It was in a ceremony in 2020, when I first got in touch with the goddess Kali. At that time, my life felt numb and uninspiring; something inside me was screaming for change, yet I was too comfortable to move. So here I was, gazing into the bonfire of a starry night, listening to people chanting her name. “Dear Kali, please give me the strength to change”, I whispered softly. A fresh breeze touched my skin as if to confirm I was heard. “Yes,” she replied.
With her tongue sticking out, a necklace of human skulls, and a sword covered in blood, Kali might be among the most frightening Goddesses of Hindu mythology. Yet it is she who is considered the divine feminine energy of the universe, the ultimate reality including both creation and destruction. Her name itself carries significant meaning, as it is derived from the Sanskrit word "kala," which means time.
She governs the cycles of creation and dissolution, life and death, reminding humanity of the transient nature of existence. Moreover, she teaches us that change is inevitable and that embracing the impermanence of life can lead to
spiritual growth and liberation. The symbolism of her whole being is a reminder that everything changes but changes itself.
Yes, Kali is uncomfortable. Yes, Kali is untamed and wild, the feminine dancing in pure chaos, thereby paving the way for the new. She is a (not so gentle) reminder to confront our deepest fears, let go of attachments and embrace the transformative power of change. She is the energy we may call into our life if we feel stuck, unaligned, or if we simply crave a fresh new start. She is the call for action that shakes us to the core and strips us from all that we thought we knew and needed so we can finally... breathe.
Inhale, deep into our bellies, expanding and opening our chest to the new. Exhale, rooting down into our bodies, into the earth, reminding ourselves of what it is that is true to us.
Kali is the sacred rage cutting through all that no longer serves us. She is the portal to all new opportunities and beauty we made space for as we rise from the ashes. And as adamant as Kali might appear, for me, she has always been the deeply loving mother I have turned to when I needed help the most.
Her teachings have led me to stunning places, authentic connections, and more than anything, my deepest truth. Whenever I need clarity and the courage to move, it is her name I call, knowing her force is inherently part of my existence.
For me, Kali is freedom.
Om Klim Kalikayei Namaha.