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About this Event
Before the Vedas, there was Tantra. Tantra is a path to liberation through living awake and aware, integrating divinity into the physical world and seeing the holiness of all things. It is a practice of mantra, homa, puja and Devi worship, originally led by village women. Women are the gurus who teach their Kaula (small groups of students) and give Diksha (initiation) to men and women.
This tradition was distorted by male priesthoods and conventional religion. It was diverted from the woman-led tradition and corrupted into practices that exploit and objectify women. In later times, it has been denigrated into nothing more than sexual workshops. The true woman guru holding the power of Shakta Kaula has almost disappeared.
The original tradition, however, continued to be taught by a woman guru known as Sri Mataji. Mataji was a Bengali Tantrika, trained in lineage of Korakkanathar Siddha. Her guru had spent years looking for the right woman disciple, a strong woman who could restore the feminine path. Mataji was raised in a village in Bengal. When she was 15 her parents began to encourage her to find a husband. Mataji refused them, saying, "Lord Shiva is the only husband for me."
In time, Mataji mastered the Siddha Tantra path and began teaching students in her kaula. She only took ten students at a time. One of them was Jyoti Ma, an American woman who had been living in India for ten years, studying Kundalini, Advaita and the yoga traditions. Jyoti Ma lived with Mataji for several years, learning the powers of women in the path of Tantra, and mastering the traditions of Homa (fire ceremony), mantra, yantra, Devi worship and the sacred art of Consort practice that awakens men into Divine Reality. In later years, Jyoti Ma spent time in the cave of her Siddha Master, Sri Hari Baba, learning the ancient tradition of Siddha.
At the end of her training with Mataji, Jyoti Ma was given the transmission to teach. Mataji said to her, "You are the Mata now." She returned to the West, only to find great misunderstandings about Tantra. The distortions were so extreme, she felt unable to bring forth the true path, in the midst of all of the sexual workshop marketing and false teachings. Now, she has taken the step of creating this comprehensive training program that will awaken you to the true depth and power of the ancient path of Shakta Tantra.
Here is an outline of what you will learn in the first 6-week training program on this powerful path to liberation:
Session 1: The Original Shakta Kaula Tantra Tradition
Session 2: Woman as Guru and Initiator
Session 3: Devi Worship, Homa and Puja in Tantric Practice
Session 4: Preparatory Practices for Women
Session 5: Preparatory Practices for Men
Session 6: Das Mahavidyas: The Ten Forms of Devi