WOMAN WOMAN2.TXT ********************************************************************* I LIFT MY VOICE HIGH IN GRATITUDE TO KALI: THANK YOU, GODDESS, THAT I WAS NOT BORN A MAN! (Slightly paraphrased; no insult intended to persons of the male gender.) This file related to the role of the female in Tantra; her active and passive roles, and especially, her role as Initiatress. While Tantric initiations, sexual and non-sexual, are bestowed and conferred upon male and female alike, Woman is said to be the *natural* initiator into the act of sexual love. "Woman initiates through the same Yoni through which she gave birth to the man before. Woman initiates through those same breasts through which she suckled the man before. Woman initiates through that same mouth with which she sang gentle lullabies to the man before. Woman is the supreme Initiatress of Tantra." -KAULA RAHASYA TANTRA "The extent of a woman's potential for love is rarely known, even to those who are the objects thereof. This is because of the subtlety of a woman's love. Yea, though a man may love a woman or become indifferent toward her; may give delight or abandon her; or even extract from her everything that she possesses; how rare, how rare is it for man to know her in her true light." -KAMA SUTRA "Woman *is* the Initiatress, the birth-giver, the evoker of pleasure of the Three Realms; the kind and compassionate One. As the object of the five senses, Woman is endowed with Divine form." -CHANDAMAHAROSANA TANTRA High up on the list of 'heresies' of the Tantras which so disgusted and frightened traditional Brahminists centuries ago, was the reinstatement of the female principle and the female body to their rightful place of honor. This 'heresy' is actually tied directly in with the *shocking* teachings that denial of the flesh is not the only, or best, way to achieve spiritual evolution; and the opening of Tantric knowledge to all castes, including Sudras, or 'untouchables.' It has been speculated that these open-minded sentiments were merely vehicles to assist the Tantric practitioner by completely rearranging his belief-system; however that is a simplistic viewpoint. Many early Indian sacred texts have espoused beliefs in equality. The Brahmins, or fundamental Hindus, if you will, most likely feared losing their special caste-status, and the luxury of being lazy simply due to the supposedly karmic nature of their 'noble' birth. The caste system is a cultural phenomenon that has no place in the earliest Hindu traditions; rather, it evolved along with the death-rebirth-karma cycle now so familiar to western minds; but was NOT a yogic tradition in ancient times. The female principle/goddess/original Shakti was worshipped and celebrated freely in India; many temples were dedicated to goddess-archetypes, and women were given honor as the embodiment of Divine Shakti or Kundalini. Brahminism and Vedantism played their parts in denigrating the original system; which was further eroded and perverted by Moslem and British invasion. Tantra means, literally, 'to expand.' [tantra is often translated as magic, tantric (a person who practices tantra) is often translated as magician.] All Tantric texts, from the most ancient to the most modern, sought to expand upon the prejudiced notions of fundie traditionalists; and really, rather than being 'revolutionary,' simply did what prophets and spiritual teachers the world over usually claim as their intention: to restore the original and natural balance, promote harmony, and remind people of the true roots of the 'knowledge' that corrupt and false priests and sages had twisted to fit their own ends or bigotries. It has also been falsely stated that in Tantra, woman is worshipped and man denigrated. Far be it! Rather, equality is stressed; the recognition of the Divine within one another. She is Shakti; He is Siva. However, the tradition of Siva as pure consciousness and Shakti as pure energy must be kept in mind. The union of the two principles/deities is what brings transcendence; however without Shakti, Siva is but a corpse. Pure consciousness cannot *do* anything--it can simply *be.* Evidence exists that even among 'primitive' cultures, Woman was often honored, worshipped, and recognized. Most any ancient culture with a mystical or esoteric bent contains traditions which recognize the initiatory power of women. The Tantras considered human females to be the embodiment of sensuality and guardian of creative potential. Every human being on this earth is born through the Yoni of a woman; every heterosexual man seeks re- unification with the feminine realm through sexual intercourse. The Kama Sutra and Ananga-Ranga classify both men and woman into 'types' based upon appearance, qualities, and she shapes and scents of their sexual organs, giving illustrious examples of 'ideal beauty.' However! The Nayi Ka Sadhana Tika has this to say about the 'ideal woman' with whom to practice the Art of Love: "She should be beautiful, but have an equal share of excellence of body and mind. She shall be able to open the door of emotion and captivate the mind." Thus, again, Tantric texts appear ahead of their time: Woman as Initiatress should be honored not only for her physical qualities, but her mind, her knowledge, as well. The first quote above, from the Kaula Rahasya, has been mis- translated by the earliest translators of the Sacred Texts into the English language: British 'noblemen' (prudes?) in occupied India, as a shocking passage which condones incest. My opinion is that anyone with any degree of sense should be able to discern the deeper meaning behind the quote. The Hevajra Tantra contains a passage which, when taken out of context, seems to condone not only incest but all manner of license. The early translators, however, either ignored or overlooked the very next paragraph, which went on to explain the meaning in plain and simple language: "The Yogi should give honor to his mother and his sister; likewise to the dancer, the washerwoman, the outcaste and noblewoman equally. He should combine his Lingam with mother and sister; with dancer and washerwoman; with Sudra and Brahmina all! From this rite, Liberation is obtained." Early Tantric translations are humorous and sad at once; often breaking into asterisks, and using language such as "Here, descriptions too shocking for the ears of decent Christian men are listed." What follows is the exceedingly clear-cut explanation of the above passage from the Hevajra: "Wisdom is called the mother because she gives birth to the phenomenal world; likewise she is known as Sister because her affection is constant. She is called Dancer because of her tremulous Nature; washerwoman because she hath tinged all beings; and Sudra because her *Inner Essence* is Untouchable." Tantric Yoginis take both 'active' and 'receptive' roles. During her 'active' role, or her role as Initiatress (whether this has been conferred through bestowal of title, or simply as her natural 'right'), is said to be able to confer transcendental power to her partner during sex. This power is called *original Shakti,* *Wisdom-Energy,* and breaks through barriers of doubt and conditioning through its simple spontaneous, transcendental joy. Even as Woman takes the active role, she simultaneously surrenders herself completely to passion, desire, and higher spiritual ideals. As with all initiatory rites of Tantra, sexual and non- sexual; when woman acts as Initiatress, it is the goddess herself who performs the act: the goddess within each of us. Officially, a Tantrika who attains the status of Dancing Yogini is simultaneously elevated to the role of Sexual Initiatress, as well as basic Initiatress, and is permitted to create rituals and to 'expand.' In a *sexual* initiation, the presence of at least one woman is *always* required in Tantra. However, the Sexual Initiatress may not actively participate in sexual activity: she can initiate a Tantric couple sexually. Her role in this type of initiation would mundanely be seen, most likely, as 'voyeur,' but the fact of the matter is that her presence is required to assist the couple in maintaining focus, to assist with energy circulation and psychic protection, and to serve as a reminder of the purpose behind the act: the elevation of the purely physical to the spiritual through Intent. Many Sexual Initiatresses are, in fact, celibate or monogamous. Not always, of course. An ideal situation which does not exist very often in modern America, is that of a teacher/student relationship which commences with the simplest basics of instructing in Hatha, Pranayama, meditation, etc., through the studying and interpreting of the Holy Books, through the 'second' initiation, where the student is formally admitted as a Tantric practitioner (this does not involve physical sexual activity), through and beyond sexual initiation. However, this is neither necessary nor always desirable. The true ideal would be the study and attainment of each Yogini, and the instruction, sharing, and leading of her lover through the dance that is Tantra. Again, this isn't an ideal world. The Dancing Yogini is not merely a title, or even a manifestation, it is an *archetype.* The 'Dance' is directly associated with the awakening and channelling of sexual energy and the inherent feminine power of initiation. Sex between Siva and Shakti is often referred to as the "Cosmic Dance." In ancient India, temple dancers, sometimes known as Devadasis (*slaves of the goddess*) were prolific. Dancing Yoginis trained the temple dancers, in different types of Yoga and mystical knowledge, as well as traditional dances. These temple dancers had achieved remarkable control over their bodily functions, and often underwent years of training before being given the honor of serving as Devadasis. As with other dance forms, such as Hawaiian and Tahitian, specific gestures and movements of body told stories: entire epics acted out through dance at times. In this way, observers of the Dance were 'initiated' through a non-verbal means of communication: the movements and steps conveying important knowledge which can be confined by the limits of language. Sadly, puritanical British judges were outraged by the presence of the Devadasis, and passed laws forbidding temple dancers, considering them simple prostitutes; and many temples were razed, and Devadasis and Dancing Yoginis imprisoned and even killed. Much of the ancient Dance tradition has been lost; Orissi is probably the closest modern equivalent of Tantric Dance. The Devadasis were considered to be the consorts of the temple's gods, embodiments of Divine Shakti, and manifestations of Laksmi, consort of Visnu, the Preserver. The Dancers had sacred, honor- bound jobs to perform: to evoke erotic sentiment at the same time as engendering spirituality and love. Many Dancing Yoginis became influential Priestesses and teachers, and were revered as the conveyers of power and beauty that they indeed were. The 64 Arts of which Saraswati is Mistress place Dance second only to the Art of Love. Indeed, any type of dancer who achieves excellence must gain control over supposedly automatic functions such as breath, balance, and emotion. By consciously evoking and channelling emotion, the Dancing Yogini attains personal transcendence and bestows it upon another. As to Dance, the Hevajra Tantra has this to say: "Song is mantra; and dance meditation. So, singing and dancing, ever the Yogi is filled with potency. If songs are sung in joy, they shall be most excellent Eternal songs. If dance is performed with joy, it shall be done with Release as its object." Interestingly, the western dichotomy of 'madonna/whore' and the supposedly Christian-originated idea of 'virgin birth' have their roots, at least in part, within the Devadasi tradition. The temple dancers did, in fact, perform sexual initiations. After this type of sexual initiation, the Devadasis were considered virgins; and money or equivalent goods given to the Temple for the honor of being initiated by a Devadasi was considered a potent talisman. If the Devadasi became pregnant through conferring sexual initiation, the child was considered the product of 'virgin birth,' 'the son of the god(s),' and often brought up within the Temple, receiving education and knowledge which would be far outside his/her means in many cases, otherwise. The 'madonna/whore' complex still too frequently ingrained in modern western men *and* women can be understood and overcome, through grasping the role of Woman as Initiatress. The dichotomy transcendence is sometimes explained in terms of the lunar cycles: light and dark: which control the menstrual cycle of the female (as well as the tides and, some would say, the bodies of all creatures!). Tantric and Hindu texts often describe Uma (*mother*) or Parvati (*Daughter of the Himalayas, one 'aspect' of Siva's consort*) as embodying the luminosity of the bright moon, and Kali (*simply another face of Parvati, the Dark Goddess, Siva's consort*) as the Darkness of the lunar night. Uma/Parvati symbolize the full moon and the principles of abundance and preservation; Kali the crescent moon or lunar eclipse, and the principles of death and transcendence. Uma/Parvati is sexual energy in its faithful, worldly, and productive role; Kali raw sexual energy in its lustful, other- worldly and transformative role. As Parvati, the Yogini takes the role of Surrender, and is initiated by man. She is the "pure lotus, whose fragrance is his alone to enjoy," the "clean slate" upon which he confers knowledge, and symbolic of "conventional" romantic love *at its highest level.* As Kali, the Yogini acts as Initiatress, taking the active role in the Dance of Love. She is pure Shakti, symbolic of the power inherent in initiation--the High Priestess. Without shame or restraint, she gives all of herself, without restriction, guilt, or insecurity--would Kali be unsure of HerSelf? In this role, the Yogini symbolizes "unconventional" love *at its highest level.* Unconventional love has the power to rejuvenate conventional love! So can the madonna/whore 'complex' be transcended and brought from a psychological block to a mystic level of understanding, if meditated upon, understood, and perhaps most importantly, *experienced.* Every woman who receives *official* recognition as Dancing Yogini was once Parvati, initiated; she has now attained the status of Kali, the Initiatress. Why should sexual roles be separated? Is it impossible for a single woman to be virgin, muse, whore and goddess at once? For a man to be boy, lover, conqueror and god? Just as roles are reversed at different times, and during the sexual act itself, why shouldn't each woman be All, and each man? Tantric teachings, from the most ancient to the most modern (at least the more enlightened modern) *stress* the importance of role-reversal within the sexual act. Dominant and submissive, active and passive, and (I believe, the clearest expression), aggressive and recipient, are terms assigned; and Tantric couples are encouraged to experience both roles, whether maintaining the active/passive throughout the duration of the sexual act and switching roles at a later time; or switching back and forth many times during the same sexual act. Tantra calls woman by her very nature the embodiment of Shakti. It is also said 'within every man there is an inner woman.' This refers, not simply to the inherent bi-sexual or bi-gender qualities of most humans, but to the Kundalini. Kundalini is called the 'inner woman' or 'inner goddess.' She exists as pure, raw energy within the root chakra of every man and every woman. Thus, the Shakti-power of the woman stimulates and arouses the man through proper channelling. Similarly, the man is aroused when the Shakti-power is awakened and channelled within himSelf. The giving and receiving of the *gifts of Tantra* require moments of activity and passivity; sometimes in turn; and sometimes simultaneously. The (s)elf must become passive to the Self; the Will must be active in order to control the mind and consciously awaken the Kundalini and direct her ever upward through the Chakras. Seeking and finding exist on both physical and Subtle levels: the physical, the realm of the senses, is activated and culminated through the contact of bodies; Subtle involves the erotic evocation and culmination of mind and spirit. Kundalini, as active Shakti principle, travels through the Chakras to unite with Siva, who waits passively for her in the Thousand- Petalled Lotus at the crown Chakra. The ecstatic union, or Cosmic Dance, or Siva/Shakti in this manner is the goal of Tantra, the Tantric Orgasm, the Bliss Undefinable. The physical orgasm is a blending of active/passive, contraction/expansion, and a balance of giving and receiving. Mystical Tantric teachings express the fulfillment of the exchange of active/passive through depictions of Ardhanarisvara; and very early Yogic/Hindu texts describe Rudra, both of which are symbols of the androgynous Siva, half-male, half-female. The reunion of the twain, the destruction of duality, is achieved through Tantric Orgasm, in which physical and spiritual ecstasy are found at once, through the Shakti and Siva within Man and Woman. Earth receives what Heaven bestows; the 'active' partner, be that man or woman, assumes the role of heaven; the 'passive' partner that of Earth. "As above, so below." The Ananga-Ranga, a less well-known but detailed "sacred melody of sex," like the Kama Sutra, spends much time discussing the Battle of Love. At times, Woman is the victor, and claims the spoils of her victory; at other times Man conquers and claims. But in the Battle of Love, and its ultimate satisfaction of conjoined sexual and spiritual Bliss, both parties emerge victorious. "HAVING DRUNK, LET HIM RISE, HAVING RISEN LET HIM FALL AND DRINK AGAIN. THUS IS LIBERATION ATTAINED." HARI AUM TAT SAT. D. Yogini Padma Ushas Suryananda, other sources as cited.