Art: Peter Weltevrede
Akhilandeshwari is a South Asian Goddess figure in the Shakta
Tantric Tradition. According to that tradition She is a vast field of
Consciousness - a force of Ultimate Reality - the Great Mother
Herself.
Her name means "Never not broken."
Tantric Tradition. According to that tradition She is a vast field of
Consciousness - a force of Ultimate Reality - the Great Mother
Herself.
Her name means "Never not broken."
It is hard not to feel the brokenness of the world with all the
man-made crises, conflict, disasters and devastation happening in
the world; not to mention the personal dramas that play out in
our lives. We are all impacted by the global crises of these times.
man-made crises, conflict, disasters and devastation happening in
the world; not to mention the personal dramas that play out in
our lives. We are all impacted by the global crises of these times.
What is needed to help find our way through? How can our
breakdowns lead to breakthroughs? How do we approach the
challenges, pain and difficulty that overwhelm some of us?
How do we transform our own fears and personal sense of
impotence into something meaningful,
empowering and liberating?
breakdowns lead to breakthroughs? How do we approach the
challenges, pain and difficulty that overwhelm some of us?
How do we transform our own fears and personal sense of
impotence into something meaningful,
empowering and liberating?
[It is believed that] Akhilandeshwari can help us move through
the very challenges and difficulties in life. She helps us to find
that light of our Essence through the cracks of the chaos. She is
the power of the Sri Yantra, an ancient Hindu symbol of Union
[with] Divine Consciousness.
the very challenges and difficulties in life. She helps us to find
that light of our Essence through the cracks of the chaos. She is
the power of the Sri Yantra, an ancient Hindu symbol of Union
[with] Divine Consciousness.
Brokenness seems to suggest separation, but if we look closely
we can see the felt sense of what is ever-present beneath the
cracks that can lead to our own sense of internal balance and
union within.
we can see the felt sense of what is ever-present beneath the
cracks that can lead to our own sense of internal balance and
union within.
One of Her many gifts is to remind us of the power to be
found in our brokenness. From the Shakta Tantric perspective
Akhilandeshwari brings and removes the pain and suffering that
break us down. She guards over all those experiences in life that
can knock the wind out of us and send us reeling, crashing down,
wondering how we will ever get up. She brings and removes the
deep sense of brokenness, the crushing pressure on one's heart,
the endless mental anguish, to remember what's Real. Our
"Never not broken" experience can be a fierce and painful
process. However, She gives us courage to face the many little
deaths that happen repeatedly in our life. If we surrender and allow
ourselves to go to the heart of our pain, we can find refuge in our
vulnerability and in our imperfections.
found in our brokenness. From the Shakta Tantric perspective
Akhilandeshwari brings and removes the pain and suffering that
break us down. She guards over all those experiences in life that
can knock the wind out of us and send us reeling, crashing down,
wondering how we will ever get up. She brings and removes the
deep sense of brokenness, the crushing pressure on one's heart,
the endless mental anguish, to remember what's Real. Our
"Never not broken" experience can be a fierce and painful
process. However, She gives us courage to face the many little
deaths that happen repeatedly in our life. If we surrender and allow
ourselves to go to the heart of our pain, we can find refuge in our
vulnerability and in our imperfections.
Spiritual growth and freedom can be gained through difficult
experiences and in the invaluable lessons they provide there is
always a gift in the pain we experience.
experiences and in the invaluable lessons they provide there is
always a gift in the pain we experience.
Akhilandeshwari is depicted as riding a crocodile, which represents
our primal instincts, especially fear, and our false pretenses and roles
we play to appear "perfect" and "whole." She destroys all illusions
and delusions, so we can come back to our Essence. The intensity
of our experience is to disorient our egos so that we drop our
attachments and come into our authentic nature.
our primal instincts, especially fear, and our false pretenses and roles
we play to appear "perfect" and "whole." She destroys all illusions
and delusions, so we can come back to our Essence. The intensity
of our experience is to disorient our egos so that we drop our
attachments and come into our authentic nature.
When we remember the unlimited Space behind our brokenness we
form new patterns and ways of being. The journey that unfolds is
deep, mysterious, soul affirming and often intensely creative.
form new patterns and ways of being. The journey that unfolds is
deep, mysterious, soul affirming and often intensely creative.
Akhilandeshwari breaks us down and from the depths of despair,
we come back to fullness and wholeness - our Essence.
we come back to fullness and wholeness - our Essence.
Laura Amazzone
Excerpt from an article
Published Dec 2015 in the Sutra Journal
Published Dec 2015 in the Sutra Journal
