There's famous saying in India. " When you're in public, be a Vaishnava. When you're in private, be a Shaivite. But in your heart, always be a Shakta". The advice is to behave like a conventional religious person with its masses. With a circle of friends you may explore your more radical spiritual insights. But when all is said and done, there ain't no lap more comfortable that Mom's!
Shaktas worship the Mother of the Universe as both the Supreme Consciousness itself and its power. Its power is the will and energy that creates, nutures,and finally dissolves away the worlds. Some Shaktas, called Kaulas, engage primarily in ritual practice. Others, in the meditatively oriented Samaya tradition, focus exclusively on inner work. The Mishras do some of both : ritual to channel one' s physical energy and focus the mind, and meditation to plunge into the inner depths where Devi, the "radiant goddess", resides.
In heavily Shakta of India, like Bengal or Assam, you'll hear Hindus shout "Jai Ma"! It literally means
" Hurray for Mom!" and has an energy something like " Hallelujah!" Worship of Divine Mother permeates every aspect of Hindu spirituality. Even Vaishnavas and Shaivities don't worship a male God exclusively like Christians and Muslims do. The feminine divine is always also honored even when the male aspect of the Supreme Being is emphasized.
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