What is Shakti?
Shakti is a Hindu concept that refers to the feminine aspect of the divine, or the divine mother that exists within every one of us. She is the power of change, creation, and destruction. Shakti is the force that moves the universe. She is Kundalini energy, which rests dormant at the base of the spine until it is awakened. When this happens, we experience a spiritual awakening, with the potential to change our lives forever. Here, we will explore the history and philosophy of Shakti energy and discuss how to awaken her power within ourselves.
Where do we find Shakti mentioned in the religions and philosophies over time?
Shakti has existed in various religious and spiritual traditions for thousands of years. In Hinduism, Shakti is the consort of Shiva, the supreme deity. She is referred to in Buddhism as Tara, the goddess of compassion and mercy.
In Hindu scriptures, the Rigveda mentions Shakti as a goddess who pervades all creation. The Mahabharata describes her as “the source of all power in this universe”. The Upanishads describe her as supreme consciousness, “the ultimate source of knowledge” and “the cause of all existence”.
In Buddhist scriptures, Shakti is described as having a compassionate nature and infinite wisdom. Her power is said to be infinitely more significant than any other being. Tantric texts such as the Hevajra Tantra and The Vajrakilaya Tantra say that unlocking her wisdom can bring enlightenment.
In Jainism, she is portrayed as a great warrior goddess named Ambika or Amba. She is also said to have a benevolent nature and protects those who seek her help.
In Sikhism, she is known as Waheguru or Akal Purakh – the One Eternal God – who represents both male and female aspects. Waheguru teaches us that we are responsible for our destiny through righteous action and meditation.
Shakti has also been featured in many ancient legends, such as the previously mentioned, India’s epic poem Mahabharata. Also seen within Greek mythology’s Pandora’s Box, Norse mythology’s Jörmungandr serpent monster (which was born from two intertwined serpents), Egypt’s Isis-Osiris mythos, China’s Yang Guifei legend, Japan’s Tale Of Genji, Mesoamerica’s Popol Vuh creation narrative and even some Native American tribal stories.
In the West, Shakti may be referred to as Spirit. The Bible does not explicitly refer to the awakening of Shakti, as this is an understanding arising from the Eastern spiritual traditions. However, authors such as Michael Singer and Eckhart Tolle have merged the Eastern and Western understanding beautifully, rewriting Jesus’ teachings to relate to the Eastern understanding of the awakening of Shakti. In Michael Singer’s book, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself, he explains that Jesus’ words in the Bible are meant to help people become aware of their inner selves, leading to a greater connection with God and ultimately resulting in the awakening of Shakti.
Similarly, Eckhart Tolle explained in his book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose that Jesus intended for everyone to be awakened spiritually by breaking away from the ego and connecting with their divine source.
The Bible encourages readers to experience spiritual growth within themselves through active participation in prayer and the study of scripture. Luke 17:21 states, “For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.“
Eckhart Tolle also teaches that the concept of Shakti can be understood as a metaphor for the innate creativity, passion, and vitality that exists within each of us. He teaches that by cultivating a connection to this inner Shakti, we can access our own inner power and potential, and create a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
Through dedicated practice and letting go of the mind and ego, individuals can come into contact with their source energy or Shakti that lies dormant within. It can be activated initially by one’s conscious effort in the initial stages. We begin by connecting with Pure Consciousness, Divinity or Divine Consciousness, Spirit, or Chi. In the Bible, we can see cross references to Spirit flowing from within, often interpreted as flowing from the belly, heart and innermost being. In John 7:38 as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’.
Regardless of culture or tradition, by invoking Shakti within ourselves, we can tap into a vast reservoir of untapped potentiality and conscious manifestation.
The Various Traditions on Shakti Awakening
The Yoga Sutras
David Frawley iterates that:
“Some scholars state that there is no mention of Shakti in the Yoga Sutras. This is incorrect. Shakti is the last word in the Yoga Sutras that sums up its entire teaching and defines its goal as the realization of the Purusha. It suggests what is referred to as Kundalini Shakti in other Yoga texts.
The Yoga Sutras ends (YS IV.33) with a description of Kaivalya, the highest Samadhi and the state of the Purusha that is the goal of Yoga practice, in the following words:
Section 4, Verse 33
ऩुरुषाथयशून्यानांगुिानांप्रणतप्रसव्कैवल्यं,स्वरूऩप्रणतष्ठा वाणचणतशणियेणत॥३३॥
purusharthashoonyanan gunanan pratiprasavah kaivalyan, svaroopapratishtha va chitishaktireti
“The subsidence of the gunas when the Purusha has no interest in them is Kaivalya (liberation), or when there is the resting in the Self-nature of the Shakti or power of Consciousness (Kaivalyam Svarūpa pratiṣṭhā vā Citi Śaktir iti).”
Honoring the place of Shakti in Yoga is the very essence of Yoga. Without this Yoga Shakti or power of consciousness, the inner Yoga of Self-realization cannot succeed. Do not leave the Shakti out of your Yoga practice or out of your study of the Yoga Sutras.
Shakti is mentioned in several places throughout the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In the second chapter, Sadhana Pada, Patanjali speaks of the “power of the mind” (Shakti), which he defines as the ability to direct and control the mind and its functions. This power is seen as essential to the practice of yoga, as it enables the practitioner to overcome the obstacles and limitations of the mind and achieve a state of spiritual liberation.
For example, in Yoga Sutras 1.2, Patanjali states:
Section 1, Verse 2
मोगणित्तवृणत्तणनयोध्॥२॥
yogashchittavrittinirodhah
“Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff (Chitta) from taking various forms (Vrttis)”
“Yoga is the suppression of the modifications of the mind-stuff (citta).” In this sutra, Patanjali is referring to the constant stream of thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences that make up the mind. Through the practice of yoga, the mind can be stilled and the fluctuations of the mind can be brought under control. This control is achieved through the cultivation of the Shakti, or the power of the yogic mind.
In Yoga Sutras II.10, Patanjali also speaks of the Shakti as the “power of meditation” (dharana shakti), which he defines as the ability to focus the mind on a single object or thought. This power is seen as essential to the practice of dharana, or concentration, which is one of the “eight limbs” of yoga outlined by Patanjali.
Overall, the concept of Shakti plays a central role in the teachings of the Yoga Sutras, as it is seen as the key to unlocking the full potential of the mind and achieving a state of spiritual liberation or Kaivalya, the highest liberation.
Read more here on Shakti in the Yoga Sutras Shakti, the Yoga Sutras and Patanjali | American Institute of Vedic Studies
Sikhism
For centuries, devotees have sought out spiritual masters for guidance on how to awaken Shakti energy within themselves. In Sikhism, Shakti is the concept of divine feminine energy or power, which is seen as a manifestation of the supreme being, or Waheguru. The concept of Shakti is closely related to the concept of Hukam, which refers to the will or order of Waheguru. In Sikhism, Shakti is seen as the force that drives the creation and sustenance of the universe, and it is through the grace and power of Shakti that human beings can connect with Waheguru and achieve spiritual enlightenment.
In the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, Shakti is often referred to as “satnam,” which means “the true name.” This reflects the belief that the divine feminine energy is the source of all truth and wisdom, and that it is through the power of Shakti that human beings can realise their true nature and achieve spiritual liberation.
The concept of Shakti is also closely connected to the Sikh practice of kirtan, which involves singing hymns and chanting the name of Waheguru. It is believed that through the repetition of Waheguru’s name, the individual can connect with the divine feminine energy and achieve a state of spiritual unity and realisation.
Overall, the concept of Shakti plays a central role in Sikhism, as it is seen as the source of divine grace and the key to achieving spiritual enlightenment and liberation.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, Shakti is known as Devi or Shakti Mata who is represented by many goddesses such as Kali (the goddess of creation), Durga (the goddess of courage) Parvati (the goddess of fertility), Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge) and Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth). Each goddess embodies a different aspect of Shakti – representing her creative power and potentiality.
According to Hindu tradition, Shakti arises from the eternal, supreme being, known as Brahman, and is the source of all creation and existence. She is the embodiment of the life force, the energy that animates and sustains all living beings. Shakti is often depicted as the female counterpart of Shiva, and is worshipped as the mother goddess in many Hindu traditions.
In Hindu mythology, Shakti is depicted as the source of all power and strength, and is revered as the source of all life and energy in the universe. She is believed to be the source of all blessings and is worshipped as the mother of all living beings.
Shakti is also associated with the concept of Maya, which represents the illusory nature of the material world. She is believed to be the source of the veil of illusion that hides the ultimate truth of the universe.
Shakti is also revered as the protector and sustainer of life, and is seen as the embodiment of the divine feminine energy that pervades the universe.
Advaita Vedanta
In Advaita Vedanta, Shakti is the divine feminine energy or power that is associated with the ultimate reality, Brahman. According to Advaita Vedanta, Shakti is the dynamic aspect of Brahman, while Brahman is the static aspect. This means that Shakti is the manifestation of Brahman in the form of the universe, and it is through Shakti that the universe comes into being and exists.
In Hinduism, Shakti is often personified as the goddess Devi, who is revered as the mother of the universe and the source of all creation. In Advaita Vedanta, Shakti is also seen as the power that allows for the manifestation of the individual soul, or Atman, and its identification with the ultimate reality, Brahman.
In Advaita Vedanta, the goal of spiritual practice is to realise the unity of the individual soul with Brahman, and the power of Shakti is seen as essential for this realisation to occur.
The sage, Adi Shankara, wrote about how Shakti energy gives us access to higher states of consciousness.
Adi Shankara, also known as Shankara, was an Indian philosopher and theologian who is widely considered to be one of the greatest philosophers of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. He was born in the eighth century in present-day Kerala, India, and is known for his efforts to reform and revitalise Hinduism through his teachings and writings. Shankara’s philosophy is centred around the concept of non-duality, the idea that the individual self and the ultimate reality, Brahman, are one and the same. He is also known for his commentaries on the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, which are still widely studied and revered in Hinduism today.
Shankara’s writings on Shakti are found primarily in his commentary on the Prasna Upanishad, in which he discusses the concept of Prakriti, the primal material cause of the universe. In his commentary, Shankara explains that Prakriti is the power of Brahman, which is responsible for the creation and sustenance of the universe. Prakriti is also known as Maya, or the illusion of duality, which causes individuals to perceive the world as separate from themselves and from Brahman.
According to Shankara, the goal of spiritual practice is to realise the non-dual nature of the self and the ultimate reality, and to overcome the illusion of duality caused by Maya. This realisation is said to be achieved through the attainment of self-realisation or self-knowledge (atma jnana), which allows the individual to experience the unity of the self with the absolute self.
Shakti, therefore, is seen as an important concept in Shankara’s philosophy, as it is the power or energy that allows for the manifestation and creation of the universe, and is also the power that can lead to the realisation of the non-dual nature of the self and the ultimate reality.
Read more here: Yoga Nidra according to Adi Shankara | American Institute of Vedic Studies
Tantra
According to Tantric texts such as The Vajrayogini Tantra, experiencing Shakti in its fullness helps us heal from past trauma while opening up new life possibilities.
The Vajrayogini Tantra is a Buddhist tantric text that focuses on the goddess Vajrayogini as a deity who represents the ultimate attainment of realisation. In this text, Vajrayogini is described as a being of great power and compassion who can bestow spiritual realisation upon those who practise according to the teachings of the tantra. The Vajrayogini Tantra teaches that through the practice of tantra, which involves visualisation and other meditative techniques, one can experience the energy of Shakti, which is the divine feminine energy that is believed to be the source of all creation and manifestation.
The Vajrayogini Tantra also teaches that the attainment of realisation and the experience of Shakti are closely related. In tantric Buddhism, Shakti is seen as the energy that animates the universe and everything within it, and it is believed that by cultivating an awareness and connection to this energy, one can achieve a state of enlightenment. The practices outlined in the Vajrayogini Tantra are designed to help practitioners cultivate this awareness and connection to Shakti, and ultimately to experience the full realisation of their own divine nature.
“This is an excerpt from BIYOME’s 1000hr meditation training manual Professional Senior Educator in Meditation & The Awakening of Human Consciousness“
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