Tim Kavi's Essay Collection: More About Goddesses has NOW Been Published in Paperback!

 

Some of my most popular and highly visited columns on this blog have been my entries about various goddesses and goddess mythology from a variety of traditions. These have finally been collected in one read, along with some columns never before published for your reading pleasure.  Available as an eBook for quite some time, it has just NOW also been published in paperback! You can get a paperback edition of my essays: MORE ABOUT GODDESSES by clicking here. Happy reading and just in time for any Holiday reading and learning!  Thanks for supporting my work!~~TK

Seated Next to You (New Poem)

Seated Next to You

by Tim Kavi

seeing your beauty

finer than what adorns

any mortal face

domestic silver; crystal

china on the quilted

silken covered place

I smiled at You

Goddess

not wanting; daring

to see your eyes

darting like Durga

really deeply caring

frightened; for I

am mortal; with blood

coursing through veins

mind seems only brain

but I know you are More

I have sung your sacred names

so many times

and places before

pilgrims climbed this road

to sit at this table

Table in The Wilderness

Manna to find some abode

seated with You

Goddess

in heavenly places

is to see you gowned

in the majestic celestial

ballroom; angels abound

ministry to You

is my call

I hear your whispered

names.

More About Goddesses: The Hindu Goddess Kali (New Essay)

More about Goddesses: The Hindu Goddess Kali

By Tim Kavi

Kali, also known as the Dark Mother, is a ferocious form of the mother goddess which can be quite fearful as well. Those who are devoted to this goddess can form a very deep and intimate bond despite the fearful and intense appearance of this goddess. Kali takes her followers in, assuming the mother role and treating them as her children.

She is one of the first of ten Mahavidyas in the Hindu tradition. Others include Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Tara, Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Matangi, Dhumavati, Bugala Muki and Kamala. Due to this association, Kali is also known as Adya in her firstborn form. These goddesses represent the ten essential energies that bring about the ten essential insights sought through the main paths of Tantra Yoga. Kali, the first of these goddesses teaches that life seems temporary, but in reality both time and life are endless. Death is merely an illusion that the Kali mantra can be used to overcome. Those that choose to follow this mantra must be willing to give up their attachment to the body. This helps her followers remove the insecurity associated with the first Chakra, or fears located in the primitive brain and brain stem.

Kali is the consort of Lord Shiva, and is often depicted standing on Shiva’s form. Placing her foot on Shiva subdues her anger. Her name translates to “the black one,” referring to the fact that she is an entity that is beyond time. Kali is depicted with black coloring as a contrast to Shiva, symbolizing the time that was created with her manifested in her creation.

The Dark Mother is most well-known for sending the Mother Gauri Shakti to free the other gods from the demonic clutches of Nishumbh and Shumbh when these forces conquered the celestial plane, astral plane and earth, establishing her place as one of the foremost goddesses in Hindu culture.

Poet's Afterword:  At the time of the initial publication of this column in 2013, we are on the eve of the third day of Navratri.  Maa Durga has her nine Avatars during the nine nights of this Hindu festival. On the seventh day of Navratri, it is sometimes viewed as the time of worshiping the Hindu goddess Kali. (In this case, Maa Durga's incarnation as Kali). ~~TK

If you liked this column you will like my eBook Collection, More About Goddesses, even more! You can order it here! Also, don't forget it's simple to view a Kindle ebook on any device with an App (or even in a web browser), the FREE apps for doing so are here.  My kids and I appreciate the support, you see, they need me home, and I'm trying to get there!  Thanks!~~TK

Now, Speaking the Truth (New Poem)

Now, Speaking the Truth

by Tim Kavi

now, speaking the truth

life has in past times 

seemed easier

and sometimes 

it is so hard;

who can deny it?

yet, as long as there is injustice

as long as there's any hope of love

one cannot be silent

or tears will water the earth

and we must be born

many times in rebirth

gentle Guan Yin

you make me shine with your light

nothing can remain

in a distant night

all is plain

all is bright

revelation is the poetic

sight

there are those so mistreated

although they chant

your love entreated

I am talking about your sisters

Quan Yin

all around the Earth

longing for Freedom

to be treated as persons

they long to be

safe wherever they go

hold them close in your arms

or my tears cannot stop

I am sorry my Goddess

for many of my gender are a disgrace

I can only hope your love

lights this evil place

something must be done

Durga, shine the truth

Kali, try not to be too angry now

I try to hope our history

will end bright

so I write this poem crying

while all around us

Goddess, your sisters are dying

so my pitiful voice

is joined with brothers and sisters

in peace and for peace

who line the streets

Jantar Mantar

our clothes are black

and I say to you in power

we want our Freedom back!

Ma Durga, great mother

Isis, protector of children

save us before too late 

waves of your Goddess face

wash ashore

in the hearts of all

embraced by your grace

now, we speak the truth

we need you more than ever

this guilty Earth

longs to know only You

and the gentle love where

all rest in a peaceful fate.

More About Goddesses: Ma Durga (Mahadevi), Warrior Goddess of the Hindu Tradition

More About Goddesses: Ma Durga

By Tim Kavi

Ma Durga, or the Durga mother, is the fierce form of the goddess Devi in the Hindu tradition. She is often associated with Mahadevi, the supreme goddess for her defeat of Mahishasura Mardini the buffalo demon. Ma Durga is frequently portrayed with multiple arms, which can be as many as eighteen in some interpretations. She is also frequently portrayed riding a tiger or lion or using weapons to slay demons as a show of her power. Many portraits relate the story of her victory over Mardini, showing her slaying him or holding off his forces as they attack.

The legend of Ma Durga first appears on the narrative of Devi Mahatmya within the text of the Markandeya Purana. According to legend, Ma Durga was created in the image of a warrior goddess to help fight the asura Mashishasura. The warrior gods were ineffective against this demon because Brahma had blessed Mashishasura with the power to be undefeatable at the hands of man or god. To counteract this magic, Shiva requested that his wife Parvati take on a role where she could take on this demon. While she called upon the priests at Vaikuntha, Shiva tried to hold off Mashishasura and his forces by combining the three lead gods and emitting a beam of light.

Though the gods were defeated, this light reached Parvati at Vaikuntha, alerting the gods here. To save the three worlds, they combined forces to create a new pool of light. From this light rose Ma Durga, the female aspect of Brahman, a lila that emerged from their combined energy and compassion.

As she moved forward to battle Mashishasur, he made the mistake of underestimating her power, thinking that a woman could not possibly defeat him after he had defeated a trinity of gods. To show his strength, he changed forms many times as he rampaged toward Ma Durga, appearing as a buffalo demon, an elephant, a lion and a man. Ma Durga is said to have gracefully defeated each of these forms. In his last charge, Mashishasur returned to his buffalo form, but became trapped between this and the form of a man. Laughing at his predicament, Ma Durga cut him down with her sword, ending the battle and cementing her compassion in the hearts of her followers.

According to some versions of the legend, Ma Durga raised an army to march against Mahishasur as he terrorized heaven and earth. This battle raged on for ten days before she took it upon herself to slay this demon king. As a reward for their good service, Ma Durga rewarded her troops with the knowledge for jewelry-making. Because of this gift, Ma Durga is frequently depicted in art pieces. She is often represented covered in stones and jewels, even in scenes that act out the tale of her decapitating the buffalo demon. This act of bravery and compassion is also worshiped widely in many parts of the Himalayan region and throughout India, especially during the ten day period when the battle was said to have commenced.

Poet's Afterword: The Hindu Goddess Ma Durga is in a number of my poems, and in a couple of blog entries here, she makes major appearances.  A related blog entry on Parvati is here. In one of Ma Durga's manifestations she is quite the warrior goddess (Mahadevi), which seems pertinent to mention, as this is also a theme in other More About Goddess columns that have featured Artemis and Athena  from the Greek tradition. ~~TK  P.S.--I love this song about Ma Durga on my YouTube Page by Krishna Das (I've seen it performed live!). Hope you enjoy!!~~TK

More About Goddesses: My Encounter with the Benevolent Mother--Ma Durga (Essay)

More About Goddesses: My Encounter with the Benevolent Mother--Ma Durga (Essay) by Tim Kavi

Although there are different manifestations of  the Hindu goddess Ma Durga, such as Lakshami, Parvati, and Durga herself , it is my encounter with Ma Durga as a mother figure that has made a lasting impression upon me.

For as she gathers those that need help in her arms of compassion, and leads them gently from times of trouble, her caring is so apparent. For it is as a gentle mother and caring one that She leads me to safety and protection that resonates so deeply within me again and again. For as we humans well know, we needn't go looking for troubles, sometimes they will find us!  Never do we need the touch and care of a friend more, a companion, a brother or sister in dialogue--the caring of family and loved ones--as it is then that the gentle leading of the archetypal Mother Goddess is ever needed!

And thank goodness, when called upon She arises, and gathers us in Her arms.  And yet, She does not wait to be called upon--for like any good Mother she responds to our distress.

Her eyes are certainly seeking, searching, and settling upon those in times of trouble, they are gentle, reassuring, and if need be, drawing us to attention.

Her smile is as the dripping honey on the lotus.  She warms the hearts of all India, and the world.

This tiger riding Goddess is the ultimate mother!

Several years ago, I had a deeply meaningful and especially vivid dream about Ma Durga.  I  knew right away in my dream who she was and what the dream was about.  I could tell the woman in the dream was Ma Durga because of her attire, her Goddess face, and those eyes that only Ma Durga has!

Anyway, in this dream that I readily recalled upon sudden awakening at its conclusion, the events went like this.  I entered a supermarket, and I felt like I was lost from someone, or had gone ahead of someone.  But I also felt ashamed, like I was 'in trouble', or had done something that I felt 'stupid' about. Sort of like a kid who had done something wrong, but didn't want his parents to know. I was a grown man in the dream however.

So I went down the shopping aisles filled with all sorts of foods and plenty of them. I came upon the glass enclosed cold storage units, the units where they keep frozen packaged products like pizzas, ice cream, frozen dinners, etc.  Well, I climbed up on top of one of these units, and laid down flat on my back. I laid down as flat as I could, so as not to be readily or easily seen by anyone who might enter the store or was walking nearby. From where I was, I could turn my head and see the main entry of the store however.

So for some reason, I turned my head towards the entry doors. It was if I was waiting for someone, anticipating someone coming, but I didn't know for sure who it would be.

Suddenly, I saw Ma Durga come through the doors.  She was walking towards my location! I tried to melt into the metal of the casing so as not to be seen. But there was to be no hiding, as she lovingly approached.  She was a fully radiant being, and was smiling as she approached, her eyes taking in everything around her. As she came closer, she grew and magically became taller.  As she got to where I was, she was now taller than the enclosures, and easily saw me.

She looked at me with so much love and acceptance, my heart melted. It was if her eyes could see everything about me, accepted me, forgave all my troubles, or made them all vanish in the manifestation of Her power. In that one look, was all this and much more instantaneously. Love, acceptance, forgiveness, reassurance.

She calmly put her hands on her hips, looked into my eyes with her Ma Durga Eyes, and She said: "Well, are you coming? Get down from there and follow me!"  

I hopped down and immediately left with her out of the store with all of its materialism and wealth, and happily followed Her.  The joy and relief was enormous! I then awoke with a start.

This dream deeply resonated with me, although I knew I was a mature man in the dream, her loving approach to me elicited both a son like sense, and also a childlike sense.  I knew I had done something, and felt like I might be in trouble.  So I was trying hard to hide from 'Mom'.

Still, when Ma Durga 'found' me, I was overcome by several feelings at once, love, acceptance, and reassurance. I expected wrath, but got deep love. I also knew I was totally safe with her, protected, and that all my troubles were solved and no longer as important as I had thought they were. So I was eager and readily able to hop down and follow her out of the store.  Happily returning to everyday life and then, transcending the world, protected by the Goddess, I suddenly awoke with this realization deeply embedded in my consciousness.

It was a wonderful experience, and although some people think dreaming is just the firing of neurons, that dream was one of the most meaningful dreams I've ever had.~~TK

Poet's afterword:  Later, I wrote a poem called Ma Durga's Eyes.  Although it could never capture the true magnificence of Her eyes, it is a step in that direction. It is one of the most popular poems on my blog and can be read here: Ma Durga's Eyes (the poem)

Also, as I write this, the significance of the calendar in regards to Ma Durga cannot be overlooked.  We are just now in the beginning of the Hindu holiday, Navratri, also known as Durga Puja, where all over India and the world,  Ma Durga is celebrated in her various manifestations across Nine Nights of  bliss. ~~TK

And now it is April 2013, and we are on the eve of Vasant Navratri again and as India, Indians, and Hindus all over the world prepare to celebrate Nine Nights of Celebrations of Goddesses; I am again reminded of my blog entries about the Goddess, Ma Durga.  Including (not linked last time) my newer "More About Goddesses column that features Mahadevi Durga .~~TK

Special Shout Out to my Readers from India (blog entry)

For years, my readers from India have been strong supporters of this blog and my writing.  They have enjoyed and supported my works, and many have become online friends and among them also are fellow poets, seekers, and mystics.

I am honored by their attentions, and kind words.  Indians are among the kindest, most spiritual, and friendliest readers of them all. Now, I don't mean to exclude any of my readers from elsewhere, as this blog gets visitors from all over the world. As you will see below, Amazon has made a special announcement that finally makes my work available in India.


I also wanted to mention my Indian readers, because they often read my blog and make comments to me both here and at Facebook. I appreciate that very much! My friend Shefali, deserves special mention and thanks in this regard!

India is after all, the land of spiritual traditions that honors many different Goddesses, including Parvati, Ma Durga, Kali, and others.  One of their sacred landmarks, Mt. Kailash, is featured on one of  my book covers and is often mentioned in my poems. Many of the Hindu goddesses are mentioned or at least influential to my Goddess poetry as well.  I hope that all my Indian readers know that I have nothing but deep respect for them, their country, and their traditions.  I feel that way about all the countries of my readers in the world as well.

I was very pleased to see that Amazon (as of yesterday) has finally opened up both the Kindle store and the Kindle Direct Publishing platform to readers and authors from India.  This means that my Indian readers and friends can purchase (in Rupees) my two Goddess collections: Emerging Goddess, and Ascending Goddess as well as download many other Kindle works. Although you can still download apps for Kindle Ebooks that work on PC, laptop, cloud internet, IPad, Iphone and Android devices, the Kindle reader family is also available all over India at Croma stores.

So, I was very happy to see the following announcement by Amazon yesterday:

"Amazon launches the India Kindle Store with the biggest selection and lowest prices in India. You can now pay in Indian Rupees to get access to a vast selection of titles, new releases, bestsellers, and works from a range of Indian and international authors. Readers will also find exclusive Kindle books, as well as over one million free classics available to download and read on Kindle."

You can visit the India Kindle store by clicking here.

You can see my Goddess collections here.

I know this sounds like a shameless plug for Amazon (and my Goddess poems),  but I hope you will see that it is also a plug for India and Indian fans.  They are among the most faithful readers of my poems. I will say I do appreciate India, Indians, and also what Amazon has done for writers all over the world through their Kindle publishing program.

Thank you once again to India, Indians, and to the rest of my readers from all over the world! You are the best.  Namaste! ~~TK

Update:  I am also happy to report that as of early 2014, my books are also available on the Indian platform Flipkart !~~TK

Ma Durga's Eyes (new poem)

Ma Durga’s Eyes

by Tim Kavi

Ma Durga’s Eyes
have over all time
cried thousands of cries
and uttered thousands of sighs

but none are more beautiful than my love's

her eyes have lit a thousand ships
home to harbor
have touched my lips
across many trips

her eyes are so wise.

Ma Durga’s Eyes
I need you so
to them I always go
to see the world
and each other.

there are no other eyes I know
I will return again and again
to her heart to go.

My love's eyes
are Ma Durga’s Eyes
her heart so true
that the eyes are all telling
of her many stories
from the countryside are yelling

out of the rocks and hills
the majestic spills
of water cascading down the falls
while the rest of the world waits in their alls
we hear the love in her calls.

Ma Durga’s Eyes of my love
of yesteryear and then
I knew them before
somehow
on another shore
but when I saw them again
her Ma Durga’s Eyes were different than then

her eyes are so wise.

Ma Durga’s Eyes

I need you so
to them I always go
to see the world
and each other.

my lovely Sweet love
Ma Durga’s Eyes

light where we have ever been
and they touch my heart so
where the Himalayan winds blow
and the currents of Ganges do flow

she is ever present in the wind
against the wind
she stands still

her eyes are so wise.

Ma Durga’s Eyes
I need you so
to them I always go
to see the world
and each other.

Ma Durga’s Eyes through history
tell many stories
they begin and end with my lovely love.

a reader asks?

A Reader Asks About the Poem 'longing'

Upon reading one of my poems ("longing"), a reader asked a question--

"longing"

longing to kiss you and hold you
ever to stand
against the long wind
we will always stand together
our hearts beat together as one.

gentle breath of the goddess
you seek me out and shine
when in the eternal recurrence divine
you make me glad to be thine.

longing to see you and behold
your gentle saving grace
I see you face to face
in the sacred place.

there is no shadow of retreat
only the openness
where all is known
truly met by you, my sweet.

Reader "Winter" wrote:

Hi,Tim Kavi, I'm glad again to meet with your poem. and you spoke of Kwan yin, is she a statue in Buddhism? You regard women as Kwan yin. It seems that Kwan yin, inyour heart, is very holy,I think.

"your gentle saving grace",in this sentence,"saving" means "besides"?Have a nice week Winter:)

Hi Winter:

Thank you. yes this poetic form is an encounter with the archetypal feminine--captured perhaps by Kuan Yin and Ma Durga-- it is a poem to the goddess--something which is part of the sacred feminine--I believe the anima that Carl Jung spoke of--and all women (and men to an extent) have it.

oh, yes, there are statues of her in Buddhism as Avalokiteshvara, and she is mentioned in the tale of the Monkey King as well.

you asked: "your gentle saving grace",in this sentence,"saving" means "besides"? my usage of "saving" here means to be rescued, or to be saved from danger or peril, perhaps from a corrupt masculine nature. To be made safe from is what saving means. There is also a Christian notion of redemption in saving as an act of salvation, but that usage is not what I meant in a complete sense, but it captures it a bit.

I do believe that all men are wise to know the importance of women and that their folly may indeed be "saved" by the woman's wisdom! heheheheh :-)

Have a happy day!

Tim Kavi