Wednesday’s wise Woman … Ekajati

I came upon this text while looking for some script to practice my calligraphy.  It is a mantra to the goddess Ekajati (Sanskrit) in Tibetan she is known as ral chig ma which translates as the ‘one with one braid of hair’
She is one of the Twenty One Taras and considered one of the most powerful and fierce goddesses of Indo-Tibetan mythology.  According to Tibetan legend, Ekajati, is a Bon goddess, belonging to a religion that pre-dated Buddhism in Tibet.  With  strong shamanistic traditions it was considered by some  as an unorthodox form of Buddhism.  Ekajati met with Padmasambhava; a sage guru from India who is believed to have bought Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century, pieced her right eye so that she could challenge and destroy Tibetan demons.
There are many images of Ekajati some in her peaceful form with a dark blue body, one face and two arms, holding a skull bowl and a chopping knife at her heart.  Between her eyes she has a vertical wisdom eye gazing into space and sitting in the vajra position and wearing ornaments of the joy state. Sometimes she appears in wrathful form twice her human size; shrieking, her eye boiling as she gnashing her fang and brandishing weapons.

She is a goddess but not one that sits in heaven; promising us nice things if we are good or forgiveness if we are bad.
She reflects the qualities that we have already to conduct our lives for the benefit of all.  The qualities that we were born with; that over time have become hidden, tarnished and forgotten.
As the mother of all Buddhas she is a constant reminder of our goodness.  She is dedicated to her followers, has infinite compassion for the suffering of all beings and can slice away fear and danger with her knife.
So in my opinion worth honouring in my feeble attempt at the ancient skill of calligraphy.