Making Contact with Kali

[graveghoul]

Has anyone had any experiences with Kali?

I seem to be getting signs from her. I'm a devotee to Hekate and from what read, Kali is definitely more "amped up" in a darker and "faster" nature than Hekate.

For those of you who have encountered Kali, what were your experiences and what was she trying to teach you/help you with?

[Seraphin]

I work with Kali! One of the dark Goddesses I work with. My first advice to you is you should be careful, She's a powerful Goddess and has a lot of energy which can be difficult to handle and work with unless you really know your stuff. She is considered a Daemon in Her pantheon.

I heard the name only once and it has called out to me ever since even before I started researching Her. Personally I see Her as a Mother figure, a protector of Her devotees, full affection and I call on Her quite frequently for protection throughout my day.

In my opinion, She is a protector of Her devoted ones. I consider Her Goddess of enlightenment and liberation. And one of the few Goddesses that is celibate. She is said to represent 'destruction' but it is more of a destruction of the Ego rather than physical destruction. Her necklace of skulls and skirt of dismembered arms represent the freeing of Her children from the egoistic attachment and see and experience the soul consciousness which is humans' real essence that will stay forever. Our ego will eventually be limited or changed completely because it's not our real essence, even though those feelings seem to be real in our lives. Anger, hatred, bitterness, fear and lust feel so real. Yet, my Goddess Kali teaches me that they are temporary forces that exist to challenge me until I reach transformation.

Kali despite of Her frightening qualities, is actually a good Deity whose job is to help me to grow, to empower and to be preserved. Even though Kali sounds like a negative dark force, She's negative only if we let Her challenges and obstacles control us. She's positive if we see all the inclinations and attitudes that come from our ego as a jumping point to grow and become the best that we can become. When we reach the change or transformation, it will be revealed to yourself that She is (along with many other Daemonic Deities and Advesaries like Satan, Loki, etc.) is actually a good Deity that helps us to grow.

[Becks]

I began reading about Kali several years ago. I was fascinated by her many forms and the use of the literal and figurative death and transformation of the self. I had experienced much death in my family and I could relate to the transformative and vulnerable Nature of death...stripping each one of us bare regardless of status-Ma will come for each of us equally in time. There is a kind of beauty and grace in death, and so I felt connected to the nurture and destruction embodied by Ma.

I traveled to see a so called famous avatar of Ma. Mother Meera. I didn't know what I would expect...what I would feel. It was to be darshan, and I would meet Ma face to face. The idea is that you line up and Mother Meera states into your eyes for as long as she needs to. No words are said. It is an energetic connection. I had no expectations of the experience. I went alone and on my way to darshan the strangest thing happened to me. I was in a strange city in winter and while walking through a snowy park I came face to face with a tall Blackfoot homeless man. The man was dirty, under the influence of something, smelled of decay, and sick. He asked me for money and while I replied I ended up locking eyes with him. That was an extremely intense experience, and I can't quite explain it. He said my eyes were unlike anything he has seen and I felt the same about his. He asked to hug me. I walked away feeling like I had connected with Ma through this man's eyes. I feel like Ma's love for us in our vulnerable and human moments was so present. It was humbling. Like the love of a great mother. Darshan was a powerful experience and while I don't know exactly what Meera is-her eyes were like fire.

In retrospect the most significant experience to me was Ma connecting me to this man, and showing me how we are connected and loved by the great mother. There is a firmness to her and she doesn't suffer fools, but she loves.

[graveghoul]

Thank you, Seraphin Murmur and Beck for your replies. Frankly, I'm a bit dumb founded on the notion that she would make herself known because Hekate, herself, had humbled me quite a bit. She's, through dreams, shown me my biggest fears. Through waking life she's challenged my ego. I felt interconnectedness more prevalent now than ever in my life. That's why I don't know why Kali us coming in for a second round. I'm not as materialistic as I used to be. I understand we are not necessarily our physical self, rather, we are our celestial selves intertwined in an endless cycle. So for this reason the only thing I think she may be trying to teach is about patience, which I'm horrible with. I have OCD and am Capricorn so I'm a "need it now" type. Very goal oriented. I study to the point of obsession and am too wrapped up in answers that I don't let things flow. This could be the lesson, though I'm not sure.
I did a for of puja to Kali yesterday chanting "om kalikayei namaha" 108 times, offered her curd, rice, and dove blood ink by a skull candle. I dabbed some ink blood onto the 3rd eye position on the candle. I don't know, as if yet, if this appeased her or if I should continue daily puja to her.
I don't want to "use" her like some witches do, but I'd like to honor and learn from her. I'm more about honoring than I am about using deities for personal gain. I think that's selfish and VERY egotistical.

Do you do daily puja to Kali? If so, what might yours involve? Thank you for your time.

[Seraphin]

That's probably what She's teaching you, maybe learning this virtue, would change your life into much better one. In my experience working with Her, She's always involved in purifying process that my tainted soul undergoes to cleanse it from its emotional, mental and spiritual filthiness which according to Her, are all just temporary, and are restorative, and not punitive, when I finally learned what She's teaching me.

And I never used Kali in my magickal workings too.

I do daily puja to Kali every night (along with Erishkigal, Oya and Eris). Often, I do recite some mantra, sometimes I do some tantric work. There are times, I offer jewelries made of bones, red flowers, chocolates and sweet goodies, rice, raw fish and meat which I placed in a skull.



Here's a conclave of dark Goddesses: Oya, Eris, Erishkigal and Kali. I purchased this beautiful Kali figurine from India during our visit to a Hindu temple and after bringing it home, I noticed how its colors and motif matches very closely those of the Oya painting my friend made for me months ago, and that her name can be found on the golden apple of Eris ("Kallisti") and look at the chimpanzee skull; a perfect symbol of Death for the Death Lady Herself, Erishkigal which is Kali's symbol too!

[graveghoul]

There is still so much I don't know about her.
One thing I don't get is why only dark goddesses and solar gods are making themselves prevalent in my life.
I mean, in so many words, I understand what needs to be fixed but the only one I've felt that stayed the longest was Hekate.
I've seen visions of her, Kali, Cernunnos, and Shiva.

The cynical part of me wants to link them together with the notion that through time and word of mouth all over the world that Cernunnos could actually be Shiva's avatar, Pashupati and that Hekate could be another of Kali's forms but at the end of the day it doesn't feel right. Too many differences.

The lessons, thus far, have been:
"Face your fears and become who you really are."-Hekate
"Live in the now."-Cernnunos
"We are all connected and know what you need to believe."-Shiva
and ? - Kali

In your opinion, does she prefer her own altar, or did she ask you to honor her separately from the others?

All I've been shown is a porcelain doll with its tongue sticking out and lots and lots of demons in my dreams. Granted, Hollywood imagery of demons. (white eyes, long skinny fingers, tongues sticking out, black and red faces, long teeth, devious laughing)

I've had two bouts of sleep paralysis this week accompanied by shadow figures. This could also be because I can't sleep at night. Stressed and all. I don't think to be one of those people who sees signs in every little thing but what kind of visions or signs, specifically, did you receive to know it was her?

[Seraphin]

There is still so much i don't know about her.
One thing i don't get is why only dark goddesses and solar gods are making themselves prevalent in my life.
I mean, in so many words, i understand what needs to be fixed but the only one ive felt that stayed the longest was Hekate.
I've seen visions of her, Kali, Cernunnos, and Shiva.

Perhaps this is because your life needs to be balanced in both darkness and light, feminine and masculine, earthly and spiritual etc. If you're going to look my pantheon, you'll notice that most of my Gods and Goddesses are dark and solar Deities too.

Most people nowadays often define spirituality as denying oneself, being detached from 'earthly' concerns, and being intent only on 'light' aspects and values. By contrast, in my experience working with the opposites, I experienced the world of light and spirit (and feminine) as robust, life-affirming and earth and darkness (and masculine) in character. For me as a follower of both dark and light Highest Ideals, my spirituality doesn't come by negating richness of earthly life's experience or totally withdrawing from darkness. Instead, I affirm creation by finding a sense of sacredness in the here and now. There's no division between sacred and mundane areas of my life. It is all my world and it is to be enjoyed without a sense of shame or guilt.

My Deities teach me to look up to heaven but keep both feet squarely on the ground and to search light and appreciate the darkness. Many people have not always learned to balance themselves. They do not know how they can keep the invisible from consuming the visible, the light from negating the dark, the life from eliminating death and belief from making them blind to behavior.

Personally now, I view the opposites equally important. Without someone to receive, no one is able to give; without someone sitting in the darkness, no one can offer light. If I get the balance right, I become incredibly powerful; I both receive and give in equal measures.

The cynical part of me wants to link them together with the notion that through time and word of mouth all over the world that Cernunnos could actually be Shiva's avatar, Pashupati and that Hekate could be another of Kali's forms but at the end of the day it doesn't feel right. Too many differences.

Some syncretists think similarly to you during your cynical times but for me, I'm a hard polytheist, so I believe that the Deities are actual distinct entities separate from my other Gods and Goddesses from other cultures, pantheon and mythos. I'm probably about as hard-poly as they get as I never grouped Deities with similar attributes together or equate them in any way. Except the Roman and Greek Gods and Goddesses but that's a different topic . I don't for one second think that Erishkigal is interchangeable with Persephone, no matter that that are both of the Dark Underworld Goddess archetype. I feel that would be like me saying that I am interchangeable with my bestfriend, because we are both System Analyst and IT Consultant. We may have the same 'purpose', work in the same department and do similar things, but we aren't the same person.

The lessons, thus far, have been:
"Face your fears and become who you really are."-Hekate
"Live in the now."-Cernnunos
"We are all connected and know what you need to believe."-Shiva
and ? - Kali

Loving the life lessons! The facing your fear is one of the important lessons my Deific Daemons and Death Deities have been teaching me for years.

In your opinion, does she prefer her own altar, or did she ask you to honor her separately from the others?

Of course if I'm celebrating Her Festival, Kali Puja also known as Mahanisha Puja which is observed on the new moon day of the Hindu month Kartik (that starts on 28th of October 2015 and ends on 25th of November 2015), She demands Her own altar or shrine but if there's no appointed time, She doesn't mind at all to share altar with other Goddesses.

All ive been shown is a porcelain doll with its tongue sticking out and lots and lots of demons in my dreams. Granted, Hollywood imagery of demons. (white eyes, long skinny fingers, tongues sticking out, black and red faces, long teeth, devious laughing)

Actually, that's what my Goddess Kali looks like.

I've had two bouts of sleep paralysis this week accompanied by shadow figures. This could also be because i cant sleep at night. Stressed and all. I don't think to be one of those people who sees signs in every little thing but what kind of visions or signs, specifically, did you receive to know it was her?

I remember praying to Her and then we agreed that if She's really the one who was calling me, I'd receive three of the following signs within seven days: gift of knife, sword or blade, seeing bones, flesh and blood, spices falling to the ground, sparks from fire, red hibiscus, going to a funeral or memorial and hearing a devastating news (war, catastrophe, anything that has something to do with death, destruction and change).

And She gave me three signs! I just forgot what are those.

[graveghoul]

Oh I completely agree about needing balance. I'm all about balance.

I see. Did she decide the signs you'd see or might you have interjected possibilities? I know with Hekate I read online what her associations were and within 3 days I saw owls, black dogs, rope, wolves, and storms. It was amazing!

I'm aware of the hibiscus association with Kali, and the swords, the skulls as well as the tongue.
I will pray to her this evening, on the day of the blood moon, and see how she responds.

I cant thank you enough for all your insight! This endevour will most definitely take some time and patience.

Thank you, again!

[Seraphin]

She decided the signs. Although I was really not doing visionary magick yet that time, I remember asking Her for some sign to appear in/on my obsidian ball. After reciting a mantra and after a few minutes staring at the ball, I saw these signs one by one. They disappeared immediately, then I waited for some more visions - repeatedly reciting the mantra, but there was no more so I said to Her that if I'd encounter three of the signs within that week, She is really the Goddess, Kali.

[Lord_of_Nightmares]

I work with Kali! One of the dark Goddesses I work with. My first advice to you is you should be careful, She's a powerful Goddess and has a lot of energy which can be difficult to handle and work with unless you really know your stuff. She is considered a Daemon in Her pantheon.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound too confrontational here, but I have not heard of this. She is not consider an asura (demon) in her own pantheon. In fact she tends to slay them. She is a manifestation of devi, an aspect of both Durga and Parvati who are the same goddess. She is on the fringes of society and is associated with lower castes, wilderness, criminals, witches, and the like, however. But she is not seen as daemon, unless you're defining this word differently than what I am thinking of.

In my opinion, She is a protector of Her devoted ones. I consider Her Goddess of enlightenment and liberation. And one of the few Goddesses that is celibate.

I am confused by this. (Not the liberation or enlightenment part, that is a part of moksha.) Lord Shiva is considered her husband (Parvati is the wife of Shiva, Kali is her aspect.) and there are many depictions of them in compromising and explicit positions. (Shiva linga and Kali's yoni is a running theme here.)

She is said to represent 'destruction' but it is more of a destruction of the Ego rather than physical destruction. Her necklace of skulls and skirt of dismembered arms represent the freeing of Her children from the egoistic attachment and see and experience the soul consciousness which is humans' real essence that will stay forever. Our ego will eventually be limited or changed completely because it's not our real essence, even though those feelings seem to be real in our lives. Anger, hatred, bitterness, fear and lust feel so real. Yet, my Goddess Kali teaches me that they are temporary forces that exist to challenge me until I reach transformation.

I love this interpretation.

[Tutmosis]

Kali Maa is definitely not a demon. Her very form is meant to strike fear into demons, as she is a demon slayer. They call her the dark goddess not Because she is evil, but because of her skin color. She is thought to be colored by the true darkness, the darkness of the universe. It's meant to be positive, not negative.

[Lord_of_Nightmares]

Kali Maa is definitely not a demon. Her very form is meant to strike fear into demons, as she is a demon slayer. They call her the dark goddess not Because she is evil, but because of her skin color. She is thought to be colored by the true darkness, the darkness of the universe. It's meant to be positive, not negative.

She is darker however, than other devis such as Gauri. Not just literally. After getting drunk on the blood of a demon, she threatened to destroy the world until Shiva calmed her. Hence, why he is at her feet. That's not including her huge association with the left hand tantricism. (Thugee cult anyone?)

As the embodiment of Durga's rage, I cannot see Kali ma as a complete benevolent goddess. But she is nowhere near the level of a demon, no.

[vassal]

I worked with Kali for a year and while I hold that deities are facets of higher divinity... I definitely have to echo Lilith here.

As for experience? As soon as I began worshipping her, I started having an ethical crisis at work. Then.. things began to dissolve before my eyes. Everything I worked so hard for fell apart. I was a head librarian for a private cancer research foundation in the Pacific Northwest by sheer will power and lack of credentials. It was painful at the time. Now I see it as childish.

I'm so much happier today where I am. I work part time as an office assistant for a local sustainable grocery store. I am training to teach yoga. I'm broke but thriving. I'm like my childish self. Kali as mother goddess turned me into a laughter-loving child.

For many, the gleam on the blade is more terrifying than the edge of its precipice in the dark, who is Ma Kali. Who through her swift brutal methodology changed me from a money chaser to a contemplative through and through.

I worship Venus, the violet crowned as an aspect. Shes easier for me to deal with. But she's like gold. Lustrous and soft. Alluring and requiring constant loving work. You so much as love Kali and she will love you in her most terrifying if ultimately merciful way. This world is of iron and everything must be cut through.

[Shawn Blackwolf]

I was part of a Kali ritual outside with a huge fire ring at Harbin Hot Springs
in California in 2006, at the Pantheacon gathering.

The High Priestess who "performed" it, was a very long time devotee, of
Kali, and in her chaos magic side, Cthulhu. A heavy duty, no nonsense,
yet fun woman, yet during ritual she embodied Kali perfectly. She was
dark skinned and dark haired and deep eyes as well, which only added
to her energy for the ritual.

There were over a hundred people, in full garb, robes, headdresses,
staffs, stangs, athames, swords. Amazing scene it was in the firelight,
red and black the predominant requested colors.

Each person was challenged by her to give up something in their life to her as Kali.
Something we had emotionally, mentally, physically had held onto, and it was time
to let it go. Each person had to announce to the circle in one sentence what they
were letting go. She held a sickle to each person's chest , and after they stated their
sacrifice , she lowered the sickle, and made the motion of ripping them open from
groin to skull, like a serpent shedding its skin.

After the ritual, during which, people literally broke down, sobbing, we slowly returned
to our tents and shelters, or to the springs for further healing. Before I went to the springs,
I returned to my four person tent, where I had set up my altars.

Lo and behold! The whole back of the tent was ripped open, looking like bottom to top,
with nothing touched inside! Just the sign a large bear had been there (or something).

People came running when they heard me cry out "Holy Sh**"

They were amazed and laughing, saying Kali opened a back door portal for me.
A way out. Funny thing was, nobody else's place was touched. Just mine.

LOL!

The High Priestess just smiled.

[freyja13]

I can't say that I have, but I hear she is a destroyer goddess for a good reason making way for the good to sprout and the bad to leave. Just what I have heard.