The First Step of Sri Vidyā

 (From a talk in May 2012.)

The theme song of Sri Vidya is the dissolution of matter into spirit.

It begins by exploring our concepts of solidity and shape, and the identity (that is, the ego) we are taught to assume. From there, the practice may be understood as proceeding through seven steps, from solid to liquid to fire to air, then space, then time—and then onward to the unknown.

For now, let us discuss just the first step—the movement from solid to liquid, meaning from shape to shapelessness, which is described as Gaṇapati in the tradition of Sri Vidya.

In Gaṇapati Tarpaṇās, we start by forming a pyramid from a paste of impurities that is connected to the idea of “my body.” As the mantras are repeated, spoon after spoon of perfumed water is poured over the pyramidal form, a symbol of spirit encased in a body.

As your actions dissolve this pyramid, you experience the ecstasy of flowing out from your body. And as this physical body dissolves, so does your individual consciousness dissolve into the collective consciousness.

Let me explain. Suppose that four of us perform this ritual together, placing four turmeric pyramids into a single large plate. Initially each pyramid (meaning each of us as individuals) contains its own awareness.

But as the pyramids dissolve under the constant dripping of water, these awarenesses gradually leak out and blend together—and in the end, they all become one.

What have we achieved by doing this? Well, four separate people have become one single person. And this larger “person” contains all of our collective ideas.

So now each of us knows the thoughts of the other three as if they were our own. We don’t have to tell one another what we’re thinking. That’s why the first step in Sri Vidya is giving the mantra of Ganesh.

It enlarges your ideas about who you are—so that the people you know can support your ideas, and you can support theirs.

If n people become one, the power each one possesses can be represented as n(n−1). That means if 10 people become one, then each of them gets 90 times more power than they have now—their power increases exponentially!

Their happiness increases similarly, as does the ease with which they can solve problems—problems which once loomed large now seem trivial. The key is tuning into the collective consciousness.

And then we can read the mind of Goddess Nature.

Because the ideas arising in the collective mind are not exactly the same as those found in fragmented minds, there is no risk of wanting the “wrong” thing.

And if we want to transform a world of five billion (or 5,000 million) people, we need only engage the square root of that number of people: the square root of 5,000 is 70; that of a million is a thousand.

Which means that a mere 70,000 people can decide to change the entire world—and own the power to do it.

Yes, individually perhaps we can have very little influence.

But together we can change the world.