A Circle of Our Own — Fragments of the Whole

Narrative Performance by Seema Kohli

I move in a circular motion,
Like time
As does life and death itself
Energy passing from one space to another
So is the idea of circumambulation across all faiths
A gesture profound to the feminine
Signifying the never-ending loop of creation
The continuation of
The life-rhythm

The drumming skies and roaming dakinis
Dragons splitting the skies with a wondering speed
And behold, oozing fire crackling the path of light
Lending a silver lining to that darkest cloud
Oh, you the rider of the skies and the controller of three roots
I watch you
O Sky-conqueror, in awe, gripping the soul beneath my feet.
How gracefully you balance the stars, which left the palm of your hand.
I wait for the darkest night to watch you
Like an eager doe with earnest eyes

Into the realm of dreams and desires
There is no dream without a desire
There is no desire, which doesn’t create
Just like that sweeping deer on the starry moonless night
Swishing around on the twinkling stars
My dreams expand like the blooming lilac lotus
In the deep twinkling pond of still waters

Who is a yogini, you ask?

Jo na tha, aur na rahega
Magar ab hai
Vo to ek tilismat hai
Tu es main giraftar na ho.
— Akhghar Muradabadi

Born of the mother goddess.
Of this earth.
Coordinated energies.
Constant renewal.
Meditation.

A constellation
of concomitant goddesses.
A mass of combinations
of culmination.
Clusters of regeneration
on your milky way.

Bound together.
Forever.

Born from Shakti,
the primordial goddess.

The yoginis, the collaborators,
Each with her own energy.
That, together they manifest Shakti.

Recalled through chanting.
The beej mantra.
Primal sound.
Amritayasa Nabhayie

64 yoginis…
Or perhaps 81…
Or 40…
These are but a number
An auspicious figure
Expanding, esoteric or exoteric.
Yogini, the collaborator, the energy
Sparking creative movement and
Orchestrating the affairs of this transient universe.

Seema Kohli