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Tantric Kali: Secret Practices and Rituals
The mythology, rituals, meditations, and practices used in Tantric worship of the goddess Kali in the tradition of Kashmiri Shaivism
• Reveals the practices of Vamachara , known as the Left-hand Path but more accurately translated as the Path of Shakti
• Includes a Kali ritual from the Nirrutara Tantra, translated here for the first time
• Presents devotional chants, meditations, and mudras specific to Tantric worship of Kali
According to traditions going back to pre-Vedic times, Kali sprang from the third eye of the Goddess Durga as a destructive and terrifying manifestation of feminine power sent to lay waste to the forces of evil. Throughout India to this day, Kali is worshipped as the destroyer of bondage, capable of liberating her devotee from all rules and subjugation.
In Tantric Kali , Daniel Odier presents the mythology, practices, and rituals of Kali worship in the Tantric Kaula tradition within Kashmiri Shaivism. He reveals the practices of Vamachara , commonly known as the Left-hand Path but more accurately translated as the Path of Shakti. In this tradition the body itself is Kali’s temple, and it is therefore unnecessary to reject or deny the body to know union with the divine. Instead, nothing is regarded as pure or impure and there is complete freedom from rules. Focused on working directly with forbidden emotions and behaviors, this path allows the seeker to transcend obstacles to liberation through sexual union. According to the Kaula Upanishad, “In your behavior do the opposite to what the norms dictate but remain in consciousness.” This is the essence of Tantra. Kali is absolute manifested as woman intoxicated by desire, she frees the tantric practitioner from all desire except union with the divine.
The author includes an evocative ritual from the Nirrutara Tantra--never before translated into any Western language--containing devotions to the 64 yoginis according to Matsyendranath, founder of the Kaula path. Offering devotional chants, meditations, and mudras specific to Tantric worship of Kali, this empowering book provides practices and teachings for those on the Tantric path to liberation.
• Reveals the practices of Vamachara , known as the Left-hand Path but more accurately translated as the Path of Shakti
• Includes a Kali ritual from the Nirrutara Tantra, translated here for the first time
• Presents devotional chants, meditations, and mudras specific to Tantric worship of Kali
According to traditions going back to pre-Vedic times, Kali sprang from the third eye of the Goddess Durga as a destructive and terrifying manifestation of feminine power sent to lay waste to the forces of evil. Throughout India to this day, Kali is worshipped as the destroyer of bondage, capable of liberating her devotee from all rules and subjugation.
In Tantric Kali , Daniel Odier presents the mythology, practices, and rituals of Kali worship in the Tantric Kaula tradition within Kashmiri Shaivism. He reveals the practices of Vamachara , commonly known as the Left-hand Path but more accurately translated as the Path of Shakti. In this tradition the body itself is Kali’s temple, and it is therefore unnecessary to reject or deny the body to know union with the divine. Instead, nothing is regarded as pure or impure and there is complete freedom from rules. Focused on working directly with forbidden emotions and behaviors, this path allows the seeker to transcend obstacles to liberation through sexual union. According to the Kaula Upanishad, “In your behavior do the opposite to what the norms dictate but remain in consciousness.” This is the essence of Tantra. Kali is absolute manifested as woman intoxicated by desire, she frees the tantric practitioner from all desire except union with the divine.
The author includes an evocative ritual from the Nirrutara Tantra--never before translated into any Western language--containing devotions to the 64 yoginis according to Matsyendranath, founder of the Kaula path. Offering devotional chants, meditations, and mudras specific to Tantric worship of Kali, this empowering book provides practices and teachings for those on the Tantric path to liberation.
128 pages, Paperback
Published October 24, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 28, 2018
A disappointment. Bought this for ~16€ and got a skimpy book that didn't contain that much more information on Kali than a basic wiki-page. If you've never heard or read anything about Kali, then this might be a nice dip-of-the-toe-kinda-book for you, but for nearly everyone else it just doesn't go nearly deep enough.
Still, two stars?
Well yeah... it did contain a kali-mantra which I hadn't seen online ever before, and two nice kali-meditations which I liked, so it's not a complete failure. I just expected it to focus even more on different kali-mantras, meditations etc.
Still, two stars?
Well yeah... it did contain a kali-mantra which I hadn't seen online ever before, and two nice kali-meditations which I liked, so it's not a complete failure. I just expected it to focus even more on different kali-mantras, meditations etc.
May 17, 2021
It's fine. This book definitely contains some vital information about Kali and how she relates to Abhinavagupta's philosophy, but I would maybe like some more confirmation on the validity of Odier's translation of the Nirrutara Tantra. Also, the author mentions that parts of this book were (supposedly) revealed by Lālitā Devi herself, but then he doesn't label those parts in the actual text. This means that I have no way of knowing which parts are tradition and which parts were from the author's own experiences.
May 28, 2025
Daniel Odier’s Tantric Kali: Secret Practices and Rituals is a compelling, evocative, and deeply spiritual book that provides exploration into the secretive world of Kali sadhana and tantric practices for beginners. Drawing from his personal experiences and insights rooted in the Kashmiri Shaiva and Shakta traditions, Odier presents not just a book, but an invitation to a portal into the mystical and fierce grace of the Divine Mother, Kali.
The book balances poetic mysticism with philosophical depth, making it accessible even to those unfamiliar with the nuances of Tantra. Odier writes with a reverence and raw honesty that can be deeply moving for the spiritual seeker. He succeeds in demystifying many concepts while retaining the sacred secrecy that Tantra demands.
However, a word of caution is warranted, Tantric Kali is not a how-to manual. The rituals and practices detailed within are part of a sacred lineage, and must not be attempted by the uninitiated or those without proper guidance. This is not a DIY spirituality book. Odier himself alludes to the importance of transmission from a living Guru, and readers would do well to heed this seriously.
Kali’s sadhana is not a path of intellectual curiosity or experimentation; it is a path of fire - intense, transformative, and deeply purifying. Without proper initiation, the very practices that promise liberation can become spiritually destabilizing.
That said, this book is a powerful source of inspiration, insight, and devotional reverence for those who are drawn to the path of the Dark Goddess. It offers a taste of what lies beyond the veil, and for many, that taste alone may be transformative.
This book - Tantric Kali is a valuable contribution to contemporary spiritual literature, especially for serious early stage seekers with a foundation in Indic traditions. For others, it is best read as a mystical narrative - rich, symbolic, and humbling in its power.
The book balances poetic mysticism with philosophical depth, making it accessible even to those unfamiliar with the nuances of Tantra. Odier writes with a reverence and raw honesty that can be deeply moving for the spiritual seeker. He succeeds in demystifying many concepts while retaining the sacred secrecy that Tantra demands.
However, a word of caution is warranted, Tantric Kali is not a how-to manual. The rituals and practices detailed within are part of a sacred lineage, and must not be attempted by the uninitiated or those without proper guidance. This is not a DIY spirituality book. Odier himself alludes to the importance of transmission from a living Guru, and readers would do well to heed this seriously.
Kali’s sadhana is not a path of intellectual curiosity or experimentation; it is a path of fire - intense, transformative, and deeply purifying. Without proper initiation, the very practices that promise liberation can become spiritually destabilizing.
That said, this book is a powerful source of inspiration, insight, and devotional reverence for those who are drawn to the path of the Dark Goddess. It offers a taste of what lies beyond the veil, and for many, that taste alone may be transformative.
This book - Tantric Kali is a valuable contribution to contemporary spiritual literature, especially for serious early stage seekers with a foundation in Indic traditions. For others, it is best read as a mystical narrative - rich, symbolic, and humbling in its power.
July 9, 2022
I'd give this a 3.5/5 stars if I could.
The first third of this book goes over some extremely beginner origin story of Kali (most popular one), what some symbolism means with her (skin color, items she often holds, etc.), And some specifics of kaula, a group of Hindus who worship Kali (majority of Hindus might consider them "unorthodox" for their methodology and principles). The rest of the book covers various meditation, hymns, and basic rituals that a Kali devotee might do.
The book is fine if you're brand new to Kali and want to know traditional prayers, hymns, rituals for Kali but if you already have a good foundation of knowledge about Kali, this book doesn't hold much value beyond the meditations and prayers, and even then, that's more if you're interested in traditional meditations, hymns, and prayers.
The first third of this book goes over some extremely beginner origin story of Kali (most popular one), what some symbolism means with her (skin color, items she often holds, etc.), And some specifics of kaula, a group of Hindus who worship Kali (majority of Hindus might consider them "unorthodox" for their methodology and principles). The rest of the book covers various meditation, hymns, and basic rituals that a Kali devotee might do.
The book is fine if you're brand new to Kali and want to know traditional prayers, hymns, rituals for Kali but if you already have a good foundation of knowledge about Kali, this book doesn't hold much value beyond the meditations and prayers, and even then, that's more if you're interested in traditional meditations, hymns, and prayers.
September 30, 2019
It's a good book; however, I was more interested in "The Who" than the how.
I appreciate the how, that was described in this book, but it's a manner of reference vs. learning and I returned the book to the library.
It's good to know that Kali is the devourer of time, that we all have our demons, and - though monstrously described - she's a work of beauty.
Of course, we would have to think that, lest you get on her bad side. 🤣😉
I appreciate the how, that was described in this book, but it's a manner of reference vs. learning and I returned the book to the library.
It's good to know that Kali is the devourer of time, that we all have our demons, and - though monstrously described - she's a work of beauty.
Of course, we would have to think that, lest you get on her bad side. 🤣😉
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2023
I agree with other reviewers that this is a good introductory text but it doesn't provide a lot more than that. There are several meditations listed, and I found them very intriguing. If you don't have a foundational knowledge of tantra or Hinduism I could see this being a bit difficult to read. This book is very short, I finished it in a couple days.
June 29, 2025
There are books you read. And then there are books that remember you. Tantric Kali by Daniel Odier is one of the latter. I didn’t stumble upon it—I returned to it. Like a muscle memory from some earlier birth, or the murmur of a yantra painted on the inside of the skull. This wasn’t knowledge being acquired. This was knowledge coming home.
I was born into a Shakta family. Not merely devotional, but Tantric. In our ancestral home, the Dacoit Kali Temple still stands, stubbornly, ferociously, like a blade stuck in the heart of colonial time. I grew up watching red hibiscus dripping blood-like on Her tongue, oil lamps flickering like breathing lungs, and skull motifs not as art, but as reminders. Chamunda was my Mother before I could even name fear. And Daniel Odier—outsider though he is—understood something essential: the terrifying intimacy of Tantra.
Odier doesn’t write as an anthropologist peeking through academic blinds. He writes as one who has tasted the ash. Trained under Lalita Devi, his Kali is not abstract or performative. She is the dark space where ego burns. His work is a love song, but in a raga composed of silence, sex, and surrender. Reading it, I felt what I’d always known: Ma Kali is not to be worshipped from afar. She is to be entered. To be swallowed by.
The pūjā, nyāsa, yoginī circles—these are not pages in a manual. They are breathing rituals. Odier speaks of Kāli krama and Vāmācāra without apology, without sanitisation. And in a world that endlessly demands that the Divine Feminine be “empowered” yet docile, “strong” yet sweet—Kali rips all of that in half. Odier knows this. And he offers no trigger warnings.
This book was like coming back to the sound of bones cracking under the feet of the dancing goddess. Yes, there’s a chapter on union, but this isn’t about titillation—it’s about transcendence through terror. The kind where the skull-cup is not a metaphor, and the cremation ground is the only temple worth entering.
For those of us raised in Her smoke and shadows, every word of Tantric Kali is electric. He speaks of kālī tattva not as doctrine but as lived experience: how the body becomes the field, how silence is louder than mantras, how surrender is the only currency She accepts. And above all, how every ritual—no matter how elaborate—is finally just a way to be annihilated.
I remember reading it in the night. Alone, but not alone. I could feel my ancestors—tantrics, rebels, women who bled into the earth and called it abhisheka—leaning over my shoulder. The book wasn’t opening doors. It was unlocking blood.
And then came the line that still tattoos my breath: “Tantra is not about techniques, but about abandoning the ego completely into the void that is Kali.” That void is my Mother. That void is the only real.
For those outside the tradition, Odier offers a window. For those born within it—like me—he offers a mirror. And what you see in it isn’t always pretty. But it’s true. And in Kali’s world, truth is beauty. Especially when it’s brutal.
Tantric Kali is not for the faint-hearted. But if you’ve walked the edge of a cremation ghat and whispered your fears into the skull of a goat, you’ll know: this book gets it. And it gets you.
Chamunda still waits, sword in hand. Not to punish. But to awaken.
ॐ क्रीं कालिकायै नमः।
I was born into a Shakta family. Not merely devotional, but Tantric. In our ancestral home, the Dacoit Kali Temple still stands, stubbornly, ferociously, like a blade stuck in the heart of colonial time. I grew up watching red hibiscus dripping blood-like on Her tongue, oil lamps flickering like breathing lungs, and skull motifs not as art, but as reminders. Chamunda was my Mother before I could even name fear. And Daniel Odier—outsider though he is—understood something essential: the terrifying intimacy of Tantra.
Odier doesn’t write as an anthropologist peeking through academic blinds. He writes as one who has tasted the ash. Trained under Lalita Devi, his Kali is not abstract or performative. She is the dark space where ego burns. His work is a love song, but in a raga composed of silence, sex, and surrender. Reading it, I felt what I’d always known: Ma Kali is not to be worshipped from afar. She is to be entered. To be swallowed by.
The pūjā, nyāsa, yoginī circles—these are not pages in a manual. They are breathing rituals. Odier speaks of Kāli krama and Vāmācāra without apology, without sanitisation. And in a world that endlessly demands that the Divine Feminine be “empowered” yet docile, “strong” yet sweet—Kali rips all of that in half. Odier knows this. And he offers no trigger warnings.
This book was like coming back to the sound of bones cracking under the feet of the dancing goddess. Yes, there’s a chapter on union, but this isn’t about titillation—it’s about transcendence through terror. The kind where the skull-cup is not a metaphor, and the cremation ground is the only temple worth entering.
For those of us raised in Her smoke and shadows, every word of Tantric Kali is electric. He speaks of kālī tattva not as doctrine but as lived experience: how the body becomes the field, how silence is louder than mantras, how surrender is the only currency She accepts. And above all, how every ritual—no matter how elaborate—is finally just a way to be annihilated.
I remember reading it in the night. Alone, but not alone. I could feel my ancestors—tantrics, rebels, women who bled into the earth and called it abhisheka—leaning over my shoulder. The book wasn’t opening doors. It was unlocking blood.
And then came the line that still tattoos my breath: “Tantra is not about techniques, but about abandoning the ego completely into the void that is Kali.” That void is my Mother. That void is the only real.
For those outside the tradition, Odier offers a window. For those born within it—like me—he offers a mirror. And what you see in it isn’t always pretty. But it’s true. And in Kali’s world, truth is beauty. Especially when it’s brutal.
Tantric Kali is not for the faint-hearted. But if you’ve walked the edge of a cremation ghat and whispered your fears into the skull of a goat, you’ll know: this book gets it. And it gets you.
Chamunda still waits, sword in hand. Not to punish. But to awaken.
ॐ क्रीं कालिकायै नमः।
November 28, 2023
I am new to the topic of Kali and tantra. This is a good starter book for a western perspective with detailed rituals. At just over 100 pages with no fluff which has been refreshing after other books I have picked up on the topic.
March 17, 2021
4.5 out of 5 stars.
February 7, 2022
I loved this booooook, connected me with the non-dual principle of good and evil. Beautiful rituals, amazing imagery. Recommend it!
Read
February 16, 2025Did not finish. Too religious for me.
November 28, 2020
I wanted to learn a little bit more about Kali, and now having read this book I appreciate the work that was put into this writing. It is simple and easy to read and very informative about Chakas, Kali's creation and how to practice some of these rituals.
January 7, 2022
Great information on Kali and her rituals, but not a lot of insight into the history and culture around her; he seems to rely on the reader having a lot of previous knowledge on Hinduism.
October 12, 2016
I received this book, for free, in exchange for an honest review.
As a background, I am very interested in eastern philosophy/religion and in Buddhism and Hinduism in particular. I like the Ram Dass flavor of Hinduism and am trying to learn more about Hinduism. That being said, I tend to dislike Tantra and have a hard time overcoming my judgments of it. I tried to approach this book with an open mind so I could learn more about Hinduism and see what I can incorporate into my practice. I was put off by Tantra's focus on sex in the past and although this book was better in this regard than in Osho's tantric works it still bothered me more than I'd like to admit.
Taking my biases into account I think this book would be a good book on tantra for someone with the right disposition. It is well researched and obviously a topic the author cares about. This book did come across as more academic than I tend to appreciate, but I could see another reader enjoying that. This book has many actionable practices that the reader could use to further their spiritual practice which is a rarity in spiritual books.
As a background, I am very interested in eastern philosophy/religion and in Buddhism and Hinduism in particular. I like the Ram Dass flavor of Hinduism and am trying to learn more about Hinduism. That being said, I tend to dislike Tantra and have a hard time overcoming my judgments of it. I tried to approach this book with an open mind so I could learn more about Hinduism and see what I can incorporate into my practice. I was put off by Tantra's focus on sex in the past and although this book was better in this regard than in Osho's tantric works it still bothered me more than I'd like to admit.
Taking my biases into account I think this book would be a good book on tantra for someone with the right disposition. It is well researched and obviously a topic the author cares about. This book did come across as more academic than I tend to appreciate, but I could see another reader enjoying that. This book has many actionable practices that the reader could use to further their spiritual practice which is a rarity in spiritual books.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews