Category: Femininity

Tribute to the Eternal Feminine ~ Part 1

08 March 2023

Tribute to the Eternal Feminine & to the Feminine Mystery that exists in every woman

What the woman wants, and when it is good,
God wants it too.

– Grieg

Even for the uninitiated, the feminine nature has a mysterious resonance with the poetic sentiment. In human beings who aspire to discover their soulmate, this passionate search is fundamentally about discovering the polar opposite half that we lack. In reality, this quest illustrates the unconscious desire to achieve the androgynous state. In the realm of manifestation, some human beings sense, and others even intuit, that beyond the binary pulsation of plus-minus, yang-yin, solar-lunar, masculine-feminine, lies the mysterious unknown and infinite, or God the Father, who works incessantly. 

I remember that when I started practising yoga, at one stage I had the opportunity to study a Tantric text, in which I discovered a phrase that appeared to be surprising to me at the time. Here is that sutra that I memorised: “If a practitioner of the Tantra system can understand the soul of a woman – due to their state of perfect identification, or Samyama, they will thus be able to know the world, together with the occult forces that reside beyond it, and at the same time they will be able to find the Almighty and Eternal Brahmin, God, who exists beyond this world.”

This phrase appeared to me as being banal, but at the same time fascinating and enigmatic. If it would be read in a superficial way, it would make you think of a kind of cliché that we meet in some age-old traditions. The ancient archetype of the anima mundi, or the Soul of the World, has been perpetuated in the esoteric traditions of the West since ancient times. On this it can be said that in a certain way, many people have the intuition of the fascinating, intimate connection of women with the nature of the World. It is worth remembering that it is no coincidence that the 21st card of the Tarot, which represents the World, has a beautiful naked woman in the centre as its symbol, that for the initiated, evokes the Mystery of Shakti. 
  
Regarding the sutra that I quoted, it is necessary to add that when I read it, I had a flash of intuition of a truth that was hidden behind the apparent truth of those words. It was then that I began to intuit that there was undoubtedly a mysterious “something” beyond the World, and I might say that after this, the intuition settled in my consciousness forever. The enigma that was intuited in the sutra remained alive in me for many years, and even became a leading idea during my spiritual transformation that, over time, became a guiding beacon that helped me very much. 

Any spiritual transformation undoubtedly hides countless paradoxes. As a whole, as soon as they begin to indicate the tortuous path of spiritual transformation, establishing milestones and essential stages ,most traditions of wisdom do not hesitate to advise, and even often dogmatically forbid, any form of association or companionship with women. During the period in which he composed hymns dedicated to the Mother Goddess, the great sage and yogi Shankaracharya wrote (because of his rejection of woman and femininity) the following: “Of all forms of birth, human birth is the most difficult to obtain; but even more difficult is to obtain birth in a male body.” 
  
Whether they belong to the East or West, a large number of monastic traditions – which preach asceticism and renunciation as the only way to spiritual liberation – insist irrevocably on the need to distance yourself from everything that is directly or indirectly related to femininity. In their view, femininity is the cause of all sensual and worldly deviations, being also seen as the object of many temptations. 
  
The sutra, however, spoke about the woman’s soul and contained a secret whose intimate and deep understanding could lead to a much greater knowledge. That sutra was referring to the knowledge that lies beyond this world and even beyond it all. But we know that behind the occult energies of this world there is nothing else but GOD THE FATHER, who is also the Absolute and the mysterious Unknown. The sutra revealed a great secret. Properly understood, the sutra sought to make us understand that knowing through perfect identification (SAMYAMA) the soul of a woman can also help us to know the mysteries of Creation and, more than that, can even help us discover GOD THE FATHER. 
  
The message of the sutra made “something” profoundly resonate in my being. Afterwards, I often meditated on the enigmatic message of the sutra . Little by little, I felt that message literally invading my entire being as if it had awakened, in a certain way, every cell. Then, that ineffable state that arose gradually amplified and enlivened my being, often causing an intense and profound uplifting thrill to appear. When the state became more and more extensive and overwhelming, I meditated deeply upon it. 

I found, over time, that what settled in my inner universe by evoking the magic of the words in the sutra was a great fecundity. It was, I could say, also an intense, poetic state. The sutra therefore awakened an intimate and ineffable state of poetry in my inner universe. At the same time, a spontaneous state of transfiguration appeared, and my perception of the whole world and even of my own being became completely different. In order to define it, I could say that the state was at the same time an ineffable, poetic experience. When I entered that state, I discovered mysterious rhythms and an indescribable “music” that circulated both through everything that existed in my being, as well as through what was outside of me. At the same time, a mysterious reality began to be revealed to me, which existed simultaneously beyond all partial realities and it made me experience something mysterious, ecstatic and intoxicating. The state that revealed itself to me was magical and at the same time poetic. 
  
Later I realised, due to the intensity of that experience, which became more and more profound and clear, that many human beings seek to live and understand in a way, I could say poetically, beings, phenomena and things. Now I could say that at that time I undoubtedly entered deep states of beneficial trance and was often animated by an almost visceral need to experience the magic and poetry of Life. That indescribable twinning of magic and poetry, which I lived fully, revealed in my being a condition of the soul that penetrates the nature of all things, to discover in all of them the intimate vibration of all they have inside. The enigmatic and essential music conveyed by their form made me discover certain subtle messages that were hidden beyond them. 
  
When I was intensely and deeply experiencing this state, I had the feeling that it is a complex and indescribable experience. Beyond all this, however, I had the feeling that I was experiencing something that was essentially feminine. This deeply feminine something that was contained in my inner universe appeared to me as a body, simultaneously new and old, which existed in my own body. That feminine something was a body of magic and poetry. 
  
Through repetition and gradual deepening, this state triggered deep transformations in me. Later I came to realise that in fact there is no true philosophy, no religion and no true spirituality without poetry, without transfiguration, without magic and without conscious Eros. The Eternal Feminine, that in the East is expressed by the state of shakti, gives spirituality a certain poetry, magic, transfiguration and mystery. 

Regarding these states that I previously described, I could also add that, around the age of nine, an extraordinary event made me aware of my spiritual destiny. I remember that at the age when many boys are tempted to masturbate, I experienced an inexplicable and even ecstatic exaltation in my whole body, which made me enter a mysterious and magical world – a world that, in my view back then, was imaginary and unlimited. That mysterious and magical land I entered was made up of gigantic, never-before-seen arabesques and brightly coloured swirls. At the same time, the experience made me sink into a state of timeless interiorisation. In this way, bodily instincts and sexuality were in a certain way replaced in me – in fact, I could say they were sublimated – through the means of this much more subtle and intangible Eros, which travelled more through my psychic universe rather than my senses, feeding me with magical states and images, and opening in me a mystical fondness. 
  
Although I was quiet and solitary in nature, when I sometimes returned from school with two little girls of my age, I felt the urge to tell them some extraordinary stories. I realised, especially then, that the wonderful and charming world that existed in me could only be understood and shared by those two little girls, who I remember were very attentive to everything I told them. This intimate state of listening produced in me a kind of constant stimulation, which in this way fed an uplifting, euphoric aspiration of my unconscious Eros, which was in effervescence. Now I could say that then there was a perfect symbiosis between the receptivity of those two little girls and the inner, spontaneous activity of my creative imagination. 
  
Back then, without realising it, through everything I was doing, I was already on my way to courting the MUSE of inspiration. At the same time, I was communicating with Eros and even realised – without knowing it – the first sublimation of amorous energy, in a complete state of innocence. Much later, I came to understand that Eros, in my case, was much more mobilised by my inner femininity than by my outer masculinity. The state of listening is, without a doubt, a feminine activity that invites sharing in the most natural way, as well as inviting a liberating activation of the creative imagination. 
  
Human beings who nurture an intense state of spiritual aspiration end up living in a mysterious intermediary world, which is tangent to two complementary realities: the reality of the Visible World and that of the Invisible Worlds. The aspirational engagement on a spiritual path aims to reconcile these two worlds in the universe of the being, eventually making them mutually interchangeable. Their respective realities mix and melt at a certain point in the reality of the being in which they acquire a unique meaning. 

Through her biological, vital and psychic nature, the woman lives in a similar world, between manifested and unmanifested, within which the perception and understanding of things, phenomena and beings have a character that is more aesthetic, I could say, than moral. I want to emphasise that here I use the word “AESTHETIC” in its widest and at the same time deepest sense: the Greek word AISTHETIKOS actually expresses an ineffable faculty of being penetrated, which makes us feel in an intense and profound way the harmonious unity of things and beings. This faculty is, we could say, predominant and inherent in femininity. The woman feels intuitively before she knows, the man wants to know before he feels, the woman lives to understand, the man must understand in order to feel that he lives. 
  
For those who look with great attention at the surrounding reality, it is deeply significant that ethe world of poetry and art in particular is so permeated by the feminine presence. This aspect is valid even if most of the authors who have given humanity the greatest masterpieces belong to the male sex. It is worth asking ourselves if it is not through them that the feminine aspect manifests itself. 
  
Today I could say that, thanks to a mysterious inner magnetisation, whose subtlety and magnitude grew over time, I gradually became aware of the importance of the androgynous state. This process was accompanied by an ever deeper awareness of the inner feminine. Through awakening the androgynous state, that feminine sensitivity which the masculine dexterity uses is then manifested in an ample and profound way. 
  
Spirituality, art and poetry are, we could say, a continuity of nature within the human being. When they act together, in complete symbiosis, they “fertilise” the human soul. The feminine is not only related to nature in a symbolic way. More than that, the feminine is the keeper (most often unsuspecting) of nature’s secrets and at the same time the open-air altar of its essence.  
  
Being at the same time the giver and nurturer of Life, the woman embodies the reality of the realised human nature. She has exercised this sacerdotal mission since the dawn of history, when she “conspired” with nature, sowing the first seeds that gave birth to agriculture; while men conspired by stalking game in the forests or hatching plans that would lead them to endless wars and the organised destruction of nature. 

At the present time, especially through art, the feminine manifests itself in the world. In the East, the feminine accompanies aspirants along their spiritual journey, especially through the Tantra Yoga system. Achieving the glorious androgynous state is an alchemical fusion of the masculine and feminine, which brings forth a mysterious third entity that can only be enjoyed by those who have attained this extraordinary state. 

by Gregorian Bivolaru

Podcast – Tantric Massage Explained

17 January 2023

To many, the word massage summons up experiences of being pummelled or kneaded like dough. Immediately banish this image from your mind! Tantric Massage is completely different. It is a path to self knowledge. It is an unimaginably sublime experience in which we travel through layers of our being to reach the hidden treasures of one’s own self and that of the other. Here teacher Ben Carver describes to student Vivienne Rush the myriad delights of Tantric Massage.

Find out more about our course

The Universal Principle of Polarity

31 August 2022

“The Principle of Polarity states that all manifested things have ‘two sides’; ‘two aspects’; ‘two poles; and, ‘everything has its opposite’ with manifold degrees between the two extremes.” – The Kybalion, a text of hermetic wisdom

The study of alchemy and the seven Hermetic Principles of the Universe demonstrates the importance of understanding the Principle of Polarity and how it reflects in the Greater Whole. Polarity is a principle that governs everything in creation, and is  expressed in many other philosophies and traditions, as well as in science.

Polarity is an expression of universal duality. To better understand polarity, it is necessary to begin from the perspective of the universe as a unit that perpetually generates two poles that mutually co-exist. The idea or plan of the universe unfolding in creation is made possible by the constant, dynamic generation of the pairs of opposites. 

In ancient Chinese wisdom the symbol of Yin and Yang, Taijitu, is expressed by a circle divided equally into black and white halves. Each half of the circle contains a spot of the opposite colour. The Yin, the black half, and the Yang, the white half, each represent different qualities.

This symbol shows how opposites are connected and cannot exist without each other. They exist as part of the same whole, and the two opposite characteristics can exist in harmony and complement each other. This last aspect is represented by the soft ‘S’ shape that divides the two halves, rather than a sharp line. The small circles within each half show that nothing is absolute. In all yin, some yang inevitably exists, and vice versa. The outer circle of this symbol represents the entirety of the Universe.

In Hindu mythology, Brahma emerged from the Cosmic Golden Egg and created everything ‘good’ and ‘evil’, and ‘light’ and ‘dark’. In Christian tradition, God also created everything in creation from his single being, and all opposites, good and bad, life and death, flesh and spirit. These pairs are often seen as being separate, but they are actually interwoven as part of a greater whole.

The Tantric Perspective on Polarity

In Tantra it is said that,

“All that exists is a creation of the two complementary principles: masculine and feminine. In Creation, the Supreme becomes Shiva and Shakti, the static and the dynamic aspects of the transcendental Consciousness.”

It is said that the whole universe is sustained by the cosmic lovemaking between Shiva, consciousness or the masculine principle, and Shakti, the energy or feminine principle.

Shiva and Shakti, the cosmic couple, represent archetypal polar opposites: masculine and feminine; yang and yin. Shiva is symbolised by the erect lingam,  or phallus, and Shakti by the all-embracing yoni, or vulva. The lingam and yoni are polar opposites, but at the same time they perfectly complement each other, easily uniting in amorous ecstasy.

In the ancient times, Hermes Trismegistus said:

“The Sun is its father, the moon its mother”

Here he refers to the game of polarity played in nature – a duality that is born from non-duality. The complex game of polarity is an expression of the universal duality. The universe is a unit that constantly generates two poles, and gives birth to all pairs of opposites.

Nature reflects this cosmic perspective; the game between the masculine and feminine is constantly played out in all fauna and flora on this planet, including humans, since time immemorial. At the time of the Kama Sutra the natural game between the masculine and feminine was a vivid part of life. Men and women had distinct and complementary roles, which when united, created a magic both between them and individually.

The Scientific Perspective

According to science, polarity is

“a state or a condition of an atom or a molecule inherent in a body that exhibits opposite properties or powers in opposite parts or directions.”

It is discussed in connection with bonds formed between molecules and atoms because of different electronegativities. In chemistry and physics, a negative pole has the most electrons, while the positive polarity has fewer electrons. Polarity can be easily observed in magnetism and electricity, and can be understood by observing the simple attraction and repulsion between magnets. The plus and minus poles of two magnets attract each other, while the same poles, minus-minus, plus-plus, repel each other.

The Perspective of Alchemy

Within every phenomena or system there are three forces, generally referred to as ‘plus’, ‘minus‘ and ‘neutral’. The first two forces represent opposite poles of any phenomena – positive/negative, light/dark etc. These two poles make up the entire range of possible phenomena. The ‘0’ or neutral or ‘0’ aspect exists at a higher level, and is difficult to perceive as it is beyond the physical and that which can be seen. This neutral (0) aspect exists because of the unity of the two polar aspects i.e., when plus and minus unite, they are perfectly balanced. This neutral (0) aspect unites the polar elements and is considered to be the essential nature of spirit.

Although the creation seems to be very diverse, by understanding the principle of polarity and other principles, we see that this complexity comes from a core of laws that are essentially simple, and which then unfold through different resonance processes.

It can thus be said that from any state of unity, the state of duality and polarity comes. And since nothing in the universe is completely static, the two polarities develop a dynamic character, which manifests as endless variations in creation, such as plus / minus, male / female, hot / cold.

Alongside the alchemists,  science has confirmed, that these polarities are found everywhere, in all levels of creation, from small particles to cosmic bodies, and these are all harmoniously and profoundly connected. They are also inside us. Our body is made of structures of polar alternations vibrating continuously. 

By becoming more conscious, we can begin to recognise the importance of knowing how to harmonise these rhythms or we lose our inner equilibrium, which will also show on the outside in the actions we do.  Thus, we understand, sooner or later, that our personal rhythm is in an intimate natural connection to the Universal rhythms which we come from in fact, and the only way for us to find inner fulfilment is to profoundly tune ourselves in to these Universal Rhythms. But first we need to understand these rhythms which are based on the polar alternations.

When the alchemist understands the principle of polarity, they can understand all their inner processes and will become able to raise or lower their vibrational frequency and tune in, at will, to what is beneficial. By consciously applying the principle of polarity, the alchemist canperform physical, mental, and spiritual alchemy both within his own being, and in the outer environment.

How does the understanding of polarity fit in today’s society?

Men and woman are the clearest examples both of polarity, and the importance of understanding this principle in life. 

Most people in society today can be considered to be out of balance. There is a huge predominance of what can be defined as yin energies in society – creating inertia, lethargy, over sensitivity, greater susceptibility to disease, poor digestion and a lack of motivation. As the embodiment of masculinity, yang-ness, solarity, men should be more yang, and less yin, but men are also prone to excessive yin-ness. This imbalance is due to many factors such as poor diet – the overuse of refined sugar, processed food, preservatives and chemicals in food, and environmental determinants, such as electromagnetic fields, plastic and other pollution, hybrid crops and ignoring the natural circadian rhythm. Excessive yin-ness can be counterbalanced by amplifying its opposite – solarity and yang-ness. This will bring more centredness, dynamism, verticality, and much more emotional balance, as well as greater physical and mental health overall.

It is also necessary for women to amplify their yang-ness, despite their being the embodiment of yin, to balance the prevailing amount of yin energy within their inner universe. If excessive yin is not polarised by yang, it can lead to the issues described above, including emotional rollercoasters and a lack of direction and harmony.

The game of polarity is a secret key to happiness in a couple relationship, keeping attraction and passion alive.

When yin and yang are completely balanced in either a man or woman, a very special state of consciousness known as the glorious androgynal state awakens, that is connected to the zero point, or neutral state, the plus and minus uniting in perfect balance. The androgynal state very much enlivens and awakens the spiritual power of the being.

The game of polarity is also a secret key to happiness in a couple relationship, keeping attraction and passion alive. As weak magnets will have a weak attraction to each other, strong magnets can attract each other even from a distance, and unite with a much greater force. The attraction in a couple is also due to the strength of the opposite polarity between them. The stronger the masculine and feminine energies in the couple, the stronger the attraction between them. When strong masculine meets strong feminine, sparks fly.Human beings are very complex however. Each of us have a little part of the opposite pole within, just as in the yin-yang symbol there is a small circle of the opposite in each side. Thus, when a woman truly relaxes in her femininity and a man feels at ease in his masculinity, it is much easier to find fulfilment in the relationship. 

Ways in which individual polarity can be balanced

  • The practice of Yoga – Hatha Yoga means the ‘union of sun and moon’, the sun being the masculine, yang, emissive aspect, and moon the feminine, yin, receptive aspect. The union of these two poles reflects the middle way. Many Yoga postures as they are practised in this school work on directly balancing both the Yin and Yang aspects  of the different levels of the practitioner.
  • Vira and Shakti groups – At Tara Yoga Centre, we run groups especially for women, called Shakti groups, and for men,  called Vira groups, where spiritual notions and practices that are directly related to the feminine and masculine are explored, for the purposes of personal growth and transformation.
  • Rest well – Sleeping sufficiently and early increases yang energies.
  • Exercise – Exercising causes deeper breathing, making the body more yang.
  • The practice of erotic amorous continence – Practising erotic amorous continence with love and transfiguration, and separating orgasm from ejaculation amplifies yang energies.
  • Reduced exposure to Electromagnetic fields – Electromagnetic fields amplify yin.
  • Reduced Stress – Stress has a very yin effect on the body, depleting us of vital nutrients and damaging the system, leading to degeneration.

Final Thoughts

The Principle of Polarity is an essential principle to understand and apply in order to support our spiritual growth. By observing this principle in all aspects of our life we can reach a state of balance and harmony that is essential for true spiritual awakening, empowerment and the revelation of our Godly Nature.

The Role of Shakti in Tantra

24 August 2022

“Woman created the Universe. She is indeed the very body of the Universe.

Woman is the foundation of all three worlds. She is the essence of our body.

There exists no other happiness but that bestowed by Woman.

There exists no other Path but that which can be opened by Woman.

There has not been, there is not, and there will never be

Neither yesterday, nor today nor tomorrow

Any other treasure superior to the Woman,

Neither kingdom, nor pilgrimage place, nor Yoga, nor prayer

Nor mantra, nor asceticism, nor bigger plenitude

But that offered by the Woman” – Shaktisangama Tantra, II, 52

There is a stir in the air, a subtle awakening, a breeze of anticipation that has stood the test of time, despite a persistent effort to suppress it. This stir, this force of love and life was revered in the ancient cultures, and especially within the Tantric Tradition.

The Tantrics worship and adore ‘Shakti’, in Sanskrit the ‘feminine power’, ‘force of nature’ or ‘energy’. Shakti is the personification of the primordial feminine energy. She embodies the force of realisation of Brahman, being the dynamic feminine aspect of God, the feminine nourishing vitality that allows Brahman to create all that exists, to preserve or maintain everything, and to make everything disappear.

Tantric tradition states, “Shiva, without Shakti, is Shava”, with Shava being a dead body, and, “Shakti without Shiva is Kalila, or chaos, confusion, meaningless existence, Kachakula, the upheaval of values, rejection, and Maya, or illusion, disorder, entropy”.

The important union of Shiva and Shakti is symbolised by the Yoni and Lingam, which can be seen throughout India in the form of statues of the Shivalinga, and depicted in many works of art. The force of the consciousness, Shiva, would be powerless without the All-Embracing Energy of Shakti, sustaining and giving life to everything. In Christianity, it is also said that “No one can reach God the Father but through the Holy Spirit”, and the Holy Spirit is defined as God’s power to create and manifest everything in the world, which is the very definition of Shakti in Tantra. Beautifully, Shakti is interwoven in both traditions, showing her Universality.

Hence, the Tantrics placed huge importance on Shakti, or the Enigmatic Feminine Force. Especially as Shaktiis the energy that sustains everything, her value is unique and of supreme importance. Imagine a life without energy. Without her sustaining breath, it would indeed be a grey and lifeless world. We can see this in the revolution that occurs in a man’s life when Shakti comes to his doorstep. Opening the curtains, painting the walls, nourishing everything with her heart full of love, and thus bringing in the Sun, the source of Light and Life. As Tantra celebrates life and the conscious use of the energies, it is very natural that the Tantrics would revere Shakti, offering her the central position in their spirituality, honouring her value and worth.

Shakti is also the great initiatress, unlocking the hidden mysteries in the heart of those to whom she is connected.

Shakti exists in all women, and so within Tantra, all women are revered for their important role and the blessing that they shower upon life. And although Shakti is present in all women, her qualities may require an awakening through her spiritual practice. This is the awakening of the ‘State of Shakti’. As a woman brings this unique state of consciousness into her being, her spiritual force can be felt, and she is granted a mysterious initiating power, which awakens spirituality in others. Shakti is thus also the great Initiatress, unlocking the hidden mysteries in the Heart of those to whom she is connected, taking them out of the limitations of the physical world into the mysterious world of what is beyond.

In these difficult times, and more than ever, we need the Power of Shakti, the all-embracing Mother, to heal and unite. The Tantrics recognise and embrace her presence in their lives, unlike other groups within society both past and present, that have misunderstood, blamed, and even mistreated women. The modern world has pushed the awakening of the divine femininity into a shadowy corner, but she cannot hide there – it is impossible. In her radiance, she offers her abundant love and gives tirelessly.

Shakti can open the road for the next epoch, for Satya Yuga – the Age of truth.

The Tantric Spiritual Woman has an important mission in this present time. Her role is paramount in guiding humanity to a new way, to a superior stage. Through her nourishing energy, her power to give life and her connection to the Divine, she can open the road for the next epoch, for Satya Yuga – the Age of truth. Through being an example of spiritual aspiration, with a bold and unshakable faith, a loving heart, the ability to form close female bonds and connect with a sisterhood, as she recognises the Eternal Feminine in other women, and the huge humbleness that manifests from the heart of a spiritual woman, she can be a force to reckon with.

In today’s consumer society, blinded by superficial, horizontal tendencies, women are looked upon without seeing them. Many are unable to contemplate women, and to perceive the sacredness that women embody. Tantra teaches us to see profoundly, to transfigure women and truly recognise the role that she has in the world. But at the same time, Woman must learn to know and embrace her own greatness, and to assume this role with humility. This becomes possible when she embraces her spiritual heart, and aspires to live her life full of love and sacredness.

When a woman chooses to take on this role, she recognises her own qualities and her own limitations, and she aspires to transform herself. She challenges herself to step beyond her own mental constructs and limitations into a world where her heart lives freedom. Here the mystical essence of Eros and the pure cantation of love blossom like wild roses on the tree of delight.

Then, through her, we will feel every aspect of our lives touched by the sweetness and mystery she inspires.

by Magdalena Hau, Yoga & Tantra Teacher

Student reflections – Bagalamukhi

09 June 2022

Bagalamukhi

In the Bagalamukhi workshop we learned about the Power of Stopping and Fascination.


In this goddess we realised the incredible power that resides in moments of hiatus, of stillness, and in breaks… How can we drive a car well without breaks?
We cannot… Even our breathing has a pause, to be able to continue pauses are needed.

It is in these pauses, this stopping of Bagalamukhi that we can re-focus, gather our potentiality, remember who we continuously Are, the unfluctuating essence of (our) being(ness).


It is in these pauses, this stopping of Bagalamukhi that we can re-focus, gather our potentiality, remember who we continuously Are, the unfluctuating essence of (our) being(ness). Those moments are filled with tremendous power – power to create, to change direction, to become aware of something we didn’t before… where epiphanies can suddenly sprout from our inner wisdom, that we can appreciate and make sense of an experience… it’s the full stop at end of a sentence, or the page break that allows us to change the chapter and start a new one.


It is also in Bagalumukhi that we understand the beauty of the eyes, the eyes that make us become lost in a fascinating Universe, perhaps our beloved, perhaps the eyes of a stranger that absorbs us into a painting, or a piece of art where our mind just stops, fascinated by the beauty of something we can’t quite grasp that took us over, onto another dimension for a few moments… and time just… stopped. Where did we go?


During the workshop we did some exercises that help us realise that stopping is not always so easy, especially with the experiences in which we feel pleasure, we tend to want to keep that pleasurable moment going… stopping in the middle of an exciting conversation, stopping when our stomach is full but that delicious dessert is just calling us, stopping when our soul is asking us to stop, but the world wants us to keep going. The most interesting thing is the peace we experience when we do stop, when we consciously stop. It is also the power to say “No”, where a boundary can be traced, but not as rigid rule, but as a natural response from our soul.

The most interesting thing is the peace we experience when we do stop, when we consciously stop. It is also the power to say “No”, where a boundary can be traced, but not as rigid rule, but as a natural response from our soul.


At the end of the workshop we were gifted with the fascinating beautiful dance of Catherine, who left us all speechless, lost and fascinated with her incredibly feminine energy, transpiring through every move, look, gesture. Somehow she reflected a power that we women naturally possess, but are not usually so aware that we have when we just allow ourselves to completely embody and relax into our femininity.


Bagalamukhi is that goddess that makes you want to find out more and more, to discover more and more as she keeps you lost in her the gaze of her eyes, taking you into infinity…

Feedback from the workshop series:

“I feel I know myself better and that I can manifest more of my feminine qualities!”

Tantra student

“I really appreciate being in the company of other women and exploring the Divine Feminine and how She manifests in me and my life. “

Yoga student

“Discovering more in-depth the nuances of the Cosmic Powers and the breadth of the gifts they manifest in our inner feminine world is such an enrichment and it brings so much joy to my soul!”

Tanta student

spiritual community of like minded people on a path of transformation

The great goddess Bagalamukhi – the power of stopping and fascination.

Podcast – the value of soul Archetypes

09 June 2022

In this interview, our 4th-year Tantra student Vivienne interviews Tantra teacher Morgan Arundel about the Archetypes of the Soul, and how knowledge of the archetypes can be used to aid spiritual transformation.

While some people may have heard about the masculine and feminine archetypes – Warrior/Heroine, King/Mother, Lover/Fascinating woman, Magician/Initiator – perhaps not so many consciously use understandings of these archetypes to affect their evolution.

Here Vivienne discusses with Morgan why we should consider learning about these archetypes and how by understanding each one, we come to know ourselves more deeply. And if you want to go even deeper, we periodically run an entire weekend workshop dedicated to this topic. Keep an eye on our events listing, and sign up to our newsletter to be notified when it is running again!

Archetypes of the soul workshop
Vivienne and Morgan discussing archetypes

“Archetypes of the soul implies that there would be some fundamental patterns that exist at this level, at this soul level of the human being. These patterns end up expressing themselves into our personality. And when we look at those patterns, they help us understand our personality to a much greater extent.”

Morgan Arundel, Yoga and Tantra Teacher

The Ten Faces of the Goddess – Dhumavati

08 May 2022

The journey with the 10 Great Macrocosmic Powers continues. This month our wonderful Tantra and Shaivism student, Cintia gives us her reflections on a day with Dhumavati:

Like an invisible ghost we realised was always there, we could see the constant silent presence of Dhumavati in every moment of our life… for no second is the same, and when there’s an end, there she is, pointing towards the silent observer in us that is unchangeable

for no second is the same, and when there’s an end, there she is, pointing towards the silent observer in us that is unchangeable…

… and in those moments of the most agonising of pain, when we reached rock bottom, and life seemed to have no way out… Dhumavati came, and in her wisdom, showed us the light at the end of the tunnel. In each women there She resides, in every turn around moment just before – and even after – the fatal fall, then a moment of stillness where somehow we reached a profound wisdom, an incommensurable power within. We cannot explain where it came from, but it is not of this world.


She is also present in moments of profound pleasure, and of happiness, that we tend to want to grab on to and want to make last forever… and as we practised conscious touch and we became aware of her silent, vibrating yet still wisdom, we all seemed to reach a deeper level of our being, bringing us to a fullness of presence that we so easily forget, but that is filled with life, but not quite the way we feel life normally… and with awareness.

The very silent, still, and almost invisible presence of Dhumavait, touched our group of women deeply, and somehow we knew that none of us left that room the same,


The very silent, still, and almost invisible presence of Dhumavait, touched our group of women deeply, and somehow we knew that none of us left that room the same, something had been profoundly changed, but there seemed to be not much we could say about what exactly…

Feedback from the workshop series:

“I feel I know myself better and that I can manifest more of my feminine qualities!”

Tantra student

“I really appreciate being in the company of other women and exploring the Divine Feminine and how She manifests in me and my life. “

Yoga student

“Discovering more in-depth the nuances of the Cosmic Powers and the breadth of the gifts they manifest in our inner feminine world is such an enrichment and it brings so much joy to my soul!”

Tanta student

spiritual community of like minded people on a path of transformation

The great goddess Dhumavati – she who conceals all that is unnecessary in smoke. She is found in the great beatific void. As long as we have Dhumavati, we always have hope.

The Ten Faces of the Goddess – Chinnmasta

25 April 2022

The journey with the 10 Great Macrocosmic Powers continues. This month our wonderful Tantra and Shaivism student, Cintia gives us her reflections on a day with Chinnamasta:

With Chinnamasta we arrived at the sixth face of the goddess and as we came together it was as if we suddenly came to a gathering of Amazon warriors.


We drew our swords and in a few minutes we all seemed to bring a fiery knowledge of how to use them as we walked in our warrior queen mode, with our weapons for truth, high principles, justice and what is right.

The teachers felt like Chinnamasta Herself, manifested in our presence.

For those who have seen the Wonder Woman movie, it felt exactly like those early scenes with female warriors practising together and teaching other female warriors how to battle, as they guided us through the many exercises on a journey of touching our own courage. We saw our strength, that it is ok to stand up for what we see is not right in the world, that we can be fighters, speak up, and be assertive instead of damsels in distress, passively looking at what we clearly see to be wrong, that we don’t have to accept absurd rules, injustices.

The real fight starts within ourselves, with our own fears, our own inhibitions, our own limitations, our own tendency to stay and live small, of hiding and running away, and losing ourselves in confusion, letting ourselves be controlled by erratic states of mind and emotions that makes us reactive to whims of irrationality and lack of clarity…

That is why this magnificent, terrifying goddess is represented as cutting her own head off… an exercise we all did, as we each picked up our own swords and severed our heads (not literally of course), but as we did this in the space of profound silence, we met Grace and power as if Chinnamasta was birthed in us, through us, we could all feel Her presence in the room.

It’s that absolute focus that comes when we save a life, that complete clarity that knows exactly what to do in a crisis, that shamelessness to be completely who we are, to be wholesome in our femininity, when we forgive the unforgivable, when we face our fears and move ahead anyway.


A Goddess that at first glance seems to be about war and fighting, actually is about a profound state of peace, a core certainty from the heart of what is right, a firmness that is aligned with the godly Mind, with godly Justice and Wisdom, the highest of principles, the courage to love fully, unabashedly, and completely, and be fully in her own power and strength, to be who She is …

A lightning moment when we completely forget about ourselves and in a state of natural authenticity walk into the fire of a situation to do what we are intuitively guided is the right thing to be done. It could be to protect an innocent, or defend those who can’t, or make a wrong right… we have all had such moments in our lives when we are taken by a godly force of complete alignment, and in that moment there is no doubt or question, we know exactly what needs to be done and it comes from deep within… I guess the simple example to relate to is that of a mother who will do anything to protect her children, but there are many examples through history: Joan D’arc, Lady Godiva, Sojourner Truth, Mother Theresa, Princess Diana, Aung San Suu Kyi, Malala Yousafzai etc…
After this powerful workshop training on bringing out our warrior goddess, we were ready to face anything!

Feedback from the workshop series:

“I feel I know myself better and that I can manifest more of my feminine qualities!”

Tara workshop

“I really appreciate being in the company of other women and exploring the Divine Feminine and how She manifests in me and my life. “

Kali workshop

“Discovering more in-depth the nuances of the Cosmic Powers and the breadth of the gifts they manifest in our inner feminine world is such an enrichment and it brings so much joy to my soul!”

Tripura Sundari workshop

spiritual community of like minded people on a path of transformation

The great goddess Chinnamasta – the one who allows for the lightening transcendence of any state. She who gives detached contemplation of even life’s most intense experiences.

The Ten Faces of the Goddess – Bhuvaneshwari

29 January 2022

The journey with the Maha Vidyas continues. This time we explored space, the spiritual heart, expansion, and so much more with the beautiful and gracious goddess, Bhuvaneshwari. Here our wonderful student Cintia shares some reflections from a day that seemed to touch on infinity….

In the Bhuvaneshwari workshop we met the primordial mother, who holds the immanence of knowledge and wisdom, and we were taken on a journey into the depths of Space, aided by the sublime background images of stars, constellations and galaxies. Being a space geek that used to stare and speak telepathically to the stars and cosmos at night in the sky, I was immediately surrendered to this Goddess.
It’s so rare to think about space, the space surrounding us. As one of the woman who attended said, “We are so used to touch what we consider concrete, solid, but very rarely do we touch space… – yet we are in Space, we are space, and space is in us too.”
Our planet stands suspended in a vast infinite Space.
Our body is only 1 percent solid and 99% space.

“We are so used to touch what we consider concrete, solid, but very rarely do we touch space… – yet we are in Space, we are space, and space is in us too.”


And then our heart is also Space, space that holds the vastness of Universes, the infinitude of love, the eternity of Spirit and the deepest unlimited truths, and like the primordial mother we hold life in the womb, also an empty space filled with life, magic, alchemy, the mystery of where we came from, and our mother came from, and her mother, and her mother before… and as the teachers guided us through this meditation we were suddenly connected to all our thousands of ancestors, who have created the magical portal of life and love through which we came.


We also expressed ourselves through dancing in space, find one another in the space inside our hearts with practical exercises, and we tasted the sense of freedom that expansion creates. Also how bringing to the heart all that we are about to take into our bodies, adds so much more flavour.


We explored the meaning of holding space in our hearts through kindness, like the nurturing mother who loves all of her children and there are no limits to how much she can love… In Bhuvaneshwari all humanity resides in the womb of Her heart, and when we treat others and ourselves with kindness we are embodying this great Cosmic Mother.

And what better way to manifest this than by melting in the affectionate touch massage each woman was able to offer to another, diving deeper into the essence of Bhuvaneshwari in our femininity that so naturally receives and so generously gives…
We also learned the importance of creating space, space to be creative, to stand still, to listen to our own heart, to our essence as a womb that envelops us, allowing us to expand, to manifest the fullness of our being, our gifts, the magnificence of our femininity and the Cosmic Goddesses that reside in the sacred spaces within each one of us.

Feedback from the workshops:

“I feel I know myself better and that I can manifest more of my feminine qualities!”

“I really appreciate being in the company of other women and exploring the Divine Feminine and how She manifests in me and my life. “

“Discovering more in-depth the nuances of the Cosmic Powers and the breadth of the gifts they manifest in our inner feminine world is such an enrichment and it brings so much joy to my soul!”

spiritual community of like minded people on a path of transformation

The great goddess Bhuvaneshwari – the one who is the canvas the entire universe unfolds upon. This Maha Vidya gives us the understanding of space in its most profound sense and allows us to centre in our spiritual heart.

The Ten Faces of the Goddess – student reflections

19 January 2022

Over the past few months, the Ten Faces of the Goddess workshops have been moving and touching the souls of the women in our community.

Here are some reflections from one of the particpants, Cintia:

These workshops introduce the ancient Tantric knowledge of the Mahavidyas, the ten facets of the Divine Feminine that are expressed in many of the traits present in every woman.

Each workshop feels like a unique mysterious enticing dance of the Goddess touching each woman, who finds their own reflection in each Mahavidya, as they manifest the Divine Feminine qualities to life and unveil endless treasures within each of them.

As every session comes to a close, there is a feeling of bonding, sisterhood and for many a sensation of being part of the magnetic entrancing dance of the Goddess – part of Her body, and Her many faces.

In the Tara workshop each woman delved into a journey of love and compassion.

We were able to look deep inside the souls of the other women, and find a mother, a sister, a friend who is there not just to help those she loves, but the whole Universe. That was the face of Tara. That was the face inside each of us. That was the face reflecting back to us in the eyes and hearts of each woman; our own essence…

We found the power of the feminine in holding each one of us in love, support and presence… in holding a space of compassion, empathy and forgiveness for every sister, mother, daughter, wife, lover in each season of life, in times of smiles and times of tears… we felt like this for each other… we felt this Goddess power of Tara emerging in us, naturally uplifting each woman, bonding us naturally together as cells of Her Spirit and extensions of Her unconditional love, to all the beings in the Universe.

In Tripura Sundari women found the meaning of true beauty, love and harmony.

Women discovered that True Beauty is an Universal truth, that is essential to the growth and evolution of Humanity. When it is present it brings a sense of Harmony, elation, of reaching a higher ineffable understanding…it touches the soul. We witness the beauty that exists inside ourselves with a mirror exercise, and in every woman who allows herself to shine from within, in authenticity and the embodiment of her core feminine essence. We experienced how beauty is not only interior, but is present also externally in every feature, in every curve, in every unique feminine body, as all are manifestations of the Eternal Goddess.

In Tripura Sundari we also explored how beauty is also what animates art. Who has never been touched by a piece of art, poetry, a book, by music that brought tears to the eyes?

And love! Love… that takes us to the heights of human experience, that makes humans feel invincible, through which the most incredible miracles, the most unbelievable selfless acts became a reality. That love starts inside us first. And love is what unites us, what makes us whole, alive and what makes life possible and the Universe one!

Feedback from the workshops:

“I feel I know myself better and that I can manifest more of my feminine qualities!”

“I really appreciate being in the company of other women and exploring the Divine Feminine and how She manifests in me and my life. “

“Discovering more in-depth the nuances of the Cosmic Powers and the breadth of the gifts they manifest in our inner feminine world is such an enrichment and it brings so much joy to my soul!”

spiritual community of like minded people on a path of transformation

The great goddess Tara – the shining light who guides all spiritual seekers. Tara is one of the quickest of the Maha Vidyas to respond to our calls for help. She is also the bestower of grace and the one who can help with compassion and forgiveness.

The great Goddess Tripura Sundari. The one who governs love, beauty, elevated eroticism. And inspiration for all women walking the tantric path.