Kali: Fierce Mother, Liberator, and Keeper of Transformation
Kali is one of the most powerful and misunderstood goddesses in the world. Draped in her garland of skulls, with her dark skin glowing like the night sky and her wild hair unbound, she has been called terrifying, chaotic, even demonic. Yet beneath these patriarchal misreadings lies a goddess of fierce love, liberation, and untamed feminine power.
In Hindu tradition, Kali is the mother who devours illusions and shatters chains. She rises when the world is out of balance, cutting down the forces of ego, injustice, and fear. Her necklace of severed heads is not a mark of savagery but a symbol of freedom, the end of false identities and the triumph of truth. Her tongue, often portrayed as shameful or bloodthirsty, is a bold reminder of what it means to transgress expectations, to step outside the rules of how women are supposed to behave.
Western interpretations, and even some conservative voices within India, have tried to soften or demonise her. To call her violent or chaotic is to miss the essence of her medicine. Kali is not here to comfort us into complacency. She is here to burn away what no longer serves, to break us open so that we might rise anew.
Today, many witches, feminists, and seekers are reclaiming Kali as a symbol of unapologetic transformation. To call on her is to invite radical change, to step bravely into endings so that beginnings may bloom. She teaches us that destruction is not the end, but the gateway to rebirth.
If you are ready to release old patterns, to confront injustice, or to claim your wild power, Kali stands with you, fierce, unyielding, and full of love.
A Ritual to Call Your Power Back with Kali
This working is for when you feel drained, scattered, or diminished by the demands of others, the weight of old stories, or the grip of fear. Kali, fierce mother and liberator, helps us cut away illusions and reclaim the wild, untamed power that is ours by birthright.
What you’ll need:
- A black or red candle
- A small bowl of water
- A piece of paper and pen
- Something to represent Kali (an image, statue, or even a word written boldly)
The spell:
1) Light your candle. Place the bowl of water before you as a mirror of possibility. Set Kali’s image at the centre, whispering her name three times, letting her energy fill the room.
2) On the paper, write down what has taken your power—whether it’s self-doubt, the voice of others, or situations that left you feeling small. As you write, feel honesty and clarity moving through you.
3) Hold the paper over the flame (safely), letting the fire consume these burdens. Drop the ashes into the water, watching them dissolve. Say aloud: Kali Ma, I release what has bound me. Cut these ties, burn these illusions, and return my power to me.
4) Close your eyes. Imagine threads of light stretching out into the world, pulling back every piece of yourself you have given away. See them weaving into your body, your heart, your spirit, until you shine fierce and whole.
5) Bow your head and say: Kali Ma, fierce mother, I thank you. My power is mine, my fire is mine, my life is mine.
Blow out the candle. Keep the bowl of water outside overnight, returning it to the earth in the morning.
