Kali, Dark Mother Goddess of India

Kali is the Hindu Goddess of time and change. Also known as "the black one" she is associated with eternal energy, time and death. She is depicted with four arms, her tongue sticking out and a garland of heads around her neck. In her most famous myth, Kali is shown fighting the demon Raktabija, but every time he is killed, he reproduces a clone of himself before there are many demons to kill. Kali kills everyone of them and licks up their blood in the process. In celebration of her victory, she then dances on the battlefield, stepping on the corpses of the slain. Her consort Shiva lies among the dead beneath her feet.

Although Kali may seem to some a fierce and evil Goddess, she is actually seen as a Mother Goddess in the Hindu religion. In Bengal, she is seen as "the divine Shakti representing both the creative and destructive aspects of nature". And though she is associated with death, the meaning is much deeper. Kali is known to bring the death of the ego. She is said to remove our attachments to our bodies, because they are only temporary. According to Hindu belief, it is the attachment to our bodies that give rise to our ego. Kali, as a Goddess of death and change, helps to liberate us from our ego's, therefore keeping us on our path to spiritual enlightenment.

One of her famous festivals known as Kali Puja, is held on the new day of the Hindu month, which is the seventh month of the Hindu calender, usually ending up in Autumn. So the date for this celebration is different every year. Although Kali is worshiped throughout India and Nepal, she is most popular in Bengal. Here you can find her most famous temple just outside of Calcutta.

To work with this dark mother Goddess, call on her when you are seeking spiritual enlightenment in your own life. Or when your in need of change and need to let go of your ego. On your altar to Kali, have bones, red flowers and candles, jewelry, hibiscus flowers, honey, incense and a picture or statue of her.

For more info on the Goddess Kali, check out : Kali Goddess

Blessings )O(



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