11 Ways To Activate Shakti And Unleash Your Divine Goddess
Shakti (Sanskrit transliteration is Śakti) is the divine feminine energy that pervades our world. It is creativity, power, and matter. Everything on this earth is made up of shakti energy. It’s all shakti, patterns and patterns of shakti. Activating your shakti is a way to tap into the oneness and energy of the universe. It is often represented by the Divine Mother or Goddesses. Feminine power has the energy to create and nurture (women birth new life) while the counterpart of this energy is known as Shiva (Śiva), the divine masculine or clear consciousness. Consciousness without power doesn’t ever get anything done. Power without consciousness can run wild and be destructive. We need them both.
This energy lies dormant in all of us, whether we are male or female. Activating your Shakti can help you feel more alive and balanced.
We can tap into this creative force in many ways. Are you ready to step into a more elevated version of you? Here are 11 simple ways to awaken your Shakti!
1. Sacral Chakra (svādhiṣṭhāna cakra)
The Sacral Chakra or Womb Chakra is the energy center connected to the divine feminine power in our bodies. It is related to water, the ability to change and to go with the flow. We activate this chakra when we uncover our passions and sensuality. The color orange is related to this chakra. Wear orange clothes, eat orange food, hold orange crystals to bring more energy to this chakra.
2. Moonstone
Moonstone is the crystal of the divine feminine. Peach moonstone is my favorite for tapping into the ultimate feminine energy. It is healing on many levels for all things feminine from PMS to fertility, pregnancy, nursing, to disorders with the ovaries and uterus. Rainbow moonstone is another favorite that alludes to the beautiful mysteries within each of us. All moonstone connects us with the phases of life. And as women, we are ruled by our own monthly moon cycle and so many other larger cycles and rhythms of life.
Hold the stones while you are meditating, put them in your pockets or your bra (as long as you are wearing one and the stone is small), or sleep with them under your pillow.
3. Dance
Dancing is such a fun way to explore your own divine feminine expression. Put on some of your favorite groovin’ music and move your hips, get funky, be creative and step outside your bounds. Go ahead, sing along. Let all that energy flow through your! Let go of how you look and let the Shakti move you!
4. Get in Touch with the Earth and Water
As I mentioned earlier, the water element is connected closely with the sacral chakra and the divine feminine. Well, the Earth herself is all Shakti! Mother Earth sound familiar? Get into nature. Her healing energy is all around. Find a body of water, a lake, river, stream, the ocean and put your bare feet in. Walk around and enjoy her sounds, the feeling of the breeze on your skin, the warm glow of the sun or the cool radiance of the moon. What does the air and the earth smell like, taste like? Be in her presence and feel yourself connected to her pulse.
5. Exploring Asana
As I continue to evolve my yoga asana practice I have come to recognize that the poses aren’t meant to be still, as if we were statues and photographs of poses. Yes, that helps at times like in an inversion. If you think about it we are never still. The breath moves through us constantly, the heart pumps, the body digests. Things are constantly moving within. Why then should our asana have to be counter to our own nature? What happens if you stretch your back a little to the side as you move into a cat stretch? It wanted you to go there. How does it feel?
When I practice asana, I am in a constant state of curiosity. How do the poses feel in my body? Where do I feel stuck or restricted? How can I consciously move to release the resistance? Let your body be your guide. Break the rules (with safety in mind) and set your asana free.
6. Alternate Nostril Pranayama with Visualization
Another form of Shakti is Kundalini Shakti. She is the dormant energy that resides at the base of the spine. She wants to move, but you need to be prepared for this movement to minimize side effects. A wonderful pranayama that clears the way for Kunalini Shakti is Nadishodhana (Nāḍī Śodana) Praṇāyāma - prāṇa clearing out ida and pingala nadis, clearing the path for Kunalini Shakti to awaken in the central channel.
To practice Alternate Nostril Pranayama, begin in a comfortable seat with your spine tall. Use the right hand thumb to close the right nostril. Breathe in fully through the left nostril. Hold the breath in as you close the left nostril with the right hand ring finger. Breathe out fully through the right nostril. Breathe in through the right nostril. Hold the breath gently to switch. Exhale through the left nostril. This is one complete round.
As you become comfortable with this pranayama you may add in the visualization of the prana moving through the left and right channels, or ida and pingala.
Inhale through the left watching and feeling the energy move up the ida or left channel from the base chakra to the crown chakra. Hold awareness at the crown as you switch nostrils. Observe the energy moving down the pingala or right channel from the crown to the root. Inhale feel the energy move up the right channel. Exhale and watch it move down the left channel as you breathe out of the left nostril.
Practice 7 full rounds minimum. This is a very balancing breath and can be practiced for several minutes, multiple times a day. 7 minutes with your daily meditation is a great place to start.
7. Shakti Mudra
This mudra calls in the vital energy of the divine feminine. It calms and relaxes the mind and body -- specifically the pelvic region of the second chakra. While enhancing your physical and mental wellbeing it combats stress by being a conduit for sleep. It also amplifies your inner strength and power (shakti) so you can gain balance, harmony and stability in your life.
How to practice Shakti Mudra
Bring the tips of the ring and little fingers together. Tuck the thumbs into the palms and wrap them with the index and middle fingers. Rest the middle digits of the index and middle fingers rest together.
You will get the most out of this mudra when practiced regularly. Practice it daily with your meditations or see where you can add it into your yoga asana practice.
8. Call Upon Divine Goddesses for Guidance, Protection, Assistance
No matter what stage of life you are in or what obstacles you are facing you can always call upon one of the three primary aspects of Devi: Saraswati, Lakshmi (Lakṣmī), Kali. She is always willing to listen and offer her loving guidance. If you are working on developing something new, writing a blog or a book or a proposal for work, creating music or art or going back to school, Saraswati is your gal. Lakshmi is there to keep things going in your life and to create abundance and wealth at all levels. Kali is who you need when a chapter is coming to a close in your life or you need to let something go. She is fierce, yet not to be feared. All change is good and it comes into our lives at just the right time.
9. Do something creative
When was the last time you made something with your own hands, sang in the shower or wore clothes that you felt absolutely fabulous in? Let your creative juices flow! Paint something even if you don’t think you are an artist. Sing to your heart's content. Crochet or knit something wonderful. Put together an outfit that you’ve never worn before. Make a nature mandala with items from your garden or while out on a walk. I’d love to hear what kind of project inspires you and be sure to share pictures too!
10. Chant to the Divine Mother Herself
Mantra is one of the best ways to activate Shakti! Chanting in Sanskrit makes it even more powerful! Mantra awakens the universal life force within us that is dormant, it connects us to others vital energy and it also connects us with universal guiding principle that exists everywhere.
There are so many great mantras available to call in Her energy and activate it within us. This is one of my favorites!
Om para shaktyaye namaha
If mantra is your jam, set an intention to practice one mala of this every day for the next 40 days. Watch what happens and what energy shifts occur in that time frame.
11. Meditate
Meditation is a wonderful practice to feel the presence of Shakti in your life. Being still helps the activity of the mind and body settle down. We are like a snow globe that is constantly being shaken. Nothing wrong with this. Yet when we meditate it is like setting the snow globe down and letting everything settle. At first it looks just like when we were being shaken. Eventually though, we find more and more clarity for the light of our souls to shine through brightly. When we can connect to our own pure light we are able to connect to the wisdom and guidance of the light of love -- Shakti in all her glory.
Now It's Your Turn
Whenever you see empowerment, wherever you see energy (positive, negative, and neutral), you know Shakti is working. Call upon her when you need nourishment, protection, when you are moving through change or need something to move in your life. There is no greater love than that of a mother. Activate Divine Mother love within you through these practices.
Now it is time for you to decide. How do you want to work on awakening your Shakti? You don’t have to do all 11 options. Just pick one or two and develop your own Shakti Sadhana (Śakti Sādhanā) or your own devotional practice that leads you to the divine within. Listen to your intuition, you already know what to do. Be consistent and devoted to your own spiritual growth. The more each one of us can do to be more balanced in our divine feminine (and masculine) the more the Earth and her inhabitants can heal.
See you on the inside,
Interested in learning more? Click Here to download the Activate Your Shakti e-book.