Today let us deal with concepts such as esotericism and occultism as reflected in the Vedic concept of upanishada, which concepts and the Wisdom of God hidden under them are often mocked today by people representing the materialistic, i.e. the lowest and darkest, type of religiosity. So let’s first look at the meaning of both European words understood as one esotericism, and then at the essence that is the spiritual source of esotericism as it is understood among yogis, i.e. Kālī.
1. Esotericism – Secret knowledge, science available only to the initiated or the chosen ones; mystery or inner science. In the system of Hindu (Vedic) religions, this is the so-called upanishada – knowledge transferred from the mouth of the master to the ear of a student who is suitably developed and gifted in understanding. Among Buddhists, this is the so-called upadeśa (secret instruction). Esotericism is a term from Greek spiritual culture, from esotericos – internal, closed, secret. Occultism is a term of Latin origin from occulrus – mysterious, hidden, secret. Both terms mean exactly the same highest and deepest level of understanding of spiritual truths. This term often refers to the deepest part of knowledge (jnana, gnosis) or the teachings and practices of the spiritual Way of God, the pure Path. In essence, the terms esoteric and occult have exactly the same meaning, although the earthly sources may appear to come from different cultural or religious circles, such as Islam or Celtica.
2. Esotericism – Secret science (occult, occultist), which masters transmit to students in an initiatory way as a spiritual initiation. Esotericism includes the meaning of transmitted rituals, symbols, and special words in a timeless and supra-religious, or rather inter-religious, way. Esotericism can only be accepted in an appropriately receptive state of consciousness, therefore it is available only to the selected few. Transmitting esoteric knowledge to the uninitiated and unprepared to understand it risks distorting it, hence the obligation of silence imposed on the initiated. It is difficult to develop any possibility of esoteric education in a democratic manner through discussion. Therefore, it is worth considering whether any forum for esoteric discussions makes sense, because it may serve dark beings to defile what is light and spiritual, and it would not serve spiritual personalities who are actually interested in exchanging their esoteric knowledge. What can we expect from people who would have nothing to exchange with, such as fundamentalists, Satanists, chaotics, etc. who would be in such a circle. Clubs and circles in which spiritual teachings are constantly discussed instead of practically put into practice always lead to decay and chaos…
3. Esotericism in a broader sense is a term defining everything that is based on the deeper dimension of religion in which there is an encounter with magical spiritual powers and deep spiritual teachings based on the foundation of understanding the unity of purpose of all religions or spiritual paths. Spiritual medicine (healing), astrology, magic, alchemy, cooperation with angels (devas), metaphysics, sacred dance, ritual gestures and signs, the art of breathing, sound vibrations and many other areas of knowledge and practice are cultivated. Some people believe that although they deepen their own religion and the truths of faith, they also deny that they have anything to do with esotericism, occultism or gnosis. So either they only suffer from a split personality, or their minds are even more diseased by hubris (lie, hypocrisy), which is in fact a sin of the worst kind on the spiritual path. Esotericism reveals the deep secrets of faith, the mystery of the religious spiritual path…
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It has been said about esotericism that one does not throw pearls before swine lest they trample them, nor give what is holy to dogs lest they vomit it. That’s why you don’t come across esoteric teachings from an advertisement in a newspaper, because then there is no room for reflections on pearls and occult sanctities of esotericism. Maybe it would be possible to create a closed circle of selected people to which no one can sign up but can only be accepted. However, it will always be more of an inner circle than people from the advertisement and the street. And teachers can convey something to a few people in very private spiritual circles! Written teachings, however, have the ambition at most to introduce some esoteric issues…
Yoga is called the esotericism of Hinduism, Sufi is called the esotericism of Islam, and the mysticism of Origen’s light or the way to Mount Carmel of St. John of the Cross is Christian esotericism. Good introductions to contemporary True Esotericism of a universal and timeless nature include the teachings of the Living Ethics of Agni Yoga written by Helena Roerich, the series of teachings by Alice Bailey contained in 25 powerful volumes devoted to occult science according to the Tibetan Jwalkhul, the transmission of The Sufi Message given by Hazrat Inayat Khan. A good little introduction is also made by prof. G.O.M. in his work Secret Spiritual Knowledge. These are a few examples of where to look for the Knowledge of Light.
Both ancient and modern Satanism, chaoticism, Setianism, Luciferianism and similar varieties of fairy tales of the forces of darkness are rather a distortion or denial of all esotericism and in no way have they belonged to esotericism, i.e. occultism. On the contrary, for this professional primitive denigration of esoteric teachings as satanic, someone is probably paying the demonic beings who do this. Anyone who identifies with Satanism or chaoticism is certainly not an esotericist or occultist. For such person usually denies the basic spiritual truths contained in the Holy Scriptures of revealed religions. Esotericism is only a fusion of spiritual religious knowledge, enabling deeper understanding.
The basics of esoteric knowledge can be achieved by studying the Holy Scriptures of revealed religions such as the Bible, Quran, Avesta, Veda, Adi Granth… for the unity of their teachings. This is a perfect spiritual path, the so-called True Religion. Comparative mysticism under the banner of unity and similarity is the foundation of esotericism. Looking for differences and otherness leads to chaos and darkening of the soul. There is only one religion given to humanity at different times, but always in its entirety and without any changes in its principles and rules. Once we have achieved the enlightening unity of this understanding of the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, we will be on the first step of True Esotericism, where we will recognize that everything is one. This is how one acquires the basics of inner spiritual knowledge in as-Sufiya al-Qadarija, i.e. in the Sufi Order of Kadaria, how to conveniently transcribe it into Polish. This is one of the four main esoteric paths of Islamic mysticism. In the same way, Hermes Trismegistus and Enoch taught to understand the depth of religion. This is what Padmasambhava taught, and his successors continue to teach this way to this day. Nagaraja Babaji and his authentic disciples also impart this secret way of understanding, which was also given expression by the Vedantic Sivaśankara. Today, Satya Sai Baba teaches this way. This is right knowledge and right view, also the right view of Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus.
Angels such as Raziel (Jnanadeva) and Ophiel (Light of Divine Purpose) guard esoteric spiritual secrets and do not allow anyone to have access to them. Hence know to be very grateful when the opportunity to study deeper spiritual knowledge presents itself to you. Many people come to esoteric schools and then rashly abandon them. However, great patience for esoteric studies and great perseverance are needed. Ophel rules over the planet Mercury and is one of the 14 spirits who rule the Empyrean, the Temple of God in the heavens. Under the command of Ophiel serve one hundred thousand lesser angelic spirits, imparting the illuminating light of understanding and comprehension. Archangel Ophiel is the angel of enlightened reason, i.e. Mercury. Raziel literally means “mystery of God”, “angel of secrets”, “angel of the secret worlds and commander of the highest secrets”. This archangel is the guardian of the holy book in which it is kept, or perhaps better, is contained all the earthly and heavenly wisdom that was, is and will be. It is the complete and perfect celestial Veda (Knowledge).
Basically, there are three degrees of secret spiritual knowledge, also called occultism. The first level – SECRETUM – is knowledge kept hidden and not very widespread, but available to a diligent spiritual seeker. This degree involves a deeper explanation of symbols, words and sounds, and the laws of life. The second degree – ARCANUM – is a secret needed to learn about a specific group of things and phenomena, laws or principles. It usually concerns knowledge that unifies and unifies our spiritual path of development and our life in all its aspects. The third level – MYSTERIUM – is a wonderful system of arcana and secrets, synthesized by a designated esoteric school as the basis of its contemplation and a measure of its spiritual activity. The degrees of esoteric knowledge correspond directly to the relationship with the angels of the next of the three spheres of akaśa.
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Religion is the very delight of returning to God. Religion is a renewed clinging to the One Source which is God, still one and the same, although people describe Him in various ways, like blind men feeling an elephant. Well, the leg and trunk or tail of an elephant are slightly different, so the image of the blind men was partial. Isn’t there esoteric Christian, Buddhist and Hindu mysticism to develop, in the spirit of religiosity, deeper issues of the only authentic RELIGION as given by the Creator?
RELIGION – everything that is done by a person who has awakened the deepest longing of his soul – love for his Creator, for Elohim, for Allah, for Brahman. Is there anyone who loves the Lord his God and feels that the longing for the One God, the Creator of the Worlds, has truly awakened in his heart? I guess only then we can start talking about what religion is – love for God.
And those who are religious from the bottom of their hearts are just as impenetrable as those who truly fell in love with another person. What do those who have not fallen in love with God say? I guess it’s the same as those who try to theorize about love without ever having fallen in love. God’s love is unique and true and flows from the depths of the heart, and you do not know the day or hour when you will fall in love with God your Creator. The soul is sad when it longs for God. The soul is joyful when it communes with God.
BLACK MADONNA, THE TRUE GODDESS OF ESOTERICS
KĀLĪ (KAALII) – we write this way because this is how the name is read, written in the original with long vowels. In Sanskrit there are some vowels in two versions: short, i.e. normally read, and long, i.e. read as approximately 2-3 times longer than the regular, i.e. short ones. And it may be the case that KALI written with short vowels could and does mean something completely different than KAALII written with long vowels, as is the case with the venerable DEVI, i.e. the Angel of God, also called the Black Madonna. I love to emphasize that in the Hindu concept of paradise both sexes are represented and the theme of devis (plural) is very clearly emphasized. Angels (Devas) have a second sex to pair with, so it’s fun and not boring at all.
There are three great spheres of heaven: Bhuta Akaśa, Mana Akaśa and Citta Akaśa. Each of them is again divided into 3 subspheres. It is very aristocratic in Devachana, but in each of the great spheres it is democratic and even wantonly… The middle heavens are, for example, inhabited by apsarasas (celestial dancers) and gandharvas (celestial musicians). It is from them that the entire maithuna yoga comes, i.e. what is usually called tantra, not quite rightly, because in addition to learning to love and enjoy the opposite sex, tantra also includes other (72 in total) groups of the so-called liberating teachings….
Returning to Kaalii, the name comes from the word Kaala, which means primarily time, time cycle, eon, epoch. Its main place of concentration is the so-called hundred-petalled lotus, located at the top of the head just below the skull. This is also the Kaalaćakra well known to Buddhists. It is a lotus used to overcome time, including time cycles, or perhaps better, a lotus of sublimation of the duration and operation of time until it is consciously transcended.
Oom Kaalii, Oom Kaalii, Oom Kaalii, Oom Kaalii;
Oom Kaalii, Oom Kaalii, Oom Kaalii, Oo..mm!
We also write Oo twice here, because this letter is also read in Sanskrit as a long vowel. The root of the word, the syllable KA, has the following connotations: – bringing happiness, – giving prosperity, – giving pleasure, – giving a cheerful, sunny mood.
In mantrams, the bija (syllable) Kam brings happiness, prosperity, pleasure and means a sunny soul. The term solar soul refers to being like the sun, or to a state of enlightenment. The root Kah means Brahman, Vishnu, Kaamadeva (angel of pleasure), also the quality of fire and wind, i.e. hot air… The root Li means dissolving, melting, remelting, smelting, annihilation, rectification in the sense of cleansing from admixtures and accretions, sublimations… Li in the yogatantras means as sublimations to a higher state by melting into something higher or by melting so that all additions (impurities) are separated. Together, the name Kaalii carries shades of very pleasant and friendly meaning, such as: the sublimation of happiness, prosperity and pleasure, or the purification and annihilation of what obscured the serene soul and its state of pleasure.
Kaalii, as it is said in the Shivaite siddha tradition, annihilates everything that obscures the natural state of happiness (ananda) and pleasure and transports us to higher forms of existence. Hence the associations with death made by people who understand nothing of the symbolism of its form. Kaalii gives yogis the so-called the body of the blue sky, i.e. the body of immortality. Rishi Agastya and Rishi Nagaraja Babaji were worshipers of Kaalii and achieved a state of physical immortality, which according to the mysteries of tantric yoga (also according to) Taoists is possible and real, although not easy to achieve. Kaalii is the queen of Devachan, who takes under her protection those who overcome death and “eat from the tree of eternal life”, or simply put, they gain power over the length of their lives and can decide for themselves in what form they want to continue to exist. The eternal body is given by Kaalii.
These concepts may make many people wince or laugh, but it is precisely with such matters that the essence of Kaalii is connected. As the protector of the cycle of time, she determines the lifespan of beings in their mortal form, so she is associated with the Chohan Yama, or better yet, with Yamadeva, who is the so-called Lord of Death (a more direct executor, since Kaalii is rather concerned with reigning in the highest sphere of the formed heavens).
As the sublimator of pleasure and happiness, she is associated with Kaamadeva, who encourages the taking of pleasure and sends apsarasas and gandharvas to teach the sublimation of all caresses up to the experience of transcendental (sublime) pleasures. In other words, they deal with deepening sensitivity, tenderness and delicacy, which is an element of tantric practice…
For some reason, European commentators sometimes translate her name as “Black” or “Dark”, probably in order to add negative connotations. Śyama’s color, which is the color of her body, is rather dark blue, similar to indigo or dark sapphire, just like the deep blue sky after sunset with the first stars shining…
Kaalii’s consort is Śiva (Shiva) in his form of the ruler of time known as Kaalabhairava. By the way, Rava means sun and bhai means healing. Together this gives a meaning of something around “solar healing time” or “sun-healing time”. The sun is a symbol of the heavenly soul, the deva. Kaalabhairava is also known by another name as Mahaakaala. Buddhists often use this form for spiritual meditations that free one from the bonds of death.
The yogi Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekanada were worshipers of Kaalii. If someone knows the teachings of these yogis, they can well feel what the internal inspiration coming from Kaalii was for them. Ramakrishna was the priest of Kaalii in the temple at Dakshineśwaram. Shirdi Sai Baba also loved to pay obeisances at the Kālī temple. A yogi known as the exponent of Kriya Yoga, Yogananda was also an ardent and devoted devotee of Kaalii, as should be known to all who wish to follow in his footsteps and advance in spiritual practice. Babaji’s sister is the incarnation of Kaalii in the form of a sixteen-year-old virgin maiden. Thanks to love and bhakti for Kaalii, Yoganada climbed to the heights of self-realization, up to spiritual enlightenment.
Kaalii is considered and worshiped as Bhavatarini or the liberator of the universe. She accepts souls from all over the material universe to live in their eternal forms. It is said that even demons, if they devote themselves to Kaalii, can be saved. The bleeding head that Kaalii holds in one of her hands is the head of a demon she killed that threatened the existence of the manifest world. It is a symbol of divine care and watch over the world. The diminutive name of this angelic goddess, Kaalii, is often used, then we say Kaaliika. Kaalii’s other name is Umadevi. When people talk about Our Lady in India, they talk about Kaalii. By the way, it is worth knowing that in the Hindu tradition, the main emphasis is placed on the worship of Our Lady, the Mother of the universe. The Divine Mother is most of the tradition, and the rest are cults related to Trimmurti (male Trinity). 10 more important names are used to describe Devi, or rather Mahaadewi (Mahaa means great or perhaps better, high-ranking).
Aspirants practicing yoga, in spiritual matters are more connected to Kaalii than to Śiva, because as the Mother of all creation, she looks after the universe. The female form is divinity hidden inside prakriti (luminous matter/substance from which the universe is made), while the male form is divinity in its own sphere, i.e. purusha. Devi penetrates matter because she is hidden in prakriti, but it should be remembered that prakriti is divine matter (substance). There are worlds where prakriti is very polluted. There are also those where prakriti is close to the purity of primary matter and resembles its luminous consistency. This is where the concept of spheres with varying degrees of density or, better yet, purity and subtlety comes from.
Yogi Kaaliidasa wrote many poems and songs of praise to Kaalii. Hence his name. The necklace of heads with which Kaalii is adorned means that each of her devoted devotees is under Her divine protection, and She, as a goddess, watches over him in life and death, and also beyond life and death. Most Indian holy women bearing the name-title Mataji are worshipers of Kaaliidevi. Moreover, this title is often understood to belong to Kaalii herself. All Nayanaaras (Serpent Guardians) of the Shivaite tradition were and are devotees of Śri Kaalii Devi.
Oom Mahaakaalyai Namah! (Praise the Great Kaalii!) [The last h in na-mah is not read as h, and in the transcription it means a slight lengthening of the preceding vowel, so it is read more like a-ay.]
It is also worth remembering that generally female characters or names always represent divine powers and are their embodiment or personification. Kaalii is the wielder of the power to control the cycle of time. Kaalii belongs to the ten basic or most important Powers (Women) worshiped by the Siddhas, and generally called Daśamahaavidyas. which means ‘Ten great wisdoms’. Many desire to become miracle workers (siddhas), but who would like to become a devotee of a mistress of yogi to truly make this dream come true?
Kaalii’s raised right hand is in a gesture of blessing in which the Devi dispels all fears, anxieties, worries and fears. The lower right hand is in the gesture of fulfilling requests and wishes (giving gesture). In Kaalii’s left raised (upper) hand there is a sacrificial sword (usually ramdao), which symbolizes the power to destroy evil (demons – rakshasas, asuras, pisiaćas) and the power of sacrifice. The lower left hand holds the severed head of the demon Mahisha, whom Kaalii destroyed in the form of Durga (a form with a thousand arms). Kaalii guarantees that those who offer her their entire head (mind) will be protected from demons. Good protection – invoke the mantram to Kaalii when something unpleasant happens on the astral plane, during the so-called astral journey. Kaalii’s flowing hair symbolizes the unrestrained freedom of spiritual liberation from the bonds of death, the freedom of immortality.
Kaalii is a form of Parvati (Benevolent, Mountain), her father is Himavant (Morya) and her mother is Menaka (Himavanti). Kaalii is always with a good-natured smile on her face. She feeds on Soma, Amrita and similar delicacies, and lives in Chitta Akasha in the highest of the heavenly spheres, one could say in the Empyrean, and her earthly abode is the sacred mountain Kailasa (dedicated to Kaalii) in Tibet.
In fact, Kālī (pronounced Kaalii) can even be found at Jasna Góra (KAtholic Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland) as the magnificent Black Madonna. This is the old Slavic Black Mother, Diva Leila, or whatever the old Slavs from the East once called her. The child in the goddess’s hand is a universal symbol of the prophetic soul, i.e. the soul of an avatar descending to earth in a given period, so it fits any era and any avatar or prophet. It’s shocking that the Kaalii cult is so vibrant and so developed on Polish soil, even though Jesus himself did not establish such a cult. As you can see, the cult of the goddess Kālī can be ubiquitous in many traditions, and in our Polish folk culture, the attraction to it is even particularly strong, because we are Aryans, Indo-Europeans… Om Mahaakaalyai Namah!
This is a fragment of one of the prayers, or rather a hymn, to Kaalii Durga:
Hail, dispenser of graces,
Kaalii – Purest Virgin, Brahmaćarini –
with a wonderful shape, like the rising Sun,
and face like the silver moon.
Thou are four-armed and four-faced,
with wide hips, with a breast that is pregnant with sweetness,
Your arms shine with sapphire and emerald.
Thou, o Narayana’s pure bride.
You have dominion over the earth and the volatile ether spheres,
and Your shape and vow of purity shine with light.
Kaalii You are like a sapphire cloud,
similar in terror and beauty to Śiva himself,
Your long arms are like Indra’s banner poles,
and in six hands there is a lotus and a bell,
You wield a bow, a discus, and various weapons.
You are most pure, O Lady,
from among the women of all…
Hum!
Many Blessings on your Path to Awakening and Realization!
Om Namaśśivaya! Hum!
Aćaryaćarya Swami Lalita-Mohan G.K.
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