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© 1998 by Jonathan Weber

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Kali is a Hindu Goddess who represents the dissolution of time-space into its timeless origin. She sits upon the motionless body of Shiva, who embodies the indestructible ground of awareness. Their union is the non-dual nature of Reality.

This image of Kali comes from the tantric school of Shaivite Yoga, around the 14th century, where She is called Vishvamata, the Great Cosmic Mother. In tantric cosmology, the two fundamental principles of reality are Shiva and Shakti. Shiva is the passive male principle of pure awareness, and Shakti is the active female principle of energy and matter. Kali is the aspect of Shakti that dissolves creation to reveal the eternal nature of things. Shiva lies beneath her in a state of suspended awareness, with a moon to signify his inward composure. He has transcended the passions, represented by the cobras.

On a personal level, She removes the obstacles and attachments that obscure our true nature. Thus, She is viewed as both terrible, for destroying what we cling to, and compassionate, for releasing us from illusion. This is displayed in the two sides of Kali; the left side wielding a scimitar and severed head, and the right side gesturing signs of benevolence. Her scimitar represents the wisdom to discriminate reality from illusion, severing attachments to the ego-body, which she holds as a demon head. Her raised hand is the gesture of fearlessness, and her lowered hand is the granting of boons. Her garland of skulls is symbolic of the countless beings she has liberated from attachments to form, while her necklace of fingers and her blood-drenched tongue show how the consequences (karmas) of all actions are absolved and consumed in the wisdom of eternal awareness (Shiva). She is the color of midnight to symbolize the empty nature of all appearances.

Text by Jonathan Weber

Website design by Jonathan Weber, Updated Feb 2011