern world, these spiritual formulae are now accessible online, along with translations, correct intonation, pronunciation and so on. This is the most incredible asset to the spiritual seeker. Of course, different strokes for different folks, but the reader is encouraged to access and practice these chants as their intelligence and intuition dictates. To jaap (chant reverently) with a mala (prayer beads with which to count the repetitions, usually to 108)—or even silently and entirely immobile—is one of the easiest means of shedding ego and gaining spiritual insight. It soon becomes evident that the syllables, sounds and words are indeed living entities and that the deities concerned abide within the mantras and are activated by their repetition. The neurological as well as spiritual effects of this simple tool are nothing short of mind-blowing, and the reader is encouraged to delve further. For our purposes here, relevant mantras may be found at the end of the initial descriptive passage on each Hindu goddess.
Aum/Om The Sanskrit word is often spelled om but properly pronounced aum. Meditation on it prior to any and all of these exercises will help immensely. This syllable embodies being and not-being; it is ultra-reality in the form of sound. For meditative purposes it is usually intoned “AU” as in “home,” higher pitched; “UUU” as in “moon,” slightly lower; proceeded by an emphatic “MMMM,” lower pitched still. These syllables represent the cosmic processes of creation (Brahma), preservation (Vishnu), and dissolution (Shiva), and contain all that is possible to be created, done, thought, and believed … and arguably plenty more besides! Sanskrit and mantra are mediated by Saraswati, who gives musical and linguistic form to concept. Sometimes it is preferable to make the “aum” sound aloud, vibrating it from your lower throat upward, with the final part at the front of the mouth. It is good to vibrate it wholly while running it up and down your spine and through your chakras, but this depends on circumstance and levels of privacy: obviously, inhibition does not aid inner tranquility. A good alternative or sup12 Introduction
plement to chanting out loud is provided by the many excellent recordings of Hindu and Tibetan mantras now widely available. There are some superb samples on YouTube, for example. The dramatic atmospherics can thus be absorbed privately on headphones. The sometimes rather alarming-sounding ceremonies of Tibetan monks especially contain an extremely high dosage of “aum” and are excellent for helping evoke the sound in one’s head. Once you are familiar with mantras, it is possible and often desirable to chant them mentally, whether using a mala, asanas, a musical instrument, or without movement.
Index of Goddess Functions Purpose
Goddess
Abuse, coping with
Kali
Amends, making
Nephthys
Athletics
Artemis
Attraction –of a sexual partner
Aphrodite
–of a long-term partner
Radha and Isis
–of money
Lakshmi
Balance
Ma’at, Iris
Beauty
Aphrodite, Isis
Body shape, changing
Artemis, Sekhmet
Chakras, conditioning
Iris
Change –accepting
Persephone
–encouraging
Saraswti
Coming out as gay, trans, or other
Durga, Hecate
13 Introduction
Purpose
Goddess
Communication skills
Iris
Complacency/status quo –challenging
Kali
–attaining
Hathor, Lakshmi
Confidence
Durga, Kali
Creativity
Saraswati
Depression, combating
Persephone, Saraswati
Desire
Aphrodite
Diplomacy
Iris
Discrimination, combating
Hecate, Ma’at
Divination
Isis
Endurance
Hathor, Artemis
Exam performance
Saraswati
Exorcising the past
Kali, Persephone, Radha
Faithfulness
Isis
Fertility
Hathor, Isis, Lakshmi
Friendship, creating against the odds
Hecate
Gender fluidity
Artemis
Getting even
Durga, Hecate, Kali, Ma’at
Growth
Hathor
Happiness
Lakshmi
Healing
Isis, Nephthys, Saraswati
Inspiration
Saraswati, Isis 14 Introduction
Purpose
Goddess
Integration
Hecate, Iris
Intuition
Isis
Justice
Hecate, Ma’at, Iris
Love –attaining long-term
Isis
–attaining sexual
Aphrodite
–letting go temporarily
Radha
–letting go permanently
Radha
Magickal ability
Isis
Money
Lakshmi
Nurturing
Hathor
Phobias, overcoming
Kali
Physical fitness
Artemis
Prejudice, overcoming
Hecate
Psychism
Hecate, Isis
Separation –coping with or causing
Radha
Sexuality
Aphrodite
Shamanism
Sekhmet
Shape-shifting
Sekhmet, Artemis, Isis
Strength –emotional
Durga, Kali
–physical
Artemis
Stuck in the mud; escaping
Saraswati 15
Introduction
Purpose
Goddess
Study
Saraswati
Success
Lakshmi
Truth
Ma’at
Weight gain/loss
Artemis
Wisdom
Hecate, Ma’at, Saraswati
Witchcraft skills
Hecate, Isis, Persephone, Sekhmet
16 Introduction
part i
HINDU GODDESSES
CHAPTER 1
s a r a s wat i
Usually she can be found by the sacred river’s edge, or floating on her lotus, her black hair flowing down a moon-white sari, the air alive with the mellifluous music of her vina. Saraswati’s fingers on the strings cause golden ages to arise, and when she ceases from her craft, civilizations fall and the universe is diminished. She sits in mantric meditation, a crescent moon upon her forehead, bindi of light, drawing deities from her potent spoken spells. 19
She crafts the notes into yantras, geometric shapes infused with Vedic energy. These she may give as rewards to her favorite poets, sages, and winsome minstrels wandering lost in the world of delusion, of Maya. She will dip her admirers in the river of despair, blacker even than her pure black hair, or make them dance spinning into the mire; then on Hamsa, the pure white swan of infinite transcendence, she will glide to them, offering gifts. A searing draft of inspiration to unclog the blocked channel; a suddenly discovered talent to the sensitive whose skills seemed useless; an iron will unto the genius whose mind kept slipping sideways, downward into matter, undisciplined. Thus will she hone her devotees to perfection once they have been baptized in her eternal waters. Silver as moonlight she glides, a breath of fragrant hope floating above the tumultuous depths of ignorance; her gifts of speech, culture, and religious quest the rafts of our religious transiting. Look! Beyond the river sits a gleaming city of many marvels— Saraswati’s citadel of astral gold, as yet uninhabited. A populace big enough to fill it must first brave the treacherous waters, following the Muse—and utopia will be theirs. In the meantime, bards may sing and others dream of her promise, elevating thought and art, with every aspiration moving one step closer to fulfilment of Saraswati’s gifts, and of the soul’s sublime potential. Aum Hrim Aim Kreem Saraswati Deviya Namaha
Saraswati
the Tridevi, or holy trinity of goddesses in Hinduism, along with Lakshmi and Parvati. She is Goddess of Supreme Wisdom, Knowledge, Language, and the Arts. In some scriptures she appears as a female counterpart or Shakti of Vishnu, along with his wife Lakshmi. In other versions she is wife of Brahma, God of Creation, sometimes his daughter, and occasionally both. According to the Matsya Purana, for example, Brahma creates Saraswati as he meditates upon pure goodness, doing this in different descriptions from his mouth, navel, or seminal fluid. The new is one of
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goddess is so effulgently beautiful that he soon falls in love with her. Anxious to escape his amorous advances, the modest Saraswati positions herself out of his direct gaze. In order to view his creation, Brahma creates another face. Saraswati moves, and again Brahma generates new features with which to appreciate his daughter, eventually totalling five. At this point Saraswati flees to Shiva for protection; he promptly sobers Brahma by tearing off his topmost, or fifth, head—representative of ego. Contrite, Brahma resolves to bless his daughter instead of pursuing her, giving her the free-flowing assets of a river with the ability to irrigate the minds and souls of men; bestowing her with the ability to gift speech to mankind; and finally, having her reside within his very form, so that he might never stultify and always learn more. At times Saraswati is paired with Ganesha or with a local god pertaining to the arts. Considering the great antiquity of Hinduism—its primary dissemination by shruti, or spoken word—and its spread over a vast continent as well as to other countries, disparities are not surprising. However, she is usually depicted alone, happily independent, belonging to no individual, just as the arts themselves belong not to their creator so much as to humanity itself. Saraswati’s name means “fluid” or “flowing,” as is water that can be river or lake or rain; as is a spirit when joyful to be part of the universe, imaginative and inspired; as is good music, poetry, inspiration itself. She is also known as Vak, or speech: Saraswati offers the tools by which to reflect upon and thus understand one’s human nature, and its ultimate truth—all is connected and we are without exception each part of the Absolute. Thus her name also means “one who bestows essence of self.” In her aspects of Supreme Goddess of Speech, Vagisvari (she is sometimes said to derive from the five tongues of Brahma) and of Wisdom, Mahavidya, Saraswati is seen as the mother of the Rig-Veda; all of the scriptures are her metaphorical children. She also features in the Puranas as Goddess of Language and Linguistics, often foiling demonic entities through this medium. For example, at the request of the devas for help against the demon Kumbhakarna, Saraswati cunningly twists his tongue as he claims a divine boon, thus causing him to request “Nidra-Asan,” or sleep, rather than “Indra-Asan,” or the seat of Indra. When the god-hating demon Rakshasa has undergone austerities and is 21 Saraswati
about to claim a boon from Brahma, Saraswati again steps in and causes him to say, instead of “nirdevanta”—let there be no gods—the subtly differentsounding “nirdratva,” or “let me sleep.” He promptly falls into a slumber from which he can awake only once every six months. Thus, Saraswati is a goddess of precision in execution, of absolute clarity. Her tricks demonstrate the dire consequences of speaking carelessly, and the spell-like properties latent in each syllable, each seed-sound. Presiding over language and its articulation, Saraswati is also matron goddess of theater and thaumaturgy; of enlightenment through entertainment. Playwrights, actors, and all involved with the arts appeal to Sarawati for divine inspiration. The knowledge and skill she provides are yogic—that is, they unite body and spirit, opening the psychic constitution to be filled by the waters of the Divine. This in turn channels spiritual bliss and potential liberation. In contrast, many of the arts associated with Lakshmi are commercial, pleasurably time-wasting, and are subsequently deemed impure from a Brahmic standpoint, although Lakshmi when worshipped in her entirety also offers wisdom and morality. However, it is Saraswati who denotes moksha-patni, the arts that generate liberating wisdom. This in turn leads to skill and all sorts of self-development that can help harness wealth, symbolized by Lakshmi: although popularly depicted as rivals or antitheses, Saraswati and Lakshmi can in fact bring highly complementary elements. In the Rig-Veda particularly, the oldest of the Hindu scriptures, Saraswati features as a river goddess, thus denoting fertility, free-flowing spirituality, and the purity and life-giving properties of water. Later on her fertility came to be regarded as primarily cerebral rather than physical; she is the spring of inspiration, imagination, and creativity, as well as of language and learning. In the Rig-Veda, the river Saraswati runs a now-arid course parallel to the ancient Indus, from the Himalayas northwestward to the sea. The present-day river associated with her, the Sarsuti, runs a quite different course: the “drying up of the Saraswati river,” on whose banks the Vedas themselves were most likely written, could either be taken literally, or as a metaphor regarding the drought of spiritual wisdom of this era, the Kali Yuga. Debate continues as to the exact location of the river this goddess once personified; aerial photographs have recently been revealed of what some scholars deem to be its 22 Chapter 1
original course before India’s territory was divided as it is now; opposition to this theory is inevitably political as much as scriptural. Whatever the case regarding her geographic embodiment, the nowindependent Saraswati’s connection with initiations and religious experiences is clear, as is her affiliation with all water, or spirit, which flows to earth from the heavens, and with the concomitant hydraulics, which require intelligent study to apply and which are symbolic of all fruitful endeavor. In the Vedas, India is sometimes referred to as Sapta Sindhu, land of seven rivers; of these, it is the Indus river which later gave the word Hindu via the Greeks to the populace of its latter-day banks, and the word India to Bharat. As well as acting as a territorial border, the crossing of a river denotes the oft-troublesome transit from old circumstances to new, and bathing of course represents rebirth; as such Saraswati also presides over healing properties and processes. She is a baptism-epiphany goddess, and guards over the processes thus engendered. Saraswati is also a source and upholder of emotions such as nostalgia, hope and inspiration—essential ingredients of any musician, bard or artist. She is the Muse herself: music, poetry, and scholarly success are amongst the boons she can bring. She improves memory, and is approached for aid in study and educational issues. Chanting her mantras can improve learning skills and fend off mental deterioration and senility. She is widely worshipped in India as Goddess of Culture and Learning, her spiritual presence in schools and universities being equally vital to that of the teachers, books and pens— and nowadays, computers—that are venerated in conjunction with her. Her associations with sound and meaning make the singing or chanting of mantras an especially beneficial manner in which to approach Saraswati. Saraswati represents the essence and meaning of the Vedas; thus all knowledge, sacred and secular, originates from her. Naturally she is honored as mother of Sanskrit, most ancient, holiest and wholly spiritually precise of languages. Riding Brahma’s white swan, Hamsa, she glides above the murky imperfections of the material (earth) plane, the graceful epitome of purity, intelligence and transcendence. She is divine eloquence. The creation of all the worlds and their inhabitants is accredited to Saraswati and Brahma during their celestial honeymoon, a singing into being of multiple thoughtforms 23 Saraswati
through sheer joy and playfulness, which, like Lakshmi’s lovemaking with Vishnu, lasted many ages. Saraswati is also Mataji, the divine mother of her devotees, the homely and nurturing aspect of copious Hindu goddesses. Even the ferocious Kali is often approached as such, and will indeed respond favorably to the trust her “children” necessarily invest in her. However, where Kali represents necessary destruction and dissolution, Saraswati, rarely fierce and ever-dreamy, preferring the power of the word over that of the sword, personifies creative intelligence. As such she is represented as dazzlingly white, clad in a moonbright sari—a luminary in the world of dark ignorance. Because she is instigator of the arts, she is matchless in grace and beauty, an expert in the endless variations of the celestial dance. Her name reflects the lucid, luminous, liquid qualities of her form and movements. When depicted, Saraswati sometimes has one face and four hands; sometimes five faces, eight hands, and three eyes; and on occasion, in her Mahasaraswati aspect of Durga/Parvati, she also sports a blue neck. Her first four hands hold a vina (lute), aksamala (rosary), padma (lotus flower), and pushtaka (book). The other four clutch a sankha (conch shell), chakra (discus), trishula (trident), and ankusa (elephant goad). The rosary is illustrative of spiritual sciences: yoga, meditation and mantras. In Saraswati’s case it is often made of pearls, white as Indian moonlight in autumn, one of her seasonal attributions; sometimes this is substituted with a crystal mala: another type of beaded prayer-chain or “garland”. The discus shows that she is not without defence: a chakra properly thrown is a formidable weapon, and the same may of course be said of the trident. The chakra also incorporates into Saraswati’s repertoire of human excellence the dimension of physicality and athletics. She is a balanced goddess, quick to indicate the proper and timely use of our skills to further human development—hence also the elephant goad, provoking this symbol of heavy, dense matter swiftly in a specific direction, overruling it with intelligence. Lord Ganesha uses the same tool to remove obstacles from the path of Dharma. Worshipped in schools and universities, the attribution to Saraswati of these tools of self-improvement makes perfect sense. The lotus flower represents the unfolding of all life in perfection, and its microcosm, the individual crown chakra; while the lute demonstrates cre24 Chapter 1
ative rendition. Conch shells represent alertness and the act of listening, as well as having obvious aquatic associations. Saraswati’s noose suggests that we may hang ourselves by overindulgence in one area or talent; that life is finite so no time to waste, and suggests the self-eliminating impulse experienced by many creative and spiritual types who find themselves helplessly mired in the maya-matrix: the mundane, illusory world. Overcoming the challenges of the Dark Night of the Creative Soul is itself an initiation. The peacocks by which Saraswati is often accompanied are beloved of the Hindu pantheons and particularly sacred to Krishna, gentle god of love and attraction; they carry a double meaning. In one sense peacocks are regal and beautiful, their plumage apparently featuring the all-seeing eye; they symbolize the full glory of spiritual practice and the opening of the ajna and crown chakras particularly. In another, they have long been associated with ostentation and the dangers of the material world, primarily of pride, and their piercing screech and unattractive feet have upheld this dichotomy. However, the self-aggrandizement and ignorance that they can symbolize would of course be held well in check by a divine entity, so they keep their tails closed in the company of Saraswati, aware of the wisdom of humility. We should not “display” our knowledge for its own sake, or in order to outshine others. Their beauty is intense, however, as a reflection of the divine: “The Pride of the Peacock is the Glory of God,” as poet-artist William Blake put it in Proverbs of Hell. Saraswati is often depicted with a swan, representing the ability to glide over the murky waters of imperfection; or with a goose, a bird reputedly able to separate milk from water, or spiritual truth from falsehood. Thus Saraswati is the civilizer, the impulse to evolve, taking humanity step-by-step from cave to computer, from clodhopping to Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance), from flesh-tearing brutality to intelligent discernment and finest cuisine (again aligning her with Lakshmi, generally deemed a more materialistic deity: but both are needed). She would rebuke, however, any insular extreme—hence one of her symbols being the noose—expressiveness and unity of mind, body and spirit are paramount to her criteria, just as in any good school’s curriculum: mindfulness, meditation and respect for the sacred should be taught along with the sciences, humanities and arts. 25 Saraswati
All that unites profound thought and learning with spiritual intuition and creativity, lies in her domain.
Approaching Saraswati: Preparation Saraswati presides over evening prayer, and early evening is an appropriate time to approach her; the fuller the moon the better, as Saraswati is said to “shine like many moons” herself. She is sometimes described as being smeared in sandalwood paste, so sandalwood incense is beneficial in evoking her. Saraswati’s puja is celebrated in early spring, thus buds and spring flowers, especially yellow ones, will also help to create the environment conducive to this goddess. A bath with lotus or ylang-ylang oil should help you relax and get you on the right wavelength. Light candles of white and yellow, and contemplate the perfection and unsullied beauty you are about to encounter; listen to some relaxing music as you prepare (preferably mantras, kirtan, sitar …). Appreciate the skill, both spiritual and practical, that went into its composition. One would be nothing without the other—we all know of music that is emotional drivel, or conversely, empty melodic structures; this balance is one of Saraswati’s major facets. In her, the practical is elevated by higher feeling, and high-flying ideals are earthed through skill and craftsmanship. She is the force that brings the strands of interlacing harmony to the mind of the musician, who listens and writes, or plays them spontaneously. She is the music of the spheres, an audible sacred geometry. Consider how poetry, sculpture, and innovative art spring up whenever she is near. Meditation on AUM is the ideal start to these exercises. When you have relaxed, surrounded yourself with pleasant scents, and performed your preparations, meditate on the “aum” sound for as long as it takes to get fully in the mood. You are now ready to encounter Saraswati on the inner planes.
Exercise for Inspiration Sit comfortably on your floor, chair or bed, keeping your spine as straight as possible. If you are a yogi/yogini in training (or actual) and can manage lotus posture or some other suitable asana, all the better.
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Having laid the mantric foundation with the “aum” sound, you are ready to progress to recital of one of the simplest and best mantras for balanced creative pursuits: that of “aum kring kring kring.” Strictly speaking, this should be chanted (or mouthed while mentally chanting) at least 108 times, counted out on a rosary/mala. Completing the mantra will guarantee your success, so it is well worth setting aside the time to see it through. It will also create a mood conducive to the following visualization. Start all the exercises by assuming the posture most comfortable to you but which won’t induce sleep, and draw a few deep breaths. Golden light is pouring into the top of your head. Be aware of your chakras, starting at the tailbone and rising up; of your state as spirit made manifest. Gradually, the chakras begin to turn and whir, and as the speed increases, so does the light flowing into and from them; at first slowly, dimly, like a lamp in fog; then brighter, sharper, more effusively. Continue this process until the lightproducing motion is firmly established in your mind’s eye, your body is shining with colour, and preferably, until you can physically feel the glow. Now, mentally link the pulsating, growing energy of your tailbone area with the zone above and between your eyes. Breathe in deeply and out deeply, aware of the base chakra’s light beginning to seep upward as you do so. Next, deliberately and firmly pull this red energy up your spine toward your third eye area. Notice how the two types of chakra-energy combine to form a deep reddish-indigo. Your base chakra continues to spin brightly, infused with the purple color from your third eye zone. Now your base chakra, spine, and pineal gland are all glowing with a vibrant indigo-red. Holding this color strongly in your mind’s eye, take a deep breath of light and imagine you are traveling in lotus posture over a vast purple sea whose waves shimmer in a thousand hues of purple and red, creating sharp and subtle colors you would never have thought possible, so subtle, diaphanous and multidimensional are they. The sky in which you are levitating is also purple, but a deeper, more intense shade punctuated from time to time by passing distant moons— silvery-white orbs whose light seems to make you travel faster and higher. You can change speed and direction with a flick of the switch of will, but at 27 Saraswati
the moment you are happy to be traveling through such a beautiful astral space on your way to supplicate the great goddess Saraswati. After a while you begin to perceive thin silver cords around you, invisible to your outer vision, but you can feel them growing thicker; reminiscent of the strings of a lute. They seem, on closer inspection, to be vibrating with infinitely pure atoms of skilfully plucked sound. There are many of them being sounded at once, and you are traveling faster still into the heart of this symphony, your vision sharp and senses rejoicing in this astral wonder. Now, call to Saraswati. Ask her to allow you to approach her in search of inspiration. All around you are tiny atoms of pranic energy, vibrating very quickly and making you envision each as a universe in its own right. Your body is also charged with positive energy: the prana is permeating you even as you hang suspended in Saraswati’s sacred space. Before you know it, a glowing white figure sitting serenely in a lotus flower is gliding toward you. You can see the tiny red light of her bindi from here, like a rose petal on snow. Gracefully you begin to fly toward her, still in lotus posture. Even as you think it you arrive, touching her feet in humility. Saraswati’s hand alights on your crown chakra, sending vivid shots of energy into your brain and down your spinal cord. The purple sky, which you know is saturated with all the energy of all the universes, is being absorbed into your body via the top of your head, your ears, your mouth, and through the back of your neck, at the medulla oblongata. Observe Saraswati, Goddess of all the Arts; and how she interacts with you. When you feel fully charged with creative ability and potential, thank her. Wait for Saraswati to depart before you do. Never turn your back on her—social graces are important to this goddess—the same of course goes for all deities. Politeness will be rewarded, while rudeness and laziness are anathema to Saraswati, most cultivated and courteous of goddesses. Observe everything you experience as she leaves and as you return, and when you do, open your eyes and immortalize the experience as a thank-you offering to Saraswati—write it as a story or poem; paint it; turn it into music or dance. Such a gift cannot fail to please the Mistress of the Arts.
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Visualization for Self-Healing: Aiding Transition and Change Saraswati can also be approached for healing powers, for yourself and others, especially if the ailment is psychological and connected with trauma or maladjustment to change. Depression after a bereavement or agoraphobia as a result of an unwelcome move or loss of social status are examples of Saraswati’s potential healing domain. She helps us transcend our concerns and take a fatalistic overview—in its most positive sense. An advanced Hindu neither celebrates good nor bemoans loss, and is aware that circumstances on this plane are continually in flux and that pleasures and pains are merely transitory; in some respects, Saraswati embodies this belief. However, through Saraswati the intense experiences are not simply endured, but are sublimated into the arts; thus even the destructive becomes creative. A visualization along this vein could bring you the necessary zest and courage to break out of a low period and try something creative and new; anything from learning a new language to writing a song or a poem. Saraswati teaches us that everything happens for a positive purpose, and she can help us cross that difficult river of change, be cleansed, and reach the shore in safety. Sit quietly, shut your eyes, and mentally gather together all of your negative feelings about the situation you have been undergoing. Think of the things you would like to leave behind—those aspects of your life that have been hindering your progress. Bundle all of your hurt, disappointment, and reticence into a big black bag; take as long as you need to strongly feel and envision this process. Now, visualize yourself standing at a river’s edge. This side of the bank represents your past, the river is the process of change, and on the other side awaits your new, liberated life. Take the big black bag of woes and bury it by the water’s edge. Again, take as long as you need to properly complete this task. Feeling relieved, if a little rootless, you resolve to cross the river to inhabit your new life. In you wade until you are waist-deep in water. Behind you is everything that has become obsolete in your life, and all of the negative feelings about the situation you have been enduring. 29 Saraswati
Notice how the ground feels beneath your feet: rocky, slippery, sandy. The water itself represents your present state of being, and it may be murky, clear, fast-moving, tranquil, or turmoiled; your inner eye will tell you how it is. Either way, you know that the stretch of river before you is very deep and that you are likely to have difficulty sustaining your direction. Can you make it to the other side? For a moment or two, contemplate how you are going to cross. Think of all the good things waiting for you over there—your creature comforts, empathetic company, exciting new experiences. Try to feel enthusiasm for this future, even if only because it has to be better than your present situation. You will need to employ all of your willpower to help you across. Determine not to be washed downstream or deflected from your course. You cast your inner eye around for something to help you reach the opposite bank. It looks quite inviting now, but there is a danger of being swept away if you forge any farther ahead. Suddenly, you see a huge, brilliant swan floating down the river toward you. On its back is a woman in white robes, resplendent and smiling. Your main impression of her is a mass of flowing, fragrant, mellifluous light that is intelligent, compassionate, and divine. As she glides toward you, try to mentally connect with her and ask for her boons. Explain to Saraswati why you are stuck. Describe the problem that initiated your depression or stultification, and emphasize that you are eager to reach the other side of the river and the new life that waits for you there. Take as long as you need for this prayer-like supplication. When you emerge from your inner monologue, you find that a large lotus leaf is floating beside the white bird. With a swish of her slender hand, Saraswati invites you to climb onto the leaf. She tells you to concentrate on reaching the other side of the river. As you focus, you start to move. You are aware that Saraswati is behind you, ready to help if any trouble occurs. As you draw closer to the riverbank you notice a small temple with the aum sign painted on it, red against yellow. There is wonderful, strange music coming out of the temple, and its unusual architecture fascinates you. Its
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stained glass windows are amazingly crafted and intense, inspiring colors beam from the building. When you reach the other side of the river, dismount and step with assurance onto the new terrain. You turn to thank the goddess, but she is gone. Excited by the adventure and eager to explore this new land so full of beautiful intriguing things, you head for the temple in order to thank Saraswati. No sooner have you thought it than your feet rise off the ground and you are delivered to the threshold, where a potent wave of billowing incense and vibrant sound engulfs you. Feel the Aum running up and down your spine, through your limbs, jiggling every atom of your body. In the smoky sound flash all kinds of colors; subtle and vivid shades, pulsating violet hues, and streaks of red and flowing blue. If you are wearing astral shoes at this point, kick them off before crossing the temple threshold. As you enter, you feel as if your body is being shaken by incredible mechanical thunder but welcome it, as you know it is breaking up the clay straitjacket of your previous monotonous existence and exposing the brighter subtle body beneath it. Soon, you are feeling very light and agile and are impatient to explore this new land in your new vehicle. Find the shrine and pluck a candle, a string of flowers, or a cake from the ether; place it at the foot of the altar and thank Saraswati for guiding you into the next cycle of your incarnation. Now, leave the temple and come back to your body. Remember that you are anxious to get out and experience all the wonderful things this new land has to offer. You will deliberately seek the unusual. Open your eyes, and when you are ready, write down everything you have experienced in this visualization. Analyze it if you so desire: what or who did you see when you were looking for help to reach the other side? Does the water seem calmer to you now in retrospect? What were you standing on before you were rescued? Perhaps you will even start a dream-diary now—why not? The subconscious is a fascinating thing, after all; who’s to say that one reality is any more substantial or significant than another?
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Academic Excellence: Preparation Saraswati is the ideal deity to whom to appeal in the cause of academe. You may please her simply by appealing to her in a creative manner. Saraswati loathes sterile learning, but logical effort combined with passion and inspiration will gain her favor. The practical and the spiritual must combine. This is a cause particularly fitting to India itself, a country whose spirituality reputedly outweighs its utilitarianism. This imbalance was exploited in the time of the Raj, when India was invaded by those of the opposite makeup. As Jodh Singh ruminates in The Wild Sweet Witch, “It is true that we are impractical, visionaries, dreamers … it is because we put the spirit first and these Europeans always think of the material. This is why they are our masters, but the things of the spirit are more important, and there, they are children” (Mason, 88). Happily, Westerners are no longer in any way “masters” of India and its people, but we remain spiritual toddlers in comparison to even the most humble yogis of their number. In Saraswati we find the balance between these extremes of materialism and spirituality; a combination of the best features of each element. The following meditation is simple, and is best performed in the morning before school, work, or on the day of examination. Lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, or peppermint oil are excellent evaporated in the room or used in the bath prior to this exercise. They provide a mental tonic and are ideal when concentration is required.
Visualization for Academic Excellence Sitting comfortably, imagine yourself inside a giant purple egg. This egg is Akasha, the symbol of all knowledge, the source of all understanding and revelation. Chant mentally or actually the mantra “Aum Aim Kring Saum Saraswatiye Namaha” as many times as you need to get into the zone, 108 being the usual number for a successful Hindu mantra. As you sit there, feel the sharpness of your intellect, your keen desire to learn, and the spiritual presence of Saraswati, who presides over all educational matters. Admire the deep, unusual purple that fills the air around you: in it abides every atom of creative intelligence ever extant, from the source of primitive 32 Chapter 1
building tools to the inspiration of Mozart. This is the origin of every theory on life, death, and the universe; every terrestrial and spiritual achievement. Nearby, shelves heave with the weight of many books. A faint smell of incense hangs in the air; a hint of an arcane ritual that makes you contemplate the esoteric contents of the tomes. Underlying this is the scent of the books themselves; the pervasive library-smell of aging pages. Feel yourself being elevated by visiting this sacred space. Breathe in deeply, and concentrate on your crown and pineal chakras; connect yourself with this incredible pool of illumination. When you breathe out, imagine the channels of your perception being cleared, creating an information superhighway of your mind. Continue to breathe consciously in and out until the relationship between you and the Akashic information is firmly established and unquestionable. Now, imagine your aura fired in purple, like a flame. You are becoming a luminary. Your resolve is strengthened; you know your capacity to be infinite. You can absorb wisdom and inspiration through your crown chakra and third eye at will; the potential is limitless. Abide in this state for as long as you feel is of benefit, or as long as it takes to really believe this cosmic truth. Return to the room braced and alert, and apply yourself methodically to your study or the matter in hand. This, combined with your awareness of higher things and a clever originality, cannot fail to aid you in the realms of creative academe.
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Body, Mind & Spirit / Goddess Worship
Experience Love, Healing, and Personal Empowerment by Working with Hindu, Greek, and Egyptian Goddesses This magickal book is specially designed to help you access and interact with deities who can provide blessings, insight, and enhancements to your quality of life. Looking for love? Aphrodite will assist you. Need a magickal boost? Isis will show you the way. Lacking inspiration? Saraswati will set your creativity flying. You’ll work with a variety of goddesses, including: KALI
✢
LAKSHMI
PERSEPHONE
✢
✢
RADHA
HECATE
✢
✢
SEKHMET
IRIS
✢
MA’AT
✢
ARTEMIS
✢
HATHOR
AND OTHERS
Newly revised and expanded with never-before-published material, Invoke the Goddess explores the symbolism of fifteen female manifestations of the Divine and offers guided visualizations that will show you how to connect with the Goddess’s power. You’ll also discover tips on cleansing your chakras, ritual bathing, and practicing chants and mantras. This remarkable book makes it easy to find the perfect deity you need for enhancing your life and relationship with the Goddess. A lifelong student of the Mysteries and practitioner of conscious connection with the Divine, Kala Trobe writes, paints, and contemplates such themes as spiritual evolution, gods and goddesses, and crosscultural magicks. Based in England, she reads tarot professionally, holds an MA with Distinction in Literature, and relishes old bookshops, travel, and cats. Visit her at www.KalaTrobe.com.
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