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burst-of-iridescent · 11 months ago

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South Asian and Hindu Influences in ATLA (Part 1)

disclaimer: i was raised culturally and religiously hindu, and though i've tried to do my research for this post and pair it with my own cultural knowledge, i'm not an expert on hinduism by any means. should i mess up, please let me know.

please also be aware that many of the concepts discussed in this post overlap heavily with religions such as buddhism and jainism, which might have different interpretations and representations. as i'm not from those religions or cultures, i don't want to speak on them, but if anyone with that knowledge wishes to add on, please feel free.

it's well-known that atla draws from indigenous, east and southeast asian influences, but something i rarely see discussed in the fandom is the influences the show takes from hinduism and south asia, and there are actually far more than i think people are aware of.

so here's a (non-exhaustive list) of the main inspirations atla drew from south asian culture and hinduism, starting with...

The Avatar

the title of the show itself is taken from the ancient language of sanskrit, often considered the sacred tongue of the hindu religion. in sanskrit, the word "avatar" means to "descend" or "alight".

the concept of the avatar is a very old one, referring to the physical incarnation of a powerful deity or spirit. the idea of the avatar is most often linked to the god Vishnu, one of three supreme hindu gods collectively called the trimurti, or trinity. the avatar is said to manifest upon earth primarily in times of great need, when balance must be maintained between the forces of good and evil.

atla borrows heavily from this idea in having aang be the incarnation of a divine spirit who returns to the world during a time of immense strife, and is tasked with defeating a great evil to bring balance back to the world. and though i don't know if it was an intentional reference, it's interesting to note that Krishna, the most famous incarnation of Vishnu was also reborn amidst a fierce storm and carried through a raging sea to a new home where he would be protected from the king who sought to kill him. sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?

Agni Kai and the Philosophy of Firebending

the word "agni" derives from the sanskrit name Agni, the god of fire, though it can also generally mean "fire".

the concepts of lightning bending and the sun being the source of firebending are likely also taken from the idea of Agni, since he's said to exist simultaneously in three different forms on three different dimensions: as fire on earth, as lightning in the atmosphere, and as the sun in the sky.

Agni is a significant aspect of many rituals, including marriage rites, death rites, and the festivals of holi and diwali. the concept of Agni is one of duality: life and death, rebirth and destruction. hindu rituals accept and celebrate both aspects, revolving around the idea that destruction is not separate from creation, but rather necessary to facilitate it. the cremation of the dead, for instance, is seen as purification, not destruction: burning away the physical form so the soul is unencumbered, set free to continue the reincarnation cycle.

this influence can be seen in the firebending masters episode, which discusses the idea of fire being vital to life. the sun warriors safeguarding the original fire and demanding that zuko and aang bring fire to the dragons as a sacrifice could also reference the ritual of Agnihotra - the ritual of keeping a fire at the home hearth and making offerings to it. the purpose of this ritual differs depending on which text you refer to, but it is generally believed to purify the person and atmosphere in which it is performed, similar to how zuko and aang must make offerings to ran and shaw and survive their fire before being deemed worthy and pure.

Agnihotra is said to serve as a symbolic reminder of the vitality and importance of fire as the driving force of life, a lesson that zuko and aang also internalize from their encounter with the dragons.

Bumi

bumi's name is taken from the sanskrit word "bhumi", which means "earth". it's also the name of the hindu goddess of the earth, bumi or bhudevi.

one of the things the original animation didn't do and which i really enjoyed about the live action was that they made bumi indian and added desi inspiration to omashu. it makes perfect sense for a king whose name is as hindu-inspired as they come.

NWT Royal Palace

chief arnook's palace in the northern water tribe takes inspiration from the gopurams of hindu temples, massive pyramidal structures that served as entrance towers to the temple.

gopurams were built tall enough to be seen for miles around, beacons to signal tired or weary travellers who wished for a place to rest that a temple was nearby. it's a nice touch that the chief's palace is located in front of the spirit oasis, a similarly symbolic entryway to a sanctuary housing otherworldly deities.

Betrothal Necklaces

to preface: i doubt this was an intentional reference, and this great post talks about other cultures that could have inspired the water tribe betrothal necklaces. given the desi influence in the nwt architecture however, i figured it was worth mentioning.

the idea of betrothal necklaces being given to women by their male partners is similar to the thaali, a necklace given to hindu wives by their husbands. during hindu weddings, grooms tie the thaali around their brides' necks to symbolize their marriage. once given, wives are expected to wear their thaali till the day they die, as doing so is believed to bring good luck, health and prosperity to their husbands.

Chi-Blocking

though chi-blocking takes primary inspiration from the art of Dim Mak, it is also influenced by the south indian martial arts forms of adimurai and kalaripayattu, both of which include techniques of striking vital points in the body to disable or kill an opponent.

kalaripayattu also shares parallels with firebending, being a very physically demanding, aggressive martial art that emphasises the importance of discipline and mental fortitude. control of the mind is essential to control of the body, a philosophy similar to that espoused by iroh across the show.

Wan Shi Tong's Library

the library draws inspiration partly from the taj mahal, the famous mausoleum constructed by shah jahan during the mughal empire as a monument to his beloved wife, mumtaz mahal.

i'll end this post here since it's getting too long as it is, and the following section will be even longer. for while atla treated the concepts in this post with respect, the same unfortunately cannot be said for its depiction of guru pathik and combustion man - both of which we'll be discussing next.

#atla #avatar the last airbender #atla cultural influences #hinduism in atla

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ryin-silverfish · 7 months ago

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how does rebirth and reincarnation work in Buddhism

do memories carry over and Can personality traits or characteristics also stay the same

or does being reborn erase everything and basically reboot a person

is everyone reincarnated or just some people and what causes rebirth

if you don’t want to explain it can you please reply with links to websites where I can find information on the topic

Disclaimer: Everything I write here is less Indian Buddhism, and more "sinicized Buddhist concepts", aka "Chinese adoptation of the ideas of karmic laws and reincarnation, with a bunch of tweaks".

-There are 6 paths of rebirth: Heavenly/Deva, Asura, Human, Beasts, Hungry Ghosts, Hell. In practice, because of unfamiliarity with the Hindu Asura ("wrathful demigods"), it often gets simplified into 5 paths instead.

-Based on one's karma (consequences of one's causes), one is reborn into one of these Paths after death. The first 3 are commonly seen as the "3 good paths", while the last 3 are the "3 bad paths".

-Technically, even being reborn as a celestial being does not free you from suffering, since, despite the incredibly long lifespan of celestials and the pleasures they enjoy, their stay there is still not infinite, and they'll be reborn into a lower path once their Good Deeds Bank runs out, so to speak.

-However, in lay practice, being reborn in the Heavenly path is often considered "Good enough".

-Similarly, in more doctrinal Buddhism, the concept of "non-being" and the lack of a permanent, eternal self is a big thing (where there's no continuation of the self between each life, memory-wise or personality-wise).

-Yet after its spread to China, it was adjusted to fit, and syncretized with existing beliefs about souls and ancestor worship, and honestly, folks pretty much assumed that there is a...soul thingy that gets reincarnated, and some sort of continuation exists between each life.

-In Northern-Southern dynasty and Tang legends, there are a lot of tales about people who remembered their past lives, or people who suffered misfortune/got a lawsuit from ghosts in the Underworld bc of bad things they did in another life.

-However, in the latter case, they often don't remember. It is kinda implied that reincarnation itself blurred/erased their memories, but never explicitly explained.

-The much later Ming-Qing addition of Mengpo and her amnesia soup could be seen as a "fix-it" to that question: people don't remember their past lives bc the amnesia soup is mandatory, and the few who remembered are folks who had found a way to avoid drinking it.

-Like all folklore stuff, it's far from universally adopted, and in Liaozhai, you can still see tales like Lian Xiang's, where the fox spirit in question died, reincarnated into a human body, and remembered her old ghostly rival-turned-best-friend upon seeing her again.

-In vernacular novels and tales about reincarnated immortals and celestial deities, like JTTS and JTTN, it's more common for the protagonists to remember their original self from start to finish, or recover their memories after being informed of that fact and settle on working their way back into their old position.

-As for "does everyone have to go through reincarnation?" Unless you are a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or Arhat, technically yes.

-After Daoism adopted the Buddhist ideas of karma and reincarnation, there were also works that suggested, by attaining immortality, you wouldn't have to reincarnate again...

-But I personally saw that as more of a "immortality just means no natural death, not unkillable" situation——the immortal in question won't have to reincarnate bc they can no longer die of old age, but if sth comes along and kill them, or they got demoted by the Heavenly Emperor for breaking celestial laws, their soul will still re-enter the cycle.

-Lastly, what causes rebirth? Well...existing. As long as you are within the Realm of Desire and a being of the Six Paths, you are subjected to the cosmological cycle, and to Buddhists, the only way out is attaining enlightenment.

#chinese folklore #chinese religion #buddhism #reincarnation

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knowledge-from-the-abyss · 15 days ago

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Godspousal and Spirit Family

Introduction and the History of Godspousal

First off, I would like to highly recommend the book Spirit Marriage by Megan Rose; this book is a fantastic resource on godspousal that shows both historical and interviewed accounts of godspousal. Another term for godspousal is spirit marriage; this term is a broader term that covers more than just ‘gods’ in spousal. Another word that is commonly used to describe this is spiritspousal (generally used to describe a spousal relationship with non-deity entities). For this post, I am going to use the term spirit marriage or spousal, since these terms describe this more broadly. (I do generally use the term godspousal as a catch all term, however for this post, I want to use spirit marriage or just generally ‘spousal’ to avoid confusion).

As this book describes, spirit marriage is not a new-age phenomenon, it can actually be found pretty much as far back as written history exists; there may be other instances where oral records had evidence of spirit marriage as well, but seeing as oral tradition may or may not be recorded, there isn’t much evidence of this.

Different Types of Spirit Marriage

There are a few different types of spirit marriage, which I will describe here.

Devotional- this type of spirit marriage usually involves the person devoting themselves almost fully to one or more deities. A lot of their craft may revolve around these deities, and there may be special things they do for and with these deities they are devotionally married to.

Platonic- this generally involves a closer relationship with the deity, it can also go alongside devotional spousal. This is a relationship where the deity and the person may do things such as cuddle, hug, or even kiss. This relationship often involves the person relying on the deity/deities for emotional support or comfort when they are needing it.

Romantic- this type of spousal is the most common type of spirit marriage, and the one that most generally is referred to when someone is talking about godspousal. Being romantically spoused to a deity/deities often involves a long process that can take years. Generally, romantic spousal includes a courting phase that can last months or even years. During this time period, the practitioner and deity/deities are getting to know each other. Some of the ways that spouses may get to know their deity/deities is by going on dates with them, getting to know them via meditation, and communicating with them through divination, clairsenses, and channeling.

Familial/parental- this type of spousal is similar (and again can also involve) platonic and devotional spousal. The deity/deities will often take on a more parental or familial role within the person's life. The practitioner may lean on the deity for emotional support and comfort. The deity takes on a very parental, sibling or possibly uncle/aunt type role, depending on what the practitioner is needing. The practitioner may go to the deity for advice or otherwise treat them as a family member. The deity, in turn, will view the practitioner as one of their own family.

How old do I have to be to be a godspouse?

Some of the information I’m including in this section is going to be a bit controversial, however there are historical facts that I am going to go through here that I feel are important (and interesting).

It is my belief that for romantic spirit marriage, a person should wait until they are at least 18 before even considering it. However, historically, there are records of romantic spirit spousal happening to people (specifically girls) as young as 12. This is mostly seen in Hindu culture (and is covered in the Spirit Marriage book mentioned above). Instead of forcing these young girls to be in an arranged marriage, these girls would be spiritually spoused to Shiva, or sometimes Shiva’s son, until they were older.

The main reason, in my belief, that someone should not consider spirit marriage until they are older is not due to their age; deities do not hold the same human standards and morality as we do, they do not follow our laws and rules. Instead, this has more to do with maturity. Spirit marriage is a lifelong commitment and a very deep bond that you share. It is not something that someone does on a whim. Just like a human marriage, it takes years to get to know the entities involved, to bond with them, and to decide if ultimately you want them to be around you the rest of your life. Spirit marriage involves making vows, just like a human marriage, that you must uphold and keep. Sometimes, depending on the culture, the deity may even require the practitioner to be an open channel for them; allowing the deity to channel through them whenever the deity wishes, and even possibly allowing the deity to live permanently in the person's body so that they may do this. All of this requires someone to have the maturity to understand the depth and meaningfulness of this type of relationship; something that most teenagers (and even some people who are in their early 20s) will not truly understand. While divorce is sometimes possible, it would be similar to a human divorce, with many years of fighting and debating to decide if that is truly the best course of action for both parties. Divorce when it comes to spirit marriage is incredibly rare (the Spirit Marriage book actually does mention this as well).

Can I be spoused to multiple deities?

This question has already been alluded to, but yes, you can have multiple deities as spouses. In the book Spirit Marriage, there is a person who has about 7+ spouses that are listed. I personally am also spoused to multiple deities; some of the deities I am spoused to have been spousing me for many many lifetimes as well, and our spousals have continued into this lifetime.

How do spouses interact with their deities/entities?

As with some of the other posts I made, there are multiple ways to communicate with deities/entities. Divination is a very common way to do this, as well as using the clairsenses. Channeling is another very common way that a lot of spouses end up communicating. Interactions such as going on dates can often happen in the astral realm, the realm where non-corporeal entities reside. Some people will also go out on dates in the physical world, going to a restaurant or other places they enjoy and allowing their deity/entity spouses to accompany them.

How do I know if a deity/entity wants spousal?

Generally there will be very clear signs when a deity/entity is wanting spousal. You may even be able to feel it in the energy they give off; they may give off a flirtatious vibe (although there are some deities/entities that have a very flirtatious energy in general, so please make sure you are using discernment and doing divination to confirm that they genuinely do want spousal). Other ways they may show you are by being around you constantly; they may outright tell you they want spousal (if you’re able to hear them). Some deities will send practitioners dreams about marriage or otherwise romantically-inclined dreams to signal they are wanting spousal. Some deities may mention it while the practitioner is doing divination with them.

Is sex involved with romantic spirit marriage?

Yes, sex can be (but is not always) a part of romantic spirit marriage. Again, similar to the above question about interacting with spouses, this often happens in the astral realm. This can also happen through self-pleasure. Spiritual pregnancies and spiritual children can also be a result of this; energy from the deities/entities as well as the practitioner's energies can go into making a spiritual child (or children). Multiple deities can also be involved in the creation of these children. With me and my wife, since we are spoused to some of the same deities, sometimes both our energies go into our spiritual children as well. In these situations, either the deity or the practitioner can become spiritually pregnant, and there may even be physical symptoms of pregnancy involved as well if it is the practitioner who gets pregnant. Even masculine deities can get pregnant (deities are very genderfluid in nature).

How do you balance spirit marriage with physical relationships?

This is going to be individual to each practitioner and their spouse(s). Some deities/entities will allow someone to have a human partner or human relationships, while others will forbid a human relationship. This is also something that needs to be discussed with your spirit spouses, as some people will be ok with never having a physical relationship, while with others it is something they will require in their human lifetime.

For me personally, I got incredibly lucky in that my wife is also spoused to many of the same deities I am, so our relationship and spousals often coincide with each other very well.

What is a spirit family?

Spirit family can describe several things which I will go through here. Spirit family can refer to the human people who your soul tends to reincarnate with and who your soul was made alongside. This can include people such as soulmates, twin flames, etc.

Spirit family can also refer to the actual deities/entities that helped create your soul (this can also be referred to as soul family); many people have several deities/entities that would consider themselves to be parental figures (for me, I have several soul moms and dads). The person may also have deities/entities that are brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. Many times these deities/entities will have influence over the person’s personality and behavior (from what I’ve seen, a lot of times the soul parents will have the most influence. For me, Loki is one of my soul dads and he has influenced my personality greatly this lifetime. I'm incredibly chaotic, but also incredibly empathetic just like him).

Spirit family can also refer to deities/entities that have adopted you as one of their own in past lives (or even in this current one). One of my spirit mothers, Yemoja, adopted me from a past life and still considers me to be her family (she takes on a motherly role for me).

Can I be spoused to someone who is also part of my spirit family?

Again this is another controversial question, but again I would like to point out that deities and other entities do NOT follow human laws and standards. They do not see things the same way we do. So the answer to this question, from my perspective, is a resounding YES. Loki is one of my soul fathers, and he is also the main deity I am spoused to. While in this lifetime he did start out as a father figure to me, and I grew up feeling that he was more of a dad than any other father-figures in my life, our relationship evolved and grew. As I started to get older (around when I was 18-19) I no longer needed him to act as a father figure to me. Our relationship evolved, and we eventually became platonically spoused when I was around 20. After that, our relationship continued to evolve, and at around 22 I accepted that he wanted to change our spousal once again to a romantic spousal.

As for human relationships, I do want to go into more detail about soulmates, twin flames and other such terms. There are a lot of huge misconceptions about these concepts due to the media we have (social media, tv shows, movies etc). I want to go through the terms soulmates and twin flames, and cover the misconceptions many people have about these relationships.

Soulmates

Soulmates are often a term that, in media, describe your ‘one true love’ that you are destined to be with. In reality, soulmates are people who were created alongside you and who often go through similar life experiences; you may be able to relate to them very deeply about similar experiences you have shared during your life. Most people have multiple soulmates, and not everyone will always be in a romantic relationship with their soulmates. I have encountered instances where someones pet, their mom, their dad, their siblings or even their best friends are their soulmates. I see many sibling relationships where this is the case in fact, where two siblings will be incredibly close, best friends, and will always be loyal to each other no matter what. These ‘ride or die’ sibling relationships can sometimes indicate that these two people are in fact soul mates. While some soulmate relationships are definitely meant to be romantic, that’s definitely not always the case.

Twin Flames

Twin flame is another term that is often misunderstood or misused; some people use soulmates and twinflames interchangeably, however from my experience, they are two different categories of soul bonds. From my experience, a twin flame is someone who shares a part of another persons soul; twin flames often mirror each other in many ways, although unlike how soulmates may mirror each other in experiences, this tends to be more mirrored interests as well. As with soulmate relationships, I believe someone can have multiple twin flames, and that not all twin flame relationships are purely romantic.

Karmic

The last soul bond relationship I want to cover is karmic relationships. These relationships can form over time from any type of soul connection someone may have with another person. These relationships are toxic and unhealthy; a lot of times the two people in the relationship will feed off each others negativity or bounce the negativity back and forth. Again, as with other soul connections, these relationships are not just romantic. These karmic relationships also often require cord cuttings in order to sever the bond between the two people so that they can grow and learn apart from each other.

As usual, I would like to thank @astralscraft for helping me with this post! I'm sure that this is not all the information I can give about godspousal; feel free to inbox or message me if you have questions!

#pagan witch #paganism #witchcraft #witch #pagan #deity work #godspouse #spirit marriage #godspousal #deities

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romanceclub-confessionss · 2 months ago

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Confession:

"I am on season 3 of kcd and there's something that has been annoying me a lot. Forget everything else before this but I need to tell you all about this. I know many of you are non Indian and especially non hindu and in s3 when amrit talks about the kali yuga, the cg of mother kali is shown in the background. Fyi the deity who controls kali yuga is male and described as dark skinned and malevolent in the scriptures. Mother kali has no relation to the kali yuga. That part seemed a little ambiguously explained to me (and ik the names are similar) so i wanted to clarify. Idk if this gets cleared up in later episodes but yeah. Also we are already 5000 years into kali yuga (ps this is the 'golden' period of kali yuga...). Alos after kali yuga ends, the cycle will restrart. The world doesn't permanently end. That's all, thanks for reading."

#romance club #rc #kali call of darkness #rc kcd

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queerprayers · 5 days ago

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Is it okay for a Christian to practice yoga? I feel extremely conflicted because my faith in God is so important to me, and I’ve read so many opinions all disapproving. It feels blasphemous to say, but I feel so close to and loved by God when I practice it, it feels like a prayer to the God who has always known me. It makes me more patient and loving to others and to the body He gave me. Do you have any thoughts on this? Is it a betrayal?

Hi, beloved!

I do not consider myself an expert by any means (and am a white US-American who has never trained in genuine yoga), but as someone who's practiced yoga for years, while I don't particularly see it as part of my religious practice, it inevitably has spiritual connotations because it involves caring for myself, balancing my emotions, and reconnecting with the world around me.

There are so many kinds and traditions of yoga, and of course many (like worship of Hindu deities) are incompatible with Christianity. Aspects like Buddhist meditation do not come from or embody Christianity, but are not completely alien and can be (in my opinion) learned about/incorporated. There is no one yoga, and so to practice it (in the more general sense that most non-Buddhist/Hindus/etc. do) is not devoting yourself to all its tenets.

Honestly, I think it's a good thing that you're aware of its non-Christianity, because if you were to just take the practice without thinking and rebrand it as Christian, that would be deceptive and appropriative. There's not a clear line between what's appropriation and what's not, and yoga has been so secularized already, but I think it's good to live in the tension of understanding that what you (and I) are calling yoga is very different from classical yoga, and that it is from (if you're not Indian--I don't know your background) a different culture and framework. Be curious about the origins of yoga, the ways "Western" culture has secularized and commercialized it, and the ways you connect with it.

I think there's a lot of boring opinions out there about how Christians shouldn't do anything even associated with "paganism," and anything spiritual without a picture of Jesus on it is evil. There is no Christianity without other religions, and throughout history Christianity has been heavily influenced and enriched by its connection to other traditions and its existence in diverse cultures. There is no pure Christianity, is what I'm saying. It's all mixed up in what humans are and the different ways we try to look at God. We may (and Christians do) believe that there is one Truth, but add any more information to that belief and none of us agree. And there is no practice or ritual that someone else hasn't done to a different God.

What's more interesting to me is investigating specific teachings of kinds of yoga, and how they relate to Christian philosophy. It is useless to call something pagan or heretical without understanding specifically how it contradicts the faith. There are criticisms that I think actually matter--inner knowledge/elevating yourself through spiritual practice/uniting with the divine is very gnostic, which you could totally be down with or agree with its being labeled as heresy. Christian understandings of the body differ widely--certain bodily states/experiences being equated with mysticism is not something I go for, but you can find that in some traditions. I don't find detachment (as found in Buddhist meditation) Christian at all, nor the idea of practices to escape suffering (we are in fact called to suffer).

Whatever your Christian tradition is, and whatever kinds of yoga philosophies you've encountered in your practice, hold them up to the light together. They may have no contradictions at all, be different ways of approaching the same thing, or be completely opposed to each other. Come from Christianity, be tied to it, use it as your lens--and, solid on that foundation, move. Check out Barbara Brown Taylor's Holy Envy if you find teachings that aren't your own that you kinda wish were.

Ultimately, caring for the body, nonviolence, mindfulness, cultivating discipline, creating peace and balance--these are things that should be present in every Christian's spirituality. Whatever my specific critiques of different yoga philosophies, I understand why they exist, and can see how they would fulfill. Yoga has helped me immensely with my extreme emotions and struggles with transition, as well as chronic pain. I am thankful for this ritual that gets me moving and thinking, keeping me from either being completely disconnected from the world or too stagnant and grounded.

It is not for me to say whether yoga is enriching your Christianity, but you've already said it, I think. You've named the good fruit that has grown. Don't make it your Christianity--but it sounds like it's a beautiful part of your life, and makes you more able to live out Christianity. Most of our lives have "pagan" origins. We do not betray God by living--we betray God when we are not curious, when we forget what we were made for, when our bodies become more important to us than others', when we make an idol out of "self-improvement," when we curl inwards and try to find truth there, when we pursue bodily pleasure or a lack of suffering instead of Love. Live in the tension of participating in a world where we are but pilgrims.

Do not worship the self that God gave you, but do not betray it for worldly voices--whether they're devoted to other gods, or they're devoted to Jesus in a way that costs them community. Receive your self as a gift, a creation still warm from God's fingertips. A creation that can learn how to touch your toes, if you work at it. A creation that moves on and off the yoga mat, using whatever fulfillment was found to serve the world we live in, for now.

<3 Johanna

#asks #to clarify i don't go around calling hindus pagan. just using the language of disapproval to make a point

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talonabraxas · 3 months ago

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Green Tara ॐ Talon Abraxas

The Vastness of Tara: Beyond Definition, Friend to Everyone

Do we really comprehend the vastness that is Tara? She is one of the most popular devotional and meditational deities, honored all around the world, practiced by all schools of Vajrayana Buddhism, many Mahayana Buddhists, Hindus, and others.

She is so popular, she is called “Mama Tara”—and She never takes Herself seriously. She’s a daily good friend, ready helper, saving hero, precious guide. She always has “time” for everyone—after all, time is relative. She is just as quick to help the prisoner in jail as the faithful practitioner, without discrimination. If Her name is called, She answers.

One important practice of Tara is the 21 Praises to Tara, here chanted in Sanskrit:

At the ultimate level, She was the “Non Manifested”, Prajna Paramita in Buddhism, but also the non-manifested Wisdom Mother in Hinduism. At the “intimate” relative level, She can emanate as a shepherd girl, ready to rescue a stranded traveler. Or She can incarnate as a Princess ready to help a nation—two simultaneously, in the case of Her more recent history in Tibet and China.

Yet, Tara goes beyond any constraints of conception, and even imagination: Parajnaparamita, wisdom Dakini Varjayogini, Female Buddha, Consort of great Amoghasiddhi Dhyani Buddha, Hindu great mother, angel to those in distress — all of these and thousands more. There are 21 famous Tara manifestations, one of which is the beloved White Tara. In Vajrayana’s higher tantras she is Chittimani Tara and also, Vajrayogini (Vajra Varahi).

It can be confusing, Her endless labels, but at the same time it defines Her perfectly. She is known by endless names, but consistently as Tara, Arya Tara, and, in Tibetan, Jetsun Drolma. She is simultaneously the spiritual child of Avalokiteshvara, born of tears of compassion, and the Mother of the very same Buddha. Mother and child of the same Enlightened Being. Simply meditating on the vastness of these concepts is, in itself, challenging and rewarding.

Tara’s Mantra

Harmonically tuning with universal energies of compassion and wisdom, Tara’s mantra is most effective for healing, protection, or just simply building positive karma.

The Tara mantra can be spoken anytime, while walking, driving, or when in need. Or, in more formal practice, while reciting the mantra the practitioner will visualize Her beautiful form, and say Her ten syllable mantra as often as possible:

"Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha"

This is pronounced Ohm tah-ray tew-tar-ray tew-rey svah ha. In Tibetan mantric recitation, svaha may be pronounced soha.

In more advanced mantra practice, and in sadhanas authorized by teachers, Tara’s ten syllable mantra may be visualized surrounding the seed syllable Tam (shown in the centre). Surrounding the Tam, are the Tibetan syllables beginning at the top (Om) then left clockwise.

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mahayanapilgrim · 3 months ago

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What is Yab-Yum?

Yab-yum is a symbolic representation of the union between a male deity (yab) and a female deity (yum). The term itself originates from Tibet, where the word "yab" represents the masculine aspect, often referred to as the Father associated with wisdom and compassion, and "yum" represents the divine feminine, embodying the role of the Mother often associated with bliss and emptiness.

In artistic depictions, yab-yum is represented by a male deity in a seated position, often portrayed as a peaceful and enlightened Buddha or a deity like Vajrasattva, and a female deity sitting or standing in the lap of the male deity, embracing him. The female deity is often portrayed as a compassionate figure, such as the goddess Tara or the consort of the male deity.

The Spiritual Symbolism of Yab-Yum

An iconic image associated with tantra, the yab-yum position holds significant prominence within both Hindu and Buddhist tantric art. The posture transcends the boundaries of conventional human sexuality and delves into a realm of divine and cosmic union. At its core, the image embodies the concept of duality, therefore represented through the masculine and feminine union but gives direction towards a state of non-duality, or Advaita, where the illusion of separation dissolves, and a profound unity is experienced. It represents the profound understanding that existence arises from the interplay of opposites and that the ultimate reality encompasses both the manifest and the formless.

The yab-yum position signifies the merging and harmonizing of opposing forces. It represents the balance and integration of polarities within oneself and the universe. The masculine and feminine energies are seen as complementary aspects that together form a complete whole. In essence, the yab-yum symbolizes the union of wisdom and compassion, form and formlessness, masculine and feminine, and represents the inherent unity and interconnectedness of all things in the tantric worldview.

The fundamental concept of 'Advaita,' or non-duality within Yab-Yum

In Sanskrit, the term, advaita means non-duality. It is also a concept commonly associated with Advaita Vedanta but equally relevant in the profound teachings of tantra. To understand the concept of Advaita, one must carefully deconstruct the linguistic implication of the term Advaita or its English translation 'not-two-ness.' Here the words do not suggest becoming one or infusion; it does not imply a merging into homogeneity. Instead, it represents a state where separation, division, and the illusion of individual identity cease to exist while the diverse elements retain their inherent nature. It is a state of neither loss nor acquisition.

This understanding eludes the grasp of the rational mind, which can only comprehend the world in terms of singularity or plurality. Therefore, the yab-yum depiction of the union of a male and female deity highlights the fundamental principle that the apparent duality between self and other, subject and object, is illusory. It alludes to the understanding that the true nature of reality transcends dualistic distinctions signifying the inseparability and interdependence of the masculine and feminine energies, symbolizing the dissolution of all dualities but not infusing into a singularity.

Vajrasattva and his consort in Yab-Yum

Vajrasattva is the embodiment of purity and compassion and, in his solitary form, is a familiar subject in Buddhist art. However, although less frequently, Vajrasattva is depicted with his consort in the yab-yum posture, alluding to a profound father-mother aspect of Vajrasattva. In the Yab-Yum depiction, he is joined by his consort, Vajratopa or Vajragarvi. The consort is often depicted holding a Kartika in her right hand and a kapala in her left, symbolizing the transformative and nurturing aspects of the feminine principle.

#buddha #buddhist #buddhism #dharma #sangha #mahayana #zen #milarepa #tibetan buddhism #thich nhat hanh #tantric #tantra #enlightenment spiritualawakening reincarnation tibetan siddhi yoga naga buddha #amitaba buddha #dewachen #sukhavati

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h0bg0blin-meat · 9 months ago

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What hindu gods/deities are lgbt (I'm sorry if this is rude or ignorant I just wish to learn as I've heard some are)

Dw it's neither rude nor ignorant. Now before I start I do wanna say that almost all the queerness we see in Hindu mythology is highly subtextual most of the time, which is like pretty obvious cuz these were the ancient times. So this might lead to a varied number of interpretations, and I can only offer the same. But most of them are pretty convincingly queer, so let's get into it cuz why tf not. (This is gonna be a loooooong post so buckle up)

Vishnu

This fella is probably the most pan-coded deity in the entire pantheon. Extremely comfortable with both his masculine and feminine side, Vishnu can sometimes be considered one of the peak genderfluid icons out there. His avatar, Krishna, despite being referred to as the Parampurush (in other words the manliest man in the entire universe), his physical appearance (which is what is considered to be a very feminine body for a man today, i.e., slender and soft) breaks the stereotype of what masculine man should look like. There are paintings of him and Radha where I've stared for like a hot minute trying to figure out which one is Radha (mostly in grayscale cuz otherwise their complexions are a dead giveaway) and yet, he slays it like a badass.

Then we also have Mohini, the goddess of beauty probably the best seductress out there, and the only female avatar of Vishnu. Through her having a union (yk what they mean by that) with Shiva (AHEM subtext amirit), Vishnu gave birth to Ayyappa, and wouldja look at dat he has two dads, which was actually prophesized. Mohini in one of the versions of Mahabharata (not the original one) ALSO slept with Iravan (Arjun's son) the night before he was gonna offer himself as a sacrifice for the Kurukshetra war. Reason was that Iravan had a wish to get married and spend the night with his wife before dying, and wishing his wife would mourn for him after his death. So Krishna felt bad for him, turned himself into Mohini and married him. The next day she held her husband's body and mourned for him like any wife would. We can also go back to the time where he sported (make of that word what you will) with Arjuni (female version of Arjun) as well as the female version of Narad (for a year in the latter's case).

In short, we can see how chill Krishna is with his fluidity with sexuality and gender, so much so that it's hard to put a label on him sometimes, which is fine. But yes interpreting him as queer wouldn't necessarily be a preposterous claim after all.

Shiva

Tbh Shiva is also pretty queer-coded, given his union with Mohini (and yes he specifically ASKED Vishnu to turn into her and hence he KNEW it was his best friend after all), and him turning into a woman to join Krishna's leela that one time, which also denotes that he's pretty confident in his gender fluidity as well, to some extent. He also has a sort of female avatar, who's actually very underrated. I think it's called Shivani. Also no one can deny the tension between Shiva and Vishnu let's be real here. They even have a ship name- Harihar, PLUS that "Vishnu is in the heart of Shiva and Shiva is in the heart of Vishnu" line. Btw this was a joke, but now you know why they're one of the popular ships of Hindu mythology. I personally have very neutral stance to the kind of bond they share, whether you call it platonic or something else.

(Note that I personally do not consider Ardhanarishwar and Vaikunthakamalaja as any genderfluid thingy because I just see them as literal fusions of the two couples, but yes many consider these two fused versions of Parvati-Shiva and Lakshmi-Narayan respectively to be gender-nonconforming, or non-binary of some sort.)

Lakshmi

Why did I add her here? Because I have a feeling she might be bi, given the fact that her husband is also technically her wife, considering we take Mohini into account, who I'm pretty sure she loves just as much as she loves Vishnu. But again, that's just my take on it.

Agni

Now he's one of the more popular queer-coded Hindu gods, specifically known for his implied poly-esque relationship with his wife Svaha and Soma (the wind god). Now many sites on Google have claimed Soma to be his husband, but I am yet to find a scriptural evidence for that claim, so I suggest you to take their words with a grain of salt. But what IS true is that these two guys do share a pretty profound bond. There was also this one instance where Soma went to a mountain and Agni followed him. Then both of them at the top of that mountain, 'became one' (what does that mean? not sure but it sure as hell sounded romantic. anyways). Also Soma is considered the "seed" and Agni the "progenitor" hence releasing the "seed". Now again what does that mean? Idk but that's sus as hell for sure.

Plus, Agni is also very well-known to be the (oral) receptor of Shiva's (and sometimes Soma's but not sure about the second one) semen, which he then flung into Ganga cuz it was too hot to bear for him, and that's how Kartikeya/Murugan/Skanda (Shiva and Parvati's son and a God of war) was born. So yeah.

Mitra-Varuna

These two.... are another pair of popular queer-coded Hindu deities. They're almost always summoned and worshipped together, and you can say they have canonically.... well had a union, and good news is none of them became a woman for the deed. Their union is recorded in the Shatapatha Brahmana 2.4.4.19, where Mitra is said to have "implanted his seed in Varuna" (hmmm nothing homosexual going on here) during the waning moon. Many people consider this a metaphor for the cyclic nature of celestial phenomena so it's upto you to interpret it however you want.

Now they also give off that sunshine x grumpy vibe, with Mitra being the god of friendship, sun, daylight, dawn and stuff while Varuna is the god of the waters, moon, nighttime, dusk etc. Plus, the latter has anger issues but he has a bubbly Mitra (pun intended) to calm him down for dat :D.

They are also known for siring two sages, Agastya and Vasistha after they accidentally released and mixed their semen into a pot as a result of getting enchanted by Urvashi (one of the apsaras or celestial nymphs).

Budh and Ila

Budh is technically an AMAB non-binary (or intersex) deity (and technically the planet Mercury) born to Chandra (who's also synonymous to Soma most of the time) and Tara, to put it simply, and got cursed to be neither male nor female because Chandra had an affair with someone else's wife -_- (Tara was the wife of Brihaspati, or Jupiter, who was also the guru of the gods).

Ila is another genderfluid deity. Some versions of the myth says they were born a woman, some say they were born a man called Sudyumna, while some say they were born a woman, but since their parents wanted a son, Mitra-Varuna (who they preyed to) changed their gender and Sudyumna was born (but then there was some issue with the rituals, which led to the duo to turn him back to a woman, which is when they took the name of Ila. Ik, too much gendershifting going on, bear with me). Anyhoo they got this genderfluidity from Shiva's spell and every month they'd change sex from Sudyumna to Ila and back to Sudyumna and so on. Budh got enchanted by Ila and married her, and bore the Pururavas with her.

Later on, some versions say Ila permanently turned into a man with Parvati's boon. But personally interpreting, Budh was technically still married to Sudyumna so..... idk what happened to them afterwards tho. I hope they were still spouses...

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priestessame · 5 months ago

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Sumeru Men during Ganesh Chaturthi.

♥♥♥Okayy this might be a little too niche but for that 1% desi genshin fans pspsppspspps. ♥♥♥

A/N: Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival we celebrate in india, where we bring an idol of the popular hindu deity Ganesh home.

﹆ꕤ⊹Desi Sumeru Head cannons: Ganesh Chaturthi special.﹆ꕤ⊹

.. ♥Kaveh, Al Haitham, Cyno, Wanderer, Tighnari ft. Kaeya ♥ ..

Kaveh Head of decorations. Art child of the house forced into becoming the head designer for the festival. The entire responsibility of the decoration is pushed onto him, whether he's okay with it or not. By the end of it he'll be sitting on the ground with flower garlands and fairy lights around his neck. STRESSEDDD, he has to get the space ready before they actually bring the Ganpati idol home and right now nothing is sticking to the wall, the lights look ugly and Al Haitham is getting on his last nerve.

Cyno SELLOTAPE MAN, bro cannot be trusted with anything other than cutting small pieces of sticky tape and holding them ready for kaveh. He might even start sticking them on Scara's hat so that they're easier to peel. He has a little shop of every type of sticky tape available- the double sided one, masking tape, the yellow coloured one for the light arrangements and the clear see-through ones, whatever you want. Will offer bad jokes with every piece. Also primarily here for the spiced milk.

Tighnari The environmentalist that goes on about how they should use eco- friendly decorations and ban polystyrene but does nothing to actually help. Will bring all the raw material for the flower and fruit arrangement and that's his only contribution. The rest of the time he'll play music and and give Kaveh bad advice. Also the kind to get modak edibles for the gang so they're all high as hell during the ceremony. The kind of soft launch his s/o to his fam by inviting them to the festival.

Wanderer The non-native that's experiencing it for the first time. Let's be honest, his mom forced him to be here. He could not give a flying fuck about what the festival is and why its celebrated. But apparently its important to socialize, so fine he'll show up. He's given the huge bundle of fairy lights, pulled straight out of the attic so he can sit in a corner untangling them while the others conceptualise the decorations. Eventually has to work with the sellotape man. His hands hurt from holding the lights up because kaveh can't make up his mind on where they look good. The wires are old so might get electrocuted accidently. Also complains about the noise pollution outside, then dances his ass off during Visarjan, after eating Tighnari's edible. Al Haitham The critic. Exists solely to shit on all of Kaveh's ideas. He'll lounge around the room, not involving himself in anything, but the moment Kaveh assembling things he'll point out everything he's doing wrong. Will give random pointers until Kaveh rips his hair out. 100% will start fighting. "WHY ARE YOU HERE THEN? JUST WHY ARE YOU HERE? GO HOME" "I'm here because you're incompetent." ♥ "Yeah, that is not going to hold." "Stfu Al Haitham, I'm the architect here, you think i don't know how these things work? I know what materials work with what kind- The entire decoration crashes down on him the moment he says this, its 3am in the morning and kaveh is on the verge of tears. "Told you so." ♥ Kaeya The one NRI cousin that lives abroad and cries on Instagram over how much they miss the festival. Will dress up regardless to take pictures, attempt to make the sweets on their own and video call their fam all the time. Somehow finds an university club, or local desi community that celebrates the festival in that country and spams on socials.

bwhahahaah this was so much fun to write, i was actually imagining them as me and my cousins.

#genshin imagines #genshin headcanons #genshin sumeru #ganesh chaturthi #ganeshfestival #al haitham #kaveh #genshin kaveh #wanderer #scaramouche #cyno #tighnari #kaeya alberich #genshin kaeya #desi kaeya #desi genshin

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janaknandini-singh999 · 1 year ago

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When the non binary planet fell in love with a gender fluid deity <3

part 1

part 2 here

Ila/Sudyumna: she/him

Budh: they/them

source: the Hindu mythology tales according to which Ila gave birth to Chandravanshis (the lunar dynasty) and Budh was the Mercury planet

"Do I know you?" the prince batted his long eyelashes, furrowing his eyebrows

Budh sighed. Their heart broke every time their lover didn't even recognize them.

Budh had been cursed by their maharishi (sage) father to be born as a gender neuter when he had come to know that Budh was an illegitimate child.

"You have betrayed me!" He had shouted at his wife "May your child be born neither as male or female. Be it be outside just as you're neither here nor there!"

Budh had been often made fun of because of that. It used to hurt them all the time but their mother used to say "Don't worry, child. You will find your purpose, too." gently patting and kissing their forehead

They weren't as convinced of that, though

Not until they met Sudyumna

As soon as they laid eyes on him, they knew their destiny had come walking right to them. As soon as he had entered that forest, Budh had hid behind a tree, biting their lips and frantically thinking of calling out to Sudyumna to warn him that this was no ordinary forest but a magical one woven by Shiva himself called Shravana. Any being who'd enter this forest of Shravana would be turned into a female. It was a special place where Shiva and Parvati made love but Parvati was furious one day when males used to enter and intrude them so Shiva granted the forest the ability to turn anyone who'd enter it, to a female

"Prince- !" Budh started

Too late

Sudyumna had already started transforming into a woman. He looked around at his body slowly changing but before he could react, it was done

Budh's eyes had widened. Sudyumna had turned into the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. The jewels and clothes were still the same but now a female body inhabited the prince's attire.

"Who am I?" Sudyumna had been confused after having forgotten everything about when he was a male

Suddenly Sudyumna's gaze had fallen upon Budh

She had blinked her long eyelashes "Please help me. I think I'm lost" she had whispered in broken tones, afraid that she was all alone in this vast forest and she didn't even remember who she was "I know it sounds absurd but I- I don't.. Do you know who I am?"

Budh had been so pained to see Sudyumna this way but they still couldn't just help but fall for Sudyumna even more

"Ila" Budh said the first name that came to them

"Ila" she echoed, relishing the sound of the name, making it settle in her heart.

At last, she had smiled

And Budh had smiled back

A month went by and both had grown deeper in love with each other, living happily in the forest together

Budh had told Ila about what happened to Sudyumna, about who she really was. They didn't want to hide anything from her. And Ila listened in awe. It was hard to believe at first but as soon as Budh showed her other male creatures entering the forest instantly turning into females, she was dumbfounded

On the last day before the next month, Budh told Ila that now she'd change again into the male body as Sudyumna, losing memories of everything during when she was Ila. And this is how it would go on. One month as Ila, one as Sudyumna and so on.

That is the law of Shivshakti's Shravana

Ila closed her eyes and nodded slowly. When she opened them again, there were tears in them

"I will forget you, too?"

Budh nodded, unable to form any words because of the grief. Grief of losing the only one who had understood them, who felt so connected to them. Gender had rolled a dice and played a game with both of them so they were similar but Budh didn't fall for their lover just because of that. Gender was never the determinant because Budh loved regardless of when their lover's body was of a man's or woman's, whether it was this birth or any other

They loved Sudyumna/Ila. Always

"I don't want to," Ila continued, lowering her eyes, averting them away from Budh. Suddenly, she looked up, a wistful glint in her eyes "Make me remember again. Like you did. Please, I can't afford to forget you" she held Budh's hands tightly, as if clutching an anchor of her memories with them. She caressed Budh's face, as if to memorize each atom of their skin, their soul. So reverently, praying that nothing would be ever able to forget her of this. "Make me remember us. Every time. Promise me, please."

"I do" Budh kissed her eyes

Ila smiled and dissolved into a light as her body started transforming again. Budh stood back

And there he was

Sudyumna

Budh turned around and started walking away, seeking shelter behind the trees as he did before Sudyumna came in their life. They will always keep a protective eye over their lover from there

"Hey!"

Budh stopped in their tracks, heart banging against the chest. Maybe Sudyumna did still remember them, after all! Budh turned around

"Do I know you?" The prince batted his long eyelashes, furrowing his eyebrows

Budh sighed now "I am Budh"

"Nice to meet you, Budh!" Sudyumna held out his hand

Budh smiled politely and shook it, their eyes falling on the scar visible on his palm

"Oh, that's just another battle mark. Badges of honour, ya know? I have many!" Sudyumna beamed

Budh nodded "I know"

They remembered tracing and kissing all scars on Ila's body. There were actually a lot of them. And Budh knew exactly where each one was

"Maybe someday as Sudyumna I could tell you the stories behind each one of them" Ila had whispered, kissing Budh back

"You know about my scars?" Sudyumna said now "Isn't it the first time of us meeting.. umm? OH, where are my manners!? I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Sudyumna and-" He suddenly looked around at the forest "Wait, how much time exactly have I been HERE? I'm sorry but I really need to rush back to my kingdom right now. Again, it was a pleasure to meet you, Budh."

Budh looked at his silhouette going away

Neither here nor there

So, somewhere in the midst of it all

Meet me again?

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maximumwobblerbanditdonut · 2 months ago

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mountainworld In Hinduism, a ghee lamp (diya) and it's flame symbolizes purity, knowledge, and the spark of enlightenment. The warm light of a ghee flame is believed to attract a divine presence, bringing peace and calm. In this holiday season and the near dawn of a new year, amidst the hardship and chaos of our world, may you all find a bit of peace, calm, beauty, knowledge, and a light in the dark.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

* This photo was taken when @samheughan and I visited the Bishwarup Mandir in the forest above Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, a truly peaceful and spiritual place.

_______________ 🗻🗻🗻🗻______________

Jake Norton’s photo, with a ghee diya lamp, in Bishwarup above might be the temple of Lord Vishnu** in the Pashupati area of Kathmandu in the Mrigasthali forest a tranquil site located in Kathmandu, Nepal, the forest is a a significant tourist attraction. The Mrigasthali forest is an enrichment place close to several religious sites. Allowing for a blend of nature and spirituality.

Mrigasthali offers a perfect escape from city life. The highlight of Mrigasthali is the panoramic view it offers of its surrounding landscape, including the majestic Himalayan foothills. Photographers and nature enthusiasts will find this location particularly rewarding, as the vista changes with the shifting light throughout the day. The area is less crowded allowing you a personal experience with the spirituality that permeates this part of Kathmandu than other tourist hotspots.

From the main entrance of the Pashupatinath Temple, head south towards the Bagmati River. You will see the riverbank on your left. Continue walking along the riverbank, enjoying the view of the sacred river. After about a 10-minute walk, you will arrive at the entrance to Mrigasthali, the path is straightforward.

This area is the junction of three ancient cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan where SH and JN stayed at Hotel Timila in Lalitpur, also known as Patan. Tribhuvan International Airport is located 1 km (0.6 mi) from Pashupatinath Temple and 6 km (3.7 mi) east of the city centre and the place to stay to organise your departure from Nepal🇳🇵

** Lord Vishnu In Hindu mythology, is said to have grabbed the horns of Shiva and shattered them into four pieces after Shiva refused to return home from the Mrigasthali forest. He is the second god in the Hindu triumvirate, along with Brahma and Shiva.

Pashupatinath temple is a sacred Hindu temple and a pilgrimage site in Nepal situated in the eastern Kathmandu valley on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River, approximately 5 km east of Kathmandu's main city. Lord Pashupatinath is the national deity of Nepal and is considered to be the guardian of Nepal (is a form of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva central figure in the religion)

The main temple an architectural masterpiece is built in the Nepalese pagoda style architecture. All the features of the pagoda style are found here, like cubic constructions and beautifully carved wooden rafters on which they rest (Tundal) often carved with deities and celestial beings. There are four main doors wrapped in silver sheets and the two-level roofs are made of copper with gold covering.

Lord Pashupatinath is the oldest temple in Kathmandu and has also been listed on a UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1979 was erected anew in the 15th century by King Kirat Yalambee, and stood strong with no damage against the great earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes on 25th April 2015.

Pashupatinath Temple and Bagmati River in Kathmandu, Nepal. 🛕 some visitors can view the main temple from the opposite side of the river, similar to Sam in the photo above.

Entry into Pashupatinath Temple itself is only allowed to Hindus. Entry into the inner courtyard is strictly monitored by the temple security, which is selective of who is allowed inside. The temple and its grounds are considered so sacred that only Hindus are allowed to enter. This includes Foreigners and non-Hindus who are asked to watch from the opposite side of the Bagmati River.

Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born wife of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was famously refused entry to Pashupatinath when she visited in the 1980s, so mere tourists shouldn’t expect the rules to bend for them.

Posted 26th December 2024

#Youtube

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thevirginwitch · 2 years ago

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Pearl Correspondences & Uses in Witchcraft

Friendly reminder that this post was available for early access over on my Patreon! Unlock early access to my future content (as well as exclusive access to my research notes, free tarot readings, digital goodies, access to my online library, and TONS more) by subscribing to my Patreon for as little as $2/month!

In ancient Chinese culture, pearls were used in artwork, folktales, and charms to represent wishes, fortunes, gratitude, and even the moon:

Marquis of Sui’s Pearl, a gemstone in a folktale dating back to the Warring States period (475-221 BCE), is given to a leader, Sui, from an injured snake that he nurses back to health, as a symbol of gratitude.

In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, The Chintamani (equivalent to the importance of The Philosopher’s Stone in alchemy) is known as a wish-fulfilling jewel that is sometimes depicted as a pearl.

In Chinese artwork, dragons may be seen holding or playing with a “flaming pearl” – in this context, some believe the pearl may be representative of “an object of great value that enhances the benign dragon who treasures it”, however it is more commonly (especially in Westerners) believed to be a cosmological symbol of the moon – in fact, there is an ancient belief that full moons are solid pearls, while new moons are hollow pearls.

In holistic circles, pearl powder is also known to help you with longevity, beauty, bone-health, among many other (non-FDA approved) benefits – and in Ayurvedic medicine, pearl is said to be an antidote for poison, and it was also used in love potions.

Knowing the traditional symbolism of pearls in Chinese and Eastern cultures, as well as its (supposed) medical benefits and Ayurvedic uses, we can create our own Correspondences for Utilizing Pearls in Witchcraft:

The Moon

The inner/subconscious-self

Wishes

Gratitude

Abundance

Love

Beauty

Longevity, good health

Pisces, cancer

Hidden knowledge

Uses for pearls (or pearl powder) in modern witchcraft:

Use pearl powder as highlighter in makeup for an easy glamor-spell

Mix with salt and other herbs associated with abundance to make “money-salt” for money spells

Add whole pearls or sprinkle pearl powder in your money bowl

Blow pearl powder onto your front door at the beginning of each month to bring abundance to your home

Write down a secret or something you want to get off your chest, and bury it with a pearl to keep it ‘hidden away’ from others

Make a wish with a pearl by leaving it out in a rainstorm, or dropping it into a natural body of water (pond, lake, etc).

Offerings to sea-related or beauty-realted deities

Fun pearl facts:

Genuine pearls (and pearl powder) doesn’t burn! Pearls may discolor, but they shouldn’t go up in flames.

Pearls are made as oysters try to protect themselves from irritants or parasites – they add layers and layers of this ‘pearl’ coating to intruders, and viola!

Pearls are the only gemstone that come from a living creature

Pearls come in many colors

Pearls are obtained from oyster farming – which is actually beneficial to the environment! Additionally, pearls can be harvested without killing oysters.

Be careful when shopping for pearls – many places do not sell genuine pearls and they may be fake. Use caution when looking to purchase!

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_of_Sui's_pearl

https://sci-hub.ru/https://doi.org/10.2307/1512907

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cintamani

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Treasures

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