Shakti Maa

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Shakti is where we get our unbridled strength from. She manifests courage, bravery, and the will to transcend insurmountable odds in the form of Durga. She represents the timeless and formless Mother Nature that brings about the inevitable death of our egos as Maa Kali. She represents the abundance of wealth, fortune, power, and fertility in the form of Lakshmi. And she also represents knowledge, wisdom, art, and learning as Saraswati.

The Divine Feminine is an aspect of nature that has been worshiped for thousands of years in India. She is a vibrant and omnipresent force that we can reach for whenever we feel the need to empower ourselves against the clutches of self doubt. The Mahishasura Mardini Stotra in the image, is an epithet to the goddess Durga. It’s about her victory over an extremely powerful and formidable demon, Mahishasura. The story represents overcomming the source of real darkness within us by finding strength where we least expect it. It’s concepts like this that make me incredibly proud of my culture. There was a time when our colonizers believed we were akin to cavemen, but in actuality the customs indigenous to India couldn’t be more advanced, espeacially in its treatment towards women. Women all foster the creative force of Shakti within them making them both the source of love and the strength of our civilization. With that being said Shakti at its core is a fundamental part of the universe, and therefore goes beyond gender. Through understanding and embracing the essence of Shakti within us all, we connect not only to an ancient cultural heritage but also to a universal source of power and enlightenment.