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Our Purpose
Many Westerners have become enamoured with Hindu thought, due to the personal religious freedom that it grants to each
individual, and also for the vast stores of information transmitted for millennia through unbroken lineages. However, thousands
of years of high philosophical theory and commentary (often poorly translated into English, or utilizing a form of "high"
Indian-English that can sometimes be difficult to decipher and often assumes a advanced level of scholarship from the reader)
have made Eastern thought very difficult for the average Westerner to grasp. Getting a handle on the terminology, theology
and concepts used in Eastern traditional spirituality can be daunting enough, but once one wants to begin incorporating devotional
elements into their regular practice, they may find themselves again at a loss due to the seeming complexity of Eastern ritual
structure coupled with a derth of puja scripts written for use in English. Without access to a traditional
teacher to serve as a guide, this can seem like an insurmountable obstacle.
With the resurgence of NeoPagan faiths, many have found a spirituality that is based in a cultural context much closer
to home, that offers the same degree of individual religious freedom as the traditions of the East. Anyone can learn effective
methods of worship and ritual that are accessible not only in language, and seemingly more straightforward in structure, but
also from the ever-increasing library of texts published on the topic. Many find their spiritual home in Wicca and other NeoPagan
paths, especially when they resonate deeply with the pantheons and mythologies of pre-Christian European cultures, such as
that of the Celts, the Norse, the Greeks, etc.
However, there are a few who cannot deny the calling they feel towards the God/desses, mythologies, philosophies, thea/ologies,
and cosmologies of Sanatana Dharma. They hunger for the energy of Kali, Durga, Parvati, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Radha, Sita and
the other Deities of Mother India. How are they to reach out from within their Western abode, especially if for a variety
of well-reasoned issues, they choose not to convert fully to this vast and ancient tradition?
Perhaps they have already spent time training in a Western system, such as Wicca, and find that the ritual structure
suits them very well and do not wish to abandon it. Perhaps they are unable to divorce themselves from the prevalent opinions
within Hindustani culture regarding the subservient role of women, or the varna (caste) system, which have often
found a place within the Hindu religious establishments. Or perhaps they wish to find a way to benefit from the spiritual
wisdom of Hinduism, but feel no particular motivation to school themselves in Sanskrit in order to act as priest/ess, or study
the original Sanskritic scriptural sources to help elucidate and deepen the knowledge that is often hard to glean
from poorly translated texts. There are many situations and circumstances that could leave one needing another option for
participating in the energies of Hinduism.
Shakti Wicca seeks to be one bridge across this chasm. We do not claim to be the "One Truth", for everyone has
their own Truths, and all paths lead to God/dess. However, for those who have leanings towards both eclectic Wicca and Hinduism,
this can be one solution and a place to find both fellowship and an education.
Our Mission
Shakti Wicca seeks to make a synergistic combination of the Hindu and Wiccan spiritualities, providing a structure that
is familiar and accessible to Westerners.
We strive to provide a structure based firmly in familiar eclectic Wiccan thought & practice. We incorporate
vital elements of Hindu spirituality intuitively, encouraging the dedicant to not only follow in the footsteps of those who
have gone before, but to utilize their foundational esoteric skills to forge their own way as well. Shakti Wicca provides
an educational structure for dedicant's to learn, and then run with as their Ishtadevata guides them!
Our sweeping mission is to create and provide not only a viable community of Western NeoPagan Hindu devotees,
but also develop and implement a training scheme for those who are called to become not only practitioners, but also official
clergy.
This and other goals and services to the IndoPagan community as a whole are being undertaken by our sister-organization,
The IndoPagan Project.
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