Eternal salutations to Sri Durga, to Sri Kali, the boundless ocean of spiritual Wisdom who is the Divine Mother of the Universe. This ever-present Goddess epitomizes both the bliss of unlimited Awareness and the enthralling play of universal projection. She manifests countless beings abiding in an infinite set of worlds, seen and unseen, gross and subtle, hidden and exposed. Her existence is confirmed by the holy scriptures, for She is perceived intellectually by means of the Six Darshanas, Her perpetually flowing streams of eternal spiritual knowledge. She is approached and contacted by the devotees through intense sadhana, spiritual disciplines prescribed by the guru, and She is accessible through contemplation and meditation. Ultimately, She is realized as the essence of limitless Consciousness, infinite, indivisible, all-pervading and absolute... The Twenty-Four Aspects of Mother Kali, then, represent in book form an attempt to remind humanity of their divine parentage, of their divine nature, of their source of origin. It is hoped that those who are still asleep to this supreme verity called the Divine Mother of the Universe will have their inherent spirituality awakened; that those who have fallen into complacency or despondency will have their commitment to this non-dual Truth of existence rekindled; that those who are already abiding in this Truth will further exult in this sublime Essence of pure Being and continue to spread the pure light of Timeless Awareness to all inhabitants sporting consciously or unconsciously in the boundless ocean of the Universal Mother’s ineffable Grace.

One of the most unconventional yet immensely popular deities in the Hindu pantheon, goddess Kali essentially represents the dark and contrary aspects of the cosmos. Her naked form and association with violence, blood and gore challenge the very concept of divinity. Yet, over the centuries, she has come to represent a whole gamut of conflicting images-from bloodthirsty ogress to benign goddess. So today while she is venerated as Chamunda, a deity who verges on the macabre and grotesque, she is also adored in household shrines in one of her milder forms, Dakshina-Kali. It is this evolution of Kali-from her origin as a tantric goddess to her metamorphosis into a divinity in mainstream religion-that Seema Mohanty captures brilliantly in this book. Drawing upon a variety of sources-rituals associated with the worship of Kali, tales from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras and Agamas, folklore and films-she has succeeded in portraying in engrossing detail the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic deity that is Kali.

The fourth issue of Advaita-satya-amritam, which signals the completion of one year of distributing wisdom nectar to spiritually thirsty people, focuses on revealing and supplicating the guru, or Guru-Tattva, the indubitable principle of superlative guidance inherent in all things. Though this ubiquitous force of sempiternal intelligence is far-flung across the universe — present in the innermost constituency of the tiniest material particle on the atomic level, and extending even into the subtlest atmospheres of celestial and empyrean realms — nowhere is it more concentrated than in mankind. Therefore we extol the authentic human preceptor with hearts and minds made radiant with love and devotion.

The profound and revered religious and spiritual pathways of Judaism, Buddhism, Tantra, and Vedanta all grace the pages of this issue of Nectar of Nondual Truth with their simultaneously sententious yet congenial teachings, revealing anew and for our highest benefit the time-honored principle of Universalism. As my own guru has stated via powerful discourse, also contained within these pages: “The harmony of religions cannot be preached by any teacher who is exclusive, who is dualistic in frame of mind and in philosophy of life.” Therefore, with the advent of Advaita Vedanta in the West, mainly due to the work and presence of beings like Swami Vivekananda, it is time for the message of Universalism to be proposed, accepted, practiced, and realized on a wider scale so that true Peace will descend and enter the hearts and minds of living beings. Solace and Samadhi will be the welcome outcomes. Nectar of Nondual Truth leans decidedly towards a religious pluralism free of both the hypocritical sense of superiority and the problem of a complacent religious discernment. That is, equality based upon nonduality, combined with a tenacious scrutiny and inspection of all wisdom teachings, will ensure the vision and purity of the allimportant spiritual realm. Thus, the peoples of the world will forthwith be able to steer clear of the mistakes of the past springing from a lack of, distortion of, or misunderstanding of essential and eternal spiritual principles.

In the summer of 2002, the SRV staff, supporters, writers and contributors all come together once again for another exquisite expression of Advaitic Truth — that unique and quintessential quality which is at once a salubrious tonic for the body, a lustral lenitive for the mind, and a soothing balm for the soul. Applying a generous dole of this nepenthe of Nondual Nectar to life and mind will transport the spiritual aspirant into heretofore unforeseen and unimaginable heights of insight and perception, giving rise as well to an upsurge of abundant divine attributes lying fallow in the subtle soil of the human subconscious. It is no wonder that countless luminaries have taken unremitting recourse to this superlative divine domicile, this nonpareil sanctuary of refuges, finding an abiding solace and succor in Its boundless expanse. The theme of this issue is peace — individual, terrestrial, mental, and spiritual. Health for the body, preservation of the earth, healing for the emotions, purification of the mind, inspiration for the intellect, inner guidance for spiritual life — all levels of the human life-experience must be consciously catered to with sensitivity and devotion based upon knowledge. For, it is obvious that the many proffered “healing” systems current today which profess integration of body, mind and spirit fall ridiculously short of doing anything beyond mere physical therapy, ignoring almost completely the mind and soul of mankind. Though claims of holistic healing run rampant over the pages of contemporary magazines, the real orientation, directed grossly at gathering, storing, and protecting wealth, is most ponderously placed upon physical health and exercise combined with cosmetic solutions and techniques. These are duly predicated on man’s external existence alone, and designed mainly to satisfy the voracious and vulpine vanity of the body-oriented person inhabiting a materialistic society. Regarding the mind, if it is ill, bored, or imbalanced, a pill is supposed to suffice to put it right, or an extended period of study among the dry, dusty and philosophically anemic volumes of “higher learning” comprising our much vaunted and over-rated fields of Western secular knowledge. For the spirit, the “soul,” there is the growing popularity of overpriced, undernourished seminars, retreats or intensives, designed to bring a being face to face with oneself. Unfortunately, that “self” is, again, the body, for if one can relax it, stretch it, fill it with good food, massage it, steep it for hours in healing waters, run it around the grounds, engage it in sports, and indulge it in some dancing in the evening, the spiritual criterion of “holistic healing” is deemed satisfied and the “spirit” is considered rejuvenated.

With open arms and open minds we welcome the contemporary reader and lover of Truth to another feast for the soul, some Amrita, Nectar for the aspiring mind of the devout and avid practitioner. This open invitation is extended not only to those who have already grounded themselves in the search for Freedom via authentic spiritual traditions, but also to those who show a keen interest and feel drawn to those subtle visions and revelations of spiritual life which otherwise get obscured by the everyday goings-on of the secularized world and its conventionalized religion. Even a basic curiosity about mystical paths and ways and the esoteric wisdom they contain is apt excuse to embark upon this compelling journey which will turn the confused and restless soul, now enjoying and suffering in turns at the hands of fragmented mind and insentient matter, towards all the answers it requires and has been searching for over many lifetimes. So come, say the sages and seers, and find the highest refection of the soul possible at this sublime wisdom retreat in the isolated mountain ranges of varied spiritual experiences. Any of the tried and true pathways called authentic religions, rightly comprehended, will lead one there. The life-giving waters of Vedanta, Jainism, Vajrayana Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, and Bhakti and Karma Yogas all flow predominantly through the pages of this enlightening issue of Advaita-satya-amritam. Book reviews inclusive of world religions such as Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism also form little liquid pools of its conscious content, while eddies of Sufism, Yoga, Tantra, and Western Philosophy also play with in it — all carried on the powerful but unseen Truth-tide of Nonduality. Read on, dear soul, read on. Get immersed in the Waters of Eternal Life which, like a well-spring appearing near the thirst-filled road of embodiment, brings both peace and Self-realization to the transmigrating soul.

Encountering Kali explores one of the most ramarkable divinities the world has seen. The Hindu goddess Kali is simultaneously understood as a blood thirsty warrior a deity of ritual possession a tantric sexual partner and an all loving compassionate mothe. Popular and scholarly interest in her has been on the rise in the west in recent years. Responding to this phenomenon McDermott and Kripal`s volume focuses on the complexities involved in interpreting Kali in both her indigenous south Asian settings and her more recent Western incarnation. Through the shifting lenses of scriptural history temple architecture political reflection and the goddess`s recent guises on the Internet the contributors pose questions that illuminate our understanding of Kali while addressing the problems and promises inherent in every act of cross cultural interpretation.

From the realms of consciousness studies and the shamanic, from pre-history, myth and religion, from shakta tantric India - out of our psyches her archetypal power calls. Journey along with one western woman who heeds the call of the dark goddess Kali Ma. Follow her path in research and dreams, meditations and breathwork. Jump into the void, the chaos, the black night of the cosmos- as she is challenged to claim the fierceness, ecstasy, and oneness of the dark goddess - the birthright of all women. [A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the California Institute of Integral Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Religion, with a concentration in Women Spirituality, 2003].

The Holy Feet of Illumined Souls on Earth "From dreams awake, from bonds be free. Know the Truth! Thou art He; thou art She." The Rishis of India, knowers of Truth, in seeking the ultimate welfare and highest good for all of humanity throughout the ages, pioneered an unprecedented myriad of religious and philosophical systems. These availed the aspiring soul of a copious network of wisdom pathways, opening inwards to the Light of Nondual Reality. Veda, Tantra, Sankhya. Nyaya. Vaishesika, Purva Mimamsa, Vedanta, Yoga, Buddhism, Patanjala (Yoga), Sikhism, Jainism, Vaishnavism. Shaivism, Shaktism. Sourism, Ganapatya — the list goes on and on. This reveals a universal vision the likes of which was never before seen in any country or conceived of by any other race of human beings. Here is not only one holy book, or merely one divine incarnation, or just a single prophet, but dozens to hundreds of each, all supported, maintained, and lovingly transmitted by countless luminaries stretching back millennia B.C.E. India therefore stands as an exceptional example before the eyes of the world. The main principle which makes her so is realization of and adherence to Truth, as demonstrated and elucidated upon in this book. It is founded upon the natural acceptance of the presence of God as Existence Itself. This Truth was tempered on earth over millennia in the fires of spiritual practice, infusing Vedic philosophy and religion with many important keys concerning the attainment of direct spiritual experience. The subtitle of this book, "Charting the Timeless Wisdom of Mother India," proves itself through 299 charts, all created to transmit the depth and breadth of India's dharmic teachings, and replete with thorough and in-depth commentaries.

In Praise of Adya Kali details the goddess Kali, and her culture of devotion in West Bengal and South Asia. Different from most contemporary books about this Dark Goddess, this book offers a liturgy of worship—a spiritual practice, the Song of the Hundred Names of Adya Kali, that readers can use to cultivate a direct devotional relationship to Kali. In Praise of Adya Kali is also a context-setting guide, establishing this practice as a general orientation to life. Most compelling, the text of this liturgy and Commentaries contain an intimate revelation of how the goddess establishes herself in her devotees’ bodies and thus intervenes, by unconditional love and acceptance, in their lives. A lengthy Introduction, both scholarly and personal, describes the goddess and the possibilities that these prayers will offer. Aditi Devi guides us in how to build a shrine to Kali, various types of offerings to make to her, and suggests a schedule for how to use this liturgy with a long-term commitment over the course of 108 nights. “This Song of the Hundred Names is a powerful teaching that all forms are her forms,” the author notes. Male, female, or other gendered, readers are presented with the possibility to experience the depths of their own internal feminine energies, and thereby come into greater healing and wholeness, more readily able to express this often neglected part of ourselves.