A New World Balance

Little by little people seem to be waking up to the fact that our society could in some way benefit from the ideals of compassion and connection, rather than competition and warfare. I have been a longtime believer in resolving conflict through discussion and negotiation, rather than through bombs and decimation. Finally, it seems that there are enough people out there willing to voice this belief that we are now experiencing a shift in how we handle conflict and how we will move forward as a culture and as a planet.

All of my life I have never understood the practicality of war. I have never understood why our country or any other country would choose to kill people who are in the end just like us – all wanting the same thing – safety, love and happiness…all humans, all connected.

There have been times in history when proponents of peace have been seen as impractical dreamers living in a fantasy world and in some cases even labeled as “ignorant.” But after all of this time spent in warfare, what have we learned. How have we benefited? And is there another possibility?

At this time in history when we are involved in two wars, there simultaneously seems to be an awakening of a new consciousness. Qualities that were once disregarded and disrespected in global politics such as compassion, cooperation and sharing are now gaining respect and honor in their rightful place alongside strategy and determination. These qualities, which have traditionally been considered feminine qualities, have been absent from decision-making processes for a very long time. Today, they are being examined as not only ideals for creating balance in our society, but as necessary for the survival of our planet.

Both women and men are claiming value in this new approach and new communities of thought have emerged highlighting the need to replace domination with partnership. Some are calling this shift in consciousness a re-awakening of the Divine Feminine where traditional feminine qualities are coming to play a respected role on the world stage.

I know for myself as I embrace with respect my own feminine qualities I find myself coming more into balance and am accessing a power and strength that I never knew before. Instead of trying to function in a patriarchal paradigm, I am awakening to a wisdom where the feminine and masculine can dance in divine partnership. It is through this partnership that I believe peace can truly come to our land.

What do think?

Kali: She Transforms the Lives of Those Who Honor Her

One of the comments that I received in response to my last blog was about the Hindu Goddess Kali. Kali, known as the Goddess of Destruction, has always been a bit intimidating to me. With a big sword, skulls as her jewelry adornment, and a dominating position over what looks like a deceased body, you can you imagine why, right?

Kali has often been depicted as destructive, ugly, and violent — almost exactly the opposite of what you might picture for a goddess. However, ever since I started the Goddess Collection of Lotus Blossom Style, women have been asking me to make a Kali design.

Kali is one of those goddesses that I have feared, but have also been completely fascinated by. You know that feeling when something seems dangerous, but you are still drawn to it. A little bit like the feeling one might get when they are ready to jump out of a plane (which I have never done) or off of a cliff (which I have in fact done multiple times.)

So what is appealing about a Goddess of Destruction? Why would one worship her, honor her or want to wear a shirt with her image? For a long time I have asked myself these questions.

Felice, the blogger who wrote about Kali, described her as the “vibrating, motivating energy of the Universe!” and said, “with her sword she cuts off all that separates us from our true nature.” And with that one single comment from Felice, I finally GOT Kali!

People had told me that Kali is nurturing, loving, and compassionate, but I did not understand. With a big sword and a skull necklace, she did not look nurturing and loving to me. But from Felice’s comment I finally understood that Kali is helping us to see our true nature by cutting down the blinds that our ego can sometimes create. Thank you Felice for describing Kali’s actions in this way! It is amazing to me how one person’s way of describing their experience can completely awaken you to a new understanding of your own experience.

When I launched the Goddess Collection and women were asking me to make a Kali design, I felt scared, unprepared, overwhelmed, you name it. In some ways I was tempted because I knew what power and message she holds, but on the other hand I was not ready to take responsibility for the grandness of my own true nature that Kali could evoke.

After a year of learning more about Kali from other women who have welcomed her with bravery, I feel ready to welcome her too. Kali as the destroyer is also the Creatrix. I am happy to report that a Kali design is in the works to be released through Lotus Blossom Style’s Goddess Collection in September.

The Goddess Collection

Seven months after the yoga retreat that introduced me to Lakshmi and Sarasvati (see the blog below — “This Goddess is Hindu”), Lotus Blossom Style was born.

Birthdate: August 1, 2007
Gender: Goddess

Lotus Blossom Style started with my wish to bring positive and peaceful images and messages to everyday comfy, fun and environmentally friendly clothing. I wanted to be a force of change in the marketplace so that more companies would think about creating positive imagery and caring for our earth, not just on and with clothing, but in magazines, billboards, commercials and film. I wanted to transform culture through clothing!

I picked the name “Lotus Blossom Style” to represent my strong belief in every human’s potential to unfold toward their potential. The lotus, a sacred flower in the Hindu and Tibetan traditions, has been a longtime symbol representing the spiritual journey. As a longtime seeker and journeyer as well as a playful soul, I decided this name would be perfect!

My first design for the clothing line was a blossomed lotus with the words underneath “live your truth.”

What came unexpectedly was my next design — a Goddess!

Green Tara, the Tibetan Buddhist Goddess of Compassion in Action, blossomed right up and out through the center of the lotus to make her presence known. At first I was surprised since my initial visioning did not include goddesses, but then realized that Green Tara’s mission to act on the behalf of all human beings to help them move toward their beautiful potential somehow was moving through me.

A number of years earlier, when taking the Tibetan Buddhist vows, I had been given Tara’s name. The variation I received was “Supreme Tara of Clear Light.” This of course drew me toward her and made me want to learn more about her!

Over time I learned that Tara is the female form of the Buddha of Compassion. In human form, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is considered a manifestation of the Buddha of Compassion. The story goes: Once upon a time when the Buddha of Compassion heard the cries of all living beings across the land, he shed two tears. From one teardrop, it is said that Green Tara emerged, and from the other teardrop, White Tara.

Green Tara is swift, courageous and playful. She is an action goddess – helping all individuals remove obstacles that may be blocking them from their spiritual growth.

White Tara is earthy, grounded, and has motherly compassion. She cares for all people as if they are her own children and reminds us that we are all sisters and brothers and need to take care of each other. She is a mother goddess.

Both of these Taras have proven to be wonderful role models for me.
To see myself in their image has been incredibly empowering. To imagine that I too have the strength, wisdom, compassion, and love that these gals do has helped me move mountains.

People have asked me, “Do you consider these goddesses real people?”
The answer to that is that I sometimes consider them role models, sometimes sisters, sometimes archetypes, sometimes mythological characters, and sometimes true goddesses. In whatever role I consider them, they have allowed me to see myself in the image of the divine and have helped me wake up to a lot of strengths that were laying dormant.

Soon after Green Tara and White Tara emerged, Lakshmi came knocking on Lotus Blossom Style’s door. It became clear that a sisterhood of goddesses was being formed and that each one was here to deliver an important message. I named this sisterhood, “The Goddess Collection.”

Are there any goddesses that have come knocking on your door unexpectedly?

This Goddess is Hindu

Hi.

So I left off the last blog with my discovery that the goddess on my bright yellow shirt was not Tibetan afterall! This was a great disappointment to me since for a long time I have been enamored with Tibet, Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhism. I was being told by Tibetans however that she was probably Hindu.

One would think that I would be just as happy about that since I have been a longtime practitioner of yoga, have spent significant time in India and Nepal, and appreciate much about the Hindu culture. However, I was disappointed because this meant that I would have to search further.

Although a born seeker, when I returned to the US from Tibet, I let the search for the goddess’ identity go. It wasn’t on purpose. It just didn’t seem as pressing and I went back to my life as a preschool teacher and yoga teacher in New York City.

Two years later, after having moved out to California, I was on a New Year’s yoga retreat just north of Santa Barbara and of course, brought my favorite yoga tee (see the first blog)! In my room, I had the tee layed out on my bed, and one of my roomies, Lindsay, noticed it. She said, “that looks like Lakshmi.” “Lakshmi,” I thought. Who is Lakshmi?”

Although I had been studying yoga for more than 10 years and had always tried to understand the Hindu pantheon of gods and goddesses, they never really made sense to me. They never really stuck with me. They felt like a big mass of complicated information and layers of life that I was not ready to engage in.

“Who is Lakshmi?” I asked my roomie. “She is the Hindu goddess of abundance and prosperity,” she told me. “Hmmmm…are you sure that is who this is?” I asked, not wanting to be mixed up AGAIN. “You can ask some others, but that who she seems like to me.”

Later, on that same retreat, we were doing a special event where we picked a card that was meant to be significant for us and give us guidance. The cards were made up of various yoga teachings and terminology. I picked “Sarasvati.” Hmmm….another Hindu goddess. I did not know ANYTHING about her except that she was a Hindu goddess. I wondered what this guidance meant.

When we got back to the room that night, in typical roommate fashion, Lindsay asked what card I picked. I told her, “Sarasvati.” “Oh, that makes sense since she is the goddess of the arts and is particularly known for her connection to music,” she said. Here I was a yogi, a singer and a songwriter and had no clue about Sarasvati!

On that special New Year’s yoga retreat Lindsay opened me up to two goddesses:

- Sarasvati, Goddess of the Arts and Music, and

- Lakshmi, Goddess of Abundance and Prosperity

I felt that it was very important for me to be introduced to these two goddesses, but did not know at that moment the bigger role they would eventually play.

Have you come across goddesses on your path and had some deep connection that you did not really understand at first or that you are still trying to understand?

I’d love to hear your stories!

I look forward to hearing from you.
Namaste,
Tabby