|
Archives:>
What is Shakti?
God as the Yin/Yang of the Universe.
8 Jan 2007
What is Shakti?
‘Shivasmiles’ from the Chakra_Ascension group in yahoo asked if Shakti is Love. Shakti is as broad and infinite as the universe, having many qualities, stages or levels emminating from unlimited Parama-Shiva ( also called Chaitanya, God) down to the limited Human and all other things manifest and unmanifest. One of these levels or qualities of God is Shakti as ‘Ananda’ or Bliss, Divine Love, so the short answer is ‘Yes’. These ‘new’ words are of an ancient, sacred language, Sanskrit. It is said to be the original language of God and is indeed the very essence of Him as divine vibrations or emminations. There are 2 other sacred languages that have the same effect of embibing qualities of God through vibration (the spoken word); they are Hebrew and Latin. As with Hebrew and Latin, each Sanskrit word can be used as a Mantra or invocation, to embibe the very essence of God through it.
Let’s take a closer look at how God creates a mirror image of himself as different catagories of Shakti, or manifestations, and in particular, how does the infinite ‘awakened’ consciousness of God become the ‘sleeping’ consciousness of a Human.
From God to Earth to God:
These catagories are called the ‘Tattvas’ in Kashmir Shaivism, an ancient wisdom tradition which is a combination of, and precedes Christianity, Buddhism, Daoism, Sufism, etc. Now, Kashmir Shaivism, from the Himalayan Mountains, has been called ‘The Map of Consciousness’, and the Tattvas are the backbone of this map, which detail the creation from Shiva to Earth, and Human Beings in particular. Why are the Tattvas important? Simply because if we understand the different gradients of Divine Consciousness (Chiti-Shakti), that ultimately become the limited Soul of Human Consciousness (Chita-Shakti), then we know the secrets, (at least in theory at this point), behind the need for yoga disciplines, Shaktipat and the Spiritual Preceptor/Guru.
In guiding us back up the Tattva levels, we are freed of our small, limited selves and recognize our greater Self: complete reunion with God, thus our true nature as Self, or ‘I’ consciousness, and all the blessings that come with it. The descending and ascending structure of the Tattvas may sound similar to some of you as the Hindu teachings about the Chakra system. Yes, indeed, the Chakra systems’ source and root is Shakti and the Tattva system. Serious students of energy medicine, divine medicine, the Chakras, meditation, reality & cosmos, human consciousness, yoga, etc will want to investigate the Tattvas. Even with certain Christian saints, the form and structure of the Chakra and Tattva system manifest in their writings as different types of divine union with God and mystical experiences that reveal a structured path of ascension.
Students in the One-to-One Mentoring Program with me in IBASI Healing Ministries (IBASI stands for the International Bioenergetic Arts & Sciences Institute), actually prepare to, and do ascend the Tattvas through my guidance and initiations. They learn to master the various yogas as preparation before and after Shaktipat, ascending the Chakras and therefore the Tattvas in order to reach Self-Realization. Why does a person need a Spiritual Preceptor, Yoga discipline and initiations? Because out of the 5 Functions of God (Creator, Destroyer, Maintainer, Concealer, Revealer), the Function of Revealing, (Anuvamala), which is the most important one, can only be granted through the grace-bestowing power of the Guru-Principle, (embodiment of the awakened God within your Spiritual Preceptor). Can the blind lead the blind? Do the unconscious awaken the unconscious?
The Five Principle Functions of Parama-Shiva (Chaitanya):
God has 2 fundamental aspects, according to Hinduism/Buddism, etc. He is immanent in which He pervades the entire universe, and He is transcendent, in which He is beyond all universal manifestations. The immanent aspect of God is called Shakti. It is not independent of Him, but is one and the same. It is His creative power. Shakti has indeed an infinite number of attributes, 5 of the most fundamental and primary ones are as follows:
The 5 Attributes of God:
1. The Power of Self-Revelation, the Revealer. It is the Chiti-Shakti of the Supreme Lord, (Power of Intelligence, the pure Light of Intelligence).
2. The Power of realizing absolute Bliss and Joy, called Ananda Shakti.
3. The Power of absolute free Will, called Iccha Shakti.
4. The Power of Knowledge, called Jnana Shakti.
5. The Power of Creating, called Kriya Shakti.
J.C. Chatterji in his book, “Kashmir Shaivism” writes: “Thus, in this reality, the Universe is only an ‘expansion’ of the power of Parama Shiva Himself…in his aspect as Shakti… he both becomes and pervades the Universe thus produced, while yet He remains the ever transcendent Chaitanya without in any way whatsoever being affected by the manifestation of the Universe.” Let’s take a closer look at some official Shakti definitions:
Definitions of Shakti
1. The Divine Mother, the latent power of Shiva.
2. Shiva is the HOLDER of the Power of projecting, maintaining and dissolving the universe, Shakti is THE Power, ie, capacity, potency, energy, force, Citi, Kundalini.
3. The potential power latent in human beings as called Kundalini-Shakti.
4. Shakti is the devoted wife who craves reunion with Shiva, her husband.
5. According to Shakta philosophy, it is the consciousness as dynamic. Shakti is one with Shiva, being the dynamic aspect of his ‘feminine’ part (polarity).
6. According to Dvaita Vedanta, it is one of the 10 categories (padarthas - catagorization of the nature of man and the universe). It is of 4 kinds, mysterious power, causal or natural, occasioned and word.
7. According to Vira Shaivism, it is of 6 forms; cit-shakti, para-shakti, adi-shakti, iccha-shakti, jnana-shakti and kriya-shakti. (A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy. J. Grimes. SUNY Press 1996).
So, we see that Shakti is much more than just ‘Love’. It is dynamic, having action. It has structure, form and function, consciousness, intelligence and power, and is, in fact, nature and the universe. Neither ‘male’ nor ‘female’, Shakti is inseparable from Shiva. Merged together, Shakti and Shiva become the highest reality, called Atman, or Parama-shiva, which is ineffable. In “Kashmir Shaivism”, J.C. Chatterji writes, “ In Parama-Shiva, we find a fixed, immovable Consciousness that is ever-renewed, ever young, a Consciousness that is simultaneousl Shiva and Shakti, static and dynamic, male and female, potentiality and creativity, transcendant and immanent, beyond expression, yet given form in words. Here are some more examples or analogies of the relationship between Shiva & Shakti, before we delve briefly on the Tattva catagories themselves, which merit a more detailed, separate discussion later.
The Cosmic Dance of Shiva & Shakti:
8. If Shiva is God, then Shakti is His reflection in the mirror, the image, as well as this recognition.
9. If Shiva is the Holder of Power, then Shakti is the Power.
10. If Shiva is Transcendant (above all things), then Shakti is immanent (all things).
11. If Shiva is Yang (the masculine polarity, then Shakti is Yin, the feminine polarity). Attributes of Yang are unmanifest, still, silent, high, light, bright, hot, dry, above, outside, radiating, outward, penetrating, etc. Attributes of Yin are moving, sounding/vibrating, low, heavy, dark, cold, wet, below, inside, dispersing, inward, absorbing, etc). Yin/Yang is never literal, and always relative to the subject.
12. If Shiva is a Retractible Telescope, the Tattvas are the retractible sections, Shakti is the Telescope extended, and Shiva is the retracted Telescope.
13. If Shiva was Ra, then Shakti is Isis, (and Osiris is Mankind).
14. If Shiva is the Father, then Shakti is the Son and the Holy Spirit of the Holy Trinity.
15. If Shiva was Adam, then his rib, (Eve), was Shakti.
We are all fingers of Gods’ Glove. The Glove is Shakti and the Hand is God. Shakti is a secret treasure of golden ornaments, and Shiva is the gold. Shakti is the particle and Shiva is the wave,. Shakti is action and Shiva is perfect freedom of will. Shakti is the circling electrons and protons and Shiva is the nucleus. Shakti is the world of subject-object and Shiva is its collapse into pure awareness. Shakti is all-pervading (immanent), and Shiva is transcendent (beyond all universal manifestations). Shakti is the shining lamp and Shiva is the electricity. Shakti is the image on the HD flat screen TV and Shiva is the protons firing onto the screen. Shakti is the electricity and hydrolic power station and Shiva is the dam and water behind it. Shakti is all the worlds’ streams, rivers, waterfalls and oceans, and Shiva is the water. Shakti is the quantum universe and Shiva is its’ infinite, pure potential. Shakti is indeed Power, and Shiva is the Holder of Power.
~ Devi Nostrumananda
Copyright 2007-8. IBASI All Rights Reserved. Contact IBASI for permissions.
Devi Nostrumananda
International Bioenergetic Arts & Sciences Institute (IBASI)
* Interfaith Ministry * Online Bookstore * Ascension College * Consulting * Contracting *
Powered by CityMax.com
|
