Kurukulla: The Tantric Goddess of Bewitchment.

A Livestream Class with Verónica Rivas

Time and Room Not Chosen Yet for This Class

In Buddhist Tantra, the manifestation of feminine spirits is related to wisdom, transmission of knowledge and initiations. With the amalgamation of Tantra and Buddhism, several divinities considered tribal or belonging to other pantheons were progressively incorporated. An important aspect of this new paradigm was the introduction of the concept of dakini, within a Cosmos that became vibrantly feminine. This introduction happened in response to new social circumstances and a new way of thinking about existence, which required new methods and a new epistemological matrix.

An example is the incorporation of the goddess Kurukulla as a tutelar deity (yidam). Kurukulla, a goddess of tribal origin worshipped by nomadic people, was introduced into the Buddhist pantheon as a goddess of magic, love and bewitchment. She represents the semi-wrathful aspect of wisdom. Her red color is associated with magnetism, with desire transformed into the pure intention of achieving the highest realizations (siddhis).

The purpose of this lecture is to introduce Kurukulla in her most notable characteristics, within the context of Tantric Buddhism. To achieve our purpose, we will need to delve into the philosophical contribution that emerged from the conjunction of Tantra and Buddhism as well as the concept of magic that emerges from this paradigm. We will briefly analyze her iconography and symbolism.

At the end of this talk, we will perform a short practice of visualization of the goddess. The practice can be done by anyone, without prior knowledge or initiation. If someone does not feel comfortable doing it, they can simply follow the description and will also benefit from it.