Summoning Śakti
Tapping the Power of the Devī Māhātmya
A Course in Honour of the Nine Nights Indian Goddess Festival
Why is the Devī Māhātmya chanted at the Great Goddess Festival throughout the Indic world?
The annual Indian Great Goddess festival (Durgā Pūjā) is a potent time for divine empowerment, spiritual purification, and personal transformation. It is a time when the Devī Māhātmya is ritually chanted throughout the Indic world in order to summon the grace of the Goddess.
This festival occurs in tandem with the autumnal equinox, when the days grow dark and we need to summon the light to carry us through the "midnight of the gods." The festival occurs immediately after the dark fortnight of departed souls, wherein the Goddess' power is invoked for protection, purification, and prosperity.
This 4-week online course will deepen your connection with the Divine Mother and teach you how to use the Devī Māhāmtya to awaken her power.
This course is taught by Dr Raj Balkaran, an adept at Indian Goddess practice and expert on the Devī Māhātmya. You will receive all required reading/chanting materials as part of the course.
***This course counts as 12 hours of Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Credit***
Learning Outcomes
- The ritual life of the DM and the spiritual power it yields
- The world-affirming vision of the divine feminine in the DM
- Tantric themes covertly encoded within the DM
- Psychological insights encoded within the DM
- The Great Goddess Festival
- The Nine Forms of Durga
- Hymns to the Goddess Durgā in the DM
- Live Storytelling from the DM
- Meditation Mantras (Dhyāna)
- Ritual establishment (Nyāsa) of the Goddess’ mantra in your body
- Benefits of engaging the Devī Māhātmya
COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1
The Ritual Life of the DM
Module 2
Esoteric Insights into Ep 1, 2
Module 3
Esoteric Insights into Ep 3
Module 4
Nine forms of Durgā
The Ritual Life of the DM
Opening Hymns , Mantras, Nyāsa
Module 1
Esoteric Insights into Episodes 1 & 2
Brahmā Hymn (Ch 1), Indra Hymn (Ch 4), Kālī Meditation (Dhyāna)
Module 2
Esoteric Insights into Episode 3
Aparājitā Hymn (Ch 5), Nārāyaṇī Hymn (Ch 11), Lakṣmī Mediation (Dhyāna)
Module 3
The Nine Forms of Durgā
Devī Pūjā, Nine Forms of Durgā, Sarasvatī Meditation (Dhyāna)
Module 4
Course Instructor
Dr. Raj Balkaran is an expert in Indian Goddess traditions. Skilled at applying ancient Indian teachings to modern life, he dovetails academic training, live storytelling, and life wisdom to nourish his students’ hearts and minds alike. He is also an avid spiritual practitioner and initiate into ancient Indian practices, which he has been engaged in for nearly two decades.
He has extensive experience teaching academics, continuing studies learners, and practitioners alike, and is a seasoned online educator who serves on the Course Development Board at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. See https://rajbalkaran.com for more information. Questions about this course? Email [email protected].
