Goddess in the Light (New Poem)

Goddess in the Light (New Poem)

by Tim Kavi

O radiant muse,

whose footstep wakes the sleeping stars,

your presence bends the winds with reverence—

you are more than myth,

you are motion,

you are meaning.

Crowned in moonbeams,

your eyes are galaxies that knew love

before time dared its ticking.

Even silence bows when you speak,

each syllable a sacred bell

calling truth to prayer.

Not marble, not mist,

but the fierce fire of becoming,

you are woman—

and therefore, you are the world

before it was named.

I dare not call you only beautiful—

for beauty, next to you,

is a candle before the sun.

You are creator,

healer,

keeper of the lost seasons—

goddess, not made by man

but remembered by soul.

When I touch your thought,

I kneel

not in worship of form

but of essence,

for your spirit is the altar

where wisdom wears a smile.

Teach me,

not to possess,

but to witness.

Not to conquer,

but to cherish.

Let me be

the echo to your breath,

the pen that knows its muse.

Eternal she,

who walks in both thunder and peace,

I write you not in ink—

but in awe.

In the inkless poetry of honor.

In the name that needs no name:

Goddess.

I dance in sacred night

move with cosmic wind

to greet you and meet you

standing ever

in a steadfast love.

Your resolute grace

moves the world

and moves my longing heart.

More About Goddesses: The Buddhist Goddess of Marici (new essay)

MORE ABOUT GODDESSES: The Buddhist Goddess Marici; Guardian of Light and Illusion

by Tim Kavi

Marici, a lesser-known but deeply symbolic figure in the Buddhist pantheon, is a goddess associated with light, protection, and illusion. Though her roots can be traced to Indian and Indo-Iranian traditions, she gained particular prominence in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, especially in East Asia. Marici embodies an archetype that straddles divinity and warfare, invisibility and guidance, making her a complex symbol of inner strength, clarity, and transcendent wisdom.

Marici’s name is derived from the Sanskrit word marīci, which means “ray of light” or “mirage.” This immediately hints at her dual nature—both illuminating and elusive. In various traditions, she is depicted riding a chariot drawn by seven boars or pigs, symbolizing her power to overcome ignorance and illusion. Sometimes she has multiple arms and faces, bearing weapons and symbols of power, and at other times she appears serene and meditative. These varied depictions reflect her multifaceted identity as both a warrior and a sage.

Historically, Marici likely evolved from earlier Vedic and Zoroastrian goddesses associated with dawn and light, such as the Vedic goddess Ushas. Over time, as Buddhist teachings spread along the Silk Road and into China, Japan, and Tibet, Marici was assimilated into the Buddhist pantheon. In early Indian Buddhism, she was primarily a protective deity invoked by monks for safety during travel. However, in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, she was elevated to the status of a bodhisattva or goddess, often revered by warriors and esoteric practitioners.

In Japan, Marici is known as Marishiten and occupies a significant role in esoteric Shingon and Tendai schools, as well as among the samurai class. The warriors saw her as a patroness who granted invisibility and protection in battle, enabling them to act without fear or detection. This martial association did not negate her spiritual significance; rather, it highlighted her role as a goddess of unseen power, resilience, and clarity under duress.

As an archetypal goddess, Marici represents the elusive and paradoxical nature of reality. Her domain is that of illusion (maya) and transcendence. She is both a goddess of light—dispelling the darkness of ignorance—and a master of illusion, reminding practitioners that the material world is impermanent and deceptive. In this way, she embodies the Buddhist teaching of shunyata, or emptiness: that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence and are, like a mirage, subject to change and illusion.

Moreover, Marici is often invoked in meditation and ritual practices as a protector of those walking the spiritual path. Her presence serves as a reminder to stay centered amid chaos and to recognize the illusory nature of ego, fear, and material attachments. In modern times, she continues to be venerated by Buddhists seeking clarity, invisibility in times of danger, and liberation from worldly distractions.

In essence, Marici stands as a goddess of paradox—light yet hidden, fierce yet compassionate, real yet illusory. She offers a powerful archetype for those who seek to navigate the complexities of both the external world and the inner path of awakening.~~TK

AFTERWORD: my entries and columns about goddesses have proven quite popular; hence, "More About Goddesses" has resumed, and I will periodically publish a new column. Hope you enjoy it!  If you would like a book version of some of the previous columns with a few new ones, you can help support me and my work by clicking here. THANKS, enjoy! namaste~~TK 

Blog Publication Announcement: Return of Popular 'More About Goddesses Column'. (News)

 

Blog Publication Announcement: Return of Popular 'More About Goddesses Column'. 

Tim Kavi announces that he is restarting his popular "More About Goddesses" column, this week on June 6th or 7th, 2025 with a column about the Buddhist Goddess, Marici. Please stop  by this blog for a read. Meanwhile, you can check out the other (very popular MAG columns) here on this blog, by doing a search in the upper right search box with the terms: "more about goddesses" or check out the book linked below for some of my past columns and a few new ones that aren't on the blog. Thanks for reading, and for your support!  Namaste ~~TK

I See You Guan Yin (New Poem)

I See You Guan Yin (New Poem)

by Tim Kavi

tell; it with an open heart

I am a pilgrim

I am but flesh

but you are bone

I am lost at sea

but you are home

I seek the light

You are the lighthouse

You fill the universe

I am but one shining star

You are the food

I wandered in the drought

I am the thirsty one

Your love was sought

In your gentle mercy

Kwan Yin 观音, 觀音

Avalokiteśvara अवलोकितस्वर

You are beautiful

Your form fills the void

fullness your compassion brings

Your love was brought

You are the One

\

You are loved!

Wolf Man's Journey (new poem)

 

wolf man's journey

by Tim Kavi

there is something

inside me

I am not proud of

dark as black coal

burning in the furnace

the smoke of it

pollutes my world

where the Sun is darkened

the night crawls

like a snake

every fortnight

while the lunacy looms

under the light

of distant moons

I see him

whom I hate

in my folly

I have become

one seeking redemption

a wolf man's journey

thank Goddess

the dawn is coming

and Your love is mercy

and compassion

and your many arms, bodhisattva

are all forgiving.

Goddess Archetypes (new video)

 Goddess Archetypes

The following is a chart with some goddesses shown:

Putting On The Gown (Brief Essay)

Putting on The Gown (brief Essay)

by Tim Kavi

often mentioned in my poetry along with themes about goddesses and the Goddess are phrases about the gowns of a goddess. Putting on the gown, or putting on the robe, to me, means getting in touch with our spiritual histories, our inner natures, learning from archetypes in history, and/or preparing for the mystical path or embarking on a spiritual quest. It is preparing for the path to the highest place of the Holy. And it is found in and on the very day where putting on beautiful raiment, doesn't mean just fabric, but adorning ourselves with truth and authenticity that reflect our inner natures, even if it is a (figurative or symbolic) humble monk's robe, or the goddess gowns of myth, we are adorning ourselves in the practicality and beauty of all that is more deeply beautiful and sacred. For, as we turn to the everyday centeredness of our journeying souls...it isn't what we physically wear, but what we spiritually wear, and how we treat each other that lights the path we endeavor. And when I say, the goddess gown is flapping in the wind, I am not only saying we have beautiful natures, but we are also allowing ourselves in compassion, to show those natures to a darkened world. It is a serious putting on of something sacred that isn't just physical.~~TK

Stinging Nettles and Table of Bread (New Poem)

 

Stinging Nettles and Table of Bread (New Poem)
by Tim Kavi

stinging nettles

thorny places

betray the beauty

of our gardened places

there is in the stillness

a planting

a dancing collapse

of earthy relations

the Earth moves

contracts labors

and gives birth

the pleasant

is mixed in

with the plowing

and the planting

of Our watered beings

we begin small

and like all plantings

of love

we hope to grow tall

it is a true glory

a ready-made fashion

of the journey

of Nature's story

it is as natural 

as friend-to-friend

man to woman

lover to lover

bowing before

the table of hallowed bread

in the Holy Place

we see what

God has prepared.

Only What We Know (new poem)

 

Only What We Know

by Tim Kavi 

there is only

what we know

what we try to know

and what

we strive to know

in the end

it may be only

what we want

to know

but acceptance

of what one is

where one is

and how to move forward

in circling ramparts

we hide and do battle

with ghosts and regrets

yet one never forgets

the lessons of the past

while trying to escape them

where only such tortured souls

can finally sing

of resistance

the path of the mystic I reckon

longed for meaning

that leads to meeting

that which was unknown

and is totally 

responding to freedom's beckon

made new

I am the poet undone

and finding himself again

breathing of my existence

I vow not to run

but to climb the mountain

of radical acceptance

I am finally made whole again

singing songs to you

and loving you again.