Hail Sally Kempton

I love this woman! Writer, teacher, longtime meditator, woman who has traveled far and lived to tell her tale to lucky us.
I’ve been reading Sally Kempton’s latest book, Awakening Shakti, for the past couple months on and off (it’s a great book to dip into now and then), and I have to say it’s really helped me to cultivate goddess energies that I know are in there (within myself) but that I don’t often work with.
In my early dippings, I focused on the happy sunny goddesses – Saraswati, then Parvati, and of course Lakshmi. I skipped over Kali and Durga not to mention the headless crone whose name I don’t (ha ha!) even know yet. Then, I was so fortunate as to do a plant initiation with Maha Devi herself, Tulsi, who told me that there’s really no need to fear nor steer clear of the spicy intense seemingly messier goddesses (birth family training on my part). Instead, get to know them – they are aspects of yourself that you can learn about, understand more fully and rely on when needed.  Durga has come in very handy for me now that I’ve gotten to know her.  I hadn’t been aware of how much I needed her strength, grace under pressure and wisdom.
Last weekend my good buddy Bonita and I dipped into Sally’s workshop at Kripalu. It was delicious, and what can I say – I love this woman! Every sentence of her book Awakening Shakti is packed with turns and meaning.
Brava!
I also recommend Meditation for the Love of It – a great book for starting or deepening your meditation practice.