Evidence of Powers of Yoginis

As powerful Tantric deities, yoginis have energies far beyond their times. While they are believed to have lived in the 6th-9th centuries, evidence of their importance in contemporary times exists in various forms. Over time, yoginis have seeped into spaces of tantric as well as non-tantric practitioners, even if often unaware (while people today chant to yoginis, they are not always knowledgeable about the meaning or power behind the prayers). This presentation looks at past yoginis and their importance today. It uses several methods of understanding yogini powers: 1. Transmission of philosophy of sangha and strategy through temple architecture, texts, and importance to contemporary women’s sanghas;  2. Transmission of powers and blessings through non-tantric textual stotram chanting; 3. Ritual propitiation of yoginis in temples by locals; 4. Literature review regarding anecdotal evidence of powers of yoginis; 5. Personal experiences in the field, including documentation of “Holi” at Varanasi’s Chausanth Yogini Mandir.