Kali Ma, 2026

 

30 x 60

Acrylic on canvas

Available for sale September, 2026

 

There are many great stories of Kali, one of them I learned from activist, author, musician and yoga teacher, Michelle Johnson.

 

It goes something like this: The demon Raktabija was a demon of great threat.  He brought endless misery and threatened the stability of the cosmos. The goddess Durga battled against him with her many weapons but each drop of his blood that hit the ground produced another clone of himself. Kali was unleashed by Durga through her third eye.  She sprung fiercely to join the battle and with her long tongue she drank every drop of Raktabija’s blood, ultimately defeating him.

 

Kali has so much to teach us.  She opens us to the awareness of our shadow, not to harm us but rather to expose ourselves to ourselves so that our darkness can be transformed.

 

In this painting she points with her right hand to the demon who lurks above, warning us of our ego and shadow.  Her left hand is held in Jnana Mudra, symbolizing the union of the should with the universe.  Kundalini wraps around her kissing her third eye.  Her tongue extends from her lips, some say representing the battle with Raktabija.  Others say that she is often seen with her tongue out symbolizing her moment of enlightenment when she contained her rage in battle so that she defeated Raktabija but did not destroy the world.

 

Eight hibiscus flowers dance with her.  The flowers red color symbolizing the victory over Raktabija by drinking his blood.  The number eight symbolizing her eight arms she is often shown with.  Many eyes stream from her throat chakra symbolizing the purification of perception which is ultimately expressed.