Yogini: The Enlightened Woman by Shambhavi Chopra

Excepts:

"A Yogini is one who is possessed of magical powers.''

"A true Yogini is an enlightened woman with exuberant passion, spiritual powers and deep insight. Yoginis communicate a sense of freedom, a sheer mastery in whatever they do.  With their compelling gazes, they can hypnotize even a great yogi and are capable of changing their shapes at will. Tantric scholars have written about Yoginis as independent, outspoken, forthright women with a gracefulness of spirit. Without them, yoga can fail in its purpose and remain sterile."

"The Yogini possesses the power of Yoga herself and can awaken that in others, not only generally but at any point or place in the body or mind. A man's ability to achieve the higher states of Yoga can be facilitated by his association with such a female companion who reflects this energy."

"Just as a Goddess blesses and benefits her devotees, and the Shakti vivifies all biological, cultural, and religious practices, so a woman can channel this life force or spiritual energy to her consort-devotee. A woman is no more depleted by providing this spiritual nourishment than a mother by nursing her child. In fact, it causes deeper energies to well up from within her."

"This spiritual energy is not something that a man can extract or take from a Yogini at will. She chooses when and on whom to bestow her blessings. Her ability to enhance a man's spiritual development depends upon her innate divinity as awakened and brought to fruition by her own yogic practices, which include envisioning herself in the forms of various Goddesses and investing herself with Their appearances and ornaments, tender and wrathful expressions, and supernatural powers for liberating beings. By conferring energy and grace upon a man - ''blessing '' or ''empowering'' him - she is not weakening herself but rather sharing her energy voluntarily with one who has won her favour by meeting the various requirements that she may impose."

"The Goddess is a great Yogini, devoted to Shiva, yet matching His powers. She is the embodiment of pure energy, the Mother and matrix of all manifestation, the source of all time, space and creation. As they practiced Yoga together, Shakti accepted Shiva as her Guru, and he taught her the ways of transcendent being to guide her to her ultimate liberation. Shiva in turn also accepted Shakti as his Guru, and she initiated him into his ultimate liberation through putting him in touch with the supreme power of consciousness."

"Yet Divine love is not limited to the ascetic. In my understanding of Tantra, if two spiritually evolved beings come together in unconditional love, they also can create an energy field that is most positive and rare, exuding high vibrational levels of peace and love into the universe."

"Tantric teachings stress the importance of physical beauty in a companion but only to initially stimulate and then elevate passion from the sensual to the spiritual plane. The beauty of the soul surpasses physical beauty."

"The ‘initiatory’ power of woman is tremendous, providing the force of passion that is necessary for developing experiential mysticism. By sharing the secrets of love, a woman can bestow transcendental power on her lover. The highest form of Shakti is the direct expression of the wisdom-energy she releases, creating a joyful transformation. A woman can initiate her partner into such mystical experiences through trust, surrender to higher ideals and spontaneity. It is the Goddess within each woman who really initiates."

"To be a Yogini is the highest spiritual goal for all women. It is the way to become one with the Goddess within and to bring her out in expression to uplift the world that is really her creation. Yet it is not an outer appearance but a state of inner energy and ecstasy that makes the Yogini. She cannot be manipulated, defined or even ever entirely known."