Tag Archives: Green Tara

More on Mohini

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Lakshmi

Lakshmi

There’s a film on YouTube that I listen to from time to time.  It is a recitation of the 1008 names of Lakshmi.

Everyone gets a name-check – Durga, Kali, even Tara: See Video >

The myriad attributes of the Goddess of all manifestation are listed in an act of vocal worship.  Tucked away somewhere around 100 names in is Mohini, translated as ‘She who bewitches’ here >

The inclusion of Mohini is interesting.  In the West, bewitchment is seen as something sinister, dangerous, generally not a good thing to be happening (save for the heady experience of being in love, perhaps).  Yet here is the Goddess of bewitchment, listed as an attribute of one of the biggest names in the composite of Shakti.  What’s going on? Continue reading →

Durga and Chamunda

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Durga Puja close up

Through my three and a half years or more of chanting the mantra of Green Tara, Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha, I have always felt I have something good by my side. 

Green Tara is known as Great Protectress, Incomparable Saviouress.  As not one day has gone past when I haven’t chanted her mantra at least once (one round of 108) in nearly 1,300 days, my sense of her benevolent, patient, compassionate, funny, magical, mischievous, no-nonsense spirit has grown inside me.

Green Tara is one expression or representation of the Great Feminine.  She has so many names over so many cultures.  Here in the West most of us see her in The Virgin Mary.  In Norse mythology she appears as Freyja.  Pachamama is her name in the Andes region.  She’s in the Mediterranean, she’s in Africa, she’s in Siberia, she’s everywhere.  Within the Hindu approach she has many different faces and many qualities.  One of those is Durga, known for her victories over a variety of demons. Continue reading →